[{"content":" We had blinders on Thought that Trump would be defeated; and completely out of touch when it came to number, passion, and impact of Donald Trump's supporters. History books contain many instances of victorious armies on pillaging sprees. In today's world it takes a different form. There are clear signals about the goals and plans that Trump administration would take. List of of likely Cabinet appointees reflects Trump is wasting no time in in rewarding those whose support made him the winner. The list includes the usual suspects, extremists salivating at the prospect of beimg empowered to follow their agenda. With both Houses of Congress under Republican control, Trump administration would be in strong position to weaken or rescind legislations passed under previous administrations. And new legislations would be pushed to enable special interest groups to achieve their goals. There is nothing to stop them. The Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in 2010 lifted restrictions on financing of political campaigns. Citizens United We can only wait for actions of the Trump administration. At the end of 4 years, if the voters remain supportive then we must face the fact that the 2016 election was not an aberration. \"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\" ----Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne It was a fair election. Trump won under existing rules for Electoral College although he failed to secure majority in popular vote count. # posted by musafir @ 2:25 PM ","permalink":"/posts/2016/11/america-america---the-2016-presidential-election/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"blogPost\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\nWe had blinders on\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\nThought that Trump would be defeated; and completely out of touch when it came to number, passion, and impact of Donald Trump's supporters. \u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\nHistory books contain many instances of victorious armies on pillaging sprees. In today's world it takes a different form. There are clear signals about the goals and plans that Trump administration would take. \n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nList of  of likely Cabinet appointees reflects Trump is wasting no time in in rewarding those whose support made him the winner.   The list includes the usual suspects, extremists salivating at the prospect of beimg empowered to follow their agenda. \n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nWith both Houses of Congress under Republican control, Trump administration would be in strong position to weaken or rescind legislations passed under previous administrations.  And new legislations would be pushed to enable special interest groups to achieve their goals. There is nothing to stop them. The Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in 2010 lifted restrictions on financing of political campaigns.  \n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.blogger.com/\"\u003eCitizens United\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWe can only wait for actions of the Trump administration. At the end of 4 years, if the voters remain supportive then we must face the fact that the 2016 election was not an aberration. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e----Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\n\n It was a fair election. Trump won under existing rules for \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/electoral-college\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eElectoral College\u003c/a\u003e although he failed to secure majority in popular vote count.   \n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"byline\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2016/11/america-america-2016-presidential.html\" title=\"permanent link\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e posted by musafir @ 2:25 PM \u003cspan class=\"item-action\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.blogger.com/email-post/8448386/7620146092993159097\" title=\"Email Post\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"icon-action\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2016/11/icon18_email.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"item-control blog-admin pid-735327712\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=7620146092993159097\u0026amp;from=pencil\" title=\"Edit Post\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"icon-action\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2016/11/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"America, America - The 2016 Presidential Election"},{"content":" A Motel Infested with Bed Bugs Truly, a motel from hell. On Friday (September 11, 2015), a friend and I decided on booking a room at Budget Inn because of the location -- nearness to Muir Woods where we wanted to hike the next day. As the saying goes: Caveat Emptor The fact that Budget Inn is not listed in CSAA Tour Book should have triggered an alarm. To our regret, we ignored the fact; Thought that all we needed was a clean room for one night. It was a mistake for which we have badly suffered. The room (No.114) had broken furniture, and not very clean. Bed bug bites began to manifest themselves next morning. Itchy, red spots became noticeable and became progressively worse. After returning home, a google search revealed many previous reports about this particular establishment. Budget Inn, Corte Madera, California Check the comments. What is surprising is that despite the reports, no action is taken by the local authorities. Surely, they are not unaware of the situation. Marin County Health and Human Services Department. http://www.marincounty.org/depts/cd/divisions/environmental-health-services Is responsible for enforcing health codes. One gets the impression that the Marin County authorities are either: 1) Incompetent 2) Understaffed; do not have time to deal with such situations 3) Are aware but do not take any action. Influenced by other factors. Something is wrong and owners of Budget Inn continue to operate the bed-bug infested, dirty motel with impunity because they are protected from enforcement of health code. What is the secret ? What protects them ? Labels: Bed Bug Infestation, Budget Inn, Health Code Violation, Marin County Health \u0026amp; Human Services Department\n# posted by musafir @ 3:28 PM ","permalink":"/posts/2015/09/corte-madera-ca---budget-inn/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"blogPost\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\nA Motel Infested with Bed Bugs\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nTruly, a motel from hell.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn Friday (September 11, 2015), a friend and I decided on booking a room at Budget Inn because of the location -- nearness to Muir Woods where we wanted to hike the next day.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAs the saying goes: \u003ci\u003eCaveat Emptor\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nThe fact that Budget Inn is not listed in CSAA Tour Book should have triggered an alarm. To our regret, we ignored the fact;  Thought that all we needed was a clean room for one night.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt was a mistake for which we have badly suffered.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe room (No.114) had broken furniture, and not very clean. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBed bug bites began to manifest themselves next morning. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eItchy, red spots became noticeable and became progressively worse. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAfter returning home, a google search revealed many previous reports about this particular establishment. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"https://local.yahoo.com/details;_ylt=AwrTccmhhfxVBgMAkJEnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByNWU4cGh1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?id=21521988\u0026amp;stx=reviews+budget+inn\u0026amp;csz=Corte+Madera+CA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBudget Inn, Corte Madera, California \u003c/a\u003e\n\n\nCheck the comments.\n\n\nWhat is surprising is that despite the reports, no action is taken by the local authorities. Surely, they are not\u003cbr/\u003e\nunaware of the situation.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMarin County Health and Human Services Department. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.marincounty.org/depts/cd/divisions/environmental-health-services\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp://www.marincounty.org/\u003cwbr/\u003edepts/cd/divisions/\u003cwbr/\u003eenvironmental-health-services\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003eIs responsible for enforcing health codes. \u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\nOne gets the impression that the Marin County authorities are either:\n\n\n1) Incompetent\n\n\n2) Understaffed; do not have time to deal with such situations\n\n\n3) Are aware but do not take any action.  Influenced by \u003ci\u003eother factors\u003c/i\u003e.  \n\n\nSomething is wrong and owners  of Budget Inn continue to operate the bed-bug infested, dirty motel with impunity because they are protected from enforcement of health code. \n\n\nWhat is the secret ?\n\n\nWhat protects them ?  \n\n\u003chr/\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"blogger-labels\"\u003eLabels: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Bed%20Bug%20Infestation\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eBed Bug Infestation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Budget%20Inn\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eBudget Inn\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Health%20Code%20Violation\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eHealth Code Violation\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Marin%20County%20Health%20%26%20Human%20Services%20Department\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eMarin County Health \u0026amp; Human Services Department\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Corte Madera, CA, - Budget Inn"},{"content":" Sorrowing Lies My Land Headlines about gun violence -- deaths and injuries from gunshots -- have become regular features. Inescapable. In US, 204 mass shootings in 203 days NEWSER) – It's the worst kind of synchronicity: A websitethat tracks mass shootings in the US had logged 203 through Wednesday. It hasn't caught up with last night's rampage in a Louisiana theater, but when it does, that will be No. 204—and yesterday was the 204th day of the year, notes the Washington Post. The Mass Shooting Tracker is a crowd-sourced tool from an anti-gun forum at Reddit calledGuns Are Cool, and it defines \"mass shooting\" as incident in which at least four people were shot. Not all of the incidents resulted in deaths. DC's Summer of Gun Violence What they do in the name of Second Amendment ! NRA: \"Guns don't kill people, People Do\". Labels: America, Gun Violence, Guns, NRA\n# posted by musafir @ 1:57 PM ","permalink":"/posts/2015/08/america-america---a-country-awash-in-guns/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"blogPost\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\nSorrowing Lies My Land\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\nHeadlines about gun violence -- deaths and injuries from gunshots -- have become regular features.  Inescapable.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.newser.com/story/210337/in-us-204-mass-shootings-in-204-days.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIn US, 204 mass shootings in 203 days \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"source\"\u003eNEWSER) \u003c/span\u003e– It's the worst kind of synchronicity: A \u003ca href=\"http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewebsite\u003c/a\u003ethat tracks mass shootings in the US had logged 203 through Wednesday. It hasn't caught up with last night's rampage in a Louisiana theater, but when it does, that will be No. 204—and yesterday was the 204th day of the year, notes the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/07/24/there-have-been-204-mass-shootings-and-204-days-in-2015-so-far/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e. The Mass Shooting Tracker is a crowd-sourced tool from an anti-gun forum at Reddit called\u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/gunsarecool\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGuns Are Cool\u003c/a\u003e, and it defines \"mass shooting\" as incident in which at least four people were shot. Not all of the incidents resulted in deaths.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDC's Summer of Gun Violence\n\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"guncrime\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://img.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/08/guncrime.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\nWhat they do in the name of Second Amendment !\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nNRA: \"Guns don't kill people, People Do\". \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"blogger-labels\"\u003eLabels: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/America\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eAmerica\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Gun%20Violence\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eGun Violence\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/Guns\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eGuns\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search/label/NRA\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eNRA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"America, America - A Country Awash in Guns"},{"content":" Vive la France ! The news that Charlie Hebdo has decided to publish a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad on the cover of its first issue after the attack and killings by lunatic followers of Islam is to be applauded. A right decision; a bold decision. © National Post.com \"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" - Heraclitus ","permalink":"/posts/2015/01/go-charlie-go/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\nVive la France !\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\nThe news that \u003ca href=\"http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-reveals-cover-for-whats-likely-to-be-its-biggest-issue-ever/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCharlie Hebdo\u003c/a\u003e has decided to publish a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad on the cover  of its first issue after the attack and killings by lunatic followers of Islam is to be applauded.  A right decision; a bold decision. \n\n\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"charlie hebdo cover\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-cover1.jpg?w=400\u0026amp;h=532\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003e\n   © National Post.com\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003e\n\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" - Heraclitus\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Go Charlie, Go"},{"content":" Victoria BC - July 3-6, 2014 Highlight of the trip to Victoria BC was to listen to music being made by a group of talented budding artists. Nikhil Ghosh, Palo Alto, CA, trombone, tenor Cyrus Bhiladvala, Victoria BC, alto sax Simon Farintosh, Victoria BC, guitar Rowan Farintosh, Victoria BC, tenor sax We were fortunate to stay with Rustom and Kamal Bhiladvala, parents of Cyrus. On July 4th we drove to Bastion Square, downtown Victoria. The boys took out their instruments and began busking to the pleasure of passers by. It was a bright afternoon, full of shoppers and sightseers. Jazz on July 4th at Bastion Square, Victoria BC © Musafir Buskers warming up © Musafir “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” ― Bob Marley From the left: Nikhil Ghosh, Cyrus Bhiladvala, Simon Farintosh, Rowan Farintosh © Musafir Admiring dad Rustom Bhiladvala © Musafir Beaming Bhaskar Ghosh, a mean tabla player himself © Musafir Across from Empress Hotel © Musafir We were not far from the venerableEmpress Hotel, now a part of the Fairmont Group. The afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel continues to be popular with visitors. Not many locals go to have tea at close to $60.00 (Canadian) per person. Meantime, the young musicians had warmed up and the sound of jazz filled the air. They were rewarded fairly well. But more than the collection it was the pleasure of performing in public that energized them. Good vibrations. More power to them. Simon Farintosh, who graduated from high school, is going to pursue musical studies in college. ","permalink":"/posts/2014/07/young-men-with-horns-and-guitar/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nVictoria BC - July 3-6, 2014\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nHighlight of the trip to Victoria BC was to listen to music being made by a group of talented budding artists. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nNikhil Ghosh, Palo Alto, CA, trombone, tenor \u003cbr/\u003e\nCyrus Bhiladvala, Victoria BC, alto sax\u003cbr/\u003e\nSimon Farintosh, Victoria BC, guitar\u003cbr/\u003e\nRowan Farintosh, Victoria BC, tenor sax\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWe were fortunate to stay with Rustom and Kamal Bhiladvala, parents of Cyrus. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOn July 4th we drove to Bastion Square, downtown Victoria.  The boys took out their instruments and began \u003ci\u003ebusking\u003c/i\u003e to the pleasure of passers by.  It was a bright afternoon, full of shoppers and sightseers. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 354.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eJazz on July 4th at Bastion Square, Victoria BC © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 351.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eBuskers warming up  © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 356.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” \u003cbr/\u003e\n― \u003ca href=\"http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25241.Bob_Marley\"\u003eBob Marley\u003c/a\u003e  \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 345.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eFrom the left: Nikhil Ghosh, Cyrus Bhiladvala, Simon Farintosh, Rowan Farintosh  \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                                                                      \u003c/span\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 346.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eAdmiring dad Rustom Bhiladvala  © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 344.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eBeaming Bhaskar Ghosh, a mean tabla player himself  © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 359.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAcross from Empress Hotel © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWe were not far from the venerable\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/\"\u003eEmpress Hotel\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/i\u003e, now a part of the Fairmont Group.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/pdf/emp-tea-menu-june-2014-pdf/\"\u003eafternoon tea\u003c/a\u003e at the Empress Hotel continues to be popular with visitors. Not many locals go to have tea at close to $60.00 (Canadian) per person. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nMeantime, the young musicians had warmed up and the sound of jazz filled the air.  They were rewarded fairly well.  But more than the collection it was the pleasure of performing in public that energized them.  Good vibrations. More power to them.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nSimon Farintosh, who graduated from high school, is going to pursue musical studies in college.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Young Men With Horns and Guitar "},{"content":" A recent day at Henry Hagg Lake, about 25 miles southwest of Portland, Oregon, drove home the point that when it comes to leaving a mess behind the Oregonians are no better than those who fish in California. Found discarded water and beer bottles, food containers, plastic bags, and fishing tackles. You wonder about the state of their homes. But perhaps they believe in the right to leave garbage in public places and keep their homes clean. Scumbags, I Scumbags, II Scumbags, III What makes them turn a nice cove into a garbage dump and go home at the end of the day without giving a damn about others is a mystery. Posted signs \"Pack It In - Pack It Out\" are very visible. Perhaps they cannot read. Hikers and backpackers don't do it. Bicyclists don't do it. Some picnic grounds show the effects of piggish behavior but not as much as fishing spots. In California, apart from those who fish, commercial mushroom pickers are the only ones that leave a lot of detritus behind them. ","permalink":"/posts/2014/07/why-do-people-who-fish-have-a-tendency-to-despoil-the-environment/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA recent day at\u003ci\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.co.washington.or.us/Support_Services/Facilities/Parks/Hagglake/location.cfm\"\u003eHenry Hagg Lake\u003c/a\u003e, \u003c/i\u003eabout 25 miles southwest of Portland, Oregon, drove home the point that when it comes to leaving a mess behind the Oregonians are no better than those who fish in California.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\nFound discarded water and beer bottles, food containers, plastic bags, and fishing tackles. You wonder about the state of their homes.  But perhaps they believe in the right to leave garbage in public places and keep their homes clean. \n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 464.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption\"\u003eScumbags, I\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 465.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption\"\u003eScumbags, II\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/07/Oregon - Summer 2014 463.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption\"\u003eScumbags, III\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\n\n\nWhat makes them turn a nice cove into a garbage dump and go home at the end of the day without giving a damn about others is a mystery.  Posted signs \"Pack It In - Pack It Out\" are very visible.  Perhaps they cannot read.\n\n\nHikers and backpackers don't do it.  Bicyclists don't do it. Some picnic grounds show the effects of piggish behavior but not as much as fishing spots.\n\n\nIn California, apart from those who fish, commercial mushroom pickers are the only ones that leave a lot of detritus behind them.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Why Do People Who Fish Have a Tendency to Despoil the Environment ?"},{"content":" Easily accessible to residents of South Bay, Ed R. Levin Park offers a lot of activities for adults and children. Great views, especially for those who walk up the trail. Sandy Wool Lake is stocked with trouts. Play area for kids. Lack of shade trees on the trails makes hiking unattractive in the warm weather. For hikers, Spring is the best time to explore the trails. Wild flowers in abundance add to the pleasure. On Sunday, April 27th, a friend and I decided to hike up to Monument Peak (elev. 2594'). We had been to the park a few times in the past but never attempted going all the way up. Sunday was a great day for it. Mild temperature; sunny and clear sky. The landscape a lush green after recent rains. Not a switchback trail, so going up felt strenuous at times. Encountered few other hikers. We found no marker (signage) at the top! Before entering the park, we drove on the winding Calaveras Road (popular with bicyclists) for a few miles to look at Calaveras Reservoir. Distant view of the trail from Calaveras Road © Musafir Calaveras Reservoir © Musafir The yellow patches are fields of wild mustard © Musafir Beginning of the trail © Musafir Wild California Poppies © Musafir Old farm and stable © Musafir Blue Dick © Musafir Picnic lunch off the trail © Musafir Venus Lilly (also known as Thorny Lilly) © Musafir Poppies and Chia (Salvia columbariae) © Musafir Trudging up Monument Peak Trail © Musafir Trail marker -- 2 miles before Monument Peak © Musafir A hang glider. At times there are many of them up in the air © Musafir The park is popular with hang glider pilots who use the service road to access launching pads. © Musafir Looking down from Monument Peak © Musafir Sandy Wool Lake © Musafir Lupines and Blue Dick © Musafir Blazing Star © Musafir Close up of Blazing Star, II © Musafir Grazing area © Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2014/04/a-hike-up-to-monument-peak-ed-r-levin-county-park-milpitas-ca/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QMtd-toMqrF2cqg5mT7pwVFGEI0wlCjCFqVzxv7sLKrNVl9pbAv4WvCXl7FNjpGJ9iQVkn5z8sM-rjiY60opR3vpQoV_htQM3CDAEnh7rSB4l-kW_4IKKL6deDGcxsy0zhJM/s1600/Spring+2014+-+Hike+at+Ed+Levin+County+Park+030.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nEasily accessible to residents of South Bay, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/Ed-Levin.aspx\"\u003eEd R. Levin Park\u003c/a\u003e offers a lot of activities for adults and children.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nGreat views, especially for those who walk up the trail. Sandy Wool Lake is stocked with trouts. Play area for kids.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLack of shade trees on the trails makes hiking unattractive in the warm weather.  For hikers, Spring is the best time to explore the trails.  Wild flowers in abundance add to the pleasure. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn Sunday, April 27th, a friend and I decided to hike up to Monument Peak (elev. 2594').  We had been to the park a few times in the past but never attempted going all the way up.  Sunday was a great day for it. Mild temperature;  sunny and clear sky.  The landscape a lush green after recent rains.  Not a switchback trail, so going up felt strenuous at times.  Encountered few other hikers. We found no marker (signage) at the top!   \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBefore entering the park, we drove on the winding Calaveras Road (popular with bicyclists) for a few miles to look at \u003ca href=\"http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunol-regional-wilderness-area-sunol\"\u003eCalaveras Reservoir.\u003c/a\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDistant view of the trail from Calaveras Road © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCalaveras Reservoir © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eThe yellow patches are fields of wild mustard  © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eBeginning of the trail © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyX1fciW1Rt9YgSvfIPpyoXvnsv38wVSdvyDeJthw3_9HGq741N7L2Yp3KVSEN-sfpJBwW3hROugSnpSBlvfpAS5vGub9H6ML2Um2ks7KvE_ieVnOAdkOTVzLh8YV5ZMH5AHVV/s1600/Spring+2014+-+Hike+at+Ed+Levin+County+Park+009.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n                              Wild California Poppies © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eOld farm and stable © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eBlue Dick © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003ePicnic lunch off the trail © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 022.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eVenus Lilly (also known as Thorny Lilly) © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 023.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003ePoppies and Chia (Salvia columbariae) © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eTrudging up Monument Peak Trail © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nTrail marker -- 2 miles before Monument Peak © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n          A hang glider. At times there are many of them up in the air © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eThe park is popular with hang glider pilots who use the service road to access launching pads. © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nLooking down from Monument Peak © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 025.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eSandy Wool Lake © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 027.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nLupines and Blue Dick © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 028.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eBlazing Star © Musafir \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 029.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nClose up of Blazing Star, II © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/Spring 2014 - Hike at Ed Levin County Park 030.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003eGrazing area © Musafir\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Hike Up to Monument Peak (Ed R. Levin County Park, Milpitas, CA) "},{"content":" During a trip to Hillsboro, OR , Arani Sinha and I decided to get away from wet and cold weather for a few days. We drove to Bend, about 190 miles from Hillsboro. The first few pictures were taken at Lava Beds National Monument, few miles outside Bend. Drake Park, adjacent to downtown is scenic. Great place to walk, enjoy the view, and have a picnic lunch. Bend was sunny. Lovely fall colors. But on our drive back to Portland we passed an area that had a lot of snow! ","permalink":"/posts/2014/04/bend-oregon---october-2012/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDuring a trip to Hillsboro, OR , Arani Sinha and I decided to get away from wet and cold weather for a few days. We drove to Bend, about 190 miles from Hillsboro.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe first few pictures were taken at \u003ca href=\"http://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm\"\u003eLava Beds National Monument\u003c/a\u003e, few miles outside Bend.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.bendparksandrec.org/Park_List_Hidden/Drake_Park/\"\u003eDrake Park\u003c/a\u003e, adjacent to downtown is scenic.  Great place to walk, enjoy the view, and have a picnic lunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBend was sunny. Lovely fall colors. But on our drive back to Portland we passed an area that had a lot of snow!\u003cspan id=\"goog_420751116\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0550.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0552.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0553.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0554.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0556.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0557.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0558.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0559.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0561.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0562.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0564.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0566.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0567.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0569.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0570.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0572.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0573.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0574.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0575.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0576.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0577.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0578.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0579.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0580.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0581.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0582.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0583.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0584.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0585.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0586.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0587.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0589.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0590.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0592.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0593.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0594.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0595.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0598.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0599.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0600.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0604.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0605.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0606.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0607.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0608.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2014/04/IMG_0609.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan id=\"goog_420751115\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bend, Oregon - October 2012"},{"content":" Backpack trip from Tuolumne Meadows Participants: Sarbajit Ghosal - group leader, Prasenjit Sarkar, Musafir (Rana Sircar) There are different choices available to backpackers. We decided on the short loop, going up to Vogelsang using Rafferty Creek Trail and then taking the Ireland Lake Trail to return to Tuolumne Meadows trail-head via John Muir Trail (Lyell Canyon Trail).\" See link to Vogelsang High Sierra Trail. http://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/HSC-Trails-Map.pdf After spending the first night in Backpackers' Camp at Tuolumne Meadows we drove to the trailhead, parked and began our trek. Day-time temperatures were moderate during the trip, July 17-21. The nights were cold -- in the 40's. There were warnings about bears and the need to use bear-proof containers. Use of rope to hang bags of foodstuff from branches of trees was discouraged. We were informed by rangers that it did not deter bears. We observed the rules and had no encounter with bears. Two of us suffered from altitude problem soon after we began going up John Muir Trail. No headache or dizziness, but extreme fatigue and thirst which required frequent stops. Our progress was very slow. This despite the fact that I had taken Acetazolamide to prevent altitude sickness. Later, I found out that I was prescribed 125 mg tablets, not 250 mg which I had had taken on earlier treks. Sarbajit remained unaffected by altitude. But I decided to rest the next day when my companions went to try Vogelsang Peak. Took us more than 7 hours to reach Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. We pitched our tents and spent two nights there. Very scenic. Near lakes and surrounded by rocky peaks. We met backpackers who talked about good fishing. On the 3rd morning we broke camp and headed for Lyell Creek. Except for a steep downhill segment it was an easy hike. The altitude-related fatigue ceased to be a problem as we descended to lower elevation. Instead of continuing on to Tuolumne Meadows we decided on camping near the junction of Ireland Lake trail and Lyell Fork. It was a popular spot for campers. Next morning we headed back to the trailhead and arrived in mid-day. After a brief stop for lunch at Tenaya Lake, we drove to the Bay area, reaching home around 8 PM. Most of the photographs were taken by Sarbajit Ghosal with a Canon S95. At the trailhead, I At the trailhead, II Woman hiker with a good-size pack Group leader, SG, checking route After we take a right at the fork on to Rafferty Creek Trail to Vogelsang, the steady climb starts and lasts for about a couple of miles. Stopped alongside Rafferty Creek for lunch Before the fatigue hit us SG at the beginning of the uphill trail Steps cut into granite Prasenjit weighed down by pack In the eastern horizon are the reddish Mt. Dana, Mt. Gibbs and the whitish Mammoth Peak Met a family of four with an exchange student and a guide. The mom took our group photo. This is not a route to seek solitude! Reflection of Fletcher Peak in a pool at Tuolumne Pass (9992 ft) in the late afternoon sun The final mile to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. Rocky but stretches of whitebark pines and lodgepole pines Fletcher peak and the moon in the setting sun from the backpackers' camp near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp (10,140 ft), 7.7 miles from the Tuolumne Meadows trail head High Sierra Camp tent cabins Vogelsang Peak at Sunset Alpen glow off Fletcher Peak Our tents in the foreground During day hike to Vogelsang Peak Emeric Lake on the left. Towards the left of center in the horizon are Half Dome and Clouds' Rest Clouds shaped like wings of a flying gull Vogelsang Lake Looking down at Vogelsang Lake from the trail to the peak Aborted attempt to scale the peak Here we are at an elevation of just over 11,000 ft Sarbajit, on the way down Vogelsang Pass Patches of snow at higher elevation Wild Flowers were not plentiful At the top of Vogelsang Pass (10,685 ft) looking down on Gallison Lake with Parson's Peak in the background View of Cathedral Range, Bernice Lake in the distance Heading back to camp site Back at camp. Fletcher Peak in the afternoon Fletcher Lake Indian Paintbrush alongside Fletcher Lake Sunset Sunrise Breakfast is over. Time to break camp Starting our hike to Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River, via the Ireland Lake Trail Beautiful Evelyn Lake Vast meadow between the trail and Evelyn Lake Leaving Evelyn Lake behind Stopped for lunch near Tarn 10,425 (yes, a lake with the altitude in its name!). The lake, not visible here, is at the bottom of the glaciated headwall Rest stop before tackling the steep descent At the beginning of a more than 1000 ft descent Very rocky downhill trail We camped near the junction of Ireland Lake Trail and Lyell Fork. A thunderstorm soon started and lasted for two hours. After the rain ended we came out of our tent for dinner Sunset through White Bark Pines Amelia Earhart Peak at 7:15 PM Time to break camp Lyell Fork flowing strong Back on John Muir Trail Lyell meadows with Kune Ridge to the right Sarbajit alongside Lyell Creek Again, this is not where one comes for solitude -- two parties can be seen ahead of us. Mostly flat trail all the way back to Tuolumne Meadows Back at the base of the \"Lollypop\" Loop Sarbajit near the end of the trail We stopped at Tenaya Lake before the drive home to the Bay Area. All good things come to an end. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2014-06-03 Thanks for the tour, I hope to do the same trip this July 13. Enjoyed the photos and the log. Thanks! Happy trails, L ","permalink":"/posts/2013/08/vogelsang-high-sierra-camp-lyell-canyon-trail/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBackpack trip from Tuolumne Meadows \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nParticipants: Sarbajit Ghosal - group leader, Prasenjit Sarkar, Musafir (Rana Sircar)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThere are different choices available to backpackers. We decided on the short loop,  going up to Vogelsang using Rafferty Creek Trail and then taking the Ireland Lake Trail to return to Tuolumne Meadows trail-head via John Muir Trail (Lyell Canyon Trail).\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSee link to Vogelsang High Sierra Trail.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/HSC-Trails-Map.pdf\"\u003ehttp://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/HSC-Trails-Map.pdf\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAfter spending the first night in Backpackers' Camp at Tuolumne Meadows we drove to the trailhead, parked and began our trek.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nDay-time temperatures were moderate during the trip, July 17-21. The nights were cold -- in the 40's.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThere were warnings about bears and the need to use bear-proof containers. Use of rope to hang bags of foodstuff from branches of trees was discouraged. We were informed by rangers that it did not deter bears. We observed the rules and had no encounter with bears.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nTwo of us suffered from altitude problem soon after we began going up John Muir Trail.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nNo headache or dizziness, but extreme fatigue and thirst which required frequent stops.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOur progress was very slow.  This despite the fact that I had taken \u003ca href=\"http://www.medicinenet.com/acetazolamide-oral/article.htm\"\u003eAcetazolamide\u003c/a\u003e to prevent altitude sickness. Later, I found out that I was prescribed 125 mg tablets, not 250 mg which I had had taken on earlier treks. Sarbajit remained unaffected by altitude. But I decided to rest the next day when my companions went to try Vogelsang Peak.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nTook us more than 7 hours to reach Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. We pitched our tents \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nand spent two nights there.  Very scenic. Near lakes and surrounded by rocky peaks. We met backpackers who talked about good fishing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOn the 3rd morning we broke camp and headed for Lyell Creek. Except for a steep downhill segment it was an easy hike. The altitude-related fatigue ceased to be a problem\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nas we descended to lower elevation.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nInstead of continuing on to Tuolumne Meadows we decided on camping near the junction of Ireland Lake trail and Lyell Fork.  It was a popular spot for campers. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nNext morning we headed back to the trailhead and arrived in mid-day. After a brief stop for lunch at Tenaya Lake, we drove to the Bay area, reaching home around 8 PM.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMost of the photographs were taken by Sarbajit Ghosal with a Canon S95.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAt the trailhead, I\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/Vogelsang Backpack Trip 006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAt the trailhead, II\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/Vogelsang Backpack Trip 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n Woman hiker with a good-size pack \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/Vogelsang Backpack Trip 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nGroup leader, SG, checking route\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/Vogelsang Backpack Trip 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAfter we take a right at the fork on to Rafferty Creek Trail to Vogelsang, the steady climb starts and lasts for about a couple of miles.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2161.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nStopped alongside Rafferty Creek for lunch \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2168.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBefore the fatigue hit us\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/pic1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n SG at the beginning of the uphill trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2172.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSteps cut into granite \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2174.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nPrasenjit weighed down by pack\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/Prasenjit weighed down IMG_0113.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nIn the eastern horizon are the reddish Mt. Dana, Mt. Gibbs and the whitish Mammoth Peak\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2176.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eMet a family of four with an exchange student and a guide. The mom took our group photo. This is not a route to seek solitude!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2180.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eReflection of Fletcher Peak in a pool at Tuolumne Pass (9992 ft)  in the late afternoon sun\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2185.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eThe final mile to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. Rocky but stretches of whitebark pines and lodgepole pines\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2188.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eFletcher peak and the moon in the setting sun from the backpacker\u003cwbr/\u003es' camp near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp (10,140 ft), 7.7 miles from the Tuolumne Meadows trail head\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2189.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eHigh Sierra Camp tent cabins\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2191.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nVogelsang Peak at Sunset\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2192.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAlpen glow off Fletcher Peak\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2195.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nOur tents in the foreground\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2197.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDuring day hike to Vogelsang Peak \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2199.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eEmeric Lake on the left. Towards the left of center in the horizon are Half Dome and Clouds' Rest\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2208.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eClouds shaped like wings of a flying gull\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2209.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nVogelsang Lake\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2210.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nLooking down at Vogelsang Lake from the trail to the peak\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2217.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAborted attempt to scale the peak\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2219.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eHere we are at an elevation of just over 11,000 ft\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2221.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSarbajit, on the way down \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2226.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nVogelsang Pass\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2229.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nPatches of snow at higher elevation\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2232.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nWild Flowers were not plentiful\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2238.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eAt the top of Vogelsang Pass (10,685 ft) looking down on Gallison Lake with Parson's Peak in the background\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2239.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nView of Cathedral Range, Bernice Lake in the distance \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2242.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nHeading back to camp site \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2253.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBack at camp.  Fletcher Peak in the afternoon \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2274.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nFletcher Lake\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2279.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nIndian Paintbrush alongside Fletcher Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2286.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSunset\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2293.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSunrise\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2301.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBreakfast is over. Time to break camp\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2305.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gphoto-photocaption\" id=\"lhid_caption\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gphoto-photocaption text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eStarting our hike to Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River, via the Ireland Lake Trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"lhid_popularityinfo\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"lhcl_popularityinfo\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd width=\"100%\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"lhcl_fakelink\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"SPRITE_like lhcl_spriting_marginRight5\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/s/v/lighthousefe_124.02/img/transparent.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"lhcl_popularityinfo_infoBox lhcl_countBox\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2311.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBeautiful Evelyn Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2313.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nVast meadow between the trail and Evelyn Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2315.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nLeaving Evelyn Lake behind \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2323.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eStopped for lunch \nnear Tarn 10,425 (yes, a lake with the altitude in its name!). The lake,\n not visible here, is at the bottom of the glaciated headwall\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2325.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nRest stop before tackling the steep descent  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2326.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eAt the beginning of a more than 1000 ft descent\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2336.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nVery rocky downhill trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2337.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eWe camped near the junction of Ireland Lake Trail and Lyell Fork. A thundersto\u003cwbr/\u003erm soon started and lasted for two hours. After the rain ended we came out of our tent for dinner\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2339.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSunset through White Bark Pines \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2341.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAmelia Earhart Peak at 7:15 PM\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2349.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nTime to break camp \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2366.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nLyell Fork flowing strong \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2369.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBack on John Muir Trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2368.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eLyell meadows with Kune Ridge to the right\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2372.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSarbajit alongside Lyell Creek \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2378.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eAgain, this is not where one comes for solitude -- two parties can be seen ahead of us.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eMostly flat trail all the way back to Tuolumne Meadows\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2379.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"gphoto-photocaption-caption\"\u003eBack at the base of the \"Lollypop\" Loop\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2411.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSarbajit near the end of the trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2418.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nWe stopped at Tenaya Lake before the drive home to the Bay Area.  All good things come to an end. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/08/IMG_2420.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2014-06-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for the tour, I hope to do the same trip this July 13.   Enjoyed the photos and the log.  Thanks! Happy trails, L\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Vogelsang High Sierra Camp-Lyell Canyon Trail"},{"content":" Back in 2007, it survived opposition from hypocritical politicians and Bible thumpers. The Bush Administration was unable to stop it. Recently, President Obama failed to restrict over the counter sale of the drug to teens 17 and over. A federal judge (Edward Korman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York) approved Wednesday the Obama administration’s plan to drop its lawsuit over the “morning after pill” and offer a form of emergency contraception over-the-counter without any age restrictions, winding down a controversy that has lasted for a decade. Good for women of America. \"(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you. Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ? Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying. Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\" ---From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\") ","permalink":"/posts/2013/06/the-morning-after-pill---2007-and-now/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBack in 2007, it survived opposition from hypocritical politicians and Bible thumpers.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Bush Administration was unable to stop it.  Recently, President Obama failed to restrict over the counter sale of the drug to teens 17 and over.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\nA federal judge (Edward Korman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern\nDistrict of New York) approved\nWednesday the Obama administration’s plan to drop its lawsuit over the “\u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/judge-accepts-white-house-plan-on-morning-after-pill-92696.html\"\u003emorning after pil\u003c/a\u003el” and offer a form of emergency contraception over-the-counter without\nany age restrictions, winding down a controversy that has lasted for a decade.\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\nGood for women of America. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look,\neven if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eOdette: Do you believe in\ncentralized government or states' rights ?\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eDennis: What?Odette: I just want\nto know the kind of guy I'm marrying.\u003cbr/\u003e\nDennis:\nI'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this\nanymore.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n---From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as\n\"All I Wanna Do\")\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Morning After Pill - 2007 and Now"},{"content":" An article about Lee Kuan Yew, the grand old man of Singapore, in the New York Times reminded me of the mid-1980's when I visited Singapore many times and came to admire what Lee Kuan Yew achieved even though there was a feeling of \"Big Brother\" keeping a watchful eye over the inhabitants of Singapore. Ocean transportation -- the most economical means of moving large volumes of cargo from one country to another -- continues its role in international trade. The industry embraced modernization by adopting cargo containers in the late 1960's. Then more functions were computerized and the interaction between shippers and carriers slowly ceased to be an important part of the business I knew and enjoyed being a part of for many years. My career began in Calcutta, India, and ended in the San Francisco Bay Area. In those days offices of steamship lines and freight brokers were located in or around California Street, San Francisco. No longer so. Nowadays, modern communication systems have made it possible to run a steamship company far away from ports of call. A few employees handle operations and sales instead of large offices bustling with staff. Popular among steamship company employees, Tadich Grill is still there, but Paolis on Commercial Street and Doro's on Jackson Square are gone. Neckties for men were de rigueur at Don Dianda's Doro's. Historical Merchants Exchange Building, which was home of Commercial Club -- another gathering place for the shipping fraternity -- changed ownership in 1995 and went through extensive renovation. The staid World Trade Club, located in the Ferry Building, served mediocre food but offered a great view of the Bay. It went bankrupt in 2006. The late Herb Caen wrote in one of his columns: \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of London, and the rascality of Paris.\" A great city. On a clear day it offers breathtaking views. It was while working for a Danish shipping company in San Francisco that I heard of JHM, known as \"Mogi\" Mogensen who was talked about as \"Our Man in Bangkok\". As the country manager of the company in Thailand for almost a decade, Mogi was legendary. Years later, employed with a different company I met him in Singapore when he came to pick me up from the airport on my first trip to that city. Subsequently, he moved to California and we worked together for a few years. A tall, courtly man, Mogi followed some old world customs. For one thing, he always put his jacket on before meeting a visitor. He returned to Copenhagen in 2006 but continued to be active in the chartering business. We remained in touch, with meetings during his periodic visits to the United States. He had been suffering from melanoma for some years. The condition gradually worsened. Mogi died on Feb 16, 2011. His last message read: Tks yr phone call \u0026amp; your concern. A very belated Happy Thanksgiving! I was hospitalized witn an infection and could not write you but back home today - I am still under chemo-therapy treatment which to continue until 2nd half january, I think. Wish I could get out jogging again! Brgds/Mogi Seamus Heaney, in \"Human Chain\" The Baler All day the clunk of a baler Ongoing, cardiac-dull, So taken for granted It was evening before I came to To what I was hearing And missing: summer’s richest hours As they had been to begin with, Fork-lifted, sweated-through And nearly rewarded enough By the giddied-up race of a tractor At the end of the day Last-lapping a hayfield. But what I also remembered As woodpigeons sued at the edge Of thirty gleaned acres And I stood inhaling the cool In a dusk Eldorado Of mighty cylindrical bales Was Derek Hill’s saying, The last time he sat at our table, He could bear no longer to watch The sun going down And asking please to be put With his back to the window. ","permalink":"/posts/2013/06/personal-history---the-world-of-shipping-and-mogi-mogensen/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAn article about Lee Kuan\nYew, the grand old man of Singapore, in the New York Times reminded me of the\nmid-1980's when I visited Singapore many times and came to admire what Lee Kuan\nYew achieved even though there was a feeling of \"Big Brother\"\nkeeping  a watchful eye over the\ninhabitants of Singapore.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\nOcean transportation -- the\nmost economical means of moving large volumes of cargo from one country to\nanother --  continues its role in\ninternational trade. The industry embraced modernization by adopting cargo\ncontainers in the late 1960's. Then more functions were computerized and the\ninteraction between shippers and carriers slowly ceased to be an important part\nof the business I knew and enjoyed being a part of for many years.\n\n\n\nMy career began in Calcutta,\nIndia, and ended in the San Francisco Bay Area. \nIn those days offices of steamship lines and freight brokers were\nlocated in or around California Street, San Francisco.  No longer so. \nNowadays, modern communication systems have made it possible to run a\nsteamship company far away from ports of call. \nA few employees handle operations and sales instead of large offices\nbustling with staff. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nPopular among steamship\ncompany employees, Tadich Grill is still there, but Paolis on Commercial Street\nand Doro's on Jackson Square are gone.  Neckties for men were \u003ci\u003ede rigueur\u003c/i\u003e at Don Dianda's Doro's.  Historical Merchants Exchange Building, which\nwas home of Commercial Club --  another\ngathering place for the shipping fraternity -- changed ownership in 1995 and\nwent through extensive renovation.  The\nstaid World Trade Club, located in the Ferry Building, served mediocre food but\noffered  a great view of the Bay.  It went bankrupt in 2006.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\nThe late Herb Caen wrote in\none of his columns: \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of\nLondon, and the rascality of Paris.\" \nA great city.  On a clear day it\noffers breathtaking views.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nIt was while working for a\nDanish shipping company in San Francisco that I heard of JHM, known as \"Mogi\" Mogensen who was talked\nabout as \"Our Man in Bangkok\". \nAs the country manager of the company in Thailand for almost a decade, Mogi was legendary.  Years later, employed\nwith a different company I met him in Singapore when he came to pick me up from\nthe airport on my first  trip to that\ncity.  Subsequently, he moved to California\nand we worked together for a few years. \nA tall, courtly man, Mogi  followed some old world customs.  For one thing, he always put his jacket on\nbefore meeting a visitor.  He returned to\nCopenhagen in 2006 but continued to be active in the chartering business. We remained in touch, with meetings during his periodic\nvisits to the United States.  He had been suffering from\nmelanoma for some years.  The condition\ngradually worsened.  Mogi died on Feb 16, 2011.  His last message read:\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\nTks\nyr phone call \u0026amp; your concern. A very belated Happy Thanksgiving!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI was hospitalized witn an infection and could\nnot write you but back home\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\ntoday \n- I am still under chemo-therapy treatment which to continue until \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n2nd\nhalf january, I think. Wish I could get out jogging again!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBrgds/Mogi\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\n\n\nSeamus Heaney, in\n\"Human Chain\"\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n\u003cb\u003eThe Baler\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\n\n\nAll\nday the clunk of a baler\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nOngoing,\ncardiac-dull,\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nSo\ntaken for granted\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nIt was\nevening before I came to\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nTo\nwhat I was hearing\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAnd\nmissing: summer’s richest hours\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAs\nthey had been to begin with,\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nFork-lifted,\nsweated-through\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAnd\nnearly rewarded enough\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nBy the\ngiddied-up race of a tractor\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAt the\nend of the day\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nLast-lapping\na hayfield.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nBut\nwhat I also remembered\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAs\nwoodpigeons sued at the edge\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nOf\nthirty gleaned acres\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAnd I\nstood inhaling the cool\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nIn a\ndusk Eldorado\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nOf\nmighty cylindrical bales\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nWas Derek\nHill’s saying,\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nThe\nlast time he sat at our table,\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nHe\ncould bear no longer to watch\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nThe\nsun going down\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nAnd\nasking please to be put\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nWith\nhis back to the window.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Personal History - The World of Shipping, and \"Mogi\" Mogensen"},{"content":" Cañada Road, A Haven for Bicyclists, Runners, and Walkers The seven-mile stretch of Cañada Road, between Highway 92 on the north and Woodside Road on the south, is always pleasant for runners, hikers, and bicyclists. Scenic and popular. On Sundays, the road is closed to vehicular traffic and streams of bicyclists enjoy it without worrying about cars. It offers great views of Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir, and the hiking trail, which is parallel to the road, leads to Huddart County Park and Phleger Estate. Once you are in Huddart Park there are other trails to explore. Recommend hiking up to Skyline via Miramontes or Raymundo trail accessible from Phleger Estate. In summer months, rattle snakes like the trails. Watch for them; keep your distance. Wile E. Coyote Mailbox @ Musafir The Wile E. Coyote mailbox opposite the gate to SF Water District Rangers' Quarters never fails to make me chuckle. Easy to miss if you are driving by. Must have been there for years. The box is built to last but there is no mail delivery for Wile E. Coyote. Whoever put that up had a sense of humor. Thank you. View of Upper Crystal Springs Reservoire across from the mailbox @ Musafir Although Huddart Park is part of the San Mateo County park system, Phleger Estate is under GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area). So, maps for Huddart Park do not show details of that segment. Between Highway 92 and the T-Junction of Cañada Road/Edgewood Road, approximately halfway to the Woodside end, there are other points of interest. Filoli requires admission fee. Starting at the northern end, Pulgas Water Temple would be on your right, about 1 mile from Highway 92. Half a mile further, on the left, is a small gate to Sheep Camp Trail (no bicyclists permitted). Sheep Camp Trail leads to the Cross Country Course. One can exit the trail by going past the gate, crossing St James Road and continuing on to Water Dog Lake or, at the foot of the trail, turning left on Hallmark Drive to access Ralston Road. Go left on Ralston for about half a mile and take bike path next to the commuter parking lot to return to Cañada Road. Note: During Fall when competitive events are scheduled, the Cross Country Course of Sheep Camp is restricted to participants. Hikers and runners can still use the trail from Cañada Road to St James Road. Comments Susan Vento \u0026mdash; 2013-05-06 Hi Musafir,\nI have a quick question regarding your blog. If you could send me an email when you get a chance, I would greatly appreciate it!\nBest,\nSue musafir \u0026mdash; 2013-05-06 Need your email address. ","permalink":"/posts/2013/04/mailbox-for-wile-e-coyote-ca%C3%B1ada-road-woodside-california/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCañada Road, A Haven for Bicyclists, Runners, and Walkers\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe seven-mile stretch of \u003ca href=\"http://www.hiddensf.com/326-bicycle-sundays-canada-road-belmont.html\"\u003eCañada Road\u003c/a\u003e, between Highway 92 on the north and Woodside Road on the south,  is always pleasant for runners, hikers, and bicyclists. Scenic and popular. On Sundays, the road is closed to vehicular traffic and streams of bicyclists enjoy it without worrying about cars.  It offers great views of Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir, and the hiking trail, which is parallel to the road, leads to Huddart County Park and Phleger Estate. Once you are in Huddart Park there are other trails to explore. Recommend hiking up to Skyline via Miramontes or Raymundo trail accessible from Phleger Estate.  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nIn summer months, rattle snakes like the trails.  Watch for them; keep your distance.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n      Wile E. Coyote Mailbox\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/04/IMG_0784.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n                                                                         @ Musafir\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe Wile E. Coyote mailbox opposite the gate to SF Water District Rangers' Quarters never fails to make me chuckle. Easy to miss if you are driving by. Must have been there for years. The box is built to last but there is no mail delivery for Wile E. Coyote. Whoever put that up had a sense of humor.  Thank you.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nView of Upper Crystal Springs Reservoire across from the mailbox\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2013/04/IMG_0787.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n                                                                        @ Musafir\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAlthough Huddart Park is part of the San Mateo County park system, \u003ca href=\"http://www.nps.gov/goga/phes.htm\"\u003ePhleger Estate\u003c/a\u003e is under GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area). So, maps for Huddart Park do not show details of that segment.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nBetween Highway 92 and the T-Junction of Cañada Road/Edgewood Road, approximately halfway to the Woodside end, there are other points of interest. \u003ca href=\"http://www.filoli.org/plan-your-visit/\"\u003eFiloli\u003c/a\u003e requires admission fee. \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nStarting at the northern end, \u003ca href=\"http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/21449\"\u003ePulgas Water Temple\u003c/a\u003e would be on your right, about 1 mile  from Highway 92.  Half a mile further, on the left, is a small gate to\u003ca href=\"http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/portal/site/parks/menuitem.f13bead76123ee4482439054d17332a0/?vgnextoid=b8e2969a28f97310VgnVCM1000001937230aRCRD\u0026amp;cpsextcurrchannel=1\"\u003e Sheep Camp Trail\u003c/a\u003e (\u003cb\u003eno bicyclists permitted\u003c/b\u003e).  Sheep Camp Trail leads to the Cross Country Course.  One can exit the trail by going past the gate, crossing St James Road and continuing on to Water Dog Lake or, at the foot of the trail, turning left on Hallmark Drive to access Ralston Road. Go left on Ralston for about half a mile and take bike path next to the commuter parking lot to return to Cañada Road. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nNote: During Fall when competitive events are scheduled, the Cross Country Course of Sheep Camp is restricted to participants. Hikers and runners can still use the trail from Cañada Road to St James Road.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan Vento\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-05-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi Musafir,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI have a quick question regarding your blog. If you could send me an email when you get a chance, I would greatly appreciate it!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBest,\u003cbr\u003eSue\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-05-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNeed your email address.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Mailbox for Wile E. Coyote, Cañada Road, Woodside, California"},{"content":" Amour,the new film by Michael Haneke, is an Oscar contender in two categories – best film, best director. Haneke succeeded in depicting the loving relationship that existed between a husband and wife. A relationship that physical and mental degradation which often results from old age and lingering illness, failed to destroy. Most of the reviewers gave “Amour” high rating. Yet, many of them did so with warnings about the grimness and depressing effects. The film deals with a subject that many of us avoid thinking about. All of us know that age takes its toll. If we live long enough, we’ll lose the ability to enjoy most of the things that give us pleasure. Eventually, there will come a stage when not only there will be no joy in living but pain and discomfort will overcome all else. We’ll end up in bed, sustained by medication and fed tasteless food. And, for some, that could mean a long time in the twilight zone. But death will come to all of us. It was famed San Francisco advertising executive Howard Gossage who said: “Dying is regarded as bad taste in this society inspite of the fact that 10 out of 10 people do it.” In “Amour”, Haneke brought us the final days of an elderly couple trying to cope with death....face it with dignity. I happened to watch the film at a theater in Menlo Park, CA. Reaction of the mostly elderly, and female, audience was somber but appreciative. That could be due to the locale. A film like “Amour” is not likely to be found in theaters in small towns in the mid-west or south. Those who believe that life and death are in the hands of someone up in the sky would shun films like “Amour”. It is a film for those who believe that being alive means more than being “clinically alive”. ","permalink":"/posts/2013/01/amour-the-movie-an-act-of-love/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\n\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/movies/michael-hanekes-amour-with-jean-louis-trintignant.html\"\u003eAmour\u003c/a\u003e,\u003c/i\u003ethe new film by \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0359734/\"\u003eMichael Haneke\u003c/a\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003eis\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003ean Oscar contender in two categories – best\nfilm, best director.  \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nHaneke succeeded in\ndepicting the loving relationship that existed between a husband and wife.  A relationship that physical and mental\ndegradation which often results from old age and lingering illness, failed to\ndestroy. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nMost of the reviewers gave\n“Amour” high rating.  Yet, many of them\ndid so with warnings about the grimness\nand depressing effects. The film deals with a subject that many of us\navoid thinking about.  All of us know\nthat age takes its toll.  If we live long\nenough, we’ll lose the ability to enjoy most of the things that give us\npleasure. Eventually, there will come a stage when not only there will be no joy in living but pain and discomfort will\novercome all else. We’ll end up in bed, sustained by medication and fed\ntasteless food.  And,\nfor some, that could mean a long time in the twilight zone.   But death will come to all of us.  It was famed San Francisco advertising\nexecutive \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Gossage\"\u003eHoward Gossage\u003c/a\u003e who said: \u003ci\u003e“Dying is regarded as bad taste in this\nsociety inspite of the fact that 10 out of 10 people do it.”\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n In “Amour”, Haneke brought us the final days\nof an elderly couple trying to cope with death....face it with dignity. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nI happened to watch the\nfilm at a theater in Menlo Park, CA.  Reaction of the\nmostly elderly, and female,  audience was\nsomber but appreciative. That could be due to the locale. A film like “Amour”\nis not likely to be found in theaters in small towns in the mid-west or south. Those\nwho believe that life and death are in the hands of someone up in the sky would\nshun films like “Amour”.  It is a film\nfor those who believe that being alive  means more than being  “clinically alive”.\u003ci\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Amour\", the movie. An Act of Love"},{"content":" Train Journeys Between Kolkata and Jamshedpur The New Yorker never fails to give pleasure. During my subscription of more than thirty years, it has gone through a number of changes in format and in management.The stable of writers and contributors continue to produce interesting, thought-provoking articles, short stories, poems, and photographs. Tina Brown's tenure as editor was not noteworthy. She went on to do other things. Good riddance. Reading Sameer And The Samosas by Daniyal Mueenuddin in the December 3rd issue took me back to the days when I rode the train between Jamshedpur, known as the Steel Town, and Calcutta. The train stations were Tatanagar and Howrah. In those days, Jamshedpur belonged to the state of Bihar. In 2000, it became part of the newly designated Jharkhand State. Mueenuddin wrote about his return from America to Pakistan to run the family farm that belonged to his father. The link above is for an abstract, not the complete article. Always enjoy reading his short stories. It was his description of samosas (singaras, to Bengalis) that triggered a trip to memory lane. From \"Sameer and the Samosas\" by Daniyal Mueenuddin - The New Yorker 12/3/2012. “At the farm, I lived more and more according to routines, because only that way could I escape the paralyzing dread that sometimes came over me, the sense that I could trust no one, and that soon I would be driven away, to do God only knows what, to leave Pakistan a failure and work in America. Fezoo brought tea out to me, as he did each evening, in the center of the lawn, and then, returning into the house, came out with a platter covered with a white embroidered handkerchief. “What’s this? “I asked, sniffing the scent of fried food. I had decided while living at the farm, to keep to a strict diet: no booze, protein for breakfast and lunch, fruit for dinner, no snacks. At afternoon tea, Fezoo was to give me exactly three biscuits, in the evening, none. Thought I drank endless cups of tea and glasses of lemonade, I lived with a little, gnawing hunger, a mortification. “Chaudhry Sameer Sahib sent this from his own kitchen, made by his wife,”Fezoo answered. “Samosas.” “I’ll take just one, “I said, lifting the white cloth which was dabbed here and there with the oil that had soaked through. The samosas were smaller than they usually are, two bites, very crisp, and fragrant, but with a minty fragrance. Lifted one of the carefully folded delicacies, looked at it, and then crunched into it. Delicious! Hot beef minced with spices crumbled onto my tongue. Fezoo had put the dish on the table, next to the tea things, and now I waved him away. “That’s fine, that’s fine,” I said. Six more samosas, like browned pats of butter, sat on the dish. The layered crusts flaked off onto the plate, which had an oily sheen. Sameer’s wife had even taken the trouble to heat the platter, to keep the treats warm. I washed my palette with the milky tea, then lifted by its corner another of the dainty triangular morsels. Fabulous! This one had a different filling, little bits of potato, almost crunchy, and so spicy that my eyes watered. Another bite and it was gone. I must stop Pouring myself more tea, adding milk and sugar, I eyed the platter, still charged with five delicate samosas. Each one seemed particular, unique, itself. I laughed. “For fuck’s sake,” I said to myself “Don’t be such a fucking prune.” My stomach growled with eagerness. I took a sip of the newly poured tea, too hot, almost burning my tongue, then reached for another samosa. Different again! This one had a tomato and chicken filling, sweetish but generously peppered. I worked my way through all the food on the platter, all the samosas, then finally, completely abandoning myself, licked the platter itself, and even that had a complex nutty Flavor, the flakes of crust melting in my mouth. ” Mouth watering! The samosas (singaras) commonly available in Indian and Pakistani stores and restaurants in America are big, lumpy, with heavy, greasy crust, and filled with overspiced mashed potato. A far cry from the delicate mouthfuls described by Daniyal Mueenuddin. Hard to believe that good samosas have become extinct. Surely they exist in small, neighborhood tea shops in Kolkata that have not yet given in to the \"bigger is better\" concept. Delicious, small samosas were available at Mecheda rail station. In the sixties, when I traveled between Jamshedpur and Howrah, the night train made a brief stop at Mecheda in the early morning. Mecheda, approx. 35 miles past the major rail junction Kharagpur, well known for being the home of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Vendors walked the platform carrying baskets of freshly made samosas and pots of tea poured into earthen containers. Nothing fancy, like minced beef, or chicken and tomato filled samosas, just diced potatoes. When winter vegetables were in season there would be tiny florets of cauliflower mixed with the potato. They were great. I hope they have not disappeared, become a victim of progress. After the morning tea, accompanied by samosas, we prepared to disembark at Howrah and face the hustle bustle of the big city. ","permalink":"/posts/2013/01/samosas-singaras---mecheda-west-bengal-and-a-small-town-in-pakistan/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eTrain Journeys Between Kolkata and Jamshedpur \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe New Yorker never fails to give pleasure. During my subscription of more than thirty years, it has gone through a number of changes in format and in management.The stable of writers and contributors continue to produce interesting, thought-provoking articles, short stories, poems, and photographs.\n\n\nTina Brown's tenure as editor was not noteworthy. She went on to do other things. Good riddance.\n\n\nReading \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/12/03/121203fa_fact_mueenuddin\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/12/03/121203fa_fact_mueenuddin\"\u003eSameer And The Samosas\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/i\u003e  by \u003ca href=\"http://inotherrooms.com/\"\u003eDaniyal Mueenuddin\u003c/a\u003e in the December 3rd issue took me back to the days when I rode the train between Jamshedpur, known as the Steel Town, and Calcutta.  The train stations were Tatanagar and Howrah.  In those days, Jamshedpur belonged to the state of Bihar. In 2000, it became part of  the newly designated Jharkhand State.  \n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMueenuddin wrote about his return from America to Pakistan to run the family farm that belonged to his father. The link above is for an abstract, not the complete article.  Always enjoy reading his short stories.  It was his description of samosas (singaras, to Bengalis) that triggered a trip to memory lane.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\nFrom \"Sameer and the Samosas\" by Daniyal Mueenuddin - The New Yorker 12/3/2012.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\n\n“At the\nfarm, I lived more and more according to routines, because only that way could\nI escape the paralyzing dread that sometimes came over me, the sense that I\ncould trust no one, and that soon I would be driven away, to do God only knows what,\nto leave Pakistan a failure and work in America.  Fezoo brought tea out to me, as he did each\nevening, in the center of the lawn, and then, returning into the house, came\nout with a platter covered with a white embroidered handkerchief.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n“What’s\nthis? “I asked, sniffing the scent of fried food. I had decided while living at\nthe farm, to keep to a strict diet: no booze, protein for breakfast and lunch,\nfruit for dinner, no snacks. At afternoon tea, Fezoo was to give me exactly\nthree biscuits, in the evening, none. Thought I drank endless cups of tea and\nglasses of lemonade, I lived with a little, gnawing hunger, a mortification.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n“Chaudhry\nSameer Sahib sent this from his own kitchen, made by his wife,”Fezoo answered.\n“Samosas.”\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\n“I’ll take\njust one, “I said, lifting the white cloth which was dabbed here and there with\nthe oil that had soaked through.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\nThe\nsamosas were smaller than they usually are, two bites, very crisp, and\nfragrant, but with a minty fragrance. Lifted one of the carefully folded\ndelicacies, looked at it, and then crunched into it.  Delicious! Hot beef minced with spices\ncrumbled onto my tongue. Fezoo had put the dish on the table, next to the tea\nthings, and now I waved him away.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n“That’s\nfine, that’s fine,” I said.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\nSix more\nsamosas, like browned pats of butter, sat on the dish. The layered crusts\nflaked off onto the plate, which had an oily sheen.  Sameer’s wife had even taken the trouble to\nheat the platter, to keep the treats warm. I washed my palette with the milky\ntea, then lifted by its corner another of the dainty triangular morsels.  Fabulous! \nThis one had a different filling, little bits of potato, almost crunchy,\nand so spicy that my eyes watered. Another bite and it was gone.  I must stop\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\n\nPouring\nmyself more tea, adding milk and sugar, I eyed the platter, still charged with\nfive delicate samosas. Each one seemed particular, unique, itself.  I laughed. “For fuck’s sake,” I said to myself “Don’t be such a fucking prune.” My stomach growled with eagerness. I took a sip of the newly poured tea, too hot, almost burning my tongue, then reached for   another samosa. Different again! This one had a tomato and chicken filling, sweetish but generously peppered. I worked my way through all the food on the platter, all the samosas, then finally, completely abandoning myself, licked the platter itself, and even that had a complex nutty Flavor, the flakes of crust melting in my mouth. ”\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\n\nMouth watering!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe samosas (singaras) commonly available in Indian and Pakistani stores and restaurants in America are big, lumpy, with heavy, greasy crust, and filled with overspiced mashed potato. A far cry from the delicate mouthfuls described by Daniyal Mueenuddin.   Hard to believe that good samosas have become extinct.  Surely they exist in small, neighborhood tea shops in Kolkata that have not yet given in to the \"bigger is better\" concept. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDelicious, small samosas were available at Mecheda rail station. In the sixties, when I traveled between Jamshedpur and Howrah, the night train made a brief stop at Mecheda in the early morning. Mecheda, approx. 35 miles past the major rail junction Kharagpur, well known for being the home of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).  Vendors walked the platform carrying baskets of freshly made samosas and pots of tea poured into earthen containers. Nothing fancy, like minced beef, or chicken and tomato filled samosas, just diced potatoes.  When winter vegetables were in season there would be tiny florets of cauliflower mixed with the potato. They were great.\n\nI hope they have not disappeared, become a victim of progress.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAfter the morning tea, accompanied by samosas, we prepared to disembark at Howrah and face the hustle bustle of the big city.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Samosas, Singaras - Mecheda, West Bengal, And a Small Town in Pakistan "},{"content":" * The Louts Call It \"Eve teasing\" The young woman victim of the gang rape in Delhi died. Sad. And maddening. Civilized nation? Not. The 23-year-old – who was severely beaten, raped and thrown out of a moving bus in Delhi – died on Friday in the Singapore hospital where she was being treated. The unprecedented public protests might force the government to take some meaningful action to curb despicable behavior, long condoned. But it will take more than government action to see a change in the boorish behavior of Indians -- especially, North Indian males. There has to be broad changes in the attitude of a society dominated by men whose mindset is decades behind. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/12/india---violence-against-women/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cb\u003eThe Louts Call It \"Eve teasing\"\u003c/b\u003e\n\n\nThe young woman \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/28/indian-gang-rape-dies-singapore\"\u003evictim of the gang rape\u003c/a\u003e in Delhi died.  Sad.  And maddening.  Civilized nation?  Not. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\nThe 23-year-old – who was severely beaten, raped and thrown out of a moving bus in Delhi – died on Friday in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/singapore\" title=\"More from guardian.co.uk on Singapore\"\u003eSingapore\u003c/a\u003e hospital where she was being treated.\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\nThe unprecedented public protests might force the government to take some meaningful action to curb despicable behavior, long condoned. But it will take more than government action to see a change in the boorish behavior of Indians -- especially, North Indian males. There has to be broad changes in the attitude of a society dominated by men whose mindset is decades behind.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"India - Violence Against Women"},{"content":" But Do They Practise What They Preach? The clock is ticking. 38 days before November 6th. The first debate between the incumbent, Barack Obama, and Republican candidate Mitt Romeny is scheduled to be held October 3rd at Denver. With all the problems facing our country, a large percentage of Republicans are still fixated on \"non-issues\". Among them, the sexual habits of consenting adults -- pre-marital sex, contraception, sodomy, homosexuality. What gives? One wonders whether Republican men stay away from erectile dysfunction medication. Not too long ago, former presidential candidate Robert Dole was a spokesman for Viagra. Yet, when it comes to contraception rights for women, the same group goes ballistic. Imagine a prayer before; then the missionary position; a prayer after. Or, probably more like \"slam, bam, turn around and snore\". No wonder they have Neanderthals like Todd Akin representing them. Mysoginistic is the right description. Polls show women voters moving away from the Republican platform. Rightly so. Hypocrisy of Republicans about sex is puzzling. Ryan is a true believer. Whether or not Mitt Romney agrees with the ultra conservative wing of the Republican Party, he has to toe the party line. Let's hope the Republican ticket gets buried on November 6th. “How did sex come to be thought of as dirty in the first place? God must have been a Republican.” ---Will Durst ","permalink":"/posts/2012/09/the-political-circus---republicans-almost-prurient-obsession-with-sexual-lives-o/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBut Do They  Practise What They Preach?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe clock is ticking. 38 days before November 6th. The first debate between the incumbent, Barack Obama, and Republican candidate Mitt Romeny is scheduled to be held October 3rd at Denver.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWith all the problems facing our country, a large percentage of Republicans are still fixated on  \"non-issues\".  Among them, the sexual habits of consenting adults --   pre-marital sex, contraception,  sodomy, homosexuality.  What gives?  One wonders whether Republican men stay away from erectile dysfunction medication.  Not too long ago, former presidential candidate Robert Dole was a spokesman for Viagra.  Yet, when it comes to contraception rights for women, the same group goes ballistic.  Imagine a prayer before; then the missionary position; a prayer after.  Or, probably more like \"slam, bam, turn around and snore\". No wonder they have Neanderthals like Todd Akin representing them.  Mysoginistic is the right description.  Polls show women voters moving away from the Republican platform.  Rightly so.  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHypocrisy of Republicans about sex is puzzling.  \u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRyan is a \u003c/span\u003e\u003ci class=\"text-justify\"\u003etrue believer\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003e.  Whether or not Mitt Romney agrees with the ultra conservative wing of the Republican Party, he has to toe the party line. Let's hope the Republican ticket gets buried on November 6th.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003e“How did sex come to be thought of as dirty in the first place? God must have been a Republican.”\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n---Will Durst\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Political Circus - Republicans' Almost Prurient Obsession With Sexual Lives of Americans"},{"content":" Backpack trip from Crabtree Camp to Deer Lake In the first week of August, joined a group of friends (two Silicon Valley residents and one from Tifton, GA) for a backpack trip. The trip was planned by Sarbajit Ghosal, who did the research about trails, distance, and the logistics involved. Topo map We arrived at Crabtree Camp trail head in the late afternoon of August 1. Parked and took off for Bear Lake, apprx. 3.8 miles, for first night's stop. Camp Lake (2.8 miles from Crab Tree) is nicer but has limited options for camp sites. Darkness was setting in by the time we arrived at Bear Lake. Camp sites near the lake were occupied and we ended up in a rocky area. On Day 2, we broke camp and began hiking to Piute Lake. Except for missing a turn (see below) after the descent from Camp Lake and losing an hour it was uneventful. The trail meandered through meadows and rocky switchbacks. The segment between Piute Meadow and Piute Lake is demanding because of the gain in elevation. Arrived at Piute Lake about 5 PM and scouted for a good place to set up tents. Decided on base of the ridge looking down on the lake. An inconsiderate group of horseback riders camped across the lake and, disregarding rules, had their mounts tethered near the water. Next afternoon, the same group engaged in target practice with hand guns! Forest Service rangers do a great job, but it is not possible for them to closely monitor illegal activities. Day 3: We decided on a day trip to Gem Lake and beyond. Jewelry Lake and Deer Lake follow Gem Lake, all within easy hiking distance of Piute Lake. The lakes are scenic and worth the hike. Fishing at Deer Lake was unrewarding. Two backpackers returning from Buck Lake, about 2.5 miles further, said fishing was good there. After our return to Piute Lake it felt as though it might rain; the clouds looked threatening. That would have caused problem with fixing dinner. However, the clouds moved and we were able to light the stove. It was after dinner that we found that battery of the SteriPen water filter had gone dead. We used it a lot during the three days. And then the tube of the backup Katadyn filtration system broke. Taking stock of the filtered water, we made the decision to head back to trail head instead of spending the 4th night in tents as originally planned. On the 4th morning (Saturday) we found that camera batteries worked in the SteriPen. However, we decided against spending the night at Camp Lake or Bear Lake, and began the trek back to Crab Tree. After the ascent to Camp Lake, we took a long, relaxing break at the lake. Bret went for a swim. We cooled our feet in the bracingly cold water. Then on to Crab Tree Camp and the drive home to Bay area. Bret had a flight to catch on Sunday; others had to prepare to face a work week. All good things come to an end. We were fortunate in having mild weather; temperature remained in the 80's during the days; and the nights were in the high 50's. Miwok Ranger Station where we filed wilderness permit application © Musafir - Canon S3 At Crab Tree Camp Trail Head © Musafir - Canon S3 Camp Lake © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Bret starting a fire at Bear Lake camp site © Musafir - Canon S3 Ready to hit the trail after Bear Lake © Musafir - Canon S3 After descending from Camp Lake © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 That was where we proceeded ahead alongside the stream instead of crossing the stream and taking the trail on the left. SG's handheld DeLorme GPS device was helpful in getting us back on track. Day 2, on the trail to Piute Lake © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Piute Meadow © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Camp ground at Piute Lake © Musafir - Canon S3 Bret's tent overlooking Piute Lake © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Day 3 - On the trail to Gem Lake. Checking topo map © Musafir - Canon S3 Corn Lily © Musafir - Canon S3 Gem Lake (8,230 ft) © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Jewelry Lake I © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Jewelry Lake II © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 SG casting for trout at Deer Lake © Musafir - Canon S3 Deer Lake - 8,461 ft. © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Mariposa Lily © Musafir - Canon S3 Mountain Heather © Musafir - Canon S3 Orange Lily © Bret Wagenhorst Cirrus Clouds © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Campers doing target practice -- illegal © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Replenishing water at Lily Pad Pond between Piute Lake and Piute Meadow © Musafir - Canon S3 Before Camp Lake, Day 4 © Musafir - Canon S3 Reviving tired legs at Camp Lake © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 Bret against burnt shell of a tree © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 “….short-sighted men who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things……” --Theodore Roosevelt Comments Bret \u0026mdash; 2012-09-26 Beautiful photos from a marvellous trip.\n\u0026quot;before camp lake - day 4\u0026quot; looks a lot like the rolling \u0026quot;oak and grass\u0026quot; foothills of the sierras rather than the pine/spruce/fir studded rocky slopes and lush meadows of the Emigrant Wilderness.\nHard to believe TR was a Republican.\ncheers,\nbw\nmusafir \u0026mdash; 2012-09-26 Re: day 4, you\u0026#39;re right. When I took the shot I thought it looked \u0026quot;different\u0026quot;.\nRegards ","permalink":"/posts/2012/09/four-days-in-emigrant-wilderness/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBackpack trip from Crabtree Camp to Deer Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the first week \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eof August, joined a group of friends (two Silicon Valley residents and one from Tifton, GA) for a backpack trip.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe trip was planned by Sarbajit Ghosal, who did the research about trails, distance, and the logistics involved. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2\u0026amp;ik=ef6a828f41\u0026amp;view=att\u0026amp;th=138a5bf705e6e0a5\u0026amp;attid=0.1\u0026amp;disp=inline\u0026amp;realattid=f_h4vmqb9o0\u0026amp;safe=1\u0026amp;zw\u0026amp;saduie=AG9B_P_7tJsaJPvKIdKxyLJl6wsl\u0026amp;sadet=1348624423044\u0026amp;sads=WjCeSB2xJ1RTutSXqfEVgyId4QU\"\u003eTopo map \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWe arrived at Crabtree Camp trail head in the late afternoon of August 1.  Parked and took off for Bear Lake, apprx. 3.8 miles, for first night's stop. Camp Lake (2.8 miles from Crab Tree) is nicer but has limited options for camp sites. Darkness was setting in by the time we   arrived at Bear Lake.  Camp sites near the lake were occupied and we ended up in a rocky area.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOn Day 2, we broke camp and began hiking to Piute Lake.  Except for missing a turn  (see below) after the descent from Camp Lake and losing an hour it was uneventful.   The trail meandered through meadows and rocky switchbacks.  The segment between Piute Meadow and Piute Lake is demanding because of the gain in elevation.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eArrived at Piute Lake about 5 PM and scouted for a good place to set up tents.  Decided on \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003ebase of the ridge looking down on the lake.  An inconsiderate group of horseback riders c\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eamped across the lake and, disregarding rules, had their mounts tethered near the water. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNext afternoon, the same group engaged in target practice with hand guns! \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eForest Service rangers do a great job, but it is not possible for them to closely monitor illegal activities.\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nDay 3:  We decided on a day trip to Gem Lake and beyond.  Jewelry Lake and Deer Lake follow Gem Lake, all within easy hiking distance of Piute Lake.  The lakes are scenic and worth the hike.  Fishing at Deer Lake was unrewarding. Two backpackers returning from Buck Lake, about 2.5 miles further, said fishing was good there.\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAfter our return to Piute Lake it felt as though it might rain; the clouds looked threatening.  That would have caused problem with fixing dinner.  However, the clouds moved and we were able to  light the stove.  It was after dinner that we found that battery of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.steripen.com/\"\u003eSteriPen\u003c/a\u003e water filter had gone dead.  We used it a lot during the three days.  And then the tube of the backup \u003ca href=\"http://www.katadyn.com/usen/\"\u003eKatadyn\u003c/a\u003e filtration system broke. Taking stock of the filtered water, we made the decision to head back to trail head instead of spending the 4th night in tents as originally planned.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOn the 4th morning (Saturday) we found that camera batteries worked in the SteriPen.  However, we decided against spending the night at Camp Lake or Bear Lake, and began the trek back to Crab Tree. After the ascent to Camp Lake, we took a long, relaxing break at the lake. Bret went for a swim. We cooled our feet in the bracingly cold water.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThen on to Crab Tree Camp and the drive home to Bay area. Bret had a flight to catch on Sunday;  others had to prepare to face a work week.  All good things come to an end.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWe were fortunate in having mild weather; temperature remained in the 80's during the days;  and the nights were in the high 50's.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nMiwok Ranger Station where we filed wilderness permit application \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir - \u003ca href=\"http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/digital_cameras/powershot_s_series/powershot_s3_is\"\u003eCanon S3\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAt Crab Tree Camp Trail Head\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCamp Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal  - \u003ca href=\"http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product-Archive/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26256/COOLPIX-P500.html\"\u003eNikon P500\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBret starting a fire at Bear Lake camp site\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 021.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nReady to hit the trail after Bear Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 035.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eAfter descending from Camp Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/DSCN1744.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500 \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eThat was where we proceeded ahead alongside the stream instead of crossing the stream and taking the trail on the left.  \u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSG's handheld \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca class=\"text-justify\" href=\"http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10460\"\u003eDeLorme GPS device\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-justify\"\u003e was helpful in getting us back on track.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDay 2, on the trail to Piute Lake\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/On the trail to Paiute Lake.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr class=\"Apple-interchange-newline\"/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nPiute Meadow\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Piute Meadow.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                       © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCamp ground at Piute Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 046.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n © Musafir - Canon S3\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBret's tent overlooking Piute Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Bretts tent at Paiute Lake.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDay 3 - On the trail to Gem Lake. Checking topo map\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 051.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCorn Lily\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 059.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n © Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nGem Lake (8,230 ft)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Gem Lake (8,230 ft).JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nJewelry Lake I \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Jewelery Lake.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                           © Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nJewelry Lake II\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 067.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n  \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSG casting for trout at Deer Lake \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 081.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eDeer Lake - 8,461 ft.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Deer Lake, 8461 ft..JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                            \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eMariposa Lily \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 083.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nMountain Heather \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrant Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 090.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nOrange Lily\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/orange lily.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n© Bret Wagenhorst\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCirrus Clouds\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Cirrus clouds in the evening.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCampers doing target practice -- illegal\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Illegal activity by a group of Campers.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eReplenishing water at Lily Pad Pond between Piute Lake and Piute Meadow\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4, 2012 097.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e © Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBefore Camp Lake, Day 4\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Backpack Trip - Emigrants Wilderness Aug 1-4%2C 2012 100.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                               \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S3\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nReviving tired legs at Camp Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Reviving tired legs at Camp Lake.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr class=\"Apple-interchange-newline\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBret against burnt shell of a tree\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/09/Brett against burnt shell of a tree.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n© Sarbajit Ghosal - Nikon P500\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n“….short-sighted\nmen who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of\nhalf its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild\nthings……” \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n --Theodore Roosevelt\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBret\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2012-09-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eBeautiful photos from a marvellous trip.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026quot;before camp lake - day 4\u0026quot; looks a lot like the rolling \u0026quot;oak and grass\u0026quot; foothills of the sierras rather than the pine/spruce/fir studded rocky slopes and lush meadows of the Emigrant Wilderness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHard to believe TR was a Republican.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003echeers,\u003cbr\u003ebw\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2012-09-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRe: day 4, you\u0026#39;re right. When I took the shot I thought it looked \u0026quot;different\u0026quot;.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRegards\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Four Days in Emigrant Wilderness  "},{"content":" Lies, Halftruths, Distortions With 59 days before November 6th, the polls show that Barack Obama has a good chance of being re-elected. A lot can happen before November 6th to change the picture. In the meantime, millions of dollars are being spent on advertisements that are full of half-truths, distortions, and downright lies. Nothing new; we go through this in every presidential election cycle. But the Internet and instant dissemination of charges and counter-charges by the candidates are enough to make one dizzy. It cannot be denied that, from the war in Afghanistan to reform of Wall Street, Barack Obama retreated from his position and failed to deliver what he promised his supporters in 2008. But the messages from Mitt Romney and his VP pick, Paul Ryan, are far from clear or reassuring for the vast majority of voters. On the economic front, their top priority is to make the fat cats fatter by targeted tax cuts. It is hard to understand their Bible-thumping rhetoric. The Republican platform is a throwback to earlier times, especially where women's issues are concerned. Their obsession with sexual lives of citizens is puzzling. Example of hypocrisy at its worst. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/09/the-conventions-are-over-but-political-circus-continues/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\nLies, Halftruths, Distortions\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWith 59 days before November 6th, the polls show that Barack Obama has a good chance of being re-elected. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nA lot can happen before November 6th to change the picture. In the meantime, millions of dollars are being spent on advertisements that are full of half-truths, distortions, and downright lies. Nothing new; we go through this in every presidential election cycle.  But the Internet and instant dissemination of charges and counter-charges by the candidates are enough to make one dizzy.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nIt cannot be denied that, from the war in Afghanistan to reform of Wall Street, Barack Obama retreated from his position and failed to deliver what he promised his supporters in 2008. But the messages from Mitt Romney and his VP pick, Paul Ryan, are far from clear or reassuring for the vast majority of voters.  On the economic front, their top priority is to make the fat cats fatter by targeted tax cuts. It is hard to understand their Bible-thumping rhetoric. The Republican platform is a throwback to earlier times, especially where women's issues are concerned. Their obsession with sexual lives of  citizens is puzzling. Example of hypocrisy at its worst.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Conventions are Over But Political Circus Continues"},{"content":" * Another bigot. There they go again. Issue statements that are completely off the wall, and then retreat to the old standby -- \"misspoke\". As misstatements go, what the six-time Republican Congressman Todd Akin of Missouri said, was a doozy. One wonders what was he thinking. Of course, he said what he belived. The retreat and wiggling to put a spin on it resulted from the firestorm that followed his monumentally stupid comment, on live TV no less. Akin, a six-term congressman running against incumbent Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill, was asked in an interview on St. Louis television station KTVI if he would support abortions for women who have been raped. \"It seems to me first of all from what I understand from doctors that's really rare,\" Akin said. \"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,\" Akin said of a rape victim's chances of becoming pregnant. Too early to tell how the congressman would emerge from this. If he cannot survive the outrage he created, he can consider returning to his earlier, no doubt deeply held position about women and rape, and go on the speech circuit to promote it. Hard to believe, but many women still support Republicans. Perhaps some of them will buy his spiel and try to learn the secret of how to unlock the built-in resistance against pregnancy from rape. Congressman Akin could end up rich. Think of Bristol Palin giving speeches about protecting virginity! ","permalink":"/posts/2012/08/the-invisible-impenetrable-todd-akin-pregnancy-protection-shield/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n *\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n Another bigot.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere they go again. Issue statements that are completely off the wall, and then retreat to the old standby -- \"misspoke\".  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAs misstatements go, what the six-time \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-08-19/todd-akin-rape/57146944/1\"\u003eRepublican Congressman Todd Akin\u003c/a\u003e of Missouri\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nsaid, was a doozy.  One wonders what was he thinking.  Of course,  he said what he belived.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe retreat and wiggling to put a spin on it resulted from the firestorm that followed his \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nmonumentally stupid comment, on live TV no less.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#A9F5F2\" width=\"565\"\u003eAkin, a six-term congressman running against incumbent Democrat Sen. \u003ca href=\"http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Politicians,+Government+Officials,+Strategists/U.S.+Senators/Claire+McCaskill\" title=\"More news, photos about Claire McCaskill\"\u003eClaire McCaskill\u003c/a\u003e, was asked in an interview on St. Louis television station KTVI if he would support abortions for women who have been raped.\n\"It  seems to me first of all from what I understand from doctors that's \nreally rare,\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAkin said. \"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has\n ways to try to shut that whole thing down,\" Akin said of a rape \nvictim's chances of becoming pregnant.\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nToo early to tell how the congressman would emerge from this.  If he cannot survive the outrage he created, he can consider returning to his earlier, no doubt deeply held position about women and rape, and go on the speech circuit to promote it.  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nHard to believe, but many women still support Republicans.  Perhaps some of them will buy his spiel and try to learn the secret of how to unlock the built-in resistance against pregnancy from rape.   Congressman Akin could end up rich. Think of Bristol Palin giving speeches about protecting virginity!    \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Invisible, Impenetrable Todd Akin Pregnancy Protection Shield"},{"content":" * LADY DIVER Lady diverIs diving under the seaAnd is discovering the sea worldLady diverKnows that there is a lot to seeUnder the sea --Aldo Kraas (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lady-diver/) It was a spur of the moment decision that turned out to be very rewarding. We were en route to Big Sur to hike along the coast on July 4th when a friend suggested hiking at Point Lobos instead. Point Lobos, about 3 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, is one of the crown jewels of the California State Park System. It was typical coastal weather on July 4th when we arrived at 11:00 AM. Overcast sky, temperature in the 60's. That didn't deter many other visitors from enjoying the park and the trails. There were many scuba divers, donning their gear to explore the undersea world. Wild flowers were in abundance We did the perimeter trail, stopping at various points to admire the view and take pictures. Took us Just over 4 hours, including a break for lunch. Picnics are permitted only at a few designated areas. The perimeter trail also offers views of the Monastery of Carmelite Sisters. Despite driving past the location numerous times, the monastery had never caught my attention. We made a slight detour to visit the Carmel Mission before heading home. A great day and, to top it off, traffic was surprisingly light on the 80-mile drive back to Santa Clara Valley. A few pictures taken on July 4, 2012 with a Canon Powershot S3IS. At the foot of the perimeter trail © Musafir Indian Paintbrush © Musafir A view of the shoreline at Point Lobos © Musafir A Monterey Cypress © Musafir Distant view of Carmelite Monastery © Musafir Wild flowers, I © Musafir Wild flowers, II © Musafir Morning Glory © Musafir A gathering of Cormorants © Musafir A Mule Deer © Musafir One of the coves viewed from the Perimeter Trail © Musafir Carmel Mission © Musafir A Mission Bell on the street opposite the Carmel Mission © Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2012/07/a-july-4th-walk-at-point-lobos-snr-california/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n*\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"title\" itemprop=\"itemreviewed\"\u003e\nLADY DIVER\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"KonaBody\"\u003e\n\nLady diver\u003cbr/\u003eIs diving under the sea\u003cbr/\u003eAnd is discovering the sea world\u003cbr/\u003eLady diver\u003cbr/\u003eKnows that there is a lot to see\u003cbr/\u003eUnder the sea \n\n--Aldo Kraas (\u003ca href=\"http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lady-diver/\"\u003ehttp://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lady-diver/\u003c/a\u003e)\n\nIt was a spur of the moment decision that turned out to be very rewarding.  We were en route to Big Sur to hike along the coast on July 4th when a friend suggested hiking at Point Lobos instead. \n\n \u003ca href=\"http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571\"\u003ePoint Lobos\u003c/a\u003e, about 3 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1,  is one of the crown jewels of the California State Park System.  It was typical coastal weather on July 4th when we arrived at 11:00 AM.  Overcast sky, temperature in the 60's. That didn't deter many other visitors from enjoying the park and the trails.  There were many scuba divers, donning their gear to explore the undersea world. Wild flowers were in abundance\n\nWe did the perimeter trail, stopping at various points to admire the view and take pictures. Took us Just over 4 hours, including a break for lunch.  Picnics are permitted only at a few designated areas. The perimeter trail also offers views of the Monastery of \u003ca href=\"http://www.carmelitesistersbythesea.net/homepage.htm\"\u003eCarmelite Sisters\u003c/a\u003e.  Despite driving past the location numerous times, the monastery had never caught my attention.\n\nWe made a slight detour to visit the \u003ca href=\"http://www.carmelmission.org/\"\u003eCarmel Mission\u003c/a\u003e before heading home. A great day and, to top it off, traffic was surprisingly light on the 80-mile drive back to Santa Clara Valley.  \n\n\nA few pictures taken on July 4, 2012 with a Canon Powershot S3IS.\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAt the foot of the perimeter trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0241.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nIndian Paintbrush\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0243.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA view of the shoreline at Point Lobos\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0244.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA Monterey Cypress\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0247.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDistant view of Carmelite Monastery\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0258.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nWild flowers, I\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0268.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nWild flowers, II\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0269.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nMorning Glory\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0270.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA gathering of Cormorants\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0271.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA Mule Deer\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0273.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nOne of the coves viewed from the Perimeter Trail\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0276.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCarmel Mission\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0281.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA Mission Bell on the street opposite the Carmel Mission \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/07/IMG_0286.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gE iv gt\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"cf gJ\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"acZ\"\u003e\u003ctd class=\"gF gK\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd class=\"gH text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd class=\"gH text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd class=\"gH acX text-right\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A July 4th Walk at Point Lobos SNR, California"},{"content":" * My first reaction was \"Oh, no, not in Palo Alto!\" But Joan Acocella's review of Professor Tanya Luhrman's \"When God talks back: understanding the American evangelical relationship with prayer\" in The New Yorker leaves no doubt that the evangelicals do have a presence in Palo Alto. Depressing. This casualness carries over to conversations with God. The Vineyarders asked him “for admission to specific colleges, for the healing of specific illness—even, it is true, for specific red convertible cars.” Some Vineyard women had a regular “date night” with Jesus. They would serve a special dinner, set a place for him at the table, chat with him. He guided the Vineyarders every minute of the day. Sarah told Luhrmann how, one day, after a lunch at a restaurant with fellow-parishioners, she was feeling good about herself, whereupon, as she was crossing the parking lot, a bird shat on her blouse. God, she explained to Luhrmann, was giving her a little slap on the wrist for her self-satisfaction. Sarah accepted the chastisement, but others don’t. They may get furious with God. And, according to some evangelicals, he feels bad when this happens. In “Disappointment with God” (1988), the religious writer Philip Yancey claims that God can’t bear for us to turn away from him. He longs for us to like him. It is hard to understand how evangelicals, most of whom are regular Bible readers, could come to this conclusion about the God of Abraham and Job. Ya, Habibi. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/06/if-they-are-in-palo-alto-ca-then-no-place-is-safe/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nMy first reaction was \"Oh, no, not in Palo Alto!\"  But Joan Acocella's \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2012/04/02/120402crbo_books_acocella\"\u003ereview\u003c/a\u003e of Professor Tanya Luhrman's\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\"\u003cem\u003eWhen God talks back: understanding the American evangelical relationship with prayer\"  in \u003c/em\u003eThe New Yorker leaves no  doubt  that the evangelicals do have a presence in Palo Alto.  Depressing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\nThis casualness carries over to conversations with God. The Vineyarders asked him “for admission to specific colleges, for the healing of specific illness—even, it is true, for specific red convertible cars.” \u003cb\u003eSome Vineyard women had a regular “date night” with Jesus. They would serve a special dinner, set a place for him at the table, chat with him.\u003c/b\u003e He guided the Vineyarders every minute of the day. Sarah told Luhrmann how, one day, after a lunch at a restaurant with fellow-parishioners, she was feeling good about herself, whereupon, as she was crossing the parking lot, a bird shat on her blouse. God, she explained to Luhrmann, was giving her a little slap on the wrist for her self-satisfaction. Sarah accepted the chastisement, but others don’t. They may get furious with God. And, according to some evangelicals, he feels bad when this happens. In “Disappointment with God” (1988), the religious writer Philip Yancey claims that God can’t bear for us to turn away from him. He longs for us to like him. It is hard to understand how evangelicals, most of whom are regular Bible readers, could come to this conclusion about the God of Abraham and Job.\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nYa, Habibi.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"If they are in Palo Alto, CA, then no place is safe"},{"content":" 183 days before November 6th. \"To dream of one government ending doesn't mean you’ll want the one that comes in its place.\"---Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special Cases Republicans went through their act to nominate a candidate to challenge the incumbent president. While formal announcement remains, barring an unforeseen development Mitt Romney is going to be the challenger. Compared to some of the weird characters that went through roadshows to win the nomination (think Michele Bachman, Herman Cain among others) Romney is sane. And is anyone going to miss Newt Gingrich and his wife with the strange hairdo? As to Barack Obama, the incumbent, he has begun his campaign. Again, the themes are \"Hope and Change\". And \"Fear\". Well, we have gone through \"Hope and Change\". Nothing happened. Or not much happened that was different from the eight-year presidency of G.W. Bush. But \"Fear\" is something to think about. We have reason to be fearful of what a Republican victory would mean. Things would get much worse. Another vacancy in SCOTUS would give a Republican administration the opportunity to destroy the balance in the highly politicized court and empower it to re-write the book about government. One can rest assured that it is not going to be government \"for the people\" that Abe Lincoln spoke about. I'll vote for Barack Obama, not because I like him; not because I think he will do the right thing. Simply because the other will be much worse. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/05/the-political-circus---campaign-2012/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n183 days before November 6th.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\"To\ndream of one government ending doesn't mean you’ll want the one that comes in\nits place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Nathan\nEnglander, The Ministry of Special Cases\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nRepublicans went through their act to nominate a candidate to challenge the incumbent president.  While formal announcement remains, barring an unforeseen development Mitt Romney is going to be the challenger.  Compared to some of the weird characters that went through roadshows to win the nomination (think Michele Bachman, Herman Cain among others) Romney is sane.  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nAnd is anyone going to miss Newt Gingrich and his wife with the strange hairdo?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAs to Barack Obama, the incumbent, he has begun his campaign.  Again, the themes are \"Hope and Change\".  And \"Fear\".  Well, we have gone through \"Hope and Change\". Nothing happened.  Or not much happened that was different from the eight-year presidency of G.W. Bush.   \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nBut \"Fear\" is something to think about. We have reason to be fearful of what a Republican victory would mean. Things would get much worse.  Another vacancy in SCOTUS would give a Republican administration the opportunity to destroy the balance in the highly politicized court and empower it to re-write the book about government.  One can rest assured that it is not going to be government \"for the people\" that \u003ca href=\"http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm\"\u003eAbe Lincoln\u003c/a\u003e spoke about. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nI'll vote for Barack Obama, not because I like him; not because I think he will do the right thing. Simply because the other will be much worse.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Political Circus - Campaign 2012"},{"content":" * San Mateo, California * And A Bumper Sticker Spring equinox is less than two weeks away, on March 20th. Lack of rains is worrisome. Getting late in the season to make up for the shortfall. Temperature continues to be cool. A walk through the neighborhood shows that except for the birch trees plants are putting up the usual display of colors. And the silver birch trees,too, have something attractive about them -- standing leafless, waiting for the sprouting of leaves. Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke The pictures below were taken during walks in February and early March. Silver Birch tree on a cloudy morning © Musafir Canon SX30IS Daffodils © Musafir Canon SX30IS Apple Blossoms, Parrott Drive © Musafir Canon SX30IS Cherry Blossoms, Parrott Drive © Musafir Canon SX30IS Maple Tree beginning to show off © Musafir Canon SX30IS Front garden statue, Parrott Drive © Musafir Canon SX30IS Photographs taken during walks through local preserves. Zigaden Lilly (Zigadenus_spp) Death Camas, highly toxic. Tenderfoot Trail, Laurelwood Park, Belmont, CA © Musafir Canon SX30IS Bush Lupines on Salson Trail, Sugarloaf Mountain, San Mateo, CA © Musafir Canon SX30IS Tough Shoppers! Bumper sticker seen on car at Trader Joe's parking lot: \"When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping\". No doubt obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and such thoughts are far from their minds. On the positive side they spend money to keep the economy churning. Someone has to do it. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/03/the-seasons-signs-of-spring/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\nSan Mateo, California * And A Bumper Sticker\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nSpring equinox is less than two weeks away, on March 20th.  Lack of rains is worrisome. Getting late in the season to make up for the shortfall.  Temperature continues to be cool. A walk through the neighborhood shows that except for the birch trees plants are putting up the usual display of colors.  And the silver birch trees,too, have something attractive about them -- standing leafless, waiting for the sprouting of leaves.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003e\nEverything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. \u003c/blockquote\u003e\n         ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke\u003cbr/\u003e\n\nThe pictures below were taken during walks in February and early March.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                  Silver Birch tree on a cloudy morning \u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n                                                          © Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e \n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                                          Daffodils\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n                                                          © Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e \n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                         Apple Blossoms, Parrott Drive\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e © Musafir   Canon SX30IS\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCherry Blossoms, Parrott Drive\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n© Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                     Maple Tree beginning to show off \u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n© Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e \n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                      Front garden statue, Parrott Drive\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Neighborhood - Early Spring Feb 10, 201 030.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                      \u003c/span\u003e       © Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003ePhotographs taken during walks through local preserves.\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e         \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eZigaden Lilly (Zigadenus_spp) \u003c/span\u003e\u003ci class=\"text-center\"\u003eDeath Camas\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e, highly toxic. Tenderfoot                                        Trail, \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003eLaurel\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003ewood Park, Belmont, CA\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Laurelwood Park, Belmont, CA. March 2, 2012 002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n                                                             © Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e                        Bush Lupines on Salson Trail, Sugarloaf Mountain, San Mateo, CA\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2012/03/Laurelwood Park, Belmont, CA. March 2, 2012 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                           © Musafir \u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e  Canon SX30IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nTough Shoppers!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nBumper sticker seen on car at Trader Joe's parking lot:  \u003ci\u003e\"When the going gets tough, the \u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003etough go shopping\"\u003c/i\u003e.  No doubt obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and such thoughts are far from their minds.  On the positive side they spend money to keep the economy churning.  Someone has to do it.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Signs of Spring"},{"content":" * Promises, PromisesObama in the lead! That is what the latest ABC News-Washington Post Poll shows -- that among registered voters Obama has a 51-45% lead over Mitt Romney. Gingrich is promising the moon. However, one gets the feeling that Gingrich's negatives -- past baggage -- cannot be covered up. Republican power brokers feel uneasy about Gingrich. Much can happen between now and November 6th. But this not going to make Obama-haters happy. What about the Democrats? Well, Obama has disappointed many of us. Deep down, he is not much different than the hypocrites running against him. His recent Bible-thumping speech was sickening. A blatant appeal to Conservative Christian voters. It would be interesting to watch how the President deals with the reaction about the directive in respect to contraceptives and sterilization in employee health-care plans of Catholic affiliated institutions. Based on previous records, he is likely to beat a quick retreat; he is adept in doing that. Even the small difference makes him preferable over the Republican candidates. What choice do we have -- sit it out or vote for the incumbent. I'll hold my nose and vote for the incumbent. It was a buffoon, Sarah Palin, who mocked Obama \"How's the hopey changey thing working out for ya\". True, it didn't take long for Obama to back away from things he spoke about. For many of us there will be no rejoicing if he is re-elected, but there would be a sigh of relief. ","permalink":"/posts/2012/02/the-political-circus---273-days-before-november-6th/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nPromises, Promises\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama in the lead!  That is what the latest \u003ca href=\"http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AqodwjFTcDxMJsCODKV8gAHNt.d_;_ylu=X3oDMTFqaTNjbzlmBG1pdANBcnRpY2xlIEJvZHkEcG9zAzMEc2VjA01lZGlhQXJ0aWNsZUJvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNoOGw0c2pkBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDZWQxNTQwOWMtY2RjYi0zN2VhLTk1NDgtZWQ1MjViZmRhMWMwBHBzdGNhdANwb2xpdGljc3xkZXN0aW5hdGlvbjIwMTIEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=119ababku/EXP=1329755751/**http%3A//abcn.ws/z3pXsy\"\u003eABC News-Washington Post Poll\u003c/a\u003e shows -- that among registered voters Obama has a 51-45% lead over Mitt Romney.  Gingrich is promising the moon. However, one gets the feeling that Gingrich's \u003ci\u003enegatives\u003c/i\u003e -- past baggage -- cannot be covered up. Republican power brokers feel uneasy about Gingrich. Much can happen between now and November 6th. But this not going to make Obama-haters happy.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat about the Democrats?  Well, Obama has disappointed many of us.  Deep down, he is not much different than the hypocrites running against him.  His recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/national-prayer-breakfast-president-obamas-speech-transcript/2012/02/02/gIQAx7jWkQ_story.html\"\u003eBible-thumping speech\u003c/a\u003e was sickening.  A blatant appeal to Conservative Christian voters.  It would be interesting to watch how the President deals with the reaction about the directive in respect to contraceptives and sterilization in employee health-care plans of Catholic affiliated institutions. Based on previous records, he is likely to beat a quick retreat; he is adept in doing that. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nEven the small difference makes him preferable over the Republican candidates.  What choice do we have -- sit it out or vote for the incumbent.  I'll hold my nose and vote for the incumbent.  It was a buffoon, Sarah Palin, who mocked Obama \"How's the hopey changey thing working out for ya\".  True, it didn't take long for Obama to back away from things he spoke about.  For many of us there will be no rejoicing if he is re-elected, but there would be a sigh of relief.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Political Circus - 273 Days Before November 6th"},{"content":" *Sleepless In San Mateo * Last Days of Autumn* Wild MushroomsThere are many people who, for some reason or other, lie awake at night -- unable to go to sleep at all or cannot go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. The nights can be long and depressing, especially for those who live alone. Chronic insomnia requires professional help. This is about people who periodically suffer from it as I do. There are times when the 'cause' can be identified -- health-related issues, anxiety, depression -- it does not take much to trigger bad nights. The holiday season could induce it in some. The cold weather; dark, sunless sky, rains; they can all exacerbate the problem.Cannot say that I cope with it well. Have tried turning the light on to read. Does not do any good. If the book is interesting I can keep on reading through the night without feeling drowsy. And, in my case, the day's routine -- exercise, food, wine at dinner -- has no bearing at all; my routine rarely varies. While strenuous exercise during the day does not help me to sleep at night, it certainly helps to avoid the feeling of being in a deep, dark hole. The only sure relief is from pills (sleep aid). Half a tablet of an OTC product usually ensuresa decent night. Does not leave me feeling groggy the next morning. But even then I don't make a habit of it. I have an aversion about taking pills. Winter Solstice \"On a withered bough a crow has stopped to perch and autumn darkens.\" --- Basho A look at the calendar tells me that in four more days autumn will end. The winter solstice is on December 22nd. Piles of fallen leaves under the trees getting smaller. Some trees still display colorful autumn leaves, but not for long. Birch Tree Have not had much rain. But the rains might arrive with a vengeance and make us pine for sunny sky. The seasons have their place. There was a time when I found rainy days depressing. Perhaps it is the wisdom that comes from age, but they have ceased to affect me. This season, foraging for wild mushrooms has not been very rewarding. Found some oyster mushrooms, few puffballs and butter boletes. The rains might make the chanterelles emerge. A cluster of lion's mane was past its prime. Warning: Do not use these pictures as guide to pick mushrooms for consumption. Wild mushrooms require thorough investigation. Butter Boletes ( Boletus appendiculatus) © Musafir - Canon S710 Lion's Mane - Past its prime © Musafir - Canon S710 Puffball Mushroom© Musafir - Canon S5 IS Sulphur Shelf ( Laetiporus sulphureus)© Musafir - Canon S5 IS Cluster of Oyster Mushrooms© Musafir - Canon S5 IS ","permalink":"/posts/2011/12/passages-december-2011/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleepless In San Mateo * Last Days of Autumn* Wild Mushrooms\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are many people who, for some reason or other, lie awake at night -- unable to go to sleep at all or cannot go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe nights can be long and depressing, especially for those who live alone.  Chronic insomnia requires professional help. This is about people who periodically suffer from it as I do.  There are times when the 'cause' can be identified -- health-related issues, anxiety, depression -- it does not take much to trigger bad nights.   The holiday season could induce it in some.  The cold weather;  dark, sunless sky, rains; they can all exacerbate the problem.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCannot say that I cope with it well.  Have tried turning the light on to read. Does not do any good.  If the book is interesting I can keep on reading through the night without feeling drowsy. And, in my case,  the day's routine -- exercise, food, wine at dinner -- has no bearing at all; my routine rarely varies.  While strenuous exercise during the day does not help me to sleep at night, it certainly helps to avoid the feeling of being in a deep, dark hole.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe only sure relief is from pills (sleep aid).  Half a tablet of an OTC product usually ensures\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ea decent night.  Does not leave me feeling groggy the next morning.  But even then I don't make a habit of it.  I have an aversion about taking pills.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinter Solstice \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"On a withered bough\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e a crow has stopped to perch\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e and autumn darkens.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e --- Basho\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e     \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA look at the calendar tells me that in four more days autumn will end.  The winter solstice is on December 22nd.   Piles of fallen leaves under the trees getting smaller. Some trees still display colorful autumn leaves, but not for long.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                                         Birch Tree\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Birch Tree.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHave not had much rain. But the rains might arrive with a vengeance and make us pine for sunny sky.  The seasons have their place.  There was a time when I found rainy days depressing.  Perhaps it is the wisdom that comes from age, but they have ceased to affect me.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis season, foraging for wild mushrooms has not been very rewarding. Found some oyster mushrooms, few puffballs and butter boletes.  The rains might make the chanterelles emerge.  A cluster of lion's mane was past its prime.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWarning: Do not use these pictures as guide to pick mushrooms for consumption. Wild mushrooms require thorough investigation.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                             Butter Boletes ( Boletus appendiculatus)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Butter Boletes.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"r text-center\"\u003e              © Musafir  - Canon S710     \u003c/h3\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"r text-center\"\u003e                                     Lion's Mane - Past its prime                       \u003c/h3\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Lion%27s Mane.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"r text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  - Canon S710\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e   Puffball Mushroom\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Puffball.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                  Sulphur Shelf ( \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eLaetiporus sulphureus)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Wild Mushrooms%2C Flowers - Hwy 9%2C Pulgas Ridge 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                     Cluster of Oyster Mushrooms\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/12/Misc. Dec 2009 027.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Passages: December 2011"},{"content":" And Images From Thanksgiving Past * Fall Colors in San Mateo, California Excerpt below is from Jon Carroll's column in The San Francisco Chronicle. Every year, I look forward to reading it and he never disappoints. I'm going to think about how each of the people at the table came into my life, and what I remember about that moment, and how we decided to become friends instead of simply people who met each other once a long time ago. And I'm going to remember the kindness that each person has shown me, and I'm also going to remember my kindnesses, because I'm grateful for the times I behaved well. And because not all the people I'm grateful for are in the room today, I'm going to think about them, and send them good thoughts across the miles. I don't believe in the transmission of thoughts, but I believe in trying. It's like a flashy vehicle for mindfulness, and mindfulness is hard when the talk is loud and the carbohydrates are disappearing at alarming rates.And as I walk across the floor from one room to the other, I'm going to notice how solid the floor feels beneath my feet today. I know how fragile it is, but it doesn't matter. Today, right now, this Thanksgiving, it feels like the oldest rock in the world, and I stand on it and rejoice.Maybe at the end of the evening, when the dirty dishes are piled high in the sink and the air is heavy with rich smells, take a moment to thank someone for something.If today you are gratitude impaired (been there), here are a few new ways of looking at things.May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true, may you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong; may you stay forever jcarroll@sfchronicle.com Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/23/DDPR1LTVNJ.DTL#ixzz1ednU56Ad For me, the venue has changed. After celebrating Thanksgiving at a friend's house in Palo Alto for the past 19 years, the gathering will take Place at Menlo Park. Palo Alto, CA. 2010 I II. III IV V VI VII VIII Fall Colors, San Mateo, CA.Not New England, but the colors are gorgeous.Sunrise through my window, Nov 22, 2011 Harvard Drive I Harvard Drive II Parrott Drive I Parrott Drive II Tournament Drive I Tournament Drive II ","permalink":"/posts/2011/11/thanksgiving-day-2011/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnd Images From Thanksgiving Past * Fall Colors in San Mateo, California\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eExcerpt below is from Jon Carroll's \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/24/DDPR1LTVNJ.DTL\"\u003ecolumn\u003c/a\u003e in The San Francisco Chronicle.  Every year, I look forward to reading it and he never disappoints.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eI'm going to think about how each of the people at the table came into my life, and what I remember about that moment, and how we decided to become friends instead of simply people who met each other once a long time ago. And I'm going to remember the kindness that each person has shown me, and I'm also going to remember my kindnesses, because I'm grateful for the times I behaved well.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnd because not all the people I'm grateful for are in the room today, I'm going to think about them, and send them good thoughts across the miles. I don't believe in the transmission of thoughts, but I believe in trying. It's like a flashy vehicle for mindfulness, and mindfulness is hard when the talk is loud and the carbohydrates are disappearing at alarming rates.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnd as I walk across the floor from one room to the other, I'm going to notice how solid the floor feels beneath my feet today. I know how fragile it is, but it doesn't matter. Today, right now, this Thanksgiving, it feels like the oldest rock in the world, and I stand on it and rejoice.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMaybe at the end of the evening, when the dirty dishes are piled high in the sink and the air is heavy with rich smells, take a moment to thank someone for something.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"infobox\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIf today you are gratitude impaired (been there), here are a few new ways of looking at things.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMay you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true, may you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong; may you stay forever \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:jcarroll@sfchronicle.com\"\u003ejcarroll@sfchronicle.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eRead more: \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/23/DDPR1LTVNJ.DTL#ixzz1ednU56Ad\"\u003ehttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/23/DDPR1LTVNJ.DTL#ixzz1ednU56Ad\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eFor me, the venue has changed.  After celebrating Thanksgiving at a friend's house in Palo Alto for the past 19 years, the gathering will take Place at Menlo Park. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ePalo Alto, CA. 2010\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e I\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eII\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIII\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 022.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIV\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eV\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 041.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nVI\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 037.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eVII\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 049.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eVIII\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/Thanksgiving - 2010 050.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFall Colors, San Mateo, CA.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNot New England, but the colors are gorgeous.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSunrise through my window, Nov 22, 2011\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHarvard Drive I\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHarvard Drive II\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nParrott Drive I\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eParrott Drive II\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTournament Drive I\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTournament Drive II\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/11/San Mateo - Fall 2011 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving Day 2011"},{"content":" * Naked Ladies aka Belladonna Lillies (Amaryllis belladonna) If Clarkias are called 'Farewell to Spring' then Naked Ladies deserve to be described as 'Farewell to Summer'. Here in the San Francisco Bay area they begin to be noticeable in August and are gone in September. For a brief period the tall, slender stalks with lovely pink blooms catch our eyes and make us think. Of what? Well, that depends on who you are. For me, the thoughts are about summers past; walks on the beach at Pajaro Dunes; graduation parties; hikes on trails in the foothills and in the Sierras; alfresco lunches under Oak trees; dry, brown landscape and autumn rains soon to follow. Bitter-sweet. Naked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA © Musafir - Canon S5 IS Naked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA. © Musafir - Canon S5 IS Naked Ladies II, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA. © Musafir - Canon S5 IS During recent walks on Parrott Drive, San Mateo, saw Naked Ladies in a number of front yards. It is hard to appreciate them driving past in cars. A clear sign that another summer will soon be behind us; the Autumn equinox is less than a month away, on September 23rd. Schools are open; Labor Day weekend is around the corner. After the picnics and barbecues are over, the 'end of summer' feeling will sink in if it has not already done so. Here is the late Philip Hamburger's superb description of end of summer which appeared in The New Yorker some years back. A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go. Philip Hamburger © The New Yorker ","permalink":"/posts/2011/08/another-summer-rushing-past/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n*\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNaked Ladies aka Belladonna Lillies (Amaryllis belladonna)\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIf Clarkias are called 'Farewell to Spring' then Naked Ladies deserve to be described as 'Farewell to Summer'.  Here in the San Francisco Bay area they begin to be noticeable  in August and are gone in September. For a brief period the tall, slender stalks with lovely pink blooms catch our eyes and make us think.  Of what?  Well, that depends on who you are.  \u003c/span\u003eFor \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eme, the thoughts are about summers past; walks on the beach at Pajaro Dunes; graduation parties; hikes on trails in the foothills and in the Sierras; alfresco lunches under Oak trees;\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e dry, brown landscape and autumn rains soon to follow.  Bitter-sweet.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\n \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e                                               Naked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/Naked Ladies I.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e                                                                       © Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNaked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/Naked Ladies II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e                                                                            © Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e         Naked Ladies II, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/Naked Ladies III.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir - Canon S5 IS\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eDuring recent walks on Parrott Drive, San Mateo, saw Naked Ladies in a number of front yards.  It is hard to appreciate them driving past in cars.  A clear sign that another summer will soon be behind us;  the Autumn equinox is less than a month away, on September 23rd.  Schools are open; Labor Day weekend is around the corner.  After the picnics and barbecues are over, the 'end of summer' feeling will sink in if it has not already done so. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHere is the late Philip Hamburger's superb description of end of summer which appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/i\u003e some years back.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e          Philip Hamburger © \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/03/040503ta_talk_remnick\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Another Summer Rushing Past"},{"content":" * Backpack Trip up Canyon Creek Trail The trail head to Canyon Creek, about 14 miles from Junction City, is a long drive from the Bay area. Recently, SG and I made the trip. Ripstein Campground, where we spent the first night, was just over 350 miles It was worth it. Trinity Alps look different than the Sierras....more green. And the trail to the lakes never far from the stream. Wild flowers were abundant. Refer to \"Hiking California's Trinity Alps Wilderness\" by Dennis Lewon We left on August 4th; stopped at Weaverville Ranger Station for Wilderness and Fire Permits. Drop Box outside the Ranger Station can be used at all times for permit applications. Then continued on Hwy 299 to Junction City and drove for about 14 miles on Canyon Creek Road to Ripstein Campground. The campground is undeveloped, with vault toilet, no running water, but free, scenic, and only a mile from the trail head parking lot. Began our walk up the trail on the morning of August 5th. Our plan was to go to Upper Lake but we changed our minds and decided to set up camp near the Middle Canyon Creek Falls, just under 6 miles from the trail head,with a view of the water roaring down. The unusually high snow pack has resulted in rarely seen force of the water falls and streams. Our pace was slow and we made frequent stops. Took us more than six hours to reach the Middle Canyon Creek Falls. There were many backpackers, including women of all ages. And dogs, with their own packs. Many were repeat visitors from Shasta/Redding areas. We talked to backpackers who had come from Oregon. There was a couple from Salem, OR, who had come to celebrate their weddding anniversary after being there 40 years ago. Trail markers were notably absent. Not a major problem. Our timing was just right. The weather was surprisingly mild. Day-time temp not not much different than the South Bay; the nights were not uncomfortably cold, in the high 60's. See Forest Service Weather Report updated on Thursdays. We carried a bear canister but could have done without it. Next day, August 6th, we left our camp site and hiked up to the Lower and Upper Canyon Creek Lakes with just water bottles, some trail mix, power bars, and fishing gear. The lakes are very pretty, located in rocky area with 8,886 ft Sawtooth Mountain towering over the landscape. There were many backpackers camped near the lakes. We tried fishing at the Lower Canyon Creek Lake -- no luck, and didn't see anyone else catching fish -- before carrying on to the Upper Canyon Creek Lake, less than a mile away. On the return trip from the lakes, we bypassed Boulder Creek campground and reached our tent before darkness set in. We broke camp on Sunday, August 7th, and headed back at 9:30 A.M. Took us about 4 hours to reach the parking lot. Then it was the drive home with a stop at Weaverville for lunch and gas for the car. A good trip. The photographs below will give an idea of the trail, the water falls, and the lakes. At Ripstein Campground © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) At trailhead parking lot © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) The beginning of Canyon Creek Trail © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) SG wearing netting as protection against flying insects © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) Distant view of the mountain range © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Wild Flowers, look like Indian Paintbrush © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) We forded quite a few streams, the major one a mile before the Lower Canyon Creek Lake © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Lower Canyon Creek Falls © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Wild Flower - Name unknown © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) More Wild Flowers © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Our Campsite © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) SG - near our campsite alongside stream from Middle Canyon Creek Falls © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) Another view of the stream near our tent © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Middle Canyon Creek Falls, close up © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) On the trail to the upper lakes © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Field of Wild Flowers © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) We had to push through thick vegetation at some parts of the trail © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Last stream crossing about a mile before Lower Canyon Creek Lake © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) The Sawtooth Mountain 8,886 ft © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Near Lower Canyon Creek Lake © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Lower Canyon Creek Lake © S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) SG fishing. The trouts were elusive © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) Leaving for Upper Canyon Creek Lake © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) A boy getting ready to jump into Upper Canyon Creek Lake © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Upper Canyon Creek Lake © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Another view of Upper Canyon Creek Lake © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Still some snow on the peaks © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Pink Wild Flowers © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Back at the Lower Canyon Creek Lake - still no fish © Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) A Brewer Spruce tree at Lower Canyon Creek Lake © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Heading back - all good things come to an end © S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \"The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders.\" ---Edward Abbey Comments Tammy \u0026mdash; 2012-02-05 Such a great article it was which There were many backpackers, including women of all ages. And dogs, with their own packs. The lakes are very pretty, located in rocky area with 8,886 ft Sawtooth Mountain towering over the landscape. There were many backpackers camped near the lakes. Thanks for sharing this article. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2013-02-24 I used your guide to decide to backpack this trail. Very glad I did. Thanks!\n-Justis Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29 I like your post but I am confused as to why it is necessary to note that you saw women of all ages backpacking... yes, women back pack and women play sports professionally, are presidents, biologists that work in the woods etc., etc. As a woman who has been backpacking for 15 years sometimes alone even and who takes 14 year old daughter (since she was 7) often just the two of us, I find it aggravating for many reasons that people find this or that women backpack noteworthy.\nUnless your implication is the that the hike is \u0026quot;easy\u0026quot; enough for women, I hope not. I came across your post as I was looking for a mellow weekend backpack to do with my daughter. musafir \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29 To: Anonymous\nNo, I didn\u0026#39;t mean to imply that it was an \u0026quot;easy\u0026quot; hike for women.\nA late starter, I have been enjoying hiking in the wilderness for 20+ years. Have noted increasing number of women hikers, including solo hikers. I admire all who enjoy the activity -- men, women, children, and I am fortunate to have women hikers among my friends.\nThanks for visiting.\nIf you are planning a trip, consider Vogelsang High Sierra Camp Trail. Requires a permit. musafir \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29 Further to my comments (above), due to the Yosemite fire, and road closure, Vogelsang is not going to work.\nCanyon Creek would be a good 2-nighter. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2014-05-29 I hope the women I see on the trail don\u0026#39;t have tudes like anonymous.\njeez,\nBOBBY Daniel Carolan \u0026mdash; 2014-06-23 Great photos! Been there once myself. Will never forget that trip!\nhttp://skylinetothesea.blogspot.com/2013/02/this-way-to-paradise-part-2.html Monica \u0026mdash; 2015-09-02 The rest of us women on trail don\u0026#39;t have \u0026quot;tudes\u0026quot;. You have a \u0026quot;tude\u0026quot; that you have to comment that women are on the trail! Wow so sorry to surprise you so much that we hike and backpack all on our own without men. musafir \u0026mdash; 2015-09-03 Thank you, Daniel\nEnjoyed the photographs and post in the link.\nStill a lot of snow on the mountains ! We went later in the summer.\nStay well and keep hiking. musafir \u0026mdash; 2015-09-03 Monica -\nAstonishing that my mention of women hikers drew such an angry response. Nothing derogatory or critical was mentioned or implied.\nRelax and enjoy the wilderness. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/08/canyon-creek-in-the-trinity-alps/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n*\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eBackpack Trip up Canyon Creek Trail\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe trail head to Canyon Creek, about 14 miles from Junction City, is a long drive from the Bay area.  Recently, SG and I made the trip. Ripstein Campground, where we spent the first night, was just over 350 miles  It was worth it.  \u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTrinity Alps look different than the Sierras....more green. And the trail to the lakes never far from the stream. Wild flowers were abundant. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/Canyon Creek Trail Outline.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eRefer to \"\u003ca href=\"http://books.google.com/books?id=qblZ7bX7WeEC\u0026amp;q=Canyon+Creek+#v=snippet\u0026amp;q=Canyon%20Creek\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003eHiking California's Trinity Alps Wilderness\" by Dennis Lewon\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe left on August 4th;  stopped at Weaverville Ranger Station for Wilderness and Fire Permits. Drop Box outside the Ranger Station can be used at all times for permit applications.  Then continued on Hwy 299 to Junction City and drove for about 14 miles on Canyon Creek Road to Ripstein Campground.  The campground is undeveloped, with vault toilet, \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eno running water, but free, scenic, and only a mile from the trail head parking lot.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eBegan our walk up the trail on the morning of August 5th.  Our plan was to go to Upper Lake but we changed our minds and decided to set up camp near the Middle Canyon Creek Falls, just under 6 miles from the trail head,with a view of the water roaring down.  The unusually high snow pack has resulted in rarely seen force of the water falls and streams.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOur pace was slow and we made frequent stops.  Took us more than six hours to reach the Middle Canyon Creek Falls. There were many backpackers, including women of all ages. And dogs, with their own packs. Many were repeat visitors from Shasta/Redding areas. We talked to backpackers who had come from Oregon.  There was a couple from Salem, OR, who \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ehad come to celebrate their weddding anniversary after being there 40 years ago. \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTrail markers were notably absent. Not a major problem. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOur timing was just right. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe weather was surprisingly mild.  Day-time temp not not much different than the South Bay; the nights were not uncomfortably cold, in the high 60's.  See \u003ca href=\"http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5154861.pdf\"\u003eForest Service Weather Report \u003c/a\u003eupdated on Thursdays.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe carried a bear canister but could have done without it.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNext day, August 6th, we left our camp site and hiked up to the Lower and Upper Canyon Creek Lakes with just water bottles, some trail mix, power bars, and fishing gear.  The lakes are very pretty, located in rocky area with 8,886 ft Sawtooth Mountain towering over the landscape.  There were many backpackers camped near the lakes.  We tried fishing at the Lower Canyon Creek Lake -- no luck, and didn't see anyone else catching fish -- before carrying on to the Upper Canyon Creek Lake, less than a mile away.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOn the return trip from the lakes, we bypassed Boulder Creek campground and reached our tent  before darkness set in.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe broke camp on Sunday, August 7th, and headed back at 9:30 A.M. Took us about 4 hours to reach the parking lot. Then it was the drive home with a stop at Weaverville for lunch and gas for the car. A good trip.  The photographs below will give an idea of the trail, the water falls, and the lakes.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e   At Ripstein \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eCampground\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0509.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAt trailhead parking lot\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0517.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe beginning of Canyon Creek Trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0518.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSG wearing netting as protection against flying insects\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0521.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eDistant view of the mountain range\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0524.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWild Flowers, look like Indian Paintbrush\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0535.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe forded quite a few streams, the major one a mile before the Lower Canyon Creek Lake \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0536.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLower Canyon Creek Falls\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0540.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWild Flower - Name unknown\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0546.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMore Wild Flowers\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0548.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOur Campsite\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0553.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSG - near our campsite alongside stream from Middle Canyon Creek Falls\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0557.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnother view of the stream near our tent \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0568.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMiddle Canyon Creek Falls, close up\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0581.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOn the trail to the upper lakes\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0597.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eField of Wild Flowers\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0604.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe had to push through thick vegetation at some parts of the trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0606.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLast stream crossing about a mile before Lower Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0609.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe Sawtooth Mountain 8,886 ft\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0616.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNear Lower Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0617.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLower Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0618.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S.Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSG fishing.  The trouts were elusive\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0623.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLeaving for Upper Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0639.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA boy getting ready to jump into Upper Canyon Creek Lake \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0642.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal  (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eUpper Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0645.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnother view of Upper Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0644.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eStill some snow on the peaks\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0649.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ePink Wild Flowers \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0657.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eBack at the Lower Canyon Creek Lake - still no fish\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0660.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA Brewer Spruce tree at Lower Canyon Creek Lake\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0664.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHeading back - all good things come to an end\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/08/DSCN0690.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© S. Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Edward Abbey\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTammy\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2012-02-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSuch a great article it was which  There were many backpackers, including women of all ages. And dogs, with their own packs.  The lakes are very pretty, located in rocky area with 8,886 ft Sawtooth Mountain towering over the landscape.  There were many backpackers camped near the lakes. Thanks for sharing this article.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-02-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI used your guide to decide to backpack this trail. Very glad I did. Thanks!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Justis\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI like your post but I am confused as to why it is necessary to note that you saw women of all ages backpacking... yes, women back pack and women play sports professionally, are presidents, biologists that work in the woods etc., etc. As a woman who has been backpacking for 15 years sometimes alone even and who takes 14 year old daughter (since she was 7) often just the two of us, I find it aggravating for many reasons that people find this or that women backpack noteworthy.\u003cbr\u003eUnless your implication is the that the hike is \u0026quot;easy\u0026quot; enough for women, I hope not. \u003cbr\u003eI came across your post as I was looking for a mellow weekend backpack to do with my daughter.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eTo: Anonymous\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, I didn\u0026#39;t mean to imply that it was an \u0026quot;easy\u0026quot; hike for women.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA late starter, I have been enjoying hiking in the wilderness for 20+ years. Have noted increasing number of women hikers, including solo hikers. I admire all who enjoy the activity -- men, women, children, and I am fortunate to have women hikers among my friends.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for visiting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you are planning a trip, consider Vogelsang High Sierra Camp Trail. Requires a permit.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2013-08-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eFurther to my comments (above), due to the Yosemite fire, and road closure, Vogelsang is not going to work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCanyon Creek would be a good 2-nighter.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2014-05-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI hope the women  I see on the trail don\u0026#39;t have tudes like anonymous.\u003cbr\u003ejeez,\u003cbr\u003eBOBBY\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDaniel Carolan\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2014-06-23\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat photos! Been there once myself. Will never forget that trip!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://skylinetothesea.blogspot.com/2013/02/this-way-to-paradise-part-2.html\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMonica\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2015-09-02\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe rest of us women on trail don\u0026#39;t have \u0026quot;tudes\u0026quot;. You have a \u0026quot;tude\u0026quot; that you have to comment that women are on the trail! Wow so sorry to surprise you so much that we hike and backpack all on our own without men.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2015-09-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you, Daniel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnjoyed the photographs and post in the link.\u003cbr\u003eStill a lot of snow on the mountains !  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe went later in the summer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStay well and keep hiking.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2015-09-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMonica -\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAstonishing that my mention of women hikers drew such an angry response.  Nothing derogatory or critical was mentioned or implied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelax and enjoy the wilderness.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Canyon Creek In The Trinity Alps"},{"content":" A Confederacy of HypocritesThey made a deal with Dark Side. They call it \"compromise\"; they call it \"pragmatism\". The bottom line is shameful, utterly abject surrender by Obama and the Democratic leadership to the demands of Republican and Tea Party bullies. According to current news on the Internet, Nancy Pelosi is making some noise about not supporting the deal made by Harry Reid and Democratic senators. Hope she does not capitulate. Not going to make a difference but at least a symbolic gesture that reflects the position of many Democrats. And America's long-suffering taxpayers, who pay the salaries of the politicians who brought us to the brink of default? How do they come out? That remains to be seen. The big concern among many was that this crisis would result in significant tax increases. All the big discussions -- the Simpson-Bowles Commission, the Gang of Six in the Senate, the potential Grand Bargain between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner -- included revenue enhancements, the elimination of loopholes, the termination of tax credits. In other words, tax increases on some people. And at time when income tax rates and overall tax receipts as a percentage of GDP are as low as they've been in recent history, the prospect of making a huge dent in the deficit through spending cuts alone seemed politically unviable. And yet, thanks to a combination of Republican intransigence, moderate wishy-washiness, and Democratic lameness, the deal included no revenue enhancements. People worried about higher taxes have dodged a bullet, for now. -Daniel Gros, Yahoo.comObama's role is not surprising. A typical, amoral politician, he has steadily shifted to the right after his election. One gets the impression that to win in 2012 he would readily be a 'born-again Christian' and a fervent pro-lifer. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/07/the-debt-ceiling---obama-and-democratic-senators-sold-us-down-the-river/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA Confederacy of Hypocrites\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThey made a deal with Dark Side.  They call it \"compromise\";  they call it \"pragmatism\".\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe bottom line is shameful, utterly abject surrender by Obama and the Democratic leadership to the demands of Republican and Tea Party bullies.  According to current news on the Internet, Nancy Pelosi is making some noise about not supporting the deal made by Harry Reid and Democratic senators.  Hope she does not capitulate.  Not going to make a difference but at least a symbolic gesture that reflects the position of many Democrats.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"yui_3_3_0_1_1312210631826188\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd America's long-suffering taxpayers, who pay the salaries of the politicians who brought us to the brink of default? How do they come out?\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThat remains to be seen. The big concern among many was that this crisis would result in significant tax increases. All the big discussions -- the Simpson-Bowles Commission, the Gang of Six in the Senate, the potential Grand Bargain between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner -- included revenue enhancements, the elimination of loopholes, the termination of tax credits. In other words, tax increases on some people. And at time when income tax rates and overall tax receipts as a percentage of GDP are as low as they've been in recent history, the prospect of making a huge dent in the deficit through spending cuts alone seemed politically unviable. And yet, thanks to a combination of Republican intransigence, moderate wishy-washiness, and Democratic lameness, the deal included no revenue enhancements. People worried about higher taxes have dodged a bullet, for now. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e-Daniel Gros, Yahoo.com\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eObama's role is not surprising.  A typical, amoral politician, he has steadily shifted to the right after his election.  One gets the impression that to win in 2012 he would readily be a 'born-again Christian' and a fervent pro-lifer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Debt Ceiling - Obama and Democratic Senators Sold Us Down The River"},{"content":" * A Walk from Roads End, Kings Canyon, to Lower Paradise Valley\"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse, and --Thou Beside me, singing in the Wilderness -- And Wilderness is Paradise enow.\" -- The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward FitzgeraldQuite different than the wilderness that Persian poet Omar Khyyam wrote of. But the trail from Roads End in Kings Canyon to the Lower Paradise Valley offers great vistas -- from towering cliffs to the awesome force of Woods Creek flowing alongside. On July 3rd, Sarbajit Ghosal and I hiked the approx. 13-mile out and back trail. It was a good day, cool at 6:oo in the morning when we began. Even at mid day, when it turned warm and we could feel the rocky parts of the trail radiating heat, it was not punishingly hot. The trail is not very demanding, first two miles mostly flat with a few rocky segments. Many hikers go only as far as Mist Falls, about halfway to Lower Paradise Valley campground. After Mist Falls, the trail becomes rocky. We met backpackers who were returning from doing the Rae Lake Loop, about 46 miles. One group said it took them 3 days -- hardy souls. A few pictures follow. Encountered three rattle snakes, the first one in the morning soon after we began our walk at Roads End. After I took a picture of the snake, my Canon Powershot S3 stopped working. Error message read \"Lens error. Restart camera.\" Tried restarting but it did not fix the problem. It was SG's Nikon Coolpix P500 that was used for the rest of the trip. SG at Roads End Trailhead© Musafir (Canon Powershot S3) The first rattle snake, ugh © Musafir (Canon Powershot S3) We forded a number of such gullies soon after Roads End©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Morning sun on the cliff face ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Lupines alongside the trail © Musafir (Canon Powershot S3) A waterlogged stretch of the trail. We had to detour by clambering on rocks ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Near the junction of Bubbs Creek and Woods Creek ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)Mist Falls. The Gardiner Creek Meets Woods Creek at this point©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)The Sphinx Peak at distant background ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)Past and above Mist Falls ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) SG on the trail beyond Mist Falls © Musafir (Nikon Cool Pix P500) A peak that reminded us of Half Dome ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Slogging up the rocky, switchback trail to Lower Paradise Valley ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Near Lower Paradise Valley Campground, the flow of the creek noticeably slow ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)End of the trail. Father and son fishing for trout ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) This is where we took a lunch break. Quiet and serene.©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) \"Butterfiles are free\" ©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) 11:15 AM. Time to head back to Roads End © Musafir (Nikon Cool Pix P500) The trail narrows between the rock face and the creek below©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) A view of Mist Falls on the way down©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Looking downstream from the bridge at Bubbs Creek, 2 miles from Roads EndSarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500) Felt good to dip sore feet in icy cold Bubbs Creek Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)*Hiking along the trail I thought of Gary Snyder and his wonderful poems about mountains, rivers, and lakes of California. From his \"Bubbs Creek Hair Cut\", Mountains and Rivers Without End. “Hiking up Bubbs Creek saw the trail crew tent In a scraglly grove of creekside lodgepole pine talked to the guy, he says‘If you see McCool on the other trail crew over theretell him Moorehead says to go to hell.’Late snow that summer. Crossing the scarred bare shed of Forrester Pass The winding rock-braced switchbacksDive in snowbanks. We climb in where packtrains have to dig or wait.” ","permalink":"/posts/2011/07/lower-paradise-valley-kings-canyon-california/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA Walk from Roads End, Kings Canyon, to Lower Paradise Valley\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e  A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse, and --Thou \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e  Beside me, singing in the Wilderness --\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e  And Wilderness is Paradise enow.\" \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e-- The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward Fitzgerald\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eQuite different than the wilderness that Persian poet Omar Khyyam wrote of.  But the trail from Roads End in Kings Canyon to the Lower Paradise Valley offers great vistas -- from towering cliffs to the awesome force of Woods Creek flowing alongside.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOn July 3rd, Sarbajit Ghosal and I hiked the approx. 13-mile out and back trail.  It was a good day, cool at 6:oo in the morning when we began.  Even at mid day, when it turned warm and we could feel the rocky parts of the trail radiating heat, it was not punishingly hot.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e   \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe trail is not very demanding, first two miles mostly flat with a few rocky segments.   Many hikers go only as far as Mist Falls, about halfway to Lower Paradise Valley campground.  After Mist Falls, the trail becomes rocky.  We met backpackers who were returning from doing the Rae Lake Loop, about 46 miles.  One group said it took them 3 days -- hardy souls.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA few pictures follow.  Encountered three rattle snakes, the first one in the morning soon after we began our walk at Roads End.  After I took a picture of the snake, my Canon Powershot S3 stopped working.  Error message read \"Lens error. Restart camera.\"   Tried restarting but it did not fix the problem.  It was SG's Nikon Coolpix P500 that was used for the rest of the trip.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSG at Roads End Trailhead\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/Kings Canyon%2C July 2011 025.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Canon Powershot S3)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe first rattle snake, ugh\u003c/span\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/Kings Canyon%2C July 2011 031.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e                       © Musafir (Canon Powershot S3)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWe forded a number of such gullies soon after Roads End\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/Trail to Paradise Valley 1.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMorning sun on the cliff face \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/Trail to Paradise Valley 2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLupines alongside the trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/Kings Canyon%2C July 2011 028.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Canon Powershot S3)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA waterlogged stretch of the trail.  We had to detour by clambering on rocks\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0334.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNear the junction of Bubbs Creek and Woods Creek\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0340.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMist Falls.  The Gardiner Creek Meets Woods Creek at this point\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0344.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe Sphinx Peak at distant background\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0349.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ePast and above Mist Falls\u003c/span\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0353.JPG\"/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSG on the trail beyond Mist Falls\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0361.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Cool Pix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA peak that reminded us of Half Dome\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0370.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSlogging up the rocky, switchback trail to Lower Paradise Valley\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0371.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNear Lower Paradise Valley Campground, the flow of the creek noticeably slow \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0375.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eEnd of the trail. Father and son fishing for trout\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0376.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThis is where we took a lunch break.  Quiet and serene.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0379.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"Butterfiles are free\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0388.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e11:15 AM.  Time to head back to Roads End\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0393.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir (Nikon Cool Pix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe trail narrows between the rock face and the creek below\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0397.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA view of Mist Falls on the way down\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0404.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLooking downstream from the bridge at Bubbs Creek, 2 miles from Roads End\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0414.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eFelt good to dip sore feet in icy cold Bubbs Creek\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/07/DSCN0410.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSarbajit Ghosal (Nikon Coolpix P500)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHiking along the trail I thought of Gary Snyder and his wonderful poems about mountains, rivers,  and lakes of California.  From his \"Bubbs Creek Hair Cut\", Mountains and Rivers  Without End.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Hiking up Bubbs Creek saw the trail crew tent \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn a scraglly grove of creekside lodgepole pine\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e              talked to the guy, he says\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘If you see McCool on the other trail crew over there\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003etell him Moorehead says to go to hell.’\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLate snow that summer.  Crossing the scarred bare shed \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e              of \u003cst1:place w:st=\"on\"\u003e\u003cst1:placename w:st=\"on\"\u003eForrester\u003c/st1:placename\u003e \u003cst1:placetype w:st=\"on\"\u003ePass\u003c/st1:placetype\u003e\u003c/st1:place\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e     The winding rock-braced switchbacks\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDive in snowbanks.  We climb in where\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e              packtrains have to dig or wait.”\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lower Paradise Valley, Kings Canyon, California"},{"content":" *No, The World Is Not Going to End on Saturday Some people believe in the Doomsday proponents. They have helped in building an industry that thrives by preaching about the end of the world. The promoters have a cash cow and they are going to keep on milking it.The current date for the beginning of \"the end\" is Saturday, May 21st -- that is two days from now! Harold Camping, an evangelical pastor in California is reported to be responsible for the prophecy about this particular date. What mumbojumbo he would come up with on the 22nd? Previously, another group of shysters had declared 12-12-2012 as the day. They have no problem with changing the date.May 21st will come and go. If some of us are not going to be around it will not be because of the end of the world as we know it. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/05/endtimes/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNo, The World Is Not Going to End on Saturday\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSome people believe in the Doomsday proponents.  They have helped in building an industry that thrives by \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003epreaching about the end of the world.  The promoters have a cash cow and they are going to keep on milking it.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe current date for the beginning of \"the end\" is Saturday, May 21st -- that is two days from now!  Harold Camping, an \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eevangelical pastor in California is reported to be responsible for the prophecy about this particular date.  What mumbojumbo he would come up with on the 22nd?  Previously, another group of shysters had declared 12-12-2012 as the day.  They have no problem with changing the date.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMay 21st will come and go.  If some of us are not going to be around it will not be because of the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eend of the world as we know it.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"EndTimes?"},{"content":" *Keep Them Open Headlines about budget cuts and their effects have become regular features. One cannot escape them. Priorities vary greatly; spending public money is a highly politicized issue. Public libraries in America are among its treasures. Regrettably, they are not immune during the present crunch. Charles Simic's A Country Without Libraries in The NY Review of Books is a must read for allwho care for libraries. Fight to keep them open. \"How many book lovers among the young has the Internet produced? Far fewer, I suspect, than the millions libraries have turned out over the last hundred years. Their slow disappearance is a tragedy, not just for those impoverished towns and cities, but for everyone everywhere terrified at the thought of a country without libraries.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2011/05/libraries/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eKeep Them Open\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHeadlines about budget cuts and their effects have become regular features.  One cannot escape them.  Priorities vary greatly;  spending public money is a highly politicized issue.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ePublic libraries in America are among its treasures.  Regrettably, they are not immune during the present crunch.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eCharles Simic's \u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/may/18/country-without-libraries/\"\u003eA Country Without Libraries\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/i\u003e in The NY Review of Books is a must read for all\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ewho care for libraries.  Fight to keep them open.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"How many book lovers among the young has the Internet produced? Far fewer, I suspect, than the millions libraries have turned out over the last hundred years. Their slow disappearance is a tragedy, not just for those impoverished towns and cities, but for everyone everywhere terrified at the thought of a country without libraries.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Libraries"},{"content":" * Nick * Man's Best Friend * James Salter Nick was more than a good friend, faithful companion who, on dark days made things bearable. Nick died in 1989. After so many years it is not often that I think of him. But a few weeks ago he appeared in a dream. I looked up some old photographs and remembered Nick. Nick came to be a part of the household because my daughters wanted a dog. So we went to the local pet shop and brought a pup home. It was love at first sight. Named him Nicki but, soon, he became Nick. And, as he grew up and lost the cuddlieness, the girls began to spend less time with him. Nick became my dog and remained my dog until his death 14 years later. It was while taking Nick out for his walks that I started jogging to keep up with him, and that lead to my interest in distance running. Nick could sense my mood. Never failed to show his joy when I came home after work. Watched my movements with his eyes; sat down next to me when I brooded. As the years went past Nick began to suffer from age-related ailments. Lost his energy. Arthritis restricted him from following me around. Then a time came when sitting up from a lying position became a struggle. I began to think of the day when I would have to face the inevitable. It was then that my work required me to make a long trip. Talked to my daughters about not letting him suffer, and I took off for Yemen via London; Mumbai for a stay of three weeks; then, Kolkata, Madras, and Singapore before the flight across the Pacific to San Francisco. It was during my stay in Singapore that I received a call from my younger daughter. She said that Nick had to be put away. I knew it was the right thing to do. I expected the news. Yet the pain was almost physical. I went out for a run through downtown Singapore and I wept oblivious of the people on the streets. Usually I kept track of the turns I made on my runs in unfamiliar cities. Not that morning. Lost my bearing but kept on running. I thought of Nick and the good years that we shared; my way of paying tribute. When I returned from the trip, the house felt different. Nick was not there. His absence left a void. Recently, while reading James Salter's \"Light Years\", I came across this passage. And I thought of Nick. He became intelligent, strong, he knew their voices. He was stoic, he was shrewd. In his dark eye one could see a phylum of creatures--horses, mice, cattle, deer. Frogboy, they called him. He lay on the floor with his legs stretched out behind. He watched them, his face resting on his paws. Comments Pushpa \u0026mdash; 2011-06-12 Thank you for sharing. It brought up a lot of memories. It was good remembering Nick after reading your blog. I know exactly how you felt. Every time I saw how Nick was with you, I thought of Lassie, and I knew I was definitely going to get a dog at some point. I finally did, years later, so my kids could experience life with a pet. But secretly, I know I did this for myself. I needed something to fill a huge void in my life, and a dog was just the answer. Last July, six years later, our dog suddenly took ill. One night he let out a gut-wrenching groan. When we took him to the vet the next morning, he gave my dog a shot for the fever, and some medication. But after a hundred bucks later, and a series of painful groans that prolonged morning, the dog passed away. Needless to say, we were really upset, and all I could do was go to the vet and demand why the dog died hours after getting the shot and ingesting the medication. He claimed then that our dog was on his last leg. He had a huge tumor and was not going to survive it. He didn\u0026#39;t say anything earlier because he didn\u0026#39;t have the heart to tell my daughter her pet was dying. You see, she went in for the consultation before I arrived at the vet\u0026#39;s from work. I was shocked that we had no idea the dog was sick. He looked well, a little slow perhaps, when he was walked, but never a whimper, or any tell-tale sign.\nWell, there was nothing we could do but howl our eyes out, siting beside this passive, but peacefully still body looking quite healthy, except for some greenish drool from the mouth because of the medicine, and sadly, stiff to the touch. We took him the shelter later that afternoon, so they could dispose of the body. The sound of his piercing groan still haunts me and every time I find it hard to fight off the tears, because I feel weighed down with regret that I didn\u0026#39;t do enough for him. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/05/personal-history-a-look-back---death-of-a-dog/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNick * Man's Best Friend\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e * \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eJames\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e Salter\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNick was more than a good friend, faithful companion who, on dark days made things bearable.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNick died in 1989.  After so many years it is not often that I think of him.  But a few weeks ago he appeared in a dream.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/05/Nick.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eI looked up some old photographs and remembered Nick.  Nick came to be a part of the household because my daughters wanted a dog.  So we went to the local pet shop and brought a pup home. It was love at first sight.  Named him \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNicki but, soon, he became Nick. And, as he grew up and lost the cuddlieness, the girls began to spend \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eless time with him.   Nick became my dog and remained my dog until his death 14 years later.  It was while taking Nick out for his walks that I started jogging to keep up with him, and that lead to my interest in distance running.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eNick could sense my mood. Never failed to show his joy when I came home after work.  Watched my movements with his eyes; sat down next to me when I brooded.   As the years went past Nick began to suffer from age-related ailments.  Lost his energy. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eArthritis restricted him from following me around.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThen a time came when sitting up from a lying position  became a struggle.  I began to think of the day when I would have to face the inevitable.  It was then that my work required me to make a long trip.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTalked to my daughters about not letting him suffer, and I \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003etook off for Yemen via London; Mumbai for a stay of three weeks; then, Kolkata, Madras, and \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eSingapore before the flight across the Pacific to San Francisco.   It was during my stay in Singapore that I received a call from my younger daughter.  She said that Nick had to be put away.  I knew it was the right thing to do.  I expected the news. Yet \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ethe pain was almost physical.  I went out for a run through downtown Singapore and I wept oblivious of the people on the streets.  Usually I kept track of the turns I made on my runs in unfamiliar cities.  Not that morning.  Lost my bearing but kept on running.  I thought of Nick and the good years that we \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eshared; my way of paying tribute.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWhen I returned from the trip, the house felt different. Nick was not there.   His absence left a void.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eRec\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eently, while reading James Salter's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2011/04/05/spellbound/\"\u003eLight Years\u003c/a\u003e\", I came across this passage. And I thought of Nick\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHe became intelligent, strong, he knew their voices.  He was stoic, he was shrewd.  In his dark eye one could see a phylum of creatures--horses, mice, cattle, deer.  Frogboy, they called him.  He lay on the floor with his legs stretched out behind.  He watched them, his face resting on his paws.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePushpa\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-06-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for sharing. It brought up a lot of memories. It was good remembering Nick after reading your blog. I know exactly how you felt. Every time I saw how Nick was with you, I thought of Lassie, and I knew I was definitely going to get a dog at some point. I finally did, years later, so my kids could experience life with a pet. But secretly, I know I did this for myself. I needed something to fill a huge void in my life, and a dog was just the answer. Last July, six years later, our dog suddenly took ill. One night he let out a gut-wrenching groan. When we took him to the vet the next morning, he gave my dog a shot for the fever, and some medication. But after a hundred bucks later, and a series of painful groans that prolonged morning, the dog passed away. Needless to say, we were really upset, and all I could do was go to the vet and demand why the dog died hours after getting the shot and ingesting the medication. He claimed then that our dog was on his last leg. He had a huge tumor and was not going to survive it. He didn\u0026#39;t say anything earlier because he didn\u0026#39;t have the heart to tell my daughter her pet was dying. You see, she went in for the consultation before I arrived at the vet\u0026#39;s from work. I was shocked that we had no idea the dog was sick. He looked well, a little slow perhaps, when he was walked, but never a whimper, or any tell-tale sign.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWell, there was nothing we could do but howl our eyes out, siting beside this passive, but peacefully still body looking quite healthy, except for some greenish drool from the mouth because of the medicine, and sadly, stiff to the touch. We took him the shelter later that afternoon, so they could dispose of the body. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sound of his piercing groan still haunts me and every time I find it hard to fight off the tears, because I feel weighed down with regret that I didn\u0026#39;t do enough for him.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Personal History: A Look Back - Death of a Dog"},{"content":" * Windy Hill on Easter Sunday * Edgewood Park Temperatures still unseasonably cool at times but, nearing end of April, it is finally beginning to feel like Spring. Looking at the long-range forecast for the San Francisco Peninsula I see no mention of rains. Last week, hiking at Edgewood Park, saw a snake (not a rattler) alongside the trail, sunning; a clear sign of warm weather. End of hibernation for wild creatures. Easter Sunday morning looked dismal -- gray and cold. But a group of us decided to stay with the plan to hike up Windy Hill in Portola Valley. Except for some muddy areas it was fine, and the sun came out in the afternoon. Windy Hill in the mist, Easter Sunday 2011© Musafir Canon Powershot S3Hikers negotiating a muddy stretch, Spring Ridge Trail© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Looking down at Spring Ridge Trail© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Stanford Campus from Spring Ridge Trail© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Windy Hill, from Hamms Gulch Trail, Easter Sunday 2011© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Pink Trilliums, Hamms Gulch Trail © Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Checker Mallows. Hamms Gulch Trail © Musafir Canon Powershot S3Mountain Ceanothus - Hamms Gulch Trail © Musafir Canon Powersahot S3 A bonus, on returning to the parking lot saw a fully restored red Austin Healey 3000, probably early 1960's model. © Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Edgewood Park Tidy Tips and Owls Clover© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Bush Lupines© Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Goldfields (Lasthenia glabrata) © Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Buttercups © Musafir Canon Powershot S3 Happiness I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness. And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men. They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool with them And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along the Desplaines river And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with their women and children and a keg of beer and an accordion. --- Carl Sandberg ","permalink":"/posts/2011/04/spring---at-long-last-it-feels-like-spring/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n *\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWindy Hill on Easter Sunday *  Edgewood Park \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTemperatures still unseasonably cool at times but, nearing end of April, it is finally beginning to feel like Spring.  Looking at the long-range forecast for the San Francisco Peninsula I see no mention of rains.  Last week, hiking at Edgewood Park, saw a snake (not a rattler) alongside the trail, sunning; a clear sign of warm weather.  End of hibernation for wild creatures.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eEaster Sunday morning looked dismal -- gray and cold.  But a group of us decided to \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003estay with the plan to hike up Windy Hill in Portola Valley.  Except for some muddy \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eareas it was fine, and the sun came out in the afternoon.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWindy Hill in the mist, Easter Sunday 2011\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHikers negotiating a muddy stretch, Spring Ridge Trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir Canon Powershot S3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking down at Spring Ridge Trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 022.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eStanford Campus from Spring Ridge Trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWindy Hill, from Hamms Gulch Trail, Easter Sunday 2011\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 042.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e  Pink Trilliums, Hamms Gulch Trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 029.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eChecker Mallows. Hamms Gulch Trail  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 021.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMountain Ceanothus - Hamms Gulch Trail\u003c/span\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Easter Sunday 2011 043.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e                    \u003c/b\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powersahot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e bonus, on returning to the parking lot saw a fully restored red Austin Healey 3000, probably early 1960's model.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Austin Healey Sprite 044.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eEdgewood Park\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTidy Tips and Owls Clover\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Misc. March-Apr 2011 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBush Lupines\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Misc. March-Apr 2011 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoldfields\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e (Lasthenia glabrata)  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Misc. March-Apr 2011 027.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eButtercups \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/04/Edgewood Park and Pulgas Ridge 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir  Canon Powershot S3\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eHappiness\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eI asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell\u003cbr/\u003e\n     me what is happiness.\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd I went to famous executives who boss the work of\u003cbr/\u003e\n     thousands of men.\u003cbr/\u003e\nThey all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though\u003cbr/\u003e\n     I was trying to fool with them\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along\u003cbr/\u003e\n     the Desplaines river\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with\u003cbr/\u003e\n     their women and children and a keg of beer and an\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e  accordion.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e--- \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eCarl Sandberg\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spring -  at long last, it feels like  Spring"},{"content":" * Gainesville, Florida, and Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan A groups of crazies in Gainesville, Florida, held a mock trial and burned a copy of the Koran. In retaliation, another group of crazies attacked the UN office in Mazar-e-Sharif and killed \"more than seven people\". Amazing that such acts take place and have strong supporters. The lunatics go on uttering claptrap in the name of their gods. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/04/gods-and-devotees/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eGainesville, Florida, and Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA groups of crazies in Gainesville, Florida, held a mock trial and burned a copy of the Koran.  In retaliation, another group of crazies attacked the UN office in Mazar-e-Sharif and killed \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/01/afghanistan-united-nations-killings\"\u003emore than seven people\u003c/a\u003e\".\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmazing that such acts take place and have strong supporters. The lunatics go on uttering claptrap in the name of their gods.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Gods and Devotees"},{"content":" * Cherry Blossoms and a Zebra-striped Camel in San Mateo, CA.The annual Cherry Blossom Festival began in the nation's capital on Saturday. The pictures in Washington Post made me look out of the window. The flowering cherry tree in the neighbor's front yard is now bare of the blossoms; they did not survive the rain storms of the past two weeks. Here are pictures that I took more than a month ago when the blossoms were at their best. Parrott Ave, San Mateo, CA, #1© Musafir Parrott Ave, San Mateo, CA, #2© Musafir Parrott Ave/Tournament Dr, San Mateo, CA© MusafirParrott Ave, San Mateo, CA© MusafirThe Zebra-striped CamelMade of fiber-glass or some such material, it makes some motorists and passers by stop and take a look. When I took the picture it was still dressed up for Christmas.Parrott Ave, San Mateo, CA © Musafir A week past Spring equinox, the weather still feels wintry. Unusual. We have had enough rains to fill the reservoirs and snow packs in the Sierras are at record levels. There is no longer threat of drought during summer. There were glimpses of blue sky earlier this morning. Now, nearing 11:00 A.M. the sky is a dull gray. Forecast for next week, however, promises warmer, sunny days. It would feel good to walk in the woods and look for emerging wild flowers. A Rainy Day Poem by William P. HaynesI wish I had a poem for a rainy day when the raindrops pelt against the metal of the AC and the hum of a car's engine is the only sound breaking the day's silence. I should be dreaming of sleep or sleeping with dreams or writing to Olga wondering what types of stuffed animals she collects. Maybe rainy days are only wistful things for dreamers and poets? Maybe I need a Diner in my life and a highway to leave it near. Life can be mysterious like a sudden phonecall when you're thinking if Russia is closer than Mars and if parts of Canada are really south of the United States? I wish I had a poem that was as blue as your eyes or as quiet as a raindrop If not I'm going to have to invent one. © William P Haynes ","permalink":"/posts/2011/03/spring-2011---cherry-blossoms/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eCherry Blossoms and a Zebra-striped Camel in San Mateo, CA.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe annual Cherry Blossom Festival began in the nation's capital on Saturday. The pictures in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/cherry-blossoms-are-blooming/2011/03/24/ABHcAMSB_gallery.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e made me look out of the window.  The flowering cherry tree in the neighbor's front yard is now bare of the blossoms; they did not survive the  rain storms of the past two weeks. Here are pictures that I took more than a month ago when the blossoms were at their best. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eParrott Ave, San Mateo, CA, #1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eParrott Ave, San Mateo, CA, #2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003eParrott Ave/Tournament Dr, San Mateo, CA\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© MusafirParrott Ave, San Mateo, CA\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe Zebra-striped Camel\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003eMade of fiber-glass or some such material, it makes some motorists and passers by stop and take a look. When I took the picture it was still dressed up for Christmas.\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eParrott Ave, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/Camel II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA week past Spring equinox, the weather still feels wintry.  Unusual.  We have had enough rains to fill the reservoirs and snow packs in the Sierras are at record levels.  There is no longer threat of drought during summer. There were glimpses of blue sky earlier this morning. Now, nearing 11:00 A.M. the sky is a dull gray.  Forecast for next week, however, promises warmer, sunny days.  It would feel good to walk in the woods and look for emerging wild flowers.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA Rainy Day Poem by William P. Haynes\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eI wish I had a poem for a rainy day\u003cbr/\u003e\nwhen the raindrops pelt against the metal\u003cbr/\u003e\nof the AC and the hum of a car's engine is\u003cbr/\u003e\nthe only sound breaking the day's silence.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI should be dreaming of sleep or sleeping with\u003cbr/\u003e\ndreams or writing to Olga wondering what types\u003cbr/\u003e\nof stuffed animals she collects.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMaybe rainy days are only wistful things for dreamers\u003cbr/\u003e\nand poets? Maybe I need a Diner in my life and a highway\u003cbr/\u003e\nto leave it near. Life can be mysterious like a sudden phonecall\u003cbr/\u003e\nwhen you're thinking if Russia is closer than Mars and if parts of\u003cbr/\u003e\nCanada are really south of the United States?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI wish I had a poem that was as blue as your eyes\u003cbr/\u003e\nor as quiet as a raindrop\u003cbr/\u003e\nIf not I'm going to have to invent one.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?AuthorID=6253\u0026amp;id=161058\"\u003eWilliam P Haynes\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spring 2011 - Cherry Blossoms"},{"content":" * The Power of Money Back room negotiations about CIA employee Raymond Allen Davis resulted in his release by Pakistani Authorities. Reportedly, $2.34 million was the price. Described as \"blood money\", it was a pittance compared to the money spent to keep Pakistan on our side. No one will know how much was paid to Pakistani officials to grease the skids. The mullahs and their followers will scream. But perhaps they,too, got their share. Babar Dogar, Associated Press LAHORE, Pakistan — A CIA contractor who shot and killed two Pakistani men was freed from prison on Wednesday after the United States paid $2.34 million in \"blood money\" to the victims' families, Pakistani officials said, defusing a dispute that had strained ties between Washington and Islamabad. In what appeared to be carefully choreographed end to the diplomatic crisis, the U.S. Embassy said the Justice Department had opened an investigation into the killings on Jan. 27 by Raymond Allen Davis. It thanked the families for \"their generosity\" in pardoning Davis, but did not mention any money changing hands. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/03/blood-money---a-bribe-by-any-other-name/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e * \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Power of Money  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack room negotiations about CIA employee Raymond Allen Davis resulted in his release by Pakistani Authorities.  Reportedly, $2.34 million was the price.  Described as \"blood money\", it was a pittance compared to the money spent to keep Pakistan on our side.  No one will know how much was paid to Pakistani officials to grease the skids.  The mullahs and their followers will scream.  But perhaps they,too, got their share.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#A9F5F2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7474437.html\"\u003eBabar Dogar, Associated Press\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nLAHORE, Pakistan — A CIA contractor who shot and killed two Pakistani men was freed from prison on Wednesday after the United States paid $2.34 million in \"blood money\" to the victims' families, Pakistani officials said, defusing a dispute that had strained ties between Washington and Islamabad.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn what appeared to be carefully choreographed end to the diplomatic crisis, the U.S. Embassy said the Justice Department had opened an investigation into the killings on Jan. 27 by Raymond Allen Davis. It thanked the families for \"their generosity\" in pardoning Davis, but did not mention any money changing hands.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Blood Money\" - A Bribe By Any Other Name"},{"content":" * Garbage Collectors and Bankers Jobs, jobs, where are the jobs? The statistics for jobless Americans continue to be depressing. Not only signs of improvement are few but also reports that some among the current unemployed will never find work. Oddly, those who played a major role in the economic slump of 2008 -- the movers and shakers on Wall Street -- are doing fine. None were punished for manipulating the financial markets. They continue to prosper. Looking out of the window, on the weekly garbage collection day I used to see the lumbering trucks go through the neighborhood. Each truck had an operator and a helper who positioned the garbage containers alongside the curb so that the grabbing mechanism controlled by the operator could lift and empty them into the cavernous belly of the truck and lower the empty container for the helper to place them back on the curb. Late last year, garbage collection (waste disposal) contracts were awarded to a large company. New, highly automated equipment were introduced. Now, I no longer see helpers; the operator maneuvers the grabbing mechanism from inside the cabin to access the containers alongside the curb, lifts, empties, and repositions them. No clue how many trucks are used by the county. But I assume the helpers lost their jobs. Since the new contractor now serves counties throughout this area, the helpers are not likely to find work unless they retrain -- easier said than done. Retrain for what? In the meantime, garbage collection fee paid by homeowners has been increased. Interesting item in SJ Mercury News about what happened in Pacifica, CA, when a homeowner fought the system. Pacifica resident wins settlment against trash hauler Residents will have the right to protest upcoming trash service fee increases in Pacifica, thanks to a lawsuit settlement won by a local resident who challenged the city's no-bid contract with Recology. Longtime waste hauler watchdog Lionel Emde complained that trash service ratepayers were getting ripped off when the city approved a 17-year no-bid contract with Recology in February 2010. The waste and recycling company quickly imposed a 5 percent rate hike, and the city got a $100,000 bonus \"assignment fee.\" Pacifica's general fund was guaranteed annual franchise fees amounting to an 11 percent take of Recology's gross income. Pacificans' garbage fees are already among the highest in San Mateo County. One can think about a price for progress. In today's world automation has become a fact of life; it increases margins of profit for businesses, and in many instances mean efficient service. There are exceptions, of course. Just call customer service department of an utility company when you have a problem and then go through the frustrating, experience of pushing buttons on the key pad, and long waiting time to speak to a live person. If you get disconnected during the process, take a deep breath and start from scratch. How do we measure the effects of lack of human touch? ","permalink":"/posts/2011/03/automation-and-jobs---the-moving-finger/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e* \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eGarbage Collectors and Bankers\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eJobs, jobs, where are the jobs?  The statistics for jobless Americans continue to be depressing.  Not only signs of improvement are few but also reports that some among the current unemployed will never find work.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOddly, those who played a major role in the economic slump of 2008 -- the movers and shakers \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eon Wall Street -- are doing fine.  None were punished for manipulating the financial markets. They continue to prosper.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLooking out of the window,  on the weekly garbage collection day I used to see the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003elumbering trucks go through the neighborhood.  Each truck had an operator and a  helper \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ewho positioned the garbage containers alongside the curb so that the grabbing \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003emechanism controlled by the operator could lift and empty them into the cavernous belly \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eof the truck and lower the empty container for the helper to place them back on the curb.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eLate last year, garbage collection (waste disposal) contracts were awarded to a large company.  New, highly automated equipment were introduced.  Now, I no longer see helpers;  the operator maneuvers the grabbing mechanism from inside the cabin to access the containers alongside the curb, lifts, \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eempties, and repositions them.  No clue how many trucks are used by the county.  But \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eI assume the helpers lost their jobs.  Since the new contractor now serves counties throughout this area, the helpers are not likely to find work unless they retrain -- easier said than done.  Retrain for what?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIn the meantime, garbage collection fee paid by homeowners has been increased.  Interesting item in SJ Mercury News about what happened in Pacifica, CA, when a homeowner fought the system.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17602423\"\u003ePacifica resident wins settlment against trash hauler\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"bodytext\"\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#A9F5F2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nResidents will have the right to protest upcoming trash service fee increases in Pacifica, thanks to a lawsuit settlement won by a local resident who challenged the city's no-bid contract with Recology.\u003cbr/\u003e\nLongtime waste hauler watchdog Lionel Emde complained that trash service ratepayers were getting ripped off when the city approved a 17-year no-bid contract with Recology in February 2010. The waste and recycling company quickly imposed a 5 percent rate hike, and the city got a $100,000 bonus \"assignment fee.\" Pacifica's general fund was guaranteed annual franchise fees amounting to an 11 percent take of Recology's gross income. Pacificans' garbage fees are already among the highest in San Mateo County.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOne can think about a price for progress.  In today's world automation has become a fact of life; it increases margins of profit for businesses, and in many instances mean efficient service.  There are exceptions, of course.  Just call customer service department of an utility company when you have a problem and then go through the frustrating, experience of  pushing buttons on the key pad, and long waiting time to speak to a live person.  If you get disconnected during the process, take a deep breath and start from scratch.  How do we measure the effects of lack of human touch? \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Automation, and Jobs - The Moving Finger"},{"content":" * Good Life, Good Death This year, the deadline for filing tax returns is April 18th, an additional three days due to April 18th being observed as President Washington's birthday. Bear in mind that the \"deadline\" is based on the post-mark, not date of receipt by the IRS. Tax cheaters abound. Death is unavoidable. But a \"Good Death\" is experienced by few. For those who live long and become infirm, it is often a slow, degrading process. Reading about Lucidending made me think of those within my circle of friends friends who died in the past twelve months. I lost four of them. Three of them died of cancer, one of whom declined to go through traditional medical procedures. Her decision didn't mean a quick end. Despite drugs for relief of pain and care provided by local hospice, her quality of life drastically deteriorated. She was a resident of the United Kingdom and made it clear that given a choice she would have opted for a quicker, dignified death. Motto of the now defunct Hemlock Society Strange, the legal obstacles to let terminally ill people have the choice to call it quits! Citizens of the State of Oregon deserve praise for the landmark legislation -- Death With Dignity Act of 1997 which permits Oregonians to do so. The act survived efforts by the Bush administration to overturn it. The State of Washington passed an act in 2008, RCW 70.245. Based on the Oregon legislation, it is now under attack from conservatives who have introduced a bill to require that death certificates of those who elect to seek an end to life under the act to include: \".......... cause of death to be recorded as assisted suicide for purposes of the death with dignity act.\" It would be interesting to follow developments. \"In 2009, Montana Supreme Court in Baxter vs. Montana ruled in favor of the plaintiffs to allow terminall ill patients to seek physician's assistance in dying. Recently, efforts to ban patients from doing so suffered a defeat when Montana's Senate Judiciary Committee voted against House Bill 116 \".......which would have restricted competent, terminally ill patients from requesting medication from their physicians to hasten their deaths.\" Other states are considering legislation based on the Oregon model. However, in the face of opposition by ‘right-to -lifers’, religious organizations, and vested interest groups (medical service providers), progress is going to be slow. And enactment of such laws in all 50 states will remain unattainable in the foreseeable future. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/03/death-and-taxes/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e * \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eGood Life, Good Death \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThis year, the deadline for filing tax returns is April 18th, an additional three days due to April 18th being observed as President Washington's birthday.  Bear in mind that the \"deadline\" is based on the post-mark, not date of receipt by the IRS.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTax cheaters abound.  Death is unavoidable. But a \"Good Death\" is experienced by few. For those who live long and become infirm, it is often a slow, degrading process.  Reading about \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-03-07-RW_dying07_ST_N.htm\"\u003eLucidending \u003c/a\u003emade me think of those within my circle of friends friends who died in the past twelve months. I  lost four of them.  Three of them died of cancer, one of whom declined to go through traditional medical procedures. Her decision didn't mean a quick end. Despite drugs for relief of pain and care provided by local hospice, her quality of life drastically deteriorated. She was a resident of the United Kingdom and made it clear that given a choice she would have opted for a quicker, dignified death.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eMotto of the now defunct Hemlock Society\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/03/goodlife-logo_160.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStrange, the legal obstacles to let terminally ill people have the choice to call it quits! Citizens of the State of Oregon deserve praise for the landmark legislation -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/\"\u003eDeath With Dignity Act of 1997 \u003c/a\u003ewhich  permits Oregonians to do so.  The act survived efforts by the Bush administration to overturn it.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe State of Washington passed an act in 2008, \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.doh.wa.gov/dwda/\"\u003eRCW 70.245\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e. Based on the Oregon legislation, it is now under attack from conservatives who have introduced a \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2011\u0026amp;bill=5378\"\u003ebill\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e to require that death certificates of those who elect to seek an end to life under the act to include: \u003cb\u003e\".......... \u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ecause of death to be recorded as assisted suicide for purposes of the death with dignity act.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIt would be interesting to follow developments.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIn 2009, Montana Supreme Court in \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.deathwithdignity.org/media/uploads/BaxtervMontanaDistrictCourtRuling.pdf\"\u003eBaxter vs. Montana\u003c/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eruled in favor of the plaintiffs\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eto allow terminall ill patients to seek physician's assistance in dying.  Recently, efforts to ban patients from doing so suffered a defeat when  Montana's Senate Judiciary Committee  voted against \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.deathwithdignity.org/2011/02/16/montanas-ban-death-dignity-dismissed/\"\u003eHouse Bill 116\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e.......\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003ewhich would have restricted competent, terminally ill patients from requesting medication from their physicians to hasten their deaths.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eOther states are considering legislation based on the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cst1:state w:st=\"on\"\u003e\u003cst1:place w:st=\"on\"\u003eOregon model\u003c/st1:place\u003e\u003c/st1:state\u003e.  However, in the face of opposition by ‘right-to -lifers’, religious organizations, and vested interest groups (medical service providers), progress is going to be slow. And enactment of such laws in all 50 states will remain u\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003enattainable in the foreseeable future.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Death and Taxes"},{"content":" It is \"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White\" time * Some mornings still show frost on the roof tops, and cold enough to require sweaters. But walks through neighborhood streets and forest preserves show clear signs that Spring is not far. Sunny days, blue skies and blossoms everywhere. How lucky we are to live in the San Francisco Bay area. Most of the photographs were taken at Parrott Drive and Tournament Drive in San Mateo. Magnolia blooming, Parrott Drive © Musafir Daffodils © Musafir Distant view of Crystal Spring Reservoir and Hwy 280 Overpass from Parrott Drive © Musafir Cherry Blossoms © Musafir Apple Blossoms © Musafir Acacia © Musafir Bottle Brush (Calistemon) © Musafir Trumpet Vine (Bignonia Capriolata) © Musafir Pyracantha Berries © Musafir Flowering Cherries and distant view of downtown San Francisco © Musafir Another view of San Francisco from Tournament Drive © Musafir A runner going downhill on Tournament Drive © Musafir California Tortoise Shell Butterfly alongside Cañada Road, Woodside, CA. © Musafir White Trillium at Purisima Creek © Musafir \"And do not change. Do not divert your love from visible things. But go on loving what is good, simple and ordinary: animals and things and flowers, and keep the balance true.\" -- Rainer Maria Rilke Comments pmacf \u0026mdash; 2011-02-14 Rana, these are just lovely...and what a variety! Ironically, I just took out some of the white blossoms by my front gate...I can\u0026#39;t remember it ever flowering so profusely...Too bad they don\u0026#39;t last too long. My car was covered with petals this morning. You\u0026#39;ve taken some great pictures Rana, and that\u0026#39;s a great quote from Rilke. Thanks for sharing... ","permalink":"/posts/2011/02/blossoms-blossoms-everywhere/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eIt is \"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White\" time \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e*\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nSome mornings still show frost on the roof tops, and cold enough to require sweaters.  But walks through neighborhood streets and forest preserves show clear signs that Spring is not far. Sunny days, blue skies and blossoms everywhere.  How lucky we are to live in the San Francisco Bay area.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMost of the photographs were taken at Parrott Drive and Tournament Drive in San Mateo.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nMagnolia blooming, Parrott Drive \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDaffodils\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nDistant view of Crystal Spring Reservoir and Hwy 280 Overpass from Parrott Drive \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nCherry Blossoms\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nApple Blossoms\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nAcacia \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nBottle Brush (Calistemon) \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eTrumpet Vine (Bignonia Capriolata)\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 025.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nPyracantha Berries\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 026.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\nFlowering Cherries and distant view of downtown San Francisco\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\nAnother view of San Francisco from Tournament Drive\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 022.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eA runner going downhill on Tournament Drive\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/In the neighborhood - Parrott Ave%2C Tournament Dr%2C San Mateo%2C CA 030.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\nCalifornia Tortoise Shell Butterfly alongside Ca\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eñ\u003c/span\u003eada Road, Woodside, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/Misc. Feb 2011 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eWhite Trillium at Purisima Creek\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/02/Purisima Creek 1-23-2011 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n© Musafir \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"And do not change.  Do not divert your love from visible things.  But go on loving what is good, simple and ordinary: animals and things and flowers, and keep the balance true.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\n\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e-- Rainer Maria Rilke\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epmacf\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-02-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRana, these are just lovely...and what a variety! Ironically, I just took out some of the white blossoms by my front gate...I can\u0026#39;t remember it ever flowering so profusely...Too bad they don\u0026#39;t last too long. My car was covered with petals this morning. You\u0026#39;ve taken some great pictures Rana, and that\u0026#39;s a great quote from Rilke. Thanks for sharing...\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Blossoms, blossoms, everywhere"},{"content":" * Another of our Favorite Goons Facing Loss of Power The popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak of Egypt gaining momentum by the hour. Reports on the Internet indicate that time is running out for him. The Israelis are worried, and they certainly have their ears on the ground. Mubarak's Egypt was their ally, propped up by American aid. The Israelis fear that the stage is past when their friend Omar Suleiman, former chief of intelligence and recently named by Mubarak as vice president, would have a meaningful role. Mubarak's son, Gamal, is not going to be the successor. As Bob Dylan's song goes \"The times they are a changing\". And America is between the proverbial \"a rock and a hard place\", quietly trying to extricate itself. AlJazeerah It's incredible, really. The president of the United States can't bring himself to talk about democracy in the Middle East. He can dance around it, use euphemisms, throw out words like \"freedom\" and \"tolerance\" and \"non-violent\" and especially \"reform,\" but he can't say the one word that really matters: democracy.ElBaradei could have a role. If hard-liner Islamists don't dominate the government after Mubarak relinquishes power then Egypt would be a better country for its people. Justine, first volume of the Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell, contains a translation of The City by C.P. Cavafy. The center of the protest against Mubarak is,of course, Cairo. But in Alexandria,too, thousands have gathered to demand end of Mubarak's rule. The City You tell yourself I'll be gone To some other land, some other sea, to a city lovelier far than this Could ever have been or hoped to be-- Where every step now tightens the noose: A heart in a body buried and out of use; How long, how long must I be here Confined among these dreary purlieus Of the common mind? Wherever now I look Black ruins of my life rise into view. So many years have I been here Spending and squandering and nothing gained. There's no new land, my friend, no New sea; for the city will follow you, In the same streets you'll wander endlessly, The same mental suburbs slip from youth to age, In the same house go white at last-- The city is a cage. No other places, always this Your earthly landfall, and no ship exists. C.P. Cavafy --translated by Lawrence Durrell Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10 Hi,\nI stumbled on to your comment about Sanyal Brothers in Jamshedpur. This really brings back so much memories. Regal, Natraj, Karim\nI was a frequent visitor to Jamshedpur in the 70s...I grew up in Rourkela just 100 miles away.\nIs Sanyal Bros still there ? Do you still visit Jamshedpur ? I\u0026#39;d love to get in touch. Unknown \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10 Great luck ! musafir \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10 A pleasure to find your comments. I know Rourkela -- never lived there but visited friends. But that was decades ago.\nThe last time I was in Jamshedpur was 1984. There are some former residents of Jamshedpur who live in the San Francisco Bay area. According to them, Sanyal Bros is still there. Good, if true. Let us hope that books and book stores will survive in this age of high tech. Thanks for visiting. musafir \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10 This comment has been removed by the author. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/02/egypt-mubarak-and-the-united-states/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e * \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eAnother of our Favorite Goons Facing Loss of Power\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak of Egypt gaining momentum by the hour.  Reports on the Internet indicate that time is running out for him.  The Israelis are worried, and they certainly have their ears on the ground.  Mubarak's Egypt was their ally, propped up by American aid. The Israelis fear that the stage is past when their friend Omar Suleiman, former chief of intelligence and recently named by Mubarak as vice president, would have a meaningful role.  Mubarak's son, Gamal, is not going to be the successor.  As Bob Dylan's song goes \"The times they are a changing\".  And America is between the proverbial \"a rock and a hard place\", quietly trying to extricate itself.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/201112811331582261.html\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlJazeerah\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's incredible, really. The president of the United States can't bring himself to talk about democracy in the Middle East. He can dance around it, use euphemisms, throw out words like \"freedom\" and \"tolerance\" and \"non-violent\" and especially \"reform,\" but he can't say the one word that really matters: democracy.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eElBaradei could have a role.  If hard-liner Islamists don't dominate the government after Mubarak relinquishes power then Egypt would be a better country for its people.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJustine, first volume of the Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell, contains a translation of  The City by C.P. Cavafy.  The center of the protest against Mubarak is,of course, Cairo. But in Alexandria,too, thousands have gathered to demand end of Mubarak's rule.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eThe City\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nYou tell yourself I'll be gone\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo some other land, some other sea,\u003cbr/\u003e\nto a city lovelier far than this\u003cbr/\u003e\nCould ever have been or hoped to be--\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhere every step now tightens the noose:\u003cbr/\u003e\nA heart in a body buried and out of use;\u003cbr/\u003e\nHow long, how long must I be here\u003cbr/\u003e\nConfined among these dreary purlieus\u003cbr/\u003e\nOf the common mind? Wherever now I look\u003cbr/\u003e\nBlack ruins of my life rise into view.\u003cbr/\u003e\nSo many years have I been here\u003cbr/\u003e\nSpending and squandering and nothing gained.\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere's no new land, my friend, no\u003cbr/\u003e\nNew sea; for the city will follow you,\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn the same streets you'll wander endlessly,\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe same mental suburbs slip from youth to age,\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn the same house go white at last--\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe city is a cage.\u003cbr/\u003e\nNo other places, always this\u003cbr/\u003e\nYour earthly landfall, and no ship exists.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nC.P. Cavafy --translated by Lawrence Durrell\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi,\u003cbr\u003eI stumbled on to your comment about Sanyal Brothers in Jamshedpur. This really brings back so much memories. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRegal, Natraj, Karim\u003cbr\u003eI was a frequent visitor to Jamshedpur in the 70s...I grew up in Rourkela just 100 miles away.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIs Sanyal Bros still there ? Do you still visit Jamshedpur ? I\u0026#39;d love to get in touch.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat luck !\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eA pleasure to find your comments. I know Rourkela -- never lived there but visited friends.  But that was decades ago.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe last time I was in Jamshedpur was 1984.  There are some former residents of Jamshedpur who live in the San Francisco Bay area. According to them, Sanyal Bros is still there. Good, if true.  Let us hope that books and book stores will survive in this age of high tech. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for visiting.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-02-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by the author.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Egypt, Mubarak, and the United States"},{"content":" * Saints and the Vatican * Empower the Witch Doctors According to a report in the New York Times, Pope Benedict XVI has initiated steps to beatify his predecessor, the late John Paul II. VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI moved his beloved predecessor one step closer to sainthood on Friday, confirming a miracle by John Paul II and setting May 1, the first Sunday after Easter, as the date of his beatification. The designation means he is considered “blessed” and can be publicly venerated. Sainthood would follow after the confirmation of one more miracle. *Benedict said Friday in a decree that a French nun had been miraculously cured of Parkinson’s disease thanks to John Paul’s intercession. John Paul himself had Parkinson’s. In a statement, Benedict said that a Vatican-appointed committee of cardinals, bishops, doctors and theologians had determined that the recovery of Sister Marie Pierre Simon from Parkinson’s was “miraculous” and “scientifically inexplicable.” Strange. Mumbo jumbo by the head of the Catholic Church in a gold-embroidered robe is OK.....accepted. But by a half-naked black guy prancing around is frowned upon. Bloody unfair. Empower the witch doctors. “All the tales of miracles, with which the Old and New Testament are filled, are fit only for impostors to preach and fools to believe” --Thomas Paine (English born American Writer) ","permalink":"/posts/2011/01/charlatans-of-catholic-church/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nSaints and the Vatican * Empower the Witch Doctors\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAccording to a report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/europe/15pope.html\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e, Pope Benedict XVI has initiated steps to beatify his predecessor, the late John Paul II.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eVATICAN CITY — \u003ca class=\"meta-per\" href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/benedict_xvi/index.html?inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More articles about Benedict XVI.\"\u003ePope Benedict XVI\u003c/a\u003e moved his beloved predecessor one step closer to sainthood on Friday, confirming a miracle by \u003ca class=\"meta-per\" href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/j/_john_paul_ii/index.html?inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More articles about Pope John Paul II.\"\u003eJohn Paul II\u003c/a\u003e and setting May 1, the first Sunday after Easter, as the date of his beatification. \u003c/b\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe designation means he is considered “blessed” and can be publicly  venerated. Sainthood would follow after the confirmation of one more  miracle. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e *\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eBenedict said Friday in a decree  that a French nun had been  miraculously cured of Parkinson’s disease thanks to John Paul’s  intercession. John Paul himself had  Parkinson’s. In a statement,  Benedict said that a \u003ca class=\"meta-org\" href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/roman_catholic_church/index.html?inline=nyt-org\" title=\"More articles about the Roman Catholic Church.\"\u003eVatican\u003c/a\u003e-appointed  committee of cardinals, bishops, doctors and theologians had determined  that the recovery of Sister Marie Pierre Simon from Parkinson’s was  “miraculous” and “scientifically inexplicable.”         \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003eStrange. Mumbo jumbo by the head of the Catholic Church in a gold-embroidered robe is OK.....accepted.  But by a half-naked black guy prancing around is frowned upon.  Bloody unfair.  Empower the witch doctors.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n“All the tales of miracles, with which the Old and New Testament are filled, are fit only for impostors to preach and fools to believe”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n --Thomas Paine (English born American Writer)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Charlatans of Catholic Church"},{"content":" * Haven for Dirty Money turns against Wikileaks Duh! The Swiss, after years of providing shelter to ill-gotten wealth of corrupt politicians, warlords, and drug cartels, have joined the gang against Julian Assange of Wikileaks. One can see the hands of the United States and other nations, whose dirty secrets were exposed by Wikileaks, in Switzerland's decision...an example of shameful duplicity. Times of India GENEVA: Bank officials are looking at shutting down an account opened by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Switzerland, media reports said Sunday. * © Steve Bell 2010, guardian.co.uk guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 December 2010 08.00 GMT \"Still\" alive. ","permalink":"/posts/2011/01/the-two-faces-of-switzerland/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eHaven for Dirty Money turns against Wikileaks \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDuh!  The Swiss, after years of providing shelter to ill-gotten wealth of corrupt politicians, warlords, and drug cartels, have joined the gang against Julian Assange of Wikileaks. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne can see the hands of the United States and other nations, whose dirty secrets  were exposed by Wikileaks,  in Switzerland's decision...an example of shameful duplicity.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/WikiLeaks-bank-account-in-Switzerland-under-scrutiny-Report/articleshow/7049045.cms\"\u003eTimes of India\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nGENEVA: Bank officials are looking at shutting down an account opened by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Switzerland, media reports said Sunday.\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"content-info\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e * \u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Steve Bell's If ... 21.12.2010\" id=\"main-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2011/01/Steve-Bells-If-...-21.12.-001.jpg\"/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"credit\"\u003e© Steve Bell 2010, guardian.co.uk\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/\"\u003eguardian.co.uk\u003c/a\u003e,                                  Tuesday 21 December 2010 08.00 GMT\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Still\" alive.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Two Faces of Switzerland"},{"content":" * Charles G. O'Connor Last day of 2010. It was yesterday morning when the message arrived announcing death of an old friend. It was not unexpected. He was almost 94. Nevertheless, I was saddened by the news. Death of someone close to us reminds us of our own mortality. More than that, it makes us think of others who are suffering from sickness and age-related problems. It is not often that a good life ends in a good death. I went out for a long walk in the forest. Phleger Estate was cold; the trails were muddy, churned up in places by horseback riders. A few of them rode past. The creek alongside Miramontes Trail was flowing full and strong. I headed west on Miramontes and thought of the late Charlie O'Connor, master mariner. The years when I worked under him in Kolkata, India, and later of his visits when I had the pleasure of showing him parts of California that I love. Took him to Yosemite National Park and to Lake Tahoe. Did what tourists do in the Monterey Bay area -- the 17-Mile Drive; John Steinbeck's old haunts; drove on Highway 1 to the Central Coast. Stopped to admire Bixby Bridge at Big Sur; took one of the tours at Hearst Castle at San Simeon. And, of course, we walked the streets of San Francisco. Charlie never learned to drive but once he accompanied his brother-in-law on a road trip to the west coast. I remembered that I picked him up at the Burlingame Country Club where they were staying as guests of the Giannini family (founders of the original Bank of America) and brought him home for a few days. Then I heard voices of children. A group of 8-10 year olds, with two adults, were behind me, chattering happily. I struck up a conversation with one of the supervising adults. He happened to be a resident of San Carlos but originally from Scotland. Said that the trails at Phleger Estate were good for training for the Dipsea footrace. Told him that I had run the Dipsea and the Double Dipsea. Now there is a Quad Dipsea race! We talked about Lake District in the north of England where I had done some long-distance walking. We came to the junction of Raymundo and Mount Redondo Trails. They went up Raymundo, and I took Mount Redondo. Soon, I could no longer see or hear the kids. I missed them. The walk made me feel better, lighter.*In memory of Capt. Charles G. O'Connor \"And time remembered is grief forgotten, And frosts are slain and flowers begotten, And in green underwood and cover Blossom by blossom the spring begins.\" ~ Algernon Charles Swinburne ","permalink":"/posts/2010/12/personal-history-remembrances/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCharles G. O'Connor\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast day of 2010.  It was yesterday morning when the message arrived announcing death of an  old friend. It was not unexpected.  He was almost 94.    Nevertheless, I was saddened by the news.  Death of someone close to us reminds us  of our own mortality.   More than that, it makes us think of  others who are suffering from sickness and age-related problems.  It is not often that a good life ends in a good death.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI went out for a long walk in the forest. \u003ca href=\"http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/phleger-estate.html\"\u003e Phleger Estate \u003c/a\u003ewas cold; the trails were muddy, churned up in places by horseback riders.  A few of them rode past.  The creek  alongside Miramontes Trail was flowing full and strong. I headed west on Miramontes and thought of the late Charlie O'Connor, master mariner.  The years when I worked under him in Kolkata, India, and later of his visits when I had the pleasure of showing him parts of California that I love.  Took him to Yosemite National Park and to Lake Tahoe.  Did what tourists do in the Monterey Bay area --  the   17-Mile Drive; John Steinbeck's old haunts; drove on Highway 1 to the Central Coast. Stopped to admire Bixby Bridge at Big Sur; took one of the tours at Hearst Castle at San Simeon.  And, of course, we walked the streets of San Francisco.  Charlie never learned to drive but once he accompanied his brother-in-law on a road trip to the west coast.  I remembered that I picked him up at the Burlingame Country Club where they were staying as guests of the Giannini family (founders of the original Bank of America) and brought him home for a few days.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThen I heard voices of children. A group of 8-10 year olds, with two adults, were behind me, chattering happily.  I struck up a conversation with one of the supervising adults.  He happened to be a resident of San Carlos but originally from Scotland. Said that the trails at Phleger Estate were good for training for  the \u003ca href=\"http://www.dipsea.org/\"\u003eDipsea \u003c/a\u003efootrace.  Told him that I had run the Dipsea and the Double Dipsea.  Now there is a Quad Dipsea race!  We talked about Lake District in the north of England where I had done some long-distance walking. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWe came to the junction of Raymundo and Mount Redondo Trails.  They went up Raymundo, and I took Mount Redondo.  Soon, I could no longer see or hear the kids.  I missed them. The walk made me feel better, lighter.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003eIn memory of \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2004/11/capt-charles-g-oconnor-calcutta-india.html\"\u003eCapt. Charles G. O'Connor\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"And time remembered is grief forgotten,\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd frosts are slain and flowers begotten,\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd in green underwood and cover\u003cbr/\u003e\nBlossom by blossom the spring begins.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e~ Algernon Charles Swinburne\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Personal History: Remembrances"},{"content":" * The Rush to Stop Exposure of Secrets and Lies It would be naive to expect that the leaks would stop malfeasance by government authorities. But perhaps those in power who had been glibly lying for years and taking advantage of ignorance of the general public about what goes on behind the scenes would be somewhat restrained in their plotting. Maybe not. To be in a position to abuse power is heady, addictive; hard to give up. We can only hope. Henry Potter in Guardian, UK:The world has changed, not simply because governments find they are just as vulnerable to the acquisition, copying and distribution of huge amounts of data as the music, publishing and film businesses were, but because we are unlikely to return to the happy ignorance of the past. Knowing Saudi Arabia has urged the bombing of Iran, that Shell maintains an iron grip on the government of Nigeria, that Pfizer hired investigators to disrupt investigations into drugs trials on children, also in Nigeria, that the Pakistan intelligence service, the ISI, is swinging both ways on the Taliban, that China launched a cyber attack on Google, that North Korean has provided nuclear scientists to Burma, that Russia is a virtual mafia state in which security services and gangsters are joined at the hip – and knowing all this in some detail – means we are far more likely to treat the accounts of events we are given in the future with much greater scepticism.Now wheels are churning at full speed to punish Julian Assange of WikiLeaks. The rape charge is full of holes. Major powers, led by America, are out to stop WikiLeaks from releasing additional data. Chances are that they will succeed, at least to some degree. That would be a shame. Senator Diane Feinstein (D), California, and Senator Joseph Lieberman, Independent-Democrat, Connecticut, both took strong positions against WikiLeaks. These two senators' exist to protect interests of Isreal. It would have been surprising if they did not support persecution of Julian Assange. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/12/wikileaks-justified-yes/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Rush to Stop Exposure of  Secrets and Lies \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt would be naive to expect that the leaks would stop malfeasance by government authorities.  But perhaps those in power who had been glibly lying for years  and taking advantage of ignorance of the general public about what goes on behind the scenes would be somewhat restrained in their plotting.  Maybe not.  To be in a position to abuse power is  heady, addictive;  hard to give up.  We can only hope.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/11/henry-porter-wikileaks-cables\"\u003eHenry Potter in Guardian, UK\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe world has changed, not simply because governments find they are  just as vulnerable to the acquisition, copying and distribution of huge  amounts of data as the music, publishing and film businesses were, but  because we are unlikely to return to the happy ignorance of the past.  Knowing \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/28/us-embassy-cables-saudis-iran\" title=\"\"\u003eSaudi Arabia has urged the bombing of Iran\u003c/a\u003e, that \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-cables-shell-nigeria-spying\" title=\"\"\u003eShell maintains an iron grip on the government of Nigeria\u003c/a\u003e, that \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/10/AR2010121005523.html\" title=\"\"\u003ePfizer \u003c/a\u003ehired  investigators to disrupt investigations into drugs trials on children,  also in Nigeria, that the Pakistan intelligence service, the ISI, is  swinging both ways on the Taliban, that China launched a cyber attack on  Google, that North Korean has provided nuclear scientists to Burma,  that Russia is a virtual mafia state in which security services and  gangsters are joined at the hip – and knowing all this in some detail –  means we are far more likely to treat the accounts of events we are  given in the future with much greater scepticism.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow wheels are churning at full speed  to punish Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.  The rape charge is full of holes.  Major powers, led by America, are out to stop WikiLeaks from releasing additional data. Chances are that they will succeed, at least to some degree.  That would be a shame.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSenator Diane Feinstein (D), California,  and Senator Joseph Lieberman, Independent-Democrat, Connecticut, both took strong positions against WikiLeaks.  These two senators' exist to protect interests of Isreal.  It would have been surprising if they did not support persecution of Julian Assange. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"WikiLeaks Justified?  Yes"},{"content":" * The Elusive Chanterelles Cannot be lack of rains; we got enough. Perhaps the unusually cold temperature that prevailed in the past three weeks inhibited the emergence of wild mushrooms. In the areas where I do my foraging, the pickings have been meager. During my walks in the woods I have found oyster mushrooms, a few shaggy manes (delicious), but not a single chanterelle. Last season was bountiful. The first chanterelles appeared before Thanksgiving and they continued to be available in February. Shaggy Manes need to be cooked as soon as possible. They don't keep. David Arora, in his comprehensive book Mushrooms DeMystified wrote: \"Well, it is not a bad idea to melt the butter before picking the shaggy manes.\" Shaggy Manes © David Arora - Mushrooms DeMystified Oyster Mushrooms ©Musafir Big Laughing Jim (Gymnopilus spectabilis) ©Musafir ©Musafir The underside of a Gymnopilus spectabsilis©Musafir Unedible. The clusters of Big Laughing Jims look good. But stay away from eating them. Toxic, hallucinogenic. Skyline Ridge on a December afternoon Easily accessible, located 1 mile south of Page Mill/Alpine Road and Skyline Blvd (Hwy 35), Skyline Ridge is another preserve of the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). Good hiking trails, not too strenuous. And there are a few picnic tables in a grove of trees overlooking Horseshoe Lake. Robins on a Pine Tree©MusafirRing-necked ducks in Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge ©Musafir A bench for weary feet©Musafir The plaque on the bench ©Musafir Deer grazing at Skyline Ridge©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2010/12/fall-2010---wild-mushrooms---skyline-ridge/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Elusive Chanterelles\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCannot be lack of rains; we got enough.  Perhaps the unusually cold temperature that prevailed in the past three weeks inhibited the emergence of wild mushrooms.   In the areas where I do my foraging, the pickings have been meager.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDuring my walks in the woods I have found oyster mushrooms, a few  shaggy manes (delicious), but not a single chanterelle.  Last season was bountiful.  The first chanterelles appeared before Thanksgiving and they continued to be available in February.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nShaggy Manes need to be cooked as soon as possible.  They don't keep.  David Arora, in his comprehensive book \u003ci\u003eMushrooms DeMystified\u003c/i\u003e wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"Well, it is not a bad idea to melt the butter before picking the shaggy manes.\" \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eShaggy Manes \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/clip_image002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© David Arora - Mushrooms DeMystified \u003c/div\u003e  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOyster Mushrooms\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Fall 2010 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBig Laughing Jim (\u003ci\u003eGymnopilus spectabilis\u003c/i\u003e)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Fall 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Fall 2010 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e  The underside of a \u003ci\u003eGymnopilus spectabs\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eilis\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/clip_image002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnedible\u003c/b\u003e.  \u003cb\u003eThe clusters of Big Laughing Jims look good.  But stay away from eating them.  Toxic, hallucinogenic.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nSkyline Ridge on a December afternoon\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEasily accessible, located 1 mile south of Page Mill/Alpine Road and Skyline Blvd (Hwy 35), Skyline Ridge is another preserve of the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (\u003ca href=\"http://www.openspace.org/\"\u003eMROSD\u003c/a\u003e).  Good hiking trails, not too strenuous.  And there are a few picnic tables in a grove of trees overlooking Horseshoe Lake.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRobins on a Pine Tree\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Skyline Ridge 12-1-2010 006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRing-necked ducks in Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Ring-necked ducks.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOt_wTPcMQz2IvBYeq47P4maGgOb0iZyWDJG3zkOpX4a_Kf_Nd816rY4hTaUJX_FOOEwHhTe9rF4Nvj_HpGJ9pc-RaAsXCvmCMN-vG-gZp4m_zBPJE-ER86vlhw3Z7tAPJP2Sm/s1600/Skyline+Ridge+12-1-2010+014.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA bench for weary feet\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Skyline Ridge 12-1-2010 015.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe plaque on the bench \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Skyline Ridge 12-1-2010 016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDeer grazing at Skyline Ridge\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/12/Skyline Ridge 12-1-2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Fall 2010 - Wild Mushrooms - Skyline Ridge"},{"content":" * The Great Yielder On November 4, 2008, at Grant Park, IL, the president-elect said: \"But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.\" The crowd roared. We, who watched the stirring scene on television, felt the high hope and elation. Now, nearing two years after his inauguration, the elation has evaporated. It did not take long for the alarm signals to appear when the president began to court the conservatives and gave ground on every issue that he once spoke of supporting. And he did so without putting up much of a fight. The Republicans smelled blood on the water and mounted vicious attacks on his agenda. The president still gives great speeches but he turned out to be a hollow man. A friend said that the president was afraid of confronting alpha white males. The final straw was his surrender on the Bush tax cuts. His agreement to extend them for two years is a joke. The way things are going, he will cease to be meaningful by that time. Does that mean that we, left of center Democrats, would rather see a Republican as president? NO. That would be worse; much worse. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/12/the-capitulation-of-barack-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Great Yielder \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn November 4, 2008, at Grant Park, IL, the president-elect \u003ca href=\"http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/obama.transcript/\"\u003esaid\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\"But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.\"\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe crowd roared. We, who watched the stirring scene on television, felt the high hope and elation.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, nearing two years after his inauguration,  the elation has evaporated.  It did not take long for the alarm signals  to appear when the president began to court the conservatives and gave ground on every issue that he once spoke of supporting.  And he did so without putting up much of a fight. The Republicans smelled blood on the water and mounted vicious attacks on his agenda.  The president still gives great speeches but he turned out to be a hollow man. A friend said that the president was afraid of confronting alpha white males.  The final straw was his surrender on the Bush tax cuts.  His agreement to extend them for two years is a joke.  The way things are going, he will cease to be meaningful by that time.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDoes that mean that we, left of center Democrats, would rather see a Republican as president?  NO.  That would be worse; much worse.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Capitulation of Barack Obama"},{"content":" *BRRR.....Cold and Frosty But blue sky and plenty of sunshine. An hour or so of mingling outside in the backyard is part of the Thanksgiving gathering at a friend's house in Palo Alto that I go to. A wet day would not have allowed that. Reading San Francisco Chronicle's Jon Carroll is a ritual I enjoy on Thanksgiving morning. It feels good. This year he wrote about gratitude and the small things that add up to mean something. \"Gratitude is the antidote. It is a specific against a variety of diseases, from something as vague as the discontents of civilization to something as specific as personal grief - but gratitude is the antidote. Thanksgiving is the holiday of gratitude, and I am always willing to celebrate it.We are told frequently that \"it is what it is.\" That's a tautology, of course, and an increasingly grating cliche, but it gained prominence because it's a real reminder of a real thing: What happened happened. You can't change the past. All we have is today. See you in the future! But regret is real. Sorrow and pain and loss - all real. I sometimes think of civilization or society as a kind of floor, a patchy, rickety floor in constant need of repair. Below the floor is the chasm. Some people know that chasm well - those who have to scrabble to exist in war zones, those who have tried to cope after hurricanes or earthquakes, those who have lost multiple family members simultaneously. For them, the daily comforts of society are of little use. The network of routine, the solace of art, hope for the future - none of it seems real. Only the chasm seems real. The chasm is only metaphorical, of course, but sometimes we live our lives entirely within metaphors. Our choice of metaphors is just a matter of taste. There's no right answer on this quiz, kids. But still we have to get through the day. And, I am convinced, the route through the day is gratitude. Because there is always something to be grateful for, and that something is not in the chasm, floats above the chasm, denies the importance of the chasm. You choose: sunsets, apples, bedrooms in the morning, Bruce Springsteen, a child's second birthday, the smile on the face of a passing stranger, rivers, mountaintops, cathedrals, Shakespeare, Tina Fey, the curve of a thigh, the curve of a road, the nation of Switzerland, Carl Hiaasen, grass, orange, Bola Sete, jumbo shrimp, Pascal's Theorem, Ockham's razor, clean restrooms, potable water, penguins, French kissing or peanuts. Can you feel the floor beneath your feet get sturdier? Can you see the holes being patched? For a moment, the bounty of the world overwhelmed you, and you were grateful to be alive at this moment. See? Antidote. So today, if we are at all lucky, we will gather with family and/or friends and eat food and talk of shared alliances and shared memories. Many Thanksgivings are family gatherings, and family gatherings are often fraught. My suggestion is: Embrace the fraught. You'd miss the fraught if it weren't there.\" Scenes from Thanksgivings Past 2007 2009 ","permalink":"/posts/2010/11/thanksgiving-2010/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003eBRRR.....Cold and Frosty\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut blue sky and plenty of sunshine.  An hour or so of mingling outside in the backyard is part of the Thanksgiving gathering at a friend's house in Palo Alto that I go to.  A wet day would not have allowed that. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading San Francisco Chronicle's \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/carroll/\"\u003eJon Carroll\u003c/a\u003e is a ritual I enjoy on Thanksgiving morning. It feels good.  This year he wrote about gratitude and the small things that add up to mean something. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Gratitude  is the antidote. It is a specific against a variety of diseases, from  something as vague as the discontents of civilization to something as  specific as personal grief - but gratitude is the antidote. Thanksgiving  is the holiday of gratitude, and I am always willing to celebrate it.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe are told frequently that \"it is what it is.\" That's a tautology,  of course, and an increasingly grating cliche, but it gained prominence  because it's a real reminder of a real thing: What happened happened.  You can't change the past. All we have is today. See you in the future! \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut regret is real. Sorrow and pain and loss - all real. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eI sometimes think of civilization or society as a kind of floor, a  patchy, rickety floor in constant need of repair. Below the floor is the  chasm. Some people know that chasm well - those who have to scrabble to  exist in war zones, those who have tried to cope after hurricanes or  earthquakes, those who have lost multiple family members simultaneously.  For them, the daily comforts of society are of little use. The network  of routine, the solace of art, hope for the future - none of it seems  real. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eOnly the chasm seems real. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe chasm is only metaphorical, of course, but sometimes we live our  lives entirely within metaphors. Our choice of metaphors is just a  matter of taste. There's no right answer on this quiz, kids. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBut still we have to get through the day. And, I am convinced, the  route through the day is gratitude. Because there is always something to  be grateful for, and that something is not in the chasm, floats above  the chasm, denies the importance of the chasm. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eYou choose: sunsets, apples, bedrooms in the morning, Bruce  Springsteen, a child's second birthday, the smile on the face of a  passing stranger, rivers, mountaintops, cathedrals, Shakespeare, Tina  Fey, the curve of a thigh, the curve of a road, the nation of  Switzerland, Carl Hiaasen, grass, orange, Bola Sete, jumbo shrimp,  Pascal's Theorem, Ockham's razor, clean restrooms, potable water,  penguins, French kissing or peanuts. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eCan you feel the floor beneath your feet get sturdier? Can you see  the holes being patched? For a moment, the bounty of the world  overwhelmed you, and you were grateful to be alive at this moment. See?  Antidote. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eSo today, if we are at all lucky, we will gather with family and/or  friends and eat food and talk of shared alliances and shared memories.  Many Thanksgivings are family gatherings, and family gatherings are  often fraught. My suggestion is: Embrace the fraught. You'd miss the  fraught if it weren't there.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eScenes from Thanksgivings Past \u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e2007 \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving 2007-7.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving 2007-22.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving 2007-31.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving 2007-33.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n2009\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 023.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG42wJf-VvGYvNoIhMBUbSo2QJPveU62W5kHQhRc7NG9MGrDe5hFMnBVJhnF0SITGMpMIECj6eK0FgSKs3QkFXqjCClFo0G8bpUu4JPya2bIa2I-RSl65iqfQ9k2hSab525waD/s1600/Thanksgiving+2007-32.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 032.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 048.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving 2010"},{"content":" * Rating Agencies - Sleaziness of Corporate Giants The unholy alliance between large financial institutions, rating agencies, elected officials, and regulatory agencies revealed in fascinating details by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera in All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis The title alludes to a line in “The Tempest” (“Hell is empty, and all the devils are here”), and fiends surely abound: subprime sleaze kings; bonus-happy Wall Street plutocrats; and, of course, Alan Greenspan, the fallen maestro of the Federal Reserve, whose see-no-evil free-­market ideology made a virtue of unchecked financial recklessness. The authors were interviewed 18th by Paul Solomon in PBS Newshour on November 18th. Excerpts: JOE NOCERA: The astonishing thing about the run-up to the crisis is that this situation was happening all over the country. Lots of people on the ground could see it. And, yet, no one in government, whether it was the Fed, whether it was the regulators, whether it was Congress, was willing to do anything about it. And -- and not only that. In some cases, like the bank regulators, they actively pushed back and stopped anybody trying to stop this kind of lending. PAUL SOLMAN: Is Wall Street any worse than it ever was? BETHANY MCLEAN: Yes, I think it's worse. Wall Street, by the very sleaziness and impenetrability of its practices, set up its own run on the bank, because, when push came to shove, there was no transparency. And, even though in -- you can argue that this was a run on the bank, it was a run on the bank created by the way Wall Street did business. So, in the end, they only have themselves to blame. The Financial Reform Act signed into law by President Obama in June 2010 does very little to restrain the rating agencies from continuing with the sleazy practices. Corruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty. --Edward Gibbon ","permalink":"/posts/2010/11/the-devils-of-wall-street/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nRating Agencies - Sleaziness of Corporate Giants\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe unholy alliance between large financial institutions, rating agencies, elected officials, and regulatory agencies revealed in fascinating details by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/books/review/Barrett-t.html\"\u003eAll The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe title alludes to a line in “The Tempest” (“Hell is empty, and all  the devils are here”), and fiends surely abound: subprime sleaze kings;  bonus-happy Wall Street plutocrats; and, of course, \u003ca class=\"meta-per\" href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/alan_greenspan/index.html?inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More articles about Alan Greenspan.\"\u003eAlan Greenspan\u003c/a\u003e,  the fallen maestro of the Federal Reserve, whose see-no-evil  free-­market ideology made a virtue of unchecked financial recklessness.         \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003eThe authors were interviewed 18th by Paul Solomon in \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/july-dec10/allthedevils_11-18.html\"\u003ePBS Newshour\u003c/a\u003e on November 18th.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eJOE NOCERA: The astonishing thing about the run-up to the crisis is that this situation was happening all over the country.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Lots of people on the ground could see it.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e And,  yet, no one in government, whether it was the Fed, whether it was the  regulators, whether it was Congress, was willing to do anything about  it.  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnd -- and not only that.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e In some cases, like the bank regulators, they actively pushed back and stopped anybody trying to stop this kind of lending.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003ePAUL SOLMAN: Is Wall Street any worse than it ever was?\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eBETHANY MCLEAN: Yes, I think it's worse.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWall Street, by the very sleaziness and impenetrability of its  practices, set up its own run on the bank, because, when push came to  shove, there was no transparency.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e And, even though in  -- you can argue that this was a run on the bank, it was a run on the  bank created by the way Wall Street did business.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e So, in the end, they only have themselves to blame.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Financial Reform Act signed into law by President Obama in June 2010 does very little to restrain the rating agencies from continuing with the sleazy practices.   \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eCorruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty.\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bodybold\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n--Edward Gibbon\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Devils of Wall Street"},{"content":" *Thanksgiving * The Political Scene * Wilderness Just over a week away from Thanksgiving, a post by Scott F. Aikin and Robert B. Talisse in 3quarksdaily caught my attention. Unlike Halloween, Thanksgiving is a holiday of human significance. Though it is occasioned by the mythology of Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians, the point of Thanksgiving is not that of rehearsing or commemorating that original event. In this respect, Thanksgiving differs crucially from other holidays. The Thanksgiving gathering is not a means to some other end, such as memorializing the signing of a document (July 4th), observing an ancient liberation (Passover), celebrating the birth of a god (Christmas), or honoring the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers in war (Veterans Day). The point of Thanksgiving is rather to gather with loved ones, to reaffirm social bonds, to enjoy company, and to appreciate the goods one has. To be sure, the Thanksgiving celebration is focused on a meal, typically involving large portions of turkey and cranberries. Still, the details of the meal are ultimately incidental. The aim of the Thanksgiving gathering is not to eat, but to be a gathering. The coming of people together is the point-- and the whole point-- of Thanksgiving. Yes, an unequivocal \"Yes\". Return of the Darksiders They are back. The Bible thumping hypocrites have returned with a bang to take care of their friends in Wall Street and elsewhere. To be fair, the last two years have proven that Democratic legislators,too, are in the pockets of lobbyists. It is a matter of degree. Venality is common among politicians of all parties. They are creatures of the system. Still, the fact that Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina failed to win means that Republicans have yet to dominate California. Certainly reason to rejoice in an otherwise bleak political landscape. WildernessBy this time last year, wild mushrooms were emerging everywhere -- the good and the bad (unedible) kinds. So far, I have not come across any worth picking. We need rain. There is forecast for rain during the weekend (November 20th/21st). If we get some heavy rains then chanterelles might begin to appear in December. In the meantime, walks through the woods are always enjoyable. And we are fortunate to have access to many preserves with miles of trails. Deer grazing at Montebello © MusafirDownhill rider on Canyon Trail, Montebello© MusafirMadrone tree at Wunderlich Park, Woodside© MusafirGorgeous Red Maple near Arstradero Preserve© MusafirContrail over eastern sky at sunrise, Nov 16, 2010© Musafir The Strong Western Trails Where Wind Blows Through Empty Limbs Of Trees Have Tall Tales---From http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/429464-Haiku-In-The-Wilderness ","permalink":"/posts/2010/11/my-favorite-holiday/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e \u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eThanksgiving\u003cb\u003e * \u003c/b\u003eThe Political Scene * Wilderness \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"style=\" justify;=\"\" text-align:=\"\"\u003eJust over a week away from Thanksgiving,  a post by Scott F. Aikin and Robert B. Talisse in \u003ca href=\"http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2010/11/waging-war-on-christmas-to-save-thanksgiving.html\"\u003e3quarksdaily  \u003c/a\u003ecaught my attention.\u003cdiv class=\"style=\" justify;=\"\" text-align:=\"\"\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nUnlike Halloween, Thanksgiving is a holiday of human significance.   Though it is occasioned by the mythology of Pilgrims and Wampanoag  Indians, the point of Thanksgiving is not that of rehearsing or  commemorating that original event.  In this respect, Thanksgiving  differs crucially from other holidays.  The Thanksgiving gathering is  not a means to some other end, such as memorializing the signing of a  document (July 4\u003csup\u003eth\u003c/sup\u003e), observing an ancient liberation  (Passover), celebrating the birth of a god (Christmas), or honoring the  bravery and sacrifice of soldiers in war (Veterans Day).  The point of  Thanksgiving is rather to gather with loved ones, to reaffirm social  bonds, to enjoy company, and to appreciate the goods one has.  To be  sure, the Thanksgiving celebration is focused on a meal, typically  involving large portions of turkey and cranberries.  Still, the details  of the meal are ultimately incidental.  The aim of the Thanksgiving  gathering is not to eat, but \u003ci\u003eto be a gathering\u003c/i\u003e.  The coming of people together is the point-- and \u003ci\u003ethe whole point-- of Thanksgiving\u003c/i\u003e.\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n Yes, an unequivocal \"Yes\". \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nReturn of the Darksiders \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey are back. The Bible thumping hypocrites have returned with a bang to take care of their friends in Wall Street and elsewhere.  To be fair,  the last two years have proven that Democratic legislators,too, are in the pockets of lobbyists.   It is a matter of degree. Venality is common among politicians of all parties.   They are creatures of the system.  Still, the fact that Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina failed to win means that Republicans have yet to dominate California.  Certainly reason to rejoice in an otherwise bleak political landscape. \u003c/div\u003eWilderness\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBy this time last year, wild mushrooms were emerging everywhere -- the good and the bad (unedible) kinds.  So far, I have not come across any worth picking.  We need rain. There is forecast for rain during the weekend (November 20th/21st).  If we get some heavy rains then chanterelles might begin to appear in December.  In the meantime, walks through the woods are always enjoyable. And we are fortunate to have access to many preserves with miles of trails. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDeer grazing at Montebello\u003cbr/\u003e\n \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Montebello Nov 13%2C 2010 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDownhill rider on Canyon Trail, Montebello\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Montebello Nov 13%2C 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMadrone tree at Wunderlich Park, Woodside\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Wunderlich and Contrail%2C Nov 2010 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGorgeous Red Maple near Arstradero Preserve\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Montebello Nov 13%2C 2010 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eContrail over eastern sky at sunrise, Nov 16, 2010\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/11/Wunderlich and Contrail%2C Nov 2010 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan name=\"myContent\"\u003eThe Strong Western Trails\u003cbr/\u003e Where Wind Blows Through Empty Limbs\u003cbr/\u003e Of Trees Have Tall Tales\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan name=\"myContent\"\u003e---From http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/429464-Haiku-In-The-Wilderness \u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cspan name=\"myContent\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cspan name=\"myContent\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"My Favorite Holiday"},{"content":" *Obama Presidency * Keith Richards * Bestsellers * Autumn Rains - The Forager \"To dream of one government ending doesn't mean you'll want the one that comes in its place.\" ---Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special CasesObama and the DemocratsIn politics, there are always surprises. But 11 days before mid-term elections it is obvious that Democrats are going to lose the House. Outcome about the Senate is not that certain but Democrats are on shaky ground. About a year ago on November 9, 2009, a post under the title On the Road to 2010 read: The President can continue his policy of appeasement and take a chance on support from enough middle-of-the road voters to carry the Democrats in 2010. A rebound in the economy and improvement in the unemployment numbers would help him and could make a difference. Right now,however, things don't look rosy.Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. President Obama lost sight of the forest for the trees. By concentrating his energy and efforts in consensus building and failing to fight back against Republican campaign to demonize Democrats, and the rising strength of \"tea party\" followers and their backers, he let the dark siders gain momentum until it became too late. What a disappointment. Elated by the results of 2008 election, I remember arguing with a friend (a transplanted American in Britain) who expressed misgivings about Obama and the Democrats. But it didn't take long to see how the wind was blowing and that my friend was right. There was a sense of letdown for those who were energized by his stated positions. He forgot about his \"base\", not that the base would have been enough to save him from what portends to become an one-term presidency. And some of the Democratic legislators turned out to be not much different than the venal Republicans, in the pockets of lobbyists. Money rules; corruption at high levels is an undeniable fact. Keith Richards An article by Janet Maslin in the New York Times brought back memories of the first time I heard the song Good Golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball Recorded in 1958, it was at a party in Calcutta in the early sixties that I heard the 45 rpm disc played on a turntable. It was noisy, smoky, and there was dancing. Music to let yourself go and we did. Books -- Bestsellers and Others Recently finished reading the highly acclaimed Freedom by Jonathan Franzen and cannot remember the names of the central characters! Perhaps my age and dying brain cells. Now into \"The Ice Princess\", the mystery by Swedish author by Camilla Läckberg. A page turner. Some books grip you in the very first pages and it is one of them. Autumn Rains Foggy morning © Musafir Rain clouds© Musafir Rain swept street © Musafir Rain drops on window pane© Musafir Drizzly afternoon. Rain in the forecast for the next few days. The 2009/10 season was bountiful for foragers in the San Francisco Peninsula. Yesterday, during a run through the CSM Campus I saw that some death caps (Amanita phalloids) were already emerging. A few heavy showers will hasten the growth of good, edible mushrooms. Something to look forward to.Dry cheerful cricket chirping, keeps the autumn gay ... contemptuous of frost --Basho ","permalink":"/posts/2010/10/the-outlook-for-democrats/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003eObama Presidency * Keith Richards * Bestsellers  *  Autumn Rains - The Forager\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"To dream of one government ending doesn't mean you'll want the one that comes in its place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special Cases\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama and the Democrats\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn politics, there are always surprises. But 11 days before mid-term elections it is obvious that Democrats are going to lose the House.  Outcome about the Senate is not that certain but Democrats are on shaky ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAbout  a year ago on November 9, 2009, a post under the title \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2009/11/on-road-to-2010-shrinking-coattails-of.html\"\u003eOn the Road to 2010\u003c/a\u003e read:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe President can continue his policy of appeasement and take a chance on support from enough middle-of-the road voters to carry the Democrats in 2010.  A rebound in the economy and improvement in the unemployment numbers would help him and could make a difference. Right now,however, things don't look rosy.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDemocrats have no one to blame but themselves.  President Obama lost sight of the forest for the trees.  By concentrating his energy and efforts in consensus building and failing to fight back against Republican campaign to demonize Democrats, and the rising strength of \"tea party\"  followers and  their backers, he let the dark siders  gain momentum until it became too late.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat a disappointment.  Elated by the results of 2008 election, I remember arguing with a friend (a transplanted American in Britain) who expressed misgivings about Obama and the Democrats.  But it didn't take long to see how the wind was blowing and that my friend was right.  There was a sense of letdown for those who were energized by his stated positions.  He forgot about his \"base\",  not that the base would have been enough to save him from   what portends to become an one-term presidency.  And some of the Democratic legislators turned out to be not much different than the venal Republicans, in the pockets of lobbyists.  Money rules; corruption at high levels is an undeniable fact. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKeith Richards\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/arts/music/24richards.html\"\u003earticle\u003c/a\u003e by Janet Maslin in the New York Times brought back memories of the first time I heard the song \u003ci\u003eGood Golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eRecorded in 1958, it was at a party in Calcutta in the early sixties that I heard the 45 rpm disc played on a turntable.   It was noisy, smoky, and there was dancing.  Music to let yourself go and we did.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBooks -- Bestsellers and Others \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eRecently finished reading the highly acclaimed \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/books/28franzen.html\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eFreedom\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/a\u003e by Jonathan Franzen and cannot remember the names of the central characters!   Perhaps my age and dying brain cells. Now into \"The Ice Princess\", the mystery by Swedish author by Camilla Läckberg.  A page turner.  Some books grip you in the very first pages and it is one of them.  \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAutumn Rains\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e                          Foggy morning\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/10/Foggy morning III.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRain clouds\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/10/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                   \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                         Rain swept street                                                         \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/10/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nRain drops on window pane\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/10/Rainy Day.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDrizzly afternoon.  Rain in the forecast for the next few days.  The 2009/10 season was bountiful for foragers in the San Francisco Peninsula.  Yesterday, during a run through the CSM Campus I saw that some death caps (\u003ci\u003eAmanita phalloids\u003c/i\u003e) were already emerging.    A few heavy showers will hasten the growth of good, edible mushrooms.  Something to look forward to.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eDry cheerful cricket\u003cbr/\u003e chirping, keeps the autumn gay ...\u003cbr/\u003e contemptuous of frost\u003cbr/\u003e\n--Basho\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Outlook for Democrats"},{"content":" * Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew An article about Lee Kuan Yew, the grand old man of Singapore, in the New York Times reminded me of the mid-1980's when I visited Singapore many times and came to admire what Lee Kuan Yew achieved even though there was a feeling of \"Big Brother\" keeping a watchful eye over the inhabitants of Singapore. “So, when is the last leaf falling?” asked Lee Kuan Yew, the man who made Singapore in his own stern and unsentimental image, nearing his 87th birthday and contemplating age, infirmity and loss.“I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality,” said Mr. Lee, whose “Singapore model” of economic growth and tight social control made him one of the most influential political figures of Asia. “And I mean generally, every year, when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that’s life.” How true. I feel it every time I go out for a run. The pace is getting slower and slower; the inescapable feeling that one day it will come to an end. The March of Time Seamus Heaney, in \"Human Chain\", his new book of poems, wrote: \"Derek Hill's saying, The last time he sat at our table, He could no longer bear to watch The sun going down And asking please to be put With his back to the window.\" And William Shakespeare: \"Thou hast nor youth nor age, But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Dreaming on both; .........\" --- Measure for Measure, Act 3, Scene I My favorite: A star looks down at me And says: \"Here I and youStand,each in our degree: What do you mean to do--Mean to do?\" I say: \"For all I know Wait,and let Time go by Till my change come.\"--\"Just so,\"The star says: \"So mean I-- So mean I.\" ---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\" The Business of Shipping Ocean transportation -- the most economical way of moving large volumes of cargo from one country to another -- continues its role in international trade. The industry embraced modernization by adopting cargo containers in the late 1960's. Then more functions were computerized and the interaction between shippers and carriers slowly ceased to be an important part of the business I knew and enjoyed being a part of for many years. My career began in Calcutta, India, and ended in the San Francisco Bay Area. In those days offices of steamship lines and freight brokers were located in or around California Street, San Francisco. No longer so. Nowadays, modern communication systems have made it possible to run a steamship company far away from ports of call. A few employees handle operations and sales instead of large offices bustling with staff. Popular among steamship company employees, Tadich Grill is still there, but Paolis on Commercial Street and Doro's on Jackson Square are gone. Ties were mandatory at Don Dianda's Doro's. Historical Merchants Exchange Building, which was home of Commercial Club -- another gathering place for the shipping fraternity -- changed ownership in 1995 and went through extensive renovation. The staid World Trade Club, located in the Ferry Building, served mediocre food but offered a great view of the Bay. It declared bankruptcy in 2006. The late Herb Caen wrote in one of his columns: \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of London, and the rascality of Paris.\" A great city. On a clear day it offers breathtaking views. Sailboats with spinnakers © Musafir Golden Gate Bridge - Looking south from Vista Point© Musafir It was while working for a Danish shipping company in San Francisco that I heard of JHM who was talked about as \"Our Man in Bangkok\". As the country manager of the company in Thailand for almost a decade, JHM was legendary. Years later, employed with a different company I met JHM in Singapore when he came to pick me up from the airport on my first trip to that city. Subsequently, he moved to California and we worked together for a few years. A tall, courtly man, JHM followed some old world customs. For one thing, he always put his jacket on before meeting a visitor. He returned to Copenhagen in 2006. A recent message from him read: \"I am still under chemotherapy treatment and not doing too well - scheduled for another 3 sessions from now until mid-november when hope for better results!\" And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/09/personal-history-odds-and-ends-at-the-beginning-of-autumn-2010/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSingapore and Lee Kuan Yew  \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn article about Lee Kuan Yew, the grand old man of Singapore, in the New York Times reminded me of the mid-1980's when I visited Singapore many times and came to admire what Lee Kuan Yew achieved even though there was a feeling of \"Big Brother\" keeping  a watchful eye over the inhabitants of Singapore.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e“So, when is the last leaf falling?” asked Lee Kuan Yew, the man who made Singapore in his own stern and unsentimental image, nearing his 87th birthday and contemplating age, infirmity and loss.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e“I can feel the gradual decline of energy and vitality,” said Mr. Lee, whose “Singapore model” of economic growth and tight social control made him one of the most influential political figures of Asia. “And I mean generally, every year, when you know you are not on the same level as last year. But that’s life.”\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow true. I feel it every time I go out for a run.  The pace is getting slower and slower; the\u003cbr/\u003e\ninescapable feeling that one day it will come to an end.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe March of Time \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSeamus Heaney, in \"Human Chain\", his new book of poems, wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"Derek Hill's saying, \u003cbr/\u003e\nThe last time he sat at our table, \u003cbr/\u003e\nHe could no longer bear to watch \u003cbr/\u003e\nThe sun going down \u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd asking please to be put \u003cbr/\u003e\nWith his back to the window.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd William Shakespeare:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"Thou hast nor youth nor age,\u003cbr/\u003e\nBut, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep,\u003cbr/\u003e\nDreaming on both; .........\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n--- Measure for Measure, Act 3, Scene I\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMy favorite:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA  star looks down at me\u003c/b\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAnd says: \"Here I and you\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eStand,each in our degree:\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhat do you mean to do--\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMean to do?\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eI say: \"For all I know\u003cbr/\u003e\nWait,and let Time go by\u003cbr/\u003e\nTill my change come.\"--\"Just so,\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe star says: \"So mean I-- So mean I.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\" \u003cb\u003eThe Business of Shipping\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOcean transportation -- the most economical way of moving large volumes of cargo from one country to another --  continues its role in international trade. The industry embraced modernization by adopting cargo containers in the late 1960's. Then more functions were computerized and the interaction between shippers and carriers slowly ceased to be an important part of the business I knew and enjoyed being a part of for many years.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMy career began in Calcutta, India, and ended in the San Francisco Bay Area.  In those days offices of steamship lines and freight brokers were located in or around California Street, San Francisco.  No longer so.  Nowadays, modern communication systems have made it possible to run a steamship company far away from ports of call.  A few employees handle operations and sales instead of large offices bustling with staff.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePopular among steamship company employees, \u003ca href=\"http://www.yelp.com/biz/tadich-grill-san-francisco\"\u003eTadich Grill\u003c/a\u003e is still there, but Paolis on Commercial Street and \u003ca href=\"http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n26_v23/ai_7744279/\"\u003eDoro's\u003c/a\u003e on Jackson Square are gone.  Ties were mandatory at Don Dianda's Doro's.  Historical \u003ca href=\"http://www.mxbuilding.com/\"\u003eMerchants Exchange Building\u003c/a\u003e, which was home of Commercial Club --  another gathering place for the shipping fraternity -- changed ownership in 1995 and went through extensive renovation.  The staid \u003ca href=\"http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-10-24/bay-area/17314925_1_ferry-building-private-club-world-trade-club\"\u003eWorld Trade Club\u003c/a\u003e, located in the Ferry Building, served mediocre food but offered  a great view of the Bay.  It declared bankruptcy in 2006.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe late Herb Caen wrote in one of his columns: \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of London, and the rascality of Paris.\"  A great city.  On a clear day it offers breathtaking views.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSailboats with spinnakers \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/09/San Francisco Scenes 5-16-2010 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGolden Gate Bridge - Looking south from Vista Point\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/09/Suruchi San Francisco 2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was while working for a Danish shipping company in San Francisco that I heard of JHM who was talked about as \"Our Man in Bangkok\".  As the country manager of the company in Thailand for almost a decade, JHM was legendary.  Years later, employed with a different company I met JHM in Singapore when he came to pick me up from the airport on my first  trip to that city.  Subsequently, he moved to California and we worked together for a few years.  A tall, courtly man, JHM followed some old world customs.  For one thing, he always put his jacket on before meeting a visitor.  He returned to Copenhagen in 2006. A recent message from him read:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"I am still under chemotherapy treatment and not doing too well -  scheduled for another 3 sessions from now until mid-november when hope  for better results!\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Personal History: Odds and Ends At the Beginning of Autumn 2010"},{"content":" * Waning Days of August Summer's parting kick -- the heat wave, when it finally came, was not pleasant. For a few days, the heat was oppressive; the usual cool breeze noticeably absent during the evenings. Now the sense that the onset of autumn is creeping up is inescapable. Days are getting shorter. Labor Day is around the corner; schools have re-opened. Two from The New Yorker A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go. Philip Hamburger © The New Yorker End of Summer Just an uncommon lull in the trafficso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,with his brusque sweep brusque sweep of the sidewalk,and the slap shut of a too thin rental van,and I told him no a gust has snatched from a conversationand brought to you, loud. It would be so differentif any of these were missing is the feelingyou always have on the first day of autumn,no, the first day you think of autumn, when somehowthe sun singling out high windows,a waiter settling a billow of white clothwith glasses and silver, and the sparrowsshattering to nowhere are the Summerwaving that here is where it turnsand will no longer be walking with you,traveller, who now leave all of this behind,carrying only what it has made of you.Already the crowds seem darker and more hurriedand the slang grows stranger and stranger,and you do not understand what you love,yet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,is the world again, wide-eyed as a childholding up a toy even you can fix. How light your stepdown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,October, small November, barely legible December. --James Richardson © The New Yorker Pajaro Dunes The annual gathering on the coast took place in mid-August. As usual, it was not always sunny at Pajaro Dunes.One day, the sun never came up but that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. Kids and surf,I ©Musafir Kids and surf, II ©Musafir Walkers ©Musafir Runners ©Musafir Sunset over the Pacific ©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2010/08/the-seasons-summer-2010/","summary":"\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWaning Days of August\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSummer's parting kick -- the heat wave, when it finally came, was not pleasant.  For a few days, the heat was oppressive;  the usual cool breeze noticeably absent during the evenings. Now the sense that the onset of autumn is creeping up is inescapable. Days are getting shorter. Labor Day is around the corner; schools have re-opened. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eTwo from The New Yorker\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eA piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air.  But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly  palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this  evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next  pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is  ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill  in the air. Winter will come. And go.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e          Philip Hamburger © \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/03/040503ta_talk_remnick\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eEnd of Summer\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust an uncommon lull in the traffic\u003cbr/\u003eso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,\u003cbr/\u003ewith his brusque sweep brusque sweep of the sidewalk,\u003cbr/\u003eand the slap shut of a too thin rental van,\u003cbr/\u003eand I told him no a gust has snatched from a conversation\u003cbr/\u003eand brought to you, loud.\u003c/b\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt would be so different\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eif any of these were missing is the feeling\u003cbr/\u003eyou always have on the first day of autumn,\u003cbr/\u003eno, the first day you think of autumn, when somehow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ethe sun singling out high windows,\u003cbr/\u003ea waiter settling a billow of white cloth\u003cbr/\u003ewith glasses and silver, and the sparrows\u003cbr/\u003eshattering to nowhere are the Summer\u003cbr/\u003ewaving that here is where it turns\u003cbr/\u003eand will no longer be walking with you,\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003etraveller, who now leave all of this behind,\u003cbr/\u003ecarrying only what it has made of you.\u003cbr/\u003eAlready the crowds seem darker and more hurried\u003cbr/\u003eand the slang grows stranger and stranger,\u003cbr/\u003eand you do not understand what you love,\u003cbr/\u003eyet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,\u003cbr/\u003eis the world again, wide-eyed as a child\u003cbr/\u003eholding up a toy even you can fix.\u003c/b\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow light your step\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003edown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,\u003cbr/\u003eOctober, small November, barely legible December.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n--James Richardson © \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2007/09/03/070903po_poem_richardson\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRN6ZPNPXfJkHYvwc9wLVTJ3WmHj9qBI70Urk8RsZXLy_ooRrMYZ5KTfedOGxih9JmmmIHih7wFAuJX2BljHkH4_oFQkoMuOd1lqjzhnOJDGji7ZpeHm4siCPTgOhXZegfEkU/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+048.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePajaro Dunes\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe annual gathering on the coast took place in mid-August.  As usual, it was not always sunny at Pajaro Dunes.One day,  the sun never came up but that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/goog_867932427\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003eKids and surf,I\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_njZcLort9n9yj93QElmmnzvbiV7DDBKxlyd7ThT-ulJHXj9WaZX1Y9kXMVp27w25kRS4Tchv9ONQ8hk0Do5p-sxHwwB11z9S5YB4XukwxxoOlMrDNhwnmSyQOJ3NnTZxc7J/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+045.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Pajaro Dunes, Aug. 2010 048.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRN6ZPNPXfJkHYvwc9wLVTJ3WmHj9qBI70Urk8RsZXLy_ooRrMYZ5KTfedOGxih9JmmmIHih7wFAuJX2BljHkH4_oFQkoMuOd1lqjzhnOJDGji7ZpeHm4siCPTgOhXZegfEkU/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+048.jpg\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRN6ZPNPXfJkHYvwc9wLVTJ3WmHj9qBI70Urk8RsZXLy_ooRrMYZ5KTfedOGxih9JmmmIHih7wFAuJX2BljHkH4_oFQkoMuOd1lqjzhnOJDGji7ZpeHm4siCPTgOhXZegfEkU/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+048.jpg\"\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003eKids and  surf, II\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVd2mKDe69IAvcl3NuTuXcbvqPqP9XpX78dkBPwFmqgaOw7G4BUi48m5E4X0Vl27eGNM-2X3_KLr-OYS04SHJ4TQ-oQbJ9sRsVtfDU0VMdm3rBYgK6bhBX5MbZSdhvrU0mSQw/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+045.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Pajaro Dunes, Aug. 2010 045.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVd2mKDe69IAvcl3NuTuXcbvqPqP9XpX78dkBPwFmqgaOw7G4BUi48m5E4X0Vl27eGNM-2X3_KLr-OYS04SHJ4TQ-oQbJ9sRsVtfDU0VMdm3rBYgK6bhBX5MbZSdhvrU0mSQw/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+045.jpg\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVd2mKDe69IAvcl3NuTuXcbvqPqP9XpX78dkBPwFmqgaOw7G4BUi48m5E4X0Vl27eGNM-2X3_KLr-OYS04SHJ4TQ-oQbJ9sRsVtfDU0VMdm3rBYgK6bhBX5MbZSdhvrU0mSQw/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+045.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e Walkers\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Pajaro Dunes, Aug. 2010 044.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBMClYBAudw3h6nDuBt3r0yp_wMtD8uv2CMn6oemkX0aqglBT_uwfxDKFSK1FyG2V6JYrrc6ZTse4MVlUEqdQJdvzMWkVyr4kd0GwD08O9XQjIIyUanG8LAjasJjF-CvJkZlE/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+044.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBMClYBAudw3h6nDuBt3r0yp_wMtD8uv2CMn6oemkX0aqglBT_uwfxDKFSK1FyG2V6JYrrc6ZTse4MVlUEqdQJdvzMWkVyr4kd0GwD08O9XQjIIyUanG8LAjasJjF-CvJkZlE/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+044.jpg\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBMClYBAudw3h6nDuBt3r0yp_wMtD8uv2CMn6oemkX0aqglBT_uwfxDKFSK1FyG2V6JYrrc6ZTse4MVlUEqdQJdvzMWkVyr4kd0GwD08O9XQjIIyUanG8LAjasJjF-CvJkZlE/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+044.jpg\"\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e Runners\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRN6ZPNPXfJkHYvwc9wLVTJ3WmHj9qBI70Urk8RsZXLy_ooRrMYZ5KTfedOGxih9JmmmIHih7wFAuJX2BljHkH4_oFQkoMuOd1lqjzhnOJDGji7ZpeHm4siCPTgOhXZegfEkU/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+048.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Pajaro Dunes, Aug. 2010 042.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufv-7TMxImQZ1t5_gn05HyAr9b_1Dj-NK6fVZdZ2uQc8vBguFLsJbdVtaDukKh6dTlP7khyL9XFsFxxxTmWKhHHQeSViQPuRGHbdajWS_sp7YMiKid6bmlyCUXovQCCOgtwR4/s1600-h/Canon+S3+006.jpg\"\u003eSunset over the Pacific\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" 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\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3U1OYpVR_83hdS0sXF2BvMsZXDa111DZzGpX3DyG-UlkImK7sd6y0bV7J5Bo5datxJfSPEbGGHmpvK22t5WF3kv4vFs5yol9sU7KGcy_bf4a3e6115bMx6rLF3EgToiUhOs-/s1600/Pajaro+Dunes,+Aug.+2010+042.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Summer 2010"},{"content":" *Upper Yosemite Valley At 9926 ft, Clouds Rest, northeast of Half Dome is a great hike. The popular route (apprx.7.2 miles) is from Sunrise Trail near Tenaya lake. It is an out and back trail, round trip 14.4 miles. It can be ascended from the back by hiking from the valley floor which lengthens the distance to 9.4 miles each way. And there are other routes for more hardy souls. Sarbajit Ghosal and I had ascended Half Dome twice by hiking the trail from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. On Saturday, August 7th, we drove to Sunrise Trail near Tenaya Lake and ascended Clouds Rest. Parts of the trail are strenuous but the ascent can be done by all reasonably fit hikers. It was a beautiful morning -- sunny and not too cold when we began around 9:00 AM. The first 1.5 miles of the trail are relatively flat and green and then the rocky part begins with another short stretch of greenery before the Sunrise Junction. There were many hikers, including backpackers who were heading for Yosemite Valley or to other areas of John Muir Trail. Clouds Rest from trailhead to the summit National Geographic TOPO!® Clouds Rest viewed from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail (July 2009) © Musafir SG at the beginning of the trail ©Musafir Wild Flowers ©Musafir More wild flowers ©Musafir SG on the trail before the rocky part began ©Musafir Beginning of the rocky switchback part of the trail © Sarbajit Ghosal A tranquil lake before the Sunrise Trail Junction ©Musafir Sunrise Trail Junction, 2.5 miles before the summit ©Musafir Another rocky area beyond Sunrise Jcn © Sarbajit Ghosal Looking down on Tenaya Lake ©Musafir Hikers nearing the Summit ©Musafir Tired but happy climbers ©Musafir With SG on top of Clouds Rest ©Musafir Unusual view of the northeast side of Half Dome ©Musafir View from top of Clouds Rest, I ©Musafir View from top of Clouds Rest,II ©Musafir You got to climb your mountain Everybody's got to cross their own mountain If you climb your mountain Walk on to the other side Walk on to the other side Walk on through to the other side Climb your mountain, walk on through to the other side -- Sung a few times by Sara Fulcher with Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders in 1973. Origin of the song unknown - Source: http://www.whitegum.com/introjs.htm?/songfile/GOCLIMBA.HTM Comments Mesothelioma \u0026mdash; 2010-08-20 Love the pictures. I\u0026#39;ve always wanted to go mountain climbing. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/08/clouds-rest---a-kick-in-the-head/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzOgemuXcRln4l0CjZqYAA84RPxxBW8lUvedoaiMkrOtlkrWICRiDhDSu0lgsW5iwQp1p_IsDyHDuceGBjNu1Vg0FUHVjIOb9UAAlcPA6qtTRAtJ-cU3epMFImTaAhCY0KGIA/s1600/Clouds+Rest+viewed+from+Upper+Yosemite+Falls+Trail+July+25,+2009+071.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YImTKUFJ82C-HRP4jC5EEZ4M94m5GTxq0kvEB7jC265DETnfyI9gwX4eV0PyDYT6TJ31YObJ29Q-T13LcDZrMC5rXf740GRrloR6fGOCyfEdrXPz-u7lEgNiv2dI4LGR1xwi/s1600/Clouds+Rest,+Upper+Yosemite+Valley+040.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eUpper Yosemite Valley \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAt 9926 ft, Clouds Rest, northeast of Half Dome is a great hike.  The popular route (apprx.7.2 miles) is from Sunrise Trail near Tenaya lake. It is an out and back trail, round trip 14.4 miles. It can be ascended from the back by hiking from the valley floor which lengthens the distance to 9.4 miles each way. And there are other routes for more  hardy souls.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSarbajit Ghosal and I had ascended Half Dome twice by hiking the trail from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. On Saturday, August 7th, we drove to Sunrise Trail near Tenaya Lake  and ascended Clouds Rest.  Parts of the trail are strenuous but the ascent can be done by all reasonably fit hikers. It was a beautiful morning -- sunny and not too cold when we began around 9:00 AM. The first 1.5 miles of the trail are relatively flat and green and then  the rocky part begins with another short stretch of greenery before the Sunrise Junction. There were many hikers, including backpackers who were heading for Yosemite Valley or to other areas of John Muir Trail.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                              Clouds Rest from trailhead to the summit \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/cloudsrestmap.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                       National Geographic TOPO!®\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                            Clouds Rest viewed from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail (July 2009)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest viewed from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail July 25, 2009 071.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                        © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                             SG at the beginning of the trail \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                         ©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                                      Wild Flowers\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                            ©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                                      More wild flowers \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                            ©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                 SG on the trail before the rocky part began\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBeginning of the rocky switchback part of the trail \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/PICT0188.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal\u003cbr/\u003e\nA tranquil lake before the Sunrise Trail Junction\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd class=\"tr-caption text-center\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 029.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                              ©Musafir                                                                       \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                           Sunrise Trail Junction, 2.5 miles before the summit\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 031.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                        ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                 \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                Another rocky area beyond Sunrise Jcn\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/PICT0195.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                              © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                      Looking down on Tenaya Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 036.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                      ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                                  Hikers nearing the Summit\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 037.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                             ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                              Tired but happy climbers  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 038.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                                               ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                                              With SG on top of Clouds Rest\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 039.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                        ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                              Unusual view of the northeast side of Half Dome\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 043.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                           ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                          \u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                        View from top of Clouds Rest, I\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 040.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                                         ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                                      View from top of Clouds Rest,II\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/08/Clouds Rest, Upper Yosemite Valley 041.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                                                                    ©Musafir                              \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eYou got to climb your mountain\u003cbr/\u003e Everybody's got to cross their own mountain\u003cbr/\u003e If you climb your mountain\u003cbr/\u003e Walk on to the other side\u003cbr/\u003e Walk on to the other side\u003cbr/\u003e Walk on through to the other side\u003cbr/\u003e Climb your mountain, walk on through to the other side\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEh9B0JDyN8xxMfOfkrKj8fdtpK_D47eEyXFf7CMJt-Rm1FO4tYLzOI2fgwB0RUIVjXVv5ziZuJxTnDz02LqXUpwbJHJkZvwoVrGw4R5GXbKYJpTcmVZBVCuOUZTy2URoQkmX9/s1600/Clouds+Rest,+Upper+Yosemite+Valley+042.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e  --\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSung a few times by Sara Fulcher with Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders in 1973.  Origin of the song unknown - Source:  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.whitegum.com/introjs.htm?/songfile/GOCLIMBA.HTM\"\u003ehttp://www.whitegum.com/introjs.htm?/songfile/GOCLIMBA.HTM\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMesothelioma\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-08-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eLove the pictures.  I\u0026#39;ve always wanted to go mountain climbing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Clouds Rest - A Kick in the Head"},{"content":" * Chinese Eateries * Streets with New Names*Anglo-Indians It does not take much to take one back memory lane to scenes, smells and sounds of years past. In my case, many years past; it was 1969 when I left Kolkata for the west coast of the United States. Recently, a friend forwarded a link about Kolkata's China Town and it included video clip of the evocative documentary, Legend of Fat Mama, made by Rafeeq Ellias in 2005 for the BBC. The trams at the very beginning of the video made me think of my weekday trips from Park Circus to the office on Old Courthouse Street. The city fathers of Kolkata ran amok with name changes. For some of us Old Calcuttans it is hard to visualize once-familiar streets with their new names. So, this post contains names as I knew them. Must confess though that, opposed to America's senseless war in Vietnam, it gave me a vicarious sense of pleasure when Harrington Street, where the U.S. Consulate was located, became Ho-Chi-Minh Sarani. A few examples of my former stomping grounds, new names in italics. Old Court House Street - Hemanta Basu Sarani Camac Street - Abanindranath Thakur Sarani Lindsay Street - Neli Sengupta Sarani Free School Street - Mirza Ghalib Street For some odd reason, unless the web site is incorrect, Park Street and Bentinck Street were spared. Although I and my colleagues regularly went to various Chinese eateries in and around the old China Town, to my regret I did not have the pleasure of meeting Fat Mama and enjoying her food. In the video, one of the characters talks about Fat Mama and her plates of noodle that sold for 4 annas. That is a clue that Fat Mama plied her business before the conversion to metric currency in 1956, and before my 10-year residency in Kolkata began. One place we used to go for lunch near the office was nameless (there was no signage) but we called it Hole in the Wall. It was almost that. From Old Court House Street, we walked down Waterloo Street and shortly before Bentinck Street made a left turn into a narrow lane. Hole in the Wall was in the second building on the right. The front door was never locked; it lead to a small courtyard and living quarters of a Chinese family. There were a few tables and chairs. We took our seats and ordered food from the lady of the house, usually chicken or pork fried rice or chow mein. Watched her cook at the stove. Between the chores she operated a sewing machine and made garments. The price per plate was Rs.2.50! Simple but tasty fare. Then at the other end of the spectrum was the venerable Chung Wah, now reported to be under management of a Bengali family and with singers to entertain diners in the evening! The now defunct Waldorf on Park Street served Chinese food in elegant surroundings. Somewhat down the scale was Jimmy's Kitchen near the crossing of Lower Circular Road and Theater Road. Searching the web for Isaiah's Bar on Free School Street I found myself in Abhijit Gupta's Memory Lane. It didn't mention whether Isaiah's Bar where sailors, and others, went in search of ladies of the night, was still in existence but it was a pleasure to find that Kalman Cold Storage was. Remembered the delicious sausages and cold cuts. In those days calories and cholesterol were not matters of concern. Nearby, Smiley's on Ripon Street was a dingy place that served a decent plate of rice and Goanese pork vindaloo. Walking down Elliot Road and Royd Street on Sundays and holidays one could smell aroma of coconut rice and ball curry wafting downwind from apartments occupied by Anglo-Indians. That,too, is history. The Anglo-Indians left in droves for Australia and Canada. My Anglo-Indian friends still cook and enjoy coconut rice, ball curry, Country Captain, Mulligatawny, jhal frazee, and vindaloo but most of them now live in single family homes in the suburbs of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Toronto. * \"The past, with its pleasures, its rewards, its foolishness, its punishments, is there for each of us forever, and it should be.\" ----Lillian Hellman Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-07-30 Hi Musafir:\nIt was wonderful reading your article on Calcutta. I am also away from Calcutta since 1975. But still today I feel very connected to Calcutta----often refer as my city.\nPlease respond to my E-mail:akundu1000@aol.com for more conversation on the topic.\nThanks, Achin Kundu ","permalink":"/posts/2010/07/personal-history-kolkata-calcutta-old-and-new/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eChinese Eateries * Streets with New Names*Anglo-Indians\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt does not take much to take one back memory lane to scenes, smells and sounds of years past.  In my case, many years past; it was 1969 when I left Kolkata for the west coast of the United States.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently, a friend forwarded a link about Kolkata's China Town and it included video clip of the evocative documentary,\u003ca href=\"http://www.sunilshibad.com/2010/01/legend-of-fat-mama.html\"\u003e \u003ci\u003eLegend of Fat Mama\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/a\u003e,  made by Rafeeq Ellias in 2005 for the BBC.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe trams at the very beginning of the video made me think of my weekday trips from Park Circus to the office on Old Courthouse Street.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe city fathers of Kolkata ran amok with name changes. For some of us Old Calcuttans it is hard to visualize once-familiar streets with their new names. So, this post contains names as I knew them.  Must confess though that, opposed to America's senseless war in Vietnam, it gave me a vicarious sense of pleasure when Harrington Street, where the U.S. Consulate was located, became Ho-Chi-Minh Sarani.   A few examples of my former stomping grounds, new names in italics.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nOld Court House Street - \u003ci\u003eHemanta Basu Sarani\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCamac Street - \u003ci\u003eAbanindranath Thakur Sarani\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nLindsay Street - \u003ci\u003eNeli Sengupta Sarani\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nFree School Street - \u003ci\u003eMirza Ghalib Street\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor some odd reason, unless the web site is incorrect, Park Street and Bentinck Street were spared.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough I and my colleagues regularly went to various Chinese eateries in and around the old China Town, to my regret I did not have the pleasure of meeting Fat Mama and enjoying her food.   In the video, one of the characters talks about Fat Mama and her plates of noodle that sold for 4 annas.  That is a clue that Fat Mama plied her business before the conversion to metric currency in 1956, and before my 10-year residency in Kolkata began.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne place we used to go for lunch near the office was nameless (there was no signage) but we called it Hole in the Wall.  It was almost that.  From Old Court House Street, we walked down Waterloo Street and shortly before Bentinck Street made a left turn into a narrow lane. Hole in the Wall was in the second building on the right. The front door was never locked; it  lead to a small courtyard and living quarters of a Chinese family.  There were a few tables and chairs. We took our seats and ordered food from the lady of the house, usually chicken or pork fried rice or chow mein. Watched her cook at the stove.  Between the chores she operated a sewing machine and made garments.  The price per plate was Rs.2.50!  Simple but tasty fare.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen at the other end of the spectrum was the venerable \u003ca href=\"http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060528/asp/look/story_6268958.asp\"\u003eChung Wah\u003c/a\u003e, now reported to be under management of a Bengali family and with singers to entertain diners in the evening! The now defunct Waldorf on Park Street served Chinese food in elegant surroundings. Somewhat down the scale was Jimmy's Kitchen near the crossing of Lower Circular Road and Theater Road. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSearching the web for Isaiah's Bar on Free School Street I found myself in Abhijit Gupta's \u003ca href=\"http://travel.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?27891\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eMemory Lane\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. It didn't mention whether Isaiah's Bar where sailors, and others, went in search of ladies of the night, was still in existence but it was a pleasure to find that Kalman Cold Storage was. Remembered the delicious sausages and cold cuts.  In those days calories and cholesterol were not matters of concern. Nearby, Smiley's on Ripon Street was a dingy place that served a decent plate of rice and Goanese pork vindaloo.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWalking down Elliot Road and Royd Street on Sundays and holidays one could smell aroma of  coconut rice and ball curry wafting downwind from apartments occupied by Anglo-Indians.  That,too, is history. The Anglo-Indians left in droves for Australia and Canada.  My Anglo-Indian friends still cook and enjoy coconut rice, ball curry, Country Captain, Mulligatawny, jhal frazee, and vindaloo but most of them now live in single family homes in the suburbs of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Toronto.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"The past, with its pleasures, its  rewards, its foolishness, its punishments, is there for each of us  forever, and it should be.\"\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e----Lillian Hellman\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080601/jsp/calcutta/story_9346579.jsp\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-07-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi Musafir:\u003cbr\u003eIt was wonderful reading your article on Calcutta. I am also away from Calcutta since 1975. But still today I feel very connected to Calcutta----often refer as my city.\u003cbr\u003ePlease respond to my E-mail:akundu1000@aol.com for more conversation on the topic.\u003cbr\u003eThanks,     Achin Kundu\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Personal History: Kolkata (Calcutta) Old and New"},{"content":" * Music for Lamenting...and for Rejoicing Watching the superb documentary about Glenn Gould made in 2005 by Bruno Monsaingeon took me back to beginning of my inexplicable love for the music of Bach. It was almost accidental, my discovery of Bach. Don't have a musical background. I grew up in India listening to film music, now known as Bollywood music. I gave up on Bollywood decades ago and have no clue about current hits. As far as western music went, I was familiar with the crooners -- enjoyed listening to Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra,and Nat King Cole. Later, the sound of jazz began to appeal; I became familiar with the music of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. But western classical music was not a part of my world. It was in the 70's when commuting on the freeway from Silicon Valley to my job in downtown San Francisco and playing with the dial on the car radio that I found myself in KDFC, and a new world opened up. I found Bach. The late pianist Glenn Gould is inseparable from Bach. There are many pianists who have recorded Bach, some of the artists are great. Yet, there is something about Glenn Gould's interpretation of Bach that makes him stand apart -- to some listeners, if not to all. I have CDs of Bach's music performed by Andras Schiff, Yo Yo Ma, Martha Argerich, Helmuth Rilling, Emma Kirkby, Murray Perahia, Nigel Kennedy, as well as interpretations by jazz artists -- Blues on Bach by The Modern Jazz Quartet, and Play Bach, the French trio led by by Jacques Loussier. They are all good but, for me, Glenn Gould is No.1 Glenn Gould was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1932 and died in that city in 1982. The audio link, Contrapunctus V, track 5 of the Art of the Fugue from Wikipedia merits special mention. It was the only organ recording made by Glenn Gould. See copyright information Currently, listening to A State of Wonder, complete Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould recorded in 1955 and in 1981. © Sony Classics/Amazon.com Acknowledgments: MySpace In Music - Blues in H (B), Modern Jazz QuartetMySpace in Music - Fugue No.5 in Re Majeur Jacques Loussier MP3 clips available for purchase ","permalink":"/posts/2010/07/from-bollywood-sound-to-glenn-gould-and-johann-sebastian-bach/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eMusic for Lamenting...and for Rejoicing\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWatching the superb documentary about Glenn Gould made in 2005 by \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0598613/\"\u003eBruno Monsaingeon\u003c/a\u003e took me back to beginning of my inexplicable love for the music of Bach.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was almost accidental, my discovery of Bach. Don't have a musical background. I grew up in India listening to film music, now known as Bollywood music. I gave up on Bollywood  decades ago and have no clue about current hits. As far as western music went, I was familiar with the crooners -- enjoyed listening to Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra,and Nat King Cole.  Later, the sound of jazz began to appeal; I became familiar with the music of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut western classical music was not a part of my world.  It was in the 70's when commuting on the freeway from Silicon Valley to my job in downtown San Francisco and playing with the dial on the car radio that I found myself in KDFC, and a new world opened up. I found Bach. The late pianist Glenn Gould is inseparable from Bach. There are many pianists who have recorded Bach, some of the artists are great.  Yet, there is something about Glenn Gould's interpretation of Bach that makes him stand apart -- to  some listeners, if not to all.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have CDs of Bach's music  performed by Andras Schiff, Yo Yo Ma, Martha Argerich, Helmuth Rilling, Emma Kirkby, Murray Perahia, Nigel Kennedy, as well as interpretations by jazz artists -- \u003ca href=\"http://s0.ilike.com/play#Modern+Jazz+Quartet:Blues+In+H+%28B%29:837962:m35685217\"\u003eBlues on Bach\u003c/a\u003e by The Modern Jazz Quartet, and \u003ca href=\"http://s0.ilike.com/play#Jacques+Loussier:Fugue+No.+5+En+R%C3%A9+Majeur:13949133:m40679773\"\u003ePlay Bach\u003c/a\u003e, the French trio led by by Jacques Loussier. They are all good but, for me, Glenn Gould is No.1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nGlenn Gould was born in Toronto,  Canada, in 1932 and died in that city in 1982. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe audio link, \u003ca href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/Gould-bwv1080-5.ogg\"\u003eContrapunctus V\u003c/a\u003e, track 5 of the Art of the Fugue from Wikipedia merits special mention.  It was the only organ recording made by Glenn Gould.  See \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gould\"\u003ecopyright \u003c/a\u003einformation \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCurrently, listening to A State of Wonder, complete Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould recorded in 1955  and in 1981.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 \u0026amp; 1981)\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/07/51peWUz2VYL._SL500_AA300_.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e© Sony Classics/Amazon.com\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAcknowledgments: MySpace In Music - Blues in H (B), Modern Jazz Quartet\u003cbr/\u003eMySpace in Music - Fugue No.5 in Re Majeur Jacques Loussier \u003cbr/\u003eMP3 clips available for  purchase \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"From Bollywood Sound to Glenn Gould and Johann Sebastian Bach"},{"content":" * Small Things Fireworks displays and picnics are over. The long, July 4th weekend came and went. And it was warm. We have not had many such days this summer. For me, like most septuagenarians, the number of friends from the past is shrinking. Didn't have many of them to count on in the first place. But there are friends that one thinks of because memories of the days and events associated with them are pleasant. So, when a 92-year old friend, who made a habit of keeping in touch for decades stopped communicating it was cause for concern......he had not acknowledged two letters and photographs that I mailed. He lived alone in New Jersey. I thought of calling him but kept putting it off because I dreaded the thought that no one might pick up the phone or, worse still, a recorded message from the telephone company that the \"number is no longer in service\". One day, last week I took the plunge and called. What a pleasure it was when Charlie answered the phone. Not as strong but it was the same, deep voice I knew. Said he was in hospital for kidney infection and feels weaker. Charlie never married. I brought him upto date with news of my children and grand children. Talked about the weather here in San Francisco Bay area and in New Jersey; the shenanigans of politicians, and the dismal outlook for our country. A voracious reader, Charlie is always surrounded by books (non-fiction) and reads The New York Times. He can no longer go down and cross the street to buy the newspaper but someone delivers it to him. When we ended the conversation I thought of Kolkata in 1969 when I first met Charlie. The monsoon rains that brought all public transport to a halt. A bad time for me and my colleagues. Often, a driver of one of the office cars was instructed by Charlie to take us home. Kolkata - Rickshaw puller on a waterlogged street Source: http://www.corriere.it/Media/Foto/2003/10_Ottobre/07/calcutta.jpg Then there were days when he ordered kathi rolls from Nizam. The office smelled of spicy chicken kababs, grilled over flame on skewers, and onions. Rolled in greasy parathas, they were a treat. Time marches on. American Export Lines, the steamship company that Charlie and I worked for no longer exists. The business of shipping has changed, many functions performed by people have become automated, impersonal. In those days the ships carried crates of tea, rolls of jute, bales of hide and human hair, from Kolkata to the United States. Now ships carry cargo containers and until one looks at the shipping manifest the contents remain unknown. Progress....in a way, yes. Being put on hold by a recorded voice and then listening to canned music and required to go though pushing buttons on the key pad is also progress according to the corporations that subject us to shoddy service. And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/07/personal-history---voices-and-memories/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nSmall Things\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFireworks displays and picnics are over.  The long, July 4th weekend came and went. And it was warm.  We have not had many such days this summer.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor me, like most septuagenarians, the number of friends from the past is shrinking.  Didn't have many of them to count on in the first place.  But there are friends that one thinks of because memories of the days and events associated with them are pleasant. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo,  when a 92-year old friend, who made a habit of keeping in touch for decades stopped communicating it was cause for concern......he had not acknowledged two letters and photographs that I mailed.  He lived alone in New Jersey. I thought of calling  him but kept putting it off because I dreaded the thought that no one might pick up the phone or, worse still,  a recorded message from the telephone company that the \"number is no longer in service\".  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne day, last week I took the plunge and called.  What a pleasure it was when Charlie answered the phone.  Not as strong but it was the same, deep voice I knew.  Said he was in hospital for kidney infection and feels weaker.  Charlie never married. I brought him upto date with news of my children and grand children. Talked about the weather here in San Francisco Bay area and in New Jersey; the shenanigans of politicians, and the dismal outlook for our country.  A voracious reader, Charlie is always surrounded by books (non-fiction) and reads The New York Times.  He can no longer go down and cross the street to buy the newspaper but someone delivers it to him. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen we ended the conversation I thought of Kolkata in 1969 when I first met Charlie. The  monsoon rains that brought all public transport to a halt.  A bad time for me and my colleagues. Often, a driver of one of the office cars was instructed by Charlie to take us home.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n                                        Kolkata - Rickshaw puller on a waterlogged street\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/07/calcutta.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e                 Source: http://www.corriere.it/Media/Foto/2003/10_Ottobre/07/calcutta.jpg\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThen there were days when he ordered kathi rolls from \u003ca href=\"http://rasbhara.blogspot.com/2006/06/nizam-kathi-rolls_16.html\"\u003eNizam\u003c/a\u003e.  The office smelled of spicy chicken kababs, grilled over flame on skewers,  and onions.  Rolled in greasy \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratha\"\u003eparathas\u003c/a\u003e, they were a treat.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTime marches on.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/americanexport.htm\"\u003eAmerican Export Lines\u003c/a\u003e, the  steamship company that Charlie and I worked for no longer exists.  The business of shipping has changed, many functions performed by people have become automated, impersonal.  In those days the ships carried crates of tea, rolls of jute, bales of  hide and human hair, from Kolkata to the United States. Now ships carry cargo containers and until one looks at the shipping manifest the contents remain unknown. Progress....in a way, yes.  Being put on hold by a recorded voice and then listening to canned music and required to go though pushing buttons on the key pad is also progress according to the corporations that subject us to shoddy service.  And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoJFtmLNdvE0_8AlrK2t4dBl0TMTfmWO4cSs-Bk8ulGkbphEoGR9M_uGGgEYngeuS26Qw3YBSmLxwTShLuKx2YVzqqLd-_nKgskEiNjyY7Z6ntogLdcC5Cs3EBjuFrRDdaJup/s1600/calcutta.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Personal History - Voices and Memories"},{"content":" * Religious Extremism and Islam There they go again. The Islamic state of Pakistan's latest action to prevent \"blasphemy\"! ISLAMABAD – Pakistan will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google, Yahoo and Amazon, for sacrilegious content, while blocking 17 other, lesser-known sites it deems offensive to Muslims, an official said Friday. \"....deems offensive to Muslims\". My Iraqi friend would say Ya Habibi. The hypocrisy of the Muslims is staggering. Are they blind or deaf, or both. No wonder Pakistan lags behind as the world marches on. The west, with all its ills, does not suffer from fear about perceived insult to religious beliefs. For the Pakistani Government, such policies could just be diversionary tactics for a populace plagued by lack of basic needs. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/06/in-pakistan-the-mullahs-rule/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e \u003cb\u003eReligious Extremism and Islam\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere they go again. The Islamic state of Pakistan's latest \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100625/ap_on_hi_te/as_pakistan\"\u003eaction\u003c/a\u003e to prevent \"blasphemy\"!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd 17=\"\" amazon,=\"\" and=\"\" bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" blocking=\"\" content,=\"\" for=\"\" google,=\"\" including=\"\" islamabad=\"\" lesser-known=\"\" major=\"\" monitoring=\"\" other,=\"\" pakistan\u0026nbsp;=\"\" sacrilegious=\"\" seven=\"\" sites=\"\" start=\"\" websites,=\"\" while=\"\" width=\"565\" will=\"\" yahoo=\"\" –=\"\"\u003eISLAMABAD – Pakistan  will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google, Yahoo and Amazon, for sacrilegious content, while blocking 17 other, lesser-known sites \u003cb\u003e it deems offensive to Muslims, an official said Friday. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"....deems offensive to Muslims\".  My Iraqi friend would say Ya Habibi. The hypocrisy of the Muslims is staggering.  Are they blind or deaf, or both. No wonder Pakistan lags behind as the world marches on.  The west, with all its ills, does not suffer from fear about perceived insult to religious beliefs.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor the Pakistani Government, such policies could just be diversionary tactics for a populace plagued by lack of basic needs.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"In Pakistan, the Mullahs Rule"},{"content":" * First day of Summer It does not feel like it. That is a common refrain this summer. There were wintry days.....more of them than usual in spring. Rain, too. Now, summer is here but in the San Francisco Peninsula the temperature is unusually low. The breeze picks up in the evening and the fog comes rolling in from the Pacific west of us. But there would be days when the temperature will climb over 90° (approx. 32 degrees C) and we will yearn for relief. The cool days lengthened the display of wild flowers. There are still some to be found but on a recent hike in the foothills I came across Clarkias (Farewell to Spring). The meadows have lost their lush greenness. And a woman walking with a child warned us to be watchful about rattle snakes. Said that she came across one. Summer is here. Elegant Clarkias, Ewing Hill, Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA.©Musafir California Indian Pink, Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA©Musafir Blue Bedder Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus). Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA.©Musafir Yellow Mariposa Lily, Wunderlich Park, Woodside, CA.©Musafir Giant Puffball Mushroom ©Musafir I don't forage for mushrooms in warm weather. Came across some giant puffballs at Pulgas Ridge in April. Good eating. A summer haiku from brooksbookshaiku.com at the beach . . . a crab's sideways walk on the hot sand--Matt O. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/06/summer-2010/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nFirst day of Summer \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt does not feel like it.  That is a common refrain this summer. There were wintry days.....more of them than usual in spring.  Rain, too. Now, summer is here but in the San Francisco Peninsula the temperature is unusually low. The breeze picks up in the evening and the fog comes rolling in from the Pacific west of us.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut there would be days when the temperature will climb over 90° (approx. 32 degrees C) and we will yearn for relief.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe cool days lengthened the display of wild flowers. There are still some to be found but on a recent hike in the foothills I came across Clarkias (Farewell to Spring).  The meadows have lost their lush greenness.   And a woman walking with a child warned us to be watchful about rattle snakes. Said that she came across one. Summer is here.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9t4qe3yczzdKwl6TMUT6hmnnBcf3FzcXiCZ3_oK6P8wFNL7AeA_Gyiyt_43qw8C7NK58liIg5kefBOeO4TVsqY9UordpKWjZ9vxe15RWcg-M87G1sQD3PQtoK_WxJJhHHAYCZ/s1600/Black+Mtn+and+Grapevine+Trails+-+Ewing+Hill+010.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eElegant Clarkias, Ewing Hill, Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Black Mtn and Grapevine Trails - Ewing Hill 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCalifornia Indian Pink, Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Black Mtn and Grapevine Trails - Ewing Hill 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBlue Bedder Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus). Black Mountain Trail, Los Altos, CA.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Black Mtn and Grapevine Trails - Ewing Hill 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eYellow Mariposa Lily, Wunderlich Park, Woodside, CA.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Mariposa Lily.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGiant Puffball Mushroom\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Misc Apr 24, 2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nI don't forage for mushrooms in warm weather. Came across some giant puffballs at Pulgas Ridge in April.  Good eating.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA summer haiku from \u003ca href=\"http://brooksbookshaiku.com/\"\u003ebrooksbookshaiku.com\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eat the beach . . .\u003cbr/\u003e\na crab's sideways walk\u003cbr/\u003e\non the hot sand\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e--Matt O. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"CENTER\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Summer 2010"},{"content":" *Marine Cpl. Jacob Leicht Statistically, Cpl. Jacob Leicht of College Station, TX, was the 1000th American soldier to die in the Afghan war. Cpl. Leicht (24) died on May 27, 2010. He was born on the 4th of July. But statistics don't tell the whole story....what the loss means to his family and friends. President Obama declared that he would \"..............withdraw combat forces from Iraq by August 2010 and all remaining troops by December 2011.\" Let us see if he will stick to the target. Based on his record, we could expect a statement announcing a change, especially now with reports about discovery of vast reserves of lithium in Afghanistan. Think of huge profits by those who are in a position to exploit it. Heading for the ninth year, the war in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001. As plans for the summer offensive against Taliban strongholds accelerate there would be more casualties. The end, however, is not in sight. And there are questions as to whether we are 'winning' the war or whether it is 'winnable'. Another war in which our money is enriching corrupt bureaucrats, including our one-time favorite Hamid Karzai, U.S. corporations producing weapons, and contractors hired to aid war efforts. The poppy trade continues unabated. See Cost of War.com - National Priorities Project Bob Herbert in NY Times: Our government leaders keep mouthing platitudes about objectives that are not achievable, which is a form of deception that should be unacceptable in a free society. In announcing, during a speech at West Point in December, that 30,000 additional troops would be sent to Afghanistan, President Obama said: “As your commander in chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined and worthy of your service.” That clearly defined mission never materialized. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-08-25 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/06/the-other-war-in-afghanistan/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarine Cpl. Jacob Leicht \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/06/Helmet.jpeg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStatistically, Cpl. Jacob Leicht of College Station, TX, was the 1000th American soldier to die in the Afghan war. Cpl. Leicht (24) died on May 27, 2010. He was born on the 4th of July. But statistics  don't tell the whole story....what the loss means to his family and friends. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/washington/28troops.html\"\u003ePresident Obama\u003c/a\u003e declared that he would \"..............withdraw combat forces from Iraq by August 2010 and all remaining   troops by December 2011.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet us see if he will stick to the target.  Based on his record, we could expect a statement announcing a change, especially now with reports about discovery of vast reserves of lithium in Afghanistan.  Think of huge profits by those who are in a position to exploit it. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHeading for the ninth year, the war in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001.   As plans for the summer offensive against Taliban strongholds  accelerate there would be more casualties.  The end, however, is not in  sight. And there are questions as to whether we are 'winning' the  war or whether it is 'winnable'.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnother war in which our money is enriching corrupt bureaucrats, including our one-time favorite Hamid Karzai, U.S. corporations producing weapons, and contractors hired to aid war efforts.  The poppy trade continues unabated.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSee \u003ca href=\"http://costofwar.com/\"\u003eCost of War.com\u003c/a\u003e - National Priorities Project\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/opinion/12herbert.html\"\u003eBob Herbert\u003c/a\u003e in NY Times:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e   \u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOur government leaders keep mouthing platitudes about objectives that  are not achievable, which is a form of deception that should be  unacceptable in a free society.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn announcing, during a speech at West Point in December, that 30,000  additional troops would be sent to Afghanistan, President Obama said:  “As your commander in chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined  and worthy of your service.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThat clearly defined mission never materialized.  \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-08-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Other War, In Afghanistan"},{"content":" * The Water Falls * Dogwood Flowers Despite the discouraging weather forecast, a friend invited me to accompany him to go to Yosemite and hike to Nevada Falls during the weekend of May 22nd/23rd. We were there in July 2009 when we hiked up to the top of Yosemite Falls. Earlier years, we had done Half Dome and Glacier Point. We drove from the Bay area on Friday afternoon and got to the park just as darkness was settling in. The Housekeeping Units near Curry Village provide bare-bones kind of accommodation. At $90.00 per night (sleeps four in bunk beds) they are not cheap but the location is right to make it a base for hikes. The valley itself is far from pleasant during the peak season -- overrun with tourists and their cars. The Valley Shuttle buses provide excellent service but some people are loath to give up their cars, traffic congestion and pollution be damned. The night was colder than we expected. Fortunately, a space heater carried from home helped. Woke up on Saturday to a sunny, bright sky that made us hopeful that perhaps the forecast was wrong. But by 11:00, the sky became overcast and a cold wind started blowing. We decided to stay with the plan and take John Muir trail instead of the Mist Trail, and go on to Nevada Falls bypassing Vernal Falls. Never made it. By noon the snow flurries began. The weather did not deter hundreds of hikers on the Mist Trail. We, too, hiked on the Mist Trail. The stone steps were slippery and saw a number of hikers with injuries (bruises and sprain ankles) being ministered to by a ranger. On Sunday, the weather was better but we did not have time to go up to Nevada Falls. Took the short hike to Mirror Lake. Unlike our previous visit when the lake was just a sandy bed, this time there was water and it looked pretty. The water falls are always spectacular at this time of the year. Perhaps this year more so because of the unusual amount of rainfall and high snowpack in the Sierras. The dogwood trees are in bloom, and I have never seen them in such splendour. Raging Merced River ©Musafir Bridal Veil Falls at dusk ©Musafir Distant view of Vernal Falls©Musafir Hikers on Mist Trail ©Musafir Shutterbugs on Mist Trail©Musafir Awesome view of Vernal Falls ©Musafir Upper Yosemite Falls ©Musafir Odd shaped tree trunk alongside Mirror Lake trail ©Musafir Mirror Lake ©Musafir The sheer side of Half Dome viewed from Mirror Lake©Musafir Dogwood trees in bloom ©Musafir Close up of Dogwood flowers©Musafir In depraved May, dogwood and chestnut, flowering judas, To be eaten, to be divided, to be drunk ..... T.S. Eliot - Geroniton For those planning a trip to Yosemite, the water falls should be flowing in force through June. The Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads remain closed. In 2009, the Tioga Pass Road opened on May 19th. This year, work is still continuing to make the road drivable. Check thefollowing web site to get current status: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm Climbing Half Dome the conventional way after hiking approximately 9 miles from the trailhead to the base of the dome now requires permits during weekends and holidays. This was a long-overdue measure which the Park Services put into place for the first time before the beginning of the 2010 season. The Half Dome cables for climbing the rock will not be in place over the May 28-31 climbing period. If you are planning a climb, check the web site below: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#trails ","permalink":"/posts/2010/05/yosemite-national-park---may-2010/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#trails\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Water Falls * Dogwood Flowers\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite the discouraging weather forecast, a friend invited me to accompany him to go to Yosemite and hike to Nevada Falls during the weekend of May 22nd/23rd.  We were there in July 2009 when we hiked up to the top of Yosemite Falls.   Earlier years, we had done Half Dome and Glacier Point.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe drove from the Bay area on Friday afternoon and got to the park just as darkness was settling in.  The Housekeeping Units near Curry Village provide bare-bones kind of accommodation.  At $90.00 per night (sleeps four in bunk beds) they are not cheap but the location is right to make it a base for hikes.    The valley itself is far from pleasant during the peak season -- overrun with tourists and their cars.  The Valley Shuttle buses provide excellent service but some people are loath to give up their cars, traffic congestion and pollution be damned.    \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe night was colder than we expected. Fortunately, a space heater carried from home helped. Woke up on Saturday to a sunny, bright sky that made us hopeful that perhaps the forecast was wrong.  But by 11:00, the sky became overcast and a cold wind started blowing.  We decided to stay with the plan and take John Muir trail instead of the Mist Trail, and go on to Nevada Falls bypassing Vernal Falls.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNever made it.  By noon the snow flurries began.  The weather did not deter hundreds of  hikers on the Mist Trail.  We, too, hiked on the Mist Trail.  The stone steps were slippery and  saw a number of hikers with injuries (bruises and sprain ankles) being ministered to by a ranger.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Sunday, the weather was better but we did not have time to go up to Nevada Falls. Took the short hike to Mirror Lake.  Unlike our previous visit when the lake was just a sandy bed, this time there was water and it looked pretty.   \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe water falls are always spectacular at this time of the year.  Perhaps this year more so because of the unusual amount of rainfall and high snowpack in the Sierras.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe dogwood trees are in bloom, and I have never seen them in such splendour.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRaging  Merced River  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 015.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBridal Veil Falls at dusk \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDistant view of Vernal Falls\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 027.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHikers on Mist Trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 035.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4O8grVgKhzLiUau-ouCwuJj1zd8_cChLlkC9HKsUUC7x7cLnkGTFnm84i84N0EEhI3G7PURNA2_oM2-el4QR0nXOgTLa-pMgNW9cnjlR3AjYhDPPeXQOGj38asT1LakfmbZZ/s1600/Yosemite+-+May+2010+036.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6y43_Pnk-TxblgnXYg_9yRc7z1H7KgFLT74nBE-_Q3yUisFmkYdgbEUGf3qfZU3DeEIXVwXuLP4trdrNeqKtF-SNR9V8AwR9YUDEvsIJTvcsJJgjkkVERAPxh-kTiM3VxbDI/s1600/Yosemite+-+May+2010+034.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eShutterbugs on Mist Trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 037.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAwesome view of Vernal Falls\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eUpper Yosemite Falls\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 060.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOdd shaped tree trunk alongside Mirror Lake trail\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 073.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMirror Lake \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 077.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe sheer side of Half Dome viewed from Mirror Lake\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 078.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqf4ePuUgtmlL5EUKJXpAAAQUccIaVYUNK5bKVlaMsW_nJXOsHioIF5eeiSMBWuQwDCrggbCR-Cat5XOmWPt5UTTcZ9w-l8nUU_1qoccv9RYBkYhb8kjUebS6AzUj6wETaqmt/s1600/Close+up+of+Dogwood+flower.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDogwood trees in bloom \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Yosemite - May 2010 064.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eClose up of Dogwood flowers\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Close up of Dogwood flower.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"CENTER\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8448386\" name=\"21\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn depraved May, dogwood and chestnut, flowering judas,    \u003cbr/\u003eTo be eaten, to be divided, to be drunk .....\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eT.S. Eliot - Geroniton \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor those planning a trip to Yosemite, the water falls should be flowing in force through June.  The Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads remain closed.  In 2009, the Tioga Pass Road opened on May 19th.  This year, work is still continuing to make the road drivable.  Check the\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003efollowing web site to get current status:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm\"\u003ehttp://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eClimbing Half Dome the conventional way after hiking approximately 9 miles from the trailhead to the base of the dome now requires permits during weekends and holidays.  This was a long-overdue measure which the Park Services put into place for the first time before the beginning of the 2010 season.  The Half Dome cables for climbing the rock will not be in place over the May 28-31 climbing period.  If you are planning a climb, check the web site below:  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#trails\"\u003ehttp://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#trails\u003c/a\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Yosemite National Park - May 2010"},{"content":" * Russian RidgeThe display at Russian Ridge is not spectacular as it has been on some years but it is always a pleasure to walk on the trails. Looking east, one can see the Stanford Campus and, beyond that, Moffet Field and the east bay. To the west, the rolling hills, Rapley Ranch and the small pond adjacent to it. Buttercups and Checker Mallows © Musafir Blue Lupines© Musafir Red Maids © Musafir Mule's Ear © Musafir Johnny Jump Ups © Musafir Looking east, Stanford Campus © Musafir Looking west, Rapley Ranch © Musafir California Poppy © Musafir The poppy flowers;how calmly They fall.-- Etsujin (translated by R.H. Blyth) ","permalink":"/posts/2010/05/spring-wild-flowers---san-francisco-peninsula/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nRussian Ridge\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe  display at Russian Ridge is not spectacular as it has been on some years but it is always a pleasure to walk on the trails.  Looking east, one can see the Stanford Campus and, beyond that, Moffet Field and the east bay. To the west, the rolling hills, Rapley Ranch and the small pond adjacent to it.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eButtercups and Checker Mallows\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Russian Ridge 5-2-2010 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBlue Lupines\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Russian Ridge 5-2-2010 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Red Maids \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Russian Ridge 5-2-2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Kx41tfeLN9z4MJf1AXN4spfDTLJ8Xb3OC3yp3MR-1rV3WZSoH-PO5WBzgKIdmGNxATolFavAAErm99b5E8lYORNVRNSjYXI5-a0DGpJSiF-4gzN8GHzjb6Y-SIpk0-_WvXvY/s1600/Hoover+Tower,+Stanford+Campus.JPG\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMule's Ear\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Misc Apr 24, 2010 023.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n Johnny Jump Ups\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Russian Ridge 5-2-2010 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLooking east, Stanford Campus\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Hoover Tower, Stanford Campus.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLooking west, Rapley Ranch\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Looking West toward Rapley Ranch.JPG\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCalifornia Poppy\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSxL08FSHsK49wYIdYlWwkkXY3zSsK6mQNIor_443t5ulaKqpJKF4MCPrrw9yrZ2gcul1PmIr_ummx9CpnALuP8ZHuE08fPO2DAk8RBuotW_OvuoDR-S5AAJK4LYKuXX65Rhr/s1600/Russian+Ridge+and+Fremont+Older+003.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/05/Sugar Loaf Mountain 020.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e© Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe poppy flowers;\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ehow calmly \u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThey fall.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e-- Etsujin (translated by R.H. Blyth)\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spring Wild Flowers - San Francisco Peninsula"},{"content":" * Politicians doing what they do best Recent reports about participation of SEC staff using office computers to view and download pornographic items made the front page of major newspapers. Some Americans were outraged. Well, at least that was what one gathered from their reaction. Antics of politicians, Republican politicians more than the others, are amusing to say the least considering the number of elected Republican legislators who were exposed after getting caught in sexual peccadillos in recent years. But they are shameless, have thick hides. The noise being made by Senator Grassley and his colleagues could very well be a wild hare to sabotage passage of legislation for reform of Wall Street. Nothing new. One can expect politicians to bloviate about such things. Pornography is big business in America. The Internet and modern technology have made it so. While one cannot condone people at work spending hours viewing and downloading x-rated items, for every employee who does so there must be millions more who do it at home. The appeal of pornography is not restricted to a particular class. Whites, Blacks, rich, poor, are all consumers of pornography in some form or other. Most of them will not admit to it but the explosive growth of this sector makes it obvious. And major American corporations are participating in this highly profitable sector. A Frontline report titled American Porn contained the following: It's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT\u0026amp;T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars. And with estimates as high as $10 billion a year, it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy.That was in February 2002! \"Sex sells\" - It sure does A Stanford University study covering the period 1997-2001 stated: Sex sells. As the number one income generator on the Internet today, pornography is a ripe business that will continue to grow along with the advancement of technology. With a reported annual growth rate of 40% since 1997, and the status of being the most queried subject on search engines, pornography is a thriving industry and one of the only successful e-businesses.It would be interesting to see an update of the report but one can be sure that the growth rate has accelerated way past 40%. The Genie -- if it is considered as one -- cannot be put back into the bottle despite rumblings from the so called family values groups. Paradoxically, residents of the Bible Belt were reported to be major consumers. See Pornography and the Bible Belt posted here in March 2009. While there are undeniably harmful effects, pornography is here to stay. It has become a part of mainstream society, and not only in America. Recommended reading: How teenage access to pornography is killing intimacy in sex TimesOnLine January 17, 2010. \"Teenagers have such easy access to hardcore porn that a skewed view of sex is becoming the norm in society and the idea of intimacy is dying\" ","permalink":"/posts/2010/04/the-hypocrisy-about-pornography/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePoliticians doing what they do best\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRecent reports about participation of SEC staff using office computers to view and download pornographic items made the front page of major newspapers.  Some Americans were outraged.  Well, at least that was what one gathered from their reaction.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAntics of  politicians, Republican politicians more than the  others, are amusing to say the least considering the number of elected  Republican legislators who were exposed after getting caught in sexual  peccadillos in recent years.  But they are shameless, have thick hides. The noise being made by Senator Grassley and his colleagues could very well be a wild hare to sabotage passage of legislation for reform of Wall Street.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNothing new.  One can expect politicians to bloviate about such things. Pornography is big business in America.  The Internet and modern technology have made it so.  While one cannot condone people at work spending hours viewing and downloading x-rated items, for every employee who does so there must be millions more who do it at home.  The appeal of pornography is not restricted to a particular class.  Whites, Blacks, rich, poor, are all consumers of pornography in some form or other.  Most of them will not admit to it but the explosive growth of this sector makes it obvious. And major American corporations are participating in this highly profitable sector.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nA Frontline report titled \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn/view/\"\u003eAmerican Porn \u003c/a\u003econtained the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT\u0026amp;T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars. And with estimates as high as $10 billion a year, it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003eThat was in February 2002!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Sex sells\" - It sure does \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA \u003ca href=\"http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:kzUCHmsHxJQJ:www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/%7Eeroberts/cs201/projects/pornography/business.htm+growth+rate+of+pornography+industry\u0026amp;cd\"\u003eStanford University study \u003c/a\u003ecovering  the period 1997-2001 stated:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eSex sells. As the number one income generator on the Internet today, pornography  is a ripe business that will continue to grow along with the advancement of technology. With a reported annual growth rate of 40% since 1997, and the status of being the most queried subject on search engines, pornography  is a thriving industry and one of the only successful e-businesses.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003eIt would be interesting to see an update of the report but one can be sure that the growth rate has accelerated way past 40%.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Genie -- if it is considered as one -- cannot be put back into the bottle despite rumblings from the so called \u003ci\u003efamily values\u003c/i\u003e groups. Paradoxically, residents of the Bible Belt were reported to be major consumers.  See \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2009/03/pornography-and-bible-belt.html\"\u003ePornography and the Bible Belt \u003c/a\u003eposted here in March 2009. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhile there are undeniably harmful effects, pornography is here to stay. It has become a part of mainstream society, and not only in America.  Recommended reading: \u003ca href=\"http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_extracts/article6990891.ece\"\u003eHow teenage access to pornography is killing intimacy in sex\u003c/a\u003e TimesOnLine January 17, 2010.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Teenagers have such easy access to hardcore porn that a skewed view  of sex is becoming the norm in society and the idea of intimacy is  dying\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Hypocrisy about Pornography"},{"content":" * Eyjafjallajokull * April Showers * Wild Flowers Sound of Bees Humming Reports about the volcanic eruption from Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced EY-ya-fyat-lah-YOH-kuht -- try it) in Iceland continue to dominate the headlines. Misery for stranded travelers is not going to end any time soon. But an item in the Washington Post mentioned a happy woman who lives near London's Heathrow Airport.\"It's been wonderful,\" said Monica Robb, 80, who on Saturday afternoon was sitting in her back garden under a clear, blue sky, enjoying a lunch of toast and fruit. \"I can hear the bees humming.\" A Cool, Wet April for San Francisco Bay AreaLast weekend was wet and cold. This Sunday morning, the sun is out. Temperatures remain cold enough for sweaters in the evening. Showers in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. The foothills look lush and green. Does not take long for them to turn into what some describe as California gold. Buckeyes have began to sprout. So, cool days notwithstanding signs of Spring are abundant. Have come across more wild flowers down in the valley than at Russian Ridge up on Skyline. A mixed bag of photographs follow. Pulgas Ridge, San Carlos, CA. Mission Bells© Musafir California Lilac © Musafir Star Lily © Musafir Solomon's Seal © Musafir Trillium sessile © Musafir\"Commonly found in central part of the eastern United States and the Ozarks.\" I have come across trillium sessile in Mid-Peninsula preserves, including Wunderlich and Coal Mine Creek. Edgewood Park, San Carlos, CA.Goldfields, Blue-eyed Grass, Owl's Clover© Musafir Tidy Tips© Musafir Owl's Clover© Musafir Larkspur © Musafir Easter Sunday. Stanford Dish, CA.Hikers and cows © Musafir Buckeyes Sprouting© Musafir Hoover Tower and beyond© Musafir For my friends who love to tend to their gardens and walk in the woods:It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day. ~Robert Frost In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~Margaret Atwood ","permalink":"/posts/2010/04/passages-april-2010/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eEyjafjallajokull *  April Showers * Wild Flowers \u003cb\u003eSound of Bees Humming\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReports about the volcanic eruption from Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced EY-ya-fyat-lah-YOH-kuht -- try it) in Iceland continue to dominate the headlines.  Misery for stranded travelers is not going to end any time soon. But an item in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/17/AR2010041700547.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e mentioned a happy woman who lives near London's Heathrow Airport.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"It's been wonderful,\" said Monica Robb, 80, who on Saturday afternoon was sitting in her back garden under a clear, blue sky, enjoying a lunch of toast and fruit. \"I can hear the bees humming.\"  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Cool, Wet April for San Francisco Bay Area\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast weekend was\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e wet and cold. This Sunday morning, the sun is out.  Temperatures remain cold enough for sweaters in the evening. Showers in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.  The  foothills look lush and green.  Does not take long for them to turn into what some describe as California gold.  Buckeyes have began to sprout.  So, cool days notwithstanding signs of Spring are abundant.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHave come across more wild flowers down in the valley than  at Russian Ridge up on Skyline.  A mixed bag of photographs follow.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePulgas Ridge, San Carlos, CA. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMission Bells\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Pulgas Ridge, March 2010 015.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6HCxzOxuIQmgMNCm1EgMgCP44D5g3HpNNpa_mIYVMOpp1CmKhNj8oOEzRoTz-UvObLHdS3_O6mzJtY9l5wIRBKEFC7hr7oWGS8w2gpUSrt5G-mPqgkuYWTzzPTfb_6iaLRrq/s1600/Pulgas+Ridge,+March+2010+015.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCalifornia Lilac\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Pulgas Ridge, March 2010 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e © Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eStar Lily \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Pulgas Ridge, March 2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSolomon's Seal  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Pulgas Ridge, March 2010 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\nTrillium sessile\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Pulgas Ridge, March 2010 018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZB3nMpNB54xf6FTZsS69eBeAgwCgf-FSYeaDOY4wFg0UipTLh3Ty5cacSJ7PkXi-umterrpnC4b1t2ZepUfE2Z3zRJNJbBSORFyiGb7tLNhJ8MwNeQYV3YYPLCGRfLjjh083I/s1600/Pulgas+Ridge,+March+2010+018.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\"Commonly found in central part of the eastern United States and the Ozarks.\" I have come across trillium sessile in Mid-Peninsula preserves, including Wunderlich and Coal Mine Creek.\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcJcIbTpB6v6BfGFtGkz0hQGMVobUY50A_dGXFR78gO-1fpqWSG-A7-Ws-rilraPfiQUPXx3bR91oZyE0AintGI2DuaYhSDHDoppJZDcrbR4eGh4sUOTExUAqHZoCOBJPzAUB/s1600/Edgewood+Park,+Spring+2010+011.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdgewood Park, San Carlos, CA.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGoldfields, Blue-eyed Grass, Owl's Clover\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Edgewood Park, Spring 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTidy Tips\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Edgewood Park, Spring 2010 011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOwl's Clover\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Edgewood Park, Spring 2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLarkspur\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Edgewood Park, Spring 2010 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e© Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eEaster Sunday. \u003ca href=\"http://dish.stanford.edu/\"\u003eStanford Dish\u003c/a\u003e, CA.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHikers and cows\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Easter Sunday 2010 026.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHMYB_Jo0SSC2Sbps_ttcUN3amJ778QP-M50WOv13ooX9yXUVXOYPa_14pIoOoGAUGvWRiCwYiotL_YGxqil-G_D3BdA3qghD_TMIpqoAoihAw9QAto6n1LptfQ3dlC2nFaqg/s1600/Easter+Sunday+2010+022.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBuckeyes Sprouting\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Easter Sunday 2010 028.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir    \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHoover Tower and beyond\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/04/Easter Sunday 2010 022.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFor my friends who love to tend to their gardens  and walk in the woods:\u003c/b\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do  want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  ~Mark Twain\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eEverything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe sun was warm but the wind was chill.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eYou know how it is with an April day.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e~Robert Frost\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.  ~Margaret Atwood\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Passages: April 2010"},{"content":" * Univ. of Montana \"On the Spring Equinox the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.\" --Univ of Montana Officially, the Vernal Equinox begins today at 4:32 PM on the West Coast (1:32 PM EST). For us in San Mateo County, cloudy weather in the forecast for two more days. Feels cool after yesterday's temperature in the high 80's. But soon, warm, sunny days will be the norm. The valleys are green and inviting; wild mushrooms are gone but wild flowers are coming out. It is the season to be out, to tend to gardens, to hike and run on the trails. Ah, Spring. Make the most of it. \"One thing I remember Spring came on forever, Spring came on forever,\" Said the Chinese Nightingale. --Vachel Linday, \"The Chinese Nightingale\" Violet Lupines alongside Hwy 35, near Sawyer Trail ©Musafir Mallows at Sweeney Ridge ©Musafir Distant view of Golden Gate Bridge from Sweeney Ridge ©Musafir Field of Mustard Greens near Skyline College, Pacifica ©Musafir Seaside Daisys near Rockaway Beach©Musafir Footstep of Spring (Sanicula arctopoides) near Rockaway Beach ©Musafir Daffodils at Arastradero Preserve ©Musafir Johnny Jump Ups at Russian Ridge©Musafir Common Eucrypta at Russian Ridge ©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2010/03/first-day-of-spring-2010/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Spring and Fall Equinox.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003eUniv. of Montana\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\"On the Spring Equinox  the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours  and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the  Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth  experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n--\u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003eUniv of Montana\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003eOfficially, the Vernal Equinox begins today at 4:32 PM on the West Coast (1:32 PM EST). \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor us in San Mateo County, cloudy weather in the forecast for two more days.  Feels cool after yesterday's temperature in the high 80's.    But soon, warm, sunny days will be the norm.  The valleys are green and inviting; wild mushrooms are gone but wild flowers are coming out.  It is the season to be out, to tend to gardens, to hike and run on the trails.  Ah, Spring.  Make the most of it.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"One thing I remember\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Spring came on forever,\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Spring came on forever,\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Said the Chinese  Nightingale.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e --Vachel Linday, \"The  Chinese Nightingale\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eViolet Lupines alongside Hwy 35, near Sawyer Trail \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 048.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMallows at Sweeney Ridge \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 049a.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDistant view of Golden Gate Bridge from Sweeney Ridge \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 066.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eField of Mustard Greens near Skyline College, Pacifica  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 068.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSeaside Daisys near Rockaway Beach\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 053.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnKxp5Jg1RD0vyqE9gkuRvHIRwfkrzSOOaNCjKDNYUSW0oSws57l1o2PEHLoKL5x-eg5QKeG0wYv65dalDi7IOPysRQytZkg4XPHiS3GjgZi3anSaV1MJq8g1BjMByqcx1vjU/s1600-h/Russian+Ridge+05.jpg\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003eFootstep of Spring (\u003ci\u003eSanicula arctopoides) \u003c/i\u003enear Rockaway Beach \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 062.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDaffodils at Arastradero Preserve  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Arastradero Preserve 3-1-2010 025.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\nJohnny Jump Ups at Russian Ridge\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnKxp5Jg1RD0vyqE9gkuRvHIRwfkrzSOOaNCjKDNYUSW0oSws57l1o2PEHLoKL5x-eg5QKeG0wYv65dalDi7IOPysRQytZkg4XPHiS3GjgZi3anSaV1MJq8g1BjMByqcx1vjU/s1600-h/Russian+Ridge+05.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Russian Ridge 03.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\nCommon Eucrypta at Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/03/Russian Ridge 06.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"First Day of Spring 2010"},{"content":" * In Memory of Sarah Meyer Sarah Meyer of Rodmell, East Sussex, died of complications from bladder cancer shortly after 11:00 PM on 3rd March 2010. She was 73. Cremation service has been scheduled for 19th March. In accordance with her wish, ashes will be scattered at the Cornish Coast. This is a tribute to Sarah, not a lament for her. From anti-nuclear protest at Greenham Common in the 1980's to marching against the war foisted on us by Bush and Blair, Sarah was a valiant, dedicated fighter against aggression and injustice. In Bosnia, Sarah conducted homeopathic/Jungian clinics for doctors and psychiatrists in Zagreb and Split, as well as two in the war zone. Her posts under Index Research covered a wide range of topics -- from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, to torture; Guantanamo; intrusive surveillance of civilian populations; Israel's use of cluster bombs in Lebanon; war crimes, including use of white phosphorus shells in highly populated areas in Gaza; the environment, and her own experience of being afflicted with cancer. A post in January, 2009: There is talk these days of (new buzz word) “disproportionate” bombing. Tell me, what is proportionate bombing? Are those civilians - women and children - murdered in the Gaza strip, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq or Afghanistan killed by \"proportionate\" bombs? It is the illegal and unjust wars that are disproportionate. Those who are silent about, or support these criminal actions are themselves criminals.E-mail dated Jan 11, 2009: The birds yesterday filled the garden. I thought of them, perhaps sentimentally, as Gazans in a market, wishing them love and hope. Today, they are splashing in the water, and drinking ... which Gazans are unable to do. That was Sarah, scathing in her denunciation of warmongers. A lover of Bach, books, and gardening, in one of her last messages Sarah wrote: I do so love the sound of rain on window panes, and watching the thrushes in their morning birdbaths. Sometimes sparrows or coal tits try to muscle in, unsuccessfully. They come back later for their splash orgies.And in another: No sadness, please ... though I appreciate that, too. I am not sad.Wistful, however, with the autumn, wondering if it is symbolic for me, or not?It was a pleasure and privilege to be a friend of Sarah. To use an Australian expression, she was bonza. Thanks to all who e-mailed and/or spoke to Sarah following publication in TPV of Hands Across the Seas, after she informed us of the diagnosis and her decision to forgo conventional medical treatment. More and more people are making it known that in case of terminal illness they do not wish to go through invasive medical procedures and end their lives hooked up to tubes. However, not all who believe in the Right to Die and Death With Dignity have Sarah's strength to adhere to that position when faced with the decision to decline treatment. On January 11, 2009, in an article titled \"The Dying of the Light\" in The Washington Post, Dr. Craig Bowron (a hospital-based internist in St. Paul, MN, wrote: Nothing in my medical training qualifies me to judge what kind of life is satisfying or worth living. Many would say that if we were to become paralyzed in an accident, just let us die. But many quadriplegics, once they've gone through an initial period of adjustment, find their lives very satisfying. Patients can and do make enormous efforts and fight precipitous odds to get back to life as they knew it, or even just to go on living. But the difference for many elderly is that what's waiting for them at the end of this illness is just another illness, and another struggle. And: This isn't about euthanasia. It's not about spiraling health care costs. It's about the gift of life -- and death. It is about living life and death with dignity, and letting go. Poem for the LivingWhen I am deadCry for me a little.Think of me sometimesBut not too much.It is not good for youOr for your wife or your husbandOr your childrenTo allow your thoughts to dwellToo long on the Dead.Think of me now and againAs I was in lifeAt some momentit is pleasant to recall.But not for long.Leave me in peaceAs I shall leaveyou, too, in peace.While you liveLet your thoughts be withthe Living. ---Theodora Kroeber Anthropologist Theodora Kroeber wrote this before her death from cancer in 1979. I think that the poem reflects how Sarah felt. Let us, friends of Sarah, think of her \"......now and again\". ","permalink":"/posts/2010/03/hands-across-the-seas-part-iv-final-chapter/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn Memory of Sarah Meyer\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSarah Meyer of Rodmell, East Sussex, died of complications from bladder cancer shortly after 11:00 PM on 3rd March 2010.   She was 73.  Cremation service has been scheduled for 19th March.  In accordance with her wish, ashes will be scattered at the Cornish Coast.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThis is a tribute to Sarah, not a lament for her.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom anti-nuclear protest at Greenham Common in the 1980's to marching against the war foisted on us by Bush and Blair, Sarah was  a valiant, dedicated fighter against aggression and injustice. In Bosnia, Sarah conducted homeopathic/Jungian clinics for doctors and psychiatrists in Zagreb and Split, as well as two in the war zone.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHer posts under \u003ca href=\"http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/\"\u003eIndex Research \u003c/a\u003ecovered a wide range of topics -- from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, to torture; Guantanamo; intrusive surveillance of civilian populations;  Israel's use of cluster bombs in Lebanon; war crimes, including use of white phosphorus shells in highly populated areas in Gaza\u003cb\u003e;\u003c/b\u003e the environment, and \u003ca href=\"http://tinyurl.com/yb7awg7\"\u003eher own experience\u003c/a\u003e of being afflicted with cancer.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2009/01/index-on-afghanistan-december-2008.html\"\u003eA post\u003c/a\u003e in January, 2009:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThere is talk these days of (new buzz word) “disproportionate” bombing. Tell me, what is proportionate bombing? Are those civilians - women and children - murdered in the Gaza strip, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq or Afghanistan killed by \"proportionate\" bombs? It is the illegal and unjust wars that are disproportionate. Those who are silent about, or support these criminal actions are themselves criminals.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003eE-mail dated Jan 11, 2009:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe birds yesterday filled the garden.  I thought of them, perhaps sentimentally, as Gazans in a market, wishing them love and hope.  Today, they are splashing in the water, and drinking ... which Gazans are unable to do.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThat was Sarah, scathing in her denunciation of  warmongers.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eA lover of Bach, books, and gardening, in one of her last messages Sarah wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eI do so love the sound of rain on window panes, and watching \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ethe thrushes in their morning birdbaths. Sometimes sparrows \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eor coal tits try to muscle in, unsuccessfully. They come back \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003elater for their splash orgies.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003eAnd in another: \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo sadness, please ... though I appreciate that, too.  I am not sad.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eWistful, however,  with the autumn, wondering if it is symbolic for \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eme, or not?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/div\u003eIt was a pleasure and privilege to be a friend of Sarah.  To use an Australian expression, she was bonza.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThanks to all who e-mailed and/or spoke to  Sarah following  publication in \u003ca href=\"http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/11/02/hands-across-the-seas\"\u003eTPV\u003c/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/11/02/hands-across-the-seas\"\u003eHands Across the Seas\u003c/a\u003e, after she informed us  of  the diagnosis and her decision to forgo conventional medical treatment.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nMore and more people are making it known that in case of terminal illness they do not wish to  go through invasive medical procedures and end  their lives hooked up to tubes.  However, not all who believe in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.righttodie.info/\"\u003eRight to Die\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.deathwithdignity.org/\"\u003eDeath With Dignity\u003c/a\u003e have Sarah's strength to adhere to that position when faced with the decision to decline treatment.   \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e \u003c/i\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\nOn January 11, 2009, in an article titled \"The Dying of the Light\" in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010902298_2.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e, Dr. Craig Bowron (a hospital-based internist in St. Paul, MN, wrote: \u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#ccffff\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNothing in my medical training qualifies me to judge what kind of life is satisfying or worth living. Many would say that if we were to become paralyzed in an accident, just let us die. But many quadriplegics, once they've gone through an initial period of adjustment, find their lives very satisfying. Patients can and do make enormous efforts and fight precipitous odds to get back to life as they knew it, or even just to go on living. But the difference for many elderly is that what's waiting for them at the end of this illness is just another illness, and another struggle.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eAnd: \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis isn't about euthanasia. It's not about spiraling health care costs. It's about the gift of life -- and death. It is about living life and death with dignity, and letting go.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003ePoem for the Living\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhen I am dead\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCry for me a little.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThink of me sometimes\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut not too much.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt is not good for you\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eOr for your wife or your husband\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eOr your children\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eTo allow your thoughts to dwell\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eToo long on the Dead.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThink of me now and again\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eAs I was in life\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eAt some moment\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eit is pleasant to recall.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut not for long.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeave me in peace\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eAs I shall leave\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eyou, too, in peace.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhile you live\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eLet your thoughts be with\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe Living.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Theodora Kroeber\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnthropologist Theodora Kroeber wrote this before her death from cancer in 1979.  I think that the poem reflects how Sarah felt.  Let us, friends of Sarah, think of her \".\u003ci\u003e.....now and again\".  \u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hands Across the Seas, Part IV (Final Chapter)"},{"content":" * Malaysia Steps Backward * Nicaragua's Dogmatic Position Two items that illustrate the harsh impact of religion on civilians in countries governed under arbitrary interpretation of scriptures. Christian Science Monitor Feb 18,2010 Malaysia caned three Muslim women convicted of adultery by a court of Islamic law, the first time that women in the multi-faith country have been subject to the punishment. Last August, a similar sentence against a Muslim woman caught drinking was deferred amid complaints that shariah courts had overstepped the mark. That punishment is still pending. Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said he wanted to publicize the case of the three women, who also received short jail terms, because of “too much hype” over the earlier case. “People are saying that no woman has been caned before… today I am announcing that we have already done it,” he told a press conference. He added that the women didn’t suffer any cuts or bruises from the caning and had “repented” for their offenses. Four men were also convicted of “illicit sex” and sentenced to whipping. What can one say about such atrocities? I suppose it is better than stoning the women to death, as the Somalians do. Guardian UK Feb 23, 2010 Nicaraguan authorities have withheld life-saving treatment from a pregnant cancer patient because it could harm the foetus and violate a total ban on abortion. A state-run hospital has monitored the cancer spreading in the body of the 27-year-old named only as Amalia since her admission on February 12 but has not offered chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a therapeutic abortion, citing the law. The decision has ignited furious protests from relatives and campaigners who say the woman, who has a 10-year-old daughter and is 10 weeks pregnant, will die unless treated. The cancer is suspected to have spread to her brain, lungs and breasts. They have petitioned the courts, government and the pan-regional Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to intervene. The case has revived controversy over the 2007 law which made Nicaragua one of the few countries to prohibit abortion under any circumstances. Girls and women who seek an abortion, and health professionals who provide health services associated with abortion, face jail. Here in America,too, there are people who would like to see total ban on abortions. Think about the possible scenarios if and when they get their way. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/02/tyranny-of-the-religious/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMalaysia Steps Backward * Nicaragua's Dogmatic Position\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nTwo items that illustrate the harsh impact of religion on civilians in countries governed under arbitrary interpretation of scriptures.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0218/Malaysia-begins-caning-women-for-adultery\"\u003eChristian Science Monitor Feb 18,2010\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMalaysia caned three Muslim women convicted of adultery by a court of Islamic law, the first time that women in the multi-faith country have been subject to the punishment.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLast August, a similar sentence against a Muslim woman caught drinking was deferred amid complaints that shariah courts had overstepped the mark. That punishment is still pending.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHome Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said he wanted to publicize the case of the three women, who also received short jail terms, because of “too much hype” over the earlier case.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“People are saying that no woman has been caned before… today I am announcing that we have already done it,” he told a press conference. He added that the women didn’t suffer any cuts or bruises from the caning and had “repented” for their offenses. Four men were also convicted of “illicit sex” and sentenced to whipping. \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhat can one say about such atrocities?  I suppose it is better than stoning the women to death, as the Somalians do. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/23/nicaragua-cancer-treatment-abortion\"\u003eGuardian UK Feb 23, 2010\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nNicaraguan authorities have withheld life-saving treatment from a pregnant cancer patient because it could harm the foetus and violate a total ban on abortion.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA state-run hospital has monitored the cancer spreading in the body of the 27-year-old named only as Amalia since her admission on February 12 but has not offered chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a therapeutic abortion, citing the law.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe decision has ignited furious protests from relatives and campaigners who say the woman, who has a 10-year-old daughter and is 10 weeks pregnant, will die unless treated. The cancer is suspected to have spread to her brain, lungs and breasts. They have petitioned the courts, government and the pan-regional Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to intervene.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe case has revived controversy over the 2007 law which made Nicaragua one of the few countries to prohibit abortion under any circumstances. Girls and women who seek an abortion, and health professionals who provide health services associated with abortion, face jail.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHere in America,too, there are people who would like to see total ban on abortions. Think about the possible scenarios if and when they get their way.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Tyranny of the Religious"},{"content":" * Rancho San Antonio After the morning fog dissipated, Valentines Day turned out to be sparklingly clear. Hikers and runners took advantage of the weather. It was difficult to find an empty slot in the parking lots at Rancho San Antonio.....another great preserve under Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). Arani Sinha and I were lucky to get space as a returning hiker pulled out from the lower parking lot. We took the PG and E (Powerline) trail but did not go all the way up. Exited on the Farm Bypass 2.1 miles from the parking lot and returned past Deer Hollow Farm on Wild Cat Canyon Trail. Creek alongside Wild Cat Canyon Trail, Rancho San Antonio ©Musafir A Red-shouldered Hawk at Rancho San Antonio©Musafir Wild Mushrooms and Flowers Forager in the woods©Musafir A cluster of Lions' Mane Mushroom ((Hericium erinaceus)©Musafir Edible and excellent. Found near Big Basin on Feb 15, 2010.. About five weeks before Spring Equinox, there are still some chanterelles to be found. But as the days begin to turn warm they will soon be gone except in the north coast. The woods will continue to give pleasure as the display of spring wild flowers begins. Indian Warriors at Wunderlich Park ©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2010/02/a-red-shouldered-hawk-and-wild-mushrooms/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eRancho San Antonio\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter the morning fog dissipated, Valentines Day turned out to be sparklingly clear.   Hikers and runners took advantage of the weather.  It was difficult to find an empty slot in the parking lots at Rancho San Antonio.....another great preserve under Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (\u003ca href=\"http://www.openspace.org/\"\u003eMROSD\u003c/a\u003e). Arani Sinha and I were lucky to get space as a returning hiker pulled out from the lower parking lot.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWe took the PG and E (Powerline) trail but did not go all the way up.  Exited on the Farm Bypass 2.1 miles from the parking lot and returned past Deer Hollow Farm on Wild Cat Canyon Trail.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Creek alongside Wild Cat Canyon Trail, Rancho San Antonio \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 028.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e A Red-shouldered Hawk at Rancho San Antonio\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 030.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWild Mushrooms and Flowers\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eForager in the woods\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 038.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA cluster of Lions' Mane Mushroom ((\u003ci\u003eHericium erinaceus\u003c/i\u003e)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eEdible and excellent. Found near Big Basin on Feb 15, 2010..\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAbout five weeks before Spring Equinox,  there are still some chanterelles to be found.  But as the days begin to turn warm they will soon be  gone except in the north coast.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe woods will continue to give pleasure as the display of spring wild flowers begins.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIndian Warriors at Wunderlich Park \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 015.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Red-shouldered Hawk and Wild Mushrooms"},{"content":" * The woods, they are lovely * The Meadow * Pileated Woodpecker * Wild Mushrooms Took advantage of a break in the weather to hike at Wunderlich County Park on Wednesday (Feb.10th). Easy to access, the park has a number of trails ranging from 5 to 9.5 mile loops. Some change in elevation as you head west toward Skyline but not too demanding. The trails showed the effects of rains and stormy weather which we experienced in recent weeks. The muddy patches didn't pose much of a problem. We took Bear Gulch trail to The Meadow (a distance of 2.5 miles) sat down and had a picnic lunch of a ragout made with butternut squash, white beans, some diced pancetta, and sprinkling of Herbs de Provence; steamed asparagus spears rolled in hot olive oil and garlic; fresh Ciabatta, with a half bottle of Sangiovase. Coffee and leftover pieces from a birhday cake with chocolate and cream topping. A lot of calories, yes, but we had a 2.5 mile hike ahead of us to return to the parking lot. It was after the picnic that JHL, an avid birder, heard the call of a bird and, looking through binoculars , spotted a Pileated Woodpecker. I tried a few quick shots with my camera but didn't have much time to properly focus before the bird flew away. On the way back we came across some Sulphur Shelf mushrooms; edible and good. There was an area full of White Coral mushrooms; they are not harmful but not worth picking. Altogether, a good day. The Meadow, Wunderlich Park ©Musafir Pileated Woodpecker ©Musafir JHL, bird spotter ©Musafir Sulphur Shelf Mushrooms©Musafir White Coral Mushrooms©Musafir Daffodils are beginning to appear. On the drive back to Palo Alto, saw a patch full of daffodils in bloom alongside Sandhill Road. Daffodils alongside Sandhill Road - \".....can Spring be far behind\" ©Musafir Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-11-20 That\u0026#39;s no sulphur shelf. Looks most like gymnopilus (jack-o-lantern mushroom), which causes most of the mushroom poisonings in California. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-11-20 Sorry, Omphalotus. Could also be \u0026quot;Laughing Gym\u0026quot;. Either way, not something to eat. Be careful what you consider \u0026quot;edible and good\u0026quot;. musafir \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30 Well, I cooked and enjoyed the sulphur shelf. I\u0026#39;m still around. I\u0026#39;m familiar with jack-o-lantern\nmushrooms.\nMusafir ","permalink":"/posts/2010/02/wunderlich-park-woodside-ca/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe woods, they are lovely * The Meadow * Pileated Woodpecker * Wild Mushrooms\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTook advantage of a break in the weather to hike at Wunderlich County Park on Wednesday (Feb.10th). Easy to access, the park has a number of trails ranging from 5 to 9.5 mile loops. Some change in elevation as you head west toward Skyline but not too demanding.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe trails showed the effects of rains and stormy weather which we experienced in recent weeks. The muddy patches didn't pose much of a problem.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe took Bear Gulch trail to The Meadow (a distance of 2.5 miles) sat down and had a picnic lunch of a ragout made with butternut squash, white beans, some diced pancetta, and sprinkling of Herbs de Provence; steamed asparagus spears rolled in hot olive oil and garlic; fresh Ciabatta, with a half bottle of Sangiovase. Coffee and leftover pieces from a birhday cake with chocolate and cream topping. A lot of calories, yes, but we had a 2.5 mile hike ahead of us to return to the parking lot.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was after the picnic that JHL, an avid birder, heard the call of a bird and, looking through binoculars , spotted a Pileated Woodpecker. I tried a few quick shots with my camera but didn't have much time to properly focus before the bird flew away.  On the way back we came across some Sulphur Shelf mushrooms; edible and good. There was an area full of White Coral mushrooms; they are not harmful but not worth picking.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nAltogether, a good day.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Meadow, Wunderlich Park \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nPileated Woodpecker\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Pilliated Woodpecker v2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eJHL, bird spotter \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSulphur Shelf Mushrooms\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWhite Coral Mushrooms\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 023.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDaffodils are beginning to appear. On the drive back to Palo Alto, saw a patch full of  daffodils in bloom alongside Sandhill Road.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDaffodils alongside Sandhill Road  - \".....can Spring be far behind\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 024.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-11-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThat\u0026#39;s no sulphur shelf. Looks most like gymnopilus (jack-o-lantern mushroom), which causes most of the mushroom poisonings in California.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-11-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSorry, Omphalotus. Could also be \u0026quot;Laughing Gym\u0026quot;. Either way, not something to eat. Be careful what you consider \u0026quot;edible and good\u0026quot;.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWell, I cooked and enjoyed the sulphur shelf.  I\u0026#39;m still around. I\u0026#39;m familiar with jack-o-lantern\u003cbr\u003emushrooms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Wunderlich Park, Woodside, CA."},{"content":" * A Safe, Scenic Road for Bicyclists * The Family (Club) On any given day, unless the weather is really beastly, many bicyclists are to be found on Canada Road between Woodside Road (the town of Woodside) and Hwy 92, a distance of just over 7 miles. And some hardy souls ride on it even when the weather is beastly. A good ride clears the head , gets the kinks out from legs. One can stretch the ride by taking Olive Hill Lane off Canada Road, and then continuing on to Miramontes Road or -- even longer -- to Kings Mountain Road, and then back to Woodside Road. Great rides no matter which you direction you take. On weekends and holidays hoards of bicyclists ride both north and south on Canada Road, and it is fun to see the faster riders jockeying for position to be in the lead. See Bicycle Sundays (closing of Canada Road to cars) in the web site chainreaction.com Photographs below were taken during a ride in the last week of January. Looking west, T-junction Edgewood Road and Canada Road©Musafir Plaque about West Union, just south of the Edgewood Road/Canada Road Junction ©Musafir A field of Oxalis weeds ©Musafir Well nigh impossible to get rid of, I hated to see them in my yard. But, from a distance they look good. Flowering Quince©Musafir Pyracantha bush - thorny, and the berries are poisonous.©Musafir Canada Road, looking north on a work day afternoon.. ©Musafir Outdoor statue, I ©Musafir Outdoor statue, II©Musafir Outdoor statue, III ©Musafir Yellow flowers - Don't have a name; researching. ©MusafirWoodside is where The Family, a private club formed by employees of The San Francisco Examiner and other newspapers owned by the Hearst organization in protest against banning of Hearst newspapers by The Bohemian Club, has its summer camp. The main club, originally located at Post Street, San Francisco, was relocated after the 1906 earthquake to corner of Powell and Bush Streets. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-05-26 Thanks for sharing the nice pictures. Canada is very famous for flowers and variety of flowers is found in Canada. Vancouver flowers \u0026mdash; 2010-11-10 Califonia\u0026#39;s weather is good for flowers. It is always warm and constant sunshine make flowers happy and healthy. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/02/weeds-wild-flowers-outdoor-statuary---canada-road-woodside-ca/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Safe, Scenic Road for Bicyclists * The Family (Club)\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn any given day, unless the weather is really beastly,  many bicyclists are to be found on Canada Road between Woodside Road (the town of Woodside) and Hwy 92, a distance of  just over 7 miles. And some hardy souls ride on it even when the weather is beastly.  A good ride clears the head , gets  the kinks out from legs.  One can stretch the ride  by taking Olive Hill Lane off Canada Road, and then continuing on to  Miramontes Road or -- even longer -- to Kings Mountain Road, and then back to Woodside Road.  Great rides no matter which you direction you take. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn weekends and holidays  hoards of bicyclists ride both north and south on  Canada Road, and it is fun to see the faster riders jockeying for position to be in the lead. See Bicycle Sundays (closing of Canada Road to cars) in the web site \u003ca href=\"http://www.chainreaction.com/canada_road.htm\"\u003echainreaction.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePhotographs below were taken during a ride in the last week of January.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking west, T-junction Edgewood Road and Canada Road\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ePlaque about West Union, just south of the Edgewood Road/Canada Road Junction\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nA field of Oxalis weeds \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWell nigh impossible to get rid of, I hated to see them in my yard. But, from a distance they look good.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFlowering Quince\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ePyracantha bush - thorny, and the berries are poisonous.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCanada Road, looking north on a work day afternoon.. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOutdoor statue, I \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOutdoor statue, II\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOutdoor statue, III \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eYellow flowers - Don't have a name; researching.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/02/Misc. Jan-Feb 2010 011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWoodside is where  \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_%28club%29\"\u003eThe Family\u003c/a\u003e, a private club formed by employees of The San Francisco Examiner and other newspapers owned by the Hearst organization in protest against banning of Hearst newspapers by The Bohemian Club, has its summer camp.  The main club, originally located at Post Street, San Francisco, was relocated after the 1906 earthquake to corner of  Powell and Bush Streets.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-05-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for sharing the nice pictures. Canada is very famous for \u003ca href=\"http://www.yourvancouver.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eflowers\u003c/a\u003e and variety of flowers is found in Canada.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVancouver flowers\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-11-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eCalifonia\u0026#39;s weather is good for \u003ca href=\"http://www.vancouverdavieflowers.ca\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eflowers\u003c/a\u003e. It is always warm and constant sunshine make flowers happy and healthy.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Weeds, Wild Flowers, Outdoor Statuary - Canada Road, Woodside, CA"},{"content":" * Iraq War and Prayer Sessions The smarmy Mr. Blair talked his way through soft-balls lobbed at him by members of the Chilcot Inquiry on January 29th. Watching him reminded me of reports that our former president, G.W. Bush and Tony Blair were users of Colgate toothpaste. Good for Colgate-Palmolive; probably boosted the sale. It was also reported that Blair -- described by some as Bush's poodle -- and Bush prayed together. Easy to imagine them doing so. Bush, a born-again Christian, who did his utmost to destroy the barrier between church and state during eight years as president, said he was told by god to go to war. From June 26, 2003, edition of The Haaretz: - Source: http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0630-04.htmAccording to Abbas, immediately thereafter Bush said: \"God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East.And Blair, who converted to Catholicism after the end of of his term as prime minister of the United Kingdom, also talks in terms of divine guidance. Piety oozes out of him. \"The Men Who Stare At Goats\", the delightful, spoofy novel about the CIA by Jon Ronson contains the following about G.W. Bush and presidentialprayerteam.org (it exists).\"Pray for the strong relationship between Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair. Pray that the President will continue to be guided by the Lord in his deliberation with the U.K.\"Last night, reading the book after Mr. Blair's appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry, I thought ah, that explains it!. Mr. Blair certainly joined wholeheartedly in Bush's war. It would appear that members of the Chilcot Committee responded too. This ought to silence those who question the power of prayers. Quite useful to have a god available to support military actions against nations that displease us, have natural resources that we need, or are in a strategic geographical location -- toss a coin. Jon Ronson's book has been made into a movie with George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey in the leading roles. Should be fun to watch. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/blair-bush-and-the-farce-that-is-chilcot-inquiry/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eIraq War and Prayer Sessions\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe smarmy Mr. Blair talked his way through soft-balls lobbed at him by members of the Chilcot Inquiry on January 29th. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWatching him reminded me of reports that our former president, G.W. Bush and Tony Blair were users of Colgate toothpaste. Good for Colgate-Palmolive; probably boosted the sale.  It was also reported that Blair -- described by some as Bush's poodle -- and Bush prayed together.  Easy to imagine them doing so. Bush, a born-again Christian, who did his utmost to destroy the barrier between church and state during eight years as president, said he was told by god to go to war. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom June 26, 2003, edition of The Haaretz: - Source: http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0630-04.htm\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eAccording to Abbas, immediately thereafter Bush said: \"God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd Blair, who converted to Catholicism after the end of of his term as prime minister of the United Kingdom, also talks in terms of divine guidance. Piety oozes out of him.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The Men Who Stare At Goats\", the delightful, spoofy novel about the CIA by \u003ca href=\"http://www.jonronson.com/goats_chapter.html\"\u003eJon Ronson\u003c/a\u003e   contains the following about G.W. Bush and \u003ca href=\"http://presidentialprayerteam.org/\"\u003epresidentialprayerteam.org\u003c/a\u003e (it exists).\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Pray for the strong relationship between Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair.  Pray that the President will   continue to be guided by the Lord in his deliberation with the U.K.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast night, reading the book after Mr. Blair's appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry, I thought ah, that explains it!.  Mr. Blair certainly joined wholeheartedly in Bush's war.  It would appear that members of the Chilcot Committee responded too. This ought to silence those who question the power of prayers.  Quite useful to have a god available to support military actions against nations that displease us, have natural resources that we need, or are in a strategic geographical location -- toss a coin.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nJon Ronson's book has been made into a movie with George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey in the leading roles. Should be fun to watch.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Blair, Bush, And the Farce that is Chilcot Inquiry"},{"content":" * Iraq War: Chilcot Inquiry Jolted by former Deputy Legal Adviser Must confess that until reading reports about today's proceedings the name of Elizabeth Wilmshurst was not known to most of us this side of the Atlantic.....even among those who closely followed the controversy about Tony Blair's role in committing Britain to the unjustified war against Iraq. While actions by ex-president G.W. Bush and his administration have been relegated to history, it is a different story in Britain. Despite efforts to bury the facts, the Labour Government was unable to stop demands for a public inquiry and a 5-member committee headed by Sir John Chilcot was announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on June 15, 2009. The Chilcot Inquiry has been ongoing since 24th November 2009. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to appear the Committee on Friday, January 29th. It is unlikely that Blair will face criminal charges. Alastair Campbell, who served as Blair's aide, breezed through \"soft ball\" questions during his testimony last week. Blair, an unctious, smooth-tongued orator, is not going to have any problem. But the proceedings were shook up today during evidence by Elizabeth Wilmshurst, Deputy Legal Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2001-2003. From Guardian UK Jan 26, 2010 The Iraq inquiry burst into life yesterday, thanks to a quiet, thoughtful yet furious woman who ripped into the government like a genteel but very hungry lioness. Elizabeth Wilmshurst was the first witness to get a round of applause from the public. Her evidence was brief, less than an hour, but Jack Straw and Lord Goldsmith must have loathed every word. It was like being torn apart by a cross between Judi Dench as \"M\" and Princess Diana – softly spoken, but as hard and inflexible as a crowbar. * At the end she ­described how the ­attorney general (who in the mists of history had also thought the invasion illegal) was finally consulted only at the very last minute as the troops were ready to go in. \"I thought the process that was followed was lamentable,\" she said, and the word seemed to echo round the room. This ­inquiry will now never seem the same. Perhaps, just perhaps, what she said will prod the members of the committee to shed their diffidence, take their fingers out and do the job for which they were selected. Comments Novlangue \u0026mdash; 2010-01-30 We\u0026#39;ve known for ages that WMDs didn\u0026#39;t exist. I don\u0026#39;t know why we (the Brits)keep going over this!\nSalaam aleychem. musafir \u0026mdash; 2010-01-30 Thank you. Yes, the non-existence of WMDs was established a long time ago.\nAnd yet Mr. Blair made it a part of his argument. The Chilcot Committee is a joke.\nNoted that you are a Haiku lover. I\nenjoy them, especially ones by Basho. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/three-cheers-for-elizabeth-wilmshurst/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eIraq War: Chilcot Inquiry Jolted by former Deputy Legal Adviser\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMust confess that until reading reports about today's proceedings the name of \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Wilmshurst\"\u003eElizabeth Wilmshurst \u003c/a\u003e was not known to most of us this side of the Atlantic.....even among those who closely followed the controversy about Tony Blair's role in committing Britain to the unjustified war against Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile actions by ex-president G.W. Bush and his administration have been relegated to history, it  is a different story in Britain.  Despite efforts to bury the facts, the Labour Government was unable to stop demands for a public inquiry and a 5-member committee headed by Sir John Chilcot was announced by  Prime Minister Gordon Brown on June 15, 2009. The Chilcot Inquiry has been ongoing since 24th November 2009.  Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to appear the Committee on Friday, January 29th.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is unlikely that Blair will face criminal charges. Alastair Campbell, who served as Blair's aide,  breezed through \"soft ball\" questions during his testimony last week. Blair, an unctious, smooth-tongued orator, is not going to have any problem.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut the proceedings were shook up today during evidence by Elizabeth Wilmshurst, Deputy Legal Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2001-2003. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/26/chilcot-iraq-inquiry-wilmshurst\"\u003eGuardian UK\u003c/a\u003e Jan 26, 2010\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Iraq inquiry burst into life yesterday, thanks to a quiet, thoughtful yet furious woman who ripped into the government like a genteel but very hungry lioness. Elizabeth Wilmshurst was the first witness to get a round of applause from the public.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eHer evidence was brief, less than an hour, but \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/jackstraw\" title=\"More from guardian.co.uk on Jack Straw\"\u003eJack Straw\u003c/a\u003e and Lord Goldsmith must have loathed every word. It was like being torn apart by a cross between Judi Dench as \"M\" and Princess Diana – softly spoken, but as hard and inflexible as a crowbar.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAt the end she ­described how the ­attorney general (who in the mists of history had also thought the invasion illegal) was finally consulted only at the very last minute as the troops were ready to go in. \"I thought the process that was followed was lamentable,\" she said, and the word seemed to echo round the room. This ­inquiry will now never seem the same.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nPerhaps, just perhaps, what she said will prod the members of the committee to shed their diffidence, take their fingers out and do the job for which they were selected.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNovlangue\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-01-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWe\u0026#39;ve known for ages that WMDs didn\u0026#39;t exist. I don\u0026#39;t know why we (the Brits)keep going over this!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSalaam aleychem.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-01-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you. Yes, the non-existence of WMDs was established a long time ago.\u003cbr\u003eAnd yet Mr. Blair made it a part of his argument. The Chilcot Committee is a joke.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNoted that you are a Haiku lover. I\u003cbr\u003eenjoy them, especially ones by Basho.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Three Cheers for Elizabeth Wilmshurst"},{"content":" * The Green Hills of Stanford, California Last Monday (January 18th) the rain came down in buckets and the wind howled through the night. Tuesday,too, we got a soaking, and it is raining today. According to the weather man the rains will continue through the middle of next week with perhaps a break on Tuesday, the 26th. Driving back from the Silicon Valley yesterday afternoon I stopped at Arastradero Preserve to take some pictures. Walked up the hill east of the parking lot and watched the flow of traffic on both north and southbound lanes of Highway 280. Beyond the highway were the rolling hills where the Stanford Dish is located. The radio telescope commonly known as the Dish is the most prominent landmark in Stanford's 8,180 acres of open space. The Dish, 150 feet in diameter, scans the sky, gathering data on distant galaxies. -- Gaill Todd, SFGate.com Very popular with hikers and runners during all seasons despite the fact that they are confined to paved trails, ranging from 3.7 miles to 5 miles depending on the entrance. I enjoyed it more before restrictions were imposed and enforcement began. Previously one could hike and run on other trails, some of them longer and more arduous. But no doubt the authorities had good reasons for introducing the restrictions. The Stanford Dish © Musafir Green and lovely © Musafir Looking down on Junipero Serra Freeway (I-280) © Musafir Looking north from the trail east of the parking lot off Arastradero Road © Musafir Looking west from Arastradero Preserve © Musafir A heavy downpour caught me by surprise and I rushed down the trail to the parking lot. Then to home, dry clothes and a glass of red. Ancient Music Winter is icummen in, Lhude sing Goddamm. Raineth drop and staineth slop, And how the wind doth ramm! Sing: Goddamm. Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us, An ague hath my ham. Freezeth river, turneth liver, Damn you, sing: Goddamm. Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm, So 'gainst the winter's balm. Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm. Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM. -- Ezra Pound (1885-1972) ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/the-seasons-january-rains/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e \u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Green Hills of Stanford, California \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast Monday (January 18th) the rain came down in buckets and the wind howled through the night.   Tuesday,too, we got a soaking, and it is raining today. According to the weather man the rains will continue through the middle of next week with perhaps a break on Tuesday, the 26th. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDriving back from the Silicon Valley yesterday afternoon I stopped at Arastradero Preserve to take some pictures.  Walked up the hill east of the parking lot and watched the flow of traffic on both north and southbound lanes of Highway 280. Beyond the highway were the rolling hills where the \u003ca href=\"http://dish.stanford.edu/\"\u003eStanford Dish\u003c/a\u003e is located. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe radio telescope commonly known as the Dish is the most prominent landmark in Stanford's 8,180 acres of open space. The Dish, 150 feet in diameter, scans the sky, gathering data on distant galaxies.\u003c/b\u003e -- Gaill Todd, \u003ca href=\"http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-03-20/entertainment/17169589_1_radio-telescope-stanford-campus-mountain-lion-sightings\"\u003eSFGate.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003eVery popular with hikers and runners during all seasons despite the fact that they are confined to  paved trails, ranging from 3.7 miles to 5 miles depending on the entrance.  I enjoyed it more before restrictions were imposed and enforcement began.  Previously one could hike and run on other trails, some of them longer and more arduous. But no doubt the authorities had good reasons for introducing the restrictions.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e  The Stanford Dish\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGreen and lovely \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 028.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking down on Junipero Serra Freeway (I-280)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 029.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking north from the trail east of the parking lot off Arastradero Road\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 013.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLooking west from Arastradero Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Rain, Arastradero, Stanford Dish, Hwy 280 034.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eA heavy downpour caught me by surprise and I rushed down the trail to the parking lot.  Then  to home, dry clothes and a glass of red.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAncient Music\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWinter is icummen in,\u003cbr/\u003e\nLhude sing Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\nRaineth drop and staineth slop,\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd how the wind doth ramm!\u003cbr/\u003e\nSing: Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\nSkiddeth bus and sloppeth us,\u003cbr/\u003e\nAn ague hath my ham.\u003cbr/\u003e\nFreezeth river, turneth liver,\u003cbr/\u003e\nDamn you, sing: Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\nGoddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,\u003cbr/\u003e\nSo 'gainst the winter's balm.\u003cbr/\u003e\nSing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\nSing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.\u003cbr/\u003e\n-- Ezra Pound (1885-1972)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: January Rains"},{"content":" * After two years of low rainfall, this season has reversed the pattern. It was a pleasure to hike in Foothill Park, Palo Alto, this afternoon. The trails were moist and the shrubs green. Even found some wild flowers! Unusual at this time of the year. Water was flowing through Buckeye Creek at places. More rains expected next week. From my window - Sunrise 7:04 AM January 15th ©Musafir From my window - Sunrise 7:38 AM January 15th ©Musafir First green leaves- A tree reawakening ©Musafir Early arrival of Indian Paintbrush ©Musafir Milk Maids ©Musafir Wild Clematis, Seed pods opening ©Musafir Makeshift footbridge over Buckeye Creek ©Musafir Picnic alongside Buckeye Creek ©Musafir Happy Forager A bumper year for wild mushrooms. They are to be found everywhere. Not all are edible but the confluence of rains, sunny days, and varying range of temperature must be right for their growth. The chanterelles rewarded foraging trips. Then there were oyster mushrooms. Barely a mile from home I found a patch of Slippery Jacks under pine trees. They are edible but not prized. A patch of chanterelles ©Musafir Slippery Jacks ©Musafir The Rain I hear leaves drinking rain; I hear rich leaves on top Giving the poor beneath Drop after drop; 'Tis a sweet noise to hear These green leaves drinking near. ---William Henry Davies ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/the-seasons-winter-rains-and-green-foothills/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nAfter two years of low rainfall, this season has reversed the pattern.  It was a pleasure to hike in Foothill Park, Palo Alto, this afternoon.  The trails were moist and the shrubs green.  Even found some wild flowers!  Unusual at this time of the year. Water was flowing through Buckeye Creek at places.  More rains expected next week.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFrom my window - Sunrise 7:04 AM January 15th\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Sunrise 7.4 AM Jan 15th.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFrom my window - Sunrise 7:38 AM January 15th\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Sunrise 7.38 AM Jan 15th.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFirst green leaves- A tree reawakening \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foothill Park, Jan 15,2010 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eEarly arrival of Indian Paintbrush\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foothill Park, Jan 15,2010 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMilk Maids\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foothill Park, Jan 15,2010 006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eWild Clematis, Seed pods opening\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foothill Park, Jan 15,2010 017.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMakeshift footbridge over Buckeye Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyeMYs5tJxj4bfzzjhp7N5CZ24ewkd4Vv79WrU6_dKlulRWQk3aSTV7AVL2Qx2DJFLNsVBng6TH4mvfd6Q-XxrJ3MitBT8ezu5A_vQ5hEzCsJaOLLvX5uveQmKNFisnP6Yly2/s1600-h/Foothill+Park,+Jan+15,2010+007.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Buckeye Creek.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nPicnic alongside Buckeye Creek \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foothill Park, Jan 15,2010 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHappy Forager\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA bumper year for wild mushrooms.  They are to be found everywhere.  Not all are edible but the confluence of rains, sunny days, and varying range of temperature must be right for their growth.  The chanterelles rewarded foraging trips. Then there were oyster mushrooms.   Barely a mile from home I found a patch of Slippery Jacks under pine trees.  They are edible but not prized.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA patch of chanterelles\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Foraging trip 1-10-10 002.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSlippery Jacks\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Slippery Jacks  at CSM  1-12-10 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Rain\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eI hear leaves drinking rain;\u003cbr/\u003e\nI hear rich leaves on top\u003cbr/\u003e\nGiving the poor beneath\u003cbr/\u003e\nDrop after drop;\u003cbr/\u003e\n'Tis a sweet noise to hear \u003cbr/\u003e\nThese green leaves drinking near.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n---William Henry Davies\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Winter Rains and Green Foothills"},{"content":" * Don't Hold Your Breath \"Financial crisis panel seeks bankers' testimony\" is the heading of a report by Binyamin Appelbaum in The Washington Post, Jan 8, 2010: The commission appointed by Congress to examine the causes of the financial crisis is to hear testimony Wednesday from the heads of four of the nation's largest banks, as the panel begins a year-long investigation that its chairman described as an effort to figure out \"what the heck happened.\" Numerous reports in the media have given us a good idea of \"what the heck happened\". Major Wall Street financial organizations took part in questionable practices and made a lot of money until the mortgage finance bubble collapsed and caused repercussions that affected the entire U.S. economy. Those responsible were bailed out by our government which failed to include conditions to restrain them. No punishment was sought. Wall Street continues to be involved in exotic financial instruments and make profits. The commission's report, when released sometime before the end of the year, would most likely be a sterile document and serve no purpose. We hear occasional rumblings from the White House about reform. But a meaningful reform with teeth is not going to take place. Elected representatives on both sids of the aisles receive contributions from special interest groups. Lobbyists continue to wield power and influence legislations. The Republicans, of course, are out and out champions of unfettered free market economy, and the abuses that took place were, to some degree, due to the failure or unwillingness of watchdog agencies to perform what they were meant to. The Democrats are not blameless. Key positions in President Obama's team are occupied by people who were directly or indirectly part of Wall Street when the looting went on. Among them Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner who was head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Bloomberg.com: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was asked to testify in Congress about the New York Federal Reserve’s efforts to limit American International Group Inc.’s disclosures of bailout payments to banks. Paul Krugman in New York Times, Jan 7, 2010: Bubbles and the Banks And reform really should take on the financial industry’s compensation practices. If Congress can’t legislate away the financial rewards for excessive risk-taking, it can at least try to tax them. Let me conclude with a political note. The main reason for reform is to serve the nation. If we don’t get major financial reform now, we’re laying the foundations for the next crisis. But there are also political reasons to act. For there’s a populist rage building in this country, and President Obama’s kid-gloves treatment of the bankers has put Democrats on the wrong side of this rage. If Congressional Democrats don’t take a tough line with the banks in the months ahead, they will pay a big price in November. They will deserve what is coming to them. Unfortunately, at the end nothing will change. One group of venal legislators would be replaced by another.....probably even more venal. ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/reform-of-wall-street/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eDon't Hold Your Breath\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Financial crisis panel seeks bankers' testimony\" is the heading of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010704090.html\"\u003ereport\u003c/a\u003e by Binyamin Appelbaum in The Washington Post, Jan 8, 2010:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe commission appointed by Congress to examine the causes of the financial crisis is to hear testimony Wednesday from the heads of four of the nation's largest banks, as the panel begins a year-long investigation that its chairman described as an effort to figure out \"what the heck happened.\"\u003c/b\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNumerous reports in the media have given us a good idea of \"what the heck happened\". Major Wall Street financial organizations took part in questionable practices and made a lot of money until the mortgage finance bubble collapsed and caused repercussions that affected the entire U.S. economy.  Those responsible were bailed out by our government which failed to include conditions to restrain them. No punishment was sought.  Wall Street continues to be involved in exotic financial instruments and make profits.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe commission's report, when released sometime before the end of the year, would most likely be a sterile document and serve no purpose.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe hear occasional rumblings from the White House about reform. But a meaningful reform with teeth is not going to take place.  Elected representatives on both sids of the aisles receive contributions from  special interest groups. Lobbyists continue to wield power and influence legislations. The Republicans, of course, are out and out champions of unfettered free market economy, and the abuses that took place were,  to some degree, due to the failure or unwillingness of watchdog agencies to perform what they were meant to.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Democrats are not blameless. Key positions in President Obama's team are occupied by people who were directly or indirectly part of Wall Street when the looting went on.  Among them Treasury Secretary \u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087\u0026amp;sid=a8XLSUdXzEkk\"\u003eTimothy Geithner\u003c/a\u003e who was head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eBloomberg.com:  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was \u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087\u0026amp;sid=a6brnESewBQQ\" onmouseover=\"return escape( popwOpenWebSite( this ))\" target=\"_blank\"\u003easked to testify\u003c/a\u003e in Congress about the New York Federal Reserve’s efforts to limit American International Group Inc.’s disclosures of bailout payments to banks.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePaul Krugman in New York Times, Jan 7, 2010:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBubbles and the Banks\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd reform really should take on the financial industry’s compensation practices. If Congress can’t legislate away the financial rewards for excessive risk-taking, it can at least try to tax them.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet me conclude with a political note. The main reason for reform is to serve the nation. If we don’t get major financial reform now, we’re laying the foundations for the next crisis. But there are also political reasons to act.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor there’s a populist rage building in this country, and President Obama’s kid-gloves treatment of the bankers has put Democrats on the wrong side of this rage. If Congressional Democrats don’t take a tough line with the banks in the months ahead, they will pay a big price in November. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThey will deserve what is coming to them.  Unfortunately, at the end  nothing will change. One group of\u003cbr/\u003e\nvenal legislators would be replaced by another.....probably even more venal.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Reform of Wall Street"},{"content":" * San Francisco Peninsula * Wild Mushrooms The rains came and the threat of drought has disappeared. Driving north on Hwy 280 a few days back, the rolling hillside near Stanford looked a lush green. Come May they will turn into the color some call \"California gold\". But before that the daffodils will apear on both side of Hwy 280 to the delight of the motorists. We are fortunate to live here in the San Francisco Bay area....high cost of living and all. And the political climate is liberal, tolerant; quite different from the Central Valley about 100 miles south-east where there is no dearth of bigots. January 1st was cloudy but not too cold (50 degrees F, 14 C). Sugarloaf Mountain trails in San Mateo were muddy and slippery at some points but that did not deter hikers from trudging up the hill to look at the bay and the east bay across the San Mateo Bridge. Cluster of Oyster Mushrooms ©Musafir Beautiful, and delicious. I sautee them with chopped garlic and ginger; add firm tofu cut into dominoes, some Hoisin Sauce and Tamari (soya sauce). Good with steamed rice. Witch's Butter ©Musafir Said to be edible but insipid; I don't pick them. Amanita muscaria (Fly Amanita) ©Musafir Poisonous and hallucinogenic. A Virgin Air flight taking off from San Francisco Intl Airport ©Musafir San Mateo Bridge, looking east ©Musafir A patch of blue among the clouds ©Musafir Monday is back to school and work. A change in routine that some find hard to adjust to while others fall into the groove without missing a beat. * \"Not even a hat-- and cold rain falling on me? Tut-tut, think of that! ---Basho (translated by Harold Henderson) ","permalink":"/posts/2010/01/the-seasons-winter-2010/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eSan Francisco Peninsula * Wild Mushrooms\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe rains came and the threat of drought has disappeared.  Driving north on Hwy 280 a few days back, the rolling hillside near Stanford looked a lush green. Come May they will turn into the color some call \"California gold\".  But before that the daffodils will apear on both side of Hwy 280 to the delight of the motorists. We are fortunate to live here in the San Francisco Bay area....high cost of living and all.  And the political climate is liberal, tolerant;  quite different from the Central Valley about 100 miles south-east where there is no dearth of bigots. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJanuary 1st was cloudy but not too cold (50 degrees F, 14 C).  Sugarloaf Mountain trails in San  Mateo  were muddy and slippery at some points but that did not deter hikers from trudging up the hill to look at the bay and the east bay across the San Mateo Bridge.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCluster of Oyster Mushrooms\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-s7FYj6qXC5iFVasCkHiKfMvP3Zn4bMTaf0B2r6TS-nki9rRDrvRzsSH3G6P-KKSod1q-oqmsexMlYAcsoIVUFsEW1IP7y8HupQSbK1a6G9N_-9Ve8nC_GPzDaE5yeZoBV1q/s1600-h/Misc.+Dec+2009+028.jpg\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc. Dec 2009 027.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBeautiful, and delicious.  I sautee them with chopped garlic and ginger; add firm tofu cut into dominoes, some Hoisin Sauce and Tamari (soya sauce).  Good with steamed rice.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWitch's Butter\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc January 2010 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eSaid to be edible but insipid;  I don't pick them.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAmanita muscaria (Fly Amanita)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc January 2010 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePoisonous and hallucinogenic. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA Virgin Air flight taking off from San Francisco Intl Airport \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc January 2010 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSan Mateo Bridge, looking east\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc January 2010 007.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA patch of blue among the clouds\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2010/01/Misc January 2010 009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eMonday is back to school and work.  A change in routine that some find hard to adjust to while others fall into the groove without missing a beat.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"Not even a hat--\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eand cold rain falling on me?\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eTut-tut, think of that!\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e---Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Winter 2010"},{"content":" * A Year of Disillusionment \"To dream of one government ending doesn't mean you'll want the one that comes in its place.\" ---Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special Cases Almost a year ago, on December 30, 2008, I wrote: Peace, Elusive Peace In a few days a new year will begin. Our world is full of turmoil. Wars raging; death raining from the sky on innocent civilians who are pawns in power plays of major nations. Collapse of the scams concocted by Wall Street and blessed by government watch dogs have affected countries far beyond the shores of the United States. Not easy to be hopeful about the future. But hope for a peaceful world we must. Peace still remains elusive. Now we have another 'war president' in the White House. We could be in Afghanistan for a decade or more. Barring a few, our elected representatives of the Democratic Party have proven to be not much different than the Republicans warmongers. The all-powerful military industrial complex is not interested in killing the goose that has been laying golden eggs. They spend a part of their huge profits to buy influence. It works. President Obama, who once made us feel hopeful about the future, went through a sea change. Some people talk about Obama as a pragmatist. Yes, in politics pragmatism has a role. But in Obama's case it is more than that. It is almost as though the Obama who campaigned during 2008 was a completely different person. His move to the right began soon after he was nominated -- part of his goal to bring the uncommitted middle to the fold, we thought. But the wooing of the right never stopped. Today, he bends over backward to appease them but there are no signs that he is succeeding in his courtship. What is undeniable is his failure to follow through on issues. From peace in the Middle-East to reform of Wall Street, Obama talks the talk -- only talks. He has a golden tongue. Reminds me of ex prime minister Blair of United Kingdom who lied and committed his nation to Bush's war in Iraq. The bankers who had a major role in the economic meltdown were rewarded with bailout without restraints. They are still involved in questionable practices. Prayers and Politicians It was sickening to follow the debate over health-care reform. There were times when members of Congress behaved as if they had emerged from caves. Republican Senator Tom Coburn (OK) tops the list of boors. Dana Milbank in The Washington Post 12/21/09 \"At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon -- nine hours before the 1 a.m. vote that would effectively clinch the legislation's passage -- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) went to the Senate floor to propose a prayer. \"What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can't make the vote tonight,\" he said. \"That's what they ought to pray.\" \"It was difficult to escape the conclusion that Coburn was referring to the 92-year-old, wheelchair-bound Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.) who has been in and out of hospitals and lay at home ailing. It would not be easy for Byrd to get out of bed in the wee hours with deep snow on the ground and ice on the roads -- but without his vote, Democrats wouldn't have the 60 they needed.\" Prayer breakfasts are alive and well in Washington DC, the right venue for hypocrites. President Obama, a natural-born practitioner of expediency, took part in one in January shortly after he was inaugurated. Senator Coburn is certain to be among those who regularly attend prayer breakfasts. Senator Coburn and others like him are abominations. Now the same bunch is fighting to protect funding for \"abstinence only\" sex education programs. Does it make you think of Bristol Palin? Recently, during an interview when he was asked about his position on religion, British author Terry Pratchett said: 'I'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel' I'll drink to that. Let's hope that 2010 would be a better year. Stay well. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/transformation-of-barack-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA Year of Disillusionmen\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003et\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"To dream of one government ending doesn't mean you'll want the one that comes in its place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Nathan Englander, The Ministry of Special Cases\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAlmost a  year ago, on December 30, 2008, I wrote: \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeace, Elusive Peace\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eIn a few days a new year will begin. Our world is full of turmoil. Wars raging; death raining from the sky on innocent civilians who are pawns in power plays of major nations. Collapse of the scams concocted by Wall Street and blessed by government watch dogs have affected countries far beyond the shores of the United States. Not easy to be hopeful about the future. But hope for a peaceful world we must.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e Peace still remains elusive.  Now we have another 'war president' in the White House.  We could be in Afghanistan for a decade or more. Barring a few, our elected representatives of the Democratic Party have proven to be not much different than the Republicans warmongers. The all-powerful military industrial complex is not interested in killing the goose that has been laying golden eggs. They spend a part of their huge profits to buy influence.  It works.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Obama, who once made us feel hopeful about the future, went through a sea change.  Some people talk about Obama as a pragmatist.  Yes, in politics pragmatism has a role. But in Obama's case it is more than that. It is almost as though the Obama who campaigned during 2008 was a completely different person. His move to the right began soon after he was nominated -- part of his goal to bring the uncommitted middle to the fold, we thought.  But the wooing of the right never stopped.  Today, he bends over backward to appease them but there are no signs that he is succeeding in his courtship.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat is undeniable is his failure to follow through on issues.  From peace in the Middle-East to reform of Wall Street, Obama talks the talk -- only talks. He has a golden tongue.  Reminds me of ex prime minister Blair of United Kingdom who lied and committed his nation to Bush's war in Iraq. The bankers who had a major role in the economic meltdown were rewarded with bailout without restraints.  They are still involved in questionable practices.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrayers and Politicians\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was sickening to follow the debate over health-care reform.  There were times when  members of Congress behaved as if they had emerged from caves. Republican Senator Tom Coburn (OK) tops the list of boors.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/20/AR2009122002872.html\"\u003eDana Milbank\u003c/a\u003e in The Washington Post 12/21/09\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon -- nine hours before the 1 a.m. vote that would effectively clinch the legislation's passage -- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) went to the Senate floor to propose a prayer. \u003cb\u003e\"What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can't make the vote tonight,\" he said. \"That's what they ought to pray.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"It was difficult to escape the conclusion that Coburn was referring to the 92-year-old, wheelchair-bound Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.) who has been in and out of hospitals and lay at home ailing. It would not be easy for Byrd to get out of bed in the wee hours with deep snow on the ground and ice on the roads -- but without his vote, Democrats wouldn't have the 60 they needed.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePrayer breakfasts are alive and well in Washington DC, the right venue for hypocrites.  President Obama, a natural-born practitioner of expediency, took part in one in January shortly after he was inaugurated.  Senator Coburn is certain to be among those who regularly attend prayer breakfasts.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSenator Coburn and others like him are abominations. Now the same bunch is fighting to protect funding for \"abstinence only\" sex education programs. Does it make you think of Bristol Palin?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently, during an interview when he was asked about his position on religion, British author \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/video/2009/dec/19/terry-pratchett-religion\"\u003eTerry Pratchett \u003c/a\u003e said:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e'I'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel'\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI'll drink to that.  Let's hope that 2010 would be a \u003ci\u003ebetter\u003c/i\u003e year.  Stay well.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Transformation of Barack Obama"},{"content":" * December Here on the west coast, Winter Solstice began shortly before 10:00 AM. today, December 21st, the shortest day of the year. The rains came and threats of drought have receded. Snowpacks in the High Sierras are building up. Good news, not only for skiers; after two years of below-average precipitation water levels in the reservoirs were pitifully low. Some trees in the neighborhood still have leaves but after each storm they look a little more bare. It is a pleasure to walk through the woods. The dampness is so much in contrast to the warm weather. Water running in the local creeks; wild mushrooms abundant. Come, come thou bleak December wind, And blow the dry leaves from the tree! -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3 Leaves under Gingko Tree, Sunnyvale, California ©Musafir Buckeye Creek, Foothill Park, Palo Alto California ©Musafir Roof top decoration - San Mateo, California ©Musafir On a rainy afternoon ©Musafir And enshrouded by fog ©Musafir A leafless tree at dusk ©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/the-seasons-end-of-fall-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eDecember \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHere on the west coast,  Winter Solstice began shortly before 10:00 AM. today, December 21st, the shortest day of the year.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe rains came and threats of drought have receded.  Snowpacks in the High Sierras are building up.  Good news, not only for skiers; after two years of below-average precipitation water levels in the reservoirs were pitifully low.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome trees in the neighborhood still have leaves but after each storm they look a little more bare. It is a pleasure to walk through the woods.  The dampness is so much in contrast to the warm weather.  Water running in the local creeks;  wild mushrooms abundant.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan id=\"goog_1261439426291\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"goog_1261439426292\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCome, come thou bleak December wind,\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAnd blow the dry leaves from the tree!\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLeaves under Gingko Tree, Sunnyvale, California\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Canon S3 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBuckeye Creek, Foothill Park, Palo Alto California\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Buckeye Creek, January 2006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRoof top decoration - San Mateo, California\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Misc. Dec 2009 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn a rainy afternoon \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Misc. Dec 2009 021.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd enshrouded by fog\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Misc. Dec 2009 006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\nA leafless tree at dusk \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/12/Misc. Dec 2009 014.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: End of Fall  2009"},{"content":" * Our Politicians - Abortion and Viagra The bill that President Obama wants is yet to take final shape. Currently, the roadblock is by Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska who \"...............rejected a compromise on abortion funding aimed at winning his vote. Senate Democratic leaders, racing the clock to finish work on the bill before leaving for the holidays, struggled to line up the 60 votes they need to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.\" Senator Barbra Boxer (D, CA) received a lot of flak for saying that if men are not restricted from buying Viagra then there should be no restrictions on the choice of abortion for women. The Catholic Church, one of the strong backers of anti-abortion policy takes a different position on pedophilia. After years of shameful silence, the Vatican has now taken some action to punish a few members of the clergy. Faced with the damning Murphy Commission Report which confirmed sexual abuse of children in Ireland from 1975 to 2004, the pope had to act. But by and large, when it comes to pedophilia by priests the Catholic press still remains very low-key. One gets the feeling that it would be happy to let it be forgotten. Sodden thought -- if Sarah Palin becomes president would her witch doctor, Bishop Muthee, be at the inauguration. Even without Senator Nelson's demand for amendment, for majority of Americans it offers very little. There is nothing in the bill to contain costs for drugs and services. It is far from what Barack Obama talked about during the campaign of 2008 but that has become a hallmark of the Obama administration. Compromise, cut backroom deals, placate the conservatives. Perhaps the strategy would pay dividends. We shall find out next year after the Congressional elections. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/health-care-reform/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eOur Politicians - Abortion and Viagra\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe bill that President Obama wants is yet to take final shape.  Currently, the roadblock is by Democratic Senator \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121800417.html\"\u003eBen Nelson\u003c/a\u003e of Nebraska who \"...............rejected a compromise on abortion funding aimed at winning his vote. Senate Democratic leaders, racing the clock to finish work on the bill before leaving for the holidays, struggled to line up the 60 votes they need to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nSenator Barbra Boxer (D, CA) received a lot of flak for saying that if men are not restricted from buying Viagra then there should be no restrictions on the choice of abortion for women.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Catholic Church, one of the strong backers of anti-abortion policy takes a different position on pedophilia.  After years of shameful silence, the Vatican has now taken some action to punish a few members of the clergy. Faced with the damning \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/26/ireland-church-sex-abuse\"\u003eMurphy Commission Report\u003c/a\u003e which confirmed  sexual abuse of children in Ireland from 1975 to 2004, the pope had to act.  But by and large, when it comes to pedophilia by priests the Catholic press still remains very \u003ci\u003elow-key\u003c/i\u003e.  One gets the feeling that it would be happy to let it be forgotten.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSodden thought -- if Sarah Palin becomes president would her witch doctor, Bishop Muthee, be at the inauguration.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEven without Senator Nelson's demand for amendment, for majority of Americans it offers very little.  There is nothing in the bill to contain costs for drugs and services. It is far from what Barack Obama talked about during the campaign of 2008 but that has become a hallmark of the Obama administration. Compromise, cut backroom deals, placate the conservatives.  Perhaps the strategy would pay dividends.  We shall find out next year after the Congressional elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Health-care Reform"},{"content":" * A Pious Liar The former British prime minister was interviewed by BBC's Fern Britton on December 12th, and is scheduled to appear in early 2010 before the Iraq War Inquiry Committee headed by Sir John Chilcot. The BBC reported on December 12, 2009: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing strong criticism after he said he would have gone to war in Iraq even if he had known there were not any weapons of mass destruction. The ex-director of public prosecutions has accused Tony Blair of \"sycophancy\" towards President Bush. Sir Ken MacDonald called the 2003 Iraq war a \"foreign policy disgrace of epic proportions\". He said the former prime minister had used \"alarming subterfuge\" to mislead the British people into the conflict. Tony Blair's comments raised a firestorm in British press, with condemnation by newspapers ranging from the very liberal Guardian to Telegraph, and the conservative Timesonline. But there is something \"fake\" about Sir MacDonald's indignation. Why did he remain silent when Blair was committing the United Kingdom to be an active partner in Bush's war? Thousands of people marched against the war on the streets in England and other countries; there were many items in the media questioning the justification for war. Was he asleep during that period! Another politician trying to save his reputation for posterity. Regardless of the outcry over his comments and the enormous costs of his egotistical decision -- a decision which many feel was primarily motivated by his desire to please G.W. Bush -- Tony Blair is not at risk of facing charges in court. The Chilcot Committee will do its thing. Perhaps conclude with some remarks about lack of justification for what Blair did. And that would be all. That is how the system works, no different than what goes on in our country, this side of the Atlantic. Here in America, too, barring a few exceptions politicians of both parties meekly supported the war cooked up by Bush and the neocons. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-01-04 Greetings,\nMy name is Barbara O’ Brien and my blogging at The Mahablog, Crooks and Liars, AlterNet, and elsewhere on the progressive political and health blogophere has earned me the notoriety of being a panelist at the Yearly Kos Convention and a featured guest blogger at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, DC.\nI’m contacting you because I found your site in a prominent political and health reform blog search and want to tell you about my newest blogging platform —the public concern of health care and its reform. Our shared concerns include health reform, public health, safe workplaces, and asbestos contamination.\nTo increase awareness on these important issues, my goal is to get a resource link on your site or even allow me to provide a guest posting. Please contact me back, I hope to hear from you soon. Drop by our site in the meantime—www.maacenter.org/blog.\nSincerely,\nBarbara O’ Brien\nbarbaraobrien@maacenter.org ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/iraq-war---blairs-deception-exposed/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Pious Liar\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe former British prime minister was interviewed by BBC's Fern Britton on December 12th, and is scheduled to appear in early 2010 before the Iraq War Inquiry Committee headed by Sir John Chilcot.\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8410071.stm\"\u003eBBC \u003c/a\u003ereported on December 12, 2009:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormer Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing strong criticism after he said he would have gone to war in Iraq even if he had known there were not any weapons of mass destruction.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblocquote\u003e\u003c/blocquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe ex-director of public prosecutions has accused Tony Blair of \"sycophancy\" towards President Bush.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eSir Ken MacDonald called the 2003 Iraq war a \"foreign policy disgrace of epic proportions\".\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eHe said the former prime minister had used \"alarming subterfuge\" to mislead the British people into the conflict.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTony Blair's comments raised a firestorm in British press, with condemnation by newspapers ranging from the very liberal \u003cb\u003eGuardian\u003c/b\u003e to \u003cb\u003eTelegraph\u003c/b\u003e, and  the conservative \u003cb\u003eTimesonline.\u003c/b\u003e  But there is something \"fake\" about Sir MacDonald's indignation. Why did he remain silent when Blair was committing the United Kingdom to be an active partner in Bush's war?  Thousands of people marched against the war on the streets in England and other countries; there were many items in the media questioning the justification for war. Was he asleep during that period!   Another politician trying to save his reputation for posterity.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRegardless of the outcry over his comments and the enormous costs of his egotistical decision -- a decision which many feel was primarily motivated by his desire to please G.W. Bush -- Tony Blair is not at risk of facing charges in court.  The Chilcot Committee will do its thing.  Perhaps conclude with some remarks about lack of justification for what Blair did.  And that would be all.  That is how the system works, no different than what goes on in our country, this side of the Atlantic.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHere in America, too, barring a few exceptions politicians of both parties meekly supported the war cooked up by Bush and the neocons.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-01-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreetings,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy name is Barbara O’ Brien and my blogging at The Mahablog, Crooks and Liars, AlterNet, and elsewhere on the progressive political and health blogophere has earned me the notoriety of being a panelist at the Yearly Kos Convention and a featured guest blogger at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, DC.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI’m contacting you because I found your site in a prominent political and health reform blog search and want to tell you about my newest blogging platform —the public concern of health care and its reform. Our shared concerns include health reform, public health, safe workplaces, and asbestos contamination.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo increase awareness on these important issues, my goal is to get a resource link on your site or even allow me to provide a guest posting.  Please contact me back, I hope to hear from you soon.  Drop by our site in the meantime—www.maacenter.org/blog.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSincerely,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBarbara O’ Brien\u003cbr\u003ebarbaraobrien@maacenter.org\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Iraq War -  Blair's Deception Exposed"},{"content":" * Selling us Down the River Another strong statement from the eloquent one. The headline of an item in Marketwatch.com reads \"Obama blasts Wall Street for economic crisis\". By Jonathan Burton, MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- President Barack Obama blasted Wall Street for worsening the economy's downturn and promised to make financial markets more transparent and accountable. In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, the president applauded the House of Representatives for passing sweeping financial reform legislation and said the economy is recovering from the \"irresponsibility\" of Wall Street firms that \"gambled on risky loans and complex financial products, seeking short-term profits and big bonuses.\" It was \"risk management without the management,\" Obama said. \"Their actions, in the absence of strong oversight, intensified the cycle of bubble-and-bust and led to a financial crisis that threatened to bring down the entire economy.\" Obama also blamed an \"era of easy credit\" for some of the excesses. \"Millions of Americans borrowed beyond their means, bought homes they couldn't afford, and assumed that housing prices would always rise and the day of reckoning would never come,\" he said. \"It was a disaster that could have been avoided if we'd had clearer rules of the road for Wall Street and actually enforced them,\" the president said. But somehow it does not cause excitement; does not stir hopes for stopping questionable practices on Wall Street. Since Obama became president we heard many such statements on various issues and nothing happened. The House has passed a bill. The problem is getting it through the Senate. Is he going to fight to get a meaningful bill through the Senate or are we going to see another copout as he builds consensus and yields ground until the bill becomes a mockery of his words. \"Then he got elected\" Obama's Big Sellout - Matt Tabibi in RollingStones.com: Obama may not have run to the left of Samuel Gompers or Cesar Chavez, but it's not like you saw him on the campaign trail flanked by bankers from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. What inspired supporters who pushed him to his historic win was the sense that a genuine outsider was finally breaking into an exclusive club, that walls were being torn down, that things were, for lack of a better or more specific term, changing. Then he got elected. What's taken place in the year since Obama won the presidency has turned out to be one of the most dramatic political about-faces in our history. Elected in the midst of a crushing economic crisis brought on by a decade of orgiastic deregulation and unchecked greed, Obama had a clear mandate to rein in Wall Street and remake the entire structure of the American economy. What he did instead was ship even his most marginally progressive campaign advisers off to various bureaucratic Siberias, while packing the key economic positions in his White House with the very people who caused the crisis in the first place. This new team of bubble-fattened ex-bankers and laissez-faire intellectuals then proceeded to sell us all out, instituting a massive, trickle-up bailout and systematically gutting regulatory reform from the inside. According to the the latest Rasmussen Reports (December 13), 23% of voters \"strongly approve\" his performance while 42% \"strongly disapprove\". Support for members of Congress continues to remain low. If the current trend continues then in 2010 the Democrats would lose a number of seats in both House and Senate. And Sarah Palin still remains a favorite of a large number of conservative Republicans. Come 2012 we could see her as a presidential contender. It would be funny if it were not for the stakes involved. So, those of us who have lost our enthusiasm for Barack Obama will again vote for him simply because the alternative would be much worse. Depressing. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/barack-obama-and-wall-street/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eSelling us Down the River\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n Another strong statement from the eloquent one.  The headline of an item in \u003ca href=\"http://marketwatch.com/\"\u003eMarketwatch.com\u003c/a\u003e  reads \"Obama blasts Wall Street for economic crisis\".\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#99cccc\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBy Jonathan Burton, MarketWatch  SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- President Barack Obama blasted Wall Street for worsening the economy's downturn and promised to make financial markets more transparent and accountable.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, the president applauded the House of Representatives for passing sweeping financial reform legislation and said the economy is recovering from the \"irresponsibility\" of Wall Street firms that \"gambled on risky loans and complex financial products, seeking short-term profits and big bonuses.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt was \"risk management without the management,\" Obama said. \"Their actions, in the absence of strong oversight, intensified the cycle of bubble-and-bust and led to a financial crisis that threatened to bring down the entire economy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nObama also blamed an \"era of easy credit\" for some of the excesses. \"Millions of Americans borrowed beyond their means, bought homes they couldn't afford, and assumed that housing prices would always rise and the day of reckoning would never come,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"It was a disaster that could have been avoided if we'd had clearer rules of the road for Wall Street and actually enforced them,\" the president said.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut somehow it does not cause excitement; does not stir hopes for stopping questionable practices on Wall Street.  Since Obama became president we heard many such statements on various issues and nothing happened.  The House has passed a bill.  The problem is getting it through the Senate.  Is he going to fight to get a meaningful bill through the Senate or are we going to see another copout as he builds consensus and yields ground until the bill becomes a mockery of his words.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"Then he got elected\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eObama's Big Sellout - Matt Tabibi in\u003ca href=\"http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/31234647/obamas_big_sellout\"\u003e RollingStones.com\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eObama may not have run to the left of Samuel Gompers or Cesar Chavez, but it's not like you saw him on the campaign trail flanked by bankers from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. What inspired supporters who pushed him to his historic win was the sense that a genuine outsider was finally breaking into an exclusive club, that walls were being torn down, that things were, for lack of a better or more specific term, changing.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eThen he got elected.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's taken place in the year since Obama won the presidency has turned out to be one of the most dramatic political about-faces in our history. Elected in the midst of a crushing economic crisis brought on by a decade of orgiastic deregulation and unchecked greed, Obama had a clear mandate to rein in Wall Street and remake the entire structure of the American economy. What he did instead was ship even his most marginally progressive campaign advisers off to various bureaucratic Siberias, while packing the key economic positions in his White House with the very people who caused the crisis in the first place. This new team of bubble-fattened ex-bankers and laissez-faire intellectuals then proceeded to sell us all out, instituting a massive, trickle-up bailout and systematically gutting regulatory reform from the inside.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to the the latest \u003ca href=\"http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll\"\u003eRasmussen Reports\u003c/a\u003e (December 13), 23% of voters \"strongly approve\" his performance while 42% \"strongly disapprove\".  Support for members of Congress continues to remain low. If the current trend continues then in 2010 the Democrats would lose a number of seats in both House and Senate.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd Sarah Palin still remains a favorite of a large number of conservative Republicans.  Come 2012 we could see her as a presidential contender.  It would be funny if it were not for the stakes involved. So, those of us who have lost our enthusiasm for Barack Obama will again vote for him simply because the alternative would be much worse.  Depressing.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Barack Obama  and Wall Street"},{"content":" * The Man Who Promised Us \"Change\" The signs began to appear even before he was elected. Some of us watched with growing uneasiness as the Obama agenda unfolded. Then, after being elected, his team made it clear that not much is going to be different. Still we waited for the president to make some moves that would indicate that it was \"not business as usual\". We can go on waiting until the cows come home. He has his eyes on 2012, and will do anything, cut any deals to win a second term. That is going to be difficult to achieve no matter what he does. The Rasmussen Reports, Dec.2, 2009 The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 27% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-nine percent (39%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -12 (see trends). These results are collected from nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The overwhelming majority of interviews for today’s update were conducted before the President’s speech on Afghanistan last night. Prior to the President’s speech, 35% gave him good or excellent marks for handling the situation in Afghanistan while 41% say he’s doing a poor job. He is doing in Afghanistan what George Bush did in Iraq. Even played the 9/11 card at West Point on December 1st. Although they could rally in his support in 2012, the Black voters mostly stayed away during this November's elections; young voters,too, failed to participate in significant numbers; the white middle-class is disenchanted. His core supporters who had a major role in his victory are finding it hard to remain faithful. The president who promised \"change\" turned out to be no different than others before him. He is part of the corrupt system. Defense contractors must be gleeful; they are going to have a good Christmas. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/12/another-war-president/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Man Who Promised Us \"Change\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe signs began to appear even before he was elected. Some of us watched with growing uneasiness as the Obama agenda unfolded. Then, after being elected, his team made it clear that not much is going to be different.  Still we waited for the president to make some moves that would indicate that it was \"not business as usual\". We can go on waiting until the cows come home.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe has his eyes on 2012, and will do anything, cut any deals to win a second term. That  is going to be difficult to achieve no matter what he does.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll\"\u003eThe Rasmussen Reports, Dec.2, 2009 \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 27% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-nine percent (39%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -12 (\u003ca href=\"http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history\" target=\"_self\" title=\"http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history\"\u003esee trends\u003c/a\u003e).\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThese results are collected from nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The overwhelming majority of interviews for today’s update were conducted before the President’s speech on Afghanistan last night. Prior to the President’s speech, \u003ca href=\"http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/afghanistan/afghanistan_and_obama_by_the_numbers\" target=\"_self\"\u003e35% gave him good or excellent marks for handling the situation in Afghanistan\u003c/a\u003e while 41% say he’s doing a poor job. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHe is doing in Afghanistan what George Bush did in Iraq. Even played the 9/11 card at West Point on December 1st. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough they could rally in his support in 2012, the Black voters mostly stayed away during this November's elections; young voters,too, failed to participate in significant numbers; the white middle-class is disenchanted.  His core supporters who had a major role in his victory are finding it hard to remain faithful.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president who promised \"change\" turned out to be no different than others before him.  He is part of the corrupt system.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDefense contractors must be gleeful; they are going to have a good Christmas.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Another \"War President\""},{"content":" * One American without Medical Insurance Nicholas Kristof's column in NY Times 11-28-09: Are We Going to Let John Die? By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF If Joe Lieberman or other senators came across John Brodniak writhing in pain on the sidewalk, they presumably would jump to help him and rush him to a hospital. Unfortunately, an emergency room won’t help — indeed, the closest E.R. has told him not to come back, he says. So, for those members of Congress who are wavering on health reform, listen to John’s story. John is a sawmill worker from Yamhill County, Ore., where I grew up. He was a foreman at a mill, he felt strong and healthy, and he had very basic insurance coverage through his job. On April 18, he was married, at age 23, and life was looking up. Ten days after the wedding, he was walking in his backyard carrying a neighbor’s dog — and he suddenly blacked out. That led, after rounds of CAT scans, M.R.I.’s and other tests, to the discovery that the left parietal lobe of his brain has a cavernous hemangioma. That’s an abnormal growth of blood vessels, and in John’s case it is chronically leaking blood into his brain. John began to have trouble walking and would sometimes collapse. He developed spasms and restless leg syndrome, he began to use a cane, and his mind suffered. “He forgets stuff a lot, he bumps into things,” said his new wife, Esther Brodniak. “But he keeps things light. He jokes about it.” Perhaps the worst is the pain — blinding, incapacitating headaches that have left him able to sleep only in short intervals. He vomits daily when the pain surges. “The pain is constant,” John said. “It’s a 7 or 8 on a scale of 10, and then it hits the high peaks and makes me vomit.” With John unable to work, he lost his job — and his insurance coverage. Esther had insurance for herself and for her two children (from a previous marriage) through her job building manufactured homes. But she couldn’t add John to her plan because of his pre-existing condition. Without insurance, John has been unable to get surgery or even help managing the pain. When he collapses or suffers particularly excruciating headaches, Esther rushes him to the emergency room of one hospital or another, but an E.R. can’t do much for him. One hospital has told them not to come back unless he gets insurance, they say. Esther used up her family leave time to look after her new husband. “Then I went back to work, and he fell several times,” she said. “I told my boss that I had to quit. Taking care of John was more important than building someone else’s house.” That meant that the couple had no income — and no insurance for anyone in the family, including the children. Neighbors have helped, and a community program has paid the rent so that they are not homeless. But bills are piling up, and John and Esther don’t know how they will cope. The doctors warn that pressure from the growth could lead a major blood vessel nearby to burst, killing him. “They tell me I’m a time bomb,” John said. With a touch of bitterness, he adds, “It sort of feels as if they’re playing for time to see if it bursts, to save them from doing anything.” I’m not a physician, and I certainly can’t speak to the medical issues here. But I have examined John’s medical records, and they appear to confirm his story. John says the principal obstacle to treatment appears to be simply his lack of insurance. In August, he qualified for an Oregon Medicaid program, but he hasn’t been able to find a doctor who will accept him as a patient for surgery, apparently because the reimbursements are so low. Doctors tell him that his condition is operable — but that they can’t accept him without conventional insurance. He is increasingly frustrated as he watches his family crushed by the burden of his illness. “The mill won’t let me go back to work until a doctor gives me a note saying I can go back,” he said. “I tried with several doctors. I said, ‘Just give me a note. ... I’ve got to do something for my family. But they won’t.” John and Esther agreed to tell me their story in hopes that somehow it would lead to medical help. John’s story is not so unusual. A Harvard study, to be published next month in the American Journal of Public Health, suggests that almost 45,000 Americans die prematurely each year as a consequence of not having insurance. John may become one of them. If a senator strolled indifferently by as John retched in pain, we would think that person pitiless. But isn’t it just as monstrous for politicians to avert their eyes, make excuses and deny coverage to innumerable Americans just like John? And Members of Congress What kind of health insurance do they have ? From U.S. News and World Report June 24, 2009: Lawmakers' health insurance, which is the same available to all federal workers, is part of the equation. Members of Congress also receive care by a physician at the Capitol for a small fee and treatment at military hospitals — the same offered to presidents and visiting dignitaries, watchdog groups say. \"They get what bureaucrats get — plus,\" said Steve Ellis with Taxpayers for Common Sense. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/john-brodniak-of-yamhill-county-or---a-victim-of-our-health-care-system/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eOne American without Medical Insurance\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nNicholas Kristof's column in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/opinion/29kristof.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e 11-28-09:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAre We Going to Let John Die? \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cnyt_byline type=\" \" version=\"1.0\"\u003e \u003c/nyt_byline\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"byline\"\u003eBy NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"byline\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eIf Joe Lieberman or other senators came across John Brodniak writhing in pain on the sidewalk, they presumably would jump to help him and rush him to a hospital.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nUnfortunately, an emergency room won’t help — indeed, the closest E.R. has told him not to come back, he says. So, for those members of Congress who are wavering on health reform, listen to John’s story.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nJohn is a sawmill worker from Yamhill County, Ore., where I grew up. He was a foreman at a mill, he felt strong and healthy, and he had very basic insurance coverage through his job. On April 18, he was married, at age 23, and life was looking up.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nTen days after the wedding, he was walking in his backyard carrying a neighbor’s dog — and he suddenly blacked out. That led, after rounds of CAT scans, M.R.I.’s and other tests, to the discovery that the left parietal lobe of his brain has a cavernous hemangioma. That’s an abnormal growth of blood vessels, and in John’s case it is chronically leaking blood into his brain.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nJohn began to have trouble walking and would sometimes collapse. He developed spasms and restless leg syndrome, he began to use a cane, and his mind suffered.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“He forgets stuff a lot, he bumps into things,” said his new wife, Esther Brodniak. “But he keeps things light. He jokes about it.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nPerhaps the worst is the pain — blinding, incapacitating headaches that have left him able to sleep only in short intervals. He vomits daily when the pain surges.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“The pain is constant,” John said. “It’s a 7 or 8 on a scale of 10, and then it hits the high peaks and makes me vomit.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nWith John unable to work, he lost his job — and his insurance coverage. Esther had insurance for herself and for her two children (from a previous marriage) through her job building manufactured homes. But she couldn’t add John to her plan because of his pre-existing condition.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nWithout insurance, John has been unable to get surgery or even help managing the pain. When he collapses or suffers particularly excruciating headaches, Esther rushes him to the emergency room of one hospital or another, but an E.R. can’t do much for him. One hospital has told them not to come back unless he gets insurance, they say.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nEsther used up her family leave time to look after her new husband. “Then I went back to work, and he fell several times,” she said. “I told my boss that I had to quit. Taking care of John was more important than building someone else’s house.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThat meant that the couple had no income — and no insurance for anyone in the family, including the children. Neighbors have helped, and a community program has paid the rent so that they are not homeless. But bills are piling up, and John and Esther don’t know how they will cope.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe doctors warn that pressure from the growth could lead a major blood vessel nearby to burst, killing him. “They tell me I’m a time bomb,” John said. With a touch of bitterness, he adds, “It sort of feels as if they’re playing for time to see if it bursts, to save them from doing anything.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI’m not a physician, and I certainly can’t speak to the medical issues here. But I have examined John’s medical records, and they appear to confirm his story.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nJohn says the principal obstacle to treatment appears to be simply his lack of insurance. In August, he qualified for an Oregon Medicaid program, but he hasn’t been able to find a doctor who will accept him as a patient for surgery, apparently because the reimbursements are so low. Doctors tell him that his condition is operable — but that they can’t accept him without conventional insurance. He is increasingly frustrated as he watches his family crushed by the burden of his illness.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“The mill won’t let me go back to work until a doctor gives me a note saying I can go back,” he said. “I tried with several doctors. I said, ‘Just give me a note. ... I’ve got to do something for my family. But they won’t.” John and Esther agreed to tell me their story in hopes that somehow it would lead to medical help.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eJohn’s story is not so unusual. A Harvard \u003ca href=\"http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/september/harvard_study_finds_.php\"\u003estudy\u003c/a\u003e, to be published next month in the American Journal of Public Health, suggests that almost 45,000 Americans die prematurely each year as a consequence of not having insurance. John may become one of them. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eIf a senator strolled indifferently by as John retched in pain, we would think that person pitiless. But isn’t it just as monstrous for politicians to avert their eyes, make excuses and deny coverage to innumerable Americans just like John? \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAnd Members of Congress \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhat kind of health insurance do they have ?  From \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-23-congress-benefits_N.htm\"\u003eU.S. News and World Report\u003c/a\u003e June 24, 2009:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eLawmakers' health insurance, which is the same available to all federal workers, is part of the equation. Members of Congress also receive care by a physician at the Capitol for a small fee and treatment at military hospitals — the same offered to presidents and visiting dignitaries, watchdog groups say.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"They get what bureaucrats get — plus,\" said Steve Ellis with Taxpayers for Common Sense.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"John Brodniak of Yamhill County, OR. - A Victim of Our Health Care System"},{"content":" * Death Caps and Others to Stay Away From Reports about foragers getting sick and, in some cases, dying from eating wild mushrooms appear every fall.Recently, a Central Valley Woman died after eating Death Caps (Amanita phalloids) which are found in this area during fall/winter. Her husband and cousin survived but one required a liver transplant. The death caps resemble a type that is consumed in Asian countries but many foragers are unable to identify the difference between the edible varieties that grow in their native land and the poisonous ones that resemble them here. © David Arora - Mushrooms Demystified Death Caps are not the only ones emerging now. In my walks in the neighborhood I have come across some others to stay away from. * Bitter, and hallucinogenic. Found in clusters near base of trees.Big Laughing Jim (Gymnopilus spectabilis) ©Musafir Poisonous. Satan's Bolete (Boletus satanas)©Musafir ©Musafir There is a saying that \"There are old mushroom pickers and there are bold mushroom pickers, but there are no old, bold mushroom pickers\". It is good to remember that. After foraging for about 15 years I still check and double check before I think of eating unfamiliar specimens. Then There Are Chanterelles My first chanterelles of the season. ©Musafir Their distinctive color, shape, and smell make them easy to identify. And they are delicious. The 2008/9 season was not very bountiful because of low rainfall. This season,too, we have had very little rain. But they have begun to appear. During a hike with friends on November 25th we found some; encouraging sign. Commercial sellers send out teams of mushroom pickers. Not only do they trample through the woods in their quest to make money, they leave a trail of beer cans, bottles, food containers and such trash. Very annoying. Fall Colors Thanksgiving Day, Mariposa Ave, Palo Alto, California ©Musafir ©Musafir ©Musafir ©Musafir Comments Alex \u0026mdash; 2010-05-27 Ive found some small laughing Jims in a cluster at the bottom of a tree, should I eat them? musafir \u0026mdash; 2010-05-27 I have been collecting and enjoying wild mushrooms for some years but I\u0026#39;m not a mycologist.\nBased on what I found about Laughing Jims, I wouldn\u0026#39;t eat them.\nDavid Arora\u0026#39;s \u0026quot;Mushrooms Demystified\u0026quot; is an excellent book (with hundreds of photographs). It has increased my knowledge. Also, check with your local mycological society. Bottom line, do not eat wild mushrooms that you are not sure about. I enjoy walking in the woods. In the cold weather, mushrooms are a bonus. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/fall-2009---wild-mushrooms-in-the-bay-area/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nDeath Caps and Others to Stay Away From \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReports about foragers getting sick and, in some cases, dying from eating wild mushrooms appear every fall.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently, a Central Valley Woman died after eating \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/24/BAQ71APBGB.DTL\"\u003eDeath Caps\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ci\u003eAmanita phalloids\u003c/i\u003e) which are found in this area during fall/winter.  Her husband and cousin survived but one required a liver transplant. The death caps resemble a type that is consumed in Asian countries but many foragers are unable to identify the difference between the edible varieties that grow in their native land and the poisonous ones that resemble them here.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Death Caps.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n© David Arora - Mushrooms Demystified\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDeath Caps are not the only ones emerging now.  In my walks in the neighborhood I have come across some others to stay away from.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nBitter, and hallucinogenic.  Found in clusters near base of trees.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBig Laughing Jim (\u003ci\u003eGymnopilus spectabilis\u003c/i\u003e)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan id=\"goog_1259172551493\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"goog_1259172551494\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Mushrooms 11-5-09 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nPoisonous. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSatan's Bolete (\u003ci\u003eBoletus satanas\u003c/i\u003e)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/San Andreas 11-24-09 011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/San Andreas 11-24-09 012.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e ©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is a saying that \"\u003ci\u003eThere are old mushroom pickers and there are bold mushroom pickers, but there are no old, bold mushroom pickers\u003c/i\u003e\".  It is good to remember that.  After foraging for about 15 years I still check and double check before I think of eating unfamiliar specimens. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThen There Are Chanterelles \u003cbr/\u003e\nMy first chanterelles of the season.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Chanterelles, Nov 2009 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTheir distinctive color, shape, and smell make them easy to identify.    And they are delicious.  The 2008/9 season was not very bountiful because of low rainfall.  This season,too, we have had very little rain.  But they have begun to appear.  During a hike with friends on November 25th we found some; encouraging sign.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCommercial sellers  send out teams of mushroom pickers.  Not only do they trample through the woods in their quest to make money, they leave a trail of beer cans, bottles, food containers and such trash.  Very annoying.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nFall Colors\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eThanksgiving Day, Mariposa Ave, Palo Alto, California\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 046.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 047.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 049.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Thanksgiving Day 2009 048.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlex\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-05-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIve found some small laughing Jims in a cluster at the bottom of a tree, should I eat them?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-05-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI have been collecting and enjoying wild mushrooms for some years but I\u0026#39;m not a mycologist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased on what I found about Laughing Jims, I wouldn\u0026#39;t eat them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDavid Arora\u0026#39;s \u0026quot;Mushrooms Demystified\u0026quot; is an excellent book (with hundreds of photographs). It has increased my knowledge. Also, check with your local mycological society. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBottom line, do not eat wild mushrooms that you are not sure about. I enjoy walking in the woods.  In the cold weather, mushrooms are a bonus.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Fall 2009 -  Wild Mushrooms in the Bay Area"},{"content":" * Powerful, Monolithic Bastion of Hypocrisy The fact that we no longer find such news shocking is an indicator of how blasé we have become about the Catholic Church's shameful role in sexual abuse of children and adults. Old hat? Perhaps. But the report about how the top hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Ireland (no doubt with complicity of some government officials) refused to acknowledge and prevent 'sexual abuse of children by priests' exposes the magnitude of what went on for years. Reuters News (in Washington Post, 11-26-09) DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Dublin obsessively covered up widespread sexual abuse of children by priests until the mid-1990s in a misuse of the Church's central role in Irish society, an official report said on Thursday. The government-commissioned inquiry into abuse in the Irish capital from 1975 to 2004, which came six months after a similarly damning report about Church-run industrial and reform schools, also accused state officials of abetting the cover-up. The report, designed to show how church and state responded to charges of abusing children, said a representative sample of 46 priests made \"abundantly clear\" that it was widespread. \"The Dublin Archdiocese's pre-occupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid-1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets,\" the report said. \"All other considerations, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities,\" added the report, which was published by the justice ministry. Similar abuse cover-up charges have dogged the Catholic Church in other countries, especially the United States. Seven dioceses there have filed for bankruptcy protection to shield themselves from law suits by abuse victims. It is the same Church that is now deeply involved in political meddling in health-care reform in our country. What it opposes? Women's right to choose and giving terminally ill people the option for a dignified death! Bright Thanksgiving morning. Listening to Blues on Bach by the Modern Jazz Quartet. The LP includes Tears from the Children based on Prelude No.8 from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/catholic-church-and-pedophilia-back-in-the-news/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003ePowerful, Monolithic Bastion of Hypocrisy\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe fact that we no longer find such news shocking is an indicator of how blasé we have become about the Catholic Church's shameful role in sexual abuse of children and adults.  Old hat?  Perhaps.  But the report about how the top hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Ireland (no doubt with complicity of some government officials) refused to acknowledge and prevent 'sexual abuse of children by priests' exposes the magnitude of what went on for years. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/goog_1259252014914\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eR\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112601355.html\"\u003eeuters News\u003c/a\u003e (in Washington Post, 11-26-09)\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDUBLIN (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Dublin obsessively covered up widespread sexual abuse of children by priests until the mid-1990s in a misuse of the Church's central role in Irish society, an official report said on Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe government-commissioned inquiry into abuse in the Irish capital from 1975 to 2004, which came six months after a similarly damning report about Church-run industrial and reform schools, also accused state officials of abetting the cover-up.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe report, designed to show how church and state responded to charges of abusing children, said a representative sample of 46 priests made \"abundantly clear\" that it was widespread. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"The Dublin Archdiocese's pre-occupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid-1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets,\" the report said.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"All other considerations, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities,\" added the report, which was published by the justice ministry.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSimilar abuse cover-up charges have dogged the Catholic Church in other countries, especially the United States. Seven dioceses there have filed for bankruptcy protection to shield themselves from law suits by abuse victims. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003eIt is the same Church that is now deeply involved in political meddling in health-care reform in our country.  What it opposes?  Women's right to choose and giving terminally ill people the option for a dignified death!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBright Thanksgiving morning. Listening to Blues on Bach by the Modern Jazz Quartet.  The LP includes \u003ci\u003eTears from the Children\u003c/i\u003e based on Prelude No.8 from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Catholic Church and Pedophilia Back in the News"},{"content":" * A Scam by Any Other Name Watching various scams. including tax breaks that various religious groups get away with, leaders of Church of Christ, Scientist came up with a new one. They want a provision in the proposed health-care reform package to include reimbursement for professional prayer service! The Washington Post reported: The calls come in at all hours: patients reporting broken bones, violent coughs, deep depression. Prue Lewis listens as they explain their symptoms. Then Lewis -- a thin, frail-looking woman from Columbia Heights -- simply says, \"I'll go to work right away.\" She hangs up, organizes her thoughts and begins treating her clients' ailments the best way she knows how: She prays. This is health care in the world of Christian Science, where the sick eschew conventional medicine and turn to God for healing. Christian Scientists call it \"spiritual health care,\" and it is a practice they are battling to insert into the health-care legislation being hammered out in Congress. Leaders of the Church of Christ, Scientist, are pushing a proposal that would help patients pay someone like Lewis for prayer by having insurers reimburse the $20 to $40 cost. The provision was stripped from the bill the House passed this month, and church leaders are trying to get it inserted into the Senate version. And the church has powerful allies there, including Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who represents the state where the church is based, and Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), who said the provision would \"ensure that health-care reform law does not discriminate against any religion.\" Trust the politicians to support such boondoggles. Nothing new about that. One can understand Senator Hatch being a backer, but John Kerry! Let's hope that they don't get away with it. A friend commented: Hey, why stop at christian healers, bring on the faith healers of all stripes. I see new industries popping up. Call your favorite faith-healer in Bangalore. There is a very large constituency of remote healers in the land of the snake charmers. These guys claim to have magical powers of remote diagnosis and cure. Hook up Pir Sahib or Baba Love to a VOIP and just watch them shake that money tree. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/insurance-reimbursement-for-prayers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nA Scam by Any Other Name \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWatching various scams. including tax breaks that various religious groups get away with, leaders of Church of Christ, Scientist came up with a new one.  They want a provision in the proposed health-care reform package to include reimbursement for professional prayer service!  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/22/AR2009112202216.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe calls come in at all hours: patients reporting broken bones, violent coughs, deep depression.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nPrue Lewis listens as they explain their symptoms. Then Lewis -- a thin, frail-looking woman from Columbia Heights -- simply says, \"I'll go to work right away.\" She hangs up, organizes her thoughts and begins treating her clients' ailments the best way she knows how: She prays.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThis is health care in the world of Christian Science, where the sick eschew conventional medicine and turn to God for healing. Christian Scientists call it \"spiritual health care,\" and it is a practice they are battling to insert into the health-care legislation being hammered out in Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLeaders of the Church of Christ, Scientist, are pushing a proposal that would help patients pay someone like Lewis for prayer by having insurers reimburse the $20 to $40 cost.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe provision was stripped from the bill the House passed this month, and church leaders are trying to get it inserted into the Senate version. And the church has powerful allies there, including Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who represents the state where the church is based, and Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), who said the provision would \"ensure that health-care reform law does not discriminate against any religion.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTrust the politicians to support such boondoggles.  Nothing new about that. One can understand Senator Hatch being a backer, but John Kerry!  Let's hope that they don't get away with it.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA friend commented:  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHey, why stop at christian healers, bring on the faith healers of all stripes.  I see new industries popping up. Call your favorite faith-healer in Bangalore. There is a very large constituency of remote healers in the land of the snake charmers. These guys claim to have magical powers of remote diagnosis and cure. Hook up Pir Sahib or Baba Love to a VOIP and just watch them shake that money tree.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Insurance Reimbursement for Prayers"},{"content":" * Bill Clinton * Jocelyn Elders * Doomsday Wonder if Bill Clinton, our retired president, reads The Guardian. If he does then the article about officials of the Spanish region of Extremadura is sure to make him think of his cowardly surrender in 1994 to the Christian Right and other hypocrites, including some Democratic politicians, when he asked for resignation of his surgeon general, Jocelyn Elders, because she talked about the benefits of masturbation. Guardian Pleasure is in your own hands It is a subject that would make most governments blush, but officials in the Spanish region of Extremadura have launched a major programme to encourage what could be described as a more hands-on approach to sexuality. The region's socialist government has launched a €14,000 (£12,600) campaign aimed at teaching young people how best to set about \"sexual self-exploration and the discovery of self-pleasure\" – or to put it less delicately: masturbation. \"Pleasure is in your own hands\" is the slogan of a campaign that has sparked political controversy and challenges traditional Roman Catholic views on people having sex, even on their own, for non-reproductive reasons. \"This is an intimate subject that should be dealt with at home,\" complained local opposition leader Hernández Carrón of the rightwing People's party. \"We have become the laughing stock of Spain.\" \"They are interfering with the right of parents to educate their own children about a matter as important as their sexuality,\" agreed the conservative Confederation of Fathers and Mothers of Schoolchildren. Officials from the neighbouring region of Andalucia have expressed an interest in copying the programme. The Mother of all Doomsday Movies The newly released \"2012\" doing well at the box office. The film is about December 21, 2012 -- the day when, according to the Mayan calendar, the world will cease to exists ! It would appear that many Christians believe in the Mayan calendar. Or, perhaps, it is just another item to support their position on Armageddon. Unlike some other scenarios supported by the Bible thumpers in which faithful, born again Christians survive -- ascend to heaven, and all others suffer painful deaths -- the film has a different ending. From an essay by Dennis Overbye in The NY Times, Dec.17, 2009 In the movie, an alignment between the Sun and the center of the galaxy on Dec. 21, 2012, causes the Sun to go berserk with mighty storms on its surface that pour out huge numbers of the elusive subatomic particles known as neutrinos. Somehow the neutrinos transmute into other particles and heat up the Earth’s core. The Earth’s crust loses its moorings and begins to weaken and slide around. Los Angeles falls into the ocean; Yellowstone blows up, showering the continent with black ash. Tidal waves wash over the Himalayas, where the governments of the planet have secretly built a fleet of arks in which a select 400,000 people can ride out the storm. But this is only one version of apocalypse out there. In other variations, a planet named Nibiru crashes into us or the Earth’s magnetic field flips. There are hundreds of books devoted to 2012, and millions of Web sites, depending on what combination of “2012” and “doomsday” you type into Google. All of it, astronomers say, is bunk. “Most of what’s claimed for 2012 relies on wishful thinking, wild pseudoscientific folly, ignorance of astronomy and a level of paranoia worthy of ‘Night of the Living Dead,’ ” Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory, in Los Angeles, and an expert on ancient astronomy, wrote in an article in the November issue of Sky \u0026amp; Telescope. Many will flock to see the film.....and some of the moviegoers will believe in what they see. The web site December 212012.com lists Mel Gibson and Shirley MacLaine among the believers. Yes, 'usual suspects'. A lot of geegaws on sale -- coffee cups, tee shirts, books, pictures,etc. No doubt the promoters will make some money. But December 21,2012 will come go just like any other day and the hucksters will move on to something else to dupe the gullible. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/vive-extremadura/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eBill Clinton * Jocelyn Elders * Doomsday\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWonder if Bill Clinton, our retired president, reads The Guardian. If he does then  the article about officials of the Spanish region of Extremadura is sure to make him think of his cowardly surrender in 1994 to the Christian Right and other hypocrites, including some Democratic politicians, when he asked for resignation of his surgeon general, Jocelyn Elders, because she talked about the benefits of masturbation.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eGuardian \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePleasure is in your own hands\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt is a subject that would make most governments blush, but officials in the Spanish region of Extremadura have launched a major programme to encourage what could be described as a more hands-on approach to sexuality.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe region's socialist government has launched a €14,000 (£12,600) campaign aimed at teaching young people how best to set about \"sexual self-exploration and the discovery of self-pleasure\" – or to put it less delicately: masturbation.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Pleasure is in your own hands\" is the slogan of a campaign that has sparked political controversy and challenges traditional Roman Catholic views on people having sex, even on their own, for non-reproductive reasons.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"This is an intimate subject that should be dealt with at home,\" complained local opposition leader Hernández Carrón of the rightwing People's party. \"We have become the laughing stock of Spain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"They are interfering with the right of parents to educate their own children about a matter as important as their sexuality,\" agreed the conservative Confederation of Fathers and Mothers of Schoolchildren.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOfficials from the neighbouring region of Andalucia have expressed an interest in copying the programme.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Mother of all Doomsday Movies\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe newly released \"2012\" doing well at the box office. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe film is about December 21, 2012 -- the day when, according to the Mayan calendar, the world will cease to exists !  It would appear that many Christians believe in the Mayan calendar.  Or, perhaps, it is just another item to support their position on \u003ci\u003eArmageddon.\u003c/i\u003e    Unlike some other scenarios supported by the Bible thumpers  in which faithful, born again Christians survive -- ascend to heaven, and all others suffer painful   deaths -- the film has a different ending. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom an essay by Dennis Overbye in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/science/17essay.html\"\u003eThe NY Times\u003c/a\u003e, Dec.17, 2009 \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the movie, an alignment between the Sun and the center of the galaxy on Dec. 21, 2012, causes the Sun to go berserk with mighty storms on its surface that pour out huge numbers of the elusive subatomic particles known as neutrinos. Somehow the neutrinos transmute into other particles and heat up the Earth’s core. The Earth’s crust loses its moorings and begins to weaken and slide around. Los Angeles falls into the ocean; Yellowstone blows up, showering the continent with black ash. Tidal waves wash over the Himalayas, where the governments of the planet have secretly built a fleet of arks in which a select 400,000 people can ride out the storm.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBut this is only one version of apocalypse out there. In other variations, a planet named Nibiru crashes into us or the Earth’s magnetic field flips.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere are hundreds of books devoted to 2012, and millions of Web sites, depending on what combination of “2012” and “doomsday” you type into Google.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAll of it, astronomers say, is bunk.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“Most of what’s claimed for 2012 relies on wishful thinking, wild pseudoscientific folly, ignorance of astronomy and a level of paranoia worthy of ‘Night of the Living Dead,’ ” Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory, in Los Angeles, and an expert on ancient astronomy, wrote in an article in the November issue of Sky \u0026amp; Telescope. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nMany will flock to see the film.....and some of the moviegoers will believe in what they see.  The web site \u003ca href=\"http://www.december212012.com/\"\u003eDecember 212012.com\u003c/a\u003e lists Mel Gibson and Shirley MacLaine among the believers.  Yes, 'usual suspects'. A lot of geegaws on sale -- coffee cups, tee shirts, books, pictures,etc. No doubt the promoters will make some money.  But December 21,2012 will come go just like any other day and the hucksters will move on to something else to dupe the gullible.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Vive Extremadura"},{"content":" *Democrats and the GOP Members of God's Own Party licking their chops. Energized by gains (in state houses) in recent elections, they are hoping to re-take some seats in Congress in 2010. There has been no change in their strategy. They continue to do the usual fear-mongering; champion free-market policy; advocate total ban on women's right to choose, and talk about moral values (moral values!) despite the fact that a number of their prominent members got caught in sleazy affairs. Shameless hypocrites with very short, and selective, memory. But they have some reasons to feel hopeful. Among them, the so called \"Blue Dog Democrats\" many of whom support the Republican agenda, and President Obama's failure to take a strong position on anything. He talks the talk but the words no longer have the magic because nothing happens. No wonder that a large block of voters who played a major role in his victory is disappointed, feels betrayed. To some, \"Liberal\" is a dirty word. A liberal friend emailed: better vote liberal -- no not just obama, vote specifically for the liberal agenda, not to be confused with the big-tent dem agenda. better back the likes of frank all the way. and better pally up with the likes of the odious bill moyers and reich and the rest of the faux-wine-swillers. yep, its a bitter pill. A report in WSJ reads \"Concerns Rise Around Obama's First Swing Through Asia\" SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--President Barack Obama headed to Shanghai on Sunday to press China on issues from climate change to economic restructuring, amid rising concerns that his first swing through Asia will yield more disappointment than progress on trade, human rights, national security and environmental concerns. A flurry of actions here this weekend raised more questions than they resolved on a broad sweep of issues confronting both sides of the Pacific. On Sunday, leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum dropped efforts to reach a binding international climate change agreement in Copenhagen next month, settling instead for what they called a political framework for future negotiations. Thought I was reading about G.W. Bush! The President can continue his policy of appeasement and take a chance on support from enough middle-of-the road voters to carry the Democrats in 2010. A rebound in the economy and improvement in the unemployment numbers would help him and could make a difference. Right now,however, things don't look rosy. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/on-the-road-to-2010---shrinking-coattails-of-president-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003eDemocrats and the GOP\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMembers of God's Own Party licking their chops. Energized by gains (in state houses) in recent elections, they are hoping to re-take some seats in Congress in 2010. There has been no change in their strategy.  They  continue to do the usual fear-mongering; champion free-market policy; advocate total ban on women's right to choose, and talk about moral values (moral values!) despite the fact that a number of  their prominent members got caught in sleazy affairs.  Shameless hypocrites with very short, and selective, memory. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut they have some reasons to feel hopeful. Among them, the so called \"Blue Dog Democrats\" many of whom support the Republican agenda, and President Obama's failure to take a strong position on anything.  He talks the talk but the words no  longer  have the magic because nothing happens.  No wonder that a large block of voters who played a major role in his victory is disappointed, feels betrayed.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo some, \"Liberal\" is a dirty word. A liberal friend emailed:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003ebetter vote liberal -- \u003ci\u003eno not just obama, vote specifically for the liberal agenda\u003c/i\u003e, not to be confused with the big-tent dem agenda. better back the likes of frank all the way. and better pally up with the likes of the odious bill moyers and reich and the rest of the faux-wine-swillers.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003cb\u003e yep, its a bitter pill.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report in \u003ca href=\"http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091115-702884.html\"\u003eWSJ\u003c/a\u003e reads \"\u003cb\u003eConcerns Rise Around Obama's First Swing Through Asia\u003c/b\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#a9f5f2\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--President Barack Obama headed to Shanghai on Sunday to press China on issues from climate change to economic restructuring, \u003cb\u003eamid rising concerns that his first swing through Asia will yield more disappointment than progress on trade, human rights, national security and environmental concerns. \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA flurry of actions here this weekend raised more questions than they resolved on a broad sweep of issues confronting both sides of the Pacific. On Sunday, leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum dropped efforts to reach a binding international climate change agreement in Copenhagen next month, settling instead for what they called a political framework for future negotiations. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThought I was reading about G.W. Bush!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe President can continue his policy of appeasement and take a chance on support from enough middle-of-the road voters to carry the Democrats in 2010.  A rebound in the economy and improvement in the unemployment numbers would help him and could make a difference. Right now,however, things don't look rosy.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the road to 2010 - Shrinking Coattails of President Obama"},{"content":" * Despite advancing march of the disease, Sarah continues to remain active in pursuing her projects and making arrangements to move to a hospice from her beloved cottage and the garden in which she takes so much pleasure. In terms of physical distance the hospice is not far. If feasible, Sarah would rather spend her remaining days in the cottage, among familiar scenes, objects, and with her two dogs. Sarah took this photograph a few days ago. © Sarah Meyer \"The falling leaves fall and pile up: the rain beats on the rain.\" --Gyodai, translated by Harold Henderson In a message, Sarah wrote on November 9th: Stefan has been and cleared ALL the leaves, AND composed the front garden. The earth becomes barer and barer, like me? Lucky to have him. At first, no dialogue. Now he tells lots of stories. Like that. So now, I, too, am spending a lot of time looking out the window, loving either the rain or the blue skies. The owl hoots every night. Love that, too. Even among her friends, not everyone agrees with her decision. There are those who, for religious or other reasons, make use of all available resources that medical science offers to live longer even when hooked up to tubes. It is not about of being right or wrong. It is a very personal issue -- what being 'alive' means to some people. But, after all is said, we cannot really feel the depth of emotional pain and suffering of her children. Hemlock Society, America's oldest right-to-die organization, founded in 1980 in Santa Monica, CA, by Derek Humphrey, has splintered into different groups. Prominent among them is Compassion and Choices. Politics played a role in the demise of the Hemlock Society. A pity. The name was right, and so was its motto: \"Good Life, Good Death\". Sarah's account of her illness contains a wealth of data about cancer and mentions an article in The Guardian about \"......the ethical fudge which permits the refusal of treatment and terminal sedation, but not assisted dying\". And an item from Dignity in Dying.org uk. 8 October 2009: New research shows a third of deaths are hastened by doctors Clive Seale's research into end of life practice, published this week in Social Science and Medicine, has found that over a third of doctors say they have given drugs to terminally ill patients, or withdrawn treatment, knowing that it would or intending to shorten their life.\" This argument is not likely to come to a conclusion anytime soon. But that there are compassionate physicians who quietly play a role in assisting terminally ill patients is no secret. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/hands-across-the-seas-part-iii/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite advancing march of the disease, Sarah continues to remain active in pursuing her projects and making arrangements to move to a hospice from her beloved cottage and the garden in which she takes so much pleasure.  In terms of physical distance the hospice is not far. If feasible, Sarah would rather spend her remaining days in the cottage, among familiar scenes, objects, and with her two dogs.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSarah took this photograph a few days ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Fallen Leaves.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Sarah Meyer\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The falling leaves     \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003efall and pile up: the rain\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ebeats on the rain.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e--Gyodai, translated by Harold Henderson \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn a message, Sarah wrote on November 9th:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eStefan has been and cleared ALL the leaves, AND composed the front garden.  The earth becomes barer and barer, like me? Lucky to have him.  At first, no dialogue.  Now he tells lots of stories.  Like that.  So now, I, too, am spending a lot of time looking out the window, loving either the rain or the blue skies.  The owl hoots every night.  Love that, too.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEven among her friends, not everyone agrees with her decision. There are those who, for religious or other reasons, make use of all available resources that medical science offers  to live longer even when hooked up to tubes.   It is not about of being right or wrong.  It is a very personal issue -- what being 'alive' means to some people. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eBut, after all is said, we cannot really feel the depth of emotional pain and suffering of her children.   \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHemlock Society, America's oldest right-to-die organization, founded in 1980 in Santa Monica, CA, by Derek Humphrey, has splintered into different groups.  Prominent among them is Compassion and Choices.  Politics played a role in the demise of the Hemlock Society.  A pity. The name was right, and so was its motto:  \"Good Life, Good Death\".\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/goodlife-logo_160.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSarah's \u003ca href=\"http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-cancer-waiting-game.html\"\u003eaccount\u003c/a\u003e of her illness contains a wealth of data about cancer and mentions an article in The Guardian about \"......the ethical fudge which permits the refusal of treatment and terminal sedation, but not assisted dying\".   And an item from \u003ca href=\"http://www.dignityindying.org.uk/\"\u003eDignity in Dying.org uk\u003c/a\u003e. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e8 October 2009: New research shows a third of deaths are hastened by doctors\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eClive Seale's research into end of life practice, published this week in Social Science and Medicine, has found that over a third of doctors say they have given drugs to terminally ill patients, or withdrawn treatment, knowing that it would or intending to shorten their life.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis argument is not likely to come to a conclusion  anytime soon.  But that there are compassionate physicians who quietly play a role in assisting terminally ill patients  is no secret.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hands Across the Seas, Part III"},{"content":" * Not Much Has Changed * Year of Dwindling Hopes What now? Nov 3rd election results clearly indicate the president's weakened position. Republican gubernatorial contender Bob McDonnell in Virginia defeated Democrat Craig Deeds by a wide margin despite Obama's efforts on behalf of Deeds. Polls were showing that McDonnell had a double-digit lead, so the result was not a suprise. In New Jersey, Democrat John Corzine (governor since 2006) lost to Republican Chris Christie. in a close race. These victories have energized Republicans.The mid-term elections are a year away. The Obama wave is receding; blacks and young voters stayed away. The president has three more years in his first term.....a very long time in politics. Think of G.W. Bush and his sky-high popularity which plummeted in the last years of his second term. Obama's numbers could ascend or they could go down below that of Bush. There are those who say that it is too early to stop hoping that President Obama would live up to at least some of the things he talked about during his campaign, and that he deserves more time. Perhaps they are right. One year is not enough to get a lot done, especially when you think of the mess he inherited. Democrats have majority but not a veto-proof majority, and not all Democratic members of Congress are supportive of the president's goals. That is not what is disheartening. On a number of issues the president has either gone back on his words or retreated too quickly when he faced opposition. It is almost as if all his decisions are based with an eye on second term; he wants to be all things to all men. He is paying a price but no doubt Obama and his team have considered the cost-benefit factors in pursuing their strategy. Torture of Prisoners - Extraordinary Rendition Still following Bush administration's practices. FISA Backed away from opposition to retroactive immunity for telecom companies that assisted in warrantless wire tapping within the USA. The Middle-East After a strong statement calling for complete halt of settlement construction by the Israelis, the president quietly retreated. Israel continues to be one of the primary recipients of financial and military aid from the United States. The aid package is 'classified' . And no one talks about Israel's nuclear arsenal! Reform of Wall Street The hands-off policy that allowed giants of Wall Street to come up with creative mortgage finance packages and exotic investment plans which eventually caused the markets to collapse began long before Obama became president. However, it is now quite obvious that it is going to be 'business as usual'. Eventually, when some of the proposed measures to curb abusive practices take shape they will be largely symbolic.....toothless. Prominent members of his staff were involved in creating, and benefiting from the actions that caused the crash. Democratic members of Congress have turned out to be in the pockets of lobbyists just like the Republicans. The Democrats are not blatant about being in bed with special interest groups, but that is the most one can say about them. Barring a few exceptions, our elected representatives are creatures of a corrupt system. Health Care Reform The president quickly retreated from a strong public option provision. Loud reaction from his \"liberal\" supporters forced him to return to resurrect the issue. But let's not fool ourselves. The much vaunted plans for a health-care plan to cover all Americans are dead. When the final bill emerges it is not going to be anything close to universal health care available in Canada, Britain, and some European countries. And costs will keep going up. Currently, it looks doubtful that a bill would clear Congress and submitted to the president before the end of the year. With the huge deficit that now exists, lack of funding for health care is a major obstacle. As long as we continue to take part in wars and propping up dictators in various parts of the world money for social programs and domestic infrastructure would not be available. Iraq and Afghanistan The mess started under G.W. Bush's presidency. We don't know what kind of presence we shall have in Iraq a year from now but President Obama is maintaining plans for withdrawal. A different story in Afghanistan where NATO's UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is involved. But we have been running the war since 2001. The president is expected to announce his decision about increasing the number of soldiers. The military commander has asked for 40,000 more. The number of attacks by drones has increased. Afghan civilians continue to suffer deaths and injuries. Hamid Karzai, the puppet installed by Bush administration as president of Afghanistan in 2004, won a technical victory in recent election when, after detection of wide-spread fraud and announcement of new election, his opponent decided to withdraw from the race. Corruption is said to be rampant in Karzai's Afghanistan. According to recent reports, President Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, is one of the major players in Afghanistan's drug trade, and he enjoys a cozy relationship with the CIA. The CIA has been paying him for years to assist in the war against the Taliban. A year ago we believed in his message about 'change'; there was a feeling of excitement that things would be different after eight dark years of Bush and the neocons. Not going to happen. Better than Bush is how I feel but there are days when it is hard to maintain that position. A friend who contributed $1,000 to Obama's campaign in 2008, reveled in his victory: My faith in our country and the belief that education and intelligence and smartness still has value in this country has been restored! at least for now. On my next international trip I hope I don't have to fidget to disclose my country or origin anymore. A few weeks back I emailed him: \"Almost a year since your message full of joy and high hopes. You were not the only one to feel good. But how do you feel a year later? \" His response: \"Ha ha.. Wonderfully ripped off.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/obamas-election-victory-redux/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nNot Much Has Changed * Year of Dwindling Hopes\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat now?  Nov 3rd election results clearly indicate the president's weakened position. Republican gubernatorial contender Bob McDonnell in Virginia defeated Democrat Craig Deeds by a wide margin despite Obama's efforts on behalf of Deeds. Polls were showing that McDonnell had a double-digit lead, so the result was not a suprise. In New Jersey, Democrat John Corzine (governor since 2006) lost to Republican Chris Christie. in a close race.  These victories have energized Republicans.The mid-term elections are a year away. The Obama wave is receding; blacks and young voters stayed away.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe president has three more years in his first term.....a very long time in politics.  Think of G.W. Bush and his sky-high popularity which plummeted in the last years of his second term.  Obama's numbers could ascend or they  could go down below that of Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere are those who say that it is too early to stop hoping that President Obama would live up to at least some of the things he talked about during his campaign, and that he deserves more time.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePerhaps they are right.  One year is not enough to get a lot done, especially when you think of the mess he inherited.  Democrats have majority but not a veto-proof majority, and not all Democratic  members of Congress are supportive of the president's goals.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is not what is disheartening.  On a number of issues the president has either gone back on his words or retreated too quickly when he faced opposition.  It is almost as if all his decisions are based with an eye on second term; he wants to be all things to all men.  He is paying a price but no doubt Obama and his team have considered the cost-benefit factors in pursuing their strategy.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nTorture of Prisoners - Extraordinary Rendition\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nStill following Bush administration's practices.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nFISA\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBacked away from opposition to retroactive immunity for telecom companies that assisted in warrantless wire tapping within the USA.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Middle-East \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAfter a strong statement calling for complete halt of settlement construction by the Israelis, the president quietly retreated.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIsrael continues to be one of the primary recipients of financial and military aid\u003cbr/\u003e\nfrom the United States.  The aid package is 'classified' . And no one talks about Israel's nuclear arsenal!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nReform of Wall Street\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe hands-off policy that allowed giants of Wall Street to come up with creative\u003cbr/\u003e\nmortgage finance packages and exotic investment plans which eventually caused the markets to collapse began long before Obama became president.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHowever, it is now quite obvious that it is going to be 'business as usual'.   Eventually, when some of the proposed measures to curb abusive practices take shape they will be largely symbolic.....toothless.  Prominent members of his staff were involved in creating, and benefiting from the actions that caused the crash.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDemocratic members of Congress have turned out to be in the pockets of lobbyists just like the Republicans.  The Democrats are not blatant about being in bed with special interest groups, but that is the most one can say about them.  Barring a few exceptions, our elected representatives are creatures of a corrupt system.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHealth Care Reform\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president quickly retreated from a strong public option provision.  Loud reaction from his \"liberal\" supporters forced him to return to resurrect the issue. But let's not fool ourselves.  The much vaunted plans for a health-care plan to cover all Americans are dead. When the final bill emerges it is not going to be anything close to universal health care available in Canada, Britain, and some European countries.  And costs will keep going up.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCurrently, it looks doubtful that a bill would clear Congress and submitted to the president before the end of the year.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nWith the huge deficit that now exists, lack of funding for health care is a major obstacle.  As long as we continue to take part in wars and propping up dictators in various parts of the world money for social programs and domestic infrastructure would not be available.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIraq and Afghanistan\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe mess started under G.W. Bush's presidency. We don't know what kind of presence we shall have in Iraq a year from now but President Obama is maintaining plans for withdrawal.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA different story in Afghanistan where NATO's  UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is involved.  But we have been running the war since 2001.  The president is expected to announce his decision about increasing the number of soldiers.  The military commander has asked for 40,000 more.  The number of attacks by drones has increased.  Afghan civilians continue to suffer deaths and injuries. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHamid Karzai, the puppet installed by Bush administration as president of Afghanistan in 2004, won a technical victory in recent election when, after detection of wide-spread fraud and announcement of new election, his opponent decided to withdraw from the race.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCorruption is said to be rampant in Karzai's Afghanistan.  According to recent reports, President Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, is one of the major players in Afghanistan's drug trade, and he enjoys a cozy relationship with the CIA.  The CIA has been paying him for years to assist in the war against the Taliban.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA year ago we believed in his message about 'change'; there was a feeling of excitement that  things would be different after eight dark years of Bush and the neocons.  Not going to happen.    Better than Bush is how I feel  but there are days when it is hard to maintain that position.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA friend who contributed $1,000 to Obama's campaign in 2008, reveled in his victory:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMy faith in our country and the belief that education and intelligence and smartness still has value in this country has been restored!  at least for now.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn my next international trip I hope I don't have to fidget to disclose my country or origin anymore.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003eA few weeks back I emailed him:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Almost a year since your message full of joy and high hopes.  You were not the only one to feel good.  But how do you feel a year later? \"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHis response:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\"Ha ha..  Wonderfully ripped off.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Obama's Election Victory Redux"},{"content":" * Surveillance in the Modern World * A Garden in Sussex, UK Consultations with doctors; visits from friends and family members; taking care of the various mundane yet important tasks that must be dealt with, Sara M. continues to be active and energetic in pursuing her projects. Her messages convey no sign of despair. Sarah recently completed and published her research about surveillance societies. A lot of work went into it. For Sarah, it is a labor of love. The post reflects her passionate position about injustice and the widening use of technological advances in weapons of war that only the major nations can afford and use them to achieve ends which rarely have anything to do with democracy and freedom for the people of the countries under attack. A friend wrote to her that \"prayers work\". There is no argument about the fact that some people find solace, strength in prayers. Our ex-president G.W. Bush spoke on October 26th at a Get Motivated seminar (ticket price $225.00) in Fort Worth,TX, about being helped by god in his decisions. And former prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, talked about \"divine impulses\" during a video interview published by The Washington Post. Two men with blood on their hands. Sickening. No doubt the grand inquisitors felt empowered by god to burn the heretics. And the Crusaders went on their looting and pillaging expeditions blessed by god. In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, the Islamic fundamentalists are killing each other as if there is no tomorrow. They,too, believe in prayers and they blow up innocent people in the name of their god. It was what Sarah wrote about her garden that made me feel good. \"Stefan is clearing the garden now, which is sort of a mirror ...I love the garden with the bare earth and compost. The red rosesare still blooming,along with the winter jasmine.\" A corner of Sarah's garden - June 2009 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-11-14 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/11/hands-across-the-seas-part-ii/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n *\u003c/center\u003e\nSurveillance in the Modern World * A Garden in Sussex, UK\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nConsultations with doctors; visits from friends and family members; taking care of the various mundane yet important tasks that must be dealt with, Sara M. continues to be active and energetic in pursuing her projects.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nHer messages convey no sign of despair.  Sarah recently completed and published her research about \u003ca href=\"http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2009/10/surveillance-societies.html\"\u003esurveillance societies\u003c/a\u003e.  A lot of work went into it.  For Sarah, it is a labor of love. The post reflects her passionate position about injustice and the widening use of technological advances in weapons of war that only the major nations can afford and use them to achieve ends which rarely have anything to do with democracy and freedom for the people of the countries under attack.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA friend wrote to her that \"prayers work\".  There is no argument about the fact that some people find solace, strength in prayers.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOur ex-president G.W. Bush spoke on October 26th at a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/nation/ex-president-bush-urge-listeners-at-fort-worth-texas-speech-to-stick-to-their-principles-66381822.html\"\u003eGet Motivated\u003c/a\u003e seminar (ticket price $225.00) in Fort Worth,TX, about being helped by god in his decisions.  And former prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, talked about \"divine impulses\" during a video \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/10/22/VI2009102202151.html\"\u003einterview\u003c/a\u003e published by The Washington Post.  Two men with blood on their hands.  Sickening.  No doubt the grand inquisitors felt empowered by god to burn the heretics.   And the Crusaders went on their looting and pillaging expeditions blessed by god.  In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, the Islamic fundamentalists are killing each other as if there is no tomorrow.  They,too, believe in prayers and they blow up innocent people in the name of their god.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt was what Sarah wrote about her garden that made me feel good.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\"Stefan is clearing the garden now, which is sort of a mirror ...\u003cbr/\u003eI love the garden with the bare earth and compost. The red roses\u003cbr/\u003eare still blooming,along with the winter jasmine.\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nA corner of Sarah's garden - June 2009\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399270641792725074\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/11/Sarahs garden June 2009.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-11-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Hands Across the Seas, Part II"},{"content":" * \"Especially when the October wind With frosty fingers punishes my hair,.......\"- Dylan ThomasStill have enough hair left to feel 'frosty fingers', and that is something to feel cheerful about. And there is more. Heading for 76, my knees holding up -- can run (jog), ride a bicycle, and enjoy hiking on local trails.The change in temperature is noticeable. Breezy and cold but sunny morning. Soon, leaves will begin to fall and pile up and then,hopefully, the rains will follow. After two winters of below-normal precipitation we need rains. Returned empty-handed from a foraging trip last week. Didn't find a single chanterelle. It was too early; the ground still dry and hard.Far away in South Asia, Islamic fundamentalists are on killing sprees. And we are on a mission to defeat the so called 'insurgents'. In the process we kill innocent civilians. Our government calls it collateral damage. \"State terrorism\" is a more apt description. According to NYTimes, the CIA had been in cahoots with Ahmed Wali Karzai (brother of president Hamid Karzai) who is said to be a key player in the drug trade. Nothing new. History is full of our shameful role in support of goons in different countries. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/10/the-seasons-last-days-of-october-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Especially when the October wind\u003cbr/\u003e                                           With frosty fingers punishes my hair,.......\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e- Dylan Thomas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStill have enough hair left to feel 'frosty fingers', and that is something to feel cheerful about. And there is more.  Heading for 76, my knees holding up -- can run (jog), ride a bicycle, and enjoy hiking on local trails.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe change in temperature is noticeable. Breezy and cold but sunny morning.  Soon, leaves will begin to fall and pile  up and then,hopefully, the rains will follow.  After two winters of below-normal precipitation we need rains.  Returned empty-handed from a foraging trip last week.  Didn't find a single chanterelle.  It was too early; the ground still dry and hard.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFar away in South Asia, Islamic fundamentalists are on killing sprees.  And we are on a mission to defeat the  so called 'insurgents'.  In the process we kill innocent civilians.  Our government  calls   it collateral damage.  \"State terrorism\" is a more apt description. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/world/asia/28intel.html\"\u003eNYTimes\u003c/a\u003e, the CIA had been in cahoots with Ahmed Wali Karzai (brother of president Hamid Karzai)  who is said to be a key player in the drug trade.  Nothing new.  History is full of our shameful role in support of goons in different countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Last Days of October 2009"},{"content":" *A Friend's Decision to Die with Dignity * October 2009\"The winds that blow-- ask them,which leaf of the tree will be next to go\" ---Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)As we grow old the circle of friends and acquaintances shrink. Inevitable. We are here for a limited time and sooner or later our time comes. In the last eight years I have lost two childhood friends to cancer. In both cases their suffering was not prolonged. I don't know what they would have done if faced with the decision to go through a long, expensive, and ultimately meaningless series of treatments.I have strong feeling about 'right to die' and 'death with dignity'. Simply put, I do not believe in an after-life. I accept the \"blank certitude of death\". If I should happen to be afflicted with terminal illness my decision would be to let the end come without going through lengthy medical procedures, certainly without being kept alive on life support. My children and friends are aware of my position. I have filed the necessary document with my health care provider and hope that there would not be any hitches but one cannot be sure. Some people not only want to cling to life regardless of the state they are in but they also do not wish to allow those who feel differently to opt for final exit.Only two states -- Oregon and Washington --in our country have enacted laws to permit physician assistance in dying. For the rest of us it is a different situation. Personally, I thought that Dr. Kevorkian did great work until he was imprisoned for assisting terminally ill people to die. We don't have anything like Dignitas, the Swiss organization. So, one has to plan in advance for the eventuality to avoid being a victim of the system, hooked up to life support.A friend, Sarah M, who lives in Sussex, UK, was recently diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. She has decided to avoid going through the various stages of treatment which could prolong her remaining days. It is a horrible, painful, degrading disease. Sarah is a passionate activist in human rights causes and justice for the Palestinians. Widely traveled, she is a voracious reader, enjoys gardening, pets, and music. While the NHS in Britain does not have provision for pro-active measures to hasten death, one gets the impression that it is less rigid in its position than the American system under pressure of religious and political organizations to which 'euthanasia' is a dirty word.Neither Sarah nor I believe in prayers. I think of her and hope that palliative medicine would help her to cope as she prepares for her final days in a hospice.Listening to Glenn Gould, Piano, A State of Wonder, The Complete Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) 1955. Sony Classical Legacy S3K 87703. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/10/hands-across-the-seas-part-i/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Friend's Decision to Die with Dignity * October 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396593072873017410\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/10/Color of Leaves 005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The winds that blow--  ask them,\u003cbr/\u003ewhich leaf of the tree\u003cbr/\u003e  will be  next to go\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs we grow old the circle of friends and acquaintances shrink.  Inevitable. We are here for a limited time and sooner or later our time comes.  In the last eight years I have lost two childhood friends to cancer. In both cases their suffering was not prolonged. I don't know what they would have done if faced with the decision to go through a long, expensive,  and ultimately meaningless  series of treatments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have strong feeling about  'right to die' and 'death with dignity'. Simply put, I do not believe in an after-life.  I accept the \"blank certitude of death\".  If I should happen to be afflicted with terminal illness my decision would be to let the end come without going through lengthy medical procedures, certainly without being kept alive on life support. My children and friends are aware of my position.  I have filed the necessary document with my health care provider and hope that there would not be any hitches but one cannot be sure. Some people not only want to  cling to life regardless of the state they are in but they also do not wish to allow those who  feel differently to opt for final exit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOnly two states -- Oregon and Washington --in our country have enacted laws to permit physician assistance in dying.  For the rest of us it is a different situation. Personally, I thought that \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kevorkian\"\u003eDr. Kevorkian\u003c/a\u003e did great work until he was imprisoned for assisting terminally ill people to die.  We don't have anything like \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2676837.stm\"\u003eDignitas\u003c/a\u003e, the Swiss organization.  So, one has to plan in advance for the eventuality to avoid being a victim of the system,  hooked up to life support.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA friend, Sarah M, who lives in Sussex, UK, was recently diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. She has decided to avoid going through the various stages of treatment which could prolong her remaining days. It is a horrible, painful, degrading disease. Sarah is  a passionate activist in human rights causes and justice for the Palestinians. Widely traveled, she is a voracious reader, enjoys gardening, pets, and music. While the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Health_Service\"\u003eNHS\u003c/a\u003e in Britain does not have provision for pro-active measures to hasten death, one gets the impression that it is less rigid in its position than the American system under pressure of religious and political organizations to which 'euthanasia' is a dirty word.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNeither Sarah nor I believe in prayers. I think of her and hope that palliative medicine would help her to cope as she prepares for her final days in a hospice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eListening to Glenn Gould, Piano, A State of Wonder, The Complete Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) 1955. Sony Classical Legacy S3K 87703.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hands Across the Seas, Part I"},{"content":" * High Finance to War Against Terror, the Same Old Pattern\"Dark Pools\". Something ominous about the term. To those of us who are not familiar with the workings of the world of high finance, it sounds as though the same masterminds who created \"collateral damage\" and \"extra-ordinary rendition\" are responsible for it. One can imagine our ex vice-president drooling over dark pools although his 'dark pools' might be unrelated to high finance.The fact remains that they exist, and are not going to disappear anytime soon. Very little is being done to curb abusive practices by the giants of Wall Street. The changes are mostly cosmetic.From Bloomberg.com:Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will propose toughening its limits on the amount of anonymous trading carried out on stock platforms called dark pools, according to two people familiar with the deliberations.The commission will propose lowering the amount of daily volume in a company’s shares that can be executed on the networks before prices must be made public to 0.25 percent from 5 percent tomorrow, said the people, who declined to be identified because the discussions weren’t public. John Nester, an SEC spokesman, declined to comment.The rule change may curtail the number of transactions on dark pools, off-exchange platforms run by firms such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Getco LLC that have drawn scrutiny from Democratic Senators Ted Kaufman of Delaware and Charles Schumer of New York. The systems usually shut down trading in a security when they approach the current 5 percent limit.In our war against terror,too, not much has changed from the way things were done during the G.W. Bush presidency. President Obama, despite his criticism of Bush Administration policies during the campaign of 2008,has not stopped 'extraordinary rendition'.Los Angeles Times\"Under executive orders issued by Obama recently, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as renditions, secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the United States.\"As our military activities in Iraq dwindle down, 'collateral damage' continues unabated in Afghanistan.And so it goes.\"We're all mad here\"--Cheshire Cat , Alice in Wonderland ","permalink":"/posts/2009/10/about-dark-pools-extraordinary-renditioncollateral-damageetc/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHigh Finance to War Against Terror, the Same Old Pattern\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Dark Pools\".  Something ominous about the term.  To those of us who are not familiar with the workings of the world of high finance, it sounds as though the same masterminds who created \"collateral damage\" and \"extra-ordinary rendition\" are responsible for it.  One can imagine  our ex vice-president drooling over dark pools although his 'dark pools' might be unrelated to high finance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe fact remains that they exist, and are not going to disappear anytime soon. Very little is being done to curb abusive practices by the giants of Wall Street.  The changes are mostly cosmetic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eFrom\u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087\u0026amp;sid=aAdy.x_n8BpA\"\u003e Bloomberg.com\u003c/a\u003e:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will propose toughening its limits on the amount of anonymous trading carried out on stock platforms called dark pools, according to two people familiar with the deliberations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe commission will propose lowering the amount of daily volume in a company’s shares that can be executed on the networks before prices must be made public to 0.25 percent from 5 percent tomorrow, said the people, who declined to be identified because the discussions weren’t public. John Nester, an SEC spokesman, declined to comment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe rule change may curtail the number of transactions on dark pools, off-exchange platforms run by firms such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Getco LLC that have drawn scrutiny from Democratic Senators Ted Kaufman of Delaware and Charles Schumer of New York. The systems usually shut down trading in a security when they approach the current 5 percent limit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn our war against terror,too,  not much has changed from the way things were done during the G.W. Bush presidency. President Obama, despite his criticism of Bush Administration policies during the campaign of 2008,has not stopped 'extraordinary rendition'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/01/nation/na-rendition1\"\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Under executive orders issued by Obama recently, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as renditions, secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the United States.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs our military activities in Iraq dwindle down, 'collateral damage' continues unabated in Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We're all mad here\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Cheshire Cat , Alice in Wonderland\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"About Dark Pools, Extraordinary Rendition,Collateral Damage,etc."},{"content":" * Islam and Virginity * Phyllis Schlafly on FeminismA device to fake virginity! Funny if it were not for the implications for women in Islamic countries. In today's world virgin brides are in short supply.BBC News 28 September 2009 A leading Egyptian scholar has demanded that people caught importing a female virginity-faking device into the country should face the death penalty. Abdul Mouti Bayoumi said supplying the item was akin to spreading vice in society, a crime punishable by death in Islamic Sharia law. The device is said to release liquid imitating blood, allowing a female to feign virginity on her wedding night. Why is it OK for muslim men to have pre-marital sex but not for the women they marry? Although, to be fair, it is not only Islamic countries where men expect the women they marry to be virgins. Things are no different in India. And one gets the feeling that here in the United States the politicians who publicly champion family values, rail against homosexuals and birth control, and then get caught in sleazy extra-marital affairs are not much different than the muslims who want to marry virgins. Think of David Vitter, Mark Sanford, John Ensign, and Mark Duvall, the California congressman. All Republicans. Sure, the Democrats had their John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer. But they were not bible-thumping hypocrites.Wonder if the device and fake blood do the trick -- convince the husbands that they married virgins, hymens intact. It is the same religion that, under Hudood Ordinance required rape victims in Pakistan to produce four adult male witnesses to pursue charges. Ya, Habibi. Where do they crawl out from?Strangely, the neanderthals - Islamic and others -- enjoy support from some women. Check out Ann Telnaes' animated strip about Phyllis Schlafly in The Washington Post,Sept.30, 2009. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/10/men-seeking-virgin-brides/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIslam and Virginity * Phyllis Schlafly on Feminism\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA device to fake virginity!  Funny if it were not for the implications for women in Islamic countries.  In today's world virgin brides are in short supply.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8279276.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e 28 September 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003eA leading Egyptian scholar has demanded that people caught importing a female virginity-faking device into the country should face the death penalty. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Abdul Mouti Bayoumi said supplying the item was akin to spreading vice in society, a crime punishable by death in Islamic Sharia law. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e The device is said to release liquid imitating blood, allowing a female to feign virginity on her wedding night. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhy is it OK for muslim  men to have pre-marital sex but not for the women they marry? Although, to be fair, it is not only Islamic countries where men expect the women they marry to be virgins. Things are no different in India.  And  one gets the feeling that here in the United States  the politicians who publicly champion  family values, rail against homosexuals and birth control, and then get caught in sleazy extra-marital affairs are not much different than the muslims who want to marry virgins.   Think of David Vitter, Mark Sanford, John Ensign, and Mark Duvall, the California congressman.  All Republicans.   Sure, the Democrats had their John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer.  But they were not bible-thumping hypocrites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWonder if the device and fake blood do the trick -- convince the husbands that they married virgins, hymens intact. It is the same religion that, under \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudood_Ordinance\"\u003eHudood  Ordinance\u003c/a\u003e  required rape victims in Pakistan to produce four adult male witnesses to pursue charges. Ya, Habibi.  Where do they crawl out from?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStrangely, the neanderthals - Islamic and others -- enjoy support from some women.  Check out Ann Telnaes' animated strip  about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/opinions/anntelnaes/?hpid=opinionsbox1\"\u003ePhyllis Schlafly\u003c/a\u003e in The Washington Post,Sept.30, 2009.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Men Seeking Virgin Brides"},{"content":" * October * Onitsura * BashoAlmost seamlessly or, one can say, without losing a stride we moved from summer into autumn. October is around the corner. Two days back the day-time temp. was in the 90's (31 deg. C). Today it is in the 70's. Hopefully, the rains will come soon. We need them.\"Early autumn:Tree leaves flutter, and autumn begins.\"-- Uejima Onitsura (1631-1738)Translated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson, From the Country of Eight Islands\"Mottoes:Don't mention others' shortcomings, Don't dwell on your virtues.Speak, and your lips feel cold in the autumn wind.\"--Matsuo Basho, 1692Translated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson, From the Country of Eight IslandsIt is the time of the year when I think of hot soups, roasted root vegetables, and foraging for wild mushrooms. Last season was disappointing. I have a feeling that this year the chanterelles would be back in force. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/09/the-seasons-early-autumn-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOctober *  Onitsura * Basho\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlmost seamlessly  or, one can say, without losing a stride we moved from summer into autumn.  October is around the corner. Two days back the day-time temp. was in the 90's (31 deg. C).  Today it is in the 70's.  Hopefully, the rains will come soon.  We need them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Early autumn:\u003cbr/\u003eTree leaves flutter, and autumn begins.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Uejima Onitsura (1631-1738)\u003cbr/\u003eTranslated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson, From the Country of Eight Islands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mottoes:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdir\u003eDon't mention others' shortcomings,\u003cbr/\u003e        Don't dwell on your virtues.\u003c/dir\u003eSpeak, and your lips feel cold in the autumn wind.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Matsuo Basho, 1692\u003cbr/\u003eTranslated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson, From the Country of Eight Islands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is the time of the year when I  think of hot soups, roasted root vegetables, and foraging for wild mushrooms. Last season was disappointing.  I have a feeling that this year the chanterelles would be back in force.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Early Autumn 2009"},{"content":" * A daunting, brute of a Mountain There are scads of items - reports about ascending Mt. Whitney to be found on the Internet. Neil Modie of Seattle Post Intelligencer climbed the mountain three years ago, in August 2006, and this is what he wrote: \"Mt. Whitney: Not a technical climb, but it's every bit an endurance test From the trailhead, it is 10.7 miles to the top, with 6,137 feet of elevation gain. Of the 21.4-mile round trip, nearly 10 miles are above 12,000 feet. Under normal circumstances, the climb isn't hazardous, although the high elevation can bring on altitude sickness or even potentially deadly pulmonary or cerebral edema for someone not properly acclimatized. But it's really only a hike, albeit a long one, and not a mountaineering feat. That makes the Whitney failure rate all the more humbling. After all, more than half the 9,000 or so climbers a year who attempt 14,411-foot Mount Rainier make it to the top, despite needing ice axes, crampons, carabiners, ropes and other mountaineering gear necessary to arrest a slide down steep glacial ice or climb out of a crevasse. We had decided not to try a \"day hike\" -- from Whitney Portal to the summit and back -- in one day, a distance of more than 21 miles. We carried our packs to the Trail Camp on the afternoon of Sept.19th and set up tents. Our plan was to start for the summit on Sunday morning, break camp after descending and hike back to Whitney Portal. Howard Higley began suffering from altitude sickness on the way to Trail Camp. On Sunday morning, he felt that he was not in a condition to ascend the summit and would return to Whitney Portal to wait for us. It was the right decision. Howard had wanted to do this for a long time and it was he who won a place in the permit lottery. Johnny and I left camp at 8:00 AM. Sunday, Sept.20th. Johnny reached the peak long before me; I got there at 12:46 PM. Some climbers do it in less time, others take longer. Met an 87 year old man who was descending after celebrating his birthday by hiking up to the summit! We had the usual pictures taken, signed the register in front of the Smithsonian hut, Then it was time to descend to the camp site. Our original plan was to break camp and head for Whitney Portal 4.7 miles away. But I suffered injuries in a fall during descent and decided to wait until next morning to hike back to Whitney Portal. Negotiating thousands of stone steps at night with a pack on my back would have been fraught with risks in the shape I was in. On Monday, Johnny transferred some of my stuff into his backpack. We left Trail Camp soon after 7:00 AM and reached Whitney Portal at 12:40 PM. What a pleasure it was to see our friend Howard Higley! We had taken a bottle of Pauillac '04 to celebrate, or to drown our sorrows if we failed. We were famished. Ordered burgers and requested permission of the manager to open our bottlle of wine. She graciously said it was OK. There were no crystal stemware to drink from but the only thing wrong with the paper cups was that they did not show the lovely, plum color of the wine. We finished the bottle and headed home. Saturday morning,Johnny getting ready for the hike to Trail Camp © Rana Sircar Our packs in front of the the Whitney Portal Store © Rana Sircar With Howard Higley at trailhead adjacent to Portal Store - © John Lazar,Jr. @ Rana Sircar Looking down on Owens Valley @ Rana Sircar Johnny slogging up to Trail Camp @ Rana Sircar Nice, but soon it became rocks and more rocks @ Rana Sircar Above tree-line, past Mirror Lake @ John Lazar,Jr. Up the trail to Outpost Camp @ John Lazar,Jr. A bristlecone pine above Mirror Lake @ John Lazar,Jr. Distant view - Mt. Whitney at far right @ Rana Sircar Consultation Lake, 11,680 ft - near trail camp @ John Lazar,Jr. Trail camp area, right of the lake @ John Lazar,Jr. Johnny's tent at camp site @ John Lazar,Jr. Sept.20th -Climbers using wire rope railing in a steep, icy area @ Rana Sircar Looking down at Consultation Lake from top of the switchbacks @ John Lazar,Jr. Getting closer to the summit, Smithsonian Hut visible - @ John Lazar,Jr. On the ridge at 13,650 ft. The trail is at right of the marker @ John Lazar,Jr. Sign post at the intersection of the John Muir and Whitney Portal Trails @ John Lazar,Jr. Getting close to summit. Tough hiking; poles essential @ John Lazar,Jr. The summit at last. Smithsonian Hut, built 1909 @ John Lazar,Jr. The register at the Smithsonian Hut. Nos.31 and 34 were us @ Rana Sircar National Park Service Plaque @ John Lazar,Jr. Looking south towards Keeler Needle and the top of the switchbacks @ John Lazar,Jr. How sweet it was! At the top of the 48 states - A friendly climber took this picture Climbers on top. The weather couldn't have been better - @ Rana Sircar Descending. Johnny at Trail Crest @ Rana Sircar Monday morning returning to Portal, Mirror Lake was a welcome sight @ Rana Sircar I did a lot of groaning, Johnny (with a 46 lb. pack) never sweated @ Rana Sircar At Portal. Took 5 hrs from Trail Camp because of my slow pace @ Howard Higley Johnny and Howard enjoying the '04 Pauillac - @Rana Sircar \"Adventure is not outside man; it is within.\" --David Grayson Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23 Congratulations!\n---\nSarbajit Unknown \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23 Good show! (In more ways than one!) Unknown \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23 I knew you would succeed Rana. Great to see the photos.\nAnjana Sammy \u0026mdash; 2009-09-24 Great achievement at this age !! BG from Palo Alto \u0026mdash; 2009-09-26 Rana-babu, What a delight and inspiration you are to all of us. Please take me with you next time. Anything for a Pauillac 2004! :-) Unknown \u0026mdash; 2009-09-27 Rana:\nSo exciting! You really did it!! Congratulations, great job!!\nMalabika Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-09-28 Rana Sircar .. Well .. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/09/mt-whitney-and-a-grand-cru-class%C3%A9-pauillac/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nA daunting, brute of a Mountain \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are scads of items - reports about ascending Mt. Whitney to be found on the Internet. Neil Modie of \u003ca href=\"http://www.seattlepi.com/getaways/281311_climb17.html\"\u003eSeattle Post Intelligencer\u003c/a\u003e climbed the mountain three years ago, in August 2006, and this is what he wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384426979693264786\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt.Whitney route.gif.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Mt. Whitney: Not a technical climb, but it's every bit an endurance test\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFrom the trailhead, it is 10.7 miles to the top, with 6,137 feet of elevation gain. Of the 21.4-mile round trip, nearly 10 miles are above 12,000 feet.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUnder normal circumstances, the climb isn't hazardous, although the high elevation can bring on altitude sickness or even potentially deadly pulmonary or cerebral edema for someone not properly acclimatized. But it's really only a hike, albeit a long one, and not a mountaineering feat.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThat makes the Whitney failure rate all the more humbling. After all, more than half the 9,000 or so climbers a year who attempt 14,411-foot Mount Rainier make it to the top, despite needing ice axes, crampons, carabiners, ropes and other mountaineering gear necessary to arrest a slide down steep glacial ice or climb out of a crevasse.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe had decided  not to try a \"day hike\" -- from Whitney Portal to the summit and back -- in one day, a distance of more than  21 miles.    \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe carried our packs to the Trail Camp on the afternoon of Sept.19th and set up tents.  Our plan was to start for the summit on Sunday morning, break camp after descending and hike  back to Whitney Portal.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHoward Higley began suffering from altitude sickness on the way to Trail Camp. On Sunday morning, he felt that he was not in a condition to ascend the summit and would return to  Whitney Portal to wait for us.  It was the right decision. Howard had wanted to do this for a long time and it was he who won a place in the permit lottery.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nJohnny and I left camp at 8:00 AM. Sunday, Sept.20th. Johnny  reached the peak long before me; I got there at 12:46 PM. Some climbers do it in less time, others take longer. Met an 87 year old man who was descending after celebrating his birthday by hiking up to the summit!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe had the usual pictures taken, signed the  register in front of the Smithsonian hut, Then it was time to descend to the camp site. Our original plan was to break camp and head for Whitney Portal 4.7 miles away. But I suffered injuries in a fall during descent and decided to wait until next morning to hike back to Whitney Portal. Negotiating thousands of stone steps at night with a pack on my back would have been fraught with risks in the shape I was in.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Monday,  Johnny transferred some of my stuff into his backpack.  We left Trail Camp soon after 7:00 AM and reached Whitney Portal at 12:40 PM. What a pleasure it was to see our friend Howard Higley!\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe had taken a bottle of Pauillac '04  to celebrate, or to drown our sorrows if we failed. We were famished. Ordered burgers and requested permission of the manager to open our bottlle of wine. She graciously said it was OK. There were no crystal stemware  to drink from but the only thing wrong with the paper cups was that they did not show the lovely, plum color of the wine. We finished the bottle and headed home.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcjoUOZ7N8F3yH4rMKhoUuW77ls19QraTPs1qjIQz6PHOo8sYpI5YVms7VOQPj6buUDZdR5nGqoUkZ2m2MfyS5ReoVco2f0dOqPKdOiiKahr8IrddVNQSeEDfPbJB_he_CNRQ/s1600-h/Mt.+Whitney+Trip+007.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384429065483286594\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 012.jpg\"/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003eSaturday morning,Johnny getting ready for the hike to Trail Camp © Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384430352337976994\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 015.jpg\"/\u003eOur packs in front of the the Whitney Portal Store © Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384433180179955634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWith Howard Higley at trailhead adjacent to  Portal Store - © John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384447960944754370\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 017.jpg\"/\u003e@ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386979153031408786\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 019.jpg\"/\u003eLooking down on Owens Valley @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384448634816738850\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 020.jpg\"/\u003eJohnny slogging up  to Trail Camp @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384680852849998242\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 023.jpg\"/\u003eNice, but soon it became rocks and more rocks @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386971861122744994\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Above treeline at Mirror Lake.jpg\"/\u003eAbove tree-line, past Mirror Lake @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386980580318627394\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Up the trail to Outpost Camp.jpg\"/\u003eUp the trail to Outpost Camp @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386973110799971330\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Bristlecone Pine above Mirror Lake,10,400 ft.jpg\"/\u003eA bristlecone pine above Mirror Lake @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384679323377627474\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 031.jpg\"/\u003eDistant view - Mt. Whitney at far right @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386988085495488594\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Consultation Lake.jpg\"/\u003eConsultation Lake, 11,680 ft - near trail camp @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386975628791082770\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/General view of trail camp, right of the lake.jpg\"/\u003eTrail camp area, right of the lake @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386976485830663810\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Johnnys tent at camp site.jpg\"/\u003eJohnny's tent at camp site @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384681776854715426\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 035.jpg\"/\u003eSept.20th -Climbers using wire rope railing in a steep, icy area @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386989830707159938\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Looking down on Consultation Lake from top of the switchbacks.jpg\"/\u003eLooking down at Consultation Lake from top of the switchbacks @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384687478197494610\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/IMG_3276.JPG\"/\u003eGetting closer to the summit, Smithsonian Hut visible - @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386992273637536066\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/On the ridege.jpg\"/\u003eOn the ridge at 13,650 ft. The trail is at right of the marker @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386993550550910642\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Sign post.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nSign post at the intersection of the John Muir and Whitney Portal Trails @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386994833613424306\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Getting close.jpg\"/\u003eGetting close to summit. Tough hiking; poles essential @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386995921104939282\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Smithsonian Hut.jpg\"/\u003eThe summit at last.  Smithsonian Hut, built 1909 @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384683015963033634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 037.jpg\"/\u003eThe register at  the Smithsonian Hut. Nos.31 and 34 were us @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386996848660470194\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/The National Park Service Plaque.jpg\"/\u003eNational Park Service Plaque @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386997615333814882\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Looking south from the summit.jpg\"/\u003eLooking south towards Keeler Needle and the top of the switchbacks @ John Lazar,Jr.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386998624862952290\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/On top.jpg\"/\u003eHow sweet it was! At the top of the 48 states - A friendly climber took this picture\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384691516294280146\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 045.jpg\"/\u003eClimbers on top. The weather couldn't have been better - @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384688675388281922\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 049.jpg\"/\u003eDescending. Johnny at Trail Crest @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384693019880595634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 051.jpg\"/\u003eMonday morning returning to Portal, Mirror Lake was a welcome sight @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384695074351402338\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 052.jpg\"/\u003eI did a lot of groaning, Johnny (with a 46 lb. pack) never sweated @ Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384695894739280434\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 053.jpg\"/\u003eAt Portal. Took 5 hrs from Trail Camp because of my slow pace  @ Howard Higley\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384697325587687202\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/09/Mt. Whitney Trip 056.jpg\"/\u003eJohnny and Howard enjoying the '04 Pauillac -  @Rana Sircar\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Adventure is not outside man; it is within.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n--David Grayson\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eCongratulations!\u003cbr\u003e---\u003cbr\u003eSarbajit\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGood show! (In more ways than one!)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-23\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI knew you would succeed Rana.  Great to see the photos.\u003cbr\u003eAnjana\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSammy\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat achievement at this age !!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBG from Palo Alto\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRana-babu, \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat a delight and inspiration you are to all of us. Please take me with you next time. Anything for a Pauillac 2004! :-)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRana:\u003cbr\u003eSo exciting! You really did it!! Congratulations, great job!!\u003cbr\u003eMalabika\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRana Sircar .. Well ..\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Mt. Whitney and A  Grand Cru Classé Pauillac"},{"content":" * America, America No longer dominated by whites, our country is truly becoming a melting pot to the dismay of some politicians and groups of conservatives who resent the eroding of their power. And that is good. As I begin my 41st year in America, I rejoice that those who claim that America is a Judeo-Christian nation are going to be a spent force. I hope for a truly Jeffersonian America in which the wall between church and state will remain inviolate. There is much to celebrate. The victory of Barack Obama was a clear sign of the sea changes taking place. Paraphrasing an ad for cigarettes \"We have come a long way\". According to signs (my personal interpretation) President Obama's administration would not be vastly different from others before him but that is how our political system works.....far from an ideal good government. The government that President Lincoln envisaged in his Gettysburg Address:\".......and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\" never took shape, and remains unattainable. Government and politicians aside, it is a great country. The diversity, the incredible energy, the natural splendor are overwhelming. Not always proud of it but I love my adopted country. As the NY Times blogger Maira Kalman wrote \"Happy to be here\". I am, I certainly am. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/09/in-the-melting-pot---thoughts-of-an-immigrant/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nAmerica, America\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo longer dominated by whites, our country is truly becoming a melting pot to the dismay of some politicians and groups of conservatives who resent the eroding of their power. And that is good.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs I begin my 41st   year in America,  I rejoice that those who claim that America is a Judeo-Christian nation are going to be a spent force.    I hope for a truly \u003ca href=\"http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html\"\u003eJeffersonian \u003c/a\u003eAmerica in which the wall between church and state will remain inviolate.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is much to celebrate.  The victory of Barack Obama was a clear sign of the sea changes taking place. Paraphrasing an ad for cigarettes \"We have come a long way\".  According to signs (my personal interpretation) President Obama's administration would not be vastly  different from others before him but that is how our political system works.....far from an ideal  good government. The government that \u003ca href=\"http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm\"\u003ePresident Lincoln\u003c/a\u003e envisaged in his Gettysburg Address:\".......\u003cb\u003eand that government of the people, by the people,  for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\" \u003c/b\u003enever took shape, and remains unattainable.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nGovernment and politicians aside, it is a great country. The diversity, the incredible energy, the natural splendor are overwhelming.   Not always proud of it but I love my adopted country. As the NY Times blogger \u003ca href=\"http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/i-lift-my-lamp-beside-the-golden-door/?scp=2\u0026amp;sq=maira%20kalman\u0026amp;st=cse\"\u003eMaira Kalman\u003c/a\u003e wrote \"Happy to be here\".  I am, I certainly am.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"In the \"Melting Pot\" - Thoughts of an Immigrant"},{"content":" * Is TAP or TAPI the real cause for the war * Megrahi * Obama Administration \"August is the Cruelest Month\" is the title of a novella by Edna O'Brien. Historically, August has played a role in wars.As the August of 2009 winds down, reports indicate heavy toll paid by soldiers. Since Americans form largest contingent of NATO forces, more of them have lost their lives (reported to be 47) battling the Taliban. Some call it a war of \"liberation\". The primary reason was, of course, to crush bin Laden's al Qaeda operating from the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The administration of Hamid Karzai, installed by us as president, is corrupt. Karzai is leading in the recent election but there are allegations of \"widespread\" fraud. No surprise there, although it is doubtful whether victory of his opponent would mean much of a difference for the people of Afghanistan.In the meantime, plight of civilians continues to worsen. Fundamentalist Islamic groups are engaged in daily incidents of bombing and killing.Pakistan, recipient of huge sums of money and weaponry from the United States, is outwardly an ally of America. It,too, has its share of militant Islamic groups who have influence over the populace. The current prime minister, Asif Zardari, was once known as Mr. Ten Percent when his wife, the late Benazir Bhutto, held that position.The high number of civilians killed in attacks by U.S. drones have not earned us friends.The NY Times reported on August 27th:Last week, during a visit to Pakistan by Richard C. Holbrooke, Mr. Obama’s special envoy, Pakistanis told his entourage that America was widely despised in their country because, they said, it was obsessed with finding and killing Osama bin Laden to avenge the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. A mess, and no end in sight. Because of our history of engineering coup d'etats for the benefit of transnational oil companies one cannot shrug off reports about the natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan -- TAPI --being the real cause for America's involvement in Afghanistan. Release of Megrahi as part of a deal between UK and the Libyan Government is a recent example of major powers and the politics of oil.British Petroleum and Libyan Terrorist MegrahiBP was finally given the go-ahead six weeks after a volte-face by the British government to include Megrahi in a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya under which prisoners could serve out sentences in their home countries. Jack Straw, the justice secretary, revealed this decision in a letter to his Scottish counterpart. He cited “wider negotiations” and the “overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom”. Jewish Settlements\"U.S. drops demand for Israel building freeze in East Jerusalem\" (Haaretz 8-27-09)Following a now familiar and predictable pattern, the Obama Administration softened its position on construction of settlements by the Israelis.And so it goes. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-09-01 I don\u0026#39;t know how the U.S. is planning on protecting such a long pipeline from sabotage. Maybe we should start being nice to the Taliban. I say give them a cut of the profits and kill two birds with one stone. The war would end and the pipeline would be protected. But that would be the honorable thing to do and we all know that there is no honor among thieves. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/in-afghanistan-a-cruel-august-for-soldiers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eIs TAP or TAPI the real cause for the war *  Megrahi *  Obama Administration \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"August is the Cruelest Month\" is the title of a novella by Edna O'Brien.  Historically, August has played a role in wars.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the August of 2009 winds down, reports indicate heavy toll paid by soldiers.  Since Americans form largest contingent of NATO forces, more of them have lost their lives (reported to be 47) battling the Taliban. Some call it a war of \"liberation\".  The primary reason was, of course, to crush bin Laden's al Qaeda  operating from the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.  The administration of Hamid Karzai, installed by us as president, is  corrupt.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6814965.ece\"\u003eKarzai\u003c/a\u003e is leading in the recent election but there are allegations  of \"widespread\" fraud.  No surprise there,  although it is doubtful whether victory of his opponent would mean much of a  difference for the people of  Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the meantime, plight of civilians continues to worsen. Fundamentalist Islamic groups are engaged in daily incidents of bombing and killing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePakistan, recipient of huge sums of money and weaponry from the United States, is outwardly an ally of America. It,too, has its share of militant Islamic groups who have influence over the populace. The current prime minister, Asif Zardari, was once known as Mr. Ten Percent when his wife, the late Benazir Bhutto, held that position.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe high number of civilians killed in attacks by U.S. drones have not earned us friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/world/28military.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e reported on August 27th:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLast week, during a visit to Pakistan by Richard C. Holbrooke, Mr. Obama’s special envoy, Pakistanis told his entourage that America was widely despised in their country because, they said, it was obsessed with finding and killing Osama bin Laden to avenge the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA mess, and no end in sight. Because of our history of  engineering  coup d'etats for the benefit of transnational oil companies one cannot shrug off reports  about the natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan -- \u003ca href=\"http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1139349.html\"\u003eTAPI\u003c/a\u003e --being the real cause for America's involvement in Afghanistan.  Release of Megrahi as part of a deal between UK and the Libyan Government is   a recent example of major powers and the politics of oil.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBritish Petroleum and Libyan Terrorist Megrahi\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBP was finally given the go-ahead six weeks after a volte-face by the British  government to include \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6814974.ece\"\u003eMegrahi\u003c/a\u003e in a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya  under which prisoners could serve out sentences in their home countries.  Jack Straw, the justice secretary, revealed this decision in a letter to his  Scottish counterpart. He cited “wider negotiations” and the “overwhelming  interests of the United Kingdom”. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e Jewish Settlements\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"U.S. drops demand for Israel building freeze in East Jerusalem\" (\u003ca href=\"http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1110507.html\"\u003eHaaretz\u003c/a\u003e 8-27-09)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing a now familiar and predictable pattern, the Obama Administration softened its position on construction of settlements by the Israelis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-09-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI don\u0026#39;t know how the U.S. is planning on protecting such a long pipeline from sabotage. Maybe we should start being nice to the Taliban. \u003cbr\u003eI say give them a cut of the profits and kill two birds with one stone. The war would end and the pipeline would be protected. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut that would be the honorable thing to do and we all know that there is no honor among thieves.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"In Afghanistan, A Cruel August for  Soldiers"},{"content":" * Rieselda\"Dining room\" is a somewhat grand term but harmless. It sounds good.It began in San Francisco. Franciscan Fr. Alfred Boeddeker (1903-1994) was the moving spirit behind opening of St. Anthony's Dining Room in 1950.Now, in addition to San Francisco there is a St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room in Menlo Park. CA 94025, which began serving low-income elderly residents of the Peninsula in 1974 and has grown into a large operation. Monday to Saturday, the door opens at 11:00 AM and meals are served until 1:00 PM to all comers \".....without regard to age, sex, race, religious beliefs, national origin, or disabilities\". No questions asked....and no proselytizing.It has paid staff but depends on volunteers for performance of various duties.In addition to cash donations from individuals and local businesses, the dining room receives foodstuff from super markets and other stores. St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room has not escaped the fallout from the current state of economy. Cash contributions have suffered as have donations of food items.But the dining room continues to serve 400-600 people six days a week. It is a clean, bright place. Everyone receives a freshly cooked meal. Service is friendly and courteous.During my years as a volunteer (since 1992) I have come to know some of the \"regulars\"; have seen them grow older. Have seen young girls become mothers and come with their children. Inevitably, few of the elderly drop out because of illness or disability; and death takes some of them.Rieselda, a young Nicaraguan, was one of the regulars. She stood out because she wore colorful berets and she always smiled. She didn't speak English and I don't know Spanish. Didn't matter. It made me happy to see her smiling face in the line. One day she came with an elderly woman and said \"Mi Madre\". I usually serve the vegetable of the day -- often zucchinis steamed, sprinkled with grated cheese, or in some other form. Not a very popular item. Rieselda was among those who declined it. Then, about two years ago, Rieselda stopped coming to St. Anthony's. I missed her but it was not unusual. And new faces always become a part of the line.Yesterday, while tending my station at the serving counter I saw a woman wearing a beret in the line. It was Rieselda! Looking older and carrying a baby girl but with her trade-mark smile. I asked where she had been and she said \"San Antonio\". I was serving zucchinis. The line moved on.*\"For double the vision my Eyes do see,And a double vision is always with meWith my inward Eye 'tis an old Man grey:With my outward, a Thistle across my way.\"--William Blake ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/faces-in-the-line---st-anthonys-dining-room/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRieselda\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dining room\" is a somewhat grand term but harmless. It sounds good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt began in San Francisco.   Franciscan Fr. Alfred Boeddeker  (1903-1994) was the moving spirit behind opening of St. Anthony's Dining Room in 1950.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, in addition to San Francisco there is a \u003ca href=\"http://www.paduadiningroom.com/\"\u003eSt. Anthony's Padua Dining Room\u003c/a\u003e in  Menlo Park. CA 94025, which began serving low-income elderly residents of the  Peninsula in 1974 and has grown into a large operation. Monday to Saturday, the door opens at 11:00 AM and meals are served until 1:00 PM to all comers  \".....without regard to age, sex, race, religious beliefs, national origin, or disabilities\". No questions asked....and no proselytizing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has paid staff but depends on volunteers for performance of various duties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn addition to cash donations from individuals and local businesses, the dining room receives foodstuff from super markets and other stores.   St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room has not escaped the fallout from the current state of economy.  Cash contributions have suffered as have  donations of food items.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the dining room continues to serve 400-600 people six days a week.   It is a clean, bright place. Everyone receives  a freshly cooked meal.  Service is friendly and courteous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring my years as a volunteer (since 1992)   I have come to know some of the \"regulars\"; have seen them grow older.  Have seen young girls become mothers and come with their children.  Inevitably, few of the elderly drop out because of illness or disability; and death takes  some of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRieselda, a young Nicaraguan, was one of the regulars.  She stood out because she wore colorful berets and she always smiled.  She didn't speak English and I don't know Spanish.  Didn't matter. It made me happy to see her smiling face in the line.  One day she came with an elderly woman and said  \"Mi Madre\".   I usually serve the vegetable of the day -- often zucchinis steamed, sprinkled with grated cheese, or in some other form.   Not a very popular item.  Rieselda was among those who  declined it.  Then, about two years ago, Rieselda stopped coming to St. Anthony's. I missed her but it was not unusual.  And new faces always become a part of the line.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYesterday,  while tending  my station at the serving counter I saw a woman wearing a beret  in the line. It was Rieselda!  Looking older and carrying a baby girl but with her trade-mark smile.  I asked where she had been and she said \"San Antonio\".  I was serving zucchinis. The line moved on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\"For double the vision my Eyes do see,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd a double vision is always with me\u003cbr/\u003eWith my inward Eye 'tis an old Man grey:\u003cbr/\u003eWith my outward, a Thistle across my way.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--William Blake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Faces in the Line  - St. Anthony's Dining Room"},{"content":" * Still a month away but the sense that another summer is rushing past is undeniable. Perhaps it is the re-opening of schools that makes us feel that way....a change in routine, especially for parents with school-going kids. For the first week, or for a few days at least, there is awareness of something different, a yearning for things to stay as they were and then we adjust to the new routine.Pajaro Dunes, where every August a group of us gathers for a week, was very pleasant. The sun came up every day; it was warm -- unusual. The sky was affected by smoke from the Lockheed fire raging in the Bonny Doon area about 30 miles away. That didn't prevent us from enjoying long walks on the beach or from going out for runs; good food, wine, and conversation. You don't want it to end but, of course, it does.Building sand castle, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirWatching shooting stars (Perseid Meteor showers), Pajaro Dunes, California ©MusafirCartwheeling, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirWalkers, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirRunners, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirHorseback rider, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirSunset over the Pacific, Pajaro Dunes, California©MusafirThis world--call it an imagecaught in a mirror--real it is not,not unreal either---From Twentyfour Tanka by Minamoto No Sanetomo (1192-1219)Translated by Hiraoki Sato and Burton Watson, The Country of Eight Islands* Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-08-27 Hello Musafir. It brings a smile to my face to see that you are still blogging. I remember following your blog a long time ago. I remember in particular, a post in which you talked about going for a jog and seeing a man that you really did not know personally, but he blurted out to you that his father had died. I remember thinking how much sadness and pain that man must have felt to share that with you. Well, I now know that pain as my wife recently passed away. Just like that man, I feel the need to express it. We both used to read your blog because of the sense of peace and level headedness we both got from it.\nKeep up the good works. musafir \u0026mdash; 2009-08-27 First, my sympathies for your loss. I can imagine how hard it is to be without your wife with whom you shared your life. Many thanks for your comments. I moved away from the town where I used to live, and no longer see the man who spoke to me about the death of his father. But I think of him on some days when I run. Stay well. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/the-end-of-summer-feeling/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStill a month away but the sense that another summer is rushing past is undeniable. Perhaps it is the re-opening of schools that makes us feel that way....a change in routine, especially for parents with school-going kids. For the first week, or for a few days at least, there is awareness of something different, a yearning for things to stay as they were  and then we adjust to the new routine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePajaro Dunes, where every August a group of us gathers for a week, was very pleasant. The sun came up every day; it was warm -- unusual. The sky was affected by smoke from the Lockheed fire raging in the Bonny Doon area about 30 miles away.  That didn't prevent us from enjoying long walks on the beach or from going out for runs;   good food, wine, and conversation. You don't want it to end but, of course, it does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBuilding sand castle, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371327992758928002\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 074.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWatching shooting stars (Perseid Meteor showers), Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371329195060518626\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 113.jpg\"/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCartwheeling, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371331984006067378\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 063.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWalkers, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371358285313933346\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 114.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRunners, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371334535417895506\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 117.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHorseback rider, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371336415449325618\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 116.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSunset over the Pacific, Pajaro Dunes, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371335210014921522\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Pajaro Dunes 2009 090.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis world--\u003cbr/\u003ecall it an image\u003cbr/\u003ecaught in a mirror--\u003cbr/\u003ereal it is not,\u003cbr/\u003enot unreal either\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---From Twentyfour Tanka by Minamoto No Sanetomo (1192-1219)\u003cbr/\u003eTranslated by Hiraoki Sato and Burton Watson, The Country of Eight Islands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-08-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHello Musafir. It brings a smile to my face to see that you are still blogging. I remember following your blog a long time ago. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI remember in particular, a post in which you talked about going for a jog and seeing a man that you really did not know personally, but he blurted out to you that his father had died. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI remember thinking how much sadness and pain that man must have felt to share that with you. Well, I now know that pain as my wife recently passed away. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJust like that man, I  feel the need to express it. We both used to read your blog because of the sense of peace and level headedness we both got from it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKeep up the good works.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-08-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eFirst, my sympathies for your loss. I can imagine how hard it is to be without your wife with whom you shared your life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany thanks for your comments. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI moved away from the town where I used to live, and no longer see the man who spoke to me about the death of his father. But I think of him on some days when I run. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStay well.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The End of Summer Feeling"},{"content":" *Books and Films in the Summer of 2009\"Turning and turning, these summer days, to my regret--think of it, half the year is already gone.\"---Fujiwara No Teika (1163-1241) Translated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton WatsonOf course, the late Christopher's Isherwood's \"novel The World in the Evening is the source, inspiration, if you will, for the title of this post. Isherwood lived in pre-war Germany for some years and no doubt adapted the name of the newspaper Die Welt Am Abend published by German Communists. A fitting title for Isherwood's book, not as well known as some of his other works. Who can forget Sally Bowles in Goodbye to Berlin which I read long before I came across The World in the Evening. Now that I am in the evening of my life the name struck a chord. Books are such good companions. Some notable books and films:The Other by David GutersonGirl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg LarssonThe Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg LarssonAn Anthology of Japanese Poetry \"From the Country of Eight Islands\", Hiroaki Sato and Burton WatsonMovies: Broken EmbracesNora Ephron's - Julie \u0026amp; JuliaInteresting story, David Guterson's The Other. I liked it but I have a feeling that many readers would not care for the wealthy young man who decided to live in seclusion in a cave....and died there.Found a review of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in The Guardian (UK) , decided to check it out from the library and got hooked. A friend to whom I recommended the book felt the same way. In Lisbeth Salander, the quirky investigator, Larsson has created a fascinating character. Now there is a sequel -- The Girl Who Played With Fire. It is in demand; it would take a month or so before my name comes up in the library's waiting list. Unfortunately, Stieg Larsson died in 2004 at the age of 50.Reading An Anthology of Japanese Poems. It is a treasure trove.Yet to see the movies named above. Nora Ephron's film is in local theaters. Hope to catch it when I return from the coast. I am sure that Pedro Almodovar's Broken Embraces is not going to disappoint. Together, Almodovar and Penelope Cruz have made great films, and this one has received rave reviews in Europe.Off to Pajaro Dunes on Tuesday for a week at the beach house that my friend JHL rents every summer. The sun could be absent most of the time but that never prevents us from enjoying ourselves. Long walks on the beach; conversations about politics, food, wine, books, work, families, with the magnificent Pacific only about 50 yards away. One can spend hours just looking out of the window. Plan to run a few times during my stay. As they say \"slow as molasses\"....that's how I feel on some days when I run. Age catching up. But I always return from a run feeling better than I did when I started out.Enjoy the waning days of summer, doing whatever that gives you pleasure.\"The years and months, reluctantly parted with at any other time,are cast away in ablutions this summer evening.\"---Fujiwara No Teika, translated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/you-me-and-the-world-in-the-evening/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBooks and Films in the Summer of 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Turning and turning, these summer days, to my regret--think of it, half the year is already gone.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Fujiwara No Teika (1163-1241) Translated  by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOf course, the late Christopher's Isherwood's \"novel The World in the Evening is the source, inspiration, if you will, for the title of this post.  Isherwood lived in pre-war Germany for some years and no doubt adapted the name of the newspaper Die Welt Am Abend published by German Communists.  A fitting title for Isherwood's book, not as well known as some of his other works.   Who can forget Sally Bowles in Goodbye to Berlin which I read long before I came across The World in the Evening.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow that I am in the evening of my life  the name struck a chord. Books are such good companions. Some notable books and films:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Other by  David Guterson\u003cbr/\u003eGirl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson\u003cbr/\u003eThe Girl Who Played With Fire by  Stieg Larsson\u003cbr/\u003eAn Anthology of Japanese Poetry \"From the Country of Eight Islands\", Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMovies:  \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2009/jul/02/broken-embraces-pedro-almodovar-penelope-cruz-trailer\"\u003eBroken Embraces\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNora Ephron's - \u003ca href=\"http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/movies/07julie.html\"\u003eJulie \u0026amp;  Julia\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInteresting story, David Guterson's The Other. I liked it but I have a feeling that many readers would not care for the wealthy young man who decided to live in seclusion in a cave....and died there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFound a review of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in The Guardian (UK) , decided to check it out from the library and got hooked.  A friend to whom I recommended the book felt the same way.  In Lisbeth Salander, the  quirky investigator, Larsson has created a fascinating character. Now there is a sequel -- The Girl Who Played With Fire.   It is in demand; it would take a month or so before my name comes up in the library's waiting list. Unfortunately, Stieg Larsson died in 2004 at the age of 50.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading An Anthology of Japanese Poems.  It is a treasure trove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYet to see the movies named above. Nora Ephron's film is in local theaters. Hope to catch it when I return from the coast.  I am sure that Pedro Almodovar's Broken Embraces is not going to  disappoint.  Together, Almodovar and Penelope Cruz have made great films, and this one has received rave reviews in Europe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOff to Pajaro Dunes on Tuesday  for a week at the beach house that my friend JHL rents every summer. The sun could be absent most of the time but that never prevents us from enjoying ourselves. Long walks on the beach; conversations about politics, food, wine, books, work, families, with the magnificent Pacific only about 50 yards away.  One can spend hours just looking out of the window.  Plan to run a few times during my stay.    As they say \"slow as molasses\"....that's how I feel on some days when I run.  Age catching up. But I always return from a run feeling better than I did when I started out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnjoy the waning days of summer, doing whatever that gives you pleasure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The years and months, reluctantly parted with at any other time,are cast away in ablutions this summer evening.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Fujiwara No Teika, translated by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"You, Me, and the World in the Evening"},{"content":" * Unethical firms: iKitchen.com * homebrands.com * metromarket.com Duped by iKitchen.com in the summer of 2008 when a Perfex Pepper Mill purchased from iKitchen.com turned out to be defective. Like many others who have had bad experience dealing with this on-line firm, telephone calls and e-mail messages remained unanswered until I received notification that my complaint failed to meet the time limit of 15 days. My first message was sent within a week of receiving the defective product! Out of curiosity, recently I searched for complaints about this firm and found many. Most of the complaints were about debiting the credit card and then not fulfilling the order. Before doing business with any of the above-named firms, see the well-researched post by musicom67 in ResellerRatings.com on November 13, 2008 Also check the web site http://www.my3cents.com/productReview.cgi?company=IKitchen.com Odd that the people involved in running the firm(s) have escaped attention of the NY District Attorney's office. Perhaps considered a small fry, unethical entities like iKitchen.com are not worth the time and efforts required to shut them down. iKitchen.com and associated companies are aberrations. Majority of the companies that offer products and services on the Internet are reliable. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/buyers-beware---ikitchencom-and-related-sites/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nUnethical firms:  iKitchen.com * homebrands.com * metromarket.com\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nDuped by iKitchen.com in the summer of 2008 when a Perfex Pepper Mill purchased from iKitchen.com turned out to be defective.  Like many others who have had bad experience dealing with this on-line firm, telephone calls and e-mail messages remained unanswered until I received notification that my complaint failed to meet the time limit of 15 days.  My first message was sent within a week of receiving the defective product!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOut of curiosity, recently  I searched for complaints about this firm and found many. Most of the  complaints were about debiting the credit card and then not fulfilling the order. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nBefore doing business with any of the above-named firms, see the well-researched post by  musicom67  in \u003ca href=\"http://www.resellerratings.com/forum/merchant-discussion-shopping-advice/136905-warning-ikitchen-com-homebrands-com-metromarket-com.html\"\u003eResellerRatings.com\u003c/a\u003e on  November 13, 2008  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAlso check  the web site http://www.my3cents.com/productReview.cgi?company=IKitchen.com\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nOdd that  the people involved in running the firm(s) have escaped attention of the NY District Attorney's office.  Perhaps considered a small fry, unethical entities like iKitchen.com are not worth the time and efforts required to shut them down.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\niKitchen.com and associated companies are aberrations.  Majority of the companies that offer products and services on the Internet are reliable.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Buyers Beware - iKitchen.com and Related Sites"},{"content":" *Kailash Kher * Delhi 2 DublinIt was a fun afternoon at Stern Grove on Sunday (August 2nd) when the Indian musician Kailash Kher and his group entertained a capacity crowd. Kher's Bollywood version of Sufi music is a far cry from the late maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan but tunes were catchy. The audience loved it and there was good vibration -- a lot of dancing, clapping, and swaying to the music. The weather was just right. We took a picnic lunch and a bottle of red which added to the pleasure.The Delhi to Dublin quintet performed before Kailash Kher appeared on stage, and did a great job of warming up the crowd. This group of fusion musicians from Vancouver, BC, lived up to the reputation.Delhi 2 Dublin at Stern Grove©MusafirDelhi 2 Dublin©MusafirKailash Kher doing his thing at Stern Grove©MusafirA few members from the audience participating on stage©Musafir\"Music is the universal language\"©MusafirMusic.....it can lift your spirits, help you cope with the daily grind. It can make you tap your heels or get up and dance. It can also make you sad because a certain song can revive memories of a person or place that meant something special. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/stern-grove---bhangra-irish-reels-and-a-musician-in-kilt/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKailash Kher * Delhi 2 Dublin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was a fun afternoon at Stern Grove on Sunday (August 2nd) when the Indian musician \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailash_Kher\"\u003eKailash Kher\u003c/a\u003e and his group entertained a capacity crowd.  Kher's Bollywood version of Sufi music  is  a far cry from the late maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan but tunes were catchy.  The audience loved it and there was good vibration --  a lot of dancing, clapping, and swaying to the music.  The weather was just right.  We took a picnic lunch and a bottle of red which added to the pleasure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.delhi2dublin.com/\"\u003eDelhi to Dublin\u003c/a\u003e  quintet performed before Kailash Kher appeared on stage, and did a great job of warming up the crowd.  This group of fusion musicians from Vancouver, BC, lived up to the reputation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDelhi 2 Dublin at Stern Grove\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366129425796395810\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Kailash Kher at Stern Grove Aug 2, 2009 029.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDelhi 2 Dublin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366130314676595186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Kailash Kher at Stern Grove Aug 2, 2009 013.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eKailash Kher doing his thing at Stern Grove\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366131614581948690\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Kailash Kher at Stern Grove Aug 2, 2009 040.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA few members from the audience participating on stage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366132605502201266\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Kailash Kher at Stern Grove Aug 2, 2009 055.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\"Music is the universal language\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366133238092691746\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Kailash Kher at Stern Grove Aug 2, 2009 056.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMusic.....it can lift your spirits, help you cope with the daily grind.  It can make you tap your heels or get up and dance.  It can also make you sad  because a certain song can revive memories of a person or place that meant something special.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Stern Grove - Bhangra, Irish Reels  and a Musician in Kilt"},{"content":" *A Hike to the Top of Upper Yosemite Falls This one is not for those with knee problem. Most of the 2.7 miles trail is built of rocks of different shapes and sizes, hard on the knees both while climbing and descending. Ankles,too, are subject to risk. A twisted ankle halfway up could mean a lot of problems and turn out to be expensive.Is it worth going up? Yes, especially if you like a challenging hike and great views. If you go, be sure to carry enough drinking water and some food. None available at the top.A friend invited me to join him on a trip to Yosemite and follow the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail all the way to the top. We did it on Saturday, July 25th.It took us 4 hours to go up and 3 hours to come down to the valley. Many hikers do it in less time. We started later than we had planned. Earlier start would have allowed us to avoid the mid-day heat. The trail is up and back, not a loop. But for backpackers there are options to continue on to El Capitan and other points from the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.Great trip except for the crowd. The valley was full of people and cars. The shuttle service is excellent but many visitors drive around and cause traffic congestion looking for parking space at popular sites. It happens every summer. A total restriction on driving inside the valley would be the only solution to this.Half Dome at sunset from Lower Pines Campground©MusafirView of the top of the falls from the starting point©MusafirA deer wondering about dumb two-legged creatures©MusafirThe rocky switchback trail©Sarbajit Ghosal Looking down on the lush, green meadow©Sarbajit Ghosal Tree line - Nearing the top©Sarbajit Ghosal End of the trail -We made itSG cooling off at a rock pool about 150 yards from the edge©Musafir Ready to begin descending©Musafir View of Clouds Rest from the trail©Musafir Nature's garden alogside the trail near treeline©Sarbajit Ghosal Water from the upper falls at the point where the lower part begins©Sarbajit Ghosal ","permalink":"/posts/2009/08/back-to-yosemite-jewel-of-the-sierras/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Hike  to the  Top of  Upper Yosemite Falls \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis one is not for those with knee problem.  Most of the 2.7 miles trail is built of rocks of different shapes and sizes, hard on the knees both while climbing and descending. Ankles,too, are subject to risk.  A twisted ankle halfway up could mean a lot of problems and turn out to be expensive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs it worth going up?  Yes, especially if you like a challenging hike and great views.  If you go, be sure to carry enough drinking water and some food.  None available at the top.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA friend invited me to join him on a trip to Yosemite and follow the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail all the way to the top.  We did it on Saturday, July 25th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt took us 4 hours to go up and 3 hours to come down to the valley.  Many hikers do it in less time.  We started later than we had planned.  Earlier start would have allowed us to avoid the mid-day heat.  The trail is up and back, not a loop. But for backpackers there are options to continue on to El Capitan and other points from the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGreat trip except for the crowd.  The valley was full of people and cars.  The shuttle service is excellent but many visitors drive around and cause traffic congestion looking for parking space at popular sites.  It happens every summer.  A total restriction on driving inside the valley would be the only solution to this.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHalf Dome at sunset from Lower Pines Campground\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364716395610147890\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 001.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eView of the top of the falls from the starting point\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364715802587378018\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 005.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA deer wondering about dumb two-legged creatures\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365006324040417122\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 008.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe rocky switchback trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364718158998734754\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 039.jpg\"/\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking down on the lush, green meadow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364717798791035970\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 015.jpg\"/\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTree line - Nearing the top\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364721858151326146\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 033.jpg\"/\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnd of the trail -We made it\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364718613938277682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 043.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSG cooling off at a rock pool about 150 yards from the edge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364724327442905970\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 063.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eReady to begin descending\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364730383318978002\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 065.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eView of Clouds Rest from the trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364719741030688338\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 071.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNature's garden alogside the trail near treeline\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364723876084138322\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 076.jpg\"/\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWater from the upper falls at the point where the lower part begins\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364731996235746306\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/08/Upper Yosemite Falls Hike July 25, 2009 081.jpg\"/\u003e©Sarbajit Ghosal \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Back to Yosemite, Jewel of the Sierras"},{"content":" * Debbie Purdy * Dr. Anne Turner * Craig Ewert * Daniel James * Sir Robert and Lady DownesSlowly, yes, but supporters of Right-to-Die movement in Britain are making progress in their efforts to gain recognition of an individual's decision to end his or her life.Report in the Guardian, Thursday 30 July 2009:Britian's highest court issued a historic judgment today that could finally remove the fear of prosecution from people who travel abroad to support relatives seeking an assisted suicide.In a unanimous ruling, the law lords ordered the director of public prosecutions to immediately draw up a policy that would spell out when prosecutions would and would not be pursued.The ruling was strongly in favour of Debbie Purdy, 46, who has multiple sclerosis and who has been fighting to protect her husband should he accompany her to a clinic in Switzerland that specialises in euthanasia. She had argued that the law was unclear and uncertainty surrounding the issue breached her human rights.Other notable cases of British citizens who elected euthanasia:Hannah JonesDr. Anne TurnerCraig EwertDaniel JamesSir Edward Downes and Lady DownesHere in America we, who believe in a \"A good life and a good death\", are a long way from gaining our objective. The state of Oregon was the first to pass a Death with Dignity Act in 1994. The law survived the Bush Administration's efforts to nullify it. To their credit, the voters of Washington State passed Initiative 1000 (modeled on the Oregon Law) in 2008. But in California attempts to pass a similar initiative were defeated -- twice -- due to huge sums of money spent by religious organizations and other vested interest groups. Terminally ill patients generate a lot of revenue for hospital and medical professionals. The blitz of negative advertisements worked. They painted a scenario of terminally ill people being taken off life support en masse based on decisions by those who stood to gain from their death. Lost in the noise were those who did not believe in death being in God's hand and who wanted to have the choice not to be kept alive on life support.The battle is not over. Some day, all terminally ill people suffering pain and indignity of being kept alive against their wish will win the right to die.But until then, if you believe in it and don't want to end your life hooked up to tubes, sign Advance Directive to Physician (Living Will) to protect yourself from the Bible thumpers and profiteers. Also, make your position known to your family and friends.You will not need an attorney; just two witnesses. The form is available from various sources. The World Wide Web contains a vast list of organizations that provide information about this. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is one of them.Do not lose control over this very important decision.Recommended reading:How We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage PaperbackOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell PublishingEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London Comments Stanley A Terman, PhD, MD \u0026mdash; 2009-07-30 The alternative, which is already legal: refuse food and fluid, which can be comfortable and peaceful. See: \u0026quot;The BEST WAY to Say Goodbye: A Legal Peaceful Choice at the End of Life\u0026quot; (2007), and \u0026quot;Peaceful Transitions: An Ironclad Strategy to Die When and How YOU Want\u0026quot; (2009).\nFor a Living Will to accomplish this, especially in Advanced Dementia, see www.MyWayCards.com. musafir \u0026mdash; 2009-07-31 Thank you for your comments.\nThe thought that occurs is how many terminally ill people can \u0026quot;refuse food and fluid\u0026quot;. And what about being fed intravenously? ","permalink":"/posts/2009/07/a-major-step-forward-for-right-to-die-movement-in-britain/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDebbie Purdy * Dr. Anne Turner * Craig Ewert * Daniel James * Sir Robert and Lady Downes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSlowly, yes, but supporters of Right-to-Die movement in Britain   are making progress in their efforts to gain recognition of an individual's decision to end his or her life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReport in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jul/30/debbie-purdy-assisted-suicide-judgement\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e, Thursday 30 July 2009:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBritian's highest court issued a historic judgment today that could finally remove the fear of prosecution from people who travel abroad to support relatives seeking an assisted suicide.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a unanimous ruling, the law lords ordered the director of public prosecutions to immediately draw up a policy that would spell out when prosecutions would and would not be pursued.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe ruling was strongly in favour of Debbie Purdy, 46, who has multiple sclerosis and who has been fighting to protect her husband should he accompany her to a clinic in Switzerland that specialises in euthanasia. She had argued that the law was unclear and uncertainty surrounding the issue breached her human rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOther notable cases of British citizens who elected euthanasia:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.thetimes.co.za/minor/2008/11/11/hannah-jones-wins-right-to-die-with-dignity/\"\u003eHannah Jones\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/jan/25/health.medicineandhealth\"\u003eDr. Anne Turner\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/dec/10/assisted-suicide-television\"\u003eCraig Ewert\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/dec/10/assisted-suicide-television\"\u003eDaniel James\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jul/14/edward-downes-assisted-suicide-law\"\u003eSir Edward Downes and Lady Downes\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere in America we, who believe in a  \"A good life and a good death\", are a long way from gaining our objective.  The state of Oregon was the first to pass a Death with Dignity Act in 1994.  The law survived the Bush Administration's efforts to nullify it.  To their credit, the voters of Washington State passed Initiative 1000 (modeled on the Oregon Law)  in 2008.  But in California attempts to pass a similar initiative were defeated -- twice -- due to huge sums of money spent by religious organizations and other vested interest groups.   Terminally ill patients generate a lot of revenue for hospital and medical professionals.  The blitz of negative advertisements worked.   They painted a scenario of terminally ill people being  taken off life support en masse based on decisions by those who stood to gain from their death.  Lost in the noise were those who did not believe in death being in God's hand and who wanted to have the choice not to be kept alive on life support.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe battle is not over.  Some day,  all terminally ill people suffering pain and indignity of being kept alive against their wish will  win the right to die.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut until then, if you believe in it and don't want to end your life hooked up to tubes, sign Advance Directive to Physician (Living Will)  to protect yourself from the Bible thumpers and profiteers. Also, make your position known to your family and friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou will not need an attorney; just two witnesses. The form is available from various sources. The World Wide Web contains a vast list of organizations that provide information about this. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is one of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDo not lose control over this very important decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRecommended reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage Paperback\u003cbr/\u003eOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.\u003cbr/\u003eFinal Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell Publishing\u003cbr/\u003eEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStanley A Terman, PhD, MD\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-07-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe alternative, which is already legal: refuse food and fluid, which can be comfortable and peaceful. See: \u0026quot;The BEST WAY to Say Goodbye: A Legal Peaceful Choice at the End of Life\u0026quot; (2007), and \u0026quot;Peaceful Transitions: An Ironclad Strategy to Die When and How YOU  Want\u0026quot; (2009).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a Living Will to accomplish this, especially in Advanced Dementia, see www.MyWayCards.com.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-07-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for your comments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe thought that occurs is how many terminally ill people can \u0026quot;refuse food and fluid\u0026quot;.  And what about being fed intravenously?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Major Step Forward for Right-to-Die Movement in  Britain"},{"content":" * Guns and AmericansWhat is it about guns that has a visceral appeal to so many Americans? Some proponents of gun control -- not gun ban -- joke about guns being a penis substitute but that cannot be true. The number of gun rights advocates is too large to make it stick. They cannot all be suffering from small penises. Of course, when it comes to sex, size is not that important but then you are treading on others who think size matters. We are a nation full of people who think bigger is better.Now our politicians are in the process of crafting a measure that \".....would give people the right to carry concealed weapons across state lines as long as they obey the concealed gun laws of the state they are visiting.\" Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota sneaked this in as an amendment to a $680 billion defense spending bill. It is expected to pass because many Democratic senators are afraid of antagonizing the NRA. Even President Obama treads softly on gun control issues.Back in May, 105 Democrats joined 174 Republicans in tacking on an amendment to a bill to impose restrictions on credit card companies. That measure allows visitors to carry loaded guns in National Parks. The president signed it without any comment.Americans love guns, and our country also takes the top spot for gun related violence and deaths. Our lax rules about owning and selling guns are now contributing to the carnage in Mexico. Assault weapons from U.S. side of the border are being procured in large quantities by Mexican narco traffickers to kill and terrorize their enemies. And so it goes.See: Mexico Violence And The US As The Gun SourceA lethal export to MexicoAddendum July 22. 2009 The Thune Amendment defeated (NY Times). ","permalink":"/posts/2009/07/no-not-a-penis-substitute/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuns and Americans\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat is it about guns that has a visceral appeal to so many Americans?  Some proponents of gun control -- not gun ban -- joke about guns being a penis substitute but that cannot be true.  The number of  gun rights advocates is too large to make  it stick.  They cannot all be suffering from  small penises.  Of course, when it comes to sex, size is not that important but then you are treading on others who think size matters.  We are a nation full of people who think bigger is better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow our politicians are in the process of crafting a measure that  \".....would give people the right to carry concealed weapons across state lines as long as they obey the concealed gun laws of the state they are visiting.\"   Republican \u003ca href=\"http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCqmfBFtxCgKGn5vzrfe-MHs9ZyAD99IFFJO0\"\u003eSenator John Thune\u003c/a\u003e of South Dakota sneaked this in as an amendment to a $680 billion defense spending bill. It is expected to pass because  many  Democratic senators are afraid of antagonizing the NRA.  Even President Obama treads softly on gun control issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in May, 105 Democrats joined 174 Republicans in tacking on an amendment to a bill to impose restrictions on credit card companies.  That measure allows visitors to carry loaded guns in National Parks.  The president signed it without any comment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmericans love guns, and our country also takes the top spot for gun related violence and deaths.  Our lax rules about owning and selling guns are now contributing to the carnage in \u003cst1:country-region st=\"on\"\u003e\u003cst1:place st=\"on\"\u003eMexico\u003c/st1:place\u003e\u003c/st1:country-region\u003e. Assault weapons from \u003cst1:country-region st=\"on\"\u003e\u003cst1:place st=\"on\"\u003eU.S.\u003c/st1:place\u003e\u003c/st1:country-region\u003e side of the border are being procured in large quantities by Mexican narco traffickers  to kill and terrorize their enemies.  And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: \u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/03/09-18\"\u003eMexico Violence And The US As The Gun Source\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/03/04/a_lethal_export_to_mexico/\"\u003eA lethal export to Mexico\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAddendum July 22. 2009 \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/us/politics/23guns.html\"\u003eThe Thune Amendment defeated (NY Times)\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"No, Not a Penis Substitute"},{"content":" * Joan Baez * Pete Seeger Listening to Joan Baez at Stern Grove this afternoon brought back memories of the late sixties when activists against the Vietnam war were gaining momentum. She was a prominent figure in energizing the anti-war movement. Among her repertoire today was a song that was popular in those days -- \"We shall overcome\". The first time I heard it was when Pete Seeger made an appearance in Kolkata in 1967 or thereabout. He invited the audience to join him in what he called a \"Hootenanny\". And we did. Joan Baez at Stern Grove © Musafir Swaying to music © Musafir Happiness is a laughing child © Musafir It felt good to see people of all ages, races, colors enjoying the music, the sunshine, food and wine under the Eucalptus trees. Young couples hugging, mothers swaying to the beat, holding their children. Tomorrow it will be back to work for those who have jobs. They are fortunate, but even for them there is nagging concern about the future. Are their jobs secure? In America there is no such thing as job security. But tomorrow is another day. Today they were out there enjoying themselves. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan In some respects, 36 years after the end of the Vietnam war things have not changed much. We were conned into another unjust war, this time against Iraq. Sporadic incidents of internecine violence continue in Iraq as Shias and Sunnis kill each other. But it is news from the war in Afghanistan that now gets more coverage. We installed a puppet, Hamid Karzai, a corrupt and ineffective man to run Afghanistan. Bin Laden is reported to be hiding in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are reports about a natural gas pipeline (TAP or TAPI) from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan being the primary motive for our involvement in Afghanistan. Could be true. Oil was certainly a factor in the Iraq war although it appears that we are not going to be in control of Iraq's oil. Still, a friendly government in Iraq would be good for the multi-national oil companies. Major powers and oil companies have done a lot of dirty things together. That,too, is not going to change. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/07/sunday-afternoon-at-stern-grove/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n*\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nJoan Baez * Pete Seeger\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nListening to Joan Baez at Stern Grove this afternoon brought back memories of the late sixties when activists against the  Vietnam war were gaining momentum. She was a prominent figure in energizing the anti-war movement. Among her repertoire today was a song that was popular in those days -- \"We shall overcome\".  The first time I heard it was when Pete Seeger made an appearance in Kolkata in 1967 or thereabout. He invited the audience to join him in what he called a \"Hootenanny\".  And we did.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nJoan Baez at Stern Grove\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357801215834407010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/Stern Grove - Joan Baez Concert 035.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nSwaying to music\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357802239895135954\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/Stern Grove - Joan Baez Concert 025.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\nHappiness is a laughing child\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357801926208048258\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/Stern Grove - Joan Baez Concert 038.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nIt felt good to see people of all ages, races, colors enjoying the music, the sunshine, food and wine under the Eucalptus trees. Young couples hugging, mothers swaying to the beat, holding their children.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nTomorrow it will be back to work for those who have jobs.  They are fortunate, but even for them there is nagging concern about the future. Are their jobs secure?   In America there is no  such thing as job security.  But tomorrow is another day.  Today they were out there enjoying themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nVietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nIn some respects,  36 years after the end of the Vietnam war things have not changed much. We were conned into another unjust war, this time against Iraq.   Sporadic incidents of internecine violence continue in Iraq as Shias and Sunnis kill each other.  But it is news from the war in Afghanistan that now gets more coverage.  We installed a puppet, Hamid Karzai, a corrupt and ineffective man to run Afghanistan. Bin Laden is reported to be hiding in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are reports about a natural gas  pipeline (\u003ca href=\"http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3\u0026amp;lang_id=en\u0026amp;elem_id=8859\u0026amp;type=event\u0026amp;sort=date_desc\"\u003eTAP\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3\u0026amp;lang_id=en\u0026amp;elem_id=8859\u0026amp;type=event\u0026amp;sort=date_desc\"\u003eTAPI\u003c/a\u003e) from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan being the primary motive for our involvement in Afghanistan.  Could be true. Oil was certainly a factor in the Iraq war although it appears that we are not going to be in control of Iraq's oil.  Still, a friendly government in Iraq would be good for the  multi-national oil companies.  Major powers and oil companies have done a lot of dirty things together. That,too, is not going to  change.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday afternoon at Stern Grove"},{"content":" *A Walk in the WoodsJuly 4th came and went. Did not watch fireworks but took part in a traditional hike with friends. Picnic in the woods had all the trimmings including luscious watermelon. The pictures below were taken at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.Variable Checkerspots feeding,I© MusafirVariable Checkerspots feeding, II© MusafirHikers on Harkins Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve© Musafir\"In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar. I'll tell you about it because I am here and you are distant.\"Wherever you are, we must do the best we can. It is so far to travel, and we have nothing here to travel, except watermelon sugar. I hope this works out.\"--Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon SugarSummer of Discontent ?For some, it is a bleak summer. The economic recovery seems to have stalled; number of unemployed Americans keeps creeping up; filing of bankruptcies remain high as do foreclosures. It is going to take a long time before the picture brightens.As military operations by our armed forces slow down in Iraq, the tempo is rising in Afghanistan. Six American soldiers died there on July 6th. Are we done with Iraq? Why have we built, and are going to maintain, the largest U.S. Embassy in the world in Baghdad? It is reported to occupy the size of four football fields! Of course, Iraqi oil has not paid and will not pay for the cost of the war as boasted by the neocons when they began the war on lies.In the meantime, the politicians are going through their usual antics. Republicans scrambling around to grasp something, anything, to get out of the hole they dug for themselves. And they are still mouthing platitudes about family values. Talk about thick hides. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/07/butterflies-are-free/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Walk in the Woods\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJuly 4th came and went. Did not watch fireworks but took part in a traditional hike with friends.  Picnic in the woods had all the trimmings including luscious watermelon. The pictures below were taken at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVariable Checkerspots feeding,I\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355499990365300034\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/At Purisima Creek July 4th 2009 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVariable Checkerspots feeding, II\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355500556030905522\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/At Purisima Creek July 4th 2009 035.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHikers on Harkins Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355501085258422226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/07/At Purisima Creek July 4th 2009 031.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar. I'll tell you about it because I am here and you are distant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Wherever you are, we must do the best we can. It is so far to travel, and we have nothing here to travel, except watermelon sugar. I hope this works out.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSummer of Discontent ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor some, it is a bleak summer. The economic recovery seems to have stalled; number of unemployed Americans keeps creeping up; filing of bankruptcies remain high as do foreclosures. It is going to take a long time before the picture brightens.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs military operations by our armed forces slow down in Iraq, the tempo is rising in Afghanistan.  Six American soldiers died there on July 6th.  Are we done with Iraq?  Why have we built, and are going to maintain,  the largest U.S. Embassy in the world in Baghdad?  It is reported to occupy the size of four football fields!  Of course, Iraqi oil has not paid and will not pay for the cost of the war as boasted by the neocons when they began the war on lies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the meantime, the politicians are going through their usual antics. Republicans scrambling around to grasp something, anything, to get out of the hole they dug for themselves. And they are still mouthing  platitudes about family values.  Talk about thick hides.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Butterflies are Free"},{"content":" *Traveling in the Bedroom * Governor Mark SanfordDuring a recent bike ride on Canãda Road, saw some Clarkias in bloom. Buckeyes are turning brown. Other wild flowers have done their thing and disappeared.Man and machines on northern end of Canãda Road© MusafirStill does not feel like summer. Day-time temperature unusually cool. But summer is here. And there are sure to be some days when we'll long for a cool breeze. In the meantime, make the most of it. Before you know it the schools will re-open; summer will be over.Clarkias (Farewell to Spring) Blooming © MusafirBack to Alain De BottonIn my previous post about Remembrance of Things Past I had mentioned Alain De Botton's \"How Proust Can Change Your Life\". In his delightful book \"The Art of Travel\", De Botton wrote about Xavier De Maistre and his Journey Around My Bedroom.In \"The Art of Travel\", photograph of De Botton's bedroom shows bookshelves and part of a bed that looks larger than my own. I decided to do some traveling in my bedroom. Not bad at all.My bedroom© MusafirLooking west© MusafirLooking east© MusafirGovernor Mark Sanford - Another Republican who \"Sinned\"Bad days for the champions of family values. The governor's former Chief of Staff Tom Davis: \"That Governor 'Realized He Sinned' (ABC's Good Morning America)Ah, the sinners. They keep coming out of the woodworks and putting on a sickening dog and pony show, often with their wives at their sides. Republicans have become quite adept at playing the remorseful sinner, and their supporters readily forgive them. While Eliot Spitzer did not talk about sin, he followed the rest of the Republican playbook. Admittedly, Governor Sanford did not exactly follow the mea culpa routine of others who have gone through it before him. But being a member of God's Own Party, the governor 's hands are tied. While not as rabid as some other party leaders, Mark Sanford strongly supported impeachment of Bill Clinton. His position on issues such as same sex marriage and adoption rights for gays leaves no doubt that he,too, subscribes to the family values claptrap adopted by his party. He will follow the same road and seek absolution. He has no choice.The Brits have a pithy description for such people: Wankers. Pitiful wankers. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/06/summer-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTraveling in the Bedroom * Governor Mark Sanford\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDuring a recent bike ride on Canãda Road, saw some Clarkias in bloom. Buckeyes are turning brown. Other wild flowers have done their thing and disappeared.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMan and machines on northern end of Canãda Road\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351355752811856498\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 017.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStill does not feel like summer. Day-time temperature unusually cool. But summer is here. And there are sure to be some days when we'll long for a cool breeze. In the meantime, make the most of it. Before you know it the schools will re-open; summer will be over.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eClarkias (Farewell to Spring) Blooming\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351291497668859682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Summer 2009, Bedroom 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack to Alain De Botton\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn my previous post about Remembrance of Things Past  I had  mentioned Alain De Botton's  \"How Proust Can Change Your Life\". In his delightful  book \"The Art of Travel\", De Botton wrote about Xavier De Maistre and his Journey Around My Bedroom.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn \"The Art of Travel\", photograph of  De Botton's bedroom  shows bookshelves and part of a bed that looks larger than my own.  I decided to do some traveling in my bedroom.  Not bad at all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMy bedroom\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351293027912620322\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Summer 2009, Bedroom 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking west\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351317264046164274\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Summer 2009, Bedroom 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking east\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351317048904136482\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Summer 2009, Bedroom 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGovernor Mark Sanford - Another Republican who \"Sinned\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBad days for the champions of family values.  The governor's former Chief of Staff Tom Davis: \"That Governor 'Realized He Sinned' (ABC's Good Morning America)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAh, the sinners. They keep coming out of the woodworks and putting on a sickening dog and pony show, often with their wives at their sides. Republicans have become quite adept at playing the remorseful sinner,  and their supporters readily forgive them. While Eliot Spitzer did not talk about sin, he followed the rest of the Republican playbook. Admittedly, Governor Sanford did not exactly follow the mea culpa routine of others who have gone through it before him.   But being a member of God's Own Party, the governor 's hands are tied.  While not as rabid as some other party leaders, Mark Sanford strongly supported impeachment  of Bill Clinton.   His position on issues such as same sex marriage and adoption rights for gays leaves no doubt that he,too, subscribes to the family values claptrap  adopted by   his party.  He will follow the same road and seek absolution.  He has no choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Brits have a pithy description for such people:  Wankers.  Pitiful wankers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Summer 2009"},{"content":" *Stepping Back in TimeMarcel Proust's writings are said to have a soporofic effect on some readers. There are nights when it would be good to have a book on the bedside table that can help put me to sleep. That,however, is not what I experience when reading Proust.Proust's Remembrance of Things Past is a book that I have read more than once. Perhaps, after the first time, it was more like skimming through some parts rather than reading every page but Swann's Way never failed to give pleasure. When Alain De Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life was published in 1997, I said to myself \"Hey, I know what he means\". Did it really change my life? No. But it gave me hours of pleasure; made me think of times past, of people I had known -- all part of the process that makes us what we are.A week ago while browsing in Menlo Park Library, I stopped at the bin marked \"free\". I no longer buy books for two reasons: I cannot afford to and I don't have room for them. Nevertheless, the bin was irresistible. I searched through the pile and found a treasure. It was a 1934 edition of the first volume of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past published by Random House. C.K. Scott Moncrieff's translation is superb and volume one contains:Swann's WayWithin a Budding GroveThe Guermantes WayWho was Vida Vamegli ?Considering its age, the book is in excellent condition. 1934 was not long after I was born. The fly-leaf has an inscription \"From the library of Vida Vamegli\". If she owned the book in the early thirties she is not likely to be around. I drew a blank in searching for Vida Vamegli in the worldwide web. It is an Italian name. No Vamegli surfaced in the Bay area.In my imagination I think of Vida Vamegli living in the San Francisco Peninsula. Who was she? A house wife? A teacher? Good, copperplate handwriting. Would I have enjoyed meeting her in person? Could she have been a Republican. Were Republican politicians as obnoxious in 1934 as they are today? How did the book end up in \"free\" bin of the library? Perhaps her books were donated and there were no takers in the library's book sale. Many library goers must have looked at it without finding it worthwhile. It was waiting for me. Not a resident of Menlo Park, I rarely go to that particular library. Fate!Now, what am I going to do with the book? There will be days and nights when I will pick it up and re-read parts of it. After some time I shall probably give it back to a library with the hope that it will find a home with someone who loves Proust, or -- even better -- someone who will discover Proust for the first time.\"When to the sessions of sweet silent thoughtI summon up remembrance of things past.......\"-- William Shakespeare, Sonnet No.30 ","permalink":"/posts/2009/06/marcel-proust-and-vida-vamegli/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eStepping Back in Time\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMarcel Proust's writings are said to have a soporofic effect on some readers.  There are nights when it would be good to have a book on the bedside table that can help put me to sleep. That,however, is not what I experience when reading Proust.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eProust's Remembrance of Things Past is a book that I have read more than once.  Perhaps, after the first time, it was more like skimming through some parts rather than reading every page but Swann's Way never failed to give pleasure.  When Alain De Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life was published in 1997, I said to myself \"Hey, I know what he means\".  Did it really change my life? No.  But it gave me hours of pleasure; made me think of times past, of people I had known -- all part of the process that makes us what we are.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA week ago while browsing in Menlo Park Library, I stopped at the bin marked \"free\". I no longer buy books for two reasons:   I cannot afford to and I don't have room for them.   Nevertheless, the bin was irresistible. I searched through the pile and found a treasure.  It was a 1934 edition of the first volume of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past published by Random House.  C.K. Scott Moncrieff's translation is superb and volume one contains:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSwann's Way\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWithin a Budding Grove\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Guermantes Way\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was Vida Vamegli ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eConsidering its age, the book is in excellent condition.  1934 was not long after I was born. The fly-leaf has an inscription \"From the library of Vida Vamegli\".  If she owned the book in the early thirties she is not likely to be around.  I drew a blank in searching for Vida Vamegli in the worldwide web. It is an Italian name.  No Vamegli surfaced in the Bay area.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn my imagination I think of Vida Vamegli living in the San Francisco Peninsula.  Who was she? A house wife?  A teacher?  Good, copperplate handwriting.   Would I have enjoyed meeting her in  person? Could she have been  a Republican.  Were Republican politicians as obnoxious in 1934 as they are today? How did the book end up in \"free\" bin of the library?  Perhaps  her books were donated and there were no takers in the library's book sale.  Many library goers must have looked at it without finding it worthwhile.  It was waiting for me.  Not a resident of Menlo Park, I rarely go to that particular library.  Fate!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, what am I going to do with the book?  There will be days and nights when I will pick it up and re-read parts of it.  After some time I shall probably give it back to a library with the hope that it will find a home with someone who loves Proust, or -- even better -- someone who will discover Proust for the first time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought\u003cbr/\u003eI summon up remembrance of things past.......\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- William Shakespeare, Sonnet No.30\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Marcel Proust and Vida Vamegli"},{"content":" *Djerassi Resident Artists ProgramLocated in the foothills, off Skyline Road, in Woodside, California, is the Djerassi Resident Artists Program center established by Dr. Carl Djerassi.A recent visit to the center with a group of friends was a very rewarding experience. The program is an example of how funding by private individuals can promote and nurture artistic creations. Full details of the program are available at http://www.djerassi.org/A few photographs follow.Contemplator, 2004, by Yusuke Toda© MusafirMy favorite. A simple post embedded in redwood, it made me think of teachings of Zen masters. The part bound by spiral of rope, will expose red painted surface when the rope decays and distinegrates.\"Nothing exists: all things are becoming\"--Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to ZenTitle unknown - by Derek Jackson© MusafirThe Nest, 1997 by Cynthia Harper© MusafirOrpheus Coyote and friends, 1999, by William King© MusafirSkin of Dreams, 1999, by Sung-Joon Hwang© MusafirDialog, 2004, by Roland Mayer© MusafirVanishing Ship, 1989, by John Roloff© MusafirDroog, 2003, by Blane De St. Croix© MusafirSylvan Steps, 1987, by David Nash© MusafirSpirit of a Dead Father, 1996, by Tome Adzievski© MusafirFrom Palo Cagao to Palo Alto, 2001, by Liset Castillo© MusafirEl Niño, 1998, by Walter Robinson© MusafirNote: The red sphere on the ground was originally at the top of the right side of the structure.Faeries,2002, by Derek Jackson© Musafir\"Art does not solve problems but makes us aware of their existence. It opens our eyes to see and our brain to imagine.\"--Magdalena AbakanowiczThe Old Barn© MusafirLooking out from inside the Old Barn© MusafirGorgeous setting for the artists and their creations© MusafirA beautiful Madrone tree© MusafirOn the way back, picnic at the top of Windy Hill© MusafirQuotations added by the author of this post. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/06/sculptures-and-paintings-among-the-trees/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eDjerassi Resident Artists Program\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLocated in the foothills, off Skyline Road, in Woodside, California, is the Djerassi Resident Artists Program center established by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Djerassi\"\u003eDr. Carl Djerassi\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA recent visit to the center with a group of friends was a very rewarding experience.  The program is an example of how funding by private individuals can promote and nurture artistic creations.  Full details of the program are available at \u003ca href=\"http://www.djerassi.org/\"\u003ehttp://www.djerassi.org/\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few photographs follow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eContemplator, 2004, by Yusuke Toda\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344644481948620002\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 007.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy favorite.  A simple post embedded in redwood, it made me think of teachings of Zen masters.  The part bound by spiral of rope, will expose red painted surface when the rope decays and distinegrates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"Nothing exists: all things are becoming\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to Zen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTitle unknown  - by Derek Jackson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344227471111652610\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Nest, 1997 by Cynthia Harper\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344227838134396738\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOrpheus Coyote and friends, 1999,  by William King\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344672208686310706\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 013.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSkin of Dreams, 1999, by Sung-Joon Hwang\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344234801648089266\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 050.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDialog, 2004, by Roland Mayer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344241937515897810\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 010.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVanishing Ship, 1989, by John Roloff\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344244891296465186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 035.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDroog, 2003, by Blane De St. Croix\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344245491932296978\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 037.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSylvan Steps, 1987, by David Nash\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344667818935351042\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 047.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpirit of a Dead Father, 1996, by Tome Adzievski\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344259951315328754\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 031.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Palo Cagao to Palo Alto, 2001, by Liset Castillo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344262992584693538\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 045.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEl Niño, 1998, by Walter Robinson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344271695530189362\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 043.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003eNote: The red sphere on the ground was originally at the top of the right side of the structure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFaeries,2002, by Derek Jackson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344303896277893474\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 039.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"Art does not solve problems but makes us aware of their existence. It opens our eyes to see and our brain to imagine.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Magdalena AbakanowiczThe Old Barn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344255526863626226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 017.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking out from inside the Old Barn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344256616712159970\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 052.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGorgeous setting for the artists and their creations\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344434085636932722\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 015.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA beautiful Madrone tree\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344434942453922002\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 059.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOn the way back, picnic at the top of Windy Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344435930220714882\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/06/Djerassi Resident Artists Center 065.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eQuotations added by the author of this post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sculptures and Paintings among the Trees"},{"content":" *Obama and the Middle EastJonathan Marcus in BBC News wrote:Something has changed in Washington. This new US President, Barack Obama, is unlike any that an Israeli leader has faced before.President Obama has backed off from his stated positions on various issues. He is not the first president to cave in to expediency. Some call it pragmatism. It would be interesting to see if he holds firm on this very thorny one.Would the hard-liners in Israel allow Netanyahu to accept the new American policy? We can expect Israel to crank up the threat from Iran. And we must not forget about fanatics in Hamas. Would they try to sabotage the negotiations in which Mahmoud Abbas is engaged? What the new American position demonstrates is that the powerful AIPAC failed to have its way, and that is something to cheer about.Regardless of how it plays out, Obama Administration's position has been clearly and unequivocally announced about one of the primary points of dispute -- construction of settlements in the West Bank.BBC NewsThe US wants a halt to settlement building. Now.Mr Netanyahu seems to have at least half got the message.He is trying to devise some sort of compromise whereby Israel will remove outposts seen as illegal even under Israeli law, but will continue to build in existing settlements to cope with what Israeli spokesmen call their \"natural growth\".But this \"natural growth\" argument is not getting any traction in Washington.The message has been repeated again and again; no settlement building - period. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/05/end-of-aipac-as-we-knew-it/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eObama and the Middle East\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Marcus in \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8073836.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSomething has changed in Washington. This new US President, Barack Obama, is unlike any that an Israeli leader has faced before.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Obama has backed off from his stated positions on various issues.    He is not the first president to cave in to expediency.  Some call it pragmatism.  It would be interesting to see if he holds firm on this very thorny one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWould the hard-liners in Israel allow Netanyahu to accept the new American policy?   We can expect Israel to crank up the threat from Iran.  And we must not forget about fanatics in Hamas.  Would they try to sabotage the negotiations in which  Mahmoud Abbas is engaged? What the new American position demonstrates is that the powerful AIPAC failed to have its way,  and that is something to cheer about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRegardless of how it plays out, Obama Administration's position has been clearly and unequivocally announced about one of the primary points of dispute -- construction of  settlements in the West Bank.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8073836.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe US wants a halt to settlement building. Now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr Netanyahu seems to have at least half got the message.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe is trying to devise some sort of compromise whereby Israel will remove outposts seen as illegal even under Israeli law, but will continue to build in existing settlements to cope with what Israeli spokesmen call their \"natural growth\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut this \"natural growth\" argument is not getting any traction in Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe message has been repeated again and again; no settlement building - period.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"End of AIPAC As We Knew It"},{"content":" *Morels * Wild Flowers 25 days away from summer solstice, and sweaters still needed in the evening. Meadows in the foothills still show patches of green, and wild flowers are in bloom in many of the preserves that dot the San Francisco Bay area.Morels are rarely found here. Foragers head for fire-ravaged areas in the Sierras where one can find a lot if the timing is right. A few weeks back a friend and I joined a group of foragers led by a man who knows all about wild mushrooms. The location where he took us was in the vicinity of South Fork of Yuba River.Two good specimens© Arani SinhaAnd another© MusafirArani found one© MusafirHappy Forager © MusafirBack at home© MusafirThe morels were not in the best of condition -- many of them beginning to get dry -- and there were many other foragers trudging up and down the hills. But we didn't return empty handed.Wild Flowers, and a BirdRedwing Blackbird, Arastradero Preserve© MusafirWhite Coat Mallow, Arastradero Preserve© MusafirClose up of Mariposa Lily, Sierra Azul© MusafirCrimson Columbine, Sierra Azul© MusafirIthuriel's Spear, Sierra Azul© MusafirFairy Lantern, Sierra Azul© MusafirVenus Thistle surrounded by droplets from mist, Purisima Creek© Sarbajit GhosalCalifornia Hedge Nettle, Purisima Creek© MusafirIt felt wintry when we hiked at Purisima Creek on Sunday, May 24th.Yellow Lupine, Purisima Creek© MusafirWild Iris, Purisima Creek© MusafirLunch break under redwood trees, Purisima Creek© DMTrudging up Harkins Ridge, Purisima Creek© DMOn Harkins Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek© Sarbajit Ghosal ","permalink":"/posts/2009/05/northern-california---late-spring-2009/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorels * Wild Flowers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e 25 days away from summer solstice, and sweaters still needed in the evening. Meadows in the foothills still show patches of green, and wild flowers  are in bloom in many of the preserves that dot the San Francisco Bay area.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorels are rarely found here.   Foragers head for fire-ravaged areas in the Sierras where one can find a lot if the timing is right.  A few weeks back a friend and I joined a group of foragers led by a man who knows all about wild mushrooms.  The location where he took us was in the vicinity of South Fork of Yuba River.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTwo good specimens\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340592627703311010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/n749016829_3079692_8085103.jpg\"/\u003e© Arani Sinha\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd another\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340677194980371586\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Morels 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eArani found one\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340595987575768050\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Morels 005.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHappy Forager\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340593893364476978\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Morels 006.jpg\"/\u003e © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack at home\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340595259854277650\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Morels 013.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe morels were not in the best of condition -- many of them beginning to get dry -- and there were many other foragers trudging up and down the hills. But we didn't return empty handed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild Flowers, and a Bird\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRedwing Blackbird, Arastradero Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340597142603045698\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Arastradero 01.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWhite Coat Mallow, Arastradero Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340599547966085666\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Arastradero 02.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eClose up of Mariposa Lily, Sierra Azul\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340601096844584898\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sierra Azul 05.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCrimson Columbine, Sierra Azul\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340601674486747570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sierra Azul 06.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIthuriel's Spear, Sierra Azul\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340602207040169138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sierra Azul 03.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFairy Lantern, Sierra Azul\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340602920795319570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sierra Azul 09.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVenus Thistle surrounded by droplets from mist, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340604571947945138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sarbajit 012.JPG\"/\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCalifornia Hedge Nettle, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340605686869755298\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Purisma Creek, May 24, 2009 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt felt wintry when we hiked at Purisima Creek on Sunday, May 24th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eYellow Lupine, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340606395926509682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Purisma Creek, May 24, 2009 012.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild Iris, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340607453807897858\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Purisma Creek, May 24, 2009 014.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLunch break under redwood trees, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340610983001157794\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/05242009018.jpg\"/\u003e© DM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTrudging up Harkins Ridge, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340612253970535666\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/05242009011.jpg\"/\u003e© DM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOn Harkins Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340613093942446418\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/05/Sarbajit 013.JPG\"/\u003e© Sarbajit Ghosal\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Northern California - Late Spring 2009"},{"content":" Brace for Reinstatement of Annual Fees * The Coburn AmendmentFaced with legislation that would severely restrict them from abusive practices, the same wonderful people who had been ripping off consumers for years with sky high interest rates, penalties and late fees, are huddling to come up with plans to make up for lost revenue.Reports indicate that credit card users who do not carry a balance but pay off their monthly bills on time might be hit with annual fees!Are consumers going to roll over and accept the fees? Some would. At one time such fees were common. But in today's America the climate is different. Americans are aware that one of the primary factors for the current economic crisis was lack of oversight by our government that permitted the financial industry to run amok. There is very little good feeling about the large banks that issue credit cards. Fight back. One way -- the preferred solution -- for those who can afford it and do not carry balance on their credit cards would be to use debit cards. And look for credit cards issued by small, regional banks. Of course, when the small banks are gobbled up by large ones then you will have to start all over again. Still, don't passively accept the fees that might soon be foisted on you by the major issuers of credit cards.Nancy Trejos in The Washington PostTreasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said the bill \"will help create a more fair, transparent and simple consumer credit market.\"Card executives said the changes will force them to charge higher rates and annual fees to delinquent customers and those in good standing. Have Gun, Will Visit National ParksTrust a Republican, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, to attach an amendment to the credit card legislation to permit carrying loaded guns at national parks. The NRA is happy. It would be interesting to see whether the amendment would be in the final version that President Obama signs. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/05/credit-cards---caveat-emptor/","summary":"\u003ccenter*\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBrace for Reinstatement of Annual Fees * The Coburn Amendment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cceneter\u003eFaced with legislation that would severely restrict them from abusive practices, the same wonderful people who had been ripping off consumers for years with sky high interest rates, penalties and late fees, are huddling to come up with plans to make up for lost revenue.\u003c/ceneter\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReports indicate that credit card users who do not carry a balance but pay off their monthly bills on time might be hit with annual fees!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAre consumers going to roll over and accept the fees?  Some would.  At one time such fees were common.  But in today's America the climate is different.  Americans are aware that one of the primary factors for the current economic crisis was lack of oversight by our government that permitted the financial industry to run amok.  There is very little good feeling about the large banks that issue credit cards. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFight back.  One way -- the preferred solution -- for those who can afford it and do not carry balance on their credit cards would be to use debit cards.  And look for credit cards issued by small, regional banks.  Of course, when the small banks are gobbled up by large ones then you will have to start all over again.  Still, don't passively accept the fees that might soon be foisted on you by the major issuers of credit cards.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNancy Trejos in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/19/AR2009051901867.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center*\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ccenter*\u003eTreasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said the bill \"will help create a more fair, transparent and simple consumer credit market.\"\u003c/center*\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ccenter*\u003eCard executives said the changes will force them to charge higher rates and annual fees to delinquent customers and those in good standing. \u003c/center*\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHave Gun, Will Visit National Parks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTrust a Republican, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, to attach an amendment to the credit card legislation to permit carrying loaded guns at national parks.  The NRA is happy.  It would be interesting to see whether the amendment would be in the final version that President Obama signs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Credit Cards - Caveat emptor"},{"content":" *Slaughter of Tamil Refugees among Coconut PalmsAlthough foreign journalists are barred from reporting the military operations against Tamil Tigers, the scant details coming out leave no doubt about brutal attacks against refugees fleeing from the combat zone.The beautiful, green island nation has now earned a place among other countries which carried out mass slaughter of a section of their population to achieve political and/or military objective.Guardian UKThe last hospital inside the so-called no-fire zone in north-eastern Sri Lanka was shelled today for the second day in a row, killing at least 50 civilians, a government health official said.The shelling came the day after 49 people were killed when a shell struck the admissions ward of the same hospital, where casualties of the country's brutal civil war are being treated.Oxford Analytica: \"SIGNIFICANCE: The humanitarian crisis triggered in recent weeks both reflects past ethnic grievances underlying the protracted conflict and is fuelling new ones. More than 1 million Tamil people have now been displaced, with many thousands reportedly killed in high-intensity fighting this year.\"And the world remains a bystander. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/05/a-vengeful-government-in-sri-lanka/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSlaughter of Tamil Refugees among Coconut Palms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough foreign journalists are barred from reporting the military operations against Tamil Tigers, the scant details coming out leave no doubt about brutal attacks against refugees fleeing from the combat zone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe beautiful, green island nation has now earned a place among other countries which carried out mass slaughter of a section of their population to achieve political and/or military objective.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/13/hospital-shelling-sri-lanka\"\u003eGuardian UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe last hospital inside the so-called no-fire zone in north-eastern Sri Lanka was shelled today for the second day in a row, killing at least 50 civilians, a government health official said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe shelling came the day after 49 people were killed when a shell struck the admissions ward of the same hospital, where casualties of the country's brutal civil war are being treated.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.oxan.com/display.aspx?ItemID=DB150906\"\u003eOxford Analytica\u003c/a\u003e:  \"\u003cspan class=\"section\" db=\"http://www.oxan.com/namespaces/article/live\" xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\"\u003eSIGNIFICANCE:       \u003c/span\u003eThe humanitarian crisis triggered in recent weeks both reflects past ethnic grievances underlying the protracted conflict and is fuelling new ones. More than 1 million Tamil people have now been displaced, with many thousands reportedly killed in high-intensity fighting this year.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the world remains a bystander.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Vengeful Government in Sri Lanka"},{"content":" *A Few Ragheads here, a Few Ragheads thereAn area (there are many) where there has been no change in tactics followed by the Obama administration is the deaths of Afghan civilians in attacks against militants. Just as they took place under President Bush, civilian casualties continue under President Obama. The Taliban could be benefiting in recruiting every time innocent civilians die. But that is not going to stop the killings. Somehow deaths of villagers in far away Afghanistan do not have any impact on American military strategy. They are expendable in our war against terror.In expressing her regret, Secretary of State Clinton sounded no different than Ms Rice when she held that position.Voice of America.com reported:Red Cross officials are backing local reports that U.S.-led airstrikes in western Afghanistan earlier this week killed dozens of civilians. The U.S. military is sending investigators to the scene and President Hamid Karzai has pledged to take up the issue in meetings with President Obama.Local Afghan officials say the incident occurred during a battle Monday and Tuesday in Farah province, when Afghan troops aided by U.S. soldiers were battling Taliban insurgents.Local officials said bombing raids on the suspected Taliban positions killed as many as 100 civilians and residents are still digging through rubble looking for more bodies. A Red Cross team sent to the region backed up the claims of dozens of civilian deaths, including women and children.Yes, no doubt the issue would be discussed during visits to the White House by Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Zardari of Pakistan. One can be certain that despite public statements -- sound bites -- nothing would change.U.S. Casualties in IraqAfter declining for a few months, the number of U.S. casualties spiked up in April. 19 soldiers died in Iraq.What did they die for? Saddam Hussein is no longer there. The Iraqis now have an elected government that we approve of. The internecine violence between the Shias and the Sunnis is not going to end anytime soon. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/05/afghan-civilian-casualties/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Few Ragheads here, a Few Ragheads there\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn area (there are many) where there has been no change in tactics followed by the Obama administration is the deaths of Afghan civilians in attacks against militants. Just as they took place under President Bush,  civilian casualties continue under President Obama.  The Taliban could be benefiting in recruiting every time innocent civilians die.  But that is not going to stop the killings. Somehow deaths of villagers in far away Afghanistan  do not have any impact on American military strategy.  They are expendable in our war against terror.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.rferl.org/content/Clinton_Expresses_Regret_Over_Afghan_Civilian_Casualties_Vows_Investigation/1622953.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIn expressing her regret, \u003ca href=\"http://www.rferl.org/content/Clinton_Expresses_Regret_Over_Afghan_Civilian_Casualties_Vows_Investigation/1622953.html\"\u003eSecretary of State Clinton\u003c/a\u003e sounded no different than Ms Rice when she held that position.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-06-voa6.cfm\"\u003eVoice of America.com\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRed Cross officials are backing local reports that U.S.-led airstrikes in western Afghanistan earlier this week killed dozens of civilians. The U.S. military is sending investigators to the scene and President Hamid Karzai has pledged to take up the issue in meetings with President Obama.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLocal Afghan officials say the incident occurred during a battle Monday and Tuesday in Farah province, when Afghan troops aided by U.S. soldiers were battling Taliban insurgents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLocal officials said bombing raids on the suspected Taliban positions killed as many as 100 civilians and residents are still digging through rubble looking for more bodies. A Red Cross team sent to the region backed up the claims of dozens of civilian deaths, including women and children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes, no doubt the issue would be discussed during visits to the White House by Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Zardari of Pakistan. One can be certain that despite public statements -- sound bites -- nothing would change.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Casualties in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter declining for a few months, the number of U.S. casualties spiked up in April.  19 soldiers died in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat did they die for?  Saddam Hussein is no longer there.  The Iraqis now have an elected government that we approve of.  The internecine violence between the Shias and the Sunnis is not going to end anytime soon.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Afghan Civilian Casualties"},{"content":" *Bush-Cheney Torture Team in His SightsSpanish Judge Baltasar Garzón who, in 2002, issued arrest warrant for the late General Augusto Pinochet of Chile, and wanted our former secretary of state Henry Kissinger questioned by British court, is now conducting a hearing to consider torture case against Bush officials. More power to him.Whether or not Judge Garzón succeeds in establishing a case against them, his action is laudable. It is obvious that for political and other reasons, after making the torture memos public, President Obama would rather bury the issue. But the memos supporting torture prepared by members of legal staff of the Bush administration prove that laws were broken and twisted to serve the needs of a few megalomaniacs. And to move forward without conducting a full inquiry would be the wrong thing to do. Politics, however, is full of instances when decisions are not based on what is right but what is expedient.In the meantime, don't expect to see Bush-Cheney and the amoral members of their staff traveling in Europe. They are not going to place themselves at risk of being arrested.Excerpts from The Guardian UK.Criminal proceedings have begun in Spain against six senior officials in the Bush administration for the use of torture against detainees in Guantánamo Bay. Baltasar Garzón, the counter-terrorism judge whose prosecution of General Augusto Pinochet led to his arrest in Britain in 1998, has referred the case to the chief prosecutor before deciding whether to proceed.The case is bound to threaten Spain's relations with the new administration in Washington, but Gonzalo Boyé, one of the four lawyers who wrote the lawsuit, said the prosecutor would have little choice under Spanish law but to approve the prosecution.The officials named in the case include the most senior legal minds in the Bush administration. They are: Alberto Gonzales, a former White House counsel and attorney general; David Addington, former vice-president Dick Cheney's chief of staff; Douglas Feith, who was under-secretary of defence; William Haynes, formerly the Pentagon's general counsel; and John Yoo and Jay Bybee, who were both senior justice department legal advisers.In a now notorious legal opinion signed in August 2002, Yoo and Bybee argued that torture occurred only when pain was inflicted \"equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death\". ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/judge-baltasar-garz%C3%B3n-rides-again/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBush-Cheney Torture Team in His Sights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSpanish Judge Baltasar Garzón who, in 2002, issued arrest warrant for the late General Augusto Pinochet of Chile, and wanted our former secretary of state Henry Kissinger questioned by British court,  is now conducting a hearing to consider torture case against Bush officials. More power to him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhether or not Judge Garzón succeeds in establishing a case against them, his action is laudable. It is obvious that for political and other reasons, after making the torture memos public, President Obama would rather bury the issue. But the memos supporting torture prepared by members of legal staff of the Bush administration prove that laws were broken and twisted to serve the needs of a few megalomaniacs. And to move forward without conducting a full inquiry would be the wrong thing to do.  Politics, however, is full of instances when decisions are not based on what is right but what is  expedient.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the meantime, don't expect to see Bush-Cheney and the amoral members of their staff traveling in Europe. They are not going to place themselves at risk of being arrested.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/29/guantanamo-bay-torture-inquiry\"\u003eThe Guardian UK\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCriminal proceedings have begun in Spain against six senior officials in the Bush administration for the use of torture against detainees in Guantánamo Bay. Baltasar Garzón, the counter-terrorism judge whose prosecution of General Augusto Pinochet led to his arrest in Britain in 1998, has referred the case to the chief prosecutor before deciding whether to proceed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe case is bound to threaten Spain's relations with the new administration in Washington, but Gonzalo Boyé, one of the four lawyers who wrote the lawsuit, said the prosecutor would have little choice under Spanish law but to approve the prosecution.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe officials named in the case include the most senior legal minds in the Bush administration. They are: Alberto Gonzales, a former White House counsel and attorney general; David Addington, former vice-president Dick Cheney's chief of staff; Douglas Feith, who was under-secretary of defence; William Haynes, formerly the Pentagon's general counsel; and John Yoo and Jay Bybee, who were both senior justice department legal advisers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIn a now notorious legal opinion signed in August 2002, Yoo and Bybee argued that torture occurred only when pain was inflicted \"equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Judge Baltasar Garzón Rides Again"},{"content":" *Bit of Good News in a Plethora of BadSurfing the web, it was almost by accident I came across Tracey Taylor's article in New York Times. Reading A Label of Pride That Pays made me feel good. These days, logging on to the computer is fraught with risk. One can never be sure that some new unpleasant things have not surfaced during the night -- more job cuts, another Madoff-like scam, mounting damage from toxic assets of banks; and the never ending violence in some parts of the world. Shias killing Sunnis; Sunnis killing Shias; a bloodbath in the island of Sri Lanka as government forces mop up the Tamil Tigers' last stronghold and refugees seek safe havens; our drones killing a lot of civilians and some terrorists. Politicians blathering. It goes on and on.Then there is the feeling that we are getting buried in an avalanche of shoddily manufactured imported goods -- from houseware to wearing apparel. They are cheap, yes. They look cheap and often don't last. Not all American manufacturers can claim credit for high quality products. For years, the automobile manufacturers produced ugly, gas hogging vehicles that required frequent repairs....and they were not cheap. It was competition from Japanese car makers that finally woke up Detroit. That, however, is not what this post is about.Tracey Taylor wrote about the success of two small companies in Northern California -- one in Sausalito, and the other in Berkeley. The complete article can be accessed in New York Times.Excerpts:In a timeworn factory in Sausalito, Calif., 67 workers turn out Heath ceramics, doing everything from mixing the clay to applying the finishing glazes. Twenty miles away, a Japanese robot called Ziggy works day and night in a converted brass foundry in Berkeley, making precision-cut office furniture. * Still, there still seems to be an appetite for products from high-end, craft-based manufacturers in America. That proved to be the major reason that Robin Petravic and his wife, Catherine Bailey, bought Heath Ceramics six years ago even though competition from abroad had forced most artisanal potteries across the country to shut down.They said that when they first walked into Heath’s factory in one of Sausalito’s former shipyards, they decided that Heath’s idiosyncratic way of doing things and its geographical roots could prove to be its salvation. They said they were struck by the fact that every part of the manufacturing process was under one roof. “Many of the employees had worked there for decades and knew everything, including how to fix the machines if they broke down,” Ms. Bailey said.The company was founded in the mid-1940s by Edith Heath, a ceramicist and creative spirit, and her husband, Brian, an inventor. The company quickly earned a reputation for durable, finely crafted tableware and tile whose clean, modernist lines signaled a break from the more fussy designs of the past.Michael Goldin, an architect and industrial designer, has also tied his company’s fate to that trend. For the last 14 years, Mr. Goldin has been contributing to the rejuvenation of a light-industrial district in Berkeley. He transformed an abandoned model airplane motor factory into his office and has designed and outfitted streamlined, open-plan office spaces for lawyers, architects and dotcom start-ups in Berkeley and neighboring Emeryville.Mr. Goldin’s company, Swerve, has also been making furniture, seeking out the technology required to produce precision-cut aluminum taper joints and machine-tooled, eco-friendly work surfaces for the desks, workstations and shelving systems.For Mr. Goldin, outsourcing was never an option. “Ever since I was at grad school I have felt very strongly about having my hands in what I am making — actually feeling materials and how they work,” he said. “It all started with my desire to make things and to have a shop where I could do that.”* Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-04-29 Found this wonderful story on Heath on another blog, check it out:\nhttp://www.flypmedia.com/issues/28/#9/1 `m \u0026mdash; 2009-05-05 Dear R - I hadn't visited your blog or written to you in SO long. Sorry for the disappearance. School work and life in general get in the way of other things :) I dropped by your blog today and saw the picture of the flowers in the vase i sent you - it made my day! :) I'm glad you're putting it to good use.\n-m ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/ziggy-swerve-and-heath-ceramics/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBit of Good News in a Plethora of Bad\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSurfing the web, it was almost by accident I came across Tracey Taylor's article in New York Times.  Reading \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/business/smallbusiness/23domestic.html\"\u003eA Label of Pride That Pays\u003c/a\u003e made me feel good.  These days, logging on to the computer is fraught with risk. One can never be sure that some new unpleasant things have not surfaced during the night -- more job cuts, another Madoff-like scam, mounting damage from toxic assets of banks; and the never ending violence in some parts of the world.  Shias killing Sunnis;  Sunnis killing Shias;  a bloodbath in the island of Sri Lanka as government forces mop  up the Tamil Tigers' last stronghold and refugees seek safe havens; our drones killing a lot of civilians and some terrorists. Politicians blathering. It goes on and on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen there is the feeling that we are getting buried in an avalanche of shoddily manufactured imported goods -- from houseware to wearing apparel.  They are cheap, yes. They look cheap and often don't last.  Not all American manufacturers can claim credit for high quality products.  For years, the automobile manufacturers produced ugly, gas hogging vehicles that required frequent repairs....and they were not cheap.  It was competition from Japanese car makers that finally woke up Detroit.  That, however, is not what this post is about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTracey Taylor wrote about the success of two small companies in Northern California -- one in Sausalito, and the other in Berkeley.  The complete article can be accessed  in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/business/smallbusiness/23domestic.html\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a timeworn factory in Sausalito, Calif., 67 workers turn out Heath ceramics, doing everything from mixing the clay to applying the finishing glazes. Twenty miles away, a Japanese robot called Ziggy works day and night in a converted brass foundry in Berkeley, making precision-cut office furniture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStill, there still seems to be an appetite for products from high-end, craft-based manufacturers in America. That proved to be the major reason that Robin Petravic and his wife, Catherine Bailey, bought Heath Ceramics six years ago even though competition from abroad had forced most artisanal potteries across the country to shut down.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey said that when they first walked into Heath’s factory in one of Sausalito’s former shipyards, they decided that Heath’s idiosyncratic way of doing things and its geographical roots could prove to be its salvation. They said they were struck by the fact that every part of the manufacturing process was under one roof. “Many of the employees had worked there for decades and knew everything, including how to fix the machines if they broke down,” Ms. Bailey said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe company was founded in the mid-1940s by Edith Heath, a ceramicist and creative spirit, and her husband, Brian, an inventor. The company quickly earned a reputation for durable, finely crafted tableware and tile whose clean, modernist lines signaled a break from the more fussy designs of the past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Goldin, an architect and industrial designer, has also tied his company’s fate to that trend. For the last 14 years, Mr. Goldin has been contributing to the rejuvenation of a light-industrial district in Berkeley. He transformed an abandoned model airplane motor factory into his office and has designed and outfitted streamlined, open-plan office spaces for lawyers, architects and dotcom start-ups in Berkeley and neighboring Emeryville.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Goldin’s company, Swerve, has also been making furniture, seeking out the technology required to produce precision-cut aluminum taper joints and machine-tooled, eco-friendly work surfaces for the desks, workstations and shelving systems.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Mr. Goldin, outsourcing was never an option. “Ever since I was at grad school I have felt very strongly about having my hands in what I am making — actually feeling materials and how they work,” he said. “It all started with my desire to make things and to have a shop where I could do that.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328011965115051506\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Canon S3 088.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-04-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eFound this wonderful story on Heath on another blog, check it out:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://www.flypmedia.com/issues/28/#9/1\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e`m\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-05-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDear R - I hadn't visited your blog or written to you in SO long. Sorry for the disappearance. School work and life in general get in the way of other things :) I dropped by your blog today and saw the picture of the flowers in the vase i sent you - it made my day! :) I'm glad you're putting it to good use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-m\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Ziggy, Swerve, and Heath Ceramics"},{"content":" *A month into spring, the days are finally showing a warming trend. Last Tuesday (the 14th) a blustery wind blew throughout the peninsula, and it felt wintry. Now, we can say \"Spring is here\". New leaves on the trees and abundance of flowers are sights to lift the spirits.Come summer, shortage of water could cause some problems. But we have survived droughts in the past and no doubt we'll survive this summer.A mixed bag of pictures, mostly wild flowers at various preserves.Indian Warriors, Coal Mine Creek, Portola Valley, CA.©MusafirVetch, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve©MusafirHikers, Easter Sunday 2009©MusafirStar Lily, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve©MusafirOak tree with new leaves, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve©MusafirMeadow full of miniature lupines, Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park©MusafirBlue Myrtle (Periwinkle), Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park©MusafirPink Trillium, Rancho San Antonio©MusafirWild turkey at Rancho San Antonio©MusafirMule's Ears, Rancho San Antonio©MusafirWild California Poppy, Russian Ridge©MusafirOwl's Clover, Russian Ridge©MusafirA Clouded Sulfur Butterfly and Buttercups, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve©MusafirWhat is all this juice and all this joy ?A strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning... --Gerard Manley Hopkins, Spring ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/the-seasons-spring-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA month into spring, the days are finally showing a warming trend.  Last Tuesday (the 14th) a blustery wind blew throughout the peninsula, and it felt wintry.   Now, we can say \"Spring is here\".  New leaves on the trees and abundance of flowers are sights to lift the spirits.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCome summer, shortage of water could cause some problems.  But we have survived droughts in the past and no doubt we'll survive this summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA mixed bag of pictures, mostly wild flowers at various preserves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIndian Warriors, Coal Mine Creek, Portola Valley, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326827504661086802\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Easter Sunday 2009 003.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVetch, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326844827861831954\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Russian Ridge and Fremont Older 014.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHikers, Easter Sunday 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326828223549523490\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Easter Sunday 2009 006.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eStar Lily, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326829643844446450\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Fremont-Older 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOak tree with new leaves, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326830778822746578\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Fremont-Older 005.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMeadow full of miniature lupines, Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326834243416481266\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Los Trancos Trail and Van Auken Circle 006.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBlue Myrtle (Periwinkle), Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326833007915750482\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Los Trancos Trail and Van Auken Circle 008.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003ePink Trillium, Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326935058844614274\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Rancho San Antonio 003.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild turkey at Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326835695357318562\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Rancho San Antonio 012.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMule's Ears, Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326836662266684530\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Rancho San Antonio 021.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild California Poppy, Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326837828739745522\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Russian Ridge and Fremont Older 003.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOwl's Clover, Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326838557985180530\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Russian Ridge and Fremont Older 006.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA Clouded Sulfur Butterfly and Buttercups, Fremont-Older Open Space Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326847227564089202\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Russian Ridge and Fremont Older 010.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is all this juice and all this joy ?\u003cbr/\u003eA strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e  --Gerard Manley Hopkins, Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Spring 2009"},{"content":" *A Small Step Toward A Sane PolicyNo, the invisible wall is not going to come tumbling down although that is the impression one gets from the scream coming out of anti-Cuba groups after President Obama lifted travel and spending restrictions. It was time.Politically, expressing support for normal relations with Cuba is still risky. The anti-Cuba forces in Florida no longer have the clout they once enjoyed but they have friends, mostly Republicans, in high places who rant about the \"Communist regime\" in our backyard. Perhaps they yearn for the good old days of the Dictator Fulgencio Batista! Get over it.Fidel Castro is still alive but no longer at the helm. His brother, Raul Castro became president of Cuba in 2008. There are many allegations about human rights abuses during Castro's rule. No doubt some of them are true. But the American government has had cozy relationship with dictators who were much worse. The history of our support of juntas in Latin American countries is shameful. And let's not forget that at one time we were in bed with the late Saddam Hussein and the Shah of Iran when torture and murder of dissidents were routinely carried out in Iraq and Iran.President Obama did the right thing. Let's hope that the rabble-rousers would accept the fact that their irrational, unjustified campaign against Cuba has no support in the rest of the free world. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/cuba-and-the-united-states/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Small Step Toward A Sane Policy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo, the invisible wall is not going to come tumbling down although that is the impression one gets from the scream coming out of anti-Cuba groups after President Obama lifted travel and spending restrictions.  It was time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePolitically, expressing support for normal relations with Cuba is still risky.  The anti-Cuba forces in Florida no longer have the clout they once enjoyed but they have friends, mostly Republicans, in high places who rant about the \"Communist regime\" in our backyard.  Perhaps they yearn for the good old days of the Dictator Fulgencio Batista!  Get over it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFidel Castro is still alive but no longer at the helm.  His brother, Raul Castro became president  of Cuba in 2008.  There are many allegations about human rights abuses during Castro's rule. No doubt some of them are true.  But the American government has had cozy relationship with dictators who were much worse.  The history of our support of juntas in Latin American countries is shameful.  And let's not forget that at one time we were in bed with the late  Saddam Hussein and the Shah of Iran when torture and murder of dissidents were routinely carried out in Iraq and Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Obama did the right thing.  Let's hope that the rabble-rousers would accept the fact that their irrational, unjustified campaign against Cuba has no support in the rest of the free world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Cuba and the United States"},{"content":" * Friday Morning Charivari\"Morally bankrupt\"....that is what Nevada politicians, who voted against a tax on prostitution service, feel about the world's oldest profession. Another example of pot calling the kettle black. Most of the politicians in Nevada bend over backward to do the bidding of casino owners. No doubt the two-faced lawmakers believe that gambling is a pure and blessed activity! Call them expedient.Excerpts from Reuters, Apr 9, 2009CARSON CITY, Nevada (Reuters) - Nevada lawmakers on Thursday defeated a proposed prostitution tax that had won support from brothel owners and working ladies willing to do their part to ease the state's $3 billion budget crisis. * State Senator Bob Coffin, a Democrat, proposed levying a $5-per-customer service tax on patrons of some 20 legal brothels operating in rural Nevada, all of them outside Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County, where prostitution remains outlawed. * But a sharply divided Nevada state Senate committee voted 4-3 on Thursday to kill the tax, which Coffin said would have raised an estimated $2 million a year. * Coffin said similar proposals never went very far in the past due to opposition from legislators who felt that taxing prostitution would further legitimize an industry they regard as distasteful and morally bankrupt.A bouquet for the working women engaged in prostitution who supported the tax.Gay RightsInteresting to see gay rights making progress in different states of the country. Iowa Supreme Court's recent ruling that gay marriage ban is unconstitutional was quite unexpected. A sign of the times. People are no longer unquestioningly accepting arguments about homosexuality being sinful and giving gays full legal rights, including the right to marry, would lead to moral decay that various religious groups have had success with in the past. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/nevada-politicians/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFriday Morning Charivari\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Morally bankrupt\"....that is what Nevada politicians, who voted against a tax on prostitution service, feel about the world's oldest profession. Another example of pot calling the kettle black. Most of the politicians in Nevada bend over backward to do the bidding of casino owners.  No doubt the two-faced lawmakers believe that gambling is a pure and blessed activity! Call them expedient.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE53902T20090410\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e, Apr 9, 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCARSON CITY, Nevada (Reuters) - Nevada lawmakers on Thursday defeated a proposed prostitution tax that had won support from brothel owners and working ladies willing to do their part to ease the state's $3 billion budget crisis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eState Senator Bob Coffin, a Democrat, proposed levying a $5-per-customer service tax on patrons of some 20 legal brothels operating in rural Nevada, all of them outside Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County, where prostitution remains outlawed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut a sharply divided Nevada state Senate committee voted 4-3 on Thursday to kill the tax, which Coffin said would have raised an estimated $2 million a year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCoffin said similar proposals never went very far in the past due to opposition from legislators who felt that taxing prostitution would further legitimize an industry they regard as distasteful and morally bankrupt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA bouquet for the working women engaged in prostitution who supported the tax.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323080057064271730\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Canon S3 064.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGay Rights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInteresting to see gay rights making progress in different states of the country. Iowa Supreme Court's recent ruling that gay marriage ban is unconstitutional was quite unexpected.  A sign of the times.  People are no longer unquestioningly accepting arguments about homosexuality being sinful and giving gays full legal rights, including the right to marry, would lead to moral decay that various religious groups have had success with in the past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Nevada Politicians"},{"content":" *The Boss and Neil Young * Karzai Backs DownThe logo is a copyright of www.glastonbury.co.ukThe largest open air music and performing arts festival in the world is scheduled from June 24th to 28th....and is sold out. The location is Worthy Farm, Pilton, near Glastonbury in Somerset, England. This year, both Bruce Springsteen (The Boss) and Neil Young who were passionate about their opposition to Bush's war in Iraq, have been booked to appear at Glastonbury. Springsteen actively campaigned for Obama. Bush and his cohorts are gone but the war is still going on. In 2006, Neil Young produced an album that contained a song titled \"Impeach the President\". Not going to happen but they are great and courageous artists. See The Boss and Protest Singer.Hamid Karzai Backs DownNot happily, but faced with intense condemnation of the rape law that he readily signed only a month ago, Hamid Karzai backed down -- agreed to \"scrap the law\". He might not find it that easy. In Afghanistan, it is not only among the Taleban that Islamic fundamentalists exist. Karzai, Bush administration's handpicked candidate to rule Afghanistan has been a failure. Not an easy job for anyone, certainly not for a corrupt man like Hamid Karzai.Guardian UKIt is said to forbid women to refuse to have sex with their husbands and force them to get their spouses' permission before leaving the house, looking for a job, going to the doctor or receiving education.Gordon Brown has led the international condemnation of the law, saying today it would be unacceptable for British soldiers to die defending a regime that enacted oppressive legislation of this kind. The prime minister told Sky News that Nato leaders had attacked the law in the communique issued at the end of the summit in Strasbourg, and that Karzai had told him it would not come into force in the way that it had been reported. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/04/glastonbury-2009/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Boss and Neil Young * Karzai Backs Down\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/Glastologo.png\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"File:Glastologo.png\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/04/Glastologo.png\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca class=\"external free\" href=\"http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe logo is a copyright of www.glastonbury.co.uk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe largest open air music and performing arts festival in the world is scheduled from June 24th to 28th....and is sold out.  The location is Worthy Farm, Pilton, near Glastonbury in Somerset, England. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis year,  both Bruce Springsteen (The Boss) and Neil Young who were  passionate about their opposition to Bush's war in Iraq, have been booked to appear at Glastonbury.  Springsteen actively campaigned for Obama.   Bush and his cohorts are gone but the war is still going on.  In 2006, Neil Young produced an album that contained a song titled \"Impeach the President\".  Not going to happen but they are great and courageous artists.  See \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/04/boss-and-protest-singer.html\"\u003eThe  Boss and Protest Singer\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHamid Karzai Backs Down\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot happily, but faced with intense condemnation of the rape law that he readily   signed only a month ago, Hamid Karzai backed down --  agreed to \"scrap the law\". He might not find it that easy.  In Afghanistan, it is not only among the Taleban that Islamic fundamentalists exist.  Karzai, Bush administration's handpicked candidate to rule Afghanistan has been a failure.  Not an easy job for anyone, certainly not for a corrupt man like Hamid Karzai.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/05/afghanistan-shia-rape-law-scrap\"\u003eGuardian UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is said to forbid women to refuse to have sex with their husbands and force them to get their spouses' permission before leaving the house, looking for a job, going to the doctor or receiving education.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGordon Brown has led the international condemnation of the law, saying today it would be unacceptable for British soldiers to die defending a regime that enacted oppressive legislation of this kind. The prime minister told Sky News that Nato leaders had attacked the law in the communique issued at the end of the summit in Strasbourg, and that Karzai had told him it would not come into force in the way that it had been reported.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Glastonbury 2009"},{"content":" * The Skeleton in the Closet - Catholics and Birth ControlThere is a saying that \"there is no fool like an old fool\". True? Not necessarily; there are plenty of wise old men and women around to disprove that. But reading about Pope Benedict and other officials of the Catholic Church one gets the impression that the the church is full of old fools. In fact, they are worse than fools because they refuse to face reality and repeat their selective interpretation of scriptures.BBC News, March 27, 2009Pope 'distorting condom science'One of the world's most prestigious medical journals, the Lancet, has accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting science in his remarks on condom use.It said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/Aids were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences.The Pope had said the \"cruel epidemic\" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use. What about Catholics in America and abroad? Do they follow the pope's dictum? Talk to your Catholic friends under 50. Chances are you'll learn that most of them practice some form of birth control, including condoms, and don't even consider that as a sin. How does the Vatican explain the phenomenon in Italy. \"The birth rate of Italy, at a rate of 1.23 children per woman is the second lowest in the Western world. Women rarely have more than one child. The government and the Catholic Church in this staunchly Catholic nation are perplexed and concerned by this phenomenon.\" Are the Italians practitioners of the rhythm method, aka Russian roulette ? That,too, is not encouraged by the church. It considers that sexual intercourse is meant only for procreation. Talk about heads buried in the sand! Unfortunately, there is no doubt that the church's position results in millions of unwanted pregnancies and STDs.That brings up another question......do Catholic priests masturabate? A medically proven healthy practice, masturbation is also a sin according to the church. Think about the numerous publicized cases about Catholic priests who engaged in pedophilia and you'll have the answer.The hypocrisy is not confined to the Catholic Church. Politicians play the same game. Republicans, with their moral values facade, are outwardly more prudish than Democrats. But even President Clinton, of all people, let his one time surgeon general, Dr. Jocelyn Elders, go because of her frank comments about masturbation. What did she say? \".............is something that is part of human sexuality and it is part of something that perhaps should be taught.\" And then Clinton went on to diddle Monica Lewinsky in the White House!Source: www.benettontalk.comEnjoy safe sex. Let the pope and prudes rant.\"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.\" ----Jane Austen (1775-1817) ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/pope-benedict-and-condoms/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Skeleton in the Closet - Catholics and Birth Control\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is a saying that \"there is no fool like an old fool\". True?  Not necessarily; there are plenty of wise old men and women around to disprove that.  But reading about Pope Benedict and other officials of the Catholic Church one gets the impression that the the church is full of old fools.  In fact, they are worse than fools because they refuse to face reality and repeat their selective interpretation of scriptures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7967173.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e, March 27, 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePope 'distorting condom science'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne of the world's most prestigious medical journals, the Lancet, has accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting science in his remarks on condom use.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/Aids were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Pope had said the \"cruel epidemic\" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat about Catholics in America and abroad?  Do they follow the pope's dictum?  Talk to your Catholic friends under 50.  Chances are you'll learn that most of them practice some form of birth control, including condoms, and don't even consider that as a sin. How does the Vatican explain the phenomenon in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.doki.net/tarsasag/novedelem/upload/novedelem/document/birth_rate_in_Italy.htm\"\u003eItaly\u003c/a\u003e.    \"The birth rate of Italy, at a rate of 1.23 children per woman is the second lowest in the Western world. Women rarely have more than one child. The government and the Catholic Church in this staunchly Catholic nation are perplexed and concerned by this phenomenon.\"  Are the Italians practitioners of the rhythm method, aka Russian roulette ?  That,too, is not encouraged by the church.  It considers that sexual intercourse is meant only for procreation.  Talk about heads buried in the sand!    Unfortunately,  there is no doubt that the church's position results in millions of  unwanted pregnancies and STDs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat brings up another question......do Catholic priests masturabate?   A medically proven healthy practice,  masturbation is also a sin according to the church. Think about the  numerous  publicized cases about Catholic priests who engaged in pedophilia and you'll have the answer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe hypocrisy is not confined to the Catholic Church.  Politicians play the same game.   Republicans, with their moral values facade,  are outwardly more prudish than Democrats.  But even President Clinton, of all people,  let his one time surgeon general, Dr. Jocelyn Elders, go because of her frank comments about masturbation.  What did she say?  \".............is something that is part of human sexuality and it is part of something that perhaps should be taught.\"  And then Clinton went on to diddle Monica Lewinsky in the White House!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116045417180039570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Condoms II.jpg\"/\u003eSource: www.benettontalk.com\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnjoy safe sex.  Let the pope and prudes rant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.\" ----Jane Austen (1775-1817)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Pope Benedict  and Condoms"},{"content":" *\"Who Will Watch the Watchers\"There are numerous reports about abuse of the Patriot Act during the presidency of G.W. Bush. The act was passed by cowed members of Congress who dared not question the Bush administration's demand for prompt action and wide powers. Bush and his cohorts got what they wanted and lost no time in taking advantage of it to pursue their neo-conservative agenda.Now the director of the FBI is asking for renewal of the act which is due to expire in December this year.Washington Post, March 26, 2009FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III urged lawmakers yesterday to renew intelligence-gathering measures in the USA Patriot Act that are set to expire in December, calling them \"exceptional\" tools to help protect national security.The law, passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, created divisions between proponents, who said it was necessary to deter terrorism, and privacy advocates warning that it tramples on Americans' civil liberties. Portions of the law are up for reauthorization this year. We have a new president, and the Congress is no longer subservient to the executive branch. Before acceding to Director Mueller, the various questionable features of the act must be scrutinized and all avenues for abuses stopped. The last eight years have proven that the executive branch cannot be trusted. Enough damage has been done by Bush and Cheney under the guise of national security.\"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will watch the watchers?)\"-- Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis, Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.) ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/patriot-act/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Who Will Watch the Watchers\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are numerous reports about abuse of the Patriot Act during the presidency of G.W. Bush.  The act was passed by cowed members of Congress who dared not question the Bush administration's demand for prompt action and wide powers.  Bush and his cohorts got what they wanted and lost no time in taking advantage of it to pursue their neo-conservative agenda.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the director of the FBI is asking for renewal of the act which is due to expire in December this year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032501862.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, March 26, 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFBI Director Robert S. Mueller III urged lawmakers yesterday to renew intelligence-gathering measures in the USA Patriot Act that are set to expire in December, calling them \"exceptional\" tools to help protect national security.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe law, passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, created divisions between proponents, who said it was necessary to deter terrorism, and privacy advocates warning that it tramples on Americans' civil liberties. Portions of the law are up for reauthorization this year. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have a new president, and the Congress is no longer subservient to the executive branch.  Before acceding to \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032501862.html\"\u003eDirector Mueller\u003c/a\u003e, the various questionable features of the act must be scrutinized and all avenues for abuses stopped.  The last eight years have proven that the executive branch cannot be trusted.  Enough damage has been done by Bush and Cheney under the guise of national security.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?  (Who will watch the watchers?)\"\u003cbr/\u003e--  Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis,   Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Patriot Act"},{"content":" *San Francisco Bay Area - Peninsula CitiesWild flowers have began to appear but it would take a few more weeks for them to come out in force at some of the preserves. Russian Ridge, on Skyline, is one of them. Spring flowers in the gardens of homes in the Bay area are in bloom......and they are gorgeous.Magnolia tree, Palo Alto, California© MusafirFlowering Cherry Tree, Parrott Dr, San Mateo© MusafirFlowering Cherry, Parrott Dr, San Mateo© MusafirScotch Broom, Parrott Dr, San Mateo© MusafirDaffodils, Tournament Dr, San Mateo© MusafirClose up of Cherry Blossoms, Parrott Dr, San Mateo© MusafirIceland Poppy, Tournament Dr, San Mateo© MusafirTulips, Sunnyvale, California© MusafirAnd a glimpse of shimmering Crystal Spring through Hwy 280 overpass© Musafir\"The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.\"--- Jean Giradoux ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/the-seasons-flowers-of-spring-2009/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eSan Francisco Bay Area - Peninsula Cities\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWild flowers have began to appear but it would take a few more weeks for them to come out in force at some of the preserves.  Russian Ridge, on Skyline,  is one of them. Spring flowers in the gardens of homes in the Bay area are in bloom......and they are gorgeous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMagnolia tree, Palo Alto, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313836728596933378\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 008.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFlowering Cherry Tree, Parrott Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316399526742216322\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 007.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFlowering Cherry, Parrott Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316399391644878642\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eScotch Broom, Parrott Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316399112722063490\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaffodils, Tournament Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316398823475016162\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClose up of Cherry Blossoms, Parrott Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316414162921521954\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 009.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIceland Poppy, Tournament Dr, San Mateo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316413518973714370\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 012.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTulips, Sunnyvale, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313842100501963682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 016.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAnd a glimpse of shimmering Crystal Spring through Hwy 280 overpass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316417541219477698\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Spring Flowers and Foliage 013.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The flower is the poetry of reproduction.  It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- Jean Giradoux\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Flowers of Spring  2009"},{"content":" *\"W\", the movieWatching Oliver Stone's film, \"W\" , about our 43rd president, G.W. Bush, brought back all the bad things he did for eight long years. The movie was limited in scope as to what could be depicted in a few hours and, therefore, concentrated on the Iraq war....the war for which we paid a heavy price in lives lost and money. We are still paying. President Obama appears to be in no hurry to get us out of there. To be fair, Obama inherited many problems and his main thrust is to revitalize the economy. Rightly so.With their free-market policy and muzzling of regulations, Bush and the Republicans played a major role in encouraging the debacle in the financial sector and the current state of the economy. We must remember though that it was during the Clinton administration that banking laws were re-written to make things easy for questionable practices by lenders.....a primary reason for the crash of the housing market. Venal politicians exist among Democrats. Currently, they are busy blustering about AIG. Makes you wonder where were they when laws were passed to allow corporate entities to run amok. Think of campaign contributions and you get the feeling that our system is corrupt.But watching \"W\" reinforced the impression that we elected a hollow man as president.....twice. So we deserved what he and his team of war hawks gave us.August 8, 1974Those of us who thought that Nixon was a bad president didn't have a clue about what was coming. I remembered listening to Nixon's resignation speech during a UAL flight from Chicago to San Francisco. An old lady in the sit next to me said \"this calls for a drink\". We ordered wine and lifted our glasses. But compared to G.W. Bush, Nixon was a giant.Years of Lightning, Day of DrumsIt was more than 45 years ago. Still the memory of where I was when I learned about JFK's assassination remains vivid. That was long before the advent of the world wide web and instant news flashes. Calcutta (Kolkata), India, on the morning of November 23, 1963, when I went to the front door to pick up the newspaper that I saw banner headline about the thirty-fifth president of the United States. A few years later I watched Bruce Herschensohn's documentary \"Years of Lightning, Day of Drums\" with background commentary by Gregory Peck about the 1000 days of the Kennedy Administration. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/presidents-past/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\"W\", the movie\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWatching Oliver Stone's film, \"W\" , about our 43rd president, G.W. Bush, brought back all the bad things he did for eight long years.  The movie was limited in scope as to what could be depicted in a few hours and, therefore, concentrated on the Iraq war....the war for which we paid a heavy price in lives lost and money.  We are still paying.  President Obama appears to be in no hurry to get us out of there.  To be fair, Obama inherited many problems and his main thrust is to revitalize the economy.  Rightly so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWith their free-market policy and muzzling of regulations, Bush and the Republicans played a major role in encouraging the debacle in the financial sector and the current state of the economy. We must remember though that it was during the Clinton administration that banking laws were re-written to make things easy for questionable practices by lenders.....a primary reason for the crash of the housing market.  Venal politicians exist among Democrats.  Currently, they are busy blustering about AIG.  Makes you wonder where were they when laws were passed to allow corporate entities to run amok.  Think of campaign contributions and you get the feeling that our system is corrupt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut watching \"W\" reinforced the impression that we elected a hollow man as president.....twice. So we deserved what he and his team of war hawks gave us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAugust 8, 1974\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThose of us who thought that Nixon was a bad president didn't have a clue about what was coming.  I remembered listening to Nixon's resignation speech  during a UAL flight from Chicago to San Francisco.  An old lady in the sit next to me said \"this calls for a drink\".  We ordered wine and lifted our glasses.  But compared to G.W. Bush, Nixon was a giant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYears of Lightning, Day of Drums\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was more than 45 years ago.  Still the memory of where I was when I learned about JFK's assassination remains vivid.  That was long before the advent of the world wide web and instant news flashes.  Calcutta (Kolkata), India, on the morning of November 23, 1963, when I went to the front door to pick up the newspaper that I saw banner headline about the thirty-fifth president of the United States.   A few years later I watched  Bruce Herschensohn's documentary \"Years of Lightning, Day of Drums\" with background commentary by Gregory Peck about the 1000 days of the Kennedy Administration.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Presidents Past"},{"content":" *Time for Wild Flowers * End of the Chanterelle SeasonJust seven days away from spring. We have gone through the clock change. The days have become longer; the dark mornings, too, will soon be behind us.Spring too, very soon!They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon.---Basho (1643-1694)The late rains did not do much for the chanterelles but could produce a good display of wild flowers. During a recent walk on Grizzly Flat,north, trail (off Hwy 35) JHL and I saw some milkmaids in bloom. We forded the creek and hiked to the beginning of the Canyon Trail toward Montebello Preserve. Stopped for a picnic lunch and then returned to the pullout at Hwy 35. Just across from the pullout is the trail heading south to Long Ridge.A view of Upper Stevens Creek at Grizzly Flat© MusafirCalifornia Tortoiseshell(Nymphalis californica) at Grizzly Flat© MusafirMilkmaids at Grizzly Flat© MusafirRock Cress at Foothills Park© MusafirAC and I drove up Hwy 9 once more to look for chanterelles. We found some....enough to reward us for the trip, and there was the pleasure of walking through the woods.© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/the-seasons-spring-is-around-the-corner/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eTime for Wild Flowers * End of the Chanterelle Season\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJust seven days away from spring.  We have gone through the clock change.  The days have become longer; the dark mornings, too, will soon be behind us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpring too, very soon!\u003cbr/\u003eThey are setting the scene for it--\u003cbr/\u003eplum tree and moon.\u003cbr/\u003e---Basho (1643-1694)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe late rains did not do much for the chanterelles but could produce a good display of wild flowers. During a recent walk on Grizzly Flat,north,  trail (off Hwy 35) JHL and I saw some milkmaids in bloom.  We forded the creek and hiked to the beginning of the Canyon Trail toward Montebello Preserve.  Stopped for a picnic lunch and then returned to the pullout at Hwy 35.  Just across from the pullout is the trail heading south to Long Ridge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA view of Upper Stevens Creek at Grizzly Flat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312705460827691746\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCalifornia Tortoiseshell(Nymphalis californica) at Grizzly Flat\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312706453294238898\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMilkmaids at Grizzly Flat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312776560650894546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRock Cress at Foothills Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312770673865737458\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/Rock Cress at Foothill Park.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAC and I drove up Hwy 9 once more to look for chanterelles.   We found some....enough to reward us for the trip, and there was the pleasure of walking through the woods.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312707828783864594\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/03/March Misc. 011.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Spring is Around the Corner"},{"content":" * Obama does the Right Thing * Earmarks * Bay Area RainfallA misnomer to begin with, Bush's last minute ruling (one of the so called \"Midnight\" rulings) was a gesture to please the hardcore social conservatives.Reuters - March 6, 2009WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration moved formally on Friday to rescind a Bush administration rule to protect health workers who refuse to provide services and information on moral grounds, which had inflamed abortion-rights advocates.The rule took effect hours before President Barack Obama took office in January, and opponents say the previous administration rushed it through in a last-minute push in a bid to deny patients not only abortion rights, but also contraception and other care.In a statement on its website, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department said it was \"proposing to rescind\" the rule \"in its entirety.\"While the Obama Administration continues to leave intact some major policies of the previous administration -- the war in Iraq, for one, on this particular issue, followed by reports that ban on Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is to be lifted, Obama decided to risk the wrath of the conservatives. Good for him. Earmarks Alive and WellEarmarking (funding for pet projects) has become an entrenched tradition. Roundly condemned by many Democrats who are now doing their share of continuing the practice. Obama's budget director Peter Orszag said on CNN: \"[Such bills] will not happen when the president has the full legislative and appropriations process in place,\" Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told CNN's \"State of the Union with John King.\"Don't bet on it.The Rains CameBut not enough. The latest table shows that the Bay area precipitation is still below the norm, and so is Sierra snow pack level. While not full, reservoirs have benefited from the rains that began late February. Most of next week is expected to be sunny and dry.The rains were too late for chanterelles. They decided to stay underground. Very meager pickings this season. Perhaps we'll be rewarded by a bumper crop in November.\"Sound of rain,Memories of years pastPleasure and pain.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/bushs-conscience-ruling-rescinded/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eObama does the Right Thing * Earmarks * Bay Area Rainfall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA misnomer to begin with, Bush's last minute ruling (one of the so called \"Midnight\" rulings) was a gesture to please the hardcore social conservatives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5255U420090306\"\u003eReuters - March 6, 2009\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration moved formally on Friday to rescind a Bush administration rule to protect health workers who refuse to provide services and information on moral grounds, which had inflamed abortion-rights advocates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe rule took effect hours before President Barack Obama took office in January, and opponents say the previous administration rushed it through in a last-minute push in a bid to deny patients not only abortion rights, but also contraception and other care.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a statement on its website, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department said it was \"proposing to rescind\" the rule \"in its entirety.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile the Obama Administration continues to leave intact some major policies of the previous administration -- the war in Iraq, for one,  on this particular issue, followed by reports that ban on Federal funding for \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030602285.html\"\u003eembryonic stem cell research\u003c/a\u003e is to be lifted, Obama decided to risk the wrath of the conservatives. Good for him. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEarmarks Alive and Well\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEarmarking (funding for pet projects) has become an entrenched tradition. Roundly condemned by many Democrats who are now doing their share of continuing the practice.  Obama's budget director Peter Orszag said on \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/08/obama.earmarks/\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \"[Such bills] will not happen when the president has the full legislative and appropriations process in place,\" Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told CNN's \"State of the Union with John King.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eDon't bet on it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Rains Came\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut not enough.  The latest table shows that the Bay area precipitation is still below the norm,  and so is Sierra snow pack level.  While not full, reservoirs have benefited from the rains that began late February.  Most of next week is expected to be sunny and dry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe rains were too late for chanterelles.  They decided to stay underground.  Very meager pickings this season.  Perhaps we'll be rewarded by a bumper crop in November.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Sound of rain,\u003cbr/\u003eMemories of years past\u003cbr/\u003ePleasure and pain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush's \"Conscience\" Ruling Rescinded"},{"content":" * Praise the Lord and Turn on the X-Rated Video Interesting numbers. In the March 3rd edition of NY Times, Charles M. Blow wrote about online adult entertainment and where the buyers came from. A study by Benjamin Edelman, an assistant professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, titled “Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?” and published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives found that subscriptions to online pornography sites are “more prevalent in states where surveys indicate conservative positions on religion, gender roles, and sexuality.” The tables clearly illustrate that when it comes to pornography, members of the holier than thou moral values brigade have a hidden side to their persona. Some of the findings quoted by Mr. Blow: 1. In regions where more people report regularly attending religious services, overall subscription rates are not statistically significantly different from subscriptions elsewhere. 2. Subscriptions are slightly more prevalent in states that have enacted conservative legislation on sexuality (regression results on file with the author). In the 27 states where “defense of marriage” amendments have been adopted (making same-sex marriage, and/or civil unions unconstitutional), subscriptions to this adult entertainment service are weakly more prevalent than in other states ( p 0.096). In such states, there were 0.2 more subscribers to this adult web site per thousand broadband households, 11 percent more than in other states. 3. In states where more people agree that “Even today miracles are performed by the power of God” and “I never doubt the existence of God,” there are more subscriptions to this service. 4. Subscriptions are also more prevalent in states where more people agree that “I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage” and “AIDS might be God’s punishment for immoral sexual behavior.” 5. Tancer (2008), finds that adult escort sites are more popular in “blue” states that voted for Gore in 2004, while visitors from the “red” states that voted for Bush in 2004 are more likely to visit wife-swapping sites, adult webcams, and sites about voyeurism. Pitiful wanking hypocrites. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/pornography-and-the-bible-belt/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nPraise the Lord and Turn on the X-Rated Video\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nInteresting numbers.  In the March 3rd edition of \u003ca href=\"http://blow.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/red-light-states/\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e, Charles M. Blow wrote about online adult entertainment and where the buyers came from. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA study by Benjamin Edelman, an assistant professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, titled “Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?” and published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives found that subscriptions to online pornography sites are “more prevalent in states where surveys indicate conservative positions on religion, gender roles, and sexuality.”\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe \u003ca href=\"http://blow.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/red-light-states/\"\u003etables\u003c/a\u003e  clearly illustrate that when it comes to pornography, members of the holier than thou moral values brigade have a hidden side to their persona.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSome of the findings quoted by Mr. Blow:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e1. In regions where more people report regularly attending religious services, overall subscription rates are not statistically significantly different from subscriptions elsewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e2. Subscriptions are slightly more prevalent in states that have enacted conservative legislation on sexuality (regression results on file with the author). In the 27 states where “defense of marriage” amendments have been adopted (making same-sex marriage, and/or civil unions unconstitutional), subscriptions to this adult entertainment service are weakly more prevalent than in other states ( p 0.096). In such states, there were 0.2 more subscribers to this adult web site per thousand broadband households, 11 percent more than in other states.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e3. In states where more people agree that “Even today miracles are performed by the power of God” and “I never doubt the existence of God,” there are more subscriptions to this service.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e4. Subscriptions are also more prevalent in states where more people agree that “I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage” and “AIDS might be God’s punishment for immoral sexual behavior.”\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e5. Tancer (2008), finds that adult escort sites are more popular in “blue” states that voted for Gore in 2004, while visitors from the “red” states that voted for Bush in 2004 are more likely to visit wife-swapping sites, adult webcams, and sites about voyeurism.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003ePitiful wanking hypocrites.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Pornography and the Bible Belt"},{"content":" * Violation of First Amendment ? * War Crimes and IsraelWhile not a Born Again Christian like his predecessor, President Obama had been quite open about his position on matters of faith.To his credit, on January 20, 2009, during his inaugural , Barack Obama said:\"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers.\"He is a practising Christian. In today's America it would be unthinkable to expect a \"non-believer\" to be elected to public office. Jews are an exception but people of other faiths -- Hindus, Buddhists, or ( perish the thought) a Muslim contender would have small chance.Obama is playing his cards to woo the faithful of different religious groups. Whether he would benefit from it in the long term is to be seen.What is disturbing is his decision to continue with a Bush-era practice -- faith-based community initiatives.Susan Jacoby in NY Times:\"It is truly dismaying that amid all the discussion about President Obama’s version of faith-based community initiatives, there has been such a widespread reluctance to question the basic assumption that government can spend money on religiously based enterprises without violating the First Amendment. The debate has instead focused on whether proselytizing or religious hiring discrimination should be permitted when church groups take public money. This shows how easy it is to institutionalize a bad idea based on unexamined assumptions about service to a greater good.Ms. Jacoby concluded her article by stating:Yet we are moving blindly ahead with faith-based federal spending as if it were not a radical break with our past. If faith-based initiatives, first institutionalized by the executive fiat of a conservative Republican president, become even more entrenched under a liberal Democratic administration, there will be no going back. In place of the First Amendment, we will have a sacred cash cow.Sacred cash cow is very apt. We can rest assured that there will be no lack of organizations lining up to milk it.*International Criminal CourtThe news that the ICC is \"considering\" whether the Palestinian Authority meets the requirements to be eligible to bring war crimes charges against Israeli troops is a good sign. Whether or not Israelis stand on the dock, what they did in Gaza is being exposed.Peter Beaumont, Guardian The international criminal court is considering whether the Palestinian Authority is \"enough like a state\" for it to bring a case alleging that Israeli troops committed war crimes in the recent assault on Gaza.The deliberations would potentially open the way to putting Israeli military commanders in the dock at The Hague over the campaign, which claimed more than 1,300 lives, and set an important precedent for the court over what cases it can hear. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/03/obama-and-aid-to-faith-based-organizations/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eViolation of First Amendment ? * War Crimes and Israel\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile not a Born Again Christian like his predecessor, President Obama had been quite open about his position on matters of faith.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo his credit, on January 20, 2009, during his inaugural , Barack Obama said:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe is a practising Christian.  In today's America it would be unthinkable to expect a \"non-believer\" to be elected to public office.  Jews are an exception but people of other faiths -- Hindus, Buddhists, or ( perish the thought) a Muslim contender would have  small chance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama is playing his cards to woo the faithful of different religious groups.  Whether he would benefit from it in the long term is to be seen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is disturbing is his decision to continue with a Bush-era practice -- faith-based community initiatives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSusan Jacoby in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/opinion/01jacoby.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"It is truly dismaying that amid all the discussion about President Obama’s version of faith-based community initiatives, there has been such a widespread reluctance to question the basic assumption that government can spend money on religiously based enterprises without violating the First Amendment. The debate has instead focused on whether proselytizing or religious hiring discrimination should be permitted when church groups take public money. This shows how easy it is to institutionalize a bad idea based on unexamined assumptions about service to a greater good.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eMs. Jacoby concluded her article by stating:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYet we are moving blindly ahead with faith-based federal spending as if it were not a radical break with our past. If faith-based initiatives, first institutionalized by the executive fiat of a conservative Republican president, become even more entrenched under a liberal Democratic administration, there will be no going back. In place of the First Amendment, we will have a sacred cash cow.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSacred cash cow is very apt.  We can rest assured that there will be no lack of organizations lining up to milk it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInternational Criminal Court\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe news that the ICC is \"considering\" whether the Palestinian Authority  meets the requirements to be eligible to bring war crimes charges against Israeli troops is a good sign. Whether or not Israelis stand on the dock, what they did in Gaza is  being exposed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePeter Beaumont, \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/02/israel-war-crimes-gaza\"\u003eGuardian \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe international criminal court is considering whether the Palestinian Authority is \"enough like a state\" for it to bring a case alleging that Israeli troops committed war crimes in the recent assault on Gaza.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe deliberations would potentially open the way to putting Israeli military commanders in the dock at The Hague over the campaign, which claimed more than 1,300 lives, and set an important precedent for the court over what cases it can hear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Obama and Aid to Faith-based Organizations"},{"content":" *Can Death With Dignity Legislation be Far Behind ?Perhaps we are jumping the gun. The issue might be tied up for years in legislative wranglings. Nevertheless, it is good news that Washington has changed its position on use of marijuana for medical reasons.The San Francisco Chronicle (02-26) 20:00 PST San Francisco -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is sending strong signals that President Obama - who as a candidate said states should be allowed to make their own rules on medical marijuana - will end raids on pot dispensaries in California.Imagine the consternation among the hypocrites who oppose marijuana use for any reason. They walk the straight and narrow path. Smoke cigarettes ? Perhaps some of them do. Drink alcohol ? Oh, yes. Fornicate ? Yes, but only in missionary position, for reproduction, and after a prayer.Right to DieIt is time to again put a Death With Dignity ballot measure before the people of California. Let's follow the enlightened people of Oregon and do what is right for terminally ill people who do not wish to end their lives stuck to tubes.Of course, the same bunch that opposes decriminalization of pot will fight it. Money speaks. Barrage of negative advertisements succeeded twice in defeating efforts to pass ballot measures. But, as the song goes \"Times, they are a-changing\". ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/states-rights-and-the-politics-of-pot/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCan Death With Dignity Legislation be Far Behind ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePerhaps we are jumping the gun.   The issue might be tied up for years in legislative wranglings. Nevertheless, it is good news that Washington has changed its position on use of marijuana for medical reasons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/26/MN2016651R.DTL\"\u003eThe San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e (02-26) 20:00 PST San Francisco -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is sending strong signals that President Obama - who as a candidate said states should be allowed to make their own rules on medical marijuana - will end raids on pot dispensaries in California.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eImagine the consternation among the hypocrites who oppose marijuana use for any reason.  They walk the straight and narrow path.  Smoke cigarettes ?  Perhaps some of them do.  Drink alcohol ? Oh, yes.  Fornicate ?  Yes, but only in missionary position,  for reproduction, and after a prayer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRight to Die\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is time to again put a Death With Dignity ballot measure before the people of California.  Let's follow the enlightened people of Oregon and do what is right for terminally ill people who do not wish to end their lives stuck to tubes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOf course, the same bunch that opposes decriminalization of pot will fight it.  Money speaks.  Barrage of negative advertisements succeeded twice in defeating efforts to pass ballot measures. But, as the song goes \"Times, they are a-changing\".\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"States' Rights and the Politics of Pot"},{"content":" *They go together. While the spring equinox (March 20th) is almost 4 weeks away, cherry blossoms have become visible all over the San Francisco Bay area.Images of Yangmingshan flower festival in Taipei, Taiwan, published by the Guardian UK, reminded me that I took a few pictures when I saw blossoms appear on cherry trees in my neighbor's yard. That was early in February....on the 7th. We had a dry, almost rainless January. And February began with warm and sunny days. No wonder that the cherry trees got fooled and blossomed early.Cherry tree in bloom - I, San Mateo, CA.© MusafirCherry tree in bloom -II, San Mateo, CA.© Musafir\"Now of my three score years and ten,Twenty will not come againAnd take from seventy springs a scoreit only leaves me fifty more.And since to look at things in bloomFifty springs are little room,About the woodlands I will goTo see the cherry hung with snow.\"---A.E. Housman, A Shropsire Lad ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/the-seasons-cherry-blossoms-and-spring/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey go together.  While the spring equinox (March 20th) is almost 4 weeks away, cherry blossoms have become visible all over the San Francisco Bay area.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImages of Yangmingshan flower festival in Taipei, Taiwan, published by the    \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2009/feb/24/cherry-blossom-festival-taiwan?picture=343723462\"\u003eGuardian UK,\u003c/a\u003e reminded me that I took a few pictures when I saw blossoms appear on cherry trees in my neighbor's yard.  That was early in February....on the 7th.  We had a dry, almost rainless January.  And February began with  warm  and  sunny days.   No wonder that the cherry trees got fooled and blossomed early.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCherry tree in bloom - I, San Mateo, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306828670063768226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/02/Cherry Blossoms II.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCherry tree in bloom -II, San Mateo, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306828566237757890\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/02/Cherry Blossoms.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now of my three score years and ten,\u003cbr/\u003eTwenty will not come again\u003cbr/\u003eAnd take from seventy springs a score\u003cbr/\u003eit only leaves me fifty more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd since to look at things in bloom\u003cbr/\u003eFifty springs are little room,\u003cbr/\u003eAbout the woodlands I will go\u003cbr/\u003eTo see the cherry hung with snow.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---A.E. Housman, A Shropsire Lad\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Cherry Blossoms and Spring"},{"content":" * Inspiring and PromisingNot a State of the Union address but it had the feeling of being one.First, the trivial.It was a pleasure to see Joe Bidden occupying the chair at the back, right-hand side of the president. What a difference from former vice president' Cheney's milk-curdling visage. Not only that. When I thought of all the intrigues and secret deals that R.B. Cheney engaged in, it was most unpleasant to look at him.And instead of a smirking man who had difficulty reading the teleprompter, we had a president who looked dignified -- slim, fit, young, and dignified -- and didn't fumble. Made us proud.Props were used, and members of the Congress bobbed up and down to applaud just as they did for Obama's predecessor. Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the eighth grader from Dillon, SC, seemed to be lost and have no clue about the occasion. But good if she wrote that letter.The SpeechWords, of course, mean nothing until action is taken to follow through and deliver. Politicians of both parties have been brazenly conning us and getting away with it. Somehow there was a different ring to what President OBama said. Perhaps because we desperately need solutions to resolve the mess our country is in. His words resonated, gave us hope that while there was no miracle cure, we could expect changes that would be good for America...and the world.Former President Bush and his cabinet members lied about torture. Now, President Obama is on record.He said: \"Living our values doesn't make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture.\"There is no wiggle room. * Republicans Lost in their Small WorldThe Republicans just don't get it. They appear to live in a bubble where things stand stock-still. America is changing; the world is changing but, apparently they remain unaware and dream of recapturing power by championing free-market economy without any regulations and by castigating big government.And their rebuttal to President Obama's speech was delivered by squeaky, wimpy Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana, who sounded and looked like a mechanical doll. Most viewers forgot about what he said before he was finished. Bye bye Bobby. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/president-obamas-first-speech-to-jt-session-of-congress/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInspiring and Promising\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot a State of the Union address but it had the feeling of being one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFirst, the trivial.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was a pleasure to see Joe Bidden occupying the chair at the back, right-hand side of the president.  What a difference from former vice president' Cheney's milk-curdling visage.  Not only that. When I thought of all the intrigues and secret deals that R.B. Cheney engaged in, it was most unpleasant to look at him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd instead of a smirking man who had difficulty reading the teleprompter, we had a president who looked dignified -- slim, fit, young, and dignified -- and didn't fumble.  Made us proud.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eProps were used, and members of the Congress bobbed up and down to applaud just as they did for Obama's predecessor.  Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the eighth grader from Dillon, SC, seemed to be lost and have no clue about the occasion.  But good if she wrote that letter.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nowpublic.com/world/full-text-president-obamas-speech-tonight-u-s-congress\"\u003eThe Speech\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWords, of course, mean nothing until action is taken to follow through and deliver. Politicians of both parties have been brazenly conning us and getting away with it.  Somehow there was a different ring to what President OBama said.  Perhaps because we desperately need solutions to resolve the mess our country is in.  His words resonated, gave us hope that while there was no miracle cure, we could expect changes that would be good for America...and the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer President Bush and his cabinet members lied about torture.  Now, President Obama is on record.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe said:  \"Living our values doesn't make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is no wiggle room.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepublicans Lost in their Small World\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Republicans just don't get it. They appear to live in a bubble where things stand stock-still.  America is changing; the world is changing but, apparently they remain unaware and dream of recapturing power by championing free-market economy without any regulations  and by castigating big government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd their rebuttal to President Obama's speech was delivered by squeaky, wimpy Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana, who sounded and looked like a mechanical doll.  Most viewers forgot about what he said before he was finished. Bye bye Bobby.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President Obama's First Speech to Jt. Session of Congress"},{"content":" *Citigroup, Bank of America Corp. and OthersThis morning, share price of Citigroup was down to $2.62; Bank of America Corp. was $4.12. 52-Week highs were $27.35 (C) and $43.50 (BAC). The financial sector continues to receive a drubbing....well-deserved drubbing. There is apprehension that some of the late, great financial institutions will end up being nationalized. Do I hear anyone say \"Masters of the Universe\"?Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;All the King's horses and all the King's men,Couldn't put Humpty together again.--Nursery rhymeUnfortunately, the executives -- at Wall Street and elsewhere -- responsible for the current woes facing America and the world will not suffer much. They have made obscene amounts of money and stashed it away. It is a different story for the people who lost their jobs directly or indirectly from the actions of the shysters.Across the Atlantic, in Europe things are not much better. Ireland, the much vaunted Celtic tiger, is facing high unemplyment rate and exodus of foreign investments.The Royal Bank of Scotland is staggering under load of its toxic assets.A step in the right direction though is that both American and British governments are moving against the long-standing practice by Swiss banks to provide shelter for ill gotten wealth of shady people -- from drug dealers to corrupt politicians -- of different national origins. See: The End of Swiss Banking as We Knew it (Business Week). ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/the-fall-of-humpty-dumpty/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCitigroup, Bank of America Corp. and Others\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis morning, share price of Citigroup was down to $2.62; Bank of America Corp. was $4.12.   52-Week highs were $27.35 (C) and $43.50 (BAC).  The financial sector continues to receive a drubbing....well-deserved drubbing. There is apprehension that  some of the late, great financial institutions will end up being nationalized. Do I hear anyone say \"Masters of the Universe\"?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHumpty Dumpty sat on a wall,\u003cbr/\u003eHumpty Dumpty had a great fall;\u003cbr/\u003eAll the King's horses and all the King's men,\u003cbr/\u003eCouldn't put Humpty together again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Nursery rhyme\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnfortunately, the executives -- at Wall Street and elsewhere -- responsible for the current woes facing America and the world will not suffer much.  They have made obscene amounts of money and stashed it away.  It is a different story for the people who lost their jobs directly or indirectly from the actions of the shysters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAcross the Atlantic, in Europe things are not much better.  Ireland, the much vaunted \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/19/ireland-economy-deficits\"\u003eCeltic tiger\u003c/a\u003e, is facing high unemplyment rate and exodus of foreign investments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Royal Bank of Scotland is staggering under load of its toxic assets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA step in the right direction though is that both American and British governments are moving against the long-standing practice by Swiss banks to provide shelter for ill gotten wealth of shady people -- from drug dealers to corrupt politicians -- of different national origins.  See: \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/europeinsight/archives/2009/02/the_end_of_swis.html\"\u003eThe End of Swiss Banking as We Knew it\u003c/a\u003e (Business Week).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Fall of Humpty Dumpty"},{"content":" * Hoping, dreaming, perhaps praying.....For what? A terrorist attack on US soil so that he can gloat \"I told you so\".He no longer holds an official position but he just cannot let go. Reading about the former veep's remarks it becomes obvious that he misses the power that he used for so long to abuse and subvert laws and advance the neocon agenda. The dark sider continues to mutter about a scenario that, according to him, only the Bush administration's efforts prevented from being reality. The ex veep believes that President Obama is making our country vulnerable by not continuing to follow the same policies.From The Washington Post, Feb.7, 2009Bush White House Cast Assails ObamaBut the strongest criticism so far has come from Cheney, the former vice president, who said in an interview with Politico this week that under Obama, there is a \"high probability\" of a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack by terrorists. Cheney also criticized several key Obama policies, including new interrogation rules and the decision to eventually close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.\"When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an al-Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,\" Cheney said, adding that counterterrorism is \"a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business.\"While no country, including the United States, is absolutely safe from acts of terrorism by fanatics who are ready to die for their cause, whether post-9/11 actions such as extraordinary rendition, torture, and holding people suspected of being terrorists, or aligned to them, for years without trial prevented further attacks is a claim that has been questioned by knowledgeable people, including high-level military officers.But for the true believers -- ex vice president Cheney and his supporters -- things are in stark black and white. They have no doubts; they are infallible. If you think about what they have done in the name of war against terror you would get the impression that in some respects they are not much different than the Islamic jihadis portrayed as our enemies.On a related issue about former prime minister Tony Blair's craven and hypocritical position on torture, so dear to the heart of our former vice president, Andrew Rawnsley wrote in the Guardian UK:The true extent to which British officials colluded in torture is yet to be established. In terms of ethical complicity, I think we can already begin to return a verdict. As the God-fearing Tony Blair knows, there are sins of commission and there are sins of omission. \"We have condoned with our silence torture committed by others,\" says Charles Guthrie, his favourite general.That was arguably the biggest moral failure of Tony Blair's premiership. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/yearnings-of-richard-b-cheney/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHoping, dreaming, perhaps praying.....\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor what?  A terrorist attack on US soil so that he can gloat \"I told you so\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe no longer holds an official position but he just cannot let go.   Reading about the former veep's remarks it becomes obvious that he misses the power that he used for so long to abuse and subvert laws and advance the neocon agenda.  The dark sider continues to mutter about a scenario that, according to him,  only the Bush administration's efforts prevented from being reality.  The ex veep believes that President Obama  is making our country vulnerable by not continuing to follow the same policies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020601443.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e, Feb.7, 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush White House Cast Assails Obama\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the strongest criticism so far has come from Cheney, the former vice president, who said in an interview with Politico this week that under Obama, there is a \"high probability\" of a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack by terrorists. Cheney also criticized several key Obama policies, including new interrogation rules and the decision to eventually close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an al-Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,\" Cheney said, adding that counterterrorism is \"a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile no country, including the United States, is absolutely safe from acts of terrorism by fanatics who are ready to die for their cause, whether post-9/11 actions such as extraordinary rendition, torture, and holding people suspected of being terrorists, or aligned to them, for years without trial prevented further attacks is a claim that has been questioned by knowledgeable people, including high-level military officers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut for the true believers -- ex vice president Cheney and his supporters -- things  are in stark black and white.  They have no doubts; they are infallible.   If you think about what they have done in the name of war against terror you would get the impression that in some respects they are not much  different than the Islamic jihadis portrayed as our enemies.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn a related issue about former prime minister Tony Blair's craven and hypocritical position on torture, so dear to the heart of our former vice president,  Andrew Rawnsley wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/08/tony-blair-human-rights-torture\"\u003eGuardian UK\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe true extent to which British officials colluded in torture is yet to be established. In terms of ethical complicity, I think we can already begin to return a verdict. As the God-fearing Tony Blair knows, there are sins of commission and there are sins of omission. \"We have condoned with our silence torture committed by others,\" says Charles Guthrie, his favourite general.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThat was arguably the biggest moral failure of Tony Blair's premiership.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Yearnings of Richard B. Cheney"},{"content":" *South Wind * Out Stealing Horses * The ReaderMore than a year ago, on Dec 16, 2007, I posted an entry titled \"South to North\". Nothing very special about it except that I wrote about my search for a book, \"To the North\" ,written by Robert Graves. It turned out that I was wrong on both counts. The title was not correct, and Robert Graves didn't write the book I was thinking about.Suddenly, one day last week from somewhere in the back of my head the name \"South Wind\" surfaced. Bingo! Written by Norman Douglas, that was the book I was searching for, a book that I read decades ago. Somehow it left a mark and I wanted to read it again. Los Altos Library, my favorite in the San Francisco Peninsula, didn't have it but I located a copy in the San Mateo County Library; the Menlo Park branch had it. The copy is a Modern Library edition published in 1924! Still in surprisingly good condition.©Random House, The Modern LibraryThe book was first published in 1917. Many readers thought that Nepenthe, the island where the story took place, was Capri. In the preface to the Modern Library edition, Norman Douglas wrote:Of course there is not much likeness between them. The island of Capri is real, and Nepenthe is two-thirds imaginery. And the remaing third of it is distilled out of several Mediterranean islands; it is a composite place.A visitor to my December 16, 2007, post had left this comment:Musafir,I wonder if the book you mean is Graves's WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE (1949. published in the UK as SEVEN DAYS IN NEW CRETE). To quote from Amazon, it tells of a poet who imagines the world a thousand years from now. Clocks, money and machinery have disappeared. Magicians are important and so are rituals, handicrafts and love. Everyone worships a Mother Goddess. And as in the Middle Ages, life is local and personal. Villages war against each other in dramatic fashion - but only on Tuesdays, and no one gets hurt. Graves's future world, as explored by a young poet from our time, has history, reality and stunning inner logic.\"WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE is a book so rich in style and plot, so profoundly mythic and at the same time so lightly comic, that there is simply no way to communicate its full flavor.\" - Washington Post.PatrickMy response:Thank you, NotariusBut no, \"Watch the North Wind Rise\" was not the the book I read. \"To the North\" was fiction but almost like a memoir of the author's stay in a certain part of France. After my research I'm not even sure if I have the title right. Did I dream it up?Memory plays strange tricks, especially when one gets to my age.I wish I could get in touch with Notarius and say that I found the book I was thinking of.These days I do not read too many novels but two that I have recently read and enjoyed are Per Petterson's Out Stealing Horses, and Bernhard Schlink's The Reader. The Reader has been made into a film with Kate Winslet in the leading role. My Scandinavian friends who recommended Per Petterson's book said they felt that the English translation was better than the original in Norwegian. That is high compliment for Anne Born, translator of Per Petterson's book.Schlink's story is about the Holocaust and post-war Germany. The Holocaust left deep scars. I wonder how history would judge the atrocities committed by Israelis in Palestine. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/02/a-novel-from-1917-and-two-recent-ones/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSouth Wind * Out Stealing Horses * The Reader\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore than a year ago, on Dec 16, 2007, I posted an entry titled \"South to North\". Nothing very special about it except that I wrote about my search for a book, \"To the North\" ,written by Robert Graves. It turned out that I was wrong on both counts. The title was not correct, and Robert Graves didn't write the book I was thinking about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSuddenly, one day last week from somewhere in the back of my head the name \"South Wind\" surfaced. Bingo! Written by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Douglas\"\u003eNorman Douglas\u003c/a\u003e, that was the book I was searching for, a book that I read decades ago. Somehow it left a mark and I wanted to read it again.  Los Altos Library, my favorite in the San Francisco Peninsula, didn't have it but I located a copy in the San Mateo County Library; the Menlo Park branch had it. The copy is a Modern Library edition published in 1924! Still in surprisingly good condition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300130479816473874\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/02/South Wind.jpg\"/\u003e©Random House, The Modern Library\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe book was first published in 1917. Many readers thought that Nepenthe, the island where the story took place, was Capri. In the preface to the Modern Library edition, Norman Douglas wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOf course there is not much likeness between them. The island of Capri is real, and Nepenthe is two-thirds imaginery. And the remaing third of it is distilled out of several Mediterranean islands; it is a composite place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eA visitor to my December 16, 2007, post had left this comment:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMusafir,\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wonder if the book you mean is Graves's WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE (1949. published in the UK as SEVEN DAYS IN NEW CRETE). To quote from Amazon, it tells of a poet who imagines the world a thousand years from now. Clocks, money and machinery have disappeared. Magicians are important and so are rituals, handicrafts and love. Everyone worships a Mother Goddess. And as in the Middle Ages, life is local and personal. Villages war against each other in dramatic fashion - but only on Tuesdays, and no one gets hurt. Graves's future world, as explored by a young poet from our time, has history, reality and stunning inner logic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE is a book so rich in style and plot, so profoundly mythic and at the same time so lightly comic, that there is simply no way to communicate its full flavor.\" - Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy response:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThank you, Notarius\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut no, \"Watch the North Wind Rise\" was not the the book I read. \"To the North\" was fiction but almost like a memoir of the author's stay in a certain part of France. After my research I'm not even sure if I have the title right. Did I dream it up?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMemory plays strange tricks, especially when one gets to my age.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wish I could get in touch with Notarius and say that I found the book I was thinking of.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThese days I do not read too many novels but two that I have recently read and enjoyed are Per Petterson's \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/books/review/McGuane.html\"\u003eOut Stealing Horses\u003c/a\u003e, and Bernhard Schlink's \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/dec/13/schlink-winslet-hare-reader\"\u003eThe Reader\u003c/a\u003e. The Reader has been made into a film with Kate Winslet in the leading role. My Scandinavian friends who recommended Per Petterson's book said they felt that the English translation was better than the original in Norwegian. That is high compliment for Anne Born, translator of Per Petterson's book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSchlink's story is about the Holocaust and post-war Germany. The Holocaust left deep scars. I wonder how history would judge the atrocities committed by Israelis in Palestine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Novel from 1917 and Two Recent Ones"},{"content":" *Have the Israelis Collectively Lost Conscience ?There was a time, forty plus years ago, when I was 100% pro-Israeli. My position had nothing to do with religion. Rightly or wrongly, in those days I considered the Israelis as underdogs and supported their struggle for a home land.Now I see them as brutal, tyrannical aggressors in denying Palestinians their rights to live free from restrictions and conditions that demean the human spirit.The Israelis continue to remain oblivious to world opinion. One reason for their intransigence is the unqualified backing they receive from the United States. Is the Obama administration going to take a different direction? It is too early to tell what, if anything, George Mitchell will be able to achieve. Nothing will change until America recognizes that Palestinians have legitimate reasons for their grievances.Washington Post Jan 26, 2009In the Gaza Strip, where half the population is under the age of 16, the young bear some of the war's deepest scars. At least 280 children were killed, nearly as many as the number who died in Gaza during the entire second intifada, or uprising, according to the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights. More than 1,000 others were wounded.Even the children who escaped physical injury face the psychological consequences of having lived under near-constant bombardment for 22 days and nights. A week into a fragile cease-fire, mental health experts, human rights advocates and parents say they worry that this generation of Palestinian children will suffer the effects of the war for decades to come. * \"For the Children\"In the next centuryor the one beyond that,are valleys and pastures,we can meet there in peaceif we make it.To climb these coming crestsone word to you, toyou and your children:stay togetherlearn the flowersgo lightGary Snyder, Turtle Island (New Directions Paperback 1974) ","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/no-tears-for-the-children-of-gaza/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eHave the Israelis Collectively Lost Conscience ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere was a time, forty plus years ago, when  I was 100% pro-Israeli.  My position had nothing to do with religion.   Rightly or wrongly, in those days I considered the Israelis as underdogs and supported their struggle for a home land.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow I see them as brutal, tyrannical aggressors in denying Palestinians their rights to live free from restrictions and conditions that demean the human spirit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Israelis continue to remain oblivious to world opinion.  One reason for their intransigence is the unqualified backing they receive from the United States.  Is the Obama administration going to take a different direction?  It is too early to tell what, if anything, George Mitchell will be able to achieve.  Nothing will change until  America recognizes that Palestinians have legitimate reasons for their grievances.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/25/AR2009012502049.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e Jan 26, 2009\u003cbr/\u003eIn the Gaza Strip, where half the population is under the age of 16, the young bear some of the war's deepest scars. At least 280 children were killed, nearly as many as the number who died in Gaza during the entire second intifada, or uprising, according to the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights. More than 1,000 others were wounded.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven the children who escaped physical injury face the psychological consequences of having lived under near-constant bombardment for 22 days and nights. A week into a fragile cease-fire, mental health experts, human rights advocates and parents say they worry that this generation of Palestinian children will suffer the effects of the war for decades to come.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e \"For the Children\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the next century\u003cbr/\u003eor the one beyond that,\u003cbr/\u003eare valleys and pastures,\u003cbr/\u003ewe can meet there in peace\u003cbr/\u003eif we make it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo climb these coming crests\u003cbr/\u003eone word to you,  to\u003cbr/\u003eyou and your children:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003estay together\u003cbr/\u003elearn the flowers\u003cbr/\u003ego light\u003cbr/\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGary Snyder, \u003cbr/\u003eTurtle Island (New Directions Paperback 1974)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"No Tears for the Children of Gaza"},{"content":" *Hard Times * C.P. CavafyA 100 employees getting the axe at Company \"A\", 5000 to be laid off by Company \"B\". The daily headlines about layoffs and increasing number of jobless had become old hat; they no longer meant much. Most of us had resigned ourselves to the bleak economic landscape......that the crisis facing us would get worse, the end was nowhere in sight. Nevertheless, it disturbed me when I heard on Saturday evening that two friends received notice of termination from their employers. Now, when I read or hear about the meltdown, I can put faces on the terrible toll being paid by men and women in the work force.An example of the difference between fact and truth? 30,000 Circuit City employees losing their jobs is fact, a sad fact; to hear that two friends are joining the ranks of unemployed is truth -- it is personal -- the effect is deeper.From the Silicon Valley to New York; Shanghai to London (UK) the nights are uneasy for those who still have jobs. The anxiety and the hard choices they face are very real.The Poet of AlexandriaThe currrent issue (January 26th) of The New Yorker magazine contains a poem by C.P. Cavafy, translated from the Greek by Daniel Mendelsohn. The poem didn't make an impresssion but it reminded me of the excellent translation of Cavafy's works by John Mavrogordato.Cavafy was born in Alexandria, Egypt, of parents who were from Constantinople. A homosexual, Cavafy wrote lovingly about the city and people of Alexandria. The one below is from Lawrence Durrell's Justine -- the first volume (published 1957) of The Alexandria Quartet. Great. Durell's notes stated that the translations \"were by no means literal\"The CityYou tell yourself I'll be goneTo some other land, some other sea,to a city lovelier far than thisCould ever have been or hoped to be--Where every step now tightens the noose:A heart in a body buried and out of use;How long, how long must I be hereConfined among these dreary purlieusOf the common mind? Wherever now I lookBlack ruins of my life rise into view.So many years have I been hereSpending and squandering and nothing gained.There's no new land, my friend, noNew sea; for the city will follow you,In the same streets you'll wander endlessly,The same mental suburbs slip from youth to age,In the same house go white at last--The city is a cage.No other places, always thisYour earthly landfall, and no ship exists.C.P. Cavafy --translated by Lawrence Durrell ","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/the-meltdown-hits-close-to-home/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eHard Times * C.P. Cavafy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA 100 employees getting the axe at Company \"A\", 5000 to be laid off by Company \"B\".   The daily headlines about layoffs and increasing number of jobless had become old hat; they no longer meant much.  Most of us had resigned ourselves  to the bleak economic landscape......that the crisis facing us would get worse, the end was nowhere in sight. Nevertheless, it disturbed me when I heard on Saturday evening that two friends received notice of termination from their employers.  Now, when I read or hear about the meltdown, I can put faces on the terrible toll being paid by men and women in the work force.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn example of the difference between fact and truth? 30,000 Circuit City employees losing their jobs is fact, a sad fact; to hear that two friends are joining the ranks of unemployed is truth -- it is personal -- the effect is deeper.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom the Silicon Valley to New York; Shanghai to London (UK) the nights are uneasy for those who still have jobs.  The anxiety and the hard choices they face are very real.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Poet of Alexandria\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe currrent issue (January 26th) of The New Yorker magazine contains a poem by \u003ca href=\"http://www.cavafy.com/companion/bio.asp\"\u003eC.P. Cavafy\u003c/a\u003e, translated from the Greek by Daniel Mendelsohn.  The poem didn't make an impresssion but it  reminded me of the excellent translation of Cavafy's works by John Mavrogordato.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCavafy was born in Alexandria, Egypt, of parents who were from Constantinople. A homosexual, Cavafy wrote lovingly about the city and people of Alexandria.  The one below is from Lawrence Durrell's Justine -- the first volume (published 1957) of  \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alexandria_Quartet\"\u003eThe Alexandria Quartet\u003c/a\u003e.  Great.  Durell's notes stated that the translations \"were by no means literal\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe City\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou tell yourself I'll be gone\u003cbr/\u003eTo some other land, some other sea,\u003cbr/\u003eto a city lovelier far than this\u003cbr/\u003eCould ever have been or hoped to be--\u003cbr/\u003eWhere every step now tightens the noose:\u003cbr/\u003eA heart in a body buried and out of use;\u003cbr/\u003eHow long, how long must I be here\u003cbr/\u003eConfined among these dreary purlieus\u003cbr/\u003eOf the common mind?  Wherever now I look\u003cbr/\u003eBlack ruins of my life rise into view.\u003cbr/\u003eSo many years have I been here\u003cbr/\u003eSpending and squandering and nothing gained.\u003cbr/\u003eThere's no new land, my friend, no\u003cbr/\u003eNew sea;  for the city will follow you,\u003cbr/\u003eIn the same streets you'll wander endlessly,\u003cbr/\u003eThe same mental suburbs slip from youth to age,\u003cbr/\u003eIn the same house go white at last--\u003cbr/\u003eThe city is a cage.\u003cbr/\u003eNo other places, always this\u003cbr/\u003eYour earthly landfall, and no ship exists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eC.P. Cavafy --translated by Lawrence Durrell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Meltdown Hits Close to Home"},{"content":" *Israel Suspected of Using Phosphorus Bombs on CiviliansThe wheel has turned full circle. Reports about Israel's use of phosphorus bombs in Gaza have raised accusations of \"war crimes\". Some Israelis, whose parents and grand parents were tortured and killed during Hitler's Third Reich, have no compunction about deaths and injuries they inflicted in Gaza. It is unlikely that the inquiries would result in punitive action against Israel. The UN has no teeth. Only America can make a difference by joining with other nations to condemn Israel. But America has always been complicit in Israel's military actions. Probably the unconventional weapons were part of the arsenal Israel received from the United States.From The New York TimesJanuary 22, 2009Outcry Erupts Over Reports That Israel Used Phosphorus Arms on GazansBy ETHAN BRONNERGAZA — In early January, a week into Israel’s war in Gaza, the home of Sabah Abu Halima was hit by an Israeli shell. Ms. Abu Halima, the matriarch of a farming family in the northern Gaza area of Beit Lahiya, was caught in an inferno that burned her husband and four of their nine children to death.But as she lay in a bed on the third floor of an annex to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, bandaged all over and in terrible pain, it was less the magnitude of her loss than the source of the fire that was drawing attention, not only from her doctors but also from human rights organizations and even the Israeli military.Though there has been no independent confirmation, Palestinian officials say her family was hit by white phosphorus, a weapon that militaries use widely to obscure the battlefield but that is also limited under an international convention that bans targeting civilians with it.The Israeli military issued a short statement on Wednesday, saying it was investigating whether its use of phosphorous weapons was improper and reiterating that it was “obligated to international law” in the matter. Early in the war, Israeli officials would not confirm whether the military was using white phosphorus at all, but said only that it was using weapons in legal ways.Meanwhile, Amnesty International said it found “indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north.” In a statement, it said its investigators “saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still-burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli Army.” It called such use a likely war crime and demanded a full international investigation.The use of white phosphorus and other incendiary weapons is covered in one protocol of a 1980 international treaty, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, that bans making civilians “the object of attack” by such arms. More broadly, though, international officials have acknowledged that militaries can legitimately use the substance in some cases.Phosphorus rounds are usually used to spread a thick, white smoke to screen military actions and mark specific areas. Military experts say phosphorus is often particularly useful in urban warfare, in part because it creates tall columns of smoke that can obscure upper-story windows.But human rights groups harshly criticize its use, saying that the horrible burns and the widespread fires that phosphorus causes make it a menace to civilians. Peter Herby, the head of the Arms Unit for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said in a statement that his agency would not comment publicly on whether it considered Israel’s use of white phosphorus a violation of international humanitarian standards, pending further investigation.In Gaza, Ms. Abu Halima said that when her family was hit, “fire came from the bodies of my husband and my children.”“The children were screaming, ‘Fire! Fire!’ and there was smoke everywhere and a horrible, suffocating smell,” she said. “My 14-year-old cried out, ‘I’m going to die. I want to pray.’ I saw my daughter-in-law melt away.”Dr. Nafez Abu Shaban, head of Shifa’s burn unit, said the family’s burns, which he and an assisting doctor from Egypt had treated, were of a kind he had never encountered, reaching to the muscle and bone.“They were deeper and wider than anything I had seen; a bad odor came from the wounds and smoke continued to come out of them for many hours,” he said in his office around the corner from Ms. Abu Halima’s sickbed.He added, “We took out a piece of foreign matter that a colleague identified as white phosphorous.”Dr. Shaban said that dozens of such cases came to Shifa during the war and that his unit was unprepared to handle them. Many of the burn patients have been sent to Egypt and abroad from there. In a few cases, he said, seemingly limited burns led to the patients’ deaths.The doctors discovered that the best way to deal with such burns was to get the patients immediately into surgery and clean the areas well. Initial attempts to dress phosphorous burns like normal ones made them worse.Part of what makes white phosphorus controversial is that it can be difficult to control how wide the effects are. When the shells explode in the air, they disperse pieces of felt soaked in phosphorus — larger version of the shells contain more than 100 of them — that can land on people and cause intense burning, according to Chris Cobb-Smith, a British Army veteran who is here as part of Amnesty International’s investigative team.The newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that one focus of the Israeli military’s inquiry was the use of white phosphorus by a reserve brigade that fired about 20 such shells in Beit Lahiya, where Ms. Abu Halima lives. Col. Shai Alkalai, an artillery officer, is leading the investigation.Haaretz said about 200 such shells were fired in the fighting, nearly all at orchards where Hamas gunmen and rocket-launching crews were taking cover.The article added that some of the rounds used were recently acquired 120-millimeter phosphorus shells that have a computerized targeting system attached to a G.P.S. unit. It quoted commanders as saying the shells had been effective but were apparently also responsible for the strike on a United Nations school that killed two and a friendly-fire episode that seriously wounded two Israeli officers.Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s researcher for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, said in an interview, “We don’t know why they used them, but we do know that it could constitute a war crime.”She added, “It is not a banned weapon, but it matters how you use it and there is no reason to use it in such densely populated areas. We want a full impartial investigation, not one by the army that used it.”Ms. Abu Halima said that on Tuesday some relatives went to her home and found it destroyed. They then properly buried the dead.She wept with fury, saying that as farmers she and her family had good relations with Israelis, selling them produce in past years. But now, she said, she wants to see Israel’s leaders — she named the foreign minister and president — “burn like my children burned.”“They should feel the pain we felt.” ","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/atrocities-by-descendants-of-victims-of-holocaust/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIsrael Suspected of Using Phosphorus Bombs on Civilians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe wheel has turned full circle.  Reports about Israel's use of phosphorus bombs in Gaza have raised accusations of \"war crimes\".   Some Israelis, whose parents and grand parents were tortured and killed during Hitler's Third Reich, have no compunction about deaths and injuries they inflicted in Gaza. It is unlikely that the inquiries would result in punitive action against Israel. The UN has no teeth.  Only America can make a difference by joining with other nations to condemn Israel.  But America has always been complicit in Israel's military actions.  Probably the unconventional weapons were part of the arsenal Israel received from the United States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The New York Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJanuary 22, 2009\u003cbr/\u003eOutcry Erupts Over Reports That Israel Used Phosphorus Arms on Gazans\u003cbr/\u003eBy ETHAN BRONNER\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGAZA — In early January, a week into Israel’s war in Gaza, the home of Sabah Abu Halima was hit by an Israeli shell. Ms. Abu Halima, the matriarch of a farming family in the northern Gaza area of Beit Lahiya, was caught in an inferno that burned her husband and four of their nine children to death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut as she lay in a bed on the third floor of an annex to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, bandaged all over and in terrible pain, it was less the magnitude of her loss than the source of the fire that was drawing attention, not only from her doctors but also from human rights organizations and even the Israeli military.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThough there has been no independent confirmation, Palestinian officials say her family was hit by white phosphorus, a weapon that militaries use widely to obscure the battlefield but that is also limited under an international convention that bans targeting civilians with it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Israeli military issued a short statement on Wednesday, saying it was investigating whether its use of phosphorous weapons was improper and reiterating that it was “obligated to international law” in the matter. Early in the war, Israeli officials would not confirm whether the military was using white phosphorus at all, but said only that it was using weapons in legal ways.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMeanwhile, Amnesty International said it found “indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north.” In a statement, it said its investigators “saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still-burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli Army.” It called such use a likely war crime and demanded a full international investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe use of white phosphorus and other incendiary weapons is covered in one protocol of a 1980 international treaty, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, that bans making civilians “the object of attack” by such arms. More broadly, though, international officials have acknowledged that militaries can legitimately use the substance in some cases.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhosphorus rounds are usually used to spread a thick, white smoke to screen military actions and mark specific areas. Military experts say phosphorus is often particularly useful in urban warfare, in part because it creates tall columns of smoke that can obscure upper-story windows.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut human rights groups harshly criticize its use, saying that the horrible burns and the widespread fires that phosphorus causes make it a menace to civilians. Peter Herby, the head of the Arms Unit for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said in a statement that his agency would not comment publicly on whether it considered Israel’s use of white phosphorus a violation of international humanitarian standards, pending further investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Gaza, Ms. Abu Halima said that when her family was hit, “fire came from the bodies of my husband and my children.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“The children were screaming, ‘Fire! Fire!’ and there was smoke everywhere and a horrible, suffocating smell,” she said. “My 14-year-old cried out, ‘I’m going to die. I want to pray.’ I saw my daughter-in-law melt away.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr. Nafez Abu Shaban, head of Shifa’s burn unit, said the family’s burns, which he and an assisting doctor from Egypt had treated, were of a kind he had never encountered, reaching to the muscle and bone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“They were deeper and wider than anything I had seen; a bad odor came from the wounds and smoke continued to come out of them for many hours,” he said in his office around the corner from Ms. Abu Halima’s sickbed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe added, “We took out a piece of foreign matter that a colleague identified as white phosphorous.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr. Shaban said that dozens of such cases came to Shifa during the war and that his unit was unprepared to handle them. Many of the burn patients have been sent to Egypt and abroad from there. In a few cases, he said, seemingly limited burns led to the patients’ deaths.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe doctors discovered that the best way to deal with such burns was to get the patients immediately into surgery and clean the areas well. Initial attempts to dress phosphorous burns like normal ones made them worse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePart of what makes white phosphorus controversial is that it can be difficult to control how wide the effects are. When the shells explode in the air, they disperse pieces of felt soaked in phosphorus — larger version of the shells contain more than 100 of them — that can land on people and cause intense burning, according to Chris Cobb-Smith, a British Army veteran who is here as part of Amnesty International’s investigative team.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that one focus of the Israeli military’s inquiry was the use of white phosphorus by a reserve brigade that fired about 20 such shells in Beit Lahiya, where Ms. Abu Halima lives. Col. Shai Alkalai, an artillery officer, is leading the investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHaaretz said about 200 such shells were fired in the fighting, nearly all at orchards where Hamas gunmen and rocket-launching crews were taking cover.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe article added that some of the rounds used were recently acquired 120-millimeter phosphorus shells that have a computerized targeting system attached to a G.P.S. unit. It quoted commanders as saying the shells had been effective but were apparently also responsible for the strike on a United Nations school that killed two and a friendly-fire episode that seriously wounded two Israeli officers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDonatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s researcher for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, said in an interview, “We don’t know why they used them, but we do know that it could constitute a war crime.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe added, “It is not a banned weapon, but it matters how you use it and there is no reason to use it in such densely populated areas. We want a full impartial investigation, not one by the army that used it.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs. Abu Halima said that on Tuesday some relatives went to her home and found it destroyed. They then properly buried the dead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe wept with fury, saying that as farmers she and her family had good relations with Israelis, selling them produce in past years. But now, she said, she wants to see Israel’s leaders — she named the foreign minister and president — “burn like my children burned.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“They should feel the pain we felt.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Atrocities By Descendants of Victims of Holocaust"},{"content":" *January 2009While some parts of the country are experiencing a severe winter and blizzards, in the San Francisco Bay area it is balmy, almost spring-like weather. Sunny and blue sky. Day-time temp. has been in the low 70's Fahrenheit (21 deg. C).New York Temperatures May Plummet to Lowest Since ‘04 (Update2) Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- New Yorkers will get a blast of the coldest temperatures since 2004 after a snowfall today that snarled flights at the region’s airports. Temperatures will dip into the single digits tonight and may peak at 10 degrees (minus 12 Celsius) tomorrow, said Jim Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton, New York. With the wind chill, the temperature will feel like zero or colder, he said.New Yorkers are a hardy lot. They will survive the cold spell. And for us, Bay area residents, it will be payback time during the summer months. We need rain, a lot of it to avoid drought. Time is running out.Here are some pictures taken during recent outings -- walking and bicycling trips. San Andreas Lake, looking south from Sweeney Ridge access trail© MusafirCity of Pacifica from Sweeney Ridge© MusafirFoggy Bay - Container ship heading for Oakland© MusafirOn a recent hike at Foothills Park, we took Los Trancos trail from Wildhorse Valley, then followed Trappers Fire Road and Shotgun Fire Road all the way to top. The fire road ends at Gate 4 (Page Mill Road) which has no public access. After a picnic lunch we returned to the valley via Costanoan trail.View of Windy Hill from Madrone Fire Road, Foothills Park© MusafirJHL at junction of Trappers and Shotgun Fire Roads, Foothills Park© MusafirDeer grazing at grounds of Filoli© MusafirMeeting of seagulls on Upper Crystal Spring Reservoir© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/early-spring/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eJanuary 2009\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile some parts of the country are experiencing a severe winter and blizzards, in the San Francisco Bay area it is balmy, almost spring-like weather.  Sunny and blue sky.  Day-time temp. has been in the low 70's Fahrenheit (21 deg. C).\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103\u0026amp;sid=aB4LEvYDzGMU\u0026amp;refer=us\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"news_story_title\"\u003eNew York Temperatures May Plummet to Lowest Since ‘04 (Update2) \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- New Yorkers will get a blast of the coldest temperatures since 2004 after a snowfall today that snarled flights at the region’s airports.     Temperatures will dip into the single digits tonight and may peak at 10 degrees (minus 12 Celsius) tomorrow, said Jim Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton, New York. With the wind chill, the temperature will feel like zero or colder, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNew Yorkers are a hardy lot.  They will survive the cold spell.   And for us, Bay area residents, it will be payback time during the summer months.  We need rain, a lot of it to avoid drought.  Time is running out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere are some pictures taken during recent outings -- walking and bicycling trips.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://sepwww.stanford.edu/oldsep/joe/fault_images/BayAreaSanAndreasFault.html\"\u003eSan Andreas Lake\u003c/a\u003e, looking south from Sweeney Ridge access trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290950242892004914\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCity of Pacifica from Sweeney Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290945128224175202\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoggy Bay - Container ship heading for Oakland\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290944830245014354\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn a recent hike at Foothills Park, we took Los Trancos trail from Wildhorse Valley, then followed Trappers Fire Road and Shotgun Fire Road all the way to top. The fire road ends at Gate 4 (Page Mill Road) which has no public access.  After a picnic lunch we returned to the valley via Costanoan trail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eView of Windy Hill from Madrone Fire Road, Foothills Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290945809566602850\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 010.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003eJHL at junction of Trappers and Shotgun Fire Roads, Foothills Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290947966903659874\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 014.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeer grazing at grounds of \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filoli\"\u003eFiloli\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290947516364517570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 021.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMeeting of seagulls on Upper \u003ca href=\"http://pages.prodigy.net/rhorii/xtalsprg.htm\"\u003eCrystal Spring Reservoir\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290946612556075922\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2009/01/Outdoor scenes Jan 11,12,13 019.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Early Spring"},{"content":" * Innocent civilians in Gaza are paying a heavy toll for actions by Hamas. There is world-wide condemnation of Israel's retaliation which greatly exceeds all reasonable responses to rockets launched by Hamas. Israel has full support of the U.S. Government in what it is doing. But what if the USA didn't give the green light to Israel ? Chances are that Israel would not have used its military power without restraint to kill and destroy as it is engaged in doing now.The world is waiting to see what Barack Obama would do after he is inaugurated as president on January 20th. Would he take a high moral position and do the right thing or, like other American politicians, decide not to displease AIPAC ? We don't have to wait long to find out.Headline in Guardian.co.uk \"Leading British Jews call on Israel to halt 'horror' of Gaza\"A group of Britain's most prominent Jews has called on Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately, warning that its actions, far from improving the country's security, will \"strengthen extremism, destabilise the region, and exacerbate tensions inside Israel\".Describing themselves, as \"profound and passionate supporters\" of Israel - and supporting its right to defend itself against the \"war crime\" of Hamas rocket attacks - they added that the current tactics threatened to undermine international support for Israel.The intervention, in a letter published in today's Observer, came as fears grew that Israel was to launch a \"new phase\" of its military offensive inside the Gaza strip. Yesterday warplanes dropped leaflets warning Gazans \"not to be close to terrorists, weapons warehouses and the places where the terrorists operate\". The two-week-old campaign has already killed more than 800 Palestinians, while 13 Israelis have died, three of them civilians killed by Hamas rockets.Although individual Jewish writers and religious figures have expressed their opposition to the conduct of Operation Cast Lead, the letter represents the most significant break with Israel's tactics from a group of UK Jews.Use of Incendiary BombsJERUSALEM – Human Rights Watch said Sunday that Israel's military has fired artillery shells with the incendiary agent white phosphorus into Gaza and a doctor there said the chemical was suspected in the case of 10 burn victims who had skin peeling off their faces and bodies.Researchers in Israel from the rights group witnessed hours of artillery bombardments that sent trails of burning smoke indicating white phosphorus over the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. But they could not confirm injuries on the ground because they have been barred from entering the territory. ","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/horror-of-gaza/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInnocent civilians in Gaza are paying a heavy toll for actions by Hamas.  There is world-wide condemnation of Israel's retaliation which greatly exceeds all reasonable responses to rockets launched by Hamas.  Israel has full support of the U.S. Government in what it is doing.   But what if the USA didn't give the green light to Israel ?  Chances are that Israel would not have used its military power without restraint to kill and destroy as it is engaged in doing now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe world is waiting to see what Barack Obama would do after he is inaugurated as president on January 20th.  Would he take a high moral position and do the right thing or, like other American politicians, decide not to displease \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Israel_Public_Affairs_Committee\"\u003eAIPAC\u003c/a\u003e ?   We don't have to wait long to find out.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/11/gaza-israel-letter-british-jews\"\u003eHeadline in Guardian.co.uk \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Leading British Jews call on Israel to halt 'horror' of Gaza\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA group of Britain's most prominent Jews has called on Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately, warning that its actions, far from improving the country's security, will \"strengthen extremism, destabilise the region, and exacerbate tensions inside Israel\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDescribing themselves, as \"profound and passionate supporters\" of Israel - and supporting its right to defend itself against the \"war crime\" of Hamas rocket attacks - they added that the current tactics threatened to undermine international support for Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe intervention, in a letter published in today's Observer, came as fears grew that Israel was to launch a \"new phase\" of its military offensive inside the Gaza strip. Yesterday warplanes dropped leaflets warning Gazans \"not to be close to terrorists, weapons warehouses and the places where the terrorists operate\". The two-week-old campaign has already killed more than 800 Palestinians, while 13 Israelis have died, three of them civilians killed by Hamas rockets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough individual Jewish writers and religious figures have expressed their opposition to the conduct of Operation Cast Lead, the letter represents the most significant break with Israel's tactics from a group of UK Jews.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/JERUSALEM%20%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93%20Human%20Rights%20Watch%20said%20Sunday%20that%20Israel%27s%20military%20has%20fired%20artillery%20shells%20with%20the%20incendiary%20agent%20white%20phosphorus%20into%20Gaza%20and%20a%20doctor%20there%20said%20the%20chemical%20was%20suspected%20in%20the%20case%20of%2010%20burn%20victims%20who%20had%20skin%20peeling%20off%20their%20faces%20and%20bodies.%20%20Researchers%20in%20Israel%20from%20the%20rights%20group%20witnessed%20hours%20of%20artillery%20bombardments%20that%20sent%20trails%20of%20burning%20smoke%20indicating%20white%20phosphorus%20over%20the%20Jebaliya%20refugee%20camp%20in%20northern%20Gaza.%20But%20they%20could%20not%20confirm%20injuries%20on%20the%20ground%20because%20they%20have%20been%20barred%20from%20entering%20the%20territory.\"\u003eUse of Incendiary Bombs\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eJERUSALEM – Human Rights Watch said Sunday that Israel's military has fired artillery shells with the incendiary agent white phosphorus into Gaza and a doctor there said the chemical was suspected in the case of 10 burn victims who had skin peeling off their faces and bodies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eResearchers in Israel from the rights group witnessed hours of artillery bombardments that sent trails of burning smoke indicating white phosphorus over the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. But they could not confirm injuries on the ground because they have been barred from entering the territory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"'Horror' of  Gaza"},{"content":" * Israel's Use of Military Force - Lebanon ReduxShame on Israel for what it is doing in Gaza. For the unjustified -- disproportionate -- response to Hamas, for the indiscriminate killing of civilians and destruction of homes, shame on Israel, and shame on major powers, especially America, for unequivocally supporting Israel. A lot of the hardware being used by the Israeli military is supplied by the United States. The military industrial complex at its nefarious best.It has become quite clear that President-elect Obama's position about the Middle East will not be substantially different than one followed by President Bush. No American politician, Democrat or Republican, is immune to the pervasive influence of AIPAC. As to Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, and Tzipi Livni, call them sorority sisters. Two of them have bloody hands; the other one will soon dip her hands.Anyone remembers UN Resolution No.242 ? See the article Still Waiting for No.242 by Paul Foot in Guardian.co.uk, November 13, 2002.AFP - January 4, 2008Moawiya Hassanein, head of Gaza medical emergency services, told AFP the number of Palestinian killed since the Israeli operation was launched on December 27 had now passed 500, including 87 children.News.Yahoo.com - January 4, 2008Israel launched the air campaign against Gaza on Dec. 27 with the aim of halting incessant rocket fire on its south. The operation appears to have slowed but not halted the rocket fire.Hundreds of rockets have hit Israel since the offensive began, and four Israelis have been killed. The relatively low number of Israeli casualties is largely due to warning sirens that give residents notice of incoming missiles and allow them to take cover.The death toll in Gaza has outraged many. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon conveyed his \"extreme concern and disappointment\" to Olmert and called for an \"immediate end\" to the operation.Denunciations also came from the French government, which unsuccessfully proposed a two-day truce earlier this week, and from Egypt, Turkey and Jordan, Muslim nations with ties to Israel.The late Yehuda Amichai on war\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"You who are lengthening your liveswith the best doctors and best medicinesremember those who are shortening their liveswith the warthat you in your long lives are notpreventing.You who are again screwingthe younger generationsand winking at each otherthe winking of your eyelidsis like chill of the swinging shuttersin an empty house.---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)\n","permalink":"/posts/2009/01/shema-yisrael-or-shame-on-israel/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eIsrael's Use of Military Force - Lebanon Redux\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eShame on Israel for what it is doing in Gaza.  For the unjustified -- disproportionate -- response to Hamas, for the indiscriminate killing of civilians and destruction of homes, shame on Israel, and shame on major powers, especially America, for unequivocally supporting Israel.   A lot of the hardware  being used by the Israeli military is supplied by the United States. The military industrial complex at its nefarious best.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has become quite clear that President-elect Obama's position about the Middle East will not be substantially different than one followed by President Bush.  No American politician, Democrat or Republican, is immune to the pervasive influence of \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Israel_Public_Affairs_Committee\"\u003eAIPAC\u003c/a\u003e.  As to Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, and Tzipi Livni, call them sorority sisters.  Two of them have bloody hands; the other one will soon dip her hands.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnyone remembers UN Resolution \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/13/comment.paulfoot\"\u003eNo.242\u003c/a\u003e ?  See the article \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/13/comment.paulfoot\"\u003eStill \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/13/comment.paulfoot\"\u003eWaiting for No.242\u003c/a\u003e by Paul Foot in Guardian.co.uk, November 13, 2002.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hVJFy64AxFNQZgiA7DNHf-QddsxQ\"\u003eAFP\u003c/a\u003e - January 4, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMoawiya Hassanein, head of Gaza medical emergency services, told AFP the number of Palestinian killed since the Israeli operation was launched on December 27 had now passed 500, including 87 children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090104/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians\"\u003eNews.Yahoo.com\u003c/a\u003e - January 4, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eIsrael launched the air campaign against Gaza on Dec. 27 with the aim of halting incessant rocket fire on its south. The operation appears to have slowed but not halted the rocket fire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHundreds of rockets have hit Israel since the offensive began, and four Israelis have been killed. The relatively low number of Israeli casualties is largely due to warning sirens that give residents notice of incoming missiles and allow them to take cover.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe death toll in Gaza has outraged many. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon conveyed his \"extreme concern and disappointment\" to Olmert and called for an \"immediate end\" to the operation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDenunciations also came from the French government, which unsuccessfully proposed a two-day truce earlier this week, and from Egypt, Turkey and Jordan, Muslim nations with ties to Israel.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe late Yehuda Amichai on war\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are lengthening your lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the best doctors and best medicines\u003cbr/\u003eremember those who are shortening their lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the war\u003cbr/\u003ethat you in your long lives are not\u003cbr/\u003epreventing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are again screwing\u003cbr/\u003ethe younger generations\u003cbr/\u003eand winking at each other\u003cbr/\u003ethe winking of your eyelids\u003cbr/\u003eis like chill of the swinging shutters\u003cbr/\u003ein an empty house.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Shema Yisrael or Shame on Israel"},{"content":" *Peace, Elusive PeaceIn a few days a new year will begin. Our world is full of turmoil. Wars raging; death raining from the sky on innocent civilians who are pawns in power plays of major nations. Collapse of the scams concocted by Wall Street and blessed by government watch dogs have affected countries far beyond the shores of the United States. Not easy to be hopeful about the future. But hope for a peaceful world we must.There Is Always Hope©friskypics.com/photos/hope.jpgSlaughter in GazaThe mighty Israeli military force has been let loose against the people of Gaza. The slaughter of civilians is reminiscent of what took place in Lebanon in the fall of 2006. The attacks are being justified as retaliation against rockets launched by the Hamas.One should ask what made Hamas use rockets. Did the Israeli embargo on food and essentials, including fuel and medicines, have anything to do with it? Is the scale of retaliation justified ?The United States, of course, is supportive of Israel. That is not going to change. In America's eyes Israel can do no wrong. For Condoleezza Rice, a fitting end for her term in the Bush Administration. Her hand was behind the scene when Israel continued to bomb Lebanon during cease fire negotiations, and she no doubt gave the green light to the Israelis to turn Gaza into rubble. Hamas came to power in 2006 after a democratic election. The Bush Administration didn't expect Hamas to win, and it never gave sympathetic hearing to the legitimate grievances of the Palestinians. It would be naive to expect the departure of Ms Rice to make much, if any, difference in US position about the Middle East, especially in not promoting a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/hope/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003ePeace, Elusive Peace\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn a few days a new year will begin.  Our world is full of turmoil. Wars raging; death raining from the sky on innocent civilians who are pawns in power plays of major nations.  Collapse of the scams concocted by Wall Street and blessed by government watch dogs have affected countries far beyond the shores of the United States.  Not easy to be hopeful about the future. But hope for a peaceful world we must.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/hope.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThere Is Always Hope\u003cbr/\u003e©friskypics.com/\u003cwbr\u003ephotos/hope.jpg\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSlaughter in Gaza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe mighty Israeli military force has been let loose against the people of Gaza. The slaughter of civilians is reminiscent of what took place in Lebanon in the fall of 2006.   The attacks are being justified as retaliation against rockets launched by the Hamas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne should ask what made Hamas use rockets.  Did the Israeli embargo on food and essentials, including fuel and medicines, have anything to do with it?  Is the scale of retaliation justified ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe United States, of course, is supportive of Israel.  That is not going to change.  In America's eyes Israel can do no wrong.  For Condoleezza Rice, a fitting end for her term in the Bush Administration.  Her hand was behind the scene when Israel continued to bomb Lebanon during cease fire negotiations, and she no doubt gave the green light  to the Israelis to turn Gaza into rubble. Hamas came to power in 2006 after a democratic election.  The Bush Administration didn't expect Hamas to win, and it never gave sympathetic hearing to the legitimate grievances of the Palestinians.  It would be naive to expect the departure of Ms Rice to make  much, if any,  difference in US position about the Middle East, especially in not promoting  a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hope ?"},{"content":" *The Good EarthOn the drive up toward the hills on December 27th, Arild and I wondered if we were going to find chanterelles. Were the rains of the past week enough to make them emerge or they needed more time. There had been years when chanterelles were abundant in November and then, as in 2007, none were to be found before late December. Whether I come home with chanterelles or not, walks through the damp forests are very enjoyable and rewarding. And it was a special pleasure to be with Arild. A friend for almost 40 years, it was AC who initiated me into trout fishing, backpacking in the Eastern Sierras, and foraging for chanterelles. After suffering a stroke in 2006, he stayed away from walking in the hills last winter.The chanterelles were not plentiful but we did find some. Most of them were buried under leaves. It is Arild who has a keen eye for detecting the tell-tale bumps.The first Chanterelle 2008 Season© MusafirAnother good specimen© MusafirAC, Happy forager© MusafirRainy morning I© MusafirRainy morning II© MusafirRainy morning III© MusafirThe winds that blow--Ask them, which leaf of the treeWill be next to go !--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)* ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/rainsand-chanterelles/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThe Good Earth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn the drive up toward the hills on December 27th, Arild and I wondered if we were going to find chanterelles. Were the rains of the past week enough to make them emerge or they needed more time.   There had been years when chanterelles were abundant in November and then, as in 2007, none were to be found before late December.  Whether I come home with chanterelles or not, walks through the damp forests are very enjoyable and rewarding.   And it was a special pleasure to be with Arild.  A friend for almost 40 years, it was AC who initiated me into trout fishing, backpacking in the Eastern Sierras, and foraging for chanterelles.  After suffering a stroke in 2006, he stayed away from walking in the hills last winter.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe chanterelles were not plentiful but we did find some.  Most of them were buried under leaves.  It is Arild who has a keen eye for detecting the tell-tale bumps.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe first Chanterelle 2008 Season\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284925657977834674\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAnother good specimen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284926440172789474\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 007.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAC, Happy forager\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284926671571868866\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 008.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRainy morning I\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284927259039500546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRainy morning II\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284927000381430498\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRainy morning III\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284927116832485186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Winter 2008 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003eThe winds that blow--\u003cbr/\u003eAsk them, which leaf of the tree\u003cbr/\u003eWill be next to go !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Rains....and Chanterelles"},{"content":" *The Enemy WithinA Most Wanted Man, John LeCarré's latest novel, left me depressed. The sense of foreboding about the end began when I was halfway through the book.Timesonline.co.ukWhen the definitive history of the “war on terror “ is written, the complicity of European countries in America’s more extreme enterprises will be one of the sadder chapters. Illegal detention, “extraordinary rendition”, torture and perhaps even murder will headline the charges brought against nations that, until the Twin Towers fell, would have sworn they knew better.The fact that major powers led by the United States took part in extraordinary rendition and torture is no longer secret. Yet, the full details are not known; probably will never be known except to those who were involved in planning and execution. LeCarré's fictional work delves into the background of the cruel, amoral characters -- the true believers -- who take part in horrendous acts to make the world safe from terrorists. Or that is what they say. In his book, LeCarré masterfully spun together plots and counter plots that could leave some readers with a sense of revulsion about the spooks and their world.\"We have met the enemy and he is us.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/the-murky-world-of-war-against-terror/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eThe Enemy Within\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article4810598.ece\"\u003eA Most Wanted Man\u003c/a\u003e, John LeCarré's latest novel, left me depressed.  The sense of foreboding about the end began when I   was halfway through the book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article4810598.ece\"\u003eTimesonline.co.uk\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the definitive history of the “war on terror “ is written, the complicity of European countries in America’s more extreme enterprises will be one of the sadder chapters. Illegal detention, “extraordinary rendition”, torture and perhaps even murder will headline the charges brought against nations that, until the Twin Towers fell, would have sworn they knew better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fact that major powers led by the United States took part in extraordinary rendition and torture is no longer secret.  Yet, the full details are not known; probably will never be known except to those who were involved in planning and execution.  LeCarré's fictional work delves into the background of the cruel, amoral characters -- the true believers -- who take part in horrendous acts to make the world safe from terrorists.  Or that is what they say. In his book, LeCarré masterfully spun together plots and counter plots that could leave some readers with a sense of revulsion about the spooks and their world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have met the enemy and he is us.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Murky World of War Against Terror"},{"content":" * CIA's Weapon Against Terror The Bush administration has a policy of not allowing US aid funds being used by recipient nations for sex education and birth control -- for condoms. It was implemented to appease members of the so called Christian Right who are among Bush's core supporters. Yet, the CIA is doling out Viagra to Afghani men to win their support in the war. Taliban or not, the Afghanis are reported to be eagerly cooperating in providing information in exchange for the blue pills. Good news for Pfizer but what about the women of Afghanistan who have to deal with demands for sex, whether they want it or not, from chemically charged husbands? For the good Christians, condoms are sinful but Viagra is not. Perhaps they think of it as a gift from god. Talk about hypocrisy ! Excerpts from the Washington Post: The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift. Four blue pills. Viagra. \"Take one of these. You'll love it,\" the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam. In their efforts to win over notoriously fickle warlords and chieftains, the officials say, the agency's operatives have used a variety of personal services. These include pocketknives and tools, medicine or surgeries for ailing family members, toys and school equipment, tooth extractions, travel visas, and, occasionally, pharmaceutical enhancements for aging patriarchs with slumping libidos, the officials said. \"Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people -- whether it's building a school or handing out Viagra,\" said one longtime agency operative and veteran of several Afghanistan tours. Like other field officers interviewed for this article, he spoke on the condition of anonymity when describing tactics and operations that are largely classified. Animated cartoon by Ann Telnaes, Washington Post ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/the-bush-doctrine-and-viagra/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\nCIA's Weapon Against Terror  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Bush administration has a policy of not allowing US aid funds being used by recipient nations for sex education and birth control -- for condoms.  It was implemented to appease  members of the so called \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right\"\u003eChristian Right\u003c/a\u003e who are among Bush's core supporters. Yet, the CIA is doling out Viagra to Afghani men to win their support in the war.  Taliban or not, the Afghanis are reported to be eagerly cooperating in providing information in exchange for the blue pills.  Good news for Pfizer but what about the women of Afghanistan who have to deal with demands for sex, whether they want it or not, from chemically charged husbands?  For the good Christians, condoms are sinful but Viagra is not.  Perhaps they think of it as a gift from god.  Talk about hypocrisy !\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nExcerpts from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/25/AR2008122500931.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nFour blue pills. Viagra.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Take one of these. You'll love it,\" the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn their efforts to win over notoriously fickle warlords and chieftains, the officials say, the agency's operatives have used a variety of personal services. These include pocketknives and tools, medicine or surgeries for ailing family members, toys and school equipment, tooth extractions, travel visas, and, occasionally, pharmaceutical enhancements for aging patriarchs with slumping libidos, the officials said.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people -- whether it's building a school or handing out Viagra,\" said one longtime agency operative and veteran of several Afghanistan tours. Like other field officers interviewed for this article, he spoke on the condition of anonymity when describing tactics and operations that are largely classified.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnimated cartoon by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/telnaes/telnaes_main.html\"\u003eAnn Telnaes\u003c/a\u003e, Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Bush Doctrine and Viagra"},{"content":" *The Economy * Winter Rains * Water Temple * Wild MushroomsWashington PostThe number of people filing for unemployment hit a 26-year high last week, as the deepening recession forced more employers to cut jobs.While, for the unemployed -- and those in fear of being jobless -- these are unhappy days, perhaps some good will come out of this. It might take a year or two but the economic recovery will take place; unemployment numbers will start to go down. Are we then going to see a repeat of the unhealthy spending pattern? Let's hope that a sense of balance will prevail. As to changes in the way Wall Street operates, not likely to happen.The Rains Late, but the much-needed rains have arrived. Still to make up for the dry period. The level remains below the norm but weather forecasts are promising.Haven't come across any chanterelles yet but on my walks through the woods I see that a lot of wild mushrooms are beginning to emerge. Last year, too, chanterelles were late because of the dry weather.Sunrise from my window on a cloudy morning© MusafirGolden Waxy Cap - Not ediblePulgas Water TempleFrom Wikipedia\"The Pulgas Water Temple is a stone structure in Woodside, California, USA, designed by architect William Merchant. It was erected by the San Francisco Water Department as a monument to the 1934 completion of the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct and is located at the aqueduct's terminus. In 1938, the original water temple was replaced with the current design.\"The water temple is made up of a number of fluted columns arranged in a circle, upon which a large stone masonry ring with the words \"I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people \" [from Isaiah 43:20]are inscribed. There is a large tree-lined reflecting pool to the east.\"Pulgas Water Temple© MusafirReflecting Pool© MusafirDeer grazing near Pulgas Water Temple© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/christmas-eve-2008/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Economy *  Winter Rains * Water Temple * Wild Mushrooms\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/24/AR2008122401234.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of people filing for unemployment hit a 26-year high last week, as the deepening recession forced more employers to cut jobs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile, for the unemployed -- and those in fear of being jobless -- these are unhappy days, perhaps some good will come out of this.  It might take a year or two but the economic recovery will take place; unemployment numbers will start to go down.  Are we  then going to see a repeat of the unhealthy spending pattern?  Let's hope that a sense of balance will prevail. As to changes in the way Wall Street operates, not likely to happen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThe Rains \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLate, but the much-needed rains have arrived. Still to make up for the dry period. The level remains  below the norm but weather forecasts are promising.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHaven't come across any chanterelles yet but on my walks through the woods I see that a lot of wild mushrooms are beginning to emerge.   Last year, too, chanterelles were late because of the dry weather.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSunrise from my window on a cloudy morning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283199512755845474\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/December 2008 009.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGolden Waxy Cap - Not edible\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283206157127905778\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/December 2008 018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePulgas Water Temple\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulgas_Water_Temple\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The Pulgas Water Temple is a stone structure in Woodside, California, USA, designed by architect William Merchant. It was erected by the San Francisco Water Department as a monument to the 1934 completion of the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct and is located at the aqueduct's terminus. In 1938, the original water temple was replaced with the current design.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The water temple is made up of a number of fluted columns arranged in a circle, upon which a large stone masonry ring with the words \"I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people \" [from Isaiah 43:20]are inscribed. There is a large tree-lined reflecting pool to the east.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePulgas Water Temple\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283199074727579666\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/December 2008 012.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eReflecting Pool\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283198696063165122\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/December 2008 014.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeer grazing near Pulgas Water Temple\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283206051800563650\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/December 2008 017.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Christmas Eve 2008"},{"content":" *A Winter of DiscontentShortest day of the year.Four days before Christmas, if reports are right then this year the almost ritualistic pre-Christmas shopping splurge is not taking place....and is not going to take place. The sub-prime mortgage scam did us in not only in the United States but also in Europe and the rest of the world. Some countries have suffered less than others but no country remains unscathed. Just as bailouts and other emergency measures were pumping money into the sick economy we got hit by reports about the enormity of Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme. A confederacy of crooks -- the executives of Wall Street giants; the friendly watchdog agencies that looked the other way and let the crooks run unchecked; and the venal politicians who enacted laws to assist the crooks.With the unemployment roll growing and uncertainty about the length of the economic depression, the era of irrational exuberance is over for the time being. Consumers have gone to the bunkers. And who can blame them; it is truly a winter of anxiety, a winter of discontent.\"Now is the winter of our discontentMade glorious summer by this son of York;And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our houseIn the deep bosom of the ocean buried.\"--Wm. Shakespeare in Richard the ThirdBut the human spirit remains indomitable. This phase,too, will pass.Univ. of Montana\nIn the winter the days are short and the Sun in low in the sky. The graphic above shows the Sun's path through the sky on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. This is the day when the Sun is the lowest in the southern sky. During the short winter days the Sun does not rise exactly in the east, but instead rises just south of east and it sets south of west. Each day after the winter solstice, which occurs on December 21st, the Sun's path becomes a little higher in the southern sky. The Sun also begins to rise closer to the east and set closer to the west until we reach the day when it rises exactly east and sets exactly west. This day is called the equinox. In the spring we have the Spring Equinox about March 21st. There is also a Fall Equinox on September 21st.--Univ. of Montana ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/winter-solstice-2008/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Winter of Discontent\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShortest day of the year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFour days before Christmas, if reports are right then this year the almost ritualistic pre-Christmas shopping splurge is not taking place....and is not going to take place.  The sub-prime mortgage scam did us in not only in the United States but also in Europe and the rest of the world.  Some countries have suffered less than others but no country remains unscathed.  Just as bailouts and other emergency measures were pumping money into the sick economy we got hit by reports about the enormity of Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme.  A confederacy of crooks -- the executives of Wall Street giants; the friendly watchdog agencies that looked the other way and let the crooks run unchecked;  and the venal politicians who enacted laws to assist the crooks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWith the unemployment roll growing and uncertainty about the length of the \u003ca href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/06/news/economy/depression_poll/index.htm\"\u003eeconomic depression\u003c/a\u003e, the era of irrational exuberance is over for the time being.  Consumers have gone to the bunkers.  And who can blame them; it is truly a winter of anxiety, a winter of discontent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now is the winter of our discontent\u003cbr/\u003eMade glorious summer by this son of York;\u003cbr/\u003eAnd all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house\u003cbr/\u003eIn the deep bosom of the ocean buried.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Wm. Shakespeare in Richard the Third\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the human spirit remains indomitable.  This phase,too, will pass.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282308048237667394\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/WinterSol.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/winter.html\"\u003eUniv. of Montana\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Winter Solstice 2008"},{"content":" *Followers of Mohammed in Somalia Somalia has recently gained notoriety because of its pirates. News about radical Islamists in Somalia makes one weep and wonder who are the inhabitants of Somalia, human beings or some other species that crawled out from pre-historic caves. That,however, might be unfair on those who dwelled in caves. For all we know they might have had higher values. The Islamists in Somalia are the lowest of the low.The BBC reported:Public anger at the recent stoning of a 13-year-old girl in Somalia shows the growing resentment towards radical Islamists who have gained control of much of the south and centre of the country.Insurgents from the militant group al-Shabab are seen as authoritarian and unaccountable - unlike the Islamists who were in control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2006.Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow was stoned to death for adultery in the southern port city of Kismayo, which was taken control by al-Shabab and its allies in August. Flogging, watched by large crowds, is a common occurrence.But real barbarism begins when no one can any longer judge or know that what he does is barbaric.”--Ryszard Kapuscinski ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/the-barbaric-side-of-islam/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFollowers of Mohammed in Somalia \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSomalia has recently gained notoriety because of its pirates.  News about radical Islamists in Somalia  makes one weep and wonder who are the inhabitants  of Somalia,  human beings or some other species that crawled out from pre-historic caves.  That,however, might be  unfair on those who dwelled in caves.  For all we know they might have had higher values.  The Islamists in Somalia are the lowest of the low.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7722701.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublic anger at the recent stoning of a 13-year-old girl in Somalia shows the growing resentment towards radical Islamists who have gained control of much of the south and centre of the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eInsurgents from the militant group al-Shabab are seen as authoritarian and unaccountable - unlike the Islamists who were in control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAsha Ibrahim Dhuhulow was stoned to death for adultery in the southern port city of Kismayo, which was taken control by al-Shabab and its allies in August. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1226417391/html/1.stm\"\u003eF\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1226417391/html/1.stm\"\u003elogging\u003c/a\u003e, watched by large crowds, is a common occurrence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut real barbarism begins when no one can any longer judge or know that what he does is barbaric.”\u003cbr/\u003e--Ryszard Kapuscinski\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Barbaric Side of Islam"},{"content":" *The Powerful Industry Has Lost Its CloutThe ubiquitous plastic cards have become a part of our lives. Most of us would find it hard to do without them. The credit card issuing companies deserve to profit from the transactions. Yes, but not to rob us as they do with the astronomical interest rates, fees, and penalties.The proposed new rules are intended to regulate some of the abusive practices. The rules make one thing clear. The credit card industry and its lobbyists in Washington DC no longer have the legislators in their pockets. It took time. At long last our elected representatives in Congress realized that the wind had shifted. To survive, they could not go on blatantly serving special interest groups as they did in the past. The industry stopped fighting the consumer friendly rules when it faced the fact that it was no longer \"business as usual.\" The major credit card companies still continue to bait gullible consumers by mailing pre-printed checks with monthly statements.End of \"K\" Street as we knew it? Far from it. But a step in the right direction.Washington PostWhen the federal government approves new rules banning \"unfair and deceptive\" practices today by credit card companies, it will hand a victory to consumer groups who have long complained of lax oversight of the $970 billion industry.Even with all its lobbying power, the credit card industry was not able to beat back the most sweeping overhaul in decades. Financial companies and trade groups argue that regulators are overreacting to problems in ways that will limit the availability of credit to customers.Today's move by Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration is the first of what could be many attempts to further regulate the industry, as several members of Congress plan to codify the Fed's regulations next year and perhaps pass even more stringent rules. It also represents a significant shift in the thinking of the regulatory agencies, which still are run by Republican appointees. Analysts note that regulators have stepped back from an emphasis on educating customers about what they should do, primarily through disclosures, in favor of telling companies and customers what they can and cannot do.\"It just shows how the world has changed,\" said Brian Gardner, who follows financial regulation issues for the investment bank Keefe, Bruyette \u0026amp; Woods.\"Eighteen months ago the Fed was focused on disclosure and transparency, and now they're coming out with a prescriptive, rules-based guidance. It's a whole different world.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/credit-card-sharks-facing-new-rules/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Powerful Industry Has Lost Its Clout\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe ubiquitous plastic cards have become a part of our lives.  Most of us would find it hard to do without them.  The credit card issuing companies deserve to profit from the transactions.  Yes, but not to rob us as they do with the astronomical interest rates, fees, and penalties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe proposed new rules are intended to regulate some of the abusive practices.  The rules make one thing clear.  The credit card industry and its lobbyists in Washington DC no longer have the legislators in their pockets. It took time.  At long last our elected representatives in Congress realized that the wind had shifted.  To survive, they could not go on blatantly serving special interest groups as they did in the past. The industry stopped fighting the consumer friendly rules when it faced the fact that it was no longer \"business as usual.\"  The major credit card companies still continue to bait gullible consumers by mailing pre-printed checks with monthly  statements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnd of \"K\" Street as we knew it?   Far from it. But a step in the right direction.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121703474.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the federal government approves new rules banning \"unfair and deceptive\" practices today by credit card companies, it will hand a victory to consumer groups who have long complained of lax oversight of the $970 billion industry.Even with all its lobbying power, the credit card industry was not able to beat back the most sweeping overhaul in decades. Financial companies and trade groups argue that regulators are overreacting to problems in ways that will limit the availability of credit to customers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday's move by Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration is the first of what could be many attempts to further regulate the industry, as several members of Congress plan to codify the Fed's regulations next year and perhaps pass even more stringent rules. It also represents a significant shift in the thinking of the regulatory agencies, which still are run by Republican appointees. Analysts note that regulators have stepped back from an emphasis on educating customers about what they should do, primarily through disclosures, in favor of telling companies and customers what they can and cannot do.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt just shows how the world has changed,\" said Brian Gardner, who follows financial regulation issues for the investment bank Keefe, Bruyette \u0026amp; Woods.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Eighteen months ago the Fed was focused on disclosure and transparency, and now they're coming out with a prescriptive, rules-based guidance. It's a whole different world.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Credit Card Sharks Facing New Rules"},{"content":" * What next ?News reports about the president elect's choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration raise questions about what will come next. Rick Warren is not only an evangelical pastor he is a big kahuna among evangelical pastors. Obama's move was in the fashion of the old master Karl Rove.Politically it will pay dividends. The Republicans must be scratching their heads. In one fell swoop Obama disarmed many of the Christian Right who bitterly fought his candidacy. Looking forward, one can think of diminished chances for the Palinites who were dreaming of 2012.Is Barack Obama a closet Born Again Christian? He has shown that he is capable, of being \"All things to all men\". How is he going to evolve about Roe v. Wade? Are wars going to be launched because of divine guidance ? Time will tell. The signals, however, are alarming. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/obama-courts-evangelicals/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat next ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNews reports about the president elect's choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration raise questions about what will come next. Rick Warren is not only an evangelical pastor he is a big kahuna among evangelical pastors. Obama's move was in the fashion of the old master Karl Rove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePolitically it will pay dividends.   The Republicans must be scratching their heads. In one fell swoop Obama disarmed many of the Christian Right who bitterly fought his candidacy.  Looking forward, one can think of diminished chances for the Palinites who were dreaming of 2012.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs Barack Obama a closet Born Again Christian?  He has shown that he is capable, of being \"All things to all men\".   How is he going to evolve about Roe v. Wade?   Are wars going to be launched because of divine guidance ? Time will tell.  The signals, however, are alarming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Obama Courts Evangelicals"},{"content":" * Walks through Woods * HaikusThe winter solstice begins eight days from now, on the morning of December 21. Here in the San Francisco Bay area we are in a cold snap. Weather forecast is for showers the next four days. There were signs that it rained last night. The morning is sunny; the sky is blue. So far the rainfall is just about 50% of the normal level. Long way to go before we catch up. If we don't, then the chances of severe drought and all related problems become very alarming.Walks through the forests are very enjoyable though. Haven't come across chanterelles but found some oyster mushrooms. When I think back, in 2007, too, the rains came late and the first chanterelles emerged in December; it was not a very bountiful season.Oyster Mushrooms © David Arora, Mushrooms DemystifiedLooking down at Horse Shoe Lake© MusafirHorse Shoe Lake at Skyline Ridge© MusafirRing-necked Ducks on Horse Shoe Lake© MusafirPicnic table above Horse Shoe Lake© MusafirWe had couscous cooked with shallots and golden raisins; chicken/fennell sausage; stir-fried sweet potatoes with sage and garlic-flavored brown butter (a Mark Bittman recipe); a North Coast zinfandel; comice pear, and coffee.Autumn HaikuCrisp falling leaves crunch deliciously as joggers pound asphalt bike trail --Carol Nation Source: Crisp Autumn HaikuAnd from a poem by Coleridge:Come, come thou bleak December wind,And blow the dry leaves from the tree!-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3 ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/the-seasons-fall-2008/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWalks through Woods * Haikus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe winter solstice begins eight days from now, on the morning of December 21. Here in the San Francisco Bay area we are in a cold snap.  Weather forecast is for showers the next four days. There were signs that it rained last night.  The morning is sunny; the sky is blue.  So far the rainfall is just about 50% of the normal level.  Long way to go before we catch up.  If we don't, then the chances of severe drought and all related problems become very alarming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWalks through the forests are very enjoyable though. Haven't come across chanterelles but found some oyster mushrooms. When I think back, in 2007, too, the rains came late and the first chanterelles emerged in December; it was not a very bountiful season.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOyster Mushrooms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Oyster Mushrooms.jpg\"/\u003e © David Arora, Mushrooms Demystified\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking down at Horse Shoe Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279000960343319986\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Various 020.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHorse Shoe Lake at Skyline Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279001912205073682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Various 017.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRing-necked Ducks on Horse Shoe Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279002670497404466\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Various 019.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePicnic table above Horse Shoe Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279003832141699730\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/12/Various 021.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe had couscous cooked with shallots and golden raisins; chicken/fennell sausage; stir-fried sweet potatoes with sage and garlic-flavored brown butter (a Mark Bittman recipe); a North Coast zinfandel; comice pear, and coffee.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAutumn Haiku\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCrisp falling leaves crunch\u003cbr/\u003e deliciously as joggers\u003cbr/\u003e pound asphalt bike trail \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Carol Nation \u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://community-2.webtv.net/NeonCarnation/CrispAutumnHaiku/\"\u003eCrisp Autumn Haiku\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd from a poem by Coleridge:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCome, come thou bleak December wind,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd blow the dry leaves from the tree!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Fall 2008"},{"content":" *Documentary Film \"Right to Die\" to be televisedThe news that Sky TV is going to show a documentary titled \"Right to Die\" is perhaps a sign of changes taking place in the hearts and minds of people in Britain. The program is scheduled for broadcast at 9:00 PM (it is 4:10 PM in London as I write this). The documentary depicts 59 year old, retired professor Craig Ewert's final moments at a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. His wife was at his side.Of course, there are many who, for religious or other reasons, vehemently oppose such a choice being available to those who are terminally ill, do not wish to remain clinically alive when life becomes meaningless and voluntarily, in sane mind, make the decision to seek assistance in dying. The documentary is not going to convert them.GuardianA documentary that appears to show the moment when a man dies after going through with an assisted suicide was strongly criticised yesterday by anti-euthanasia campaigners and a television watchdog.The film, which is being screened on the Sky Real Lives channel tonight, seems to show the moment when 59-year-old Craig Ewert, who had motor neurone disease, died. It is believed this would be the first time the instant of the a person's death in an assisted suicide has been shown on British television.Both the documentary maker, Oscar winner John Zaritsky, and Sky insisted that the film, Right to Die? - which is being shown at 9pm - is an important contribution to a vital debate.Ewert, a retired university professor from Harrogate, Yorkshire, travelled to Dignitas, the organisation in Zurich that helps people to die, because he did not want to spend the rest of his days in a \"living tomb\". Live with dignity, die with dignity--Dignitas\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/assisted-suicide---britains-sky-tv-takes-a-bold-step/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDocumentary Film \"Right to Die\" to be televised\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe news that Sky TV is going to show a documentary titled \"Right to Die\" is perhaps a sign of changes taking place in the hearts and minds of people in Britain. The program is scheduled for broadcast at 9:00 PM (it is 4:10 PM in London as I write this).  The documentary depicts 59 year old, retired professor Craig Ewert's final moments at a \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2676837.stm\"\u003eDignitas\u003c/a\u003e clinic in Switzerland.  His wife was at his side.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOf course, there are many who, for religious or other reasons, vehemently oppose such a choice being available to those who are terminally ill, do not wish to remain clinically alive when life becomes meaningless and voluntarily, in sane mind, make the decision to seek assistance in dying.  The documentary is not going to convert them.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/dec/10/assisted-suicide-television\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA documentary that appears to show the moment when a man dies after going through with an assisted suicide was strongly criticised yesterday by anti-euthanasia campaigners and a television watchdog.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe film, which is being screened on the Sky Real Lives channel tonight, seems to show the moment when 59-year-old Craig Ewert, who had motor neurone disease, died. It is believed this would be the first time the instant of the a person's death in an assisted suicide has been shown on British television.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBoth the documentary maker, Oscar winner John Zaritsky, and Sky insisted that the film, Right to Die? - which is being shown at 9pm - is an important contribution to a vital debate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEwert, a retired university professor from Harrogate, Yorkshire, travelled to Dignitas, the organisation in Zurich that helps people to die, because he did not want to spend the rest of his days in a \"living tomb\".\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Assisted Suicide - Britain's Sky TV Takes a Bold Step"},{"content":" *The War based on Non-existent WMD * Torture and Extraordinary RenditionWith 42 days left for the Bush presidency, orchestrated efforts are underway to airbrush his image for posterity. The president has been giving interviews and talking about his achievements. He finally admitted that intelligence about Saddam Hussein's WMD was wrong. Duh. By this time the world knows that he is somewhat dim upstairs but took him a long time to figure it out. However, he claimed that the war achieved its end by doing good.Now, Condoleezza Rice, the president's secretary of state is speaking out along the same line. The mushroom cloud conveniently forgotten. Later, Secretary Rice was involved in supporting Israel to carry out cluster bombing of Lebanon when cease fire agreement was imminent.We have yet to hear from the Darth Vader-like vice president. Probably busy destroying records. But if and when he speaks we can rest assured that Vice President Cheney, too, will talk glowingly of achievements.You wonder if these people ever think of the dead and injured. According to latest figures on web site of Iraq Coalition Casualty Count -- http://icasualties.org/oif/ 4209 American soldiers have lost their lives. The number of wounded is close to 31,000.The picture is much worse for the hapless Iraqi civilians. Iraq Body Count is reporting number of dead between 89,600 -- 97,828. Some sources, among them British medical journal The Lancet reported significantly higher numbers. Note: Accessing articles in The Lancet will require registration.Torture\"We do not torture\"--President Bush (White House Press Release Nov 7,2005)\"The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured.--Secretary of State Rice (Press Release USINFO.STATE.GOV - Dec.5, 2005).See video clips: Matt Lauer, MSNBC, interviewing the president on Sept.12, 2006. and Helen Thomas at White House Press Meeting April 24, 2008.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4vLBvU1bAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANE3_-OLXpkAnd so it goes.Recommended reading: Naomi Klein's The True Purpose of Torture ","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/bloody-hands---the-decider-and-his-groupie/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe War based on Non-existent WMD * Torture and Extraordinary Rendition\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWith 42 days left for the Bush presidency, orchestrated efforts are underway to airbrush his image for posterity.  The president has been giving interviews and talking about his achievements.  He finally admitted that intelligence about Saddam Hussein's WMD was wrong.  Duh.  By this time the world knows that he is somewhat dim upstairs but took him a long time to figure it out.  However, he claimed that the war achieved its end by doing good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow,  Condoleezza Rice, the president's  secretary of state is speaking out along the same line.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/10/wbr.smoking.gun/\"\u003emushroom cloud\u003c/a\u003e conveniently forgotten.  Later, Secretary Rice was involved in supporting Israel to carry out \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/aug/31/israelandthepalestinians.syria\"\u003ecluster bombing\u003c/a\u003e of Lebanon when cease fire agreement was imminent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have yet to hear from the Darth Vader-like vice president.  Probably busy destroying records. But if and when he speaks we can rest assured that Vice President Cheney, too, will talk  glowingly of achievements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou wonder if these people ever think of the dead and injured.  According to latest figures on web site of Iraq Coalition Casualty Count -- \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003ehttp://icasualties.org/oif/\u003c/a\u003e 4209 American soldiers have lost their lives.  The number of wounded is close to 31,000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe picture is much worse for the hapless Iraqi civilians.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e is reporting number of dead between 89,600 -- 97,828.  Some sources, among them  British medical journal \u003ca href=\"http://www.thelancet.com/\"\u003eThe Lancet\u003c/a\u003e reported significantly higher numbers.  Note: Accessing articles in The Lancet will require registration.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTorture\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051107.html\"\u003eWe do not torture\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e--President Bush (White House Press Release Nov 7,2005)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured.\u003cbr/\u003e--Secretary of State Rice (Press Release \u003ca href=\"http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english\u0026amp;y=2005\u0026amp;m=December\u0026amp;x=20051205124753frllehctim0.2305872\"\u003eUSINFO.STATE.GOV\u003c/a\u003e - Dec.5, 2005).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee video clips: Matt Lauer, MSNBC, interviewing the president on Sept.12, 2006. and  Helen Thomas at White House Press Meeting April 24, 2008.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"ArwC7c ckChnd\" id=\":147\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4vLBvU1bA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?\u003cwbr\u003ev=Mp4vLBvU1bA\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANE3_-OLXpk\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?\u003cwbr\u003ev=ANE3_-OLXpk\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRecommended reading:  Naomi Klein's \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/may/14/guantanamo.usa\"\u003eThe True Purpose of Torture \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Bloody Hands - The Decider and his Groupie"},{"content":" *Windfall Profits Tax * Withdrawal from IraqRemember Barack Obama's campaign speeches ? Now that the election is over and he is awaiting anointment, the president elect is not losing any time about backing off from some of his earlier positions.Windfall Profits Tax on oil companies is gone with the wind -- died before it arrived. The eloquent one quietly dropped the hot potato, hoping that it would not make much of a ripple.\nThe Houston Chronicle Dec. 2, 2008President-elect Barack Obama has quietly shelved a proposal to slap oil and natural gas companies with a new windfall profits tax.An aide for the transition team acknowledged the policy shift Tuesday, after a small-business group discovered the proposal — touted throughout much of the campaign — had been dropped from the incoming administration’s Web site.“President-elect Obama announced the policy during the campaign because oil prices were above $80 per barrel,” the aide said. “They are below that now and expected to stay below that.”\n*There were signs that Obama would not press for an early withdrawal from Iraq of which he talked during the campaign. Now, that key appointments in defense (Gates to continue) and State Department have been filled, we can forget the campaign rhetoric. Disappointing. International Herald Tribune Dec.2, 2008The uncertainties facing the incoming administration may have prompted Obama, in introducing his national security team Monday, to signal greater flexibility in his plans to withdraw combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.\nObama reaffirmed that goal, but also emphasized his willingness to consider options put forth by the military.\n\"I will listen to the recommendations of my commanders,\" he said at a news conference in which he also named Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as his choice for secretary of state and said that he would keep Robert Gates as defense secretary.\nNo longer a candidate, Obama has been calibrating his troop-withdrawal statements to leave room to maneuver, as some senior military officers are wary of moving too quickly. Meanwhile, he wants to send more forces to Afghanistan.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/12/call-him-flexible/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eWindfall Profits Tax * Withdrawal from Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRemember Barack Obama's campaign speeches ?  Now that the election is over and he is awaiting anointment, the president elect is not losing any time about backing off from some of his earlier positions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWindfall Profits Tax on oil companies is gone with the wind -- died before it arrived.  The eloquent one quietly dropped the hot potato, hoping that it would not make much of a ripple.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Call Him Flexible"},{"content":" *Families, Friends and Gratitude\nThe much needed rains finally came. But this Thanksgiving Day is expected to be dry. Good for travelers and for those busy with the labor of love that goes into preparation for a Thanksgiving gathering.Today, we are going to meet with friends and families and leave the turmoils of our world behind. We are going to rejoice about what we have.Excerpts from Jon Carroll's column in The San Francisco Chronicle say it better than anything else I have come across.\nsfgate.comBut still we have to get through the day. And, I am convinced, the route through the day is gratitude. Because there is always something to be grateful for, and that something is not in the chasm, it floats above the chasm, denies the importance of the chasm. You choose: sunsets, apples, bedrooms in the morning, Bruce Springsteen, a child's second birthday, the smile on the face of a passing stranger, rivers, mountaintops, cathedrals, Shakespeare, Tina Fey, the curve of a thigh, the curve of a road, the nation of Switzerland, Carl Hiaasen, grass, orange, Bola Sete, jumbo shrimp, Pascal's theorem, Ockham's razor, clean restrooms, potable water, penguins, French kissing or peanuts. Can you feel the floor beneath your feet get sturdier? Can you see the holes being patched? For a moment, the bounty of the world overwhelmed you, and you were grateful to be alive at this moment. See? Antidote. So today, if we are at all lucky, we will gather with family and/or friends and eat food and talk of shared alliances and shared memories. Many Thanksgivings are family gatherings, and family gatherings are often fraught. My suggestion is: Embrace the fraught. You'd miss the fraught if it weren't there. Besides, there's always the moment of escaping the fraught, going outside for a smoke or down to the store for more whipped cream or out for a walk with someone you love. You can't have the escape without the prison. Be grateful for both. What I'm going to try to do this year is slow down. What I'm going to try to do this year is pay attention. Usually I run around. Lots of people make me frantic - we always have lots of people at our Thanksgivings - and there are always a thousand tasks. The point of the holiday is not the tasks, even though it seems that way sometimes. I'm going to think about how each of the people at the table came into my life, and what I remember about that moment, and how we decided to become friends instead of just people who met each other once a long time ago. And I'm going to remember the kindness that each person has shown me, and I'm also going to remember my kindnesses, because I'm grateful for the times I behaved well. And because not all the people I'm grateful for will be in the room today, I'm going to think about them and send them good thoughts across the miles. I don't believe in the transmission of thoughts, but I believe in trying. It's like a flashy vehicle for mindfulness, and mindfulness is hard when the talk is loud and the carbohydrates are disappearing at alarming rates. And as I walk across the floor from one room to another, I'm going to notice how solid the floor feels beneath my feet today. I know how fragile it is, but it doesn't matter. Today, right now, this Thanksgiving, it feels like the oldest rock in the world, and I stand on it and rejoice. Maybe at the end of the evening, when the dirty dishes are piled high in the sink and the air is heavy with rich smells, take a moment to thank someone for something.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/11/thanksgiving-2008/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamilies, Friends and Gratitude\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe much needed rains finally came.  But this Thanksgiving Day is expected to be dry. Good for travelers and for those busy with the labor of love that goes into preparation for a Thanksgiving gathering.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eToday, we are going to meet with friends and families and leave the turmoils of our world behind.  We are going to rejoice about what we have.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcerpts from Jon Carroll's column in The San Francisco Chronicle say it better than anything else I have come across.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving 2008"},{"content":" *It was a cool autumn afternoon, with just a hint of overcast sky, when we began our walk in Palo Alto Foothill Park. Took the Steep Hollow Trail west and found a good spot for picnic on a meadow with a view of Windy Hill slightly to north of us.As I took the food out of my day pack, I told JHL about the small Middle Eastern grocery store run by a Palestinian couple that I found in San Mateo. I was looking for Harissa. The owner said that he had it but had some trouble finding the small cans. Harissa is a North African condiment, the main ingredient is red chilli paste. The can said Made in France but that was OK. North African immigrants are now ubiquitous in some cities in France. When I went to the counter to pay, the owner asked if I wanted some Pita bread. The pile of bread looked fresh and inviting. I picked up a pack.Then he said \"you want some olives\" ? He pointed me to the shelf where the jars and cans of olives were. I looked and found green olives packed with slivers of garlic. The can read \"Product of West Bank\". That reminded me of a recent report about the destruction of olive trees by Israeli settlers.Uprooted olive tree in Jayyous© www.eappi.org/.../eappi/images/gallery/07.jpgDestroyed olive tree in Gith© Rabbis for Human Rights ynetnews.comPalestinian farmers from the West Bank village of Gith claimed on Monday that Jews from the settlement of Havat Gilad had cut down at least 20 of their olive trees.The Palestinians have yet to file an official complaint, but Judea and Samaria District Police officials said they would look into the matter.\"We can only approach our olive groves in coordination with police and IDF forces,\" 64-year-old Nasser Sachan told Ynet. \"Today I arrived at the groves and couldn't believe my own eyes. The trees, some of them 40 and 50 years old, had been chopped down.\"Before leaving the store I added a pack of Bulgarian feta cheese to my purchases.JHL and I had risotto with butternut squash ragout, the green olives mixed with slices of fresh bell pepper, Persian cucumber and red onion; pita bread cut into wedges, accompanied by a Californian Syrah. Finished with black coffee and some lemon bread from Trader Joes -- good.On the way back we walked on Valley View Fire Road to the crossing of Trapper's Fire Road and Madrone Fire Road, turned around returned to the parking lot via Sunrise Trail. We stopped to look at a flock of Canada Geese near the bank of Boronda Lake.Windy Hill©MusafirJHL looking west©MusafirWith a good cup of Jo© J.O.H. LazarCanada Geese near Boronda Lake (I) ©MusafirCanada Geese near Boronda Lake (II)©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2008/11/a-walk-in-foothill-park-and-green-olives-from-the-west-bank/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was a cool autumn afternoon, with just a hint of overcast sky, when we began our walk in Palo Alto Foothill Park.  Took the Steep Hollow Trail west and found a good spot for picnic on a meadow with a view of Windy Hill slightly to north of us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs I took the food out of my day pack, I told JHL about the small Middle Eastern grocery store run by a Palestinian couple that I found in San Mateo.  I was looking for Harissa. The owner said that he had it but had some trouble finding the small cans.  Harissa is a North African condiment, the main ingredient is red chilli paste. The can said Made in France but that was OK.  North African immigrants are now ubiquitous in some cities in France.  When I went to the counter to pay, the owner asked if I wanted some Pita bread.  The pile of bread looked fresh and inviting.  I picked up a pack.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen he said \"you want some olives\" ?  He pointed me to the shelf where the jars and cans of olives were.  I looked and found green olives packed with slivers of garlic.  The can read \"Product of West Bank\".  That reminded me of a recent report about the  destruction of olive trees by Israeli settlers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eUprooted olive tree in Jayyous\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271289360538871634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Uprootd Olive tree in Jayyaous.jpg\"/\u003e© www.eappi.org/.../eappi/images/gallery/07.jpg\u003cspan class=\"text14\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDestroyed olive tree in Gith\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271151866531320450\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Olive Tree, Gith.jpg\"/\u003e©\u003cspan class=\"text14\"\u003e Rabbis for Human Rights \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text14\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3608478,00.html\"\u003eynetnews.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePalestinian farmers from the West Bank village of Gith claimed on Monday that Jews from the settlement of Havat Gilad had cut down at least 20 of their olive trees.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Palestinians have yet to file an official complaint, but Judea and Samaria District Police officials said they would look into the matter.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We can only approach our olive groves in coordination with police and IDF forces,\" 64-year-old Nasser Sachan told Ynet. \"Today I arrived at the groves and couldn't believe my own eyes. The trees, some of them 40 and 50 years old, had been chopped down.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBefore leaving the store I added a pack of Bulgarian feta cheese to my purchases.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJHL and I had risotto with butternut squash ragout, the green olives mixed with slices of fresh bell pepper, Persian cucumber and red onion; pita bread cut into wedges, accompanied by a Californian Syrah.  Finished with black coffee and some lemon bread from Trader Joes -- good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn the way back we walked on Valley View Fire Road to the crossing of Trapper's Fire Road and Madrone Fire Road, turned around returned to the parking lot via Sunrise Trail.  We stopped to look at a flock of Canada Geese near the bank of Boronda Lake.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWindy Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270938424237090866\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Foothills Park 11-19-08 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eJHL looking west\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270938771009745010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Foothills Park 11-19-08 005.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWith a good cup of Jo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271170840908343298\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Foothills Park 11-19-08 006.jpg\"/\u003e© J.O.H. Lazar\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCanada Geese near Boronda Lake (I)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271302966644083650\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Foothills Park 11-19-08 008.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCanada Geese near Boronda Lake (II)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270940538449134674\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Foothills Park 11-19-08 010.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Walk in Foothill Park and Green Olives from the West Bank"},{"content":" *Hunger * Lines Grow Long, Donations Dwindle * Auto Makers * FallRecently, there has been a spate of reports about problems faced by local (San Francisco Bay area) food banks. The meltdown of American economy has reached a level where organizations that serve the community's hungry and homeless are finding it hard to do so. As the lines of people waiting for meals or handouts have grown longer, the amount of donations -- cash and foodstuff -- have shrunk. Silicon Valley corporations, grocery stores, wealthy individuals -- have cut back on their contributions. It is a sign of the times. The trickle-down economy touted by free market proponents never took shape but domino effect of Wall Street's sub-prime mortgage scam that collapsed has spread all across America. The poor facing a bleak winter; even the well-to-do are jittery. And the end is nowhere in sight.As a volunteer at St. Anthony's Dining Room, Menlo Park, California, I speak from first-hand knowledge. Signs of less food being available became noticeable early in the year. It has gotten worse. So far no one has been turned away. Food is served from 11:00 AM to 1 PM Monday through Saturday. Everyone who walks through the door receives fresh-cooked food, bread, salad and dessert. Service is friendly. Last week, on Thursday, November 13, more than 400 were served. St. Anthony's in San Francisco feeds many more. * “Every gun that's made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms...is spending the genius of its scientists, the sweat of its laborers,”--Dwight David Eisenhower, America's 34th President (1953-61)The Auto Industry and its Tunnel Vision The American auto industry is in a terminal situation...in its last gasp. Without a large injection of cash the chances of its survival are slim. The auto industry is largely responsible for its problems. It built eco-unfriendly vehicles and fought against all proposals for fuel economy. It made money because the gas-hogging monsters appealed to a large segment of buyers. Fuel was cheap. There was no thought about the future. Now it is a different world. Should we bail the auto industry out? The questions we should ask are why and how long would the bailout keep it alive?From what is known, the case is not strong enough to justify giving the auto makers money. Politicians, however, are doing their usual thing.....supporting financial aid not because it is the right thing to do but purely based on expediency.Also, what the financial sector is doing with the bailout money must not be overlooked. It is showing every sign of continuing the merry old way. Fall Colors in the NeighborhoodUnusually warm for this time of the year. Yesterday, the daytime temperature was in the 80's Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). The weather man is forecasting rain November 22nd/23rd -- too far away. We need rain now. During a recent walk through the woods I didn't come across any chanterelles or oyster mushrooms. The ground felt bone dry. But we have more serious reasons to be concerned about than the absence of wild mushrooms.The pictures below were taken during a bicycle ride through the neighborhood.Tournament Drive, San Mateo, CA© MusafirDistant view of Crystal Springs Reservoir and Highway 280 Overpass© MusafirTournament Drive, San Mateo, CA© MusafirParrott Drive, San Mateo, CA© Musafir\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/11/purses-remain-closed-in-this-season-of-giving/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eHunger * Lines Grow Long, Donations Dwindle  * Auto Makers * Fall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently, there has been a spate of reports about problems faced by local (San Francisco Bay area) food banks.  The meltdown of American economy has reached a level where  organizations that serve the community's hungry and homeless are finding it hard to do so.  As the lines of people waiting for meals or handouts have grown longer, the amount of donations -- cash and foodstuff -- have shrunk. Silicon Valley corporations, grocery stores, wealthy individuals -- have cut back on their contributions.  It is a sign of the times.  The trickle-down economy touted by free market proponents never took shape but domino effect of Wall Street's sub-prime mortgage scam that collapsed has spread all across America.  The poor facing a bleak winter; even the well-to-do are jittery.  And the end is nowhere in sight.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs a volunteer at St. Anthony's Dining Room, Menlo Park, California, I speak from first-hand knowledge.  Signs of less food being available became noticeable early in the year.  It has gotten worse.  So far no one has been turned away.  Food is served from 11:00 AM to 1 PM Monday through Saturday.  Everyone who walks through the door receives fresh-cooked food, bread, salad and dessert. Service is friendly.   Last week, on Thursday, November 13, more than 400 were served.  St. Anthony's in San Francisco feeds many more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Every gun that's made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms...is spending the genius of its scientists, the sweat of its laborers,”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Dwight David Eisenhower, America's 34th President (1953-61)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Auto Industry and its Tunnel Vision \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe American auto industry is in a terminal situation...in its last gasp.  Without a large injection of cash the chances of its survival are slim.  The auto industry is largely responsible for its problems.  It built eco-unfriendly vehicles and fought against all proposals for fuel economy.  It made money because the gas-hogging monsters appealed to a large segment of buyers.  Fuel was cheap.  There was no thought about the future.  Now it is a different world. Should we bail the auto industry out?  The questions we should ask are why and how long would the bailout keep it alive?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom what is known, the case is not strong enough to justify giving the auto makers money. Politicians, however, are doing their usual thing.....supporting financial aid not because it is the right thing to do but purely based on expediency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso, what the financial sector is doing with the bailout money must not be overlooked.  It is showing every sign of continuing the merry old way. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFall Colors in the Neighborhood\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eUnusually warm for this time of the year.  Yesterday, the daytime temperature was in the 80's Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).  The weather man is forecasting rain November 22nd/23rd -- too far away.  We need rain now.  During a recent walk through the woods I didn't come across any chanterelles or oyster mushrooms.  The ground felt bone dry.  But we have more serious reasons  to be concerned about than the absence of wild mushrooms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe pictures below were taken during a bicycle ride through the neighborhood.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTournament Drive, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268939292780879362\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Fall 2008  Group I 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003eDistant view of Crystal Springs Reservoir and Highway 280 Overpass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268939055281612050\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Fall 2008  Group I 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTournament Drive, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268938783284639778\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Fall 2008  Group I 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eParrott Drive, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268938046646784818\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/11/Fall 2008  Group I 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Purses Remain Closed in this Season of Giving"},{"content":" *A Historic Day, Momentous Day \"........ and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.--Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 186311:15 PM Eastern, Nov.4, 2008 Listening to John McCain concede victory to Barack Obama. How good it feels. I look back and think of the election of 2004 which resulted in G.W. Bush's second term and the dark period that followed. Barack Obama's victory -- by a good margin in popular votes -- knocked the stuffing out of many experts who pontificated about race and the \"Bradley factor\". Virginia, once the center of Confederacy, went for Obama! The last time it voted for Democrats was in 1964.\"Rock Around the Clock\"Dance, sing, shout from the roof tops, and whistle.Defeated: John McCain -- an once-principled man who paid the price for surrendering to hypocritical bigots of his party. And Sarah Palin -- favorite of sanctimonious flag wavers; the lipsticked pit bull who appealed to the rabid fringe.Among Republican members of Congress, one who lost was Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina. She ran a particularly nasty campaign and received a comeuppance from voters.Republicans pay for Bad KarmaFour years ago, after re-election of G.W. Bush, it felt as though Democrats would never be able to regain lost ground. But they have. They were helped by Bush and Cheney. Failure of the Bush administration's mean, deceitful, arrogant actions and policies, which completely disregarded beliefs and aspirations of all but conservative, right-wing Americans, made the voters lash back and reject the Republican Party's candidates. From foreign policy to the economy and domestic environmental protection, the Bushies had become like rampaging bulls. Now, it is time for them to pack their bags. Good riddance.Democrats have reason to feel good and celebrate. However, members of Congress must not forget that we, the people, elected them. They must work for the common good. In their giddiness, if they sell themselves to special interest groups and begin to act like their predecessors then their time in the sun will be short-lived. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/11/president-elect-barack-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Historic Day, Momentous Day \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cpre\u003e\"........ and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall \u003cbr/\u003enot perish from the earth.\u003cbr/\u003e--Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln,  November 19, 1863\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e11:15 PM Eastern, Nov.4, 2008   Listening to John McCain concede victory to Barack Obama.  How good it feels.  I look back and think of the election of 2004 which resulted in G.W. Bush's second term  and the dark period that followed.  Barack Obama's victory -- by a good margin in popular votes -- knocked the stuffing out of many experts who pontificated about race and the \"Bradley factor\".   Virginia, once the center of Confederacy, went for Obama!  The last time it voted for Democrats was in 1964.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Rock Around the Clock\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDance, sing, shout from the roof tops, and whistle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDefeated:  John McCain -- an once-principled man who paid the price for surrendering to hypocritical bigots of his party.  And Sarah Palin -- favorite of  sanctimonious flag wavers;  the lipsticked pit bull who appealed to the rabid fringe.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAmong Republican members of Congress, one who lost was Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina.  She ran a particularly nasty campaign and received a comeuppance from voters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eRepublicans pay for Bad Karma\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFour years ago, after re-election of G.W. Bush, it felt as though Democrats would never be able to regain lost ground.  But they have.  They were helped by Bush and Cheney. Failure of the Bush administration's mean, deceitful, arrogant  actions and policies, which completely disregarded beliefs and aspirations of all but  conservative, right-wing Americans, made the voters lash back and reject the Republican Party's candidates.   From foreign policy to the economy and domestic environmental protection, the Bushies had become like rampaging bulls.  Now, it is time for them to pack their bags.  Good riddance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats have reason to feel good and celebrate.   However, members of Congress must not forget that we, the people, elected them. They must work for the common good.  In their giddiness, if they sell themselves to special interest groups and begin to act like their predecessors  then their time in the sun will be short-lived.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President Elect Barack Obama"},{"content":" * Voters, Do the Right Thing\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\"Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to CharlemagneAn 11-Year Old and His ClassmatesWhen Obama said: \"I don't think the young people of America are a special interest—they are the future of this country,\" Turner perked up. He looked as if he were being addressed personally.\"I'll make this deal with you,\" the candidate said. \"You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.\"It was the beginning of his speech's crescendo, the rhetorical trumpet-flourishing that built to the finale in which he reiterated the promise of America — \"you and I, together, will change this country and change this world\" — to a generation of its citizens who have never heard it uttered before, at least not outside the dusty confines of a textbook.*Desperately Seeking Kitchen SinkOne does not have to be a pundit to sense desperation of the McCain-Palin team. It has thrown everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at Barack Obama. To its frustration, the tactics have not worked in halting Obama's lead. Four days before the election, if you believe the polls the race is over and all we need is the fat lady to come out and sing. But the polls don't tell the whole story, and then there is the kitchen sink. Rest assured that the masters of dirty tricks will keep trying. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/win-one-for-turner-campbell-of-fort-collins-co/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVoters, Do the Right Thing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAlcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.fortcollinsnow.com/article/20081026/NEWS/810269982\u0026amp;parentprofile\"\u003eAn 11-Year Old and His Classmates\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhen Obama said: \"I don't think the young people of America are a special interest—they are the future of this country,\" Turner perked up. He looked as if he were being addressed personally.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I'll make this deal with you,\" the candidate said. \"You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt was the beginning of his speech's crescendo, the rhetorical trumpet-flourishing that built to the finale in which he reiterated the promise of America — \"you and I, together, will change this country and change this world\" — to a generation of its citizens who have never heard it uttered before, at least not outside the dusty confines of a textbook.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eDesperately Seeking Kitchen Sink\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne does not have to be a pundit to sense desperation of the McCain-Palin team.  It has  thrown everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at Barack Obama. To its frustration, the tactics have not worked in halting Obama's lead. Four days before the election, if you believe the polls the race is over and all we need is the fat lady to come out and sing. But the polls don't tell the whole story, and then there is the kitchen sink. Rest assured that the masters of dirty tricks will keep trying. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Win One for Turner Campbell of Fort Collins, CO."},{"content":" *Odds and EndsCold gray morning. Dense fog outside. It is the season of falling leaves; root vegetables; hot soup.\"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.\"-- Elizabeth LawrenceTurning Leaves©MusafirTelegraph Hill Area, San FranciscoAngel's Trumpet©MusafirParrots of Telegraph Hill© Arundhati BhowmickAngels Trumpet©MusafirFuchsia©MusafirThe Angels Trumpet (Brugmansia) flowers are reported to be toxic and to have hallucinogenic properties. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/twittering-outside-twitter/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eOdds and Ends\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCold gray morning.  Dense fog outside. It is the season of falling leaves;  root vegetables; hot soup.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Elizabeth Lawrence\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTurning Leaves\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127908475047659138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/Color of Leaves.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTelegraph Hill Area, San Francisco\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAngel's Trumpet\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262244689449810546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/SFO 10-26-08 008.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eParrots of Telegraph Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262244546115148290\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/SFO 10-26-08 005.jpg\"/\u003e© Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAngels Trumpet\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262244418643842226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/SFO 10-26-08 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFuchsia\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262244280353739794\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/SFO 10-26-08 001.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Angels Trumpet (Brugmansia) flowers are reported to be toxic and to have hallucinogenic properties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Twittering Outside 'Twitter'"},{"content":" *Bullies Looking for Another WarThis could be what McCain and the neocons were waiting for. Opening of another front in the volatile Middle East and then emphasize \"experience\" and \"national security\" in the hope that vulnerable voters will switch to the Republican ticket? Nine days before the election, they had no other cards in the deck.Is it going to work? After what we learned about the Bush Administration's cooked up war against Iraq it would be unthinkable that the American public would fall for another con game. But for the McCain-Palin team it is the answer to their prayers. If some more of our young men and women lose their lives in the phony war they will say they died for a good cause -- to keep Republicans in office. Sickening.BBC News 26 October 2008 Syria has said American troops carried out a raid inside Syria along the Iraqi border, killing eight people - if the claims are true then this will be the first military incursion by the US into Syrian territory from Iraq.But its timing is curious, coming right at the end of the Bush administration's period of office and at a moment when many of America's European allies - like Britain and France - are trying to broaden their ties with Damascus.Whatever the local military factors involved in this US operation, it would be unthinkable to imagine that an incursion into Syria would not require a policy decision at a high-level.The movement of insurgents and foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq has long been a bone of contention between Damascus and Washington.The US argument has always been that the Syrians are not doing enough to control the border. The Syrians have always countered that they are unfairly being blamed for turmoil inside Iraq that is not of their making.Quite apart from their differences over Iraq, Washington sees Syria as unhelpful in Lebanon and as far too friendly with Iran.\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant.\"--C.E. Montague\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/the-october-surprise/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBullies Looking for Another War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis could be what McCain and the neocons were waiting for. Opening of another front in the volatile Middle East and then emphasize \"experience\" and \"national security\" in the hope that vulnerable voters will switch to the Republican ticket?  Nine days before the election, they had no other cards in the deck.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs it going to work?  After what we learned about the Bush Administration's cooked up war against Iraq it would be unthinkable that the American public would fall for another con game.  But for the McCain-Palin team it is the answer to their prayers.  If some more of our young men and women lose their lives in the phony war they will say they died for a good cause -- to keep Republicans in office.  Sickening.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7692263.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e 26 October 2008\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The October Surprise ?"},{"content":" * Has He Forsaken Them ? * Sexual PoliticsThe Bible thumpers are in panic. Suzanne Goldenberg of the Guardian reported on October 21st about her visit to Colorado Springs, CO.As the words to the Christian rock song fade from the giant screens at Mountain Springs church, Pastor Steve Holt steps forward to speak to his congregation. These are perilous times, he says, but he urges them not to despair.\"There are still two weeks before the election,\" he says, before announcing a week of fasting and prayer in the run-up to polling day.A sorry lot with tunnel vision. Their America -- the Judeo-Christian America is changing and there is nothing they can do about it. We are truly in a melting pot. This America is for Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, tree worshippers, and....for Muslims. This America is for the devout and for atheists; it is for straights and for homosexuals; it is for the whites and for people of color -- black, brown, yellow.\"Fasting and prayer\", that is real desperation. How many of them will actually follow Pastor Holt's call for fasting is open to questions. But one can rest assured that they are praying. The Pentecostals are good in praying against satanic influence. To them Obama is a representative of satan. Sarah Palin has already gone through a blessing to protect her from witchcraft. John McCain might benefit from one. One gets the feeling that Republicans have been deserted by the god they claimed to have on their side. Makes me think of Mel Calman's cartoon (see below). © Mel Calman - My God\nAn Angry Old Man and His SidekickKathleen Parker of the Washington Post, not a lefty columnist by any standard, has written about a taboo subject. Did her sexuality have anything do with the selection of Sarah Palin for the vice presidential slot by John McCain ? Parker's column in the Post makes no bones about it. If the author was a man the reaction would have been loud and strong. When you see all the banners/buttons that mention \"hot chick\" at her campaign stops, you can't help wondering if Ms Parker's column has some truth in it.Before the waves from reports about the Palin family's shopping spree subsided, news about her high paid traveling hair dresser/makeover artist became public. McCain campaign issued a statement that her clothes would be donated or auctioned for charity. Some kicking and screaming is inevitable. The Republicans still don't have a feel for the real world of working people. McCain's pet Joe the Plumber is too busy enjoying the media's attention to say anything about this. $150,000 would have been enough for him to get started on owning a plumbing business. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/god-of-the-republicans/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHas He Forsaken Them ?  * Sexual Politics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bible thumpers are in panic.  Suzanne Goldenberg of the Guardian reported on October 21st about her visit to \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/21/uselections2008-barackobama\"\u003eColorado Springs, CO.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs the words to the Christian rock song fade from the giant screens at Mountain Springs church, Pastor Steve Holt steps forward to speak to his congregation. These are perilous times, he says, but he urges them not to despair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"There are still two weeks before the election,\" he says, before announcing a week of fasting and prayer in the run-up to polling day.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA sorry lot with tunnel vision.  Their America -- the Judeo-Christian America is changing and there is nothing they can do about it.  We are truly in a melting pot.  This America is for Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, tree worshippers, and....for Muslims.  This America is for the devout and for atheists; it is for straights and for homosexuals;  it is for the whites and for people of color -- black, brown, yellow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Fasting and prayer\", that is real desperation.  How many of them will actually follow Pastor Holt's call for fasting is open to questions.  But one can rest assured that they are praying.  The Pentecostals are good in praying against satanic influence.  To them Obama is a representative of satan.  Sarah Palin has already gone through a blessing to protect her from witchcraft.  John McCain might benefit from one. One gets the feeling that Republicans have been deserted by the god they claimed to have on their side.  Makes me think of Mel Calman's cartoon (see below).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260936588633187314\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/10/My God.jpg\"/\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-center\"\u003e© Mel Calman - My God\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"God of the Republicans"},{"content":" * Or The Midget's Revenge * Colin Powell's AtonementDoing what he does best. The mean-spirited, hubristic president whose approval rating is currently between low and mid 20's range, is all set to add another dastardly act to his dismal record before he returns to Crawford to chop wood. \"Compassionate conservative\" -- yes, think of Attila the Hun. He has 3 months and 4 days left in office and we haven't seen the end of his gifts for special interest groups.The Last Mischief (Editorial,NY Times, Oct 18, 2008)All presidents indulge in end-of-the-term environmental rule-making, partly to tie up bureaucratic loose ends but mainly to lock in policies that their successor will be hard pressed to reverse.President Bill Clinton’s midnight regulations were mostly good, including a rule protecting 60 million acres of national forests from road-building and most commercial development. Not surprisingly, most of President Bush’s proposals are not.Exhibit A is a set of six resource management plans covering 11 million acres of federal land in Utah. They would open millions of acres to oil and gas drilling and off-road vehicles, risking priceless cultural artifacts and some of the most breathtaking open spaces in America. The plans, each more than 1,000 pages, were dumped on an unsuspecting public in the last few weeks by the Bureau of Land Management.The bureau claims that it wasn’t trying to pull a fast one and that drafts were available months ago. But the final documents are what count. The public now has only a few short weeks to register objections before the secretary of the interior makes them final.Why the rush? The agency says it had to wrap things up before it ran out of planning money. What we are really seeing, though, is the last gasp of the Cheney drill-now, drill-everywhere energy strategy; one last favor to the oil and gas drillers and the off-road vehicle enthusiasts before a more conservation-minded president (both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have far better records than Mr. Bush) comes to town.Are Republicans going to express opposition to this? That would be the day. They never see a drilling site they do not love.General PowellFormer Secretary of State Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama was not unexpected; reports began to appear last week that he was likely to do so. For the McCain campaign and Republicans, it is a blow.Despite being shabbily treated by the cabal of neocons in the White House, he faithfully served President Bush. Perhaps the low point in his career was when he was duped into appearing before the UN to sell Bush's war. But the good soldier remained silent. Unlike some others, he has yet to write a tell all book. His public support of Obama is, perhaps, atonement for his failure to act when he was part of the Bush administration. And it is a kick in the face of the Republican Party. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/dubayas-last-laugh/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOr The Midget's Revenge * Colin Powell's Atonement\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDoing what he does best.  The mean-spirited, hubristic president whose approval rating is currently between low and mid 20's range, is all set to add another dastardly act to his dismal record before he returns to Crawford to chop wood.  \"Compassionate conservative\" --  yes, think of  Attila the Hun.  He has 3 months and 4 days left in office and we haven't seen the end of his gifts for special interest groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/opinion/18sat1.html\"\u003eThe Last Mischief\u003c/a\u003e (Editorial,NY Times, Oct 18, 2008)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll presidents indulge in end-of-the-term environmental rule-making, partly to tie up bureaucratic loose ends but mainly to lock in policies that their successor will be hard pressed to reverse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bill Clinton’s midnight regulations were mostly good, including a rule protecting 60 million acres of national forests from road-building and most commercial development. Not surprisingly, most of President Bush’s proposals are not.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExhibit A is a set of six resource management plans covering 11 million acres of federal land in Utah. They would open millions of acres to oil and gas drilling and off-road vehicles, risking priceless cultural artifacts and some of the most breathtaking open spaces in America. The plans, each more than 1,000 pages, were dumped on an unsuspecting public in the last few weeks by the Bureau of Land Management.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bureau claims that it wasn’t trying to pull a fast one and that drafts were available months ago. But the final documents are what count. The public now has only a few short weeks to register objections before the secretary of the interior makes them final.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy the rush? The agency says it had to wrap things up before it ran out of planning money. What we are really seeing, though, is the last gasp of the Cheney drill-now, drill-everywhere energy strategy; one last favor to the oil and gas drillers and the off-road vehicle enthusiasts before a more conservation-minded president (both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have far better records than Mr. Bush) comes to town.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAre Republicans going to express opposition to this?  That would be the day. They never see a drilling site they do not love.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral Powell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFormer Secretary of State Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama was not unexpected; reports began to appear last week that he was likely to do so.  For the McCain campaign and Republicans, it is a blow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite being shabbily treated by the cabal of neocons in the White House, he faithfully served President Bush.  Perhaps the low point in his career was when he was duped into appearing before the UN to sell Bush's war.  But the good soldier remained silent.  Unlike some others, he has yet to  write a tell all book. His public support of Obama is, perhaps, atonement for his failure to act when he was part of the Bush administration.  And it is a kick in the face of the Republican Party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Dubaya's Last Laugh"},{"content":" * The Right to Die * Daniel JamesLive with dignity, die with dignity--DignitasIn December 2006, I wrote about 67-year old British physician Anne Turner who was suffering from \"progressive and incurable degenerative disease called supranuclear palsy\" (BBC), and decided to end her life with assistance from Dignitas.On September 12, 2008, 23-year old Daniel James of Worcester, UK, died at Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK. British authorities are investigating this case and Daniel's parents said: \"...................................that their son had tried 'several' times to kill himself before he 'gained his wish'.BBCDr Richard Nicholson, editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics and a retired GP, said the public may react differently to the idea of a young man with paralysis killing himself to an older person with a terminal illness such as cancer but from an ethical point of view the cases are similar. \"Firstly it depends how you define a terminal condition,\" he said. \"This young man had a condition which would eventually lead to his death and the timing of his death would be related to the level of medical intervention he had to keep him alive.\" He said that people do not usually expect people who are so young to want to kill themselves. \"At that age, one would want to know if he was depressed and if that was adequately assessed and treated because that would be a very high probability for a young person, after an accident, becoming aware of how limited their life is.\" But Dr Nicholson added that from an ethical point of view he could not see much difference between the case of Daniel and an older person with a terminal, provided they were of \"sound mind\". Dignitas The group, based in Zurich, has caught the headlines as people with chronic diseases from around the world travel to Switzerland to ask for its help in committing suicide. Dignitas was founded in 1998 by Swiss lawyer, Ludwig Minelli, who runs it as a non-profit organisation. It takes advantage of Switzerland's liberal laws on assisted suicide, which suggest that a person can only be prosecuted if they are acting out of self-interest. Legal basis The law on suicide actually states: \"Whoever lures someone into suicide or provides assistance to commit suicide out of a self-interested motivation will, on completion of the suicide, be punished with up to five years' imprisonment\". Dignitas interprets this to mean that anyone who assists suicide altruistically cannot be punished. Its specialist staff all work as volunteers to ensure there can be no conflict of interest.\nHere in the United States, too, there is strong opposition to allowing terminally ill people the right to assisted suicide. The enlightened citizens of Oregon passed a legislation in 1997 that made this option legal. There are enough safeguards built into the law to prevent any abuse. In January, 2006, the Oregon law survived Bush administration's attempt to overturn it (Gonzalez vs. Oregon, 04-623) .If you are not a resident of Oregon and wish to avoid being hooked up to a life support system in case of terminal illness, be sure to execute an Advance Directive. The form can be downloaded, free, from Caring Connections. AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) is another source. Execution of the form will not mean assistance in dying; what it will do is to prevent being kept alive by hi-tech medical aids, quality of life be damned.Efforts to pass ballot measure based on the Oregon law were defeated, twice, in California. Proponents of the measure were not able to fight the blizzard of ads put up by the Catholic Church, the American Medical Association, orthodox Jews, and evangelical Christian organizations.Photo credit: The Pew Forum\"Going forward, it is hard to know if and when another state or states will join Oregon. The only thing certain is that the debate over what is and is not an appropriate course of action when it comes to end-of-life decisions will continue for a long time to come.\" The Pew ForumRecommended reading:How We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage PaperbackOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell PublishingEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/dignitas---back-in-the-news/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Right to Die * Daniel James\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cc\u003eLive with dignity, die with dignity\u003c/c\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cc\u003e--Dignitas\u003c/c\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cc\u003e\u003c/c\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cc\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/c\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn December 2006, I wrote about 67-year old British physician \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/01/anne-turner-case-death-with-dignity.html\"\u003eAnne Turner\u003c/a\u003e who was suffering from \"progressive and incurable degenerative disease called supranuclear palsy\" (\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2676837.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e), and decided to end her life with assistance from \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2676837.stm\"\u003eDignitas\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn September 12, 2008, 23-year old Daniel James of Worcester, UK, died at Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK.  British authorities are investigating this case and Daniel's parents said: \"...................................that their son had tried 'several' times to kill himself before he 'gained his wish'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7676813.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Richard Nicholson, editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics and a retired GP, said the public may react differently to the idea of a young man with paralysis killing himself to an older person with a terminal illness such as cancer but from an ethical point of view the cases are similar. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Firstly it depends how you define a terminal condition,\" he said. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"This young man had a condition which would eventually lead to his death and the timing of his death would be related to the level of medical intervention he had to keep him alive.\" \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe said that people do not usually expect people who are so young to want to kill themselves. \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"At that age, one would want to know if he was depressed and if that was adequately assessed and treated because that would be a very high probability for a young person, after an accident, becoming aware of how limited their life is.\" \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut Dr Nicholson added that from an ethical point of view he could not see much difference between the case of Daniel and an older person with a terminal, provided they were of \"sound mind\". \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Dignitas - Back in the News"},{"content":" *McCain-Palin Team Catering to the Worst in America\"Violence in the voice is often only the death rattle of reason in the throat.\"--John Frederick BoyesCall them nuts, loonies, fanatics, extremists, white supremacists, what you will. The fact is that they exist in all societies. Here in America there is no dearth of them. Normally, they remain on the fringe; their rants and raves do not receive much attention. But now, with the presidential election 23 days away, the lunatic fringe is being assiduously courted by Republican nominee John McCain and his vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin. It is Palin, as McCain's attack dog, who is making most of the rabble-rousing speeches.While they deny that their objective is to incite violence that is exactly what they are doing with their outright lies and distortion of truth. And because the Democratic contender is black, their veiled messages of hatred is resonating with bigots in America.At this point, their dirty campaign appears to be not making much headway. However, there is always the unknown, unquantifiable number of voters to whom the color of Obama's skin overrides everything else. So the race is far from locked up despite the polls that show Obama ahead. And in worst case scenario, an unbalanced person in the mob could very well try something drastic. Let us hope that the Secret Service will prevent any such calamity from taking place. We have had enough of political assassinations. Are McCain and Palin aware of the impact, and possible consequences, of their hate mongering? You betcha. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/playing-the-race-card-for-all-it-is-worth/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMcCain-Palin Team Catering to the Worst in America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Violence in the voice is often only the death rattle of reason in the throat.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--John Frederick Boyes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCall them nuts, loonies, fanatics, extremists, white supremacists, what you will. The fact is that they exist in all societies. Here in America there is no dearth of them. Normally, they remain on the fringe; their rants and raves do not receive much attention. But now, with the presidential election 23 days away, the lunatic fringe is being assiduously courted by Republican nominee John McCain and his vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin. It is Palin, as McCain's attack dog, who is making most of the rabble-rousing speeches.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile they deny that their objective is to incite violence that is exactly what they are doing with their outright lies and distortion of truth. And because the Democratic contender is black, their veiled messages of hatred is resonating with bigots in America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAt this point, their dirty campaign appears to be not making much headway. However, there is always the unknown, unquantifiable number of voters to whom the color of Obama's skin overrides everything else. So the race is far from locked up despite the polls that show Obama ahead. And in worst case scenario, an unbalanced person in the mob could very well try something drastic. Let us hope that the Secret Service will prevent any such calamity from taking place. We have had enough of political assassinations. Are McCain and Palin aware of the impact, and possible consequences, of their hate mongering? You betcha.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Playing the Race Card for All It Is Worth"},{"content":" *\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" - Heraclitus 535-475 BC * Autumn MorningForget about the high road. As the countdown to November 4th inexorably draws closer, desperation of the McCain-Palin team becomes evident. Both of them out to demonstrate how to butcher truth and serve red meat to howling mobs. Race, color, threat of terrorism -- they are going for broke. Reportedly devout Christians both, do they ever pause to think WWJD ?This election will prove whether American voters can be manipulated by lies or are able to base their decisions on real issues facing us and the world. These are troubled times.The Youth VoteBy all accounts the the number of newly registered voters is huge. Majority of young voters are supportive of Obama. They can make a difference. *Autumn","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/mccain-palin-in-a-malicious-gyre/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" - Heraclitus 535-475 BC *  Autumn Morning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eForget about the high road.  As the countdown to November 4th inexorably draws closer, desperation of the McCain-Palin team becomes evident.  Both of them out to demonstrate how to butcher truth and serve red meat to howling mobs.  Race, color, threat of terrorism -- they are going for broke.  Reportedly devout Christians both, do they ever pause to think WWJD ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis election will prove whether American voters can be manipulated by lies or are able to base their decisions on real issues facing us and the world.  These are troubled times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Youth Vote\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBy all accounts the the number of newly registered voters is huge.  Majority of young voters are supportive of Obama.  They can make a difference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAutumn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstyle=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCrisp, bright autumn morningwith a hint of chill in the air.  Makes you think of sweaters and hot soup.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/style=\"text-align:left;\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eListening to: Le Voyage De Sahar (ECM Records)\u003c/p\u003e","title":"McCain-Palin In A  Malicious Gyre"},{"content":" *Some Like it Cute * Palin and Medicare Program * McCain. the Mud WrestlerShe winked, shrugged, dodged the questions and, yet, some people thought that she more than made up for her interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric which exposed her lack of knowledge about today's world. Comments that she was \"like a wound up doll\" very aptly described Sarah Palin on Thursday evening. Cute and perky maybe, but it is not a cheerleader's position that she is aiming for .Her supporters, who loved her mention of remarks by late President Reagan, didn't have a clue that Reagan was talking about his opposition to the Medicare program. Many of them will howl like stuck pigs if they are deprived of the benefits. Maybe the Kenyan bishop who exorcised witches during blessing of Sarah Palin will be invited to pray for them.If Palin, and the handlers who coached her for the debate, knew what Reagan was talking about then one can assume that they think that the program is another entitlement that should be done away with.See Raising the White Flag of Surrender -- to Medicare*McCain, Beware of Witch Doctors\"No holds barred\"? You can say that again. 29 days before November 4th, John McCain is demonstrating what down and dirty means. He is going to outdo the Swift Boaters; show that he can wrestle in the mud.Are the voters going to be swayed by the dirty tricks? One never knows. If they do, we could have the first cute and perky woman vice president. McCain would be well-advised to get some voodoo for himself to ward off prayers of Palin's witch doctor.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/sarah-palin-didnt-blink-she-winked/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSome Like it Cute * Palin and Medicare Program * McCain. the Mud Wrestler\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eShe winked, shrugged, dodged the questions and, yet, some people thought that she more than made up for her interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric which exposed her lack of knowledge about today's world. Comments that she was \"like a wound up doll\" very aptly described Sarah Palin on Thursday evening.  Cute and perky maybe, but it is not a cheerleader's position that she is aiming for .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHer supporters, who loved her mention of remarks by late President Reagan, didn't have a clue that Reagan was talking about his opposition to the Medicare program.  Many of them will howl like stuck pigs if they are deprived of the benefits. Maybe the Kenyan bishop who exorcised witches  during blessing of Sarah Palin will be invited to pray for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf Palin, and the handlers who coached her for the debate, knew what Reagan was talking about then one can assume that they think that the program is another entitlement that should be done away with.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee \u003ca href=\"http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/raising-the-white-flag-of-surrender-to-medicare/?em\"\u003eRaising the White Flag of Surrender -- to Medicare\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMcCain, Beware of Witch Doctors\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"No holds barred\"?  You can say that again.  29 days before November 4th, John McCain is demonstrating what down and dirty means.  He is going to outdo the Swift Boaters; show that he can wrestle in the mud.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAre the voters going to be swayed by the dirty tricks?  One never knows.  If they do, we could have the first cute and perky woman vice president.  McCain would be well-advised to get some voodoo for himself to ward off prayers of Palin's witch doctor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Sarah Palin Didn't Blink,  She Winked"},{"content":" * Rich Gets RicherGreat weather. There is no cause to rejoice about anything else. The bailout bill, packed with pork to appease special interest groups, cleared Congress with a good margin ( 263-171).An example: LONDON (MarketWatch) -- There can't have been a more ridiculous bit of legal fluff in recent memory. Yet there it is, in plain view, as part of the much-ballyhooed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that's been passed by the U.S. Senate. Namely, Section 503 -- \"Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for children.\" The toy arrow provision, also dubbed the \"William Tell amendment,\" was jointly introduced by Oregon's two U.S. senators: Ron Wyden, a Democrat, and Gordon Smith, a Republican.It's hard to know which is more depressing: The fact that this provision found its way into the \"urgently needed legislation\" at all, or the fact that the U.S. tax code is littered with this kind of stuff.Those who opposed the bailout found themselves between the proverbial \"rock and a hard place\" with dire predictions about loss of jobs, retirement benefits, and credit squeeze if the rescue package was not approved. The Bush administration, which allowed the free-marketers to run amuck without any oversight -- one of the reasons for the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage finance sector -- shamelessly promoted bailout for corporate America. It was Saddam Hussein's WMD redux.Passage of the bill didn't do anything for financial markets today.The First Walk in Autumn\n* mellow autumn daysthe sun hides a stash of goldfrom the thieving clouds--© Beatrice Vhttp://autumnhaiku2008.blogspot.com/One can hike up to the top Black Mountain (2800') from Monte Bello Open Space Preserve off Page Mill Road. Fairly easy to do. The other option is to take Rhus Ridge off Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, and, after a steep, almost a mile-long climb, follow the Black Mountain trail to the top, almost 10 miles round-trip from the parking lot. Arduous.\nLast week JHL and I walked on the Black Mountain trail but not all the way to the top. We stopped for a picnic lunch, then went down to Adobe Creek (dry) and hiked back up Ewing Hill to Black Mountain Trail to return to the parking lot.\nThe leaves have not turned yet. In this area good displays of fall colors are not very common. It would be November before we see them.\nPicnic in a dappled grove © Musafir\nLooking west\n© MusafirClematis (Pipestem) I© MusafirClematis (Pipestem) II© MusafirClematis (Pipestem) III© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2008/10/autumn-of-discontent/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eRich Gets Richer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGreat weather.  There is no cause to rejoice about anything else.  The bailout bill, packed with pork to appease special interest groups, cleared Congress  with a good margin (  263-171).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn example: \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLONDON (\u003ca href=\"http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/can-william-tell-amendment-save/story.aspx?guid=%7BC23ADE45-2584-4725-8D37-A85E1A3AFC91%7D\u0026amp;dist=msr_79\"\u003eMarketWatch\u003c/a\u003e) -- There can't have been a more ridiculous bit of legal fluff in recent memory. Yet there it is, in plain view, as part of the much-ballyhooed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that's been passed by the U.S. Senate.  Namely, Section 503 -- \"Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for children.\" The toy arrow provision, also dubbed the \"William Tell amendment,\" was jointly introduced by Oregon's two U.S. senators: Ron Wyden, a Democrat, and Gordon Smith, a Republican.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's hard to know which is more depressing: The fact that this provision found its way into the \"urgently needed legislation\" at all, or the fact that the U.S. tax code is littered with this kind of stuff.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThose who opposed the bailout found themselves between the proverbial \"rock and a hard place\" with dire predictions about loss of jobs, retirement benefits, and  credit squeeze if the rescue package was not approved.  The Bush administration, which allowed the free-marketers to run amuck without any oversight -- one of the reasons for the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage finance sector --   shamelessly  promoted bailout for corporate America.  It was Saddam Hussein's WMD redux.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePassage of the bill didn't do anything for financial markets today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe First Walk in Autumn\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Autumn of Discontent"},{"content":" *Greed and Lack of EthicsMuch bigger than the South Sea Bubble and the dot.com bubble (also known as the I.T. Bubble) the sub-prime mortgage financing ponzi game blew up and the watchdogs (Congress, White House, SEC and the Fed) were asleep at the wheel or looked the other way while the rapacious financial entities did their thing -- repackaged mortgage securities to the sky until even they did not know what they were worth. But the executives responsible made money...and were going to make more under Secretary Paulson's plan, the original 3-page plan, asking for $700 billion without any oversight and restrictions!Some conservative Republicans, champions of laissez faire, are not happy about the bailout. The pundits and politicians are scurrying around. The Wall Streeters are looking at how to benefit from the disaster they created. And benefit they will. As always, ordinary Americans will pay the price.Fox News reported comments by Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas:\n\"Huckabee also was critical of President Bush’s handling of the crisis.He said to lay the $700 billion obligation on the nation “in 24 hours” amounts to “holding the country hostage.”“I just think the American people ought to be screaming their lungs out, saying to Congress, not so fast. That’s our money you’re giving away,” Huckabee said.He said the burden of the $700 billion relief package will fall on the next generation and those in their teens and 20s. The president, in his speech to the nation on September 24th, didn't mention a word about those responsible for the debacle. How could he? He was one of them.John McCain seeking brownie pointsJames Surowiecki in The New YorkerBefore the government stepped in last week, the bodies of financial institutions—Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and A.I.G., with Washington Mutual and even Morgan Stanley threatening to be next—were piling up so fast it seemed possible that Wall Street might simply cease to exist. The list of blunders that led to the carnage is by now familiar: firms succumbed to the frenzy of the housing bubble; relied on dubious mathematical models to manage risk; and leveraged bad bets with suicidal amounts of borrowed money. But the impact of these mistakes was made worse by a seemingly harmless decision that these companies made many years ago: the decision to go public. Doing so put the firms at the mercy of the stock market, and last week that mercy evaporated.On September 25th. the federal government arranged for sale of Washington Mutual's \"deposits and some branches\" to JP Morgan Chase. And so it goes.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/the-end-of-the-mother-of-all-ponzi-schemes/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eGreed and Lack of Ethics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMuch bigger than the \u003ca href=\"http://www.stock-market-crash.net/southsea.htm\"\u003eSouth Sea Bubble\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_bubble\"\u003edot.com bubble\u003c/a\u003e (also known as the I.T. Bubble)  the sub-prime mortgage financing ponzi game blew up and the watchdogs (Congress, White House, SEC and the Fed) were asleep at the wheel or looked the other way while the rapacious financial entities did their thing -- repackaged mortgage securities to the sky until even they did not know what they were worth.  But the executives responsible made money...and were going to make more under Secretary Paulson's plan, the original 3-page plan, asking for $700 billion without any oversight and restrictions!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome conservative Republicans, champions of laissez faire, are not happy about the bailout.  The pundits and politicians are scurrying around.  The Wall Streeters are looking at how to benefit from the disaster they created.   And benefit they will.  As always, ordinary Americans will pay the price.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/26/huckabee-calls-mccain-debate-ploy-a-huge-mistake/\"\u003eFox News\u003c/a\u003e reported comments by Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The End of the Mother of all Ponzi Schemes"},{"content":" * Weirder and Weirder - \"Walla walla, bing bang\"Do you want this woman to be a heart beat away from the presidency? The San Francisco Chronicle reported today that on October 16, 2005, Sarah Palin went through a blessing ceremony during which a Kenyan pastor prayed for her protection from witchcraft!(09-25) 12:28 PDT Anchorage, Alaska (AP) --A video on her hometown church Web site shows Sarah Palin being blessed three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from \"witchcraft\" as she prepared to seek higher office.The video, which made the rounds Wednesday on the Internet, shows Palin standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from \"every form of witchcraft.\"\"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan,\" Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. \"Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around.\" * \"My friend the witch doctorHe taught me what to sayMy friend the witch doctorHe taught me what to doI know that you'll be mineWhen i say this to youOoo eee,ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla, bing bangOoo eee ooo ah ah ting tangWalla walla bing bang...Ooo eee ,ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla ,bing bangOoo eee ooo ah ah ting tang Walla walla bing bang\" © International Lyrics Playground\nWITCH DOCTOR(Ross Bagdaserian Jr.)David Seville - 1958Also recorded by:AC Rock; Joanie Bartels; Cartoons DK; The Chipmunks;Devo; Hit Crew; Don Lang; Sha Na Na; Tombstones. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/sarah-palin-and-the-witch-doctor/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWeirder and Weirder - \"Walla walla, bing bang\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDo you want this woman to be a heart beat away from the presidency?  \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/09/24/politics/p212746D88.DTL\"\u003eThe San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e reported today that on October 16, 2005, Sarah Palin went through a blessing ceremony during which a Kenyan pastor prayed for her protection from witchcraft!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(09-25) 12:28 PDT Anchorage, Alaska (AP) --\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA video on her hometown church Web site shows Sarah Palin being blessed three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from \"witchcraft\" as she prepared to seek higher office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe video, which made the rounds Wednesday on the Internet, shows Palin standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from \"every form of witchcraft.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan,\" Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. \"Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"My friend the witch doctor\u003cbr/\u003eHe taught me what to say\u003cbr/\u003eMy friend the witch doctor\u003cbr/\u003eHe taught me what to do\u003cbr/\u003eI know that you'll be mine\u003cbr/\u003eWhen i say this to you\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOoo eee,ooo ah ah ting tang \u003cbr/\u003eWalla walla, bing bang\u003cbr/\u003eOoo eee ooo ah ah ting tang\u003cbr/\u003eWalla walla bing bang...\u003cbr/\u003eOoo eee ,ooo ah ah ting tang \u003cbr/\u003eWalla walla ,bing bang\u003cbr/\u003eOoo eee ooo ah ah ting tang \u003cbr/\u003eWalla walla bing bang\"\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cp\u003e© International Lyrics Playground\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Sarah Palin and the Witch Doctor"},{"content":" * Hot Chick * Bailout and the \"free marketers\" * The SeasonsElection 2008Campaign button reportedly seen at the Republican National Convention: \"Hoosiers for the Hot Chick\"! Suggestions: Pennsylvanians for the Lipsticked Pit Bull, Montanans for the Moose Hunter. The permutations can keep a campaign button maker busy. In the meantime, the \"Hot Chick\" is being kept under wraps, protected from the media in case she slips up during questions and her shallowness is revealed.In 2004, during one of his debates with John Kerry, President Bush was caught by TV camera (of Fox News no less) with a mysterious bulge in his suit jacket. There were comments that he wore an electronic device to aid him. The McCain team is not likely to try something like that when Sarah Palin debates Joe Biden at Washington University, St. Louis,on October 2nd but I wouldn't bet on it. McCain staffers include Rovians, and they wrote the book on dirty tricks.With 40 days to go, the candidates have pulled out all the stops. Their speeches contain lies and half-truths. Expediency rules. But issues matter; think about them before you decide.The BailoutNY Times“This administration is asking for a $700 billion blank check to be put in the hands of Henry Paulson, a guy who totally missed this, and has been wrong about almost everything,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. “It’s almost amazing they can do this with a straight face. There is clearly skepticism and anger at the idea that we’d give this money to these guys, no questions asked.”AutumnSeptember will soon be behind us. The season of falling leaves has begun. The change in weather is quite noticeable. For many Americans it is an uneasy time. The economy is in shambles and it has affected them, especially those who have lost their jobs and their homes. Others have been caught in the domino effect. No reprieve is in sight.*Try to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen life was slow and oh so mellowTry to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen grass was green and grain so yellowTry to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen you were a young and a callow fellowTry to remember and if you rememberThen follow--follow, oh-oh- Try to Remember, Lyrics by Tom Jones and Harvey SchmidtSource: http://www.egreenway.com/months/monsep.htmWild Turkeys at Sawyer Camp Trail, San Mateo County ©Frank Yee\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/america-america/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eHot Chick *  Bailout and the \"free marketers\" * The Seasons\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eElection 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCampaign button reportedly seen at the Republican National Convention:   \"Hoosiers for the Hot Chick\"! Suggestions:  Pennsylvanians for the Lipsticked Pit Bull, Montanans for the Moose Hunter.  The permutations can keep a campaign button maker busy.  In the meantime, the \"Hot Chick\" is being kept under wraps, protected from the media in case she slips up during questions and her shallowness is revealed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn 2004, during one of his debates with John Kerry, President Bush was caught by TV camera (of Fox News no less) with a mysterious bulge in his suit jacket.  There were comments that he wore an electronic device to aid him.  The McCain team is not likely to try something like that when Sarah Palin debates Joe Biden at Washington University, St. Louis,on October 2nd but I wouldn't bet on it.  McCain staffers include Rovians, and they wrote the book on dirty tricks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWith 40 days to go, the candidates have pulled out all the stops.  Their speeches contain lies and half-truths.  Expediency rules.  But issues matter;  think about them before you decide.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bailout\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23skeptics.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“This administration is asking for a $700 billion blank check to be put in the hands of Henry Paulson, a guy who totally missed this, and has been wrong about almost everything,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. “It’s almost amazing they can do this with a straight face. There is clearly skepticism and anger at the idea that we’d give this money to these guys, no questions asked.”\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAutumn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSeptember will soon be behind us.  The season of falling leaves has begun.  The change in weather is quite noticeable.  For many Americans it is an uneasy time.  The economy is in shambles and it has affected them, especially those who have lost their jobs and their homes.  Others have been caught in the domino effect. No reprieve is in sight.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccnter\u003e*\u003c/cnter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccnter\u003e\u003c/cnter\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccnter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTry to remember the kind of September\u003cbr/\u003eWhen life was slow and oh so mellow\u003cbr/\u003eTry to remember the kind of September\u003cbr/\u003eWhen grass was green and grain so yellow\u003cbr/\u003eTry to remember the kind of September\u003cbr/\u003eWhen you were a young and a callow fellow\u003cbr/\u003eTry to remember and if you remember\u003cbr/\u003eThen follow--follow, oh-oh\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e- Try to Remember, Lyrics by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt\u003cbr/\u003eSource: http://www.egreenway.com/months/monsep.htm\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/cnter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild Turkeys at Sawyer Camp Trail, San Mateo County\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249355621221827186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/09/wild turkey.jpg\"/\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Frank Yee\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"America, America"},{"content":" *Tony Alamo Christian Church * Electoral CollegeCNN reported:Federal and state police raided an evangelist's compound in Arkansas late Saturday to investigate whether any children have been physically or sexually abused, officials said.Arkansas State Police troopers monitor the situation at Tony Alamo Christian Ministries in Fouke, Arkansas.The raid is part of a two-year investigation into a compound near Texarkana, Arkansas, owned by Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, said Bill Sadler of the Arkansas State Police. About 100 agents were on the 10- to 15-acre site late Saturday and met with no resistance, he said.Alamo, reached by phone in Los Angeles, California, denied any wrongdoing.A major operation -- \"two-year investigation\", \"about 100 agents\" involved. Reverend Alamo should not be judged before he goes through the legal process. He could be innocent.Who are the members of Reverend Alamo's church ? One gets the impression that they are:Pro gun rightsAgainst Women's RightsBelievers in creationismRabidly anti gayLikely to be RepublicanIn other words, supporters of McCain-Palin presidency.See Tony Alamo News - HumorElection 2008Projections about Electoral College count remain fluid with various polls giving McCain the lead one day and showing Obama ahead the next. The margin is razor thin. This election will be what they describe as a \"cliffhanger\". ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/news-from-fouke-arkansas/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTony Alamo Christian Church * Electoral College\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/20/evangelist.raid/\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFederal and state police raided an evangelist's compound in Arkansas late Saturday to investigate whether any children have been physically or sexually abused, officials said.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eArkansas State Police troopers monitor the situation at Tony Alamo Christian Ministries in Fouke, Arkansas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe raid is part of a two-year investigation into a compound near Texarkana, Arkansas, owned by Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, said Bill Sadler of the Arkansas State Police. About 100 agents were on the 10- to 15-acre site late Saturday and met with no resistance, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlamo, reached by phone in Los Angeles, California, denied any wrongdoing.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eA major operation -- \"two-year investigation\", \"about 100 agents\" involved.  Reverend Alamo should not be judged before he goes through the legal process.  He could be innocent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho are the members of Reverend Alamo's church ?  One  gets the impression that they are:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePro gun rights\u003cbr/\u003eAgainst Women's Rights\u003cbr/\u003eBelievers in creationism\u003cbr/\u003eRabidly anti gay\u003cbr/\u003eLikely to be Republican\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn other words, supporters of McCain-Palin presidency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee \u003ca href=\"http://www.geocities.com/bdrogin/alamo.html\"\u003eTony Alamo News - Humor\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eElection 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eProjections about Electoral College count remain fluid with various polls giving McCain the lead one day and showing Obama ahead the next.  The margin is razor thin. This election will be what they describe as a \"cliffhanger\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"News from Fouke, Arkansas"},{"content":" *45 Days before November 4th * \"Bigotry is the Sacred Disease\" - Heraclitus 535-475 BCCool, misty Saturday morning. We are two days away from Fall. The seasons come and go, and I like them all. In the San Francisco Peninsula, the changes are not anticipated with dread. For the outdoor activities enthusiasts, Fall offers many pleasures. I look forward to walking and running through the woods, and gathering wild mushrooms (mostly chanterelles).Listening to: Goldberg Variations, Johann Sebastian Bach BWV988Glenn Gould, Piano - 1955 recordingSONY S3K87703 *Do the Right ThingThis year, the presidential election is of special significance. While it would be great to see the end of the Bush Administration -- eight years of misdeeds, too many to list -- are we going to end up with the McCain-Palin team who will continue the reign of dark forces?CBS News Voters and BigotryHow America votes could come down to the economy, and that could be especially true in many of the so-called battleground states where voters have been hit hard economically.But a new AP-Yahoo News poll shows that race could also play a big role in how some voters make their choice - and this may not bode well for Barack Obama.According to the poll released Saturday, a little over one-third of white Democrats and independents agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, and they are less likely to vote for Obama than those who don't hold such views.\"There are a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean there's only a few bigots,\" said Stanford University political scientist Paul Sniderman, who helped analyze the exhaustive survey.Obama is not free from warts but compared to the dark side he is preferable by far. McCain has become like a man possessed. The once principled man is a pitiful caricature of his former self. A McCain victory will put Palin a heart beat away from the presidency! Just thinking of that scenario sends shivers up my spine. Do you want Todd Palin as a decision maker behind the scene ? * End of Summerby James Richardson (The New Yorker Sept.3,2007) Just an uncommon lull in the trafficso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,with his brusque sweep brusque sweep of the sidewalk,and the slap shut of a too thin rental van,and I told him no a gust has snatched from a conversationand brought to you, loud. It would be so differentif any of these were missing is the feelingyou always have on the first day of autumn,no, the first day you think of autumn, when somehowthe sun singling out high windows,a waiter settling a billow of white clothwith glasses and silver, and the sparrowsshattering to nowhere are the Summerwaving that here is where it turnsand will no longer be walking with you,traveller, who now leave all of this behind,carrying only what it has made of you.Already the crowds seem darker and more hurriedand the slang grows stranger and stranger,and you do not understand what you love,yet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,is the world again, wide-eyed as a childholding up a toy even you can fix. How light your stepdown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,October, small November, barely legible December. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/dark-clouds-on-the-horizon/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e45 Days before November 4th * \"Bigotry is the Sacred Disease\" - Heraclitus 535-475 BC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCool, misty Saturday morning.  We are two days away from Fall.  The seasons come and go, and I like them all.  In the San Francisco Peninsula, the changes are not anticipated with dread.  For the outdoor activities enthusiasts, Fall offers many pleasures.  I look forward to walking and running through the woods, and gathering wild mushrooms (mostly chanterelles).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to: Goldberg Variations, Johann Sebastian Bach BWV988\u003cbr/\u003eGlenn Gould, Piano - 1955 recording\u003cbr/\u003eSONY S3K87703\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003eDo the Right Thing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis year, the presidential election is of special significance.  While it would be great to see the end of the Bush Administration -- eight years of misdeeds, too many to list -- are we going to end up with the McCain-Palin team who will continue the reign of dark forces?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/20/politics/printable4462623.shtml\"\u003eCBS News\u003c/a\u003e Voters and Bigotry\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHow America votes could come down to the economy, and that could be especially true in many of the so-called battleground states where voters have been hit hard economically.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut a new AP-Yahoo News poll shows that race could also play a big role in how some voters make their choice - and this may not bode well for Barack Obama.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAccording to the poll released Saturday, a little over one-third of white Democrats and independents agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, and they are less likely to vote for Obama than those who don't hold such views.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"There are a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean there's only a few bigots,\" said Stanford University political scientist Paul Sniderman, who helped analyze the exhaustive survey.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama is not free from warts but compared to the dark side he is preferable by far. McCain has become like a man possessed.  The once principled man is a pitiful caricature of his former self. A McCain victory will put Palin a heart beat away from the presidency!  Just thinking of that scenario sends shivers up my spine.  Do you want Todd Palin as a decision maker behind the scene ?  \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnd of Summer\u003cbr/\u003eby James Richardson (The New Yorker Sept.3,2007)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"articletext\"\u003e                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Just an uncommon lull in the traffic\u003cbr/\u003eso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,\u003cbr/\u003ewith his \u003ci\u003ebrusque sweep brusque sweep\u003c/i\u003e of the sidewalk,\u003cbr/\u003eand the slap shut of a too thin rental van,\u003cbr/\u003eand \u003ci\u003eI told him no\u003c/i\u003e a gust has snatched from a conversation\u003cbr/\u003eand brought to you, loud.                      \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIt would be so different\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eif any of these were missing is the feeling\u003cbr/\u003eyou always have on the first day of autumn,\u003cbr/\u003eno, the first day you \u003ci\u003ethink\u003c/i\u003e of autumn, when somehow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ethe sun singling out high windows,\u003cbr/\u003ea waiter settling a billow of white cloth\u003cbr/\u003ewith glasses and silver, and the sparrows\u003cbr/\u003eshattering to nowhere are the Summer\u003cbr/\u003ewaving that here is where it turns\u003cbr/\u003eand will no longer be walking with you,\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003etraveller, who now leave all of this behind,\u003cbr/\u003ecarrying only what it has made of you.\u003cbr/\u003eAlready the crowds seem darker and more hurried\u003cbr/\u003eand the slang grows stranger and stranger,\u003cbr/\u003eand you do not understand what you love,\u003cbr/\u003eyet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,\u003cbr/\u003eis the world again, wide-eyed as a child\u003cbr/\u003eholding up a toy even you can fix.                    \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e                                                           How light your step\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003edown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,\u003cbr/\u003eOctober, small November, barely legible December.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Dark Clouds on the Horizon"},{"content":" *50 Days Before November 4th \"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.\"\n-- George Bernard Shaw\nThe excerpt below from Maureen Dowd's Sept.13 column \"Bering Straight Talk\" in The NY Times made me wonder once again about Palin supporters. There are many, including droves of women who were previously for Hillary Clinton! Amazing. How can women who supported Hillary Clinton turn around and become Palin groupies? Republicans or Democrats, no doubt they are the same women who emptied optical stores of Kawasaki rimless frames after watching Sarah Palin at the convention. Ya Habibi. Sarah Palin stands for nothing that Clinton represents; she lacks Clinton's depth of knowledge, her vision, her position on women's right to choose, and her world view. Yes, Hillary Clinton supported the Iraq War resolution but she never claimed that we were fighting God's war in Iraq. “We must not, Charlie, blink, Charlie, because, Charlie, as I’ve said, Charlie, before, John McCain has said, Charlie, that — and remember here, Charlie, we’re talking about John McCain, Charlie, who, Charlie, is John McCain and I won’t be blinking, Charlie.”The quotation was taken by Maureen Dowd from Charlie Gibson's televised interview with Palin. Gibson was \"Charlied\" ad nauseam but, leaving that aside, was there anything substantial that Sarah Palin said during the interview? It was obvious that she stumbled when Gibson mentioned the Bush doctrine -- she had no clue what he was talking about. She created noise and voters liked what they heard.But she has assured America that she \"won't be blinking\". Is that all that we expect from the vice-presidential candidate?PalinxedThe sad fact is that if the McCain-Palin team wins it will not only be due to the support of hardcore Republicans who became hoarse screaming \"Drill, baby drill\" but also because of desertion by a large number of Democrats -- call them blue-collar, conservative, unaware, unable to differentiate between issues and sound bites -- who are once again proving vulnerable to scare tactics and the God factor. The sad state of economy; continuing casualties in Bush's war that McCain and Palin champion; spiraling health care costs; and the deteriorating environment mean nothing to them.And then there is the color of Obama's skin. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/unblinking-and-clueless/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e50 Days Before November 4th \u003cspan class=\"title\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.wisdomquotes.com/002927.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e-- George Bernard Shaw\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe excerpt below from Maureen Dowd's Sept.13 column \"Bering Straight Talk\" in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14dowd.html\"\u003eThe NY Times\u003c/a\u003e made me wonder once again about Palin supporters.  There are many, including droves of women who were previously for Hillary Clinton!  Amazing.  How can  women who supported Hillary Clinton turn around and become Palin groupies?  Republicans or Democrats, no doubt they are the same women who emptied optical stores of Kawasaki rimless frames after watching Sarah Palin at the convention. Ya Habibi.  Sarah Palin stands for nothing that Clinton represents;  she lacks Clinton's depth of knowledge, her vision, her position on women's right to choose, and her world view.  Yes, Hillary Clinton supported the Iraq War resolution but she never claimed that we were fighting God's war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e “We must not, Charlie, blink, Charlie, because, Charlie, as I’ve said, Charlie, before, John McCain has said, Charlie, that — and remember here, Charlie, we’re talking about John McCain, Charlie, who, Charlie, is John McCain and I won’t be blinking, Charlie.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe quotation was taken by Maureen Dowd from Charlie Gibson's televised interview with Palin.  Gibson was \"Charlied\" ad nauseam but, leaving that aside, was there anything substantial that Sarah Palin said during the interview?  It was obvious that she stumbled when Gibson mentioned the Bush doctrine -- she had no clue what he was talking about.  She created noise and voters liked what they heard.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut she has assured America that she \"won't be blinking\".  Is that all that we expect from the vice-presidential candidate?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePalinxed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe sad fact is that if the McCain-Palin team wins it will not only be due to the support of hardcore Republicans who became hoarse screaming \"Drill, baby drill\" but also because of desertion by a large number of Democrats -- call them blue-collar, conservative, unaware, unable to differentiate between issues and sound bites -- who are once again proving vulnerable to scare tactics and the God factor.   The sad state of economy; continuing casualties in Bush's war that McCain and Palin champion; spiraling health care costs; and the deteriorating environment mean nothing to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd then there is the color of Obama's skin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Unblinking and Clueless"},{"content":" *56 Days to November 4th\"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.\"--Winston ChurchillDespite the dismal record of the Bush Administration and consequences of its policies American voters seem to be edging toward electing another Republican to the White House, a Republican who does not want to be seen campaigning with Bush but supports most of what he has done. Whether it is Iraq war, the environment, Supreme Court appointments, efforts to curtail women's right to chose, John McCain is on the same wave length.Yet, support for McCain has gained momentum after the Republican Convention. His gains are partly due to his vice presidential pick. It is becoming clear that the red state/blue state divide, which was a major factor in Bush's victory in 2004, not only exists it is perhaps more stark because this time the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, is a black man. Whether they admit it or not, come November 4th many Americans in the so called \"red\" states, and even some in \"blue\" states, will not vote for a black presidential candidate. Real issues confronting us and our country have receded into the background. Republicans, adept in creating smoke and mirrors, have succeeded in implanting fear.Then there is the God vote. The war and God; energy crisis and God. According to Sarah Palin all problems facing our country can be solved by prayer. It is obvious that many voters believe that. At the convention she spoke about hockey moms being like pit bulls with lipstick. They lapped it up. I read a comment that she would be like Cheney with lipstick. The Associated Press Thursday, September 4, 2008 ANCHORAGE, Alaska: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a \"task that is from God.\"\nIn an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it \"God's will.\"\nPalin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.\n\"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God,\" she said. \"That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan.\"\nA video of the speech was posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.\nPalin told graduating students of the church's School of Ministry, \"What I need to do is strike a deal with you guys.\" As they preached the love of Jesus throughout Alaska, she said, she'd work to implement God's will from the governor's office, including creating jobs by building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to North American markets.\n\"God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,\" she said.\nWhat about praying for sex without pregnancy? Surely God can take care of that but they believe that sex is for procreation. Bad news for condom manufacturers. Trust them to come up with an ad campaign. Perhaps condoms imprinted with verses from Solomon's Song of Songs, New Testament. Now, that was frolicking pure and simple.Source: www.benettontalk.comOn November 4th I shall do my part as a citizen of this great country. I do not expect a change for the better, especially if the McCain-Palin team wins. In fact, the prospect is quite depressing. And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/election-2008-and-american-voters/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e56 Days to November 4th\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"huge\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybold\"\u003e--Winston Churchill\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite the dismal record of the Bush Administration and consequences of its policies American voters seem to be edging toward electing another Republican to the White House,  a Republican who  does not want to be seen campaigning with Bush but supports most of what he has done. Whether it is Iraq war, the environment, Supreme Court appointments, efforts to curtail women's right to chose, John McCain is on the same wave length.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet, support for McCain has gained momentum after the Republican Convention.  His  gains are partly due to his vice presidential pick.  It is becoming clear that the red state/blue state divide, which was a major factor in Bush's victory in 2004, not only exists it is perhaps more stark because this time the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama,  is a black man.  Whether they admit it or not, come November 4th many Americans in the so called \"red\" states, and even some in \"blue\" states, will not vote for a black presidential candidate.  Real issues confronting us and our country have receded into the background.  Republicans, adept in creating smoke and mirrors, have succeeded in implanting fear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen there is the God vote.  The war and God;  energy crisis and God.  According to Sarah Palin all problems facing our country  can be  solved by prayer.  It is obvious that many voters believe that. At the convention she spoke about  hockey moms being like pit bulls with lipstick.  They lapped it up. I read a comment that  she would be like Cheney with lipstick.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Election 2008 and American Voters"},{"content":" *Vice President of the USA or a Padded Cell in a Mental InstituteSoldiers of the Wehrmacht wore belt buckles that read Gott Mit Uns (God is with us). We know what took place during the infamous Third Reich. We do not know what would happen if John McCain wins the White House. But articles about his vice presidential pick Sarah Palin often contain the phrase that she would be a heartbeat away from the presidency. That is a frightening scenario to think about.Adolf Hitler is long gone. Reading about Sarah Palin and her views gives the impression that there is not much difference between her and fanatical leaders of Islamic groups. No middle ground, no compromises. Tolerance is a word that does not exist in their vocabulary. Huffington PostThree months before she was thrust into the national political spotlight, Gov. Sarah Palin was asked to handle a much smaller task: addressing the graduating class of commission students at her one-time church, Wasilla Assembly of God.Her speech in June provides as much insight into her policy leanings as anything uncovered since she was asked to be John McCain's running mate.Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.\"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God,\" she exhorted the congregants. \"That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.\"Condoms Are Satanic Devices ?Governor Palin does not believe in sex education -- birth control, prevention of STD. In her world it is OK for a young girl to get pregnant and hope that the person who impregnated her would end up marrying her. What if the impregnator was her uncle ? Simple: Carry the baby to term and pray. What did she really say to her daughter?\"All I Wanna Do\"(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")\n*Guardian UK:\"Palin, with her meat loaf and rifles, reminds us that there are two hopelessly incompatible Americas\"McCain and LiebermanIf reports that Senator Lieberman was his first choice but John McCain backed off because of fear of backlash from conservatives are true what does that say about the Republican nominee? ","permalink":"/posts/2008/09/gott-mit-uns-and-john-mccains-vp-pick/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eVice President of the USA or a Padded Cell in a Mental Institute\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoldiers of the Wehrmacht wore belt buckles that read Gott Mit Uns (God is with us). We know what took place during the infamous Third Reich.  We do not know what would happen if John  McCain wins the White House.  But articles about his vice presidential pick Sarah Palin often contain the phrase that she would be a heartbeat away from the presidency.  That is a frightening scenario to think about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAdolf Hitler is long gone.  Reading about Sarah Palin and her views gives the impression that there is not much difference between her and fanatical leaders of Islamic groups.  No middle ground, no compromises.  Tolerance is a word that does not exist in their vocabulary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Gott Mit Uns and John McCain's VP Pick"},{"content":" *Collateral DamageHeadline in The Washington Post:U.N. Finds Airstrike Killed 90 AfghansMost of Fatalities In U.S.-Led Attack Said to Be ChildrenFrom Harold Pinter's Nobel Prize (Literature, 2005) acceptance speech:\nDeath\n\"Who was the dead body?Who was the father or daughter or brotherOr uncle or sister or mother or sonOf the dead and abandoned body?\" President Karzai, our puppet in Afghanistan, made the usual noise. Nothing will change. Innocent civilians in Afghanistan will continue to die in air strikes claimed to be directed against the Taliban. Except surviving members of their families, no one will remember the dead.\nBy Candace Rondeaux and Karen DeYoungWashington Post Foreign ServiceWednesday, August 27, 2008; A01ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 26 -- United Nations officials in Afghanistan said Tuesday that there was \"convincing evidence\" at least 90 civilians -- two-thirds of them children -- were killed in a U.S.-led airstrike last week that caused the Afghan government to call for a review of U.S. and NATO military operations in the country.Kai Eide, the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, said local officials and residents in the western province of Herat corroborated reports that 60 children and 30 adults had been killed in an Aug. 21 military operation led by U.S. Special Operations forces and the Afghan army.In a statement, Eide called the incident a \"matter of grave concern to the United Nations\" and said he had \"repeatedly made clear that the safety and welfare of civilians must be considered above all else during the planning and conduct of all military operations.\"U.S. forces in Afghanistan have increased their reliance on air power since last year, causing a corresponding increase in civilian deaths. The Herat assault appears to have caused the largest civilian loss of life attributed to U.S. forces since the war began in late 2001.See: Death Came to Zarghun Shah, East of Kabul\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/08/hamid-karzai-the-cypher-in-green-robe/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCollateral Damage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHeadline in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR2008082600301.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.N. Finds Airstrike Killed 90 Afghans\u003cbr/\u003eMost of Fatalities In U.S.-Led Attack Said to Be Children\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom Harold Pinter's Nobel Prize (Literature, 2005) acceptance speech:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeath\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Who was the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was the father or daughter or brother\u003cbr/\u003eOr uncle or sister or mother or son\u003cbr/\u003eOf the dead and abandoned body?\" \u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Karzai, our puppet in Afghanistan, made the usual noise. Nothing will change. Innocent civilians in Afghanistan will continue to die in air strikes claimed to be directed against the Taliban. Except surviving members of their families, no one will remember the dead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Hamid Karzai, the Cypher  in Green Robe"},{"content":" *Pajaro Dunes * A Poem by Robert Haas * Reading Patrick Leigh FermorA warm Sunday. We haven't had too many warm days this summer. Between overcast days and forest fires, clear, blue sky has been absent. Labor Day is around the corner. Of course, we could get a few blistering days as summer's parting kick.Returning home after a run last evening I saw the fog rolling in over the hills in the west and thought that Half Moon Bay must be cool and misty.Pajaro Dunes, where I was earlier this month, was not cold but the sun stayed out of sight most of the time.Wanderlust\"very strong or irresistible impulse to travel [syn:\" -- definition of \"wanderlust\" in the OnLine Dictionary. That is how Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts makes me feel. Leigh Fermor was 18 when, in 1933, he began a walk across Europe to Constantinople. Spellbinding; it is hard to put down. The first part covers his journey from the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube. I can hardly wait for Part II -- Between the Woods and the Water\"Recovers the innocence and the excitement of youth, when everything was possible and the world seemed luminescent with promise\" --Jeremy Lewis, Literary ReviewImages of Pajaro DunesWalkers in the Mist ©Musafir\nA boy and the sea ©Musafir\nChildren at play©MusafirA runner in her own world©Musafir *\"Tahoe in August\" by Robert Haas\"What summer proposes is simply happiness:heat early in the morning, jaysraucuous in the pines. Frank and Ellen have a tennis gameat nine, Bill and Cheryl sleep on the deckto watch a shower of summer stars. Nick and Sharonstayed in, sat and talked the dark on,drinking tea, and Jeanne walked into the meadowin a white smock to write in her journalby a grazing horse who seemed to want her company.Some of them will swim in the afternoon.Someone will drive to the hardware store to fetchnew latches for the kitchen door. Four o'clock;the joggers jogging--it is one of them who seesdown the flowering slope the woman with her notebookin her hand beside the white horse, gesturing, her hairfrom a distance the copper color of hummingbirdsthe slant light catches on the slope: the hikersswitchback down the canyon from the waterfall;the readers are reading, Anna is about to meet Vronsky,that nice M. Swann is dining in Cambraywith the aunts, and Carrie has come to Chicago.What they want is happiness; someone to love them,children, a summer by the lake. The woman who sets asideher book blinks against the fuzzy dark,re-entering the house. Her daughter drifts downstairs;out late the night before, she has been napping,and she's cross. Her mother tells her David telephoned.\"He's such a dear,\" the mother says, \"I thinkI make him nervous.\" The girl tosses her head as the horsehad done in the meadow while Jeanne read it in her dream.\"You can call him now, if you want,\" the mother says,\"I've got to get the chicken started,I won't listen.\" \"Did I say you would?\"the girl says quickly. The mother who has been slappedthis way before and done the same herself another summeron a different lake says, \"Ouch.\" The girl shrugssulkily. \"I'm sorry.\" Looking down: \"Somethingabout the way you said that pissed me off.\"\"Hannibal has wandered off,\" the mother says,wryness in her voice, she is thinking it is August,\"why don't you see if he's at the Finley's houseagain.\" The girl says, \"God.\" The mother: \"He lovessmall children. It's livelier for him there.\"The daughter, awake now, flounces out the door,which slams. It is for all of them the sound of summer.The mother she looks like stands at the counter snapping beans.\"*From: Human Wishes, published by Ecco Press (1989) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/08/the-seasons-a-month-before-autumn-equinox/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePajaro Dunes * A Poem by Robert Haas * Reading Patrick Leigh Fermor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA warm Sunday.  We haven't had too many warm days this summer.  Between overcast days and forest fires, clear, blue sky has been absent.   Labor Day is around the corner.  Of course, we could get a few blistering days as summer's parting kick.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReturning home after a run last evening I saw the fog rolling in over the hills in the west and thought that Half Moon Bay must be cool and misty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePajaro Dunes, where I was earlier this month, was not cold but the sun stayed out of sight most of the time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWanderlust\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"very strong or irresistible impulse to travel [syn:\" -- definition of \"wanderlust\" in the OnLine Dictionary. That is how Patrick Leigh Fermor's \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Time_Of_Gifts\"\u003eA Time of Gifts\u003c/a\u003e makes me feel. Leigh Fermor was 18 when, in 1933, he began a walk across Europe to Constantinople. Spellbinding; it is hard to put down.  The first part covers his journey from the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube. I can hardly wait for Part II -- Between the Woods and the Water\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Recovers the innocence and the excitement of youth, when everything was possible and the world seemed luminescent with promise\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e--Jeremy Lewis, Literary Review\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImages of Pajaro Dunes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWalkers in the Mist\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238178179728355810\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/08/Pajaro Dunes Aug 2008 036.jpg\"/\u003e \u003cp\u003e©Musafir\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Seasons:  A Month Before Autumn Equinox"},{"content":" *Carlos Gardel * Sally Potter and The Tango LessonAmusing, to us perhaps. To tango lovers in Latin America it is not so. And, therefore, the heated arguments between Uruguay and Argentina over the right to claim the late Carlos Gardel as a native son are taken very seriously.Gardel and his suave good looks, stylish clothes, and melodious voice remain alive in the hearts of many people in Latin America long after his death in 1935 in a plane crash. However, until recent claim by Uruguay that Gardel was born in Tacuarembo, Uruguay, no one disputed that Gardel was Argentinian.Daniel Schweimler, BBC News, wrote:\nHe was an early playboy, an international superstar who came to a tragic and premature end in a plane crash in Colombia in 1935. Gardel is to Argentina what Frank Sinatra is to the United States or Edith Piaf is to France. So while driving through northern Uruguay recently, I had to take a second look when I saw a sign pointing to Carlos Gardel's birthplace and museum. How cheeky can you get? It is like Canadians saying that Sinatra was not really born in Hoboken, New Jersey, but in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Or the British claiming that Edith Piaf really hailed from Basingstoke in southern England. Gardel is as Argentine as a big lump of juicy steak being barbequed by gauchos out on the pampas. But not according to the Uruguayans, and they have the evidence to prove it - or so they say. Hope the Uruguayans and Argentinians will come to an amicable settlement and continue to excel in the tango. These days, from what we see of dance competitions on television there seems to be too much improvisation, and showmanship that borders on circus acts -- a far cry from the elegant, fluid tango of Carlos Gardel's era. For classical tango, watch Sally Potter's black and white film The Tango Lesson (1997). Marvellous. © Amazon.com\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/08/the-tango-king-dispute/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCarlos Gardel * Sally Potter and The Tango Lesson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmusing, to us perhaps.  To tango lovers in Latin America it is not so.  And, therefore, the heated arguments between Uruguay and Argentina over the right to claim the late Carlos Gardel as a native son are taken very seriously.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGardel and his suave good looks, stylish clothes, and melodious voice remain alive in the hearts of many people in Latin America long after his death in 1935 in a plane crash. However, until recent claim by Uruguay that Gardel was born in Tacuarembo, Uruguay, no one disputed that Gardel was Argentinian.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Schweimler, \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7562848.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e, wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Tango King Dispute"},{"content":" *August and Wars * John Edwards * Alexander Solzhenitsyn * Pajaro DunesThe blogosphere is full of items titled \"August is the Cruelest Month\". Is it? The title reminds me of the novella by Edna O'Brien. Her \"August is the Cruelest Month\" was published in 1965. A good read.Surfing the 'net, I found that in his article about August and its association with wars Nigel Jones of Times Online (London) also mentioned Edna O'Brien's book. Excerpt from his article: Nigel JonesAugust is the month when wars start.” When the late rock writer Al Aronowitz penned that line in his August Blues he spoke more truly than he knew. The current hostilities between Russia and Georgia are only the latest in a series of modern crises and conflicts that have all broken out in what the novelist Edna O'Brien called the “wicked month” when ordinary people and politicians alike should be at their most relaxed and sunning themselves on Southwold sands, but have just as often been plotting wars and starting rumours of wars.The very name of the month has a martial ring. August is named after Augustus, first of the Roman emperors, who was himself a successful general. His adopted father, Julius Caesar, was one of the great commanders of history and, after Caesar's assassination in 44BC, it fell to Augustus to hunt down and defeat his uncle's murderers, Brutus and Cassius. He followed this up by defeating his great rival Mark Antony at the sea battle of Actium, leaving himself as the single unchallenged ruler of Rome. *Here in America, August turned out to be the month to put an end to the political career of ex-senator and former presidential candidate John Edwards. As they say \"he is toast\". You wonder about the monumental ego of the philanderers. It is not that they have affairs but to think that they can get away with it!The death of Solzhenitsyn resulted in hundreds of items in the media. There is no question about his courage in writing One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962), followed by The Gulag Archipelago.\nThe Other Side of Solzhenitsyn\nTimes OnLine August 5, 2008\nIn common with Dostoevsky, Solzhenitsyn's indictment of autocracy sat oddly - to Western readers at least - with his wider philosophy. He was hostile to the notion that Russia should adopt liberal constitutionalism. He was committed to the values of the Russian Orthodox Church against the corrupting influences of Western materialism. He was fervent in his belief in the unity of Russia and the Slavic peoples. In a notorious interview last year, Solzhenitsyn defended the regime and foreign policy of Vladimir Putin. Some critics have even accused Solzhenitsyn of anti-Semitism - one parallel with Dostoevsky that is certainly unfair.The late Polish author Ryszard Kapuściński is far from the fame attained by Solzhenitsyn. Kapuściński's Imperium (1994) is a fascinating book about his travels in Russia. He wrote:\"Russians are debating -- what should be done? Some say: Return to the roots, to the old Russia. Solzhenitsyn maintains that czarist Russia was a splendid country, \"rich and flowering\" (Alexander Solzhenitsyn, How to Rebuild Russia). Then, unfortunately, the Bolsheviks came and ruined everything. And yet witnesses of that earlier epoch paint a less idyllic picture of Russia.\" -- Ryszard Kapuściński ImperiumCathy Young in The Boston Globe:According to Young, Solzhenitsyn castigated the policies of Boris Yeltsin, saying the leader stripped Russia of prestige, while embracing President Vladimir Putin. “This was the sad paradox of Solzhenitsyn's final years,” Young writes. “The man who used his Nobel Prize to start a fund for political prisoners kept quiet about the new political prisoners of Putin's regime.”In the Moscow Times, Yevgeny Kiselyov expresses a similar opinion. “Solzhenitsyn's proposals for how to improve conditions in Russia were naive, at best,” according to Kiselyov. “And how can we regard him as ‘the conscience of the people’ when he remained silent during Russia’s greatest tragedies, at times when the people needed moral support from an authoritative figure the most?” he said, citing instances like the start of the war in Chechnya and the Beslan hostage crisis. * Pajaro DunesBeach House at Pajaro Dunes (August 2007)©MusafirFor me, August means a week on the coast at Pajaro Dunes. Not always sunny but a week when a group of us walk on the beach, look out of the window at the Pacific 50 yards away, talk, read, cook, enjoy good food and wine before returning to the valley, ready to face the waning days of summer. I'll be there this afternoon. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/08/the-seasons-is-august-the-cruelest-month/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAugust and Wars * John Edwards * Alexander Solzhenitsyn * Pajaro Dunes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe blogosphere is full of items titled \"August is the Cruelest Month\".  Is it?  The title reminds me of the novella by Edna O'Brien.  Her \"August is the Cruelest Month\" was published in 1965. A good read.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSurfing the 'net, I found that in his article about August and its association with wars Nigel Jones of  \u003ca href=\"http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article4508771.ece\"\u003eTimes Online\u003c/a\u003e  (London) also mentioned Edna O'Brien's book.  Excerpt from his article: \u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Is August the Cruelest Month ?"},{"content":" *Energy Costs * Immigration ReformOf course, we should have the right to change our minds about issues. John McCain and Barack Obama are doing that. But they make you wonder how far they will go to move away from previously held positions. Call them flexible, yes. Both are doing somersaults in the hope of winning the support of Americans hurt by high energy prices.McCain's gas tax rebate plan (also proposed by the then presidential candidate Senator Clinton) bit the dust; it never really took off. McCain had been pushing for off-shore drilling despite the fact that it is going to have little or no impact on prices for years to come. Apparently, it got him some traction. So, Obama was not to be left behind. Formerly opposed to it, he is now touting \"limited\" off shore drilling. \"Limited drilling\", \"slightly pregnant\" and our politicians! To her credit, Speaker Pelosi made it clear that offshore drilling was not going to come up for a vote in Congress.Faced with backlash from conservatives, immigration reform is an area where McCain did a volte-face. A strong backer of immigration reform legislation in 2006, by 2007 McCain had changed his position and said he wouldn't support the bill \"if it came to him as president\".Obama wants to cover all bases. His latest ploy is to one-up McCain by proposing windfall profits tax on the oil companies and give all Americans \"a $1,000 rebate\" according to a recent ad released by his campaign. Republicans, of course, will talk about doom and gloom scenarios if big oil companies are deprived of huge profits. The sky is not going to fall. On the other hand, if the thought of receiving one thousand dollars under Obama's plan makes you drool, pause and think. Sure, it would be nice to have some spending money. Don't expect lower prices at the the pumps.On immigration reform, Obama is on eggshells. He needs the Latino votes. Right now he has them. The critical swing states voters,however, hold strong anti-immigration views. Our man Obama has to strike a delicate balance. Judging by his record one can expect his decision to be purely based on expediency. He will take a stand that will give him more in the national election....or hurt him less.*\"Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with, and then the different branches of arithmetic -- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.\"---The Mock Turtle, Alice In Wonderland\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/08/time-of-the-hucksters/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEnergy Costs * Immigration Reform\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOf course, we should have the right to change our minds about issues.  John McCain and Barack Obama are doing that. But they make you wonder how far they will go to move away from previously held positions. Call them flexible, yes.  Both are doing somersaults in the hope of winning the support of Americans hurt by high energy prices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMcCain's gas tax rebate plan (also proposed by the then presidential candidate Senator Clinton) bit the dust; it never really took off. McCain had been pushing for off-shore drilling despite the fact that it is going to have little or no impact on prices for years to come.  Apparently, it  got him some traction.  So,  Obama was not to be left behind.  Formerly opposed to it,  he is now touting \"limited\" off shore drilling.   \"Limited drilling\", \"slightly pregnant\" and our politicians!  To her credit, Speaker Pelosi made it clear that offshore drilling was not going to come up for a vote in Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFaced with backlash from conservatives, immigration reform is an area where McCain did a volte-face.  A strong backer of immigration reform legislation in 2006, by 2007 \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91323073\"\u003eMcCain\u003c/a\u003e had changed his position and said he wouldn't support the bill \"if it came to him as president\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama wants to cover all bases.  His latest ploy is to one-up McCain by proposing windfall profits tax on the oil companies and give all Americans \"a $1,000 rebate\" according to a recent ad released by his campaign.  Republicans, of course, will talk about doom and gloom scenarios if big oil companies are deprived of huge profits.  The sky is not going to fall.  On the other hand, if the thought of receiving one thousand dollars under Obama's plan makes you drool, pause and think.  Sure, it would be nice to have some spending money.  Don't expect lower prices at the the pumps.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn immigration reform, Obama is on eggshells.  He needs the Latino votes.  Right now he has them.  The critical swing states voters,however, hold strong anti-immigration views.  Our man Obama has to strike a delicate balance.  Judging by his record one can expect his decision to be purely based on expediency.  He will take a stand that will give him more in the national election....or hurt him less.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with, and then the different branches of arithmetic -- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.\"\u003c/div\u003e---The Mock Turtle, Alice In Wonderland\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Time of the Hucksters"},{"content":" * The Bush Administration continues to do its utmost to prevent women from the right not only to abortion but also to birth control aids. The Bush appointees in SCOTUS have not yet overturned Roe v. Wade. In the meantime, Roe v. Wade is under attack in various states, and the current administration is using its powers to support the so called \"right to life movement\".S. Dakota's attempts in 2006 to pass draconian anti-abortion law failed, but Republicans are still catering to those who oppose women's right to choose. Strangely, members of the movement are concerned about the foetuses but not for children of unwanted pregnancies. They don't give a hoot about caring for them.Rob Stein in The Washington PostThe Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing a draft regulation that would deny federal funding to any hospital, clinic, health plan or other entity that does not accommodate employees who want to opt out of participating in care that runs counter to their personal convictions, including providing birth-control pills, IUDs and the Plan B emergency contraceptive.Conservative groups, abortion opponents and some members of Congress are welcoming the initiative as necessary to safeguard doctors, nurses and other health workers who, they say, are increasingly facing discrimination because of their beliefs or are being coerced into delivering services they find repugnant.But the draft proposal has sparked intense criticism by family planning advocates, women's health activists, and members of Congress who say the regulation would create overwhelming obstacles for women seeking abortions and birth control.There is also deep concern that the rule could have far-reaching, but less obvious, implications. Because of its wide scope and because it would -- apparently for the first time -- define abortion in a federal regulation as anything that affects a fertilized egg, the regulation could raise questions about a broad spectrum of scientific research and care, critics say.\"The breadth of this is potentially immense,\" said Robyn S. Shapiro, a bioethicist and lawyer at the Medical College of Wisconsin. \"Is this going to result in a kind of blessed censorship of a whole host of areas of medical care and research?\"Senator Ted Stevens - \"Bridge to Nowhere\"In other news about the moral values gang, here is an item from my favorite Alaska's Corrupt Bastards Club:\"Rasmussen Reports, an electronic publishing firm specializing in public opinion polling information, today released new statistics showing U.S. Senate candidate Mark Begich winning the Alaska Senate race by nine points. The poll, a telephone survey of 500 likely voters, shows Begich beating Sen. Ted Stevens 50 percent to 41 percent. According to Rasmussen Reports, when “leaners” are included, Begich leads 52 percent to 44 percent.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/womens-right-to-choose-under-attack-again/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Bush Administration continues to do its utmost to prevent women from the right not only to abortion but also to birth control aids.  The Bush appointees in \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States\"\u003eSCOTUS\u003c/a\u003e have not yet overturned  Roe v. Wade.  In the meantime, Roe v. Wade is under attack in various states, and the current administration is using its powers to support the so called \"right to life movement\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eS. Dakota's attempts in 2006 to pass draconian anti-abortion law failed, but Republicans are still catering to those who oppose women's right to choose. Strangely, members of the movement are concerned about the foetuses but not for children of unwanted pregnancies.  They don't give a hoot about caring for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRob Stein in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/30/AR2008073003238.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing a draft regulation that would deny federal funding to any hospital, clinic, health plan or other entity that does not accommodate employees who want to opt out of participating in care that runs counter to their personal convictions, including providing birth-control pills, IUDs and the Plan B emergency contraceptive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eConservative groups, abortion opponents and some members of Congress are welcoming the initiative as necessary to safeguard doctors, nurses and other health workers who, they say, are increasingly facing discrimination because of their beliefs or are being coerced into delivering services they find repugnant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the draft proposal has sparked intense criticism by family planning advocates, women's health activists, and members of Congress who say the regulation would create overwhelming obstacles for women seeking abortions and birth control.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is also deep concern that the rule could have far-reaching, but less obvious, implications. Because of its wide scope and because it would -- apparently for the first time -- define abortion in a federal regulation as anything that affects a fertilized egg, the regulation could raise questions about a broad spectrum of scientific research and care, critics say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The breadth of this is potentially immense,\" said Robyn S. Shapiro, a bioethicist and lawyer at the Medical College of Wisconsin. \"Is this going to result in a kind of blessed censorship of a whole host of areas of medical care and research?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSenator Ted Stevens - \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/29/stevens.history/\"\u003e\"Bridge to Nowhere\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn other news about the moral values gang, here is an item from my favorite Alaska's \u003ca href=\"http://alaskareport.com/news/z49999_corrupt_bastards.htm/\"\u003eCorrupt Bastards Club\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Rasmussen Reports, an electronic publishing firm specializing in public opinion polling information, today released new statistics showing U.S. Senate candidate Mark Begich winning the Alaska Senate race by nine points. The poll, a telephone survey of 500 likely voters, shows Begich beating Sen. Ted Stevens 50 percent to 41 percent. According to Rasmussen Reports, when “leaners” are included, Begich leads 52 percent to 44 percent.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Women's Right to Choose Under Attack, Again"},{"content":" *Striking Architecture, Friendly People, Qat, Kalashnikovs, and Curried Goat HeadReading Eric Hansen's admirable book \"Motoring with Mohammed\", took me back to 1989 when I visited North Yemen. It was not long after the period when Mr. Hansen was in Yemen, trying to reach an island on the coast to recover documents that he had buried there after the yacht he was serving on got beached.Despite its arrid climate, ruggedness and vast stretches of desert, Yemen attracts tourists and archaeologists who are fascinated by the unusual architecture and culture of the Yemeni people. For me, it was not a pleasure trip. Mercury Venus, a ship carrying huge rolls of wrapping paper was what took me there. The objective was to expedite the discharge of the cargo and dispatch her for Mumbai to complete delivery of a shipment of steel pipes before the onset of the monsoon.Due to delay in getting visa I arrived at San'a on Yemenia (Yemen Airways) from Gatwick two days later than planned. The ship was already at Mocha (al Mukha), at one time a well-known coffee exporting port. On arrival I found that the only way to get to Mocha, 249 km (135 miles) was by taxi. Two reps from an agency appointed for husbanding of the Mercury Venus arranged one for $200.00. And an hour after arrival at San'a I took off for Mocha.It was May, blazing hot but not humid. The taxi, a beat up Peugeot diesel, had no air-conditioning and the driver, Khaled, like most Yemenis, was a cigarette smoker (Rothmans was the popular brand).I no longer have the photographs I took. Following are from a site where subscribers graciously permit downloading of images for non-commercial use. I'm grateful to them.Bab al Yemen Gate, San'a©Hanno Maliepaard,http://www.woophy..com/Burqa-clad Yemeni woman. I saw women without burqa too.©GRAPAS, http://www.woophy..com/Men chewing qat (see the bulging cheeks)©Maria Antonia, http://www.woophy..com/Qat seller, a common sight in Yemen. The curved daggers are called Jambiyah©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/Kalashnikovs on sale outside a village restaurant at Shibam,©koelblf, http://www.woophy..com/A stall selling fabric and clothes for women©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/The unusual houses on cliffs are found all over Yemen©Marisoll, http://www.woophy..com/A road through the desert©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/View, outskirts of San'a©photobag,http://www.woophy..com/Main Street, Mocha (al Mukha)©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/Between English and sign language, Khaled and I didn't have much difficulty communicating. Shortly after leaving San'a, Khaled stopped at a roadside shack -- earthen floor and a few wooden benches -- for lunch. He did the ordering. We were served platters with big hunks of meat and warm flat bread, somewhat like naan. We ate with our hands. Thought the meat was goat head but I was not sure. The taste was nothing to write about but I was hungry.The trouble began after lunch. Khaled stopped at a qat market and got a supply of the green leaves before hitting the road for Mocha. There were areas when we were on mountain roads and I could see hulks of vehicles that went down the cliff. After a while Khaled's driving became noticeably erratic. I requested him to slow down but he paid no heed. Then I asked him to stop and let me down. He indicated that there was no need to be afraid; he was OK. True, if he did let me off it was not simple, getting another car to take me to Mocha. I was tired after the long flight and I dozed off. Woke up to a tremendous lurch and wrenching sound. We were off the road but the car didn't go down the cliff to the right of us. High on qat, Khaled had lost control of the car but by luck or skill swerved to the left and ended up in a ditch. Apart from banging his head on the steering wheel Khaled was fine and so was I after the shock wore off. The front axle was out of whack; the car was no longer driveable.There we were on a dusty, barren stretch of road halfway between San'a and Mocha, yet within minutes of the accident we were surrounded by Yemenis who seemed to appear from nowhere. There was one young man who spoke English and he said although traffic was light, cars and trucks do use the road to Mocha. Didn't take too long before another Peugeot diesel stopped at the scene of the accident. Khaled and the young Yemeni spoke to the driver. Khaled paid him some money and transferred my suitcase to the other car. There were two women in burqa and a man in the backseat. They did their best to make room for me to squeeze in.Rest of the drive was uneventful. I got to Mocha, and the agents took me to the ship. The ship was under a Korean master and crew. Discharge operations were going well. Capt. Kim said he expected to complete discharge by noon the next day. There was no decent hotel in Mocha. I was offered use of the Owner's Cabin on the ship. Sounds fancy but it was 110 degrees (F) and the quarters were not airconditioned.Next day I told Capt. Kim that I'd see him in Mumbai 8 days later and saw the ship depart from Mocha. When I went back to the agents' office I was told that they had arranged for a taxi to take me back to San'a after lunch. We had lunch at the office. A large tin platter was brought in with with rice and fried fish (looked like pomfret). There were four of us. We ate with our hands from the same platter. It was delicious.The taxi showed up and when I asked the driver what he was called. He said \"Khaled\". Another Khaled! He was younger and he spoke better English than the first Khaled. But after we got on the road to San'a he took out a bag full of qat and started chewing. When I mentioned my experience on the trip to Mocha he said he was not going to have too much. How much is too much? I resigned myself to the Yemeni habit and accepted Khaled's offer to try chewing qat. It creates a thirst and requires drinking a lot of water. I must confess that I never reached the high -- the euphoric sense that qat is reported to create. Perhaps I didn't chew it right and slowly ingest the juice. But we got to San'a without mishap. Yemeni men, women, and some kids, chew qat. Alcoholic beverages, however, were restricted; available only to foreigners staying at large hotels.Checked in at the Taj Sheba, run by the Uberoi Group of India. The next evening I flew out of Yemen via Riyadh to Mumbai, went on to New Delhi to spend a few days before returning to Mumbai. My only unpleasant experience was when the Yemeni woman at San'a airport said she had no change after I tendered a $20.00 bill for \"departure tax\"of $8.00. She wanted to pocket the money but I refused to budge; told her that I'd wait until she got change. After a few minutes she found the change. Later, I found that usually the departure tax was included in tickets issued abroad.FootnoteQat (pronounced cot), also referred to as khat, quatt, kat, and tchat (in Ethiopia), is a leafy narcotic popular in certain areas of Africa and, more recently, Britain. Qat, from the Catha Edulis tree, originated in Ethiopia and spread to Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Arabia, the Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, South Africa and Yemen. Yemeni qat is the most often discussed, and reportedly of better quality than that from other places. When chewed, qat leaves produce feelings of euphoria and stimulation. Qat has become a major cultural phenomenon for Yemeni and Somali societies and has been the cause of conflict over production and distribution in these countries. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/sana-to-mocha-yemen-1989/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eStriking Architecture, Friendly People, Qat, Kalashnikovs, and Curried Goat Head\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading Eric Hansen's  admirable book \"Motoring with Mohammed\", took me back to 1989 when I visited North Yemen.  It was not long after the period when Mr. Hansen was in Yemen, trying to reach an island on the coast to recover documents that he had buried there after the yacht he was serving on got beached.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite its arrid climate, ruggedness and vast stretches of desert, Yemen attracts tourists and archaeologists who are fascinated by the unusual architecture and culture of the Yemeni people.  For me, it was not a pleasure trip.  Mercury Venus, a ship carrying huge rolls of wrapping paper was what took me there. The objective was to expedite the discharge of the cargo and dispatch her for Mumbai to complete delivery of a shipment of steel pipes before the onset of the monsoon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDue to delay in getting visa I arrived at San'a  on Yemenia (Yemen Airways) from Gatwick two days later than planned.  The ship was already at Mocha (al Mukha), at one time a well-known coffee exporting port. On arrival I found that the only way to get to Mocha, 249 km (135 miles)  was by taxi. Two reps from an agency appointed for husbanding of the Mercury Venus arranged one for $200.00.  And an hour after arrival at San'a I took off for Mocha.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was May, blazing hot but not humid.  The taxi, a beat up Peugeot diesel, had no air-conditioning and the driver, Khaled, like most Yemenis, was a cigarette smoker (Rothmans was the popular brand).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI no longer have the photographs I took.  Following are from a site where subscribers graciously permit downloading of images for non-commercial use.  I'm grateful to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBab al Yemen Gate, San'a\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227361406528760194\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yenen VIII.jpg\"/\u003e©Hanno Maliepaard,http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBurqa-clad Yemeni woman.  I saw women without burqa too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225897520768818962\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen VII.jpg\"/\u003e©GRAPAS,  http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMen chewing qat (see the bulging cheeks)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225896854032759906\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen VI.jpg\"/\u003e©Maria  Antonia, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eQat seller, a common sight in Yemen.  The curved daggers are called Jambiyah\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225894141986481890\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKalashnikovs on sale outside a village restaurant at Shibam,\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227384771541082834\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Street side gun shop.jpg\"/\u003e©koelblf, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA stall selling fabric and clothes for women\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225894687863786482\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen IV.jpg\"/\u003e©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe unusual houses on cliffs are found all over Yemen\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227382913066250530\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen Clifftop house.jpg\"/\u003e©Marisoll, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA road through the desert\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225896582540163714\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen V.jpg\"/\u003e©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eView, outskirts of San'a\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225896434636735714\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Yemen IX.jpg\"/\u003e©photobag,http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMain Street, Mocha (al Mukha)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227380246526389890\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/Mocha, Yemen.jpg\"/\u003e©MOMO, http://www.woophy..com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBetween English and sign language, Khaled and I didn't have much difficulty communicating.  Shortly after leaving San'a, Khaled stopped at a roadside shack -- earthen floor and a few wooden benches -- for lunch.  He did the ordering.  We were served platters with big hunks of meat and warm flat bread, somewhat like naan.  We ate with our hands.  Thought the meat was goat head but I was not sure.  The taste was nothing to write about but I was hungry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe trouble began after lunch.  Khaled stopped at a qat market and got a supply of the green leaves before hitting the road for Mocha.  There were areas when we were on mountain roads and I could see hulks of vehicles that went down the cliff.  After a while Khaled's driving became noticeably erratic.  I requested him to slow down but he paid no heed.  Then I asked him to stop and let me down.  He indicated that there was no need to be afraid;  he was OK.  True, if he did let me off it was not simple, getting another car to take me to Mocha.  I was tired after the long flight and I dozed off.  Woke up to a tremendous lurch and wrenching sound.  We were off the road but the car didn't go down the cliff to the right of us.  High on qat, Khaled had lost control of the car but by luck or skill swerved to the left and ended up in a ditch.  Apart from banging his head on the steering wheel Khaled was fine and so was I after the shock wore off.  The front axle was out of whack; the car was no longer driveable.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere we were on a dusty, barren stretch of road halfway between San'a and Mocha, yet within minutes of the accident we were surrounded by Yemenis who seemed to appear from nowhere. There was one young man who spoke English and he said although traffic was light, cars and trucks do use the road to Mocha.  Didn't take too long before another Peugeot diesel stopped at the scene of the accident.  Khaled and the young Yemeni spoke to the driver.  Khaled paid him some money and transferred my suitcase to the other car.  There were two women in burqa and a man in the backseat.  They did their best to make room for me to squeeze in.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRest of the drive was uneventful.  I got to Mocha, and the agents took me to the ship.  The ship was under a  Korean master and crew.  Discharge operations were  going well.  Capt. Kim said he expected to complete discharge by noon the next day.  There was no decent hotel in Mocha.  I was offered use of the Owner's Cabin on the ship.   Sounds fancy but it was 110 degrees (F) and the quarters were not airconditioned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNext day I told Capt. Kim that I'd see him in Mumbai 8 days later and saw the ship depart from Mocha.  When I went back to the agents' office I was told that they had arranged for a taxi to take me back to San'a after lunch.  We had lunch at the office.  A large tin platter was brought in with with rice and fried fish (looked like pomfret).  There were four of us.  We ate with our hands from the same platter.   It was delicious.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe taxi showed up and when I asked the driver what he was called.  He said \"Khaled\".  Another Khaled!  He was younger and he spoke better English than the first Khaled.  But after we got on the road to San'a he took out a bag full of qat and started chewing.  When I mentioned my experience on the trip to Mocha he said he was not going to have too much.  How much is too much?  I resigned myself to the Yemeni habit and accepted Khaled's offer to try chewing qat. It creates a thirst and requires drinking a lot of water.    I must confess that  I never reached  the high -- the euphoric sense that qat is reported to create.  Perhaps I didn't chew it right and slowly ingest the juice.  But we got to San'a without mishap.  Yemeni men, women, and some kids, chew qat.  Alcoholic beverages, however, were restricted;  available only to foreigners staying at large hotels.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eChecked in at the Taj Sheba, run by the Uberoi Group of India.  The next evening I flew out of Yemen via Riyadh to Mumbai, went on to New Delhi to spend a few days before returning to Mumbai.  My only unpleasant experience was when the Yemeni woman at San'a airport said she had no change after I tendered a $20.00 bill for \"departure tax\"of $8.00.  She wanted to pocket the money but I refused to budge; told her that I'd wait until she got change.  After a few minutes she found the change.  Later, I found that usually the departure tax was included in tickets issued abroad.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227430910931501362\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/07/khat2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.american.edu/ted/qat.htm\"\u003eFootnote\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eQat (pronounced cot), also referred to as khat, quatt, kat, and tchat (in Ethiopia), is a leafy narcotic popular in certain areas of Africa and, more recently, Britain.  Qat, from the Catha Edulis tree, originated in Ethiopia and spread to Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Arabia, the Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, South Africa and Yemen. Yemeni qat is the most often discussed, and reportedly of better quality than that from other places.  When chewed, qat leaves produce feelings of euphoria and stimulation.  Qat has become a major cultural phenomenon for Yemeni and Somali societies and has been the cause of conflict over production and distribution in these countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"San'a to Mocha (Yemen, 1989)"},{"content":" *Barbaric Islamic Laws\"Under Iran's Islamic law, stoning to death is the punishment for the crime of adultery.\" Makes you wonder not only about the mullahs and the Ayatollahs who run Iran, but also about the Iranian people. If all Iranians do not actively condone such prehensile laws, they certainly do very little to protest against them. The infamous Spanish Inquisition and the burning of heretics by the Catholic Church occurred more than 500 years ago. Then there was the Holocaust during Hitler's Third Reich. What the Islamic fundos are doing now in the name of god clearly demonstrates that given a chance they are capable of much more evil. What kind of society makes people tolerate such utterly atrocious laws, laws that have no place in today's world. Is it fear or they just don't care ?Has Zohreh Sefati, considered a great mutjahed (female equivalent of ayatollah), spoken out about this? Not likely, she is married to an ayatollah.And they have finessed the execution of death by stoning:Under Iran's strict penal code, men convicted of adultery should be buried up to their waists and women up to their chests for stoning. The stones used should not be large enough to kill the person immediately.Nauseating. It is not Iran's nuclear program that qualifies it for censure and ostracism, it is adherence to such practices that makes it unfit to be a member of the global community. There needs to be worldwide condemnation of the barbaric laws and gross abuse of human rights.From BBC News - July 20, 2008Nine face stoning death in IranAt least eight women and one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.The group, convicted of adultery and sex offences, could be executed at any time, lawyers defending them say.The lawyers have called on the head of Iran's judiciary to prevent the sentences from being carried out.'What are we waiting for, gathered in the market-place?The barbarians are to arrive today.\"--C.P. Cavafy ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/islamic-republic-of-iran---still-in-stone-age/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7516238.stm\"\u003eBarbaric Islamic Laws\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Under Iran's Islamic law, stoning to death is the punishment for the crime of adultery.\"  Makes you wonder not only about the mullahs and the Ayatollahs who run Iran, but also about the Iranian people.  If all Iranians do not actively condone such prehensile laws, they certainly do very little to protest against them.   The infamous Spanish Inquisition and the burning of heretics by the Catholic Church occurred more than 500 years ago.  Then there was the Holocaust during Hitler's Third Reich.   What the Islamic fundos are doing now in the name of god clearly demonstrates that given a chance they are capable of much more evil.  What kind of society makes people tolerate such utterly atrocious laws, laws that have no place in today's world.  Is it fear or they just don't care ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHas Zohreh Sefati, considered a great mutjahed (female equivalent of ayatollah), spoken out about this?  Not likely, she is married to an ayatollah.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd they have finessed the execution of death by stoning:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUnder Iran's strict penal code, men convicted of adultery should be buried up to their waists and women up to their chests for stoning. The stones used should not be large enough to kill the person immediately.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNauseating.  It is not Iran's nuclear program that qualifies it for censure and ostracism, it is adherence to such practices that makes it unfit to be a member of the global community.  There needs to be worldwide condemnation of the barbaric laws and gross abuse of human rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7516238.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e - July 20, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNine face stoning death in Iran\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt least eight women and one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe group, convicted of adultery and sex offences, could be executed at any time, lawyers defending them say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe lawyers have called on the head of Iran's judiciary to prevent the sentences from being carried out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'What are we waiting for, gathered in the market-place?\u003cbr/\u003eThe barbarians are to arrive today.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--C.P. Cavafy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Islamic Republic of Iran  - Still In Stone Age"},{"content":" *Still Catering to Anti-Choice Groups184 days to go. His legacy is down the tube. He remains willfully unaware of his rating in the polls -- not the only subject he is unaware of; he is going to leave bucket loads of doo-doo for his successor to deal with; but the Decider has tricks up his sleeve.In another attack against States' rights, the Bush administration's latest move is an effort to put up bureaucratic obstacles to prevent women from access to contraceptive care.Reuters - July 18, 2008The planned rule is aimed at countering recent state laws enacted to ensure that women can get contraception when they want or need it. It also would help protect the rights of medical providers to refuse to offer contraception.Hillary Clinton Speaks OutThe former Democratic presidential candidate joined family planning groups to condemn the proposal that defines abortion to include contraception such as birth control pills and intrauterine devices.It would cut off federal funds to hospitals and states where medical providers are obligated to offer legal abortion and contraception to women.\"We will not put up with this radical, ideological agenda to turn the clock back on women's rights,\" the New York senator told a joint news conference with New York Rep. Nita Lowey, also a Democrat, at Bellevue Hospital.\"Women would watch their contraceptive coverage disappear overnight,\" said Clinton. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/waning-days-of-the-bush-presidency/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eStill Catering to Anti-Choice Groups\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e184 days to go.  His legacy is down the tube.  He remains willfully unaware of his rating in the polls -- not the only subject he is unaware of; he is going to leave bucket loads of doo-doo for his successor to deal with; but the Decider has tricks up his sleeve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn another attack against States' rights, the Bush administration's latest move is an effort to put up bureaucratic obstacles to prevent women from access to contraceptive care.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReuters - July 18, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe planned rule is aimed at countering recent state laws enacted to ensure that women can get contraception when they want or need it. It also would help protect the rights of medical providers to refuse to offer contraception.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1843863720080718\"\u003eHillary Clinton Speaks Out\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe former Democratic presidential candidate joined family planning groups to condemn the proposal that defines abortion to include contraception such as birth control pills and intrauterine devices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt would cut off federal funds to hospitals and states where medical providers are obligated to offer legal abortion and contraception to women.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We will not put up with this radical, ideological agenda to turn the clock back on women's rights,\" the New York senator told a joint news conference with New York Rep. Nita Lowey, also a Democrat, at Bellevue Hospital.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Women would watch their contraceptive coverage disappear overnight,\" said Clinton.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Waning Days of the Bush Presidency"},{"content":" *Travel BooksAs all web surfers know, the Internet often yields unexpected pleasures. The vast array of information makes it impossible to catch all the gems that can be found, and one shouldn't even think of what is slipping through the net.Rory MacLean's Travelog in the Guardian (UK), July 16, 2008, is a treasure trove for those in search of travel books.What I enjoyed -- enjoyed more than the article itself -- were comments from readers.michaelspring Comment No. 1220830 July 15 13:20The only travel guide that gets better every time you read it is JG Links' Venice for Pleasure. Be there, even without being there...petrol Comment No. 1220917 July 15 13:49This year, for anyone going to the Arab world, I'd recommend \"Playing Cards in Cairo\" by Hugh MilesPKupfer Comment No. 1220968 July 15 14:06The Zanzibar Chest by Aidan Hartley is the best narrative on contemporary Africa I have read and highly under-rated...Sikandarji Comment No. 1221042 July 15 14:24Flann O'Brien 'The Best of Myles'BrianCough Comment No. 1221374 July 15 15:58Motoring with Mohammed, by Eric Hansen, about travels in the Middle East is bloody great.nationwide Comment No. 1221678 July 15 18:30Pete McCarthy's two books. McCarthy's Bar if you're going to Ireland, and The Road to McCarthy if you're going any of the (Irish) places therein. He was fantastically funny.LouiseMycroft Comment No. 1221801 July 15 20:38I won't be leaving home without Patrick Leigh Fermor's 'Words of Mercury', to remind me that every single person I meet is a fascinating human being. I love 'Mani' and his other travel books; 'Words of Mercury' is a distillation of his experiences and - like other great 'dipping in' books - always opens at the page most appropriate to that moment.I'll also be taking last summer's wonderful read, 'Findings' by Kathleen Jamie. She makes every single word really count.LibertyKnox Comment No. 1222325 July 16 10:01To me, Jonathan Raban is genre-busting in his brilliance - 'travel writer' doesn't do him justice. Old Glory and Passage to Juneau are ferociously good.rosangela Comment No. 1222407 July 16 10:36I have just ordered a book called \"The Wrong Way Home (Paperback) by Peter Moore\".As I live in Austria and the book is coming from England I will have to wait a bit till I receive it. In any case it promises to be a good read.Has anyone read it? Regards from lovely Vienna!Haven't found The Best of Myles by Flann O'Brien but quite a few of the recommended titles are in my local library. Enough to keep me hooked for a while. \"Motoring with Mohammed\" and Pete McCarthy's books about Ireland are at the top of my list. When I traveled in Ireland, J.P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man was what I carried with me. Not a travel book but it made sense to me to re-read it in Ireland.\"Mary Maloney's beautiful arseIs a sweet apple of sinGive me Mary's beautiful arseAnd a full bottle of gin.\"--The Ginger Man, J.P. DonleavyMy own submission to the Guardian:fiatlux Comment No. 1223371 July 16 16:25Chasing the Monsoon by Alexander FraterArabian Sands by Wilfred ThesigerSlow Boats to China by Gavin Young\"shemarch\" (Comment No. 1220949 July 15 14:00) submitted Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Yes, that too beckons at odd times and occasions.So many books, so little time. But we keep going back to old favourites.The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.---Elizabeth Hardwick\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/so-many-books-so-litle-time/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTravel Books\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs all web surfers know, the Internet often yields unexpected pleasures. The vast array of information makes it impossible to catch all the gems that can be found, and one shouldn't even think of what is slipping through the net.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRory MacLean's \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2008/07/essential_travel_reading.html\"\u003eTravelog\u003c/a\u003e in the Guardian (UK), July 16, 2008, is a treasure trove for those in search of travel books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat I enjoyed -- enjoyed more than the article itself -- were comments from readers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003emichaelspring Comment No. 1220830 July 15 13:20\u003cbr/\u003eThe only travel guide that gets better every time you read it is JG Links' Venice for Pleasure. Be there, even without being there...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003epetrol Comment No. 1220917 July 15 13:49\u003cbr/\u003eThis year, for anyone going to the Arab world, I'd recommend \"Playing Cards in Cairo\" by Hugh Miles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePKupfer Comment No. 1220968 July 15 14:06\u003cbr/\u003eThe Zanzibar Chest by Aidan Hartley is the best narrative on contemporary Africa I have read and highly under-rated...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSikandarji Comment No. 1221042 July 15 14:24\u003cbr/\u003eFlann O'Brien 'The Best of Myles'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBrianCough Comment No. 1221374 July 15 15:58\u003cbr/\u003eMotoring with Mohammed, by Eric Hansen, about travels in the Middle East is bloody great.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003enationwide Comment No. 1221678 July 15 18:30\u003cbr/\u003ePete McCarthy's two books. McCarthy's Bar if you're going to Ireland, and The Road to McCarthy if you're going any of the (Irish) places therein. He was fantastically funny.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLouiseMycroft Comment No. 1221801 July 15 20:38\u003cbr/\u003eI won't be leaving home without Patrick Leigh Fermor's 'Words of Mercury', to remind me that every single person I meet is a fascinating human being. I love 'Mani' and his other travel books; 'Words of Mercury' is a distillation of his experiences and - like other great 'dipping in' books - always opens at the page most appropriate to that moment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI'll also be taking last summer's wonderful read, 'Findings' by Kathleen Jamie. She makes every single word really count.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLibertyKnox Comment No. 1222325 July 16 10:01\u003cbr/\u003eTo me, Jonathan Raban is genre-busting in his brilliance - 'travel writer' doesn't do him justice. Old Glory and Passage to Juneau are ferociously good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003erosangela Comment No. 1222407 July 16 10:36\u003cbr/\u003eI have just ordered a book called \"The Wrong Way Home (Paperback) by Peter Moore\".\u003cbr/\u003eAs I live in Austria and the book is coming from England I will have to wait a bit till I receive it. In any case it promises to be a good read.\u003cbr/\u003eHas anyone read it?  Regards from lovely Vienna!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHaven't found The Best of Myles by Flann O'Brien but quite a few of the recommended titles are in my local library.  Enough to keep me hooked for a while.  \"Motoring with Mohammed\" and Pete McCarthy's books about Ireland are at the top of my list.  When I traveled in Ireland, J.P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man was what I carried with me.  Not a travel book but it made sense to me to re-read it in Ireland.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mary Maloney's beautiful arse\u003cbr/\u003eIs a sweet apple of sin\u003cbr/\u003eGive me Mary's beautiful arse\u003cbr/\u003eAnd a full bottle of gin.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--The Ginger Man, J.P. Donleavy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy own submission to the Guardian:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003efiatlux  Comment No. 1223371 July 16 16:25\u003cbr/\u003eChasing the Monsoon by Alexander Frater\u003cbr/\u003eArabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger\u003cbr/\u003eSlow Boats to China by Gavin Young\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"shemarch\" (Comment No. 1220949 July 15 14:00) submitted Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Yes, that too beckons at odd times and occasions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo many books, so little time. But we keep going back to old favourites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.\u003cbr/\u003e---Elizabeth Hardwick\u003c/p\u003e","title":"So Many Books, So Litle Time"},{"content":" *\"Regulation\", the Taboo Word for Supply-siders Raised Its HeadWhat happened to the champions of free market economy? They are strangely silent about recent statements from Fed Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Paulson that some regulation -- need to monitor actions by Wall Street-- was called for.Sacrilegious, un-American. How dare they malign the sacred cow! A year ago Bernanke and Paulson would have either kept their mouths shut or probably have been canned for speaking out. Now, during the sunset of the Bush administration and plunging stock prices due to the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage industry, the people who permitted wrongdoings in the financial markets no longer have the power to continue their support of corporate malfeasance.Don't write them off though. They are waiting in the wings, praying for John McCain to win the presidential election. McCain has promised to balance the budget by 2013, but did not say how he was going to do it. It is a 'pie in the sky' kind of thing. McCain's empty rhetoric notwithstanding, the free-marketers will again have their place in the sun if he becomes president. Not much is expected to happen between now and November. In the unlikely event that Bernanke and Paulson follow through in introducing some measures with teeth to curb the unethical Wall Streeters, McCain and the Republicans will do all they can to scrap them.And what will his administration do if Barack Obama wins the White House? Hard to predict. Judging by his recent actions, we are going to be disappointed if we hope to see major changes. But even minor changes to stop the country from going down the road that Bush built would be good for us. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-01-05 Not only where are they, but who are they? Where are the prominent Chicago School economists that are going to speak out against Barack Obama's economic policies? Either they've been strangely silent or they've just been shut out by the mainstream media. musafir \u0026mdash; 2009-01-05 msgnet: Not quite sure what your position is.\nMy post was critical of the supply siders. They have done a lot of damage. My concern is that Obama's\nteam of economists is not going to move far away from the established policies. The changes would be mostly cosmetic. Too bad. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/milton-friedman-is-gone-where-are-his-disciples/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Regulation\", the Taboo Word for Supply-siders Raised Its Head\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat happened to the champions of free market economy?  They are strangely silent about recent statements from Fed Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Paulson that some regulation -- need to monitor actions by Wall Street-- was called for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSacrilegious, un-American.  How dare they malign the sacred cow!  A year ago Bernanke and Paulson would have either kept their mouths shut or probably have been canned for speaking out.  Now, during the sunset of the Bush administration and plunging stock prices due to the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage industry, the people who permitted wrongdoings in the financial markets no longer have the power to continue their support of corporate malfeasance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't write them off though.   They are waiting in the wings, praying for John McCain to win the presidential election.  McCain has promised to balance the budget by 2013, but did not say how he was going to do it. It is a 'pie in the sky' kind of thing. McCain's empty rhetoric notwithstanding, the free-marketers will again have their place in the sun if he becomes president.  Not much is expected to happen between now and November.  In the unlikely event that Bernanke and Paulson follow through in introducing some measures with teeth to curb the unethical Wall Streeters, McCain and the Republicans will do all they can to scrap them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what will his administration do if Barack Obama wins the White House?  Hard to predict.  Judging by his recent actions, we are going to be disappointed if we hope to see major changes. But even minor changes to stop the country from going  down the road that Bush built would be  good for us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-01-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNot only where are they, but who are they?  Where are the prominent Chicago School economists that are going to speak out against Barack Obama's economic policies?  Either they've been strangely silent or they've just been shut out by the mainstream media.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-01-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003emsgnet: Not quite sure what your position is.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy post was critical of the supply siders.  They have done a lot of damage.  My concern is that Obama's\u003cbr\u003eteam of economists is not going to move far away from the established policies. The changes would be mostly cosmetic.  Too bad.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Milton Friedman is Gone, Where Are His Disciples ?"},{"content":" *Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act President Bush is happy. He has reason to be; he got the bill he wanted. It includes immunity for telecom companies that opened their records and allowed access without court order.Among the Democratic Senators who supported the bill: Diane Feinstein of California. No surprise there. Senator Feinstein is at times more a Republican than Democrat, especially on issues related to Israel. This, however, was not related to Israel unless one considers Israel indirectly benefiting from the passage of the bill. The surprise was Senator Hillary Clinton's vote against the bill.As to Senator Obama's vote in support of FISA, the handwriting was on the wall. He began laying the ground work (hinting) for the change in his position a few weeks back. The primaries are over, and with them a lot of his promises. It is a new Obama. He is catering to the conservatives much more than some of us expected him to.“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”--- Maya Angelou ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/barack-obama-and-a-sellout-on-fisa/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eForeign Intelligence Surveillance Act\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush is happy.  He has reason to be;   he got the bill he wanted.  It includes immunity for telecom companies that opened their records and allowed access without court order.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong the Democratic Senators who supported the bill: Diane Feinstein of California. No surprise there.  Senator Feinstein is at times more a Republican than Democrat, especially on issues related to Israel. This, however, was not related to Israel unless one considers Israel indirectly benefiting from the passage of the bill.  The surprise was  Senator Hillary Clinton's vote against the bill.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs to Senator Obama's vote in support of FISA, the handwriting was on the wall.  He began laying the ground work (hinting) for the change in his position a few weeks back.  The primaries are over,  and with them  a lot of  his promises.  It is a new Obama.  He  is  catering to the conservatives much more than some of us expected him to.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e--- Maya Angelou \u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Barack Obama and A Sellout on FISA"},{"content":" *Marc Leepson's \"Capturing the Flag\", in the Opinions section of The Washington Post of July 6th includes:But what exactly does this overabundance of flag-embossed merchandise mean -- for our campaigns and our culture? There is something off-kilter about revering the ideals that our flag embodies, attempting to ban its destruction, then using it as a political club or sitting down in a flag-patterned lawn chair, tucking into red-white-and-blue-frosted cupcakes and dabbing our mouths with a Stars and Stripes napkin. Does the flag embody American idealism, American cynicism or American comfort? Which values, precisely, have captured our flag?A foreign-born citizen, I am bemused by the jingoism that exists about our flag. Respect the flag, of course, but not to the degree of making it a fetish. Yet the same people think nothing about dishonoring it every day by using geegaws and chochkes depicting the flag. Latest craze is waving gigantic flags during games and sporting events. Bigger is better? Ya Habibi.U.S. History.orgSection 8c. reads:\"The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.\"See: Another Photo Opportunity for the Buffoons in Congress June 22, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/the-flag---honor-and-disrespect-revisited/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMarc Leepson's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070303248.html\"\u003eCapturing the Flag\u003c/a\u003e\", in the Opinions section of The Washington Post of July 6th includes:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bg=\"\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut what exactly does this overabundance of flag-embossed merchandise mean -- for our campaigns and our culture? There is something off-kilter about revering the ideals that our flag embodies, attempting to ban its destruction, then using it as a political club or sitting down in a flag-patterned lawn chair, tucking into red-white-and-blue-frosted cupcakes and dabbing our mouths with a Stars and Stripes napkin. Does the flag embody American idealism, American cynicism or American comfort? Which values, precisely, have captured our flag?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA foreign-born citizen, I am bemused by the jingoism that exists about our flag. Respect the flag, of course, but not to the degree of making it a fetish.  Yet the same people think nothing about dishonoring it every day by using geegaws and chochkes depicting the flag.   Latest craze is waving gigantic flags during games and sporting events.   Bigger is better?  Ya Habibi.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html\"\u003eU.S. History.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSection 8c. reads:\u003cb\u003e\"The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/06/another-photo-opportunity-for-buffoons.html\"\u003eAnother Photo Opportunity for the Buffoons in Congress\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e June 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Flag - Honor and Disrespect Revisited"},{"content":" *From Across the Pacific to Heartland AmericaMany of you enjoyed the July 4th fireworks. The display of images created by craftsmen and chemists never fails to impress the viewers. Over the years the fireworks have become very sophisticated. Most of the fireworks that we admire come from China.Fireworks are considered hazardous cargo and designated under two categories by IMO and U.S. Code of Federal Regulations -- Class 1.4G and Class 1.3G Explosives, the latter being the more hazardous. Special requirements apply to carriage of such cargo by land and sea (prohibited for transportation by air).Large volume of fireworks shipments arrive every year during the month of June. This year was no exception. QualityOne Logistics of California was involved with transportation of a number of shipments from China for importers in different parts of the country. All shipments were needed for display on 4th of July and arrival of the ships from China posed tight deadlines.This is about two 40' ocean containers with Class 1.3G Fireworks from Liuyang, China (a major fireworks manufacturing center), to Inman, Kansas, in heartland America -- a distance of more than 7,000 miles by sea and land.From the factory in Liuyang the containers were trucked to Beihai on the coast and loaded on a feeder ship for HongKong where they were transferred to a large container vessel for carriage to the United States. Danske Line of Copenhagen provides regular, fast service from China to all coasts of the United States. Because of the location of Inman, the fastest and most economical route was via the port of Los Angeles, California. The containers were discharged at Los Angeles and then put on an intermodal freight train to Dallas, Texas. QualityOne specializes in shipments to and from China, and had made arrangements for through movement from Beihai to the importers' warehouse which included trucking from Dallas to Inman.As it sometimes happen in travel, transportation and in other areas, best laid plans go awry. Checking the progress of the containers on the freight train as it moved from Los Angeles, it became obvious that getting the containers to Inman in time for the importers to prepare for July 4th would be touch and go. Mandatory certification (for drivers) and special insurance coverage are required for motor carriers to qualify for carriage of such hazardous shipments. There are not too many of them and shipments intended for July 4th place heavy demands on their services.The containers were due to arrive at Dallas on Sunday, June 29th. Southern Freight (the trucking company chosen for carrying the containers to Inman) informed us that it would not be possible for them to move them before Tuesday, July 1st. at the earliest. Dallas to Inman is 428 miles, about 8 hours' drive under optimal conditions. The importers, Sky Color Display, felt that receipt of the containers late on Tuesday would not allow them enough time to unload them and set up the fireworks. They offered to drive to Dallas and receive the shipments. That, too, presented problems. The importers would have required an interchange agreement with the steamship line to move the containers, and they would have had to return the empty containers to the rail ramp at Dallas which would have been quite expensive. Michael Huntsinger at Southern Freight offered a solution. Huntsinger said he could move the containers on Monday morning (June 30th) from the rail yard to Southern Freight's terminal and transload the cargo from the two ocean containers to Sky Color's trucks. Steve Bell of Sky Color accepted the plan; felt that it would work.....give them sufficient time to make the necessary arrangements before July 4th.For the operation to proceed as planned there was need to obtain \"rail pick up numbers\" from Danske Line to enable Southern Freight to remove the containers from rail yard. That was accomplished early on Monday morning. Huntsinger confirmed that Sky Color Display's equipment and crew were in position and everything was \"go\". The transloading operation was completed without hitch and Sky Color's trucks departed for Inman before noon. It was gratifying to get an e-mail from Betty Bell of Sky Color that said: \"received our products\".In this particular case, efficient and prompt response from all concerned -- at Danske Line's North American Rail Operations, Southern Freight, Dallas, and Sky Color -- made it possible to meet the deadline. Note: Fictitious names of individuals and organizations were used for this post. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2008-07-07 I'm Michael from Liuyang China(Liuyang is center of fireworks in the world),and now work for one of largest fireworks company.We have been manufacture professional fireworks and consumer fireworks for many years. www.myspace.cn/liwenquan66\nmichaelli66@hotmail.com Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2008-10-18 Shipping of 1.3G fireworks has become a big trouble. Dominator Fireworks of Liuyang China has successfully shipped many containers, contact us at www.dominatorfireworks.com ","permalink":"/posts/2008/07/july-4th-fireworks---story-of-two-ocean-containers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFrom Across the Pacific to Heartland America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMany of you enjoyed the July 4th fireworks.  The display of images created by craftsmen  and chemists never fails to impress the viewers.  Over the years the fireworks have become very sophisticated.  Most of the fireworks that we admire come from China.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFireworks are considered hazardous cargo and designated under two categories by IMO and U.S. Code of Federal Regulations -- Class 1.4G and Class 1.3G Explosives, the latter being the more hazardous. Special requirements apply to carriage of such cargo by land and sea (prohibited for transportation by air).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLarge volume of fireworks shipments arrive every year during the month of June.  This year was no exception. QualityOne Logistics of California was involved with transportation of a number of shipments from China for importers in different parts of the country.  All shipments were needed for display on 4th of July and arrival of the ships from China posed tight deadlines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is about two 40' ocean containers with Class 1.3G Fireworks from Liuyang, China (a major fireworks manufacturing center), to Inman, Kansas, in heartland America -- a distance of more than 7,000 miles by sea and land.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom the factory in Liuyang the containers were trucked to Beihai on the coast and loaded on a feeder ship for HongKong where they were transferred to a large container vessel for carriage to the United States.    Danske Line of Copenhagen provides regular, fast service from China to all coasts of the United States.  Because of the location of Inman, the fastest and most economical route was via the port of Los Angeles, California.  The containers were discharged at Los Angeles and then put on an intermodal freight train to Dallas, Texas. QualityOne specializes in shipments to and from China,  and had made arrangements for through movement from Beihai to the importers' warehouse which included trucking from Dallas to Inman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs it sometimes happen in travel, transportation and in other areas, best laid plans go awry.  Checking the progress of the containers on the freight train as it moved from Los Angeles, it became obvious that getting the containers to Inman in time for the importers to prepare for July 4th would be touch and go.  Mandatory certification (for drivers) and special insurance coverage   are required for motor carriers  to qualify for carriage of such hazardous shipments.  There are not too many of them and shipments intended for July 4th place heavy demands on their services.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe containers were due to arrive at Dallas on Sunday, June 29th.   Southern Freight (the trucking company chosen for carrying the containers to Inman) informed us that it would not be possible for them to move them before Tuesday, July 1st. at the earliest.  Dallas to Inman is 428 miles, about 8 hours' drive under optimal conditions.  The importers, Sky Color Display,  felt that receipt of the containers late on Tuesday would not allow them enough time to unload them and set up the fireworks.  They offered to drive to Dallas and receive the shipments.  That, too, presented problems.  The importers would have required an interchange agreement with the steamship line to move the containers, and they would have had to return the empty containers to the rail ramp at Dallas which would have been quite expensive. Michael Huntsinger at Southern Freight offered a solution.  Huntsinger said he could move the containers on Monday morning (June 30th) from the rail yard to Southern Freight's terminal and transload the cargo from the two ocean containers to Sky Color's  trucks.      Steve Bell of Sky Color accepted the plan; felt that it would work.....give them sufficient time to make the necessary arrangements before July 4th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the operation to proceed as planned there was need to obtain \"rail pick up numbers\" from Danske Line to enable Southern Freight to remove the containers from rail yard.  That was accomplished early on Monday morning.  Huntsinger confirmed that Sky Color Display's equipment and crew were in position and everything was \"go\".  The transloading operation was completed without hitch and Sky Color's trucks departed for Inman before noon.  It was gratifying to get  an e-mail from Betty Bell of Sky Color   that said: \"received our products\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn this particular case, efficient and prompt response from all concerned -- at Danske Line's North American Rail Operations, Southern Freight, Dallas, and Sky Color -- made it possible to meet the deadline.   \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNote: Fictitious names of individuals and organizations were used for this post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-07-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI'm Michael from Liuyang China(Liuyang is center of fireworks in the world),and now work for one of largest fireworks company.We have been manufacture professional fireworks and consumer fireworks for many years. \u003cbr\u003ewww.myspace.cn/liwenquan66\u003cbr\u003emichaelli66@hotmail.com\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-10-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eShipping of 1.3G fireworks has become a big trouble.  Dominator Fireworks of Liuyang China has successfully shipped many containers, contact us at www.dominatorfireworks.com\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"July 4th Fireworks -  Story of Two Ocean Containers"},{"content":" *Messenger of \"Change\" -- What Change?Barack Obama's recent actions make it clear that deep down he is no different from other politicians. Back in 2000, G.W. Bush's message about being a compassionate conservative won him support. Bush turned out to be anything but compassionate and it took a long time for people to see him for what he is. Barack Obama's promise of \"change\" resonated with voters. He sounded sincere....different. The primary reason for many of us to back Obama was his position on the war in Iraq and Hillary Clinton's lack of clarity on various issues. Four months before the election Obama is proving that when it comes to flipping and flopping he can be as adept as Hillary Clinton and John McCain. For this voter the Obama glitter is fading. Didn't expect him to fulfill all his promises if he became president. The president is a part of the system that prevails, and the system is far from ideal. It was late president Calvin Coolidge who reportedly said \"The business of America is business\". No matter who is in the White House, the major corporations and their lobbyists have tremendous influence in enacting legislations which affect ordinary Americans. It is disappointing to watch the Senator from Illinois quickly backing off from his earlier positions. One gets the feeling that the status quo will basically remain unchanged.Obama let his supporters down by:Reversing his position on campaign financing. His explanation does not cut it. See\"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Bundlers\" by Ruth Marcus in The Washington Post.He supported inclusion of immunity for the telecom companies in FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) although he is now saying that he will \"try to strip that provision.His foreign policy team consists of long-toothed dinosaurs from past administrations. Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher stand out. Albright is especially suspect. Her hands are far from clean. What kind of message does that send? Albright is an older and heavier Condoleezza Rice. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/obama-disappoints/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMessenger of \"Change\" -- What Change?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBarack Obama's recent actions make it clear that deep down he is no different from other politicians.  Back in 2000, G.W. Bush's message about being a compassionate conservative won him support.  Bush turned out to be anything but compassionate and it took a long time for people to see him for what he is.   Barack Obama's promise of \"change\" resonated with voters.  He sounded sincere....different. The primary reason for many of us to back Obama was his position on the war in Iraq and Hillary Clinton's lack of clarity on various issues.  Four months before the election Obama is proving that when it comes to flipping and flopping he can be as adept as Hillary Clinton and John McCain.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor this voter the Obama glitter is fading.  Didn't expect him to fulfill all his promises if he became president.  The president is a part of the system that prevails, and the system is far from ideal.  It was late president Calvin Coolidge who reportedly said \"The business of America is business\".  No matter who is in the White House, the major corporations and their lobbyists have tremendous influence in enacting legislations which affect ordinary Americans.  It is disappointing to watch the Senator from Illinois quickly backing off from his earlier positions.  One gets the feeling that the status quo will basically remain unchanged.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eObama let his supporters down by:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eReversing his position on campaign financing. His explanation does not cut it.  See\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/24/AR2008062401216.html\"\u003eLife, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Bundlers\u003c/a\u003e\" by Ruth Marcus in The Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/06/21/politics/horserace/entry4200105.shtml\"\u003esupported\u003c/a\u003e inclusion of immunity for the telecom companies in FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) although he is now saying that he will \"try to strip that provision.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHis foreign policy team consists of long-toothed dinosaurs from past administrations.          Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher stand out.  Albright is especially suspect.  Her hands are far from clean. What kind of message does that send?   Albright is an older and heavier Condoleezza Rice.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Obama Disappoints"},{"content":" *Summer arrived and with it a heat wave. Last week, temperature in many parts of the San Francisco Peninsula climbed over 100 degrees°F (38°C). The weekend, however, turned out to be pleasant. By Saturday evening one could feel the cooling effect of the coastal fog. Four days later, it felt almost wintry when I went out for a run this evening in my neighborhood in San Mateo.On Sunday, June 22nd, it was pleasant walking on the Coastal Trail beyond the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge was enshrouded in fog, barely visible from some points. Wild flowers still abundant along the path.Golden Gate Bridge, I© MusafirGolden Gate Bridge, II© MusafirGolden Gate Bridge, III© MusafirWild Flowers (Who's got a name?)© MusafirVetch© MusafirVetch© MusafirA water bug named Naya© MusafirSummer nightSummer night--even the starsare whispering to each other.--Kobayashi Issa ","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/summer-fog-and-golden-gate-bridge/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSummer arrived and with it a heat wave. Last week, temperature in many parts of the San Francisco Peninsula climbed over 100 degrees°F (38°C). The weekend, however, turned out to be pleasant. By Saturday evening one could feel the cooling effect of the coastal fog.  Four days later, it felt almost wintry when I went out for a run this evening in my neighborhood in San Mateo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Sunday, June 22nd, it was pleasant walking on the Coastal Trail beyond the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge was enshrouded in fog, barely visible from some points. Wild flowers still abundant along the path.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGolden Gate Bridge,  I\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215630104597830498\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Coastal Trail San Francisco 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGolden Gate Bridge, II\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215632696584808290\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Coastal Trail San Francisco 007.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGolden Gate Bridge, III\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217039315586468674\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Coastal Trail San Francisco 008.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild Flowers (Who's got a name?)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215630714889520226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Coastal Trail San Francisco 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVetch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215633272687653554\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/SCoastal Trail San Francisco 010.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVetch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215633032421318754\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/SCoastal Trail San Francisco 009.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA water bug named Naya\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215636903676275682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/JPs Graduation Party 010.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003eSummer night\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSummer night--\u003cbr/\u003eeven the stars\u003cbr/\u003eare whispering to each other.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Kobayashi Issa\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Summer, Fog, and Golden Gate Bridge"},{"content":" *Ten days before summer solstice the weather has become warm and sunny. The wind picks up force in the afternoon but no longer chills the bones.A good time for runners and walkers. Some spring flowers still to be found, especially in the preserves along skyline. Buckeye trees in full bloom. Last weekend Sarbajit Ghosal and I hiked at Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve. Took Whittemore Gulch down to the creek bed; had our sandwiches and then hiked up Harkins Ridge to return to the North Ridge Parking Lot. Very enjoyable. To the west there was mist hanging over the coastline at Half Moon Bay, so the Pacific was only faintly visible. Friends starting out on Toyon Trail, Foothills Park, Palo Alto, Ca.© MusafirOn the Toyon Trail, Foothills Park, Palo Alto, CA.© MusafirA Variable Checkerspot, Harkins Ridge Trail© MusafirCheckerspots feeding© MusafirWild Blackberries at Harkins Ridge Trail© MusafirCalifornia Hedge Nettle© MusafirWild Iris, Harkins Ridge Trail© MusafirSG looking out toward the Pacific from Harkins Ridge Trail© Musafir\"That's the best thing about walking, the journey itself. It doesn't matter much whether you get where you're going or not. You'll get there anyway. Every good hike brings you eventually back home.\"- Edward Abbey\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/the-seasons-summer-is-around-the-corner/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTen days before summer solstice the weather has become warm and sunny.  The wind picks up force in the afternoon but no longer chills the bones.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA good time for runners and walkers. Some spring flowers still to be found, especially in the preserves along skyline. Buckeye trees in full bloom.  Last weekend Sarbajit Ghosal and I hiked at \u003ca href=\"http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_purisima.asp\"\u003ePurisima Creek Redwoods Preserve\u003c/a\u003e. Took Whittemore Gulch down to the creek bed; had our sandwiches and then hiked up Harkins Ridge to return to the North Ridge Parking Lot. Very enjoyable. To the west there was mist hanging over the coastline at Half Moon Bay, so the Pacific was only faintly visible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFriends starting out on Toyon Trail, Foothills Park, Palo Alto, Ca.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210623879352205074\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the Toyon Trail, Foothills Park, Palo Alto, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210624345771234402\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 010.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Variable Checkerspot, Harkins Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210626159265783842\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 037.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCheckerspots feeding\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210631667028577074\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 042.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild Blackberries at Harkins Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210625845043760962\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 028.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Hedge Nettle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210625558497237762\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 019.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild Iris, Harkins Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210628839287217522\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 043.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSG looking out toward the Pacific from Harkins Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210626491671182546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/06/Foothill Park \u0026amp; Purisima Creek 038.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\"That's the  best thing about walking, the journey itself. It doesn't matter much whether you  get where you're going or not. You'll get there anyway. Every good hike brings  you eventually back home.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-  Edward Abbey\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Summer is around the Corner"},{"content":" *Sign of the TimesNot much good news these days. But reports about the declining sales of SUV's and General Motors' plans to unload the Hummer Division indicate that automobile manufacturers and lovers of SUV's are being forced to move away from the ugly, eco-unfriendly vehicles. That is cause for rejoicing.On April 20, 2005, my blog read:The Cars We Drive And What they Tell About UsThe brutish, extra-wide Hummers make me think of the owners being mean, selfish and arrogant---typical Bush Republicans. This article from The NY Times confirms that I am not far from the truth. Too bad that some Democrats like the ugly, gas hogging monstrosity on wheels.\"Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.\"(NY Times)Three years later, in Guardian UK June 7, 2008The average SUV owner, according to studies cited in Bradsher's book, is \"apt to be self-centred and self-absorbed, with little interest in their neighbours or communities.\" In addition, they are \"insecure and vain. They are frequently nervous about their marriages and uncomfortable about parenthood. They often lack confidence in their driving skills ... they tend to like fine restaurants a lot more than off-road driving, seldom go to church, and have limited interest in doing volunteer work to help others. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/shed-no-tears-for-hummer-and-other-gas-guzzlers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eSign of the Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot much good news these days.  But reports about the declining sales of SUV's and General Motors' plans to unload the Hummer Division indicate that automobile manufacturers and lovers of SUV's  are being forced to move away from the ugly, eco-unfriendly vehicles.  That is cause for rejoicing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn April 20, 2005,  my blog read:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/04/cars-we-drive.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Cars We Drive And What they Tell About Us\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe brutish, extra-wide Hummers make me think of the owners being mean, selfish and arrogant---typical Bush Republicans. This article from The NY Times confirms that I am not far from the truth. Too bad that some Democrats like the ugly, gas hogging monstrosity on wheels.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.\"(NY Times)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThree years later, in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/07/travelandtransport.automotive\"\u003eGuardian UK June 7, 2008\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe average SUV owner, according to studies cited in Bradsher's book, is \"apt to be self-centred and self-absorbed, with little interest in their neighbours or communities.\" In addition, they are \"insecure and vain. They are frequently nervous about their marriages and uncomfortable about parenthood. They often lack confidence in their driving skills ... they tend to like fine restaurants a lot more than off-road driving, seldom go to church, and have limited interest in doing volunteer work to help others.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Shed no Tears for Hummer and Other Gas Guzzlers"},{"content":" *Democrats and Election 2008Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee to face John McCain in November.Concern about the economy now takes top place among voters. The war in Iraq continues to be an issue -- no longer the foremost one. But for this voter, and many others, Hillary Clinton's support for the Iraq War Resolution, and failure or refusal to admit that it was a mistake, became the focal point of support for Obama.Among the vast number of reports about Hillary Clinton's loss the one that struck a chord was by Beth Fouhy, Associated Press.\"WASHINGTON - On her first campaign visit to New Hampshire, in February 2007, Hillary Rodham Clinton was confronted by a voter who demanded she explain her 2002 Senate vote authorizing the U.S. invasion of Iraq.I want to know if right here, right now, once and for all and without nuance, you can say that war authorization was a mistake,\" Roger Tilton asked Clinton. \"I, and I think a lot of other primary voters — until we hear you say it, we're not going to hear all the other great things you are saying.\"Clinton replied, as she would repeat in the ensuing months: \"Knowing what we know now, I would never have voted for it.\"Her refusal to admit error failed to satisfy Tilton, a 46-year-old financial analyst from Nashua even though he loved her position on health care and capping Iraq troop levels.\"We had opposed the war, marched against it long before the first pair of boots landed on the ground in Iraq. At that time the deception about non-existent WMD was largely unknown to the general public; there were only suspicions. We were vindicated. The coffins, however, continued to come back from Iraq and civilian death toll kept mounting.Come November, if McCain should prevail, are we going to regret our position? Some of us might. Many Democrats fear that Obama cannot win in a national election because he is black. The fact that racism exists is undeniable. Whether it is going to be a deciding factor is something we'll have to wait to find out. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/it-is-barack-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDemocrats and Election 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBarack Obama is the Democratic nominee to face John McCain in November.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eConcern about the economy now takes top place among voters.  The war in Iraq continues to be an issue -- no longer the foremost one.  But for this voter, and many others, Hillary Clinton's support for the Iraq War Resolution, and failure or refusal to admit that it was a mistake, became the focal point of support for Obama.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the vast number of reports about Hillary Clinton's loss the one that struck a chord was by \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080604/ap_on_el_pr/how_clinton_lost\"\u003eBeth Fouhy, Associated Press\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"WASHINGTON - On her first campaign visit to New Hampshire, in February 2007, Hillary Rodham Clinton was confronted by a voter who demanded she explain her 2002 Senate vote authorizing the U.S. invasion of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI want to know if right here, right now, once and for all and without nuance, you can say that war authorization was a mistake,\" Roger Tilton asked Clinton. \"I, and I think a lot of other primary voters — until we hear you say it, we're not going to hear all the other great things you are saying.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClinton replied, as she would repeat in the ensuing months: \"Knowing what we know now, I would never have voted for it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHer refusal to admit error failed to satisfy Tilton, a 46-year-old financial analyst from Nashua even though he loved her position on health care and capping Iraq troop levels.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe had opposed the war, marched against it long before the first pair of boots landed on the ground in Iraq.   At that time the deception about non-existent WMD was largely unknown to the general public;  there were only suspicions.  We were vindicated.  The coffins, however, continued to come back from Iraq and civilian death toll kept mounting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCome November, if McCain should prevail, are we going to regret our position?  Some of us might.  Many Democrats fear that Obama cannot win in a national election because he is black.  The fact that racism exists is undeniable.  Whether it is going to be a deciding factor is something we'll have to wait to find out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"It is Barack Obama"},{"content":" *\"Birds do it, bees do it\"“How did sex come to be thought of as dirty in the first place? God must have been a Republican.”---Will DurstRob Stein, Washington PostProponents of sex education programs that focus on encouraging abstinence are launching a nationwide campaign aimed at enlisting 1 million parents to support the controversial approach.The National Abstinence Education Association, a Washington-based advocacy group, said that it sent e-mails last week to about 30,000 supporters, practitioners and parents to try to recruit participants and plans to e-mail 100,000 this week as part of the first phase of the $1 million campaign.The e-mail is promoting the Parents for Truth campaign, which the group hopes will eventually involve 1 million parents nationwide to lobby local schools to adopt sex education programs focusing on abstinence and to work to elect local, state and national officials who support the approach.\"There are powerful special interest groups who can far outspend what parents can in terms of promoting their agenda. But we recognize that parents more than make up for that by their determination and motivation to protect their own children,\" said Valerie Huber, the group's executive director.The campaign comes as Congress is debating whether to authorize about $190 million in federal funding for such programs, which have come under increasing criticism because of a series of reports that concluded they are ineffective. Such criticism has prompted at least 17 states to refuse federal funding for such programs.No wonder. The current incumbent of the White House -- one of the biggest hypocrites to come down the pike -- who had committed \"youthful indiscretions\" is a champion of abstinence. One needn't ask what his indiscretions were. We don't know what the leaders (men and women) of the abstinence only campaign did in their youth. Angels are said to have no memory. Good for them. Or, like G.W. Bush, one fine morning they found god, became born again and stopped thinking of sex outside marriage. They want to protect our children from the dangers of sex education that includes safe sex practices. To them, condoms are bad; prayers are the answer to combat the primeval urge.Touchy area....sex. It would be interesting to hear what position do the contenders in the race for the White House take on this issue. They would rather stay away from speaking about it to escape ire of the Bible thumpers. Remember Bill Clinton's craven surrender in the Jocelyn Elders controversy? Dr. Elders, who was confirmed as surgeon general by the senate in 1993, made a public statement about the benefits of masturbation, and the sky fell down. When she refused to resign, Bill Clinton fired her in December 1994. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/06/they-are-baaack-abstinence-only-sex-education-promoters/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Birds do it, bees do it\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e“How did sex come to be thought of as dirty in the first place? God must have been a Republican.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Will Durst\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/31/AR2008053101742.html\"\u003eRob Stein, Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eProponents of sex education programs that focus on encouraging abstinence are launching a nationwide campaign aimed at enlisting 1 million parents to support the controversial approach.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe National Abstinence Education Association, a Washington-based advocacy group, said that it sent e-mails last week to about 30,000 supporters, practitioners and parents to try to recruit participants and plans to e-mail 100,000 this week as part of the first phase of the $1 million campaign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe e-mail is promoting the Parents for Truth campaign, which the group hopes will eventually involve 1 million parents nationwide to lobby local schools to adopt sex education programs focusing on abstinence and to work to elect local, state and national officials who support the approach.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There are powerful special interest groups who can far outspend what parents can in terms of promoting their agenda. But we recognize that parents more than make up for that by their determination and motivation to protect their own children,\" said Valerie Huber, the group's executive director.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe campaign comes as Congress is debating whether to authorize about $190 million in federal funding for such programs, which have come under increasing criticism because of a series of reports that concluded they are ineffective. Such criticism has prompted at least 17 states to refuse federal funding for such programs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo wonder.  The current incumbent of the White House -- one of the biggest hypocrites to come down the pike -- who had committed \"youthful indiscretions\" is a champion of abstinence.  One needn't ask what his indiscretions were.  We don't know what the leaders (men and women) of the abstinence only campaign did in their youth.  Angels are said to have no memory.  Good for them.  Or, like G.W. Bush, one fine morning they found god, became born again and stopped thinking of sex outside marriage.  They want to protect our children from the dangers of sex education that includes safe sex practices.  To them, condoms are bad;  prayers are the answer to combat the primeval urge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTouchy area....sex.  It would be interesting to hear what position do the contenders in the race for the White House take on this issue. They would rather stay away from speaking about it to escape ire of the Bible thumpers.  Remember Bill Clinton's craven surrender in the Jocelyn Elders controversy?  Dr. Elders, who was confirmed as surgeon general by the senate in 1993,  made a public statement about the benefits of masturbation, and the sky fell down.  When she refused to resign, Bill Clinton fired her in December 1994.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"They Are Baaack, Abstinence Only Sex Education Promoters"},{"content":" *It Is the Money * Soldiers' PayUnlike George Tenet, who danced around the edges in his book, At the Center of the Storm, excerpts from former presidential press secretary Scott McClellan's What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception pulls no punches about the president, his key cabinet members, and all others who played a role in deceiving the American people about going to war against Iraq.Dana Milbank in The Washington Post \"We set up a massive political operation that was aimed at really continuing that permanent-campaign way of governing,\" he informed the listeners of National Public Radio's \"Morning Edition.\" \"We got caught up in the excesses of the permanent-campaign culture in Washington, D.C.,\" he explained to viewers of NBC's \"Today\" show. By nightfall, he was on MSNBC's \"Countdown\" with Keith Olbermann, discussing \"these partisan excesses that have existed . . . because of the permanent campaign in Washington, D.C.\" Just as they had through the middle years of the Bush presidency, the airwaves again echoed with McClellan's litanies yesterday. Coming from a former member of the inner circle, McClellan's book made waves and will continue to do so for a while. But for some of us the excerpts produced a yawn and a sense of revulsion. McClellan was a member of the team during and after the grand deception. No matter how he tries to wiggle and explain his silence, McClellan's failure to do the honorable thing by leaving his job and speaking out is inexcusable, and the overwhelming feeling is that it is all about money.What next? Perhaps Colin Powell -- another member of the inner circle who suffered in silence and then commented about being duped -- is writing a book. Although General Powell has spoken out about being deceived and kept out of the loop, he has been restrained in his criticism of the president. He received shoddy treatment but at this stage the good soldier might not stoop to the levels of Tenet and McClellan. *Shabby Deal for Soldiers - Suicides and PTSDNews about high suicide rate amongst soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars took me back to what I wrote last November about returning soldiers, Tolls of War: PTSD and Blake Miller, the Marlboro Man One wonders whether Bush and Cheney ever think about the dead and injured soldiers. Knowing what they did to begin the war it is hard to picture them as being affected by the high price paid by soldiers. It has been reported that the president shows emotion at times. Well, knock me down with a feather.If Bush and Cheney were Democrats the Republicans would have called for impeachment. No, they put on a circus about Bill Clinton's diddling of Ms Lewinsky and a stained blue dress but when it came to Bush and Cheney they became like the three wise monkeys: Seeno evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. A pox on them all.Reuters NewsWASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Thursday said suicides among active duty troops in 2007 had reached the highest level on record, due partly to the stress caused by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.The Army announced that 115 soldiers, including 22 National Guard and Army Reserve troops, killed themselves last year. That marked a 12.7 percent rise from the 102 suicides recorded in 2006. There were 85 Army suicides in 2005.It was the highest number of actual suicides in the military force since record-keeping began in 1980 and Army officials said the rate has remained at about the same level since, with 38 confirmed suicides recorded for 2008 as of last Monday.The Army also said there were 935 suicide attempts in 2007. * The Washington PostBy PAULINE JELINEKThe Associated PressWednesday, May 28, 2008; 2:02 AMWASHINGTON -- The number of troops with new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by roughly 50 percent in 2007 amid the military buildup in Iraq and increased violence there and in Afghanistan.Records show roughly 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with the illness, also known as PTSD, since 2003. Officials believe that many more are likely keeping their illness a secret. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/mcclellan-s-tell-all-book/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIt Is the Money * Soldiers' Pay\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eUnlike George Tenet, who danced around the edges in his book, \u003ca href=\"http://www.slate.com/id/2165269/\"\u003eAt the Center of the Storm\u003c/a\u003e, excerpts from former presidential press secretary Scott McClellan's \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080530/ap_en_bu/books_mcclellan_s_path\"\u003eWhat Happened: Inside the \u003cspan class=\"yshortcuts\" id=\"lw_1212142834_6\"\u003eBush White House\u003c/span\u003e and Washington's Culture of \u003cspan class=\"yshortcuts\" id=\"lw_1212142834_7\"\u003eDeception\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e  pulls no punches about the president, his key cabinet members, and all others who played a role in deceiving the American people about going to war against Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052903675.html\"\u003eDana Milbank in The Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \"We set up a massive political operation that was aimed at really continuing that permanent-campaign way of governing,\" he informed the listeners of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/National+Public+Radio+Inc.?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eNational Public Radio\u003c/a\u003e's \"Morning Edition.\" \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \"We got caught up in the excesses of the permanent-campaign culture in Washington, D.C.,\" he explained to viewers of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/NBC+Universal+Inc.?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eNBC\u003c/a\u003e's \"Today\" show. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e By nightfall, he was on \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/MSNBC+Interactive+News+LLC?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eMSNBC\u003c/a\u003e's \"Countdown\" with \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Keith+Olbermann?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eKeith Olbermann\u003c/a\u003e, discussing \"these partisan excesses that have existed . . . because of the permanent campaign in Washington, D.C.\" \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Just as they had through the middle years of the Bush presidency, the airwaves again echoed with McClellan's litanies yesterday. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eComing from a former member of the  inner circle, McClellan's book made waves and will continue to do so for a while.  But for some of us  the excerpts produced a yawn and a sense of revulsion.   McClellan was a member of the team during and after the grand deception.  No matter how he tries to wiggle and explain his silence, McClellan's failure to do the honorable thing by leaving his job and speaking out is inexcusable, and the overwhelming feeling is that it is all about money.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat next?  Perhaps Colin Powell -- another member of the inner circle who suffered in silence and then commented about being duped -- is writing a book. Although General Powell has spoken out about being deceived and kept out of the loop, he has been restrained in his criticism of the president.  He received shoddy treatment but at this stage the good soldier might not stoop to the levels of Tenet and McClellan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eShabby Deal for Soldiers - Suicides and PTSD\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNews about high suicide rate amongst soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars took me back to what I wrote last November about returning soldiers, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2007/11/tolls-of-war-ptsd-and-blake-miller.html\"\u003eTolls of War:  PTSD and Blake Miller, the Marlboro Man\u003c/a\u003e  One wonders whether Bush and Cheney ever think about the dead and injured soldiers.  Knowing what they did to begin the war it is hard to picture them as being affected by the high price paid by soldiers.  It has been reported that the president shows emotion at times.  Well, knock me down with a feather.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf Bush and Cheney were Democrats the Republicans would have called for impeachment.  No,  they put on a circus about Bill Clinton's diddling of Ms Lewinsky and a stained blue dress but when it came to Bush and Cheney they became like the three wise monkeys: Seeno evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.  A pox on them all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN29285431\"\u003eReuters News\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Thursday said suicides among active duty troops in 2007 had reached the highest level on record, due partly to the stress caused by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Army announced that 115 soldiers, including 22 National Guard and Army Reserve troops, killed themselves last year. That marked a 12.7 percent rise from the 102 suicides recorded in 2006. There were 85 Army suicides in 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was the highest number of actual suicides in the military force since record-keeping began in 1980 and Army officials said the rate has remained at about the same level since, with 38 confirmed suicides recorded for 2008 as of last Monday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Army also said there were 935 suicide attempts in 2007.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052702474.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy PAULINE JELINEK\u003cbr/\u003eThe Associated Press\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday, May 28, 2008; 2:02 AM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON -- The number of troops with new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by roughly 50 percent in 2007 amid the military buildup in Iraq and increased violence there and in Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRecords show roughly 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with the illness, also known as PTSD, since 2003. Officials believe that many more are likely keeping their illness a secret.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"McClellan 's Tell-All Book"},{"content":" *Pray for their Multimillion Dollar Empires and Jet-setting LifestyleApparently, the investigation headed by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) of the Senate Finance Committee into lavish spending by tax-exempt televangelists is beginning to hit them where it hurts. Now Grassley and members of the committee are under attack.Excerpts from the report by Jacqueline L. Salmon of The Washington Post:\"You've got a Baptist senator attacking six Pentecostals,\" said Doug Wead, a conservative blogger who served as President George H.W. Bush's liaison to the evangelical community and was an informal adviser to the current President Bush. Wead has appeared on Copeland's national television show, \"Believer's Voice of Victory,\" to defend him. \"The timing is not good for the Republican Party.\"There is no question that \"The timing is not good for the Republican Party\". Part of the problems facing the party is its cozy relationship with such organizations and disregard of issues that are of concern to the American people.Being Pentecostals satan is never far from their thoughts, and they brought him out. They need heavy guns to stop Grassley. Mention of the devil might bring the flock out of the woodworks to rally against those who dare question the perks of the televangelists. God is silent; probably sick of what they do in his name.\"Copeland has said that Grassley is aiming at him because of his Pentecostal doctrine and has suggested that the devil is behind Grassley's effort.\"Satan has an agenda,\" Copeland said in a recent broadcast. \"He is looking for a way to drive a wedge and get strife between one another.\"Under Investigation (CBS News)The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2008-05-26 Grassley's investigation is out of place and should have began using the proper channels if he truly wanted to investigate these organizations properly. Copeland has ASKED the IRS to conduct an investigation and allow Grassley the information then. Copeland is doing the right thing standing up for his beliefs. Other Christian leaders have banded behind him as well realizing that the future implications could be scary if Grassley is given access to such information. musafir \u0026mdash; 2008-05-26 Thank you for your thoughtful comments. When I composed the post I did think of disturbing implications for First Amendment rights. Yet, my revulsion for the fraudsters made me go ahead. Fraudsters will always be there and so will be dupes who fill up their coffers. Grassley’s efforts might…just might have a restraining effect on organizations that raise money in the name of god and spend most of it on perks for the office holders.\nAs to IRS taking action to prevent abuse of tax-exempt status by religious organizations…..not going to happen. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2008-05-27 Despite the fact we may not agree with their teachings - I think that the implications concerning First Amendment rights definitely take priority here. Copeland should continue to stand his ground in this process! Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2008-05-27 Cole - I have to agree with you. I personally do not agree with all of Copeland's teaching. I do however, have a huge concern over the effects the decisions in this case could have on all of our future. As you say Ty, it's been good to see other Christian leaders stepping up behind him, and I hope we see more do the same. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/pentecostals-strike-back---devil-and-charles-grassley/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003ePray for their Multimillion Dollar Empires and Jet-setting Lifestyle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eApparently, the investigation headed by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302679.html\"\u003eSenator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)\u003c/a\u003e  of the Senate Finance Committee into lavish spending by tax-exempt televangelists is beginning to hit them where it hurts.  Now Grassley and members of the committee are under attack.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from the report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302679.html\"\u003eJacqueline L. Salmon of The Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"You've got a Baptist senator attacking six Pentecostals,\" said Doug Wead, a conservative blogger who served as President George H.W. Bush's liaison to the evangelical community and was an informal adviser to the current President Bush. Wead has appeared on Copeland's national television show, \"Believer's Voice of Victory,\" to defend him. \"The timing is not good for the Republican Party.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is no question that \"The timing is not good for the Republican Party\".  Part of the  problems facing the party is its cozy relationship with such organizations and disregard of  issues that are of concern to the American people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBeing Pentecostals satan  is never far from their thoughts, and they brought him out.  They need heavy guns to stop Grassley.  Mention of the devil might bring the flock out of the woodworks to rally against those who dare question the perks of the televangelists.  God is silent;  probably sick of what they do in his name.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302679_2.html\"\u003eCopeland\u003c/a\u003e has said that Grassley is aiming at him because of his Pentecostal doctrine and has suggested that the devil is behind Grassley's effort.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Satan has an agenda,\" Copeland said in a recent broadcast. \"He is looking for a way to drive a wedge and get strife between one another.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/06/cbsnews_investigates/main3456977.shtml\"\u003eUnder Investigation (CBS News)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-05-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGrassley's investigation is out of place and should have began using the proper channels if he truly wanted to investigate these organizations properly. Copeland has ASKED the IRS to conduct an investigation and allow Grassley the information then. Copeland is doing the right thing standing up for his beliefs. Other Christian leaders have banded behind him as well realizing that the future implications could be scary if Grassley is given access to such information.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-05-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for your thoughtful comments.  When I composed the post I did think of disturbing implications for First Amendment rights.  Yet, my revulsion for the fraudsters made me go ahead. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFraudsters will always be there and so will be dupes who fill up their coffers.  Grassley’s efforts might…just might have a restraining effect on organizations that raise money in the name of god and spend most of it on perks for the office holders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs to IRS taking action to prevent abuse of tax-exempt status by religious organizations…..not going to happen.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-05-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDespite the fact we may not agree with their teachings - I think that the implications concerning First Amendment rights definitely take priority here. Copeland should continue to stand his ground in this process!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-05-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eCole - I have to agree with you. I personally do not agree with all of Copeland's teaching. I do however, have a huge concern over the effects the decisions in this case could have on all of our future. As you say Ty, it's been good to see other Christian leaders stepping up behind him, and I hope we see more do the same.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Pentecostals Strike Back - Devil and Charles Grassley"},{"content":" *War in Iraq * How Low Can Hillary Clinton Go ? * An Unusual SpringThe good news, if any, is that on this Memorial Day weekend we can be thankful that number of U.S. casualties in Iraq has dropped. On the flip side, one of the reasons is said to be more use of air power -- bombs, rockets -- which means higher civilian casualties. Civilian casualties in Iraq, and Afghanistan, however, have never had much of an impact here in America. Strange, as if the innocent civilians are not part of the human race.Hillary Clinton Down and Dirty Freudian slip.....assassination dreaming! Her comment about late Senator Robert Kennedy's assassination in June 1968 as being one of the reasons for her to stay in the race caused a firestorm. After trying to put a spin on it, Mrs. Clinton issued an apology....sort of. The NY Times editorial board has this to say:Instead, she issued one of those tedious non-apology apologies in which it sounds like the person who is being offended is somehow at fault: “I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive.”If?The Seasons: A Wintry SpringLess than a month left before the summer solstice and we continue to have days that feel wintry. In mid-May we had a few days when the temp. reached 100 °F but usually a gusty wind blows through the Peninsula every day and going out in the evening calls for jackets or sweaters.Bush Lupine, Water Dog Lake© MusafirBlue-eyed Grass and Miniature Lupine, Edgewood Park© MusafirWhite Fairy Lantern, Edgewood Park© MusafirMorning Glory, Edgewood Park© MusafirYellow Vetch, Edgewood ParkWhite Thistle, Edgewood Park© MusafirIndian Paint Brush, Russian Ridge© MusafirChecker Mallow, Russian Ridge© MusafirHawk's Beard, Long Ridge© MusafirA runner heading north on Long Ridge Trail© MusafirPink Trillium, Big Basin State Park© MusafirWhite Trillium, Big Basin State Park© MusafirSilver Falls, Big Basin State Park© MusafirWatsonia, Indrani C's Garden, San Mateo, CA© MusafirMatilja Poppy, Indrani C's Garden, San Mateo, CA© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/rambling-on-memorial-day-weekend-2008/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eWar in Iraq * How Low Can Hillary Clinton Go ? * An Unusual Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe good news, if any, is that on this Memorial Day weekend we can be thankful that number of U.S. casualties in Iraq has dropped.  On the flip side,  one of the reasons is said to be more use of air power -- bombs, rockets -- which means higher civilian casualties.  Civilian casualties in Iraq, and Afghanistan, however, have never had much of an impact here in America.   Strange,  as  if the innocent civilians are not part of the human race.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHillary Clinton Down and Dirty \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFreudian slip.....assassination dreaming!  Her comment about late Senator Robert Kennedy's assassination in June 1968 as being one of  the reasons for her to stay in the race caused a firestorm.  After trying to put a spin on it, Mrs. Clinton issued an apology....sort of.  \u003ca href=\"http://theboard.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/say-what-hillary-clinton-does-it-again/?hp\"\u003eThe NY Times\u003c/a\u003e editorial board has this to say:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInstead, she issued one of those tedious non-apology apologies in which it sounds like the person who is being offended is somehow at fault: “I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Seasons: A Wintry Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLess than a month left before the summer solstice and we continue to have days that feel wintry. In mid-May we had a few days when the temp. reached 100 °F but usually a gusty wind blows through the Peninsula every day and going out in the evening calls for jackets or sweaters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBush Lupine, Water Dog Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203995818733539938\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Bush Lupine 3-25-08 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlue-eyed Grass and Miniature Lupine, Edgewood Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204015612660468146\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 007.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003eWhite Fairy Lantern, Edgewood Park\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203978626594481602\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 015.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorning Glory, Edgewood Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203977571679574514\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 011.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYellow Vetch, Edgewood Park\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203976841234502770\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 010.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eWhite Thistle, Edgewood Park\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203974269281171138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian Paint Brush, Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203973227429179282\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Russian Ridge and Edgewood Park 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eChecker Mallow, Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203970573439942386\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Long Ridge 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHawk's Beard, Long Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204014117754408482\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Long Ridge 012.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eA runner heading north on Long Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203972029443429026\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Long Ridge 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePink Trillium, Big Basin State Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204003327388163826\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Big Basin 4-9-08 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhite Trillium, Big Basin State Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204001715053111538\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Big Basin 4-9-08 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSilver Falls, Big Basin State Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203996436218324210\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Big Basin 4-9-08 012.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003eWatsonia, Indrani C's Garden, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204003139349318274\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Indranis back garden 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMatilja Poppy, Indrani C's Garden, San Mateo, CA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204010627134997010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Indranis back garden 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Rambling On Memorial Day Weekend 2008"},{"content":" *The Sky is Falling.....for SomeFor some, California State Supreme Court's ruling on May 15, 2008, about same-sex marriage means the end of the world as they know it. Many of them believe in Armageddon and ought not to feel unhappy about the end of the world since they are assured of ascending to heaven when the day arrives. Apparently, that is not good enough; they want punishment, while they are still on earth, for those who just want to live their lives without encroaching their values, hopes, and principles on others. So they are gearing up for battle to deny civil rights and happiness to gays and lesbians in the name of god. How god feels about all this is not known. If he is up there the chances are that he does not give a hoot about who is marrying whom.© Mel Calman *\"It's certainly a temporary victory for those who favor same-sex marriage,\" Ron Prentice, steering committee chairman of ProtectMarriage.com, said of the decision invalidating a state law defining marriage exclusively as the union of a man and a woman. Prentice's coalition is seeking to overturn that ruling.The Dormouse: You've got no right to grow here.Alice: Don't talk nonsense. You know you're growing too.The Dormouse: Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace, not in that ridiculous fashion.--Alice In Wonderland (Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/same-sex-marriage/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Sky is Falling.....for Some\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor some, California State Supreme Court's ruling on May 15, 2008, about \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/15/BAGAVNC5K.DTL\"\u003esame-sex marriage\u003c/a\u003e means the end of the world as they know it.   Many of them believe in Armageddon and ought not to feel unhappy about the end of the world since they are assured of ascending to heaven when the day arrives. Apparently, that is not good enough;  they want punishment, while they are still on earth, for those who just want to live their lives without encroaching their values, hopes, and principles on others.   So they are gearing up for battle to deny civil rights and happiness to gays and lesbians in the name of god.  How god feels about all this is  not known.  If he is up there the chances are that he does not give a hoot  about who is marrying whom.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152209619828897826\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/My God.jpg\"/\u003e© Mel Calman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"It's certainly a temporary victory for those who favor same-sex marriage,\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/05/18/ST2008051800136.html\"\u003eRon Prentice\u003c/a\u003e, steering committee chairman of ProtectMarriage.com, said of the decision invalidating a state law defining marriage exclusively as the union of a man and a woman. Prentice's coalition is seeking to overturn that ruling.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Dormouse: You've got no right to grow here.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlice:\u003c/b\u003e Don't talk nonsense. You know you're growing too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Dormouse:\u003c/b\u003e Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace, not in that ridiculous fashion.\u003cbr/\u003e--Alice In Wonderland (Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Same-Sex Marriage"},{"content":" *Barack Obama Caved In * Cherie Blair and Foreplay in a No.74 BusObama went down a notch in my books by appearing with a flag pin on his lapel. His previous position on wearing of flag pins was not an important factor in my decision to support him, but it made me respect him all the more.In his own words:“This is an issue that is a phony issue because I was never opposed to wearing flag pins.”He said giving up the flag pin in the first place was a commentary on hypocritical lawmakers. (Reuters Blogs)Perhaps the number of voters to whom the wearing of flag pins is important is large enough for Barack Obama to adopt the prop. It is nothing but a prop. Perhaps he did it just as a mark of respect for the veteran who handed him the pin. His action makes it clear that Obama,too, stands ready to make compromises. It is a sad reflection on Obama and the voters.Think of politicians who almost religiously wear flag pins, and their records. Not all of them are Republicans but Republicans have a habit of grandstanding about trivial issues. Remember former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and his cronies strutting out of the Capitol building in March 2003 to declare before TV cameras that french fries in the House cafetaria would be listed as \"Freedom Fries\". Why? Because France declined to join the coalition in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hastert is gone and so are freedom fries; they are now listed as french fries. Bunch of oafs. * Cherie Blair - Anything for MoneyCherie Blair, wife of the former British prime minister, recently got a lot of publicity about her tell all book, Speaking for Myself, which includes details of a ride on the top deck of a bus that made some critics talk about the book as a 'bodice ripper'. No airhead, this woman. A barrister, QC, no less. One wonders what made her write such a tawdry book. Money? Tony Blair now being on the lecture circuit that ought to provide good income for the Blairs. Perhaps they want to outdo the Clintons.In view of his all-out support for Bush's war -- \"Bush's poodle\" was the unflattering term used for Blair -- it is interesting to read what Cherie Blair wrote about prime minister Blair's reaction to the news about Bush's victory in 2000.\nTony Blair's 'heart sank' when George Bush was elected US president in 2000, his wife, Cherie claims in her new book.The former prime minister's wife reveals that the Blairs had become friendly with Al Gore, the Democratic candidate, and his wife on visits to Washington, and were disappointed when Bush was declared president.\"I think it's fair to say our hearts sank when the result was finally ratified,\" she wrote in her memoir.The book makes no mention of what later caused the epiphany in Blair. It was reported that they prayed together during Blair's vist with Bush. Think of this scenario. Bush and Blair were down on their knees, praying, when god whispered in Tony's ear to join in the battle against the evil ones. God meant the neocons but Tony thought he meant Saddam Hussein and Iraqis with non-existent WMD. And so it goes.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/flag-pin-does-not-a-patriot-make/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBarack Obama Caved In * Cherie Blair  and Foreplay in a  No.74 Bus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eObama went down a notch in my books by appearing with a flag pin on his lapel.  His previous position on wearing of flag pins was not an important factor in my decision to support him, but it made me respect him all the more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his own words:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“This is an issue that is a phony issue because I was never opposed to wearing flag pins.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe said giving up the flag pin in the first place was a commentary on hypocritical lawmakers.  (\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/05/14/obama-dons-flag-pin-again-says-its-a-phony-issue/\"\u003eReuters Blogs\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePerhaps the number of voters to whom the wearing of \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/05/14/obamas-flag-pin-reappears/\"\u003eflag pins\u003c/a\u003e is important is large enough for Barack Obama to adopt the prop. It is nothing but a prop. Perhaps he did it just as a mark of respect for the veteran who handed him the pin.  His action makes it clear that Obama,too, stands ready to make compromises. It is a sad reflection on Obama and the voters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThink of politicians who almost religiously wear flag pins, and their records.  Not all of them are Republicans but Republicans have a habit of grandstanding about trivial issues.  Remember former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and his cronies strutting out of the Capitol building in March 2003 to declare before TV cameras that french fries in the House cafetaria would be listed as \"Freedom Fries\".  Why?  Because France declined to join the coalition in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Hastert is gone and so are freedom fries;  they are now listed as french fries.  Bunch of oafs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCherie Blair - Anything for Money\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCherie Blair, wife of the former British prime minister, recently got a lot of publicity about her tell all book, \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/biography/story/0,,2280471,00.html\"\u003eSpeaking for Myself\u003c/a\u003e,  which includes details of a ride on the top deck of a bus that made some critics talk about the book as a 'bodice ripper'.  No airhead, this woman.  A barrister, QC, no less.  One wonders what made her write such a tawdry book.  Money?  Tony Blair now being on the lecture circuit that ought to provide good income for the Blairs.  Perhaps they want to outdo the Clintons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn view of his all-out support for Bush's war -- \"Bush's poodle\" was the unflattering term used for Blair -- it is interesting to read what Cherie Blair wrote about prime minister \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/may/14/cherieblair.foreignpolicy\"\u003eBlair's reaction\u003c/a\u003e to the news about Bush's victory in 2000.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Flag Pin Does Not A Patriot Make"},{"content":" *Shadow of the War * Richard Yates * Gettysburg Address *Music of BachApril was unseasonably cool. May feels the same way; some days are almost wintry. This morning does not look encouraging for those planning an outdoor celebration for Mothers' Day. Might change later; hope it does.Reading Richard Yates' short story about a soldier in another war in another time it struck me how some things have not changed during the intervening years since Vietnam. Soldiers still catch flights to leave for the war zone; the lucky ones receive tight hugs before walking through the gate. But it took a long time for the people to wake up to the truth about Vietnam. Despite President Bush's repeated attempts to justify the war in Iraq, few people believe him. Among presidential candidates, John McCain is gung ho about the war. Hillary Clinton, who had voted in favor of the Iraq War Resolution in 2002, is facing dwindling chances of sleeping next to the 'red phone'. *From \"The Right Thing\", Richard Yates (1926-1992)The Esquire Fiction Reader Vol.I edited by Rust Hills and Tom Jenks© 1985 by Rust Hills\"When it was time to say goodbye at the gate to Terry's flight, Michael shook hands with him in a little excess of old soldier's heartiness: 'Well, stay loose, Terry. And keep a tight asshole.'\"Then Sarah opened her arms for him. She was taller than he was, but that didn't make it an awkward embrace. She held him, however briefly, in the way a man ought to be held before going to a war that nobody would ever understand.\"Bush and Gettysburg Address\"When Bush tries to articulate a vision,\" Davis said, pausing to choose his words carefully, \"he will butcher the Gettysburg Address. Obama, he will make an A\u0026amp;P grocery list sing.\"Who said that ? Tom Davis \"who chaired the NRCC for four years\". Ah, the travails of the Republicans.The sound of Bach is good for taking the mind off war, politicians and other unpleasant subjects. Helmuth Rilling on organ.Track 3, Passacaglia and Fugue, for organ in C minor, BWV 582Toccata and Fugue: A Bach Organ Work SelectionDenon Records, April 1995 ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/mothers-day-2008/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShadow of the War * Richard Yates * Gettysburg Address *Music of Bach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eApril was unseasonably cool.  May feels the same way; some days are almost wintry.  This morning does not look encouraging for those planning an outdoor celebration for Mothers' Day.  Might change later; hope it does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading Richard Yates' short story about a soldier in another war in another time it struck me how some things have not changed during the intervening years since Vietnam. Soldiers still catch flights to leave for the war zone; the lucky ones receive tight hugs before walking through the gate. But it took a long time for the people to wake up to the truth about Vietnam. Despite President Bush's repeated attempts to justify the war in Iraq, few people believe him. Among presidential candidates, John McCain is gung ho about the war. Hillary Clinton, who had voted in favor of the Iraq War Resolution in 2002, is facing dwindling chances of sleeping next to the 'red phone'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \"The Right Thing\", \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Yates_%28novelist%29\"\u003eRichard Yates (1926-1992)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Esquire Fiction Reader Vol.I edited by Rust Hills and Tom Jenks\u003cbr/\u003e© 1985 by Rust Hills\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"When it was time to say goodbye at the gate to Terry's flight, Michael shook hands with him in a little excess of old soldier's heartiness: 'Well, stay loose, Terry. And keep a tight asshole.'\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Then Sarah opened her arms for him. She was taller than he was, but that didn't make it an awkward embrace. She held him, however briefly, in the way a man ought to be held before going to a war that nobody would ever understand.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eBush and Gettysburg Address\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"When Bush tries to articulate a vision,\" Davis said, pausing to choose his words carefully, \"he will butcher the \u003ca href=\"http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/\"\u003eGettysburg Address\u003c/a\u003e. Obama, he will make an A\u0026amp;P grocery list sing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWho said that ?  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/10/AR2008051002441_2.html\"\u003eTom Davis\u003c/a\u003e \"who chaired the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nrcc.org/\"\u003eNRCC\u003c/a\u003e for four years\".  Ah, the travails of the Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe sound of Bach is good for taking the mind off war, politicians and other unpleasant subjects.\u003ca href=\"http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Rilling-Helmuth.htm\"\u003e Helmuth Rilling\u003c/a\u003e on organ.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrack 3, Passacaglia and Fugue, for organ in C minor, BWV 582\u003cbr/\u003eToccata and Fugue: A Bach Organ Work Selection\u003cbr/\u003eDenon Records, April 1995\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Mothers' Day 2008"},{"content":" *And Poems by Robert HassWe have a \"war president\" (his own words) in the White House. The last thing we need is another president who will use threat of terrorism to continue the abuse of power that we have experienced since 9/11. McCain has made no secret of his support for the Bush administration's policies and the war in Iraq. Hillary Clinton, in her attempt to appear macho, talked about 'obliterating' Iran. Perhaps it won her some much-needed votes in Indiana.The candidates are doing what politicians always do -- play up to the fears and prejudices. And they promise us the moon.The economy has replaced Iraq as the Number 1 issue for voters. Rightly so. With soaring costs of gas, food, health care, and education, Americans are hurting. Iraq, however, must not be forgotten. Part of the sorry state of economy is tied to the war in Iraq and the billions of dollars being spent to continue the unjustified war. Then there is the human cost. 4073 American soldiers have lost their lives as of May 6, 2008, including 8 this month. Number of injured soldiers is nearing 30,000.Robert HaasIt was a pleasure to read that \"Time and Materials\" by my favorite poet, Robert Haas, is the joint winner (with \"Failure\" by Philip Schultz) of this year's Pulitzer Prize.Excerpt from \"A Poem\" by Robert Haas\"More Iraqi civilians have now been incidental casualties of the conduct of war in Iraq than were killed by Arab terrorists in the destruction of the World Trade Center.In the first twenty years of the twentieth century 90 percent of war deaths were the deaths of combatants. In the last twenty years of the twentieth century 90 percent of war deaths were deaths of civilians.There are imaginable responses to these facts. The nations of the world could stop setting an example for suicide bombers. They could abolish the use of land mines. They could abolish the use of aerial bombardment in warfare. You would think that men would relent.\" * Bush's War I typed the brief phrase, \"Bush's War,\"At the top of a sheet of white paper,Having some dim intuition of a poemMade luminous by reason that would,Though I did not have them at hand,Set the facts out in an orderly way.Berlin is a northerly city. In MayAt the end of the twentieth centuryIn the leafy precincts of Dahlem Dorf,South of the Grunewald, near Krumme Lanke,Spring is northerly; it begins before dawnIn a racket of bird song. The amselsShiver the sun up as if they were shakingA liquid tangle of golden wire. There are two kindsOf flowering chestnuts, red and white,And the wet pavements are speckledWith petals from the incandescent spikesOf their flowers and shoes at U-bahn stopsAre flecked with them. Green of holm oaks,Birch tassels, the soft green of maples,And the odor of lilacs is everywhere.At Oscar Helene Heim station a farmerSells white asparagus from a heaped table.In a month he'll be selling chanterelles;In the month after that, strawberriesAnd small, rosy crawfish from the Spree.The piles of stalks of the asparagusAre startlingly phallic, phallic and tenderAnd deathly pale. Their seasonal appearanceMust be the remnant of some fertility ritualOf the German tribes. Steamed, they are the colorOf old ivory. In May, in restaurantsThey are served on heaped white plattersWith boiled potatoes and parsley butter,Or shavings of Parma ham and lemon juiceOr sorrel and smoked salmon. And,Walking home in the slant, widening,Brilliant northern light that fallsOn the new-leaved birches and the elms,Nightingales singing at the first, subtlest,Darkening of dusk, it is a trick of the mindThat the past seems just ahead of us,As if we were being shunted thereIn the surge of a rattling funicular.Flash forward: the firebombing of Hamburg,Fifty thousand dead in a single night,\"The children's bodies the next daySet in the street in rows like a marketIn charred chicken.\" Flash forward:Firebombing of Tokyo, a hundred thousandIn a night. Flash forward: forty-fiveThousand Polish officers slaughteredBy the Russian Army in the Katyn Woods,The work of half a day. Flash forward:Two million Russian prisoners of warMurdered by the German army all acrossThe eastern front, supplies low,Winter of 1943. Flash: Hiroshima.And then Nagasaki, as if the sentenceLife is fire and flesh is ash neededTo be spoken twice. Flash: Auschwitz,Dachau, Therienstadt, the train lurching,The stomach woozy, past displays of fallsOf hair, piles of valises, spectaclesWith frames designed to curl delicatelyAround a human ear. Flash:The gulags, seven million in ByelorussiaAnd Ukraine. In innocent Europe on a nightIn spring, among the light-struck birches,Students holding hands. One of themIs carrying a novel, the German translationOf a slim book by Marguerite DurasAbout a love affair in old Saigon. (Flash:Two million Vietnamese, fifty five thousandOf the American young, whole racesOf tropical birds extinct from saturation bombing)The kind of book the young loveTo love, about love in time of war.Forty five million, all told, in World War II.In Berlin, pretty Berlin, in the spring time,You are never not wondering howIt happened, and the people around youIn the station with chestnut petals on their shoes,Children then, or unborn, never notWondering. Is it that we like the kissingAnd bombing together, in prospectAt least, girls in their flowery dresses?Someone will always want to mobilizeDeath on a massive scale for economicDomination or revenge. And the task, takenAs a task, appeals to the imagination.The military is an engineering profession.Look at boys playing: they loveTo figure out the ways to blow things up.But the rest of us have to go along.Why do we do it? Certainly there's a rageTo injure what's injured us. WarsAre always pitched to us that way.The well-paid news readers read the reasonsOn the air. And we who are injured,Or have been convinced that we are injured,Are always identified with virtue. It's that--The rage to hurt mixed with self-righteousnessAnd fear--that's murderous.The young Arab depilated himselfAs an act of purification before he droveThe plane into the office building. It's notJust violence, it's a taste for powerThat amounts to loathing for the body.Perhaps it's this that permits people to believeThat the dead women in the rubble of BaghdadWho did not cast a vote for their deathsOr the glimpse afforded them before they diedOf the raw white of the splintered bonesIn the bodies of their men or their childrenAre being given the gift of freedomWhich is the virtue of their injured killers.It's hard to say which is worse about this,The moral sloth of it or the intellectual disgrace.And what good are our judgments to the dead?And death the cleanser, Walt Whitman'sSweet death, the scourer, the tenderLover, shutter of eyelids, turnsThe heaped bodies into summer fruit,Magpies eating dark berries in the duskAnd birch pollen staining sidewalksTo the faintest gold. Bald nur--Goethe--no,Warte nur, bald ruhest du auch. Just wait.You will be quiet soon enough. In Dahlem,Under the chestnuts, in the leafy spring.--Robert HaasThe quotations are from \"Time and Materials, Harper Collins Publishers © 2007 Robert Haas ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/election-2008---warmongers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Poems by Robert Hass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have a \"war president\" (his own words) in the White House.  The last thing we need is another president who will use threat of terrorism to continue the abuse of power that we have experienced since 9/11.  McCain has made no secret of his support for the Bush administration's policies and the war in Iraq.  Hillary Clinton, in her attempt to appear macho, talked about 'obliterating' Iran.  Perhaps it won her some much-needed votes in Indiana.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe candidates are doing what politicians always do -- play up to the fears and prejudices.  And they promise us the moon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe economy has replaced Iraq as the Number 1 issue for voters.  Rightly so.  With soaring costs of gas, food, health care, and education, Americans are hurting.  Iraq, however, must not be forgotten.  Part of the sorry state of economy is tied to the war in Iraq and the billions of dollars being spent to continue the unjustified war.  Then there is the human cost.  \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e4073\u003c/a\u003e American soldiers have lost their lives as of May 6, 2008, including 8 this month.  Number of injured soldiers is nearing \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e30,000\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was a pleasure to read that \"Time and Materials\" by my favorite poet, Robert Haas,  is the joint winner (with \"Failure\" by Philip Schultz) of this year's Pulitzer Prize.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpt from \"A Poem\" by Robert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"More Iraqi civilians have now been incidental casualties of the conduct of war in Iraq than were killed by Arab terrorists in the destruction of the World Trade Center.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the first twenty years of the twentieth century 90 percent of war deaths were the deaths of combatants.  In the last twenty years of the twentieth century 90 percent of war deaths were deaths of civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are imaginable responses to these facts.  The nations of the world could stop setting an example for suicide bombers.  They could abolish the use of land mines.  They could abolish the use of aerial bombardment in warfare.  You would think that men would relent.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush's War \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI typed the brief phrase, \"Bush's War,\"\u003cbr/\u003eAt the top of a sheet of white paper,\u003cbr/\u003eHaving some dim intuition of a poem\u003cbr/\u003eMade luminous by reason that would,\u003cbr/\u003eThough I did not have them at hand,\u003cbr/\u003eSet the facts out in an orderly way.\u003cbr/\u003eBerlin is a northerly city. In May\u003cbr/\u003eAt the end of the twentieth century\u003cbr/\u003eIn the leafy precincts of Dahlem Dorf,\u003cbr/\u003eSouth of the Grunewald, near Krumme Lanke,\u003cbr/\u003eSpring is northerly; it begins before dawn\u003cbr/\u003eIn a racket of bird song. The amsels\u003cbr/\u003eShiver the sun up as if they were shaking\u003cbr/\u003eA liquid tangle of golden wire. There are two kinds\u003cbr/\u003eOf flowering chestnuts, red and white,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the wet pavements are speckled\u003cbr/\u003eWith petals from the incandescent spikes\u003cbr/\u003eOf their flowers and shoes at U-bahn stops\u003cbr/\u003eAre flecked with them. Green of holm oaks,\u003cbr/\u003eBirch tassels, the soft green of maples,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the odor of lilacs is everywhere.\u003cbr/\u003eAt Oscar Helene Heim station a farmer\u003cbr/\u003eSells white asparagus from a heaped table.\u003cbr/\u003eIn a month he'll be selling chanterelles;\u003cbr/\u003eIn the month after that, strawberries\u003cbr/\u003eAnd small, rosy crawfish from the Spree.\u003cbr/\u003eThe piles of stalks of the asparagus\u003cbr/\u003eAre startlingly phallic, phallic and tender\u003cbr/\u003eAnd deathly pale. Their seasonal appearance\u003cbr/\u003eMust be the remnant of some fertility ritual\u003cbr/\u003eOf the German tribes. Steamed, they are the color\u003cbr/\u003eOf old ivory. In May, in restaurants\u003cbr/\u003eThey are served on heaped white platters\u003cbr/\u003eWith boiled potatoes and parsley butter,\u003cbr/\u003eOr shavings of Parma ham and lemon juice\u003cbr/\u003eOr sorrel and smoked salmon. And,\u003cbr/\u003eWalking home in the slant, widening,\u003cbr/\u003eBrilliant northern light that falls\u003cbr/\u003eOn the new-leaved birches and the elms,\u003cbr/\u003eNightingales singing at the first, subtlest,\u003cbr/\u003eDarkening of dusk, it is a trick of the mind\u003cbr/\u003eThat the past seems just ahead of us,\u003cbr/\u003eAs if we were being shunted there\u003cbr/\u003eIn the surge of a rattling funicular.\u003cbr/\u003eFlash forward: the firebombing of Hamburg,\u003cbr/\u003eFifty thousand dead in a single night,\u003cbr/\u003e\"The children's bodies the next day\u003cbr/\u003eSet in the street in rows like a market\u003cbr/\u003eIn charred chicken.\" Flash forward:\u003cbr/\u003eFirebombing of Tokyo, a hundred thousand\u003cbr/\u003eIn a night. Flash forward: forty-five\u003cbr/\u003eThousand Polish officers slaughtered\u003cbr/\u003eBy the Russian Army in the Katyn Woods,\u003cbr/\u003eThe work of half a day. Flash forward:\u003cbr/\u003eTwo million Russian prisoners of war\u003cbr/\u003eMurdered by the German army all across\u003cbr/\u003eThe eastern front, supplies low,\u003cbr/\u003eWinter of 1943. Flash: Hiroshima.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd then Nagasaki, as if the sentence\u003cbr/\u003eLife is fire and flesh is ash needed\u003cbr/\u003eTo be spoken twice. Flash: Auschwitz,\u003cbr/\u003eDachau, Therienstadt, the train lurching,\u003cbr/\u003eThe stomach woozy, past displays of falls\u003cbr/\u003eOf hair, piles of valises, spectacles\u003cbr/\u003eWith frames designed to curl delicately\u003cbr/\u003eAround a human ear. Flash:\u003cbr/\u003eThe gulags, seven million in Byelorussia\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Ukraine. In innocent Europe on a night\u003cbr/\u003eIn spring, among the light-struck birches,\u003cbr/\u003eStudents holding hands. One of them\u003cbr/\u003eIs carrying a novel, the German translation\u003cbr/\u003eOf a slim book by Marguerite Duras\u003cbr/\u003eAbout a love affair in old Saigon. (Flash:\u003cbr/\u003eTwo million Vietnamese, fifty five thousand\u003cbr/\u003eOf the American young, whole races\u003cbr/\u003eOf tropical birds extinct from saturation bombing)\u003cbr/\u003eThe kind of book the young love\u003cbr/\u003eTo love, about love in time of war.\u003cbr/\u003eForty five million, all told, in World War II.\u003cbr/\u003eIn Berlin, pretty Berlin, in the spring time,\u003cbr/\u003eYou are never not wondering how\u003cbr/\u003eIt happened, and the people around you\u003cbr/\u003eIn the station with chestnut petals on their shoes,\u003cbr/\u003eChildren then, or unborn, never not\u003cbr/\u003eWondering. Is it that we like the kissing\u003cbr/\u003eAnd bombing together, in prospect\u003cbr/\u003eAt least, girls in their flowery dresses?\u003cbr/\u003eSomeone will always want to mobilize\u003cbr/\u003eDeath on a massive scale for economic\u003cbr/\u003eDomination or revenge. And the task, taken\u003cbr/\u003eAs a task, appeals to the imagination.\u003cbr/\u003eThe military is an engineering profession.\u003cbr/\u003eLook at boys playing: they love\u003cbr/\u003eTo figure out the ways to blow things up.\u003cbr/\u003eBut the rest of us have to go along.\u003cbr/\u003eWhy do we do it? Certainly there's a rage\u003cbr/\u003eTo injure what's injured us. Wars\u003cbr/\u003eAre always pitched to us that way.\u003cbr/\u003eThe well-paid news readers read the reasons\u003cbr/\u003eOn the air. And we who are injured,\u003cbr/\u003eOr have been convinced that we are injured,\u003cbr/\u003eAre always identified with virtue. It's that--\u003cbr/\u003eThe rage to hurt mixed with self-righteousness\u003cbr/\u003eAnd fear--that's murderous.\u003cbr/\u003eThe young Arab depilated himself\u003cbr/\u003eAs an act of purification before he drove\u003cbr/\u003eThe plane into the office building. It's not\u003cbr/\u003eJust violence, it's a taste for power\u003cbr/\u003eThat amounts to loathing for the body.\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps it's this that permits people to believe\u003cbr/\u003eThat the dead women in the rubble of Baghdad\u003cbr/\u003eWho did not cast a vote for their deaths\u003cbr/\u003eOr the glimpse afforded them before they died\u003cbr/\u003eOf the raw white of the splintered bones\u003cbr/\u003eIn the bodies of their men or their children\u003cbr/\u003eAre being given the gift of freedom\u003cbr/\u003eWhich is the virtue of their injured killers.\u003cbr/\u003eIt's hard to say which is worse about this,\u003cbr/\u003eThe moral sloth of it or the intellectual disgrace.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what good are our judgments to the dead?\u003cbr/\u003eAnd death the cleanser, Walt Whitman's\u003cbr/\u003eSweet death, the scourer, the tender\u003cbr/\u003eLover, shutter of eyelids, turns\u003cbr/\u003eThe heaped bodies into summer fruit,\u003cbr/\u003eMagpies eating dark berries in the dusk\u003cbr/\u003eAnd birch pollen staining sidewalks\u003cbr/\u003eTo the faintest gold. Bald nur--Goethe--no,\u003cbr/\u003eWarte nur, bald ruhest du auch. Just wait.\u003cbr/\u003eYou will be quiet soon enough. In Dahlem,\u003cbr/\u003eUnder the chestnuts, in the leafy spring.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Robert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe quotations are from \"Time and Materials, Harper Collins Publishers © 2007 Robert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Election 2008 - Warmongers"},{"content":" *Indiana, North Carolina * Prayers at PumpsAccording to pundits, if Obama wins both states then Hillary Clinton would face the inevitable and pull out of the campaign. On the morning of May 6th that scenario is not a given. The polls and projections give Obama the lead in North Carolina, and a victory for Clinton in Indiana. If that becomes reality then Clinton would continue in the race for the White House despite Obama's lead among superdelegates. Republicans would like to see that happen; it would be good for John McCain.Indications are that Obama's delayed recognition of the true nature of Reverend Wright has not damaged him as much as some in the media thought it would. It, however, remains an issue that the Republicans are certain to revive if Obama wins the nomination. And the media would play it up.In the meantime, the more I read about Hillary Clinton and her shameless pandering -- the gas tax holiday, downing shots in local bars, and statements about \"obliterating\" Iran -- the less I think of her. Her attempts to prove that she has cojones are distasteful.The Lapel Pin Smear In the infamous televised debate on April 16th, before Pennsylvania election, when moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos of ABC tried their best to do a hatchet job on Obama, Gibson asked him why he didn't wear a lapel pin.Obama's answer:\"Well, look, I revere the American flag,\" he said. \"And I would not be running for president if I did not revere this country. I would not be standing here if it wasn't for this country. And I've said this -- again, there's no other country in which my story is even possible.\"Richard Cohen, in his column, Pins and Panders. in the Post today wrote:Many people will read a lot of meaning into Obama's refusal to wear the pin. Some will see it as a lack of patriotism, an emotional distance from the country that has served him so well. Others, such as I, will see it as an expression of cool, the statement of a candidate who wants to be president but not at the cost of his intellectual integrity. And still others (me again) will see it as Obama's push-back, his reluctance to do something simply because it is demanded of him.An allergy to cant can be an admirable quality in a politician, although not necessarily a politically smart one. Obama, for example, is right to label Hillary Clinton's proposal to have the government lift the gas tax this summer as \"a classic Washington gimmick.\" Still, gimmicks like this win votes.The Price of Gas and Jesus FreaksA news story, dalelined May 5th, filed by AFP (Agence France Presses) caught my attention. Does Jesus care what you are paying for gas? Some \"activists\", crazies would be a more appropriate term, held a prayer meeting for lower prices at a gas pump in Washington.Excerpts\"Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices,\" Twyman said to a chorus of \"amens\".\"Prayer is the answer to every problem in life... We call on God to intervene in the lives of the selfish, greedy people who are keeping these prices high,\" Twyman said on the gas station forecourt in a neighborhood of Washington that, like many of its residents, has seen better days.\"Lord, the prices at this pump have gone up since last week. We know that you are able, that you have all the power in the world,\" he prayed, before former beauty queen Rashida Jolley led the group in a modified version of the spiritual, \"We Shall Overcome\".\"We'll have lower gas prices, we'll have lower gas prices...\" they sang.\"These prices will come down, just like the walls of Jericho came down in the Bible,\" he said, as another chorus of amens punctuated the sound of cash flowing out of the gas pumps. * Apparently, the prayers have not reached the almighty's ears or he has more important things to deal with. Oil prices climbed further this morning, reaching a record of $122.00 per barrel. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2014-04-24 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/day-of-reckoning-for-clinton-and-obama/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIndiana, North Carolina * Prayers at Pumps\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to pundits, if Obama wins both states then Hillary Clinton would face the inevitable and pull out of the campaign.  On the morning of May 6th that scenario is not a given.  The polls and projections give Obama the lead in North Carolina, and a victory for Clinton in Indiana.  If that becomes reality then Clinton would continue in the race for the White House despite Obama's lead among superdelegates.  Republicans would like to see that happen; it would be good for John McCain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIndications are that Obama's delayed recognition of the true nature of Reverend Wright has not damaged him as much as some in the media thought it would.  It, however, remains an issue that the Republicans are certain to revive if Obama wins the nomination.  And the media would play it up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the meantime, the more I read about Hillary Clinton  and her shameless pandering -- the gas tax holiday, downing shots in local bars, and statements about \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/05/clinton-defends.html\"\u003e\"obliterating\" Iran\u003c/a\u003e -- the less I think of her.  Her attempts to prove that she has cojones are distasteful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Lapel Pin Smear \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the infamous televised debate on April 16th, before Pennsylvania election, when moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos of ABC tried their best to do a hatchet job on Obama, Gibson asked him why he didn't wear a lapel pin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eObama's answer:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Well, look, I revere the American flag,\" he said. \"And I would not be running for president if I did not revere this country. I would not be standing here if it wasn't for this country. And I've said this -- again, there's no other country in which my story is even possible.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eRichard Cohen, in his column, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/05/AR2008050502065.html\"\u003ePins and Panders\u003c/a\u003e. in the Post today wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMany people will read a lot of meaning into Obama's refusal to wear the pin. Some will see it as a lack of patriotism, an emotional distance from the country that has served him so well. Others, such as I, will see it as an expression of cool, the statement of a candidate who wants to be president but not at the cost of his intellectual integrity. And still others (me again) will see it as Obama's push-back, his reluctance to do something simply because it is demanded of him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn allergy to cant can be an admirable quality in a politician, although not necessarily a politically smart one. Obama, for example, is right to label Hillary Clinton's proposal to have the government lift the gas tax this summer as \"a classic Washington gimmick.\" Still, gimmicks like this win votes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Price of Gas and Jesus Freaks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA news story, dalelined May 5th,  filed by \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080505/lf_afp/usreligionpovertyenergyoil\"\u003eAFP\u003c/a\u003e (Agence France Presses) caught my attention.  Does Jesus care what you are paying for gas?  Some \"activists\", crazies would be a more appropriate term, held a  prayer meeting for lower prices at a gas pump in Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices,\" Twyman said to a chorus of \"amens\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Prayer is the answer to every problem in life... We call on God to intervene in the lives of the selfish, greedy people who are keeping these prices high,\" Twyman said on the gas station forecourt in a neighborhood of Washington that, like many of its residents, has seen better days.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Lord, the prices at this pump have gone up since last week. We know that you are able, that you have all the power in the world,\" he prayed, before former beauty queen Rashida Jolley led the group in a modified version of the spiritual, \"We Shall Overcome\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We'll have lower gas prices, we'll have lower gas prices...\" they sang.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"These prices will come down, just like the walls of Jericho came down in the Bible,\" he said, as another chorus of amens punctuated the sound of cash flowing out of the gas pumps.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eApparently, the prayers have not reached the almighty's ears or he has more important things to deal with.  Oil prices climbed further this morning, reaching a record of $122.00 per barrel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2014-04-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Day of Reckoning for Clinton and Obama ?"},{"content":" *Something in Common\"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\" (G.W. Bush,Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria 10/19/2000).No surprise; it was to be expected from Bush. And his base did send him to the White House....twice. The surprise was reading about Hillary Clinton's appearance on the O'Reilly Factor.The Huffington Post April 30, 2008Hillary Clinton made her first ever appearance on the O'Reilly Factor on Wednesday, a confrontational but mostly friendly exchange that was -- kudos to Bill -- the most issue-oriented (if right-leaning) major interview with a presidential candidate in recent memory.One of the more heated policy discussions came over taxes. O'Reilly demanded to know how much Clinton was going to \"take out of my wallet,\" and when she listed a series of proposals to aid middle class families, O'Reilly interjected. \"I'm not middle class, I'm a rich guy.\" Clinton responded (in an awkward moment), \"Rich people, God bless us. We deserve all the opportunities to make sure our country and our blessings continue until the next generation.\"The War Goes On Haven't come across any statement by Hillary Clinton about the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. She was a supporter of the war and would like that record to disappear. Dana Milbank in the Post has a report about Bush's avoidance of the anniversary. Like Hillary Clinton's vote for the war, images of the large banner, \"Mission Accomplished\", cannot be buried and forgotten.Now, after half a trillion dollars and the deaths of 4,000 troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis, the president's spin doctors have waved the white flag of surrender over the USS Abraham Lincoln episode. \"President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific, and said mission accomplished for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission,\" White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters this week.That excuse didn't pass the laugh test yesterday morning, when a CNN reporter asked Murtha about it. Murtha shook his head and gave a disgusted sigh as audience members chuckled. \"It's almost beyond my belief that they would think anybody would believe that,\" he finally said. \"I'm sure the White House didn't tell [her] to say that,\" he added, charitably. \"I'm sure that was offhand.\"Even John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, piled on. \"I thought it was wrong at the time,\" he said -- an effective tactic until the Democrats dug up footage of him from 2003 supporting the Mission Accomplished message.*The Dead of AprilTravis L. Griffin, 27, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2008 Dover, DelawareJeremiah E. McNeal, 23, Air National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 06, 2008 Norfolk, VirginiaUlises Burgos-Cruz, 29, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2008 Not reported yet, Puerto RicoMatthew T. Morris, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2008 Cedar Park, TexasShane D. Penley, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2008 Sauk Village, IllinoisStephen K. Scott, 54, Army Colonel, Apr 06, 2008 New Market, AlabamaStuart A. Wolfer, 36, Army Major, Apr 06, 2008 Coral Springs, FloridaEmanuel Pickett, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 06, 2008 Teachey, North CarolinaJason C. Kazarick, 30, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2008 Oakmont, PennsylvaniaMichael T. Lilly, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 Boise, IdahoTimothy M. Smith, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 South Lake Tahoe, CaliforniaRichard A. Vaughn, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 San Diego, CaliforniaJeffery L. Hartley, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2008 Hempstead, TexasMark E. Rosenberg, 32, Army Major, Apr 08, 2008 Miami Lakes, FloridaAnthony L. Capra, 31, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Hanford, CaliforniaJesse A. Ault, 28, Army Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Dublin, VirginiaJacob J. Fairbanks, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2008 Saint Paul, MinnesotaJeremiah C. Hughes, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2008 Jacksonville, FloridaShaun P. Tousha, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Hull, TexasMerlin German, 22, Marine Sergeant, Apr 11, 2008 Manhattan, New YorkWilliam E. Allmon, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2008 Ardmore, OklahomaArturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2008 Clearwater, FloridaJoseph A. Richard III, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2008 Lafayette, LouisianaRichard J. Nelson, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Apr 14, 2008 Racine, WisconsinDean D. Opicka, 29, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2008 Waukesha, WisconsinJason L. Brown, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 17, 2008 Magnolia, TexasBenjamin K. Brosh, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 18, 2008 Colorado Springs, ColoradoLance O. Eakes, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 18, 2008 Apex, North CarolinaCherie L. Morton, 40, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 20, 2008 Bakersfield, CaliforniaSteven J. Christofferson, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 21, 2008 Cudahy, WisconsinAdam J. Kohlhaas, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 21, 2008 Perryville, MissouriMatthew R. Vandergrift, 28, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 21, 2008 Littleton, ColoradoAdrian M. Campos, 22, Navy Airman Apprentice, Apr 21, 2008 El Paso, TexasRonald R. Harrison, 25, Army Private, Apr 22, 2008 Morris Plains, New JerseyJordan C. Haerter, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 22, 2008 Sag Harbor, New YorkJonathan T. Yale, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 22, 2008 Burkeville, VirginiaJohn T. Bishop, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2008 Gaylord, MichiganRonald C. Blystone, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 23, 2008 Springfield, MissouriTimothy W. Cunningham, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 23, 2008 College Station, TexasGuadalupe Cervantes Ramirez, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 23, 2008 Mohave Valley, ArizonaShaun J. Whitehead, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2008 Commerce, GeorgiaWilliam T. Dix, 32, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 27, 2008 Culver City, CaliforniaAdam L. Marion, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 28, 2008 Mount Airy, North CarolinaMarcus C. Mathes, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 28, 2008 Zephyrhills, FloridaDavid P. McCormick, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 28, 2008 Fresno, TexasMark A. Stone, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 28, 2008 Buchanan Dam,, TexasBryan E. Bolander, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2008 Bakersfield, CaliforniaClay A. Craig, 22, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2008 Mesquite, TexasAndrew. R. Pearson, 32, Army Captain, Apr 30, 2008 Billings, MontanaRonald J. Tucker, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 30, 2008 Fountain, ColoradoSource: iCasualties.org ","permalink":"/posts/2008/05/gw-bush-and-hillary-clinton/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSomething in Common\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\" (G.W. Bush,Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria 10/19/2000).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo surprise; it was to be expected from Bush.  And his base did send him to the White House....twice.  The surprise was reading about Hillary Clinton's appearance on the O'Reilly Factor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/30/hillary-clinton-takes-on_n_99524.html\"\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c/a\u003e April 30, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHillary Clinton made her first ever appearance on the O'Reilly Factor on Wednesday, a confrontational but mostly friendly exchange that was -- kudos to Bill -- the most issue-oriented (if right-leaning) major interview with a presidential candidate in recent memory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne of the more heated policy discussions came over taxes. O'Reilly demanded to know how much Clinton was going to \"take out of my wallet,\" and when she listed a series of proposals to aid middle class families, O'Reilly interjected. \"I'm not middle class, I'm a rich guy.\" Clinton responded (in an awkward moment), \"Rich people, God bless us. We deserve all the opportunities to make sure our country and our blessings continue until the next generation.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThe War Goes On \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHaven't come across any statement by Hillary Clinton about the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq.  She was a supporter of the war and would like that record to disappear.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050103220.html\"\u003eDana Milbank\u003c/a\u003e in the Post has a report about Bush's avoidance of the anniversary.  Like Hillary Clinton's vote for the war, images of the large banner, \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/28/mission.accomplished/\"\u003eMission Accomplished\u003c/a\u003e\", cannot be buried and forgotten.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNow, after half a trillion dollars and the deaths of 4,000 troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis, the president's spin doctors have waved the white flag of surrender over the USS Abraham Lincoln episode. \"President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific, and said mission accomplished for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission,\" White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters this week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThat excuse didn't pass the laugh test yesterday morning, when a CNN reporter asked Murtha about it. Murtha shook his head and gave a disgusted sigh as audience members chuckled. \"It's almost beyond my belief that they would think anybody would believe that,\" he finally said. \"I'm sure the White House didn't tell [her] to say that,\" he added, charitably. \"I'm sure that was offhand.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003eEven John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, piled on. \"I thought it was wrong at the time,\" he said -- an effective tactic until the Democrats dug up footage of him from 2003 supporting the Mission Accomplished message.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThe Dead of April\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195807405502662770\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/05/Helmet.jpeg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTravis L. Griffin, 27, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2008 Dover, Delaware\u003cbr/\u003eJeremiah E. McNeal, 23, Air National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 06, 2008 Norfolk, Virginia\u003cbr/\u003eUlises Burgos-Cruz, 29, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2008 Not reported yet, Puerto Rico\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew T. Morris, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2008 Cedar Park, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eShane D. Penley, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2008 Sauk Village, Illinois\u003cbr/\u003eStephen K. Scott, 54, Army Colonel, Apr 06, 2008 New Market, Alabama\u003cbr/\u003eStuart A. Wolfer, 36, Army Major, Apr 06, 2008 Coral Springs, Florida\u003cbr/\u003eEmanuel Pickett, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 06, 2008 Teachey, North Carolina\u003cbr/\u003eJason C. Kazarick, 30, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2008 Oakmont, Pennsylvania\u003cbr/\u003eMichael T. Lilly, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 Boise, Idaho\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy M. Smith, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 South Lake Tahoe, California\u003cbr/\u003eRichard A. Vaughn, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 07, 2008 San Diego, California\u003cbr/\u003eJeffery L. Hartley, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2008 Hempstead, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eMark E. Rosenberg, 32, Army Major, Apr 08, 2008 Miami Lakes, Florida\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony L. Capra, 31, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Hanford, California\u003cbr/\u003eJesse A. Ault, 28, Army Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Dublin, Virginia\u003cbr/\u003eJacob J. Fairbanks, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2008 Saint Paul, Minnesota\u003cbr/\u003eJeremiah C. Hughes, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2008 Jacksonville, Florida\u003cbr/\u003eShaun P. Tousha, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 09, 2008 Hull, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eMerlin German, 22, Marine Sergeant, Apr 11, 2008 Manhattan, New York\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam E. Allmon, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2008 Ardmore, Oklahoma\u003cbr/\u003eArturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2008 Clearwater, Florida\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph A. Richard III, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2008 Lafayette, Louisiana\u003cbr/\u003eRichard J. Nelson, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Apr 14, 2008 Racine, Wisconsin\u003cbr/\u003eDean D. Opicka, 29, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2008 Waukesha, Wisconsin\u003cbr/\u003eJason L. Brown, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 17, 2008 Magnolia, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eBenjamin K. Brosh, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 18, 2008 Colorado Springs, Colorado\u003cbr/\u003eLance O. Eakes, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 18, 2008 Apex, North Carolina\u003cbr/\u003eCherie L. Morton, 40, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 20, 2008 Bakersfield, California\u003cbr/\u003eSteven J. Christofferson, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 21, 2008 Cudahy, Wisconsin\u003cbr/\u003eAdam J. Kohlhaas, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 21, 2008 Perryville, Missouri\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew R. Vandergrift, 28, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 21, 2008 Littleton, Colorado\u003cbr/\u003eAdrian M. Campos, 22, Navy Airman Apprentice, Apr 21, 2008 El Paso, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eRonald R. Harrison, 25, Army Private, Apr 22, 2008 Morris Plains, New Jersey\u003cbr/\u003eJordan C. Haerter, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 22, 2008 Sag Harbor, New York\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan T. Yale, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 22, 2008 Burkeville, Virginia\u003cbr/\u003eJohn T. Bishop, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2008 Gaylord, Michigan\u003cbr/\u003eRonald C. Blystone, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 23, 2008 Springfield, Missouri\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy W. Cunningham, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 23, 2008 College Station, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eGuadalupe Cervantes Ramirez, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 23, 2008 Mohave Valley, Arizona\u003cbr/\u003eShaun J. Whitehead, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2008 Commerce, Georgia\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam T. Dix, 32, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 27, 2008 Culver City, California\u003cbr/\u003eAdam L. Marion, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 28, 2008 Mount Airy, North Carolina\u003cbr/\u003eMarcus C. Mathes, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 28, 2008 Zephyrhills, Florida\u003cbr/\u003eDavid P. McCormick, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 28, 2008 Fresno, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eMark A. Stone, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 28, 2008 Buchanan Dam,, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eBryan E. Bolander, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2008 Bakersfield, California\u003cbr/\u003eClay A. Craig, 22, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2008 Mesquite, Texas\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew. R. Pearson, 32, Army Captain, Apr 30, 2008 Billings, Montana\u003cbr/\u003eRonald J. Tucker, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 30, 2008 Fountain, Colorado\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"G.W. Bush and  Hillary Clinton"},{"content":" *Egomaniacs Come In All ColorsWho would have thought a few months ago that Barack Obama's downfall would result from his failure to foresee the dangers of close association with an egotistic black pastor. His allegiance to the pastor of his church, perhaps his inherent decency, prevented Obama from putting distance between himself and his pastor even after publication of Reverend Wright's sermons made many of his supporters wince. The reverend has strong views, some are questionable. Watching video clips of his appearance before the National Press Club on April 28th and at other venues one thing that sticks out is that the reverend loves to hear himself talk. There was no stopping him. The impact of his statements on Senator Obama's campaign was the last thing on Jeremiah Wright's mind. He was No.1. He was center stage. He gloated; he lapped it up. Earlier this month, the Philadelphia speech helped Obama salvage some damage, but not enough. The reverend wanted to continue to bask in the limelight and took a page from the playbook of another reverend who bloviates, Pat Robertson. Pat Robertson's lunatic statements earned him a lot of media coverage at one time. Reverend Wright got attention too....in spades. A quiet retirement? Not for them. At long last Obama spoke out on Tuesday (April 29th) and left no doubt about the parting of company with Reverend Wright. However, the reverend has caused tremendous harm. The pendulum has swung. Of course, things can happen between now and the convention to change the picture especially if voters decide that issues, not personalities, matter most. It is Hillary Clinton whose numbers show impressive gains in recent days. In her case, it was Bill Clinton who needed muzzling. Unless she fumbles she could end up winning the prize. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/barack-obama-done-in-by-a-pat-robertson-wannabe/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003eEgomaniacs Come In All Colors\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWho would have thought a few months ago that Barack Obama's downfall would result from his failure to foresee the dangers of close association with an egotistic black pastor.  His allegiance to the pastor of his church, perhaps his inherent decency, prevented Obama from putting distance between himself and his pastor even after publication of Reverend Wright's sermons made many of his supporters wince.  The reverend has strong views, some are questionable.  Watching video clips of his appearance before the National Press Club on April 28th and at other venues one thing that sticks out is that the reverend loves to hear himself talk. There was no stopping him. The impact of his statements on Senator Obama's campaign was the last thing on Jeremiah Wright's mind.  He was No.1.  He was center stage.  He gloated; he lapped it up.  Earlier this month, the Philadelphia speech helped Obama salvage some damage, but not enough.  The reverend wanted to continue to bask in the limelight and took a page from the playbook of another reverend who bloviates, Pat Robertson. Pat Robertson's  lunatic statements earned him a lot of  media coverage at one time.  Reverend Wright got attention too....in spades. A quiet retirement?  Not for them.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAt  long last Obama spoke out on Tuesday (April 29th) and left no doubt about the parting of company with Reverend Wright. However, the reverend has caused tremendous harm.   The pendulum has swung.  Of course, things can happen between now and the convention to change the picture especially if voters decide that issues, not personalities, matter most. It is Hillary Clinton whose numbers show impressive gains in recent days.  In her case, it was Bill Clinton who needed muzzling.  Unless she fumbles she could end up winning the prize.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Barack Obama done in by a Pat Robertson Wannabe"},{"content":" *'Slightly Pregnant', Perhaps * India's ShameReading about President Bush's support of 'abstinence only' (from sex) policy can make one chuckle but the consequences are far from funny. Accounts of his somwhat wild youth leave little doubt that he didn't -- abstain. But that is normal practice. Politicians exhort people to do what they say, not what they did. So, one ought not to hold that against the president. One day he found the lord and went on a straight and narrow path. Stranger things have happened.But when the 'abstinence only' hypocrites talk about 'secondary virginity' that is a bit too much. What a phrase! Trust the gang that gave us \"extraordinary rendition\" and \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\" to promote it.Has U.S. Abstinence Policy Failed ? (BBC News)US lawmakers are investigating whether to cut government funding for health education programmes that promote sexual abstinence until marriage.The move follows a report earlier this year from America's leading health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which revealed one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease.ExcerptsOpponents of abstinence education say the approach ignores the fact that teenagers are sexually active and fails to give them accurate medical information or advice on safer sex.\"We get sex-ed classes in school and that should be where teens get the right information - but that isn't happening,\" says 15-year-old Mildred, from Arizona, who volunteers as a peer educator with the pro-choice organisation Planned Parenthood.\"They don't touch on subjects like sexuality, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), birth control - it's not allowed because of abstinence-only education. It leaves you on a cliff-hanger - and a lot of teenagers become sexually active in their middle school years.\"Planned ParenthoodPlanned Parenthood estimates that two thirds of teenagers will have experienced sexual intercourse by the time they leave school.And with some 750,000 teenage pregnancies a year, America has one of the highest teen birth rates in the developed world.\"This national programme which has wasted $1.5bn (£750m) of tax money is a failure and our teens are paying the price,\" says Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood.\"We've been wasting money on programmes that don't work and we're seeing the consequences every single day.\"State governments receive federal money they must match to fund abstinence programmes.At least 17 states have opted out of the system and others have suspended funding while Congress investigates whether such programmes work.Critics say there is no evidence that they delay sexual activity and teenagers who have taken a vow of virginity are less likely to use protection if they break their promise.Religious rightRoger Norman, a Texas lawyer, describes himself as being part of the religious right.He runs an organization called Wonderful Days which does not receive government funding but teaches abstinence as part of the health curriculum in some local schools.\"I am convinced that abstinence is the only way for kids,\" he says. \"You begin by teaching the consequences of bad behaviour and the benefits of proper behaviour and you do that in a way that a child can grasp.\"Secondary virgins\"Teenagers who do have sex before marriage are given another chance by becoming \"secondary virgins\".\"Of course, if you view virginity as number one, and you've slept with someone, of course it's going to be different and you can never go back - but that doesn't mean there's no tomorrow,\" explains Ashley.\"Every day is a new decision and abstinence is not one you make once. You're going to have to make this decision over and over again. So if you fail once, you get back up and you try again.\" *(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")*Female Foeticide Continues in IndiaNew Delhi — The Indian prime minister described the growing practice of aborting female fetuses as a “national shame” on Monday, and called for stricter enforcement of laws designed to prevent doctors from helping parents to get rid of unwanted unborn daughters. (NY Times April 29, 2008)At the same time, cheerleading teams are being imported from the west to entertain cricket fans in India! ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/secondary-virgins-back-in-the-news/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e'Slightly Pregnant', Perhaps  * India's Shame\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading about President Bush's support of 'abstinence only' (from sex) policy can make one chuckle but the consequences are far from funny.  Accounts of his somwhat wild youth leave little doubt that he didn't -- abstain.  But that is normal practice.  Politicians exhort people to do what they say, not what they did.   So, one ought not to hold that against the president.  One day he found the lord and went on a straight and narrow path.  Stranger things have happened.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut when the 'abstinence only' hypocrites talk about 'secondary virginity' that is a bit too much. What a phrase!  Trust the gang that gave us  \"extraordinary rendition\" and \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\" to promote it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHas U.S. Abstinence Policy Failed ? (BBC News)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUS lawmakers are investigating whether to cut government funding for health education programmes that promote sexual abstinence until marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe move follows a report earlier this year from America's leading health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which revealed one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7368219.stm\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOpponents of abstinence education say the approach ignores the fact that teenagers are sexually active and fails to give them accurate medical information or advice on safer sex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We get sex-ed classes in school and that should be where teens get the right information - but that isn't happening,\" says 15-year-old Mildred, from Arizona, who volunteers as a peer educator with the pro-choice organisation Planned Parenthood.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They don't touch on subjects like sexuality, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), birth control - it's not allowed because of abstinence-only education. It leaves you on a cliff-hanger - and a lot of teenagers become sexually active in their middle school years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlanned Parenthood\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlanned Parenthood estimates that two thirds of teenagers will have experienced sexual intercourse by the time they leave school.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd with some 750,000 teenage pregnancies a year, America has one of the highest teen birth rates in the developed world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This national programme which has wasted $1.5bn (£750m) of tax money is a failure and our teens are paying the price,\" says Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood.\u003cbr/\u003e\"We've been wasting money on programmes that don't work and we're seeing the consequences every single day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eState governments receive federal money they must match to fund abstinence programmes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt least 17 states have opted out of the system and others have suspended funding while Congress investigates whether such programmes work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCritics say there is no evidence that they delay sexual activity and teenagers who have taken a vow of virginity are less likely to use protection if they break their promise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReligious right\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRoger Norman, a Texas lawyer, describes himself as being part of the religious right.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe runs an organization called Wonderful Days which does not receive government funding but teaches abstinence as part of the health curriculum in some local schools.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I am convinced that abstinence is the only way for kids,\" he says. \"You begin by teaching the consequences of bad behaviour and the benefits of proper behaviour and you do that in a way that a child can grasp.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Secondary virgins\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTeenagers who do have sex before marriage are given another chance by becoming \"secondary virgins\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Of course, if you view virginity as number one, and you've slept with someone, of course it's going to be different and you can never go back - but that doesn't mean there's no tomorrow,\" explains Ashley.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Every day is a new decision and abstinence is not one you make once. You're going to have to make this decision over and over again. So if you fail once, you get back up and you try again.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e(Before sex)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: What?\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFemale Foeticide Continues in India\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNew Delhi — The Indian prime minister described the growing practice of aborting female fetuses as a “national shame” on Monday, and called for stricter enforcement of laws designed to prevent doctors from helping parents to get rid of unwanted unborn daughters. (\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/world/asia/29india.html\"\u003eNY Times April 29, 2008\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAt the same time, cheerleading teams are being imported from the west to entertain cricket fans in India!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"'Secondary Virgins' Back in the News"},{"content":" The U.S. and Talibs *\"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\"--HeraclitusThe law suit filed by Specialist Jeremy Hall and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation against the U.S. Army for violation of his First Amendment rights might not succeed in winning recognition of the rights of atheists in the U.S. Army but it would once more expose the abuses they are subject to.NY Times 4-26-08Specialist Hall’s lawsuit is the latest incident to raise questions about the military’s religion guidelines. In 2005, the Air Force issued new regulations in response to complaints from cadets at the Air Force Academy that evangelical Christian officers used their positions to proselytize. In general, the armed forces have regulations, Ms. Lainez said, that respect “the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs.”One gets the distinct impression that the \"evangelical Christian officers\" are not too far apart from the Talibs in Afghanistan when it comes to God. Is it fear of God that makes them coerce others to follow their faith ? It cannot be love of God. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/armies-of-god/","summary":"The U.S. and Talibs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Heraclitus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe law suit filed by \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/us/26atheist.html\"\u003eSpecialist Jeremy Hall\u003c/a\u003e and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation  against the U.S. Army for violation of his First Amendment rights might not succeed in winning recognition of the rights of atheists in the U.S. Army but it would once more expose the abuses they are subject to.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/us/26atheist.html\"\u003eNY Times 4-26-08\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpecialist Hall’s lawsuit is the latest incident to raise questions about the military’s religion guidelines. In 2005, the Air Force issued new regulations in response to complaints from cadets at the Air Force Academy that evangelical Christian officers used their positions to proselytize. In general, the armed forces have regulations, Ms. Lainez said, that respect “the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne gets the distinct impression that the \"evangelical Christian officers\" are not too far apart from the Talibs in Afghanistan when it comes to God.   Is it fear of God that makes them coerce others to follow their faith ?   It cannot be love of God.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Armies of God"},{"content":" *There are some who feel that the current battle for nomination is not going to do the Democrats any harm; once the nomination process concludes voters will fall behind the person who will go up against John McCain. Former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Pat Schroeder of Colorado appeared on PBS NewsHour yesterday and smilingly expressed her opinion that what was happening was good. Ms. Schroeder is for Hillary Clinton, but that is beside the point.But I really don't worry about the future. I think it's very positive for the Democratic Party, and let me tell you why. I see George W. Bush channeling Herbert Hoover, for heaven's sakes, and now we see John McCain channeling George W. Bush. (Pat Schroeder on NewsHour)What is happening is not positive. Democrats might not recover from the damage being done to chances of retaking the White House.Let's face it. Both candidates have negative image with large blocks of voters. For Hillary Clinton, it is her past and the shadow of Bill Clinton. Her claim of dodging bullets in Bosnia revived reports about her untruthfulness. For Barack Obama, first and foremost it is the color of his skin, and then the barrage of critical, somewhat twisted, reports about his association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and his comments about 'bitter' voters in Pennsylvania. When both Clinton and Obama -- gleefully aided by conservative, pro-Republican media -- are doing all they can to highlight the faults and weaknesses of the other, prospects for Senator McCain cannot but look brighter. Ms. Schroeder might choose to ignore reality, but at the end of the day that is not going to save us from a looming disaster.Like it or not, Obama being black is a factor that cannot be disregarded. There are voters for whom that alone is reason enough not to support him. Robert Novak's column in today's Washington Post mentions \"........the dreaded Bradley effect \"Prominent Democrats only whisper when they compare Obama's experience, the first African American with a serious chance to be president, with what happened to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley a quarter-century ago. In 1982, exit polls showed Bradley, who was black, ahead in the race for governor of California, but he ultimately lost to Republican George Deukmejian. Pollster John Zogby (who predicted Clinton's double-digit win Tuesday) said what practicing Democrats would not: \"I think voters face to face are not willing to say they would oppose an African American candidate.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/democrats-on-the-brink/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are some who feel that the current battle for nomination is not going to do the Democrats any harm; once the nomination process concludes voters will fall behind the person who will go up against John McCain. Former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Pat Schroeder of Colorado appeared on \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june08/dems_04-23.html\"\u003ePBS NewsHour\u003c/a\u003e yesterday and smilingly expressed her opinion that what was happening was good.  Ms. Schroeder is for Hillary Clinton, but that is beside the point.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut I really don't worry about the future. I think it's very positive for the Democratic Party, and let me tell you why. I see George W. Bush channeling Herbert Hoover, for heaven's sakes, and now we see John McCain channeling George W. Bush. (Pat Schroeder on NewsHour)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is happening is not positive.  Democrats might not recover from the damage being done to chances of retaking the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet's face it.  Both candidates have negative image with large blocks of voters.  For Hillary Clinton,  it is her past and the shadow of Bill Clinton.  Her claim of dodging bullets in Bosnia revived reports about her untruthfulness.   For Barack Obama, first  and foremost it is the color of his skin, and then the barrage of critical, somewhat twisted, reports about his association with  Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and his  comments  about  'bitter'  voters in Pennsylvania.  When both Clinton and Obama -- gleefully aided by  conservative, pro-Republican media --  are doing all they can to highlight the faults and weaknesses of the other,  prospects for Senator McCain cannot but look brighter.  Ms. Schroeder might choose to ignore reality,  but at the end of the day  that is not going to save us from a looming disaster.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLike it or not, Obama being black is a factor that cannot be disregarded.  There are voters for whom that alone is reason enough not to support him.  Robert Novak's column in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/23/AR2008042302978.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e mentions \"........the dreaded Bradley effect \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eProminent Democrats only whisper when they compare Obama's experience, the first African American with a serious chance to be president, with what happened to Los Angeles Mayor \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Tom+Bradley?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eTom Bradley\u003c/a\u003e a quarter-century ago. In 1982, exit polls showed Bradley, who was black, ahead in the race for governor of California, but he ultimately lost to Republican George Deukmejian. Pollster John Zogby (who predicted Clinton's double-digit win Tuesday) said what practicing Democrats would not: \"I think voters face to face are not willing to say they would oppose an African American candidate.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Democrats on the Brink"},{"content":" *Democrats engaged in Self-Destruction * The WeatherDepressing to follow what the Democratic front runners' are doing to each other. From a sure thing few months ago, hopes for victory in November are beginning to look dim. By the time the nominee emerges from the morass it might be too late. It does not look likely that the result of Pennsylvania primary is going to decide the issue. Hillary Clinton is not going to concede. Obama got battered by the moderators in the debate last Wednesday and stumbled. The fact that the numbers are still in his favor means nothing to Hillary Clinton. Where are the wise, old leaders of the Democratic Party? One gets the feeling that they have they have given up or they are unable to stop the blood loss.The polarization between Obama-Clinton camps has reached a point where their supporters have gone on record saying that they are not going to vote for the other if their candidate fails to secure the nomination. Let us hope that they will not follow through with that. I'm not for Hillary Clinton; at this point I detest her, but if she manages to claw her way to becoming the nominee I'd vote for her.All that is good news for Republicans and John McCain. It is incomprehensible that voters would support a candidate who is like a Bush clone. The economy is reported to be the uppermost issue. Do the voters want the targeted tax cuts engineered by Bush to continue? Do they realize that the beneficiaries of the tax cuts are not them but a very small group of people once described by President Bush as the \"haves and have-mores\"? McCain, after opposing the tax cuts, now promises to extend them! And the war in Iraq -- do we want (need) it to go on forever?An Unusual April\"What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.\" ~Jane AustenWell, right now I'd not mind being in a state of inelegance. A month past spring equinox the temperature is wintry. Last Sunday a bone-chilling wind howled through the peninsula all day. So far we have had only a few days when it felt like spring. Unusual. Good that the foothills are still green but it is time for warm days, walks through the woods and picnics on the grass. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/monday-morning-charivari/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDemocrats engaged in Self-Destruction * The Weather\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDepressing to follow what the Democratic front runners' are doing to each other. From a sure thing few months ago, hopes for victory in November are beginning to look dim. By the time the nominee emerges from the morass it might be too late.  It does not look likely that the result of  Pennsylvania primary is going to  decide the  issue.  Hillary Clinton is not going to concede.  Obama got battered by the moderators in the debate last  Wednesday and stumbled.  The fact that the numbers are still in his favor means nothing to Hillary Clinton.   Where are the wise, old leaders of the Democratic Party?  One gets the feeling that they have they have given up or they are unable to stop the blood loss.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe polarization between Obama-Clinton camps  has reached a point where their supporters have gone on record saying that they are not going to vote for the other if their candidate fails to secure the nomination.  Let us hope that they will not follow through with that.  I'm not for  Hillary Clinton; at this point I detest her, but if she manages to claw her way to becoming the nominee I'd vote for her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAll that is good news for Republicans and John McCain.  It is incomprehensible that voters would support a candidate who is like a Bush clone. The economy is reported to be the uppermost issue.  Do the voters want the targeted tax cuts engineered by Bush to continue?  Do they realize that the beneficiaries of the tax cuts are not them but a very small group of people once described by President Bush as the \"haves and have-mores\"?  McCain, after opposing the tax cuts,  now promises to extend them!  And the war in Iraq -- do we want (need) it to go on forever?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Unusual April\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What dreadful hot weather we have!  It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.\"  ~Jane Austen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWell, right now I'd not mind being in a state of inelegance.  A month past spring equinox the temperature is wintry.  Last Sunday a bone-chilling wind howled through the peninsula all day.  So far we have had only a few days when it felt like spring.  Unusual. Good that the foothills are still green but it is time for warm days, walks through the woods and picnics on the grass.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Monday Morning Charivari"},{"content":" *True BelieversA query in google resulted in \"Your search - 'Jingolytis of the bosphongus'- did not match any documents.\" Quite so; I didn't expect to find a slew of items because the phrase does not exist. Years ago, a colleague coined the term to describe people who called in to report sick. Alwyn would say \"He (or she) has jingolytis of the bosphongus\". It was his way of being skeptical about their illness.General Petraeus, supreme military commander in Iraq, likes \"teeth into the jugular\". David Broder reported in the Post that the General used the phrase a number of times during a meeting. Easy to picture the enemies -- whoever they happen to be in this fifh year of Operation Iraqi Freedom -- mortally injured. Remember what Vice President Cheney said about the insurgents being \"in the last throes\"? That was almost three years ago, on May 31, 2005. Those who gave us the war will say anything. They would love to start another war if only they can sell it. Currently, attempts are being made to shift attention to Iran. Fitness of the overstretched U.S. military ? Not important. They are doing what they can to demonize Iran just as they created the mythical stockpile of WMD in the prelude to the war. Tony Blair's government did its part with the \"doctored dossier\". The game plan worked. We are paying for it; we'll continue paying for it long after the end of the Bush presidency. Expect more jingolytis of the bosphongus to come down the pike.In the meantime, with 'teeth into the jugular' the evil ones are in their 'last throes'. 21 more American soldiers died in the first 13 days of April. And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/teeth-into-the-jugular-or-jingolytis-of-the-bosphongus/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrue Believers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA query in google resulted in \"Your search - 'Jingolytis of the bosphongus'- did not match any documents.\"  Quite so;  I didn't expect to find a slew of items because the phrase does not exist.  Years ago, a colleague coined the term to describe people who called in to report sick.  Alwyn would say \"He (or she) has jingolytis of the bosphongus\".  It was his way of being skeptical about their illness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral Petraeus, supreme military commander in Iraq, likes \"teeth into the jugular\".  David Broder reported in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103249.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e that the General used the phrase a number of times during a meeting.  Easy to picture the enemies -- whoever they happen to be in this fifh year of Operation Iraqi Freedom  -- mortally injured. Remember what \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/\"\u003eVice President Cheney\u003c/a\u003e said about the insurgents being \"in the last throes\"? That was almost  three years ago, on May 31, 2005.  Those who gave us the war will say anything.    They would love to start another war if only they can sell it.   Currently, attempts are being made to shift attention to Iran.  Fitness of the overstretched \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103249.html\"\u003eU.S. military\u003c/a\u003e ?  Not important.  They are doing what they can to \u003ca href=\"http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18788.htm\"\u003edemonize Iran\u003c/a\u003e just as they created the mythical stockpile of WMD in the prelude to the war.   Tony Blair's government did its part with the \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/may/29/iraq.iraq\"\u003edoctored dossier\u003c/a\u003e\".  The game plan worked.  We are paying for it;  we'll continue paying for it long after the end of the Bush presidency. Expect more jingolytis of the bosphongus to come down the pike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the meantime, with 'teeth into the jugular' the evil ones are in their 'last throes'.  21 more American soldiers died in the first 13 days of April.  And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Teeth into the Jugular\",  or Jingolytis of the Bosphongus"},{"content":" *The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) * Chet BakerThe Band's Visit, Israeli director Eran Kolirin's film -- his first, was an unexpected delight....a heart-warming story about a band of musicians from Egyptian police force who unintentionally found themselves in a small desert town named Betah Tikva in Israel; the band was invited to perform at the Arab Cultural Center in Petah Tikva. The towns are not fictional; they exist.Ronit Elkabetz, as Dina, made an impression as soon as she appeared on the screen. A free spirit, something very enticing about her understated sensuality. Kolirin's development of the overture by Dina to the shy, old-fashioned band leader Tewfiq Zakaria couldn't have been better.There are movies that you forget about when you come out of the theater and there are those that leave a mark. Check it out.© Sony PicturesRonit Elkabetz© Sony PicturesIn his review, Ty Burr of the Boston Globe wrote:The Israel of \"The Band's Visit\" is one in which God has pushed the pause button.Here's an irony for you, then: Because over 50 percent of \"The Band's Visit\" is in English, the film - an Israeli smash hit and multiple award winner - was deemed ineligible for this year's foreign language Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It has also been banned from film festivals in Cairo and Abu Dhabi. What this pellucid little movie uses to unite its characters - language and love - others are using to divide. You don't have to make the same mistake.Khaled (Saleh Bakri), trumpet player in the band, talked about Chet Baker (1929-1988) and My Funny Valentine. Found a Chet Baker CD in my collection.© Pacific JazzIt was issued by Pacific Jazz (Capitol Records) in 1995. My Funny Valentine is on track 5. Originally recorded Feb 15, 1954.Personnel:Chet Baker - trumpetBill Perkins - tenor saxRuss Freeman - pianoCarson Smith - bassBob Neel - drums Comments Sally Tomato \u0026mdash; 2008-04-09 This is now on my netflix queue. I love foreign and jazz. Even better combined. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/tenderness-in-the-desert---the-bands-visit/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) * Chet Baker\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Band's Visit, Israeli director Eran Kolirin's film -- his first, was an unexpected delight....a heart-warming story about a band of musicians from Egyptian police force who unintentionally found themselves in a small desert town named Betah Tikva in Israel;  the band was invited to perform at the Arab Cultural Center in Petah Tikva.  The towns are not fictional; they exist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRonit Elkabetz, as Dina, made an impression as soon as she appeared on the screen.  A free spirit, something very enticing about her understated sensuality.  Kolirin's development of the overture by Dina to the shy, old-fashioned band leader Tewfiq Zakaria couldn't have been better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are movies that you forget about when you come out of the theater and there are those that leave a mark.     Check it out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186928276047630354\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/04/thebandsvisit_galleryposter.jpg\"/\u003e© Sony Pictures\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRonit Elkabetz\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186928065594232834\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/04/Ronit Elkabetz.jpg\"/\u003e© Sony Pictures\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his \u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movie\u0026amp;id=10832\"\u003ereview\u003c/a\u003e, Ty Burr of the Boston Globe wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Israel of \"The Band's Visit\" is one in which God has pushed the pause button.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHere's an irony for you, then: Because over 50 percent of \"The Band's Visit\" is in English, the film - an Israeli smash hit and multiple award winner - was deemed ineligible for this year's foreign language Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It has also been banned from film festivals in Cairo and Abu Dhabi. What this pellucid little movie uses to unite its characters - language and love - others are using to divide. You don't have to make the same mistake.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKhaled (Saleh Bakri), trumpet player in the band, talked about Chet Baker (1929-1988) and My Funny Valentine.  Found a Chet Baker CD in my collection.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186898932831064050\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/04/Chet Baker.jpg\"/\u003e© Pacific Jazz\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was issued by Pacific Jazz (Capitol Records) in 1995. My Funny Valentine is on track 5.  Originally recorded Feb 15, 1954.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePersonnel:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChet Baker - trumpet\u003cbr/\u003eBill Perkins - tenor sax\u003cbr/\u003eRuss Freeman - piano\u003cbr/\u003eCarson Smith - bass\u003cbr/\u003eBob Neel - drums\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSally Tomato\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-04-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis is now on my netflix queue.  I love foreign and jazz.  Even better combined.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Tenderness in the Desert - \"The Band's Visit\""},{"content":" * \"A Love Letter to American Soldiers\"It is true that major media no longer gives as much coverage to the war as it once did, and the American public's attention has moved on to other issues. Decline of casualty rate following the surge is one reason, and then the dismal state of the economy; the domino effect of the sub-prime mortgage scam that went sour on quite a few unscrupulous investment bankers on Wall Street and victimized thousands of home owners -- mostly from low and median income groups; the election campaigns and recent spike in unemployment rate all account for lack of interest in what is happening in Iraq.Bush's war, however, is very much alive, alive but not well. It continues to take its toll both in lives and dollars. And for the families of soldiers serving in Iraq it is an ever present fear about the safety of their loved ones. Latest figures from icasualties.org show that out of 4020 soldiers who died in the war, 509 (12.7%) were 21 yrs old. It is noteworthy that two of the primary architects of the war had dodged Vietnam. David Denby of The New Yorker, in his review of \"Stop-Loss\", the movie by Kimberly Peirce, wrote:\"This movie may become the central coming-home-from-the-war story of this period, just as “The Best Years of Our Lives,” made in 1946, became central to the period after the Second World War. Like that extraordinary work, “Stop-Loss” is devoted to the men’s hidden wounds—the wired-up tensions and nightmares that lead to drunkenness, fights, smashed love affairs and marriages. Throughout the Second World War, Hollywood made dozens of patriotic combat films, as well as occasional home-front movies (like “Tender Comrade,” with Ginger Rogers) about gallant wives. The Korean War, except for B-movies by Samuel Fuller and Joseph H. Lewis, went undramatized until it was over, and this was largely true of the Vietnam War, too. During all these wars, none of the discomforts of the returning soldier, or the dismay of his friends and family, were shown on the screen.\"and:The movie, which she developed with the novelist and TV producer Mark Richard, is a complicated love letter to American soldiers—and to young American men in general, whose minds Peirce has tried, in a way, to enter before.The soldiers are held together by their love for one another, and that element of Army life may make “Stop-Loss” popular with both liberals and conservatives, but no one, I think, will be happy about what the movie suggests is happening to some of the best young people in the country.*Tom Toles, Washington PostTom Toles, Washington Post Comments Sally Tomato \u0026mdash; 2008-04-09 I love when i stumble across some interesting point of views regarding our big issues.\nThanks for the info.\nI'll be back. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/stop-loss-a-movie-about-soldiers-and-bushs-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A Love Letter to American Soldiers\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is true that major media no longer gives as much coverage to the war as it once did, and the American public's attention has moved on to other issues.  Decline of casualty rate following the surge is one reason, and then the dismal state of the economy;   the domino effect of the sub-prime mortgage scam that went sour on quite a few unscrupulous investment bankers on Wall Street and victimized thousands of home owners -- mostly from low and median income groups;  the election campaigns and recent spike in unemployment rate all account for lack of interest in what is happening in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush's war, however, is very much alive,  alive but not well.  It continues to take its toll both in lives and dollars.  And for the families of soldiers serving in Iraq it is an ever present fear about the safety of their loved ones.  Latest figures from \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/Stats.aspx\"\u003eicasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e show that out of 4020  soldiers who died in the war, 509 (12.7%) were  21 yrs old. It is noteworthy that  two of the primary architects of the war had dodged Vietnam. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Denby of The New Yorker, in his  review of \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2008/04/07/080407crci_cinema_denby\"\u003eStop-Loss\u003c/a\u003e\", the movie by Kimberly Peirce, wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"This movie may become the central coming-home-from-the-war story of this period, just as “The Best Years of Our Lives,” made in 1946, became central to the period after the Second World War. Like that extraordinary work, “Stop-Loss” is devoted to the men’s hidden wounds—the wired-up tensions and nightmares that lead to drunkenness, fights, smashed love affairs and marriages. Throughout the Second World War, Hollywood made dozens of patriotic combat films, as well as occasional home-front movies (like “Tender Comrade,” with Ginger Rogers) about gallant wives. The Korean War, except for B-movies by Samuel Fuller and Joseph H. Lewis, went undramatized until it was over, and this was largely true of the Vietnam War, too. During all these wars, none of the discomforts of the returning soldier, or the dismay of his friends and family, were shown on the screen.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eand:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe movie, which she developed with the novelist and TV producer Mark Richard, is a complicated love letter to American soldiers—and to young American men in general, whose minds Peirce has tried, in a way, to enter before.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe soldiers are held together by their love for one another, and that element of Army life may make “Stop-Loss” popular with both liberals and conservatives, but no one, I think, will be happy about what the movie suggests is happening to some of the best young people in the country.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/ssi/images/Toles/c_04012008_520.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html?name=Toles\u0026amp;date=04012008\u0026amp;type\"\u003eTom Toles, Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/ssi/images/Toles/c_03232008_520.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html?name=Toles\u0026amp;date=03232008\u0026amp;type\"\u003eTom Toles, Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSally Tomato\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-04-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI love when i stumble across some interesting point of views regarding our big issues.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for the info.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI'll be back.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Stop-Loss\", A Movie about Soldiers and Bush's War"},{"content":" *Justifying Torture * Women's Right to ChooseThought we had read and heard enough about John Yoo. But, no. Two recent reports highlighted his nefarious role in Bush-Cheney administration.What would be a fitting epitaph for such a man?\"He blindly served his president and never encountered a law that he couldn't bend to justify torture of prisoners and abuse of our Constitution\".And John C. Yoo is law professor at Berkeley!Excerpts:Dan Eggen and Josh White in The Washington Post April 2, 2008Laws Didn't Apply to InterrogatorsThe Justice Department sent a legal memorandum to the Pentagon in 2003 asserting that federal laws prohibiting assault, maiming and other crimes did not apply to military interrogators who questioned al-Qaeda captives because the president's ultimate authority as commander in chief overrode such statutes.Interrogators who harmed a prisoner would be protected by a \"national and international version of the right to self-defense,\" Yoo wrote. He also articulated a definition of illegal conduct in interrogations -- that it must \"shock the conscience\" -- that the Bush administration advocated for years.\"Whether conduct is conscience-shocking turns in part on whether it is without any justification,\" Yoo wrote, explaining, for example, that it would have to be inspired by malice or sadism before it could be prosecuted.The declassified memo was sent by the Defense and Justice departments late yesterday to Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Sens. Carl M. Levin (Mich.) and Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), who had seen the document in classified form and pushed for its release.The document is similar, although much broader, than a notorious memo primarily written by Yoo in August 2002 that narrowly defined what constitutes illegal torture. That document was also later withdrawn.James Oliphant in The Baltimore SunApril 1, 2008The Justice Department late Tuesday released a declassified 2003 memorandum long sought by congressional Democrats and other administration critics that outlines the government's legal justification for harsh interrogation techniques used by the military against captured enemy combatants outside the United States.(Here are part one and part two of the memo.)The memo, written by John Yoo, then a key architect of legal policy in the wake of 9/11, dismisses several legal impediments to the use of extreme techniques.Yoo was long a proponent of an aggressive approach in the war against terrorism and a believer in executive branch authority. But the memo was withdrawn as formal government policy less than a year after it was written.In the March 14, 2003 memo, Yoo says the Constitution was not in play with regard to the interrogations because the Fifth Amendment (which provides for due process of law) and the Eighth Amendment (which prevents the government from employing cruel and usual punishment) does \"not extend to alien enemy combatants held abroad.\"*Further reading: Naomi Klein's The True Purpose of TorturePro Choice? YesMichael Gerson's hit piece in the Post ,\"Obama's Abortion Extremism\", like all other pro-life arguments does not mention what happens after the birth. Do the pro-lifers who march on streets and argue passionately against abortion spend the same amount of time aiding the infants of unwanted pregnancies? \"Abortion\" sounds dirty and so they adopted it. The issue is women's right to choose....a right that should never be taken away under threat of punishment. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/04/the-infamous-john-c-yoo-back-in-the-spotlight/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eJustifying Torture * Women's Right to Choose\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThought we had read and heard enough about John Yoo.  But, no. Two recent reports highlighted his nefarious role in Bush-Cheney administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat would be a fitting epitaph for such a man?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He blindly served his president and never encountered a law that he couldn't bend to justify torture of prisoners and abuse of our Constitution\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd John C. Yoo is law professor at Berkeley!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDan Eggen and Josh White in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040102213.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e April 2, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLaws Didn't Apply to Interrogators\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Justice Department sent a legal memorandum to the Pentagon in 2003 asserting that federal laws prohibiting assault, maiming and other crimes did not apply to military interrogators who questioned al-Qaeda captives because the president's ultimate authority as commander in chief overrode such statutes.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eInterrogators who harmed a prisoner would be protected by a \"national and international version of the right to self-defense,\" Yoo wrote. He also articulated a definition of illegal conduct in interrogations -- that it must \"shock the conscience\" -- that the Bush administration advocated for years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Whether conduct is conscience-shocking turns in part on whether it is without any justification,\" Yoo wrote, explaining, for example, that it would have to be inspired by malice or sadism before it could be prosecuted.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe declassified memo was sent by the Defense and Justice departments late yesterday to Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Sens. Carl M. Levin (Mich.) and Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), who had seen the document in classified form and pushed for its release.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe document is similar, although much broader, than a notorious memo primarily written by Yoo in August 2002 that narrowly defined what constitutes illegal torture. That document was also later withdrawn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eJames Oliphant in \u003ca href=\"http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/justice_dept_releases_interrog.html\"\u003eThe Baltimore Sun\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApril 1, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Justice Department late Tuesday released a declassified 2003 memorandum long sought by congressional Democrats and other administration critics that outlines the government's legal justification for harsh interrogation techniques used by the military against captured enemy combatants outside the United States.(Here are part one and part two of the memo.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe memo, written by John Yoo, then a key architect of legal policy in the wake of 9/11, dismisses several legal impediments to the use of extreme techniques.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYoo was long a proponent of an aggressive approach in the war against terrorism and a believer in executive branch authority. But the memo was withdrawn as formal government policy less than a year after it was written.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn the March 14, 2003 memo, Yoo says the Constitution was not in play with regard to the interrogations because the Fifth Amendment (which provides for due process of law) and the Eighth Amendment (which prevents the government from employing cruel and usual punishment) does \"not extend to alien enemy combatants held abroad.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFurther reading: Naomi Klein's \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/may/14/guantanamo.usa\"\u003eThe True Purpose of Torture\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePro Choice? Yes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMichael Gerson's hit piece in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040102197.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e ,\"Obama's Abortion Extremism\", like all other pro-life arguments does not mention what happens after the birth.  Do the pro-lifers who march on streets and argue passionately against abortion spend the same amount of time aiding the infants of unwanted pregnancies?  \"Abortion\" sounds dirty and so they adopted it.  The issue is women's right to choose....a right that should never be taken away under threat of punishment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Infamous John C. Yoo Back in the Spotlight"},{"content":" *The Commander-in-Chief aka The Decider© Steve Bell 2007steve.bell@guardian.co.uk*\"WASHINGTON(Associated Press) President Bush said Friday that the flare-up in violence in oil-rich southern Iraq and parts of Baghdad presents \"a defining moment in the history of Iraq\" as the government there seeks to root out Shiite militias.Bush made clear that the United States stands firmly behind Iraqi security forces and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. \"He made the decision to move and we'll help him,\" the president said.\"*Listed below are the names of 29 American soldiers who gave their lives so far in the month of March for the president's \"defining moment\".Christopher S. Frost, 24, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Mar 04, 2008Jose A. Paniagua-Morales, 22, Army Corporal, Mar 07, 2008Phillip R. Anderson, 28, Army Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008Donald A. Burkett, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 10, 2008Ernesto G. Cimarrusti, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008David D. Julian, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008Torre R. Mallard, 27, Army Captain, Mar 10, 2008Robert T. McDavid, 28, Army Corporal, Mar 10, 2008Scott A. McIntosh, 26, Army Corporal, Mar 10, 2008Shawn M. Suzch, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 10, 2008Laurent J. West, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 11, 2008Juantrea T. Bradley, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 12, 2008Dustin C. Jackson, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 12, 2008Tenzin L. Samten, 33, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 12, 2008William D. O’Brien, 19, Army Specialist, Mar 15, 2008Lerando J. Brown, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 15, 2008Michael D. Elledge, 41, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 17, 2008Christopher C. Simpson, 23, Army Specialist, Mar 17, 2008Gregory D. Unruh, 28, Army Sergeant, Mar 19, 2008Tyler J. Smith, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 21, 2008II, Thomas C. Ray, 40, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 22, 2008David S. Stelmat, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 22, 2008David B. Williams, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 22, 2008George Delgado, 21, Army Private, Mar 23, 2008Andrew J. Habsieger, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 23, 2008Christopher M. Hake, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 23, 2008Jose A. Rubio Hernandez, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2008Joseph D. Gamboa, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 25, 2008Gregory B. Rundell, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 26, 2008 ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/bush-a-defining-moment-in-iraq---into-the-valley-of-death/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThe Commander-in-Chief aka The Decider\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034776961319280418\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/stevebell230207a.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e© Steve Bell 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:steve.bell@guardian.co.uk\"\u003esteve.bell@guardian.co.uk\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"WASHINGTON(Associated Press) \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080328/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e said Friday that the flare-up in violence in oil-rich southern Iraq and parts of Baghdad presents \"a defining moment in the history of Iraq\" as the government there seeks to root out Shiite militias.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBush made clear that the United States stands firmly behind Iraqi security forces and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. \"He made the decision to move and we'll help him,\" the president said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListed below are the names of  29 American soldiers who gave their lives so far in the month of  March for the president's \"defining moment\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher S. Frost, 24, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Mar 04, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJose A. Paniagua-Morales, 22, Army Corporal, Mar 07, 2008\u003cbr/\u003ePhillip R. Anderson, 28, Army Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDonald A. Burkett, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eErnesto G. Cimarrusti, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDavid D. Julian, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTorre R. Mallard, 27, Army Captain, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eRobert T. McDavid, 28, Army Corporal, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eScott A. McIntosh, 26, Army Corporal, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eShawn M. Suzch, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 10, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eLaurent J. West, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 11, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJuantrea T. Bradley, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 12, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDustin C. Jackson, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 12, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTenzin L. Samten, 33, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 12, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam D. O’Brien, 19, Army Specialist, Mar 15, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eLerando J. Brown, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 15, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMichael D. Elledge, 41, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 17, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher C. Simpson, 23, Army Specialist, Mar 17, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eGregory D. Unruh, 28, Army Sergeant, Mar 19, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTyler J. Smith, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 21, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eII, Thomas C. Ray, 40, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 22, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Stelmat, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 22, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDavid B. Williams, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 22, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Delgado, 21, Army Private, Mar 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew J. Habsieger, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher M. Hake, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJose A. Rubio Hernandez, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph D. Gamboa, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 25, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eGregory B. Rundell, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 26, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Bush:  \"a defining moment\" in Iraq\" - Into the Valley of Death"},{"content":" *Come November who are we going to blame? This time, Ralph Nader and the Supreme Court will not be the ones.What is happening between the Democratic front runners is ugly and harmful for the party. A few months back retaking of the White House looked like an almost sure thing. It is becoming less and less so. While HC and Obama are engaged in destroying themselves and the chances of winning the presidency, John McCain is taking full advantage of it and moving ahead. Hear him chortle?Let's face it. The chances of another Republican president, who has recast himself as a Bush clone, are very real. McCain might not have the support needed in Congress to continue the divisive, reactionary policies of G.W. Bush. That, however, is small consolation for us who have been waiting for the Bush presidency -- a dark chapter in our history -- to end.Researching the phrase \"the enemy within\", I came across items about the late cartoonist Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo. Interesting.*Listening to: As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls---Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays (ECM Records, Feb.2000) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/hubris-and-the-enemy-within/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCome November who are we going to blame?  This time, Ralph Nader and the Supreme Court will not be the ones.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat is happening between the Democratic front runners is ugly and harmful for the party. A few months back retaking of the White House looked like an almost  sure thing.   It is becoming less and less so.  While HC and Obama are engaged in destroying themselves and the chances of winning the presidency,  John McCain is taking full advantage of it and moving ahead.  Hear him chortle?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet's face it.  The chances of another Republican president, who has recast himself as a Bush clone, are very real. McCain might not have the support needed in Congress to continue the divisive, reactionary policies of G.W. Bush.  That, however, is  small consolation for us who have been waiting for the Bush presidency --  a dark chapter in our history --  to end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eResearching the phrase \"the enemy within\", I came across items about the late cartoonist \u003ca href=\"http://www.igopogo.com/we_have_met.htm\"\u003eWalt Kelly\u003c/a\u003e, creator of Pogo.  Interesting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eListening to:  As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls\u003cbr/\u003e---Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays (ECM Records,  Feb.2000)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hubris and 'The Enemy Within'"},{"content":" *The death toll goes up and up in Bush's War * Wild FlowersNo, this isn't about John Schlesinger's great 1971 film based on the story by Penelope Gilliatt.On Easter Sunday the death toll for American soldiers in Iraq reached 4,000. A landmark? Depends on one's view of the war. To those of us who were against the war long before the first pair of boots landed on the ground, it is a tragic waste of human lives, most of them under 30 years of age. To the president and his cohorts who cooked up the war and sold it to the American people, it is just a number that does not mean anything. Expect the usual platitude about bravery, patriotism, etc.\"I can't stop asking why? The more I think the more I cry.\"---Pfc. Ryan J. HillWild Flowers at Coal Mine CreekWent for the traditional Easter Sunday walk with a group of friends. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and warm. The wild flowers have started to bloom. The wood duck, reported to be found at the lake, was not seen but we had a good walk and returned to Palo Alto for lunch. Fried chicken, steamed artichokes accompanied by a mayo/mustard dip, french bread and cheeses. We enjoyed a bottle of Margaux and a Sauvignon Blanc. To cap it all, there was a home made Tiramisu. By that time we were ready for a nap.Trillium©Musafir - March 23, 2008Indian Warrior©Musafir - March 23, 2008Buttercups©Musafir - March 23, 2008At the swing on Toyon Trail©Musafir - March 23, 2008Shooting Star©Musafir - March 23, 2008Hound's Tongue©Musafir - March 23, 2008Alongside Lake Trail©Musafir - March 23, 2008à votre santé©Musafir - March 23, 2008\"Some keep the Sabbath going to Church,I keep it staying at Home -With a bobolink for a Chorister,And an Orchard, for a Dome.\"----Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/sunday-bloody-sunday/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe death toll goes up and up in Bush's War  * Wild Flowers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, this isn't about John Schlesinger's great 1971 \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067805/\"\u003efil\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067805/\"\u003em\u003c/a\u003e based on the story by Penelope Gilliatt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Easter Sunday the death toll for \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/us/25dead.web.html\"\u003eAmerican soldiers\u003c/a\u003e in Iraq reached 4,000.  A landmark?  Depends on one's view of the war.  To those of  us who were against the war long before the first pair of boots landed on the ground, it is a tragic waste of human lives,  most of them under 30 years of age.  To the president and his cohorts who cooked up the war and sold it to the American people, it is just a number that does not mean anything.  Expect the usual platitude about bravery, patriotism, etc.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I can't stop asking why? The more I think the more I cry.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Pfc. Ryan J. Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild Flowers at Coal Mine Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWent for the traditional Easter Sunday walk with a group of friends.  It was a gorgeous day, sunny and warm.  The wild flowers have started to bloom.  The wood duck, reported to be found at the lake, was not seen but we had a good walk and returned to Palo Alto for lunch.  Fried chicken, steamed artichokes accompanied by a mayo/mustard dip, french bread and cheeses. We enjoyed a bottle of Margaux and a Sauvignon Blanc.  To cap it all, there was   a home made Tiramisu.  By that time we were ready for a nap.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTrillium\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181321449645772610\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 017.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIndian Warrior\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181822732458758002\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eButtercups\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181320517637869362\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 015.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt the swing on Toyon Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181319632874606370\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 009.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShooting Star\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181319022989250322\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 008.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHound's Tongue\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181318541952913154\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 005.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlongside Lake Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181316806786125554\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 019.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"first\"\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003c/h3\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"first\"\u003eà votre santé\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181322875574914898\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Easter Sunday 2008 023.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"first\"\u003e©Musafir - March 23, 2008\u003c/h3\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Some keep the Sabbath going to Church,\u003cbr/\u003eI keep it staying at Home -\u003cbr/\u003eWith a bobolink for a Chorister,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd an Orchard, for a Dome.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday, Bloody Sunday"},{"content":" *\"The Sun is at its lowest path in the sky on the Winter Solstice. After that day the Sun follows a higher and higher path through the sky each day until it is in the sky for exactly 12 hours. On the Spring Equinox the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.\" © Montana State University Spring has arrived. Here in San Mateo (California), the temperature is still rather cool. But sunny days and blue skies are going to stay with us, and the coolness will keep the valley green longer. The late rains would probably mean good display of wild flowers in another month or so.Easter is a few days away. On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq the president, who took us there, bragged about what he did. Death toll for soldiers 3992. The cost in dollars? Mind-boggling.Looking west from Lower Crystal Spring Reservoir©Musafir - March 16, 2008Lower Crystal Spring Reservoir©Musafir - March 16, 2008Meadow, south of Lower Crystal Spring Reservoir©Musafir - March 16, 2008Happiness is a grassy meadow©Musafir - March 16, 2008Looking south toward Upper Crystal Spring Reservoir©Musafir - March 16, 2008To the north, downtown San Francisco from Tournament Drive, Hillsborough©Musafir - March 16, 2008Looking down from Parrott Drive©Musafir - March 17, 2008Cherry Blossoms - Tournament Drive, Hillsborough©Musafir - March 16, 2008Foliage at Tournament Drive, Hillsborough©Musafir - March 16, 2008 *\"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes , and the grass grows by itself.\"---Zenrin Kushu ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/spring-2008-how-green-is-the-valley/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\"The Sun is at its lowest path in the sky on the Winter Solstice. After  that day the Sun follows a higher and higher path through the sky each  day until it is in the sky for exactly 12 hours. On the Spring Equinox  the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours  and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the  Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth  experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.\" © \u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003eMontana State University\u003c/a\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Equinox.gif\"/\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Spring, 2008: How Green is the Valley !"},{"content":" * Iraq War Veterans * Countdown for Bush PresidencyCoverage of the war and soldiers had receded to back pages as the surge succeeded in reducing the number of casualties. Yesterday, Steve Vogel of the Washington Post reported on a gathering of Iraq war veterans at Silver Spring, MD.War Stories Echo an Earlier WinterGrim-faced and sorrowful, former soldiers and Marines sat before an audience of several hundred yesterday in Silver Spring and shared their recollections of their service in Iraq.The stories spilled out, sometimes haltingly, sometimes in a rush: soldiers firing indiscriminately on Iraqi vehicles, an apartment building filled with Iraqi families devastated by an American gunship. Some descriptions were agonized, some vague; others offered specific dates and locations. All were recorded and streamed live to the Web.The four-day event, \"Winter Soldier: Iraq \u0026amp; Afghanistan -- Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations,\" is sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and is expected to draw more than 200 veterans of the two wars through tomorrow. Timed for the eve of the fifth anniversary of the war's start next week, organizers hope the soldiers' accounts will galvanize public opposition.For some of the veterans speaking yesterday, the experience was catharsis.Former Marine Jon Turner began his presentation by ripping his service medals off his shirt and tossing them into the first row. He then narrated a series of graphic photographs showing bloody victims and destruction, bringing gasps from the audience. In a matter-of-fact voice, he described episodes in which he and fellow Marines shot people out of fear or retribution.\"I'm sorry for the hate and destruction I've inflicted upon innocent people,\" Turner said. \"Until people hear about what is happening in this war, it will continue.\"Yes, there were pro-war soldiers.Counter-protesters outside derided the event and were deeply skeptical of the claims being made inside. \"We want absolute specifics,\" said Harry Riley, a retired Army colonel who leads Eagles Up!. \"This is too important to our nation. The credibility of our nation and the credibility of our soldiers are involved.\"Riley said those making allegations against the U.S. military should have to give sworn testimony instead of speaking at an antiwar conference.Organizers said they have sought to verify the records of all soldiers speaking, including reviewing their service records and talking to other members of units. Some soldiers had videos and photographs, which were displayed yesterday on a large screen in the auditorium.The War PresidentThis from the man who dodged Vietnam:\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. \" --- G.W. Bush, Feb 8, 2004, Meet The Press, MSNBCWar hath no fury like a non-combatant.---C.E. Montague Comments Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-03-25 200 soldiers from both wars out of a total of 1.6 million that have served in both wars so far?\nI would say that most knew that they were doing the right thing, the 200 are the exceptions that prove that. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/the-war-goes-on/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq War Veterans * Countdown for Bush Presidency\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCoverage of the war and soldiers had receded to back pages as the surge succeeded in reducing the number of casualties.  Yesterday, Steve Vogel of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031403887.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reported on a gathering of Iraq war veterans at Silver Spring, MD.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWar Stories Echo an Earlier Winter\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrim-faced and sorrowful, former soldiers and Marines sat before an audience of several hundred yesterday in Silver Spring and shared their recollections of their service in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe stories spilled out, sometimes haltingly, sometimes in a rush: soldiers firing indiscriminately on Iraqi vehicles, an apartment building filled with Iraqi families devastated by an American gunship. Some descriptions were agonized, some vague; others offered specific dates and locations. All were recorded and streamed live to the Web.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe four-day event, \"Winter Soldier: Iraq \u0026amp; Afghanistan -- Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations,\" is sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and is expected to draw more than 200 veterans of the two wars through tomorrow. Timed for the eve of the fifth anniversary of the war's start next week, organizers hope the soldiers' accounts will galvanize public opposition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor some of the veterans speaking yesterday, the experience was catharsis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer Marine Jon Turner began his presentation by ripping his service medals off his shirt and tossing them into the first row. He then narrated a series of graphic photographs showing bloody victims and destruction, bringing gasps from the audience. In a matter-of-fact voice, he described episodes in which he and fellow Marines shot people out of fear or retribution.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm sorry for the hate and destruction I've inflicted upon innocent people,\" Turner said. \"Until people hear about what is happening in this war, it will continue.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYes, there were pro-war soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eCounter-protesters outside derided the event and were deeply skeptical of the claims being made inside. \"We want absolute specifics,\" said Harry Riley, a retired Army colonel who leads Eagles Up!. \"This is too important to our nation. The credibility of our nation and the credibility of our soldiers are involved.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRiley said those making allegations against the U.S. military should have to give sworn testimony instead of speaking at an antiwar conference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOrganizers said they have sought to verify the records of all soldiers speaking, including reviewing their service records and talking to other members of units. Some soldiers had videos and photographs, which were displayed yesterday on a large screen in the auditorium.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe War President\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis from the man who dodged Vietnam:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I'm a war president.  I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind.  Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. \" --- G.W. Bush, Feb 8, 2004, \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/\"\u003eMeet The Press, MSNBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003eWar hath no fury like a non-combatant.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---\u003cspan class=\"bodybold\"\u003eC.E. Montague \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cembed align=\"middle\" allowscriptaccess=\"sameDomain\" bgcolor=\"#000000\" height=\"255\" name=\"BackwardsBush\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" quality=\"high\" src=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"300\" wmode=\"transparent\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-03-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e200 soldiers from both wars out of a total of 1.6 million that have served in both wars so far?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI would say that most knew that they were doing the right thing, the 200 are the exceptions that prove that.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The War Goes On"},{"content":" *Bush's War * Et tu, Spitzer!As the presidential candidates try to bring their opponents down by capitalizing every misstep, accentuating the negative in every speech and, in the process, proving that behind the facade they are all cut from the same cloth, one issue that appears to have receded into the background is the war in Iraq that was foisted on us in 2003 by the Bush administration.Last week, the Senate held a hearing about costs of the war. Do not expect much from it. McCain blithely talks about a \"hundred-year war\". Soldiers are still dying. With the deaths of five soldiers in Baghdad today the total number of U.S. casualties is nearing 4,000.BAGHDAD, March 10 (Reuters) - Five U.S. soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a bomb blast in central Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said, in the worst single attack on U.S. forces in Baghdad in months.Most of our elected representatives have moved on to other matters. Deaths in Iraq no longer receive the attention they deserve.....except by the families of soldiers. But they,too, appear to meekly accept the situation. Some of them believe that the deaths are for a noble cause; others remain silent out of a sense of futility about their ability to do anything to stop it; voices of those who speak out against the war are not loud enough. *\"They say: 'Our deaths are not ours: they are yours, they will mean what you make of them'.\"---Archibald MacLeish (The Young Dead Soldiers) * Eliot SpitzerThe last thing the Democrats needed was a scandal involving a prominent politician. But it happened and now the inevitable fallout will take its course. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/casualties-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBush's War *  Et tu,  Spitzer!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the presidential candidates try to bring their opponents down by capitalizing every misstep, accentuating the negative in every speech and, in the process, proving that behind the facade they are all cut from the same cloth, one issue that appears to have receded into the background is the war in Iraq that was foisted on us in 2003 by the Bush administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast week, the Senate held a hearing about costs of the war.  Do not expect much from it.  McCain blithely talks about a \"hundred-year war\".  Soldiers are still dying.  With the deaths of five soldiers in Baghdad today the total number of U.S. casualties is nearing \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e4,000\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBAGHDAD, March 10 (\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/business-iraq-usa-bomb.html\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e) - Five U.S. soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a bomb blast in central Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said, in the worst single attack on U.S. forces in Baghdad in months.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eMost of our elected representatives have moved on to other matters.  Deaths in Iraq no longer receive the attention they deserve.....except by the families of soldiers.  But they,too, appear to meekly accept the situation.  Some of them believe that the deaths are for a noble cause; others remain silent out of a sense of futility about their ability to do anything to stop it;  voices of those  who speak out against the war are not loud enough.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"They say: 'Our deaths are not ours: they are yours,\u003cbr/\u003e they will mean what you make of them'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Archibald MacLeish (The Young Dead Soldiers)\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html\"\u003eEliot Spitzer\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe last thing the Democrats needed was a scandal involving a prominent politician. But it happened and now the inevitable fallout will take its course.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Casualties In Iraq"},{"content":" *\"Crimes against our Constitution\"Applause for the people of Brattleboro and Marlboro, Vermont, who approved resolutions to indict President G.W. Bush and Vice President R.B. Cheney for \"crimes against our Constitution\".No specific crimes are mentioned, but organisers of the anti-Bush effort have referred to perjury, obstruction of justice and war crimes related to the Iraq conflict. The resolutions ask town attorneys in Brattleboro and Marlboro to draft indictments without outlining how to enforce them, giving the charges little practical consequence.An empty gesture? Perhaps, but it was courageous of the citizens of Brattleboro and Marlboro. *\"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.\"---Edmund Burke ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/hail-vermont/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Crimes against our Constitution\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApplause for the people of Brattleboro and Marlboro, Vermont,  who approved resolutions to indict \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/05/georgebush.usa\"\u003ePresident G.W. Bush and Vice President R.B. Cheney\u003c/a\u003e for \"crimes against our Constitution\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNo specific crimes are mentioned, but organisers of the anti-Bush effort have referred to perjury, obstruction of justice and war crimes related to the Iraq conflict. The resolutions ask town attorneys in Brattleboro and Marlboro to draft indictments without outlining how to enforce them, giving the charges little practical consequence.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAn empty  gesture?  Perhaps, but it was courageous of the citizens of Brattleboro and Marlboro.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Edmund Burke\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hail, Vermont"},{"content":" *Numbers behind the smoke and mirrors * Paris Book Fair and MuslimsOne trillion means twelve zeroes -- 1,000,000,000,000. Read Bob Herbert in the NYTimes, think about the waste of our money and the lies that lead to the unjust war in Iraq.The $2 Trillion NightmareExcerpts:On Thursday, the Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Schumer, conducted a public examination of the costs of the war. The witnesses included the Nobel Prize-winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz (who believes the overall costs of the war — not just the cost to taxpayers — will reach $3 trillion), and Robert Hormats, vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International.Both men talked about large opportunities lost because of the money poured into the war. “For a fraction of the cost of this war,” said Mr. Stiglitz, “we could have put Social Security on a sound footing for the next half-century or more.”Mr. Hormats mentioned Social Security and Medicare, saying that both could have been put “on a more sustainable basis.” And he cited the committee’s own calculations from last fall that showed that the money spent on the war each day is enough to enroll an additional 58,000 children in Head Start for a year, or make a year of college affordable for 160,000 low-income students through Pell Grants, or pay the annual salaries of nearly 11,000 additional border patrol agents or 14,000 more police officers.What we’re getting instead is the stuff of nightmares. Mr. Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia, has been working with a colleague at Harvard, Linda Bilmes, to document, among other things, some of the less obvious costs of the war. These include the obligation to provide health care and disability benefits for returning veterans. Those costs will be with us for decades.Mr. Stiglitz noted that nearly 40 percent of the 700,000 troops from the first gulf war, which lasted just a month, have become eligible for disability benefits. The current war is approaching five years in duration.“Imagine then,” said Mr. Stiglitz, “what a war — that will almost surely involve more than 2 million troops and will almost surely last more than six or seven years — will cost. Already we are seeing large numbers of returning veterans showing up at V.A. hospitals for treatment, large numbers applying for disability and large numbers with severe psychological problems.”The Bush administration has tried its best to conceal the horrendous costs of the war. It has bypassed the normal budgetary process, financing the war almost entirely through “emergency” appropriations that get far less scrutiny.Hypocrisy of Muslim Countries A book fair in Paris has become the subject of controversy with several Muslim countries announcing boycotts because the guest of honour is Israel.Saudi Arabia has become the latest to withdraw, following Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco) has also urged its 50 members to pull out from the fair, which starts on 14 March.Isesco said Israel had committed crimes against humanity in Palestinian areas.Is Israel guilty of \"crimes against humanity\"? Yes, of course, it is. And it has been aided and abetted by the United States for geo-political reasons.But look at the roster of accusers. None of the Muslim countries involved can claim to be exempt from human rights abuses. Like the United States -- guilty of \"extraordinary rendition\", waterboarding and other shady acts that are yet to be reported -- the Islamic countries consider themselves to be untainted. It is a laughable position to take. They are like the proverbial ostriches with heads buried in the sand. Comments Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-03-05 What says you about the primaries yesterday? Bad for the Democrats? ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/think-trillions---cost-of-bushs-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eNumbers behind the smoke and mirrors * Paris Book Fair and Muslims\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne trillion means twelve zeroes -- 1,000,000,000,000.  Read \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/opinion/04herbert.html\"\u003eBob Herbert\u003c/a\u003e in the NYTimes, think  about the waste of our money and the lies that lead to the unjust war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe $2 Trillion Nightmare\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003eOn Thursday, the Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Schumer, conducted a public examination of the costs of the war. The witnesses included the Nobel Prize-winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz (who believes the overall costs of the war — not just the cost to taxpayers — will reach $3 trillion), and Robert Hormats, vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBoth men talked about large opportunities lost because of the money poured into the war. “For a fraction of the cost of this war,” said Mr. Stiglitz, “we could have put Social Security on a sound footing for the next half-century or more.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Hormats mentioned Social Security and Medicare, saying that both could have been put “on a more sustainable basis.” And he cited the committee’s own calculations from last fall that showed that the money spent on the war each day is enough to enroll an additional 58,000 children in Head Start for a year, or make a year of college affordable for 160,000 low-income students through Pell Grants, or pay the annual salaries of nearly 11,000 additional border patrol agents or 14,000 more police officers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat we’re getting instead is the stuff of nightmares. Mr. Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia, has been working with a colleague at Harvard, Linda Bilmes, to document, among other things, some of the less obvious costs of the war. These include the obligation to provide health care and disability benefits for returning veterans. Those costs will be with us for decades.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Stiglitz noted that nearly 40 percent of the 700,000 troops from the first gulf war, which lasted just a month, have become eligible for disability benefits. The current war is approaching five years in duration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Imagine then,” said Mr. Stiglitz, “what a war — that will almost surely involve more than 2 million troops and will almost surely last more than six or seven years — will cost. Already we are seeing large numbers of returning veterans showing up at V.A. hospitals for treatment, large numbers applying for disability and large numbers with severe psychological problems.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration has tried its best to conceal the horrendous costs of the war. It has bypassed the normal budgetary process, financing the war almost entirely through “emergency” appropriations that get far less scrutiny.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHypocrisy of Muslim Countries \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7275700.stm\"\u003ebook fair in Paris\u003c/a\u003e has become the subject of controversy with several Muslim countries announcing boycotts because the guest of honour is Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSaudi Arabia has become the latest to withdraw, following Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco) has also urged its 50 members to pull out from the fair, which starts on 14 March.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIsesco said Israel had committed crimes against humanity in Palestinian areas.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIs Israel guilty of \"crimes against humanity\"?  Yes, of course, it is.  And it has been aided and abetted by the United States for geo-political reasons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut look at the roster of accusers.  None of  the Muslim countries  involved can  claim to be  exempt from human rights abuses. Like the United States -- guilty of \"extraordinary rendition\", waterboarding and other shady acts that are yet to be reported -- the Islamic countries consider themselves  to be untainted.  It is a laughable position to take.  They are like the proverbial ostriches with heads buried in the sand.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-03-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWhat says you about the primaries yesterday?  Bad for the Democrats?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Think Trillions - Cost of Bush's War"},{"content":" *Fitna * Female Foeticide * End of the Chanterelle SeasonThere they go again. Fitna, a film made by Dutch MP Geert Wilders has riled up Muslims because it criticises Islam! It is a long way from The Hague to Mazar-i-Sharif (Tomb of the Chief) in northern Afghanistan but didn't take long for the mob to appear there. The BBC reported:\"On Sunday, hundreds of Afghans took to the streets in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif to protest against the film.Demonstrators burned Dutch flags, and called for the withdrawal of Dutch troops from the Nato force.\"Some Muslims are touchy about the Koran. Takes very little to incite them to go on rampage, ready to kill and burn. But where would we be if all countries prohibit critical books and articles about the Koran or making films that question or criticise its teachings? *India - Female FoeticideThe Indian Government has taken a positive step against selective, gender-based, abortions. The cash incentive is expected to reduce the number of such abortions. Guardian.co.UKThe Indian government today announced a scheme to pay poor families to give birth to and bring up girls in an attempt to stop families nationwide aborting an estimated half a million female foetuses a year.Families in seven states are set to benefit from cash payments amounting to 15,500 rupees (£193) to keep and bring up their female children.Ministers say more than 100,000 girls could be saved in the first year. In India ultrasound technology coupled with a traditional preference for boys, who are seen as future breadwinners, has led to mass female foeticide. * Last of the Chanterelles©Musafir March 2, 2008Beauties, but found only a few of them. The soil felt dry when I walked in the woods yesterday afternoon. With most of the rains behind us, the season for chanterelles is ending in this part of the San Francisco Bay area. It will be November before I go foraging for wild mushrooms. In the meantime, we can look forward to a show of wild flowers. The rains in February created the right conditions for good displays. Apart from occasional wintry showers And frosts some nights to spoil our flowers, Winter's done.--David Curtis (Perthshire, Scotland, 2002) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/03/the-hague-to-mazar-i-sharif/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFitna * Female Foeticide * End of the Chanterelle Season\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere they go again.    Fitna, a film  made by Dutch MP \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7204452.stm\"\u003eGeert Wilders\u003c/a\u003e has riled up Muslims because it criticises Islam!    It is a long way from The Hague to Mazar-i-Sharif (Tomb of the Chief) in northern Afghanistan but didn't take long for the mob to appear there.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7274259.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"On Sunday, hundreds of Afghans took to the streets in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif to protest against the film.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemonstrators burned Dutch flags, and called for the withdrawal of Dutch troops from the Nato force.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome Muslims are touchy about the Koran.  Takes very little to incite them to go on rampage,  ready to kill and burn.   But where would we be if all countries prohibit critical books and articles about the Koran or making films that question or criticise its teachings?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIndia - Female Foeticide\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Indian Government has taken a positive step against selective, gender-based, abortions. The cash incentive is expected to reduce the number of such abortions. \u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/03/babies\"\u003eGuardian.co.UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Indian government today announced a scheme to pay poor families to give birth to and bring up girls in an attempt to stop families nationwide aborting an estimated half a million female foetuses a year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFamilies in seven states are set to benefit from cash payments amounting to 15,500 rupees (£193) to keep and bring up their female children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMinisters say more than 100,000 girls could be saved in the first year. In India ultrasound technology coupled with a traditional preference for boys, who are seen as future breadwinners, has led to mass female foeticide.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eLast of the Chanterelles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173565959122480818\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/03/Last Chanterelles 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir March 2, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBeauties, but found only a few of them.  The soil felt dry when I walked in the woods yesterday afternoon.  With most of the rains behind us, the season for chanterelles is ending in this part of the San Francisco Bay area. It will be November before I go  foraging for wild mushrooms.  In the meantime, we can look forward to  a show of wild flowers. The rains in February created the right conditions for good displays. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApart from occasional wintry showers \u003cbr/\u003eAnd frosts some nights to spoil our flowers, \u003cbr/\u003eWinter's done.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--David Curtis (Perthshire, Scotland, 2002)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Hague to Mazar-i-Sharif"},{"content":" *Democrats in Ohio are still reported to be for Hillary Clinton. But her lead has slipped to a point (about 5%) where it is no longer \"safe\". Outcome in Texas is up in the air. March 4th, when primaries will take place in those two states, is a crucial day for both Clinton and Obama.What will happen next is a matter of concern to all Democrats. For one candidate it would be time to \"fish or cut bait\". Though yet to be officially anointed, Republicans have a candidate. Infighting among Democrats is the last thing we need. Sooner the Democratic contender is named the better we shall be to begin the real battle for White House.Let us hope that the Democrats will come together and act for the good of the party. Protracted behind the scene manoeuvres by power brokers for support from super delegates must be avoided. Heed the people's will and decide long before March 15th (The ides of March).*Funny Headline of the DayBush: US Is Not Headed Into RecessionCaesar:Who is it in the press that calls on me?I hear a tongue shriller than all the musicCry \"Caesar!\" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.Soothsayer:Beware the ides of March.Caesar:What man is that?Brutus:A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.---Wm Shakespare (Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/democrats-beware-the-ides-of-march/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDemocrats in Ohio are still reported to be for Hillary Clinton.  But her lead has slipped to a point (about 5%) where it is no longer \"safe\".  Outcome in Texas is up in the air.  March 4th, when primaries will take place in those two states,  is a crucial day for both Clinton and Obama.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat will happen next is a matter of concern to all Democrats.  For one candidate it would be time to \"fish or cut bait\".  Though yet to be officially anointed, Republicans have a candidate.  Infighting among Democrats is the last thing we need.  Sooner the Democratic  contender is named the better  we shall be to  begin the real battle for White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet us hope that the Democrats will come together and act for the good of the party. Protracted behind the scene manoeuvres by power brokers for support from super delegates must be  avoided.  Heed the people's will and decide long before March 15th (The ides of March).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eFunny \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022801049.html\"\u003eHeadline of the Day\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush: US Is Not Headed Into Recession\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCaesar:\u003cbr/\u003eWho is it in the press that calls on me?\u003cbr/\u003eI hear a tongue shriller than all the music\u003cbr/\u003eCry \"Caesar!\" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSoothsayer:\u003cbr/\u003eBeware the ides of March.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCaesar:\u003cbr/\u003eWhat man is that?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBrutus:\u003cbr/\u003eA soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---\u003ca href=\"http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/beware-ides-march\"\u003eWm Shakespare\u003c/a\u003e (Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats, \"Beware the Ides of March\""},{"content":" *After the Rhetoric Who Will Walk the Walk? When John Edwards pulled out of the race Barack Obama became my choice. Hillary Clinton's fixed smile, at times almost rictus-like, and her tiresome emphasis on experience fail to convince me. Above all, Clinton's support of the war and attempts to skirt around the issue made me turn against her long before the nationwide momentum for Obama began. She certainly can claim more years in politics. Does that translate into ability to govern? No president can be successful without competent cabinet members. Obama can be expected to select people who will have the necessary knowledge and expertise to assist him.However, let's not delude ourselves. Once elected, politicians have a habit of forgetting what they said during campaign. I do not expect either Obama or Clinton to fulfill the promises they are making. That is how the system works. No matter who occupies the White House the power brokers -- big money contributors, lobbyists, labor unions -- will extract their \"pound of flesh\". Obama's flipflop on campaign financing cannot and must not be condoned. There will be deals cut. There will be scandals, created ones if not real. If Obama is elected, the search for his feet of clay will be intense; warts will be magnified. But the bottom line: undoubtedly a better America....many times better than the abysmal depth to which Bush and his neocon cohorts have taken our country to.Charlie Wilson, the then chairman of General Motors, reportedly said in 1955: \"What is good for General Motors is good for America\". GM is no longer the major force it once was but there are others and they wield tremendous power. Under Republican administrations rules that were in place to prevent unethical corporate practices were removed or government watchdogs looked the other way as rules were broken. Targeted tax cuts that benefit those at the highest level of income were promoted and passed. Ordinary Americans were conned by smoke and mirrors as Republicans sacrificed their interests in championing free-market economy. They would stand to get a more fair deal; their concerns would receive attention. Soldiers would be brought home from the unjustified war. McCain has moved to the right as far as possible. He now acts like a Bush clone except that he speaks better than the incumbent of the White House. But knowledge of English language is not a good reason to elect him. As to the Vicki Iseman story, if McCain's supporters desert him because of that piece of fluff then perhaps he is better off without them.McCain distorting Obama's statement about Pakistan.Media outlets uncritically reported McCain's false assertion that Obama \"once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan\"Summary: The Wall Street Journal and washingtonpost.com's The Trail both quoted Sen. John McCain's false assertion that Sen. Barack Obama \"once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan.\" McClatchy Newspapers -- apparently quoting from the prepared text of McCain's January 19 speech -- reported that McCain said Obama \"once suggested invading our ally, Pakistan.\" In fact, in an August 2007 speech, Obama stated: \"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and [Pakistani] President [Pervez] Musharraf won't act, we will.\" Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2008-02-25 Dear Musafir,\nThis mail is apropos of a posting you made in April 2006. Commenting on Bruce Springsteen's festschrift to Pete Seeger, you mention that you were present in the concert that Seeger gave in Calcutta in the late-60s. Now, I am a Ph.D. student in Syracuse University researching the influence of American musicon Calcutta's youth culture. I will be grateful beyond estimation if you would partake of your memories of that concert with me. I rather fortuitously stumbled upon your blog while doing a google-search on the matter.\nIn the limited space afforded here, it will not be possible for me to discuss my project with you in any appreciable detail. If, however, you feel inclined to share your thoughts with me then do kindly acknowledge this email. I will be more than glad to relate my project to you in greater detail. My email id is: shbasu@maxwell.syr.edu.\nThank you in advance,\nSharmadip Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-03-01 While I do not share your hatred of capitalism, free enterprise, and corporations, the thing that I do agree with is your understanding that politicians lie to get elected. Some more than others. Why in your opinion do we allow that in the people we elect to govern? ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/viewing-presidential-contenders-without-rose-colored-glasses/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the Rhetoric Who Will Walk the Walk?\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen John Edwards pulled out of the race Barack Obama became my choice.  Hillary Clinton's  fixed smile, at times almost rictus-like,   and  her  tiresome emphasis on experience  fail to convince me.   Above all,  Clinton's support of the war and attempts to skirt around the issue made me turn against her long before the nationwide momentum for Obama began.  She certainly can claim more years in politics. Does that translate into ability to govern?  No president can be successful without competent cabinet members.  Obama can be expected to select people who will have the necessary knowledge and expertise to assist him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHowever, let's not delude ourselves.   Once elected, politicians have a habit of forgetting what they said during campaign.   I do not expect either Obama or  Clinton to fulfill the promises they are making.  That is how the system works.  No matter who occupies the White House the power brokers -- big money contributors, lobbyists, labor unions -- will extract their \"pound of flesh\".  Obama's flipflop on campaign financing cannot and must not be condoned. There will be deals cut. There will be scandals, created ones if not real.   If Obama is elected, the search for his feet of clay will  be intense;  warts will be magnified. But the bottom line: undoubtedly a better America....many times better than the abysmal depth to which Bush and his neocon cohorts have taken our country to.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCharlie Wilson, the then chairman of General Motors, reportedly said in 1955: \"What is good for General Motors is good for America\".  GM is no longer the major force it once was but there are others and they wield tremendous power. Under Republican administrations rules that were in place to prevent unethical corporate practices were removed or government watchdogs looked the other way as rules were broken.  Targeted tax cuts that benefit those at the highest level of income were promoted and passed.  Ordinary Americans were conned by smoke and mirrors as  Republicans sacrificed their interests in championing free-market economy.  They would stand to get a more fair deal;  their concerns would receive attention.  Soldiers would be brought home from the unjustified war.     \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMcCain has moved to the right as far as possible. He now acts like a Bush clone except that he speaks better than the incumbent of the White House.  But knowledge of English language is not a good reason to elect him.  As to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html\"\u003eVicki Iseman\u003c/a\u003e story, if McCain's supporters desert him because of that piece of fluff then perhaps he is better off without them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMcCain distorting Obama's statement about Pakistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMedia outlets uncritically reported McCain's false assertion that Obama \"once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://mediamatters.org/items/200802200003\"\u003eSummary\u003c/a\u003e: The Wall Street Journal and washingtonpost.com's The Trail both quoted Sen. John McCain's false assertion that Sen. Barack Obama \"once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan.\" McClatchy Newspapers -- apparently quoting from the prepared text of McCain's January 19 speech -- reported that McCain said Obama \"once suggested invading our ally, Pakistan.\" In fact, in an August 2007 speech, Obama stated: \"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and [Pakistani] President [Pervez] Musharraf won't act, we will.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-02-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDear Musafir,\u003cbr\u003e             This mail is apropos of a posting you made in April 2006. Commenting on Bruce Springsteen's festschrift to Pete Seeger, you mention that you were present in the concert that Seeger gave in Calcutta in the late-60s. Now, I am a Ph.D. student in Syracuse University researching the influence of American musicon Calcutta's youth culture. I will be grateful beyond estimation if you would partake of your memories of that concert with me. I rather fortuitously stumbled upon your blog while doing a google-search on the matter.\u003cbr\u003eIn the limited space afforded here, it will not be possible for me to discuss my project with you in any appreciable detail. If, however, you feel inclined to share your thoughts with me then do kindly acknowledge this email. I will be more than glad to relate my project to you in greater detail. My email id is: shbasu@maxwell.syr.edu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThank you in advance,\u003cbr\u003eSharmadip\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-03-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWhile I do not share your hatred of capitalism, free enterprise, and corporations, the thing that I do agree with is your understanding that politicians lie to get elected.  Some more than others.  Why in your opinion do we allow that in the people we elect to govern?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Viewing Presidential Contenders without Rose Colored Glasses"},{"content":" *Heralds of Spring * Haikus Cold and wet afternoon. We are 30 days away from Spring Equinox. It feels very wintry. Yet there are signs that spring is around the corner. Acacias began showing their plumage a few weeks back; the daffodils alongside Hwy 280 back of the Stanford Dish have made their annual appearance for the pleasure of motorists. And yesterday I noticed blossoms on a cherry tree in a neighbor's yard.©Musafir©Musafir * Spring too, very soon!They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon.---Basho (1643-1694)Blossoms on the pear--and a woman in the moonlight reads a letter there.---Buson (1715-1783)Source: The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross * Chanterelles were late in emerging this season because of lack of rain. The January rains brought them out. Some are still to be found but the delicious mushrooms will be soon gone.BG in the forest©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/the-seasons-heralds-of-spring/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eHeralds of Spring *   Haikus  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCold and wet afternoon.  We are 30 days away from Spring Equinox.  It feels very wintry.  Yet there are signs  that spring is around the corner. Acacias began showing their plumage a  few weeks back;  the daffodils  alongside Hwy 280  back of the \u003ca href=\"http://dish.stanford.edu/\"\u003eStanford Dish\u003c/a\u003e  have made their annual appearance  for the pleasure of motorists.  And yesterday  I noticed blossoms on a  cherry  tree in a neighbor's  yard.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168830706574671474\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/02/Heralds of Spring 002.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168831157546237570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/02/Heralds of Spring 004.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eSpring too, very soon!\u003cbr/\u003eThey are setting the scene for it--\u003cbr/\u003eplum tree and moon.\u003cbr/\u003e---Basho (1643-1694)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlossoms on the pear--\u003cbr/\u003eand a woman in the moonlight \u003cbr/\u003ereads a letter there.\u003cbr/\u003e---Buson (1715-1783)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eChanterelles were late in emerging this season because of lack of rain.  The January rains brought them out.  Some are still to be found but the delicious mushrooms will be soon gone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBG in the forest\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169107697605525186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/02/Heralds of Spring 001.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Heralds of Spring"},{"content":" *Democrats * Republicans * Eavesdropping Bill Disturbing....what is happening in the race for White House. The contenders are behaving just as others did in past presidential elections. Mud-slinging, while not yet very pronounced, is going on. And in the battle for support they continue to trample on truth and do somersaults. They want to please all interest groups. They are ready to play the 'race card', 'abortion card', 'faith card'. You name it, they are ready and willing. John McCain, formerly an Episcopalian is now a devout Baptist.Recent passage of the eavesdropping bill and protection for telecom giants who cooperated with the Bush Administration by providing records without court order was a glaring example of the failure of the Democrats to stand up to such abuses. Some of them, including our Senator Feinstein, fully support the Bush Administration on this issue; others are plain gutless, still under spell of 9/11, or they receive contributions from the telephone companies.Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) is reportedly steering the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee to give retroactive immunity to telecoms that helped the government secretly spy on Americans.He has also recently benefited from some interesting political contributions.WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday approved new rules for government eavesdropping on phone calls and e-mails, giving the White House much of the latitude it wanted and granting legal immunity to telecommunications companies that helped in the snooping after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.Protection for the telecom companies is the most prominent feature of the legislation, something President Bush had insisted on as essential to getting private sector cooperation in spying on foreign terrorists and other targets. The bill would give retroactive protection to companies that acted without court permission.Few comments from friends:DM, Massachusetts: \" Today's senate voting to grant immunity to phone companies about tapping got me curious. Dem big mouths always come on TV saying they opposed everything about Bush and yet they can seem to never overturn any of his bills. So I looked up the Senate voting record for today's bill just for kicks.http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110\u0026amp;session=2\u0026amp;vote=00019To me it seems the Dem party is filled with republican moles, inclduding some from CA, who put on dem party suit simply to sabotage the notion that dems will stand up to bush. * SG in California, wrote: \"My interest in US domestic politics flagged after Clinton took office in 92 (I recall listening to Bill at a discussion group on education at Stanford the day before he announced his candidacy), because the war between the Clintons and the \"vast right-wing conspiracy\" did not interest me.The Obama-Hillary battle is interesting because it pits baby-boomers against the generation that grew up with civil rights bill having passed the Congress. It's brought our the closet misogynists, the closet racists and the liberal hypocrites all out in the open.Obama and Michelle are high-achieving blacks who do not constantly bitch about racism but expect to be treated equally as whites.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/us/politics/14michelle.html?hp=\u0026amp;pagewanted=allI like that attitude.The white liberals are oh-so pro-affirmative action because they carry the burden of white guilt and holier-than-thou attitude as a badge of honor. Most of them have little social (and in many cases, little professional) contact with non-whites. Clintons belong to this group. They are all for black upliftment as long as they and their (mostly white) buddies do it. Note that George Bush has had more non-white senior executive and White House staff than Clinton did.The younger gen voting for Obama is much more racially integrated and do not continually mouth affirmative action and other platitudes like the old liberals (except the members of the rapidly expanding Hispanic Separatist Nation who also seem to like Hillary more :).It's like the caste system in India. Congress and the Commies (particularly in Bengal) were always dominated by Brahmins who wanted to uplift the lower castes but did not care to have them in their own social or political power circle. Our generation started breaking the caste barriers in school, college dorms, in friendship, and in marriage. *DM, from Massachusetts: One of my takeaways from this election as I hear various call in talk shows on TV/radio during this ballot bowl season: conservatism is another name for war mongering and hate spewing free speech, and how important it seems for the republican candidate to pander to the the handful bastion of these conservative media personalities instead of serving the people that elect them. For it is they who best decide what is good for the country. If this kind of arrogance and hate was being spewed by the leaders of another country we all know what would that be labeled as. Some claim they want to hear about specifics instead of motivational oratory. Remind me when was the last time a president was able to deliver on specifics they promised to the people. They only managed to deliver what was promised behind closed doors away from the public eye. Unfortunately this 2 party system manages to perpetuate this conservative and liberal mentality and gives meaning to their existence. These labels give these people something to rally around and plot around. I wish someday these would just disappear instead of these spy vs spy mentality they seem to foster in many - \"I as a staunch conservative want HRC to win because she would mess it up so much that the (neocons) will then rule the (world) for another 20 years after that\" - almost an exact quote from a Talk of the Nation episode. and of course the way Latino population is growing in a few years everybody else will be hasta la vista :) We will all be worshiping Mother Mary \u0026amp; baby Jesus in bathtubs in our front yards.\" * Perhaps a bit of a stretch but that possibility cannot be completely shrugged off. I'll not be around when the Hispanic community becomes a dominant force in California and a few other states. The prospects, however, are disheartening and I cannot help feeling sad about the inevitable changes on the distant horizon. Currently, a debate is raging in the United Kingdom about recognition of Sharia Law for Muslim citizens. One gets the feeling that it will not happen as long as majority of the Brits oppose it. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/the-race-for-white-house/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDemocrats * Republicans * Eavesdropping Bill \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDisturbing....what is happening in the race for White House.  The contenders are behaving just as others did in past presidential elections.  Mud-slinging, while not yet very pronounced, is going on.  And in the battle for support they continue to trample on truth and do somersaults.  They want to please all interest groups.  They are ready to play the 'race card', 'abortion card', 'faith card'.  You name it, they are ready and willing.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296973,00.html\"\u003eJohn McCain\u003c/a\u003e, formerly an Episcopalian is now a devout Baptist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecent passage of the eavesdropping bill and protection for telecom giants who cooperated with the Bush Administration by providing records without court order was a glaring example of the failure of the Democrats to stand up to such abuses.  Some of them, including our Senator Feinstein, fully support the Bush Administration on this issue; others are plain gutless, still under spell of 9/11, or they receive contributions from the telephone companies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/dem-pushing-spy.html\"\u003eSenator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia)\u003c/a\u003e is reportedly steering the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee to give retroactive immunity to telecoms that helped the government secretly spy on Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe has also recently benefited from some interesting political contributions.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-02-12-surveillance_N.htm\"\u003eWASHINGTON (AP)\u003c/a\u003e — The Senate on Tuesday approved new rules for government eavesdropping on phone calls and e-mails, giving the White House much of the latitude it wanted and granting legal immunity to telecommunications companies that helped in the snooping after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eProtection for the telecom companies is the most prominent feature of the legislation, something President Bush had insisted on as essential to getting private sector cooperation in spying on foreign terrorists and other targets. The bill would give retroactive protection to companies that acted without court permission.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFew comments from friends:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDM, Massachusetts: \" Today's senate voting to grant immunity to phone companies about tapping got me curious. Dem big mouths always come on TV saying they opposed everything about Bush and yet they can seem to never overturn any of his bills. So I looked up the Senate voting record for today's bill just for kicks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110\u0026amp;session=2\u0026amp;vote=00019\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp://www.senate.gov/legislati\u003cwbr\u003eve/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll\u003cwbr\u003e_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress\u003cwbr\u003e=110\u0026amp;session=2\u0026amp;vote=00019\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo me it seems the Dem party is filled with republican moles, inclduding some from CA, who put on dem party suit simply to sabotage the notion that dems will stand up to bush. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSG in California,  wrote: \"My interest in US domestic politics flagged after Clinton took office in 92 (I recall listening to Bill at a discussion group on education at Stanford the day before he announced his candidacy),  because the war between the Clintons and the \"vast right-wing conspiracy\" did not interest me.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Obama-Hillary battle is interesting because it pits baby-boomers against the generation that grew up with civil rights bill having passed the Congress.  It's brought our the closet misogynists, the closet racists and the liberal hypocrites all out in the open.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eObama and Michelle are high-achieving blacks who do not constantly bitch about racism but expect to be treated equally as whites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ehttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/us/politics/14michelle.html?hp=\u0026amp;pagewanted=all\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eI like that attitude.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe white liberals are oh-so pro-affirmative action because they carry the burden of  white guilt and holier-than-thou attitude as a badge of honor. Most of them have little social (and in many cases, little professional) contact with non-whites.  Clintons belong to this group.  They are all for black upliftment as long as they and their (mostly white) buddies do it.  Note that George Bush has had more non-white senior executive and White House staff than Clinton did.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe younger gen voting for Obama is much more racially integrated and do not continually mouth affirmative action and other platitudes like the old liberals (except the members of the rapidly expanding Hispanic Separatist Nation who also seem to like Hillary more :).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's like the caste system in India.  Congress and the Commies (particularly in Bengal) were always dominated by Brahmins who wanted to uplift the lower castes but did not care to have them in their own social or political power circle.  Our generation started breaking the caste barriers in school, college dorms, in friendship, and in marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDM, from Massachusetts: One of my takeaways from this election as I hear various call in talk shows on TV/radio during this ballot bowl season: conservatism is another name for war mongering and hate spewing free speech, and how important it seems for the republican candidate to pander to the the handful bastion of these conservative media personalities instead of serving the people that elect them. For it is they who best decide what is good for the country. If this kind of arrogance and hate was being spewed by the leaders of another country we all know what would that be labeled as.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Some claim they want to hear about specifics instead of motivational oratory. Remind me when was the last time a president was able to deliver on specifics they promised to the people. They only managed to deliver what was promised behind closed doors away from the public eye.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Unfortunately this 2 party system manages to perpetuate this conservative and liberal mentality and gives meaning to their existence. These labels give these people something to rally around and plot around. I wish someday these would just disappear instead of these spy vs spy mentality they seem to foster in many - \"I as a staunch conservative want HRC to win because she would mess it up so much that the (neocons) will then rule the (world) for another 20 years after that\" - almost an exact quote from a Talk of the Nation episode.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e and of course the way Latino population is growing in a few years everybody else will be hasta la vista :) We will all be worshiping Mother Mary \u0026amp; baby Jesus in bathtubs in our front yards.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps a bit of a stretch but that possibility cannot be completely shrugged off.  I'll not be around when the Hispanic community becomes a dominant force in California and a few other states.   The prospects, however, are  disheartening and I cannot help feeling sad about the inevitable changes on the distant horizon.  Currently, a debate is raging in the United Kingdom about recognition of Sharia Law for Muslim citizens.  One gets the feeling that it will not happen as long as majority of the Brits oppose it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Race for White House"},{"content":" *Fraudsters in the Charity RacketScammers exist; they have always existed and always will. The NYTimes editorial on February 8th described the nefarious activities of one particular organization -- Coalition to Salute American Heroes (CSAH). Perhaps the same people who coined the unforgettable phrases \"collateral damage\" and \"friendly fire\" came up with the name but that is beside the point.Before you contribute a penny to CSAH spend a few minutes checking how it spends your money. In the past there were reports about Frank Hudson, the then CEO of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, who spent contributions on botox injections to make himself look good, and then there were horror stories about mismanagement of funds by the people who ran Goodwill Industries of Santa Clara County, California. The United Way of America which receives support from local corporations had its share of problems with executives who misappropriated funds. The founders of Coalition to Salute American Heroes, however, win the prize for spending most of the money on salaries and perks for themselves.Their sister organization is named \"Help Hospitalized Veterans\", HHV!Excerpts:An envelope arrived in our office the other day. It had the bulky, tawdry look of junk mail: pink and lavender Easter eggs, a plastic address window and a photo of a young man in fatigue shorts using crutches to stand on his only leg. “Thousands of severely wounded troops are suffering,” it read. “Will you help them this Easter?” It was a plea for money from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, one of the worst private charities — but hardly the only — that have been shamefully milking easy cash from the suffering and heartache caused by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.The coalition and its sister organization, Help Hospitalized Veterans, were among a dozen military-related charities given a grade of F in a study last December by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group. These and other charities have collected hundreds of millions of dollars from kind-hearted Americans and squandered an unconscionable amount of it on overhead and expenses — 70 percent or 80 percent, or more. The usual administrative outlay for a reputable charity is about 30 percent. Money that donors surely assumed was going to ease the pain and speed the healing of injured soldiers went instead to junk-mail barrages, inflated executive salaries and other forms of corporate-style bloat.And what did the soldiers get? Try almost $18.8 million in “charitable” phone cards sent to troops overseas in 2006 — not to let them call their families, but rather to call up a stateside business that sells sports scores.And think of what Mr. Chapin told the House committee when asked what would happen if his charities ever told donors where their money went. “If we disclose, which I’m more than happy to do,” he said, “we’d all be out of business. Nobody would donate. It would dry up.” Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2008-02-10 Please keep this story alive and running. The more people who see it the better. Not only will it point the way to donate with a watchful eye but it will, more importantly, put Mr. Chapin and his cronies out of business for once and for all. Thanks. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/scamming-in-the-name-of-war-veterans/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFraudsters in the Charity Racket\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eScammers exist;  they have always existed and always will.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/opinion/08fri1.html\"\u003eNYTimes\u003c/a\u003e editorial on February 8th described the nefarious activities of one particular organization -- Coalition to Salute American Heroes (CSAH). Perhaps the same people who coined the unforgettable phrases \"collateral damage\" and \"friendly fire\" came up with the name but that is beside the point.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBefore you contribute a penny to CSAH spend a few minutes checking how it spends your money. In the past there were reports about \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/08/04/DD104527.DTL\"\u003eFrank Hudson\u003c/a\u003e, the then CEO of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, who spent contributions on botox injections to make himself look good, and then there were horror stories about mismanagement of funds by the people who ran \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/07/MN266879.DTL\"\u003eGoodwill Industries\u003c/a\u003e of Santa Clara County, California.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/06/MN194837.DTL\"\u003eUnited Way of America\u003c/a\u003e which receives support from local corporations  had its share of problems with executives who misappropriated funds. The founders of Coalition to Salute American Heroes, however, win the prize for spending most of the money on salaries and perks for themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir sister organization is named \"Help Hospitalized Veterans\", HHV!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/opinion/08fri1.html\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAn envelope arrived in our office the other day. It had the bulky, tawdry look of junk mail: pink and lavender Easter eggs, a plastic address window and a photo of a young man in fatigue shorts using crutches to stand on his only leg. “Thousands of severely wounded troops are suffering,” it read. “Will you help them this Easter?”\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt was a plea for money from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, one of the worst private charities — but hardly the only — that have been shamefully milking easy cash from the suffering and heartache caused by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe coalition and its sister organization, Help Hospitalized Veterans, were among a dozen military-related charities given a grade of F in a study last December by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group. These and other charities have collected hundreds of millions of dollars from kind-hearted Americans and squandered an unconscionable amount of it on overhead and expenses — 70 percent or 80 percent, or more. The usual administrative outlay for a reputable charity is about 30 percent. Money that donors surely assumed was going to ease the pain and speed the healing of injured soldiers went instead to junk-mail barrages, inflated executive salaries and other forms of corporate-style bloat.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd what did the soldiers get? Try almost $18.8 million in “charitable” phone cards sent to troops overseas in 2006 — not to let them call their families, but rather to call up a stateside business that sells sports scores.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd think of what Mr. Chapin told the House committee when asked what would happen if his charities ever told donors where their money went. “If we disclose, which I’m more than happy to do,” he said, “we’d all be out of business. Nobody would donate. It would dry up.”\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-02-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ePlease keep this story alive and running. The more people who see it the better. Not only will it point the way to donate with a watchful eye but it will, more importantly, put Mr. Chapin and his cronies out of business for once and for all. Thanks.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Scamming in the name of War Veterans"},{"content":" *Beginning of the end.....end of the British justice system ? No less a person than Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, feels that there is room for \".....constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law......\" Only time will tell if he is right.Excerpts from BBCDr Williams says Muslims should have a choice in legal disputesDr Williams interviewThe Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK \"seems unavoidable\".Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to \"face up to the fact\" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion.For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.He says Muslims should not have to choose between \"the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty\".An approach to law which simply said - there's one law for everybody - I think that's a bit of a danger Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of CanterburyIn an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, ahead of a lecture to lawyers in London later on Monday, Dr Williams argues this relies on Sharia law being better understood. At the moment, he says \"sensational reporting of opinion polls\" clouds the issue.He stresses that \"nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country the kind of inhumanity that's sometimes been associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states; the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well\".But Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said \"there's one law for everybody and that's all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts - I think that's a bit of a danger\".\"There's a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law.\"Dr Williams adds: \"What we don't want either, is I think, a stand-off, where the law squares up to people's religious consciences.\"\"We don't either want a situation where, because there's no way of legally monitoring what communities do... people do what they like in private in such a way that that becomes another way of intensifying oppression inside a community.\"From what we know about practice of Sharia Law in Islamic nations there is no reason to feel that those members of the Muslim community who believe in Sharia will be content with \"constructive accommodation\". They will demand more and more.Considering the size and influence of the Muslim population in the UK one can see the desire for a compromise. Compromise, however, is not going to be the answer. Until Muslim men and women in the UK throw off age-old traditions, antiquated teachings of the Koran, and decide to become part of the main-stream society there can be no solution to this issue. There are no signs that this will take place any time soon. Comments Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-02-12 A cogent presentation regarding Islam from a Lefty? Color me impressed. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/the-united-kingdom-and-sharia-law/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBeginning of the end.....end of the British justice system ?   No less a person than Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, feels that there is room for \".....constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law......\" Only time will tell if he is right.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7232661.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr Williams says Muslims should have a choice in legal disputes\u003cbr/\u003eDr Williams interview\u003cbr/\u003eThe Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK \"seems unavoidable\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to \"face up to the fact\" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe says Muslims should not have to choose between \"the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn approach to law which simply said - there's one law for everybody - I think that's a bit of a danger Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, ahead of a lecture to lawyers in London later on Monday, Dr Williams argues this relies on Sharia law being better understood. At the moment, he says \"sensational reporting of opinion polls\" clouds the issue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe stresses that \"nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country the kind of inhumanity that's sometimes been associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states; the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said \"there's one law for everybody and that's all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts - I think that's a bit of a danger\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There's a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr Williams adds: \"What we don't want either, is I think, a stand-off, where the law squares up to people's religious consciences.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We don't either want a situation where, because there's no way of legally monitoring what communities do... people do what they like in private in such a way that that becomes another way of intensifying oppression inside a community.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom what we know about practice of Sharia Law in Islamic nations there is no reason to feel that those members of the Muslim community  who believe in Sharia will be content with \"constructive accommodation\".   They will demand more and more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eConsidering the size and influence of the Muslim population in the UK one can see the desire for a compromise.    Compromise, however, is not going to be the answer.  Until Muslim men and women in the UK throw off age-old traditions, antiquated teachings of the Koran, and decide to become part of the  main-stream society there can be no solution to this issue.  There are no signs that this will take place any time soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-02-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eA cogent presentation regarding Islam from a Lefty?  Color me impressed.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The United Kingdom and Sharia Law"},{"content":" *The Bush Budget * Secularists in Turkey Protest Headscarf LawThe self-described compassionate conservative president's 3.1 trillion budget announced today is awash in red ink but protects his pet tax cuts and includes an 8.1 increase for \"security funding in the areas of the budget controlled by annual appropriations\" (AP).The usual mumbo jumbo accompanied the announcement of the budget.\"Two key principles guided the development of my budget — keeping America safe and ensuring our continued prosperity,\" Bush said in his budget message to Congress. \"As commander in chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people.\"Yes, there are spending cuts......\"$196 billion in savings over the next five years in the government's giant health care programs — Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor.\" The programs -- entitlements, according to Republicans -- face reductions while targeted tax cuts that benefit a very small percentage of people at the top of the income pyramid are needed for \"continued prosperity\".See full report by the Associated PressDoublespeak, smoke and mirrors ? They are hallmarks of the Bush administration.AP: WASHINGTON -The $515.4 billion in Pentagon spending for 2009 that President Bush proposed to Congress on Monday does not include the cost of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Bush asked for $70 billion as an \"emergency allowance\" for war costs for the first part of the budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The White House said it would request more — probably at least another $100 billion, if current war costs are a guide — \"once the specific needs of our troops are better known.\" *Secularist Turks Oppose Headscarf LawCurrent Turkish government is dominated by conservative Muslims. The BBC reported:Thousands of Turks have rallied in Ankara to protest against a government plan to allow women to wear the Islamic headscarf in Turkish universities.The protestors fear such a move would usher in a stricter form of Islam in Turkey, which is a secular state.Turkey's parliament is expected to approve a constitutional amendment to ease the ban next week.Fundamentalists -- no matter whether they are Muslims, Christians, or Hindus -- have the same mindset. The plan by the so called \"devout\" Muslims in Turkey is along the same line as attempts by conservative Christians here in the United States to support mandatory prayers in school and display of Ten Commandments and other symbols on public grounds. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/smirks-last-gift/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Bush Budget * Secularists in Turkey Protest Headscarf Law\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe self-described compassionate conservative president's 3.1 trillion budget announced today is awash in red ink but protects his pet tax cuts and includes an 8.1 increase for \"security funding in the areas of the budget controlled by annual appropriations\" (\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080204/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_budget\"\u003eAP\u003c/a\u003e).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe usual mumbo jumbo accompanied the announcement of the budget.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Two key principles guided the development of my budget — keeping America safe and ensuring our continued prosperity,\" Bush said in his budget message to Congress. \"As commander in chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes, there are spending cuts......\"$196 billion in savings over the next five years in the government's giant health care programs — Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor.\"  The programs -- entitlements, according to  Republicans --  face reductions while targeted tax cuts that benefit a very small percentage of people at the top of the income pyramid are needed for \"continued prosperity\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eSee full report by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080204/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_budget\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDoublespeak, smoke and mirrors ?  They are hallmarks of the Bush administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/budget_iraq_defense;_ylt=AgLBQdqmg099CPHqBjmuXaAGw_IE\"\u003eAP\u003c/a\u003e:  WASHINGTON -The $515.4 billion in Pentagon spending for 2009 that President Bush proposed to Congress on Monday does not include the cost of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBush asked for $70 billion as an \"emergency allowance\" for war costs for the first part of the budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The White House said it would request more — probably at least another $100 billion, if current war costs are a guide — \"once the specific needs of our troops are better known.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eSecularist Turks Oppose Headscarf Law\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrent Turkish government is dominated by conservative Muslims.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7224314.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThousands of Turks have rallied in Ankara to protest against a government plan to allow women to wear the Islamic headscarf in Turkish universities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe protestors fear such a move would usher in a stricter form of Islam in Turkey, which is a secular state.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTurkey's parliament is expected to approve a constitutional amendment to ease the ban next week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFundamentalists -- no matter whether they are Muslims, Christians, or Hindus -- have the same mindset.   The plan by the so called \"devout\" Muslims in Turkey is along the same line as attempts by conservative Christians here in the United States to support mandatory prayers in school and display of Ten Commandments and other symbols on public grounds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Smirk's Last Gift"},{"content":" *Punxsutawney Phil has been known to be wrong in the past but if he is right then the cold and gray days are going to be with us for six more weeks. Traditionally, Phil has credibility. This year, however, Gen. Beauregard Lee, Phil's counterpart in Lilburn, GA, didn't see his shadow. Let the pundits quibble about who is right.\nAssociated Press, Punxsutawney, PA\nThe tradition is that if a hibernating animal sees a shadow on Feb. 2 — the Christian holiday of Candlemas — winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.That was the forecast from Gen. Beauregard Lee, Punxsutawney Phil's counterpart in Lilburn, Ga. Beau did not see his shadow Saturday morning at the Yellow River Game Ranch.It was the third year in a row the two groundhogs' predictions differed.\nWe shall survive, of course. We always do. We complain about cold, rainy days but we survive and then spring arrives and with it new leaves, flowers, and balmy weather. Here in the San Francisco Bay area we need not worry any more about water shortage in the summer months; the foothills will remain green longer; chanterelles will continue to emerge and provide pleasure at the table.\n*\"The desolation of winter; Passing through a small hamlet , A dog barks\" ---Shiki (translated by R.H. Blyth) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/02/the-seasons-winter-and-punxsutawney-phil/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePunxsutawney Phil has been known to be wrong in the past but if he is right then the cold and gray days are going to be with us for six more weeks.  Traditionally, Phil has credibility.  This year, however, Gen. Beauregard Lee, Phil's counterpart in Lilburn, GA, didn't see his shadow.    Let the pundits quibble about who is right.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080202/ap_on_re_us/groundhog_day\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e, Punxsutawney, PA\u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe tradition is that if a hibernating animal sees a shadow on Feb. 2 — the Christian holiday of Candlemas — winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was the forecast from Gen. Beauregard Lee, Punxsutawney Phil's counterpart in Lilburn, Ga. Beau did not see his shadow Saturday morning at the Yellow River Game Ranch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was the third year in a row the two groundhogs' predictions differed.\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Winter and Punxsutawney Phil"},{"content":" *After the Surge * SuicidesA year after the much debated troop surge took effect, sectarian violence in Iraq is down. American casualties, while still in double digits, show marked reduction. Good news for sure. That does not wipe out the basic wrongness of the war and the lies used by President Bush and members of his administration to bring it about.Dana Priest's report in The Washington Post today details the high number of suicides among returning veterans. Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, a psychiatric outpatient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who was waiting for the Army to decide whether to court-martial her for endangering another soldier and turning a gun on herself last year in Iraq, attempted to kill herself Monday evening. In so doing, the 25-year-old Army reservist joined a record number of soldiers who have committed or tried to commit suicide after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.The Dead of JanuaryJoshua R. Anderson, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 02, 2008Ryan D. Maseth, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 02, 2008Thomas J. Casey, 32, Army Captain, Jan 03, 2008Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, Army Major, Jan 03, 2008Menelek M. Brown, 24, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Jan 04, 2008Jason F. Lemke, 30, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 05, 2008James D. Gudridge, 20, Army Specialist, Jan 06, 2008Timothy R. Hanson, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 07, 2008Todd E. Davis, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 09, 2008Jonathan Kilian Dozier, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008Sean M. Gaul, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008David J. Hart, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008Zachary W. McBride, 20, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008Ivan E. Merlo, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008Phillip J. Pannier, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008Matthew I. Pionk, 30, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008Christopher A. Sanders, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008Curtis A. Christensen Jr., 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 11, 2008Keith E. Lloyd, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 12, 2008Danny L. Kimme, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 16, 2008David H. Sharrett II, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 16, 2008John P. Sigsbee, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 16, 2008Richard B. Burress, 25, Army Specialist, Jan 19, 2008Jon M. Schoolcraft III, 26, Army Specialist, Jan 19, 2008Justin R. Whiting, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 19, 2008James M. Gluff, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 19, 2008Michael R. Sturdivant, 20, Army Sergeant, Jan 22, 2008Tracy Renee Birkman, 41, Army Sergeant, Jan 25, 2008Duncan Charles Crookston, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2008Robert J. Wilson, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2008Mikeal W. Miller, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2008Alan G. Rogers, 40, Army Major, Jan 27, 2008James E. Craig, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 28, 2008Gary W. Jeffries, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2008Evan A. Marshall, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 28, 2008Brandon A. Meyer, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 28, 2008Joshua A. R. Young, 21, Army Private, Jan 28, 2008As of today, total number of soldiers who lost their lives in Bush's war: 3942Source: icasualties.org ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/the-war-and-its-toll/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the Surge * Suicides\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA year after the much debated troop surge took effect, sectarian violence in Iraq is down. American casualties, while still in double digits, show marked reduction. Good news for sure. That does not wipe out the basic wrongness of the war and the lies used by President Bush and members of his administration to bring it about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDana Priest's report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/30/AR2008013003106.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e today details the high number of suicides among returning veterans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, a psychiatric outpatient at \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Walter+Reed+Health+Care+System?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eWalter Reed Army Medical Center\u003c/a\u003e who was waiting for the Army to decide whether to court-martial her for endangering another soldier and turning a gun on herself last year in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Iraq?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e, attempted to kill herself Monday evening. In so doing, the 25-year-old Army reservist joined a record number of soldiers who have committed or tried to commit suicide after serving in Iraq or \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Afghanistan?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eAfghanistan\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Dead of January\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua R. Anderson, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 02, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eRyan D. Maseth, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 02, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eThomas J. Casey, 32, Army Captain, Jan 03, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew J. Olmsted, 37, Army Major, Jan 03, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMenelek M. Brown, 24, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Jan 04, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJason F. Lemke, 30, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 05, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJames D. Gudridge, 20, Army Specialist, Jan 06, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy R. Hanson, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 07, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTodd E. Davis, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Kilian Dozier, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eSean M. Gaul, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDavid J. Hart, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eZachary W. McBride, 20, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eIvan E. Merlo, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003ePhillip J. Pannier, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew I. Pionk, 30, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher A. Sanders, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eCurtis A. Christensen Jr., 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 11, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eKeith E. Lloyd, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 12, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDanny L. Kimme, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 16, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDavid H. Sharrett II, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 16, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJohn P. Sigsbee, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 16, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eRichard B. Burress, 25, Army Specialist, Jan 19, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJon M. Schoolcraft III, 26, Army Specialist, Jan 19, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJustin R. Whiting, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 19, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJames M. Gluff, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 19, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMichael R. Sturdivant, 20, Army Sergeant, Jan 22, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eTracy Renee Birkman, 41, Army Sergeant, Jan 25, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eDuncan Charles Crookston, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eRobert J. Wilson, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eMikeal W. Miller, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eAlan G. Rogers, 40, Army Major, Jan 27, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJames E. Craig, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 28, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eGary W. Jeffries, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eEvan A. Marshall, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 28, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon A. Meyer, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 28, 2008\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua A. R. Young, 21, Army Private, Jan 28, 2008\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs of today, total number of soldiers who lost their lives in Bush's war:  3942\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.aspx\"\u003eicasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The War and Its Toll"},{"content":" *Musafir as a RunnerRunning through the streets is a good way to become familiar with the neighborhood. There are days when it brings unexpected pleasures.One day last week I took Randall Road to Clearview, turned left on W. Hillsdale, left on CSM and right on Parrott Drive. Going up Parrott I had no clue where it would end. I wanted to loop back to W. Hillsdale and Clearview. There was a guy on the sidewalk heading in the same direction and I asked where would the road take me. He said \"What about heaven\". I told him that I didn't want to go that far. Then he said \"Nirvana?\". Well, nirvana is a state of mind. On most days when I run I'm close to it and that is good enough.The friendly man stopped and gave me detailed instructions about making a loop which would require getting off the street and running on a half-mile long uphill trail ending at CSM (College of San Mateo) parking lot. From there it would be easy to get back to Clearview bypassing W. Hillsdale Blvd. I told him that I would try it another day.Yesterday there was a break in the weather. So I ran up Parrott, made a right turn on Bel Aire Road, and a hard right on Tournament Drive which dead ends at the bottom of a slope. It was there that I found the gate to the service road and the trail that went uphill. It was muddy and slippery but I had no difficulty getting to the parking lot and paved roads. Not a long run -- approx. a 3-mile loop from my starting point -- but challenging.As to heaven, think of those who could be there -- people like G.W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Rev. Pat Robertson, the late Jerry Falwel and other smarmy champions of moral values. Yuck! *\"The introduction to the Mass of the Runner\", said the Jesuit seated at the living room window overlooking the the ocean and the dunes, \"will be from a passage by Amby Burfoot.\"The distance runners of every age strewn on chairs and stairs and floor gave a sigh of assent. They conjured up the figure of the stork-like Burfoot as he won the Boston marathon in 1968.\"I run,\" the non-running Jesuit read , \"because I enjoy it--not always, but most of the time. I run because I've always run--not trained but run.\"\"What do I get ?\" The words of Burfoot, a Connecticut Yankee, came in the Boston accent of the priest. \"Joy and pain. Good health and injuries. Exhilaration and despair. A feeling of accomplishment and a feeling of waste. The sunrise and the sunset.\"--George Sheehan (Dr. Sheehan on Running) ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/heaven-nirvana-and-a-run-up-parrott-drive/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMusafir as a Runner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRunning through the streets  is a good way to become familiar with the neighborhood.  There are days when it brings unexpected pleasures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne day last week I took Randall Road to Clearview, turned left on W. Hillsdale, left on CSM and right on Parrott Drive.  Going up Parrott I had no clue where it would end.   I wanted to loop back to W. Hillsdale and Clearview.  There was a guy on the sidewalk heading in the same direction and I asked where would the road take me.  He said \"What about heaven\".  I told him that I didn't want to go that far.  Then he said \"Nirvana?\".  Well, nirvana is a state of mind. On most days when I run I'm close to it and that is good enough.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe friendly man stopped and gave me detailed instructions about making a loop which would require getting off the street and running on a half-mile long uphill trail ending at CSM (College of San Mateo) parking lot. From there it would be easy to get back to Clearview bypassing W. Hillsdale Blvd. I told him that I would try it another day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYesterday there was a break in the weather.  So I ran up Parrott, made a right turn on Bel Aire Road, and a hard right on Tournament Drive which dead ends at the bottom of a slope.  It was there that I found the gate to the service road and the trail that went uphill.  It was muddy and slippery but I had no difficulty getting to the parking lot and paved roads.  Not a long run -- approx. a 3-mile loop from my starting point -- but challenging.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs to heaven, think of those who could be there -- people like G.W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Rev. Pat Robertson, the late Jerry Falwel and other smarmy champions of moral values.  Yuck!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"The introduction to the Mass of the Runner\", said the Jesuit seated at the living room window overlooking the the ocean and the dunes, \"will be from a passage by Amby Burfoot.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe distance runners of every age strewn on chairs and stairs and floor gave a sigh of assent.  They conjured up the figure of the stork-like Burfoot as he won the Boston marathon in 1968.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I run,\" the non-running Jesuit read , \"because I enjoy it--not always, but most of the time.  I run because I've always run--not trained but run.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What do I get ?\"  The  words of  Burfoot, a Connecticut Yankee, came in the Boston accent of the priest.  \"Joy and pain.  Good health and injuries.  Exhilaration and despair. A feeling of accomplishment and a feeling of waste.  The sunrise and the sunset.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--George Sheehan (Dr. Sheehan on Running)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Heaven, Nirvana and a Run up Parrott  Drive"},{"content":" *After watching There Will Be Blood and driving home in the rain I needed to unwind. Have been listening to Art Tatum the past few days. So it was Tatum's \"In Private\" that I again put into the CD player. Wonderful music. Almost blind, Art Tatum \"learned to play by copying piano roll recordings his mother owned, playing by ear by the age of three. Tatum would learn both parts of a piece for four hands by feeling the keys depressed on the piano.\"Art Tatum (1909-1956)Photo credit: npr.orgArt Tatum, Solo Piano - Playlist, \"In Private\"\"These rare and historic recordings were originally made on a private tape at Art Tatum's home, during his time in California at the end of the forties. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Barris-Koehler-Moll) Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' (Strayhorn-Ellington-Gaines) You're Drivin' Me Crazy (Walter Donaldson) Tenderly (Walter Gross-Jack Lawrence) Over the Rainbow (Arlen-Harburg) In a Sentimental Mood (Ellington-Mills) You Took Advantage of Me (Rodgers-Hart) She's the Talk of the Town (Livingston-Symes-Neiburg) She's Funny That Way (Moret-Whiting) I'll Never Be The Same (Malneck-Signorelly-Kahn) Night and Day (Cole Porter)\" *The critics rave about \"There Will be Blood\". They see something that JHL and I missed. No question about great acting by Daniel Day Lewis but we found it long and boring. *Past 11:00. Time to hit the sack. Tomorrow is Saturday. More rain, not only tomorrow-- if the weather man is right we're not going to see much of the sun in the next 10 days.Anyone remembers Alan Sillitoe's Saturday Night and Sunday Morning? He was one of Britain's \"angry young men\". The novel, published in 1958, was made into a movie in 1960. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/art-tatum-on-a-rainy-friday-night/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter watching \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469494/\"\u003eThere Will Be Blood\u003c/a\u003e and driving home in the rain I needed to unwind.  Have been listening to Art Tatum the past few days.  So it was Tatum's \"In Private\" that I again put into the CD player.  Wonderful music.  Almost blind, \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Tatum\"\u003eArt Tatum\u003c/a\u003e \"learned to play by copying piano roll recordings his mother owned, playing by ear by the age of three. Tatum would learn both parts of a piece for four hands by feeling the keys depressed on the piano.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eArt Tatum (1909-1956)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159677175766133762\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/arttatum200.jpg\"/\u003ePhoto credit: \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6285193\"\u003enpr.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ejazzlines.com/c138/ART-TATUM-ART-TATUM-IN-PRIVATE-p45106.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eArt Tatum, Solo Piano - Playlist, \"In Private\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"These rare and historic recordings were originally made on a private tape at Art Tatum's home, during his time in California at the end of the forties. \u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003eWrap Your Troubles in Dreams (Barris-Koehler-Moll)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eJust A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' (Strayhorn-Ellington-Gaines)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eYou're Drivin' Me Crazy (Walter Donaldson)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eTenderly (Walter Gross-Jack Lawrence)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eOver the Rainbow (Arlen-Harburg)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn a Sentimental Mood (Ellington-Mills)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eYou Took Advantage of Me (Rodgers-Hart)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eShe's the Talk of the Town (Livingston-Symes-Neiburg)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eShe's Funny That Way (Moret-Whiting)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eI'll Never Be The Same (Malneck-Signorelly-Kahn)  \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eNight and Day (Cole Porter)\" \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe critics rave about \"There Will be Blood\".   They see something that JHL and I missed.    No question about great acting by Daniel Day Lewis but we found it long and boring.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003ePast 11:00.  Time to hit the sack.  Tomorrow is Saturday.  More rain, not only tomorrow-- if the weather man is right we're not going to see much of the sun in the next 10 days.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnyone remembers Alan Sillitoe's \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_and_Sunday_Morning\"\u003eSaturday Night and Sunday Morning\u003c/a\u003e?   He was one of Britain's \"angry young men\".  The novel, published in 1958, was made into a movie in 1960.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Art Tatum on a Rainy Friday Night"},{"content":" *Foothills Park, Palo AltoA buckeye tree in mid-winter. Come spring it would be full of green leaves and white clusters.© MusafirPast middle of January. Yesterday, JHL and I hiked the Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park. Green but not moist. We need more rain. We sat and had our lunch by the creek about 1.5 miles before the bench dedicated to Lynn Torin, and then continuing on the trail and making a U-turn at the bench to return to the parking lot in the meadow. Reached the parking lot just before 5:00. Darkness had not set in -- a sign that we were over the hump....days getting longer.Chanterelles and an UltramarathonerThis morning a group of us went hiking with a young boy to introduce him to wild mushrooms, chanterelles no less. Sunny and clear morning when we left Palo Alto to head south, and it remained so all afternoon. It was a rewarding trip for all of us, especially for Nikhil.Nikhil's first Chanterelle© MusafirAnother first timer© MusafirLunch break in a grove of trees© Musafir*When we came out of the forest on Hwy 9, a runner stopped and asked if we had water. His water bottle was empty. We chatted for a while. Ralph Hirt of Crescent City was on a 25-mile run. Said he ran the Western States 100 (Squaw Valley to Auburn) five times and was going to enter again this year. When I mentioned Gayla Johnson, an ultra marathoner I came to know a few years back, Hirt said he knew Gayla. Gayla ran the Western States 100 four times.This is what I wrote about distance running on December 4, 2005:For me, it is not a \"lonely\" experience. Far from it. Of course, there are the occasional hazards and physical problems--aches and pains, pulled hamstrings, and such. Yet, loneliness is not part of my world when I am out on a long run. It is mostly a good feeling, especially when I run on trails in fall, muddy patches notwisthstanding. The changing landscape as the foothills turn into a lush green, the smell of bay laurel leaves, the look of the oak, madrone and buckeye trees never fail to give me pleasure. I don't need an electronic device to listen to music or news when I run. I feel close to nature; I feel at peace with the world. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/walk-in-the-woods-with-a-young-forager/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eFoothills Park, Palo Alto\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA buckeye tree in mid-winter.  Come spring it would be full of green leaves and white clusters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157406173774772498\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/Foragers 001.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003ePast middle of January.  Yesterday, JHL and I hiked the Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park.  Green but not  moist.  We need more rain.  We sat and had our lunch by the creek about 1.5 miles before the  bench dedicated to Lynn Torin,  and then continuing on the trail and making a U-turn at the bench to return to the parking lot in the meadow.   Reached the parking lot just before 5:00.  Darkness had not set in -- a sign that we were over the hump....days getting longer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChanterelles and an Ultramarathoner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis morning a group of us went hiking with a young boy to introduce him to wild mushrooms, chanterelles no less.  Sunny and clear morning when we left Palo Alto to head south, and it remained so all afternoon.  It was a rewarding trip for all of us, especially for Nikhil.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eNikhil's first Chanterelle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157400641856895186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/Foragers 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAnother first timer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157684225662548258\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/Foragers 003.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLunch break in a grove of trees\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157401367706368242\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/Foragers 004.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen we came out of the forest on Hwy 9, a runner stopped and asked if we had water.  His water bottle was empty.  We chatted for a while.  \u003ca href=\"http://photo.natbarn.com/gallery/v/wser/WSER-05/hirt/\"\u003eRalph Hirt\u003c/a\u003e of Crescent City was on a 25-mile run.  Said he ran the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ws100.com/\"\u003eWestern States 100\u003c/a\u003e (Squaw Valley to Auburn) five times and was going to enter again this year.  When I mentioned Gayla Johnson, an ultra marathoner I came to know a few years back, Hirt said he knew Gayla.  Gayla ran the Western States 100 four times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is what I wrote about distance running on December 4, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFor me, it is not a \"lonely\" experience. Far from it. Of course, there are the occasional hazards and physical problems--aches and pains, pulled hamstrings, and such. Yet, loneliness is not part of my world when I am out on a long run. It is mostly a good feeling, especially when I run on trails in fall, muddy patches notwisthstanding. The changing landscape as the foothills turn into a lush green, the smell of bay laurel leaves, the look of the oak, madrone and buckeye trees never fail to give me pleasure. I don't need an electronic device to listen to music or news when I run. I feel close to nature; I feel at peace with the world.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Walk in the Woods with a Young Forager"},{"content":" *San Mateo, CaliforniaA city in western California southeast of San Francisco. Named by a Spanish expedition in 1776, it was the center of a Mexican colony from 1822 to 1846. Population: 96000 (apprx).Quite different than the city 25 miles to the south in which I spent the last 13 years. Prettier, scenic; there are more trees. And there are other differences. No cookie cutter housing projects, not in the area where I live. Homes are older, larger. I no longer see students walking to schools. There are children in the neighborhood but they are driven to school and back by their parents. Certainly more quiet. But if one finds that there is no garlic for the pasta sauce there is no need for panic. Less than half a mile down the hill there is a small shopping center that has a Safeway store. It also has a good Chinese (Hunan) restaurant and one of those ubiquitous upscale coffee shops.Looking east out of my window on a foggy morning© MusafirLike the quietness and the scenery but there are certain things about my old neighborhood that I miss. For one, I cannot step out of the door and chat with a neighbor. And I have more friends in that part of the valley who are important in my life. Then there are my daughters and their families. In this part of the world a distance of 15 or 20 miles means nothing and, yet, there is no denying the fact that I am further away from them.Owners of the house graciously allowed me space in their garden to grow sweet peas and for planters containing herbs that I use for cooking. The netting for sweet pea vines is in place and the seeds are in the ground. Now , if snails can be stopped from destroying the young shoots the flowers will bloom in March. Some years back when I hiked the DalesWay from Ilkley to Inverness in England, I passed a nursery that had a sign which read \"Sweet Peas are now ready for planting\". It was the middle of May!Decisions to relocate are hard to make. In my case it was not absolutely necessary but, rightly or wrongly, I decided that it was time to move. The process itself can be very stressful. Good friends came to my aid.It was a clear, crisp morning, temperature around 60 deg. F (16 deg. C) when I went for the first run from my new quarters. Had run on Crystal Springs Road in the past but not as a resident of San Mateo.Went down Parrott, turned right on DeAnza, passed the shopping center and I was on Polhemus Road heading east. About two miles further Polhemus meets Crystal Springs Road and one can go right toward El Camino Real or left toward Skyline and the six-mile long Sawyer Trail which meanders along the Crystal Springs Reservoirs. I went left but not all the way to Skyline. On the return leg, going up Parrott was hard but it was a short stretch, less than half a mile.Researching San Mateo on the web I came across an interesting item.The Episcopal Church of St. Matthew, Consecrated May 23,1866Original Episcopal Church of St. Matthew© Episcopal Church of St. Matthew© 2006 Steve Whittaker - http://www.episcopalstmatthew.org/St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in San Mateo, California is one of the oldest stone churches west of the Mississippi. Its history begins in 1864 when the village of San Mateo had a population of 150 people, 25 houses, a railway depot, Roman Catholic Church, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and a grocery store. To the north was San Francisco and Grace Church, now Grace Cathedral. There were several Episcopalian families in the area, and the Reverend Giles Alexander Easton arrived from San Francisco to conduct the first Episcopal services on April 24, 1864, in the local schoolhouse.\"Eternity is an infinite extent of time, in which every event is future at one time, present at another, past at another.\"-- Dictionary of Philosophy, edited by Dagobert D. Runes ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/a-new-beginning/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eSan Mateo, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA city in western California southeast of San Francisco. Named by a Spanish expedition in 1776, it was the center of a Mexican colony from 1822 to 1846. Population: 96000 (apprx).\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eQuite different than the city 25 miles to the south in which I spent the last 13 years.  Prettier, scenic; there are more trees.  And there are other differences.  No cookie cutter housing projects, not in the area where I live.  Homes are older, larger.  I no longer see students walking to schools.  There are children in the neighborhood but they are driven to school and back by their parents.  Certainly more quiet.  But if one finds that there is no garlic for the pasta sauce there is no need for panic.  Less than half a mile down the hill there is  a small shopping center that has a Safeway store.  It also has a good Chinese (Hunan) restaurant and one of those ubiquitous upscale coffee shops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLooking east out of my window on a foggy morning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156635493433112754\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/Looking west.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike the quietness and the scenery but there are certain things about my old neighborhood that I miss.  For one, I cannot step out of the door and chat with a neighbor.  And I have more friends in that part of the valley who are important in my life.  Then there are my daughters and their families.  In this part of the world a distance of 15 or 20 miles means nothing and, yet, there is no denying the fact that I am further away from them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOwners of the house graciously allowed me space in their garden to grow sweet peas and for planters containing herbs that I use for cooking.  The netting for sweet  pea vines is in place and the seeds are in the ground.  Now , if snails can be stopped from destroying the young shoots the flowers will bloom in March.  Some years back when  I  hiked the \u003ca href=\"http://www.thedalesway.co.uk/\"\u003eDalesWay\u003c/a\u003e  from Ilkley  to Inverness in England, I passed a nursery that had a sign which read \"Sweet Peas are now ready for planting\".  It was the middle of May!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDecisions to relocate are hard to make.  In my case it was not absolutely necessary but, rightly or wrongly, I decided that it was time to move.  The process itself can be very stressful.  Good friends came to my aid.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was a clear, crisp morning, temperature around 60 deg. F (16 deg.   C) when I went for the first run from my new quarters.  Had run on Crystal Springs Road in the past but not as a resident of San Mateo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWent down Parrott, turned right on DeAnza, passed the shopping center and I was on Polhemus Road heading east.  About two miles further Polhemus meets Crystal Springs Road and one can   go right toward El Camino Real or left toward Skyline and the six-mile long Sawyer Trail which meanders along the Crystal Springs Reservoirs.  I went left but not all the way to Skyline.  On the return leg, going up Parrott was hard but it was a short stretch, less than half a mile.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eResearching San Mateo on the web I came across an interesting item.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.episcopalstmatthew.org/history.html\"\u003eThe Episcopal Church of St. Matthew\u003c/a\u003e, Consecrated May 23,1866\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156642279481440450\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/oldchurchII.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cb\u003eOriginal Episcopal Church of St. Matthew\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© Episcopal Church of St. Matthew\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156228455087503522\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/St. Matthew.jpg\"/\u003e© 2006 Steve Whittaker - \u003ca href=\"http://www.episcopalstmatthew.org/\"\u003ehttp://www.episcopalstmatthew.org/\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSt. Matthew's Episcopal Church in San Mateo, California is one of the oldest stone churches west of the Mississippi. Its history begins in 1864 when the village of San Mateo had a population of 150 people, 25 houses, a railway depot, Roman Catholic Church, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and a grocery store. To the north was San Francisco and Grace Church, now Grace Cathedral. There were several Episcopalian families in the area, and the Reverend Giles Alexander Easton arrived from San Francisco to conduct the first Episcopal services on April 24, 1864, in the local schoolhouse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Eternity is an infinite extent of time, in which every event is future at one time, present at another, past at another.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Dictionary of Philosophy, edited by Dagobert D. Runes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A New Beginning"},{"content":" *The Bush-Cheney RegimeExcerpts from Washington Post But what are the facts? Bush and Cheney are clearly guilty of numerous impeachable offenses. They have repeatedly violated the Constitution. They have transgressed national and international law. They have lied to the American people time after time. Their conduct and their barbaric policies have reduced our beloved country to a historic low in the eyes of people around the world. These are truly \"high crimes and misdemeanors,\" to use the constitutional standard. From the beginning, the Bush-Cheney team's assumption of power was the product of questionable elections that probably should have been officially challenged -- perhaps even by a congressional investigation. In a more fundamental sense, American democracy has been derailed throughout the Bush-Cheney regime. The dominant commitment of the administration has been a murderous, illegal, nonsensical war against Iraq. That irresponsible venture has killed almost 4,000 Americans, left many times that number mentally or physically crippled, claimed the lives of an estimated 600,000 Iraqis (according to a careful October 2006 study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and laid waste their country. The financial cost to the United States is now $250 million a day and is expected to exceed a total of $1 trillion, most of which we have borrowed from the Chinese and others as our national debt has now climbed above $9 trillion -- by far the highest in our national history.\nThe above is from an opinions column by George S. McGovern. Those of you who are not familiar with George McGovern of S. Dakota, he served two terms in the House of Representatives; he spoke out against the war in Vietnam, and -- unlike Bush and Cheney who avoided Vietnam -- McGovern flew 35 missions in World War II. He was the Democratic Party's nominee in the presidential election of 1972. He lost to Richard Nixon in a landslide. Richard Nixon was forced to leave the presidency in disgrace but that is another story.George S. McGovernHe volunteered for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and served as a B-24 Liberator bomber pilot in the Fifteenth Air Force, flying 35 missions over enemy territory from bases in North Africa and later Italy, often against heavy anti-aircraft artillery. McGovern was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving his crew by crash landing his damaged bomber on a small Mediterranean island.It is unlikely that Bush and Cheney will face impeachment proceedings because majority of our elected representatives lack courage and honesty needed to face this issue.Not a citizen 1972, I could not vote for George McGovern, but I contributed to his campaign. The fact that he received more votes than Nixon in San Francisco County made me feel good.\n","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/call-for-impeachment-by-a-former-b-24-pilot/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush-Cheney Regime\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/04/AR2008010404308.html?hpid=opinionsbox1\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e But what are the facts? \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Bush and Cheney are clearly guilty of numerous impeachable offenses. They have repeatedly violated the Constitution. They have transgressed national and international law. They have lied to the American people time after time. Their conduct and their barbaric policies have reduced our beloved country to a historic low in the eyes of people around the world. These are truly \"high crimes and misdemeanors,\" to use the constitutional standard. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Call for Impeachment by a Former B-24 Pilot"},{"content":" *Some Americans have a thing about display of emotion by political candidates. To them it is a sign of weakness! The reasoning is that if a person becomes emotional in public then he or she will be not be able to deal with crises and, therefore, unfit to hold political office. It is a load of crock.The media ran with the story and pictures about Hillary Clinton who became teary on Monday while speaking at a roundtable discussion at a coffee shop in Postmouth, New Hampshire.She is not my favored candidate but her appearance at the roundtable discussion on Monday certainly did not lower my opinion of her.Other political candidates were subject to ridicule and criticism in the past for becoming emotional. Edmund Muskie and Pat Schroeder come to mind. One would think that in today's America voters with such Neanderthal attitudes are in the minority. Let's hope so. We do not need more lying bullies like the ones now holding high offices. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/american-politics---the-taboo-against-tears/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome Americans have a thing about display of emotion by political candidates.   To them it is a sign of weakness!  The reasoning is that if a person becomes emotional in public then he or she will be not be able to deal with crises and, therefore, unfit to hold political office.  It is a load of crock.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe media ran with the story and pictures about Hillary Clinton who became teary on Monday while speaking at  a roundtable discussion at a coffee shop  in Postmouth, New Hampshire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eShe is not my favored candidate but her appearance at the roundtable discussion on Monday certainly did not lower my opinion of her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOther political candidates were subject to ridicule and criticism in the past for becoming emotional. \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Muskie\"\u003eEdmund Muskie\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Schroeder\"\u003ePat Schroeder\u003c/a\u003e come to mind.  One would think that  in today's America voters with such Neanderthal attitudes  are in the minority.  Let's hope so.  We do not need more lying bullies like the ones now holding high offices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"American Politics - The Taboo against Tears"},{"content":" *Cold and wet. We were wondering if we were going to get enough rain to avoid drought in the summer months. The rains came......and how! Friday, the 4th, was a howler. It rained and it rained.San Francisco Chronicle\"This was the worst,\" National Weather Service forecaster Will Pi said of Friday's deluge, which dropped nearly 8 inches of rain on the wettest locations, dumped at least 2 inches on many Bay Area cities and brought 100-mph winds to the most exposed peaks.\"It had better be the worst.\"There will be showers Saturday and Sunday, Pi said, and another storm is expected to roll through the Bay Area on Tuesday. None of it will compare to Friday's storm, Pi said, which knocked out power to 1.3 million Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers in Northern California.The current forecast is for rain and showers the next five days. Bad news for commuters who will have to go back to work on Monday. On the positive side, the streams will be running in force and reservoirs will be full. Walks through the woods will mean negotiating muddy patches, fallen branches of trees, and even mud slides. Two years back part of the Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park (Palo Alto) got blocked by mud. But dry or muddy, walking on trails is always a pleasant experience.Presidential Election CampaignIowa sent shockwaves through the campaigns of both parties. It was not Obama's victory but third place for Hillary Clinton that surprised many. Personally, I was happy that John Edwards came out second although I doubt that it would take him anywhere. For one thing, he is running out of money.Those who wrote about Mike Huckabee's growing numbers in Iowa were right. Republican contenders are now taking their gloves off. New Hampshire will be down and dirty. Last chance for John McCain to reclaim lost ground.Not only Huckabee, the ordained Baptist minister, all Republican candidates will mention God. For them it is de rigeur. And all of them will talk about their qualifications to defend us from evil terrorists. Some people will believe them.Back in the 70's, a collection of British cartoonist Mel Calman's sketches was published under the title \"My God, A look at the day-to-day difficulties of being God\". Here is one that I like.© Mel CalmanBach and BrubeckFor me Sunday mornings mean music. Bach, of course, and some jazz. Dave Brubeck's Take Five can make it easy to forget the politicians and their empty promises. I have the classic LP issued by Atlantic in 1972 -- The Dave Brubeck Quartet \"Last Set at Newport\" with Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax, Alan Dawson, drums, Jack Six, bass. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/a-sunday-morning-in-january/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCold and wet.  We were wondering if we were going to get enough rain to avoid drought in the summer months.  The rains came......and how!  Friday, the 4th, was a howler.  It rained and it rained.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/05/MN87U9KSU.DTL\u0026amp;hw=rain\u0026amp;sn=001\u0026amp;sc=1000\"\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"georgia md\" id=\"bodytext\"\u003e\"This was the worst,\" National Weather Service forecaster Will Pi said of Friday's deluge, which dropped nearly 8 inches of \u003cstrong\u003erain\u003c/strong\u003e on the wettest locations, dumped at least 2 inches on many Bay Area cities and brought 100-mph winds to the most exposed peaks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It had better be the worst.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere will be showers Saturday and Sunday, Pi said, and another storm is expected to roll through the Bay Area on Tuesday. None of it will compare to Friday's storm, Pi said, which knocked out power to 1.3 million Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers in Northern California.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe current forecast is for rain and showers the next five days.  Bad news for commuters who will have to go back to work on Monday.  On the positive side, the streams will be running in force and reservoirs will be full. Walks through the woods will mean negotiating muddy patches, fallen branches of trees, and even mud slides.  Two years back part of the Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park (Palo Alto) got blocked by mud.  But dry or muddy, walking on trails is always a pleasant experience.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresidential Election Campaign\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIowa sent shockwaves through the campaigns of both parties.  It was not Obama's victory but third place for Hillary Clinton that surprised many.  Personally, I was happy that John Edwards came out second although I doubt that it would take him anywhere.  For one thing, he is running out of money.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThose who wrote about Mike Huckabee's growing numbers in Iowa were right.   Republican contenders are now taking their gloves off.  New Hampshire will be down and dirty.  Last chance for John  McCain to reclaim lost ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot only Huckabee, the ordained Baptist minister, all Republican candidates will mention God.  For them it is de rigeur.  And all of them will talk about their qualifications to defend us from evil terrorists.   Some people will  believe them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in the 70's, a collection of British cartoonist Mel Calman's sketches was published under the title \"My God, A look at the day-to-day difficulties of being God\".  Here is one that I like.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152209619828897826\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2008/01/My God.jpg\"/\u003e© Mel Calman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eBach and Brubeck\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor me Sunday mornings mean music.  Bach, of course, and some jazz. Dave Brubeck's \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Five\"\u003eTake Five\u003c/a\u003e can make it easy to forget the politicians and their empty promises.  I have the classic LP issued by Atlantic in 1972 -- The Dave Brubeck Quartet \"Last Set at Newport\" with Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax,  Alan Dawson, drums, Jack Six, bass.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A  Sunday Morning in January"},{"content":" *A Heartwarming Movie and A Classic on VideoThe celebrations are over. Those who are not sleeping off last nights excesses -- the almost enforced gaieties -- it is time to take stock. For most of us it would be just another year. Nothing wrong with finding pleasure in things that we routinely do. For some there will be momentous events -- falling in or out of love, births, weddings, career changes, and....yes, losses. All very normal as we go through life.Now the New Year reviving old Desires,The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,Where the White Hand of Moses on the BoughPuts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.---Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Translated by Edward Fitzgerald)Juno (2007)This film by Jason Reitman was an unexpected pleasure. Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff put in a stellar performance. She might not succeed in bagging the Oscar but she will be remembered. Don't miss it.Three Days of the Condor (1975)Sydney Pollack's film was prescient. That was what I thought while I was watching it on video. Released in 1975, the film brings to life rogue elements in the CIA and their nefarious activities about oil,Middle East and Venezuela.Think of Bush's war and news stories that have appeared over the last five years. Does not take much of an imagination to picture the neocons dreaming about oil and domination of the Middle East, and the opportunity that fell into their laps when fanatic Islamic jihadis struck us on 9/11. While the country was in shock the neocons ran with it and turned war games into reality. And the CIA helped them do it.The film was based on James Grady's \"Six Days of the Condor\". I read the book after watching the film in the 70's. The film script was a vast improvement over the original novel. Robert Redford perfectly fitted the role of Joseph Turner, a low-level CIA analyst who accidentally became the prey of killers let loose by his employers. Faye Dunaway looked toothy and sexy, and the great Max von Sydow very believable as a hired assassin. ","permalink":"/posts/2008/01/a-new-year-begins/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA Heartwarming Movie and A Classic on Video\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe celebrations are over.  Those who are not sleeping off last nights excesses -- the almost enforced gaieties -- it is time to  take stock.  For most of us it would be  just another year. Nothing wrong with finding pleasure in things that we routinely do.  For some there will be momentous events -- falling in or out of love, births, weddings, career changes, and....yes, losses.  All very normal as we go through life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the New Year reviving old Desires,\u003cbr/\u003eThe thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,\u003cbr/\u003eWhere the White Hand of Moses on the Bough\u003cbr/\u003ePuts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Translated by Edward Fitzgerald)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/\"\u003eJuno (2007)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis film by Jason Reitman was an unexpected pleasure.  Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff put in a stellar performance.  She might not succeed in bagging the Oscar but she will be remembered. Don't miss it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073802/\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThree Days of the Condor (1975)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSydney Pollack's film was prescient.  That was what I thought while I was watching it on video.  Released in 1975, the film brings to life rogue elements in the CIA and their nefarious activities about oil,Middle East and Venezuela.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThink of Bush's war and news stories that have appeared over the last five years.  Does not take much of an imagination to picture the neocons dreaming about oil and domination of the Middle East, and the opportunity that fell into their laps when fanatic Islamic jihadis struck us on 9/11. While the country was in shock the neocons ran with it and turned war games into reality.  And the CIA helped them do it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe film was based on James Grady's  \"Six Days of the Condor\".  I read the book after watching the film in the 70's.  The film script was a vast improvement over the original novel.   Robert Redford perfectly fitted the role of  Joseph Turner, a low-level CIA analyst who accidentally became the prey of killers let loose by his employers. Faye Dunaway looked toothy and sexy, and the great Max von Sydow very believable as a hired assassin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A New Year Begins"},{"content":" *The Rains Came and Chanterelles EmergedWalks through the forests always give me pleasure. The four seasons have their own distinct characteristics, the trees and the landscape go through changes that make them interesting. The woods smell different. Looking down on the valley from up high on Skyline one cannot but feel good about living here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization that deserves our praise for protecting lands from developers is Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. Without it the hills would be full of pink, pseudo-Mediterranean palaces.MROSDThe Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's purpose is to purchase, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt, preserve unspoiled wilderness, wildlife habitat, watershed, viewshed, and fragile ecosystems, and provide opportunities for low-intensity recreation and environmental education.For foragers of wild mushrooms the late fall and winter months can be rewarding. Last year I came across the first chanterelles in mid-November. This year, there was hardly any rain in November; the ground remained dry and hard. Chanterelles were not to be found. Then in December the rains came; rain followed by sunny days. Christmas Day was unusually bright and clear. JHL and I enjoyed our traditional walk in the afternoon.© Musafir© MusafirA few days back Arani Sinha and I went walking in the woods and found chanterelles -- enough to share with friends. The conditions are ideal and there will be more for us to gather in the next two months. We treat the grounds with respect; we don't sell. *Ancient MusicWinter is icummen in,Lhude sing Goddamm.Raineth drop and staineth slop,And how the wind doth ramm!Sing: Goddamm.Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,An ague hath my ham.Freezeth river, turneth liver,Damn you, sing: Goddamm.Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,So 'gainst the winter's balm.Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM. -- Ezra Pound (1885-1972) ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/the-seasons-december-2007/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eThe Rains Came and Chanterelles Emerged\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWalks through the forests always give me pleasure.  The four seasons have their own distinct characteristics, the trees and the landscape go through changes that make them interesting.  The woods smell different.  Looking down on the valley from up high on Skyline  one cannot but feel good about living here in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The organization that deserves our praise for protecting lands from developers is Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District.  Without it the hills would be full of pink, pseudo-Mediterranean palaces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.openspace.org/about_us/\"\u003eMROSD\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's purpose is to purchase, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt, preserve unspoiled wilderness, wildlife habitat, watershed, viewshed, and fragile ecosystems, and provide opportunities for low-intensity recreation and environmental education.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor foragers of wild mushrooms the late fall and winter months can be rewarding.  Last year I came across the first chanterelles in mid-November.  This year, there was hardly any rain in November; the ground remained dry and hard.  Chanterelles were not to be found.  Then in December the rains came; rain followed by sunny days.  Christmas Day was unusually bright and clear.  JHL and I enjoyed our traditional walk in the afternoon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149466626080405186\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/Chanterelle I.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149469555248101074\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/Chanterelle II.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few days back Arani Sinha and I went  walking in the woods  and found chanterelles -- enough to share with friends.  The conditions are ideal and there will be more for us to gather in the next two months.  We treat the grounds with respect; we don't sell.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eAncient Music\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWinter is icummen in,\u003cbr/\u003eLhude sing Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003eRaineth drop and staineth slop,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd how the wind doth ramm!\u003cbr/\u003eSing: Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSkiddeth bus and sloppeth us,\u003cbr/\u003eAn ague hath my ham.\u003cbr/\u003eFreezeth river, turneth liver,\u003cbr/\u003eDamn you, sing: Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,\u003cbr/\u003eSo 'gainst the winter's balm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.\u003cbr/\u003eSing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM. \u003cbr/\u003e--   Ezra Pound (1885-1972)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: December 2007"},{"content":" *Is the assassination of Benazir Bhutto going to be another cash cow for the GOP ?G.W. Bush and the neocons grabbed the tragedy of 9/11 and sold the nation a bill of goods. Think of the price we have paid....and will continue to pay for letting them run amuck. Our politicians did not have a hand in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto but they lost no time in trying to capitalize on it. Every GOP presidential contender is trying to convince voters that he is the best qualified to protect us from evil terrorists.Are the voters going to fall for their spiels ? We are 11 months away from the election. The caucuses are about to begin. The shrillness will escalate; misleading advertisements and dirty tricks (a hallmark of Republicans) will emerge. A numbness will set in among voters trying to decide who is fit to lead our country.Protecting America from terrorists is just one part of the big picture. Before allowing the gas bags to succeed in cowing us into unquestioning acceptance of their claims pause to consider how they exploited our vulnerability after 9/11. Comments Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-01-04 Well, that last comment didn't post like I wanted, so here it is again.\nEveryone keeps saying that Bhutto was to be the savior of Pakistan, am I the only person in the whole world that got the heebie-jeebies from her and her family?\nDoes it mean anything that she was run out of the country for curruption and that her husband had her brother killed and served almost eight years in prison for drug trafficing?\nI do not think these folks were good people, but I guess Pakistan takes the lesser of two evils approach. Much like the US has to now. Paul Mitchell \u0026mdash; 2008-01-04 And by \"curruption,\" I meant \"corruption.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/the-assassination-of-benazir-bhutto-and-expediency-of-politicians/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs the assassination of Benazir Bhutto going to be another cash cow for the GOP ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eG.W. Bush and the neocons grabbed the tragedy of 9/11 and sold the nation a bill of goods.  Think of the price we have paid....and will continue to pay for letting them run amuck.  Our politicians did not have a hand in the assassination  of Benazir Bhutto but they lost no time in trying to capitalize on it.  Every GOP presidential contender is trying to convince voters that he is the best qualified to protect us from evil terrorists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAre the voters going to fall for their spiels ?  We are 11 months away from the election.  The caucuses are about to begin.    The  shrillness  will  escalate;  misleading advertisements and dirty tricks (a hallmark of Republicans) will emerge.  A numbness will set in among voters trying to decide who is fit to lead our country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eProtecting America from terrorists is just one part of the big picture.  Before allowing the gas bags to succeed in cowing us into unquestioning acceptance of their claims pause to consider how they exploited our vulnerability after 9/11.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-01-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWell, that last comment didn't post like I wanted, so here it is again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEveryone keeps saying that Bhutto was to be the savior of Pakistan, am I the only person in the whole world that got the heebie-jeebies from her and her family?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDoes it mean anything that she was run out of the country for curruption and that her husband had her brother killed and served almost eight years in prison for drug trafficing?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI do not think these folks were good people, but I guess Pakistan takes the lesser of two evils approach.  Much like the US has to now.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Mitchell\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2008-01-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAnd by \"curruption,\" I meant \"corruption.\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto and Expediency of Politicians"},{"content":" *The headlines screamed \"Benazir Bhutto assassinated\". Yes, they shocked us but didn't surprise us. In Pakistan (Pure Land) such atrocities are almost expected to happen.The BBC's initial report states that she was killed after speaking at a political rally in Rawalpindi, and that as many as 15 others also died. Benazir Bhutto, who had served twice before as prime minister of Pakistan before being ousted in 1996, was fully aware of the risks she took in returning to her native land to have a role in Pakistani politics. Did she have time to think about it before she died? If she did she would have perhaps said mekhtub, \"It was written\".In our world today what happens in other countries affect us. The instability in Pakistan is cause for serious concern. As an example of just one facet of the situation, the financial markets reacted negatively and oil prices went up.*Benazir Bhutto - Key events in her life. The Guardian UK ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/pakistan---end-of-benazir-bhutto/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe headlines screamed \"Benazir Bhutto assassinated\".  Yes, they shocked us but didn't surprise us.  In Pakistan (Pure Land) such atrocities are almost expected to happen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe BBC's initial \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7161590.stm\"\u003ereport\u003c/a\u003e states that she was killed after speaking at a political rally in Rawalpindi, and that as many as 15 others also died.  Benazir Bhutto, who had served twice before as prime minister of Pakistan before being ousted in 1996, was fully aware of the risks she took in returning to her native land to have a role in Pakistani politics.  Did she have time to think about it before she died?  If she did she would have perhaps said mekhtub, \"It was written\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn our world today what happens in other countries affect us.  The instability in Pakistan is cause for serious concern.  As an example of just one facet of the situation, the financial markets reacted negatively and oil prices went up.\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBenazir Bhutto - Key events in her life.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,,2232494,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Pakistan - End of Benazir Bhutto"},{"content":" Child with a Dove ©Pablo Picasso, 1901, War and Peace Series ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/christmas-2007/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eChild with a Dove \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147939460263999138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/Child with Dove.jpg\"/\u003e©Pablo Picasso, 1901, War and Peace Series\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Sapna/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Sapna/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-6.jpg\"/\u003e","title":"Christmas 2007"},{"content":" * \"Pride \u0026amp; Prejudice\" RevisitedAfter watching a few new releases full of violent, gory scenes it was a pleasure to sit back and enjoy Pride \u0026amp; Prejudice on DVD....the 1995 BBC miniseries with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett and Colin Firth as Darcy. Ms Austen's famed novel portrayed the lives and customs of upper class British landowners. Of course, some intrigues and backstabbing took place among them but not to a degree to cast a lasting shadow over the romance that developed between Lizzie Bennett and the smoldering Fitzwilliam Darcy. They followed manners and codes in social interactions that are no longer observed.Witty dialogue, great rural scenes of England, costumes of 19th century, and excellent acting by all major characters.\"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.\" -- Jane Austen, Pride \u0026amp; prejudice (First published January 1813)It was a different world. * The Kite Runner * Afghanistan * PakistanI found Khaled Hosseini's second novel A Thousand Splendid Suns more impressive than the acclaimed Kite Runner, recently released on screen. After a good beginning, The Kite Runner -- novel and the film both -- left me disappointed. The end seemed to be too easy, unreal.Never visited Afghanistan but I spent some days in Karachi during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan when the city was full of Afghan refugees living in pitiful conditions. General Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq was the president after acquiring power in 1977 in a coup against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto....the late father of Benazir Bhutto. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged after a rigged trial.It was the holy month of Ramadan. The waiter at the restaurant in Karachi Hilton refused to serve me lunch until I produced my passport to prove that I was not a Muslim. No wonder. It was during President Zia's rule that the atrocious Hudood Ordinance (Shari'a law) was introduced in Pakistan. Are the Pakistani Muslims who supported such laws any better than the Taliban in Afghanistan ? In 2006, General Musharraf, the current president, pushed for and succeeded in revising/replacing the Hudood by the Women's Protection Bill.No Country for Old MenLot of violence. Somewhat like a modern western film. Worth watching though. Great acting by Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem.American GangsterBased on real-life characters, the film failed to leave a mark. Three weeks after watching the movie all I remember is that Denzel Washington and Russell Crow acted in it. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/films-old-and-new/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\"Pride \u0026amp; Prejudice\" Revisited\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter watching a few new releases full of violent, gory scenes it was a pleasure to sit back and enjoy \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112130/\"\u003ePride \u0026amp; Prejudice\u003c/a\u003e on DVD....the 1995 BBC miniseries with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett and Colin Firth as Darcy.   Ms Austen's famed novel portrayed the lives and customs of upper class British landowners. Of course, some intrigues and backstabbing took place among them but not to a degree to cast a lasting shadow over the romance that developed between Lizzie Bennett and the smoldering Fitzwilliam Darcy.  They followed manners and codes in social interactions that are no longer observed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWitty dialogue, great rural scenes of England, costumes of 19th century, and excellent acting by all major characters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.\" -- Jane Austen, Pride \u0026amp; prejudice (First published January 1813)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was a different world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Kite Runner * Afghanistan * Pakistan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI found Khaled Hosseini's second novel \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns\"\u003eA Thousand Splendid Suns\u003c/a\u003e more impressive than the acclaimed \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419887/\"\u003eKite Runner\u003c/a\u003e, recently released on screen.  After a good beginning, The Kite Runner -- novel and the film both -- left me disappointed.  The end seemed to be too easy, unreal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNever visited Afghanistan  but I spent some days in Karachi during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan when the city was full of Afghan refugees living in pitiful conditions.   General Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq was the president after acquiring power in 1977 in a coup against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto....the late father of Benazir Bhutto.  Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged after a rigged trial.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was the holy month of Ramadan.  The waiter at the restaurant in Karachi Hilton refused to serve me lunch until I produced my passport to prove that I was not a Muslim.  No wonder.  It was during President Zia's rule that the atrocious \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudood_Ordinance\"\u003eHudood Ordinance\u003c/a\u003e (Shari'a law) was introduced in Pakistan. Are the Pakistani Muslims who supported such laws any better than the Taliban in Afghanistan ?  In 2006, General Musharraf, the current president, pushed for and succeeded in revising/replacing the Hudood  by the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Protection_Bill\"\u003eWomen's Protection Bill\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477348/\"\u003eNo Country for Old Men\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLot of violence.  Somewhat like a modern western film.  Worth watching though.   Great acting by Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765429/\"\u003eAmerican Gangster\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBased on real-life characters, the film failed to leave a mark.  Three weeks after watching the movie all I remember is that Denzel Washington and Russell Crow acted in it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Films, Old and New"},{"content":" * WWJD ? And The Ginger ManAs the presidential election campaigns heat up, the contenders are showing their flexibility and readiness to to be all things to all people. They want to win our hearts and minds and they stand ready to do anything, say anything.Where the GOP candidates are concerned, God is an important card in their play book. Makes sense. George Bush's victories were to a large degree based on support from conservative Christian voters. The Christian right voters have lost some power but far from being a spent force. Looking at the stable of contenders one wonders -- would Jesus endorse any of them.Enough about politicians. J.P. Donleavy's ribald classic The Ginger Man is a good one to take your mind off from the bloviating hypocrites.\"Mary Maloney's beautiful arseIs a sweet apple of sinGive me Mary's beautiful arseAnd a full bottle of gin.\"--The Ginger Man, J.P. Donleavy ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/on-the-road-to-2008-god-and-the-gop/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWWJD ?  And The Ginger Man\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the presidential election campaigns heat up,  the contenders are showing their flexibility and readiness to to be all things to all people.  They want to win our hearts and minds and they stand ready to do anything, say anything.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhere the GOP candidates are concerned, God is an  important card in their play book.  Makes sense.  George Bush's victories were to a large degree based on support from conservative Christian voters.  The \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right\"\u003eChristian right\u003c/a\u003e voters have lost some power but far from being a spent force.  Looking at the stable of contenders one wonders -- would Jesus endorse any of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnough about politicians.   J.P. Donleavy's ribald classic \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ginger_Man\"\u003eThe Ginger Man\u003c/a\u003e is a good one to take your mind off from the bloviating hypocrites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mary Maloney's beautiful arse\u003cbr/\u003eIs a sweet apple of sin\u003cbr/\u003eGive me Mary's beautiful arse\u003cbr/\u003eAnd a full bottle of gin.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--The Ginger Man, J.P. Donleavy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: God and the GOP"},{"content":" *November was unusually dry, and in the first-half of December there were only a few showers. Now, three days before winter solstice, the rains have arrived. It is a wet morning in the San Francisco Bay area, and a lot more rain expected in the next few days. Temp. in the low 50's F (13 deg. C). According to the extended forecast, Christmas Day could be dry....cloudy but dry. A wet Christmas would prevent us from the traditional hike in the afternoon that JHL and I enjoy.We can forget the dire warnings about droughts in the summer months. Skiers are happy. Abundant snow packs in the sierras mean they can enjoy their holiday trips. Hardy lots, the skiers are not daunted by road and weather conditions.Good news also for us foragers who walk through the woods looking for wild mushrooms. Perhaps it is not too late for the chanterelles to emerge.The rains we get here, however, are a far cry from rains in some other parts of the world.Rainy afternoon, Sunnyvale, California © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3Monsoon rain and Rickshaw Puller, Kolkata, IndiaPhoto credit: www.liberaassociazioneilpopolo.it/Picture of a very wet day in Northumberland Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKRainy Day © Ian BrittonNot even a hat--And cold rain falling on me?Tut-tut! Think of that!--Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)Come, come thou bleak December wind,And blow the dry leaves from the tree!-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/the-seasons-autumn-rains/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNovember was unusually dry, and in the first-half of December there were only a few showers. Now, three days before winter solstice, the rains have arrived.  It is a wet morning in the San Francisco Bay area,  and a lot more rain expected in the next few days. Temp. in the low 50's F (13 deg. C).  According to the extended forecast, Christmas Day could be dry....cloudy but dry.  A wet Christmas would prevent us from the traditional hike in the afternoon that JHL and I enjoy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe can forget the dire warnings about droughts in the summer months.  Skiers are happy.  Abundant snow packs in the sierras mean they can  enjoy their  holiday trips.  Hardy lots, the skiers are not daunted by  road and weather conditions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGood news also for us foragers who walk through the woods looking for wild mushrooms.   Perhaps it is not too late for the chanterelles to emerge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe rains we get here, however, are a far cry from rains in some other parts of the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRainy afternoon, Sunnyvale, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/IMG_0001.jpg\"/\u003e © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eMonsoon rain and Rickshaw Puller, Kolkata, India\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/calcutta.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/12/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto credit: www.liberaassociazioneilpopolo.it/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ePicture of a very wet day in Northumberland Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Picture of Rainy Day - Free Pictures - FreeFoto.com\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.freefoto.com/images/9907/06/9907_06_16---Rainy-Day_web.jpg?\u0026amp;k=Rainy+Day\" title=\"Picture of Rainy Day - Free Pictures - FreeFoto.com\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRainy Day © Ian Britton\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot even a hat--\u003cbr/\u003eAnd cold rain falling on me?\u003cbr/\u003eTut-tut! Think of that!\u003cbr/\u003e--Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCome, come thou bleak December wind,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd blow the dry leaves from the tree!\u003cbr/\u003e-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Autumn Rains"},{"content":" *Odds and EndsAfter residing for 13 years in the heart of Silicon Valley I'll soon pull up stakes and head for San Mateo, 25 miles to the north.Such decisions are not easy to make and I went through the usual pros and cons. But whether I made the right decision will only become known after the move. Right now I feel positive. The area is scenic; quiet; and the hilly terrain will be challenging when I go out for runs. Temperature there is a few degrees cooler than in the South Bay; foggy mornings are frequent.When I was thinking about the forthcoming move, the title of a book -- To the North -- that I read years ago came to my mind. Believe it was by Robert Graves and the locale was France. However, I am not sure that I got the title right because a search through the Internet drew a blank. The book could, of course, be out of print but still there would be a record of it. It does not appear among the author's works. Strange. I e-mailed a bookstore in Cambridge, UK, that deals with publications old and new, especially by British writers.That brings me to a vexing issue. The search engines are absolutely amazing when you think of the information that they make available . A few strokes of the keyboard are all that is needed. But the results provide much more than what one is looking for. For instance, \"To the North\" on google did not bring up the book by Robert Graves (perhaps it does not exist....my memory played me false) but displayed hundreds of items with the word \"north\" in them. The search brought up \"To the North\" by Elizabeth Bowen but did not stop there -- listed below are just a few of the items that google threw up at me:Bird to the NorthMusings on public space from a Project for Public Spaces staff member.northbird.blogspot.com/ - 45k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisWelcome to the North Pole!NorthPole.net recent announcements · Santa's Christmas Greeting · Mrs. Claus' Message · Rudolph's Message · Glitter the Elf's Update ...northpole.net/ - 5k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisWelcome to The-North-PoleEmail Santa, Christmas Carols, Christmas, christmas recepies, christmas around the world.www.the-north-pole.com/ - 16k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisSanta Claus and Christmas at the NorthpoleEnjoy Christmas with Santa Claus at the North pole, an award-winning Christmas web site. Send a letter to Santa Clause or a Christmas card to a friend.www.northpole.com/ - 12k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisThe Overture to the North Koreans - New York TimesThe Overture to the North Koreans. E-Mail · Print; Save. Article Tools Sponsored By. Published: December 14, 2007. To the Editor:. Skip to next paragraph ...www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/opinion/l14korea.html - Similar pages - Note thisNorth American Union to Replace the USA? - HUMAN EVENTSPresident Bush intends to abrogate US sovereignty to the North American Union, a new economic and political entity which the President is quietly forming, ...www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=14965 - 41k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this *Hucksters, Christmas, and the North Koreans! Give me a break. Perhaps Lorem Ipsum Books of Cambridge,UK, would come up with what I was looking for. Or I'll have to forget about \"To the North\" by Robert Graves. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-12-16 Musafir,\nI wonder if the book you mean is Graves's WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE (1949. published in the UK as SEVEN DAYS IN NEW CRETE). To quote from Amazon, it tells of a poet who imagines the world a thousand years from now. Clocks, money and machinery have disappeared. Magicians are important and so are rituals, handicrafts and love. Everyone worships a Mother Goddess. And as in the Middle Ages, life is local and personal. Villages war against each other in dramatic fashion - but only on Tuesdays, and no one gets hurt. Graves's future world, as explored by a young poet from our time, has history, reality and stunning inner logic. \"WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE is a book so rich in style and plot, so profoundly mythic and at the same time so lightly comic, that there is simply no way to communicate its full flavor.\" - Washington Post. Patrick musafir \u0026mdash; 2007-12-16 Thank you, Notarius\nBut no, \"Watch the North Wind Rise\" was not the the book I read. \"To the North\" was fiction but almost like a memoir of the author's stay in a certain part of France. After my research I'm not even sure if I have the title right. Did I dream it up?\nMemory plays strange tricks, especially when gets to my age. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/south-to-north/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003eOdds and Ends\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter residing for 13 years in the heart of Silicon Valley I'll soon pull up stakes and head for San Mateo, 25 miles to the north.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSuch decisions are not easy to make and I went through the usual pros and cons.  But whether I made the right decision will only become known after the move.  Right now  I feel  positive.  The  area  is  scenic; quiet;  and the hilly terrain will be challenging when I go out for runs.  Temperature there is a few degrees cooler than in the South Bay; foggy mornings are frequent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I was thinking about the forthcoming move, the title of a book -- To the North -- that I read years ago came to my mind.   Believe it was by Robert Graves and the locale was France.  However, I am not sure that I got the title right because a search through the Internet drew a blank.  The book could, of course, be out of print but still there would be a record of it.  It does not appear among the author's works.  Strange.  I e-mailed a bookstore in Cambridge, UK, that deals with publications old and new, especially by British writers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat brings me to a vexing issue.  The search engines are absolutely amazing when you think of the information  that  they make available .  A few strokes of the keyboard are all that is needed.  But the results provide much more than what one is looking for.   For instance, \"To the North\" on google did not bring up the book by Robert Graves (perhaps it does not exist....my memory played me false) but displayed hundreds of items with the word \"north\" in them.   The search brought up \"To the North\" by Elizabeth Bowen but did not stop there -- listed below are just a few of the items that google threw up at me:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBird to the North\u003cbr/\u003eMusings on public space from a Project for Public Spaces staff member.\u003cbr/\u003enorthbird.blogspot.com/ - 45k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWelcome to the North Pole!\u003cbr/\u003eNorthPole.net recent announcements · Santa's Christmas Greeting · Mrs. Claus' Message · Rudolph's Message · Glitter the Elf's Update ...\u003cbr/\u003enorthpole.net/ - 5k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWelcome to The-North-Pole\u003cbr/\u003eEmail Santa, Christmas Carols, Christmas, christmas recepies, christmas around the world.\u003cbr/\u003ewww.the-north-pole.com/ - 16k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSanta Claus and Christmas at the Northpole\u003cbr/\u003eEnjoy Christmas with Santa Claus at the North pole, an award-winning Christmas web site. Send a letter to Santa Clause or a Christmas card to a friend.\u003cbr/\u003ewww.northpole.com/ - 12k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Overture to the North Koreans - New York Times\u003cbr/\u003eThe Overture to the North Koreans. E-Mail · Print; Save. Article Tools Sponsored By. Published: December 14, 2007. To the Editor:. Skip to next paragraph ...\u003cbr/\u003ewww.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/opinion/l14korea.html - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNorth American Union to Replace the USA? - HUMAN EVENTS\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush intends to abrogate US sovereignty to the North American Union, a new economic and political entity which the President is quietly forming, ...\u003cbr/\u003ewww.humanevents.com/article.php?id=14965 - 41k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHucksters, Christmas, and the North Koreans! Give me a break. Perhaps Lorem Ipsum Books of Cambridge,UK, would come up with what I was looking for.  Or I'll have to forget about \"To the North\" by Robert Graves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-12-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI wonder if the book you mean is Graves's WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE (1949. published in the UK as SEVEN DAYS IN NEW CRETE). To quote from Amazon, it tells of a poet who imagines the world a thousand years from now. Clocks, money and machinery have disappeared. Magicians are important and so are rituals, handicrafts and love. Everyone worships a Mother Goddess. And as in the Middle Ages, life is local and personal. Villages war against each other in dramatic fashion - but only on Tuesdays, and no one gets hurt. Graves's future world, as explored by a young poet from our time, has history, reality and stunning inner logic. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"WATCH THE NORTH WIND RISE is a book so rich in style and plot, so profoundly mythic and at the same time so lightly comic, that there is simply no way to communicate its full flavor.\" - Washington Post.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePatrick\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-12-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you, Notarius\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut no, \"Watch the North Wind Rise\" was not the the book I read.  \"To the North\" was fiction but almost like a memoir of the author's stay in a certain part of France.  After my research I'm not even sure if I have the title right.  Did I dream it up?\u003cbr\u003eMemory plays strange tricks, especially when gets to my age.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"South to North"},{"content":" *Death With DignityWho would have thought that lawmakers in Mexico City of all places -- with a predominant Catholic population -- would unanimously approve \"a measure to allow terminally ill patients to refuse treatment\".To their credit, they did. Not only that, the BBC reported on December 5th: The left-wing congress in Mexico City has recently passed a series of laws which are considered liberal in Latin America, such as legalising abortion in the first months of pregnancy and allowing gay marriages.One can imagine the consternation among Catholics and fundamentalist Christians here in the United States. Too close to home for them not to feel threatened. Invade Mexico? They would like to.BBC Mexico City lawmakers have approved a measure to allow terminally ill patients to refuse treatment. The local assembly voted unanimously in favour of the bill enabling patients living in the city to suspend treatment if it only prolongs life. Family members of terminally ill people who are paralysed but can express themselves can also sign the order if two witnesses are present. The bill still has to be signed into law by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard. It could still be the subject of a legal challenge in this conservative Catholic country. However, Hugo Valdemar, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico, told El Universal newspaper that the Catholic Church had no issues with the measure, which only applies to Mexico City. But Mr Valdemar added that the Church was concerned that the bill could be a first step towards legalising euthanasia, which he said would be unacceptable. Liberal laws The measure allows \"death without unnecessary suffering when death is inevitable\" said assembly member Victor Hugo Cirigo. It states that under no circumstances could drugs be supplied which could cause the death of a patient. Patients wishing to forgo treatment would have to sign a release before a public notary indicating their desire to stop treatment. Immediate family members would make the decision for minors and mentally impaired patients. Health workers could declare themselves conscientious objectors and opt out of treating patients who decide not to lengthen their lives. The bill also allows patients to specify if they want to donate organs. The left-wing congress in Mexico City has recently passed a series of laws which are considered liberal in Latin America, such as legalising abortion in the first months of pregnancy and allowing gay marriages. Story from BBC NEWS:Published: 2007/12/05 12:39:17 GMTA bouquet for the enlightened lawmakers of Mexico City. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/south-of-the-border---right-to-die-gains-approval-in-mexico-city/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDeath With Dignity\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWho would have thought that lawmakers in Mexico City of all places -- with a predominant Catholic population -- would unanimously approve \"a measure to allow terminally ill patients to refuse treatment\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo their credit, they did.  Not only that, the BBC reported on December 5th:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e The left-wing congress in Mexico City has recently passed a series of laws which are considered liberal in Latin America, such as legalising abortion in the first months of pregnancy and allowing gay marriages.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne can imagine the consternation among Catholics and fundamentalist Christians here in the United States.  Too close to home for them not to feel threatened.   Invade Mexico?  They would like to.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7128526.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cb\u003e                        Mexico City lawmakers have approved a measure to allow terminally ill patients to refuse treatment.\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7128526.stm\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e The local assembly voted unanimously in favour of the bill enabling patients living in the city to suspend treatment if it only prolongs life. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"South of the Border - Right to Die Gains Approval in Mexico City"},{"content":" *Family Planning Program of G.W. BushRecent reports about increase in teenage pregnancy rate in America revives the question of \"why\" and what went wrong. NY Times (AP)December 6, 2007ATLANTA (AP) In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials and reviving the bitter debate about abstinence-only sex education.The birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.The reason for the increase is not clear, and federal health officials said it might be a one-year statistical blip, not the beginning of a new upward trend.However, some experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blamed it on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education that doesn't teach teens how to use condoms and other contraception.Even before the spike, U.S. teen pregnancy rate was highest among developed nations. But other countries deal with the issue in a pragmatic way without being influenced by religious groups that oppose education about safe sex and contraception.Ruth Marcus, in her article \"Daughter Knows Best\", about appointment of Susan Orr to oversee federal government's family planning program in the Post on October 24th:President Bush requires abstinence-only programs to teach that \"sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.\" Jenna Bush describes how Ana, then 16, has sex for the first time with HIV-positive Berto: \"She felt no fear, only love.\" She relates approvingly how a nurse told Ana at age 10 that \"when she was older and ready to have sex that it was very important to always use condoms.\"As Jenna Bush told Newsweek, \"In Africa my dad's policies are pretty much in line with mine, but not domestically.\" ABC -- abstain, be faithful, use condoms -- is the message abroad, not at home.Contrast Jenna Bush with the president's latest flawed choice for the post of acting deputy secretary for population affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services -- in other words, the official who oversees federal family planning programs and advises on reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy, including abstinence-only programs.You may remember Bush's previous pick: Eric Keroack, who was medical director of a pregnancy-counseling (read: antiabortion) clinic that considered birth control \"demeaning to women\" and believed that making contraception available, \"especially among adolescents, actually increases . . . out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion.\"Keroack resigned after it was revealed that state Medicaid officials had taken action against his private medical practice in Massachusetts. Bush replaced him with Susan Orr, former senior director for marriage and family care at the conservative Family Research Council and an adjunct professor at Pat Robertson's Regent University. Orr seems to be Keroack Lite. In 2001, when the Bush administration proposed lifting the requirement that health insurers of federal employees provide coverage for contraceptives, Orr cheered. \"We're quite pleased, because fertility is not a disease,\" she said. \"It's not a medical necessity that you have it.\" Tell that to girls like Ana.The year before, Orr fought a D.C. Council bill requiring all employers to cover contraception -- with no exception for those, such as the Catholic Church, that have religious objections. I agree that a \"conscience clause\" should have been included, but Orr's opposition was disturbingly vitriolic. \"The mask of choice is falling off,\" she said. \"It's not about choice. It's not about health care. It's about making everyone collaborators with the culture of death.\"The Family Research Council argues against funding the family planning program that Orr is slated to supervise. \"We don't think there is an argument for taxpayer funding of contraception,\" the group's vice president for government affairs, Tom McClusky, told me.The group has echoed that message in a prayer alert about the $283 million a year program that funds family planning clinics for low-income women. \"Pray that Title X funding, which has increased even under Republican rule, will not be expanded,\" it urged. \"May President Bush use the veto pen if necessary to make sure that the culture of death is restrained.\"Asked if Orr agreed with those views, HHS spokesman Kevin Schweers replied in an e-mail: \"Dr. Orr wouldn't have accepted the job . . . if she couldn't support the Administration's positions. This Administration has worked to ensure family planning grantees effectively provide safe and effective contraceptive products and services to clients in need.\" Hardly a ringing endorsement.Almost 40 years ago, a member of Congress, urging the federal government to help lower-income women get access to birth control, made a point that seems lost on the Orrs of the world. \"We need to take sensationalism out of this topic,\" he said. \"If family planning is anything, it is a public health matter.\"The lawmaker was George H.W. Bush -- and I suspect his granddaughter would understand, even if his son chooses not to. The \"abstinence\" president ? Think of what he has done as the \"compassionate conservative\" president. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/teenage-pregnancies-and-the-abstinence-guy/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"ArwC7c ckChnd\" id=\"1fmw\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFamily Planning Program of G.W. Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecent reports about increase in teenage pregnancy rate in America revives the question of \"why\" and what went wrong.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Teen-Births.html\"\u003eNY Times (AP)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDecember 6, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003eATLANTA (AP) In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials and reviving the bitter debate about abstinence-only sex education.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe reason for the increase is not clear, and federal health officials said it might be a one-year statistical blip, not the beginning of a new upward trend.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, some experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blamed it on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education that doesn't teach teens how to use \u003ca href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/condoms/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier\" title=\"Recent and archival health news about condoms.\"\u003econdoms\u003c/a\u003e and other \u003ca href=\"http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/birth-control-and-family-planning/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier\" title=\"In-depth reference and news articles about Birth control and family planning.\"\u003econtraception\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEven before the spike, U.S. teen pregnancy rate was highest among developed nations.  But other countries deal with the issue in a pragmatic way without being influenced by religious groups that oppose education about safe sex and contraception.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRuth Marcus, in her article \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/23/AR2007102301806.html\"\u003eDaughter Knows Best\u003c/a\u003e\", about appointment of Susan Orr to oversee federal government's family planning program in the Post on October 24th:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePresident Bush requires abstinence-only programs to teach that \"sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.\" Jenna Bush describes how Ana, then 16, has sex for the first time with HIV-positive Berto: \"She felt no fear, only love.\" She relates approvingly how a nurse told Ana at age 10 that \"when she was older and ready to have sex that it was very important to always use condoms.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs Jenna Bush told \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Newsweek+Inc.?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e, \"In  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Africa?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Africa\u003c/a\u003e my dad's policies are pretty much in line with mine, but not domestically.\" ABC -- abstain, be faithful, use condoms -- is the message abroad, not at home.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eContrast Jenna Bush with the president's latest flawed choice for the post of acting deputy secretary for population affairs at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/U.S.+Department+of+Health+and+Human+Services?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDepartment of Health and Human Services\u003c/a\u003e -- in other words, the official who oversees federal family planning programs and advises on reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy, including abstinence-only programs.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYou may remember Bush's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601929.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eprevious pick\u003c/a\u003e: \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Eric+Keroack?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e  Eric Keroack\u003c/a\u003e, who was medical director of a pregnancy-counseling (read: antiabortion) clinic that considered birth control \"demeaning to women\" and believed that making contraception available, \"especially among adolescents, actually increases . . . out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eKeroack resigned after it was revealed that state \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Medicaid?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Medicaid \u003c/a\u003e officials had taken action against his private medical practice in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Massachusetts?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMassachusetts\u003c/a\u003e. Bush replaced him with Susan Orr, former senior director for marriage and family care at the conservative  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Family+Research+Council?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFamily Research Council\u003c/a\u003e and an adjunct professor at Pat Robertson's Regent University. Orr seems to be Keroack Lite. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn 2001, when the Bush administration proposed lifting the requirement that health insurers of federal employees provide coverage for contraceptives, Orr cheered. \"We're quite pleased, because fertility is not a disease,\" she said. \"It's not a medical necessity that you have it.\" Tell that to girls like Ana.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe year before, Orr fought a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Council+of+the+District+of+Columbia?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eD.C. Council\u003c/a\u003e bill requiring all employers to cover contraception -- with no exception for those, such as the Catholic Church, that have religious objections. I agree that a \"conscience clause\" should have been included, but Orr's opposition was disturbingly vitriolic. \"The mask of choice is falling off,\" she said. \"It's not about choice. It's not about health care. It's about making everyone collaborators with the culture of death.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Family Research Council argues against funding the family planning program that Orr is slated to supervise. \"We don't think there is an argument for taxpayer funding of contraception,\" the group's vice president for government affairs, Tom McClusky, told me.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe group has echoed that message in a prayer alert about the $283 million a year program that funds family planning clinics for low-income women. \"Pray that Title X funding, which has increased even under Republican rule, will not be expanded,\" it urged. \"May President Bush use the veto pen if necessary to make sure that the culture of death is restrained.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAsked if Orr agreed with those views, HHS spokesman Kevin Schweers replied in an e-mail: \"Dr. Orr wouldn't have accepted the job . . . if she couldn't support the Administration's positions. This Administration has worked to ensure family planning grantees effectively provide safe and effective contraceptive products and services to clients in need.\" Hardly a ringing endorsement.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlmost 40 years ago, a member of Congress, urging the federal government to help lower-income women get access to birth control, made a point that seems lost on the Orrs of the world. \"We need to take sensationalism out of this topic,\" he said. \"If family planning is anything, it is a public health matter.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe lawmaker was \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/George+H.W.+Bush?tid=informline\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGeorge H.W. Bush\u003c/a\u003e -- and I suspect his granddaughter would understand, even if his son chooses not to.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eThe \"abstinence\" president ?  Think of what he has done as  the \"compassionate conservative\" president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Teenage Pregnancies and the \"Abstinence\" Guy"},{"content":" *Still babbling, but the president and Vice President Cheney know that their grand plans for another war -- against Iran -- are not going to take shape. Publication of the latest NIE laid it to rest. Now that their lies about Iraq has become public knowledge, Bush and Cheney will not be able to con the nation to allow them to launch preemptive strikes.\"Look, Iran was dangerous,\" Bush said. \"Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.\"We heard that before. The president, however, has a habit of not remembering the past. One could imagine the disappointment of the neocons who support war but don't serve in them. A prime example is Vice President Cheney who took four (or five) deferments during Vietnam. Shameless and utterly unscrupulous.In response to persistent questioning about the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), a declassified summary of which was released yesterday, Bush emphasized the review's finding that Iran had a covert nuclear weapons program until 2003, when Tehran halted it under international scrutiny and pressure.\"Our 'neoconservatives' are neither new nor conservative, but old as Babylon and evil as Hell.\"-- Edward Abbey (1927-1989) ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/iran---president-bushs-broken-dreams/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStill babbling,  but the president and Vice President Cheney know that their grand plans for another war -- against Iran -- are not going to take shape.  Publication of the latest \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120400172.html\"\u003eNIE\u003c/a\u003e laid it to rest.   Now that their lies about Iraq has become public knowledge,  Bush and Cheney will not be able to con the nation to allow them to launch preemptive strikes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Look, Iran was dangerous,\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120400172.html\"\u003eBush\u003c/a\u003e said. \"Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe heard that before.  The president, however, has a habit of not remembering the past.  One could imagine the disappointment of the neocons who support war but don't serve in them.  A prime example is Vice President Cheney who took four (or five) deferments during Vietnam.  Shameless and utterly unscrupulous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn response to persistent questioning about the new National Intelligence Estimate (\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120400172.html\"\u003eNIE\u003c/a\u003e), a declassified summary of which was released yesterday, Bush emphasized the review's finding that Iran had a covert nuclear weapons program until 2003, when Tehran halted it under international scrutiny and pressure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Our 'neoconservatives' are neither new nor conservative, but old as Babylon and evil as Hell.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Edward Abbey (1927-1989)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iran - President Bush's Broken Dreams"},{"content":" *A 14 year old Iraqi girl named Abeer Hamza was raped and killed at Mahmudiya, Iraq, by soldiers of 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. To leave no witnesses, the perpetrators killed her parents and 5-year old sister. The brutal crime could not be covered up. Too many people were aware of the facts. Other soldiers came forward to testify. Four have been convicted. Steven D. Green, who was discharged from the army before the filing of charges, is awaiting trial in civilian court.In retaliation, local Iraqis kidnapped two soldiers of the 502nd Regiment. They were tortured and killed. \"Redacted\" by American film maker Brian De Palma is based on what took place at Mahmudiya on March 12, 2006.David Denby's review of \"Redacted\"Source: BBC News Wikipedia Mahmudiyah IncidentSee:Mahmudiya, South of BaghdadThe Evil That Man DoesThe Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer HamzaThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer HamzaAbeer Hamza ","permalink":"/posts/2007/12/redacted-a-film-about-rape-and-murder-of-abeer-hamza/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA 14 year old Iraqi girl named Abeer Hamza  was raped and killed at Mahmudiya, Iraq, by soldiers of 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.  To leave no witnesses, the perpetrators killed her parents and 5-year old sister.  The brutal crime could not be covered up. Too many people were aware of the facts.  Other soldiers came forward to testify. Four have been convicted. Steven D. Green, who was discharged from the army before the filing of charges, is awaiting trial in civilian court.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn retaliation, local Iraqis  kidnapped two soldiers  of the 502nd Regiment.  They were tortured and killed.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Redacted\" by American film maker Brian De Palma is based on  what took place at Mahmudiya on March 12, 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Denby's review of \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2007/11/19/071119crci_cinema_denby\"\u003eRedacted\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6384781.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmudiyah_incident#_note-1\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e Mahmudiyah Incident\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search?q=Mahmudiya+south+of+Baghdad\"\u003eMahmudiya, South of Baghdad\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=116378467036554565\"\u003eThe Evil That Man Does\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/07/neocons-war-and-girl-named-abeer-hamza.html\"\u003eThe Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/sane-voice-in-babel.html\"\u003eThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer Hamza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/our-world-on-saturday-morning_05.html\"\u003eAbeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"\"Redacted\", a Film about Rape and Murder of Abeer Hamza"},{"content":" *If there are sane voices in the Islamic world they are buried in the din of blood-thirsty Muslims seeking death sentence for Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher caught in the \"teddy bear\" case.Half a chance and the Islamic mobs come out of the holes. Does not take much for them to perceive the Prophet being insulted -- Danish cartoons, knighthood for Salman Rushdie, writings of Taslima Nasreen, or a teacher who unwittingly permitted a teddy bear to be named Mohammed. The Islamic fanatics exist in all countries. Sudan has a large number of them. It is a country where there is strong resistance against steps to outlaw genital mutilation of women. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/sudanese-rabble/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf there are sane voices in the Islamic world they are buried in the din of blood-thirsty Muslims seeking death sentence for \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113000616.html\"\u003eGillian Gibbons\u003c/a\u003e, the British teacher caught in the \"teddy bear\" case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHalf a chance and the Islamic mobs come out of the holes.  Does not take much for them to perceive the Prophet being insulted -- Danish cartoons, knighthood for \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdie\"\u003eSalman Rushdie\u003c/a\u003e, writings of \u003ca href=\"http://www.newstatesman.com/200711300003\"\u003eTaslima Nasreen\u003c/a\u003e, or a teacher who unwittingly permitted a teddy bear to be named Mohammed.  The Islamic fanatics exist in all countries.  Sudan has a large number of them.  It is a country where there is strong resistance against steps to outlaw \u003ca href=\"http://www.state.gov/g/wi/rls/rep/crfgm/10110.htm\"\u003egenital mutilation\u003c/a\u003e of women.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sudanese Rabble"},{"content":" *Or Bush's Parting GiftThe man who gave us the war under the grandiloquent title \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\", is now hatching a plot to leave a lasting legacy in Iraq. No surprise that the Iraqi profiteers are with him. They love him, and so do the American contractors raking in money.Excerpts from Harold Meyerson's column in the Post: Bush's Next Preemptive StrikeGeorge W. Bush is focusing now on his legacy. Duck. Run. Hide.Some of his legacy-building, I'll allow, is commendable, if overdue -- most particularly, his efforts to resurrect the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which he ignored for seven long years. But the linchpin of Bush's legacy, it appears, is to make his Iraq policy a permanent fixture of American statecraft.On Monday, Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signed a declaration pledging that their governments would put in place a long-term political and security pact sometime next year. \"The shape and size of any long-term, or longer than 2008, U.S. presence in Iraq will be a key matter for negotiation between the two parties, Iraq and the United States,\" Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, the White House official in charge of Iraq war matters, said at the briefing unveiling the agreement.What Bush will almost surely be pushing for is permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, enshrined in a pact he can sign a few months before he leaves office. And here, as they used to say, is the beauty part: As far as Bush is concerned, he doesn't have to seek congressional ratification for such an enduring commitment of American force, treasure and lives.\"We don't anticipate now that these negotiations will lead to the status of a formal treaty which would then bring us to formal negotiations or formal inputs from the Congress,\" Lute said. The administration is looking to sign a status-of-forces agreement, which requires Senate ratification if it's classified as a treaty but not if it's classified as an executive agreement. One need not be able to solve the riddle of the Sphinx to guess which of those classifications the Bush White House will go for.But if Bush tries to lock the next president into permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, he may also be locking in a Democrat as the next president. Ironically, just when events on the ground in Iraq aren't looking as disastrous as they did six months ago, Bush's efforts to make the U.S. presence permanent would drape the necks of the Republican presidential and congressional candidates with one large, squawking albatross.Is the president personally going to profit from this after his term is over ? Don't ask. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/empire-building-neocon-style/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eOr Bush's Parting Gift\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe man who gave us the war under the grandiloquent title \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\", is now hatching a plot to leave a lasting legacy in Iraq.  No surprise that the Iraqi profiteers are with him.  They love him, and so do the American contractors raking in money.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from Harold Meyerson's column  in the Post: \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/28/AR2007112802050.html\"\u003eBush's Next Preemptive Strike\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/George+W.+Bush?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eGeorge W. Bush\u003c/a\u003e is focusing now on his legacy. Duck. Run. Hide.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome of his legacy-building, I'll allow, is commendable, if overdue -- most particularly, his efforts to resurrect the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which he ignored for seven long years. But the linchpin of Bush's legacy, it appears, is to make his Iraq policy a permanent fixture of American statecraft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Monday, Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signed a declaration pledging that their governments would put in place a long-term political and security pact sometime next year. \"The shape and size of any long-term, or longer than 2008, U.S. presence in Iraq will be a key matter for negotiation between the two parties, Iraq and the United States,\" Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, the White House official in charge of Iraq war matters, said at the briefing unveiling the agreement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat Bush will almost surely be pushing for is permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, enshrined in a pact he can sign a few months before he leaves office. And here, as they used to say, is the beauty part: As far as Bush is concerned, he doesn't have to seek congressional ratification for such an enduring commitment of American force, treasure and lives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We don't anticipate now that these negotiations will lead to the status of a formal treaty which would then bring us to formal negotiations or formal inputs from the Congress,\" Lute said. The administration is looking to sign a status-of-forces agreement, which requires Senate ratification if it's classified as a treaty but not if it's classified as an executive agreement. One need not be able to solve the riddle of the Sphinx to guess which of those classifications the Bush White House will go for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut if Bush tries to lock the next president into permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, he may also be locking in a Democrat as the next president. Ironically, just when events on the ground in Iraq aren't looking as disastrous as they did six months ago, Bush's efforts to make the U.S. presence permanent would drape the necks of the Republican presidential and congressional candidates with one large, squawking albatross.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs the president personally going to profit from this after his term is over ?  Don't ask.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Empire Building, Neocon Style"},{"content":" *The Geography of Hate in NY Times is about the corrosive effects of hate. Prejudices exist in our society and they are not about to disappear. Generations of men and women who have grown up in households that encouraged racial slurs are not going to be able to brush off the deep-rooted prejudices by attending classes about diversity.Immigrants who are making this country their home in large numbers are not blameless either. Some of them readily adopt long-standing fallacies about other communities.The noose (Image)FROM the 1880s to the 1960s, at least 4,700 men and women were lynched in this country. The noose remains a terrifying symbol, and continues to be used by racists to intimidate African-Americans (who made up more than 70 percent of lynching victims).Those of us who do not nurse and condone such prejudices are not entirely free from strong sense of antipathy toward people and practices we don't agree with. There are times when such feelings hover close to hate. The fact that they are often directed toward individuals rather than communities does not make them OK.Hate (n): Intense animosity or dislike; hatred.The antonym is \"Love\" but perhaps \"tolerance\" -- live and let live is a more realistic goal.Tolerance (n) - a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behaviorPiet Hein - 1905-1996Sunny morning. Birds are chirping. Fall bulbs have started sprouting. Bach's Art of the Fugue on the CD player. Not all is right with the world but I'm not going to let news about war, politicians, and preachers affect my mood......not today.Johann Sebastian BachDie Kunst der Fugue, BWV 1080 (The Art of the Fugue)Musica Antiqua KölnReinhard GoebelArchiv Produktion ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/hate-love-four-letter-words/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/opinion/25potok.html\"\u003eThe Geography of Hate\u003c/a\u003e in NY Times is about the corrosive effects of hate.  Prejudices exist in our society and they are not about to disappear.  Generations of men and women who have grown up in households that encouraged racial slurs are not going to be able to brush off the deep-rooted prejudices by attending classes about diversity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImmigrants who are making this country their home in large numbers are not blameless either.  Some of them readily adopt long-standing fallacies about other communities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/opinion/25potok.html?hp\"\u003eThe noose (Image)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFROM the 1880s to the 1960s, at least 4,700 men and women were lynched in this country. The noose remains a terrifying symbol, and continues to be used by racists to intimidate African-Americans (who made up more than 70 percent of lynching victims).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThose of us who do not nurse and condone such prejudices are not entirely free from strong sense of antipathy toward people and practices we don't agree with.  There are times when such feelings hover close to hate.  The fact that they are often directed toward individuals rather than communities does not make them OK.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eHate (n):  Intense animosity or dislike; hatred.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe antonym is \"Love\" but perhaps \"tolerance\" -- live and let live is a more realistic goal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTolerance\u003c/b\u003e (n) - a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137570832603703938\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Piet Hein.jpg\"/\u003ePiet Hein - 1905-1996\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eSunny morning.  Birds are chirping.  Fall bulbs have started sprouting.   Bach's Art of the Fugue on the CD player.  Not all is right with the world but I'm not going to let news about  war, politicians, and  preachers affect my mood......not today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eJohann Sebastian Bach\u003cbr/\u003eDie Kunst der Fugue, BWV 1080  (The Art of the Fugue)\u003cbr/\u003eMusica Antiqua Köln\u003cbr/\u003eReinhard Goebel\u003cbr/\u003eArchiv Produktion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hate,  Love: Four-letter Words"},{"content":" *Exit for FOB (Friend of Bush) John HowardGood news. Voters in Australia sent a clear message and ended the era of Prime Minister John Howard.BBCMr Howard, who had been bidding for a fifth term in office, conceded the national election and accepted it was \"very likely\" he would also be defeated in his Bennelong constituency.Mr Howard had found himself on the wrong side of public opinion on the Kyoto protocol and the war in Iraq, our correspondent said. Many people also seemed to be simply tired of Mr Howard after 11 years of his rule.To my friends in Perth and Melbourne, I say \"Bonza\".\"Down came a jumbuck to dri-ink at that billabongUp jumped the swagman and grabbed him with gleeAnd he sang as he stuffed that jumbuck in his tucker-bagYou'll come a-waltzing matilda with me\"--From Australian National Song \"Waltzing Matilda\", 'Banjo' (A.B.) Patterson, c. 1890 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/a-fresh-wind-down-under/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eExit for FOB (Friend of Bush) John Howard\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGood news.  Voters in Australia sent a clear message and ended the era of Prime Minister John Howard.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7109692.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eMr Howard, who had been bidding for a fifth term in office, conceded the national election and accepted it was \"very likely\" he would also be defeated in his Bennelong constituency.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eMr Howard had found himself on the wrong side of public opinion on the Kyoto protocol and the war in Iraq, our correspondent said. Many people also seemed to be simply tired of Mr Howard after 11 years of his rule.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eTo my friends in Perth and Melbourne, I say \"Bonza\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Down came a jumbuck to dri-ink at that billabong\u003cbr/\u003eUp jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee\u003cbr/\u003eAnd he sang as he stuffed that jumbuck in his tucker-bag\u003cbr/\u003eYou'll come a-waltzing matilda with me\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--From Australian National Song \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/WMText.html\"\u003eWaltzing Matilda\u003c/a\u003e\",  'Banjo' (A.B.) Patterson, c. 1890\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Fresh Wind  Down Under"},{"content":" * Heading toward 5th year of the war in IraqThe number of casualties has dropped. Fewer soldiers and Iraqis are losing their lives and limbs. That is reason to rejoice.I feel that it is appropriate to repeat what I wrote last year:Tomorrow, as Americans gather to celebrate this great holiday, there will be many homes in which the shadow of the war in Iraq will be present. Families will think of their loved ones serving in Iraq; some will try to cope with the memories of the dead, and others think of caring for the injured.Those of us who have not been directly affected by the war must not forget them and the hundreds of thousands of hapless Iraqis caught in the turmoil.Let's hope that by next Thanksgiving most of the soldiers will be home and that never again will Americans permit an untruthful, egomaniac president to begin a war without just cause.Every Thanksgiving Day, a column by Jon Carroll appears in The San Francisco Chronicle. Except for names of people he offers thanks to, the column has remained unchanged over the years. Excerpts from the column dated Thursday November 23, 2006.Jon Carroll, San Francisco ChronicleThanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It is comfortably free of the strident religious and/or militaristic overtones that give the other holidays their soft emanations of uneasiness.At Christmas, for instance, we are required to deal with the divinity of Jesus -- I know some of you folks have made up your minds about that one, but not me -- and on the Fourth of July we must wrestle with the question of whether all those simulated aerial bombardments represent the most useful form of nationalism available.At Thanksgiving, all we have to worry about is whether we can wholeheartedly support (a) roasted turkey, (b) friends and (c) gratitude. My opinions on these matters are unambiguous; I am in favor of them all. I understand that there's another story attached to Thanksgiving, all about a meal that may not have happened at all and certainly didn't happen on the fourth Thursday of November. (Check the New England weather reports. Does it sound like a good day for alfresco dining?)Thanksgiving provides a formal context in which to consider the instances of kindness that have enlightened our lives, the moments of grace that have gotten us through when all seemed lost. These are fine and sentimental subjects for contemplation.First, there are the public personalities, artists and entertainers and philosophers, who have been there when they were needed, whether they knew it or not. Let us think kind thoughts about Nancy Pelosi and Helen Mirren, Barbara Lee and Frank Gore, Al Gore and David Milch, David Simon and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tom Stoppard and Keith Olbermann, Jennifer Egan and Peter Carey, Van Morrison and Clarence Fountain, Don Asmussen and Judith Martin, Duncan Black and Joshua Micah Marshall, Dan Savage and Masi Oka -- this is my partial list; feel free to create your own.And the teachers, the men and women who took the time to fire a passion for the abstract, to give us each a visceral sense of the continuity of history and the adventure of the future. Our society seems determined to denigrate its teachers -- at its peril, and at ours. This is their day as well.Even closer. Companions. We all learned about good sex from somebody, and that person deserves a moment. Somebody taught us some hard lesson of life, told us something for our own good, and that willingness to risk conflict for friendship is worth a pause this day. And somebody sat with us through one long night, and listened to our crazy talk and turned it toward sanity; that person has earned this moment too.And a moment for old friends now estranged, victims of the flux of alliances and changing perceptions. There was something there once, and that something is worth honoring as well.Our parents, of course, and our children; our grandparents and our grandchildren. We are caught in the dance of life with them and, however tedious that dance can sometimes seem, it is the music of our lives. To deny it is to deny our heritage and our legacy.And thanks, too, for all the past Thanksgivings, and for all the people we shared them with. Thanks for the time the turkey fell on the floor during the carving process; for the time Uncle Benny was persuaded to sing \"Peg o' My Heart\"; for the time two strangers fell in love, and two lovers fell asleep, in front of the fire, even before the pumpkin pie.And the final bead on the string is for this very Thanksgiving, this particular Thursday, and the people with whom we will be sharing it. Whoever they are and whatever the circumstances that have brought us together, we will today be celebrating with them the gift of life and the persistence of charity in a world that seems bent on ending one and denying the other. Thanks. A lot. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/thanksgiving-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHeading toward 5th year of the war in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of casualties has dropped.  Fewer soldiers and Iraqis are losing their lives and limbs.  That is reason to rejoice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI feel that it is appropriate to repeat what I wrote last year:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTomorrow, as Americans gather to celebrate this great holiday, there will be many homes in which the shadow of the war in Iraq will be present. Families will think of their loved ones serving in Iraq; some will try to cope with the memories of the dead, and others think of caring for the injured.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThose of us who have not been directly affected by the war must not forget them and the hundreds of thousands of hapless Iraqis caught in the turmoil.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet's hope that by next Thanksgiving most of the soldiers will be home and that never again will Americans permit an untruthful,  egomaniac president to begin a war without just cause.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEvery Thanksgiving Day, a column by Jon Carroll appears in The San Francisco Chronicle. Except for names of people he offers thanks to, the column has remained unchanged over the years. Excerpts from the column  dated Thursday November 23, 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003eJon Carroll, San Francisco Chronicle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It is comfortably free  of the strident religious and/or militaristic overtones that give the other  holidays their soft emanations of uneasiness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Christmas, for instance, we are required to deal with the divinity of  Jesus  --  I know some of you folks have made up your minds about that one, but  not me  --  and on the Fourth of July we must wrestle with the question of  whether all those simulated aerial bombardments represent the most useful form  of nationalism available.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Thanksgiving, all we have to worry about is whether we can  wholeheartedly support (a) roasted turkey, (b) friends and (c) gratitude. My  opinions on these matters are unambiguous; I am in favor of them all. I  understand that there's another story attached to Thanksgiving, all about a  meal that may not have happened at all and certainly didn't happen on the  fourth Thursday of November. (Check the New England weather reports. Does it  sound like a good day for alfresco dining?)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThanksgiving provides a formal context in which to consider the instances  of kindness that have enlightened our lives, the moments of grace that have  gotten us through when all seemed lost. These are fine and sentimental subjects  for contemplation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFirst, there are the public personalities, artists and entertainers and  philosophers, who have been there when they were needed, whether they knew it  or not. Let us think kind thoughts about Nancy Pelosi and Helen Mirren, Barbara  Lee and Frank Gore, Al Gore and David Milch, David Simon and Mikhail  Baryshnikov, Tom Stoppard and Keith Olbermann, Jennifer Egan and Peter Carey,  Van Morrison and Clarence Fountain, Don Asmussen and Judith Martin, Duncan  Black and Joshua Micah Marshall, Dan Savage and Masi Oka  --  this is my  partial list; feel free to create your own.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the teachers, the men and women who took the time to fire a passion  for the abstract, to give us each a visceral sense of the continuity of history  and the adventure of the future. Our society seems determined to denigrate its  teachers  --  at its peril, and at ours. This is their day as well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven closer. Companions. We all learned about good sex from somebody, and  that person deserves a moment. Somebody taught us some hard lesson of life,  told us something for our own good, and that willingness to risk conflict for  friendship is worth a pause this day. And somebody sat with us through one long  night, and listened to our crazy talk and turned it toward sanity; that person  has earned this moment too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd a moment for old friends now estranged, victims of the flux of  alliances and changing perceptions. There was something there once, and that  something is worth honoring as well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur parents, of course, and our children; our grandparents and our  grandchildren. We are caught in the dance of life with them and, however  tedious that dance can sometimes seem, it is the music of our lives. To deny it  is to deny our heritage and our legacy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd thanks, too, for all the past Thanksgivings, and for all the people we  shared them with. Thanks for the time the turkey fell on the floor during the  carving process; for the time Uncle Benny was persuaded to sing \"Peg o' My  Heart\"; for the time two strangers fell in love, and two lovers fell asleep, in  front of the fire, even before the pumpkin pie.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the final bead on the string is for this very Thanksgiving, this  particular Thursday, and the people with whom we will be sharing it. Whoever  they are and whatever the circumstances that have brought us together, we will  today be celebrating with them the gift of life and the persistence of charity  in a world that seems bent on ending one and denying the other.  Thanks. A lot.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving 2007"},{"content":" *Reports about Iraq war veterans suffering from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) are appearing more frequently than in the past. It takes time for the symptoms to manifest themselves and as the war continues the number of afflicted grows.Luis Sinco's article in The Observer about Marine Lance Corporal James Blake Miller, who became known as the Marlboro Man after Sinco's photograph of him at Falluja in November 2004 was published in newspapers across the world, takes readers into Blake Miller's battle with PTSD. A superb piece of writing.Am I to blame for his Private War? - Luis SincoSometimes in the night, I hear a grenade launcher belching rounds. Or maybe it's just Miller gunning his Harley. He's roaring over Foggy Mountain, the wind blowing by, cleansing his thoughts. Blake, son, I know it sounds crazy, but my mind always takes me back to that distant rooftop in Falluja, where I snapped your picture. I think of that sunrise, bright and warm, and how lucky we were to see it. * Desertion Rate ClimbsMSNBCWASHINGTON - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/tolls-of-war-ptsd-and-blake-miller-the-marlboro-man/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReports about Iraq war veterans suffering from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) are appearing more frequently than in the past.  It takes time for the symptoms to manifest themselves and as the war continues the number of afflicted grows.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLuis Sinco's article in The Observer about Marine Lance Corporal James Blake Miller, who became known as the Marlboro Man after Sinco's  \u003ca href=\"http://image.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2007/11/17/miller230.jpg\"\u003ephotograph\u003c/a\u003e of him at Falluja in November 2004 was published in newspapers across the world, takes readers into Blake Miller's battle with PTSD.  A superb piece of writing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2212694,00.html\"\u003eAm I to blame for his Private War?\u003c/a\u003e - Luis Sinco\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSometimes in the night, I hear a grenade launcher belching rounds. Or maybe it's just Miller gunning his Harley. He's roaring over Foggy Mountain, the wind blowing by, cleansing his thoughts. Blake, son, I know it sounds crazy, but my mind always takes me back to that distant rooftop in Falluja, where I snapped your picture. I think of that sunrise, bright and warm, and how lucky we were to see it.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDesertion Rate Climbs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21836566/\"\u003eMSNBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Tolls of War:  PTSD and Blake Miller, the Marlboro Man"},{"content":" *Recent reports by the BBC leave no doubt that some Islamic nations practice strange, repressive laws based on the Koran.Our Friends, the SaudisBBC\"An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.\"Although the State Department's human rights report for 2006 mentions undesirable practices and conditions, the U.S. treads softly where Saudi Arabia is concerned. It is a major supplier of the oil we consume.The victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them. The attackers' sentences - originally of up to five years - were doubled.But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.Fundos Ascendant in EgyptEgypt, the second largest beneficiary of our foreign aid program (Israel is first) passed a law to discriminate against those who convert from Islam. BBCRights groups have criticised Egypt for forcing converts from Islam and members of some minority faiths to lie about their true beliefs in official papers. Egyptians over 16 must carry ID cards showing religious affiliation. Muslim, Christian and Jew are the only choices.In Iran, the Mullahs Ban a Garcia Marquez NovelHow do Iranians feel about living under such rulings? It is not only censorship of books and films but also the constant fear of incurring the wrath of religious zealots who have nothing better to do but act as moral guardians based on their interpretation of outdated scriptures. BBCThe latest novel by Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez has been banned in Iran - but only after censors noticed its title had been sanitised.The book, Memories of My Melancholy Whores, was published in Farsi as Memories of My Melancholy Sweethearts.The first edition of 5,000 had sold out before the authorities realised.The novel tells the story of a man who wants to mark his 90th birthday by sleeping with a 14-year-old virgin in a brothel and ends up falling in love.Iran's culture ministry said a \"bureaucratic error\" had led to permission being granted for the book's publication, the Fars news agency reported. The official responsible had been sacked, Fars said.The book sold out within three weeks of arriving in Iranian bookshops.But the book angered religious conservatives who drew the authorities' attention to its original title and content.Christian FundamentalistsHere in America there is no dearth of members of fundamentalist churches who would love to have the power that Mullahs in Islamic nations enjoy. The late Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of Moral Majority, and Rev. Pat Robertson talked about \"moral decay\" and loss of God's protection for what took place on 9/11. Later, they both backed off from what they had said. See transcript of comments September 13, 2001, edition of the 700 Club.Fortunately, while the Bush administration has encouraged attacks on secular positions, American fundos remain far from being a dominant force. * \"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\"--Heraclitus ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/religious-fundamentalists---islamic-and-christian/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecent reports by the BBC leave no doubt that some Islamic nations practice strange, repressive  laws based on the Koran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur Friends, the Saudis\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7096814.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough the State Department's \u003ca href=\"http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78862.htm\"\u003ehuman rights report for 2006\u003c/a\u003e mentions undesirable practices and conditions, the U.S. treads softly where Saudi Arabia is concerned. It is a major supplier of the oil we consume.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them. The attackers' sentences - originally of up to five years - were doubled.But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFundos Ascendant in Egypt\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEgypt, the second largest beneficiary of our foreign aid program (Israel is first) passed a law to discriminate against those who convert from Islam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7091412.stm\"\u003e        BBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRights groups have criticised Egypt for forcing converts from Islam and members of some minority faiths to lie about their true beliefs in official papers. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Egyptians over 16 must carry ID cards showing religious affiliation. Muslim, Christian and Jew are the only choices.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Iran, the Mullahs Ban a Garcia Marquez Novel\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow do Iranians feel about living under such rulings?  It is not only censorship of books and films but also the constant fear of incurring the wrath of religious zealots who have nothing better to do but act as moral guardians based on their interpretation of outdated scriptures. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7098233.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe latest novel by Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez has been banned in Iran - but only after censors noticed its title had been sanitised.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe book, Memories of My Melancholy Whores, was published in Farsi as Memories of My Melancholy Sweethearts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first edition of 5,000 had sold out before the authorities realised.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe novel tells the story of a man who wants to mark his 90th birthday by sleeping with a 14-year-old virgin in a brothel and ends up falling in love.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIran's culture ministry said a \"bureaucratic error\" had led to permission being granted for the book's publication, the Fars news agency reported. The official responsible had been sacked, Fars said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe book sold out within three weeks of arriving in Iranian bookshops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the book angered religious conservatives who drew the authorities' attention to its original title and content.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristian Fundamentalists\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere in America there is no dearth of members of fundamentalist churches who would love to have the power that Mullahs in Islamic nations enjoy.   The late Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of Moral Majority, and Rev. Pat Robertson  talked about  \"moral decay\" and loss of God's protection for what took place on 9/11.  Later, they both   backed off from what they had said.  See\u003ca href=\"http://www.beliefnet.com/story/87/story_8770_1.html\"\u003e transcript\u003c/a\u003e of comments September 13, 2001, edition of the 700 Club.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFortunately, while the Bush administration has encouraged attacks on secular positions, American fundos remain far from being a dominant force.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Heraclitus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Religious Fundamentalists -  Islamic and Christian"},{"content":" *Was that \"an excellent question\", Senator McCain ?John McCain showed that he was ready and willing to cater to scumbags to win the Republican Party's nomination. Sad to see a man that I once respected stoop so low. Rhymes with Front Runner By Eugene Robinson, Washington Post \"That's an excellent question\" normally doesn't make the list of utterances that can get a candidate in trouble on the campaign trail. But this presidential campaign isn't what anyone would call normal. John McCain gave that anodyne response Monday at a \"town hall\" event in South Carolina when an elegant woman, of patrician bearing, posed this question about a possible Democratic nominee: \"How do we beat the [expletive]?\"The expletive in question is a highly derogatory word used by rappers to describe the scantily clad women who gyrate in the background of racy music videos. It's the word that former first lady Barbara Bush was hinting at when someone asked her opinion of Geraldine Ferraro and she replied, \"I can't say it, but it rhymes with rich.\"Blackwater USA and the Brothers KrongardThe names sound right out of a story about the underworld -- Howard \"Cookie\" Krongard of the State Department and his brother Alvin \"Buzzy\" Krongard, formerly with the CIA. Dana Milbank's report in the Post makes interesting reading.O Brother, Who Art Thou?By Dana MilbankThursday, November 15, 2007; A02\"I am not my brother's keeper,\" Howard \"Cookie\" Krongard, the State Department's inspector general, testified to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday.\nAs Cookie surely must know, that excuse hasn't worked since Genesis. But it was a fitting contribution to the modern-day Cain-and-Abel tale that unfolded before lawmakers' eyes in the Rayburn Building. In this case, the players weren't Cain and Abel, but Cookie and his brother Buzzy. Biblical scholars believe the first fratricide was committed with an ass's jawbone, but the weapon in this case was a uniquely Washington cudgel: the conflict of interest.Cookie, under fire for allegedly quashing probes of the infamous Blackwater security contractor, began his testimony by angrily denying the \"ugly rumors\" that his brother, former CIA official Alvin \"Buzzy\" Krongard, is on Blackwater's advisory board. But during a recess, Cookie called Buzzy and learned that -- gulp -- the ugly rumors are true: His brother is on the board.\nWhen the lawmakers returned, Cookie revised and extended his testimony. \"I had not been aware of that,\" Cookie told the congressmen. \"I hereby recuse myself from any matters having to do with Blackwater.\"\nDespite the investigations, and findings by the FBI that Blackwater employees had no justification for the killings (murders) at Nisoor Square on September 16, 2007, it is unlikely that they will face punishment; they have friends in high places. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/john-mccains-shameful-descent/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eWas that \"an excellent question\", Senator McCain ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJohn McCain showed that he was ready and willing to cater to scumbags to win the Republican Party's nomination. Sad to see a man that I once respected stoop so low.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRhymes with Front Runner\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"byline\"\u003eBy\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502030.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502030.html\" title=\"Send an e-mail to Eugene Robinson\"\u003eEugene Robinson, Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \"That's an excellent question\" normally doesn't make the list of utterances that can get a candidate \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/14/AR2007111402208.html\" target=\"\"\u003ein trouble\u003c/a\u003e on the campaign trail. But this presidential campaign isn't what anyone would call normal. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/john-mccain/\" target=\"\"\u003eJohn McCain\u003c/a\u003e gave that anodyne response Monday at a \"town hall\" event in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/South+Carolina?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eSouth Carolina\u003c/a\u003e when an elegant woman, of patrician bearing, posed this question about a possible Democratic nominee: \"How do we beat the [expletive]?\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003eThe expletive in question is a highly derogatory word used by rappers to describe the scantily clad women who gyrate in the background of racy music videos. It's the word that former first lady \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Barbara+Bush?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eBarbara Bush\u003c/a\u003e was hinting at when someone asked her opinion of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Geraldine+Ferraro?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eGeraldine Ferraro\u003c/a\u003e and she replied, \"I can't say it, but it rhymes with rich.\"\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlackwater USA and the Brothers Krongard\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe names sound right out of a story about the underworld -- Howard \"Cookie\" Krongard of the State Department and his brother Alvin \"Buzzy\" Krongard, formerly with the CIA.  Dana Milbank's report in the Post makes interesting reading.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/14/AR2007111402127.html\"\u003eO Brother, Who Art Thou?\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Dana Milbank\u003cbr/\u003eThursday, November 15, 2007; A02\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I am not my brother's keeper,\" Howard \"Cookie\" Krongard, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/U.S.+Department+of+State?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eState Department\u003c/a\u003e's inspector general, testified to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/U.S.+House+Committee+on+Oversight+and+Government+Reform?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee\u003c/a\u003e yesterday.\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"John McCain's Shameful Descent"},{"content":" *Celluloid dreamsOnce in a while a fairy-tale like movie is what the audience needs. Among the current films, Craig Gillespie's Lars and the Real Girl is refreshingly different. Not a box office hit but certainly worth watching. As the story moves along, Bianca, the doll, begins to feel like a human being and you find yourself admiring the good people who gave their support to Lars and Bianca.Rendition made us feel battered when JHL and I left the theater two weeks ago. Gillespie's film had just the opposite effect. Check it out.Lars and the Real GirlEmily Mortimer, Craig Gillespie, Ryan Gosling, Nancy Oliver, Kelli Garner and Patricia ClarksonPhoto Credit: Jeff Vespa- Yahoo.com*Bright Thursday morning. No rain in the long range weather forecast. Listening to Ostinato by Jordi Savall and Hesperion XXI. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/a-man-his-doll-and-a-town-with-a-big-heart/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCelluloid dreams\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOnce in a while a fairy-tale like movie is what the audience needs.   Among the current films,  Craig Gillespie's \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809775083/info\"\u003eLars and the Real Girl\u003c/a\u003e is refreshingly different.  Not a box office hit but certainly worth watching.  As the story moves along,  Bianca, the doll, begins to feel like a human being and you find yourself admiring the good people who gave their support to Lars and Bianca.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.renditionmovie.com/\"\u003eRendition\u003c/a\u003e made us feel battered when JHL and I left the theater two  weeks ago.   Gillespie's  film had just the opposite effect.  Check it out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLars and the Real Girl\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133110586376218754\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Lars.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800265683\"\u003eEmily Mortimer\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1809061505\"\u003eCraig Gillespie\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1804035474\"\u003eRyan Gosling\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1809743041\"\u003eNancy Oliver\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1804894589\"\u003eKelli Garner\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800022307\"\u003ePatricia Clarkson\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto Credit:\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1809061505/photos\"\u003e Jeff Vespa- Yahoo.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eBright Thursday morning.  No rain in the long range weather forecast.  Listening to \u003ca href=\"http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Jan02/Ostinato.htm\"\u003eOstinato\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordi_Savall\"\u003eJordi Savall \u003c/a\u003eand Hesperion XXI.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Man, his Doll, and a Town with a Big Heart"},{"content":" *Money Speaks, Oil Companies Win * Erectile Dysfunction and InsomniaVenal politicians on the take are nothing new. They have always existed. The news about Republicans caught in a FBI sting in Alaska made me gloat because of the sham front they have a habit of putting on. If Democrats wielded power it could have been them taking bribes but it was unlikely that they would have gone around preaching moral values. That is a specialty of the Republicans. As the Queen said to Alice: \"Off with their heads\". (Lewis Carroll, The Mock Turtle Story) . But there might not be need for such drastic measures; they might self-destruct by mixing impotency drugs and sleeping pills.The Washington Post (Karl Vick)Excerpts:\"On another tape, Pete Kott, the former Republican speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, crowed as he described beating back a tax bill opposed by oil companies. 'I had to cheat, steal, beg, borrow and lie,\" Kott said. \"Exxon's happy. BP's happy. I'll sell my soul to the devil'.\"Officially, the scandal has remained confined to Juneau, where Alaska lawmakers had grown so accustomed to operating under the presumption of impropriety that several of them embroidered ball caps with the letters CBC, for \"Corrupt Bastards Club.\" (An Anchorage coffeehouse now offers Corrupt Bastards Brew.) But with signs that the investigation is brushing against Alaska's lone congressman, Don Young (R), and its longtime and venerated senator Ted Stevens (R), residents of the Last Frontier are experiencing a rare spasm of soul-searching.Not Sermons and Soda-Water, ED and InsomniaThis is going to enliven many cocktail parties in Washington, DC, and elsewhere:The Washington Post\nThe probe has delivered low humor as well as bad behavior. In one exchange the FBI captured by wiretap, Allen handed a sexual potency pill and a sleeping pill to Kott -- who later phoned, confused and upset, after mixing them up.\n\"Sometimes you try to come up with an exaggeration to make a point,\" said Les Gara, an Anchorage Democrat. \"It's hard to do that here.\" Ah, the travails of the Grand Old Party! ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/the-devil-and-alaskas-republican-legislators/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMoney Speaks, Oil Companies Win * Erectile Dysfunction and Insomnia\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eVenal politicians on the take are nothing new. They have always existed.  The news about Republicans caught in a FBI sting in Alaska made me gloat because of the sham front they have a habit of putting on.  If Democrats wielded power it could have been them taking bribes but it was unlikely that they would have gone around preaching moral values.  That is a specialty of the Republicans.  As the Queen said to Alice: \"Off with their heads\". (Lewis Carroll, The Mock Turtle Story) .  But there might not be need for such drastic measures;  they might self-destruct by mixing impotency drugs and sleeping pills.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101585.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e (Karl Vick)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"On another tape, Pete Kott, the former Republican speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, crowed as he described beating back a tax bill opposed by oil companies. 'I had to cheat, steal, beg, borrow and lie,\" Kott said. \"Exxon's happy. BP's happy. I'll sell my soul to the devil'.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOfficially, the scandal has remained confined to Juneau, where Alaska lawmakers had grown so accustomed to operating under the presumption of impropriety that several of them embroidered ball caps with the letters CBC, for \"Corrupt Bastards Club.\" (An \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Anchorage?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eAnchorage\u003c/a\u003e coffeehouse now offers Corrupt Bastards Brew.)   But with signs that the investigation is brushing against Alaska's lone congressman, \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/y000033/\" target=\"\"\u003eDon Young\u003c/a\u003e (R), and its longtime and venerated senator \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s000888/\" target=\"\"\u003eTed Stevens\u003c/a\u003e (R), residents of the Last Frontier are experiencing a rare spasm of soul-searching.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eNot Sermons and Soda-Water, ED and Insomnia\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is going to enliven many cocktail parties in Washington, DC,  and elsewhere:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101585_2.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Devil and Alaska's Republican Legislators"},{"content":" *Duping the Flocks ? It would appear that the flocks -- most of them -- really do not care what the televangelists do with their money. So, $23,000 marble commodes, Rolls-Royce cars, and jet-set lifestyles mean nothing to the people who fatten the coffers of the hucksters. There is, however, the question of tax exempt status enjoyed by the smooth operators, and that is a different can of worms.It is to be seen how far Senator Grassley's investigation will go. Interesting, that a Republican politician decided to pursue this issue a year before presidential election when every Republican contender is bending over backward to gain support of conservative Christian voters. Not all members of the so called Christian Right donate to the televangelists but Jesus peddlers on TV channels collect big bucks. They have reason to be concerned.Excerpts from CBS46.com News Atlanta, Nov.6, 2007Senate To Investigate Six TelevangelistsWASHINGTON -- The ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee is investigating the financial dealings of six TV evangelists, saying donors deserve to have their \"money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code.Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sent letters Monday asking media-oriented ministers around the country to provide documents detailing their finances by Dec. 6.They include Joyce Meyer, one of America's wealthiest and most powerful TV preachers who has built a $124-million-a-year empire headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton.A 2003 series in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch detailed her lavish lifestyle and blunt fundraising pitches.\"I'm following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries,\" Grassley said in a statement.\"The allegations involve governing boards that aren't independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls-Royces.\"I don't want to conclude that there's a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and the taxpayers to find out more. People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code.\"Grassley's letter asked Meyer to provide his staff with documents detailing the finances of the Joyce Meyer Ministries, including the religious group's compensation to Meyer, her husband and other family members, as well as an accounting of their housing allowances, gifts and credit card statements for the last several years.Among other things, the letter asked for a \"detailed accounting\" of all her and her husband's expense-account items, including clothing and cosmetic surgery, information about any overseas bank accounts and deposits, and the tax-exempt purpose of items at her ministry's headquarters, such as a $23,000 marble-topped commode, a $30,000 conference table and an $11,219 French clock. * Federal law grants churches tax-exempt status and excludes them from reporting requirements, but prohibits their leaders and founders from dipping into the organizations' accounts for their own personal use. Expenses of any tax-exempt organization are supposed to further the cause or goals of that entity. * Grassley's staff and other ministry watchdogs said that media-oriented ministries, once known simply as televangelists, are now a billion-dollar industry with little to no oversight from an overburdened IRS. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/televangelists-facing-scrutiny/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"Story\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eDuping the Flocks ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt would appear that the flocks --  most of them --  really do not care what the televangelists do with their money.  So, $23,000 marble commodes, Rolls-Royce cars, and jet-set lifestyles mean nothing to the people who fatten the coffers of the hucksters.  There is, however, the question of tax exempt status enjoyed by the smooth operators, and that is a different can of worms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is to be seen how far Senator Grassley's investigation will go.   Interesting, that a Republican politician decided to pursue this issue a year before presidential election when every Republican contender is bending over backward to gain support of conservative Christian voters.  Not all members of the so called Christian Right donate to the televangelists but Jesus peddlers on TV channels collect big bucks. They have reason to be concerned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbs46.com/news/14525113/detail.html\"\u003eCBS46.com News\u003c/a\u003e Atlanta, Nov.6, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSenate To Investigate Six Televangelists\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWASHINGTON -- The ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee is investigating the financial dealings of six TV evangelists, saying donors deserve to have their \"money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sent letters Monday asking media-oriented ministers around the country to provide documents detailing their finances by Dec. 6.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey include Joyce Meyer, one of America's wealthiest and most powerful TV preachers who has built a $124-million-a-year empire headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA 2003 series in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch detailed her lavish lifestyle and blunt fundraising pitches.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries,\" Grassley said in a statement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The allegations involve governing boards that aren't independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls-Royces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I don't want to conclude that there's a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and the taxpayers to find out more. People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrassley's letter asked Meyer to provide his staff with documents detailing the finances of the Joyce Meyer Ministries, including the religious group's compensation to Meyer, her husband and other family members, as well as an accounting of their housing allowances, gifts and credit card statements for the last several years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong other things, the letter asked for a \"detailed accounting\" of all her and her husband's expense-account items, including clothing and cosmetic surgery, information about any overseas bank accounts and deposits, and the tax-exempt purpose of items at her ministry's headquarters, such as a $23,000 marble-topped commode, a $30,000 conference table and an $11,219 French clock.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFederal law grants churches tax-exempt status and excludes them from reporting requirements, but prohibits their leaders and founders from dipping into the organizations' accounts for their own personal use. Expenses of any tax-exempt organization are supposed to further the cause or goals of that entity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrassley's staff and other ministry watchdogs said that media-oriented ministries, once known simply as televangelists, are now a billion-dollar industry with little to no oversight from an overburdened IRS.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Televangelists Facing Scrutiny"},{"content":" *Richard B. Cheney * \"Bliss\", A Film about Honor KillingsDetails of the sordid affair between President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky are now common knowledge. In pithy terms, he diddled with Ms Lewinsky in the White House...and lied about it. Impeachable ? It was an example of partisan politics at its worst. One can also think of envy -- Bubba getting it was like a red flag in the face of hypocrites like Gingrich. Cost of Special Counsel Starr's investigation exceeded $40 million !Grounds for Impeachment (American Bar Association)...............the Constitution specifies that high government officials may be impeached for \"treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.\" What precisely constitutes \"high crimes and misdemeanors\" is, however, uncertain because the courts have not specifically defined or interpreted the term, unlike other constitutional clauses. Treason and bribery are very serious offenses against the state, and most experts agree that offenses encompassed within \"high crimes and misdemeanors\" are similarly serious. (\"Misdemeanors\" is a constitutional term that does not have the current meaning of an offense less serious than a felony.)Did the vice president lie about Iraq? What are the costs and consequences of the lies ? The Nation *Bliss, the MovieHonor killings, a phrase that stands above other atrocious ones like \"friendly fire\" and \"collateral damage\".Like the infamous, now defunct Hudood Ordinance, under which muslim women in Pakistan were required to produce four male witnesses to support complaints for rape, honor killings are abominable. There is nothing honorable about honor killings.Helena Smith writes in The Guardian about the Turkish film, \"Bliss\".Turkey is not the only country where women are shot, stabbed, strangled and maimed in the name of honour. But it is the first one to really tackle the taboo issue up close. The artistic interest comes in the wake of increased coverage of honour killings by the Turkish media and a vast array of government-backed education programs. Suddenly even universities are encouraging students to highlight the issue in doctoral theses. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/kucinich-battles-to-impeach/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRichard B. Cheney *  \"Bliss\", A Film about Honor Killings\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDetails of the sordid affair between President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky are now common knowledge. In pithy terms, he diddled with Ms Lewinsky in the White House...and lied about it.  Impeachable ?  It was an example of partisan politics at its worst.  One can also think of envy -- Bubba getting it was like a red flag in the face of hypocrites like Gingrich. \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/01/starr.costs/\"\u003eCost\u003c/a\u003e of Special Counsel Starr's investigation exceeded $40 million !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.abanet.org/publiced/impeach2.html\"\u003eGrounds for Impeachment\u003c/a\u003e   (American Bar Association)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e...............\u003c/b\u003ethe Constitution specifies that high government officials may be       impeached for \"treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.\" What       precisely constitutes \"high crimes and misdemeanors\" is, however, uncertain       because the courts have not specifically defined or interpreted the term, unlike other       constitutional clauses. Treason and bribery are very serious offenses against the state,       and most experts agree that offenses encompassed within \"high crimes and       misdemeanors\" are similarly serious. (\"Misdemeanors\" is a constitutional       term that does not have the current meaning of an offense less serious than a felony.)\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDid the vice president lie about Iraq?  What are the costs and consequences of the lies ?  \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/15249290\"\u003eThe Nation\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBliss, the Movie\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHonor killings, a phrase that stands above other atrocious ones like \"friendly fire\" and \"collateral damage\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLike the infamous, now defunct \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudood_Ordinance\"\u003eHudood Ordinance\u003c/a\u003e, under which muslim women in Pakistan were required to produce four male witnesses to support  complaints for rape, honor killings are abominable.  There is nothing honorable about honor killings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHelena Smith writes in The Guardian  about the Turkish film, \"\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/11/can_film_help_put_an_end_to_honour_killings.html\"\u003eBliss\u003c/a\u003e\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTurkey is not the only country where women are shot, stabbed, strangled and maimed in the name of honour. But it is the first one to really tackle the taboo issue up close. The artistic interest comes in the wake of increased coverage of honour killings by the Turkish media and a vast array of government-backed education programs. Suddenly even universities are encouraging students to highlight the issue in doctoral theses.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","title":"Kucinich battles to Impeach"},{"content":" *For those who believe in zodiac signs it is the time of the scorpion. I never pay attention to the signs and what they mean but when November comes around it makes me think of where I am and of years gone by. For me it is autumn in more sense than one. The late Norman Maclean wrote: \"As I get considerably beyond the biblical alllotment of three score years and ten, I feel with increasing intensity that I can express my gratitude for still being around on the oxygen side of the earth's crust only by not standing pat on what I have hitherto known and loved. While the oxygen lasts, there are still new things to love, especially if compassion is a form of love.\"--Norman Maclean (Notes written as a possible foreword to Young Men and Fire, December 4, 1985)Compassion......and a sense of humility. Hope they remain strong as long as my heart keeps beating.A star looks down at me And says: \"Here I and you Stand,each in our degree:What do you mean to do-- Mean to do?\" I say: \"For all I knowWait,and let Time go byTill my change come.\"--\"Just so,\" The star says: \"So mean I--So mean I.\"---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/three-score-years-and-ten-plus-a-few-more/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor those who believe in zodiac signs it is the time of the scorpion.  I never pay attention to the signs and what they mean but when November comes around it makes me think of where I am  and of years gone by.   For me it is autumn in more sense than one. The late Norman Maclean wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\"As I get considerably beyond the biblical  alllotment of three score years and ten, I feel  with increasing intensity that I can  express my gratitude for still being around on    the oxygen side of the earth's crust only by  not standing pat on what I have hitherto  known and loved.  While the oxygen lasts, there  are still new things to love, especially    if compassion is a form of love.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Norman Maclean (Notes written as a possible foreword to Young Men and Fire, December 4, 1985)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCompassion......and a sense of humility.  Hope they remain strong as long as my heart keeps beating.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eA  star looks down at me And says: \"Here I and you\u003cbr/\u003e Stand,each in our degree:\u003cbr/\u003eWhat do you mean to do--\u003cbr/\u003e Mean to do?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e I say: \"For all I know\u003cbr/\u003eWait,and let Time go by\u003cbr/\u003eTill my change come.\"--\"Just so,\"\u003cbr/\u003e The star says: \"So mean I--So mean I.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Three Score Years and Ten,  Plus a Few More"},{"content":" *What next? General Musharraf defied the Bush administration and declared a state of emergency, Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), in effect imposed martial law. While American officials are huddling about what to do, Benazir Bhutto, head of the Pakistan People's Party, flew back from Dubai.From Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif condemned General Musharraf. \"ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Exiled former President Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday Pakistan was heading towards anarchy and described President Pervez Musharraf's decision to invoke emergency powers as a form of martial law.\" At this time it appears doubtful that his Pakistan Muslim League N (Nawaz Group) can emerge as a powerful force. It incurred displeasure of both conservative religious groups and moderate (secularist) Pakistanis.Seven justices of the supreme court who defied PCO are reported to be under house arrest. Pro-Musharraf Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has been named as chief justice.And the mullahs -- heads of religious groups who wield tremendous power -- which side are they going to support ?Musharraf quotes Abe LincolnNew York TimesSpeaking in English, General Musharraf began his discussion of Lincoln as follows:\n“I would at this time venture to read out an excerpt of President Abraham Lincoln, specially to all my listeners in the United States. As an idealist, Abraham Lincoln had one consuming passion during that time of crisis, and this was to preserve the Union… towards that end, he broke laws, he violated the Constitution, he usurped arbitrary power, he trampled individual liberties. His justification was necessity and explaining his sweeping violation of Constitutional limits he wrote in a letter in 1864, and I quote, ‘My oath to preserve the Constitution imposed on me the duty of preserving by every indispensable means that government, that Nation of which the Constitution was the organic law. Was it possible to lose the Nation and yet preserve the Constitution?’”\nA good touch, that. As the people of Pakistan face this crisis we can only hope that violence and loss of lives do not become every day occurrence. It is unfortunate that the records of Benazir Bhutto's previous premierships are far from clean. She talks the talk but does not inspire trust. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/pakistans-uneasy-autumn/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat next?  General Musharraf defied the Bush administration and declared a state of emergency, Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), in effect imposed martial law.  While American officials are huddling about what to do,  Benazir Bhutto, head of the Pakistan People's Party,  flew back from Dubai.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif condemned General Musharraf.    \"ISLAMABAD (\u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSISL20281720071103\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e) - Exiled former President Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday Pakistan was heading towards anarchy and described President Pervez Musharraf's decision to invoke emergency powers as a form of martial law.\"   At this time it appears doubtful that his Pakistan Muslim League N (Nawaz Group) can emerge  as a powerful force.  It incurred displeasure of both conservative religious groups and moderate (secularist) Pakistanis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSeven justices of the supreme court who defied PCO are reported to be under house arrest.  Pro-Musharraf Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has been named as chief justice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd the mullahs -- heads of religious groups who wield tremendous power -- which side are they going to support ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMusharraf quotes Abe Lincoln\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/musharraf-and-lincoln-in-their-own-words/\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpeaking in English, General Musharraf began his discussion of Lincoln as follows:\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Pakistan's Uneasy Autumn"},{"content":" * Hindi, the national language of India, is not one of my favorites. Unlike Urdu and Bengali it lacks sweetness, does not have a lilting sound. Urdu is spoken by many residents of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. Patjhar, an Urdu word, means falling leaves, a very apt description of autumn.It was while researching the word patjhar that I found Qurratulain Hyder and her book of short stories Patjhar ki Awaaz -- Sound of Autumn (Falling Leaves) which won India's Sahitya Akademi award in 1967. Wonderful stories. Qurratulain Hyder died on August 21, 2007, at the age of 81.Azra Raza's tribute to Qurratulain Hyder in the August 27th issue of 3quarksdaily is a must read for those who want to pursue writings of the great author.Source: 3quarksdaily.blogs.com/ *The winds that blow--Ask them, which leaf of the treeWill be next to go !--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)Images of Fall©Musafir©Musafir©Musafir©Musafir * Wild Turkeys at Ed R. Levin County Park©Arundhati Bhowmick©Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/season-of-falling-leaves/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e* \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHindi, the national language of India, is not one of my  favorites.  Unlike Urdu and Bengali it lacks sweetness, does not have a lilting sound. Urdu is spoken by many residents of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India.  Patjhar, an Urdu word, means falling leaves,  a very apt description of autumn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was while researching the word patjhar that I found \u003ca href=\"http://www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/delhi/salrp/hyder.html\"\u003eQurratulain Hyder\u003c/a\u003e and her book of short stories Patjhar ki Awaaz --  Sound of Autumn (Falling Leaves) which won India's Sahitya Akademi award in 1967.  Wonderful stories.    Qurratulain Hyder died on August 21, 2007, at the age of 81.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAzra Raza's tribute to Qurratulain Hyder in the August 27th issue of \u003ca href=\"http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2007/08/qurratulain-h-1.html\"\u003e3quarksdaily\u003c/a\u003e is a must read for those who want to pursue writings of the  great author.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128610474567288546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/qh.jpg\"/\u003eSource: 3quarksdaily.blogs.com/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe winds that blow--\u003cbr/\u003eAsk them, which leaf of the tree\u003cbr/\u003eWill be next to go !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImages of Fall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127908475047659138\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Color of Leaves.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127912074230253266\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Color of Leaves 004.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127908170104981106\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Color of Leaves 005.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127907796442826338\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Color of Leaves 003.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eWild Turkeys at Ed R. Levin County Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127910794329999026\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Sam Levin Park and Fall Colors 001.jpg\"/\u003e©Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127911245301565122\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/11/Sam Levin Park and Fall Colors 006.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Season of Falling Leaves"},{"content":" *A few days back a friend and I went to see \"Rendition\", the movie based on the experience of Canadian citizen Maher Arar. Both of us came out of the theater feeling depressed. We knew what the movie was about and didn't expect it to make us feel good but we had no idea how deeply the film would affect usIt is one thing to read about what our government is doing in the name of fighting terrorism, watching depiction of the nefarious activities on a big screen is something else. The film-makers adapted the basic facts; some liberties were taken. The movie made me feel as though I emerged from a sewer, I felt ashamed.Jacobo Timmerman's 1981 book \"Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number\" described his incarceration and torture for 30 months during Argentina's dirty war. In the 1970's the U.S. actively assisted juntas in Latin American nations to carry out atrocities against their citizens. It is not my first post about torture and the United States' cozy relationships with brutal regimes. It has happened under Democrats too. The Extraordinary Rendition program began during the Clinton administration. Republicans, however, are more zealous when it comes to dark and secretive programs. They seem to have a warped outlook about oppression; rulers of some countries can do no wrong, while others face threats and punitive actions.It is a strange world. Syria is on our \"enemies list\" and yet it was Syria where Maher Arar was renditioned for torture. No doubt the Syrians were rewarded in cash and kind. According to Radio Free Europe, Poland and Romania cooperated with CIA in setting up illegal detention centers. Airports in UK were used during Blair's premiership for flights ferrying \"renditioned\" prisoners.The True Purpose of TortureNaomi KleinThe Guardian - Saturday May 14, 2005Guantánamo is there to terrorise - both inmates and the wider worldI recently caught a glimpse of the effects of torture in action at an event honouring Maher Arar. The Syrian-born Canadian is the world's most famous victim of \"rendition\", the process by which US officials outsource torture to foreign countries. Arar was switching planes in New York when US interrogators detained him and \"rendered\" him to Syria, where he was held for 10 months in a cell slightly larger than a grave and taken out periodically for beatings.Arar was being honoured for his courage by the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, a mainstream advocacy organisation. The audience gave him a heartfelt standing ovation, but there was fear mixed in with the celebration. Many of the prominent community leaders kept their distance from Arar, responding to him only tentatively. Some speakers were unable even to mention the honoured guest by name, as if he had something they could catch. And perhaps they were right: the tenuous \"evidence\" - later discredited - that landed Arar in a rat-infested cell was guilt by association. And if that could happen to Arar, a successful software engineer and family man, who is safe?In a rare public speech, Arar addressed this fear directly. He told the audience that an independent commissioner has been trying to gather evidence of law-enforcement officials breaking the rules when investigating Muslim Canadians. The commissioner has heard dozens of stories of threats, harassment and inappropriate home visits. But, Arar said, \"not a single person made a public complaint. Fear prevented them from doing so.\" Fear of being the next Maher Arar.The fear is even thicker among Muslims in the United States, where the Patriot Act gives police the power to seize the records of any mosque, school, library or community group on mere suspicion of terrorist links. When this intense surveillance is paired with the ever-present threat of torture, the message is clear: you are being watched, your neighbour may be a spy, the government can find out anything about you. If you misstep, you could disappear on to a plane bound for Syria, or into \"the deep dark hole that is Guantánamo Bay\", to borrow a phrase from Michael Ratner, president of the Centre for Constitutional Rights.But this fear has to be finely calibrated. The people being intimidated need to know enough to be afraid but not so much that they demand justice. This helps explain why the defence department will release certain kinds of seemingly incriminating information about Guantánamo - pictures of men in cages, for instance - at the same time that it acts to suppress photographs on a par with what escaped from Abu Ghraib. And it might also explain why the Pentagon approved a new book by a former military translator, including the passages about prisoners being sexually humiliated, but prevented him from writing about the widespread use of attack dogs. This strategic leaking of information, combined with official denials, induces a state of mind that Argentinians describe as \"knowing/not knowing\", a vestige of their \"dirty war\".'Obviously, intelligence agents have an incentive to hide the use of unlawful methods,\" says Jameel Jaffer of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). \"On the other hand, when they use rendition and torture as a threat, it's undeniable that they benefit, in some sense, from the fact that people know that intelligence agents are willing to act unlawfully. They benefit from the fact that people understand the threat and believe it to be credible.\"And the threats have been received. In an affidavit filed with an ACLU court challenge to section 215 of the Patriot Act, Nazih Hassan, president of the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor in Michigan, describes this new climate. Membership and attendance are down, donations are way down, board members have resigned - Hassan says his members avoid doing anything that could get their names on lists. One member testified anonymously that he has \"stopped speaking out on political and social issues\" because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself.This is torture's true purpose: to terrorise - not only the people in Guantánamo's cages and Syria's isolation cells but also, and more importantly, the broader community that hears about these abuses. Torture is a machine designed to break the will to resist - the individual prisoner's will and the collective will.This is not a controversial claim. In 2001 the US NGO Physicians for Human Rights published a manual on treating torture survivors that noted: \"Perpetrators often attempt to justify their acts of torture and ill-treatment by the need to gather information. Such conceptualisations obscure the purpose of torture ... The aim of torture is to dehumanise the victim, break his/her will, and at the same time set horrific examples for those who come in contact with the victim. In this way, torture can break or damage the will and coherence of entire communities.\"Yet despite this body of knowledge, torture continues to be debated in the United States as if it were merely a morally questionable way to extract information, not an instrument of state terror. But there's a problem: no one claims that torture is an effective interrogation tool -least of all the people who practise it. Torture \"doesn't work. There are better ways to deal with captives,\" CIA director Porter Goss told the Senate intelligence committee on February 16. And a recently declassified memo written by an FBI official in Guantánamo states that extreme coercion produced \"nothing more than what FBI got using simple investigative techniques\". The army's own interrogation field manual states that force \"can induce the source to say whatever he thinks the interrogator wants to hear\".And yet the abuses keep on coming - Uzbekistan as the new hotspot for renditions; the \"El Salvador model\" imported to Iraq. And the only sensible explanation for torture's persistent popularity comes from a most unlikely source. Lynndie England, the fall girl for Abu Ghraib, was asked during her botched trial why she and her colleagues had forced naked prisoners into a human pyramid. \"As a way to control them,\" she replied.Exactly. As an interrogation tool, torture is a bust. But when it comes to social control, nothing works quite like torture.Michael Mukasey, the attorney general designate, is dodging questions about his position on torture, specifically waterboarding. President Bush is, of course, strongly supportive of his nominee. And so it goes.*\"We do not torture\"--President Bush (White House Press Release Nov 7,2005)\"The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured.--Secretary of State Rice (Press Release USINFO.STATE.GOV - Dec.5, 2005). Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06 Comrade Musafir,\nYour piece has opened my eyes to the evil nature of our government.\nWe should probably just allow the people of Israel to be the victims of genocide yet again.\nWe should let go of our domination of this planet because God knows the Communist Chinese or Islamic fascists will do a better job after we are gone.\nIf we could only have a major terrorist attack take place in the S.F. Bay area, Vermont, Portland or Austin your feel-good ideas on the way the world should work might be replaced with something else. The Swedish are waiting to put their arms around a traitor like you comrade.. Go to them soon.. musafir \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06 This comment has been removed by the author. musafir \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06 Anonymous:\nYou said: \"We should probably just allow the people of Israel to be the victims of genocide yet again.\"\nPlease read: Holocaust Revisited\nhttp://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/03/holocaust-revisited.html\nAuschwitz - Sixty Years Later\nhttp://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/01/auschwitz-sixty-years-later. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/11/the-united-states-and-torture/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA few days back a friend and I went to see \"\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809794083/info\"\u003eRendition\u003c/a\u003e\", the movie based on the experience of Canadian citizen Maher Arar.  Both of us came out of the theater feeling depressed.  We knew what the movie was about and didn't expect it to make us feel good but we had no idea how deeply the film would affect us\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is one thing to read about what our government is doing in the name of fighting terrorism, watching depiction of the nefarious activities on a big screen is something else. The film-makers adapted the basic facts; some liberties were taken.  The movie made me feel as though I emerged from a sewer,  I felt ashamed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJacobo Timmerman's 1981 book \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780299182441?\u0026amp;PID=31754\"\u003ePrisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number\u003c/a\u003e\" described his incarceration and torture for 30 months during Argentina's dirty war.  In the 1970's the U.S. actively assisted juntas in Latin American nations to carry out atrocities against their citizens.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is not my first post about torture and the United States' cozy relationships with brutal regimes.  It has happened under Democrats too.  The Extraordinary Rendition program began during the Clinton administration.  Republicans, however, are  more zealous when it comes to dark and secretive programs.  They seem to have a warped outlook about oppression; rulers of some countries can do no wrong,  while others face threats and punitive actions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is a strange world.  Syria is on our \"enemies list\" and yet it was Syria where Maher Arar was renditioned for torture.  No doubt the Syrians were rewarded in cash and kind.    According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/06/7817d525-4cb1-480b-9013-23b0963c8761.html\"\u003eRadio Free Europe\u003c/a\u003e, Poland and Romania cooperated with CIA in setting up illegal detention centers.   Airports in UK were used during Blair's premiership for flights ferrying \"renditioned\" prisoners.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe True Purpose of Torture\u003cbr/\u003eNaomi Klein\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1483801,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e - Saturday May 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuantánamo is there to terrorise - both inmates and the wider world\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1483801,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI recently caught a glimpse of the effects of torture in action at an event honouring Maher Arar. The Syrian-born Canadian is the world's most famous victim of \"rendition\", the process by which US officials outsource torture to foreign countries. Arar was switching planes in New York when US interrogators detained him and \"rendered\" him to Syria, where he was held for 10 months in a cell slightly larger than a grave and taken out periodically for beatings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eArar was being honoured for his courage by the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, a mainstream advocacy organisation. The audience gave him a heartfelt standing ovation, but there was fear mixed in with the celebration. Many of the prominent community leaders kept their distance from Arar, responding to him only tentatively. Some speakers were unable even to mention the honoured guest by name, as if he had something they could catch. And perhaps they were right: the tenuous \"evidence\" - later discredited - that landed Arar in a rat-infested cell was guilt by association. And if that could happen to Arar, a successful software engineer and family man, who is safe?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a rare public speech, Arar addressed this fear directly. He told the audience that an independent commissioner has been trying to gather evidence of law-enforcement officials breaking the rules when investigating Muslim Canadians. The commissioner has heard dozens of stories of threats, harassment and inappropriate home visits. But, Arar said, \"not a single person made a public complaint. Fear prevented them from doing so.\" Fear of being the next Maher Arar.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fear is even thicker among Muslims in the United States, where the Patriot Act gives police the power to seize the records of any mosque, school, library or community group on mere suspicion of terrorist links. When this intense surveillance is paired with the ever-present threat of torture, the message is clear: you are being watched, your neighbour may be a spy, the government can find out anything about you. If you misstep, you could disappear on to a plane bound for Syria, or into \"the deep dark hole that is Guantánamo Bay\", to borrow a phrase from Michael Ratner, president of the Centre for Constitutional Rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut this fear has to be finely calibrated. The people being intimidated need to know enough to be afraid but not so much that they demand justice. This helps explain why the defence department will release certain kinds of seemingly incriminating information about Guantánamo - pictures of men in cages, for instance - at the same time that it acts to suppress photographs on a par with what escaped from Abu Ghraib. And it might also explain why the Pentagon approved a new book by a former military translator, including the passages about prisoners being sexually humiliated, but prevented him from writing about the widespread use of attack dogs. This strategic leaking of information, combined with official denials, induces a state of mind that Argentinians describe as \"knowing/not knowing\", a vestige of their \"dirty war\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Obviously, intelligence agents have an incentive to hide the use of unlawful methods,\" says Jameel Jaffer of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). \"On the other hand, when they use rendition and torture as a threat, it's undeniable that they benefit, in some sense, from the fact that people know that intelligence agents are willing to act unlawfully. They benefit from the fact that people understand the threat and believe it to be credible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the threats have been received. In an affidavit filed with an ACLU court challenge to section 215 of the Patriot Act, Nazih Hassan, president of the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor in Michigan, describes this new climate. Membership and attendance are down, donations are way down, board members have resigned - Hassan says his members avoid doing anything that could get their names on lists. One member testified anonymously that he has \"stopped speaking out on political and social issues\" because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is torture's true purpose: to terrorise - not only the people in Guantánamo's cages and Syria's isolation cells but also, and more importantly, the broader community that hears about these abuses. Torture is a machine designed to break the will to resist - the individual prisoner's will and the collective will.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is not a controversial claim. In 2001 the US NGO Physicians for Human Rights published a manual on treating torture survivors that noted: \"Perpetrators often attempt to justify their acts of torture and ill-treatment by the need to gather information. Such conceptualisations obscure the purpose of torture ... The aim of torture is to dehumanise the victim, break his/her will, and at the same time set horrific examples for those who come in contact with the victim. In this way, torture can break or damage the will and coherence of entire communities.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet despite this body of knowledge, torture continues to be debated in the United States as if it were merely a morally questionable way to extract information, not an instrument of state terror. But there's a problem: no one claims that torture is an effective interrogation tool -least of all the people who practise it. Torture \"doesn't work. There are better ways to deal with captives,\" CIA director Porter Goss told the Senate intelligence committee on February 16. And a recently declassified memo written by an FBI official in Guantánamo states that extreme coercion produced \"nothing more than what FBI got using simple investigative techniques\". The army's own interrogation field manual states that force \"can induce the source to say whatever he thinks the interrogator wants to hear\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd yet the abuses keep on coming - Uzbekistan as the new hotspot for renditions; the \"El Salvador model\" imported to Iraq. And the only sensible explanation for torture's persistent popularity comes from a most unlikely source. Lynndie England, the fall girl for Abu Ghraib, was asked during her botched trial why she and her colleagues had forced naked prisoners into a human pyramid. \"As a way to control them,\" she replied.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExactly. As an interrogation tool, torture is a bust. But when it comes to social control, nothing works quite like torture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMichael Mukasey, the attorney general designate, is dodging questions about his position on torture, specifically waterboarding.  President Bush is, of course,  strongly supportive of his nominee.    And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051107.html\"\u003eWe do not torture\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e--President Bush (White House Press Release Nov 7,2005)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured.\u003cbr/\u003e--Secretary of State Rice (Press Release \u003ca href=\"http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english\u0026amp;y=2005\u0026amp;m=December\u0026amp;x=20051205124753frllehctim0.2305872\"\u003eUSINFO.STATE.GOV\u003c/a\u003e - Dec.5, 2005).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eComrade Musafir,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYour piece has opened my eyes to the evil nature of our government.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe should probably just allow the people of Israel to be the victims of genocide yet again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe should let go of our domination of this planet because God knows the Communist Chinese or Islamic fascists will do a better job after we are gone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf we could only have a major terrorist attack take place in the S.F. Bay area, Vermont, Portland or Austin your feel-good ideas on the way the world should work might be replaced with something else. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Swedish are waiting to put their arms around a traitor like you comrade.. Go to them soon..\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by the author.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-11-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAnonymous:\u003cbr\u003eYou said: \"We should probably just allow the people of Israel to be the victims of genocide yet again.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlease read: Holocaust Revisited\u003cbr\u003ehttp://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/03/holocaust-revisited.html\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAuschwitz - Sixty Years Later\u003cbr\u003ehttp://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/01/auschwitz-sixty-years-later.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The United States and Torture"},{"content":" *Collective loss of memory about how the war against Iraq was engineered ? That is the thought that comes to mind as the Republican contenders rant about specter of terrorists, rogue nations, and nuclear bombs. Bloviating, strutting like pouter pigeons. Remember \"Bring them on\"? The vice president, who took four deferments (or was it five) during the Vietnam war, never stopped talking about the threats. That has become his raison d'erte. October 29th issue of The New Yorker has a great cover by Richard McGuire.Happy HalloweenRichard McGuire ©The New Yorker, October 29, 2007President Bush got us into Iraq by successfully spreading fear. Republican candidates hope to milk that cow again in 2008.Paul Krugman in The NY Times:In the wake of 9/11, the Bush administration adopted fear-mongering as a political strategy. Instead of treating the attack as what it was — an atrocity committed by a fundamentally weak, though ruthless adversary — the administration portrayed America as a nation under threat from every direction. Most Americans have now regained their balance. But the Republican base, which lapped up the administration’s rhetoric about the axis of evil and the war on terror, remains infected by the fear the Bushies stirred up — perhaps because fear of terrorists maps so easily into the base’s older fears, including fear of dark-skinned people in general.*We are aware of the price being paid for our folly. And yet, except for Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, Republicans vying for nomination are pro-war copy cats. They like the war in Iraq and they stand ready to start another.Democratic front-runners are united in condemning the war. Senator Hillary Clinton, however, had voted in 2002 in support of the Iraq war resolution. Her attempts to justify her action are unconvincing. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/on-the-road-to-2008-looking-for-a-war/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCollective loss of memory about how the war against Iraq was engineered ?  That is the thought that comes to mind as the Republican contenders rant about specter of terrorists, rogue nations, and nuclear bombs.  Bloviating, strutting like pouter pigeons. Remember \"Bring them on\"?  The vice president, who took four deferments (or was it five) during the Vietnam war,   never stopped  talking about the threats. That has become his raison d'erte.   October 29th issue of The New Yorker has a great cover by Richard McGuire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/images/2007/10/29/p154/071029_071029_p154.jpg\"\u003eHappy Halloween\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127151207888864738\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/10/Happy Halloween.jpg\"/\u003eRichard McGuire ©The New Yorker, October 29, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush got us into Iraq by successfully spreading fear. Republican candidates hope to milk that cow again in 2008.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/opinion/29krugman.html\"\u003eThe NY Times\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn the wake of 9/11, the Bush administration adopted fear-mongering as a political strategy. Instead of treating the attack as what it was — an atrocity committed by a fundamentally weak, though ruthless adversary — the administration portrayed America as a nation under threat from every direction. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMost Americans have now regained their balance. But the Republican base, which lapped up the administration’s rhetoric about the axis of evil and the war on terror, remains infected by the fear the Bushies stirred up — perhaps because fear of terrorists maps so easily into the base’s older fears, including fear of dark-skinned people in general.\u003c/li\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eWe are aware of the price being paid for our folly. And yet, except for Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, Republicans vying for nomination are pro-war copy cats. They like the war in Iraq and they stand ready to start another.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic front-runners are united in condemning the war. Senator Hillary Clinton, however, had voted in 2002 in support of the Iraq war resolution. Her attempts to justify her action are unconvincing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: Looking for a War"},{"content":" * Wikipedia's web page on \"War on Drugs\" includes the following:\".......the U.S. Government's cost report on drug control to be roughly $12 billion in 2005.\"\"Additionally, the U.S. Government reports that the cost of incarcerating drug law offenders was $30 billion -- $9.1 billion for police protection, $4.5 billion for legal adjudication, and $11.0 billion for state and federal corrections (sic).Lot of money. Chicken feed compared to the money going down the tube in Iraq for the warrior in the White House but still significant amounts. What have we achieved in the war on drugs? Again, like the war in Iraq nothing to shout about. Undoubtedly, it has created a lot of jobs but has it made a dent in the amount of drugs coming in and the violence related to selling and distribution of drugs? Richard Davenport-Hines, in his book The Pursuit of Oblivion (W.W. Norton \u0026amp; Company, 2001), criticized the efficacy of the War on Drugs by pointing out:\n10-15% of illicit heroin and 30% of illicit cocaine is intercepted. Drug traffickers have gross profit margins of up to 300%. At least 75% of illicit drug shipments would have to be intercepted before the traffickers' profits were hurt.Source: Wikipedia\nAny talk about legalization of drugs and focusing on treatment (of addicts), education and other programs geared toward those who are the foot soldiers of the drug trade is anathema to our government and many well-meaning individuals. Therefore, Washington Post's report about a reverse movement of smuggled guns from the United States to drug traffickers south of the border makes one wonder about the sincerity of the war on drugs. Does our hands off policy about gun ownership cover even high-powered weapons being traded to drug smugglers to assist them in killing law enforcement officials?Washington PostU.S. Guns Behind Cartel Killings in MexicoTIJUANA, Mexico -- Assassins blasted Ricardo Rosas Alvarado, a member of an elite state police force, with a blizzard of bullets pumped out of AK-47 assault rifles.Alvarado crumpled at the wheel of his sedan, yet another victim of the weapons known here as \"goat's horns\" because of their curved ammunition clips, and which can fire at a rate of 600 rounds per minute. The killing, Mexican authorities said, was a panorama of blood, shattered glass and torn metal that brutally showcased the firepower of Mexico's drug cartels. But that was just the warm-up.Two hours later, a small army of cartel hit men descended on a federal police office and bunkhouse in this crowded city at one of the world's busiest border crossings. None of the officers, who had recently been sent here to crush the drug gangs terrorizing the city, were killed in the hail of more than 1,200 bullets, authorities said. But police veterans understood the message delivered to the newcomers: \"Welcome to Tijuana. Our guns are bigger than your guns.\"The high-powered guns used in both incidents on the evening of Sept. 24 undoubtedly came from the United States, say police here, who estimate that 100 percent of drug-related killings are committed with smuggled U.S. weapons.The guns pass into Mexico through the \"ant trail,\" the nickname for the steady stream of people who each slip two or three weapons across the border every day. The \"ants\" -- along with larger smuggling operations -- are feeding a rapidly expanding arms race between Mexican drug cartels.The U.S. weapons -- as many as 2,000 enter Mexico each day, according to a Mexican government study -- are crucial tools in an astoundingly barbaric war between rival cartels that has cost 4,000 lives in the past 18 months and sent law enforcement agencies in Washington and Mexico City into crisis mode.These drug traffickers, with their steady supply of U.S. weaponry, are the target of President Bush's proposed $500 million U.S. aid package to help Mexico battle cartels. Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, hope that some of the money will be used to give Mexican police chiefs greater access to U.S. databases for gun traces. Currently, the traces can be made only through federal police headquarters in Mexico City. Many police chiefs do not even bother to make requests because of the inevitable bureaucratic delays. * \"You're looking at the same firepower here on the border that our soldiers are facing in Iraq and Afghanistan,\" Thomas Mangan, a spokesman in Phoenix for the ATF, said in an interview. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/guns-drugs-and-the-usa/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWikipedia's web page on \"\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#Cost\"\u003eWar on Drugs\u003c/a\u003e\" includes the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\".......the U.S. Government's cost report on drug control to be roughly $12 billion in 2005.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Additionally, the U.S. Government reports that the cost of incarcerating drug law offenders was $30 billion -- $9.1 billion for police protection, $4.5 billion for legal adjudication, and $11.0 billion for state and federal corrections (sic).\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLot of money.  Chicken feed compared to the money going down the tube in Iraq for the warrior in the White House but still significant amounts.  What have we achieved in the  war on drugs? Again, like the war in Iraq nothing to shout about.  Undoubtedly, it has created a lot of jobs but has it made a dent in the amount of drugs coming in and the violence related to selling and distribution of drugs? \u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Davenport-Hines\" title=\"Richard Davenport-Hines\"\u003eRichard Davenport-Hines\u003c/a\u003e, in his book \u003ci\u003eThe Pursuit of Oblivion\u003c/i\u003e (W.W. Norton \u0026amp; Company, 2001), criticized the efficacy of the War on Drugs by pointing out:\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Guns, Drugs, and the U.S.A"},{"content":" *Soldiers talk about the other side of Iraq -- one that the Bush Administration stays away from.Joshua Partlow reported from Sadiyah, Iraq, about soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division:Asked if the American endeavor here was worth their sacrifice -- 20 soldiers from the battalion have been killed in Baghdad -- Alarcon said no: \"I don't think this place is worth another soldier's life.\"Washington PostThey stop, look around. The streets of Sadiyah are deserted again. To the right, power lines slump down into the dirt. To the left, what was a soccer field is now a pasture of trash, combusting and smoking in the sun. Packs of skinny wild dogs trot past walls painted with slogans of sectarian hate.A bomb crater blocks one lane, so they cross to the other side, where houses are blackened by fire, shops crumbled into bricks. The remains of a car bomb serve as hideous public art. Sgt. Victor Alarcon's Humvee rolls into a vast pool of knee-high brown sewage water -- the soldiers call it Lake Havasu, after the Arizona spring-break party spot -- that seeps in the doors of the vehicle and wets his boots.\"When we first got here, all the shops were open. There were women and children walking out on the street,\" Alarcon said this week. \"The women were in Western clothing. It was our favorite street to go down because of all the hot chicks.\"That was 14 long months ago, when the soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, arrived in southwestern Baghdad. It was before their partners in the Iraqi National Police became their enemies and before Shiite militiamen, aligned with the police, attempted to exterminate a neighborhood of middle-class Sunni families.Next month, the U.S. soldiers will complete their tour in Iraq. Their experience in Sadiyah has left many of them deeply discouraged, by both the unabated hatred between rival sectarian fighters and the questionable will of the Iraqi government to work toward peaceful solutions.The good news is that the 1st Battalion will soon be returning to its home base. Stay safe, soldiers.*California Wildfires - FEMA Staged a Press ConferenceItem in the Washington Post:\"The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized yesterday for leading a staged news conference Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.\"We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent,\" Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr., FEMA's deputy administrator, said in a four-paragraph statement. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-10-27 You should check out the Wounded Warriors Project. Its a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness for U.S. troops severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. It really puts a face on the cost of this conflict. Here's a link:\nhttp://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/aarwebshow\nJeff ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/sadiyah-iraq-and-1st-battalion-18th-infantry-regiment/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSoldiers talk about the other side of Iraq -- one that the Bush Administration stays away from.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102602402.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua Partlow\u003c/a\u003e reported from Sadiyah, Iraq, about soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAsked if the American endeavor here was worth their sacrifice -- 20 soldiers from the battalion have been killed in Baghdad -- Alarcon said no: \"I don't think this place is worth another soldier's life.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102602402.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey stop, look around. The streets of Sadiyah are deserted again. To the right, power lines slump down into the dirt. To the left, what was a soccer field is now a pasture of trash, combusting and smoking in the sun. Packs of skinny wild dogs trot past walls painted with slogans of sectarian hate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA bomb crater blocks one lane, so they cross to the other side, where houses are blackened by fire, shops crumbled into bricks. The remains of a car bomb serve as hideous public art. Sgt. Victor Alarcon's Humvee rolls into a vast pool of knee-high brown sewage water -- the soldiers call it Lake Havasu, after the Arizona spring-break party spot -- that seeps in the doors of the vehicle and wets his boots.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When we first got here, all the shops were open. There were women and children walking out on the street,\" Alarcon said this week. \"The women were in Western clothing. It was our favorite street to go down because of all the hot chicks.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was 14 long months ago, when the soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, arrived in southwestern Baghdad. It was before their partners in the Iraqi National Police became their enemies and before Shiite militiamen, aligned with the police, attempted to exterminate a neighborhood of middle-class Sunni families.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNext month, the U.S. soldiers will complete their tour in Iraq. Their experience in Sadiyah has left many of them deeply discouraged, by both the unabated hatred between rival sectarian fighters and the questionable will of the Iraqi government to work toward peaceful solutions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe good news is that the 1st Battalion will soon be returning to its home base. Stay safe, soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Wildfires - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102602157.html\"\u003eFEMA\u003c/a\u003e Staged a Press Conference\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItem in the Washington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized yesterday for leading a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102602157.html\"\u003estaged news conference\u003c/a\u003e Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent,\" Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr., FEMA's deputy administrator, said in a four-paragraph statement.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-10-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYou should check out the Wounded Warriors Project. Its a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness for U.S. troops severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. It really puts a face on the cost of this conflict. Here's a link:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/aarwebshow\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJeff\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Sadiyah, Iraq, and 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment"},{"content":" *The item about Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) in the Washington Post warmed the cockles of my heart. Reading about Blackwater, what the Bush administration has wrought in Iraq, VP Cheney and the darksiders clamoring for military action against Iran can make one feel sort of hopeless about the state of affairs. Then comes Jonathan Weisman's report and it feels as though all is not lost. The evil acts of the neocons cannot be undone but Waxman is going to make sure that they face the harsh glare of testifying before the House Oversight Committee. \"\"We have to let people know they have someone watching them after six years with no oversight at all,\" said Waxman, 68. \"And we've got a lot of low-hanging fruit to pick.\"Washington PostToday, Rice will finally appear. But Waxman (D-Calif.) has not spent the week on a victory lap. He has found time to produce evidence accusing State Department security contractor Blackwater Worldwide of tax evasion, to fire off a letter to Rice demanding information about alleged mismanagement of a $1 billion contract to train Iraqi police, and to hold a hearing on uranium poisoning on Navajo land.Waxman has become the Bush administration's worst nightmare: a Democrat in the majority with subpoena power and the inclination to overturn rocks. But in Waxman the White House also faces an indefatigable capital veteran -- with a staff renowned for its depth and experience -- who has been waiting for this for 14 years.These days, the 16-term congressman is always ready with a hearing, a fresh crop of internal administration e-mails or a new explosive report. And he has more than two dozen investigations underway, on such issues as the politicization of the entire federal government, formaldehyde in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers, global warming, and safety concerns about the diabetes drug Avandia. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/a-lot-of-low-hanging-fruit/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe item about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/24/AR2007102402757.html\"\u003eRep. Henry Waxman\u003c/a\u003e (D-CA) in the Washington Post warmed the cockles of my heart.  Reading about Blackwater, what the Bush administration has wrought in Iraq, VP Cheney and the darksiders clamoring for military action against Iran can make one feel sort of hopeless about the state of affairs.  Then comes Jonathan Weisman's report and it feels as though all is not lost.  The evil acts of the neocons cannot be undone but Waxman is going to make sure that  they face the harsh glare of testifying before the House Oversight Committee.  \"\"We have to let people know they have someone watching them after six years with no oversight at all,\" said Waxman, 68. \"And we've got a lot of low-hanging fruit to pick.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday, Rice will finally appear. But Waxman (D-Calif.) has not spent the week on a victory lap. He has found time to produce evidence accusing State Department security contractor Blackwater Worldwide of tax evasion, to fire off a letter to Rice demanding information about alleged mismanagement of a $1 billion contract to train Iraqi police, and to hold a hearing on uranium poisoning on Navajo land.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWaxman has become the Bush administration's worst nightmare: a Democrat in the majority with subpoena power and the inclination to overturn rocks. But in Waxman the White House also faces an indefatigable capital veteran -- with a staff renowned for its depth and experience -- who has been waiting for this for 14 years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThese days, the 16-term congressman is always ready with a hearing, a fresh crop of internal administration e-mails or a new explosive report. And he has more than two dozen investigations underway, on such issues as the politicization of the entire federal government, formaldehyde in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers, global warming, and safety concerns about the diabetes drug Avandia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"A Lot of Low-Hanging Fruit\""},{"content":" *October, so far, has been been mostly dry. The fires raging 400 miles south of us are due to the dryness and the Santa Ana winds. Here in the north there are areas where conditions spell fire danger and, even without the Santa Ana winds, wild fires could cause a lot of damage.The temperature remains benign. At times it feels like summer. Common to see runners out in shorts but the leaves of gingko treets on the street make it clear that fall is here. Almost overnight they changed color from green to gold.Gingko Trees, early Autumn©MusafirLast saturday (the 20th) was not only warm and sunny, it was crystal clear. Half Moon Bay sparkled. The pumpkin patches did booming business and cars were backed up on Highway 92 all the way to Junipero Serra Freeway seven miles away.Riders on the beach at Half Moon Bay©MusafirDistant view of Pillar Point from south of Half Moon Bay©MusafirYesterday, during a hike at Phleger Estate the preserve was cool and green. The creek, however, was bone dry. Phleger Estate can be reached from Skyline (Highway 35) as well as Huddert Park in Woodside. We take the Crystal Springs Trail from Raymundo Dr,Woodside, avoiding the main entrance.Trail junction at Phleger Estate©MusafirThe rains will come, leaves will start to fall and then it will begin to feel more like autumn. For those of us who forage for wild mushrooms it will be time to walk through the woods in search of chanterelles. The oyster mushrooms appear only briefly after the rains begin but in this area chanterelles can be found from November through February.*Autumn Haikus Crisp falling leaves crunch deliciously as joggers pound asphalt bike trail --Carol Nation Source: Crisp Autumn HaikuDry cheerful cricket chirping, keeps the autumn gay ... contemptuous of frost--Basho Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-12-27 Hello Musifer, I am the photographer at the Half Moon Bay Review. I am interested in doing a photo essay on local folks who forage for wild mushrooms and came across your blog post. I would love to talk with you about it! Please contact me at the Review if you get this comment. leighann@hmbreview.com\nBest Wishes, Leigh Ann ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/the-seasons-october-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOctober, so far, has been been mostly dry.   The fires raging 400 miles south of us are due to the dryness and the Santa Ana winds.  Here in the north there are areas where conditions spell fire danger and, even without the Santa Ana winds, wild fires could cause a lot of damage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe temperature remains benign.  At times it feels like summer.  Common to see runners out in shorts but the leaves of gingko treets on the street  make it clear that fall is here.  Almost overnight they changed color from green to gold.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eGingko Trees, early Autumn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125018956776081826\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/10/HM Bay and Phleger 013.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast saturday (the 20th) was not only warm and sunny, it was crystal clear.  Half Moon Bay sparkled.   The pumpkin patches did booming business and  cars were  backed up on Highway 92 all the way to  Junipero Serra Freeway seven miles away.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRiders on the beach at Half Moon Bay\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125026391364471250\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/10/HM Bay and Phleger 007.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eDistant view of Pillar Point from south of Half Moon Bay\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125026180911073730\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/10/HM Bay and Phleger 004.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYesterday, during a hike at Phleger Estate the preserve was cool and green.  The creek, however,  was bone dry.   Phleger Estate can be reached from Skyline (Highway 35) as well as Huddert Park in Woodside.  We take the Crystal Springs Trail from Raymundo Dr,Woodside, avoiding the main entrance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTrail junction at Phleger Estate\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125019128574773682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/10/HM Bay and Phleger 012.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe rains will come, leaves will start to fall and then it will begin to feel more like autumn. For those of us who forage for wild mushrooms it will be time to walk through the woods in search of chanterelles.  The oyster mushrooms appear only briefly after the rains begin but in this area  chanterelles can be found from November through February.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAutumn Haikus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Crisp falling leaves crunch\u003cbr/\u003e deliciously as joggers\u003cbr/\u003e pound asphalt bike trail \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Carol Nation \u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://community-2.webtv.net/NeonCarnation/CrispAutumnHaiku/\"\u003eCrisp Autumn Haiku\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDry cheerful cricket\u003cbr/\u003e chirping, keeps the autumn gay ...\u003cbr/\u003e contemptuous of frost\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Basho \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-12-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHello Musifer, \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI am the photographer at the Half Moon Bay Review. I am interested in doing a photo essay on local folks who forage for wild mushrooms and came across your blog post. I would love to talk with you about it! Please contact me at the Review if you get this comment. leighann@hmbreview.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBest Wishes, \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLeigh Ann\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Seasons:  October 2007"},{"content":" *Candidates 'jonesing' for Evangelical Vote * Hillary Clinton and IranInteresting word, jonesing. Jacques Berlinerblau wrote in the Post:Factor in that more than half a dozen Republicans are all jonesing, hard, for the Evangelical vote and you have the strange specter of a once massively influential constituency that is about to neutralize itself into electoral irrelevance.What on earth did he mean by 'jonesing'. A query in Google provided the answer in no time at all. September 24, 2003, issue of The Word Detective contains the following:\"Jonesing\" certainly does exist, but the sense in which you were using \"jones\" as a verb meaning \"to crave, to desire strongly\" is a broadening and softening of what was originally a very grim term. When \"jones\" first appeared in African-American slang in the early 1960s, it was as a noun meaning \"a drug addiction, especially to heroin.\"So, the evangelicals are desperately seeking someone worthy of their support. Time is running out. Either they will have to scale down their expectation and fall behind one of the candidates or a candidate will see the light and be all things to the evangelicals. Such things have happened.Clinton Reassures the WarmongersBomb Iran ? Hillary Clinton went on record to prove.....what ? That she has cojones or that she stands ready to cater to the dark side. The Washington Post Oct.15, 2007Last month, Clinton was one of 75 senators who voted for a resolution giving the president the authority to call the guards terrorists. She has characterized the vote as a way to gain leverage for U.S. negotiations with Iran, but some of her rivals, including Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama, argue it amounted to giving Bush another blank check to go to war.Currently, she is at the head of the pack. Too bad. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/on-the-road-to-2008-evangelicals-looking-for-a-candidate/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCandidates 'jonesing' for Evangelical Vote * Hillary Clinton and Iran\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInteresting word, jonesing.  Jacques Berlinerblau wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/georgetown/2007/10/is_the_evangelical_vote_irrele.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFactor in that more than half a dozen Republicans are all jonesing, \u003cem\u003ehard\u003c/em\u003e, for the Evangelical vote and you have the strange specter of a once massively influential constituency that is about to \u003cem\u003eneutralize itself \u003c/em\u003einto electoral irrelevance.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat on earth did he mean by 'jonesing'.  A query in Google provided the answer in no time at all.  September 24, 2003, issue of \u003ca href=\"http://www.word-detective.com/092403.html\"\u003eThe Word Detective\u003c/a\u003e contains the following:\u003ca href=\"http://www.word-detective.com/092403.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Jonesing\" certainly does exist, but the sense in which you were using \"jones\"      as a verb meaning \"to crave, to desire strongly\" is a broadening and      softening of what was originally a very grim term.  When \"jones\" first      appeared in African-American slang in the early 1960s, it was as a noun      meaning \"a drug addiction, especially to heroin.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo, the evangelicals are desperately seeking someone worthy of their support.  Time is running out. Either they will have to scale down their expectation and fall behind one of the candidates or a candidate will see the light and be all things to the evangelicals. Such things have happened.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClinton Reassures the Warmongers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBomb Iran ?  Hillary Clinton went on record to prove.....what ?   That she has cojones or that she stands ready to cater to the dark side. \u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/14/AR2007101400860.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e Oct.15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast month, Clinton was one of 75 senators who voted for a resolution giving the president the authority to call the guards terrorists. She has characterized the vote as a way to gain leverage for U.S. negotiations with Iran, but some of her rivals, including Edwards and \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000167/\" target=\"\"\u003eSen. Barack Obama\u003c/a\u003e, argue it amounted to giving Bush another blank check to go to war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrently, she is at the head of the pack.  Too bad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: Evangelicals Looking For a Candidate"},{"content":" *And the Man in The White HouseDirty tricks and help from certain justices of the Supreme Court decided the presidential election of 2000. Now, 7 years later, majority of Americans are likely to be on the side of Al Gore, winner of popular votes, who was robbed of victory. All of us who voted for him were robbed too. So, it is time for us to rejoice because of what our former vice president Al Gore has achieved.Just listening to them talk makes it clear what a loss it was for the country when the 2000 election was hijacked.The man in the white house cannot speak coherently even with assist from teleprompter.He is disliked abroad........except in Albania.He has involved the nation in an unjustified war that has resulted in deaths of close to four thousand American soldiers and more than a hundred thousand Iraqi civilians.He is responsible for the national debt which has reached epic proportions and will fall on the shoulders of our children and grand children.His much vaunted tax cuts were designed to make the rich richer at the expense of those at lower rungs.He has arrogantly disregarded the Geneva Convention; set up facilities abroad to torture prisonersHe promotes bigotry by supporting aims and objectives of conservative Christian groups.British author Harold Pinter won the 2005 Nobel Prize for literature. In his acceptance speech he spoke about Bush's war.The invasion of Iraq was a bandit act, an act of blatant state terrorism, demonstrating absolute contempt for the concept of international law. The invasion was an arbitrary military action inspired by a series of lies upon lies and gross manipulation of the media and therefore of the public; an act intended to consolidate American military and economic control of the Middle East masquerading - as a last resort - all other justifications having failed to justify themselves - as liberation. A formidable assertion of military force responsible for the death and mutilation of thousands and thousands of innocent people.We have brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, innumerable acts of random murder, misery, degradation and death to the Iraqi people and call it 'bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East'.Then there is Albert A. Gore, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Eloquent, knowledgeable. Respected and liked at home and abroad. His popularity is growing here even among people who are not fully in agreement with his role in the global warming debate. He looks comfortable in his own skin and goes to bed with a clear conscience. While scientists disagree about some of his views on global warming and climate change, there is overwhelming evidence to support most of them.If President Bush has a conscience he does not show it. He appears to be oblivious of the mess he has created in Iraq. He talks about making money on the lecture circuit after his term is over. Imagine paying to listen to Bushspeak!The sooner he goes on the lecture circuit the better for America. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/the-man-who-was-elected-president-in-2000/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAnd the Man in The White House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDirty tricks and  help from certain justices of the Supreme Court decided the presidential election of 2000.  Now, 7 years later, majority of Americans are likely to be on the side of Al Gore, winner of popular votes, who was robbed of victory.  All of us who voted for him were robbed too. So, it is time for us to rejoice because of what our former vice president Al Gore has achieved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJust listening to them talk makes it clear what a loss it was for the country when the 2000 election was hijacked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe man in the white house cannot speak coherently even with assist from teleprompter.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe is disliked abroad........except in Albania.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe has involved the nation in an unjustified war that has resulted in deaths of close to four thousand American soldiers and more than a hundred thousand Iraqi civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe is responsible for the national debt which has reached epic proportions and will fall on the shoulders of our children and grand children.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHis much vaunted tax cuts were designed to make the rich richer at the expense of those at lower rungs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe has arrogantly disregarded the Geneva Convention;  set up facilities abroad to torture prisoners\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe promotes bigotry by supporting aims and objectives of conservative Christian groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eBritish author \u003ca href=\"http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2005/pinter-lecture-e.html\"\u003eHarold Pinter\u003c/a\u003e won the 2005 Nobel Prize for literature.  In his acceptance speech he spoke about Bush's war.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe invasion of Iraq was a bandit act, an act of blatant state terrorism, demonstrating absolute contempt for the concept of international law. The invasion was an arbitrary military action inspired by a series of lies upon lies and gross manipulation of the media and therefore of the public; an act intended to consolidate American military and economic control of the Middle East masquerading - as a last resort - all other justifications having failed to justify themselves - as liberation. A formidable assertion of military force responsible for the death and mutilation of thousands and thousands of innocent people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe have brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, innumerable acts of random murder, misery, degradation and death to the Iraqi people and call it 'bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen there is Albert A. Gore, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize  jointly with UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).   Eloquent, knowledgeable.  Respected and liked at home and abroad.  His popularity is growing here even among people who are not fully in agreement with his role in the global warming debate.   He looks comfortable in his own skin and goes to bed with a clear conscience.  While scientists disagree about some of his views on global warming and climate change, there is overwhelming evidence to support most of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf President Bush has a conscience he does not show it.  He appears to be oblivious of the mess he has created in Iraq.  He talks about making money on the lecture circuit after his term is over. Imagine paying to listen to \u003ca href=\"http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms.htm\"\u003eBushspeak\u003c/a\u003e!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-03081551056109766 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-07274389606809123 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca class=\"abp-objtab-08970216007312702 visible ontop\" href=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" title=\"Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cembed align=\"middle\" allowscriptaccess=\"sameDomain\" bgcolor=\"#000000\" embed=\"\" height=\"255\" name=\"BackwardsBush\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" quality=\"high\" src=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"300\" wmode=\"transparent\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe sooner he goes on the lecture circuit the better for America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Man Who Was Elected President in 2000"},{"content":" *According to an article by Laurie Goldstein in The NY Times, cracks have appeared in the power bloc that played a major role in putting G.W. Bush twice in the White House.NY Times - October 7, 2007What unites them right now is their dismay — even panic — at the idea of Rudolph W. Giuliani as the Republican nominee, because of his support for abortion rights and gay rights, as well as what they regard as a troubling history of marital infidelity. But what to do about it is where they again diverge, with some religious conservatives last week threatening to bolt to a third party if Mr. Giuliani gets the nomination, and others arguing that this is the sure road to defeat.The Religious Right or Value Voters became power drunk; their leaders had easy access to the White House. They began to flex their muscle by sponsoring legislations against abortion rights, teaching of evolution, and for display of religious symbols in public buildings. They not only had the president in their corner, the shifting of balance in the Supreme Court assured them of support from the conservative justices.With just above twelve months before the 2008 election the situation is quite different, and how! Scandals and changing dynamics, especially the impact of the war in Iraq, resulted in loss of support for them and for their champion in the White House. A good example of \"What goes up must come down\" (© Karma Lyrics, Alicia Keys). There is panic among the Religious Right. Although its most aggressive followers are evangelical Christians, Catholic clergy, too, joined them in previous elections and urged the faithful not to support candidates who were pro-choice. Now, as positions of 2008 candidates are beginning to be known, there is no one who fully meets the aims and expectations of the Christian groups. Politicians are adept at doing somersaults and experiencing sudden epiphanies when it comes to election campaigns. While it will not work if one of the campaigning Democrats becomes an Armageddonist, Republican candidates could be thinking about it. If he can pull it off, one of them will. McCain has already shown his flexbility on matters religious.See John McCain, Semi-Baptist. Giuliani, currently at the head of the pack, could wake up one morning and declare himself a Born Again Christian and retreat from his position on women's right to choose. That and an immersion might make him acceptable. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/on-the-road-to-2008-the-religious-right-or-value-voters/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to an article by Laurie Goldstein in The NY Times, cracks have appeared in the power bloc that played a major role in putting G.W. Bush twice in the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/weekinreview/07goodstein.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e - October 7, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat unites them right now is their dismay — even panic — at the idea of \u003ca href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/rudolph_w_giuliani/index.html?inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More articles about Rudolph W. Giuliani.\"\u003eRudolph W. Giuliani\u003c/a\u003e as the Republican nominee, because of his support for abortion rights and gay rights, as well as what they regard as a troubling history of marital infidelity. But what to do about it is where they again diverge, with some religious conservatives last week threatening to bolt to a third party if Mr. Giuliani gets the nomination, and others arguing that this is the sure road to defeat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Religious Right or Value Voters became power drunk; their leaders had easy access to the White House.  They began to flex their muscle by sponsoring legislations against abortion rights, teaching of evolution, and for display of religious symbols in public buildings.  They not only had the president in their corner, the shifting of balance in the Supreme Court assured them of  support from the conservative justices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith just above twelve months before the 2008 election the situation is quite different, and how!  Scandals and changing dynamics, especially the impact of the war in Iraq, resulted in loss of support for them and for their champion in the White House. A good example of \"What goes up must come down\" (© Karma Lyrics, Alicia Keys).  There is panic among the  Religious Right.  Although  its most aggressive followers are evangelical Christians, Catholic clergy, too, joined them in previous elections and urged the faithful not to support candidates who were pro-choice.   Now, as positions of 2008 candidates are beginning to be known, there is no one who fully meets the aims and expectations of the Christian groups.  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoliticians are adept at doing somersaults and experiencing sudden epiphanies when it comes to election campaigns.   While it will not work if one of the campaigning Democrats becomes an Armageddonist, Republican  candidates could be thinking about it.   If he can pull it off, one of them will.  McCain has already shown his flexbility on matters religious.See \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2007_09/012085.php\"\u003eJohn McCain, Semi-Baptist\u003c/a\u003e.     Giuliani, currently at the head of the pack, could wake up one morning and declare himself a Born Again Christian and retreat from his position on women's right to choose. That and an immersion might make him acceptable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008:  The Religious Right or 'Value Voters'"},{"content":" * On Sunday morning when the talking heads do their thing on the networks, I do my surfing on the Internet. Follow pretty much the same route: The Washington Post, NY Times, The Guardian/Observer (UK), LA Times; and, occasionally, The Chicago Tribune and Christian Science Monitor.\"Every week one Texan soldier dies in Iraq and 10 are wounded. Gary Younge reports on how war is affecting Bush's home state\"Reading Gary Younge in The Guardian -- A week in the War in Texas, October 6, 2007, I was struck by the following:\"Over at Camp Casey, less than a mile from the Peace House, Carl Rising-Moore is out of jail and back holding the fort. \"So long as George W Bush is coming to Texas, I plan to live either here or in jail,\" he says. \"I don't know whether I'm delusional - that's possible - but my dream is that the American people wake up out of their slumber. And if they wake up in time, they can save the republic.\"And, with that, he headed out, in the searing heat of late afternoon, to \"take back\" the ditch in the name of peace and the republic.More power to Carl Rising-Moore. Yes, the neocons are plotting nefarious scenarios of more deaths, destructions, and profit for them and their friends. But people are beginning to question their policies and the harm they have done. The voice of Carl Rising-Moore counts. *The Brits,too, were conned into the war by former prime minister Tony Blair. Among comments about Blackwater by Guardian readers I found this:\"The Iraq adventure is the most flagrant violation to democratic rules and basic human relations. Of course it has to do with oil, and of course it has to do with keeping competitors away from it but that does not justify the loss of our most priced values, that is what make us different from the Mafiosi; when we need milk, we do not breach into the nearest grocery store, kill the owner and its family and take the milk, that is what civilization is all about. Now they want to destroy Iran to preserve some kind of hegemony but they do not see that the world sees what is happening, maybe they will succeed in bombing this time but in the long run the consequences may not be as bright. Blackwater and their abominable actions is just an aberration of democracy, yes, thanks to privatization the administration can commit their crimes without having to report to congress, but the world is watching. No one can stand above justice forever, Stalin could not do it, Hitler could not do it..junior will never make it!\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/taking-back-the-republic-one-ditch-at-a-time/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Sunday morning when the talking heads do their thing on the networks, I do my surfing on the Internet.  Follow pretty much the same route:  The Washington Post, NY Times, The Guardian/Observer (UK), LA Times; and,  occasionally, The Chicago Tribune and  Christian Science Monitor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Every week one Texan soldier dies in Iraq and 10 are wounded. Gary Younge reports on how war is affecting Bush's home state\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading Gary Younge in The Guardian -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2183277,00.html\"\u003eA week in the War in Texas\u003c/a\u003e, October 6, 2007, I was struck by the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Over at Camp Casey, less than a mile from the Peace House, Carl Rising-Moore is out of jail and back holding the fort. \"So long as George W Bush is coming to Texas, I plan to live either here or in jail,\" he says. \"I don't know whether I'm delusional - that's possible - but my dream is that the American people wake up out of their slumber. And if they wake up in time, they can save the republic.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd, with that, he headed out, in the searing heat of late afternoon, to \"take back\" the ditch in the name of peace and the republic.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore power to Carl Rising-Moore.  Yes, the neocons are plotting nefarious scenarios of more deaths, destructions, and profit for them and their friends.  But people are beginning to question their policies and the harm they have done.  The voice of Carl Rising-Moore counts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Brits,too, were conned into the war by former prime minister Tony Blair. Among comments about \u003ca href=\"http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/daniel_baer/2007/10/immorality_of_blackwater.html#comment-851373\"\u003eBlackwater\u003c/a\u003e  by Guardian readers  I found this:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The Iraq adventure is the most flagrant violation to democratic rules and basic human relations. Of course it has to do with oil, and of course it has to do with keeping competitors away from it but that does not justify the loss of our most priced values, that is what make us different from the Mafiosi; when we need milk, we do not breach into the nearest grocery store, kill the owner and its family and take the milk, that is what civilization is all about. Now they want to destroy Iran to preserve some kind of hegemony but they do not see that the world sees what is happening, maybe they will succeed in bombing this time but in the long run the consequences may not be as bright. Blackwater and their abominable actions is just an aberration of democracy, yes, thanks to privatization the administration can commit their crimes without having to report to congress, but the world is watching. No one can stand above justice forever, Stalin could not do it, Hitler could not do it..junior will never make it!\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Taking Back the Republic  \"One ditch at a time\""},{"content":" *Since the shootings by employees of Blackwater USA, a private securities firm under contract to the U.S. Department of State, and deaths of Iraqi civilians on September 16th at Nisoor Square, there have been hundreds of reports about what took place. Iraqi witnesses claim that Blackwater guards indiscriminately fired at people in the square; Blackwater USA maintains that its employees shot only after being attacked.The article by Sudarsan Raghavan in today's Post is the best account I have read about the carnage at Nisoor Square and its impact on Iraqis, especially those who lost their family members on that day in September.Excerpts: Washington Post 10-4-2007The victims were as young as 11 and as old as 55, according to hospital records. They were middle class and poor. They included college students, day laborers and professionals vital to rebuilding Iraq. There was a mother and her daughter. The daughter lived. There was a taxi driver, only 25, who was the sole provider for his parents and seven siblings. He died.Blackwater guards say they were ambushed and shot at by Iraqi policemen and civilians. Ten eyewitnesses and Iraqi police officials insisted in interviews that the guards opened fire in the square, unprovoked, and continued shooting even as civilians fled for their lives. Hospital records show 14 dead and 18 injured, a toll higher than most previous official tallies.The carnage has sparked outrage and demands to reform the private contractor industry. Almost three weeks later, the collective memory of Iraqis at the scene is raw.\"It was catastrophic. So many innocent people were killed,\" recalled Zina Fadhil, 21, a pharmacist. That day, she huddled in fear inside her store about 100 yards from the square as Blackwater helicopters hovered above. Like other eyewitnesses, she said she saw Blackwater guards firing down from the helicopters, an allegation the security firm denies.\"I am a peaceful person, but I wished I could have shot those people in the helicopters,\" Fadhil continued, her soft voice rising.Not one of the victims or family members interviewed had been aware that Blackwater was immune to prosecution in Iraq under an order by U.S. administrators after the 2003 invasion.\"Why is the blood of Iraqis so free for everyone to spill?\" asked Sahib Nasr, the father of one of the victims. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/10/deaths-at-nisoor-square-baghdad/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSince the shootings by employees of \u003ca href=\"http://liberallymirth.wordpress.com/2007/06/06/blackwater-securities-modern-day-praetorian-guards/\"\u003eBlackwater USA\u003c/a\u003e, a private securities firm under contract to the U.S. Department of State, and deaths of Iraqi civilians on September 16th at Nisoor Square, there have been hundreds of reports about what took place.  Iraqi witnesses claim that Blackwater guards indiscriminately fired at people in the square; Blackwater USA maintains that its  employees shot only after being attacked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe article by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/03/AR2007100302646.html\"\u003eSudarsan Raghavan\u003c/a\u003e in today's Post is  the  best account  I have read about the carnage at Nisoor Square and its impact on Iraqis, especially those who lost their family members on that day in September.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/03/AR2007100302646.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e 10-4-2007\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe victims were as young as 11 and as old as 55, according to hospital records. They were middle class and poor. They included college students, day laborers and professionals vital to rebuilding Iraq. There was a mother and her daughter. The daughter lived. There was a taxi driver, only 25, who was the sole provider for his parents and seven siblings. He died.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlackwater guards say they were ambushed and shot at by Iraqi policemen and civilians. Ten eyewitnesses and Iraqi police officials insisted in interviews that the guards opened fire in the square, unprovoked, and continued shooting even as civilians fled for their lives. Hospital records show 14 dead and 18 injured, a toll higher than most previous official tallies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe carnage has sparked outrage and demands to reform the private contractor industry. Almost three weeks later, the collective memory of Iraqis at the scene is raw.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It was catastrophic. So many innocent people were killed,\" recalled Zina Fadhil, 21, a pharmacist. That day, she huddled in fear inside her store about 100 yards from the square as Blackwater helicopters hovered above. Like other eyewitnesses, she said she saw Blackwater guards firing down from the helicopters, an allegation the security firm denies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I am a peaceful person, but I wished I could have shot those people in the helicopters,\" Fadhil continued, her soft voice rising.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot one of the victims or family members interviewed had been aware that Blackwater was immune to prosecution in Iraq under an order by U.S. administrators after the 2003 invasion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Why is the blood of Iraqis so free for everyone to spill?\" asked Sahib Nasr, the father of one of the victims.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Deaths at Nisoor Square, Baghdad"},{"content":" *Do Catholics practice birth control? Yes, many of them do and I don't mean the rhythm method advocated by the Catholic Church, described by some as Russian Roulette. Even in Italy the Vatican's edicts about birth control are not heeded by many.The numbers reported in the web site of Catholicsforchoice.org make it clear that on this issue there is a wide chasm between lay Catholics and the robed officials in the Vatican. Either the officials wilfully disregard the facts or they are completely out of touch. Their position is intractable to the degree that they do not condone use of condoms even as deterrents against the spread of HIV-AIDS.Source: www.benettontalk.comThe old men, who rule over what Catholics may or may not do in terms of the very private matter of sexual relations, remain impervious despite being rocked by numerous scandals involving priests who were exposed of involvement in both hetero and homosexual liaisons, including pedophilia.Our president is a staunch advocate of abstention. His position is one of expediency to gain support of the so called conservative Christian groups.LA Weekly News - June 24, 2004Published on June 16 in the Federal Register, the censorious new CDC guidelines will be mandatory for any organization that does HIV-prevention work and also receives federal funds — whether or not any federal money is directly spent on their programs designed to fight the spread of the epidemic. (The CDC is the principal federal funder of prevention education about HIV and AIDS, and its head a Bush appointee). It’s all couched in arcane bureaucratese, but this is the Bush administration’s Big Stick — do exactly as we say, or lose your federal funding. And nearly all of the some 3,800 AIDS service organizations (ASOs) that do the bulk of HIV-prevention education receive at least part of their budget from federal dollars. Without that money, they’d have to slash programs or even close their doors.These new regs require the censoring of any “content” — including “pamphlets, brochures, fliers, curricula,” “audiovisual materials” and “pictorials (for example, posters and similar educational materials using photographs, slides, drawings or paintings),” as well as “advertising” and Web-based info. They require all such “content” to eliminate anything even vaguely “sexually suggestive” or “obscene” — like teaching how to use a condom correctly by putting it on a dildo, or even a cucumber. And they demand that all such materials include information on the “lack of effectiveness of condom use” in preventing the spread of HIV and other STDs — in other words, the Bush administration wants AIDS fighters to tell people: Condoms don’t work. This demented exigency flies in the face of every competent medical body’s judgment that, in the absence of an HIV-preventing vaccine, the condom is the single most effective tool available to protect someone from getting or spreading the AIDS virus.It was. therefore, a pleasant surprise to read that the president's daughter, Jenna, in her newly published book \"Ana's Story\" wrote about the positive role of condoms in preventing HIV/AIDS.Washington Post - Sept.29, 2007She's undaunted by questions touching on the politics of AIDS. She praises her father's overseas initiatives while noting that \"the Clinton Foundation is doing amazing work in Africa and in Latin America\" as well.\"Ana's Story\" features a UNICEF-compiled list of \"Ten Myths About HIV/AIDS.\" No. 6 reads, \"Condoms don't protect you from HIV.\"\"A pretty obvious myth,\" Bush says. \"Everybody knows that condoms prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.\"She loses no opportunity to lavish praise on UNICEF and those who work there. But she deflects a question about the Bush administration's combative relationship with the United Nations as a whole.\"I'm not my dad,\" she says. \"I can tell you that UNICEF is doing incredible work.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/condoms-and-catholics-condoms-and-bush-administration/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDo Catholics  practice birth control?  Yes, many of them do and I don't mean the rhythm method advocated by the Catholic Church, described by some as Russian Roulette.  Even in Italy the Vatican's edicts about birth control are not heeded by many.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe numbers reported in the web site of  \u003ca href=\"http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/reform/documents/2006catholicsandchoice.pdf\"\u003eCatholicsforchoice.org\u003c/a\u003e   make it clear that on this issue there is a wide chasm between lay Catholics and the robed officials in the Vatican.  Either the officials wilfully disregard the facts or they are completely out of touch.   Their position is intractable to the degree that they do not condone use of condoms even as  deterrents against the spread of HIV-AIDS.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116045417180039570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Condoms II.jpg\"/\u003eSource: www.benettontalk.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe old men, who rule over what Catholics may or may not do in terms of the very private matter of sexual relations, remain impervious despite being rocked by numerous scandals involving priests who were exposed of  involvement in both hetero and homosexual liaisons, including pedophilia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOur president is a staunch advocate of abstention.  His position is one of expediency to gain support of the so called conservative Christian groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/condom-wars/1581/\"\u003eLA Weekly News \u003c/a\u003e- June 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePublished on June 16 in the Federal Register, the censorious new CDC guidelines will be mandatory for any organization that does HIV-prevention work and also receives federal funds — whether or not any federal money is directly spent on their programs designed to fight the spread of the epidemic. (The CDC is the principal federal funder of prevention education about HIV and AIDS, and its head a Bush appointee). It’s all couched in arcane bureaucratese, but this is the Bush administration’s Big Stick — do exactly as we say, or lose your federal funding. And nearly all of the some 3,800 AIDS service organizations (ASOs) that do the bulk of HIV-prevention education receive at least part of their budget from federal dollars. Without that money, they’d have to slash programs or even close their doors.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThese new regs require the censoring of any “content” — including “pamphlets, brochures, fliers, curricula,” “audiovisual materials” and “pictorials (for example, posters and similar educational materials using photographs, slides, drawings or paintings),” as well as “advertising” and Web-based info. They require all such “content” to eliminate anything even vaguely “sexually suggestive” or “obscene” — like teaching how to use a condom correctly by putting it on a dildo, or even a cucumber. And they demand that all such materials include information on the “lack of effectiveness of condom use” in preventing the spread of HIV and other STDs — in other words, the Bush administration wants AIDS fighters to tell people: Condoms don’t work. This demented exigency flies in the face of every competent medical body’s judgment that, in the absence of an HIV-preventing vaccine, the condom is the single most effective tool available to protect someone from getting or spreading the AIDS virus.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIt was. therefore, a pleasant surprise to read that the president's daughter, Jenna, in her newly published book \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061379086/Anas_Story/index.aspx\"\u003eAna's Story\u003c/a\u003e\" wrote about the positive role of condoms in preventing HIV/AIDS.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801989_5.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e - Sept.29, 2007\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe's undaunted by questions touching on the politics of AIDS. She praises her father's overseas initiatives while noting that \"the Clinton Foundation is doing amazing work in Africa and in Latin America\" as well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Ana's Story\" features a UNICEF-compiled list of \"Ten Myths About HIV/AIDS.\" No. 6 reads, \"Condoms don't protect you from HIV.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A pretty obvious myth,\" Bush says. \"Everybody knows that condoms prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe loses no opportunity to lavish praise on UNICEF and those who work there. But she deflects a question about the Bush administration's combative relationship with the United Nations as a whole.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm not my dad,\" she says. \"I can tell you that UNICEF is doing incredible work.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Condoms and Catholics, Condoms and Bush Administration"},{"content":" *It was a good summer; it was a very good summer.ImagesSunflower - Carmel Valley, CA. 9/16/07© MusafirDancing on the grass - TomatoFest, Carmel Valley,CA. 9/16/07© MusafirThey got rhythm© MusafirVisitors from Australia at Golden Gate Bridge© MusafirFarmers' Market, Mountain View, CA.© MusafirFarmers' Market, Mountain View, CA.© MusafirSand, Sea, Runner with a Dog© MusafirWalkers on the beach, Pajaro Dunes, CA.© MusafirSunset over the Pacific© Musafir*End of SummerJust an uncommon lull in the trafficso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,with his brusque sweep brusque sweep of the sidewalk,and the slap shut of a too thin rental van,and I told him no a gust has snatched from a conversationand brought to you, loud. It would be so differentif any of these were missing is the feelingyou always have on the first day of autumn,no, the first day you think of autumn, when somehowthe sun singling out high windows,a waiter settling a billow of white clothwith glasses and silver, and the sparrowsshattering to nowhere are the Summerwaving that here is where it turnsand will no longer be walking with you,traveller, who now leave all of this behind,carrying only what it has made of you.Already the crowds seem darker and more hurriedand the slang grows stranger and stranger,and you do not understand what you love,yet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,is the world again, wide-eyed as a childholding up a toy even you can fix. How light your stepdown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,October, small November, barely legible December.--James Richardson © The New Yorker Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-09-29 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/the-seasons-end-of-another-summer/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIt was a good summer;  it was a very good summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImages\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSunflower - Carmel Valley, CA. 9/16/07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112046638848689570\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 017.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDancing on the grass - TomatoFest, Carmel Valley,CA. 9/16/07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111263831411867058\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 021.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey got rhythm\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111263264476183954\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 020.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVisitors from Australia at Golden Gate Bridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113442775141600546\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/GG Bridge.bmp\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFarmers' Market, Mountain View, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112045178559808898\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 011.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFarmers' Market, Mountain View, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113077599842225410\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 014.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSand, Sea, Runner with a Dog\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113094010912263442\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 004.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWalkers on the beach, Pajaro Dunes, CA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112044624509027682\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 002.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunset over the Pacific\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112045642416276882\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Canon S3 006.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnd of Summer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust an uncommon lull in the traffic\u003cbr/\u003eso you hear some guy in an apron, sleeves rolled up,\u003cbr/\u003ewith his brusque sweep brusque sweep of the sidewalk,\u003cbr/\u003eand the slap shut of a too thin rental van,\u003cbr/\u003eand I told him no a gust has snatched from a conversation\u003cbr/\u003eand brought to you, loud.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003eIt would be so different\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eif any of these were missing is the feeling\u003cbr/\u003eyou always have on the first day of autumn,\u003cbr/\u003eno, the first day you think of autumn, when somehow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ethe sun singling out high windows,\u003cbr/\u003ea waiter settling a billow of white cloth\u003cbr/\u003ewith glasses and silver, and the sparrows\u003cbr/\u003eshattering to nowhere are the Summer\u003cbr/\u003ewaving that here is where it turns\u003cbr/\u003eand will no longer be walking with you,\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003etraveller, who now leave all of this behind,\u003cbr/\u003ecarrying only what it has made of you.\u003cbr/\u003eAlready the crowds seem darker and more hurried\u003cbr/\u003eand the slang grows stranger and stranger,\u003cbr/\u003eand you do not understand what you love,\u003cbr/\u003eyet here, rounding a corner in mild sunset,\u003cbr/\u003eis the world again, wide-eyed as a child\u003cbr/\u003eholding up a toy even you can fix.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003eHow light your step\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003edown the narrowing avenue to the cross streets,\u003cbr/\u003eOctober, small November, barely legible December.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--James Richardson © \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2007/09/03/070903po_poem_richardson\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-09-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Seasons: End of Another Summer"},{"content":" *Tinkling in the White HouseSo far in this month of September 49 American soldiers have died in Iraq.Dan Froomkin writes in the Washington Post about \"Bush's Battlefield Envy\".President Bush wishes that he could be alongside the troops in Iraq -- except that he's too old.At least that's what he reportedly told a blogger embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq. In the first session of its kind, Bush spent almost an hour on Friday talking with 10 so-called \"milbloggers,\" including two who participated by video conference from a military base outside Baghdad.What next! But more than the president's words what struck me were the comments posted by the \"mil bloggers\".Ward Carroll of military.com wrote that Bush \"grew very emotional as he made a linkage between his father's service in World War II and the fact that Japan is now an ally and then said, 'I've had meetings with the prime minister of the country he fought.' He actually teared up as he said that.\"\" CJ,\" an active-duty soldier and blogger, wrote: \"Being right next to him, I caught a single tear attempt to roll down his left cheek before he casually wiped it away.\"Matthew Burden, a former Army officer who blogs under the name Blackfive, wrote: \"The President was very intelligent, razor sharp, warm, focused, emotional (especially about his dad), and genuine.\"Overall, Burden wrote: \"[I]t was very cool. The President of the United States slapped my hand and called me \"brutha\". Top that.\"\" Mrs. Greyhawk\" of the Mudville Gazette wrote: \"It was history in the making. This alone was awe-inspiring and I did have to concentrate hard to keep from having an idiotic grin on my face thru out the meeting, especially since we were all discussing serious issues.\"Unfortunately, I did not get to say much since the President gave very long but thought provoking answers to the important questions given him [by] others.\"Mrs. Greyhawk added another highlight: \"I tinkled in the Whitehouse.\"No, we cannot top that; shouldn't even try. But there is veteran reporter Helen Thomas to bring us down to earth.Washington PostIn a June 14 briefing, Hearst columnist Helen Thomas asked press secretary Tony Snow if there were \"any members of the Bush family or this administration in this war?\"Snow's response: \"Yes, the President. The President is in the war every day.\"Thomas said she meant \"on the front lines.\"Snow replied: \"The President.\"Ya Habibi! Think how valiantly G.W. Bush served during the Vietnam war. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-09-19 We needed GWB during vietnam when he went AWOL. I think this site is crapola. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-09-19 \"......this site is crapola\". That is a matter of opinion. The comments above give the impression that the\nwriter does not like President Bush.\nNeither does the blogger. Read it again....slowly from the beginning. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-09-22 Following from today's NY Times very aptly describes President Bush:\nhttp://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/confronting-our-siberian-dilemma-in-asia-and-elsewhere/\nSeptember 22nd,\n2007\n7:28 am\nIt seems that the actions of Mr.Bush as president are consistent with his actions in the military. He is AWOL.\n— Posted by Pete ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/bloggers-for-bush---treacly-stuff/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTinkling in the White House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo far in this month of September 49 American soldiers have died in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/09/17/BL2007091700952_2.html\"\u003eDan Froomkin\u003c/a\u003e writes in the Washington Post about \"Bush's Battlefield Envy\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePresident Bush wishes that he could be alongside the troops in Iraq -- except that he's too old.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAt least that's what he reportedly told a blogger embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq. In the first session of its kind, Bush spent almost an hour on Friday talking with 10 so-called \"milbloggers,\" including two who participated by video conference from a military base outside Baghdad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eWhat next!  But more than the president's words what struck me were the comments posted by the  \"mil bloggers\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWard Carroll of military.com wrote that Bush \"grew very emotional as he made a linkage between his father's service in World War II and the fact that Japan is now an ally and then said, 'I've had meetings with the prime minister of the country he fought.' He actually teared up as he said that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\" CJ,\" an active-duty soldier and blogger, wrote: \"Being right next to him, I caught a single tear attempt to roll down his left cheek before he casually wiped it away.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew Burden, a former Army officer who blogs under the name Blackfive, wrote: \"The President was very intelligent, razor sharp, warm, focused, emotional (especially about his dad), and genuine.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOverall, Burden wrote: \"[I]t was very cool. The President of the United States slapped my hand and called me \"brutha\". Top that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\" Mrs. Greyhawk\" of the Mudville Gazette wrote: \"It was history in the making. This alone was awe-inspiring and I did have to concentrate hard to keep from having an idiotic grin on my face thru out the meeting, especially since we were all discussing serious issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Unfortunately, I did not get to say much since the President gave very long but thought provoking answers to the important questions given him [by] others.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMrs. Greyhawk added another highlight: \"I tinkled in the Whitehouse.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, we cannot top that; shouldn't even try.  But there is veteran reporter Helen Thomas to bring us down to earth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/09/17/BL2007091700952_2.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn a June 14 briefing, Hearst columnist Helen Thomas asked press secretary Tony Snow if there were \"any members of the Bush family or this administration in this war?\"Snow's response: \"Yes, the President. The President is in the war every day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThomas said she meant \"on the front lines.\"Snow replied: \"The President.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYa Habibi!  Think how valiantly G.W. Bush served during the Vietnam war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-09-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWe needed GWB during vietnam when he went AWOL.  I think this site is crapola.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-09-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\"......this site is crapola\".  That is a matter of opinion.  The comments above give the impression that the\u003cbr\u003ewriter does not like President Bush.\u003cbr\u003eNeither does the blogger.  Read it again....slowly from the beginning.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-09-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eFollowing from today's NY Times very aptly describes President Bush:\u003cbr\u003ehttp://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/confronting-our-siberian-dilemma-in-asia-and-elsewhere/\u003cbr\u003e September 22nd,\u003cbr\u003e2007\u003cbr\u003e7:28 am\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt seems that the actions of Mr.Bush as president are consistent with his actions in the military. He is AWOL.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e— Posted by Pete\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Bloggers for Bush -  Treacly Stuff"},{"content":" *Wonders never cease. We, who were ridiculed for saying that the primary reason for the war in Iraq was Iraqi oil, now have a big gun on our side. No less a person than Alan Greenspan, former Oracle of the Fed, writes in his memoir \"The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World\" 'I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.'This is not going to be music to the ears of families of soldiers who died in Iraq and to soldiers who are suffering from injuries. Of course, some will continue to delude themselves and swallow the hokum from those who took the nation to war. *Another FatwaTwo years after Islamic nations went on a rampage over the Danish cartoons, Muslims are after Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks for insulting the prophet. The cartoons appeared in Nerikes Allehanda on 18th August. A fatwa has been issued. Hard to believe that majority of Muslims support the extremists who go on rampage, ready to kill for little or no reason. The Swedish government is bending over backward to appease them. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/alan-greenspan-joins-rank-of-iraq-war-critics/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWonders never cease.  We, who were ridiculed for saying that the primary reason for the war in Iraq was  Iraqi oil,  now have a big gun on our side.  No less a person than  \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2170237,00.html\"\u003eAlan Greenspan\u003c/a\u003e, former Oracle of the Fed, writes in his memoir  \"The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e 'I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.'\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThis is not going to be music to the ears of families  of  soldiers who died in Iraq and to soldiers who are suffering from injuries.  Of course, some will continue to delude themselves and swallow the hokum from those who took the nation to war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eAnother Fatwa\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTwo years after Islamic nations went on a rampage over the Danish cartoons,  Muslims are after Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks for insulting the prophet.  The cartoons appeared in Nerikes Allehanda on 18th August.  A fatwa has been issued.  Hard to believe that majority of Muslims support the extremists who go on rampage, ready to kill for little or no reason.  The Swedish government is bending over backward to appease them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Alan Greenspan Joins Rank of Iraq War Critics"},{"content":" *AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE (Mister In-Between) (Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen) You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-BetweenThe song made famous by Bing Crosby. Source: Lyrics Collection That is what the president and his team are doing. By now the whole world is aware of what the thrust of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker's report to the Joint Session of the Armed Services and International Relations Committees on Monday, September 10th, will be. There is not much they can say to to buttress the president's position. The Bush team went on full scale containment effort when the GAO (U.S. Government Accounting Office) report released last week made it clear that the situation in Iraq cannot be whitewashed by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.Democratic Senator Joseph Biden's statement today, reported by NY Times, repeats what has been known for some time: “This president has no plan how to win and/or how to leave,” said Mr. Biden, before whose committee General Petraeus and Mr. Crocker will testify on Tuesday. He accused Mr. Bush of putting American troops “into the middle of a civil war to maintain the status quo,” adding, “that is unconscionable, and he’s wrong.”In recent days it began to feel as though among the Democrats some erstwhile critics of the president's war were ready to roll over. Senator Biden's remarks indicate that President Bush and the Republicans will have few, if any, converts.“This is the president’s war,” he said. “Unless we get 67 votes to override his veto, there’s nothing we can do to stop this war, but we must, we must, we must protect these troops.”The Republicans' hope is to be able to protract the war until 2008 when the new president will have to deal with the mess and the current incumbent of the White House, in his own words, will be busy giving speeches to \"replenish the ol' coffers\". Outwardly, Republican presidential contenders are mostly pro-Bush, pro-war. If they are unhappy about the prospect they are not going to talk in public about it. A group of men ready to inherit the mess for the sake of being president. If a Democratic contender, man or a woman, wins the presidency, expect a sea change as the Republican hawks become critics of the war and begin to talk about casualties.For now the White House PR machine is in full blast accentuating the positive. Their problem is that the negatives cast an overwhelmingly larger shadow over the president's pet war. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/iraq---accentuate-the-positive/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eAC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE (Mister In-Between)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e (Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e You've got to accentuate the positive\u003cbr/\u003e Eliminate the negative\u003cbr/\u003e Latch on to the affirmative\u003cbr/\u003e Don't mess with Mister In-Between\u003ca href=\"http://www.mathematik.uni-ulm.de/paul/lyrics/bingcrosby/accent%7E1.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe song made famous by Bing Crosby.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.mathematik.uni-ulm.de/paul/lyrics/bingcrosby/accent%7E1.html\"\u003eLyrics Collection\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat  is what the president and his team are doing.  By now the whole world is aware of what the thrust of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker's  report to the Joint Session of the Armed Services and International Relations Committees on Monday, September 10th, will be.  There is not much they can say to  to buttress the president's position.  The Bush team went on full scale containment effort when the \u003ca href=\"http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/featured/oif.html\"\u003eGAO\u003c/a\u003e (U.S. Government Accounting Office) report released last week made it clear that the situation in Iraq cannot be whitewashed by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic Senator Joseph Biden's statement today, reported by \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/washington/09cnd-policy.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e, repeats what has been known for some time: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“This president has no plan how to win and/or how to leave,” said Mr. Biden, before whose committee General Petraeus and Mr. Crocker will testify on Tuesday. He accused Mr. Bush of putting American troops “into the middle of a civil war to maintain the status quo,” adding, “that is unconscionable, and he’s wrong.”\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIn recent days it began to feel as though among the Democrats some erstwhile critics of the president's war were ready to roll over. Senator Biden's remarks indicate that President Bush and the Republicans will have few, if any,  converts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“This is the president’s war,” he said. “Unless we get 67 votes to override his veto, there’s nothing we can do to stop this war, but we must, we must, we must protect these troops.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThe Republicans' hope is to be able to protract the war until 2008 when the new president will have to deal with the mess and the current incumbent of the White House, in his own words,  will be busy giving speeches to \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/sep/08/bush-contemplates-his-post-presidency/\"\u003ereplenish the ol' coffers\u003c/a\u003e\". Outwardly, Republican presidential contenders are mostly pro-Bush, pro-war.  If they are unhappy about the prospect they are not going to talk in public about it.  A group of men ready to inherit the mess for the sake of being president. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf a Democratic contender, man or a woman, wins the presidency, expect a sea change as the Republican hawks become critics of the war and begin to talk about casualties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor now the White House PR machine is in full blast accentuating the positive.  Their problem is that the negatives cast an overwhelmingly larger shadow over the president's pet war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq - \"Accentuate the Positive\""},{"content":" *A gray morning. The dull, hazy sky is partly the result of forest fires that began earlier in the week in south Santa Clara Valley. Day time temperature lower than the level it was during most of the Labor Day weekend. It never fails; I think of the hot days in August and September as summer's parting kick.In mid-August the annual week at the coast turned out to be unusually pleasant. The sun showed up every morning and the temperature remained below 80° F (27° C).Beach House at Pajaro Dunes©MusafirSunset over the Pacific I©MusafirSunset over the Pacific II©MusafirWhat I am going to miss are the luscious tomatoes.....and the figs. But in a few months the wild mushrooms will begin to emerge in the forests.Figs for lunchPhoto credit: Xerones (Flicker) © Observer/GuardianRoast figs with Marsala and brown sugarNigel Slater Observer, August 5, 2007Dark-skinned figs, warm from the oven with a drizzle of cream is one of the most sensuous of summer desserts. Effortless to make and to eat, they are best served straight from the oven. Lucky those with their own fig tree. I have used both sweet and dry Marsala for this before now. Serves 4. 8 figs (maybe more if they are small)a wine glass of sweet Marsalaa little brown sugarcream to serve Set the oven at 200°C/gas mark 6 (apprx. 330° F). Cut the stalks from the figs and slice a deep cross into each fruit, going about halfway down. Press each fruit around its middle so that it opens up like a flower (or a baby bird in its nest yelling for food). You can cut them in half if you prefer. Place the figs in a baking dish, sprinkle over the wine and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the fruit is meltingly tender and the edges have started to caramelise. If they haven't browned nicely then pop them under a hot grill for a minute. Serve the fruit, pouring the pan juices over as you go and a drizzle of cream*I use honey instead of brown sugar and a few sprigs of lavender in the baking dish.Time to think of Fall\"Leaves fell, she watched them drop off, curl down and lodge in a bed of grass, still heavy with moisture, they were falling all around her, simple and unceremonious; for a month or two at least, a cool and lovely autumn.\"--Edna O'Brien, August Is A Wicked Month ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/the-seasons-september-2007/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA gray morning.  The dull, hazy sky is partly the result of forest fires that began earlier in the week in south Santa Clara Valley.  Day time temperature lower than the level it was during most of the Labor Day weekend.  It never fails; I think of the hot days in August and September as summer's parting kick.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn mid-August the annual week at the coast turned out to be unusually pleasant.  The sun showed up every morning and the temperature remained below 80° F (27° C).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBeach House at Pajaro Dunes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Week at Pajaro Dunes 024.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunset over the Pacific I\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Week at Pajaro Dunes 071.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ca deselectbloggerimagegracefully=\"\" e=\"\" href=\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLavnowTR_p7bCQXV9FVhFnNICLWOl1bLFiIY5B8cZ9B_R4he0lR5nN01JEb5wSUNnAJht4w_oTQvsyweqmsP7AWnEN-0uHrxa8N3uD_yNwwuIzrH1zPv_ETNFZnGLe5FGDrfU/s1600-h/Week+at+Pajaro+Dunes+072.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eSunset over the Pacific II\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Week at Pajaro Dunes 072.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat I am going to miss are the luscious tomatoes.....and the figs.  But in a few months the wild mushrooms will begin to emerge in the forests.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFigs for lunch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/09/Figs II.jpg\"/\u003ePhoto credit: Xerones (Flicker)  © Observer/Guardian\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRoast figs with Marsala and brown sugar\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNigel Slater \u003cbr/\u003eObserver, August 5, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDark-skinned figs, warm from the oven with a drizzle of cream is one of the most sensuous of summer desserts. Effortless to make and to eat, they are best served straight from the oven. Lucky those with their own fig tree. I have used both sweet and dry Marsala for this before now. Serves 4. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e8 figs (maybe more if they are small)\u003cbr/\u003ea wine glass of sweet Marsala\u003cbr/\u003ea little brown sugar\u003cbr/\u003ecream to serve\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eSet the oven at 200°C/gas mark 6 (apprx. 330° F). Cut the stalks from the figs and slice a deep cross into each fruit, going about halfway down. Press each fruit around its middle so that it opens up like a flower (or a baby bird in its nest yelling for food). You can cut them in half if you prefer. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlace the figs in a baking dish, sprinkle over the wine and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the fruit is meltingly tender and the edges have started to caramelise. If they haven't browned nicely then pop them under a hot grill for a minute. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eServe the fruit, pouring the pan juices over as you go and a drizzle of cream\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI use honey instead of brown sugar and a few sprigs of lavender  in the baking dish.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTime to think of Fall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Leaves fell, she watched them drop off, curl down and lodge in a bed of grass, still heavy with moisture, they were falling all around her, simple and unceremonious;  for a month or two at least, a cool and lovely autumn.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Edna O'Brien, August Is A Wicked Month\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: September  2007"},{"content":" *General Pervez Musharraf, the wily president of Pakistan, is in turbulent waters, his power diminished by his failed attempt to muzzle the Supreme Court. His role as America's ally in the war against terror has suffered setbacks. Now, with the impending return of exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, and reports about byzantine negotiations between the factions involved the situation is murky. Musharraf might yet succeed in remaining as president but only by conceding ground. And which party -- Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party or Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League -- will emerge on top ? Pakistan's powerful militant Islamic groups are not going to be silent spectators as the events unfold.Corruption was rampant during both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif's premiership. Between 1988 and 1999 both Bhutto and Sharif had served twice as prime minister. Under the constitution they are prohibited from serving a third term. They have made no secret of the fact that they will seek a constitutional amendment.The General's support has eroded among the people of Pakistan. Pakistanis are restless and want change. Records of the years when Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif ruled Pakistan give little hope for expecting a clean, democratic government. And the army would be loath to relinquish the power sharing agreement with General Musharraf. In worst case scenario, martial law could again be declared and make it possible for a military-mullah coalition to take control. Should that come to pass, it would be difficult for America to justify supporting the regime. But history is full of instances of strange bedfellows embraced by America purely for selfish reasons. What our government says often has little resemblance with what it does. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/09/pakistan---twilight-for-the-general/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGeneral Pervez Musharraf, the wily president of Pakistan, is in turbulent waters, his power diminished by his failed attempt to muzzle the Supreme Court.  His role as America's ally in the war against terror has suffered setbacks.  Now, with the impending return of exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, and reports about byzantine negotiations between the factions involved the situation is murky.  Musharraf might yet succeed in remaining as president but only by conceding ground.  And which party -- Bhutto's  Pakistan Peoples Party or Sharif's  Pakistan Muslim League -- will emerge on top ? Pakistan's powerful militant Islamic groups are not going to be silent spectators as the events unfold.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCorruption was rampant during both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif's premiership. Between 1988 and 1999 both Bhutto and Sharif had served twice as prime minister.  Under the constitution they are prohibited from serving a third term.   They have made no secret of the fact that they will seek a constitutional amendment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe General's support has eroded among the people of Pakistan.  Pakistanis are restless and want change.  Records  of  the years when Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif ruled Pakistan give little hope for expecting a clean, democratic government.  And the army would be loath to relinquish the power sharing agreement with General Musharraf.  In worst case scenario, martial law could again be declared and make it possible for a military-mullah coalition to  take control.   Should that come to pass, it would be difficult for  America to justify supporting the  regime.   But  history is full of instances of strange bedfellows embraced by America  purely for selfish reasons.  What our government says often has little resemblance with what it does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Pakistan - Twilight for the General"},{"content":" *A report dated August 27, 2007, in Roll Call, the Capitol Hill Newspaper, stated: \"Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom but Says He Did Nothing Wrong.\" The incident took place on June 11, 2007.That was about Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho. If it were not for their public positions about moral values one could feel sorry for people like Senator Craig. It must be difficult to repress your sexual feelings and present a sham facade in public. They froth at the mouth talking about evils of free sexuality. And the more strongly they denounce homosexuality, women's right to choose, and sex between unmarried couples, deeper the hole they dig for themselves. But they keep on doing it. Against gay rights, against abortion (women's right to choose); against sex education (teaching of the use of condoms) in schools, against availability of the Morning After Pill (Plan B) without prescription to women over the age of 18, and a leading Republican gets caught soliciting sex in a public restroom! Bunch of hypocrites. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/senator-larry-craig---another-two-faced-republican-exposed/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report dated August 27, 2007, in \u003ca href=\"http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/19764-1.html\"\u003eRoll Call\u003c/a\u003e, the Capitol Hill Newspaper, stated: \"Craig Arrested, Pleads Guilty Following Incident in Airport Restroom but Says He Did Nothing Wrong.\"  The incident took place on June 11, 2007.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat was about Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho.  If it were not for their public positions about moral values  one could feel sorry for people like Senator Craig.  It must be difficult to repress your sexual feelings and present a sham facade in public. They froth at the mouth talking about evils of free sexuality.   And the more strongly they denounce homosexuality, women's right to choose, and sex between unmarried couples, deeper the hole they dig for themselves.  But they keep on doing it. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAgainst gay rights, against abortion (women's right to choose); against sex education (teaching of the use of condoms) in schools, against availability of the Morning After Pill (Plan B) without prescription to women over the age of 18, and a leading Republican gets caught soliciting sex in a public restroom!   Bunch of  hypocrites.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Senator Larry Craig - Another Two-faced Republican Exposed"},{"content":" *Bye bye FreddoEarlier this morning Associated Press reported from Crawford,TX, about expected announcement of the resignation of AG Alberto Gonzalez. It took a while to sink in but President Bush realized that his attorney general's position had become untenable. The AG himself read a short statement a few minutes past 7:30 confirming the report. He didn't take any questions. Later, The President, in his statement, offered high praise for Gonzalez. THE PRESIDENT: This morning, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced that he will leave the Department of Justice, after two and a half years of service to the department. Al Gonzales is a man of integrity, decency and principle. And I have reluctantly accepted his resignation, with great appreciation for the service that he has provided for our country.Who Will be the SuccessorThe nominee for the position will face a quite different Congress than AG Gonzalez did. Much as the president would like to have an attorney general for whom loyalty to him would take first place, that might not happen. The Senate Judicial Committee will not, cannot, rubber-stamp the president's choice. DHS Chief Michael Chertoff's records are far from laudatory. He will be in turbulent waters during the confirmation hearings.Among the names being mentioned as possible candidates is former Missouri senator John Danforth. Danforth had also briefly served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN. While Danforth might be well received by Democrats, for conservative Republicans that very fact would be a black mark against him.The President's VacationUnlike previous years there was no announcement from the White House about books that the president took with him to read during his vacation at Crawford. One can understand that the president has enough on his plate to keep him occupied but the reading list, consisting mostly of weighty tomes, always caused surprise. Maybe the man has hidden depths. Too bad that this summer he is not enlightening his mind with books. Comments Nel Ivancich \u0026mdash; 2007-09-04 Dear Musafir,\nI was looking for Thomas Hardy's poem, \"Waiting Both,\" when I found it w/your name beneath. When I clicked on your name, I discovered this blog. Enjoyed reading your \"musings.\"\nJust got my own blog up and rolling. Still green at it. All best. http://claycarpet.blogspot.com/ ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/ag-gonzalez-and-president-bush-faced-reality/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBye bye Freddo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEarlier this morning  Associated Press reported from Crawford,TX, about expected announcement of the   resignation of AG Alberto Gonzalez.  It took a while to sink in but President Bush realized that his attorney general's position had become untenable.  The AG himself read a short statement a few minutes past 7:30 confirming the report.  He didn't take any questions.   Later, The President, in his \u003ca href=\"http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/.html\"\u003estatement\u003c/a\u003e, offered high praise for Gonzalez.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e THE PRESIDENT: This morning, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced that he will leave the Department of Justice, after two and a half years of service to the department.  Al Gonzales is a man of integrity, decency and principle.  And I have reluctantly accepted his resignation, with great appreciation for the service that he has provided for our country.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho Will be the Successor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe nominee for the position will face a quite different Congress than AG Gonzalez did.  Much as the president would like to have an attorney general for whom loyalty to him would take first place, that might not happen. The Senate Judicial Committee will not, cannot, rubber-stamp the president's choice. DHS  Chief Michael Chertoff's records are far from laudatory.  He will be  in turbulent waters during the confirmation hearings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the names being mentioned as possible candidates is former Missouri senator John Danforth.  Danforth had also briefly served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN.  While Danforth might be well received by Democrats, for conservative Republicans that very fact would be a black mark against him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President's Vacation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnlike previous years there was no announcement from the White House about books that the president took with him to read during his vacation at Crawford.   One can understand that the president has enough on his plate to keep him occupied but the reading list, consisting mostly of weighty tomes,  always caused surprise.  Maybe the man has hidden depths.  Too bad that this summer he is not enlightening his mind with books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNel Ivancich\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-09-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDear Musafir,\u003cbr\u003eI was looking for Thomas Hardy's poem, \"Waiting Both,\" when I found it w/your name beneath.  When I clicked on your name, I discovered this blog.  Enjoyed reading your \"musings.\"\u003cbr\u003eJust got my own blog up and rolling.  Still green at it.  All best.  \u003cbr\u003ehttp://claycarpet.blogspot.com/\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"AG Gonzalez and President Bush Faced Reality"},{"content":" * Despite opposition from White House against the action, the FDA could not withhold approval for sale of Plan B (known as the Morning After Pill) without prescription to women over the age of 18. It was made available as an over-the-counter drug on August 24, 2006. David Crary of Associated Press reported on August 22,2007: In the year since it was approved for over-the-counter sales, the morning-after pill has become a huge commercial success for its manufacturer, but its popularity and solid safety record haven't deterred critics from seeking to overturn the milestone ruling. The pill, marketed by Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. as Plan B, was the focus of bitter debate for three years. After repeated delays, the Food and Drug Administration declared on Aug. 24, 2006 that customers 18 and older should be able to buy it in pharmacies without a prescription. Barr began distributing the over-the-counter version last November, and all national pharmacy chains now stock it. The company projects that sales of Plan B will total about $80 million for 2007, almost double the total for 2006 and up eightfold from 2004, when Barr acquired the product as a prescription-only drug. A clear indication that more and more women believe they should be able to enjoy sex without fear of unwanted pregnancy. The usual suspects, however, are up in arms about over-the-counter availability of Plan B. The Catholic Church and pro-life groups (among them Concerned Women For America) have joined together in attempts to overturn the FDA's ruling. The home page of CWA, based in Washington DC, contains this declaration: \"CWA is built on prayer and action. We are the nation's largest public policy women's organization with a rich 28-year history of helping our members across the country bring Biblical principles into all levels of public policy.\" Well, one would think that women who follow CWA's Biblical principles could simply stay away from Plan B. \"(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"---From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\") ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/morning-after-pill-back-in-the-news/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n * \u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nDespite opposition from White House against the action, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01436.html\"\u003eFDA\u003c/a\u003e could not withhold approval for sale of Plan B (known as the Morning After Pill) without prescription to women over the age of 18. It was made available as an over-the-counter drug on August 24, 2006.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Crary of  \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap//ap_on_he_me/morning_after_pill\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e reported on August 22,2007:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIn the year since it was approved for over-the-counter sales, the morning-after pill has become a huge commercial success for its manufacturer, but its popularity and solid safety record haven't deterred critics from seeking to overturn the milestone ruling.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe pill, marketed by Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. as Plan B, was the focus of bitter debate for three years. After repeated delays, the Food and Drug Administration declared on Aug. 24, 2006 that customers 18 and older should be able to buy it in pharmacies without a prescription.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nBarr began distributing the over-the-counter version last November, and all national pharmacy chains now stock it. The company projects that sales of Plan B will total about $80 million for 2007, almost double the total for 2006 and up eightfold from 2004, when Barr acquired the product as a prescription-only drug.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nA clear indication that more and more women believe they should be able to enjoy sex without fear of unwanted pregnancy.  The usual suspects, however, are up in arms about over-the-counter availability of Plan B.   The Catholic Church  and pro-life groups (among them Concerned Women For America) have joined together  in attempts to overturn the FDA's ruling. The home page of \u003ca href=\"http://www.cwfa.org/about.asp\"\u003eCWA\u003c/a\u003e, based in Washington DC, contains this declaration:\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sectionHead\"\u003e\"CWA is built on prayer and action.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are the nation's largest public policy women's organization with a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cwfa.org/history.asp\"\u003erich 28-year history\u003c/a\u003e of helping our members across the country bring \u003ca href=\"http://www.cwfa.org/coreissues.asp\"\u003eBiblical principles\u003c/a\u003e into all levels of public policy.\"\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWell, one would think that women who follow CWA's  Biblical principles could simply stay away from Plan B.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\n\n\"(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Morning After Pill\" Back in the News"},{"content":" *The presidential contenders on what I think of as the dark side are almost without exception a group of warmongering, bigoted champions of divisiveness, catering to their core supporters. Are their sons and daughters serving in Iraq? Don't ask. In the meantime, from the heartland to the coasts young men and women from ordinary American families are dying every day for the war that Bush-Cheney and the neocons gave us. Karl Rove is gone from the White House but continues to play the same old song. From skewed tax cuts to the war in Iraq and women's right to choose, Republicans' positions are full of distortions and hypocrisy. They are adept in spreading fear. While their personal lives are far from exemplary, Republican politicians wrap themselves in the flag, wave the bible and talk about patriotism, morality and god. They want a victory in Iraq but cannot offer a clear definition of what \"victory\" means to them. They half-heartedly criticize the way the war has been managed but do not question the justification for it. They have decided to ignore the facts that are known about the lies used by the president to take the nation to war. And except for Giuliani they are falling over each other for support of the anti-choice voters. *IraqHow is the president's war going? Fourteen American soldiers died today in a helicopter crash in Northern Iraq, bringing the total to 3722, including 64 this month. Source: iCasualties.orgJonathan Steele in The Guardian:Like Bush, Maliki has become a lame duck. Bush of course can stay in office for another 17 months. Maliki can also stagger on in charge of a minority government, since no other Iraqi seems able or willing to put a different coalition together. And, for all his tough talk about seeing Maliki replaced, Bush is doomed to go on supporting him. A vacuum in Baghdad would look even worse in American voters' eyes. In one sense, the crisis only confirms what has been clear for months. Whoever sits in the Green Zone in nominal charge of Iraq's government has little power or authority beyond its walls. Bush's political project for Iraq looks more fragile than ever. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/on-the-road-to-2008-the-dark-side/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe presidential contenders on what I think of as the dark side are almost without exception a group of warmongering, bigoted champions of divisiveness, catering to their core supporters.   Are their sons and daughters serving in Iraq? Don't ask. In the meantime, from the heartland to the coasts young men and women from ordinary American families are dying every day for the war that Bush-Cheney and the neocons gave us. Karl Rove is gone from the White House but continues to play the same old song.   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eFrom skewed tax cuts to the war in Iraq and women's right to choose, Republicans'  positions are full of distortions and hypocrisy.  They are adept in spreading fear.  While their personal lives are far from exemplary, Republican politicians wrap themselves in the flag, wave the bible and talk about patriotism, morality and god.  They want a victory in Iraq but cannot offer a clear definition of what \"victory\" means to them.  They half-heartedly criticize the way the war has been managed but do not question the justification for it.  They have decided to ignore the facts that are known about the lies used by the president to  take the nation to war.  And except for Giuliani they are falling over each other for support of the anti-choice voters.  \u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow is the president's war going?  Fourteen American soldiers died today in a helicopter crash in Northern Iraq, bringing the total to 3722, including 64 this month. Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Steele in \u003ca href=\"http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/jonathan_steele/2007/08/crisis_in_the_green_zone.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLike Bush, Maliki has become a lame duck. Bush of course can stay in office for another 17 months. Maliki can also stagger on in charge of a minority government, since no other Iraqi seems able or willing to put a different coalition together. And, for all his tough talk about seeing Maliki replaced, Bush is doomed to go on supporting him. A vacuum in Baghdad would look even worse in American voters' eyes. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn one sense, the crisis only confirms what has been clear for months. Whoever sits in the Green Zone in nominal charge of Iraq's government has little power or authority beyond its walls. Bush's political project for Iraq looks more fragile than ever.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: The Dark Side"},{"content":" The DemocratsNo mud slinging....yet. The contenders are doing their thing, jockeying for position, with Senator Hillary Clinton (NY) at the head of the pack followed by Senator Barack Obama (IL). Do they excite you ? Is there one who sounds different than other politicians who have gone through it before them ? To be fair one must face the fact that the process allows them little room for being outside the mainstream. The issues and the voters require the candidates to follow the beaten path.Although she is low on my list I'll vote for Senator Clinton if she wins the nomination. Senator Obama, too, has failed to make much of an impression. Where I'm concerned, it is John Edwards of North Carolina whose voice rises above the din. Yesterday, the presidential contenders appeared at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, for a debate. International Herald Tribune reported:\"How about a little hope and optimism?\" said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, drawing applause from the audience as he sought to inject himself into a long-running foreign policy dispute between Obama and Clinton. \"Where did it go?\" *Twittering MusafirExplored twittering web sites. Full of chatter, most of it just that....chatter. There is need for some people to be able to say things off the top of their heads and twittering sites offer them the platform for doing so. The process is evolving and could be an important part of the world wide web. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-08-21 Sir:\nAgree with your assessment. However, with the way things are currently going, we might have a semi-grisly surprise ending just when you thought no one was looking: Ron Paul.\nyrs ever\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/on-the-road-to-2008/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Democrats\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo mud slinging....yet.  The contenders are doing their thing,  jockeying for position, with Senator Hillary Clinton (NY) at the head of the pack followed by Senator Barack Obama (IL).  Do they excite you ?  Is there one who sounds different than other politicians who have gone through it before them ?  To be fair one must face the fact that the process allows them little room for being outside the mainstream.  The issues and the voters  require the candidates to follow  the  beaten path.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough she is low on my list I'll vote for Senator Clinton if she wins the nomination.  Senator Obama, too, has failed to make much of an impression.   Where I'm concerned, it is John Edwards of North Carolina  whose voice  rises above  the din.  Yesterday, the presidential contenders appeared at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, for a debate. I\u003ca href=\"http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/20/america/dems.php\"\u003enternational Herald Tribune\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"How about a little hope and optimism?\" said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, drawing applause from the audience as he sought to inject himself into a long-running foreign policy dispute between Obama and Clinton. \"Where did it go?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwittering Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eExplored twittering web sites.  Full of chatter, most of it just that....chatter. There is need for some people to be able to say things off the top of their heads and twittering sites offer them the platform for doing so.  The process is evolving and could be an important part of the world wide web.   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-08-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSir:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAgree with your assessment.  However, with the way things are currently going, we might have a semi-grisly surprise ending just when you thought no one was looking:  Ron Paul.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eyrs ever\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008"},{"content":" *Karl Rove * President Bush * Iraq CasualtiesKarl Rove exits center stage. That, however, does not mean that he will quietly settle down somewhere. We are going to hear of him in a new role......perhaps as adviser to one of the Republican presidential contenders. The nefarious, Machiavellian Rove served the president well by capitalizing on divisive issues and orchestrating dirty tricks. Some one like Milt Romney, who seems to like every bad thing that President Bush has done, would be happy to add Rove to his team.As to the president's pet names for Rove, \"Turd Blossom\" is more appropriate by far than \"the architect\".Turd Blossom, according to partisans of Karl Rove and George Bush, is a Texan term for a flower which grows from a pile of cow dung. The term has gained notoriety in the United States as reportedly this is one of President George W. Bush's terms of endearment for his former chief political advisor, Karl Rove. Bush is also reported to call Rove by the nickname ”Boy Genius.“ Few, if any, native Texans would recognize this definition of 'turd blossom.' 'Turd blossom' was used in 1960s Texas high school slang to describe the spreading smell of a fart, or the spreading stain of a loose bowel movement. Neither Rove nor George W. Bush attended high school in Texas, and they may have been unfamiliar with the original use of the word. 'Fart blossom' was a common variant. (Source: Wikipedia) * How many more, Mr. President? Thirtysix (36) American soldiers died in the first 13 days of August. Names confirmed by DOD listed below. Cumulative total 3694. Source: iCasualties.orgTravis S. Bachman, 30, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 01, 2007Cristian Rojas-Gallego, 24, Army Specialist, Aug 02, 2007Eric D. Salinas, 25, Army Specialist, Aug 02, 2007Fernando Santos, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 02, 2007Julian Ingles Rios, 52, Army National Guard Master Sergent, Aug 02, 2007Cristian Vasquez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 02, 2007Jaron D. Holliday, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2007Jason K. Lafleur, 28, Army Corporal, Aug 04, 2007Braden J. Long, 19, Army Specialist, Aug 04, 2007Matthew M. Murchison, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2007Dustin S. Wakeman, 25, Army Sergeant, Aug 04, 2007Joey D. Link, 29, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Aug 05, 2007Blackwell. Justin R., 27, Army Specialist, Aug 05, 2007Jeremy S. Bohannon, 18, Army Private, Aug 05, 2007Charles E. Leonard Jr., 29, Army Specialist, Aug 05, 2007Juan M. Alcantara, 22, Army Corporal, Aug 06, 2007Nicholas A. Gummersall, 23, Army Sergeant, Aug 06, 2007Kareem R. Khan, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2007Christopher T. Neiberger, 22, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2007Jacob M. Thompson, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 06, 2007Reynold Armand, 21, Marine Corporal, Aug 07, 2007Jon E. Bonnell Jr., 22, Marine Sergeant, Aug 07, 2007Donald M. Young, 0, Army Specialist, Aug 08, 2007Joan J. Duran, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 10, 2007William L. Edwards, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 11, 2007Justin Penrod, 24, Army Specialist, Aug 11, 2007©iCasualties.org * “I find war detestable but those who praise it without participating in it even more so”---Romain Rolland ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/karl-rove---the-architect-or-turd-blossom/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eKarl Rove * President Bush * Iraq Casualties\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eKarl Rove exits center stage.  That, however, does not mean that he will quietly settle down somewhere. We are going to hear of him in a new role......perhaps as adviser to one of the Republican presidential contenders.  The nefarious, Machiavellian  Rove  served the  president well by capitalizing on divisive issues and orchestrating dirty tricks.  Some one like Milt Romney, who seems to like every bad thing that President Bush has done,  would be happy to add Rove to his team.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs to the president's pet names for Rove, \"Turd Blossom\" is more appropriate by far than \"the architect\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eTurd Blossom\u003c/b\u003e, according to partisans of Karl Rove and George Bush, is a Texan term for a flower which grows from a pile of cow dung. The term has gained notoriety in the United States as reportedly this is one of President George W. Bush's terms of endearment for his former chief political advisor, Karl Rove. Bush is also reported to call Rove by the nickname ”Boy Genius.“\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFew, if any, native Texans would recognize this definition of 'turd blossom.' 'Turd blossom' was used in 1960s Texas high school slang to describe the spreading smell of a fart, or the spreading stain of a loose bowel movement. Neither Rove nor George W. Bush attended high school in Texas, and they may have been unfamiliar with the original use of the word. 'Fart blossom' was a common variant.\u003cspan title=\"This claim needs references to reliable sources since April 2007\"\u003e (Source: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turd_Blossom\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow many more, Mr. President? Thirtysix (36) American soldiers died in the first 13 days of August.  Names confirmed by DOD listed below.   Cumulative total 3694.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bg=\"\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTravis S. Bachman, 30, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCristian Rojas-Gallego, 24, Army Specialist, Aug 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric D. Salinas, 25, Army Specialist, Aug 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eFernando Santos, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJulian Ingles Rios, 52, Army National Guard Master Sergent, Aug 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCristian Vasquez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJaron D. Holliday, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason K. Lafleur, 28, Army Corporal, Aug 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBraden J. Long, 19, Army Specialist, Aug 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew M. Murchison, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDustin S. Wakeman, 25, Army Sergeant, Aug 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoey D. Link, 29, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Aug 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBlackwell. Justin R., 27, Army Specialist, Aug 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy S. Bohannon, 18, Army Private, Aug 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCharles E. Leonard Jr., 29, Army Specialist, Aug 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJuan M. Alcantara, 22, Army Corporal, Aug 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas A. Gummersall, 23, Army Sergeant, Aug 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKareem R. Khan, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher T. Neiberger, 22, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJacob M. Thompson, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eReynold Armand, 21, Marine Corporal, Aug 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJon E. Bonnell Jr., 22, Marine Sergeant, Aug 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDonald M. Young, 0, Army Specialist, Aug 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoan J. Duran, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 10, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam L. Edwards, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJustin Penrod, 24, Army Specialist, Aug 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©iCasualties.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“I find war detestable but those who praise it without participating in it even more so”\u003cbr/\u003e---Romain Rolland\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Karl Rove - The Architect or Turd Blossom ?"},{"content":" *\"August Is A Wicked Month\", the novella by Edna O'Brien caught my eye the other day when I was looking at my collection of books. In the story, Ellen, a Londoner, went south to Provence in search of sun and sex. The blurb on the book jacket reads \"....No writer in English is so good at putting the reader inside the skin of a woman.\" Very true. Some years back I carried the Country Girl Triology by Edna O'brien with me when I traveled to St. Albert (near Edmonton), Canada, to spend a week with friends. My friend, Sumana, and her husband wanted to show me the Canadian Rockies. We drove to Jasper, made our base in a rustic cottage at Maline and spent a few days driving around the area. Very enjoyable. I remembered that Sumana began reading the book and became completely engrossed in it. By the time we returned to St. Albert she had finished the book. I left it with her.Here in the San Francisco Bay area, August is mostly a pleasant month. Sunny days, the daytime temperature usually hovers under 90° degrees Fahrenheit (32° degrees C); the nights are cool. There are hints that we are halfway past summer....the days are getting shorter; the sun rising later in the morning.The Beach House at Pajaro Dunes ©MusafirAugust is when I join JHL and her family for the annual trip to the coast. We spend a week at Pajaro Dunes. The weather there is unpredictable. One cannot be sure of sun and warm weather but that does not prevent us from enjoying ourselves. The beach house where we stay is only about 50 yards from the Pacific. We walk on the beach, run, read, listen to music, bash Bush and the Republicans, have great meals and good wines. All too soon the week passes and we return to the valley with refreshed spirits, ready to face the end of summer. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/passages-august-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"August Is A Wicked Month\", the novella by Edna O'Brien caught my eye the other day when I was looking at my collection of books.  In the story, Ellen, a Londoner, went south to Provence in search of sun and sex.  The blurb on the book jacket reads \"....No writer in English is so good at putting the reader inside the skin of a woman.\"   Very true.  Some years back I  carried the Country Girl Triology by Edna O'brien with me when I traveled to St. Albert  (near Edmonton), Canada, to spend a week with friends.  My friend, Sumana,  and her husband  wanted to show me the Canadian Rockies.  We drove to Jasper, made our base in a rustic cottage at Maline and spent a few days driving around the area.  Very enjoyable. I remembered that Sumana began reading the book and became completely engrossed in it.  By the time we returned to St. Albert she had finished the book.  I left it with her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere in the San Francisco Bay area, August is mostly a pleasant month.  Sunny days, the daytime temperature usually hovers under 90° degrees Fahrenheit (32°  degrees C); the nights are cool.   There are hints that we are halfway past summer....the days are getting shorter;  the sun rising later in the morning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Beach House at Pajaro Dunes\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/08/The Beach House at Pajaro Dunes.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAugust is when I join JHL and her family for the annual trip to the coast.  We spend a week at Pajaro Dunes.  The weather there is unpredictable. One cannot be sure of  sun and  warm weather but that does not prevent us from enjoying ourselves.  The beach house where we stay is only about 50 yards from the Pacific.  We walk on the beach, run, read, listen to music, bash Bush and the Republicans, have great meals and good wines.  All too soon the week passes and we return to the valley with refreshed spirits, ready to face the end of summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Passages:  August 2007"},{"content":" *Politicians know more than others which side their bread is buttered. This became evident when Hillary Clinton vigorously defended taking contributions from lobbyists. She was like a virgin without memory. \"Core principles\", my foot.Covering the Second Annual Kos Convention in Chicago, James Rainey of The Los Angeles Times reported:Clinton said she had to raise money to be competitive and that her 35 years of public service proved she would fight for ordinary Americans. \"I have stayed true to my core principles,\" Clinton said. \"A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans\" such as nurses, teachers and others who need a voice in the halls of government, she added.Then there are lobbyists who are influenced by other special interest groups. The management of AARP, which wields considerable power as representative of elderly Americans, did not take much persuasion to support the president's Prescription Drug Plan which turned out to be a bonanza for the pharmaceutical and health care industries and does very little for Medicare recipients.*\"The interests of business are diametrically opposed to those of the public.\"---Dollars and Votes - How Business Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracyby Dan Clawson, Alan Neustadtl, and Mark WellerTemple University Press, 1998 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/hillary-clinton-and-lobbyists/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePoliticians know more than others which side their bread is buttered.  This became evident when Hillary Clinton vigorously defended taking contributions from lobbyists.  She was like a virgin without memory.  \"Core principles\", my foot.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCovering the Second Annual Kos Convention in Chicago, James Rainey of  \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-na-dems5aug05,1,.story?coll=la-headlines-technology\"\u003eThe Los Angeles Times\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinton said she had to raise money to be competitive and that her 35 years of public service proved she would fight for ordinary Americans. \"I have stayed true to my core principles,\" Clinton said. \"A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans\" such as nurses, teachers and others who need a voice in the halls of government, she added.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen there are lobbyists who are influenced by other special interest groups.  The management of AARP, which wields considerable power as representative of elderly Americans, did not take much persuasion to support the president's Prescription Drug Plan which turned out to be a bonanza for the pharmaceutical and health care industries and does very little for Medicare recipients.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The interests of business are diametrically opposed to those of the public.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e---Dollars and Votes - How Business Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracy\u003cbr/\u003eby Dan Clawson, Alan Neustadtl, and Mark Weller\u003cbr/\u003eTemple University Press, 1998\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Hillary Clinton and Lobbyists"},{"content":" *Rupert Murdoch -- the Rupert Murdoch who owns Fox News Channel which is almost like an extension of the White House press office -- is going to be the new owner of the venerable Wall Street Journal.The WSJ has a great stable of reporters who produce excellent articles about subjects not confined to the economy and financial sector. But the WSJ's editorials have been skewed for years to espouse the cause of the champions of free market. If Fox News Channel could be taken as an example, expect WSJ to tilt further right. The editors will be frothing at the mouth to oppose a national health care plan. Drug price regulation? Sacrilegious.And, about Iraq they will be behind the president 100%. How can they not be? If it is good for the arms merchants and contractors like Kellog, Brown \u0026amp; Root (KBR) then it is good for America......and The Wall Street Journal. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/08/good-news-for-bushies---murdoch-acquires-wsj/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRupert Murdoch -- the Rupert Murdoch who owns Fox News Channel which is almost like an extension of the White House press office -- is going to be the new owner of the venerable Wall Street Journal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe WSJ has a great stable of reporters who produce excellent articles about subjects not confined to the economy and  financial sector.  But the WSJ's editorials have been skewed for years to espouse the cause of the champions of free market.  If  Fox News Channel could be taken as an example, expect WSJ to tilt further right.     The editors will be frothing at the mouth to  oppose  a national health care   plan. Drug price regulation?  Sacrilegious.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd, about Iraq they will be behind the president 100%.  How can they not be?  If it is good for the arms merchants and contractors like \u003ca href=\"http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro\u0026amp;ddlC=31\"\u003eKellog, Brown \u0026amp; Root\u003c/a\u003e (KBR) then it is good for America......and The Wall Street Journal.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Good News for Bushies - Murdoch Acquires WSJ"},{"content":" * Countless articles will appear about the great Swedish film maker, many by people who are far more knowledgeable than I am. As my tribute to Bergman, I decided to republish what I wrote on March 17, 2006. Bach and Bergman, Not Bush and Bombs A grey and wet St. Patrick's Day morning. The weather pundits were right; rain and more rain. Two days before spring solstice, it is unusual weather for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Couldn't escape reading about the president but decided to stay away from him in my blog. He is mentioned but just in passing....in an item about Jessica Simpson, that she dodged an appearance at The White House. I am not familiar with her music but she looked pretty and wholesome in Washington Post. My favorite music: Bach, jazz, and blues. Recently, I watched a movie (Swedish, with sub-titles) that is not only named Saraband, Bach's cello suite is a part of the story and could be heard in the background. Made for Swedish TV, 86-year old Ingmar Bergman returned as director (he was also the author) for this 2005 sequel to his acclaimed 1973 production Scenes From A Marriage. While I wished that the story ended differently, it was a feast. Bergman announced that Saraband was his last appearance as a director. Magnificent.Erland Josephson and Liv Ullmann in Saraband - © Sony Pictures ClassicsJulia Dufvenius and Börje Ahlsted - © Sony Pictures ClassicsIngmar Bergman © Sony Pictures Classics Actors Liv Ullmann Marianne--Lawyer Erland Josephson Johan--Professor Emeritus Borje Ahlstedt Henrik--Professor Julia Dufvenius Karin--Cellist I am listening to Bach's Concerto in C Minor, Allegro, Band III. An old LP titled Two Concertos For Two Harpischords \u0026amp; Orchestra. George Malcolm and Simon Preston conducted by Yehudi Menhuin. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/ingmar-bergman-1918-2007---a-giant-passes-away/","summary":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCountless articles will appear about the great Swedish film maker, many by people who are far more knowledgeable than I am.    As my tribute to Bergman, I decided to republish what I wrote on March 17,  2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch2\u003e Bach and Bergman, Not Bush and Bombs\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA grey and wet St. Patrick's Day morning. The weather pundits were right; rain and more rain. Two days before spring solstice, it is unusual weather for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Couldn't escape reading about the president but decided to stay away from him in my blog. He is mentioned but just in passing....in an item about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/16/AR2006031602308_2.html\"\u003eJessica Simpson, \u003c/a\u003ethat she dodged an appearance at The White House. I am not familiar with her music but she looked pretty and wholesome in Washington Post. My favorite music: Bach, jazz, and blues. Recently, I watched a movie (Swedish, with sub-titles) that is not only named Saraband, Bach's cello suite is a part of the story and could be heard in the background. Made for Swedish TV, 86-year old Ingmar Bergman returned as director (he was also the author) for this 2005 sequel to his acclaimed 1973 production \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070644/\"\u003eScenes From A Marriage\u003c/a\u003e. While I wished that the story ended differently, it was a feast. Bergman announced that Saraband was his last appearance as a director. Magnificent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Liv UllmannII.jpg\"/\u003eErland Josephson and Liv Ullmann in Saraband - © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/julia_dufvenius5.jpg\"/\u003eJulia Dufvenius and Börje Ahlsted - © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Ingmar Bergman III.0.jpg\"/\u003eIngmar Bergman © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ctable width=\"100%\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca name=\"Actors\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eActors\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800024091\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eLiv Ullmann\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eMarianne--Lawyer\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800014005\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eErland Josephson\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eJohan--Professor Emeritus\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800022569\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eBorje Ahlstedt\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eHenrik--Professor\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1808432045\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eJulia Dufvenius\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eKarin--Cellist\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/table\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eI am listening to Bach's Concerto in C Minor, Allegro, Band III. An old LP titled Two Concertos For Two Harpischords \u0026amp; Orchestra. George Malcolm and Simon Preston conducted by Yehudi Menhuin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) - A Giant Passes Away"},{"content":" *How does it feel to meet a friend after 38 years? We had been exchanging Christmas greetings and e-mail. On a few occasions we talked on the phone. My friend, Pat, visited Los Angeles a few years ago but I couldn't go there. I was excited about meeting her when she informed me of her plan to visit San Francisco.It is a long way from Calcutta (Kolkata), India, to Perth, West Australia. That is where Pat and her family moved to in 1969. Pat is traveling with a woman friend who lives in Melbourne, Australia. All of us worked together at one time.JHL and I met them in San Francisco on Sunday and took them to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a warm, sunny afternoon. Sail boats dotted the bay. The bridge, as it often happens, was partially shrouded in fog. A breath-taking sight nevertheless for tourists as well as the natives. And they were there in droves. The walkway was crowded with people. Runners on the walkway reminded me of times when I had done that. Then we drove down to Sausalito for lunch at Paradise Cove. In no time at all the intervening years disappeared.We plan to make a trip south to Monterey Bay and Carmel before they take off for Toronto.Returning to the blogosphere after an absence of four days I see that nothing has changed. Majority of Americans are still against continuation of the president's war despite a barrage of warnings about al-Qaeda. The commander-in-chief, of course, is sticking to his position. The good news, if one can call it that, is that so far in July the number of casualties in Iraq -- both civilian and military -- is lower than in previous months. But the month is not over.And the sanctimonious David Vitter, Republican senator from Louisiana, is back. Argh! * Listening to Blues By Muddy Waters: Track 16 - I Be Bound to Write to YouSecond Guitar: Charles Berrry, The Plantation Recordings, The Historical 1941-1942 Library of Congress Field Recordings by Alan Lomax ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/the-tour-guide-returns-to-rant-against-the-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow does it feel to meet a friend after 38 years?  We had been exchanging Christmas greetings and e-mail.  On a few occasions we talked on the phone.  My friend, Pat, visited Los Angeles a few years ago but I couldn't go there.  I was excited about meeting her when she informed me of her plan to visit San Francisco.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a long way from Calcutta (Kolkata), India, to Perth, West Australia.  That is where Pat and her family moved to in 1969.  Pat is traveling with a woman friend who lives in Melbourne, Australia.  All of us worked together at one time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJHL and I met them in San Francisco on Sunday and  took them to the Golden Gate Bridge.  It was a warm, sunny afternoon.  Sail boats dotted the bay.  The bridge, as it often happens, was partially shrouded in fog.  A breath-taking sight nevertheless for tourists as well as the natives.  And they were there in droves.  The walkway was crowded with people.  Runners on the walkway reminded me of times when I had done that. Then we drove down to Sausalito for lunch at Paradise Cove.  In no time at all the intervening years disappeared.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe plan to make a trip south to Monterey Bay and Carmel before they take off for Toronto.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReturning to the blogosphere after an absence of four days I see that nothing has changed.  Majority of Americans are still against continuation of the president's war despite a barrage of warnings about  al-Qaeda.  The commander-in-chief, of course, is sticking to his position.  The good news, if one can call it that, is that so far in July the number of casualties in Iraq -- both civilian and military -- is lower than in previous months.  But the month is not over.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the sanctimonious David Vitter, Republican senator from Louisiana, is back.  Argh!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to Blues By Muddy Waters:  Track 16 -  I Be Bound to Write to You\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSecond Guitar: Charles Berrry, The Plantation Recordings, The Historical  1941-1942 Library of Congress Field Recordings   by  Alan Lomax\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Tour Guide Returns to Rant Against the War"},{"content":" *And In the domestic front, the Bushies have found the enemy By ruling against President Musharraf in the case about constitutionality of the sacking of chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Pakistan's supreme Court sent a clear signal. It is, of course, a major defeat for General Musharraf who wants to continue military rule in Pakistan. Our government is a strong backer of Musharraf because of his role in the fight against terror. When it comes to such things we pay lip service to democracy and rights of the people. Nothing new about that. * Many of us have been saying the same thing but Keith Olbermann of MSNBC does it better. His scathing indictment of the president and his cohorts in Countdown should be a must read for all who oppose what they have done in Iraq.Excerpts:Go to Iraq and fight, Mr. PresidentIt is one of the great, dark, evil lessons, of history.A country — a government — a military machine — can screw up a war seven ways to Sunday. It can get thousands of its people killed. It can risk the safety of its citizens. It can destroy the fabric of its nation.But as long as it can identify a scapegoat, it can regain or even gain power.The Bush administration has opened this Pandora’s Box about Iraq. It has found its scapegoats: Hillary Clinton and us. * The lies and terror tactics with which it deluded this country into war — they had nothing to do with the abomination that Iraq has become. It isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault.The selection of the wrong war, in the wrong time, in the wrong place — the most disastrous geopolitical tactic since Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia in 1914 and destroyed itself in the process — that had nothing to do with the overwhelming crisis Iraq has become. It isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault. * The continuing, relentless, remorseless, corrupt and cynical insistence that this conflict somehow is defeating or containing or just engaging the people who attacked us on 9/11, the total “Alice Through the Looking Glass” quality that ignores that in Iraq, we have made the world safer for al-Qaida — it isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault! * Sen. Clinton has been sent — and someone has leaked to The Associated Press — a letter, sent in reply to hers asking if there exists an actual plan for evacuating U.S. troops from Iraq.This extraordinary document was written by an undersecretary of defense named Eric Edelman.“Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq,” Edelman writes, “reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia.” * And now Mr. Bush, you have picked out your own Jefferson Davis, your own Dreyfus, your own “profiteer” — your own scapegoat.Not for the sake of this country.Not for the sake of Iraq.Not even for the sake of your own political party.But for the sake of your own personal place in history. * You have set this government at war against its own people and then blamed those very people when they say, “Enough.” * This, sir, is your war.Sen. Clinton has reinforced enemy propaganda? Made it impossible for you to get your ego-driven, blood-steeped win in Iraq?Then take it into your own hands, Mr. Bush.Go to Baghdad now and fulfill, finally, your military service obligations.Go there and fight, your war. Yourself. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/defeat-for-general-musharraf/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eAnd In the domestic front, the Bushies have found the enemy\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBy ruling against President Musharraf in the case about constitutionality of the sacking of chief justice \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/.stm\"\u003eIftikhar Chaudhry\u003c/a\u003e, Pakistan's supreme Court sent a clear signal. It is, of course, a major defeat for General Musharraf who wants to continue military rule in Pakistan.  Our government is a strong backer of Musharraf because of his role in the fight against terror.  When it comes to such things we pay lip service to democracy and rights of the people. Nothing new about that.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMany of us have been saying the same thing but Keith Olbermann of \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id//\"\u003eMSNBC\u003c/a\u003e  does it better.  His scathing indictment of the president and his cohorts in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id//\"\u003eCountdown\u003c/a\u003e should be a must read for all who oppose what they have done in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGo to Iraq and fight, Mr. President\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is one of the great, dark, evil lessons, of history.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA country — a government — a military machine — can screw up a war seven ways to Sunday. It can get thousands of its people killed. It can risk the safety of its citizens. It can destroy the fabric of its nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut as long as it can identify a scapegoat, it can regain or even gain power.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration has opened this Pandora’s Box about Iraq. It has found its scapegoats: Hillary Clinton and us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe lies and terror tactics with which it deluded this country into war — they had nothing to do with the abomination that Iraq has become. It isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe selection of the wrong war, in the wrong time, in the wrong place — the most disastrous geopolitical tactic since Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia in 1914 and destroyed itself in the process — that had nothing to do with the overwhelming crisis Iraq has become. It isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe continuing, relentless, remorseless, corrupt and cynical insistence that this conflict somehow is defeating or containing or just engaging the people who attacked us on 9/11, the total “Alice Through the Looking Glass” quality that ignores that in Iraq, we have made the world safer for al-Qaida — it isn’t Mr. Bush’s fault!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. Clinton has been sent — and someone has leaked to The Associated Press — a letter, sent in reply to hers asking if there exists an actual plan for evacuating U.S. troops from Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis extraordinary document was written by an undersecretary of defense named Eric Edelman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq,” Edelman writes, “reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd now Mr. Bush, you have picked out your own Jefferson Davis, your own Dreyfus, your own “profiteer” — your own scapegoat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot for the sake of this country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot for the sake of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot even for the sake of your own political party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut for the sake of your own personal place in history.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou have set this government at war against its own people and then blamed those very people when they say, “Enough.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis, sir, is your war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. Clinton has reinforced enemy propaganda? Made it impossible for you to get your ego-driven, blood-steeped win in Iraq?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen take it into your own hands, Mr. Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGo to Baghdad now and fulfill, finally, your military service obligations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGo there and fight, your war. Yourself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Defeat for General Musharraf"},{"content":" *The juju men are at it again. Their empire is crumbling. The president's support is ebbing away even among his hardcore followers. So the masters of dirty tricks brought out the cash cows -- 9/11 and threat of terrorism -- to recoup lost grounds. Time is running out and they are desperate. The rhetoric has changed. The bravado is missing. No more \"Bring them on\" (President Bush July 2, 2003) and \"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\" (VP Cheney June 20, 2005). Now they are ratcheting up the fear factor; if we don't fight them there (in Iraq) we'll be fighting them here in America.The ploy worked in the past and paid them dividends. Following the president's press conference on July 12th, neocons are coming out of the woodworks to stress the threat from al-Qaeda, specifically al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iraq exposed the neocons' lies. It is in Iraq where more than 3900 of our soldiers have lost their lives; many more thousands injured. It is in Iraq that our money is going down a dark hole, billions of it.All of a sudden there are reports from various sources about al-Qaeda's growing strength and plans to hit us in America. The usual suspects have joined in the campaign. Despite all that is known about the lies and deceptions used to take the nation to war some Americans still believe in them, and they will buy it. Maybe it will give the neocons time to cook up something to buttress their position. There is nothing new about the fact that Islamic fundos want to harm America. It is also conceivable that the neocons are hoping for something to happen. There is a strong smell of orchestration in the recent warnings about threats of terrorist attacks. Before they go out kicking and screaming at the end of the Bush presidency they will do everything possible to muzzle dissent and sabotage the growing opposition to their pet war. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/alarms-and-diversions-they-are-coming-they-are-coming/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe juju men are at it again.  Their empire is crumbling. The president's support is ebbing away even among his hardcore followers. So the masters of dirty tricks brought out the cash cows -- 9/11 and threat of terrorism -- to recoup lost grounds. Time is running out and they are desperate.  The rhetoric has changed.  The bravado is missing.  No more \"Bring them on\" (\u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/.htm\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e July 2, 2003) and \"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\"  (\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/\"\u003eVP Cheney\u003c/a\u003e June 20, 2005).  Now they are ratcheting up the fear factor;  if we don't fight them there (in Iraq) we'll be fighting them here in America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe ploy worked in the past and paid them dividends.  Following the president's press conference on July 12th, neocons are coming out of the woodworks to stress the threat from al-Qaeda, specifically al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iraq exposed the neocons' lies.  It is in Iraq where more than \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/Cumulative.aspx\"\u003e3900\u003c/a\u003e of  our soldiers have lost their lives;  many more thousands injured.  It is in Iraq that our money is going down a dark hole, billions of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAll of a sudden there are reports from various sources about al-Qaeda's growing strength and plans to hit us in America. The usual suspects have joined in the campaign. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite all that is known about the lies and deceptions used to take the nation to war some Americans still believe in them, and they will buy it.  Maybe it will give the neocons time to cook up something to buttress their position.   There is nothing new about the fact that Islamic fundos want to harm America.  It is also conceivable that the neocons are hoping for something to happen.  There is a strong smell of orchestration in the recent warnings about threats of terrorist attacks. Before they go out kicking and screaming at the end of the Bush presidency they will do everything possible to muzzle dissent and sabotage the growing opposition to their pet war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Alarms and Diversions:  They are coming, they are coming"},{"content":" *A Great Summer Movie on Video - House of AngelsIt never fails. One morning you wake up and think where did the days go. Almost a month past the beginning of summer. So much to do and so little time, especially for those who work and have children.For the rest of us things are different, easier. We have time to do whatever we want to do. So far the season has been good. Walks, picnics, gathering of friends. For me, on some days just looking out of the window at the passing scene is a pleasant activity. Guess one has to be somewhat lazy by nature to enjoy it.In a few more weeks there will be the annual trip to the coast. On some days, Pajaro Dunes can be cold and foggy in the midst of summer but that never deters us from us enjoying ourselves.Before that I'll be tour guide for a few days for friends coming to San Francisco from Down Under --- Perth, Australia. We'll be meeting after almost 40 years. There will be a lot to talk about.Colin Nutley's House of Angels (Änglagård,1992, also known as Englegård)British film director Colin Nutley, married to the Swedish actress Helena Bergstrom, has made a number of movies with Bergstrom in the leading role. I felt a little sad when \"House of Angels\" ended. It is a 'feel good' movie and the story takes place in summer.Helena Bergstrom and Rikard Wolff in House of Angels © IMDBSwedish with English sub-titles. Check it out. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/passages-july-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Great Summer Movie on Video -  House of Angels\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt never fails.  One morning you wake up and think where did the days go.  Almost a month past the beginning of summer.  So much to do and so little time, especially for those who work and have children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor the rest of us things are different, easier.  We have time to do whatever we want to do.  So far the season has been good.  Walks, picnics, gathering of friends.  For me, on some days just looking out of the window at the passing scene is a pleasant activity.  Guess one has to be somewhat lazy by nature to enjoy it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn a few more weeks there will be the annual trip to the coast.  On some days, Pajaro Dunes can be cold and foggy in the midst of summer but that never deters us from us enjoying ourselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBefore that I'll be tour guide for a few days for friends coming to San Francisco from Down Under --- Perth, Australia.  We'll be meeting after almost 40 years. There will be a lot to talk about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eColin Nutley's House of Angels (Änglagård,1992, also known as Englegård)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBritish film director Colin Nutley, married to the Swedish actress Helena Bergstrom, has made a number of movies with Bergstrom in the leading role.  I felt a little sad when \"House of Angels\" ended.  It is a 'feel good' movie and the story takes place in summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098318044862999874\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/HOA II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHelena Bergstrom and Rikard Wolff in House of Angels © IMDB\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSwedish with English sub-titles.  Check it out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Passages: July 2007"},{"content":" * \"Dear America, When Will This Cruel War Be Over?\", . \"At times I feel like I am a thousand years old---that is what this cruel war has done to me.\"--The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson,Gordonsville,Virginia,1864He keeps trying, the warrior president. The president who gave us Niger yellow cake uranium and Saddam Hussein's non-existent WMD, is ramping up the threat from al-Qaeda. His position that if we don't fight them there (in Iraq) we'll have to face them here is not accepted by many experts about terrorism and the middle-east.NY Times July 13, 2007There is no question that the group is one of the most dangerous in Iraq. But Mr. Bush’s critics argue that he has overstated the Qaeda connection in an attempt to exploit the same kinds of post-Sept. 11 emotions that helped him win support for the invasion in the first place.Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia did not exist before the Sept. 11 attacks. The Sunni group thrived as a magnet for recruiting and a force for violence largely because of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, which brought an American occupying force of more than 100,000 troops to the heart of the Middle East, and led to a Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad.The American military and American intelligence agencies characterize Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia as a ruthless, mostly foreign-led group that is responsible for a disproportionately large share of the suicide car bomb attacks that have stoked sectarian violence. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the senior American commander in Iraq, said in an interview that he considered the group to be “the principal short-term threat to Iraq.”But while American intelligence agencies have pointed to links between leaders of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and the top leadership of the broader Qaeda group, the militant group is in many respects an Iraqi phenomenon. They believe the membership of the group is overwhelmingly Iraqi. Its financing is derived largely indigenously from kidnappings and other criminal activities. And many of its most ardent foes are close at home, namely the Shiite militias and the Iranians who are deemed to support them.“The president wants to play on Al Qaeda because he thinks Americans understand the threat Al Qaeda poses,” said Bruce Riedel, an expert at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and a former C.I.A. official. “But I don’t think he demonstrates that fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq precludes Al Qaeda from attacking America here tomorrow. Al Qaeda, both in Iraq and globally, thrives on the American occupation.”The 'Third Constituency'In his press conference on July 12th, President Bush said: \"A third constituency that matters to me a lot is military families. These are good folks who are making huge sacrifices, and they support their loved ones. And I don't think they want their commander in chief making decisions based upon popularity.\" - Washington Post - CQ Transcripts Wire, July 12, 2007There can be no questions about \"huge sacrifices\" and \"support their loved ones\". But how do they really feel about the commander in chief? Some military families no doubt back the president. Then there are soldiers and their families who are no longer with him. The Nation has published an article by Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian based on interviews with 50 Iraq war veterans whose comments about the war are completely different than that of the president. The full report can be read in The Nation. It was reproduced in The Guardian (UK) in three parts.The Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness - The NationOver the past several months The Nation interviewed fifty combat veterans of the Iraq War from around the United States in an effort to investigate the effects of the four-year-old occupation on average Iraqi civilians. These combat veterans, some of whom bear deep emotional and physical scars, and many of whom have come to oppose the occupation, gave vivid, on-the-record accounts. They described a brutal side of the war rarely seen on television screens or chronicled in newspaper accounts.Their stories, recorded and typed into thousands of pages of transcripts, reveal disturbing patterns of behavior by American troops in Iraq. Dozens of those interviewed witnessed Iraqi civilians, including children, dying from American firepower. Some participated in such killings; others treated or investigated civilian casualties after the fact. Many also heard such stories, in detail, from members of their unit. The soldiers, sailors and marines emphasized that not all troops took part in indiscriminate killings. Many said that these acts were perpetrated by a minority. But they nevertheless described such acts as common and said they often go unreported--and almost always go unpunished.Terrifying house raids; random checkpoint shootings; speeding convoys that wipe out anyone in their path. Interviews with 50 US war veterans back from Iraq reveal the terrible daily brutality they inflicted on innocent civilians. A unique investigation by Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian - The GuardianExcerpts\"I'll tell you the point where I really turned,\" said Spc. Michael Harmon, 24, a medic from Brooklyn. He served a thirteen-month tour beginning in April 2003 with the 167th Armor Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, in Al-Rashidiya, a small town near Baghdad. \"I go out to the scene and [there was] this little, you know, pudgy little 2-year-old child with the cute little pudgy legs, and I look and she has a bullet through her leg.... An IED [improvised explosive device] went off, the gun-happy soldiers just started shooting anywhere and the baby got hit. And this baby looked at me, wasn't crying, wasn't anything, it just looked at me like--I know she couldn't speak. It might sound crazy, but she was like asking me why. You know, Why do I have a bullet in my leg?... I was just like, This is--this is it. This is ridiculous.\" * In June 2003 Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejía's unit was pressed by a furious crowd in Ramadi. Sergeant Mejía, 31, a National Guardsman from Miami, served for six months beginning in April 2003 with the 1-124 Infantry Battalion, Fifty-Third Infantry Brigade. His squad opened fire on an Iraqi youth holding a grenade, riddling his body with bullets. Sergeant Mejía checked his clip afterward and calculated that he had personally fired eleven rounds into the young man.\"The frustration that resulted from our inability to get back at those who were attacking us led to tactics that seemed designed simply to punish the local population that was supporting them,\" Sergeant Mejía said.We heard a few reports, in one case corroborated by photo­graphs, that some soldiers had so lost their moral compass that they'd mocked or desecrated Iraqi corpses. One photo, among dozens turned over to The Nation during the investigation, shows an American soldier acting as if he is about to eat the spilled brains of a dead Iraqi man with his brown plastic Army-issue spoon.\"Take a picture of me and this motherfucker,\" a soldier who had been in Sergeant Mejía's squad said as he put his arm around the corpse. Sergeant Mejía recalls that the shroud covering the body fell away, revealing that the young man was wearing only his pants. There was a bullet hole in his chest.\"Damn, they really fucked you up, didn't they?\" the soldier laughed.The scene, Sergeant Mejía said, was witnessed by the dead man's brothers and cousins. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/the-dehumanizing-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dear America, When Will This Cruel War Be Over?\", . \"At times I feel like I am a thousand years old---that is what this cruel war has done to me.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson,Gordonsville,Virginia,1864\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe keeps trying, the warrior president.  The president who gave us Niger yellow cake uranium and Saddam Hussein's non-existent WMD, is ramping up the threat from al-Qaeda.  His position that if we don't fight them there (in Iraq) we'll have to face them here is not accepted by many experts about terrorism and the middle-east.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/13/world/middleeast/13qaeda.html?hp\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e July 13, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere is no question that the group is one of the most dangerous in Iraq. But Mr. Bush’s critics argue that he has overstated the Qaeda connection in an attempt to exploit the same kinds of post-Sept. 11 emotions that helped him win support for the invasion in the first place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAl Qaeda in Mesopotamia did not exist before the Sept. 11 attacks. The Sunni group thrived as a magnet for recruiting and a force for violence largely because of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, which brought an American occupying force of more than 100,000 troops to the heart of the Middle East, and led to a Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe American military and American intelligence agencies characterize Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia as a ruthless, mostly foreign-led group that is responsible for a disproportionately large share of the suicide car bomb attacks that have stoked sectarian violence. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the senior American commander in Iraq, said in an interview that he considered the group to be “the principal short-term threat to Iraq.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut while American intelligence agencies have pointed to links between leaders of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and the top leadership of the broader Qaeda group, the militant group is in many respects an Iraqi phenomenon. They believe the membership of the group is overwhelmingly Iraqi. Its financing is derived largely indigenously from kidnappings and other criminal activities. And many of its most ardent foes are close at home, namely the Shiite militias and the Iranians who are deemed to support them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“The president wants to play on Al Qaeda because he thinks Americans understand the threat Al Qaeda poses,” said Bruce Riedel, an expert at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and a former C.I.A. official. “But I don’t think he demonstrates that fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq precludes Al Qaeda from attacking America here tomorrow. Al Qaeda, both in Iraq and globally, thrives on the American occupation.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 'Third Constituency'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn his press conference on July 12th, President Bush said:  \"A third constituency that matters to me a lot is military families.  These are good folks who are making huge sacrifices, and they support their loved ones. And I don't think they want their commander in chief making decisions based upon popularity.\" - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e - CQ Transcripts Wire, July 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere can be no questions about \"huge sacrifices\" and \"support their loved ones\".  But how do they really feel about the commander in chief?  Some military families no doubt back the president.  Then there are soldiers and their families who are no longer with him.  The Nation has published an article by Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian  based on interviews with 50 Iraq war veterans whose comments about the war are completely different than that of the president.  The full report can be read in \u003ca href=\"http://www.thenation.com/\"\u003eThe Nation\u003c/a\u003e.   It was reproduced in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e (UK) in three parts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness - The Nation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOver the past several months The Nation interviewed fifty combat veterans of the Iraq War from around the United States in an effort to investigate the effects of the four-year-old occupation on average Iraqi civilians. These combat veterans, some of whom bear deep emotional and physical scars, and many of whom have come to oppose the occupation, gave vivid, on-the-record accounts. They described a brutal side of the war rarely seen on television screens or chronicled in newspaper accounts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir stories, recorded and typed into thousands of pages of transcripts, reveal disturbing patterns of behavior by American troops in Iraq. Dozens of those interviewed witnessed Iraqi civilians, including children, dying from American firepower. Some participated in such killings; others treated or investigated civilian casualties after the fact. Many also heard such stories, in detail, from members of their unit. The soldiers, sailors and marines emphasized that not all troops took part in indiscriminate killings. Many said that these acts were perpetrated by a minority. But they nevertheless described such acts as common and said they often go unreported--and almost always go unpunished.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTerrifying house raids; random checkpoint shootings; speeding convoys that wipe out anyone in their path. Interviews with 50 US war veterans back from Iraq reveal the terrible daily brutality they inflicted on innocent civilians. A unique investigation by Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian - The Guardian\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'll tell you the point where I really turned,\" said Spc. Michael Harmon, 24, a medic from Brooklyn. He served a thirteen-month tour beginning in April 2003 with the 167th Armor Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, in Al-Rashidiya, a small town near Baghdad. \"I go out to the scene and [there was] this little, you know, pudgy little 2-year-old child with the cute little pudgy legs, and I look and she has a bullet through her leg.... An IED [improvised explosive device] went off, the gun-happy soldiers just started shooting anywhere and the baby got hit. And this baby looked at me, wasn't crying, wasn't anything, it just looked at me like--I know she couldn't speak. It might sound crazy, but she was like asking me why. You know, Why do I have a bullet in my leg?... I was just like, This is--this is it. This is ridiculous.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn June 2003 Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejía's unit was pressed by a furious crowd in Ramadi. Sergeant Mejía, 31, a National Guardsman from Miami, served for six months beginning in April 2003 with the 1-124 Infantry Battalion, Fifty-Third Infantry Brigade. His squad opened fire on an Iraqi youth holding a grenade, riddling his body with bullets. Sergeant Mejía checked his clip afterward and calculated that he had personally fired eleven rounds into the young man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The frustration that resulted from our inability to get back at those who were attacking us led to tactics that seemed designed simply to punish the local population that was supporting them,\" Sergeant Mejía said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe heard a few reports, in one case corroborated by photo­graphs, that some soldiers had so lost their moral compass that they'd mocked or desecrated Iraqi corpses. One photo, among dozens turned over to The Nation during the investigation, shows an American soldier acting as if he is about to eat the spilled brains of a dead Iraqi man with his brown plastic Army-issue spoon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Take a picture of me and this motherfucker,\" a soldier who had been in Sergeant Mejía's squad said as he put his arm around the corpse. Sergeant Mejía recalls that the shroud covering the body fell away, revealing that the young man was wearing only his pants. There was a bullet hole in his chest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Damn, they really fucked you up, didn't they?\" the soldier laughed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe scene, Sergeant Mejía said, was witnessed by the dead man's brothers and cousins.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Dehumanizing War"},{"content":" * Confederacy of Goons Reports about the muzzling of Dr. Richard Carmona, former surgeon general, shed more light on the zealots in the White House. Dr. Carmona was a Bush nominee and served from 2002 to 2006. Makes one think of a mafia capo telling the underlings \"Go, lean on him\". Fired up by the devout, born again Christian president, they probably didn't need any urging. Los Angeles Times 7/11/07WASHINGTON — President Bush's first surgeon general testified Tuesday that his speeches were censored to match administration political positions and that he was prevented from giving the public accurate scientific information on issues such as stem cell research and teen pregnancy prevention.\"Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried,\" Dr. Richard H. Carmona, who was surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, told a congressional committee. \"The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation — not the doctor of a political party.\" Early in the administration, when the issue of federal funding for stem cell research arose, Carmona said, he felt he could play an educational role by discussing the latest scientific research. Instead, he said, he was told to \"stand down\" because the White House already had made a decision to limit stem cell studies. He said administration appointees who reviewed his speech texts deleted references to stem cells. Carmona's remarks were the latest in a series of complaints from government scientists about what they say are administration efforts to control — and sometimes distort — scientific evidence in order to support policy decisions. * Another Republican Hypocrite ExposedIt never fails. Every time they get caught in a sexual scandal Republican politicians immediately turn to god and seek forgiveness. It must be getting tiring for the almighty. God is said to be 'all forgiving' but surely can see through blatant hypocrisy. One gets the impression that the deeply religious politicians might know what sin is but they don't have a clue about the difference between right and wrong.Adam Nossiter in NY Times 7/11/07:NEW ORLEANS, July 10 — From the beginning of his political career 16 years ago, Senator David Vitter has been known for efforts to plant himself on the moral high ground, challenging the ethics of other Louisiana politicians, decrying same-sex marriage and depicting himself as a clean-as-a-whistle champion of family values. “I’m a conservative who opposes radically redefining marriage, the most important social institution in human history,” Mr. Vitter, a 46-year-old Republican, wrote in a letter last year to The Times-Picayune, the New Orleans daily.That self-created image, a political winner here since 1991, when Mr. Vitter joined the Louisiana House, took a tumble Monday with the disclosure that his phone number was among those on a list of client numbers kept by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the so-called D.C. Madam, who is accused of running a prostitution ring in Washington.If you feel like puking, go ahead. What did this paragon of virtue, champion of moral values, said after he was exposed:\"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible,\" Vitter said in a statement. \"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there -- with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.\" (Jake Tapper - ABC News)Read that they were \"circling the wagons\". Do I hear \"Praise the Lord and pass the rubbers\"? But to them condoms are sinful. So pass on STDs and promote unwanted pregnancies would be more like it. “Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.”----Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 4 (1865). ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/the-pinstriped-gucci-clad-thugs-of-bush-white-house/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eConfederacy of Goons \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReports about the muzzling of Dr. Richard Carmona, former surgeon general, shed more light on the zealots in the White House.  Dr. Carmona was a Bush nominee and served from 2002 to 2006.  Makes one think of a mafia capo telling the underlings \"Go, lean on him\". Fired up by the devout, born again Christian president, they probably didn't need any urging. \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-carmona11jul11,1,.story\"\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c/a\u003e  7/11/07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWASHINGTON — President Bush's first surgeon general testified Tuesday that his speeches were censored to match administration political positions and that he was prevented from giving the public accurate scientific information on issues such as stem cell research and teen pregnancy prevention.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried,\" Dr. Richard H. Carmona, who was surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, told a congressional committee. \"The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation — not the doctor of a political party.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Early in the administration, when the issue of federal funding for stem cell research arose, Carmona said, he felt he could play an educational role by discussing the latest scientific research. Instead, he said, he was told to \"stand down\" because the White House already had made a decision to limit stem cell studies. He said administration appointees who reviewed his speech texts deleted references to stem cells.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Carmona's remarks were the latest in a series of complaints from government scientists about what they say are administration efforts to control — and sometimes distort — scientific evidence in order to support policy decisions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003eAnother Republican Hypocrite Exposed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt never fails.  Every time they get caught in a sexual scandal Republican politicians immediately  turn to god and seek forgiveness.  It must be getting tiring for the almighty.  God is said to be 'all forgiving' but surely can see through blatant hypocrisy.  One gets the impression that the deeply religious politicians might know what sin is but they don't have a clue about the difference between right and wrong.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAdam Nossiter in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/us/11vitter.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e 7/11/07:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNEW ORLEANS, July 10 — From the beginning of his political career 16 years ago, Senator David Vitter has been known for efforts to plant himself on the moral high ground, challenging the ethics of other \u003ca href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/national/usstatesterritoriesandpossessions/louisiana/index.html?inline=nyt-geo\" title=\"More news and information about Louisiana.\"\u003eLouisiana\u003c/a\u003e politicians, decrying same-sex marriage and depicting himself as a clean-as-a-whistle champion of family values.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"articleInline\"\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"inlineBox\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"image\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ca name=\"secondParagraph\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“I’m a conservative who opposes radically redefining marriage, the most important social institution in human history,” Mr. Vitter, a 46-year-old Republican, wrote in a letter last year to The Times-Picayune, the New Orleans daily.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThat self-created image, a political winner here since 1991, when Mr. Vitter joined the Louisiana House, took a tumble Monday with the disclosure that his phone number was among those on a list of client numbers kept by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the so-called D.C. Madam, who is accused of running a prostitution ring in Washington.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIf you feel like puking, go ahead.  What did this paragon of virtue, champion of moral values,  said after he was exposed:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible,\" Vitter said in a statement. \"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there -- with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.\"  (Jake Tapper - \u003ca href=\"http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=\u0026amp;page=1\"\u003eABC News\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRead that they were \"circling the wagons\".  Do I hear \"Praise the Lord and pass the rubbers\"?  But to them condoms are sinful.  So pass on STDs and promote unwanted pregnancies would be more like it.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.”\u003cbr/\u003e----Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 4 (1865).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Pinstriped, Gucci Clad Thugs of Bush White House"},{"content":" * A Walk at Skyline Ridge - Summer 2007We go back a long way, old Khayyám of Nishapur and I. It was before I knew the taste of wine. But the first time I read Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám I got hooked. The versions mentioned below relate to Edward FitzGerald's translations of the Rubaiyat. Omar Khayyám. of course, was dead for centuries (died in 1131 according to some accounts) when I read him but that is not important. In some ways he was a kindred spirit. A man of many talents who wrote about wine and women.....and didn't seem to pay any heed to the scriptures. Perhaps that is why I like his writing.Wonder how he got away with it. In today's world of Islamic fundos there would be a fatwa on his head. Perhaps the fact that he was a renowned astronomer and mathematician, in the good graces of the ruler (Vizier), protected him from their wrath. Or maybe there were enlightened mullahs in Persia, if such a thing was possible.\"Alike for those who for today prepare,And those that after some tomorrow stare,A Muezzin from the tower of darkness cries,'Fools! Your reward is neither here nor there'. \"--Second Version, 1868Edward FitzGerald (31 March June 1883), the superb translator of the Rubaiyat, was reported to be a dour man who lived the life of an ascetic. * Here we are in July and the weather continues to be mild. Unusual, but I'm not complaining. Arani Sinha and I went on a great hike (up Stevens Creek Canyon and down) on Sunday. Yesterday, JHL and I drove up Page Mill Road to hike at Skyline Ridge, one of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) preserves. Alpine Pond is barely 200 yards from the parking lot. We followed the Ridge Trail to Horseshoe Lake, about 1.5 miles and found a shady place to sit down for lunch.Alpine Pond Visitor's Center ©Musafir July 9,2007Alpine Pond©Musafir July 9,2007Looking west toward the coast ©Musafir July 9, 2007Horseshoe Lake ©Musafir July 9, 2007Horseshoe Lake, another view ©Musafir July 9,2007JHL on the Ridge Trail ©Musafir July 9, 2007Time for wild flowers is past but we saw some sticky monkeys, patches of clarkias and a place where there were a few penstemmons.Penstemmons alongside Ridge Trail ©Musafir July 9, 2007Patch of Clarkias (Farewell to Spring) ©Musafir July 9, 2007Picnic by the lake ©Musafir July 9, 2007With a glass of wine...for Old Khayyám ©JHL July 9, 2007We had penne and shrimps in a tomato, garlic, basil sauce; rosemary flavored ciabatta from Grace Bakery; large slices of tomato drizzled with olive oil, salt and julienned basil (the juice from the tomato mixes with the oil and makes a great sauce to dip the bread); and fresh figs baked with just a small amount of honey and lavender sprigs -- a little cream can be added at the end for richness (I had it for dessert somewhere in Provence and my efforts come pretty close to the taste I remember). All washed down with a sauvignon blanc, followed by JHL's strong dark roast coffee from Peets. It cannot get any better.We then continued on down to Lambert Creek. It is a one-way trail and we had to exert ourselves to walk back up to the Ridge Trail on the return leg. Hiking poles helped.There are times when old Khayyám reappears, and the picnic by the lake yesterday was one of those.\"Here with a loaf of bread beneath the boughA flask of wine, a book of verse--and thou Beside me singing in the wildernessAnd wilderness is paradise enow.\"-- First Version, 1859 Well, the birds did the singing. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/old-khayy%C3%A1m-and-i/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e A Walk at Skyline Ridge - Summer 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe go back a long way, old  Khayyám of Nishapur and I.  It was before I knew the taste of wine.  But the first time I read Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám I got hooked.  The versions mentioned below relate to Edward FitzGerald's  translations of the Rubaiyat.  Omar Khayyám. of course,  was dead for centuries (died in 1131 according to some accounts) when I read him but that is not important.  In  some ways he was a kindred spirit. A man of many talents who wrote about wine and women.....and didn't seem to pay any heed to the scriptures.  Perhaps that is why I like his writing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWonder how he got away with it.  In today's world of Islamic fundos there would be a fatwa on his head.  Perhaps the fact that he was a renowned astronomer and mathematician, in the good graces of the ruler (Vizier), protected him from their wrath.  Or maybe there were enlightened mullahs in Persia, if such a thing was possible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Alike for those who for today prepare,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd those that after some tomorrow stare,\u003cbr/\u003eA Muezzin from the tower of darkness cries,\u003cbr/\u003e'Fools! Your reward is neither here nor there'.  \"\u003cbr/\u003e--Second Version, 1868\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEdward FitzGerald (31 March  June 1883), the superb translator of the Rubaiyat,  was reported to be a dour man who lived the life of an ascetic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere we are in July and the weather continues to be mild.  Unusual, but I'm not complaining.    Arani Sinha and I went on a great hike (up Stevens Creek Canyon and down) on Sunday.  Yesterday, JHL and I drove up Page Mill Road  to hike at Skyline Ridge, one of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) preserves.  Alpine Pond is barely 200 yards from the parking lot.  We followed the Ridge Trail to Horseshoe Lake, about 1.5 miles and found  a shady place to sit down for lunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAlpine Pond Visitor's Center\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Alpine Pond Visitors Center.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlpine Pond\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Alpine Pond II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e©Musafir July 9,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking west toward the coast\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Another view, looking west.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHorseshoe Lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Another view of Horseshoe Lake.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHorseshoe Lake, another view\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Horseshoe Lake I.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJHL on the Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/JHL on Ridge Trail.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTime for wild flowers is past but we saw some sticky monkeys, patches of clarkias and a place where there were a  few penstemmons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003ePenstemmons alongside Ridge Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Penstemons , Ridge Trail.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003ePatch of Clarkias (Farewell to Spring)\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Clarkias (Frewell to Spring) still abundant.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePicnic by the lake\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/Picnic by the lake.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith a glass of wine...for Old Khayyám\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/With a glass of wine.jpg\"/\u003e ©JHL  July 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe had penne and shrimps in a tomato, garlic, basil sauce; rosemary flavored ciabatta from Grace Bakery; large slices of tomato drizzled with olive oil, salt and julienned basil (the juice from the tomato mixes with the oil and makes a great sauce to dip the bread); and fresh figs baked with just a small amount of honey and lavender sprigs -- a little cream can be added at the end for richness (I had it for dessert somewhere in Provence and my efforts come pretty close to the taste I remember). All washed down with a sauvignon blanc, followed by JHL's strong dark roast coffee from Peets. It cannot get any better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe then continued on down to Lambert Creek.  It is a one-way trail and we had to exert ourselves to walk back up to the Ridge Trail on the return leg.  Hiking poles helped.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are times when old Khayyám reappears, and the picnic by the lake yesterday was one of those.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough\u003cbr/\u003eA flask of wine, a book of verse--and thou \u003cbr/\u003eBeside me singing in the wilderness\u003cbr/\u003eAnd wilderness is paradise enow.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- First Version, 1859\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Well, the birds did the singing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Old Khayyám and I"},{"content":" * And a Poem by Marvin BellDemands for impeachment -- of Bush and Cheney -- have gained traction in recent days and Cindy Sheehan is doing her bit. CRAWFORD, Tex., July 8 -- Antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan said Sunday that she plans to run against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) unless Pelosi introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.Sheehan's deadline, July 23, is the same day she and her supporters are to arrive in Washington after a 13-day caravan and walking tour departing from the group's war protest site near Bush's Crawford ranch.Do I support her? Yes. Do I think that Bush and Cheney will be impeached? No, not as things stand today.However, the fact that more and more Americans are joining the call for impeachment is cause for rejoicing. *The same people responsible for botched up handling of relief work after Katrina are back in the news.The Bush administration has failed to fill roughly a quarter of the top leadership posts at the Department of Homeland Security, creating a \"gaping hole\" in the nation's preparedness for a terrorist attack or other threat, according to a congressional report to be released today.As of May 1, Homeland Security had 138 vacancies among its top 575 positions, with the greatest voids reported in its policy, legal and intelligence sections, as well as in immigration agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard. The vacant slots include presidential, senior executive and other high-level appointments, according to the report by the majority staff of the House Homeland Security Committee.Another issue for Democratic legislators to run with but the outcome is predictable. The president will speak highly of its work and DHS will continue as it has done in the past.The report about DHS reminded me of a poem by Marvin Bell that appeared in The New Yorker, June 4th issue. Knew that I had put it aside; I found it. Worth reading and thinking about.HOMELAND SECURITYTwo owls have perched at the property line,and a scraping on the porch means the postmanis wiping his shoes before continuingacross the yards, three homes worth' worth of cataloguesand ads, and the occasional letter, all cradledin the crook of one elbow. I'll be getting an offerof money, a map to riches, a new futurethat has come out of the blue. Today I fingereach envelope before opening, and I admitI feel for wires and beads of plastic explosiveamid the saliva. The daily rags speakof a dirty bomb. The government tells me livein a wooden house with a hurricane lamp,a gas mask, and flares, while it armsan impervious underground temple from whichit can map the surface, choose a siteanywhere on the globe, and call down the rain.\"-- Marvin BellPoets.Org Re: Marvin Bell - \"He is a long time member of the faculty of the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he is the Flannery O'Connor Professor of Letters. In March 2000 he was selected to be Iowa's first Poet Laureate.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/morning-news-impeachment-and-dhs/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eAnd a Poem by Marvin Bell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDemands for impeachment -- of Bush and Cheney -- have gained traction in recent days and Cindy Sheehan is doing her bit.   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/08/AR2007070801015.html\"\u003eCRAWFORD\u003c/a\u003e, Tex., July 8 -- Antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan said Sunday that she plans to run against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) unless Pelosi introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSheehan's deadline, July 23, is the same day she and her supporters are to arrive in Washington after a 13-day caravan and walking tour departing from the group's war protest site near Bush's Crawford ranch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDo I support her?   Yes.  Do I think that Bush and Cheney will be impeached? No, not as things stand today.However, the fact that more and more Americans are joining the call for impeachment is cause for rejoicing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe same people responsible for botched up handling of relief work after Katrina are back in the news.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Bush administration has failed to fill roughly a quarter of the top leadership posts at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/AR2007070801201.html\"\u003eDepartment of Homeland Security\u003c/a\u003e, creating a \"gaping hole\" in the nation's preparedness for a terrorist attack or other threat, according to a congressional report to be released today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs of May 1, Homeland Security had 138 vacancies among its top 575 positions, with the greatest voids reported in its policy, legal and intelligence sections, as well as in immigration agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard. The vacant slots include presidential, senior executive and other high-level appointments, according to the report by the majority staff of the House Homeland Security Committee.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnother issue for Democratic legislators to run with but the outcome is predictable.   The president will speak highly of its work and DHS will continue as it has done in the past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe report about DHS reminded me of a poem by Marvin Bell that appeared in The New Yorker, June 4th issue.  Knew that I had put it aside;  I found it.   Worth reading and thinking about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHOMELAND SECURITY\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo owls have perched at the property line,\u003cbr/\u003eand a scraping on the porch means the postman\u003cbr/\u003eis wiping his shoes before continuing\u003cbr/\u003eacross the yards, three homes worth' worth of catalogues\u003cbr/\u003eand ads, and the occasional letter, all cradled\u003cbr/\u003ein the crook of one elbow.  I'll be getting an offer\u003cbr/\u003eof money, a map to riches, a new future\u003cbr/\u003ethat has come out of the blue.  Today I finger\u003cbr/\u003eeach envelope before opening, and I admit\u003cbr/\u003eI feel for wires and beads of plastic explosive\u003cbr/\u003eamid the saliva.  The daily rags speak\u003cbr/\u003eof a dirty bomb.  The government tells me live\u003cbr/\u003ein a wooden house with a hurricane lamp,\u003cbr/\u003ea gas mask, and flares, while it arms\u003cbr/\u003ean impervious underground temple from which\u003cbr/\u003eit can map the surface, choose a site\u003cbr/\u003eanywhere on the globe, and call down the rain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e-- Marvin Bell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/387\"\u003ePoets.Org\u003c/a\u003e Re:  Marvin Bell -  \"He is a long time member of the faculty of the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he is the Flannery O'Connor Professor of Letters. In March 2000 he was selected to be Iowa's first Poet Laureate.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Morning News:  Impeachment and DHS"},{"content":" © www.mosaicrecords.com/images/ammonslewisbn.jpgSaturday morning. Brought out an album of LP's that I hadn't listened to for a long time. CD's are convenient to pop in and out and these days the LP's often lie neglected. I cannot be the only one who finds himself in that situation. But there are aficionados out there who have high-priced turntables and treasured LP's that are loved, cared for, and listened to with pleasure and respect. I admire them.I'm listening to Mosaic Records' excellent remastered issue of The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis. The boxed set (No.1367) was ordered from Mosaic Records, Santa Monica, CA, around 1984, not long after Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie launched the admirable venture.What brought this about? Simple. A friend lent me the video of Scorsese's The Blues - Piano Blues directed by Clint Eastwood. Watched it last night and thought about some of the albums by artists who appeared or were talked about in the documentary.Currently on the turntable: Solitude, Side IV, Track 3. Sweet sound. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/blues-piano/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/07/ammonslewisbn.jpg\"/\u003e © www.mosaicrecords.com/images/ammonslewisbn.jpg\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSaturday morning. Brought out an album of LP's that I hadn't listened to for a long time.  CD's are convenient to pop in and out and these days the LP's often lie neglected.  I cannot be the only one who finds himself in that situation.  But there are aficionados out there who have high-priced turntables and treasured LP's that are loved, cared for, and listened to with pleasure and respect.   I admire them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI'm listening to Mosaic Records' excellent remastered issue of  The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis.  The boxed set (No.1367) was ordered from Mosaic Records, Santa Monica, CA, around 1984, not  long after Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie launched the admirable venture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat brought this about?  Simple.  A friend lent me the video of Scorsese's The Blues - Piano Blues directed by Clint Eastwood.  Watched it last night and thought about some of the albums by artists who appeared or were talked about in the documentary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrently on the turntable: Solitude, Side IV, Track 3.  Sweet sound.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Blues Piano"},{"content":" * The War In Iraq\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind.\" (President Bush, Meet the Press, MSNBC News Feb.8,2004)30 year old Army Sergeant David B. Parson died in Iraq on July 6, 2003, the first year of the war. The death toll then was 208. Now, in the 5th year of the president's war 13 American soldiers lost their lives in the first five days of July. The total as of July 5th: 3592 and climbing. Source: iCasualties.orgOur solders are dying -- every day -- in Iraq. Are they dying for their country or are they dying for a president who, according to even some of his staunchest supporters in the past, is not willing or able to face reality. The President, reportedly, does not pay attention to casualties reported in the press. Perhaps he doesn't. And he has avoided attending funeral services for soldiers. But the casualty figures cannot be buried, they cannot be shrugged off.The president goes on selling his war. The smirk is no longer visible but he continues to play the \"fear\" card. In his July 4th speech the president compared the war in Iraq with the War of Independence!Washington PostMARTINSBURG, W.Va., July 4 -- President Bush warned Wednesday that the Iraq war \"will require more patience, more courage and more sacrifice,\" as he appealed to a war-weary public for time and sought to link today's conflict to the storied battles that gave birth to the nation.In an Independence Day address before members of the National Guard and their families, the president again painted a dire portrait of the consequences of pulling out of Iraq, asserting as he has before that \"terrorists and extremists\" would try to strike inside the United States. - Washington Post Republican Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico joined other senators who, in recent days, became critical of the president's war.Washington Post\"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation, and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward,\" Domenici said. \"I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home.\"\"Domenici's defection is the latest from a growing number of senior Senate Republicans who have decided to oppose the White House's preferred plan of waiting for a mid-September progress report on the effectiveness of Bush's \"surge\" plan of boosting the U.S. deployment in Iraq this year by tens of thousands of troops.Rather than wait for that report, to be drafted by the administration, Domenici and other senior Republicans have called for a change in course this summer in advance of the coming legislative fight this month in the Senate on the authorization bill for the Pentagon.\"I am unwilling to continue our current strategy,\" Domenici said flatly, blaming the Iraqi government for its inability to get its internal administration in order.Early last week Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), the leading Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, delivered a rebuke to the White House with a more than 5,000-word address on the Senate floor declaring that the surge was not working and that the \"current path\" on Iraq was not acceptable. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), the former chairman of the Armed Services Committee, applauded Lugar's speech and said he would offer his own amendments calling for a change in policy during the defense authorization debate next week. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/dying-for-the-commander-in-chief/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eThe War In Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm a war president.  I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind.\"   (President Bush, Meet the Press, MSNBC News Feb.8,2004)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e30 year old Army Sergeant David B. Parson died in Iraq on July 6, 2003, the first year of the war. The death toll then was 208.  Now, in the 5th year of the president's war 13  American soldiers lost their lives in the first five days of July.  The total as of July 5th:  3592  and climbing.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOur solders are dying -- every day -- in Iraq.  Are they dying for their country or are they dying for a president who, according to even some of his staunchest supporters in the past, is not willing or able to face reality.  The President, reportedly, does not pay attention to casualties reported in the press.  Perhaps he doesn't.    And he has avoided attending funeral services for soldiers.  But the casualty figures cannot be buried, they cannot be shrugged off.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president goes on selling his war.  The smirk is no longer visible but he continues to play the \"fear\" card.   In his July 4th speech the president compared the war in Iraq with the War of Independence!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/04/AR2007070400624.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMARTINSBURG, W.Va., July 4 -- President Bush warned Wednesday that the Iraq war \"will require more patience, more courage and more sacrifice,\" as he appealed to a war-weary public for time and sought to link today's conflict to the storied battles that gave birth to the nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn an Independence Day address before members of the National Guard and their families, the president again painted a dire portrait of the consequences of pulling out of Iraq, asserting as he has before that \"terrorists and extremists\" would try to strike inside the United States. - Washington Post \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eRepublican Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico joined other senators who, in recent days, became critical of the president's war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/05/AR2007070501283.htm\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation, and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward,\" Domenici said. \"I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Domenici's defection is the latest from a growing number of senior Senate Republicans who have decided to oppose the White House's preferred plan of waiting for a mid-September progress report on the effectiveness of Bush's \"surge\" plan of boosting the U.S. deployment in Iraq this year by tens of thousands of troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRather than wait for that report, to be drafted by the administration, Domenici and other senior Republicans have called for a change in course this summer in advance of the coming legislative fight this month in the Senate on the authorization bill for the Pentagon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I am unwilling to continue our current strategy,\" Domenici said flatly, blaming the Iraqi government for its inability to get its internal administration in order.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEarly last week Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), the leading Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, delivered a rebuke to the White House with a more than 5,000-word address on the Senate floor declaring that the surge was not working and that the \"current path\" on Iraq was not acceptable. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), the former chairman of the Armed Services Committee, applauded Lugar's speech and said he would offer his own amendments calling for a change in policy during the defense authorization debate next week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Dying for the Commander in Chief"},{"content":" * The very people who went amuck to impeach President Clinton for diddling with Monica Lewinsky in the White House are rejoicing about commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence by President Bush. The president's decision was not a real surprise. He was under tremendous pressure. Now that his presidency is more or less finished in terms of significant achievements, he does not have much to lose from the reaction to his decision. On the other hand, it made the conservatives happy. Above all, it made the vice president happy.But going back to Bill Clinton, was it envy that drove the Republicans? Possible. There is plenty of unfulfilled fantasies behind their holier than thou facade.\"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.\" ----Albert Camus, Winner of 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature) ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/scooter-libby-bill-clinton-and-republicans/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe very people who  went amuck to impeach President Clinton for diddling with Monica Lewinsky in the White House are rejoicing about commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence by President Bush.    \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president's decision was not a real surprise.  He was under tremendous pressure.  Now that his presidency is more or less finished  in terms of significant achievements, he does not have much to lose from the reaction to his decision.  On the other hand, it made the conservatives happy.  Above all, it made the vice president happy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut going back to Bill Clinton, was it envy that drove the Republicans?  Possible.  There is plenty of  unfulfilled fantasies behind their holier than thou facade.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.\"   \u003cbr/\u003e----Albert Camus, Winner of 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Scooter Libby, Bill Clinton, and Republicans"},{"content":" * The paragraph that sticks out in Peter Baker's report in the Post is that the president is \"fixated on Iraq\". Since he, more than anyone else, is responsible for creating the bloody mess he ought to be concerned about it. According to iCasualties.org, the death toll for American soldiers (101) in June was mercifully less than the numbers for May and April. The president's fixation comes with tunnel vision -- he was right, he is right, and he will continue with his war until the end of his presidency.Bush is fixated on Iraq, according to friends and advisers. One former aide went to see him recently to discuss various matters, only to find Bush turning the conversation back to Iraq again and again. He recognizes that his presidency hinges on whether Iraq can be turned around in 18 months. \"Nothing matters except the war,\" said one person close to Bush. \"That's all that matters. The whole thing rides on that.\"And yet Bush does not come across like a man lamenting his plight. In public and in private, according to intimates, he exhibits an inexorable upbeat energy that defies the political storms. Even when he convenes philosophical discussions with scholars, he avoids second-guessing his actions. He still acts as if he were master of the universe, even if the rest of Washington no longer sees him that way.Soon the president will take off for his vacation. No doubt his aides are putting together the tomes that he will take with him for reading in Crawford. No light reading for our intellectual president. He has hidden depths. The summer reading list of G.W. Bush never fails to amuse. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/07/uneasy-summer-for-gw-bush/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe paragraph that sticks out in Peter Baker's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/01/AR2007070101356.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e is that the president is \"fixated on Iraq\". Since he, more than anyone else, is responsible for creating the bloody mess he ought to be concerned about it.  According to \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e, the death toll for American soldiers (101) in June was mercifully less than the numbers for May and April.  The president's fixation comes with tunnel vision -- he was right, he is right, and he will continue with his war until the end of his presidency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush is fixated on Iraq, according to friends and advisers. One former aide went to see him recently to discuss various matters, only to find Bush turning the conversation back to Iraq again and again. He recognizes that his presidency hinges on whether Iraq can be turned around in 18 months. \"Nothing matters except the war,\" said one person close to Bush. \"That's all that matters. The whole thing rides on that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd yet Bush does not come across like a man lamenting his plight. In public and in private, according to intimates, he exhibits an inexorable upbeat energy that defies the political storms. Even when he convenes philosophical discussions with scholars, he avoids second-guessing his actions. He still acts as if he were master of the universe, even if the rest of Washington no longer sees him that way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSoon the president will take off for his vacation.  No doubt his aides are putting together the tomes that he will take with him for reading in Crawford.  No light reading for our intellectual president. He has hidden depths.  The summer reading list of G.W. Bush never fails to amuse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Uneasy summer for G.W. Bush"},{"content":" *A local industry facing extinction due to competition......from China.To residents of the Santa Clara Valley, Gilroy and garlic were synonymous. Long before driving through Gilroy on Hwy 152 the smell from garlic processing plants made itself known to motorists. Not much garlic was actually grown in Gilroy but it became the center of garlic processing plants in California. I like the aroma of garlic and use it liberally in cooking. It is reported to contain properties that are beneficial to health. It adds flavor to food and, for me, that is what counts. In 1979 a few enterprising locals came up with the idea of holding a garlic festival. According to reports it became a well-attended annual event. Local charities benefit from it. I have never been to the Garlic Festival. For those who are interested, this year's festival is scheduled for July 27th, 28th, and 29th.Found this item about Gilroy in the web site of Tom Schweich. It is a treasure trove. One does not have to be a botanist to enjoy his writing. Mr. Schweich, \"Independent Botanist and Vegetation Analyst\" is with the Mojave National Preserve.John Gilroy, a Scotch sailor and the first permanent non-Spanish settler in California, was left ashore in Monterey in 1814 by the Hudson's Bay vessel Isaac Todd because he was sick with scurvy. He settled in the Santa Clara Valley and married into a Mexican land grant family, whose rancho eventually became called \"Gilroy's\" (Gudde, 1969, p. 120).This post is about the disappearance of Gilroy garlic from markets in the USA. A few months ago I found that garlic bought at local stores lacked flavor. Looked different too. At first I thought that perhaps it was only some stores that were selling the inferior garlic. Not so. Every store, large and small, stocked the same, small, unflavorful garlic. I checked and found that they were imported from China! Now, I have nothing against imported foodstuff from China as long as they meet safety standards. But why on earth must we buy Chinese garlic when garlic of high quality is grown right here in California. It is a damn shame.The article quoted below, by Harry Cline of Western Farm Press describes the history of Gilroy's garlic industry and the competition from China.The U.S. consumes about 300 million pounds of fresh or peeled garlic annually, and consumption is growing as garlic moves from a primary ingredient in many ethnic dishes to a mainstay in American kitchens and restaurants.The growing consumption would seemingly paint a bright picture for California garlic production, but the drop in acreage gives a clue otherwise.The reason: China.It’s hard to discuss any aspect of agriculture or American commerce without bringing up China, the most populous nation in the world, with more than 1.3 billion people and one of the most robust economies, with an 11 percent annual economic growth rate.China makes American business either salivate or cringe — it’s a huge market for U.S products, or a nemesis of staggering proportions that can literally flood the world with everything from sneakers to garlic.For Christopher Ranch and California garlic growers, China is a nemesis.A few years ago, China overnight flooded the U.S. with fresh and dehydrated garlic, and many SJV growers were expecting the crop to disappear.Christopher says China went from a measly 50,000 pounds of garlic a decade ago to 2 million to 3 million pounds last year, and for the first time more fresh garlic was imported into the U.S. than was produced in California.“For years, China didn’t have the quality to import into the U.S., and their bulbs were very small. What happened was, a group of U.S. people went over there and showed them how to grow garlic,” says Christopher, who has been to China to see firsthand what’s happening there.Christopher Ranch, which also contracts for production of bell peppers, shallots, and ginger, isn’t involved in the dehydrated garlic business. U.S. dehydrated garlic producers have challenged the influx of Chinese product into the U.S., particularly calling attention to the safety issue. They contend much of the garlic exported to the U.S. is dehydrated unsafely and contains high levels of lead.“I’ve seen their plants,” says Christopher. “Many of them are very modern, but the small farmers also bring dehydrated garlic in from the countryside to mix with product from the modern plants.”The Chinese are shipping fresh garlic into the U.S. at a cost of $12 to $16 per 30-pound box. It costs U.S. growers and packers $25 to $30 per 30-pound box.China grows two-thirds of the world’s garlic, mostly in small plots. Its fresh garlic is not as flavorful as California garlic, which is keeping California garlic in the marketplace against the cheap imports.“Fortunately, the food service industry and the big retailers are sticking with California garlic because of the flavor and safety factor,” Christopher says. “They’re willing to pay more for those two things.PATSY ROSS, right, Christopher Ranch marketer, learns the finer points of garlic grading from company partner Bill Christopher.Patsy Ross, a marketing expert with Christopher Ranch, says, “We’ve lost the low end of the market to the Chinese, but we’re doing well in the high end and are cultivating that.”Garlic is sold packaged or bulk; when packaged, it must carry a country of origin label.“But, when it’s sold in bulk, it doesn’t have to the label,” Ross says. “The majority of consumers automatically assume that the garlic they buy in the produce department is from California — it may not be. We’re working with the California Grown program to get the word out to consumers to ask for California garlic.”She says West Coast shoppers are willing to pay the extra 5 cents to 10 cents for California garlic. “Unfortunately, that isn’t the case on the East Coast, where shoppers are more price-conscious, even though it takes more imported garlic to flavor food than domestically-grown garlic.”It’s easy to tell California-grown fresh garlic from imported. Domestically-grown garlic still has roots on the bottom of the bulb, while imported garlic is cleanly-shaven of most, if not all, roots.California-grown garlic is heavier because it is more dense in soluble plant solids, with lower water content, a key to a high Brix score. It has a richer, more complex flavor than imported garlic.This quality differentiation is one reason Christopher believes garlic will remain a viable crop for SJV producers.“One can still make money growing garlic in the San Joaquin Valley. But it’s harder for us to get growers when processing tomatoes are $63 per ton, as they were this year, versus $50 per ton last year.” About 75 percent of his company’s producers are long-time contract growers.Garlic is a long-season crop, planted in September and harvested in July. Christopher provides certified seed to growers, consults on growing practices, and directs the hand harvest, using 2,000 to 3,000 workers.“Growers like garlic because, after it’s harvested, the ground is dry and can be worked a lot deeper than, say, after a lettuce crop, where the ground is wet after harvest.”The biggest garlic growing challenge is white rot, which can be devastating; it’s one reason fields are rotated out of garlic for four or five years.“Once white rot is in the soil, it’s there forever and the ground is no longer good for garlic,” Christopher says.The industry has created a commission to fund research on white rot in both garlic and onions.There is still good garlic ground in the valley, Christopher says, although he admits to concern about a shrinking land base as more permanent crops like almonds, grapes, and pistachios take row crop ground.“We’re in the garlic business to stay, despite what China is doing. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep garlic as a viable crop for San Joaquin growers.”Politically, Christopher has banded together with other specialty crop growers to get the federal government to enforce anti-dumping laws and to prevent Chinese garlic from avoiding high tariffs by being shipped to Vietnam and then to the U.S.He says China is evading trade rules by allowing new garlic shippers to post a bond against any fines for dumping garlic into the U.S. below the cost of production. Established Chinese shippers must post a cash deposit against any dumping violations, but the new companies simply go out of business as soon as they are fined, and the bond is no longer valid.“They just create another company and post another bond,” Christopher says, noting that more than $40 million in fines has not been collected.“The Chinese have cost us a lot of business, but we’re hanging in with new marketing approaches.” His company once processed 90 million pounds of fresh garlic annually — now, it’s slightly more than 60 million pounds.The Christopher family began farming in California in the 1880s, when Ole Christopher emigrated from Denmark to the Santa Clara Valley.Don Christopher, a third generation California farmer, founded the family garlic company in 1956 with 10 acres. Christopher Ranch is one of the founders of the now-famous Gilroy Garlic Festival. Bill is Don’s son.email: hcline@farmpress.com ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/death-knell-for-gilroy-garlic/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA local industry facing extinction due to competition......from China.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTo residents of the Santa Clara Valley, Gilroy and garlic were synonymous.  Long before driving through Gilroy on Hwy 152 the smell from garlic processing plants made itself known to motorists.  Not much garlic was actually grown in Gilroy but it became the center of garlic processing plants in California.  I like the aroma of garlic and use it liberally in cooking.   It is reported to contain properties that are beneficial to health. It adds flavor to food and, for me,  that is what counts.  In 1979 a few enterprising locals came up with the idea of holding a garlic festival.  According to reports it became a well-attended annual event.  Local charities benefit from it.  I have never been to the Garlic Festival.  For those who are interested, this year's festival is scheduled for July 27th, 28th, and 29th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFound this item about Gilroy in the web site of \u003ca href=\"http://www.schweich.com/cahwy152A.html\"\u003eTom Schweich\u003c/a\u003e.   It is a treasure trove.  One does not have to be a botanist to enjoy his writing.  Mr. Schweich, \"\u003cb\u003eIndependent Botanist and Vegetation Analyst\" \u003c/b\u003eis with the Mojave National Preserve\u003cb\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eJohn Gilroy, a Scotch sailor and the first permanent non-Spanish settler in California, was left ashore in Monterey in 1814 by the Hudson's Bay vessel \u003ci\u003eIsaac Todd\u003c/i\u003e because he was sick with scurvy. He settled in the Santa Clara Valley and married into a Mexican land grant family, whose rancho eventually became called \"Gilroy's\" (Gudde, 1969, p. 120).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis post is about the disappearance of Gilroy garlic from markets in the USA.  A few months ago I found that garlic bought at local stores lacked flavor.  Looked different too.  At first I thought that perhaps it was only some stores that were selling the inferior garlic.  Not so.  Every store, large and small, stocked the same, small, unflavorful garlic.  I checked and found that they were imported from China!  Now, I have nothing against imported foodstuff from China as long as they meet safety standards.  But why on earth must we buy Chinese garlic when garlic of high quality is grown right here in California.  It is a damn shame.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe article quoted below, by Harry Cline of \u003ca href=\"http://westernfarmpress.com/news/-garlic-quality/\"\u003eWestern Farm Press\u003c/a\u003e describes the history of Gilroy's garlic industry and the competition from China.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe U.S. consumes about 300 million pounds of fresh or peeled garlic annually, and consumption is growing as garlic moves from a primary ingredient in many ethnic dishes to a mainstay in American kitchens and restaurants.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe growing consumption would seemingly paint a bright picture for California garlic production, but the drop in acreage gives a clue otherwise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe reason: China.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt’s hard to discuss any aspect of agriculture or American commerce without bringing up China, the most populous nation in the world, with more than 1.3 billion people and one of the most robust economies, with an 11 percent annual economic growth rate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChina makes American business either salivate or cringe — it’s a huge market for U.S products, or a nemesis of staggering proportions that can literally flood the world with everything from sneakers to garlic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Christopher Ranch and California garlic growers, China is a nemesis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few years ago, China overnight flooded the U.S. with fresh and dehydrated garlic, and many SJV growers were expecting the crop to disappear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher says China went from a measly 50,000 pounds of garlic a decade ago to 2 million to 3 million pounds last year, and for the first time more fresh garlic was imported into the U.S. than was produced in California.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“For years, China didn’t have the quality to import into the U.S., and their bulbs were very small. What happened was, a group of U.S. people went over there and showed them how to grow garlic,” says Christopher, who has been to China to see firsthand what’s happening there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher Ranch, which also contracts for production of bell peppers, shallots, and ginger, isn’t involved in the dehydrated garlic business. U.S. dehydrated garlic producers have challenged the influx of Chinese product into the U.S., particularly calling attention to the safety issue. They contend much of the garlic exported to the U.S. is dehydrated unsafely and contains high levels of lead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“I’ve seen their plants,” says Christopher. “Many of them are very modern, but the small farmers also bring dehydrated garlic in from the countryside to mix with product from the modern plants.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Chinese are shipping fresh garlic into the U.S. at a cost of $12 to $16 per 30-pound box. It costs U.S. growers and packers $25 to $30 per 30-pound box.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChina grows two-thirds of the world’s garlic, mostly in small plots. Its fresh garlic is not as flavorful as California garlic, which is keeping California garlic in the marketplace against the cheap imports.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Fortunately, the food service industry and the big retailers are sticking with California garlic because of the flavor and safety factor,” Christopher says. “They’re willing to pay more for those two things.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePATSY ROSS, right, Christopher Ranch marketer, learns the finer points of garlic grading from company partner Bill Christopher.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePatsy Ross, a marketing expert with Christopher Ranch, says, “We’ve lost the low end of the market to the Chinese, but we’re doing well in the high end and are cultivating that.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGarlic is sold packaged or bulk; when packaged, it must carry a country of origin label.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“But, when it’s sold in bulk, it doesn’t have to the label,” Ross says. “The majority of consumers automatically assume that the garlic they buy in the produce department is from California — it may not be. We’re working with the California Grown program to get the word out to consumers to ask for California garlic.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe says West Coast shoppers are willing to pay the extra 5 cents to 10 cents for California garlic. “Unfortunately, that isn’t the case on the East Coast, where shoppers are more price-conscious, even though it takes more imported garlic to flavor food than domestically-grown garlic.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt’s easy to tell California-grown fresh garlic from imported. Domestically-grown garlic still has roots on the bottom of the bulb, while imported garlic is cleanly-shaven of most, if not all, roots.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia-grown garlic is heavier because it is more dense in soluble plant solids, with lower water content, a key to a high Brix score. It has a richer, more complex flavor than imported garlic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis quality differentiation is one reason Christopher believes garlic will remain a viable crop for SJV producers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“One can still make money growing garlic in the San Joaquin Valley. But it’s harder for us to get growers when processing tomatoes are $63 per ton, as they were this year, versus $50 per ton last year.” About 75 percent of his company’s producers are long-time contract growers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGarlic is a long-season crop, planted in September and harvested in July. Christopher provides certified seed to growers, consults on growing practices, and directs the hand harvest, using 2,000 to 3,000 workers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Growers like garlic because, after it’s harvested, the ground is dry and can be worked a lot deeper than, say, after a lettuce crop, where the ground is wet after harvest.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe biggest garlic growing challenge is white rot, which can be devastating; it’s one reason fields are rotated out of garlic for four or five years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Once white rot is in the soil, it’s there forever and the ground is no longer good for garlic,” Christopher says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe industry has created a commission to fund research on white rot in both garlic and onions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is still good garlic ground in the valley, Christopher says, although he admits to concern about a shrinking land base as more permanent crops like almonds, grapes, and pistachios take row crop ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“We’re in the garlic business to stay, despite what China is doing. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep garlic as a viable crop for San Joaquin growers.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePolitically, Christopher has banded together with other specialty crop growers to get the federal government to enforce anti-dumping laws and to prevent Chinese garlic from avoiding high tariffs by being shipped to Vietnam and then to the U.S.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe says China is evading trade rules by allowing new garlic shippers to post a bond against any fines for dumping garlic into the U.S. below the cost of production. Established Chinese shippers must post a cash deposit against any dumping violations, but the new companies simply go out of business as soon as they are fined, and the bond is no longer valid.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“They just create another company and post another bond,” Christopher says, noting that more than $40 million in fines has not been collected.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“The Chinese have cost us a lot of business, but we’re hanging in with new marketing approaches.” His company once processed 90 million pounds of fresh garlic annually — now, it’s slightly more than 60 million pounds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Christopher family began farming in California in the 1880s, when Ole Christopher emigrated from Denmark to the Santa Clara Valley.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon Christopher, a third generation California farmer, founded the family garlic company in 1956 with 10 acres. Christopher Ranch is one of the founders of the now-famous Gilroy Garlic Festival. Bill is Don’s son.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eemail: hcline@farmpress.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Death knell for Gilroy Garlic"},{"content":" *The Morality Brigade from MadrasaPakistan's President Musharraf has a new problem to deal with. Female students from Jamia Hafsa Madrasa, an Islamic school, brought attention to his government's failure to curb immorality by raiding a massage parlor and taking hostages. General Musharraf's administration is far from clean but the action of the morality brigade makes one think of the stone ages. My Iraqi blogger friend would say \"Ya Habibi\".The New York Times:Militant Students Capture Masseuses to Make a PointBy JANE PERLEZISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 24 — Dressed from head to toe in an all-enveloping black burka, Umm-e-Okasha joined a pack of students from her militant Islamic school on Friday night, and at midnight they drove to a massage parlor here in the Pakistani capital and rang the bell.“There were about 25 Chinese women, dressed only in underpants and bras,” recalled Ms. Okasha, 24, a muscular high-school badminton champion who had shed her black garb for soft mauves, her face uncovered, during an interview inside the women-only confines of the school. “They scattered, but we managed to grab five.”The vigilantes, including students from an affiliated school for men, shoved the skimpily clad Chinese masseuses into a car, gave them shawls for modesty and hauled them back to the school as hostages, she said.Under pressure from Pakistan’s government, concerned about maintaining its friendly relations with China, the school released the Chinese masseuses on Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours later. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/in-islamabad-chinese-masseuses-and-burqa-clad-vigilantes/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Morality Brigade from Madrasa\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePakistan's President Musharraf has a new problem to deal with.  Female students from Jamia Hafsa Madrasa, an Islamic school,  brought attention to his government's failure to curb immorality by raiding a massage parlor and taking hostages.  General Musharraf's administration is far from clean but the action of the morality brigade makes one think of the stone ages.  My Iraqi blogger friend would say \"Ya Habibi\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe New York Times:\u003cbr/\u003eMilitant Students Capture Masseuses to Make a Point\u003cbr/\u003eBy JANE PERLEZ\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 24 — Dressed from head to toe in an all-enveloping black burka, Umm-e-Okasha joined a pack of students from her militant Islamic school on Friday night, and at midnight they drove to a massage parlor here in the Pakistani capital and rang the bell.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“There were about 25 Chinese women, dressed only in underpants and bras,” recalled Ms. Okasha, 24, a muscular high-school badminton champion who had shed her black garb for soft mauves, her face uncovered, during an interview inside the women-only confines of the school. “They scattered, but we managed to grab five.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe vigilantes, including students from an affiliated school for men, shoved the skimpily clad Chinese masseuses into a car, gave them shawls for modesty and hauled them back to the school as hostages, she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder pressure from Pakistan’s government, concerned about maintaining its friendly relations with China, the school released the Chinese masseuses on Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours later.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"In Islamabad, Chinese Masseuses and Burqa-clad Vigilantes"},{"content":" * The brouhaha over the Danish cartoons is a thing of the past, so Islamic fundamentalists needed another cause. They found it.....in the Queen's birthday honours list! The author Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood. The awards might mean something to the citizens of the United Kingdom. The rest of the world does not give them much attention; they are a relic of the days when Britannia ruled the world. But to some rabble-rousing mullahs it was an opportunity to issue the call to the faithful to rise against the infidels and they responded in the usual fashion. Let's hope that saner voices in the Muslim communities would prevail over the fanatics.Excerpts from a report in The Guardian:While some British Muslims protested against the award of a knighthood to the writer Salman Rushdie yesterday, amid reports of strikes and demonstrations in India, Iran and Pakistan, others distanced themselves from the effigy-burning and calls for violent reprisals.About 20 demonstrators protested at Regents Park mosque in London after prayers yesterday afternoon. Men with their faces covered to avoid identification waved placards, one of which read \"God curse the Queen\", and shouted slogans.\"We've come to demonstrate against the apostate Salman Rushdie,\" said one. \"He has insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Salman Rushdie is the devil. We have a responsibility - he should be punished, he should be attacked. We should not be afraid of the kuffar [non-believer]. They say Tony Blair is going to be sent to the Middle East as a peace envoy. We hope he comes back in a box.\"The protesters also burned a homemade St George's flag, to the cheers of some and the dismay others. \"It is disrespectful to behave like this outside a mosque,\" said Mohammed Ahmed, a 24-year-old part-time charity worker. \"This protest will do nothing to change the negative perceptions people have about our religion.\"Mosque staff also distanced themselves from the demonstration. \"We do not sanction this protest or the views they are expressing,\" said a woman from the director general's office.*In Srinagar, in India, shops and offices were closed yesterday in protest. In Iran, worshippers at Tehran university chanted \"death to the English\" as clerics claimed the fatwa against Rushdie was still in force. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/rabble-rousers---a-fatwa-revived/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe brouhaha over the Danish cartoons is a thing of the past, so Islamic fundamentalists needed another cause.  They found it.....in the Queen's birthday honours list!   The author Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood.  The awards might mean something to the citizens of the United Kingdom.  The rest of the world does not give them much attention; they are a relic of the days when Britannia ruled the world. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut to some rabble-rousing mullahs it was an opportunity to issue the call to the faithful to rise against the infidels and they responded in the usual fashion.  Let's hope that saner voices in the Muslim communities would prevail over the fanatics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from a report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile some British Muslims protested against the award of a knighthood to the writer Salman Rushdie yesterday, amid reports of strikes and demonstrations in India, Iran and Pakistan, others distanced themselves from the effigy-burning and calls for violent reprisals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbout 20 demonstrators protested at Regents Park mosque in London after prayers yesterday afternoon. Men with their faces covered to avoid identification waved placards, one of which read \"God curse the Queen\", and shouted slogans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We've come to demonstrate against the apostate Salman Rushdie,\" said one. \"He has insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Salman Rushdie is the devil. We have a responsibility - he should be punished, he should be attacked. We should not be afraid of the kuffar [non-believer]. They say Tony Blair is going to be sent to the Middle East as a peace envoy. We hope he comes back in a box.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe protesters also burned a homemade St George's flag, to the cheers of some and the dismay others. \"It is disrespectful to behave like this outside a mosque,\" said Mohammed Ahmed, a 24-year-old part-time charity worker. \"This protest will do nothing to change the negative perceptions people have about our religion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMosque staff also distanced themselves from the demonstration. \"We do not sanction this protest or the views they are expressing,\" said a woman from the director general's office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Srinagar, in India, shops and offices were closed yesterday in protest. In Iran, worshippers at Tehran university chanted \"death to the English\" as clerics claimed the fatwa against Rushdie was still in force.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Rabble-Rousers -  A Fatwa Revived"},{"content":" * More Collateral Damage in Afghanistan * Blues On BachYesterday, the morning after Father's Day, the following news item made me pause and think about the slaughter of innocents that is taking place while major powers go about establishing democracy (that is what they say) in various parts of the world. If that is their objective it is often not supported by facts. One gets the feeling there is more to it. Seven children in a school building in Zarghun Shah, in the province of Paktika, Afghanistan, got blown up. Officials issued the usual platitudes. No doubt there will be some appropriate noise from Prime Minister Karzai. He is a puppet, powerless to do anything and the world knows it. What has become evident during the past years of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan is that to us the loss of civilian lives there does not mean much. It is almost as if they are lesser human beings. There is no outcry; the public remains apathetic; the media gives such news scant coverage. And the insurgents, whoever they are -- fundos, Taliban, al-Qaeda, get more recruits to fight for their cause.Fisnik Abrashi, Associated PressJune 18, 2007KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S.-led coalition jets bombed a compound suspected of housing al-Qaida militants in eastern Afghanistan, killing seven boys and several insurgents, officials said Monday.Clashes in the south left dozens more suspected insurgents dead, officials saidExcerpts:Paktika Gov. Akram Akhpelwak said there normally is strong coordination between the government and the coalition and NATO, but that he was not made aware of the missile strike on the madrassa beforehand, resulting in the death of seven boys, ages 10 to 16.Local authorities are working with NATO and coalition troops \"to have better coordination and to not have these misunderstandings, but today we had a misunderstanding and the people will be unhappy,\" Akhpelwak told The Associated Press by telephone. \"We will go to the area and discuss the issue with the people and apologize to the people.\"Coalition troops had \"surveillance on the compound all day and saw no indications there were children inside the building,\" said Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. He accused the militants of not letting the children leave the compound that was targeted.\"If we knew that there were children inside the building, there was no way that that airstrike would have occurred,\" said Sgt. 1st Class Dean Welch, another coalition spokesman.The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it has sent a team with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission to investigate.Afghan officials have recently said that civilian deaths are the main concern of Afghans, and President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called for foreign troops to do more to prevent civilian casualties.*Listening to Blues On Bach by Modern Jazz Quartet. The disc includes Tears from the Children based on Prelude No.8 from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.John Lewis, Piano and HarpsichordMilt Jackson, VibraharpPercy Heath, BassConnie Kay, Drums and PercussionLabel: AtlanticASIN: B000002I6B ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/death-came-to-zarghun-shah-east-of-kabul/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore Collateral Damage in Afghanistan * Blues On Bach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYesterday, the morning after Father's Day, the following news item made me pause and think about the slaughter of innocents that is taking place while major powers go about establishing democracy (that is what they say) in various parts of the world.  If that is their objective it is often not supported by facts.  One gets the feeling there is more to it.  Seven children in a school building in Zarghun Shah, in the province of Paktika, Afghanistan, got blown up.  Officials issued the usual platitudes.  No doubt there will be some appropriate noise from Prime Minister Karzai.  He is a puppet, powerless to do anything and the world knows it.  What has become evident during the past years of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan is that to us the loss of civilian lives there does not mean much. It is almost as if they are lesser human beings.  There is no outcry; the public remains apathetic; the media gives such news scant coverage.  And the insurgents,  whoever they are -- fundos, Taliban, al-Qaeda, get more recruits to fight for their cause.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFisnik Abrashi, \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap//ap_on_re_as/afghanistan\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003eJune 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eKABUL, Afghanistan - U.S.-led coalition jets bombed a compound suspected of housing al-Qaida militants in eastern Afghanistan, killing seven boys and several insurgents, officials said Monday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eClashes in the south left dozens more suspected insurgents dead, officials said\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap//ap_on_re_as/afghanistan\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaktika Gov. Akram Akhpelwak said there normally is strong coordination between the government and the coalition and NATO, but that he was not made aware of the missile strike on the madrassa beforehand, resulting in the death of seven boys, ages 10 to 16.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLocal authorities are working with NATO and coalition troops \"to have better coordination and to not have these misunderstandings, but today we had a misunderstanding and the people will be unhappy,\" Akhpelwak told The Associated Press by telephone. \"We will go to the area and discuss the issue with the people and apologize to the people.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCoalition troops had \"surveillance on the compound all day and saw no indications there were children inside the building,\" said Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. He accused the militants of not letting the children leave the compound that was targeted.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If we knew that there were children inside the building, there was no way that that airstrike would have occurred,\" said Sgt. 1st Class Dean Welch, another coalition spokesman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it has sent a team with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission to investigate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfghan officials have recently said that civilian deaths are the main concern of Afghans, and President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called for foreign troops to do more to prevent civilian casualties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to Blues On Bach by Modern Jazz Quartet. The disc includes Tears from the Children based on Prelude No.8 from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Lewis, Piano and Harpsichord\u003cbr/\u003eMilt Jackson, Vibraharp\u003cbr/\u003ePercy Heath, Bass\u003cbr/\u003eConnie Kay, Drums and Percussion\u003cbr/\u003eLabel: Atlantic\u003cbr/\u003eASIN: B000002I6B\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Death Came to Zarghun Shah,  East of Kabul"},{"content":" *And a ButterflyFather's Day came and went. Summer Solstice is three days away. We have had a few days when daytime temp. went well over 90°F but, overall, June has been unusually cool. Here in the San Francisco Peninsula there are still some wild flowers to be found. The display at Russian Ridge, however, has been far from spectacular due to sparsity of rainfall.Purisima Creek Redwoods PreserveCanopy of Redwood Trees ©Musafir 5-28-07Yellow Lupine ©Musafir 5-28-07Serrated Onion ©Musafir 5-28-07White Thimbleberry ©Musafir 5-28-07Scotch Broom ©Musafir 5-28-07Horse Parsley ©Musafir 5-28-07Blue Eyed Grass©Musafir 5-28-07Wild Iris ©Musafir 5-28-07Variable Checkerspot ©Musafir 5-28-07 * Palo Alto Foothills Park - Los Trancos TrailMorning Glory ©Musafir 6-6-07Common Bluecup©Musafir 6-6-07Indian Pink ©Musafir 6-6-07Mustang Mint ©Musafir 6-6-07Clarkia (Farewell to Spring)©Musafir 6-6-07Long Ridge - Peters Creek Loop TrailVetch©Musafir 6-10-07Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) trees in bloom ©Musafir 6-10-07Columbines ©Musafir 6-10-07\"The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.\"--- Jean Giradoux ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/wild-flowers-san-francisco-peninsula-and-south-bay---spring-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd a Butterfly\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFather's Day came and went.  Summer Solstice is three days away. We have had a few days when daytime temp. went well over 90°F but, overall, June has been unusually cool.  Here in the San Francisco Peninsula there are still some wild flowers to be found. The display at Russian Ridge, however, has been far from spectacular  due to sparsity of rainfall.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePurisima Creek Redwoods Preserve\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCanopy of Redwood Trees\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Canopy of Redwood Trees.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eYellow Lupine\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Yellow Lupine.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSerrated Onion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Serrated Onion (Allium Serra).jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWhite Thimbleberry\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/White Thimbleberry.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eScotch Broom\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Scotch Broom.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHorse Parsley \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Horse Parsley.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBlue Eyed Grass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Blue Eyed Grass.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild Iris\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Wild Iris.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVariable Checkerspot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Variable Checkerspot II.jpg\"/\u003e ©Musafir 5-28-07\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePalo Alto Foothills Park - Los Trancos Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorning Glory \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Morning Glory II.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-6-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCommon Bluecup\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Blue Thistle.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-6-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian Pink \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/20070606_IMG_0250.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-6-07\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Owner/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-18.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMustang Mint \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Mustang Mint.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-6-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClarkia (Farewell to Spring)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Clarkia (Farewell to Spring).jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-6-07\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLong Ridge - Peters Creek Loop Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVetch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077589515026345810\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Vetch at Peters Creek Trail 6-10-07.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir 6-10-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eElderberry (Sambucus canadensis) trees in bloom\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/20070610_IMG_0260.JPG\"/\u003e ©Musafir 6-10-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eColumbines\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/06/Columbines, Peters Creek.JPG\"/\u003e ©Musafir 6-10-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"The flower is the poetry of reproduction.  It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- Jean Giradoux\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Wild Flowers, San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay  - Spring 2007"},{"content":" * The Ugly, Depressing Truth Behind the Praise for the TroopsDana Priest and Anne Hull -- the same team that exposed the terrible conditions at Walter Reed in February -- have collaborated on another report published in the Washington Post today. This time it is about the lack of care for veterans suffering from PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) . There are thousands of them caught in the bureaucratic jungle. Some have given up seeking help. The next time you hear the president or a politician talk about the sacrifice of our soldiers, think about what is being done for them when they return home wounded physically and/or mentally.ExcerptsArmy Spec. Jeans Cruz helped capture Saddam Hussein. When he came home to the Bronx, important people called him a war hero and promised to help him start a new life. The mayor of New York, officials of his parents' home town in Puerto Rico, the borough president and other local dignitaries honored him with plaques and silk parade sashes. They handed him their business cards and urged him to phone.But a \"black shadow\" had followed Cruz home from Iraq, he confided to an Army counselor. He was hounded by recurring images of how war really was for him: not the triumphant scene of Hussein in handcuffs, but visions of dead Iraqi children.In public, the former Army scout stood tall for the cameras and marched in the parades. In private, he slashed his forearms to provoke the pain and adrenaline of combat. He heard voices and smelled stale blood. Soon the offers of help evaporated and he found himself estranged and alone, struggling with financial collapse and a darkening depression.*Veterans Affairs will spend $2.8 billion this year on mental health. But the best it could offer Cruz was group therapy at the Bronx VA medical center. Not a single session is held on the weekends or late enough at night for him to attend. At age 25, Cruz is barely keeping his life together. He supports his disabled parents and 4-year-old son and cannot afford to take time off from his job repairing boilers. The rough, dirty work, with its heat and loud noises, gives him panic attacks and flesh burns but puts $96 in his pocket each day.Once celebrated by his government, Cruz feels defeated by its bureaucracy. He no longer has the stamina to appeal the VA decision, or to make the Army correct the sloppy errors in his medical records or amend his personnel file so it actually lists his combat awards.*By this spring, the number of vets from Afghanistan and Iraq who had sought help for post-traumatic stress would fill four Army divisions, some 45,000 in all.They occupy every rank, uniform and corner of the country. People such as Army Lt. Sylvia Blackwood, who was admitted to a locked-down psychiatric ward in Washington after trying to hide her distress for a year and a half ; and Army Pfc. Joshua Calloway, who spent eight months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and left barely changed from when he arrived from Iraq in handcuffs; and retired Marine Lance Cpl. Jim Roberts, who struggles to keep his sanity in suburban New York with the help of once-a-week therapy and a medicine cabinet full of prescription drugs; and the scores of Marines in California who were denied treatment for PTSD because the head psychiatrist on their base thought the diagnosis was overused.*They represent the first wave in what experts say is a coming deluge.As many as one-quarter of all soldiers and Marines returning from Iraq are psychologically wounded, according to a recent American Psychological Association report. Twenty percent of the soldiers in Iraq screened positive for anxiety, depression and acute stress, an Army study found.But numbers are only part of the problem. The Institute of Medicine reported last month that Veterans Affairs' methods for deciding compensation for PTSD and other emotional disorders had little basis in science and that the evaluation process varied greatly. And as they try to work their way through a confounding disability process, already-troubled vets enter a VA system that chronically loses records and sags with a backlog of 400,000 claims of all kinds. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/returning-veterans-caught-in-bureaucratic-jungle/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Ugly, Depressing Truth Behind the Praise for the Troops\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR2007061600866.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR2007061600866.html\"\u003eDana Priest and Anne Hull\u003c/a\u003e -- the same team that exposed the terrible conditions at Walter Reed in February -- have collaborated on another report published in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR2007061600866.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003etoday.  This time it is about the lack of care for veterans suffering from PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) .  There are thousands of  them caught in the bureaucratic jungle.   Some have given up seeking help.  The next time you hear the president or a politician talk about the sacrifice of our soldiers, think about what is being done for them when they return home wounded physically and/or mentally.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/16/AR2007061600866.html\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eArmy Spec. Jeans Cruz helped capture Saddam Hussein. When he came home to the Bronx, important people called him a war hero and promised to help him start a new life. The mayor of New York, officials of his parents' home town in Puerto Rico, the borough president and other local dignitaries honored him with plaques and silk parade sashes. They handed him their business cards and urged him to phone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut a \"black shadow\" had followed Cruz home from Iraq, he confided to an Army counselor. He was hounded by recurring images of how war really was for him: not the triumphant scene of Hussein in handcuffs, but visions of dead Iraqi children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn public, the former Army scout stood tall for the cameras and marched in the parades. In private, he slashed his forearms to provoke the pain and adrenaline of combat. He heard voices and smelled stale blood. Soon the offers of help evaporated and he found himself estranged and alone, struggling with financial collapse and a darkening depression.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVeterans Affairs will spend $2.8 billion this year on mental health. But the best it could offer Cruz was group therapy at the Bronx VA medical center. Not a single session is held on the weekends or late enough at night for him to attend. At age 25, Cruz is barely keeping his life together. He supports his disabled parents and 4-year-old son and cannot afford to take time off from his job repairing boilers. The rough, dirty work, with its heat and loud noises, gives him panic attacks and flesh burns but puts $96 in his pocket each day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOnce celebrated by his government, Cruz feels defeated by its bureaucracy. He no longer has the stamina to appeal the VA decision, or to make the Army correct the sloppy errors in his medical records or amend his personnel file so it actually lists his combat awards.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy this spring, the number of vets from Afghanistan and Iraq who had sought help for post-traumatic stress would fill four Army divisions, some 45,000 in all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey occupy every rank, uniform and corner of the country. People such as Army Lt. Sylvia Blackwood, who was admitted to a locked-down psychiatric ward in Washington after trying to hide her distress for a year and a half ; and Army Pfc. Joshua Calloway, who spent eight months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and left barely changed from when he arrived from Iraq in handcuffs; and retired Marine Lance Cpl. Jim Roberts, who struggles to keep his sanity in suburban New York with the help of once-a-week therapy and a medicine cabinet full of prescription drugs; and the scores of Marines in California who were denied treatment for PTSD because the head psychiatrist on their base thought the diagnosis was overused.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey represent the first wave in what experts say is a coming deluge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs many as one-quarter of all soldiers and Marines returning from Iraq are psychologically wounded, according to a recent American Psychological Association report. Twenty percent of the soldiers in Iraq screened positive for anxiety, depression and acute stress, an Army study found.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut numbers are only part of the problem. The Institute of Medicine reported last month that Veterans Affairs' methods for deciding compensation for PTSD and other emotional disorders had little basis in science and that the evaluation process varied greatly. And as they try to work their way through a confounding disability process, already-troubled vets enter a VA system that chronically loses records and sags with a backlog of 400,000 claims of all kinds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Returning Veterans Caught in Bureaucratic Jungle"},{"content":" *A Cardinal of the Catholic Church issued an edict to the faithful to stop contributing to Amnesty International because of its support of abortion rights. It is no different than fatwas issued by Islamic mullahs when they perceive something to be against their interpretation of the sharia (Islamic law). It must be welcome news for the Bush Administration which has been very active in taking away not only women's right to choose but also in restricting means of birth control and propagation of sex education to prevent unwanted pregnancies and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The holier than thou hypocrites have a simple message: \"Don't do it.\" Did they commit what President Bush once described as youthful indiscretions? Don't ask. The GuardianA senior Vatican cardinal said yesterday that Catholics should stop donating to human rights group Amnesty International because of its new policy advocating abortion rights for women if they had been raped, were a victim of incest or faced health risks. Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, accused Amnesty of turning its back on its mission to defend human rights. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-06-14 This really makes me sad ... Currently, I am enrolled in a Catholic course called \"Just Faith\" ..that our faith must encompass social justice..what is just about this? But hopefully, most Catholics will do what we do with a lot of other stuff the Pope and the Vatican say... just ignore it..This Catholic will ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/catholic-fundos-go-after-amnesty-international/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA Cardinal of the Catholic Church issued an edict to the faithful to stop contributing to Amnesty International because of its support of abortion rights. It is no different than fatwas issued by Islamic mullahs when they perceive something to be against their interpretation of the sharia (Islamic law).  It must be welcome news for the Bush Administration which has been very active in taking away not only women's right to choose but also in restricting means of birth control and propagation of sex education to prevent unwanted pregnancies and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The holier than thou hypocrites have a simple message:  \"Don't do it.\"  Did they commit what President Bush once described as youthful indiscretions?  Don't ask. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA senior Vatican cardinal said yesterday that Catholics should stop donating to human rights group Amnesty International because of its new policy advocating abortion rights for women if they had been raped, were a victim of incest or faced health risks.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eCardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, accused Amnesty of turning its back on its mission to defend human rights.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-06-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis really makes me sad ... Currently, I am enrolled in a Catholic course called \"Just Faith\" ..that our faith must encompass social justice..what is just about this?  \u003cbr\u003e But hopefully, most Catholics will do what we do with a lot of other stuff the Pope and the Vatican say... just ignore it..This Catholic will\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Catholic Fundos Go After Amnesty International"},{"content":" * What do the Albanians know that we don't ?You could've knocked me down with a feather. Albanians like George Bush. No, Albanians love George Bush. Perhaps the only place on earth where he received praise. After being booed everywhere he went it must have given his ego a much-needed boost. What is he going to do when he returns to Washington,D.C ? He always claimed he paid no attention to polls. Now, with the Albanians solidly behind him, the president wouldn't give a hoot about what we Americans think of him and his presidency.Jennifer Loven, Associated PressJune 10, 2006Nearing the end of an eight-day trip, Bush got a hero's reception in this desperately poor country, still struggling to recover from being cut off from the rest of the world for four decades under the harsh rule of dictator Enver Hoxha. Hoxha died in 1985, and Albania emerged from isolation in 1990 but still is one of Europe's most impoverished lands.Cannons boomed salutes from mountains overlooking the capital. Huge banners proclaimed \"Proud to be Partners,\" and billboards read \"President Bush in Albania Making History.\"At home, Bush's job approval rating stands at its all-time low. But here, Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Bush was Albania's \"greatest and most distinguished guest we have ever had in all times.\"Throngs of people grasped Bush's hands, arms and fingers on the streets of Fushe Kruje, a small town near the airport where he stopped to chat in a cafe with business owners. Unused to such adoring crowds in America, Bush reveled in the attention. He kissed women on the cheek, posed for pictures and signed autographs. Someone reached out and rubbed his gray hair.\"Bushie, Bushie,\" people shouted. Some of the business people have received small loans under U.S. government programs.The scene was uncharacteristically wild for a presidential crowd. Bush spokesman Dana Perino said later that the Secret Service assured Bush's safety, as always. \"If they didn't think the president was safe, obviously they wouldn't have put him in that position,\" she said.\"Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.\"---The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/hero-of-albania---president-gw-bush/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003eWhat do the Albanians know that we don't ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou could've knocked me down with a feather.  Albanians like George Bush.  No,  Albanians love George Bush.  Perhaps the only place on earth where he received praise.  After being booed everywhere he went it must have given his ego a much-needed boost.  What is he going to do when he returns to  Washington,D.C ?  He always claimed he paid no attention to polls.  Now, with the Albanians solidly  behind  him, the president wouldn't  give a hoot about what we Americans think of him and his presidency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap//ap_on_re_eu/bush\"\u003eJennifer Loven, Associated Press\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJune 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNearing the end of an eight-day trip, Bush got a hero's reception in this desperately poor country, still struggling to recover from being cut off from the rest of the world for four decades under the harsh rule of dictator Enver Hoxha. Hoxha died in 1985, and Albania emerged from isolation in 1990 but still is one of Europe's most impoverished lands.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCannons boomed salutes from mountains overlooking the capital. Huge banners proclaimed \"Proud to be Partners,\" and billboards read \"President Bush in Albania Making History.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt home, Bush's job approval rating stands at its all-time low. But here, Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Bush was Albania's \"greatest and most distinguished guest we have ever had in all times.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThrongs of people grasped Bush's hands, arms and fingers on the streets of Fushe Kruje, a small town near the airport where he stopped to chat in a cafe with business owners. Unused to such adoring crowds in America, Bush reveled in the attention. He kissed women on the cheek, posed for pictures and signed autographs. Someone reached out and rubbed his gray hair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bushie, Bushie,\" people shouted. Some of the business people have received small loans under U.S. government programs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe scene was uncharacteristically wild for a presidential crowd. Bush spokesman Dana Perino said later that the Secret Service assured Bush's safety, as always. \"If they didn't think the president was safe, obviously they wouldn't have put him in that position,\" she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cfont\u003eWell, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense\u003c/font\u003e.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hero of Albania - President G.W. Bush"},{"content":" * I. \"Scooter\" Libby Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for LyingIf it were not for the appointment of Patrick J. Fitzgerald as special counsel to investigate the leak of former CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity, Mr. Libby would have continued to serve his boss, the vice president, and hatch plots/strategies to support the war in Iraq which they foisted on our nation.Mr. Libby could still escape time in prison if he is pardoned by the president. One gets the feeling that the president is sympathetic. After all he,too, played a role in hyping Iraq's non-existent WMD to justify the war and it was former ambassador Joseph Wilson, husband of Valerie Plame, who incurred the wrath of the warmongers by his op-ed article in The New York Times. Perhaps the only thing deterring President Bush from granting a pardon is his abysmal rating in the polls. Pardoning Libby isn't going to make him look good, especially after what U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said: \"He acknowledged Libby had been a public servant for years, foregoing income he could have obtained in private practice. But, the judge noted, \"we expect a lot\" of senior government officials. Libby's high position, Walton remarked, came with high obligations. Walton derided the attacks launched by Libby partisans and commentators against the CIA leak investigation, the trial, and the verdict. \"The evidence overwhelmingly indicates Mr. Libby's culpability,\" he declared. He blasted Libby for discussing Valerie Wilson with reporters without considering that she might have been an undercover officer. \"Government officials must realize,\" he said, \"if they're going to step over the line...there are consequences.\" Source: Yahoo NewsThe president,however, might succumb to pressure from Vice President Cheney and other conservatives. As the saying goes, on this issue he is between the proverbial a rock and a hard place. He is probably praying for Libby to succeed in staying out of prison until the 2008 election as the appeals process moves through the courts.The late Senator William J. Fullbright was a giant. The fact that he supported racial segregation is a black mark against him. He was an outspoken critic of the war against Vietnam, and his 1966 book Arrogance of Power, is a classic.Reading about Libby's jail sentence reminded me of passages from the book.The attitude above all others which I feel sure is no longer valid is the arrogance of power, the tendency of great nations to equate power with virtue and major responsibilities with a universal mission. The dilemmas involved are preeminently American dilemmas, not because America has weaknesses that others do not have but because America is powerful as no nation has ever been before and the discrepancy between its power and the power of others appears to be increasing....We are now engaged in a war to \"defend freedom\" in South Vietnam. Unlike the Republic of Korea, South Vietnam has an army which [is] without notable success and a weak, dictatorial government which does not command the loyalty of the South Vietn amese people. The official war aims of the United States Government, as I understand them, are to defeat what is regarded as North Vietnamese aggression, to demonstrate the futility of what the communists call \"wars of national liberation,\" and to create conditions under which the South Vietnamese people will be able freely to determine their own future. I have not the slightest doubt of the sincerity of the President and the Vice President and the Secretaries of State and Defense in propounding these aims. What I do doubt - and doubt very much - is the ability of the United States to achieve these aims by the means being used. I do not question the power of our weapons and the efficiency of our logistics; I cannot say these things delight me as they seem to delight some of our officials, but they are certainly impressive. What I do question is the ability of the United States, or France or any other Western nation, to go into a small, alien, undeveloped Asian nation and create stability where there is chaos, the will to fight where there is defeatism, democracy racy where there is no tradition of it and honest government where corruption is almost a way of life. Our handicap is well expressed in the pungent Chinese proverb: \"In shallow waters dragons become the sport of shrimps.\"The Bushies, of course, remain oblivious. They live in a sort of dreamland of their making. But lately things have not been going well for them.....perhaps occasional nightmares haunt their sleep. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/the-price-for-arrogance/","summary":"\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI. \"Scooter\" Libby Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Lying\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf it were not for the appointment of \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Fitzgerald\"\u003ePatrick J. Fitzgerald\u003c/a\u003e as special counsel to investigate the leak of former CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity, Mr. Libby would have continued to serve his boss, the vice president, and hatch plots/strategies to support the war in Iraq which they foisted on our nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Libby could still escape time in prison if he is pardoned by the president.  One gets the feeling that the president is sympathetic.  After all he,too, played a role in hyping Iraq's non-existent WMD to justify the war and it was former ambassador\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_C._Wilson\"\u003e Joseph Wilson\u003c/a\u003e, husband of  \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_plame\"\u003eValerie Plame\u003c/a\u003e, who incurred the wrath of the warmongers by his op-ed article in The New York Times.  Perhaps the only thing deterring President Bush from granting a pardon is his abysmal rating in the polls.  Pardoning Libby isn't going to make him look good, especially after what U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said: \"\u003cfont\u003eHe acknowledged Libby had been a public servant for years, foregoing income he could have obtained in private practice. But, the judge noted, \"we expect a lot\" of senior government officials. Libby's high position, Walton remarked, came with high obligations. Walton derided the attacks launched by Libby partisans and commentators against the CIA leak investigation, the trial, and the verdict. \"The evidence overwhelmingly indicates Mr. Libby's culpability,\" he declared. He blasted Libby for discussing Valerie Wilson with reporters without considering that she might have been an undercover officer. \"Government officials must realize,\" he said, \"if they're going to step over the line...there are consequences.\"  \u003c/font\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation//cm_thenation/\"\u003eYahoo News\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president,however, might succumb to pressure from Vice President Cheney and other conservatives.  As the saying goes, on this issue he is between the proverbial \u003cfont\u003ea rock and a hard place\u003c/font\u003e.  He is probably praying for Libby to succeed in staying out of prison until the 2008 election as the appeals process moves through the courts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe late Senator \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._William_Fulbright\"\u003eWilliam J. Fullbright \u003c/a\u003ewas a giant.  The fact that he supported racial segregation is a black mark against him.   He was an outspoken critic of the war against Vietnam, and his \u003cfont\u003e1966 book\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e \u003cfont\u003eArrogance of Power\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e,  is a classic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading about Libby's jail sentence reminded me of passages from the book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe attitude above all others which I feel sure is no longer valid is the arrogance of power, the tendency of great nations to equate power with virtue and major responsibilities with a universal mission. The dilemmas involved are preeminently American dilemmas, not because America has weaknesses that others do not have but because America is powerful as no nation has ever been before and the discrepancy between its power and the power of others appears to be increasing....\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe are now engaged in a war to \"defend freedom\" in South Vietnam. Unlike the Republic of Korea, South Vietnam has an army which [is] without notable success and a weak, dictatorial government which does not command the loyalty of the South Vietn amese people. The official war aims of the United States Government, as I understand them, are to defeat what is regarded as North Vietnamese aggression, to demonstrate the futility of what the communists call \"wars of national liberation,\" and to create conditions under which the South Vietnamese people will be able freely to determine their own future. I have not the slightest doubt of the sincerity of the President and the Vice President and the Secretaries of State and Defense in propounding these aims. What I do doubt - and doubt very much - is the ability of the United States to achieve these aims by the means being used. I do not question the power of our weapons and the efficiency of our logistics; I cannot say these things delight me as they seem to delight some of our officials, but they are certainly impressive. What I do question is the ability of the United States, or France or any other Western nation, to go into a small, alien, undeveloped Asian nation and create stability where there is chaos, the will to fight where there is defeatism, democracy racy where there is no tradition of it and honest government where corruption is almost a way of life. Our handicap is well expressed in the pungent Chinese proverb: \"In shallow waters dragons become the sport of shrimps.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bushies, of course, remain oblivious. They live in a sort of dreamland of their making.  But lately things have not been going well for them.....perhaps occasional nightmares haunt their sleep.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e \u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Price for Arrogance"},{"content":" *Latest polls reflect the growing dissatisfaction over Iraq. It seems as though the Democrats' period in the sun is fading fast. They failed to counter the president's tactics -- that funding cut off would leave our soldiers out on a limb. Republican lawmakers, of course, stood solidly behind the president. So, they got the money to continue.....for a while. 18 more soldiers died in the first four days of June. Source: Iraq Coalition CasualtiesWashington PostGrowing frustration with the performance of the Democratic Congress, combined with widespread public pessimism over President Bush's temporary troop buildup in Iraq, has left satisfaction with the overall direction of the country at its lowest point in more than a decade, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.Almost six in 10 Americans said they do not think the additional troops sent to Iraq since the beginning of the year will help restore civil order there, and 53 percent -- a new high in Post-ABC News polls -- said they do not believe that the war has contributed to the long-term security of the United States.Disapproval of Bush's performance in office remains high, but the poll highlighted growing disapproval of the new Democratic majority in Congress. Just 39 percent said they approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 44 percent in April, when the new Congress was about 100 days into its term. More significant, approval of congressional Democrats dropped 10 percentage points over that same period, from 54 percent to 44 percent.Much of that drop was fueled by lower approval ratings of the Democrats in Congress among strong opponents of the war, independents and liberal Democrats. While independents were evenly split on the Democrats in Congress in April (49 percent approved, 48 percent disapproved), now 37 percent said they approved and 54 percent disapproved. Among liberal Democrats, approval of congressional Democrats dropped 18 points.Bush's overall job-approval rating stands at 35 percent, unchanged from April.Many Democratic activists have complained that the 2006 midterm election results represented a call for a course change in Iraq and that so far the Democratic-controlled Congress has failed to deliver.Then there is the high cost of gasoline. We are heading for a summer of discontent.Washington PostAmong the nearly three-quarters of Americans expressing a pessimistic viewpoint, about one in five blamed the war for their negative outlook, and about the same ratio mentioned the economy, gas prices, jobs or debt as the main reason for their dissatisfaction with the country's direction. Eleven percent cited \"problems with Bush,\" and another 11 percent said \"everything\" led them to their negative opinion.The Congressman Who kept $90,000 in his home freezerDemocratic Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana has been indicted on bribery charges. From what is known, he followed the path of some Republican lawmakers who are now paying for their venality. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are reported to be \"strongly\" supportive of Rep. Jefferson.If convicted on all counts, Jefferson could face more than 200 years in prison, but under federal sentencing guidelines the term would probably be much less. The 94-page indictment details 11 alleged bribery and fraud schemes involving his business interests in at least seven West African countries, including telecommunications deals in Nigeria and Ghana, oil concessions in Equatorial Guinea, waste-recycling systems in Nigeria and the Nigerian sugar plant for which he sought Export-Import Bank financing. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/congress-democrats-bush-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLatest polls reflect the growing dissatisfaction over Iraq.  It seems as though the Democrats' period in the sun is fading fast. They failed to counter the president's tactics -- that funding cut off would leave our soldiers out on a limb. Republican lawmakers, of course, stood solidly behind the president.  So, they got the money to continue.....for a while.  18 more soldiers died in the first four days of June.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eGrowing frustration with the performance of the Democratic Congress, combined with widespread public pessimism over \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/George+W.+Bush?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e's temporary troop buildup in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Iraq?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e, has left satisfaction with the overall direction of the country at its lowest point in more than a decade, according to a new \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/The+Washington+Post+Company?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e-\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/ABC+Inc.?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eABC News\u003c/a\u003e poll.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlmost six in 10 Americans said they do not think the additional troops sent to Iraq since the beginning of the year will help restore civil order there, and 53 percent -- a new high in Post-ABC News polls -- said they do not believe that the war has contributed to the long-term security of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/United+States?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eUnited States\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDisapproval of Bush's performance in office remains high, but the poll highlighted growing disapproval of the new Democratic majority in Congress.\u003c/font\u003e Just 39 percent said they approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 44 percent in April, when the new Congress was about 100 days into its term. More significant, approval of congressional Democrats dropped 10 percentage points over that same period, from 54 percent to 44 percent.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMuch of that drop was fueled by lower approval ratings of the Democrats in Congress among strong opponents of the war, independents and liberal Democrats. While independents were evenly split on the Democrats in Congress in April (49 percent approved, 48 percent disapproved), now 37 percent said they approved and 54 percent disapproved. Among liberal Democrats, approval of congressional Democrats dropped 18 points.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBush's overall job-approval rating stands at 35 percent, unchanged from April.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMany Democratic activists have complained that the 2006 midterm election results represented a call for a course change in Iraq and that so far the Democratic-controlled Congress has failed to deliver.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThen there is the high cost of gasoline.  We are heading for a summer of discontent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAmong the nearly three-quarters of Americans expressing a pessimistic viewpoint, about one in five blamed the war for their negative outlook, and about the same ratio mentioned the economy, gas prices, jobs or debt as the main reason for their dissatisfaction with the country's direction. Eleven percent cited \"problems with Bush,\" and another 11 percent said \"everything\" led them to their negative opinion.\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Congressman Who kept $90,000 in his home freezer\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic Rep.\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR.html\"\u003eWilliam Jefferson \u003c/a\u003eof Louisiana has been indicted on bribery charges.  From what is known, he followed the path of  some Republican lawmakers who  are now paying  for  their venality.  Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are  reported to be \"strongly\" supportive of  Rep. Jefferson.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIf convicted on all counts, Jefferson could face more than 200 years in prison, but under federal sentencing guidelines the term would probably be much less. The 94-page indictment details 11 alleged bribery and fraud schemes involving his business interests in at least seven West African countries, including telecommunications deals in Nigeria and \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/related-topics.html/Ghana?tid=informline\" target=\"\"\u003eGhana\u003c/a\u003e, oil concessions in Equatorial Guinea, waste-recycling systems in Nigeria and the Nigerian sugar plant for which he sought Export-Import Bank financing.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Congress, Democrats, Bush, Iraq"},{"content":" *News about arrest of Robert A. Soloway caused quite a few headlines in the past week. \"Soloway, 27, used his empire of hijacked \"zombie\" computers to send tens of millions of unsolicited e-mail messages over the past four years, prosecutors allege. Described as a spammer since he was a teenager, he allegedly covered his digital tracks using Chinese servers, fabricated Web sites and the purloined identities of hundreds of Internet users whose names and e-mail addresses were slapped on the bulk mailings. He opened and closed bank accounts faster than creditors could track them, prosecutors said.\" - The Washington PostSoloway and others like him certainly deserve to be punished. But it would be naive to think that our computers would be spam-free after he is put behind bars. Spam is here to stay not only because it provides a source of livelihood to unscrupulous people but also because there are millions of computer users who, for some reason, open spam. Call it an irresistible impulse -- the hope of getting something for nothing or for a pittance. The baits range from winning lottery tickets in UK; unclaimed million dollar bank accounts waiting for you in Nigeria; cheap drugs without prescription for erectile dysfunction, to amorous females pining for your company. We read about victims of spam being mostly the lonely, elderly people who are not savvy about the Internet. Yes, there are those but there are many others. If most of the victims were ignorant or senile retirees the spammers would have gone out of business a long time ago. The number of such victims is not large enough to sustain the multi-million dollar business in which spammers are engaged. And it is a global scourge.Before Alan J. Soloway there were other \"spam kings\". Sanford Wallace thrived in spamming back in the 90's. In 2005, Scott Richter settled a $7 million law suit by Microsoft. Then there was the case of Alan M. Ralsky (I\"m not a spammer,\" Ralsky said. \"I'm a commercial e-mailer.\") of West Bloomfield, Michigan. Before long a new kid will appear to claim Soloway's mantle.Now, go open the message from Violet M. Box (I'm waiting for you) or from SCC (Our company has announced additional openings for new employees). Good luck.\"There is a sucker born every minute\"---Joseph Bessimer or David Hannum ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/spam-kings-and-those-who-keep-them-in-business/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNews about arrest of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053100310.html\"\u003eRobert A. Soloway\u003c/a\u003e caused quite a few headlines in the past week. \u003cfont\u003e\"Soloway, 27, used his empire of hijacked \"zombie\" computers to send tens of millions of unsolicited e-mail messages over the past four years, prosecutors allege. Described as a spammer since he was a teenager, he allegedly covered his digital tracks using Chinese servers, fabricated Web sites and the purloined identities of hundreds of Internet users whose names and e-mail addresses were slapped on the bulk mailings. He opened and closed bank accounts faster than creditors could track them, prosecutors said.\"\u003c/font\u003e - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053100310.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoloway and others like him certainly deserve to be punished.  But it would be naive to think that our computers would be spam-free after he is put behind bars.  Spam is here to stay not only because it provides a source of livelihood to unscrupulous people but also because there are millions of computer users who, for some reason, open spam.  Call it an irresistible impulse -- the hope of getting something for nothing or for a pittance. The baits range from winning lottery tickets in UK; unclaimed million dollar bank accounts waiting for you in Nigeria; cheap drugs without prescription for erectile dysfunction, to amorous females pining for your company.   We read about victims of spam being mostly the lonely, elderly people who are not savvy about the Internet.  Yes, there are those but there are many others.  If most of the victims were ignorant or senile retirees the spammers would have gone out of business a long time ago.  The number of such victims is not large enough to sustain the multi-million dollar business in which spammers are engaged.  And it is a global scourge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBefore Alan J. Soloway there were other \"spam kings\". \u003ca href=\"http://news.com.com/.html\"\u003eSanford Wallace\u003c/a\u003e thrived in spamming back in the 90's.  In 2005, \u003ca href=\"http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11275\"\u003eScott Richter\u003c/a\u003e settled a  $7 million law suit by Microsoft. Then there was the case of \u003ca href=\"http://www.detnews.com/2005/technology/0510/16/B.htm\"\u003eAlan M. Ralsky\u003c/a\u003e  (\u003cfont\u003eI\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont class=\"indent\"\u003em not a spa\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont class=\"indent\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003emmer,\" Ralsky said. \"I'm a commercial e-mailer.\"\u003c/font\u003e) \u003c/font\u003eof West Bloomfield, Michigan. Before long a new kid will appear to claim Soloway's mantle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow, go open the message from Violet M. Box  (\u003cfont\u003eI'm waiting for you\u003c/font\u003e) or from SCC (\u003cfont\u003eOur company has announced additional openings for new employees\u003c/font\u003e).  Good luck.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\"There is a sucker born every minute\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e---\u003c/font\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_is_a_sucker_born_every_minute\"\u003eJoseph Bessimer or David Hannum\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"javascript:void(0)\" onclick=\"return false;\" tabindex=\"7\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spam Kings and Those Who Keep Them in Business"},{"content":" *125 American soldiers died in Iraq in the month of MayHow many more must die? It was not a merry month -- not for the hapless Iraqi civilians, not for the soldiers, and certainly not for the families of the dead and injured.125, the highest number of military fatalities in a month since November 2004 -- and this after the troop surge. Total since the beginning of the war 3476. Yes, the president had mentioned that there would be increase in violence. He wants victory before troop withdrawal. The majority of Iraqis (Shias, Sunnis) do not want us there. To them we are an army of occupation. We have taken part in atrocities that have not endeared us. The president, however, is determined to continue. He has no choice. He and his team created the bloody mess and they want to save face. All the rest of it is just noise. Barring a few exceptions, the gutless, cynical members of Congress are doing their share of uttering mumbo jumbo.Time for an Egghead PresidentShouldn't be difficult to find when you think about the current one. Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post: \"I want a president who reads newspapers, who reads books other than those that confirm his worldview, who bones up on Persian history before deciding how to deal with Iran's ambitious dreams of glory. I want a president who understands the relationship between energy policy at home and U.S. interests in the Middle East -- and who's smart enough to form his or her own opinions, not just rely on what old friends in the oil business say.\" We can hope but our system is such that \"friends in the oil business\" have a lot to do with who gets elected.ExcerptsI want a president who looks forward to policy meetings on health care and has ideas to throw into the mix.I want a president who believes in empirical fact, whose understanding of spirituality is complete enough to know that faith is \"the evidence of things not seen\" and who knows that for things that can be seen, the relevant evidence is fact, not belief. I want a president -- and it's amazing that I even have to put this on my wish list -- smart enough to know that Darwin was right.Actually, I want a president smart enough to know a good deal about science. He or she doesn't have to be able to do the math, but I want a president who knows that the great theories underpinning our understanding of the universe -- general relativity and quantum mechanics -- have stood for nearly a century and proved stunningly accurate, even though they describe a world that is more shimmer than substance. I want him or her to know that there's a lot we still don't know.I want the next president to be intellectually curious -- and also intellectually honest. I want him or her to understand the details, not just the big picture. I won't complain if the next president occasionally uses a word I have to look up.The conventional wisdom says that voters are turned off when candidates put on showy displays of highfalutin brilliance. I hope that's wrong. I hope people understand how complicated and difficult the next president's job will be, and how much of a difference some real candlepower would make.I don't want the candidates to pretend to be average people, because why would we choose an ordinary person for such an extraordinary job? I want to see what they've got -- how much they know, how readily they absorb new information, how effectively they analyze problems and evaluate solutions. If the next president is almost always the smartest person in the room, I won't mind a bit. After all, we're not in high school anymore. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/06/iraq---the-human-toll-of-the-neocons-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e125 American soldiers died in Iraq in the month of May\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow many more must die?  It was not a merry month -- not for the hapless Iraqi civilians, not for the soldiers, and certainly not for the families of the dead and injured.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e125, the highest number of military fatalities in a month since November 2004 -- and this after the troop surge. Total since the beginning of the war 3476.  Yes, the president had mentioned that there would be increase in violence.  He wants victory before troop withdrawal.  The majority of Iraqis (Shias, Sunnis) do not want us there.  To them we are an army of occupation. We have taken part in atrocities that have not endeared us.  The president, however, is determined to  continue.  He has no choice.  He and his team created the bloody mess and they want to save face.  All the rest of it is just noise.  Barring a few exceptions, the gutless, cynical members of Congress are doing their share of uttering mumbo jumbo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTime for an Egghead President\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShouldn't be difficult to find when you think about the current one.   Eugene Robinson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053101851.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  \"I want a president who reads newspapers, who reads books other than those that confirm his worldview, who bones up on Persian history before deciding how to deal with Iran's ambitious dreams of glory. I want a president who understands the relationship between energy policy at home and U.S. interests in the Middle East -- and who's smart enough to form his or her own opinions, not just rely on what old friends in the oil business say.\"    We can hope but our system is such that \"friends in the oil business\" have a lot to do with who gets elected.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053101851.html\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI want a president who looks forward to policy meetings on health care and has ideas to throw into the mix.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI want a president who believes in empirical fact, whose understanding of spirituality is complete enough to know that faith is \"the evidence of things not seen\" and who knows that for things that can be seen, the relevant evidence is fact, not belief. I want a president -- and it's amazing that I even have to put this on my wish list -- smart enough to know that Darwin was right.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eActually, I want a president smart enough to know a good deal about science. He or she doesn't have to be able to do the math, but I want a president who knows that the great theories underpinning our understanding of the universe -- general relativity and quantum mechanics -- have stood for nearly a century and proved stunningly accurate, even though they describe a world that is more shimmer than substance. I want him or her to know that there's a lot we still don't know.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI want the next president to be intellectually curious -- and also intellectually honest. I want him or her to understand the details, not just the big picture. I won't complain if the next president occasionally uses a word I have to look up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe conventional wisdom says that voters are turned off when candidates put on showy displays of highfalutin brilliance. I hope that's wrong. I hope people understand how complicated and difficult the next president's job will be, and how much of a difference some real candlepower would make.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI don't want the candidates to pretend to be average people, because why would we choose an ordinary person for such an extraordinary job? I want to see what they've got -- how much they know, how readily they absorb new information, how effectively they analyze problems and evaluate solutions. If the next president is almost always the smartest person in the room, I won't mind a bit. After all, we're not in high school anymore.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq - The Human toll of the Neocons'  War"},{"content":" * ©NEWSWEEK (iCasualties.org)\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" -- John DonneOn this Memorial Day, spend a few minutes to read The Washington Post article, New Graves, Fresh Grief, by Darragh Johnson. And think about those who paid the ultimate price. If you have time to spare, listen to the narration by Glen Kutler of iCasualties.org and view the accompanying images.Here, the deaths haven't been fully absorbed. People talk to their dead. They still see their dead. \"Somebody drives by,\" says Linda Bishop, a few feet from the grave site of her son Jeff, \"and you think it's him. You see him.\" The phone rings, says Xiomara Mena Anderson, standing over the grave of her son Andy, and \"I always think it's him.\"Other parts of Arlington wear the dignified repose of old age and bygone eras. Section 60 reverberates with youth and immediacy. Visitors wear long sideburns and spiky hair, flip flops and eyelet skirts.Even the names on the headstones sound youthful and vibrant: Megan, Jesse, Heath, Blake. They are names that seem better suited to text messaging -- LOL, BFF -- than to the abbreviated code of the graveyard -- CPL, BSM.The complete textBy Darragh JohnsonWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, May 20, 2007; A01In Section 60, death remains too fresh to be separated from life.You see it in the 17 cigars pushed into the grass near one headstone, signs that a combat unit stopped by.And in the mother who spent winter afternoons wrapped in a sleeping bag, stretched across her son's grave.And in the older man who reads Robert Frost to the dead, knowing that their families live thousands of miles away.Here in Section 60 are the graves of 336 men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- almost one in 10 of the dead. Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have produced the highest percentage of burials at Arlington National Cemetery from any war. For the duration of this war, there have been few photographs of coffins returning home. Section 60 is the one place to get a sense of the immensity of the nation's loss.The great expanse of the cemetery is known for its orderliness, its precision. Each Memorial Day, the government places an American flag exactly one foot in front of every headstone. Only flowers are allowed on graves.But in \"60,\" the messiness of life disrupts the order. Picnics are laid and incense burned. Red glass hearts are left atop the headstones. Origami-style sheets of notebook paper are tucked away, safe from lawn mower blades.Mothers and widows, friends and regretful exes write intimate notes, some as casual as a message stuck on a refrigerator door.\"I called your old cellphone the other day. Someone named Brian has it now, and I couldn't help but wonder if he knew anything about you.\"\"It was so wonderful having lunch with you. Now that I know how easy it is to get here by Metro, I'll come by way more often.\"Here, the deaths haven't been fully absorbed. People talk to their dead. They still see their dead. \"Somebody drives by,\" says Linda Bishop, a few feet from the grave site of her son Jeff, \"and you think it's him. You see him.\" The phone rings, says Xiomara Mena Anderson, standing over the grave of her son Andy, and \"I always think it's him.\"Other parts of Arlington wear the dignified repose of old age and bygone eras. Section 60 reverberates with youth and immediacy. Visitors wear long sideburns and spiky hair, flip flops and eyelet skirts.Even the names on the headstones sound youthful and vibrant: Megan, Jesse, Heath, Blake. They are names that seem better suited to text messaging -- LOL, BFF -- than to the abbreviated code of the graveyard -- CPL, BSM.\"I find a need to be there,\" says Teresa Arciola, who drives from New York's Westchester County every other month to place iPod earbuds on her son's grave and play for him the Temptations and Eminem. She brings him Black Forest gummy bears and, on his birthday, beer that she pours into the ground. At every visit, she sits on his grave and reads aloud from his favorite baby book, \"Corduroy.\" He had just turned 20.\"I feel good while I'm there,\" Arciola says. \"But I don't think there's comfort.\"* * *The graves come quickly.One mother visits the grave of her casualty officer, the man who was there for her when she first learned that her son had died in 2005.The funerals require an extra level of choreography.Two were held Wednesday, back to back. Overhead, thunderstorms threatened, the sky was the color of dark cement and the wind blew flower arrangements to the ground.By the time the first man was buried -- Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec, a 34-year-old Marine known as the Lion of Fallujah -- the backhoe beside his grave had begun to dig for the next funeral. More than 50 mourners remained near Zembiec's grave site.Some wandered, visiting other graves. A man in a dark suit sought out two other headstones. A Marine officer spent 20 minutes crisscrossing the section, stopping regularly.And the backhoe continued to dig. Every mound of dirt scooped from the newest grave was used to finish burying the officer whose funeral had just ended. Rites for Army Spec. Matthew T. Bolar were to begin in an hour.To stand at the edge of where the graves begin is to see exactly what the war has meant -- what has been lost, what has been sacrificed. The headstones' dark, black lettering seems to endlessly repeat the vague circumstances of each death: Operation Iraqi Freedom . . . Operation Iraqi Freedom . . . Operation Enduring Freedom . . . Iraqi Freedom . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Enduring . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Enduring . . .\"Freedom is not free,\" say the hats and bracelets worn by some visitors to Section 60. And the rows of headstones -- from the just-dug graves back to the those of World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans who died of old age -- are stark, white reminders of how much that freedom has cost.* * *The graves spread in every direction, as orderly as crops in early June, lines and diagonals as reassuring as they are mesmerizing.Although more than 300,000 veterans from every American war since the Revolution are buried at Arlington, the cemetery gained worldwide prominence after President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest there in 1963. It is celebrated as sacred ground for military heroes.Arciola remembers first going to visit her son Michael after he died in Iraq in 2005. Seeing another mother in a chair nearby, Arciola approached and asked, \"Does it get any better?\"Answered the woman, whose son had died about two years earlier, \"No.\"This is the place where all of the grief, anger and pride at what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan come together. Children chase each other through the headstones and try to pry rocks from the dirt of freshly dug graves. Their parents stand nearby, introducing themselves and exchanging e-mails and phone numbers.\"They tell me they don't want to go to any more grief counselors or priests. They want to be with people who are going through hell themselves,\" says Carol Thomas, who stops by regularly and has befriended many of the regulars. Her husband is buried elsewhere in Arlington, and she sees the Iraq and Afghanistan war dead as \"all my boys.\" She sees their mothers and fathers, widows, uncles, best friends and others as \"my great friends.\"In this place bordered by a canopy of trees, with distant church bells ringing like deep amens to a prayer and a pair of wind chimes sounding like a summertime back porch, mothers call to each other from afar: \"How have you been?\" \"It's good to see you!\" They hug and squeeze hands, holding tight and saying silently what no one has to articulate.\"Has the Muslim family come today?\" asks regular visitor Joyce Ward on the afternoon of Mother's Day.\"No. I haven't seen them,\" answers Anderson, whose eldest son died in Iraq a year ago in June. She misses him so completely that the words of his tombstone are repeated across the back left window of her sport-utility vehicle and on a bracelet she wears daily: \"In loving memory of My Beloved Son Cpl. Andy D. Anderson.\" She has spent all day here, filling vases by his gravestone with mums and daisies.\"But I see flowers,\" Anderson adds, thinking this is a good sign.\"No,\" Ward tells her, worriedly. \"I brought those.\"They go quiet for a moment, knowing what the other family is going through, wishing they could help. Another woman nearby says, \"The parents are having a tough time, aren't they?\"In May 2005, Beth Belle's son, Nicholas Kirven, was the first to be buried in a brand-new row of graves. Two years later, five rows extend from his headstone. She is talking about the young man who stopped by earlier in the day, the one who still walked haltingly on his prosthesis and had a scar winding around his skull, the one who leaned over to see names on the newest graves, his arms hugging his chest.\"They come, and they cry,\" Belle says, describing the veterans she has watched and spoken with in the past two years. Only a week ago, while she and her husband and others from their family were fussing over flowers at her son's grave, she noticed a Marine hanging out at the grave of a young man buried two rows up from her son.\"He kept looking over at us,\" Belle says, until her sister finally told her, \"I think he wants to talk to you. You should go over there.\" He had been back only two days, Belle remembers, and he said, \"This is the hardest thing for us to see -- the families.\"As she talks, another young man comes and kneels by Larry Philippon's grave, right next to her son's. He starts to cry, and his sniffles seem so loud they almost echo. When he stands, Belle's husband says something to him, and he answers quickly, as though it's all he trusts himself to say: \"I played lacrosse with Larry.\"When she was talking with the Marine, Belle continues, he became as emotional as the lacrosse player. He told her words she'd heard before from others returning from battle, sentiments she doesn't share. \"I let you down,\" he said. \"We didn't bring your son back. I didn't do my job.\"* * *A man with thick, gray hair is reading to the fallen. Midafternoon, Tom Gugliuzza-Smith takes a break, picks up a large, brown watering can and small brush and visits every gravestone on the section's northern end, scrubbing bird droppings. He has been visiting Section 60 since late 2004, when he stopped by a funeral and watched a gangly adolescent collapse over his father's casket. He has since become, in effect, a stand-in for those who can't be there. He reads books such as \"The Da Vinci Code\" and \"For Whom the Bell Tolls,\" sent by far-away families for their sons.And now, down York Drive, the shady road that leads straight to Section 60, a tall, slender guy is walking fast. He has shaggy blond hair and Euro-fashionable clothes: dark shirt, skinny jeans, backpack. His stride is long, almost buoyant.He turns right and threads his way through the gravestones, slowing, then stopping at one that, two-and-a-half weeks ago, lay in the final row. That distinction has since disappeared. A new row of freshly dug graves holds seven headstones.Sinking to his heels, this young man who, only moments before, looked purposeful and almost brisk seems to crumble. He reaches toward the name etched into the gravestone. He is sobbing. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/arlington-cemetery-memorial-day-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/nw_ah_iCasualties_25000.jpg\"/\u003e©NEWSWEEK (\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?type=ss\u0026amp;launch=,\u0026amp;pg=1\"\u003eiCasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAnd therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;  it tolls for thee.\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e \u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e -- John Donne\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn this Memorial Day, spend a few minutes to read The Washington Post article, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/19/AR2007051901288.html\"\u003eNew Graves, Fresh Grief\u003c/a\u003e, by Darragh Johnson.  And think about those who paid the ultimate price.  If you have time to spare, listen to the narration by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?type=ss\u0026amp;launch=,\u0026amp;pg=1\"\u003eGlen Kutler\u003c/a\u003e of iCasualties.org and view the accompanying images.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHere, the deaths haven't been fully absorbed. People talk to their dead. They still see their dead. \"Somebody drives by,\" says Linda Bishop, a few feet from the grave site of her son Jeff, \"and you think it's him. You see him.\" The phone rings, says Xiomara Mena Anderson, standing over the grave of her son Andy, and \"I always think it's him.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOther parts of Arlington wear the dignified repose of old age and bygone eras. Section 60 reverberates with youth and immediacy. Visitors wear long sideburns and spiky hair, flip flops and eyelet skirts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEven the names on the headstones sound youthful and vibrant: Megan, Jesse, Heath, Blake. They are names that seem better suited to text messaging -- LOL, BFF -- than to the abbreviated code of the graveyard -- CPL, BSM.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe complete text\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Darragh Johnson\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post Staff Writer\u003cbr/\u003eSunday, May 20, 2007; A01\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Section 60, death remains too fresh to be separated from life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou see it in the 17 cigars pushed into the grass near one headstone, signs that a combat unit stopped by.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd in the mother who spent winter afternoons wrapped in a sleeping bag, stretched across her son's grave.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd in the older man who reads Robert Frost to the dead, knowing that their families live thousands of miles away.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere in Section 60 are the graves of 336 men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- almost one in 10 of the dead. Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have produced the highest percentage of burials at Arlington National Cemetery from any war. For the duration of this war, there have been few photographs of coffins returning home. Section 60 is the one place to get a sense of the immensity of the nation's loss.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe great expanse of the cemetery is known for its orderliness, its precision. Each Memorial Day, the government places an American flag exactly one foot in front of every headstone. Only flowers are allowed on graves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut in \"60,\" the messiness of life disrupts the order. Picnics are laid and incense burned. Red glass hearts are left atop the headstones. Origami-style sheets of notebook paper are tucked away, safe from lawn mower blades.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMothers and widows, friends and regretful exes write intimate notes, some as casual as a message stuck on a refrigerator door.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I called your old cellphone the other day. Someone named Brian has it now, and I couldn't help but wonder if he knew anything about you.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It was so wonderful having lunch with you. Now that I know how easy it is to get here by Metro, I'll come by way more often.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere, the deaths haven't been fully absorbed. People talk to their dead. They still see their dead. \"Somebody drives by,\" says Linda Bishop, a few feet from the grave site of her son Jeff, \"and you think it's him. You see him.\" The phone rings, says Xiomara Mena Anderson, standing over the grave of her son Andy, and \"I always think it's him.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOther parts of Arlington wear the dignified repose of old age and bygone eras. Section 60 reverberates with youth and immediacy. Visitors wear long sideburns and spiky hair, flip flops and eyelet skirts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven the names on the headstones sound youthful and vibrant: Megan, Jesse, Heath, Blake. They are names that seem better suited to text messaging -- LOL, BFF -- than to the abbreviated code of the graveyard -- CPL, BSM.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I find a need to be there,\" says Teresa Arciola, who drives from New York's Westchester County every other month to place iPod earbuds on her son's grave and play for him the Temptations and Eminem. She brings him Black Forest gummy bears and, on his birthday, beer that she pours into the ground. At every visit, she sits on his grave and reads aloud from his favorite baby book, \"Corduroy.\" He had just turned 20.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I feel good while I'm there,\" Arciola says. \"But I don't think there's comfort.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e* * *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe graves come quickly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne mother visits the grave of her casualty officer, the man who was there for her when she first learned that her son had died in 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe funerals require an extra level of choreography.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo were held Wednesday, back to back. Overhead, thunderstorms threatened, the sky was the color of dark cement and the wind blew flower arrangements to the ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy the time the first man was buried -- Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec, a 34-year-old Marine known as the Lion of Fallujah -- the backhoe beside his grave had begun to dig for the next funeral. More than 50 mourners remained near Zembiec's grave site.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome wandered, visiting other graves. A man in a dark suit sought out two other headstones. A Marine officer spent 20 minutes crisscrossing the section, stopping regularly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the backhoe continued to dig. Every mound of dirt scooped from the newest grave was used to finish burying the officer whose funeral had just ended. Rites for Army Spec. Matthew T. Bolar were to begin in an hour.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo stand at the edge of where the graves begin is to see exactly what the war has meant -- what has been lost, what has been sacrificed. The headstones' dark, black lettering seems to endlessly repeat the vague circumstances of each death: Operation Iraqi Freedom . . . Operation Iraqi Freedom . . . Operation Enduring Freedom . . . Iraqi Freedom . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Enduring . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Iraqi . . . Enduring . . .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Freedom is not free,\" say the hats and bracelets worn by some visitors to Section 60. And the rows of headstones -- from the just-dug graves back to the those of World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans who died of old age -- are stark, white reminders of how much that freedom has cost.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e* * *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe graves spread in every direction, as orderly as crops in early June, lines and diagonals as reassuring as they are mesmerizing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough more than 300,000 veterans from every American war since the Revolution are buried at Arlington, the cemetery gained worldwide prominence after President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest there in 1963. It is celebrated as sacred ground for military heroes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eArciola remembers first going to visit her son Michael after he died in Iraq in 2005. Seeing another mother in a chair nearby, Arciola approached and asked, \"Does it get any better?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnswered the woman, whose son had died about two years earlier, \"No.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is the place where all of the grief, anger and pride at what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan come together. Children chase each other through the headstones and try to pry rocks from the dirt of freshly dug graves. Their parents stand nearby, introducing themselves and exchanging e-mails and phone numbers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They tell me they don't want to go to any more grief counselors or priests. They want to be with people who are going through hell themselves,\" says Carol Thomas, who stops by regularly and has befriended many of the regulars. Her husband is buried elsewhere in Arlington, and she sees the Iraq and Afghanistan war dead as \"all my boys.\" She sees their mothers and fathers, widows, uncles, best friends and others as \"my great friends.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn this place bordered by a canopy of trees, with distant church bells ringing like deep amens to a prayer and a pair of wind chimes sounding like a summertime back porch, mothers call to each other from afar: \"How have you been?\" \"It's good to see you!\" They hug and squeeze hands, holding tight and saying silently what no one has to articulate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Has the Muslim family come today?\" asks regular visitor Joyce Ward on the afternoon of Mother's Day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No. I haven't seen them,\" answers Anderson, whose eldest son died in Iraq a year ago in June. She misses him so completely that the words of his tombstone are repeated across the back left window of her sport-utility vehicle and on a bracelet she wears daily: \"In loving memory of My Beloved Son Cpl. Andy D. Anderson.\" She has spent all day here, filling vases by his gravestone with mums and daisies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But I see flowers,\" Anderson adds, thinking this is a good sign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No,\" Ward tells her, worriedly. \"I brought those.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey go quiet for a moment, knowing what the other family is going through, wishing they could help. Another woman nearby says, \"The parents are having a tough time, aren't they?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn May 2005, Beth Belle's son, Nicholas Kirven, was the first to be buried in a brand-new row of graves. Two years later, five rows extend from his headstone. She is talking about the young man who stopped by earlier in the day, the one who still walked haltingly on his prosthesis and had a scar winding around his skull, the one who leaned over to see names on the newest graves, his arms hugging his chest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They come, and they cry,\" Belle says, describing the veterans she has watched and spoken with in the past two years. Only a week ago, while she and her husband and others from their family were fussing over flowers at her son's grave, she noticed a Marine hanging out at the grave of a young man buried two rows up from her son.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He kept looking over at us,\" Belle says, until her sister finally told her, \"I think he wants to talk to you. You should go over there.\" He had been back only two days, Belle remembers, and he said, \"This is the hardest thing for us to see -- the families.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs she talks, another young man comes and kneels by Larry Philippon's grave, right next to her son's. He starts to cry, and his sniffles seem so loud they almost echo. When he stands, Belle's husband says something to him, and he answers quickly, as though it's all he trusts himself to say: \"I played lacrosse with Larry.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen she was talking with the Marine, Belle continues, he became as emotional as the lacrosse player. He told her words she'd heard before from others returning from battle, sentiments she doesn't share. \"I let you down,\" he said. \"We didn't bring your son back. I didn't do my job.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e* * *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA man with thick, gray hair is reading to the fallen. Midafternoon, Tom Gugliuzza-Smith takes a break, picks up a large, brown watering can and small brush and visits every gravestone on the section's northern end, scrubbing bird droppings. He has been visiting Section 60 since late 2004, when he stopped by a funeral and watched a gangly adolescent collapse over his father's casket. He has since become, in effect, a stand-in for those who can't be there. He reads books such as \"The Da Vinci Code\" and \"For Whom the Bell Tolls,\" sent by far-away families for their sons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd now, down York Drive, the shady road that leads straight to Section 60, a tall, slender guy is walking fast. He has shaggy blond hair and Euro-fashionable clothes: dark shirt, skinny jeans, backpack. His stride is long, almost buoyant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe turns right and threads his way through the gravestones, slowing, then stopping at one that, two-and-a-half weeks ago, lay in the final row. That distinction has since disappeared. A new row of freshly dug graves holds seven headstones.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSinking to his heels, this young man who, only moments before, looked purposeful and almost brisk seems to crumble. He reaches toward the name etched into the gravestone. He is sobbing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Arlington Cemetery : Memorial Day 2007"},{"content":" * \"What exactly is a father's duty when his son is sent into harm's way?\" Andrew J. BacevichWashington PostExcerptsParents who lose children, whether through accident or illness, inevitably wonder what they could have done to prevent their loss. When my son was killed in Iraq earlier this month at age 27, I found myself pondering my responsibility for his death.Among the hundreds of messages that my wife and I have received, two bore directly on this question. Both held me personally culpable, insisting that my public opposition to the war had provided aid and comfort to the enemy. Each said that my son's death came as a direct result of my antiwar writings.This may seem a vile accusation to lay against a grieving father. But in fact, it has become a staple of American political discourse, repeated endlessly by those keen to allow President Bush a free hand in waging his war. By encouraging \"the terrorists,\" opponents of the Iraq conflict increase the risk to U.S. troops. Although the First Amendment protects antiwar critics from being tried for treason, it provides no protection for the hardly less serious charge of failing to support the troops -- today's civic equivalent of dereliction of duty. * Money buys access and influence. Money greases the process that will yield us a new president in 2008. When it comes to Iraq, money ensures that the concerns of big business, big oil, bellicose evangelicals and Middle East allies gain a hearing. By comparison, the lives of U.S. soldiers figure as an afterthought.Memorial Day orators will say that a G.I.'s life is priceless. Don't believe it. I know what value the U.S. government assigns to a soldier's life: I've been handed the check. It's roughly what the Yankees will pay Roger Clemens per inning once he starts pitching next month.Money maintains the Republican/Democratic duopoly of trivialized politics. It confines the debate over U.S. policy to well-hewn channels. It preserves intact the cliches of about isolationism, appeasement and the nation's call to \"global leadership.\" It inhibits any serious accounting of exactly how much our misadventure in Iraq is costing. It ignores completely the question of who actually pays. It negates democracy, rendering free speech little more than a means of recording dissent.This is not some great conspiracy. It's the way our system works.The toll in Iraq - May 1 - May 26, 2007Zachary R. Gullett, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 01, 2007Johnathan E. Kirk, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, May 01, 2007Ryan P. Jones, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 02, 2007Katie M. Soenksen, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 02, 2007Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, Army Specialist, May 02, 2007Matthew T. Bolar, 24, Army Specialist, May 03, 2007John D. Flores, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2007Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2007Jerome J. Potter, 24, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2007Colby J. Umbrell, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 03, 2007Andrew R. Weiss, 28, Army Specialist, May 03, 2007Kelly B. Grothe, 21, Army Reserve Specialist, May 03, 2007Coby G. Schwab, 25, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, May 03, 2007Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, May 04, 2007Larry I. Guyton, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 05, 2007Charles O. Palmer II, 36, Marine Corporal, May 05, 2007Kenneth N. Mack, 42, Marine Reserve Master Sergeant, May 05, 2007Matthew L. Alexander, 21, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007Robert J. Dixon, 27, Army Specialist, May 06, 2007Jason R. Harkins, 25, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007Christopher S. Kiernan, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007Joel W. Lewis, 28, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007Virgil C. Martinez, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007Michael A. Pursel, 19, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007Sameer A. M. Rateb, 22, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007Vincenzo Romeo, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007Kyle A. Little, 20, Army Specialist, May 08, 2007Dan H. Nguyen, 24, Army Specialist, May 08, 2007Blake C. Stephens, 25, Army Sergeant, May 08, 2007Bradly D. Conner, 41, Army Sergeant Major, May 09, 2007Walter K. O’Haire, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 09, 2007Michael Frank, 36, Army Specialist, May 10, 2007Roy L. Jones III, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 10, 2007Anthony J. Sausto, 22, Army Private, May 10, 2007Jason W. Vaughn, 29, Army Sergeant, May 10, 2007Douglas Zembiec, 34, Marine Major, May 10, 2007William A. Farrar Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 11, 2007James David Connell Jr., 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 12, 2007Daniel Courneya, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 12, 2007Christopher E Murphy, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 12, 2007Anthony J. Schober, 23, Army Sergeant, May 12, 2007Andrew J. Bacevich, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 13, 2007Rhys W. Klasno, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, May 13, 2007John T. Self, 29, Air Force Staff Sergeant, May 14, 2007Allen J. Dunckley, 25, Army Sergeant, May 14, 2007Christopher N. Gonzalez, 25, Army Sergeant, May 14, 2007Nicholas S. Hartge, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 14, 2007Thomas G. Wright, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 14, 2007Jeffrey D. Walker, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 14, 2007Jesse B. Albrecht, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 17, 2007Victor M. Fontanilla, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007Aaron D. Gautier, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007Jonathan V. Hamm, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007Steven M. Packer, 23, Army Sergeant, May 17, 2007Coty J. Phelps, 22, Army Specialist, May 17, 2007Ryan J. Baum, 27, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2007Scott J. Brown, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 18, 2007III, Anselmo Martinez, 26, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2007Marquis J. McCants, 23, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007Casey W. Nash, 22, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007Joshua G. Romero, 19, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007David W. Behrle, 20, Army Specialist, May 19, 2007Ryan D. Collins, 20, Army Corporal, May 19, 2007Joseph A. Gilmore, 26, Army Specialist, May 19, 2007Travis F. Haslip, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 19, 2007Jean P. Medlin, 27, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007Christopher Moore, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, May 19, 2007Jason A. Schumann, 23, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007Alexander R. Varela, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 19, 2007Justin D. Wisniewski, 22, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007Brian D. Ardron, 32, Army Sergeant, May 21, 2007Michael W. Davis, 22, Army Specialist, May 21, 2007Shannon V. Weaver, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, May 21, 2007Steve Butcher Jr., 27, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007Kristopher A. Higdon, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007David C. Kuehl, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007Robert J. Montgomery Jr., 29, Army Sergeant, May 22, 2007Oscar Sauceda Jr., 21, Army Private, May 22, 2007Robert A. Worthington, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 22, 2007Benjamin D. Desilets, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 22, 2007Julian M. Woodall, 21, Marine Corporal, May 22, 2007Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 23, 2007Daniel P. Cagle, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 23, 2007Benjamin J. Ashley, 22, Army Specialist, May 24, 2007Robert H. Dembowski, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2007Iosiwo Uruo, 27, Army Sergeant, May 24, 2007Casey P. Zylman, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2007William Lee Bailey III, 0, Army National Guard Specialist, May 26, 2007David Paul Lindsey, 0, Marine Corporal, May 26, 2007Copyright by iCasualties.org ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/lament-for-dead-soldiers---one-fathers-cry-from-the-heart/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\"What exactly is a father's duty when his son is sent into harm's way?\" Andrew J. Bacevich\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/25/AR2007052502032.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003eParents who lose children, whether through accident or illness, inevitably wonder what they could have done to prevent their loss. When my son was killed in Iraq earlier this month at age 27, I found myself pondering my responsibility for his death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the hundreds of messages that my wife and I have received, two bore directly on this question. Both held me personally culpable, insisting that my public opposition to the war had provided aid and comfort to the enemy. Each said that my son's death came as a direct result of my antiwar writings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis may seem a vile accusation to lay against a grieving father. But in fact, it has become a staple of American political discourse, repeated endlessly by those keen to allow President Bush a free hand in waging his war. By encouraging \"the terrorists,\" opponents of the Iraq conflict increase the risk to U.S. troops. Although the First Amendment protects antiwar critics from being tried for treason, it provides no protection for the hardly less serious charge of failing to support the troops -- today's civic equivalent of dereliction of duty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003eMoney buys access and influence. Money greases the process that will yield us a new president in 2008. When it comes to Iraq, money ensures that the concerns of big business, big oil, bellicose evangelicals and Middle East allies gain a hearing. By comparison, the lives of U.S. soldiers figure as an afterthought.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMemorial Day orators will say that a G.I.'s life is priceless. Don't believe it. I know what value the U.S. government assigns to a soldier's life: I've been handed the check. It's roughly what the Yankees will pay Roger Clemens per inning once he starts pitching next month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMoney maintains the Republican/Democratic duopoly of trivialized politics. It confines the debate over U.S. policy to well-hewn channels. It preserves intact the cliches of  about isolationism, appeasement and the nation's call to \"global leadership.\" It inhibits any serious accounting of exactly how much our misadventure in Iraq is costing. It ignores completely the question of who actually pays. It negates democracy, rendering free speech little more than a means of recording dissent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is not some great conspiracy. It's the way our system works.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003eThe toll in Iraq - May 1 - May 26, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eZ\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003eachary R. Gullett, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 01, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJohnathan E. Kirk, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, May 01, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRyan P. Jones, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 02, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eKatie M. Soenksen, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 02, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAstor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, Army Specialist, May 02, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMatthew T. Bolar, 24, Army Specialist, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJohn D. Flores, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eFelix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJerome J. Potter, 24, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eColby J. Umbrell, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAndrew R. Weiss, 28, Army Specialist, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eKelly B. Grothe, 21, Army Reserve Specialist, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCoby G. Schwab, 25, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, May 03, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eChristopher N. Hamlin, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, May 04, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eLarry I. Guyton, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 05, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCharles O. Palmer II, 36, Marine Corporal, May 05, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eKenneth N. Mack, 42, Marine Reserve Master Sergeant, May 05, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMatthew L. Alexander, 21, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAnthony M. Bradshaw, 21, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRobert J. Dixon, 27, Army Specialist, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJason R. Harkins, 25, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eChristopher S. Kiernan, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJoel W. Lewis, 28, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eVirgil C. Martinez, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMichael A. Pursel, 19, Army Corporal, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eSameer A. M. Rateb, 22, Army Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eVincenzo Romeo, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eKyle A. Little, 20, Army Specialist, May 08, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDan H. Nguyen, 24, Army Specialist, May 08, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBlake C. Stephens, 25, Army Sergeant, May 08, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBradly D. Conner, 41, Army Sergeant Major, May 09, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eWalter K. O’Haire, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 09, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMichael Frank, 36, Army Specialist, May 10, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRoy L. Jones III, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 10, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAnthony J. Sausto, 22, Army Private, May 10, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJason W. Vaughn, 29, Army Sergeant, May 10, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDouglas Zembiec, 34, Marine Major, May 10, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eWilliam A. Farrar Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 11, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJames David Connell Jr., 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 12, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDaniel Courneya, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 12, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eChristopher E Murphy, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 12, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAnthony J. Schober, 23, Army Sergeant, May 12, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAndrew J. Bacevich, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 13, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRhys W. Klasno, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, May 13, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJohn T. Self, 29, Air Force Staff Sergeant, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAllen J. Dunckley, 25, Army Sergeant, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eChristopher N. Gonzalez, 25, Army Sergeant, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eNicholas S. Hartge, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eThomas G. Wright, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJeffrey D. Walker, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 14, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJesse B. Albrecht, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eVictor M. Fontanilla, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAaron D. Gautier, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJonathan V. Hamm, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eSteven M. Packer, 23, Army Sergeant, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCoty J. Phelps, 22, Army Specialist, May 17, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRyan J. Baum, 27, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eScott J. Brown, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eIII, Anselmo Martinez, 26, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMarquis J. McCants, 23, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCasey W. Nash, 22, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJoshua G. Romero, 19, Army Specialist, May 18, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDavid W. Behrle, 20, Army Specialist, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRyan D. Collins, 20, Army Corporal, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJoseph A. Gilmore, 26, Army Specialist, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eTravis F. Haslip, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJean P. Medlin, 27, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eChristopher Moore, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJason A. Schumann, 23, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAlexander R. Varela, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJustin D. Wisniewski, 22, Army Sergeant, May 19, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBrian D. Ardron, 32, Army Sergeant, May 21, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eMichael W. Davis, 22, Army Specialist, May 21, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eShannon V. Weaver, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, May 21, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eSteve Butcher Jr., 27, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eKristopher A. Higdon, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDavid C. Kuehl, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRobert J. Montgomery Jr., 29, Army Sergeant, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eOscar Sauceda Jr., 21, Army Private, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRobert A. Worthington, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBenjamin D. Desilets, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJulian M. Woodall, 21, Marine Corporal, May 22, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eJoseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 23, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDaniel P. Cagle, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 23, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBenjamin J. Ashley, 22, Army Specialist, May 24, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eRobert H. Dembowski, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eIosiwo Uruo, 27, Army Sergeant, May 24, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCasey P. Zylman, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eWilliam Lee Bailey III, 0, Army National Guard Specialist, May 26, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eDavid Paul Lindsey, 0, Marine Corporal, May 26, 2007\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCopyright  by  iCasualties.org\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lament for Dead Soldiers - One Father's cry from the heart"},{"content":" * Spring 2007, Slouching toward summerThe long weekend (Memorial Day) began well. Yesterday, SG and I hiked the Black Mountain Trail from Rhus Ridge parking lot off Moody Road in Los Altos. We started late and decided not to try going to the top (2800 ft). Instead we made a dog leg to the right toward Duvenek Hidden Valley Ranch. Stopped to eat our sandwiches in a grove of bay laurel trees, and then hiked down, followed the trail north alongside the dry stream bed and climbed Ewing Hill to return to Black Mountain Trail and back to the parking lot.The effect of warm days was apparent. Most of the wild flowers have disappeared. Saw a lot of sticky monkeys ((Mimulus aurantiacus). The buckeye trees are still full of clusters but they are beginning to turn brown. The toyon, madrone, oak and eucalyptus trees looked strong, ready to face the scorching days ahead.California Buckeye© Musafir May 26, 2007Sticky Monkey Flowers© Musafir May 26,2007Wind Poppy (Stylomecon heterophylla)© Musafir May 26,2007Blue Dick ((Dichelostemma pulchellum)© Musafir May 26,2007A magnificent Oak tree at Long Ridge© Musafir May 14,2007 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-05-27 Lovely pix. I see you are using the \"neutral\" colors, which are probably closer to delicate reality than my high contrast screamers. Looks nice and hot and dry, unlike here, mosquito without the coast. yrs ever\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/ah-wilderness---the-seasons/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003eSpring 2007, Slouching toward summer\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe long weekend (Memorial Day) began well. Yesterday, SG and I hiked the Black Mountain Trail from Rhus Ridge parking lot off Moody Road in Los Altos.    We started late and decided not to try going to the top (2800 ft).  Instead we made a dog leg to the right toward Duvenek Hidden Valley Ranch.  Stopped to eat our sandwiches in a grove of bay laurel trees, and then hiked down, followed the trail north alongside the dry stream bed and  climbed Ewing Hill to return to Black Mountain Trail and back to the parking lot.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe effect of warm days was apparent.  Most of the wild flowers have disappeared.  Saw a lot of sticky monkeys ((Mimulus aurantiacus).  The buckeye trees are still full of clusters but they are beginning to turn brown.  The toyon, madrone, oak  and eucalyptus trees looked strong, ready to face the scorching days ahead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCalifornia Buckeye\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Buckeye Tree 20070526_IMG_0191.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir May 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSticky Monkey Flowers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Sticky Monkeys.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir May 26,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eWind Poppy \u003cfont class=\"name\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e(Stylomecon heterophylla)\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/20070526_IMG_0196.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir May 26,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlue Dick (\u003ci\u003e(Dichelostemma pulchellum)\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/20070526_IMG_0197.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir May 26,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA magnificent Oak tree at Long Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/A Magnificent Oak Tree 20070514_IMG_0162.jpg\"/\u003e© Musafir May 14,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-05-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eLovely pix.  I see you are using the \"neutral\" colors, which are probably closer to delicate reality than my high contrast screamers.  Looks nice and hot and dry, unlike here, mosquito without the coast. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eyrs ever\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Ah, Wilderness\" - The Seasons"},{"content":" * Reading Hanna Rosin's article, The New Establishment, in the Post gave me the shivers. The thought that the end of Bush era is not going to mean the end of the dark forces of intolerance and zealotry that he so avidly nurtures is depressing to say the least. \"Falwell and Robertson were outsiders and always behaved like it. Goodling's Christian contemporaries grew up with Bush as their president, speaking their language. Even after this administration is gone, they can work for one of the more than 150 members of Congress who call themselves evangelical or dozens of conservative think tanks and activist groups. Or they can run for office: Robert McDonnell, Virginia's attorney general, is a Regent alum. They are part of the Washington establishment now and, much to Bill Maher's chagrin, they will be around long after Bush is gone.\"Think of a generation of scrubbed, clean graduates of Christian colleges doing their thing while waiting for Armageddon.ExcerptsUntil she appeared before the House Judiciary Committee this week to testify about her role in the Justice Department firing scandal, Goodling had been mocked on the Internet and on late-night TV as a certain type: one of a \"bunch of hayseeds\" staffing the administration, as HBO comedian Bill Maher called her.Goodling graduated from Messiah College (\"home of the Fighting Christies\") and the law school at Regent University, founded by Pat Robertson (\"a televangelist's diploma mill\") -- both Maher's terms. * Goodling is part of a new generation of evangelicals ushered in by Falwell, who insisted that Christians get involved in politics. They are graduates of the exploding number of evangelical colleges, which no longer aim to create a parallel subculture but instead to train \"Christian leaders to change the world,\" as the Regent mission statement reads.It used to be that being 33 and in charge of 93 U.S. attorneys would mean you'd been top of your class at Harvard or Yale or clerked at the Supreme Court. Now, Christian schools are joining that mix. Regent has had 150 of its graduates working in the White House; the school estimates that one-sixth of its alumni are in government work. Call them the Goodlings: scrubbed young ideologues, ready to serve their nation, the right's version of the Peace Corps generation. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/evangelical-moles-in-post-bush-america/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading Hanna Rosin's article, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/24/AR2007052402032.html\"\u003eThe New Establishment\u003c/a\u003e, in the Post gave me the shivers.  The thought that the end of Bush era is not going to mean the end of the dark forces of intolerance and zealotry that he so avidly nurtures is depressing to say the least.  \u003cfont\u003e\"Falwell and Robertson were outsiders and always behaved like it. Goodling's Christian contemporaries grew up with Bush as their president, speaking their language. Even after this administration is gone, they can work for one of the more than 150 members of Congress who call themselves evangelical or dozens of conservative think tanks and activist groups. Or they can run for office: Robert McDonnell, Virginia's attorney general, is a Regent alum. They are part of the Washington establishment now and, much to Bill Maher's chagrin, they will be around long after Bush is gone.\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThink of a generation of scrubbed, clean graduates of Christian colleges doing their thing while waiting for Armageddon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/24/AR2007052402032.html\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUntil she appeared before the House Judiciary Committee this week to testify about her role in the Justice Department firing scandal, Goodling had been mocked on the Internet and on late-night TV as a certain type: one of a \"bunch of hayseeds\" staffing the administration, as HBO comedian Bill Maher called her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoodling graduated from Messiah College (\"home of the Fighting Christies\") and the law school at Regent University, founded by Pat Robertson (\"a televangelist's diploma mill\") -- both Maher's terms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eGoodling is part of a new generation of evangelicals ushered in by Falwell, who insisted that Christians get involved in politics. They are graduates of the exploding number of evangelical colleges, which no longer aim to create a parallel subculture but instead to train \"Christian leaders to change the world,\" as the Regent mission statement reads.\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt used to be that being 33 and in charge of 93 U.S. attorneys would mean you'd been top of your class at Harvard or Yale or clerked at the Supreme Court. Now, Christian schools are joining that mix. Regent has had 150 of its graduates working in the White House; the school estimates that one-sixth of its alumni are in government work. Call them the Goodlings: scrubbed young ideologues, ready to serve their nation, the right's version of the Peace Corps generation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Evangelical Moles in Post-Bush America"},{"content":" *Sickening. After months of posturing and bloviating about a timeline for troop withdrawal from Iraq, the Democrats turned tail. Not a surprise. The fact that there was not enough support to override a presidential veto was quite clear from the beginning. But being politicians they went through the circus and, at the end, surrendered.....\"not with a bang but with a whimper\"Shailagh Murray in The Washington PostDemocrats gave up their demand for troop-withdrawal deadlines in an Iraq war spending package yesterday, abandoning their top goal of bringing U.S. troops home and handing President Bush a victory in a debate that has roiled Congress for months.Bush, who has already vetoed one spending bill with a troop timeline, had threatened to do the same with the next version if it came with such a condition. Democratic leaders had moved ahead anyway, under heavy pressure from liberals who believe that the party won control of Congress in November on the strength of antiwar sentiment. But in the end, Democrats said they did not have enough votes to override a presidential veto and could not delay troop funding. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/democrats-rolled-over/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSickening.  After months of posturing and bloviating about a timeline for troop withdrawal from Iraq, the Democrats turned tail.  Not a surprise.  The fact that there was not enough support to override a presidential veto was quite clear from the beginning.  But being politicians they went through the circus and, at the end, surrendered.....\"not with a bang but with a whimper\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/22/AR2007052201329.html\"\u003eShailagh Murray in The Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats gave up their demand for troop-withdrawal deadlines in an Iraq war spending package yesterday, abandoning their top goal of bringing U.S. troops home and handing President Bush a victory in a debate that has roiled Congress for months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush, who has already vetoed one spending bill with a troop timeline, had threatened to do the same with the next version if it came with such a condition. Democratic leaders had moved ahead anyway, under heavy pressure from liberals who believe that the party won control of Congress in November on the strength of antiwar sentiment. But in the end, Democrats said they did not have enough votes to override a presidential veto and could not delay troop funding.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats Rolled Over"},{"content":" * On May 20th The Washington Post published a report filed by Associated Press datelined Little Rock, AR, Saturday, May 19, about remarks made by former President Carter.\"Former President Carter says President Bush's administration is \"the worst in history\" in international relations, taking aim at the White House's policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.\"President Carter went on to say:\"We now have endorsed the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear that some time in the future our security might be endangered,\" he said. \"But that's been a radical departure from all previous administration policies.\"AndCarter also offered a harsh assessment for the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which helps religious charities receive billions in federal grants.\"As a traditional Baptist, I've always believed in separation of church and state and honored that premise when I was president, and so have all other presidents, I might say, except this one,\" he said.Jimmy Carter's remarks caused a mini firestorm because he broke a precedent. Former presidents are not supposed to criticize the sitting president. Two days later,on May 21st, President Carter offered a lame explanation --- that his remarks were \"careless or misinterpreted\".Too bad that President Carter decided to retreat. He was right on Saturday when he spoke out about Bush 43. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/the-jimmy-carter-flipflop---he-was-right-on-saturday/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn May 20th The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/19/AR.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e published a report filed by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/19/AR.html\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e datelined Little Rock, AR, Saturday, May 19,  about remarks made by former President Carter.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"\u003cfont\u003eFormer President Carter says President Bush's administration is \"the worst in history\" in international relations, taking aim at the White House's policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003ePresident Carter went on to say:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"\u003cfont\u003eWe now have endorsed the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear that some time in the future our security might be endangered,\" he said. \"But that's been a radical departure from all previous administration policies.\"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAnd\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCarter also offered a harsh assessment for the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which helps religious charities receive billions in federal grants.\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\"As a traditional Baptist, I've always believed in separation of church and state and honored that premise when I was president, and so have all other presidents, I might say, except this one,\" he said.\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJimmy Carter's remarks caused a mini firestorm because he broke a \u003cfont\u003eprecedent\u003c/font\u003e.  Former presidents are not supposed to criticize the sitting president.  Two days later,on May 21st,  President Carter offered  a lame explanation --- that his remarks were \"careless or misinterpreted\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToo bad that President Carter decided to retreat. He was right on Saturday when he spoke out about Bush 43.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Jimmy Carter Flipflop - He Was Right on Saturday"},{"content":" A blogger friend recently commented about V.S. Naipul's A House for Mr. Biswas and how touched she was by the book. A great novel. I read it decades ago when I lived in India. Naipul's novel, published in 1961, about Mohun Biswas, a man of Indian origin living in Trinidad (under British rule then), had a mixed effect. It grasped my attention and, at the end. left me feeling depressed. Finished reading Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss a few days ago. Desai's book took me back to the India I knew. Although the story took place in the 80's, long after I left for the United States, it revived memories. The characters and scenes in her book were just as I remembered people and events from my past.The Inheritance of Loss won the prestigious Man-Booker Prize in 2006. Only citizens of Britain and the Commonwealth are eligible for the prize, and reproduced below is an anecdote about Desai posted in my blog after announcement of her win.November 13, 2006Citizenship in Bush's AmericaI get the feeling that here in the Silicon Valley a majority of the Indians are likely to be supporters of President Bush and the Republicans. Kiran Desai is not a resident of California. It was interesting to read comments by this year's Booker Prize winner -- that she put off going through the citizenship process because of her \"disapproval of the president's foreign policy\". Perhaps an extreme view but understandable. I love my adopted country. There are times though when I am not proud of what our government does.By Martin Roberts Wed Nov 8, 12:31 PM ETIndian novelist Kiran Desai said she may never have won the Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, had George W. Bush not been U.S. president - as he put her off becoming an American citizen.The Man Booker Prize is open only to British and Commonwealth citizens and Indian-born Desai has yet to apply for a U.S. passport, although she has lived in New York for 20 years.\"George Bush won once and he won the second time and I couldn't bring myself to (apply),\" Desai said late last month in an interview in Toronto as she voiced her disapproval of the president's foreign policy.\"So I really owe George Bush my Booker, in an odd way. It's really very funny.\"Desai, 35, became the youngest woman to capture the 50,000 pound ($95,000) prize last month with her sweeping novel \"The Inheritance of Loss.\" The book's narrative ranges from undocumented workers in New York to political violence in the foothills of the Himalayas during the 1980s.The novelist divides her time between New York and New Delhi, and while she finds traveling difficult on an Indian passport, she said it helped her maintain an essential contact with her roots while penning her prize-winning book.\"I couldn't have written this book without being interested (in India), I felt very Indian while writing it,\" she said.\"With politics in the United States, my immediate thought is how is this going to affect India or the Third World, who are they letting into the country, who they happen to be bombing.\"But Desai is quick to point out that her book deals with an underclass that is exploited in rich and poor countries alike.Applause and a bouquet for Kiran Desai.The Inheritance of Loss is one of the nominees for the 2007 Orange Prize. Desai's previous book Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, published 1998, received good reviews. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/novels-old-and-new---vs-naipaul-kiran-desai/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA blogger friend recently commented about V.S. Naipul's A House for Mr. Biswas and how touched she was by the book.  A great novel.  I read it decades ago when I lived in India.   Naipul's novel, published in 1961, about  Mohun Biswas, a man of Indian origin living in Trinidad (under British rule then),  had a mixed effect.  It grasped my attention and, at the end.  left me feeling depressed.  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFinished reading Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss a few days ago.  Desai's book took me back to the India I knew.  Although the story took place in the 80's, long after I left for the United States, it revived memories.  The characters and scenes in her book were just as I remembered people and events from my past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Inheritance of Loss won the prestigious Man-Booker Prize in 2006.  Only citizens of Britain and the Commonwealth are eligible for the prize, and reproduced below is an anecdote  about Desai posted in my blog after announcement of her  win.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003eNovember 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCitizenship in Bush's America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI get the feeling that here in the Silicon Valley a majority of the Indians are likely to be supporters of President Bush and the Republicans. Kiran Desai is not a resident of California. It was interesting to read comments by this year's Booker Prize winner -- that she put off going through the citizenship process because of her \"disapproval of the president's foreign policy\". Perhaps an extreme view but understandable. I love my adopted country. There are times though when I am not proud of what our government does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Martin Roberts Wed Nov 8, 12:31 PM ET\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian novelist Kiran Desai said she may never have won the Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, had George W. Bush not been U.S. president - as he put her off becoming an American citizen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Man Booker Prize is open only to British and Commonwealth citizens and Indian-born Desai has yet to apply for a U.S. passport, although she has lived in New York for 20 years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"George Bush won once and he won the second time and I couldn't bring myself to (apply),\" Desai said late last month in an interview in Toronto as she voiced her disapproval of the president's foreign policy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"So I really owe George Bush my Booker, in an odd way. It's really very funny.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDesai, 35, became the youngest woman to capture the 50,000 pound ($95,000) prize last month with her sweeping novel \"The Inheritance of Loss.\" The book's narrative ranges from undocumented workers in New York to political violence in the foothills of the Himalayas during the 1980s.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe novelist divides her time between New York and New Delhi, and while she finds traveling difficult on an Indian passport, she said it helped her maintain an essential contact with her roots while penning her prize-winning book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I couldn't have written this book without being interested (in India), I felt very Indian while writing it,\" she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"With politics in the United States, my immediate thought is how is this going to affect India or the Third World, who are they letting into the country, who they happen to be bombing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Desai is quick to point out that her book deals with an underclass that is exploited in rich and poor countries alike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApplause and a bouquet for Kiran Desai.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Yellow-Freesias.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Inheritance of Loss is one of the nominees for the 2007 Orange Prize.  Desai's previous book Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, published 1998,  received good reviews.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Novels:  Old and New - V.S. Naipaul * Kiran Desai"},{"content":" World Bank * Henry Waxman and Karl RoveWolfowitz and his attorney, Robert Bennett, fought long and hard but failed to persuade the World Bank's board to whitewash its findings and allow him to leave at a time of his choosing. Perhaps they would have succeeded a month ago but in the last two weeks the tide against Wolfowitz gained strength and he could no longer dictate terms for his departure.According to reports he will leave by the end of June. Corporate America and universities might consider him toxic but he is sure to find a berth in one of the conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute. And there will be a book in which he will write about the unfair treatment he received and that he did nothing wrong. George Tenet did just that. Not many people believed him. Karen DeYoung in The Post: \"Yesterday, two years later, Wolfowitz resigned from the World Bank, effective June 30. He has become a virtual pariah, forced out by the bank's executive board for ethics violations and reviled by much of the staff as an arrogant intellectual who cared more about his ideas and image than about the institution or its customers.\"Wolfowitz and others like him felt that they could roll over those who didn't agree with their management style and policies. Wolfowitz brought two aides from the Bush administration and installed them to do his dirty work. They,too, abused their power. One of them, Kevin Kellems, left before the boss. The second, Robin Cleveland, is most likely involved in job search.Washington PostThe immediate cause of Wolfowitz's resignation was a pay deal he ordered for Shaha Riza, a bank employee with whom he was romantically involved. But the public vitriol that poured from the bank once his fall began in late March with revelations about the deal underscored wider problems.Far from respecting the bank, member governments and staff charged, Wolfowitz surrounded himself with doctrinaire former White House and Republican officials and gave them wide authority. He altered long-standing policies and imposed new ones without consulting the staff or member governments. He risked the bank's credibility and the future of the poor countries it serves.Addendum May 18,2007Statement released by the World Bank indicates that the Board did concede some points to Mr. Wolfowitz: \" Over the last three days we have considered carefully the report of the ad hoc group, the associated documents, and the submissions and presentations of Mr. Wolfowitz. Our deliberations were greatly assisted by our discussion with Mr Wolfowitz. He assured us that he acted ethically and in good faith in what he believed were the best interests of the institution, and we accept that. We also accept that others involved acted ethically and in good faith. At the same time, it is clear from this material that a number of mistakes were made by a number of individuals in handling the matter under consideration, and that the Bank's systems did not prove robust to the strain under which they were placed. One conclusion we draw from this is the need to review the governance framework of the World Bank Group, including the role as well as procedural and other aspects of the Ethics Committee. The Executive Directors acknowledge Mr. Wolfowitz's decision to resign as President of the World Bank Group, effective end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2007). The Board will start the nomination process for a new President immediately.\"Henry Waxman and his InvestigationsInteresting column in the post by by Robert Novak The untouchable Mr.Rove might not continue to remain so much longer.How things have changed after the mid-term election last November. A year ago it would have been unthinkable. The White House had Congress in its pocket. Now the tremors of the shift in power are being felt thoughtout the Bush Administration.How sweet it is.ExcerptsOn the day presidential senior adviser Karl Rove administered a tongue-lashing to a Republican congressman, disturbing news about his former executive assistant was spread on Capitol Hill. GOP House members learned that Susan Ralston is requesting immunity to testify before Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman's investigating committee.If her testimony is a dud, that could embarrass Waxman. But he has many other weapons. Since assuming the chairmanship on Jan. 4, Waxman has acted as though he had spent the past dozen years in the congressional minority contemplating how many investigations he could launch. His committee has aimed at the General Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, constraints on global-warming scientists, the misrepresentations of Cpl. Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan, private contractors in Iraq and the Plame leak, among other things.The Bush team has seemed confused and disorganized in the face of this fusillade. Warnings by Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, Waxman's Republican counterpart on the committee, fell on deaf ears at the White House. The president's agents appear uncertain about how much they should meet Waxman's demand for documents. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/defeat-for-paul-dundes-wolfowitz/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWorld Bank * Henry Waxman and Karl Rove\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWolfowitz and his attorney, Robert Bennett, fought long and hard but failed to persuade the World Bank's board to whitewash its findings and allow him to leave at a time of his choosing.  Perhaps they would have succeeded a month ago but in the last two weeks the tide against Wolfowitz gained strength and he could no longer dictate terms for his departure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to reports he will leave by the end of June.  Corporate America and universities might consider him toxic but he is sure to find a berth in one of the conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute.  And there will be a book in which he will write about the unfair treatment he received and that he did nothing wrong.  George Tenet did just that.   Not many people believed him. Karen DeYoung in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/17/AR.html\"\u003eThe Pos\u003c/a\u003et: \"Yesterday, two years later, Wolfowitz resigned from the World Bank, effective June 30. He has become a virtual pariah, forced out by the bank's executive board for ethics violations and reviled by much of the staff as an arrogant intellectual who cared more about his ideas and image than about the institution or its customers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWolfowitz and others like him felt that they could roll over those who didn't  agree with their management style and policies.  Wolfowitz brought two aides from the Bush administration and installed them to do his dirty work. They,too, abused their power.  One of them, Kevin Kellems, left before the boss.  The second, Robin Cleveland, is most likely involved in  job search.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/17/AR.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe immediate cause of Wolfowitz's resignation was a pay deal he ordered for Shaha Riza, a bank employee with whom he was romantically involved. But the public vitriol that poured from the bank once his fall began in late March with revelations about the deal underscored wider problems.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFar from respecting the bank, member governments and staff charged, Wolfowitz surrounded himself with doctrinaire former White House and Republican officials and gave them wide authority. He altered long-standing policies and imposed new ones without consulting the staff or member governments. He risked the bank's credibility and the future of the poor countries it serves.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAddendum May 18,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStatement released by the \u003ca href=\"http://web.worldbank.org/\"\u003eWorld Bank\u003c/a\u003e indicates that the Board did concede some  points to Mr. Wolfowitz:  \" Over the last three days we have considered carefully the report of the ad hoc group, the associated documents, and the submissions and presentations of Mr. Wolfowitz. Our deliberations were greatly assisted by our discussion with Mr Wolfowitz. He assured us that he acted ethically and in good faith in what he believed were the best interests of the institution, and we accept that. We also accept that others involved acted ethically and in good faith. At the same time, it is clear from this material that a number of mistakes were made by a number of individuals in handling the matter under consideration, and that the Bank's systems did not prove robust to the strain under which they were placed. One conclusion we draw from this is the need to review the governance framework of the World Bank Group, including the role as well as procedural and other aspects of the Ethics Committee. The Executive Directors acknowledge Mr. Wolfowitz's decision to resign as President of the World Bank Group, effective end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2007). The Board will start the nomination process for a new President immediately.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHenry Waxman and his Investigations\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInteresting column in the post by by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/16/AR2007051602397.html\"\u003eRobert Novak\u003c/a\u003e  The untouchable Mr.Rove might not continue to remain so much longer.How things have changed after the mid-term election last November.  A year ago it would have been unthinkable.  The White House had Congress in its pocket. Now the tremors of the shift in power are being felt thoughtout the Bush Administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow sweet it is.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/16/AR2007051602397.html\"\u003eExcerpts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the day presidential senior adviser Karl Rove administered a tongue-lashing to a Republican congressman, disturbing news about his former executive assistant was spread on Capitol Hill. GOP House members learned that Susan Ralston is requesting immunity to testify before Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman's investigating committee.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf her testimony is a dud, that could embarrass Waxman. But he has many other weapons. Since assuming the chairmanship on Jan. 4, Waxman has acted as though he had spent the past dozen years in the congressional minority contemplating how many investigations he could launch. His committee has aimed at the General Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, constraints on global-warming scientists, the misrepresentations of Cpl. Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan, private contractors in Iraq and the Plame leak, among other things.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush team has seemed confused and disorganized in the face of this fusillade. Warnings by Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, Waxman's Republican counterpart on the committee, fell on deaf ears at the White House. The president's agents appear uncertain about how much they should meet Waxman's demand for documents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Defeat for Paul Dundes Wolfowitz"},{"content":" * Jerry Falwell (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) * And Melina Mercouri in \"Never On Sunday\"Reverend Falwell's death is no doubt considered a great loss by some. It will not be long before someone from among the so called \"religious right\" (Christian Right)) emerges to fill his place.The news reminded me a statement ascribed to Mike Clark, a reporter in Memphis, TN, back in 1981. \"The moral majority is neither moral nor a majority\". Time and time again we learn about two-faced leaders of religious organizations who froth at the mouth railing against moral decadency and get caught in sexual scandals. A notable, recent example is former evangelical preacher Ted Haggard of Colorado Springs,CO. Even Republican politicians have toned down their support for them. The family values cow has been milked dry.John Patterson wrote in The Guardian, on April 28th, about attacks against books and films by the hate-filled, self-appointed guardians of our morals. My friend KCR calls them mandarins of morality. One gets the feeling that if they had the power they would happily follow Torquemada's footsteps.GuardianIf only we had more movies based on the religious right's hate list. John Patterson finds rebellious motivation down at the libraryJohn PattersonSaturday April 28, 2007With its cheesy special effects and its teen-centric narrative, Bridge To Terabithia is the kind of movie that normally generates no revenue streams whatsoever from my wallet. However, the 1977 novel it's based on, by Katherine Paterson, was the ninth most frequently challenged book in American libraries and school-board syllabi during the 1990s, according to the American Library Association, and thus I found myself automatically rooting for it. (Paterson also wrote The Great Gilly Hopkins - No 21 on the list; clearly she's dedicated to afflicting the uptight.)Terabithia annoyed the usual people for the usual reasons: its story of two avowedly non-religious kids who attempt to transcend their everyday problems through creative fantasy punches all the religious right's hottest buttons: secular-humanism as a base substitute for The Word; \"magic\"; godlessness; unsupervised dating, etc. These same people were also up in arms, at different times in different states, about Daddy's Roommate (No 2), Heather Has Two Mommies (No 11), The New Joy of Gay Sex (No 28), The Witches (No 27), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (No 62), and A Day No Pigs Would Die (No 17). It's also pretty clear that a lot of them don't like books by or about black folks, which would account for the presence I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, The Colour Purple, Native Son and The Bluest Eye. As Grampa Simpson might say, this stuff \"angries up the blood!\"You have to believe that annoying these censorious, yet subliterate bigots is a very good thing, and therefore the more movies we see based on books featured on the ALA's most challenged list, the better off we'll be.And if you doubt it, just count the good movies that have already emerged from the opprobrium conferred on them by the list: The Handmaid's Tale (the religious right's ambitions for women, helpfully outlined), Lord Of The Flies (there's your \"laissez-faire\" right there), To Kill A Mockingbird (justice for negroes? Pah!), The Outsiders (justice for teenage hoods? Never!), Carrie (menstruation must never be mentioned!), The Dead Zone, Slaughterhouse Five, Ordinary People and American Psycho.That's a track record worth envying, so what about the unfilmed masterpieces? Well, the titles are certainly toothsome enough. I don't even have to read The Boy Who Lost His Face or Mommy Laid An Egg to know I need to see movies of them. And it's about time someone took another stab at The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (No 5), the slyest and wisest child's-eye-view of the adult world ever written - which is precisely why these people all hate it.Truly, there is a fund of ammunition here with which to annoy the genophobic bluenoses and the militant Christers for years to come. Pick your titles at:www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htmand start your cameras.Further reading: Censorship Mrs Grundy Never on Sunday© http://www.moremoviesdirect.comIt was a pleasure to re-watch Melina Mercouri on video in \"Never on Sunday\". The classic 1960 movie was ahead of its time with a message for women's libbers.A lifelong opponent of fascism, In 1981 Melina Mercouri became \"the first Minister of Culture in Greece\" and served until 1989. She took this office again in 1993, and served until 1994. Source: WikipediaMelina Mercouri died of lung cancer 6 March 1994. Now, that was a sad day. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/falwell-and-the-moral-majority---the-wannabe-torquemadas/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJerry Falwell (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) * And Melina Mercouri in \"Never On Sunday\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReverend Falwell's death is no doubt  considered a great loss by some. It will not be long before someone from among the so called \"religious right\" (Christian Right)) emerges to fill his place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe news reminded me a statement ascribed to Mike Clark, a reporter in Memphis, TN, back in 1981. \"The moral majority is neither moral nor a majority\". Time and time again we learn about two-faced leaders of religious organizations who froth at the mouth railing against  moral decadency  and get caught in sexual scandals. A notable, recent example is former evangelical preacher \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard\"\u003eTed Haggard \u003c/a\u003eof Colorado Springs,CO. Even Republican politicians have toned down their support for them.  The family values cow has been milked dry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Patterson wrote in  \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, on April 28th, about attacks against books and films by the hate-filled, self-appointed guardians of our morals. My friend KCR calls them mandarins of morality.  One gets the feeling that if they had the power they would happily follow Torquemada's footsteps.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuardian\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf only we had more movies based on the religious right's hate list. John Patterson finds rebellious motivation down at the library\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Patterson\u003cbr/\u003eSaturday April 28, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith its cheesy special effects and its teen-centric narrative, Bridge To Terabithia is the kind of movie that normally generates no revenue streams whatsoever from my wallet. However, the 1977 novel it's based on, by Katherine Paterson, was the ninth most frequently challenged book in American libraries and school-board syllabi during the 1990s, according to the American Library Association, and thus I found myself automatically rooting for it. (Paterson also wrote The Great Gilly Hopkins - No 21 on the list; clearly she's dedicated to afflicting the uptight.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTerabithia annoyed the usual people for the usual reasons: its story of two avowedly non-religious kids who attempt to transcend their everyday problems through creative fantasy punches all the religious right's hottest buttons: secular-humanism as a base substitute for The Word; \"magic\"; godlessness; unsupervised dating, etc. These same people were also up in arms, at different times in different states, about Daddy's Roommate (No 2), Heather Has Two Mommies (No 11), The New Joy of Gay Sex (No 28), The Witches (No 27), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (No 62), and A Day No Pigs Would Die (No 17). It's also pretty clear that a lot of them don't like books by or about black folks, which would account for the presence I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, The Colour Purple, Native Son and The Bluest Eye. As Grampa Simpson might say, this stuff \"angries up the blood!\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou have to believe that annoying these censorious, yet subliterate bigots is a very good thing, and therefore the more movies we see based on books featured on the ALA's most challenged list, the better off we'll be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd if you doubt it, just count the good movies that have already emerged from the opprobrium conferred on them by the list: The Handmaid's Tale (the religious right's ambitions for women, helpfully outlined), Lord Of The Flies (there's your \"laissez-faire\" right there), To Kill A Mockingbird (justice for negroes? Pah!), The Outsiders (justice for teenage hoods? Never!), Carrie (menstruation must never be mentioned!), The Dead Zone, Slaughterhouse Five, Ordinary People and American Psycho.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat's a track record worth envying, so what about the unfilmed masterpieces? Well, the titles are certainly toothsome enough. I don't even have to read The Boy Who Lost His Face or Mommy Laid An Egg to know I need to see movies of them. And it's about time someone took another stab at The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (No 5), the slyest and wisest child's-eye-view of the adult world ever written - which is precisely why these people all hate it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTruly, there is a fund of ammunition here with which to annoy the genophobic bluenoses and the militant Christers for years to come. Pick your titles at:\u003cbr/\u003ewww.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm\u003cbr/\u003eand start your cameras.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFurther reading: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship\"\u003eCensorship\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Grundy\"\u003eMrs Grundy \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNever on Sunday\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Never on Sunday II.JPG\"/\u003e© http://www.moremoviesdirect.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was a pleasure to re-watch Melina Mercouri on video in \"Never on Sunday\".  The classic 1960 movie was ahead of its time with a message for women's libbers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA lifelong opponent of fascism, In 1981 Melina Mercouri became \"the first Minister of Culture in Greece\" and served until 1989.  She took this office again in 1993, and served until 1994.   Source: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melina_Mercouri\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMelina Mercouri died of lung cancer \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/OnThisDay?day=6\u0026amp;month=March\"\u003e6 March\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/DiedInYear?1994\"\u003e1994\u003c/a\u003e.  Now, that was a sad day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Falwell and the Moral Majority  - The Wannabe Torquemadas"},{"content":" * For residents of the San Francisco Peninsula who like to run and hike the choices are abundant. A short drive -- for some lucky few, a short walk -- allow us to reach preserves where it is easy to spend a few hours or a full day exploring the trails and the woods. There are preserves that offer shady trails and picnic spots for hot summer days and there are trails with breathtaking views of the ocean and the coastal mountain range.It is the time for wild flowers. This year, low rainfall has prevented great displays. They will be gone soon but there are still some to be found.Coast Sun Cups at Edgewood Park©MusafirMule Ears at Arasradero Preserve©MusafirThe Picnic Table at Arastradero Preserve. Sort of hidden in a secluded area. JHL and I have enjoyed many hours at the table and seen very few people go past. ©MusafirWe stopped at Stanford Campus on our way to Arastradero Preserve.The Quad©MusafirA Screech Owl nesting at Rancho San Antonio©MusafirQuail in the bush, Rancho San Antonio©MusafirWild Turkey at Rancho San Antonio©MusafirTrail to the Lower Parking Lot©MusafirRest stop, Wild Cat Canyon Trail©MusafirEntrance to Russian Ridge©MusafirRed Paintbrush©MusafirTidy Tips©MusafirCalifornia Poppies and Miniature Lupine©MusafirChecker Mallows©MusafirCalifornia Poppies and American Vetch©MusafirLooking east, Stanford Campus and beyond©MusafirLooking west at Rapley Ranch©MusafirThe pond at Rapley Ranch©Musafir\"I celebrate myselfAnd what I assume you shall assume,For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.\"-- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/walks-in-the-woods---spring-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor residents of the San Francisco Peninsula who like to run and hike the choices are abundant.  A short drive -- for some lucky few, a short walk -- allow us to reach preserves where it is easy to spend a few hours or a full day exploring the trails and the woods.  There are preserves that offer shady trails and picnic spots for hot summer days and there are trails with breathtaking views of the ocean and the coastal mountain range.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is the time for wild flowers.  This year, low rainfall has prevented great displays.  They will be gone soon but there are still some to be found.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCoast Sun Cups at Edgewood Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Coast Suncup.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMule Ears at Arasradero Preserve\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Mule Ears at Arastradero Preserve.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThe Picnic Table at Arastradero Preserve.  Sort of hidden in a secluded area.  JHL and I have enjoyed many hours at the table and seen very few people go past.   \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Picnic Bench ar Arastradero Preserve (II).jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe stopped at Stanford Campus on our way to Arastradero Preserve.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Quad\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Stanford Quad.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA Screech Owl nesting at Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/The Owl.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eQuail in the bush, Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Close up of a Quail.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWild Turkey at Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Wild Turkey.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTrail to the Lower Parking Lot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Trail to the Lower Parking Lot.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRest stop, Wild Cat Canyon Trail\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Rest stop, Wild Canyon Trail, Rancho San Antonio.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEntrance to Russian Ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Russian Ridge.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRed Paintbrush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Red Paintbrush II.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTidy Tips\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Tidy Tips at Russian Ridge.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Poppies and Miniature Lupine\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Poppies and Miniature Lupine.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChecker Mallows\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Checker Mallows at Russian Ridge.jpg\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Poppies and American Vetch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/California Poppies and American Vetch.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking east, Stanford Campus and beyond\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Hoover Tower, Stanford Campus.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking west at Rapley Ranch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Looking West toward Rapley Ranch.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe pond at Rapley Ranch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Pond at Rapley Ranch II.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I celebrate myself\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what I assume you shall assume,\u003cbr/\u003eFor every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e-- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Walks in the Woods - Spring 2007"},{"content":" * After being dormant the past 7 months, my hibiscus plant is full of buds and one has bloomed.I grew up in Jamshedpur. Now a part of Jharkhand, at that time it was in Bihar province. It was the memory of the santal (aboriginal) women coming to town on sundays to sell vegetables that made me go out and get a hibiscus plant for my yard a few years ago. Many santal women wore red hibiscus in their hair. The combination -- dark skin, jet black hair and the red flower -- was striking. I can close my eyes and visualize groups of them, carrying baskets and chattering away. In the evening they returned to their village across the river with empty baskets.I spent a lot of time on the world wide web to find images of women wearing hibiscus. No luck. Found a few but they were not of santal women. The closest I came to was in Timesonline, image of a young boy wearing a red hibiscus. But my search lead me to a treasure -- R.L. Kamat's wonderful website http://www.kamat.com. I have used two images from Kamat's Potpourri. Just imagine the women wearing red hibiscus in their hair and you'll get the picture of what I see when I think of market days in Jamshedpur.© Kamat's Potpourri http://www.kamat.com© Kamat's Potpourri http://www.kamat.com ©Richard Parry 2-26-07 http://timesonline.typepad.com/times_tokyo_weblog/images/piul_urchin_with_hibiscus_1.jpgFinally, the hibiscus in my garden. ©Musafir 5-10-07 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-05-10 Lovely, even before I saw the pictures.\nI may have asked you this, but Alzheimerly forgot the answer: why is it that the some of the greatest writers (at least in translation) are Indian. There is a cinematic quality about their language which is unique. I'm thinking of A. Roy, R. Narayan, B. Mukherjee in particular, and then of course we have the twin deities Rushdie and Naipaul. They have all managed to verbalize vision.\nSo can you.\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/a-red-hibiscus-bloomed---jharkhand-on-my-mind/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter being dormant the past 7 months, my hibiscus plant is full of buds and one has bloomed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI grew up in Jamshedpur.  Now a part of Jharkhand, at that time it was in Bihar province. It was the memory of  the santal (aboriginal) women coming to town on sundays to sell vegetables that made me go out and get a hibiscus plant  for my yard a few years ago.   Many santal women wore red hibiscus in their hair.  The combination -- dark  skin, jet black hair and the red flower -- was striking.  I can close my eyes and visualize groups of them, carrying baskets and chattering away.  In the evening they returned to their village across the river with empty baskets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI spent a lot of time on the world wide web to find images of women wearing hibiscus.  No luck.  Found a few but they were not of santal women.    The closest I came to was in Timesonline, image of a young boy wearing a red hibiscus.  But my search lead me to a treasure -- R.L. Kamat's wonderful website     \u003ca href=\"http://www.kamat.com/\"\u003ehttp://www.kamat.com\u003c/a\u003e.   I have used two images from Kamat's Potpourri.  Just imagine the women wearing red hibiscus in their hair and you'll get the picture of what I see when I  think of market days in Jamshedpur.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Tribal Women II.jpg\"/\u003e©                                                                               Kamat's Potpourri  \u003ca href=\"http://www.kamat.com/\"\u003ehttp://www.kamat.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Santhal women - Market day.jpg\"/\u003e© Kamat's Potpourri \u003ca href=\"http://www.kamat.com/\"\u003ehttp://www.kamat.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/Boy wearing  Hibiscus.jpg\"/\u003e                                                                  ©Richard Parry 2-26-07   http://timesonline.typepad.com/times_tokyo_weblog/images/piul_urchin_with_hibiscus_1.jpg\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFinally, the hibiscus in my garden.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/05/20070510_IMG_0157.JPG\"/\u003e                                                                  ©Musafir 5-10-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-05-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eLovely, even before I saw the pictures.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI may have asked you this, but Alzheimerly forgot the answer:  why is it that the some of the greatest writers (at least in translation) are Indian.  There is a cinematic quality about their language which is unique.  I'm thinking of A. Roy, R. Narayan, B. Mukherjee in particular, and then of course we have the twin deities Rushdie and Naipaul.  They have all managed to verbalize vision.\u003cbr\u003eSo can you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Red Hibiscus Bloomed - Jharkhand on my Mind"},{"content":" Nicholas Sarkozy is the winner in French presidential election. The result was expected. Madame Royal lost her cool in the debate on May 2nd with Sarkozy which, to some degree, sealed her fate. But even before the debate there were signs that French voters were losing their enthusiasm for her. Her attempts to gain centrist candidate Francois Bayrou's support fell flat. Many considered that as unprincipled.Politicians often resort to expediency.Our own presidential hopefuls lining up for 2008 appear to be wiggling to find positions that will appeal to their base. Rudy Giuliani is ready to surrender support for women's right to choose, and Hillary Clinton is staying away from a clear position on Iraq war.Washington Post\"I want to give French people back the pride of being French -- to finish with repentance, which is a form of self-hate,\" he said, renouncing a pervasive national malaise fed by economic decline at home and sinking influence abroad.An unabashed admirer of America, Sarkozy, 52, had a special message for the United States, which has had troubled relations with France under President Jacques Chirac, who led international opposition to the U.S. war in Iraq.\"I'd like to appeal to our American friends to say that they can count on our friendship,\" he said. \"But I would also like to say that friendship means accepting that your friends don't necessarily see eye to eye with you.\"In particular, he said, \"a great nation like the United States has the duty not to oppose the fight against global warming, but to lead that battle, because what is at stake is the destiny of mankind.\" Sarkozy said he would make the issue a top international priority as president.For Sarkozy it is not going to be a bed of roses. Those who elected him will expect results. Backlash against immigrants was a factor in his victory. The growing immigrant population is restive. It could turn out to be an ugly summer.Democracy in action. Whether or not one admires the French and their culture, 84% of French citizens voted in the election. That is something they can be proud of. For those who are unaware, in the 2004 presidential election only 55% of eligible voters in America participated! Think of what we got! ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/s%C3%A9gol%C3%A8ne-royal-fizzled-out/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas Sarkozy is the winner in French presidential election.  The result was expected.  Madame Royal lost her cool in the debate on May 2nd with Sarkozy which, to some degree, sealed her fate.  But even before the debate there were signs that French voters were losing their enthusiasm for her.  Her attempts to gain centrist candidate Francois Bayrou's support fell flat. Many considered that as unprincipled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoliticians often resort to expediency.Our own presidential hopefuls lining up for 2008 appear to be wiggling to find positions that will appeal to their base.  Rudy Giuliani is ready to surrender support for women's right to choose, and Hillary Clinton is staying away from a clear position on Iraq war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/06/AR2007050600216.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I want to give French people back the pride of being French -- to finish with repentance, which is a form of self-hate,\" he said, renouncing a pervasive national malaise fed by economic decline at home and sinking influence abroad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn unabashed admirer of America, Sarkozy, 52, had a special message for the United States, which has had troubled relations with France under President Jacques Chirac, who led international opposition to the U.S. war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'd like to appeal to our American friends to say that they can count on our friendship,\" he said. \"But I would also like to say that friendship means accepting that your friends don't necessarily see eye to eye with you.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn particular, he said, \"a great nation like the United States has the duty not to oppose the fight against global warming, but to lead that battle, because what is at stake is the destiny of mankind.\" Sarkozy said he would make the issue a top international priority as president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Sarkozy it is not going to be a bed of roses.  Those who elected him will expect results. Backlash against  immigrants was a factor in his victory.  The growing immigrant population is restive.  It could turn out to be an ugly summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocracy in action. Whether or not one admires the French and their culture, 84% of  French citizens voted in the election.  That is something they can be proud of.   For those who are unaware, in the 2004 presidential election only  55% of eligible voters in America participated!   Think of what we got!\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Ségolène Royal Fizzled Out"},{"content":" \"The Commander Guy\"Louix XIV, known as the Sun King, ruled France for 72 years. He was said to be a \"great monarch\" and responsible for enlarging a former hunting lodge into world-famous Versailles.Reading the column by Eugene Robinson in the Post about the current occupant of the White House made me wonder how did we ever elect such a person to be the head of this great nation. But the damage is done; he will be there until 2008 when he will ride into the sunset uttering some claptrap. \"On Wednesday, speaking to the Associated General Contractors of America, Bush gave himself a new nickname. Responding to a question from the audience, he asked rhetorically whether \"the Congress or the commanders\" should decide how many U.S. troops are needed in Iraq. \"And as you know,\" he went on, \"my position is clear -- I'm the Commander Guy.\" It would be funny if it were not for the high costs of his actions.Washington PostMaybe there were further clues to the president's decision-making style in the rambling talk he gave a couple of weeks ago at Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio. He recalled that just before his inauguration in 2001, the head usher at the White House called and asked what color rug he wanted in the Oval Office. He delegated the task of designing a new presidential rug to his wife, Laura.\"But I said, I want it to say something -- the president has got to be a strategic thinker and I said to her, make sure the rug says 'optimistic person comes to work.' Because you can't make decisions unless you're optimistic that the decisions you make will lead to a better tomorrow.\" The result, he said, is \"this fantastic rug that looks like the sun. And it just sets the tone for the Oval Office.\"While discussing the situation in Iraq, Bush told the Tipp City audience that \"I happen to think there will be an additional dividend when we succeed -- remember the rug?\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-05-04 \"Let them eat McDonalds.\"\nPlus ca change, plus ca reste la meme.\n3 bows,\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/a-modern-day-sun-king-in-the-white-house-nah/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Commander Guy\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLouix XIV, known as the Sun King, ruled France for 72 years.  He was said to be a \"great monarch\" and responsible for enlarging a former hunting lodge into world-famous \u003ca href=\"http://www.louis-xiv.de/index.php?t=castles\u0026amp;a=versailles\"\u003eVersailles\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading the column by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/03/AR2007050301641.html\"\u003eEugene Robinson\u003c/a\u003e in the Post about the current occupant of the White House made me wonder how did we ever elect such a person to be the head of this great nation.  But the damage is done;  he will be there until 2008 when he will ride into the sunset uttering some claptrap.  \"On Wednesday, speaking to the Associated General Contractors of America, Bush gave himself a new nickname. Responding to a question from the audience, he asked rhetorically whether \"the Congress or the commanders\" should decide how many U.S. troops are needed in Iraq.  \"And as you know,\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070502-2.html\" target=\"\"\u003ehe went on\u003c/a\u003e, \"my position is clear -- I'm the Commander Guy.\"   It would be funny if it were not for the high costs of his actions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/03/AR2007050301641.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMaybe there were further clues to the president's decision-making style in the rambling talk he gave a couple of weeks ago at Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio. He recalled that just before his inauguration in 2001, the head usher at the White House called and asked what color rug he wanted in the Oval Office. He delegated the task of designing a new presidential rug to his wife, Laura.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But I said, I want it to say something -- the president has got to be a strategic thinker and I said to her, make sure the rug says 'optimistic person comes to work.' Because you can't make decisions unless you're optimistic that the decisions you make will lead to a better tomorrow.\" The result, he said, is \"this fantastic rug that looks like the sun. And it just sets the tone for the Oval Office.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile discussing the situation in Iraq, Bush told the Tipp City audience that \"I happen to think there will be an additional dividend when we succeed -- remember the rug?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-05-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\"Let them eat McDonalds.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlus ca change, plus ca reste la meme.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3 bows,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Modern Day Sun King in The White House, Nah"},{"content":" \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\"Coffins keep arriving from Iraq. The warrior goes to Tampa,FL. This time he will not be wearing a flight suit for photo op. \"BAGHDAD, April 30 -- The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence.\"FactsAs of April 30th the total for dead American soldiers stands at: 3351 of which 104 died this month.Since President Bush's \"Mission Accomplished\" appearance, May 1, 2003: 3211Since President Bush said \"Bring them on\" July 2, 2003: 3144Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2007/05/fourth-anniversary-of-mission-accomplished/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Sorrowing Lies My Land\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCoffins keep arriving from Iraq.  The warrior goes to Tampa,FL.  This time he will not be wearing a flight suit for photo op.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/30/AR2007043001929.html\"\u003eBAGHDAD\u003c/a\u003e, April 30 -- The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFacts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs of April 30th the total for dead American soldiers stands at:  3351 of which 104 died this month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince President Bush's \"Mission Accomplished\" appearance, May 1, 2003: 3211\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince President Bush said \"Bring them on\" July 2, 2003: 3144\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Fourth Anniversary of \"Mission Accomplished\""},{"content":" Uneasy Nights for the Hypocrites in Washington, DCIf you believed Bill Clinton -- who \"smoked but didn't inhale\" -- then you gotta give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Glenn Kessler in the Post: \"Randall L. Tobias, the deputy secretary of state responsible for U.S. foreign aid, abruptly resigned yesterday after he was asked about an upscale escort service allegedly involved in prostitution, U.S. government sources said.\"Mr. Tobias told ABC News that \"he had used the service to provide massages, not sex\". Why didn't he use a licensed massage therapist ? Mr. Tobias is 65....and married.Mr. Tobias took a leading role in promoting Bush Administration's abstinence only program overseas. It figures. There must be quite a few prominent men....and women in Washington who are spending uneasy nights.This story, described as Hookergate by some, could have legs. There were earlier reports about Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo who held a high position at the CIA. The sudden resignation of Porter Goss, who took over the helm of the CIA after George Tenet, was also alluded to involvement with high-priced call girls provided by defense contractor Brent R. Wilkes. Former Republican Congressman Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham is serving a prison sentence for taking bribes. Wilkes is under investigation.Washington PostPalfrey piqued fascination -- and anxiety -- by first threatening to sell phone records that could unveil thousands of clients, and then handing them over, apparently for free, to ABC News. She is scheduled to appear tomorrow in U.S. District Court in the District. * And the nights cannot be too restful for Paul Dundes Wolfowitz. The former Deputy Secretary of Defense and champion of the invasion of Iraq, is scrambling to save his job as president of the World Bank after giving his squeeze, Shaha Ali Riza (a high-level employee at the bank) a huge pay raise. Mr. Wolfowitz was engaged in fighting corruption among nations that receive funding from the bank. Currently, the program is said to be in a state of flux because of what Mr. Wolfowitz did for Ms. Riza. He is scheduled to appear before the bank's directors tomorrow (April 30th) to plead his case. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/deborah-jeane-palfrey-and-her-ticking-time-bomb/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUneasy Nights for the Hypocrites in Washington, DC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf  you believed Bill Clinton -- who \"smoked but didn't inhale\" -- then you gotta give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Glenn Kessler in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/27/AR2007042702497.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Randall L. Tobias, the deputy secretary of state responsible for U.S. foreign aid, abruptly resigned yesterday after he was asked about an upscale escort service allegedly involved in prostitution, U.S. government sources said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Tobias told ABC News that \"he had used the service to provide massages, not sex\".    Why didn't he use a licensed massage therapist ?  Mr. Tobias is 65....and married.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Tobias took a leading role in promoting Bush Administration's abstinence only program overseas. It figures.  There must be quite a few prominent men....and women  in Washington who are spending uneasy nights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis story, described as Hookergate by some, could have legs.  There were earlier reports about Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo who held a high position at the CIA.  The sudden resignation of Porter Goss, who took over the helm of the CIA after George Tenet, was also alluded to involvement with high-priced call girls provided by defense contractor \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Wilkes\"\u003eBrent R. Wilkes\u003c/a\u003e.  Former Republican Congressman Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham is serving a prison sentence for taking bribes.  Wilkes is under investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801192.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePalfrey piqued fascination -- and anxiety -- by first threatening to sell phone records that could unveil thousands of clients, and then handing them over, apparently for free, to ABC News. She is scheduled to appear tomorrow in U.S. District Court in the District.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd the nights cannot be too restful for \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wolfowitz\"\u003ePaul Dundes Wolfowitz.\u003c/a\u003e  The former Deputy Secretary of Defense and champion of the invasion of Iraq, is scrambling to save his job as president of the World Bank after giving his squeeze, \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaha_Riza\"\u003eShaha Ali Riza\u003c/a\u003e (a high-level employee at the bank) a huge pay raise. Mr. Wolfowitz was engaged in fighting corruption among nations that receive funding from the bank.  Currently, the program is said to be in a state of flux because of what Mr. Wolfowitz did for Ms. Riza.  He is scheduled to appear before the bank's directors tomorrow (April 30th) to plead his case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Deborah Jeane Palfrey and her Ticking Time Bomb"},{"content":" Other Voices, Other CountriesNot just another woman.....the woman who has become a blogger of note, writing under the name Riverbend. Baghdad Burning, her blog has received wide attention in world press. Lately her posts had become infrequent. She wrote on Feb.20th about the Sabrine Al Janabi case. Sabrine, a Sunni, was reported to be raped by members of Shia police force and Prime Minister al-Maliki quickly began a cover up.It was with a feeling of sadness I read her most recent post (see below) about the wall going up around the A'adhamiya area of Baghdad and her family's plans to leave Iraq.Baghdad Burning... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...Thursday, April 26, 2007The Great Wall of Segregation...…Which is the wall the current Iraqi government is building (with the support and guidance of the Americans). It's a wall that is intended to separate and isolate what is now considered the largest 'Sunni' area in Baghdad- let no one say the Americans are not building anything. According to plans the Iraqi puppets and Americans cooked up, it will 'protect' A'adhamiya, a residential/mercantile area that the current Iraqi government and their death squads couldn't empty of Sunnis.The wall, of course, will protect no one. I sometimes wonder if this is how the concentration camps began in Europe. The Nazi government probably said, \"Oh look- we're just going to protect the Jews with this little wall here- it will be difficult for people to get into their special area to hurt them!\" And yet, it will also be difficult to get out.The Wall is the latest effort to further break Iraqi society apart. Promoting and supporting civil war isn't enough, apparently- Iraqis have generally proven to be more tenacious and tolerant than their mullahs, ayatollahs, and Vichy leaders. It's time for America to physically divide and conquer- like Berlin before the wall came down or Palestine today. This way, they can continue chasing Sunnis out of \"Shia areas\" and Shia out of \"Sunni areas\".I always hear the Iraqi pro-war crowd interviewed on television from foreign capitals (they can only appear on television from the safety of foreign capitals because I defy anyone to be publicly pro-war in Iraq). They refuse to believe that their religiously inclined, sectarian political parties fueled this whole Sunni/Shia conflict. They refuse to acknowledge that this situation is a direct result of the war and occupation. They go on and on about Iraq's history and how Sunnis and Shia were always in conflict and I hate that. I hate that a handful of expats who haven't been to the country in decades pretend to know more about it than people actually living there.I remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbors were- we didn't care. No one asked about religion or sect. No one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward. Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it- depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night.On a personal note, we've finally decided to leave. I guess I've known we would be leaving for a while now. We discussed it as a family dozens of times. At first, someone would suggest it tentatively because, it was just a preposterous idea- leaving ones home and extended family- leaving ones country- and to what? To where?Since last summer, we had been discussing it more and more. It was only a matter of time before what began as a suggestion- a last case scenario- soon took on solidity and developed into a plan. For the last couple of months, it has only been a matter of logistics. Plane or car? Jordan or Syria? Will we all leave together as a family? Or will it be only my brother and I at first?After Jordan or Syria- where then? Obviously, either of those countries is going to be a transit to something else. They are both overflowing with Iraqi refugees, and every single Iraqi living in either country is complaining of the fact that work is difficult to come by, and getting a residency is even more difficult. There is also the little problem of being turned back at the border. Thousands of Iraqis aren't being let into Syria or Jordan- and there are no definite criteria for entry, the decision is based on the whim of the border patrol guard checking your passport.An airplane isn't necessarily safer, as the trip to Baghdad International Airport is in itself risky and travelers are just as likely to be refused permission to enter the country (Syria and Jordan) if they arrive by airplane. And if you're wondering why Syria or Jordan, because they are the only two countries that will let Iraqis in without a visa. Following up visa issues with the few functioning embassies or consulates in Baghdad is next to impossible.So we've been busy. Busy trying to decide what part of our lives to leave behind. Which memories are dispensable? We, like many Iraqis, are not the classic refugees- the ones with only the clothes on their backs and no choice. We are choosing to leave because the other option is simply a continuation of what has been one long nightmare- stay and wait and try to survive.On the one hand, I know that leaving the country and starting a new life somewhere else- as yet unknown- is such a huge thing that it should dwarf every trivial concern. The funny thing is that it’s the trivial that seems to occupy our lives. We discuss whether to take photo albums or leave them behind. Can I bring along a stuffed animal I've had since the age of four? Is there room for E.'s guitar? What clothes do we take? Summer clothes? The winter clothes too? What about my books? What about the CDs, the baby pictures?The problem is that we don't even know if we'll ever see this stuff again. We don't know if whatever we leave, including the house, will be available when and if we come back. There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends… And to what?It's difficult to decide which is more frightening- car bombs and militias, or having to leave everything you know and love, to some unspecified place for a future where nothing is certain. Comments Maritza \u0026mdash; 2007-04-30 A long time ago you came to visit my blog on Bhaskar's recommendation. I'm finally paying a return visit. Thanks for introducing me to the blogger from Iraq. It is very difficult to leave one's country. I live surrounded by many people who have done so, and some days I feel a bit distant from my own country as a result of living in a sort of exile. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/a-young-iraqi-woman-writes-about-leaving-home/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eOther Voices, Other Countries\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot just another woman.....the woman who has become a blogger of note, writing under the name Riverbend.  \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e, her blog has received wide attention in world press. Lately  her posts had become infrequent.  She wrote on Feb.20th about the Sabrine Al Janabi case.  Sabrine, a Sunni, was reported to be raped by members of Shia police force and Prime Minister al-Maliki quickly began a cover up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was with a feeling of sadness I read her most recent post (see below) about the wall going up around the A'adhamiya area of Baghdad and her family's plans to leave Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...\u003cbr/\u003eThursday, April 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Great Wall of Segregation...\u003cbr/\u003e…Which is the wall the current Iraqi government is building (with the support and guidance of the Americans). It's a wall that is intended to separate and isolate what is now considered the largest 'Sunni' area in Baghdad- let no one say the Americans are not building anything. According to plans the Iraqi puppets and Americans cooked up, it will 'protect' A'adhamiya, a residential/mercantile area that the current Iraqi government and their death squads couldn't empty of Sunnis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe wall, of course, will protect no one. I sometimes wonder if this is how the concentration camps began in Europe. The Nazi government probably said, \"Oh look- we're just going to protect the Jews with this little wall here- it will be difficult for people to get into their special area to hurt them!\" And yet, it will also be difficult to get out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Wall is the latest effort to further break Iraqi society apart. Promoting and supporting civil war isn't enough, apparently- Iraqis have generally proven to be more tenacious and tolerant than their mullahs, ayatollahs, and Vichy leaders. It's time for America to physically divide and conquer- like Berlin before the wall came down or Palestine today. This way, they can continue chasing Sunnis out of \"Shia areas\" and Shia out of \"Sunni areas\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI always hear the Iraqi pro-war crowd interviewed on television from foreign capitals (they can only appear on television from the safety of foreign capitals because I defy anyone to be publicly pro-war in Iraq). They refuse to believe that their religiously inclined, sectarian political parties fueled this whole Sunni/Shia conflict. They refuse to acknowledge that this situation is a direct result of the war and occupation. They go on and on about Iraq's history and how Sunnis and Shia were always in conflict and I hate that. I hate that a handful of expats who haven't been to the country in decades pretend to know more about it than people actually living there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbors were- we didn't care. No one asked about religion or sect. No one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward. Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it- depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn a personal note, we've finally decided to leave. I guess I've known we would be leaving for a while now. We discussed it as a family dozens of times. At first, someone would suggest it tentatively because, it was just a preposterous idea- leaving ones home and extended family- leaving ones country- and to what? To where?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince last summer, we had been discussing it more and more. It was only a matter of time before what began as a suggestion- a last case scenario- soon took on solidity and developed into a plan. For the last couple of months, it has only been a matter of logistics. Plane or car? Jordan or Syria? Will we all leave together as a family? Or will it be only my brother and I at first?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter Jordan or Syria- where then? Obviously, either of those countries is going to be a transit to something else. They are both overflowing with Iraqi refugees, and every single Iraqi living in either country is complaining of the fact that work is difficult to come by, and getting a residency is even more difficult. There is also the little problem of being turned back at the border. Thousands of Iraqis aren't being let into Syria or Jordan- and there are no definite criteria for entry, the decision is based on the whim of the border patrol guard checking your passport.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn airplane isn't necessarily safer, as the trip to Baghdad International Airport is in itself risky and travelers are just as likely to be refused permission to enter the country (Syria and Jordan) if they arrive by airplane. And if you're wondering why Syria or Jordan, because they are the only two countries that will let Iraqis in without a visa. Following up visa issues with the few functioning embassies or consulates in Baghdad is next to impossible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo we've been busy. Busy trying to decide what part of our lives to leave behind. Which memories are dispensable? We, like many Iraqis, are not the classic refugees- the ones with only the clothes on their backs and no choice. We are choosing to leave because the other option is simply a continuation of what has been one long nightmare- stay and wait and try to survive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the one hand, I know that leaving the country and starting a new life somewhere else- as yet unknown- is such a huge thing that it should dwarf every trivial concern. The funny thing is that it’s the trivial that seems to occupy our lives. We discuss whether to take photo albums or leave them behind. Can I bring along a stuffed animal I've had since the age of four? Is there room for E.'s guitar? What clothes do we take? Summer clothes? The winter clothes too? What about my books? What about the CDs, the baby pictures?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe problem is that we don't even know if we'll ever see this stuff again. We don't know if whatever we leave, including the house, will be available when and if we come back. There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends… And to what?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's difficult to decide which is more frightening- car bombs and militias, or having to leave everything you know and love, to some unspecified place for a future where nothing is certain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaritza\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-04-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eA long time ago you came to visit my blog on Bhaskar's recommendation. I'm finally paying a return visit. Thanks for introducing me to the blogger from Iraq. It is very difficult to leave one's country. I live surrounded by many people who have done so, and some days I feel a bit distant from my own country as a result of living in a sort of exile.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Young Iraqi Woman Writes about Leaving Home"},{"content":" Deaf, blind, arrogant, hypocrite. All the adjectives fit President Bush -- the man who thought that AG Alberto Gonzales did a great job during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. And our soldiers are dying and suffering injuries for this man! Baffling. Why do the military families remain mute ? Of course, there are families that believe in the president's war and feel that their loved ones died in a just cause. It is not known whether they constitute the majority. The ones who have had enough of the lies and utter disregard of facts in Iraq need to speak out and send a message to the president. He is likely to tune them out as he does all critics, but it would strengthen the efforts of those who are trying to bring an end to the mess. There is nothing shameful about admitting a mistake.Troop Surge, Death Toll Surge86 soldiers, including nine from the 82nd Airbone Division,Fort Bragg,NC,have lost their lives in this cruel month of April.Jason R. Arnette, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007William G. Bowling, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 01, 2007Robert M. McDowell, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007David A. Mejias, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Eric R. Vick, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Miguel A. Marcial III, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2007Brian E. Ritzberg, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Curtis R. Spivey, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Bradley D. King, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 02, 2007Daniel R. Olsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2007Shane R. Becker, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2007Gabriel J. Figueroa, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2007Jerry C. Burge, 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2007Joseph H. Cantrell IV, 23, Army Corporal, Apr 04, 2007James J. Coon, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Walter Freeman Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Derek A. Gibson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Forrest D. Cauthorn, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 05, 2007Jason A. Shaffer, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2007Jay S. Cajimat, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Ryan S. Dallam, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2007Daniel A. Fuentes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Anthony Palermo Jr., 27, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2007Damian Lopez Rodriguez, 0, Army Private, Apr 06, 2007Gregory J. Billiter, 36, Navy Chief Petty Officer, Apr 06, 2007Curtis R. Hall, 24, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007Joseph A. McSween, 26, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Joseph C. Schwedler, 27, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007Ebe F. Emolo, 33, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2007Jonathan D. Grassbaugh, 25, Army Captain, Apr 07, 2007Levi K. Hoover, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007Rodney L. McCandless, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007Philip A. Murphy-Sweet, 42, Navy Commander, Apr 07, 2007Harrison Brown, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Adam P. Kennedy, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Phillip I. Neel, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 08, 2007David N. Simmons, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 08, 2007Todd A. Singleton, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Jesse L. Williams, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Brian Lee Holden, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007Ismael Solorio, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007, Clifford A. Spohn III, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007Brett Andre Walton, 37, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007Kyle G. Bohrnsen, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 10, 2007Raymond S. Sevaaetasi, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 11, 2007Jason J. Beadles, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007John G. Borbonus, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2007James T. Lindsey, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2007Gwilym J. Newman, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 12, 2007Cody A. Putnam, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007Larry R. Bowman, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 13, 2007Ryan A. Bishop, 32, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2007Joshua A. Schmit, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Brandon L. Wallace, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Robert J. Basham, 22, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Daniel J. Santee, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2007Steven J. Walberg, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 15, 2007Mario K. De Leon, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2007Aaron M. Genevie, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007Lucas V. Starcevich, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007Shaun M. Blue, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 16, 2007Jesse D. Delatorre, 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007Daniel R. Scherry, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007Richard P. Langenbrunner, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 17, 2007Jason M. Morales, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 18, 2007Wade J. Oglesby, 27, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007Michael M. Rojas, 21, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007Dwayne L. Moore, 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 19, 2007Jeffery A. Bishop, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 20, 2007William W. Bushnell, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Marlon B. Harper, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Christopher M. North, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 21, 2007Michael J. Slater, 19, Army Private, Apr 21, 2007Steven R. Tudor, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Jeffrey A. Avery, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2007Kevin Gaspers, 26, Army Lieutenant, Apr 23, 2007Garrett Knoll, 23, Army Not reported yet, Apr 23, 2007Dale Peterson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 23, 2007 © iCasualties.orgPat Tillman, Jessica Lynch - Pentagon's Lies ExposedWashington Post\"An Army Ranger who was with Pat Tillman when the former football star was cut down by friendly fire in Afghanistan said Tuesday a commanding officer had ordered him to keep quiet about what happened.\" *Timesonline\"Jessica Lynch, the US army private who became the heroic American face of the Iraq war when her convoy was ambushed soon after the invasion, lambasted the Bush Administration yesterday for lying about the incident.She was testifying to Congress, along with the brother of Pat Tillman, the US Army Ranger who gave up a lucrative career as an American football star only to be killed by his own platoon in Afghanistan, and the two decried the Pentagon’s “deceit” in turning their disastrous experiences into false tales of heroism. \" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/the-warrior-in-the-white-house-and-us-casualties/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeaf, blind, arrogant, hypocrite.  All the adjectives fit President Bush -- the man who thought that AG Alberto Gonzales did a great job during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  And our soldiers are dying and suffering injuries for this man!  Baffling. Why do the military families remain mute ?  Of course, there are families that believe in the president's war and feel that their loved ones died in a just cause.  It is not known whether they constitute the majority.  The ones who have had enough of the lies and utter disregard of facts in Iraq need to speak out and send a message to the president. He is likely to tune them out as he does all critics, but it would strengthen the efforts of those who are trying to bring an end to the mess. There is nothing shameful about admitting a mistake.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTroop Surge, Death Toll Surge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e86 soldiers, including nine from the 82nd Airbone Division,Fort Bragg,NC,have lost their lives in this cruel month of April.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJason R. Arnette, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam G. Bowling, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRobert M. McDowell, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid A. Mejias, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric R. Vick, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMiguel A. Marcial III, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian E. Ritzberg, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCurtis R. Spivey, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBradley D. King, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel R. Olsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eShane R. Becker, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGabriel J. Figueroa, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJerry C. Burge, 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph H. Cantrell IV, 23, Army Corporal, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames J. Coon, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWalter Freeman Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDerek A. Gibson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eForrest D. Cauthorn, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason A. Shaffer, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJay S. Cajimat, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRyan S. Dallam, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel A. Fuentes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony Palermo Jr., 27, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDamian Lopez Rodriguez, 0, Army Private, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGregory J. Billiter, 36, Navy Chief Petty Officer, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCurtis R. Hall, 24, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph A. McSween, 26, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph C. Schwedler, 27, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEbe F. Emolo, 33, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan D. Grassbaugh, 25, Army Captain, Apr 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLevi K. Hoover, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRodney L. McCandless, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePhilip A. Murphy-Sweet, 42, Navy Commander, Apr 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eHarrison Brown, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAdam P. Kennedy, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePhillip I. Neel, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid N. Simmons, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTodd A. Singleton, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJesse L. Williams, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian Lee Holden, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eIsmael Solorio, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e, Clifford A. Spohn III, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrett Andre Walton, 37, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKyle G. Bohrnsen, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 10, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRaymond S. Sevaaetasi, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason J. Beadles, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJohn G. Borbonus, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames T. Lindsey, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGwilym J. Newman, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCody A. Putnam, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLarry R. Bowman, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 13, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRyan A. Bishop, 32, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua A. Schmit, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon L. Wallace, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRobert J. Basham, 22, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel J. Santee, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eSteven J. Walberg, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMario K. De Leon, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAaron M. Genevie, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLucas V. Starcevich, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eShaun M. Blue, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJesse D. Delatorre, 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel R. Scherry, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRichard P. Langenbrunner, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason M. Morales, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWade J. Oglesby, 27, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael M. Rojas, 21, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDwayne L. Moore, 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeffery A. Bishop, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam W. Bushnell, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMarlon B. Harper, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher M. North, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael J. Slater, 19, Army Private, Apr 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eSteven R. Tudor, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey A. Avery, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKevin Gaspers, 26, Army Lieutenant, Apr 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGarrett Knoll, 23, Army Not reported yet, Apr 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDale Peterson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 23, 2007 \u003cbr/\u003e© iCasualties.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePat Tillman, Jessica Lynch - Pentagon's Lies Exposed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042400181.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"An Army Ranger who was with Pat Tillman when the former football star was cut down by friendly fire in Afghanistan said Tuesday a commanding officer had ordered him to keep quiet about what happened.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1701462.ece\"\u003eTimesonline\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Jessica Lynch, the US army private who became the heroic American face of the Iraq war when her convoy was ambushed soon after the invasion, lambasted the Bush Administration yesterday for lying about the incident.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe was testifying to Congress, along with the brother of Pat Tillman, the US Army Ranger who gave up a lucrative career as an American football star only to be killed by his own platoon in Afghanistan, and the two decried the Pentagon’s “deceit” in turning their disastrous experiences into false tales of heroism. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Warrior in the White House and U.S. Casualties"},{"content":" Gerry Mulligan meets Ben WebsterListening to the great recording orginally released in 1959 by Verve Records, reissued March 1990 under PolyGram label. Mulligan on baritone sax and Webster playing tenor sax. Cool.......YES.© PolyGram (now part of UMG)With Jimmy Rowles, piano ; Leroy Vinnegar, bass ; Mel Lewis, drums.The playlist.Chelsea BridgeThe Cat WalkSundayWho's Got RhythmTell Me WhenGo HomeIn A MellotoneWhat Is This Thing Called LoveBessieFajistaBlues In B Flat ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/jazz-on-a-cold-gray-sunday-morning/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eGerry Mulligan meets Ben Webster\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to the great recording orginally released in 1959 by Verve Records, reissued March 1990 under PolyGram label.  Mulligan on baritone sax and Webster playing tenor sax.  Cool.......YES.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056282799217114706\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/Gerry Mulligan Ben Webster.jpg\"/\u003e© PolyGram (now part of UMG)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\u003ca\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith Jimmy Rowles, piano ; Leroy Vinnegar, bass ; Mel Lewis, drums.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe playlist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChelsea Bridge\u003cbr/\u003eThe Cat Walk\u003cbr/\u003eSunday\u003cbr/\u003eWho's Got Rhythm\u003cbr/\u003eTell Me When\u003cbr/\u003eGo Home\u003cbr/\u003eIn A Mellotone\u003cbr/\u003eWhat Is This Thing Called Love\u003cbr/\u003eBessie\u003cbr/\u003eFajista\u003cbr/\u003eBlues In B Flat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Jazz on a Cold, Gray Sunday Morning"},{"content":" Bob Stahl's Labor of Love Every spring the tulips in front of Fremont High School,Sunnyvale, California, become a source of visual pleasure. Passers by stop to admire them and walk around the flower beds. Motorists waiting for change of light at Fremont Ave and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road take advantage of the stop to feast their eyes. Recently, an article by Erin Hussey in the Cupertino Courier caught my attention and I learnt about Bob Stahl, the man who started planting the tulips when he worked as facilities manager at Fremont High. Photographs of the tulips follow. If you have time, spend a few minutes to read what Erin Hussey wrote about Bob Stahl. It is a story of a man, his labor of love and how it turned his life around. Heart warming piece of writing. © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/tulips-at-fremont-high-school-spring-2007/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBob Stahl's Labor of Love\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nEvery spring the tulips in front of Fremont High School,Sunnyvale, California, become a source of visual pleasure. Passers by stop to admire them and walk around the flower beds.   Motorists  waiting for change of light at Fremont Ave and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road take advantage of the stop to feast their eyes.   \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRecently, an article by Erin Hussey in the Cupertino Courier caught my attention and I learnt about Bob Stahl, the man who started planting the tulips when he worked as facilities manager at Fremont High. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePhotographs of the tulips follow.  If you have time, spend a few minutes to read what \u003ca href=\"http://mytown.mercurynews.com/archives/cupertinocourier/20070411/community2.shtml\"\u003eErin Hussey\u003c/a\u003e wrote about Bob Stahl. It is a story of a man, his labor of love and how it turned his life around. Heart warming piece of writing.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055668764922674658\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0013.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir 4-20-07\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055673592465915458\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0022.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir  4-20-07\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055672785012063794\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0021.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir 4-20-07\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055671848709193250\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0018.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir 4-20-07\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055669499362082290\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0014.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir 4-20-07\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055670113542405634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0020.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir 4-20-07\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Tulips at Fremont High School, Spring 2007"},{"content":" * Thank you for the courage of your convictions.By ROSS SNEYD, Associated Press Writer 4-20-07Vermont senators voted Friday to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, saying their actions have raised \"serious questions of constitutionality.\"The non-binding resolution was approved 16-9 without debate — all six Republicans in the chamber at the time and three Democrats voted against it.The resolution says Bush and Cheney's actions in the U.S. and abroad, including in Iraq, \"raise serious questions of constitutionality, statutory legality, and abuse of the public trust.\"\"I think it's going to have a tremendous political effect, a tremendous political effect on public discourse about what to do about this president,\" said James Leas, a vocal advocate of withdrawing troops from Iraq and impeaching Bush and Cheney.Vermont lawmakers earlier voted to demand an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq in another non-binding resolution.Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington has kept a similar resolution from reaching the floor in her chamber. She argued that an impeachment resolution would be partisan and divisive and that it would distract Washington from efforts to get the United States out of Iraq, which she says is more important.In the Senate, Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie had opposed the resolution, but he was absent Friday. That left Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin in charge, and he immediately took up the measure.More than three dozen towns voted in favor of similar nonbinding impeachment resolutions at their annual town meetings in March. State lawmakers in Wisconsin and Washington have pushed for similar resolutions. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/hail-vermont-senators/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThank you for the courage of your convictions.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy ROSS SNEYD, Associated Press Writer 4-20-07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVermont senators voted Friday to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, saying their actions have raised \"serious questions of constitutionality.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe non-binding resolution was approved 16-9 without debate — all six Republicans in the chamber at the time and three Democrats voted against it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe resolution says Bush and Cheney's actions in the U.S. and abroad, including in Iraq, \"raise serious questions of constitutionality, statutory legality, and abuse of the public trust.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think it's going to have a tremendous political effect, a tremendous political effect on public discourse about what to do about this president,\" said James Leas, a vocal advocate of withdrawing troops from Iraq and impeaching Bush and Cheney.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVermont lawmakers earlier voted to demand an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq in another non-binding resolution.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic House Speaker Gaye Symington has kept a similar resolution from reaching the floor in her chamber. She argued that an impeachment resolution would be partisan and divisive and that it would distract Washington from efforts to get the United States out of Iraq, which she says is more important.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the Senate, Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie had opposed the resolution, but he was absent Friday. That left Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin in charge, and he immediately took up the measure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore than three dozen towns voted in favor of similar nonbinding impeachment resolutions at their annual town meetings in March. State lawmakers in Wisconsin and Washington have pushed for similar resolutions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hail, Vermont Senators"},{"content":" A Steve Bell Cartoon © Steve Bell, The Guardian, UK, 20.04.07Mr. Bell missed AG Alberto Gonzales. His position,too, is precarious. Nicknamed Fredo by the president, in his appearance before the Senate Judicial Committee on April 19th, the attorney general gave the impression that he belonged to a home for mentally deficient rather than being at the helm of the Department of Justice. The president's efforts to win support for his pet war are not resonating with the American public. Time for circling the wagons but the White House is running out of them.Fredo on the RopesDana Milbank in The Washington PostGonzales had weeks to prepare for yesterday's hearing. But the man who sat at the witness table sounded like the sort of person who forgets where he parked his car.Explaining his role in the botched firing of federal prosecutors, Gonzales uttered the phrase \"I don't recall\" and its variants (\"I have no recollection,\" \"I have no memory\") 64 times. Along the way, his answer became so routine that a Marine in the crowd put down his poster protesting the Iraq war and replaced it with a running \"I don't recall\" tally.Take Gonzales's tally along with that of his former chief of staff, who uttered the phrase \"I don't remember\" 122 times before the same committee three weeks ago, and the Justice Department might want to consider handing out Ginkgo biloba in the employee cafeteria. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-04-20 Great cartoon! You're right, though... Fredo should have been included. Even more ridiculous than Gonzales' idiotic display is our President's RESPONSE to it! I couldn't believe this:\nhttp://www.thenewsroom.com/details/226138/US ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/dismal-spring-for-gw-bush/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Steve Bell Cartoon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055495785114828242\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/stevebell200407b.jpg\"/\u003e © Steve Bell, The Guardian, UK, 20.04.07\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Bell missed AG Alberto Gonzales. His position,too, is precarious. Nicknamed Fredo by the president, in his appearance before the Senate Judicial Committee on April 19th, the attorney general gave the impression that he belonged to a home for mentally deficient rather than being at the helm of the Department of Justice.  The president's efforts to win support for his pet war are not resonating with the American public. Time for circling the wagons but the White House is running out of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFredo on the Ropes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003eDana Milbank in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902571.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGonzales had weeks to prepare for yesterday's hearing. But the man who sat at the witness table sounded like the sort of person who forgets where he parked his car.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExplaining his role in the botched firing of federal prosecutors, Gonzales uttered the phrase \"I don't recall\" and its variants (\"I have no recollection,\" \"I have no memory\") 64 times. Along the way, his answer became so routine that a Marine in the crowd put down his poster protesting the Iraq war and replaced it with a running \"I don't recall\" tally.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTake Gonzales's tally along with that of his former chief of staff, who uttered the phrase \"I don't remember\" 122 times before the same committee three weeks ago, and the Justice Department might want to consider handing out Ginkgo biloba in the employee cafeteria.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-04-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat cartoon! You're right, though... Fredo should have been included. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven more ridiculous than Gonzales' idiotic display is our President's RESPONSE to it! I couldn't believe this:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://www.thenewsroom.com/details/226138/US\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Dismal Spring for G.W. Bush"},{"content":" At least 33 people, including the gunman, dead at Virginia Technical University, Blacksburg, VA. There were two separate incidents -- two were shot dead in the first incident and 31 in the second. It is yet to be confirmed if the same gun man was involved in both.We know what the NRA would say about this deadliest mass shooting in American history.......\"Guns don't kill people, People Do\".Yes, but how many people the killer would have succeeded in murdering with a sword, knife, or a stick ?Guns make it easier to kill, don't they ? But nothing is going to change. Guns will continue to be easily available, and they will be used again and again in killings. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/massacre-at-vtu---a-black-day-in-america/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt least 33 people, including the gunman, dead at Virginia Technical University, Blacksburg,  VA.  There were two separate incidents -- two were shot dead in the first incident and 31 in the second.  It is yet to be confirmed if the same gun man was involved in both.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe know what the NRA would say about this deadliest mass shooting in American history.......\"Guns don't kill people, People Do\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYes, but how many people the killer would have succeeded in murdering with a sword, knife, or a stick ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuns make it easier to kill, don't they ?  But nothing is going to change.  Guns will continue to be easily available, and they will be used again and again in killings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Massacre at VTU - A Black Day in America"},{"content":" The non-existent stockpile of WMD in Iraq is going to be back in the headlines. Not welcome news for the warrior in the White House. According to Al Kamen's column in today's Post, the Presidential Medal of Freedom has not deterred former CIA director George Tenet from writing about what went on behind the scenes and his role in the neocons' war against Iraq. Some people in the Bush Administration are going to be unhappy; they emerge smelling bad. Not that Tenet's revelations were needed; they were rotten eggs to begin with. \"The drums have begun sounding for the long-awaited book by former CIA director George Tenet, in which he gives his take on pre-9/11 days and on Saddam's huge cache of weapons of mass destruction.\"Excerpts:And the drums are saying that Tenet is not going to get too many Christmas cards from Vice President Cheney's office after they read \"At the Center of the Storm.\" Folks from down the river at the Pentagon, including former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz-- a guy who's already going through a rough patch -- and former defense undersecretary Douglas Feith, might also get some heartburn.Former secretary of state Colin Powell comes out fine. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was President Bush's key adviser in engineering the Iraq invasion, doesn't come out so fine. Not fine at all.The White House definitely won't be overjoyed, we're hearing. Tenet even takes some shots at himself and for the first time explains his astute assurance that \"it's a slam-dunk case\" when Bush asked him how solid the WMD evidence was.Tenet has never really explained his views on that comment. The 500-page book -- or more likely his \"60 Minutes\" interview on April 29, the day before the book goes on sale -- will be the first time he goes over that.Tenet, who ran the CIA from July 1997 to July 2004, did the first of two days of taping last week at Georgetown University, where he's teaching. * Casualties in IraqThe number of dead American soldiers went past 3300. The latest figure is 3303 including 55 in the first 15 days of April. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/george-tenets-at-the-center-of-the-storm/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe non-existent stockpile of WMD in Iraq is going to be back in the headlines.  Not welcome news for the warrior in the White House.  According to Al Kamen's column in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/15/AR2007041500653.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, the Presidential Medal of Freedom has not deterred former CIA director George Tenet from writing about what went on behind the scenes and his role in the neocons' war against Iraq.  Some people in the Bush Administration are going to be unhappy;  they emerge smelling bad.  Not that Tenet's revelations were needed; they were rotten eggs to begin with. \"The drums have begun sounding for the long-awaited book by former CIA director George Tenet, in which he gives his take on pre-9/11 days and on Saddam's huge cache of weapons of mass destruction.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd the drums are saying that Tenet is not going to get too many Christmas cards from Vice President Cheney's office after they read \"At the Center of the Storm.\" Folks from down the river at the Pentagon, including former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz-- a guy who's already going through a rough patch -- and former defense undersecretary Douglas Feith, might also get some heartburn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFormer secretary of state Colin Powell comes out fine. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was President Bush's key adviser in engineering the Iraq invasion, doesn't come out so fine. Not fine at all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe White House definitely won't be overjoyed, we're hearing. Tenet even takes some shots at himself and for the first time explains his astute assurance that \"it's a slam-dunk case\" when Bush asked him how solid the WMD evidence was.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTenet has never really explained his views on that comment. The 500-page book -- or more likely his \"60 Minutes\" interview on April 29, the day before the book goes on sale -- will be the first time he goes over that.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTenet, who ran the CIA from July 1997 to July 2004, did the first of two days of taping last week at Georgetown University, where he's teaching.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCasualties in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of dead American soldiers went past 3300.  The latest figure is \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e3303\u003c/a\u003e including 55 in the first 15 days of April.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"George Tenet's \"At the Center of the Storm\""},{"content":" * Hypocrites, Prayers and Cold Showers * Mr. Wolfowitz in Stormy WatersNot many will be surprised by conclusion of a national study about sex and teenagers. The \"abstinence only\" program was another pipe dream of conservative Christian groups embraced by the president who had, in his own words, committed \"youthful indiscretions\". It does not work. It never did. But don't expect them to stop the claptrap. To them \"condom\" is a dirty word; they are opposed to comprehensive sex education. Washington Post: \"A long-awaited national study has concluded that abstinence-only sex education, a cornerstone of the Bush administration's social agenda, does not keep teenagers from having sex. Neither does it increase or decrease the likelihood that if they do have sex, they will use a condom.\"\"Comprehensive education means teaching about abstinence and a myriad of other topics,\" said spokeswoman Martha Kempner. Among them, she said: \"contraception, critical thinking, one's own values and the values of your family and your religious community.\"Abstinence-only was an experiment and it failed.\"Spit on the Comb, Paul WolfowitzA stalwart of the team that gave us the war in Iraq is in a scandal. Paul Wolfowitz, who became president of the World Bank two years ago, is facing calls for resignation because of his role in awarding a huge pay raise for his girlfriend. After reading about it, a friend commented: \"Doesn't it kill you that it's always these damn self-righteous right wingers like him and Gingrich, to name just two, who are so quick to attack others for their ethics when their integrity is no better?\"World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz personally dictated the terms under which the bank gave what it called his \"domestic partner\" substantial pay raises and promotions in exchange for temporarily leaving her job there during his tenure, according to documents released by the bank's executive board yesterday. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/failure-of-abstinence-only-policy/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHypocrites, Prayers and Cold Showers * Mr. Wolfowitz in Stormy Waters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot many will be surprised by conclusion of a national study about sex and teenagers.  The \"abstinence only\" program was another pipe dream of conservative Christian groups embraced by the president who had, in his own words, committed \"youthful indiscretions\".      It does not work.  It never did.  But don't expect them to stop the claptrap. To them \"condom\" is a dirty word; they are opposed to comprehensive sex education.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041301003.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  \"A long-awaited national study has concluded that abstinence-only sex education, a cornerstone of the Bush administration's social agenda, does not keep teenagers from having sex. Neither does it increase or decrease the likelihood that if they do have sex, they will use a condom.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Comprehensive education means teaching about abstinence and a myriad of other topics,\" said spokeswoman Martha Kempner. Among them, she said: \"contraception, critical thinking, one's own values and the values of your family and your religious community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Abstinence-only was an experiment and it failed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpit on the Comb, Paul Wolfowitz\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA stalwart of the  team that gave us the  war in Iraq  is  in a scandal.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041300788.html\"\u003ePaul Wolfowitz\u003c/a\u003e, who became president of the World Bank two years ago, is facing calls for resignation because of his role in awarding a huge pay raise for his girlfriend.   After reading about it, a friend commented: \"Doesn't it kill you that it's always these damn self-righteous right wingers like him and Gingrich, to name just two, who are so quick to attack others for their ethics when their integrity is no better?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWorld Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz personally dictated the terms under which the bank gave what it called his \"domestic partner\" substantial pay raises and promotions in exchange for temporarily leaving her job there during his tenure, according to documents released by the bank's executive board yesterday.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Failure of \"Abstinence Only\" Policy"},{"content":" Salute to Kurt Vonnegut (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007)Excerpt from Slaughterhouse Five,Or The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance With Death\"All this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true. One guy I knew really was shot in Dresden for taking a teapot that wasn't his. Another guy I knew really did threaten to have his personal enemies killed by hired gunmen after the war. And so on. I've changed all the names.I really did go back to Dresden with Guggenheim money (God love it) in 1967. It looked a lot like Dayton, Ohio, more open spaces than Dayton has. There must be tons of human bone meal in the ground.I went back there with an old war buddy, Bernard V. O'Hare, and we made friends with a cab driver, who took us to the slaughterhouse where we had been locked up at night as prisoners of war. His name was Gerhard Müller. He told us that he was a prisoner of the Americans for a while. We asked him how it was to live under Communism, and he said that it was terrible at first, because everybody had to work so hard, and because there wasn't much shelter or food or clothing. But things were much better now. He had a pleasant little apartment, and his daughter was getting an excellent education. His mother was incinerated in the Dresden fire-storm. So it goes.He sent O'Hare a postcard at Christmastime, and here is what it said:\"I wish you and your family also as to your friend Merry Christmas and a happy New Year and I hope that we'll meet again in a world of peace and freedom in the taxi cab if the accident will.\"I like that very much: \"If the accident will.\"I would hate to tell you what this lousy little book cost me in money and anxiety and time. When I got home from the Second World War twenty-three years ago, I thought it would be easy for me to write about the destruction of Dresden, since all I would have to do would be to report what I had seen. And I thought, too, that it would be a masterpiece or at least make me a lot of money, since the subject was so big.But not many words about Dresden came from my mind then -- not enough of them to make a book, anyway. And not many words come now, either, when I have become an old fart with his memories and his Pall Malls, with his sons full grown.I think of how useless the Dresden part of my memory has been, and yet how tempting Dresden has been to write about, and I am reminded of the famous limerick:There was a young man from Stamboul, Who soliloquized thus to his tool: \"You took all my wealth And you ruined my health, And now you won't pee, you old fool.\"And I'm reminded, too, of the song that goes:My name is Yon Yonson, I work in Wisconsin, I work in a lumbermill there. The people I meet when I walk down the street, They say, \"What's your name?\" And I say, My name is Yon Yonson, I work in Wisconsin...\"And so on to infinity.Over the years, people I've met have often asked me what I'm working on, and I've usually replied that the main thing was a book about Dresden.I said that to Harrison Starr, the movie-maker, one time, and he raised his eyebrows and inquired, \"Is it an anti-war book?\"\"Yes,\" I said. \"I guess.\"\"You know what I say to people when I hear they're writing anti-war books?\"\"No. What do you say, Harrison Starr?\"\"I say, 'Why don't you write an anti-glacier book instead?' \"What he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe that, too.And even if wars didn't keep coming like glaciers, there would still be plain old death.\"© Dell Publishing Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-04-14 Hey Rena,\nIt is said to see Kurt go, but it's nice to see him go on his own terms. Were it not for this Imus suicide watch, I am sure Kurt would have gotten the coverage he deserved.\nYet, my sense is that he would give it up it in a second, if asked, to see Imus removed from his microphone. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/billy-pilgrim---poo-tee-weet/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSalute to Kurt Vonnegut (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpt from Slaughterhouse Five,Or The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance With Death\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"All this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true. One guy I knew really was shot in Dresden for taking a teapot that wasn't his. Another guy I knew really did threaten to have his personal enemies killed by hired gunmen after the war. And so on. I've changed all the names.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI really did go back to Dresden with Guggenheim money (God love it) in 1967. It looked a lot like Dayton, Ohio, more open spaces than Dayton has. There must be tons of human bone meal in the ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI went back there with an old war buddy, Bernard V. O'Hare, and we made friends with a cab driver, who took us to the slaughterhouse where we had been locked up at night as prisoners of war. His name was Gerhard Müller. He told us that he was a prisoner of the Americans for a while. We asked him how it was to live under Communism, and he said that it was terrible at first, because everybody had to work so hard, and because there wasn't much shelter or food or clothing. But things were much better now. He had a pleasant little apartment, and his daughter was getting an excellent education. His mother was incinerated in the Dresden fire-storm. So it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe sent O'Hare a postcard at Christmastime, and here is what it said:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I wish you and your family also as to your friend Merry Christmas and a happy New Year and I hope that we'll meet again in a world of peace and freedom in the taxi cab if the accident will.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI like that very much: \"If the accident will.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI would hate to tell you what this lousy little book cost me in money and anxiety and time. When I got home from the Second World War twenty-three years ago, I thought it would be easy for me to write about the destruction of Dresden, since all I would have to do would be to report what I had seen. And I thought, too, that it would be a masterpiece or at least make me a lot of money, since the subject was so big.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut not many words about Dresden came from my mind then -- not enough of them to make a book, anyway. And not many words come now, either, when I have become an old fart with his memories and his Pall Malls, with his sons full grown.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI think of how useless the Dresden part of my memory has been, and yet how tempting Dresden has been to write about, and I am reminded of the famous limerick:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere was a young man from Stamboul, Who soliloquized thus to his tool: \"You took all my wealth And you ruined my health, And now you won't pee, you old fool.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd I'm reminded, too, of the song that goes:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy name is Yon Yonson, I work in Wisconsin, I work in a lumbermill there. The people I meet when I walk down the street, They say, \"What's your name?\" And I say, My name is Yon Yonson, I work in Wisconsin...\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so on to infinity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOver the years, people I've met have often asked me what I'm working on, and I've usually replied that the main thing was a book about Dresden.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI said that to Harrison Starr, the movie-maker, one time, and he raised his eyebrows and inquired, \"Is it an anti-war book?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes,\" I said. \"I guess.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You know what I say to people when I hear they're writing anti-war books?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No. What do you say, Harrison Starr?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I say, 'Why don't you write an anti-glacier book instead?' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe that, too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd even if wars didn't keep coming like glaciers, there would still be plain old death.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© Dell Publishing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-04-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHey Rena,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is said to see Kurt go, but it's nice to see him go on his own terms. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWere it not for this Imus suicide watch, I am sure Kurt would have gotten the coverage he deserved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet, my sense is that he would give it up it in a second, if asked, to see Imus removed from his microphone.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Billy Pilgrim - \"Poo-tee-weet\""},{"content":" ©MusafirRainy morning in April. The weather forecast turned out to be right. Woke up to sound of rain.Don't know why I pulled out an old cassette of Kurt Weil's music. But Ute Lemper is a pleasure to listen to. Others have recorded Weil's songs -- I know of Lotte Lenya and Marianne Faithful. They are good; not as good as Ute Lemper.Kurt Weil did not write about the war in Iraq but \"Oh show me the way to the next whiskey bar/ oh don't ask why/ oh don't ask why/ for we must find the next whiskey bar/ for if we don't find the next whiskey bar/ I tell you we must die...\" made me think of the soldiers dying there.. The wounded don't receive much publicity ; 45 dead so far in this cruel month of April. Among them 20-year old David N. Simmons, 20, Army Private 1st Class, of Kokomo,Indiana. The deaths have no effect whatsoever on Bush and Cheney. John McCain has decided that his success in the 2008 presidential election lies in being an out and out supporter of the war. Then there is Joseph Lieberman. Do they sleep well at night?See: Three Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar' (Washington Post) *The War's \"trickle down\" EffectIt was inevitable. The billons of dollars being spent to continue the president's pet war are beginning to impact local and State government programs which depend on Federal aid. \"DENVER — The cost of the Iraq war is filtering down to state and local budgets, forcing cuts in transportation funding, Medicaid, education and other federally subsidized programs, according to analysts and lawmakers.\"Summit Daily News April 8, 2007ExcerptsJust how big that impact has been is unclear. What state lawmakers do say is that the $456 billion already spent or appropriated for the war could have gone a long way toward helping them balance their own budgets.In Colorado, lawmakers expect to lose about $200 million in federal funding for the next fiscal year, forcing the state to cut back on programs that receive federal money.“These are funds that we aren’t going to receive. Low Energy Assistance Program, $9.8 million, gone. Head Start, $3.7 million, gone. Child Care and Development Block Grant, $1.1 million. Community Development Block Grant, $13.5 million. Special Ed, $8.8 million,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said during a debate Thursday over a state resolution opposing the escalation of the war in Iraq. * According to the Colorado Municipal League, Bush’s proposed 2008 budget includes only a 1 percent increase in nonmilitary and homeland security programs.The league said the budget proposal cuts Community Development Block Grants nationwide by $735 million, education by $1.5 billion, the Individuals with Disabilities Education act by $291 million, and $107 million from Head Start. Social Services block grants would be cut nearly in half to $1.2 billion, and Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance would see a $400 million cut.The league said funding for the Department of Homeland Security would be slashed, including a 63 percent cut for training and exercises, while federal assistance to state and local law enforcement would be cut by more than half. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund would be cut $312 million over the previous year.Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said 24 hospitals in Colorado risk losing federal funding after Bush issued an executive order changing the definition of public hospitals to reduce Medicaid spending, cutting $128 million in federal aid that could force a major hospital in Denver to close. The Colorado Legislature is debating a resolution asking Bush to restore that funding.Keller said the state also is losing about $48 million in federal funds for transportation, money the state was promised.She said the cost of the war is trickling down to local governments, with cuts to federal funding for homeland security.“We’re bearing the brunt of the federal cuts. There’s no other reason than the war,” Keller said. Comments Adam \u0026mdash; 2009-04-25 Hey, you should check out Ute Lemper's new album Between Yesterday and Tomorrow . It has a lot of political \"imagery\" and is great listening. Also you may want to check out Ute's YouTube Channel for video clips (posted every other day). Marjorie \u0026mdash; 2009-04-30 Adam- Listened to your recommendation and i loved it!! It's beautiful. I want to go to a concert! ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/kurt-weil-ute-lemper-and-deaths-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052187227044195458\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/IMG_0001.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eRainy morning in April. The weather forecast turned out to be right. Woke up to sound of rain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDon't know why I pulled out an old cassette of Kurt Weil's music.  But Ute Lemper is a pleasure to listen to.  Others have recorded Weil's songs -- I know of Lotte Lenya and Marianne Faithful.  They are good; not as good as Ute Lemper.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eKurt Weil did not write about the war in Iraq but \"Oh show me the way to the next whiskey bar/ oh don't ask why/ oh don't ask why/ for we must find the next whiskey bar/ for if we don't find the next whiskey bar/ I tell you we must die...\" made me think of the soldiers dying there..  The wounded don't receive much publicity ; \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e45\u003c/a\u003e dead so far in this cruel month of April. Among them 20-year old           David N. Simmons,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   of Kokomo,Indiana. The deaths have no effect whatsoever on Bush and Cheney.  John McCain has decided that his success in the 2008 presidential election lies in being an out and out supporter of the war. Then there is Joseph Lieberman.  Do they sleep well at night?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/10/AR2007041001776.html\"\u003eThree Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar'\u003c/a\u003e (Washington Post)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe War's \"trickle down\" Effect\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was inevitable. The billons of dollars being spent to continue the president's pet war are beginning to impact local and State government programs which depend on Federal aid. \"DENVER — The cost of the Iraq war is filtering down to state and local budgets, forcing cuts in transportation funding, Medicaid, education and other federally subsidized programs, according to analysts and lawmakers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20070408/NEWS/70408001\"\u003eSummit Daily News \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApril 8, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust how big that impact has been is unclear. What state lawmakers do say is that the $456 billion already spent or appropriated for the war could have gone a long way toward helping them balance their own budgets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Colorado, lawmakers expect to lose about $200 million in federal funding for the next fiscal year, forcing the state to cut back on programs that receive federal money.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“These are funds that we aren’t going to receive. Low Energy Assistance Program, $9.8 million, gone. Head Start, $3.7 million, gone. Child Care and Development Block Grant, $1.1 million. Community Development Block Grant, $13.5 million. Special Ed, $8.8 million,” House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said during a debate Thursday over a state resolution opposing the escalation of the war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to the Colorado Municipal League, Bush’s proposed 2008 budget includes only a 1 percent increase in nonmilitary and homeland security programs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe league said the budget proposal cuts Community Development Block Grants nationwide by $735 million, education by $1.5 billion, the Individuals with Disabilities Education act by $291 million, and $107 million from Head Start. Social Services block grants would be cut nearly in half to $1.2 billion, and Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance would see a $400 million cut.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe league said funding for the Department of Homeland Security would be slashed, including a 63 percent cut for training and exercises, while federal assistance to state and local law enforcement would be cut by more than half. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund would be cut $312 million over the previous year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said 24 hospitals in Colorado risk losing federal funding after Bush issued an executive order changing the definition of public hospitals to reduce Medicaid spending, cutting $128 million in federal aid that could force a major hospital in Denver to close. The Colorado Legislature is debating a resolution asking Bush to restore that funding.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKeller said the state also is losing about $48 million in federal funds for transportation, money the state was promised.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe said the cost of the war is trickling down to local governments, with cuts to federal funding for homeland security.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“We’re bearing the brunt of the federal cuts. There’s no other reason than the war,” Keller said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdam\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-04-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHey, you should check out Ute Lemper's new album \u003cA HREF=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U1LA3E?ie=UTF8\u0026tag=adamblumentha-20\u0026linkCode=as2\u0026camp=1789\u0026creative=9325\u0026creativeASIN=B001U1LA3E\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003eBetween Yesterday and Tomorrow \u003c/A\u003e.  It has a lot of political \"imagery\" and is great listening.  Also you may want to check out Ute's \u003cA HREF=\"http://www.youtube.com/user/Berlinmyheart\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003eYouTube Channel\u003c/A\u003e for video clips (posted every other day).\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarjorie\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-04-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAdam- Listened to your recommendation and i loved it!! It's beautiful. I want to go to a concert!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Kurt Weil, Ute Lemper, .......and Deaths In Iraq"},{"content":" *The Holy Week ended. Perhaps the only good news was the release of the 15 British sailors and marines by Iran. The war in Iraq and its terrible toll (3275 U.S. soldiers and countless Iraqis dead) have become major concerns for Americans. The unjust war that our nation was conned into cries out for an end. But not going to happen. The neocons hatched the plot for war long before 9/11. Bush, Cheney and others put it into action when Americans were in shock and vulnerable. Now they will not, cannot, admit their role in the mess that they created. Many more will die.Further reading:Cheney Sticks to His DelusionsHow Bogus Letter Became a Case for WarThe Secret Downing Street Memo *Baghdad, of course, has become a familiar name to Americans. But other Iraqi cities in the theatre of war (Fallujah, Najaf, Mosul, Kirkuk, Balad,Bequba, Basra, Samarra among them) are not that well known. Came across poems by American soldier Brian Turner in NPR's web site.Ashbah The ghosts of American soldiers wander the streets of Balad by night, unsure of their way home, exhausted, the desert wind blowing trash down the narrow alleys as a voice sounds from the minaret, a soulfull call reminding them how alone they are, how lost. And the Iraqi dead, they watch in silence from rooftops as date palms line the shore in silhouette, leaning toward Mecca when the dawn wind blows. * Najaf 1820 Camel caravans transport the dead from Persia and beyond, their bodies dried and wrapped in carpets, their dying wishes to be buried near Ali, where the first camel dragged Ali's body across the desert tied to the fate of its exhaustion. Najaf is where the dead naturally go, where the gates of Paradise open before them in unbanded light, the blood washed clean from their bodies. It is November, the clouds made of gunpowder and rain, the earth pregnant with the dead; cemetery mounds stretching row by row with room enough yet for what the years will bring: the gravediggers need only dig, shovel by shovel.From Here, Bullet. Copyright 2005 by Brian Turner.List of soldiers who died in Iraq in the first 7 days of April.Jason R. Arnette, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007William G. Bowling, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 01, 2007Robert M. McDowell, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007David A. Mejias, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Eric R. Vick, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Miguel A. Marcial III, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2007Brian E. Ritzberg, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Curtis R. Spivey, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Bradley D. King, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 02, 2007Daniel R. Olsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2007Shane R. Becker, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2007Gabriel J. Figueroa, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2007Jerry Clark Burge Jr., 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2007James J. Coon, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Jason A. Shaffer, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2007Anthony Palermo JR., 27, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2007Joseph C. Schwedler, 27, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007 ©iCasualties.org ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/easter-sunday-2007---poems-of-brian-turner/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Holy Week ended.  Perhaps the only good news was the release of the 15 British sailors and marines by Iran.  The war in Iraq and its terrible toll (\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e3275\u003c/a\u003e U.S. soldiers and countless Iraqis dead)  have become major concerns for Americans. The unjust war that our nation was conned into cries out for an end.  But not going to happen.  The neocons hatched the plot for war long before 9/11.  Bush, Cheney and others put it into action when Americans were in shock and vulnerable.  Now they will not, cannot,  admit their role in the mess that they created.  Many more will die.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFurther reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/04/06/BL2007040601116.html\"\u003eCheney Sticks to His Delusions\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/02/AR2007040201777.html\"\u003eHow Bogus Letter Became a Case for War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article387374.ece\"\u003eThe Secret Downing Street Memo\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBaghdad, of course, has become a familiar name to Americans.  But other Iraqi cities in the theatre of war (Fallujah, Najaf, Mosul, Kirkuk, Balad,Bequba, Basra, Samarra among them) are not that well known.  Came across poems by American soldier \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5126583\"\u003eBrian Turner\u003c/a\u003e in NPR's web site.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAshbah\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e     The ghosts of American soldiers\u003cbr/\u003e     wander the streets of Balad by night,\u003cbr/\u003e     unsure of their way home, exhausted,\u003cbr/\u003e     the desert wind blowing trash\u003cbr/\u003e     down the narrow alleys as a voice\u003cbr/\u003e     sounds from the minaret, a soulfull call\u003cbr/\u003e     reminding them how alone they are,\u003cbr/\u003e     how lost. And the Iraqi dead,\u003cbr/\u003e     they watch in silence from rooftops\u003cbr/\u003e     as date palms line the shore in silhouette,\u003cbr/\u003e     leaning toward Mecca when the dawn wind blows.    \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNajaf 1820\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e     Camel caravans transport the dead\u003cbr/\u003e     from Persia and beyond, their bodies dried\u003cbr/\u003e     and wrapped in carpets, their dying wishes\u003cbr/\u003e     to be buried near Ali,\u003cbr/\u003e                                  where the first camel\u003cbr/\u003e     dragged Ali's body across the desert\u003cbr/\u003e     tied to the fate of its exhaustion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e     Najaf is where the dead naturally go,\u003cbr/\u003e     where the gates of Paradise open before them\u003cbr/\u003e     in unbanded light, the blood washed clean\u003cbr/\u003e     from their bodies.\u003cbr/\u003e                               It is November,\u003cbr/\u003e     the clouds made of gunpowder and rain,\u003cbr/\u003e     the earth pregnant with the dead;\u003cbr/\u003e     cemetery mounds stretching row by row\u003cbr/\u003e     with room enough yet for what the years\u003cbr/\u003e     will bring: the gravediggers need only dig,\u003cbr/\u003e     shovel by shovel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Here, Bullet. Copyright 2005 by Brian Turner.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eList of soldiers who died in Iraq in the first 7 days of April.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"Black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJason R. Arnette, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam G. Bowling, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRobert M. McDowell, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid A. Mejias, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric R. Vick, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMiguel A. Marcial III, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian E. Ritzberg, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCurtis R. Spivey, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBradley D. King, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel R. Olsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eShane R. Becker, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGabriel J. Figueroa, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJerry Clark Burge Jr., 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames J. Coon, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason A. Shaffer, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony Palermo JR., 27, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph C. Schwedler, 27, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007 \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©iCasualties.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Easter Sunday 2007 - Poems of Brian Turner"},{"content":" Guns and ButterIt is that time of the year. April 17, the deadline for filing tax returns, is nagging those who have yet to begin the process. Of course, there are those who filed early and already got their refunds -- lucky them.As President Bush and Congress face off over appropriations for his pet war, cover of The New Yorker, (copied below) reminds us where our money --- a great chunk of it goes. When it comes to Defense budgets we are Number 1, unquestionably the 500 lb. gorilla towering over the rest of the world. Some interesting facts:The US Department of Defense has submitted its FY 2007 budget request for $439.3 billion. This is 7% more than the FY 2006 request, but slightly less than the $441.5 billion eventually appropriated by Congress in the FY 2006 budget. (Source: Defense Industry Daily)How does it compare against other nations? Back in 2005, it was reported in Jane's Defence Industry Weekly:Defence expenditure in the US will equal that of the rest of the world combined within 12 months, making it \"increasingly pressing\" for European contractors to develop a \"closer association\" with the US, corporate finance group PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) says.Take a look at major member nations of the European Union. The numbers (in US Dollars) were reported in February 2005.Institute for Security Studies, European UnionUnited Kingdom 49 Billion - Percentage of GDP 2.4 (2003)France 40 Billion - Percentage of GDP 2.6Germany 29.7 - Percentage of GDP 1.5Italy 17.5 - Percentage of GDP 1.9Total for 15 European Union member countries was 126.94.Percentage of GDP for the United States was 3.7 * ","permalink":"/posts/2007/04/the-tax-man-cometh---where-our-money-goes/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuns and Butter\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is that time of the year.  April 17, the deadline for filing tax returns, is nagging those who have yet to begin the process.  Of course, there are those who filed early and already got their refunds -- lucky them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs President Bush  and Congress face off over appropriations for his pet war,  cover of \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/toc/2007/04/09/toc_20070402\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e, (copied below) reminds us where our money --- a great chunk of it goes.  When it comes to  Defense budgets we are Number 1, unquestionably the 500 lb. gorilla towering over the rest of the world.  Some interesting facts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe US Department of Defense has submitted its FY 2007 budget request for $439.3 billion. This is 7% more than the FY 2006 request, but slightly less than the $441.5 billion eventually appropriated by Congress in the FY 2006 budget. (Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/02/the-usas-fy-2007-defense-budget-proposal/index.php\"\u003eDefense Industry Daily)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eHow does it compare against other nations?  Back in 2005, it was reported in \u003ca href=\"http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdi/jdi050504_1_n.shtml\"\u003eJane's\u003c/a\u003e Defence Industry Weekly:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDefence expenditure in the US will equal that of the rest of the world combined within 12 months, making it \"increasingly pressing\" for European contractors to develop a \"closer association\" with the US, corporate finance group PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) says.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTake a look at major member nations of the European Union. The numbers (in US Dollars) were reported in February 2005.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"#8fbc8f\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iss-eu.org/esdp/11-bsdef.pdf\"\u003eInstitute for Security Studies\u003c/a\u003e, European Union\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnited Kingdom 49 Billion - Percentage of GDP 2.4 (2003)\u003cbr/\u003eFrance 40 Billion - Percentage of GDP 2.6\u003cbr/\u003eGermany 29.7 - Percentage of GDP 1.5\u003cbr/\u003eItaly 17.5 - Percentage of GDP 1.9\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTotal for 15 European Union member countries was 126.94.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePercentage of GDP for the United States was 3.7\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049574933913143538\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/04/The New Yorker April 9.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Tax Man Cometh - Where Our Money Goes"},{"content":" *The battle over the Iraq appropriations bill is heating up. President Bush has made it clear that he intends to veto it. And the strategy for winning public support will be to emphasize the pork included in the bill (see below). True that one man's pork could mean bread on the table for another. However, even as a supporter of troop withdrawal deadlines I feel uncomfortable about some of the \"other spending measures\". While the American public has become tired of the war and lost faith in the president, how will the veto play out is a question mark. Democrats are not likely to be able to muster the two-thirds majority to override it.Washington PostReid pushed the war spending bill through on a largely party-line 51 to 47 vote yesterday. The measure would fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but also require Bush to begin withdrawing combat troops from Iraq within four months, with the goal of a pullout by the end of next March.The bill includes billions of dollars for domestic priorities, such as Hurricane Katrina aid and agricultural disaster relief, as well as $100 million for security at the 2008 Republican and Democratic conventions -- a widely mocked provision that critics tried to strike from the measure.The dueling events on opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue left the executive and legislative branches hurtling toward a high-stakes collision, with neither side showing signs of backing down. Both sides, in fact, appear to be relishing the confrontation to some extent, gambling that they can outmaneuver the other, galvanize the most passionate forces within their parties, win over public opinion and force an eventual resolution on their terms.© Associated PressIf the chart appears too small, go to: CNN.comOverriding Presidential VetoOverride of a veto - The process by which each chamber of Congress votes on a bill vetoed by the President. To pass a bill over the President's objections requires a two-thirds vote in each Chamber. Historically, Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/who-will-blink-first/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe battle over the Iraq appropriations bill is heating up.  President Bush has made it clear that he intends to veto it.  And the strategy for winning public support will be to emphasize the pork included in the bill (see below).  True that one man's pork could mean bread on the table for another. However, even as a supporter of troop withdrawal deadlines I feel uncomfortable about some of the \"other spending measures\".  While the American public has become tired of the war and lost faith in the president, how will the veto play out is a question mark. Democrats are not likely to be able to muster the two-thirds majority to override it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/29/AR2007032902432.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eReid pushed the war spending bill through on a largely party-line 51 to 47 vote yesterday. The measure would fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but also require Bush to begin withdrawing combat troops from Iraq within four months, with the goal of a pullout by the end of next March.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe bill includes billions of dollars for domestic priorities, such as Hurricane Katrina aid and agricultural disaster relief, as well as $100 million for security at the 2008 Republican and Democratic conventions -- a widely mocked provision that critics tried to strike from the measure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe dueling events on opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue left the executive and legislative branches hurtling toward a high-stakes collision, with neither side showing signs of backing down. Both sides, in fact, appear to be relishing the confrontation to some extent, gambling that they can outmaneuver the other, galvanize the most passionate forces within their parties, win over public opinion and force an eventual resolution on their terms.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047736319347046706\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Senate Bill II.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© Associated Press\u003cbr/\u003eIf the chart appears too small, go to: \u003ca href=\"http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/allpolitics/0703/popup.senate.bill/frameset.exclude.html\"\u003eCNN.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOverriding Presidential Veto\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/override_of_a_veto.htm\"\u003eOverride of a veto\u003c/a\u003e - The process by which each chamber of Congress votes on a bill vetoed by the President. To pass a bill over the President's objections requires a two-thirds vote in each Chamber. Historically, Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Who Will Blink First ?"},{"content":" The neocons' dream turned into a nightmare a long time ago. President Bush's war in Iraq has become a disaster for the Iraqis and for us at home. But he must have blinkers and earplugs on to be oblivious of the change in the hearts and minds of American people. Or, worse, he is determined to disregard public opinion. E.J. Dionne,Jr. in the Post: \"Within three weeks, the United States could face a constitutional crisis over President Bush's war policy in Iraq. The president and his allies seem to want this fight. Yet insisting upon a confrontation will be another mistake in a long line of bad judgments about a conflict that grows more unpopular by the day.\"ExcerptsAn Antiwar Tide on the RiseWashington PostLast week's narrow House vote imposing an August 2008 deadline for the withdrawal of American troops was hugely significant, even if the bill stands no chance of passing in the Senate this week in its current form. The vote was a test of the resolve of the new House Democratic leadership and its ability to pull together an ideologically diverse membership behind a plan pointing the United States out of Iraq. * Oddly, the president's harsh rhetoric against the House version of the supplemental appropriations bill to finance the Iraq war may have been decisive in sealing Pelosi's victory. \"The vehemence with which the president opposed it made it clear to a lot of people that this was a change in direction and that it was significant,\" said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Tom Matzzie, the Washington director of MoveOn, saw the Bush effect rallying his own antiwar membership. \"Bush is our worst enemy,\" Matzzie said, \"and our best ally.\" * With most counts showing Senate Democrats needing only one more vote to approve the call for troop withdrawals next year, antiwar pressures are growing on Sens. John Sununu (R-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.). All face reelection next year, as does Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), who is already seen as leaning toward the withdrawal plan.Bush might still win this Senate vote and a reprieve for his war policy. But the president's refusal to acknowledge that the country has fundamentally changed its mind on the war makes it impossible for him to work with Congress on a sensible approach to a withdrawal that will happen some day -- with or without a constitutional showdown. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/veto-warning/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe neocons' dream turned into a nightmare a long time ago.   President Bush's war in Iraq has become a  disaster for the Iraqis and for us at home.  But he must have blinkers and earplugs on to be oblivious of the change in the hearts and minds of American people.  Or, worse, he is determined to disregard public opinion. E.J. Dionne,Jr. in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032601578.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Within three weeks, the United States could face a constitutional crisis over President Bush's war policy in Iraq. The president and his allies seem to want this fight. Yet insisting upon a confrontation will be another mistake in a long line of bad judgments about a conflict that grows more unpopular by the day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Antiwar Tide on the Rise\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032601578.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast week's narrow House vote imposing an August 2008 deadline for the withdrawal of American troops was hugely significant, even if the bill stands no chance of passing in the Senate this week in its current form. The vote was a test of the resolve of the new House Democratic leadership and its ability to pull together an ideologically diverse membership behind a plan pointing the United States out of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOddly, the president's harsh rhetoric against the House version of the supplemental appropriations bill to finance the Iraq war may have been decisive in sealing Pelosi's victory. \"The vehemence with which the president opposed it made it clear to a lot of people that this was a change in direction and that it was significant,\" said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Tom Matzzie, the Washington director of MoveOn, saw the Bush effect rallying his own antiwar membership. \"Bush is our worst enemy,\" Matzzie said, \"and our best ally.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith most counts showing Senate Democrats needing only one more vote to approve the call for troop withdrawals next year, antiwar pressures are growing on Sens. John Sununu (R-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.). All face reelection next year, as does Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), who is already seen as leaning toward the withdrawal plan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush might still win this Senate vote and a reprieve for his war policy. But the president's refusal to acknowledge that the country has fundamentally changed its mind on the war makes it impossible for him to work with Congress on a sensible approach to a withdrawal that will happen some day -- with or without a constitutional showdown.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Veto Warning"},{"content":" \"A Story of War and Family\" * And a Poem by Robert FrostThere is no question that we have become somewhat jaded. In the fifth year of Bush's war there are times when we would rather not think about it. But think and protest we must. Bad enough that we were conned into the mess, to remain silent would only make it worse. Most of the politicians lining up for 2008 are gingerly dancing around the issue, but facing up to the shame of complicity in letting it happen is the only honorable choice.So far, in the Month of March 70 American soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq. In reviewing ABC Correspondent Martha Raddatz's new book, Andrew Carroll writes: \"The timing is hardly ideal for yet another Iraq book. Americans are burned out on the war not just politically but aesthetically. After a wave of books, articles, news reports, documentaries and blogs, Iraq has become a tired, repetitive story with no happy ending in sight. So hand over $24.95 for one more war story? Because, as it turns out, Martha Raddatz's The Long Road Home is a masterpiece of literary nonfiction that rivals any war-related classic that has preceded it. This tale of an ambushed American platoon might well be the Black Hawk Down of the Iraq war.\"Excerpts:The Washington PostThe chief White House correspondent for ABC News, Raddatz was in Baghdad when she learned about a platoon of 1st Cavalry Division soldiers who had embarked in April 2004 on what they thought would be a routine community-outreach mission (they were assisting with sewage disposal, to put it delicately) in the massive Shiite slum of Sadr City. Without warning, the once pro-U.S., Saddam Hussein-hating enclave erupted into an anti-American shooting gallery. The 1st Cav platoon was pinned down by members of the firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army -- hundreds of them. The Long Road Home details the increasingly desperate and unquestionably heroic attempts to save the troops and reclaim order in an impoverished district that's home to some 2.5 million Iraqis. There isn't a hint of political bias in the book, but by focusing on this pivotal firefight, Raddatz illuminates a key moment when Iraq's sectarian strife mutated into the ferocious, unrelenting insurgency it is now. *Raddatz doesn't flinch at depicting the carnage of war; the book contains descriptions of violence so graphic they are literally gasp-inducing, but the bloodshed is not gratuitous. At one harrowing point, Raddatz relates how a young soldier was shot in the head with such force that the round slammed through his Kevlar helmet and ricocheted several times through his skull. The soldier, a devout Christian and Humvee mechanic named Casey who volunteered to help the trapped platoon, also happened to be Cindy Sheehan's son. * What distinguishes The Long Road Home from other war books is that Raddatz seamlessly shifts from the troops in the crossfire to the anxious souls who stand watch over the loneliest post in any conflict: the spouses, parents and children on the home front. (Cindy Sheehan makes a relatively brief appearance as Casey's grieving mother, but the future antiwar activist is hardly a central character.) Far from interrupting the flow of the story, the profiles of the loved ones back in the States give us a richer understanding of the soldiers in Iraq and infuse the narrative with greater tension.Stephen \"Dusty\" Hiller, a 25-year-old specialist, had recently learned that his wife was pregnant with their first son. The night after he charged into Sadr City with one of the lead rescue teams, the doorbell rang at his home back in Fort Hood, Tex. His wife, Lesley, went to answer it, and the exchange that followed is as gut-wrenching as any battle account:\"She opened the door and saw an army chaplain. Another officer in uniform was with him. There wasn't a chance for either visitor to say a word.\".'No!' Lesley yelled. She was frantic, panic-stricken. 'You all got the wrong house!' \"She slammed the door.*One hopes that The Long Road Home will further spotlight the sacrifices made by U.S. troops and their families. But this book should not be read out of a sense of obligation to these men and women, and it won't succeed merely because of Raddatz's prominence. No, this is a book that will last, and it will do so for the same reason that any great work endures -- because, through the strength and grace of its prose, it pulls us into a world that is simultaneously foreign and familiar and makes us care about the individuals who inhabit this place long after we have closed the covers. And because, one by one, we will pass the book along to others with the only words of praise that really matter: \"Here, you've got to read this.\" * Andrew Carroll is the editor of \"Behind the Lines,\" \"Operation Homecoming\" and \"Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War,\" which will be published this month.* The Road Not TakenTwo roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth.Then took the the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same.And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black,Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way.I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.--Robert Frost ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/not-just-another-book-about-iraq---the-long-road-home-by-martha-raddatz/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"A Story of War and Family\" * And a Poem by Robert Frost\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is no question that we have become somewhat jaded.  In the fifth year of Bush's  war there are times when we would rather not think about it. But think and protest we must.  Bad enough that we were conned into the mess,  to remain silent would only make it worse.  Most of the politicians lining up for 2008 are gingerly dancing around the issue, but facing up to the shame of complicity in letting it happen is the only honorable choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo far, in the Month of March \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e70 American soldiers\u003c/a\u003e have lost their lives in Iraq.  In reviewing ABC Correspondent Martha Raddatz's  new book, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032301529.html\"\u003eAndrew Carroll \u003c/a\u003ewrites:  \"The timing is hardly ideal for yet another Iraq book. Americans are burned out on the war not just politically but aesthetically. After a wave of books, articles, news reports, documentaries and blogs, Iraq has become a tired, repetitive story with no happy ending in sight. So hand over $24.95 for one more war story? Because, as it turns out, Martha Raddatz's The Long Road Home is a masterpiece of literary nonfiction that rivals any war-related classic that has preceded it. This tale of an ambushed American platoon might well be the Black Hawk Down of the Iraq war.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032301529.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe chief White House correspondent for ABC News, Raddatz was in Baghdad when she learned about a platoon of 1st Cavalry Division soldiers who had embarked in April 2004 on what they thought would be a routine community-outreach mission (they were assisting with sewage disposal, to put it delicately) in the massive Shiite slum of Sadr City. Without warning, the once pro-U.S., Saddam Hussein-hating enclave erupted into an anti-American shooting gallery. The 1st Cav platoon was pinned down by members of the firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army -- hundreds of them. The Long Road Home details the increasingly desperate and unquestionably heroic attempts to save the troops and reclaim order in an impoverished district that's home to some 2.5 million Iraqis. There isn't a hint of political bias in the book, but by focusing on this pivotal firefight, Raddatz illuminates a key moment when Iraq's sectarian strife mutated into the ferocious, unrelenting insurgency it is now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRaddatz doesn't flinch at depicting the carnage of war; the book contains descriptions of violence so graphic they are literally gasp-inducing, but the bloodshed is not gratuitous. At one harrowing point, Raddatz relates how a young soldier was shot in the head with such force that the round slammed through his Kevlar helmet and ricocheted several times through his skull. The soldier, a devout Christian and Humvee mechanic named Casey who volunteered to help the trapped platoon, also happened to be Cindy Sheehan's son.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat distinguishes The Long Road Home from other war books is that Raddatz seamlessly shifts from the troops in the crossfire to the anxious souls who stand watch over the loneliest post in any conflict: the spouses, parents and children on the home front. (Cindy Sheehan makes a relatively brief appearance as Casey's grieving mother, but the future antiwar activist is hardly a central character.) Far from interrupting the flow of the story, the profiles of the loved ones back in the States give us a richer understanding of the soldiers in Iraq and infuse the narrative with greater tension.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStephen \"Dusty\" Hiller, a 25-year-old specialist, had recently learned that his wife was pregnant with their first son. The night after he charged into Sadr City with one of the lead rescue teams, the doorbell rang at his home back in Fort Hood, Tex. His wife, Lesley, went to answer it, and the exchange that followed is as gut-wrenching as any battle account:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"She opened the door and saw an army chaplain. Another officer in uniform was with him. There wasn't a chance for either visitor to say a word.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\".'No!' Lesley yelled. She was frantic, panic-stricken. 'You all got the wrong house!' \"She slammed the door.\u003cbr/\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne hopes that The Long Road Home will further spotlight the sacrifices made by U.S. troops and their families. But this book should not be read out of a sense of obligation to these men and women, and it won't succeed merely because of Raddatz's prominence. No, this is a book that will last, and it will do so for the same reason that any great work endures -- because, through the strength and grace of its prose, it pulls us into a world that is simultaneously foreign and familiar and makes us care about the individuals who inhabit this place long after we have closed the covers. And because, one by one, we will pass the book along to others with the only words of praise that really matter: \"Here, you've got to read this.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew Carroll is the editor of \"Behind the Lines,\" \"Operation Homecoming\" and \"Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War,\" which will be published this month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Road Not Taken\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo roads diverged in a yellow wood,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd sorry I could not travel both\u003cbr/\u003eAnd be one traveler, long I stood\u003cbr/\u003eAnd looked down one as far as I could\u003cbr/\u003eTo where it bent in the undergrowth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen took the the other, as just as fair,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd having perhaps the better claim,\u003cbr/\u003eBecause it was grassy and wanted wear;\u003cbr/\u003eThough as for that the passing there\u003cbr/\u003eHad worn them really about the same.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd both that morning equally lay\u003cbr/\u003eIn leaves no step had trodden black,\u003cbr/\u003eOh, I kept the first for another day!\u003cbr/\u003eYet knowing how way leads on to way.\u003cbr/\u003eI doubted if I should ever come back.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI shall be telling this with a sigh\u003cbr/\u003eSomewhere ages and ages hence:\u003cbr/\u003eTwo roads diverged in a wood, and I-\u003cbr/\u003eI took the one less traveled by,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd that has made all the difference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Robert Frost\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Not Just Another Book About Iraq - \"The Long Road Home\" By Martha Raddatz"},{"content":" It didn't work in South Dakota, now it is Mississippi's turn. In 2006, the good people of S. Dakota voted against draconian anti-abortion law proposed by Governor Mike Rounds and the Christian Right. Now who else but Haley Barbour, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, currently governor of Mississippi, has become the champion of anti-abortionists by signing a bill that would \".......criminalize abortion in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 1973 decision that legalized the procedure.\"Part of a strategy -- cynical strategy -- the goal is to take the issue to the Supreme Court in the hope of overturning Roe v. Wade. They think that with recent appointments by President Bush the court could side with them.Washington PostThe only exceptions to the state ban would be in cases of rape or if the pregnancy threatened the woman's life. The bill has no exception for pregnancies caused by incest. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/incests-do-not-take-place-in-mississippi/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt didn't work in South Dakota, now it is Mississippi's turn.  In 2006, the  good people of S. Dakota voted against draconian anti-abortion law proposed by Governor Mike Rounds and the Christian Right.   Now who else but Haley Barbour, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, currently governor of Mississippi, has become the champion of anti-abortionists by signing a bill that would \".......criminalize abortion in the event that the \u003cspan class=\"yqlink\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"yqimgins\" href=\"http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=U.S.+Supreme+Court\" onclick=\"activateYQinl(this);return false;\" title=\"Related information on U.S. Supreme Court\"\u003eU.S. Supreme Court\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e overturns the 1973 decision that legalized the procedure.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePart of a strategy --  cynical strategy -- the goal is to take the issue to the Supreme Court in the hope of overturning Roe v. Wade.  They think that with recent appointments by President Bush the court could side with them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/22/AR2007032202343.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe only exceptions to the state ban would be in cases of rape or if the pregnancy threatened the woman's life. The bill has no exception for pregnancies caused by incest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Incests do not take place in Mississippi"},{"content":" SpringNothing is so beautiful as spring--When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lushThrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrushThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wringThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing:The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brushThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rushWith richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.What is all this juice and all this joy ?A strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning... --Gerard Manley HopkinsThe weather forecast was wrong; it didn't rain last night. This spring morning the sky looks as though we might get some rain. For us in the San Francisco Peninsula, rainfall this season has been about 60% of norm. But rain or not, the trees and gardens in the neighborhood leave no doubt about the arrival of spring. The foothills look inviting. Whatever outdoor activities give you pleasure, make the most of it.Los Gatos Creek in FebruaryOne can reach Los Gatos Creek trail from downtown and walk south to Lexington Reservoir (about 2.5 miles) or make a left turn and go up to St. Joseph's Hill. Scenic and not too demanding, the trail is popular with local residents. Close proximity of Hwy 880 is a minus but after a few minutes on the trail it becomes just a noise in the background.Mural under Freeway Overpass and a Bench to admire it ©Musafir\"The first known settlers of Los Gatos were the Ohlone Indians. Thought to have inhabited the area for more than 10,000 years, they lived along the Los Gatos Creek near today's Vasona Park.\"Source: http://www.los-gatos.org/main/history.htmlThe Meadow©MusafirRowers on Lexington Reservoir©MusafirThe water level noticeably low. Last year in February it was above the tree line.A picnic table overlooking the reservoir©MusafirBench with a great view looking east©MusafirThe inscription reads: In loving memory of John Dean - We have all been blessed with his \"Best Gifts\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/spring-another-spring/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSpring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNothing is so beautiful as spring--\u003cbr/\u003eWhen weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush\u003cbr/\u003eThrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrush\u003cbr/\u003eThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wring\u003cbr/\u003eThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing:\u003cbr/\u003eThe glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush\u003cbr/\u003eThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rush\u003cbr/\u003eWith richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is all this juice and all this joy ?\u003cbr/\u003eA strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning...\u003cbr/\u003e  --Gerard Manley Hopkins\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe weather forecast was wrong;  it didn't rain last night. This spring morning the sky looks as though we might get some rain.  For us in the San Francisco Peninsula, rainfall this season has been about 60% of norm. But rain or not, the trees and gardens in the neighborhood leave no doubt about the arrival of spring. The foothills look inviting.  Whatever outdoor activities give you pleasure, make the most of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLos Gatos Creek in February\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne can reach Los Gatos Creek trail from downtown and walk south to Lexington Reservoir (about 2.5 miles) or make a left turn and go up to St. Joseph's Hill.  Scenic and not too demanding, the trail is popular with local residents. Close proximity of Hwy 880 is a minus but after a few minutes on the trail it becomes just a noise in the background.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eMural under Freeway Overpass and a Bench to admire it\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044008184804789250\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0081.JPG\"/\u003e ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The first known settlers of Los Gatos were the Ohlone Indians. Thought to have inhabited the area for more than 10,000 years, they lived along the Los Gatos Creek near today's Vasona Park.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSource: http://www.los-gatos.org/main/history.html\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Meadow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044018265093033010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0069.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRowers on Lexington Reservoir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044006518357478386\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0071.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThe water level noticeably low.  Last year in February it was above the tree line.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eA picnic table overlooking the reservoir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044018617280351298\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0075.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBench with a great view looking east\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044009245661711394\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0078.JPG\"/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe inscription reads: In loving memory of John Dean - We have all been blessed with his \"Best Gifts\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spring, Another Spring"},{"content":" A 'Cop Out' Editorial in Washington Post A let down -- The Post's editorial Lessons of War. Tomorrow will mean the end of the fourth year of the Bush Administration's euphemistically named Operation Iraqi Freedom. And my favorite newspaper, The Washington Post, comes out with a wishy-washy, CYA editorial!Clearly we were insufficiently skeptical of intelligence reports. It would almost be comforting if Mr. Bush had \"lied the nation into war,\" as is frequently charged. The best postwar journalism instead suggests that the president and his administration exaggerated, cherry-picked and simplified but fundamentally believed -- as did the CIA -- the catastrophically wrong case that then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell presented to the United Nations.Go to Iraq Coalition Casualties.org to see the list of dead soldiers (names and dates). From Marine Major Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, March 21,2003, to Raymond J. Holzhauer, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 15, 2007 -- so many of them in their 20's; some under 20 -- and ask yourself: Knowing what we do today did the president and his administration lie or they \"exaggerated, cherry-picked and simplified\" the case for going to war? ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/four-years---3218-dead/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA 'Cop Out' Editorial in Washington Post  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA let down -- The Post's editorial \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/17/AR2007031700950.html\"\u003eLessons of War\u003c/a\u003e.    Tomorrow will mean the end of the fourth year of the Bush Administration's euphemistically named Operation Iraqi Freedom.   And my favorite newspaper, The Washington Post, comes out with a wishy-washy, CYA editorial!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClearly we were insufficiently skeptical of intelligence reports. It would almost be comforting if Mr. Bush had \"lied the nation into war,\" as is frequently charged.  The best postwar journalism instead suggests that the president and his administration exaggerated, cherry-picked and simplified but fundamentally believed -- as did the CIA --  the catastrophically wrong case that then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell presented to the United Nations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGo to \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.aspx\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e to see the list of dead soldiers (names and dates).  From Marine Major Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, March 21,2003, to           Raymond J. Holzhauer,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 15, 2007 -- so many of them  in their 20's; some under 20 --  and ask yourself: Knowing what we do today did the president and his administration lie or they \"exaggerated, cherry-picked and simplified\" the case for going to war?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Four Years - 3218 Dead"},{"content":" Gussie Fink-Nottle Loved NewtsAn overcast Saturday morning but Yahoo's weather man (or woman ?) predicts a sunny afternoon.In response to a message in which I wrote \"I'd rather take Gussie Fink-Nottle\", friend KCR commented last week about Ipsos poll and the GOP contenders, among them Newton Leroy Gingrich who has yet to make an official declaration about his candidacy. \"As for newt lovers, we too would take the harmless Fink-Nottle over the sliver-haired (and tongued) Newt any time. But we dont have that luxury. Old Gussie never surfaced again after his nuptials with the saintly Madeline. We suspect he is comfortably ensconced in English rustica and takes refuge from his wife's views on elves and fairies by escaping to the local pub where he regales the local citizenry with long dissertations on the sex lives of newts.\"Like KCR, Newt Gingrich I can do without. He is a scumbag and so is his former friend in the House -- Tom DeLay of Sugarland, TX. Gussie Fink-Nottle and other characters created by the late P.G. Wodehouse are different creatures. Jeeves, Bertie Wooster, Honoria Glossop, Bingo Little -- they can make one smile, brighten a day when the headlines scream about deaths in Iraq, the machinations of the smarmie Alberto Gonzales and other Bushies. Give me Eggs, Beans and Crumpets by Wodehouse. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/on-the-road-to-2008---the-world-of-pg-wodehouse/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eGussie Fink-Nottle Loved Newts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn overcast Saturday morning but Yahoo's weather man (or woman ?) predicts a sunny afternoon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn response to a message in which I wrote \"I'd rather take Gussie Fink-Nottle\", friend KCR commented last week about \u003ca href=\"http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08rep.htm\"\u003eIpsos poll\u003c/a\u003e and the GOP contenders, among them Newton Leroy Gingrich who has yet to make an official declaration about his candidacy.  \"As for newt lovers, we too would take the harmless \u003cspan class=\"st\" id=\"st\" name=\"st\"\u003eFink\u003c/span\u003e-\u003cspan class=\"st\" id=\"st\" name=\"st\"\u003eNottle\u003c/span\u003e over the sliver-haired (and tongued) Newt any time. But we dont have that luxury. Old \u003cspan class=\"st\" id=\"st\" name=\"st\"\u003eGussie\u003c/span\u003e never surfaced again after his nuptials with the saintly Madeline. We suspect he is comfortably ensconced in English rustica and takes refuge from his wife's views on elves and fairies by escaping to the local pub where he regales the local citizenry with long dissertations on the sex lives of newts.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLike KCR,  Newt Gingrich I can do without. He is a scumbag and so is his former friend in the House -- Tom DeLay of Sugarland, TX.  Gussie Fink-Nottle and other characters created by the late P.G. Wodehouse are different creatures.  Jeeves, Bertie Wooster, Honoria Glossop, Bingo Little -- they can make one smile, brighten a day when the headlines scream about deaths in Iraq, the machinations of the smarmie Alberto Gonzales and other Bushies.  Give me Eggs, Beans and Crumpets by Wodehouse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008 - The World of P.G. Wodehouse"},{"content":" © musafirBack in 2005, a few months after I began participating in the blogosphere, posts by a few other bloggers caught my attention. Like my own, their blogs didn't attract thousands of readers every day. We were just making use of a mass medium to let ourselves go. Whether it was politics, personal observations about society and the nation, friends, books, movies, work, school, sharing our joys......and sorrows, blogs provided an outlet to express our feelings and we took it.Among the bloggers that I established contact with was a young woman from Lahore, Pakistan. Bright, funny, irreverent. I was amused and impressed by her comments. \"Contact\" means e-mail and an occasional snail mail. The university which she attends is more than 2,000 miles away. That does not matter. What does is that despite the great difference in age and our circumstances there is a bond between us.\"M\" is currently enrolled in a Master's program and would probably continue her studies for a doctorate. She went home for holidays last December and, on her return, sent me a blue and white ceramic vase that she carried all the way from Lahore. I am making good use of it, especially now that the bulbs I planted in fall are blooming. Sweet Peas will follow a month later.Then there is \"S\", a recent acquaintance, in Brighton,UK, passionately involved in protesting the injustices in the Middle East. Marty in Florida who shared my views about Bush and the Republicans, and who encouraged me to write about Auschwitz and the holocaust. And \"f\", the Zen Buddhist in Texas, who has decided to stop blogging but continues to express herself in wonderful, sometimes quirky, digital photographs.If it were not for the blogosphere I wouldn't have known any of them. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/yellow-freesias-in-a-blue-white-vase-from-lahore-pakistan/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"515\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040441267790089858\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0021.JPG\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in 2005, a few months after I began participating in the \u003cspan class=\"blsp-spelling-error\" id=\"SPELLING_ERROR_0\"\u003eblogosphere\u003c/span\u003e, posts by a few other \u003cspan class=\"blsp-spelling-error\" id=\"SPELLING_ERROR_1\"\u003ebloggers\u003c/span\u003e caught my attention.  Like my own, their blogs didn't attract thousands of readers every day.  We were just making use of a mass medium to let ourselves go.  Whether it was politics, personal observations about society and the nation, friends, books, movies, work, school,   sharing our joys......and sorrows, blogs provided an outlet to express our feelings and we took it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong the \u003cspan class=\"blsp-spelling-error\" id=\"SPELLING_ERROR_2\"\u003ebloggers\u003c/span\u003e that I established contact with was a young woman from Lahore, Pakistan. Bright, funny, irreverent. I was amused and impressed by her comments.  \"Contact\" means e-mail and an occasional snail mail. The university which she attends is more than 2,000 miles away. That does not matter.  What does is that despite the great difference in age and our circumstances  there is  a  bond  between us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"M\" is currently enrolled in a Master's program and would probably continue her studies for a doctorate.    She went home for holidays last December and, on her return, sent me a blue and white ceramic vase that she carried all the way from Lahore. I am making good use of it, especially now that the bulbs I planted in fall are blooming.  Sweet Peas will follow a month later.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen there is \"S\", a recent acquaintance,  in Brighton,UK, passionately involved in protesting the injustices in the Middle East. Marty in Florida who shared my views about Bush and the Republicans, and who encouraged me to write about Auschwitz and the holocaust.  And \"f\", the Zen Buddhist in Texas, who has decided to stop blogging but continues to express herself in wonderful, sometimes quirky, digital photographs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf it were not for the \u003cspan class=\"blsp-spelling-error\" id=\"SPELLING_ERROR_3\"\u003eblogosphere\u003c/span\u003e I wouldn't have known any of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Yellow Freesias in a Blue \u0026 White Vase from Lahore, Pakistan"},{"content":" Sitting quietly, doing nothingSpring Comes, and the grass grows by itself---Zenrin KushuSource: The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson RossNine days away but the weather certainly feels like spring. No rain in the long-range forecast. Still cool but sunny and the sky is often, not always, blue. Flowers are blooming and the Gingko trees on my street are sprouting new leaves as they do each year.Great time to enjoy the outdoors. About a month ago, before we got some heavy rains, JHL and I went back to Los Trancos trail in Foothills Park. It was damp but Buckeye Creek was far from full. The rainfall this year stands at just above 50% of the norm. Didn't see chanterelles, but found some oyster mushrooms; delicious.Los Trancos Trail © musafirA 7.5 mile loop, the trail climbs towards Skyline in the west, makes a hairpin bend and returns to the valley floor.The Lynn Torin Bench, Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park © musafirInscription on the plaque reads: \"In Honor of our Daughter Lynn Torin - Nature nourishes, enriches and lifts the spirit\". JHL crossing a footbridge on the Los Trancos Trail © musafir© musafirSigns of Spring in early-February! Don't know the name of the plant. If a reader does, please send me an e-mail.During a stop for lunch © musafirOverlooking Boronda Lake shortly before sunset © musafirBench presented by M/M Max Strassman to the City of Palo Alto, December 2000 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-03-13 Nice work, as usual, also lovely writing. It is safe to say that the presence of like minds, even so far away, is clearly responsible for my continuing to live another day on this earth.\nNow let's see some use of that 12x, sir. :)\nfond regards\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/spring-is-around-the-corner/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSitting quietly, doing nothing\u003cbr/\u003eSpring Comes, and the grass grows by itself\u003cbr/\u003e---Zenrin Kushu\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.biblio.com/books/746996.html\"\u003eThe World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNine days away but the weather certainly feels like spring.  No rain in the long-range forecast.  Still cool but sunny and the sky is  often, not always, blue.  Flowers are blooming and the Gingko trees on my street are sprouting new leaves as they do each year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat time to enjoy the outdoors. About a month ago, before we got some heavy rains,  JHL and I went back  to  Los Trancos trail in Foothills Park.  It was  damp but Buckeye Creek was   far from full.  The rainfall this year stands at just above 50% of the norm.  Didn't see chanterelles, but found some oyster mushrooms; delicious.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eLos Trancos Trail © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040376783151107586\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _10.JPG\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA 7.5 mile loop, the trail climbs towards Skyline in the west, makes a hairpin bend and returns to the valley floor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Lynn Torin Bench, Los Trancos Trail, Foothills Park © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040370920520748466\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _11.JPG\"/\u003eInscription on the plaque reads: \"In Honor of our Daughter Lynn Torin  - Nature nourishes, enriches and lifts the spirit\". \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eJHL crossing a footbridge on the Los Trancos Trail © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040374854710791634\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _07.JPG\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040373579105504706\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _06.JPG\"/\u003eSigns of Spring in early-February!  Don't know the name of the plant.  If a reader does, please send me  an e-mail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDuring a stop for lunch © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040375314272292322\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _08.JPG\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eOverlooking Boronda Lake shortly before sunset © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040375902682811890\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Foothill Park _14.JPG\"/\u003eBench presented by M/M Max Strassman to the City of Palo Alto, December 2000\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-03-13\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNice work, as usual, also lovely writing.  It is safe to say that the presence of like minds, even so far away, is clearly responsible for my continuing to live another day on this earth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow let's see some use of that 12x, sir.  :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003efond regards\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Spring is Around the Corner"},{"content":" And A Reporter Who Felt the Pain * Exorcising G.W. BushSudarsan Raghavan of The Washington Post has been filing reports from Iraq that stand apart from others. Last September he wrote about the booksellers of Mutanabi Street, Baghdad. See: Bookstores on Mutanabi Street.Most of Mutanabi Street disappered in smoke and flames from a car bomb that exploded on the morning of Monday, March 5th. Mr. Raghavan's report describes the horrors, and the pain of the survivors.Excerpts:Washington PostBAGHDAD, Mar. 5 -- Two firemen emerged from the thick curtain of black smoke that covered the pavement on Monday, carrying a soft, shapeless corpse wrapped in a green tarpaulin.In their path was what was left of Mutanabi Street, Baghdad's literary heart. Bookstores in ruins. Balconies torn from oatmeal-colored buildings, some still on fire. Mangled cars with cracked windshields. The sounds of weeping mingled with the smell of burned flesh, as shards of paper seemed to flutter endlessly down from the sky.At 11:40 a.m., a car bomb exploded on this storied street, killing as many as 26 people and injuring dozens, according to police officers at the scene. It shattered an area once known for liberal ideas, an intellectual haven that in the heady days after the U.S.-led invasion pulsed with the promise of freedom.Solemn as pallbearers, the firemen walked through the landscape of twisted metal and debris, their feet crunching shattered glass. Behind them, the tower of smoke and ash billowed above the capital. One placed the charred body on a pushcart. The other covered it with a long sheet of white paper, as if he were tucking a child into bed. As they rolled the cart up the street, a young man in a black checkered sweater and light-blue jeans ran past. Tears streamed down his face.\"Where is my family? What happened to my family?\" he screamed. * As the young man in bluejeans cried, a friend clutched his shoulder and took him into his home for comfort. Others watched as firefighters tried to rescue two people trapped inside a burning building.\n\"The roof is going to collapse,\" one onlooker predicted.\nTen minutes later, the young man emerged onto the street, his face a mask of anguish.\n\"Where is my family?\" he asked no one in particular. As he watched, another fireman rolled a pushcart bearing a body, this one covered in a blue tarpaulin.\n\"All we do is sell books,\" said Amer Kasim, 38, struggling for an explanation.\nIximche, GuatemalaIn other news today, a despatch from AP in the Washington Post covers an interesting fact...that Mayan priests in Guatemala intend to \"........purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate \"bad spirits\" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.\" Not a believer in evil spirits but I can understand the Guatemalan priests' feelings about our president. Talk about bad karma. He has it in spades. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/destruction-of-a-street-full-of-bookstores-baghdad-iraq/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnd A Reporter Who Felt the Pain * Exorcising G.W.  Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSudarsan Raghavan of The Washington Post has been filing reports from Iraq that stand apart from others.  Last September he wrote about the booksellers of Mutanabi Street, Baghdad. See: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search?q=Bookstores+on+Mutanabi+Street%2C+Baghdad\"\u003eBookstores on Mutanabi Street\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/search?q=Bookstores+on+Mutanabi+Street%2C+Baghdad\"\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMost of Mutanabi Street disappered in smoke and flames from a car bomb that exploded on the morning of Monday, March 5th.  Mr. Raghavan's report describes the horrors, and the pain of the survivors.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/05/AR2007030500041.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBAGHDAD, Mar. 5 -- Two firemen emerged from the thick curtain of black smoke that covered the pavement on Monday, carrying a soft, shapeless corpse wrapped in a green tarpaulin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn their path was what was left of Mutanabi Street, Baghdad's literary heart. Bookstores in ruins. Balconies torn from oatmeal-colored buildings, some still on fire. Mangled cars with cracked windshields. The sounds of weeping mingled with the smell of burned flesh, as shards of paper seemed to flutter endlessly down from the sky.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt 11:40 a.m., a car bomb exploded on this storied street, killing as many as 26 people and injuring dozens, according to police officers at the scene. It shattered an area once known for liberal ideas, an intellectual haven that in the heady days after the U.S.-led invasion pulsed with the promise of freedom.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSolemn as pallbearers, the firemen walked through the landscape of twisted metal and debris, their feet crunching shattered glass. Behind them, the tower of smoke and ash billowed above the capital. One placed the charred body on a pushcart. The other covered it with a long sheet of white paper, as if he were tucking a child into bed. As they rolled the cart up the street, a young man in a black checkered sweater and light-blue jeans ran past. Tears streamed down his face.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Where is my family? What happened to my family?\" he screamed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the young man in bluejeans cried, a friend clutched his shoulder and took him into his home for comfort. Others watched as firefighters tried to rescue two people trapped inside a burning building.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Destruction  of A Street Full of  Bookstores, Baghdad, Iraq"},{"content":" Fish or Cut Bait ?Mr. Newton Leroy Gingrich, better known as Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House (1995-1999), co-author of the Republican Party's policy document Contract With America , political analyst and reported to be a consultant to the Dept of Defense, has been mentioned often as a potential presidential candidate. The Post has published details of an interview to be aired today in which Mr. Gingrich admits an extramarital affair to Focus on Family's Rev. James Dobson.Washington PostMarch 9, 2007Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged he was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.\"The honest answer is yes,\" Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. \"There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards.\"You could have knocked me down with a feather! Newtie, a chest-thumping champion of moral values like many other Republicans, was carrying an affair with an aide during the days when he was castigating President Clinton about his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. What next?Seriously though, Mr. Gingrich's affair was not a secret. Bringing it up now, and with no less than James Dobson, a pillar of the Christian Right, makes it clear that Mr. Gingrich is getting ready to throw his hat into the ring for 2008 election. If his admission does not cause too much wave among the conservatives then we can expect his official entry in the race in the near future. Christian Right is very flexible about right and wrong when it comes to one of their own. Their God is merciful to Republican sinners who repent......and they do -- publicly -- whenever they are exposed or whenever it becomes necessary. Contesting a presidential election is strong enough reason for doing so. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/on-the-road-to-2008-newtie-decided-to-test-the-waters/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFish or Cut Bait ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Newton Leroy Gingrich, better known as Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House (1995-1999), co-author of the Republican Party's policy document Contract With America , political analyst and reported to be a consultant to the Dept of Defense, has been mentioned often as a potential presidential candidate.  The Post has published details of an interview to be aired today in which Mr. Gingrich admits an extramarital affair to Focus on Family's Rev. James Dobson.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030900086.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003eMarch 9, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged he was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The honest answer is yes,\" Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. \"There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou could have knocked me down with a feather!  Newtie, a chest-thumping champion of moral values like many other Republicans, was carrying an affair with an aide during the days when he was castigating President Clinton about his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. What next?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSeriously though, Mr. Gingrich's affair was not a secret.  Bringing it up now, and with no less than James Dobson, a pillar of the Christian Right, makes it clear that Mr. Gingrich is getting ready to throw his hat into the ring for 2008 election.  If his admission does not cause too much wave among the conservatives then we can expect his official entry in the race in the near future.  Christian Right is very flexible about right and wrong when it comes to one of their own. Their God is merciful to Republican sinners who repent......and they do -- publicly -- whenever they are exposed or whenever it becomes necessary.  Contesting a presidential election is strong enough reason for doing so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: Newtie Decided to Test The Waters"},{"content":" * Steve Bell 2007steve.bell@guardian.co.ukPresident Bush has, reportedly, decided to stay away from pardoning \"Scooter\" Libby because of political impact on 2008 election. Even some Republicans are wary about the idea. It would raise a firestorm but it could happen. Although he did not appear in court, the facts that came to light during the Libby trial were damning for Vice President Cheney. And the president himself has been tainted by exposure of lies and manipulation of the media orchestrated between the White House and the vice president's office. So, a pardon for \"Scooter\" Libby would clear the slate for Vice President Cheney and for President Bush. It is not off the table regardless of the reports.William Jefferson Clinton, our 42nd president, faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinsky. We now have a president who took the nation to war against Iraq based on lies and exaggerations. As of today 3,188 soldiers have died in Iraq (including 24 so far in the month of March). The President talks about bravery of our soldiers. But it was his administration that allowed the deplorable conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to happen. And in recent days facts have emerged about the Justice Department's systematic purging of attorneys who were perceived to be \"unfriendly\" to the goals of the Bush Administration. Then, of course, there was Katrina. President Bush is not going to be impeached; he will ride into the sunset after the 2008 election, uttering claptrap. But he ought to be. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/a-pardon-for-scooter-libby-a-pardon-for-the-president/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039616764816334466\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Yellowcake.jpg\"/\u003e Steve Bell 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003esteve.bell@guardian.co.uk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush has, reportedly, decided to stay away from pardoning \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030700184.html\"\u003e\"Scooter\" Libby\u003c/a\u003e because of political impact on 2008 election.   Even some Republicans are wary about the idea.  It would raise a firestorm but it could happen.  Although he did not appear in court, the facts that came to light during the Libby trial were damning for Vice President Cheney.  And the president himself has been tainted by exposure of lies and manipulation of the media orchestrated between the White House and the vice president's office.  So, a pardon for \"Scooter\" Libby would clear the slate  for Vice President Cheney and for President Bush. It is not off the table regardless of the reports.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWilliam Jefferson Clinton, our 42nd president, faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinsky.  We now have a president who took the nation to war against Iraq based on lies and exaggerations.  As of today \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e3,188\u003c/a\u003e soldiers have died in Iraq (including \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e24\u003c/a\u003e so far in the month of March).  The President  talks about bravery of our soldiers.  But it was his administration that allowed the deplorable conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to happen.  And in recent days facts have emerged about the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030701546.html\"\u003eJustice Department's systematic purging\u003c/a\u003e of attorneys who were perceived to be \"unfriendly\" to the goals of the Bush Administration.  Then, of course, there was Katrina.      President Bush is not going to be impeached; he will ride into the sunset after the 2008 election, uttering claptrap.   But he ought to be.\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Owner/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"A Pardon for \"Scooter\" Libby,  A Pardon for the President"},{"content":" I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby and the Aspens in the WestA feather in the cap for Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. The jury's verdict -- guilty on four counts out of five -- leaves no doubts that it was Fitzgerald's masterful summation that persuaded the jurors to make their decision.No matter how they spin it, the verdict is a blot on Vice President Cheney, that he was deeply involved in smearing former Ambassador Joseph Wilson for his disclosure about fictitious claim by the Bush Administration that Iraq had purchased yellowcake uranium from Niger. Libby is taking the fall but Vice President Cheney played a major role in going after Ambassador Wilson and disclosure of the fact that his wife, Valerie Plame, was an undercover CIA officer. The facts raise questions about the role of the White House. Another example of how far the president and his aides were prepared to go to justify the war -- the war that has become like a ball of fat stuck in the president's throat.Libby has hidden talents. In a letter to the former NY Times reporter Judith Miller, who was serving a sentence in prison for refusing to testify, Libby wrote: “Out West, where you vacation, the aspens will already be turning. They turn in clusters, because their roots connect them. Come back to work—and life,”. Poetic. He could use his time in prison to write about the aspens and such things or scatological erotica. See Scooter's Sex Shocker, The New Yorker Nov.7,2005.Washington PostA federal jury today convicted I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby of lying about his role in the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity, finding the vice president's former chief of staff guilty of two counts of perjury, one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice, while acquitting him of single count of lying to the FBI.The verdict, reached by the 11 jurors on the 10th day of deliberations, culminated the seven-week trial of the highest-ranking White House official to be indicted on criminal charges in modern times.Under federal sentencing guidlines, Libby faces a probable prison term of 1 1/2 to three years when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton June 5 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/the-libby-case-ends-in-guilty-verdict/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eI. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby and the Aspens in the West\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA feather in the cap for Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.  The jury's verdict -- guilty on four counts out of five -- leaves no doubts that it was Fitzgerald's masterful summation that persuaded the jurors to make their decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo matter how they spin it, the verdict is a blot on Vice President Cheney, that he was deeply involved in smearing former \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_C._Wilson\"\u003eAmbassador Joseph Wilson\u003c/a\u003e for his disclosure about fictitious   claim by the Bush Administration that Iraq had purchased yellowcake uranium from Niger.  Libby is taking the fall but Vice President Cheney played a major role in going after Ambassador Wilson and disclosure of the fact that his wife, \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame\"\u003eValerie Plame\u003c/a\u003e, was an undercover CIA officer.   The facts raise questions about the role of the White House.   Another example of how far the president and his aides were prepared to go to justify the war -- the war that has become like a ball of fat stuck in the president's throat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLibby has hidden talents.  In a letter to the former NY Times reporter Judith Miller, who was serving a sentence in prison for refusing to testify, Libby wrote: “Out West, where you vacation, the aspens will already be turning. They turn in clusters, because their roots connect them. Come back to work—and life,”.  Poetic.  He could use his time in prison to write about the aspens and such things or scatological erotica.  See \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/051107ta_talk_collins\"\u003eScooter's Sex Shocker\u003c/a\u003e, The New Yorker Nov.7,2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/06/AR2007030600400.htm\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA federal jury today convicted I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby of lying about his role in the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity, finding the vice president's former chief of staff guilty of two counts of perjury, one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice, while acquitting him of single count of lying to the FBI.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe verdict, reached by the 11 jurors on the 10th day of deliberations, culminated the seven-week trial of the highest-ranking White House official to be indicted on criminal charges in modern times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder federal sentencing guidlines, Libby faces a probable prison term of 1 1/2 to three years when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton June 5\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Libby Case Ends in Guilty Verdict"},{"content":" \"As the newly reborn sun races across the sky, the days become longer, the air warmer and, once again, life begins to return to the land. Twice a year, day and night become equal in length.\"© Solstice and Equinox© Montana State UniversityTemperature is still wintry in the San Francisco Bay area. Nineteen days to go and more rains expected next week. But there are signs, very welcome signs, of spring in the neighborhood.Cherry tree in bloom© MusafirDaffodils© MusafirWhite Magnolias© MusafirPink Magnolias© MusafirAccacias© Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/signs-of-spring/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"As the newly reborn sun races across the sky, the days become longer, the air warmer and, once again, life begins to return to the land. Twice a year, day and night become equal in length.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.equinox-and-solstice.com/html/vernal_equinox.html\"\u003eSolstice and Equinox\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037725094550938610\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/Equinox.gif\"/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/equinox.html\"\u003eMontana State University\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTemperature is still wintry in the San Francisco Bay area. Nineteen days to go and more rains expected next week.  But there are signs, very welcome signs, of spring in the neighborhood.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eCherry tree in bloom\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037729368043398226\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0015.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaffodils\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037728856942289986\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0014.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhite Magnolias\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037728594949284914\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0013.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePink Magnolias\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037728229877064738\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0012.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAccacias\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037735080349901922\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/03/IMG_0076.JPG\"/\u003e© Musafir\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Signs of Spring"},{"content":" Names by Date - \"Sorrowing lies my land\"Bare facts: The war began March 10, 2003. 79 American soldiers died in February 2007. Total todate 3163. Wounded 10509.Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties * How many times must a man look up Before he can see the sky? Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have Before he can hear people cry? Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows That too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, The answer is blowin' in the wind.---Bob DylanDavid C. Armstrong, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2007Tyler Butler,21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2007Michael C. Mettille, 44, Army Sergeant Major, Feb 01, 2007Eric R. Sieger, 18, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2007Terry J. Elliott, 34, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Feb 01, 2007Richard O. Quill III, 22, Marine Corporal, Feb 01, 2007Matthew G. Conte, 22, Navy Hospitalman, Feb 01, 2007Jason Garth DeFrenn, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 02, 2007Terrence D. Dunn, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 02, 2007Kevin C. Landeck, 26, Army Captain, Feb 02, 2007Alan E. McPeek, 20, Army Specialist, Feb 02, 2007Keith Yoakum, 41, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 02, 2007Matthew T. Zeimer, 18, Army Private, Feb 02, 2007Ronnie L. Sanders, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 03, 2007Clarence T. Spencer, 24, Army Private, Feb 04, 2007Randy J. Matheny, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 04, 2007Brandon J. Van Parys, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 05, 2007Brian A. Browning, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 06, 2007Joshua J. Frazier, 24, Marine Sergeant, Feb 06, 2007Joseph J. Ellis, 40, Marine Sergeant Major, Feb 07, 2007Jennifer J. Harris, 28, Marine Captain, Feb 07, 2007Jared M. Landaker, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Feb 07, 2007Jennifer M. Parcell, 20, Marine Corporal, Feb 07, 2007Travis D. Pfister, 27, Marine Sergeant, Feb 07, 2007Thomas E. Saba, 30, Marine Corporal, Feb 07, 2007James Rodney Tijerina, 26, Marine Sergeant, Feb 07, 2007Tarryl B. Hill, 19, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Feb 07, 2007Matthew P. Pathenos, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 07, 2007Gilbert Minjares Jr., 31, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Feb 07, 2007Manuel A. Ruiz, 21, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Feb 07, 2007Ross A. Clevenger, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 08, 2007James J. Holtom, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 08, 2007Raymond M. Werner, 21, Army National Guard Private, Feb 08, 2007Leeroy A. Camacho, 28, Army Specialist, Feb 09, 2007James J. Regan, 26, Army Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007Eric Ross, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007lan W. Shaw, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007Donnie R. Belser Jr., 28, Army Captain, Feb 10, 2007Russell A. Kurtz, 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 11, 2007Robert B. Thrasher, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 11, 2007Dennis L. Sellen Jr., 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 11, 2007Allen Mosteiro, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 13, 2007Nickolas A. Tanton, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 13, 2007Branden C. Cummings, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 14, 2007Ronnie G. Madore Jr., 34, Army Specialist, Feb 14, 2007John D. Rode, 24, Army Sergeant, Feb 14, 2007Carl Leonard Seigart, 32, Army Sergeant, Feb 14, 2007Daniel T. Morris, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2007Todd M. Siebert, 34, Marine Captain, Feb 16, 2007Chad E. Marsh, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007Justin T. Paton, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007Christopher K. Boone, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 17, 2007William C. Spillers, 39, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007Brian A. Escalante, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 17, 2007Matthew S. Apuan, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 18, 2007Kelly D. Youngblood, 19, Army Private, Feb 18, 2007Blake H. Howey, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 18, 2007Matthew C. Bowe, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007Adare W. Cleveland, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007Pedro J. Colon, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 19, 2007Shawn M. Dunkin, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 19, 2007Montrel S. Mcarn, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 19, 2007Brett Witteveen, 20, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007Richard L. Ford, 40, Army Sergeant, Feb 20, 2007Louis G. Kim, 19, Army Specialist, Feb 20, 2007Clinton W. Ahlquist, 23, Marine Sergeant, Feb 20, 2007Travis Wayne Buford, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2007Joshua R. Hager, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2007Rowan D. Walter, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2007David R. Berry, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2007Jeremy D. Barnett, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 24, 2007Ethan J. Biggers, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 24, 2007William J. Beardsley, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 26, 2007Anthony Aguirre, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 26, 2007Lorne Henry Jr, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 27, 2007Daniel Lee Coffey,21. Rifleman, Feb.27, 2007 ","permalink":"/posts/2007/03/army-private-matthew-t-zeimer18-and-78-more---february-2007/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNames by Date - \"Sorrowing lies my land\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBare facts: The war began March 10, 2003.  79 American soldiers died in February 2007. Total todate 3163. Wounded 10509.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e How many times must a man look up\u003cbr/\u003e Before he can see the sky?\u003cbr/\u003e Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have\u003cbr/\u003e Before he can hear people cry?\u003cbr/\u003e Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows\u003cbr/\u003e That too many people have died?\u003cbr/\u003e The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,\u003cbr/\u003e The answer is blowin' in the wind.\u003cbr/\u003e---Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDavid C. Armstrong, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTyler Butler,21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael C. Mettille, 44, Army Sergeant Major, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric R. Sieger, 18, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTerry J. Elliott, 34, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRichard O. Quill III, 22, Marine Corporal, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew G. Conte, 22, Navy Hospitalman, Feb 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason Garth DeFrenn, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTerrence D. Dunn, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKevin C. Landeck, 26, Army Captain, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAlan E. McPeek, 20, Army Specialist, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKeith Yoakum, 41, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew T. Zeimer, 18, Army Private, Feb 02, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRonnie L. Sanders, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 03, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eClarence T. Spencer, 24, Army Private, Feb 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRandy J. Matheny, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon J. Van Parys, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian A. Browning, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua J. Frazier, 24, Marine Sergeant, Feb 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph J. Ellis, 40, Marine Sergeant Major, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJennifer J. Harris, 28, Marine Captain, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJared M. Landaker, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJennifer M. Parcell, 20, Marine Corporal, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTravis D. Pfister, 27, Marine Sergeant, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eThomas E. Saba, 30, Marine Corporal, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames Rodney Tijerina, 26, Marine Sergeant, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTarryl B. Hill, 19, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew P. Pathenos, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGilbert Minjares Jr., 31, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eManuel A. Ruiz, 21, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Feb 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRoss A. Clevenger, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames J. Holtom, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRaymond M. Werner, 21, Army National Guard Private, Feb 08, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLeeroy A. Camacho, 28, Army Specialist, Feb 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames J. Regan, 26, Army Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric Ross, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003elan W. Shaw, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDonnie R. Belser Jr., 28, Army Captain, Feb 10, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRussell A. Kurtz, 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRobert B. Thrasher, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDennis L. Sellen Jr., 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAllen Mosteiro, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 13, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eNickolas A. Tanton, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 13, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBranden C. Cummings, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRonnie G. Madore Jr., 34, Army Specialist, Feb 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJohn D. Rode, 24, Army Sergeant, Feb 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCarl Leonard Seigart, 32, Army Sergeant, Feb 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel T. Morris, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTodd M. Siebert, 34, Marine Captain, Feb 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eChad E. Marsh, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJustin T. Paton, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher K. Boone, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam C. Spillers, 39, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian A. Escalante, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew S. Apuan, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKelly D. Youngblood, 19, Army Private, Feb 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBlake H. Howey, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew C. Bowe, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAdare W. Cleveland, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePedro J. Colon, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eShawn M. Dunkin, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMontrel S. Mcarn, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrett Witteveen, 20, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Feb 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRichard L. Ford, 40, Army Sergeant, Feb 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLouis G. Kim, 19, Army Specialist, Feb 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eClinton W. Ahlquist, 23, Marine Sergeant, Feb 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTravis Wayne Buford, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua R. Hager, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRowan D. Walter, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid R. Berry, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy D. Barnett, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEthan J. Biggers, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam J. Beardsley, 25, Army Sergeant, Feb 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony Aguirre, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLorne Henry Jr, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Lee Coffey,21. Rifleman, Feb.27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Army Private Matthew T. Zeimer,18,  and 78 More - February 2007"},{"content":" Another myth bites the dust.Thanks to KCR who forwarded this item. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/white-supremacy/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnother myth bites the dust.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036603556653126098\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/White Supremacy.jpg\"/\u003eThanks to KCR who forwarded this item.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"White Supremacy"},{"content":" And The Commander in Chief, Aka The Decider, in a Steve Bell Cartoon© Steve Bell 2007steve.bell@guardian.co.uk* The administration that gave us the war in Iraq is now engaged in another battle on the domestic front. President Bush's Justice Department is reported to be carrying out systematic weeding of U.S. attorneys who are perceived to be unfriendly about its policies and goals.Washington PostFeb.24, 2007Justice Department Fires 8th U.S. AttorneyAn eighth U.S. attorney announced her resignation yesterday, the latest in a wave of forced departures of federal prosecutors who have clashed with the Justice Department over the death penalty and other issues.Margaret Chiara, the 63-year-old U.S. attorney in Grand Rapids, Mich., told her staff that she was leaving her post after more than five years, officials said. Sources familiar with the case confirmed that she was among a larger group of prosecutors who were first asked to resign Dec. 7.Chiara is the second female U.S. attorney to be dismissed. The other is Carol Lam of San Diego. Before the firings, 15 of 93 U.S. attorneys were women, department records show.The firings have been criticized by lawmakers in both parties and have prompted proposals in Congress to restrict the ability of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to appoint interim prosecutors indefinitely. * NY TimesFeb.26,2007Why Have So Many U.S. Attorneys Been Fired? It Looks a Lot Like PoliticsCarol Lam, the former United States attorney for San Diego, is smart and tireless and was very good at her job. Her investigation of Representative Randy Cunningham resulted in a guilty plea for taking more than $2 million in bribes from defense contractors and a sentence of more than eight years. Two weeks ago, she indicted Kyle Dustin Foggo, the former No. 3 official in the C.I.A. The defense-contracting scandal she pursued so vigorously could yet drag in other politicians.In many Justice Departments, her record would have won her awards, and perhaps a promotion to a top post in Washington. In the Bush Justice Department, it got her fired.Ms. Lam is one of at least seven United States attorneys fired recently under questionable circumstances. The Justice Department is claiming that Ms. Lam and other well-regarded prosecutors like John McKay of Seattle, David Iglesias of New Mexico, Daniel Bogden of Nevada and Paul Charlton of Arizona — who all received strong job evaluations — performed inadequately.It is hard to call what’s happening anything other than a political purge. And it’s another shameful example of how in the Bush administration, everything — from rebuilding a hurricane-ravaged city to allocating homeland security dollars to invading Iraq — is sacrificed to partisan politics and winning elections.U.S. attorneys have enormous power. Their decision to investigate or indict can bankrupt a business or destroy a life. They must be, and long have been, insulated from political pressures. Although appointed by the president, once in office they are almost never asked to leave until a new president is elected. The Congressional Research Service has confirmed how unprecedented these firings are. It found that of 486 U.S. attorneys confirmed since 1981, perhaps no more than three were forced out in similar ways — three in 25 years, compared with seven in recent months.It is not just the large numbers. The firing of H. E. Cummins III is raising as many questions as Ms. Lam’s. Mr. Cummins, one of the most distinguished lawyers in Arkansas, is respected by Republicans and Democrats alike. But he was forced out to make room for J. Timothy Griffin, a former Karl Rove deputy with thin legal experience who did opposition research for the Republican National Committee. (Mr. Griffin recently bowed to the inevitable and said he will not try for a permanent appointment. But he remains in office indefinitely.)The Bush administration cleared the way for these personnel changes by slipping a little-noticed provision into the Patriot Act last year that allows the president to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation.Three theories are emerging for why these well-qualified U.S. attorney were fired — all political, and all disturbing.1. Helping friends. Ms. Lam had already put one powerful Republican congressman in jail and was investigating other powerful politicians. The Justice Department, unpersuasively, claims that it was unhappy about Ms. Lam’s failure to bring more immigration cases. Meanwhile, Ms. Lam has been replaced with an interim prosecutor whose résumé shows almost no criminal law experience, but includes her membership in the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group.2. Candidate recruitment. U.S. attorney is a position that can make headlines and launch political careers. Congressional Democrats suspect that the Bush administration has been pushing out long-serving U.S. attorneys to replace them with promising Republican lawyers who can then be run for Congress and top state offices.3. Presidential politics. The Justice Department concedes that Mr. Cummins was doing a good job in Little Rock. An obvious question is whether the administration was more interested in his successor’s skills in opposition political research — let’s not forget that Arkansas has been lucrative fodder for Republicans in the past — in time for the 2008 elections.The charge of politics certainly feels right. This administration has made partisanship its lodestar. The Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran revealed in his book, “Imperial Life in the Emerald City,” that even applicants to help administer post-invasion Iraq were asked whom they voted for in 2000 and what they thought of Roe v. Wade.Congress has been admirably aggressive about investigating. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, held a tough hearing. And he is now talking about calling on the fired U.S. attorneys to testify and subpoenaing their performance evaluations — both good ideas.The politicization of government over the last six years has had tragic consequences — in New Orleans, Iraq and elsewhere. But allowing politics to infect U.S. attorney offices takes it to a whole new level. Congress should continue to pursue the case of the fired U.S. attorneys vigorously, both to find out what really happened and to make sure that it does not happen again.Further reading:Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/endangered-species---us-attorneys/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnd The Commander in Chief,  Aka The Decider, in a Steve Bell Cartoon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034776961319280418\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/stevebell230207a.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e© Steve Bell 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:steve.bell@guardian.co.uk\"\u003esteve.bell@guardian.co.uk\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe administration that gave us the war in Iraq is now engaged in another battle on the domestic front.  President Bush's  Justice Department is reported to be carrying out systematic weeding of U.S. attorneys who are perceived to be unfriendly  about its policies and goals.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/23/AR2007022301675.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFeb.24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJustice Department Fires 8th U.S. Attorney\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn eighth U.S. attorney announced her resignation yesterday, the latest in a wave of forced departures of federal prosecutors who have clashed with the Justice Department over the death penalty and other issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMargaret Chiara, the 63-year-old U.S. attorney in Grand Rapids, Mich., told her staff that she was leaving her post after more than five years, officials said. Sources familiar with the case confirmed that she was among a larger group of prosecutors who were first asked to resign Dec. 7.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChiara is the second female U.S. attorney to be dismissed. The other is Carol Lam of San Diego. Before the firings, 15 of 93 U.S. attorneys were women, department records show.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe firings have been criticized by lawmakers in both parties and have prompted proposals in Congress to restrict the ability of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to appoint interim prosecutors indefinitely.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/opinion/26mon4.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFeb.26,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy Have So Many U.S. Attorneys Been Fired? It Looks a Lot Like Politics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCarol Lam, the former United States attorney for San Diego, is smart and tireless and was very good at her job. Her investigation of Representative Randy Cunningham resulted in a guilty plea for taking more than $2 million in bribes from defense contractors and a sentence of more than eight years. Two weeks ago, she indicted Kyle Dustin Foggo, the former No. 3 official in the C.I.A. The defense-contracting scandal she pursued so vigorously could yet drag in other politicians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn many Justice Departments, her record would have won her awards, and perhaps a promotion to a top post in Washington. In the Bush Justice Department, it got her fired.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs. Lam is one of at least seven United States attorneys fired recently under questionable circumstances. The Justice Department is claiming that Ms. Lam and other well-regarded prosecutors like John McKay of Seattle, David Iglesias of New Mexico, Daniel Bogden of Nevada and Paul Charlton of Arizona — who all received strong job evaluations — performed inadequately.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is hard to call what’s happening anything other than a political purge. And it’s another shameful example of how in the Bush administration, everything — from rebuilding a hurricane-ravaged city to allocating homeland security dollars to invading Iraq — is sacrificed to partisan politics and winning elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. attorneys have enormous power. Their decision to investigate or indict can bankrupt a business or destroy a life. They must be, and long have been, insulated from political pressures. Although appointed by the president, once in office they are almost never asked to leave until a new president is elected. The Congressional Research Service has confirmed how unprecedented these firings are. It found that of 486 U.S. attorneys confirmed since 1981, perhaps no more than three were forced out in similar ways — three in 25 years, compared with seven in recent months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is not just the large numbers. The firing of H. E. Cummins III is raising as many questions as Ms. Lam’s. Mr. Cummins, one of the most distinguished lawyers in Arkansas, is respected by Republicans and Democrats alike. But he was forced out to make room for J. Timothy Griffin, a former Karl Rove deputy with thin legal experience who did opposition research for the Republican National Committee. (Mr. Griffin recently bowed to the inevitable and said he will not try for a permanent appointment. But he remains in office indefinitely.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration cleared the way for these personnel changes by slipping a little-noticed provision into the Patriot Act last year that allows the president to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThree theories are emerging for why these well-qualified U.S. attorney were fired — all political, and all disturbing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1. Helping friends. Ms. Lam had already put one powerful Republican congressman in jail and was investigating other powerful politicians. The Justice Department, unpersuasively, claims that it was unhappy about Ms. Lam’s failure to bring more immigration cases. Meanwhile, Ms. Lam has been replaced with an interim prosecutor whose résumé shows almost no criminal law experience, but includes her membership in the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e2. Candidate recruitment. U.S. attorney is a position that can make headlines and launch political careers. Congressional Democrats suspect that the Bush administration has been pushing out long-serving U.S. attorneys to replace them with promising Republican lawyers who can then be run for Congress and top state offices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e3. Presidential politics. The Justice Department concedes that Mr. Cummins was doing a good job in Little Rock. An obvious question is whether the administration was more interested in his successor’s skills in opposition political research — let’s not forget that Arkansas has been lucrative fodder for Republicans in the past — in time for the 2008 elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe charge of politics certainly feels right. This administration has made partisanship its lodestar. The Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran revealed in his book, “Imperial Life in the Emerald City,” that even applicants to help administer post-invasion Iraq were asked whom they voted for in 2000 and what they thought of Roe v. Wade.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCongress has been admirably aggressive about investigating. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, held a tough hearing. And he is now talking about calling on the fired U.S. attorneys to testify and subpoenaing their performance evaluations — both good ideas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe politicization of government over the last six years has had tragic consequences — in New Orleans, Iraq and elsewhere. But allowing politics to infect U.S. attorney offices takes it to a whole new level. Congress should continue to pursue the case of the fired U.S. attorneys vigorously, both to find out what really happened and to make sure that it does not happen again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFurther reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://http//www.rajivc.com/book.htm\"\u003eImperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://http//www.rajivc.com/book.htm\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Endangered Species - U.S. Attorneys"},{"content":" The so called Christian Right, Christian Conservatives, recently met at Amelia Island, Florida, to discuss presidential candidates who fit their agenda. They are going to miss G.W. Bush, a stalwart supporter. David Kirkpatrick's report in the NY Times \"Christian Right Labors to find '08 Candidate\" contains very little that is new. Participants in the meeting included Rev. Jerry Falwell, Grover Norquist, Paul Weyrich, as well as presidential hopefuls who came to court them. It was something Mr. Norquist said that lightened up my drizzly, grey Sunday morning. Needed something to laugh about and I found it.NY TimesMr. Norquist said he remained open to any of the three candidates who spoke to the council or to Mr. Romney. He argued that with the right promises, any of the four could redeem themselves in the eyes of the conservative movement despite their past records, just as some high school students take abstinence pledges even after having had sex.“It’s called secondary virginity,” Mr. Norquist said. “It is a big movement in high school and also available for politicians.”Politicians and 'secondary virginity'. Mr. Norquist got that right. The line-up did not include a woman aspirant but if one should emerge then she could be slightly pregnant. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/secondary-virginity-and-slightly-pregnant/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe so called Christian Right, Christian Conservatives,  recently met at Amelia Island, Florida, to discuss presidential candidates who fit their agenda.  They are going to miss G.W. Bush, a stalwart supporter.  David Kirkpatrick's report in the NY Times \"Christian Right Labors to find '08 Candidate\" contains very little that is new.  Participants in the meeting included Rev. Jerry Falwell,  Grover Norquist, Paul Weyrich, as well as presidential hopefuls who came to court them.  It was something Mr. Norquist said that lightened up my drizzly, grey Sunday morning.  Needed something to laugh about and I found it.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/us/politics/25secret.htm\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Norquist said he remained open to any of the three candidates who spoke to the council or to Mr. Romney. He argued that with the right promises, any of the four could redeem themselves in the eyes of the conservative movement despite their past records, just as some high school students take abstinence pledges even after having had sex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“It’s called secondary virginity,” Mr. Norquist said. “It is a big movement in high school and also available for politicians.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoliticians and 'secondary  virginity'.  Mr. Norquist got that right.  The line-up did not include a woman aspirant but if one should emerge then she could be slightly pregnant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"'Secondary  Virginity' and Slightly Pregnant"},{"content":" Anti-war demonstrators marched today in London and Glasgow. Duncan Campbell wrote in The Guardian, UK, about the need for \"a new anti-war anthem that will capture the mood\". One of my favorites is Bob Dylan's Masters of War. It very aptly describes Bush, Cheney, Blair and the warmongers. \"I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in\" said George McGovern who had served bravely as a B24 Liberator pilot in World War II. Partly because of his anti-Vietnam stance, in the 1972 presidential election George McGovern, the Democratic contender, suffered a landslide defeat against Richard Nixon. Today, not only young men but also young women are dying in another unjustified war now raging in Iraq. Those who began it talk smugly about their heroism and sacrifice. We read about families of dead soldiers. Some of them say \"that is what he (she) wanted\". No doubt there are soldiers who believe in the rightness of the war. But not all, certainly not all. And what about those who return maimed? The very people who gave us the war are responsible for the conditions at Walter Reed to happen. A new song must express our sorrow.....and rage.Come you masters of warYou that build all the gunsYou that build the death planesYou that build the big bombsYou that hide behind wallsYou that hide behind desksI just want you to knowI can see through your masksYou that never done nothin'But build to destroyYou play with my worldLike it's your little toyYou put a gun in my handAnd you hide from my eyesAnd you turn and run fartherWhen the fast bullets flyLike Judas of oldYou lie and deceiveA world war can be wonYou want me to believeBut I see through your eyesAnd I see through your brainLike I see through the waterThat runs down my drainYou fasten the triggersFor the others to fireThen you set back and watchWhen the death count gets higherYou hide in your mansionAs young people's bloodFlows out of their bodiesAnd is buried in the mudYou've thrown the worst fearThat can ever be hurledFear to bring childrenInto the worldFor threatening my babyUnborn and unnamedYou ain't worth the bloodThat runs in your veinsHow much do I knowTo talk out of turnYou might say that I'm youngYou might say I'm unlearnedBut there's one thing I knowThough I'm younger than youEven Jesus would neverForgive what you doLet me ask you one questionIs your money that goodWill it buy you forgivenessDo you think that it couldI think you will findWhen your death takes its tollAll the money you madeWill never buy back your soulAnd I hope that you dieAnd your death'll come soonI will follow your casketIn the pale afternoonAnd I'll watch while you're loweredDown to your deathbedAnd I'll stand o'er your grave'Til I'm sure that you're dead---Bob DylanCopyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider MusicThe same old songsThere is a gaping hole for a new anti-war anthem that will capture the moment and the moodDuncan CampbellSaturday February 24, 2007The Guardian'And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?...\" Forty or so years ago, no anti-Vietnam war rally was complete without someone trying to sing the I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag by Country Joe and the Fish. Country Joe McDonald himself is still very much with us, living in Berkeley, still protesting and promoting versions of his 1965 song that now incorporate the war in Iraq.Today tens of thousands of anti-war protesters are due to assemble in George Square in Glasgow and Hyde Park in London, when they will hear a new version of the other great anti-war anthem of that era - War (What Is It Good For?), originally sung by Edwin Starr in 1970. The latest interpretation is by Ugly Rumours, an anti-tribute band named after the group in which the prime minister performed in his long-haired youth.London demonstrators will also be entertained by Ed Harcourt singing Masters of War, written in 1963 by Bob Dylan about the military-industrial complex that profits from the fighting (and Joan Baez may even be appearing). These are all great songs, but where is the defining anti-war anthem of today?The first world war, as anyone who has seen the musical Oh! What a Lovely War will know, produced dozens of haunting songs from When This Lousy War Is Over to The Bells of Hell. In the second world war, everyone did know what they were fighting for, which may account for the fact that there were fewer in the way of protest songs, but the Vietnam war brought a bundle to the fore in addition to the contributions of Country Joe and Edwin Starr.The cold war gave us Randy Newman's still highly topical Political Science (\"No one likes us / I don't know why / We may not be perfect / But heaven knows we try ... Let's drop the big one now\"), and the conflict in Northern Ireland prompted Billy Connolly to write a beautiful little song called Sergeant, Where's Mine? (\"All your talk of computers and sunshine and skis / All I'm askin' is - sergeant, where's mine?\"). And from the Falklands war we had Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding, as sung by Robert Wyatt.Nor is there a shortage now of songs about what is happening in Iraq. Bloc Party's Helicopter, Hard-Fi's Middle Eastern Holiday and Elbow's Leaders of the Free World are just three suggested by a colleague, and there are many from the other side of the Atlantic; but there is still the lack of a defining anthem.Andrew Murray, of the Stop the War Coalition, says that every week he is sent new anti-war songs, but they are mainly in a traditional folk style, and he has not yet come across a new song that has quite the anthemic, rallying resonance of Fixin'-to-Die or War. He said that the anti-war movement has had plenty of support from writers, actors and artists, but not quite as much as he would have hoped from the musical fraternity. Ms Dynamite was at the big 2003 rally, Damon Albarn has also attended protests, and Nigel Kennedy and Brian Eno have been active - but Murray says there is a gaping hole for a new song.There is no shortage of bands and musicians of all generations committed to political action, whether in terms of climate change or poverty, and there is no lack of willingness to help. This summer an army of young and middle-aged musicians will take part in Live Earth to draw attention to the dangers of global warming. But it is one thing to offer one's services and another to compose that elusive song that somehow captures the moment and the mood.Murray says that if anyone can come up with such a song they will be guaranteed a big audience. Out there somewhere there must be a musician lurking with lyrics scrawled on the back of a flyer just waiting for their moment.In the meantime, it's one, two, three ...duncan.campbell@guardian.co.uk Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-02-25 George McGovern flew B-24s in World War II. The B-52 was not even built until the 1950s. musafir \u0026mdash; 2007-02-25 Thank you. The post has been corrected. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/looking-for-a-song-a-new-anti-war-song/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnti-war demonstrators marched today in London and Glasgow.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2020417,00.html\"\u003eDuncan Campbell\u003c/a\u003e wrote in The Guardian, UK, about the need for \"a new anti-war anthem that will capture the mood\".   One of my favorites is Bob Dylan's Masters of War. It very aptly describes Bush, Cheney, Blair and the warmongers. \"I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in\" said George McGovern who had served bravely as a B24 Liberator pilot in World War II.  Partly because of his anti-Vietnam stance, in the 1972 presidential election George McGovern, the Democratic contender,  suffered a landslide defeat against Richard Nixon.  Today, not only young men but also young women are dying in another unjustified war now raging in Iraq.  Those who began it talk smugly about their heroism and sacrifice.  We read about families of dead soldiers.  Some of them say \"that is what he (she) wanted\".  No doubt there are soldiers who believe in the rightness of the war.  But not all, certainly not all.  And what about those who return maimed?  The very people who gave us the war are responsible for the conditions at \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001574.html\"\u003eWalter Reed\u003c/a\u003e to happen.  A new song must express our sorrow.....and rage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCome you masters of war\u003cbr/\u003eYou that build all the guns\u003cbr/\u003eYou that build the death planes\u003cbr/\u003eYou that build the big bombs\u003cbr/\u003eYou that hide behind walls\u003cbr/\u003eYou that hide behind desks\u003cbr/\u003eI just want you to know\u003cbr/\u003eI can see through your masks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou that never done nothin'\u003cbr/\u003eBut build to destroy\u003cbr/\u003eYou play with my world\u003cbr/\u003eLike it's your little toy\u003cbr/\u003eYou put a gun in my hand\u003cbr/\u003eAnd you hide from my eyes\u003cbr/\u003eAnd you turn and run farther\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the fast bullets fly\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike Judas of old\u003cbr/\u003eYou lie and deceive\u003cbr/\u003eA world war can be won\u003cbr/\u003eYou want me to believe\u003cbr/\u003eBut I see through your eyes\u003cbr/\u003eAnd I see through your brain\u003cbr/\u003eLike I see through the water\u003cbr/\u003eThat runs down my drain\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou fasten the triggers\u003cbr/\u003eFor the others to fire\u003cbr/\u003eThen you set back and watch\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the death count gets higher\u003cbr/\u003eYou hide in your mansion\u003cbr/\u003eAs young people's blood\u003cbr/\u003eFlows out of their bodies\u003cbr/\u003eAnd is buried in the mud\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou've thrown the worst fear\u003cbr/\u003eThat can ever be hurled\u003cbr/\u003eFear to bring children\u003cbr/\u003eInto the world\u003cbr/\u003eFor threatening my baby\u003cbr/\u003eUnborn and unnamed\u003cbr/\u003eYou ain't worth the blood\u003cbr/\u003eThat runs in your veins\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow much do I know\u003cbr/\u003eTo talk out of turn\u003cbr/\u003eYou might say that I'm young\u003cbr/\u003eYou might say I'm unlearned\u003cbr/\u003eBut there's one thing I know\u003cbr/\u003eThough I'm younger than you\u003cbr/\u003eEven Jesus would never\u003cbr/\u003eForgive what you do\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet me ask you one question\u003cbr/\u003eIs your money that good\u003cbr/\u003eWill it buy you forgiveness\u003cbr/\u003eDo you think that it could\u003cbr/\u003eI think you will find\u003cbr/\u003eWhen your death takes its toll\u003cbr/\u003eAll the money you made\u003cbr/\u003eWill never buy back your soul\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd I hope that you die\u003cbr/\u003eAnd your death'll come soon\u003cbr/\u003eI will follow your casket\u003cbr/\u003eIn the pale afternoon\u003cbr/\u003eAnd I'll watch while you're lowered\u003cbr/\u003eDown to your deathbed\u003cbr/\u003eAnd I'll stand o'er your grave\u003cbr/\u003e'Til I'm sure that you're dead\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003eCopyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2020417,00.html\"\u003eThe same old songs\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a gaping hole for a new anti-war anthem that will capture the moment and the mood\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuncan Campbell\u003cbr/\u003eSaturday February 24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?...\" Forty or so years ago, no anti-Vietnam war rally was complete without someone trying to sing the I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag by Country Joe and the Fish. Country Joe McDonald himself is still very much with us, living in Berkeley, still protesting and promoting versions of his 1965 song that now incorporate the war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday tens of thousands of anti-war protesters are due to assemble in George Square in Glasgow and Hyde Park in London, when they will hear a new version of the other great anti-war anthem of that era - War (What Is It Good For?), originally sung by Edwin Starr in 1970. The latest interpretation is by Ugly Rumours, an anti-tribute band named after the group in which the prime minister performed in his long-haired youth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLondon demonstrators will also be entertained by Ed Harcourt singing Masters of War, written in 1963 by Bob Dylan about the military-industrial complex that profits from the fighting (and Joan Baez may even be appearing). These are all great songs, but where is the defining anti-war anthem of today?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first world war, as anyone who has seen the musical Oh! What a Lovely War will know, produced dozens of haunting songs from When This Lousy War Is Over to The Bells of Hell. In the second world war, everyone did know what they were fighting for, which may account for the fact that there were fewer in the way of protest songs, but the Vietnam war brought a bundle to the fore in addition to the contributions of Country Joe and Edwin Starr.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe cold war gave us Randy Newman's still highly topical Political Science (\"No one likes us / I don't know why / We may not be perfect / But heaven knows we try ... Let's drop the big one now\"), and the conflict in Northern Ireland prompted Billy Connolly to write a beautiful little song called Sergeant, Where's Mine? (\"All your talk of computers and sunshine and skis / All I'm askin' is - sergeant, where's mine?\"). And from the Falklands war we had Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding, as sung by Robert Wyatt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNor is there a shortage now of songs about what is happening in Iraq. Bloc Party's Helicopter, Hard-Fi's Middle Eastern Holiday and Elbow's Leaders of the Free World are just three suggested by a colleague, and there are many from the other side of the Atlantic; but there is still the lack of a defining anthem.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew Murray, of the Stop the War Coalition, says that every week he is sent new anti-war songs, but they are mainly in a traditional folk style, and he has not yet come across a new song that has quite the anthemic, rallying resonance of Fixin'-to-Die or War. He said that the anti-war movement has had plenty of support from writers, actors and artists, but not quite as much as he would have hoped from the musical fraternity. Ms Dynamite was at the big 2003 rally, Damon Albarn has also attended protests, and Nigel Kennedy and Brian Eno have been active - but Murray says there is a gaping hole for a new song.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is no shortage of bands and musicians of all generations committed to political action, whether in terms of climate change or poverty, and there is no lack of willingness to help. This summer an army of young and middle-aged musicians will take part in Live Earth to draw attention to the dangers of global warming. But it is one thing to offer one's services and another to compose that elusive song that somehow captures the moment and the mood.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMurray says that if anyone can come up with such a song they will be guaranteed a big audience. Out there somewhere there must be a musician lurking with lyrics scrawled on the back of a flyer just waiting for their moment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the meantime, it's one, two, three ...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eduncan.campbell@guardian.co.uk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGeorge McGovern flew B-24s in World War II. The B-52 was not even built until the 1950s.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you.  The post has been corrected.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Looking For A Song, A New Anti-War Song"},{"content":" Thunder Without Lightning * For Romano Prodi, A Return to LifeDemocrats in the Senate are finally showing some spine, moving in the right direction to rein in the warrior president. Too early to predict the outcome of their plan. It is voice of the people that will be the key element. Every day soldiers are dying in Iraq. There has to be an outcry, a howl about the senseless waste. Otherwise the Democratic thunder will be ineffective.Washington PostSenate Democratic leaders intend to unveil a plan next week to repeal the 2002 resolution authorizing the war in Iraq in favor of narrower authority that restricts the military's role and begins withdrawals of combat troops.House Democrats have pulled back from efforts to link additional funding for the war to strict troop-readiness standards after the proposal came under withering fire from Republicans and from their party's own moderates. That strategy was championed by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).For Romano Prodi, A Return to LifeOn Wednesday, Italy's Romano Prodi resigned as prime minister after losing a vote on foreign policy. He was written off and there was rejoicing among the supporters of his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi. The reactionary Berlusconi -- rich and reported to be corrupt -- was ready to emerge again. However, negotiations currently underway indicate that Romano Prodi might survive. But with only a 2-vote majority over Berlusconi's Center-Right Coalition, Prodi's Center-Left Coalition would have a tenuous existence.The issue of troop deployments split Mr Prodi's coalition (BBC)Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is holding talks with key politicians on forming a new government, in an effort to resolve a deep political crisis.PM Romano Prodi is hoping to stay in office after centre-left coalition partners agreed to back him.The crisis began on Wednesday, when Mr Prodi resigned after losing a Senate vote on foreign policy.Some coalition partners had opposed troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy.The deal between Mr Prodi and other party leaders came late on Thursday.\"We have all agreed to the programme so that he can continue to govern,\" his spokesman, Silvio Sircana, said.The 12-point programme gives the prime minister the final say in any future disputes. It is also reportedly includes support for Italy's military presence in Afghanistan. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/repealing-war-authorization/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThunder Without Lightning * For Romano Prodi, A Return to Life\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDemocrats in the Senate are finally showing some spine, moving in the right direction to rein in the warrior president.  Too early to predict the outcome of their plan.  It is voice of the people that will be the key element. Every day soldiers are dying in Iraq.  There has to be an outcry, a howl about the senseless waste.  Otherwise the Democratic thunder  will be ineffective.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201743.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSenate Democratic leaders intend to unveil a plan next week to repeal the 2002 resolution authorizing the war in Iraq in favor of narrower authority that restricts the military's role and begins withdrawals of combat troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHouse Democrats have pulled back from efforts to link additional funding for the war to strict troop-readiness standards after the proposal came under withering fire from Republicans and from their party's own moderates. That strategy was championed by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Romano Prodi, A Return to Life\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn Wednesday, Italy's Romano Prodi resigned as prime minister after losing a vote on foreign policy.  He was written off and there was rejoicing among the supporters of his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi.  The reactionary Berlusconi -- rich and reported to be corrupt -- was ready to emerge again. However, negotiations currently underway indicate that Romano Prodi might survive.  But with only a 2-vote majority over Berlusconi's Center-Right Coalition, Prodi's Center-Left Coalition would have a tenuous existence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe issue of troop deployments split Mr Prodi's coalition (\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6389311.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItalian President Giorgio Napolitano is holding talks with key politicians on forming a new government, in an effort to resolve a deep political crisis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePM Romano Prodi is hoping to stay in office after centre-left coalition partners agreed to back him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe crisis began on Wednesday, when Mr Prodi resigned after losing a Senate vote on foreign policy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome coalition partners had opposed troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe deal between Mr Prodi and other party leaders came late on Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have all agreed to the programme so that he can continue to govern,\" his spokesman, Silvio Sircana, said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 12-point programme gives the prime minister the final say in any future disputes. It is also reportedly includes support for Italy's military presence in Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Repealing War Authorization"},{"content":" The Rape and Murder of Abeer HamzaOne day the war will come to an end. For the people of Mahmudiya (also known as Mahmudiyah, Al-Mahmudiyah) the memory of what took place on March 12, 2006 will remain alive for a long time after the guns become silent. The wheel of justice is moving for the soldiers of 502nd Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, charged with taking part in the rape and murder of a young Iraqi girl named Abeer Qasim Hamza. A second soldier, Sgt. Paul Cortez, has confessed. Steven Green, reported to be the one who shot and killed her parents and her 5-year old sister before raping and killing Abeer Hamza, was discharged from the army before the investigation revealed his role. He is on trial as a civilian.Source: BBC News Wikipedia Mahmudiyah IncidentSee:The Evil That Man DoesThe Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer HamzaThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer HamzaAbeer Hamza ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/mahmudiya-south-of-baghdad/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Rape and Murder of Abeer Hamza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne day the war will come to an end. For the people of Mahmudiya (also known as Mahmudiyah, Al-Mahmudiyah) the memory of what took place on March 12, 2006 will remain alive for a long time after the guns become silent.  The wheel of justice is moving for the soldiers of 502nd Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, charged with taking part in the rape and murder of a young Iraqi girl named Abeer Qasim Hamza. A second soldier, Sgt. Paul Cortez, has confessed.  Steven Green, reported to be the one who shot and killed her parents and her 5-year old sister before raping and killing Abeer Hamza, was discharged from the army before the investigation revealed his role.  He is on trial as a civilian.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6384781.stm\"\u003eBBC News\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmudiyah_incident#_note-1\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e Mahmudiyah Incident\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=116378467036554565\"\u003eThe Evil That Man Does\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/07/neocons-war-and-girl-named-abeer-hamza.html\"\u003eThe Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/sane-voice-in-babel.html\"\u003eThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer Hamza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/our-world-on-saturday-morning_05.html\"\u003eAbeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Mahmudiya, South of Baghdad"},{"content":" Edward \"Willie\" Carman * Ryan Kovacicek * Brent Adams * Allan BevingtonThe caption for cover of the January 22nd issue of The New Yorker by Anita Kunz reads \"While Rome Burns\". President Bush is shown wearing a toga, strumming a lyre. That might be a bit of a stretch but there is very little dispute about the disconnect between what the president says and what he does. He keeps on playing the same old song although listeners are becoming fewer and fewer. NPR's report about dead soldiers and the disproportionate share being borne by people of small towns in America ought to be a must read for all who hold a position -- for or against the president and his war.NPR The Span of WarSmall Towns Absorb the Toll of WarMorning Edition, February 20, 2007 · Small towns across the country are struggling through losses because of the Iraq war.A new report from the Associated Press shows that nearly half of all servicemen and women killed in Iraq came from communities with fewer than 25,000 people.One out of every five troops killed came from hometowns of less than 5,000.Many of these small communities are also poor. The report shows that nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where per capita income is below the national average.From Beaver Falls to Caledonia, War Hits HomeMCKEESPORT, Pa. (AP) — Raised in the projects in an old steel town, Edward \"Willie\" Carman saw the Army as a chance to build a new life.\"I'm not doing it to you, I'm doing it for me,\" the then-18-year-old told his mother, Joanna Hawthorne, after cominghome from high school one day and surprising her with the news.When Carman died in Iraq three years ago at age 27, he had money saved for college, a fiancee and two kids — including a baby son he'd never met. Neighbors in Hawthorne's mobile home park collected $400 and left it in an envelope in her door.McKeesport is not alone in its mourning. Nearly half of the more than 3,100 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq have come from towns like McKeesport, where fewer than 25,000 people live, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. One in five hailed from hometowns of less than 5,000.The Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000 and in unincorporated areas, but it could not provide the number of people in living only in communities of less than 25,000. The 2000 census showed 16 percent of the population lived in unicorporated rural areas.Many of the hometowns of the war dead aren't just small, they're poor. The AP analysis found that nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where the per capita income was below the national average. More than half came from towns where the percentage of people living in poverty topped the national average.Some are old factory towns like McKeesport, once home to U.S. Steel's National Tube Works, which employed 8,000 people in its heyday. Now, residents' average income is just 60 percent of the national average, and one in eight lives below the federal poverty line.On a per capita basis, states with mostly rural populations have suffered the highest fatalities in Iraq. Vermont, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Delaware, Montana, Louisiana and Oregon top the list, the AP found.There's a \"basic unfairness\" about the number of troops dying in Iraq who are from rural areas, said William O'Hare, senior visiting fellow at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute, which examines rural issues.Diminished opportunities are one factor in higher military enlistment rates in rural areas. From 1997 to 2003, 1.5 million rural workers lost their jobs due to changes in industries like manufacturing that have traditionally employed rural workers, according to the Carsey Institute.Rural communities are \"being asked to pay a bigger price for this military adventure, if I can use that word, than their urban counterparts,\" O'Hare said.As a result, in more than a thousand small towns across the country — from Glendive, Mont., to Barnwell, S.C., to Caledonia, Miss., and from Hardwick, Vt., to Clinton, Ohio — friends and families have been left struggling to make sense of a loved one's death in Iraq. It's a struggle that hits with a special intensity in tight-knit, small towns.\"In a small community, even if you don't know somebody's name you at least know their face, you've seen them before, talked to them maybe,\" said Chuck Bevington, whose 22-year-old brother Allan, from Beaver Falls, Pa., died in Iraq, after volunteering for a second tour. \"A small community feels it a lot tighter because they've had more contact with each other.\"Even strangers come up and hug his mother, he said.'This Is Why I Joined'Military tradition and patriotism run deep in rural America, and for some the drive to serve goes well beyond economics. Sometimes, the call is something even their parents don't completely understand.When a Marine recruiter came to Ryan Kovacicek's two-story house outside Washington, Pa., off a mountain rural road surrounded by cattle pastures, his father, a Marine veteran of Vietnam, turned to his college student son and said, \"You don't really understand what you're getting into.\"\"Yes, I do,\" he stubbornly told his father before signing the papers.Their son was a jokester, easy going and popular. He loved golf and vacationing in Myrtle Beach, S.C. But there was a serious side too, and his parents said he believed in serving his country. As a bonus, he thought military service would help him one day get a job with the FBI or CIA.Before leaving for Iraq, he took his girlfriend to a car dealership along I-79, pointed to a giant American flag flying overhead, and declared, \"This is why I joined the Marines.\"When his body was brought home, the hearse passed the same flag.The day of Kovacicek's funeral, people lined Route 19, holding signs with his name. Little kids waved flags and men held their hands over their hearts to pay respect to the procession of more than 300 cars. His parents say they've been overwhelmed by the support of the community with tributes and phone calls from his friends and fellow Marines.In Iraq, they later learned, he used to serenade his buddies with a song his father learned in boot camp and taught him as a boy. His voice choking, Joe Kovacicek recalled the words: \"You can have your Army khaki, you can have your Navy blue, but here's another fighting man I'll introduce to you.\"Among his belongings returned to the family was a tiny worn-out Bible he carried in his pocket.His mother, Judi, said she didn't watch President Bush's recent address on the war because they try to stay out of the politics of Iraq.\"If God was going to take him at 22, if he didn't take him like he did, how was he going to do it? I feel a lot better losing him this way because there was a lot of meaning behind what he did,\" his father said.'An Issue of Fairness'Death isn't the only burden the war has visited on the nation's small towns.Entrepreneurs in many small communities have lost their businesses after deploying in the Guard and Reserves, said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. More federal dollars also are needed to ensure that returning troops have easy access to veterans health centers, he said.\"It's an issue of fairness that these folks are willing to go over and fight wars and put their lives on the line and really back this country up the way they have ... we owe it to them to live up to our obligation of benefits,\" Tester said.Another fairness issue, raised by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., is the Pentagon's practice of transporting the remains of military personnel killed in Iraq only to the nearest major airport. Stupak said it \"imposes a burden on the family and friends when they should instead receive our support.\" He has introduced legislation to require the DOD to deliver the remains to the military or civilian airport chosen by the family.While support for the war in rural areas initially was high, there has been a sharp decline in the past three years. AP-Ipsos polls show that those in rural areas who said it was the right decision to go to war dropped from 73 percent in April 2004 to 39 percent now. In urban areas, support declined from 43 percent in 2004 to 30 percent now.Marty Newell, chief operating officer of the Whitesburg, Ky.-based Center for Rural Strategies, said rural areas supported the war early on because so many of their young men and women were fighting it.\"The reason that support is dwindling now is the same reason that support would've been strong before, and that is that we know a lot more about it,\" he said. \"We know what the real costs are and we know what the real story is. ... Every day there's another small town that has one of their own come home less than whole, and there are a lot of small towns like that.\"As the war drags on into its fourth year, Vietnam war historian Christian Appy said the burden it has placed on smaller communities — just as it did in Vietnam — can be a very \"embittering experience.\"\"I think people in many of those towns are deeply patriotic and want to support the country, but as time goes on, it's becoming increasingly clear to those people that their country and its security is not at stake in this war and in Vietnam,\" Appy said.One who's conflicted about the U.S. role in Iraq is Marilyn Adams, 37, of Wexford, Pa. Her 3-year-old son opened the door in 2005 when an officer came to tell her of the death of her husband, Pennsylvania National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Brent Adams, 40, in Iraq.\"I'm torn,\" she said. \"Should we finish the job? And then I go to the funerals of the local guys and I'm like, this is juststupid ... I don't think we're going to finish it there. I don't think there's a finishing point. They're getting more efficient at killing us, that's a direct quote from the president.\"'For the History Books to Decide'Long before football great Joe Namath put Beaver Falls on the map, the Pennsylvania mountain town was known for its cold-drawn steel. But like much of the Steel Belt, it's had a decline in population and jobs.Allan Bevington, who enjoyed heavy metal music and loved to fish, talked to his older brother, Chuck, about his time in the Army, and eventually decided it was a way for him to get an education and support his country.In his first tour in Iraq, he worked as a combat engineer dismantling roadside bombs. He believed he was saving American lives and helping the Iraq people. After returning home, he volunteered for a second deployment, only to be killed by a roadside bomb.\"He really felt what he was doing was helping the Iraqi people. He had a lot of bad experiences the first time, but he had just as many good experiences,\" Bevington said. \"He was very proud of what he was doing. He would never tell you that to your face, but you could see it in his eyes.\"Before his second deployment, Bevington purchased a 2002 cobalt blue Ford Mustang. Now, it sits in his brother's driveway because neither he nor his mother have the heart to move it.Chuck Bevington doesn't like what he calls the politicizing of the troops.\"The last thing these men need are people second guessing what's going on,\" he said. \"That's something for the history books to decide whether it's right or wrong.\"\"If they end it right now, they're going to make it worse then it ever was.\"'It's Not Right'Hawthorne isn't waiting on history's verdict. She's bitter about a military she said enticed her son with promises of money, then sent him to a war based on a lie.\"When they came and told me he was gone, oh my God, it just crushed me,\" Hawthorne said. \"There was actual pain in my heart.It felt like someone was in there just ripping it apart.\"When her son's first enlistment was nearing an end, before the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks, Hawthorne said he decided to re-enlist, partly because the signing bonus of more than $10,000 would help pay his bills. At the time, he was facing $600 in monthly child support payments from his failed first marriage.When he deployed to Iraq, his sister said, he had money saved and planned to go to college when he got out of the military in 2005.Instead, he died in Iraq in 2004 when his tank overturned.Hawthorne said the military gave her $4,000 for his funeral, but it wasn't enough to cover the $14,000 expense. The funeral home forgave the rest, and neighbors collected $400 to help her get by.\"You don't see anyone who has money putting their children into the military,\" she said. \"I'm all for our soldiers. Without them our country wouldn't be where we are today, but this war just doesn't seem right. Like the Vietnam one. It's not right.\"For a year after her son's death, Hawthorne took a chair to the cemetery nearly every day, sat next to his grave and talked quietly. Her vigil continues even now; the visits have slowed to once a week, but the pain sticks. Comments Nick Stump \u0026mdash; 2007-02-20 Check out ruralstrategies.org for most on this important story. You can see the original Carsey Report, a short video and several other articles written about this issue. Nick Stump \u0026mdash; 2007-02-22 Sorry, that would be more on this important story.\nNick ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/small-towns-across-america-bear-the-brunt-of-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eEdward \"Willie\" Carman * Ryan Kovacicek * Brent Adams * Allan Bevington\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe caption for cover of the January 22nd issue of The New Yorker by Anita Kunz reads \"While Rome Burns\".  President Bush is shown wearing a toga, strumming a lyre. That might be a bit of a stretch but there is very little dispute about the disconnect between what the president says and what he does.  He keeps on playing the same old song although listeners are becoming fewer and fewer.  NPR's report about dead soldiers and the disproportionate share being borne by people of small towns in America ought to be a must read for all who hold a position -- for or against the president and his war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033662795263090450\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Helmet.jpeg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7492231\u0026amp;ft=1\u0026amp;f=3\"\u003eNPR \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Span of War\u003cbr/\u003eSmall Towns Absorb the Toll of War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorning Edition, February 20, 2007 · Small towns across the country are struggling through losses because of the Iraq war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA new report from the Associated Press shows that nearly half of all servicemen and women killed in Iraq came from communities with fewer than 25,000 people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne out of every five troops killed came from hometowns of less than 5,000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMany of these small communities are also poor. The report shows that nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where per capita income is below the national average.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Beaver Falls to Caledonia, War Hits Home\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMCKEESPORT, Pa. (AP) — Raised in the projects in an old steel town, Edward \"Willie\" Carman saw the Army as a chance to build a new life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm not doing it to you, I'm doing it for me,\" the then-18-year-old told his mother, Joanna Hawthorne, after coming\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ehome from high school one day and surprising her with the news.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Carman died in Iraq three years ago at age 27, he had money saved for college, a fiancee and two kids — including a baby son he'd never met. Neighbors in Hawthorne's mobile home park collected $400 and left it in an envelope in her door.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMcKeesport is not alone in its mourning. Nearly half of the more than 3,100 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq have come from towns like McKeesport, where fewer than 25,000 people live, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. One in five hailed from hometowns of less than 5,000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000 and in unincorporated areas, but it could not provide the number of people in living only in communities of less than 25,000. The 2000 census showed 16 percent of the population lived in unicorporated rural areas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMany of the hometowns of the war dead aren't just small, they're poor. The AP analysis found that nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where the per capita income was below the national average. More than half came from towns where the percentage of people living in poverty topped the national average.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome are old factory towns like McKeesport, once home to U.S. Steel's National Tube Works, which employed 8,000 people in its heyday. Now, residents' average income is just 60 percent of the national average, and one in eight lives below the federal poverty line.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn a per capita basis, states with mostly rural populations have suffered the highest fatalities in Iraq. Vermont, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Delaware, Montana, Louisiana and Oregon top the list, the AP found.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere's a \"basic unfairness\" about the number of troops dying in Iraq who are from rural areas, said William O'Hare, senior visiting fellow at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute, which examines rural issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDiminished opportunities are one factor in higher military enlistment rates in rural areas. From 1997 to 2003, 1.5 million rural workers lost their jobs due to changes in industries like manufacturing that have traditionally employed rural workers, according to the Carsey Institute.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRural communities are \"being asked to pay a bigger price for this military adventure, if I can use that word, than their urban counterparts,\" O'Hare said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs a result, in more than a thousand small towns across the country — from Glendive, Mont., to Barnwell, S.C., to Caledonia, Miss., and from Hardwick, Vt., to Clinton, Ohio — friends and families have been left struggling to make sense of a loved one's death in Iraq. It's a struggle that hits with a special intensity in tight-knit, small towns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In a small community, even if you don't know somebody's name you at least know their face, you've seen them before, talked to them maybe,\" said Chuck Bevington, whose 22-year-old brother Allan, from Beaver Falls, Pa., died in Iraq, after volunteering for a second tour. \"A small community feels it a lot tighter because they've had more contact with each other.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven strangers come up and hug his mother, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'This Is Why I Joined'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMilitary tradition and patriotism run deep in rural America, and for some the drive to serve goes well beyond economics. Sometimes, the call is something even their parents don't completely understand.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen a Marine recruiter came to Ryan Kovacicek's two-story house outside Washington, Pa., off a mountain rural road surrounded by cattle pastures, his father, a Marine veteran of Vietnam, turned to his college student son and said, \"You don't really understand what you're getting into.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes, I do,\" he stubbornly told his father before signing the papers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir son was a jokester, easy going and popular. He loved golf and vacationing in Myrtle Beach, S.C. But there was a serious side too, and his parents said he believed in serving his country. As a bonus, he thought military service would help him one day get a job with the FBI or CIA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBefore leaving for Iraq, he took his girlfriend to a car dealership along I-79, pointed to a giant American flag flying overhead, and declared, \"This is why I joined the Marines.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen his body was brought home, the hearse passed the same flag.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe day of Kovacicek's funeral, people lined Route 19, holding signs with his name. Little kids waved flags and men held their hands over their hearts to pay respect to the procession of more than 300 cars. His parents say they've been overwhelmed by the support of the community with tributes and phone calls from his friends and fellow Marines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Iraq, they later learned, he used to serenade his buddies with a song his father learned in boot camp and taught him as a boy. His voice choking, Joe Kovacicek recalled the words: \"You can have your Army khaki, you can have your Navy blue, but here's another fighting man I'll introduce to you.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong his belongings returned to the family was a tiny worn-out Bible he carried in his pocket.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis mother, Judi, said she didn't watch President Bush's recent address on the war because they try to stay out of the politics of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If God was going to take him at 22, if he didn't take him like he did, how was he going to do it? I feel a lot better losing him this way because there was a lot of meaning behind what he did,\" his father said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'An Issue of Fairness'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeath isn't the only burden the war has visited on the nation's small towns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEntrepreneurs in many small communities have lost their businesses after deploying in the Guard and Reserves, said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. More federal dollars also are needed to ensure that returning troops have easy access to veterans health centers, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's an issue of fairness that these folks are willing to go over and fight wars and put their lives on the line and really back this country up the way they have ... we owe it to them to live up to our obligation of benefits,\" Tester said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother fairness issue, raised by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., is the Pentagon's practice of transporting the remains of military personnel killed in Iraq only to the nearest major airport. Stupak said it \"imposes a burden on the family and friends when they should instead receive our support.\" He has introduced legislation to require the DOD to deliver the remains to the military or civilian airport chosen by the family.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile support for the war in rural areas initially was high, there has been a sharp decline in the past three years. AP-Ipsos polls show that those in rural areas who said it was the right decision to go to war dropped from 73 percent in April 2004 to 39 percent now. In urban areas, support declined from 43 percent in 2004 to 30 percent now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarty Newell, chief operating officer of the Whitesburg, Ky.-based Center for Rural Strategies, said rural areas supported the war early on because so many of their young men and women were fighting it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The reason that support is dwindling now is the same reason that support would've been strong before, and that is that we know a lot more about it,\" he said. \"We know what the real costs are and we know what the real story is. ... Every day there's another small town that has one of their own come home less than whole, and there are a lot of small towns like that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the war drags on into its fourth year, Vietnam war historian Christian Appy said the burden it has placed on smaller communities — just as it did in Vietnam — can be a very \"embittering experience.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think people in many of those towns are deeply patriotic and want to support the country, but as time goes on, it's becoming increasingly clear to those people that their country and its security is not at stake in this war and in Vietnam,\" Appy said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne who's conflicted about the U.S. role in Iraq is Marilyn Adams, 37, of Wexford, Pa. Her 3-year-old son opened the door in 2005 when an officer came to tell her of the death of her husband, Pennsylvania National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Brent Adams, 40, in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm torn,\" she said. \"Should we finish the job? And then I go to the funerals of the local guys and I'm like, this is just\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003estupid ... I don't think we're going to finish it there. I don't think there's a finishing point. They're getting more efficient at killing us, that's a direct quote from the president.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'For the History Books to Decide'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLong before football great Joe Namath put Beaver Falls on the map, the Pennsylvania mountain town was known for its cold-drawn steel. But like much of the Steel Belt, it's had a decline in population and jobs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAllan Bevington, who enjoyed heavy metal music and loved to fish, talked to his older brother, Chuck, about his time in the Army, and eventually decided it was a way for him to get an education and support his country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his first tour in Iraq, he worked as a combat engineer dismantling roadside bombs. He believed he was saving American lives and helping the Iraq people. After returning home, he volunteered for a second deployment, only to be killed by a roadside bomb.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He really felt what he was doing was helping the Iraqi people. He had a lot of bad experiences the first time, but he had just as many good experiences,\" Bevington said. \"He was very proud of what he was doing. He would never tell you that to your face, but you could see it in his eyes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBefore his second deployment, Bevington purchased a 2002 cobalt blue Ford Mustang. Now, it sits in his brother's driveway because neither he nor his mother have the heart to move it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChuck Bevington doesn't like what he calls the politicizing of the troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The last thing these men need are people second guessing what's going on,\" he said. \"That's something for the history books to decide whether it's right or wrong.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If they end it right now, they're going to make it worse then it ever was.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'It's Not Right'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHawthorne isn't waiting on history's verdict. She's bitter about a military she said enticed her son with promises of money, then sent him to a war based on a lie.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When they came and told me he was gone, oh my God, it just crushed me,\" Hawthorne said. \"There was actual pain in my heart.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt felt like someone was in there just ripping it apart.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen her son's first enlistment was nearing an end, before the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks, Hawthorne said he decided to re-enlist, partly because the signing bonus of more than $10,000 would help pay his bills. At the time, he was facing $600 in monthly child support payments from his failed first marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen he deployed to Iraq, his sister said, he had money saved and planned to go to college when he got out of the military in 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInstead, he died in Iraq in 2004 when his tank overturned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHawthorne said the military gave her $4,000 for his funeral, but it wasn't enough to cover the $14,000 expense. The funeral home forgave the rest, and neighbors collected $400 to help her get by.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You don't see anyone who has money putting their children into the military,\" she said. \"I'm all for our soldiers. Without them our country wouldn't be where we are today, but this war just doesn't seem right. Like the Vietnam one. It's not right.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor a year after her son's death, Hawthorne took a chair to the cemetery nearly every day, sat next to his grave and talked quietly. Her vigil continues even now; the visits have slowed to once a week, but the pain sticks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNick Stump\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eCheck out ruralstrategies.org for most on this important story. You can see the original Carsey Report, a short video and several other articles written about this issue.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNick Stump\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSorry, that would be more on this important story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNick\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Small Towns Across America Bear the Brunt of War"},{"content":" Residents of Mologne HouseThe follow up to yesterday's article in the Washington Post about Walter Reed Hospital is heartrending. To think that there will be more wounded soldiers who will go through the experience described so movingly by Anne Hull and Dana Priest, and the unwillingness of the Bush Administration to heed public opinion here in America and overseas is frustrating. The president is staying the course as he sees it. He gives speeches about making sacrifice and the numbers of dead and wounded soldiers keep going up. So many of them in their twenties, and some below legal drinking age.The nation owes them. That is not questioned. But is everything possible being done for their recovery and rehabilitation ? For some, the life they knew is gone forever. For others there is hope. They must receive all the help they need.The Hotel AftermathInside Mologne House, the Survivors of War Wrestle With Military Bureaucracy and Personal DemonsBy Anne Hull and Dana PriestWashington Post Monday, February 19, 2007ExcerptsThe guests of Mologne House have been blown up, shot, crushed and shaken, and now their convalescence takes place among the chandeliers and wingback chairs of the 200-room hotel on the grounds of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.Oil paintings hang in the lobby of this strange outpost in the war on terrorism, where combat's urgency has been replaced by a trickling fountain in the garden courtyard. The maimed and the newly legless sit in wheelchairs next to a pond, watching goldfish turn lazily through the water.But the wounded of Mologne House are still soldiers -- Hooah! -- so their lives are ruled by platoon sergeants. Each morning they must rise at dawn for formation, though many are half-snowed on pain meds and sleeping pills. * Mostly what the soldiers do together is wait: for appointments, evaluations, signatures and lost paperwork to be found. It's like another wife told Annette McLeod: \"If Iraq don't kill you, Walter Reed will.\" * When a smooth-cheeked soldier with no legs orders a fried chicken dinner and two bottles of grape soda to go, a kitchen worker comes out to his wheelchair and gently places the Styrofoam container on his lap.A scrawny young soldier sits alone in his wheelchair at a nearby table, his eyes closed and his chin dropped to his chest, an empty Corona bottle in front of him.Those who aren't old enough to buy a drink at the bar huddle outside near a magnolia tree and smoke cigarettes. Wearing hoodies and furry bedroom slippers, they look like kids at summer camp who've crept out of their rooms, except some have empty pants legs or limbs pinned by medieval-looking hardware. Medication is a favorite topic.\"Dude, [expletive] Paxil saved my life.\"\"I been on methadone for a year, I'm tryin' to get off it.\"\"I didn't take my Seroquel last night and I had nightmares of charred bodies, burned crispy like campfire marshmallows.\"Mologne House is afloat on a river of painkillers and antipsychotic drugs. One night, a strapping young infantryman loses it with a woman who is high on her son's painkillers. \"Quit taking all the soldier medicine!\" he screams.Pill bottles clutter the nightstands: pills for depression or insomnia, to stop nightmares and pain, to calm the nerves. * Months roll by and life becomes a blue-and-gold hotel room where the bathroom mirror shows the naked disfigurement of war's ravages. There are toys in the lobby of Mologne House because children live here. Domestic disputes occur because wives or girlfriends have moved here. Financial tensions are palpable. After her husband's traumatic injury insurance policy came in, one wife cleared out with the money. Older National Guard members worry about the jobs they can no longer perform back home.While Mologne House has a full bar, there is not one counselor or psychologist assigned there to assist soldiers and families in crisis -- an idea proposed by Walter Reed social workers but rejected by the military command that runs the post.After a while, the bizarre becomes routine. On Friday nights, antiwar protesters stand outside the gates of Walter Reed holding signs that say \"Love Troops, Hate War, Bring them Home Now.\" Inside the gates, doctors in white coats wait at the hospital entrance for the incoming bus full of newly wounded soldiers who've just landed at Andrews Air Force Base.And set back from the gate, up on a hill, Mologne House, with a bowl of red apples on the front desk. * At Mologne House, the rooms empty and fill, empty and fill. The lobby chandelier glows and the bowl of red apples waits on the front desk. An announcement goes up for Texas Hold 'Em poker in the bar.One cold night an exhausted mother with two suitcases tied together with rope shows up at the front desk and says, \"I am here for my son.\" And so it begins. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/casualties-of-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eResidents of Mologne House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe follow up to yesterday's article in the Washington Post about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/17/AR2007021701172.html\"\u003eWalter Reed\u003c/a\u003e Hospital is heartrending. To think that there will be more wounded soldiers who will go through the experience described so movingly by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/18/AR2007021801335_5.html\"\u003eAnne Hull and Dana Priest\u003c/a\u003e, and the unwillingness  of the Bush Administration to heed public opinion here in America and overseas is  frustrating.  The president is staying the course as he sees it.  He gives speeches about making sacrifice and the numbers of dead and wounded soldiers keep going up.  So many of them in their twenties, and some below legal drinking age.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe nation owes them.  That is not questioned.  But is everything possible being done for their recovery and rehabilitation ?  For some, the life they knew is gone forever. For others there is hope.  They must receive all the help they need.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Hotel Aftermath\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInside Mologne House, the Survivors of War Wrestle With Military Bureaucracy and Personal Demons\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Anne Hull and Dana Priest\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/18/AR2007021801335.html\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMonday, February 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe guests of Mologne House have been blown up, shot, crushed and shaken, and now their convalescence takes place among the chandeliers and wingback chairs of the 200-room hotel on the grounds of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOil paintings hang in the lobby of this strange outpost in the war on terrorism, where combat's urgency has been replaced by a trickling fountain in the garden courtyard. The maimed and the newly legless sit in wheelchairs next to a pond, watching goldfish turn lazily through the water.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the wounded of Mologne House are still soldiers -- Hooah! -- so their lives are ruled by platoon sergeants. Each morning they must rise at dawn for formation, though many are half-snowed on pain meds and sleeping pills.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMostly what the soldiers do together is wait: for appointments, evaluations, signatures and lost paperwork to be found. It's like another wife told Annette McLeod: \"If Iraq don't kill you, Walter Reed will.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen a smooth-cheeked soldier with no legs orders a fried chicken dinner and two bottles of grape soda to go, a kitchen worker comes out to his wheelchair and gently places the Styrofoam container on his lap.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA scrawny young soldier sits alone in his wheelchair at a nearby table, his eyes closed and his chin dropped to his chest, an empty Corona bottle in front of him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose who aren't old enough to buy a drink at the bar huddle outside near a magnolia tree and smoke cigarettes. Wearing hoodies and furry bedroom slippers, they look like kids at summer camp who've crept out of their rooms, except some have empty pants legs or limbs pinned by medieval-looking hardware. Medication is a favorite topic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dude, [expletive] Paxil saved my life.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I been on methadone for a year, I'm tryin' to get off it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I didn't take my Seroquel last night and I had nightmares of charred bodies, burned crispy like campfire marshmallows.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMologne House is afloat on a river of painkillers and antipsychotic drugs. One night, a strapping young infantryman loses it with a woman who is high on her son's painkillers. \"Quit taking all the soldier medicine!\" he screams.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePill bottles clutter the nightstands: pills for depression or insomnia, to stop nightmares and pain, to calm the nerves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMonths roll by and life becomes a blue-and-gold hotel room where the bathroom mirror shows the naked disfigurement of war's ravages. There are toys in the lobby of Mologne House because children live here. Domestic disputes occur because wives or girlfriends have moved here. Financial tensions are palpable. After her husband's traumatic injury insurance policy came in, one wife cleared out with the money. Older National Guard members worry about the jobs they can no longer perform back home.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile Mologne House has a full bar, there is not one counselor or psychologist assigned there to assist soldiers and families in crisis -- an idea proposed by Walter Reed social workers but rejected by the military command that runs the post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter a while, the bizarre becomes routine. On Friday nights, antiwar protesters stand outside the gates of Walter Reed holding signs that say \"Love Troops, Hate War, Bring them Home Now.\" Inside the gates, doctors in white coats wait at the hospital entrance for the incoming bus full of newly wounded soldiers who've just landed at Andrews Air Force Base.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd set back from the gate, up on a hill, Mologne House, with a bowl of red apples on the front desk.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Mologne House, the rooms empty and fill, empty and fill. The lobby chandelier glows and the bowl of red apples waits on the front desk. An announcement goes up for Texas Hold 'Em poker in the bar.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne cold night an exhausted mother with two suitcases tied together with rope shows up at the front desk and says, \"I am here for my son.\" And so it begins.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Casualties of War"},{"content":" Bush's War, Soldiers' Familes, and Wounded SoldiersA bouquet for Republican Senators Susan Collins (Maine), Olympica Snowe (Maine), Norm Coleman (Minnesota), Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), Gordon H. Smith (Oregon) Arlen Spector (Pennsylvania), John W. Warner (Virginia).\"This is the most pressing issue facing our nation, and it is important for the Senate to go on record on the president's plan,\" said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), an opponent of the troop buildup who voted with the Democrats.The Washington Post published two reports about the impact of the war on people who remain mostly unknown.Excerpts:Forgotten FamiliesGrandparents Raising Slain Soldiers' Children Are Denied A Government Benefit Intended to Sustain the BereavedBy Donna St. GeorgeWashington Post Staff WriterFriday, February 16, 2007; A01Her daughter was killed by a bomb in Iraq. Eight months later, Susan Jaenke is both grief-stricken and strapped -- behind on her mortgage, backed up on her bills and shut out of the $100,000 government death benefit that her daughter thought she had left her.The problem is that Jaenke is not a wife, not a husband, but instead grandmother to the 9-year-old her daughter left behind. \"Grandparents,\" she said, \"are forgotten in this.\"For the Jaenkes and others like them, the toll of war can be especially complex: They face not only the anguish of losing a son or daughter but also the emotional, legal and financial difficulties of putting the pieces back together for a grandchild. *Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical FacilityBy Dana Priest and Anne HullWashington PostSunday, February 18, 2007; A01Behind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole. The entire building, constructed between the world wars, often smells like greasy carry-out. Signs of neglect are everywhere: mouse droppings, belly-up cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses.This is the world of Building 18, not the kind of place where Duncan expected to recover when he was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from Iraq last February with a broken neck and a shredded left ear, nearly dead from blood loss. But the old lodge, just outside the gates of the hospital and five miles up the road from the White House, has housed hundreds of maimed soldiers recuperating from injuries suffered in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients. Almost 700 of them -- the majority soldiers, with some Marines -- have been released from hospital beds but still need treatment or are awaiting bureaucratic decisions before being discharged or returned to active duty. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/seven-gop-senators-who-voted-against-troop-surge/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBush's War, Soldiers' Familes, and Wounded Soldiers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA bouquet for Republican Senators Susan Collins (Maine), Olympica Snowe (Maine), Norm Coleman (Minnesota), Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), Gordon H. Smith (Oregon) Arlen Spector (Pennsylvania), John W. Warner (Virginia).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Yellow-Freesias.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"This is the most pressing issue facing our nation, and it is important for the Senate to go on record on the president's plan,\" said \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-warvote18feb18,1,7892238.story\"\u003eSen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)\u003c/a\u003e, an opponent of the troop buildup who voted with the Democrats.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Washington Post published two reports about the impact of the war on people who remain mostly unknown.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501828.html\"\u003eForgotten Families\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrandparents Raising Slain Soldiers' Children Are Denied A Government Benefit Intended to Sustain the Bereaved\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Donna St. George\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post Staff Writer\u003cbr/\u003eFriday, February 16, 2007; A01\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHer daughter was killed by a bomb in Iraq. Eight months later, Susan Jaenke is both grief-stricken and strapped -- behind on her mortgage, backed up on her bills and shut out of the $100,000 government death benefit that her daughter thought she had left her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe problem is that Jaenke is not a wife, not a husband, but instead grandmother to the 9-year-old her daughter left behind. \"Grandparents,\" she said, \"are forgotten in this.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the Jaenkes and others like them, the toll of war can be especially complex: They face not only the anguish of losing a son or daughter but also the emotional, legal and financial difficulties of putting the pieces back together for a grandchild.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/17/AR2007021701172.html\"\u003eSoldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Dana Priest and Anne Hull\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003eSunday, February 18, 2007; A01\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBehind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole. The entire building, constructed between the world wars, often smells like greasy carry-out. Signs of neglect are everywhere: mouse droppings, belly-up cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is the world of Building 18, not the kind of place where Duncan expected to recover when he was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from Iraq last February with a broken neck and a shredded left ear, nearly dead from blood loss. But the old lodge, just outside the gates of the hospital and five miles up the road from the White House, has housed hundreds of maimed soldiers recuperating from injuries suffered in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients. Almost 700 of them -- the majority soldiers, with some Marines -- have been released from hospital beds but still need treatment or are awaiting bureaucratic decisions before being discharged or returned to active duty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Seven GOP Senators Who Voted Against Troop Surge"},{"content":" Iraq * Creationists in Kansas * Wine, Women, Spooks, Legislators and LobbyistsNot quite a stampede....not yet. But the signs are not looking good for President Bush and the warmongers. The death toll for American soldiers keep climbing. So far in February 48 more have lost their lives in Iraq.Paul Kane in The Washington PostFrom the moderate suburbs of Delaware to the rural, conservative valleys of eastern Tennessee, House Republican opponents of President Bush's latest Iraq war plan cut across the GOP's ideological and regional spectrum.Numbering a dozen or more, these House Republicans have emerged as some of the most prominent opponents of the plan to increase troop presence in Iraq. They admit to being a ragtag band, with no scheduled meetings and little political cohesion.\"We aren't organized at all,\" said Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), whose district includes suburbs of the Twin Cities. \"It's about as diverse a group as is possible.\"Borrowing time from House Democrats, these Republicans have gone to the floor to condemn the latest attempt at stabilizing Iraq, which they see as mired in civil war, and have vowed to support a Democratic-driven resolution condemning the buildup.The Land of Oz The good people of Kansas who oppose teaching of evolution suffered another setback. But no reason to feel disheartened. If nothing else works, judgment day will prove them right. Praise the lord and burn books about Charles Darwin and his theory.The GuardianCreationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teachingSuzanne Goldenberg in WashingtonThursday February 15, 2007School authorities in the American heartland state of Kansas have delivered a rebuff to subscribers to the notion of intelligent design by voting to banish language challenging evolution from new science guidelines.In a 6-4 vote on Tuesday night, the Kansas state board of education deleted language from teaching guidelines that challenged the validity of evolutionary theory, and approved new phrasing in line with mainstream science.It was seen as a victory for a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats, science educators and parents who had fought for two years to overturn the earlier guidelines.The decision is the latest in a string of defeats for proponents of creationism, and its modern variant, intelligent design. It reverses the decision taken by the same authorities two years ago to include language undermining Darwinism - on the insistence of conservative parents and activists in the intelligent design movement. * The Harder they FallOngoing investigation about lobbyist Brent R. Wilkes netted a big fish -- no less a person than Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo, former executive director of the CIA. According to reports, Foggo used his position at the CIA to \"steer business deals\" to Wilkes. Corrupt legislators who shared in the munificence of Wilkes, Abramoff and other lobbyists have reason to be concerned. They thought that freebies would never end and they went on merrily earmarking to return the favors. And why was U.S. Attorney Carole Lam fired? This story has legs.Former Top CIA Official IndictedFoggo Accused of Steering Contracts to GOP FundraiserBy R. Jeffrey SmithWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, February 14, 2007; A01The CIA's former executive director and a defense contractor were indicted yesterday by a San Diego grand jury for allegedly corrupting the intelligence agency's contracts, marking one of the first criminal cases to reach into the CIA's clandestine operations in Europe and the Middle East.Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo, a longtime logistics officer who was the CIA's top administrator from November 2004 until last May, was accused of using his seniority and influence at a prior CIA job in Europe to steer business deals to his longtime friend Brent R. Wilkes, a California businessman and top Republican fundraiser.The 11-count indictment states that Wilkes subsidized meals and lavish vacations for Foggo and his family in Washington, Hawaii and Scotland and promised to employ Foggo after his retirement from the CIA. It also accuses Foggo -- a former ethics official in two divisions at the CIA -- of improperly providing classified information to Wilkes about the CIA, his contracting competitors and \"other matters.\"The indictment is the latest development in a lengthy federal criminal probe into the dark side of a budget process known as \"earmarking,\" in which lawmakers have directed federal contracts to favored designees who were either friends or campaign contributors. Last year the probe led to a prison sentence for one lawmaker, Rep. Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham -- who, the government said yesterday, used two prostitutes financed by Wilkes.While the probe has threatened to sweep in other members of Congress, some uncertainty surrounds it. A key U.S. attorney involved in it -- Carol C. Lam in San Diego -- has been fired by the administration for unspecified \"performance-related\" deficiencies along with a handful of other federal prosecutors. Lam oversaw the Foggo investigation and is to leave Thursday. The head of the local FBI field office praised Lam's performance and said her firing appeared to be \"political,\" an accusation that the Justice Department has denied.The case involving Foggo is unusual because all of the contracts at issue are classified. But the indictment makes it clear that the agency was allegedly bilked when it wound up paying 60 percent more than it should have for water supplied by a company affiliated with Wilkes to CIA outposts in Afghanistan and northern Iraq.The evidence against Foggo included e-mails in which he promised to introduce a Wilkes subordinate to his CIA colleagues and helped arrange advance payments on a $1.69 million contract. Even after arriving at CIA headquarters as a top appointee of then-Director Porter J. Goss, he continued to press for more rapid payments to a Wilkes-affiliated firm identified in the indictment as \"Shell Company No. 1,\" earning Wilkes's thanks, the document states.It formally charges the two men -- who witnesses have said periodically played poker with lawmakers and others in a rented suite at the Watergate Hotel -- with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and money laundering.Foggo's attorney, Mark MacDougall, said through an aide yesterday that he had no comment on the indictment. A lawyer previously retained by Foggo, William G. Hundley, had argued that Foggo had no idea the contracts were benefiting Wilkes, but the indictment says that Foggo deliberately \"concealed material facts\" from his colleagues at the CIA and used \"shell companies and straw men\" to hide their role in the contracts.Wilkes's attorney, Mark J. Geragos, called the indictment \"unfortunate\" and said \"we welcome the chance to refute these accusations.\" He declined to elaborate.CIA Director Michael V. Hayden, who replaced Goss last May, told employees in a memo yesterday that they should not talk about the matter \"out of respect for the legal proceedings that are underway, and to ensure the protection of classified information and agency equities.\" Hayden noted that the allegations against Foggo first surfaced inside the CIA, which he said cooperated closely with the Justice Department on the probe.Additional legal troubles yesterday enveloped Wilkes, a Republican Party \"Pioneer\" who raised more than $100,000 for President Bush's reelection in 2004 and donated -- in concert with his business colleagues -- $656,396 to 64 other Republican lawmakers and the national Republican Party committees in Washington from 1995 through the third quarter of 2005.A second 25-count indictment disclosed yesterday in San Diego alleges that Wilkes separately obtained a stream of Defense Department contracts from 1996 to 2004 by providing then-Rep. Cunningham with cash and other bribes valued at more than $700,000.Cunningham pleaded guilty in 2005 to taking bribes worth more than $1 million from Mitchell Wade, a business associate of Wilkes, and drew an eight-year prison sentence. But the second Wilkes indictment contains new details of how Wade and Wilkes allegedly worked together to profit from contracts and how Cunningham -- sitting on the Appropriations defense subcommittee -- browbeat defense officials on their behalf.It said that Wilkes paid a company called Shirlington Limousine to chauffeur Cunningham around Washington. He also allegedly financed lavish meals and vacations for Cunningham, flew him around on the company jet, bought him tickets to the Super Bowl, and paid for two prostitutes for the lawmaker on Aug. 15 and 16, 2003, at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in Hawaii.\"Pursuant to Cunningham's request,\" the indictment states, \"Wilkes arranged for the Congressman to get a different prostitute for the second evening.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/gop-defections---deserting-a-sinking-ship/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq * Creationists in Kansas * Wine, Women, Spooks, Legislators and Lobbyists\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot quite a stampede....not yet.  But the signs are not looking good for President Bush and the warmongers. The death toll for American soldiers keep climbing.  So far in February 48 more have lost their lives in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Kane in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501794.htm\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the moderate suburbs of Delaware to the rural, conservative valleys of eastern Tennessee, House Republican opponents of President Bush's latest Iraq war plan cut across the GOP's ideological and regional spectrum.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNumbering a dozen or more, these House Republicans have emerged as some of the most prominent opponents of the plan to increase troop presence in Iraq. They admit to being a ragtag band, with no scheduled meetings and little political cohesion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We aren't organized at all,\" said Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), whose district includes suburbs of the Twin Cities. \"It's about as diverse a group as is possible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBorrowing time from House Democrats, these Republicans have gone to the floor to condemn the latest attempt at stabilizing Iraq, which they see as mired in civil war, and have vowed to support a Democratic-driven resolution condemning the buildup.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Land of Oz \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe good people of Kansas who oppose teaching of evolution suffered another setback. But no reason to feel disheartened.  If nothing else works, judgment day will prove them right.  Praise the lord and burn books about Charles Darwin and his theory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2013263,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCreationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teaching\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuzanne Goldenberg in Washington\u003cbr/\u003eThursday February 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSchool authorities in the American heartland state of Kansas have delivered a rebuff to subscribers to the notion of intelligent design by voting to banish language challenging evolution from new science guidelines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a 6-4 vote on Tuesday night, the Kansas state board of education deleted language from teaching guidelines that challenged the validity of evolutionary theory, and approved new phrasing in line with mainstream science.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was seen as a victory for a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats, science educators and parents who had fought for two years to overturn the earlier guidelines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe decision is the latest in a string of defeats for proponents of creationism, and its modern variant, intelligent design. It reverses the decision taken by the same authorities two years ago to include language undermining Darwinism - on the insistence of conservative parents and activists in the intelligent design movement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003eThe Harder they Fall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOngoing investigation about lobbyist Brent R. Wilkes netted a big fish -- no less a person than Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo, former executive director of the CIA.   According to reports, Foggo used his position at the CIA  to \"steer business deals\" to Wilkes.  Corrupt legislators who shared in the munificence of Wilkes, Abramoff and other lobbyists have reason to be concerned.  They thought that freebies would never end and they went on merrily earmarking to return the favors. And why was U.S. Attorney Carole Lam fired? This story has legs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021301039.html\"\u003eFormer Top CIA Official Indicted\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoggo Accused of Steering Contracts to GOP Fundraiser\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy R. Jeffrey Smith\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post Staff Writer\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday, February 14, 2007; A01\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe CIA's former executive director and a defense contractor were indicted yesterday by a San Diego grand jury for allegedly corrupting the intelligence agency's contracts, marking one of the first criminal cases to reach into the CIA's clandestine operations in Europe and the Middle East.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKyle \"Dusty\" Foggo, a longtime logistics officer who was the CIA's top administrator from November 2004 until last May, was accused of using his seniority and influence at a prior CIA job in Europe to steer business deals to his longtime friend Brent R. Wilkes, a California businessman and top Republican fundraiser.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 11-count indictment states that Wilkes subsidized meals and lavish vacations for Foggo and his family in Washington, Hawaii and Scotland and promised to employ Foggo after his retirement from the CIA. It also accuses Foggo -- a former ethics official in two divisions at the CIA -- of improperly providing classified information to Wilkes about the CIA, his contracting competitors and \"other matters.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe indictment is the latest development in a lengthy federal criminal probe into the dark side of a budget process known as \"earmarking,\" in which lawmakers have directed federal contracts to favored designees who were either friends or campaign contributors. Last year the probe led to a prison sentence for one lawmaker, Rep. Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham -- who, the government said yesterday, used two prostitutes financed by Wilkes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile the probe has threatened to sweep in other members of Congress, some uncertainty surrounds it. A key U.S. attorney involved in it -- Carol C. Lam in San Diego -- has been fired by the administration for unspecified \"performance-related\" deficiencies along with a handful of other federal prosecutors. Lam oversaw the Foggo investigation and is to leave Thursday. The head of the local FBI field office praised Lam's performance and said her firing appeared to be \"political,\" an accusation that the Justice Department has denied.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe case involving Foggo is unusual because all of the contracts at issue are classified. But the indictment makes it clear that the agency was allegedly bilked when it wound up paying 60 percent more than it should have for water supplied by a company affiliated with Wilkes to CIA outposts in Afghanistan and northern Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe evidence against Foggo included e-mails in which he promised to introduce a Wilkes subordinate to his CIA colleagues and helped arrange advance payments on a $1.69 million contract. Even after arriving at CIA headquarters as a top appointee of then-Director Porter J. Goss, he continued to press for more rapid payments to a Wilkes-affiliated firm identified in the indictment as \"Shell Company No. 1,\" earning Wilkes's thanks, the document states.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt formally charges the two men -- who witnesses have said periodically played poker with lawmakers and others in a rented suite at the Watergate Hotel -- with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and money laundering.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoggo's attorney, Mark MacDougall, said through an aide yesterday that he had no comment on the indictment. A lawyer previously retained by Foggo, William G. Hundley, had argued that Foggo had no idea the contracts were benefiting Wilkes, but the indictment says that Foggo deliberately \"concealed material facts\" from his colleagues at the CIA and used \"shell companies and straw men\" to hide their role in the contracts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWilkes's attorney, Mark J. Geragos, called the indictment \"unfortunate\" and said \"we welcome the chance to refute these accusations.\" He declined to elaborate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCIA Director Michael V. Hayden, who replaced Goss last May, told employees in a memo yesterday that they should not talk about the matter \"out of respect for the legal proceedings that are underway, and to ensure the protection of classified information and agency equities.\" Hayden noted that the allegations against Foggo first surfaced inside the CIA, which he said cooperated closely with the Justice Department on the probe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAdditional legal troubles yesterday enveloped Wilkes, a Republican Party \"Pioneer\" who raised more than $100,000 for President Bush's reelection in 2004 and donated -- in concert with his business colleagues -- $656,396 to 64 other Republican lawmakers and the national Republican Party committees in Washington from 1995 through the third quarter of 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA second 25-count indictment disclosed yesterday in San Diego alleges that Wilkes separately obtained a stream of Defense Department contracts from 1996 to 2004 by providing then-Rep. Cunningham with cash and other bribes valued at more than $700,000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCunningham pleaded guilty in 2005 to taking bribes worth more than $1 million from Mitchell Wade, a business associate of Wilkes, and drew an eight-year prison sentence. But the second Wilkes indictment contains new details of how Wade and Wilkes allegedly worked together to profit from contracts and how Cunningham -- sitting on the Appropriations defense subcommittee -- browbeat defense officials on their behalf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt said that Wilkes paid a company called Shirlington Limousine to chauffeur Cunningham around Washington. He also allegedly financed lavish meals and vacations for Cunningham, flew him around on the company jet, bought him tickets to the Super Bowl, and paid for two prostitutes for the lawmaker on Aug. 15 and 16, 2003, at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel in Hawaii.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Pursuant to Cunningham's request,\" the indictment states, \"Wilkes arranged for the Congressman to get a different prostitute for the second evening.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"GOP Defections - Deserting A Sinking Ship"},{"content":" Is the Pendulum Ready to Swing ? * CIA's Torture FlightsJan Morris, a favorite travel writer, commented in The Guardian about America.....George Bush's America. Her love for our country comes through, and so does her optimism about the future. While these days it is sometimes difficult to share her faith about America's greatness and ability to bounce back, deep in our hearts we feel that the present state of affairs will not continue for long. We are waiting for the pendulum to swing; when it does there will be rejoicing in the land.The GuardianOnce the most beloved country in the world, the US is now the most hatedThe American swagger has become bombast, the cocky GI a bully. But with luck the pendulum may be ready to swing backJan MorrisFebruary 14, 2007'Whisper of how I'm yearning\", sang George M Cohan in one of the great American songs of nostalgia, \"to mingle with the old time throng\". Well, I'm yearning too, not for the gang at 42nd Street exactly, but for the America that Cohan was indirectly hymning - for the Idea of America, with a capital I, which once made the United States not just the most potent of all the nations but genuinely the most liked.Perhaps, with a future new president already champing at the bit, we are about to witness its rebirth. As a foreigner I am immune to the rivalries or seductions of American party politics, but I have loved the old place for 60 years, and I simply pray for an American leader to give us back its baraka, as the Arabs say - nothing to do with religion or economics or power or even ideology, but the gift of being at once blessed and blessing.Of course nobody can claim that the old dreams of America were ever perfectly fulfilled. They often let us down. They were betrayed by the national reputations for crime, corruption, racism and rampant materialism. Not all the presidents, God knows, were icons of virtue or even of glamour, and the benevolent Uncle Sam of the old cartoonists was more often interpreted, around the world, as a fat moron in horn-rimmed spectacles, chewing a cigar. Nobody's perfect, still less any republic.But I think it is true that only in our time has the American Idea lost its baraka. A generation or two ago, most of us, wherever we lived, loved the generous self-satisfaction of it, if not in the general, at least in the particular. The GI was not then a sort of goggled monster in padded armour, but a cheerful fellow chatting up the girls and distributing candy not as a matter of policy, but out of plain goodwill - everyone's friendly guy next door. To millions of radio listeners around the world, the Voice of America was a voice of decency, and one could watch the lachrymose patriotic rituals of America - the hand on heart, the misty-eyed salute to the flag - with more affection than irony.For myself, I responded to them all too sentimentally. Like Walt Whitman before me, I heard America sing! I relished the hackneyed old lyrics - Mine eyes have seen the glory, Thy word our law, Thy paths our chosen way, Oe'r the land of the free and the home of the brave, God bless America, land that I love ... Most of the words were flaccid, many of the tunes were vulgar, but as I heard them I saw always in my mind's eye, as Whitman did, all the glorious space, grandeur and opportunity that was America, Manhattan to LA. Sea, in fact, to shining sea.In those days we did not think of American evangelists as prophets of political extremism - they seemed more akin to the homely convictions of plantation or village chapel than to the machinations of neocons. We bridled rather at the American assumption that the US of A had been the only true victor of the second world war, but most of us did not very deeply resent the happy swagger of the legend and danced gratefully enough to the American rhythms of the time. We thought it all seemed essentially innocent.Innocent! Dear God! Half a century, and nobody thinks that now. Far from being the most beloved country on earth, today the US is the most thoroughly detested. The rot really started to set in, in my view, with Abraham Lincoln, one of the most admirable men who ever lived. He it was who saw in American glory the duty of a mission. America, he declared, was the last best hope of earth. The pursuit of happiness was not its national vocation, but the example of democracy. The more like the United States the world became, the better the world would be. No statesman was ever more sincere or kindly in his beliefs, but poor old Abe would be horrified to see how his interpretation of destiny has gone sour.For the missionary instinct, which impelled Americans into so many noble policies, was to be perverted by power. Pace Lincoln, America was not necessarily the last best hope of mankind, and the knowledge that it has possessed unchallengable powers of interference has distorted its attitude to the world and cruelly damaged its image in return.Isolationism was not a very estimable stance, but interfereism is not much more attractive. In humanity's eye, the swagger has become bombast and the cocky GI has become a bully.But there is a difference between image and idea. One is a projection, the other an absolute. Public relations people, tabloid newspapers, spin doctors and entertainers can all fiddle with the image of America, but the idea of it remains constant - overlaid, perhaps, dormant, even forgotten, but always there. Everyone who visits America feels it - every package tourist returns to tell their neighbours how nice the Americans are, how different from their reputation. And what they are all sensing, half-hidden behind the image of America, is the presence of the Idea, with a capital I.When I first went to the United States in the 1950s, I impertinently remarked to an archetypal guru, Chief Justice Felix Frankfurter, that what with Senator McCarthy and southern segregation, and civic corruption everywhere, I was not much impressed by the condition of America. Be patient, said the sage. America is like a pendulum, swinging from good to bad, from bad to good, and before long it will swing again.He was right, and with luck, perhaps the pendulum is almost ready to swing back once more. Whatever we may think in our moments of despair, America is still a marvellous and lovable country whose patriotism can still be touching: try restraining a tear when you listen to Irving Berlin's setting of the words on the Statue of Liberty - the ultimate American text, with music by the emblematic American immigrant. The Great Republic is great still, full still of decent clever people trying to be good. Even now, it is as free as can be expected, and its democracy is fundamentally honest and robust. It laughs at itself, criticises itself and dislikes itself just as much as we do.All it needs is someone with a key to unlock that Idea again, and I hope it will be that next president, whoever it is, even now gearing up for the election. Please God, may it be a poetic president. Inspiration has been the true engine of American success, and all its greatest presidents have been people with a divine spark. The dullards may have been efficient, respected or influential, but the Jeffersons and the Roosevelts, the Lincolns and the Kennedys have all been, in their different ways, artists.So may it be a president with the key of original inspiration who can release the Idea from its occlusion. All the ingredients are still there, after all - the kindness, the imagination, the merriment, the will, the talent, the energy, the goddam orneriness, the plain goodness - all there waiting to burst out once more and bring us back our America, blessed and blessing too.\"Give our regards to old Broadway\", sang Cohan, \"And say that I'll be there ere long.\" So will we, so will we, just as soon as America comes home.EU Condemns CIA's Torture FlightsThe European Union, to its credit, pulled no punches in condemning member states which participated in CIA's extraordinary rendition program. The BBC reported:EU endorses damning report on CIAThe European parliament has approved a damning report on secret CIA flights, condemning member states which had colluded in the operations.The UK, Germany and Italy were among 14 states which allowed the US to forcibly remove terror suspects, MEPs said.The EU parliament voted to accept a resolution condemning member states which accepted or ignored the practice.The EU report said the US had operated 1,200 flights, flying suspects on to states where they could face torture.The report was adopted by a large majority, with 382 MEPs voting in favour, 256 against and 74 abstaining. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/america---from-most-beloved-to-most-hated-country/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIs the Pendulum Ready to Swing ? * CIA's Torture Flights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJan Morris, a favorite travel writer,  commented in The Guardian about America.....George Bush's America. Her love for our country comes through, and so does her optimism about the future.  While these days it is sometimes difficult to share her faith  about America's  greatness  and ability to bounce back, deep in our hearts we feel that the present state of affairs will not continue for long.  We are waiting for the pendulum to swing;  when it does there will be rejoicing in the land.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2012492,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOnce the most beloved country in the world, the US is now the most hated\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe American swagger has become bombast, the cocky GI a bully. But with luck the pendulum may be ready to swing back\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/profile_jan_morris.shtml\"\u003eJan Morris\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFebruary 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Whisper of how I'm yearning\", sang George M Cohan in one of the great American songs of nostalgia, \"to mingle with the old time throng\". Well, I'm yearning too, not for the gang at 42nd Street exactly, but for the America that Cohan was indirectly hymning - for the Idea of America, with a capital I, which once made the United States not just the most potent of all the nations but genuinely the most liked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps, with a future new president already champing at the bit, we are about to witness its rebirth. As a foreigner I am immune to the rivalries or seductions of American party politics, but I have loved the old place for 60 years, and I simply pray for an American leader to give us back its baraka, as the Arabs say - nothing to do with religion or economics or power or even ideology, but the gift of being at once blessed and blessing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOf course nobody can claim that the old dreams of America were ever perfectly fulfilled. They often let us down. They were betrayed by the national reputations for crime, corruption, racism and rampant materialism. Not all the presidents, God knows, were icons of virtue or even of glamour, and the benevolent Uncle Sam of the old cartoonists was more often interpreted, around the world, as a fat moron in horn-rimmed spectacles, chewing a cigar. Nobody's perfect, still less any republic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut I think it is true that only in our time has the American Idea lost its baraka. A generation or two ago, most of us, wherever we lived, loved the generous self-satisfaction of it, if not in the general, at least in the particular. The GI was not then a sort of goggled monster in padded armour, but a cheerful fellow chatting up the girls and distributing candy not as a matter of policy, but out of plain goodwill - everyone's friendly guy next door. To millions of radio listeners around the world, the Voice of America was a voice of decency, and one could watch the lachrymose patriotic rituals of America - the hand on heart, the misty-eyed salute to the flag - with more affection than irony.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor myself, I responded to them all too sentimentally. Like Walt Whitman before me, I heard America sing! I relished the hackneyed old lyrics - Mine eyes have seen the glory, Thy word our law, Thy paths our chosen way, Oe'r the land of the free and the home of the brave, God bless America, land that I love ... Most of the words were flaccid, many of the tunes were vulgar, but as I heard them I saw always in my mind's eye, as Whitman did, all the glorious space, grandeur and opportunity that was America, Manhattan to LA. Sea, in fact, to shining sea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn those days we did not think of American evangelists as prophets of political extremism - they seemed more akin to the homely convictions of plantation or village chapel than to the machinations of neocons. We bridled rather at the American assumption that the US of A had been the only true victor of the second world war, but most of us did not very deeply resent the happy swagger of the legend and danced gratefully enough to the American rhythms of the time. We thought it all seemed essentially innocent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInnocent! Dear God! Half a century, and nobody thinks that now. Far from being the most beloved country on earth, today the US is the most thoroughly detested. The rot really started to set in, in my view, with Abraham Lincoln, one of the most admirable men who ever lived. He it was who saw in American glory the duty of a mission. America, he declared, was the last best hope of earth. The pursuit of happiness was not its national vocation, but the example of democracy. The more like the United States the world became, the better the world would be. No statesman was ever more sincere or kindly in his beliefs, but poor old Abe would be horrified to see how his interpretation of destiny has gone sour.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the missionary instinct, which impelled Americans into so many noble policies, was to be perverted by power. Pace Lincoln, America was not necessarily the last best hope of mankind, and the knowledge that it has possessed unchallengable powers of interference has distorted its attitude to the world and cruelly damaged its image in return.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIsolationism was not a very estimable stance, but interfereism is not much more attractive. In humanity's eye, the swagger has become bombast and the cocky GI has become a bully.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut there is a difference between image and idea. One is a projection, the other an absolute. Public relations people, tabloid newspapers, spin doctors and entertainers can all fiddle with the image of America, but the idea of it remains constant - overlaid, perhaps, dormant, even forgotten, but always there. Everyone who visits America feels it - every package tourist returns to tell their neighbours how nice the Americans are, how different from their reputation. And what they are all sensing, half-hidden behind the image of America, is the presence of the Idea, with a capital I.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I first went to the United States in the 1950s, I impertinently remarked to an archetypal guru, Chief Justice Felix Frankfurter, that what with Senator McCarthy and southern segregation, and civic corruption everywhere, I was not much impressed by the condition of America. Be patient, said the sage. America is like a pendulum, swinging from good to bad, from bad to good, and before long it will swing again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe was right, and with luck, perhaps the pendulum is almost ready to swing back once more. Whatever we may think in our moments of despair, America is still a marvellous and lovable country whose patriotism can still be touching: try restraining a tear when you listen to Irving Berlin's setting of the words on the Statue of Liberty - the ultimate American text, with music by the emblematic American immigrant. The Great Republic is great still, full still of decent clever people trying to be good. Even now, it is as free as can be expected, and its democracy is fundamentally honest and robust. It laughs at itself, criticises itself and dislikes itself just as much as we do.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll it needs is someone with a key to unlock that Idea again, and I hope it will be that next president, whoever it is, even now gearing up for the election. Please God, may it be a poetic president. Inspiration has been the true engine of American success, and all its greatest presidents have been people with a divine spark. The dullards may have been efficient, respected or influential, but the Jeffersons and the Roosevelts, the Lincolns and the Kennedys have all been, in their different ways, artists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo may it be a president with the key of original inspiration who can release the Idea from its occlusion. All the ingredients are still there, after all - the kindness, the imagination, the merriment, the will, the talent, the energy, the goddam orneriness, the plain goodness - all there waiting to burst out once more and bring us back our America, blessed and blessing too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Give our regards to old Broadway\", sang Cohan, \"And say that I'll be there ere long.\" So will we, so will we, just as soon as America comes home.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEU Condemns CIA's Torture Flights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe European Union, to its credit, pulled no punches in condemning member states which participated in CIA's \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_rendition\"\u003eextraordinary rendition\u003c/a\u003e program.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6360817.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEU endorses damning report on CIA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe European parliament has approved a damning report on secret CIA flights, condemning member states which had colluded in the operations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe UK, Germany and Italy were among 14 states which allowed the US to forcibly remove terror suspects, MEPs said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe EU parliament voted to accept a resolution condemning member states which accepted or ignored the practice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe EU report said the US had operated 1,200 flights, flying suspects on to states where they could face torture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe report was adopted by a large majority, with 382 MEPs voting in favour, 256 against and 74 abstaining.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"America - From  \"Most Beloved to Most Hated\" Country"},{"content":" GOP Scrambling * In Portugal, Prime Minister Socrates Does the Right ThingA sign of the times. The self-described Decider is no longer in control. In the Senate, the passage of a strong, non-binding resolution about Iraq and the troop surge is far from a done deal. However, things are moving quite differently in the House. \"Three days of intense debate over the Iraq war begins in the House today, with Democrats planning to propose a narrowly worded rebuke of President Bush's troop buildup and Republicans girding for broad defections on their side.\"Washington PostOne House Republican close to the GOP leadership spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be blunt. \"This next week is going to be a very tough one for us to get through,\" he said. \"The Democrats know that. We can sit back and hope they overplay their hand, but I don't think they will.\"Although the order of speakers has not yet been set, Democrats and Republicans are vying for the most desired slots at a time when attention in Washington will focus on the House. Lawmakers from the West Coast do not want to speak early in the morning, when their constituents are asleep; those from the East do not want to appear at 11:25 p.m. And nearly everyone wants to talk in time to make the evening news and beat the daily newspapers' deadlines.The last time an Iraq resolution came before the House was in June, when the Republicans controlled Congress. After two days of largely partisan debate, the House easily approved a measure declaring that the United States must complete \"the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure and united Iraq,\" without setting \"an arbitrary date for the withdrawal\" of troops. Forty-two Democrats bucked their leadership to join a virtually united GOP.But this debate will be different, lawmakers from both parties agree.For Women of Portugal, the Right to ChooseAcross the Atlantic, Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal used his majority power to legalize abortion.LISBON (Reuters) - Catholic Portugal's decision to join most European countries and allow abortions has shaken the country's conservative establishment but was hailed by liberals as a victory for modernity.Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates said on Sunday he would use his majority in parliament to legalize abortion after a referendum on the issue failed because too few people turned out to vote. But of those who did vote, the majority approved. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-02-13 Yes - The 'Decider' has dug us into a deeper problem than ever before.\nI can understand the panic state of republicans. But Democrats need to come up with more clarity as well. When they are majority, they better push for the right strategy. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/this-debate-will-be-different---you-can-say-that-again/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGOP Scrambling * In Portugal,  Prime Minister Socrates Does the Right Thing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA sign of the times.  The self-described Decider is no longer in control. In the Senate, the  passage of a strong, non-binding resolution about Iraq and the troop surge is far from a done deal. However, things are moving quite differently in the House. \"Three days of intense debate over the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/11/AR2007021100933.html\"\u003eIraq war\u003c/a\u003e begins in the House today, with Democrats planning to propose a narrowly worded rebuke of President Bush's troop buildup and Republicans girding for broad defections on their side.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne House Republican close to the GOP leadership spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be blunt. \"This next week is going to be a very tough one for us to get through,\" he said. \"The Democrats know that. We can sit back and hope they overplay their hand, but I don't think they will.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough the order of speakers has not yet been set, Democrats and Republicans are vying for the most desired slots at a time when attention in Washington will focus on the House. Lawmakers from the West Coast do not want to speak early in the morning, when their constituents are asleep; those from the East do not want to appear at 11:25 p.m. And nearly everyone wants to talk in time to make the evening news and beat the daily newspapers' deadlines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe last time an Iraq resolution came before the House was in June, when the Republicans controlled Congress. After two days of largely partisan debate, the House easily approved a measure declaring that the United States must complete \"the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure and united Iraq,\" without setting \"an arbitrary date for the withdrawal\" of troops. Forty-two Democrats bucked their leadership to join a virtually united GOP.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut this debate will be different, lawmakers from both parties agree.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Women of Portugal, the Right to Choose\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAcross the Atlantic, Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal used his majority power to legalize abortion.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/12/AR2007021200414.html\"\u003eLISBON (Reuters)\u003c/a\u003e - Catholic Portugal's decision to join most European countries and allow abortions has shaken the country's conservative establishment but was hailed by liberals as a victory for modernity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSocialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates said on Sunday he would use his majority in parliament to legalize abortion after a referendum on the issue failed because too few people turned out to vote. But of those who did vote, the majority approved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-13\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYes - The 'Decider' has dug us into a deeper problem than ever before.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI can understand the panic state of republicans. But Democrats need to come up with more clarity as well. When they are majority, they better push for the right strategy.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"This Debate Will be Different\" - You Can Say that Again"},{"content":" The War Lovers * Iran Next?They were prepared to go to any length. In the absence of valid reasons, they cooked up scary scenarios. To those who questioned them there were scathing remarks about being unpatriotic. The ground was ripe. In post 9/11 America, people were in shock, afraid, and they trusted their leaders. The neocons exploited the vulnerability to proceed with plans hatched years ago.The NY Times editorial describes the ugly truth behind the rhetoric of the president and his aides.NY TimesFebruary 10, 2007The Build-a-War WorkshopIt took far too long, but a report by the Pentagon inspector general has finally confirmed that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s do-it-yourself intelligence office cooked up a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda to help justify an unjustifiable war.The report said the team headed by Douglas Feith, under secretary of defense for policy, developed “alternative” assessments of intelligence on Iraq that contradicted the intelligence community and drew conclusions “that were not supported by the available intelligence.” Mr. Feith certainly knew the Central Intelligence Agency would cry foul, so he hid his findings from the C.I.A. Then Vice President Dick Cheney used them as proof of cloak-and-dagger meetings that never happened, long-term conspiracies between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden that didn’t exist, and — most unforgivable — “possible Iraqi coordination” on the 9/11 attacks, which no serious intelligence analyst believed.The inspector general did not recommend criminal charges against Mr. Feith because Mr. Rumsfeld or his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, approved their subordinate’s “inappropriate” operations. The renegade intelligence buff said he was relieved.We’re sure he was. But there is no comfort in knowing that his dirty work was approved by his bosses. All that does is add to evidence that the Bush administration knowingly and repeatedly misled Americans about the intelligence on Iraq.To understand this twisted tale, it is important to recall how Mr. Feith got into the creative writing business. Top administration officials, especially Mr. Cheney, had long been furious at the C.I.A. for refusing to confirm the delusion about a grand Iraqi terrorist conspiracy, something the Republican right had nursed for years. Their frustration only grew after 9/11 and the C.I.A. still refused to buy these theories.Mr. Wolfowitz would feverishly sketch out charts showing how this Iraqi knew that Iraqi, who was connected through six more degrees of separation to terrorist attacks, all the way back to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.But the C.I.A. kept saying there was no reliable intelligence about an Iraq-Qaeda link. So Mr. Feith was sent to review the reports and come back with the answers Mr. Cheney wanted. The inspector general’s report said Mr. Feith’ s team gave a September 2002 briefing at the White House on the alleged Iraq-Qaeda connection that had not been vetted by the intelligence community (the director of central intelligence was pointedly not told it was happening) and “was not fully supported by the available intelligence.”The false information included a meeting in Prague in April 2001 between an Iraqi official and Mohamed Atta, one of the 9/11 pilots. It never happened. But Mr. Feith’s report said it did, and Mr. Cheney will still not admit that the story is false.In a statement released yesterday, Senator Carl Levin, the new chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has been dogged in pursuit of the truth about the Iraqi intelligence, noted that the cooked-up Feith briefing had been leaked to the conservative Weekly Standard magazine so Mr. Cheney could quote it as the “best source” of information about the supposed Iraq-Qaeda link.The Pentagon report is one step in a long-delayed effort to figure out how the intelligence on Iraq was so badly twisted — and by whom. That work should have been finished before the 2004 elections, and it would have been if Pat Roberts, the obedient Republican who ran the Senate Intelligence Committee, had not helped the White House drag it out and load it in ways that would obscure the truth.It is now up to Mr. Levin and Senator Jay Rockefeller, the current head of the intelligence panel, to give Americans the answers. Mr. Levin’s desire to have the entire inspector general’s report on the Feith scheme declassified is a good place to start. But it will be up to Mr. Rockefeller to finally determine how old, inconclusive, unsubstantiated and false intelligence was transformed into fresh, reliable and definitive reports — and then used by Mr. Bush and other top officials to drag the country into a disastrous and unnecessary war.Retired Lt. General William F. Odom, who had served as director of the National Security Agency under President Ronald Reagan, commented in the Washington Post:Victory is not an OptionThe new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq starkly delineates the gulf that separates President Bush's illusions from the realities of the war. Victory, as the president sees it, requires a stable liberal democracy in Iraq that is pro-American. The NIE describes a war that has no chance of producing that result. In this critical respect, the NIE, the consensus judgment of all the U.S. intelligence agencies, is a declaration of defeat. Its gloomy implications -- hedged, as intelligence agencies prefer, in rubbery language that cannot soften its impact -- put the intelligence community and the American public on the same page. The public awakened to the reality of failure in Iraq last year and turned the Republicans out of control of Congress to wake it up. But a majority of its members are still asleep, or only half-awake to their new writ to end the war soon. *Death from the Sky for IraniansNow the neocons are planning a bloodless, surgical, air war against Iran. Civilian deaths will be chalked off as collateral damage.The Guardian reports: \"Despite denials, Pentagon plans for possible attack on nuclear sites are well advanced\"Excerpts:US preparations for an air strike against Iran are at an advanced stage, in spite of repeated public denials by the Bush administration, according to informed sources in Washington.The present military build-up in the Gulf would allow the US to mount an attack by the spring. But the sources said that if there was an attack, it was more likely next year, just before Mr Bush leaves office.Neo-conservatives, particularly at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, are urging Mr Bush to open a new front against Iran. So too is the vice-president, Dick Cheney. The state department and the Pentagon are opposed, as are Democratic congressmen and the overwhelming majority of Republicans. The sources said Mr Bush had not yet made a decision. The Bush administration insists the military build-up is not offensive but aimed at containing Iran and forcing it to make diplomatic concessions. The aim is to persuade Tehran to curb its suspect nuclear weapons programme and abandon ambitions for regional expansion.Last month Mr Bush ordered a second battle group led by the aircraft carrier USS John Stennis to the Gulf in support of the USS Eisenhower. The USS Stennis is due to arrive within the next 10 days. Extra US Patriot missiles have been sent to the region, as well as more minesweepers, in anticipation of Iranian retaliatory action.In another sign that preparations are under way, Mr Bush has ordered oil reserves to be stockpiled.The danger is that the build-up could spark an accidental war. Iranian officials said on Thursday that they had tested missiles capable of hitting warships in the Gulf.One of the main driving forces behind war, apart from the vice-president's office, is the AEI, headquarters of the neo-conservatives. A member of the AEI coined the slogan \"axis of evil\" that originally lumped Iran in with Iraq and North Korea. Its influence on the White House appeared to be in decline last year amid endless bad news from Iraq, for which it had been a cheerleader. But in the face of opposition from Congress, the Pentagon and state department, Mr Bush opted last month for an AEI plan to send more troops to Iraq. Will he support calls from within the AEI for a strike on Iran?Josh Muravchik, a Middle East specialist at the AEI, is among its most vocal supporters of such a strike.\"I do not think anyone in the US is talking about invasion. We have been chastened by the experience of Iraq, even a hawk like myself.\" But an air strike was another matter. The danger of Iran having a nuclear weapon \"is not just that it might use it out of the blue but as a shield to do all sorts of mischief. I do not believe there will be any way to stop this happening other than physical force.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/by-hook-or-by-crook-they-wanted-war/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe War Lovers * Iran Next?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey were prepared to go to any length.  In the absence of valid reasons, they cooked up scary  scenarios.  To those who questioned them there were scathing remarks about being unpatriotic. The ground was ripe.  In post 9/11 America, people were in shock, afraid, and they trusted their leaders.  The neocons exploited the vulnerability to proceed with  plans hatched years ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe NY Times editorial  describes the ugly truth behind the rhetoric of the president and his aides.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNY Times\u003cbr/\u003eFebruary 10, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/opinion/10sat1.html\"\u003eThe Build-a-War Workshop\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt took far too long, but a report by the Pentagon inspector general has finally confirmed that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s do-it-yourself intelligence office cooked up a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda to help justify an unjustifiable war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe report said the team headed by Douglas Feith, under secretary of defense for policy, developed “alternative” assessments of intelligence on Iraq that contradicted the intelligence community and drew conclusions “that were not supported by the available intelligence.” Mr. Feith certainly knew the Central Intelligence Agency would cry foul, so he hid his findings from the C.I.A. Then Vice President Dick Cheney used them as proof of cloak-and-dagger meetings that never happened, long-term conspiracies between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden that didn’t exist, and — most unforgivable — “possible Iraqi coordination” on the 9/11 attacks, which no serious intelligence analyst believed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe inspector general did not recommend criminal charges against Mr. Feith because Mr. Rumsfeld or his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, approved their subordinate’s “inappropriate” operations. The renegade intelligence buff said he was relieved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe’re sure he was. But there is no comfort in knowing that his dirty work was approved by his bosses. All that does is add to evidence that the Bush administration knowingly and repeatedly misled Americans about the intelligence on Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo understand this twisted tale, it is important to recall how Mr. Feith got into the creative writing business. Top administration officials, especially Mr. Cheney, had long been furious at the C.I.A. for refusing to confirm the delusion about a grand Iraqi terrorist conspiracy, something the Republican right had nursed for years. Their frustration only grew after 9/11 and the C.I.A. still refused to buy these theories.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Wolfowitz would feverishly sketch out charts showing how this Iraqi knew that Iraqi, who was connected through six more degrees of separation to terrorist attacks, all the way back to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the C.I.A. kept saying there was no reliable intelligence about an Iraq-Qaeda link. So Mr. Feith was sent to review the reports and come back with the answers Mr. Cheney wanted. The inspector general’s report said Mr. Feith’ s team gave a September 2002 briefing at the White House on the alleged Iraq-Qaeda connection that had not been vetted by the intelligence community (the director of central intelligence was pointedly not told it was happening) and “was not fully supported by the available intelligence.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe false information included a meeting in Prague in April 2001 between an Iraqi official and Mohamed Atta, one of the 9/11 pilots. It never happened. But Mr. Feith’s report said it did, and Mr. Cheney will still not admit that the story is false.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a statement released yesterday, Senator Carl Levin, the new chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has been dogged in pursuit of the truth about the Iraqi intelligence, noted that the cooked-up Feith briefing had been leaked to the conservative Weekly Standard magazine so Mr. Cheney could quote it as the “best source” of information about the supposed Iraq-Qaeda link.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Pentagon report is one step in a long-delayed effort to figure out how the intelligence on Iraq was so badly twisted — and by whom. That work should have been finished before the 2004 elections, and it would have been if Pat Roberts, the obedient Republican who ran the Senate Intelligence Committee, had not helped the White House drag it out and load it in ways that would obscure the truth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is now up to Mr. Levin and Senator Jay Rockefeller, the current head of the intelligence panel, to give Americans the answers. Mr. Levin’s desire to have the entire inspector general’s report on the Feith scheme declassified is a good place to start. But it will be up to Mr. Rockefeller to finally determine how old, inconclusive, unsubstantiated and false intelligence was transformed into fresh, reliable and definitive reports — and then used by Mr. Bush and other top officials to drag the country into a disastrous and unnecessary war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRetired Lt. General William F. Odom, who had served as director of the National Security Agency under President Ronald Reagan, commented in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVictory is not an Option\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq starkly delineates the gulf that separates President Bush's illusions from the realities of the war. Victory, as the president sees it, requires a stable liberal democracy in Iraq that is pro-American. The NIE describes a war that has no chance of producing that result. In this critical respect, the NIE, the consensus judgment of all the U.S. intelligence agencies, is a declaration of defeat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIts gloomy implications -- hedged, as intelligence agencies prefer, in rubbery language that cannot soften its impact -- put the intelligence community and the American public on the same page. The public awakened to the reality of failure in Iraq last year and turned the Republicans out of control of Congress to wake it up. But a majority of its members are still asleep, or only half-awake to their new writ to end the war soon.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeath from the Sky for Iranians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the neocons are planning a bloodless, surgical, air war against Iran.  Civilian deaths will be chalked off as collateral damage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2010001,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e reports: \"Despite denials, Pentagon plans for possible attack on nuclear sites are well advanced\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003eUS preparations for an air strike against Iran are at an advanced stage, in spite of repeated public denials by the Bush administration, according to informed sources in Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe present military build-up in the Gulf would allow the US to mount an attack by the spring. But the sources said that if there was an attack, it was more likely next year, just before Mr Bush leaves office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNeo-conservatives, particularly at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, are urging Mr Bush to open a new front against Iran. So too is the vice-president, Dick Cheney. The state department and the Pentagon are opposed, as are Democratic congressmen and the overwhelming majority of Republicans. The sources said Mr Bush had not yet made a decision. The Bush administration insists the military build-up is not offensive but aimed at containing Iran and forcing it to make diplomatic concessions. The aim is to persuade Tehran to curb its suspect nuclear weapons programme and abandon ambitions for regional expansion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast month Mr Bush ordered a second battle group led by the aircraft carrier USS John Stennis to the Gulf in support of the USS Eisenhower. The USS Stennis is due to arrive within the next 10 days. Extra US Patriot missiles have been sent to the region, as well as more minesweepers, in anticipation of Iranian retaliatory action.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn another sign that preparations are under way, Mr Bush has ordered oil reserves to be stockpiled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe danger is that the build-up could spark an accidental war. Iranian officials said on Thursday that they had tested missiles capable of hitting warships in the Gulf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne of the main driving forces behind war, apart from the vice-president's office, is the AEI, headquarters of the neo-conservatives. A member of the AEI coined the slogan \"axis of evil\" that originally lumped Iran in with Iraq and North Korea. Its influence on the White House appeared to be in decline last year amid endless bad news from Iraq, for which it had been a cheerleader. But in the face of opposition from Congress, the Pentagon and state department, Mr Bush opted last month for an AEI plan to send more troops to Iraq. Will he support calls from within the AEI for a strike on Iran?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJosh Muravchik, a Middle East specialist at the AEI, is among its most vocal supporters of such a strike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I do not think anyone in the US is talking about invasion. We have been chastened by the experience of Iraq, even a hawk like myself.\" But an air strike was another matter. The danger of Iran having a nuclear weapon \"is not just that it might use it out of the blue but as a shield to do all sorts of mischief. I do not believe there will be any way to stop this happening other than physical force.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"By Hook Or By Crook, They Wanted  War"},{"content":" *A Scenic Preserve in the Heart of Portola Valley, CaliforniaFor years I drove to Portola Valley, parked right across the trailhead for Coal Mine Creek but paid no attention to it. Took the trail to Windy Hill instead.Then a friend told me about Coal Mine Creek. Scenic and not strenuous, Coal Mine Creek has trails that are shady and very inviting on hot summer days. During a recent walk on Toyon Trail there was evidence of work to repair storm damage. Trees were down, fallen branches were being cleared. A 2.5-mile hike on Toyon Trail ends at a small lake where a sharp left turn on Lake Trail leads to Spanish Mission Trail for returning to the parking lot at Alpine Road -- about a 4.5-mile loop.Entrance to Coal Mine Creek © MusafirBeginning of Toyon Trail © MusafirLooking north Toyon Trail to the lake © MusafirLooking west, Windy Hill shrouded in fog © MusafirHounds Tongue (Cynoglossum Grande) in bloom © MusafirA bench in the shade © MusafirFootbridge on Toyon Trail © MusafirTree down off the trail © MusafirAnother view of Windy Hill after the fog lifted © MusafirA sturdy bench at junction of Toyon and Spanish Mission Trails © Musafir......And a swing © MusafirLooking north from Lake Trail © MusafirTo the east, Stanford's Hoover Tower (red roof) faintly visble center-left © Musafir ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/coal-mine-creek-winter-2007/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Scenic Preserve in the Heart of Portola Valley, California\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor years I drove to Portola Valley, parked right across the trailhead for Coal Mine Creek but paid no attention to it.  Took the trail to Windy Hill instead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen a friend told me about Coal Mine Creek.  Scenic and not strenuous, Coal Mine Creek has trails that are shady and very inviting on hot summer days.   During a recent walk on Toyon Trail there was evidence of work to repair storm damage.   Trees were down, fallen branches were being cleared.   A 2.5-mile hike on Toyon Trail ends at a small lake where a sharp left turn on Lake Trail leads to Spanish Mission Trail for returning to the parking lot at Alpine Road -- about a 4.5-mile loop.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_0.JPG\"/\u003eEntrance to Coal Mine Creek © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_2.JPG\"/\u003eBeginning of Toyon Trail © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_4.JPG\"/\u003eLooking north\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_5.JPG\"/\u003e Toyon Trail to the lake © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_6.JPG\"/\u003eLooking west, Windy Hill shrouded in fog © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9.JPG\"/\u003eHounds Tongue (Cynoglossum Grande) in bloom © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_8.JPG\"/\u003eA bench in the shade © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_2.JPG\"/\u003eFootbridge on Toyon Trail © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_3.JPG\"/\u003eTree down off the trail © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_4.JPG\"/\u003eAnother view of Windy Hill after the fog lifted © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_6.JPG\"/\u003eA sturdy bench at junction of Toyon and Spanish Mission Trails © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_7.JPG\"/\u003e......And a swing © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_10.JPG\"/\u003eLooking north from Lake Trail © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/02/Coal Mine Creek_9_11.JPG\"/\u003eTo the east, Stanford's Hoover Tower (red roof) faintly visble center-left © Musafir\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Coal Mine Creek, Winter 2007"},{"content":" American Soldiers - Dead: 3118, Injured 23417Every day we are losing soldiers who went to Iraq on an unjustified mission. According to Iraq Coalition Casualties, 33 have died in the first 9 days of February. Estimates about the number of Iraqi civilian casualties vary, but research data released by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health mentions more than 650,000. Those of us who opposed the war have again been vindicated. We said that they lied. They did. No matter what spin is put on the revelations, the report that former under secretary of defense, Douglas Feith, embellished data about Iraq and al-Qaeda connection to support Bush Administration's position, confirms that the nation was lied to. It was a deliberate act to deceive the American public.Washington PostIntelligence provided by former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for invading Iraq included \"reporting of dubious quality or reliability\" that supported the political views of senior administration officials rather than the conclusions of the intelligence community, according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general.Feith's office \"was predisposed to finding a significant relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda,\" according to portions of the report, released yesterday by Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.). The inspector general described Feith's activities as \"an alternative intelligence assessment process.\"Douglas J. Feith, former undersecretary of defense, defended his report asDouglas J. Feith, former undersecretary of defense, defended his report as \"a criticism of the consensus of the intelligence community.\"An unclassified summary of the full document is scheduled for release today in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which Levin chairs. In that summary, a copy of which was obtained from another source by The Washington Post, the inspector general concluded that Feith's assessment in 2002 that Iraq and al-Qaeda had a \"mature symbiotic relationship\" was not fully supported by available intelligence but was nonetheless used by policymakers. Comments T P Chant \u0026mdash; 2007-02-09 Hey, totally agree with you. Was going to blogroll you but your blogroll me link doesn't work. Hey will add you manually. But pop over to my blog sometime, Failed State. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/iraq---the-human-costs-of-their-lies/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e American Soldiers - Dead: 3118, Injured 23417\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEvery day we are losing soldiers who went to Iraq on an unjustified mission. According to \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e, 33 have died in the first 9 days of February.  Estimates about the number of Iraqi civilian casualties vary, but research data released by \u003ca href=\"http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2006/burnham_iraq_2006.html\"\u003eJohns Hopkins School of Public Health \u003c/a\u003ementions more than 650,000. Those of us who opposed the war have again been vindicated.  We said that they lied.  They did.  No matter what spin is put on the revelations, the report that former under secretary of defense, Douglas Feith, embellished data about Iraq and al-Qaeda connection to support Bush Administration's position, confirms that the nation was lied to.  It was a deliberate act to deceive the American public.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802387.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIntelligence provided by former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for invading Iraq included \"reporting of dubious quality or reliability\" that supported the political views of senior administration officials rather than the conclusions of the intelligence community, according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFeith's office \"was predisposed to finding a significant relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda,\" according to portions of the report, released yesterday by Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.). The inspector general described Feith's activities as \"an alternative intelligence assessment process.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDouglas J. Feith, former undersecretary of defense, defended his report as\u003cbr/\u003eDouglas J. Feith, former undersecretary of defense, defended his report as \"a criticism of the consensus of the intelligence community.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn unclassified summary of the full document is scheduled for release today in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which Levin chairs. In that summary, a copy of which was obtained from another source by The Washington Post, the inspector general concluded that Feith's assessment in 2002 that Iraq and al-Qaeda had a \"mature symbiotic relationship\" was not fully supported by available intelligence but was nonetheless used by policymakers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eT P Chant\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHey, totally agree with you. Was going to blogroll you but your blogroll me link doesn't work. Hey will add you manually. But pop over to my blog sometime, \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cA HREF=\"http://www.failedstate.co.uk\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003eFailed State\u003c/A\u003e.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Iraq - The Human Costs of Their Lies"},{"content":" Paul Bremer and the Missing Billions * Secret Contracts for Haliburton Former head of Coalition Provisional Authority -- Paul Bremer, the all-powerful proconsul of Iraq who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in December 2004, faced questions from Democratic members of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about lack of accounting for funds disbursed by his office.\"We spent a lot of money in Iraq with very little to show for it,\" said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. \"I think it's important to understand, going back to the CPA period, how we got into the position we are in.\"Washington Post January 7, 2007The funds were provided to the Iraqis in cash, often in shrink-wrapped packages of $100 bills. The committee's chairman, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), said the U.S. government flew nearly $12 billion in cash into Baghdad on military cargo planes from May 2003 to June 2004.\"Who in their right mind would send 363 tons of cash into a war zone? But that's exactly what our government did,\" Waxman said. Because of the way the CPA kept track of the payments, Waxman said, \"we have no way of knowing whether the cash shipped into the Green Zone ended up in enemy hands.\"Washington Post January 6, 2007The chief purpose of today's hearing is to focus on the Coalition Provisional Authority's spending of Iraqi oil revenue in 2003 and 2004. Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, issued an audit stating that the CPA engaged in \"less than adequate\" managerial and financial control of approximately $8.8 billion given to Iraqi government ministries.Secret ContractsThe usual suspeccts, with connections in high places, reaped the benefits of government contracts in Iraq. They are still making money hands down but have come under scrutiny.Washington Post (Larry Margasak, Association Press)WASHINGTON -- After numerous denials, the Pentagon has confirmed that a North Carolina company provided armed security guards in Iraq under a subcontract that was buried so deeply the government couldn't find it.The secretary of the Army on Tuesday wrote two Democratic lawmakers that the Blackwater USA contract was part of a huge military support operation by run by Halliburton subsidiary KBR.Vice President Dick Cheney ran Halliburton before he became vice president.Several times last year, Pentagon officials told inquiring lawmakers they could find no evidence of the Blackwater contract. Blackwater, of Moyock, N.C., did not respond to several requests for comment.The discovery shows the dense world of Iraq contracting, where the main contractor hires subcontractors who then hire additional subcontractors. Each company tacks on a charge for overhead, a cost that works its way up to U.S. taxpayers. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/iraq-the-sinkhole-for-our-money/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Bremer and the Missing Billions * Secret Contracts for Haliburton \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFormer head of Coalition Provisional Authority -- Paul Bremer, the all-powerful proconsul of Iraq who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in December 2004, faced questions from Democratic members of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about lack of accounting for funds disbursed by his office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We spent a lot of money in Iraq with very little to show for it,\" said \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501325_2.html\"\u003eRep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.)\u003c/a\u003e, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. \"I think it's important to understand, going back to the CPA period, how we got into the position we are in.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601718.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e January 7, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe funds were provided to the Iraqis in cash, often in shrink-wrapped packages of $100 bills. The committee's chairman, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), said the U.S. government flew nearly $12 billion in cash into Baghdad on military cargo planes from May 2003 to June 2004.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Who in their right mind would send 363 tons of cash into a war zone? But that's exactly what our government did,\" Waxman said. Because of the way the CPA kept track of the payments, Waxman said, \"we have no way of knowing whether the cash shipped into the Green Zone ended up in enemy hands.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501325_2.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e January 6, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe chief purpose of today's hearing is to focus on the Coalition Provisional Authority's spending of Iraqi oil revenue in 2003 and 2004. Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, issued an audit stating that the CPA engaged in \"less than adequate\" managerial and financial control of approximately $8.8 billion given to Iraqi government ministries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSecret Contracts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe usual suspeccts, with connections in high places, reaped the benefits of government contracts in Iraq.  They are still making money hands down but have come under scrutiny.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020700182_pf.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e (Larry Margasak, Association Press)\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON -- After numerous denials, the Pentagon has confirmed that a North Carolina company provided armed security guards in Iraq under a subcontract that was buried so deeply the government couldn't find it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe secretary of the Army on Tuesday wrote two Democratic lawmakers that the Blackwater USA contract was part of a huge military support operation by run by Halliburton subsidiary KBR.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVice President Dick Cheney ran Halliburton before he became vice president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSeveral times last year, Pentagon officials told inquiring lawmakers they could find no evidence of the Blackwater contract. Blackwater, of Moyock, N.C., did not respond to several requests for comment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe discovery shows the dense world of Iraq contracting, where the main contractor hires subcontractors who then hire additional subcontractors. Each company tacks on a charge for overhead, a cost that works its way up to U.S. taxpayers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq: The Sinkhole for Our Money"},{"content":" Politicians and Voters in AmericaThe race has become earnest. Contenders are staking their positions, saying the usual things politicians do before elections. Most of them will, of course, change their course before November 2008. Rest assured, they will be flexible, adapt themselves to the scenario in Iraq and elsewhere, ready to do somersaults. It is hard to find one courageous, principled person among them.McCain is now more hawkish than the president, if such a thing is possible, and he has become a champion of tax cuts -- \"a born again supply sider\" as Novak described him in the Post. Hillary Clinton,unable or unwilling to come out with an explanation of her support for the war in 2002 is dancing around the issue. Playing it safe.In the din about the candidates and their statements, it is Gary Younge's comments from Washington in The Guardian that stood out. Yet, while admitting that I agree with most of Mr. Younge's observations, I cannot ignore what happened on November 7, 2006. Not a mandate but certainly a message from voters. It is unfortunate that candidates with their eyes on the prize are going forward without paying much attention to the last mid-term elections. Or perhaps they, and their campaign managers, know the system better than the voters.The US media is gripped by election fever - but discusses the candidates' highs and lows rather than the real social issuesGary Younge in WashingtonMonday February 5, 2007The Guardian\"You want to run for president?\" asked Frank Bruni in his book Ambling into History. \"Here's what you need to do: Have someone write you a lovely speech that stakes out popular positions in unwavering language and less popular positions in fuzzier terms. Better yet if it bows to God and country at every turn - that's called uplift. Make it rife with optimism, a trumpet blast not just about morning in America but about a perpetual dazzling dawn. Avoid talk of hard choices and daunting challenges; nobody wants those. Nod to people on all points of the political spectrum ... Add a soupcon of alliteration. Sprinkle with a few personal observations or stories - it humanises you. Stir with enthusiasm.\"Watching the contenders for the Democratic party nomination at the Washington Hilton this weekend during the party's winter meeting was to see Bruni's formula applied with precision (though he might have added: \"Have millionaire backers, be tall, married and able-bodied\" - it is unlikely the wheelchair user FDR would have been elected in the era of mass television).The candidates were each allowed seven minutes, 30 seconds of theme music, and 100 poster-waving fans, to lay out their stall for the new American century. Each one spoke of how the nation's historic mission as a beacon of liberty, justice and opportunity throughout the globe, had been traduced by the Bush administration. There was nothing bad enough you could say about the Iraq war, the budget deficit or the state of healthcare. There was also nothing concrete that most of the candidates would say about what they would do to fix them. With little of substance on offer, delivery was everything. Barack Obama, who delivered beautifully, called for an end to cynicism in American politics. That's a lot of work for just seven minutes.Americans, such demanding consumers in every other aspect of their lives, curiously expect little from their political leaders. They hold the principle of democracy dear; but the purpose of democracy remains elusive. The notion that \"the people shall govern\" is the cornerstone of American political identity - even if the nonchalance with which they watched Bush steal the 2000 election revealed a disturbing reluctance to defend it. Yet the idea that elections should be the mechanism for effecting real change barely seems to register - which is why it was relatively easy for Bush to get away with robbery.The weekend before November's midterms, for example, I walked up the Las Vegas Strip asking people if they thought the coming elections mattered. Roughly one in five either did not know the elections were taking place or had no intention of voting. Yet precisely 100% said they thought the elections mattered. This dislocation is not particular to the US. For all its inadequacies, America's political culture has proved far more responsive to opposition to the war or corruption than Britain's. But both the popular attachment to democratic ideals and the general ambivalence to democratic outcomes are more intense, making the discrepancy more pronounced.Everybody knows that, if counted (a significant if), their vote will make a difference to who is actually elected. But few expect that whoever they elect will really make any difference to the issues they care about. And so voting takes on a ritualistic quality. Like Independence Day or Thanksgiving, it marks a date on the calendar not for changing America's politics, but for celebrating its promise.Whether one participates or not seems less important than the fact of the event itself. The consensus view of November's elections is that voters turned their back on the war and the Bush agenda and opted instead for a new course in favour of bipartisanship and troop withdrawal. But the truth is that most of them turned their back on the elections. The fact that, at only 42%, this was the highest midterm turnout for 36 years is merely an indication of how entrenched this condition has become. The so-called Gingrich revolution of 1994 was won with just 38.8% of the vote. In the words of Gil Scott-Heron: \"The first thing I want to say is: mandate, my ass.\"The point here is not that there is no difference between the two main parties but that the difference is insufficient to make a significant impact on the lives of large numbers of Americans. The problem is not that people don't want or need change - the poorer you are, the less likely you are to vote - but that they have long since given up on the idea that voting is the way to get it.The future of the country was supposed to hinge on the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. But somehow the issues of poverty, racism and infrastructural decay that were evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina nine months later just never came up. By the time the midterms arrived, little over a year later, Katrina had somehow become irrelevant again.It's not difficult to see why. Elections are big business. Last year the parties spent $2bn on ads alone. Throw in the fees for thousands of lobbyists, consultants and fundraisers and the electoral-industrial complex starts to develop a momentum of its own. Hillary Clinton, who faced only token opposition in a Senate race she won by 30 points, still lavished $27,000 on valet parking and $13,000 on flowers. The people who provide this money have healthcare, housing and decent schools for their kids. They pay the pipers and name the tune.The mainstream media dances dutifully. Reporters somehow never encounter non-voters, instead constructing a country hotly debating the issues and weighing up the candidates. Obsessed by polls and personalities, they have a surreal fixation about who is up and who is down, with little indication of why we should care. They have barely digested the results of one election before they move on to devour the next. The morning after the midterms, with the fate of the Senate in the balance, CNN already had a banner along the bottom of its screen that read \"America votes 2008\". New York magazine hit the stands with a picture of Hillary Clinton on the cover and the words: \"And now the real race begins\".And so in the Washington Hilton the permanent campaign that transforms American politics into a never-ending soap opera continues. Four years ago a rank outsider, Howard Dean, made his name at this event with an anti-war speech that transformed the dynamics of the campaign. This year he wielded the gavel as the leader of the Democratic National Committee and everybody is against the war.It's almost two years until the presidential elections. We can only hope that between now and then progressive movements will again see the candidates' opportunism as their opportunity and bring their influence to bear on whoever decides to run. In the meantime, with little of substance to debate, the media are reduced to discussing strategy and style. Can the Democrats reclaim the west? Should they abandon the south? When will Obama's star fade? Are Hillary's positives greater than her negatives? Is America ready to elect a Mormon, a black man or a white woman? Enjoying the race, and ignoring what lies beyond the finish line.g.younge@guardian.co.uk ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/on-the-road-to-2008---the-media/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePoliticians and Voters in America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe race has become earnest.  Contenders are staking their positions, saying the usual things politicians do before elections.  Most of them will, of course, change their course before November 2008.  Rest assured, they will be flexible, adapt themselves to the scenario in Iraq and elsewhere, ready to do somersaults.  It is hard to find one courageous, principled person among them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/04/AR2007020401053.html\"\u003eMcCain\u003c/a\u003e is now more hawkish than the president, if such a thing is possible, and he has become a champion of tax cuts -- \"a born again supply sider\" as Novak described him in the Post.  Hillary Clinton,unable or unwilling to come out with an explanation of her support for the war in 2002 is dancing around the issue.  Playing it safe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the din about the candidates and their statements, it is Gary Younge's comments from Washington in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2005943,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e that stood out.  Yet, while admitting that I agree with most of Mr. Younge's observations, I cannot ignore what happened on November 7, 2006. Not a mandate but certainly a message from voters. It is unfortunate that candidates with their eyes on the prize are going forward without paying much attention to the last mid-term elections. Or perhaps they, and their campaign managers, know the system better than the voters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe US media is gripped by election fever - but discusses the candidates' highs and lows rather than the real social issues\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGary Younge in Washington\u003cbr/\u003eMonday February 5, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You want to run for president?\" asked Frank Bruni in his book Ambling into History. \"Here's what you need to do: Have someone write you a lovely speech that stakes out popular positions in unwavering language and less popular positions in fuzzier terms. Better yet if it bows to God and country at every turn - that's called uplift. Make it rife with optimism, a trumpet blast not just about morning in America but about a perpetual dazzling dawn. Avoid talk of hard choices and daunting challenges; nobody wants those. Nod to people on all points of the political spectrum ... Add a soupcon of alliteration. Sprinkle with a few personal observations or stories - it humanises you. Stir with enthusiasm.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWatching the contenders for the Democratic party nomination at the Washington Hilton this weekend during the party's winter meeting was to see Bruni's formula applied with precision (though he might have added: \"Have millionaire backers, be tall, married and able-bodied\" - it is unlikely the wheelchair user FDR would have been elected in the era of mass television).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe candidates were each allowed seven minutes, 30 seconds of theme music, and 100 poster-waving fans, to lay out their stall for the new American century. Each one spoke of how the nation's historic mission as a beacon of liberty, justice and opportunity throughout the globe, had been traduced by the Bush administration. There was nothing bad enough you could say about the Iraq war, the budget deficit or the state of healthcare. There was also nothing concrete that most of the candidates would say about what they would do to fix them. With little of substance on offer, delivery was everything. Barack Obama, who delivered beautifully, called for an end to cynicism in American politics. That's a lot of work for just seven minutes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmericans, such demanding consumers in every other aspect of their lives, curiously expect little from their political leaders. They hold the principle of democracy dear; but the purpose of democracy remains elusive. The notion that \"the people shall govern\" is the cornerstone of American political identity - even if the nonchalance with which they watched Bush steal the 2000 election revealed a disturbing reluctance to defend it. Yet the idea that elections should be the mechanism for effecting real change barely seems to register - which is why it was relatively easy for Bush to get away with robbery.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe weekend before November's midterms, for example, I walked up the Las Vegas Strip asking people if they thought the coming elections mattered. Roughly one in five either did not know the elections were taking place or had no intention of voting. Yet precisely 100% said they thought the elections mattered. This dislocation is not particular to the US. For all its inadequacies, America's political culture has proved far more responsive to opposition to the war or corruption than Britain's. But both the popular attachment to democratic ideals and the general ambivalence to democratic outcomes are more intense, making the discrepancy more pronounced.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEverybody knows that, if counted (a significant if), their vote will make a difference to who is actually elected. But few expect that whoever they elect will really make any difference to the issues they care about. And so voting takes on a ritualistic quality. Like Independence Day or Thanksgiving, it marks a date on the calendar not for changing America's politics, but for celebrating its promise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhether one participates or not seems less important than the fact of the event itself. The consensus view of November's elections is that voters turned their back on the war and the Bush agenda and opted instead for a new course in favour of bipartisanship and troop withdrawal. But the truth is that most of them turned their back on the elections. The fact that, at only 42%, this was the highest midterm turnout for 36 years is merely an indication of how entrenched this condition has become. The so-called Gingrich revolution of 1994 was won with just 38.8% of the vote. In the words of Gil Scott-Heron: \"The first thing I want to say is: mandate, my ass.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe point here is not that there is no difference between the two main parties but that the difference is insufficient to make a significant impact on the lives of large numbers of Americans. The problem is not that people don't want or need change - the poorer you are, the less likely you are to vote - but that they have long since given up on the idea that voting is the way to get it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe future of the country was supposed to hinge on the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. But somehow the issues of poverty, racism and infrastructural decay that were evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina nine months later just never came up. By the time the midterms arrived, little over a year later, Katrina had somehow become irrelevant again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's not difficult to see why. Elections are big business. Last year the parties spent $2bn on ads alone. Throw in the fees for thousands of lobbyists, consultants and fundraisers and the electoral-industrial complex starts to develop a momentum of its own. Hillary Clinton, who faced only token opposition in a Senate race she won by 30 points, still lavished $27,000 on valet parking and $13,000 on flowers. The people who provide this money have healthcare, housing and decent schools for their kids. They pay the pipers and name the tune.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe mainstream media dances dutifully. Reporters somehow never encounter non-voters, instead constructing a country hotly debating the issues and weighing up the candidates. Obsessed by polls and personalities, they have a surreal fixation about who is up and who is down, with little indication of why we should care. They have barely digested the results of one election before they move on to devour the next. The morning after the midterms, with the fate of the Senate in the balance, CNN already had a banner along the bottom of its screen that read \"America votes 2008\". New York magazine hit the stands with a picture of Hillary Clinton on the cover and the words: \"And now the real race begins\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so in the Washington Hilton the permanent campaign that transforms American politics into a never-ending soap opera continues. Four years ago a rank outsider, Howard Dean, made his name at this event with an anti-war speech that transformed the dynamics of the campaign. This year he wielded the gavel as the leader of the Democratic National Committee and everybody is against the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's almost two years until the presidential elections. We can only hope that between now and then progressive movements will again see the candidates' opportunism as their opportunity and bring their influence to bear on whoever decides to run. In the meantime, with little of substance to debate, the media are reduced to discussing strategy and style. Can the Democrats reclaim the west? Should they abandon the south? When will Obama's star fade? Are Hillary's positives greater than her negatives? Is America ready to elect a Mormon, a black man or a white woman? Enjoying the race, and ignoring what lies beyond the finish line.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eg.younge@guardian.co.uk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008 - The Media"},{"content":" Names by Date - \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\"We lost 84 more men and women in uniform. This post is for them and for the ordinary Americans who had the courage to stand apart and oppose the war. Except for a few, our elected representatives cravenly swallowed the lies and fell in line behind the warmongers. Now they are trying to make amends. It is not too late to contain the losses. This is what the late Molly Ivins wrote shortly before her death on January 31st:\"We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. Every single day every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. We need people in the streets banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it now!' \"Thomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 01, 2007Charles D. Allen, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 04, 2007Michael Lewis Mundell, 47, Army Reserve Major, Jan 05, 2007Jeremiah Johnson, 23, Army Corporal, Jan 06, 2007III, Raymond N. Mitchell, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 06, 2007Elizabeth A. Loncki, 23, Air Force Senior Airman, Jan 07, 2007Daniel B. Miller Jr., 24, Air Force Senior Airman, Jan 07, 2007Timothy R. Weiner, 35, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Jan 07, 2007Eric T. Caldwell, 22, Army Corporal, Jan 07, 2007Stephen J. Raderstorf, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 07, 2007Ryan R. Berg, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2007Ming Sun, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2007James M. Wosika Jr., 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2007Gregroy A. Wright, 28, Army Sergeant, Jan 13, 2007James D. Riekena, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 14, 2007Paul T. Sanchez, 32, Army Sergeant, Jan 14, 2007Ian C. Anderson, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 15, 2007John E. Cooper, 29, Army Sergeant, Jan 15, 2007Jason J. Corbett, 23, Army Specialist, Jan 15, 2007Mark J. Daily, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jan 15, 2007Matthew T. Grimm, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 15, 2007Collin R. Schockmel, 19, Army Specialist, Jan 16, 2007Joseph D. Alomar, 22, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Jan 17, 2007Jennifer A. Valdivia, 27, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Jan 17, 2007William J. Rechenmacher, 24, Army Corporal, Jan 18, 2007Russell P. Borea, 38, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 19, 2007Luis J. Castillo, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 19, 2007Jacob H. Neal, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 19, 2007Brian D. Allgood, 46, Army Colonel, Jan 20, 2007Jeffrey D. Bisson, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007Johnathan Bryan Chism, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007Shawn Patrick Falter, 25, Army Private, Jan 20, 2007Sean P. Fennerty, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007Brian Scott Freeman, 31, Army Captain, Jan 20, 2007Jacob N. Fritz, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jan 20, 2007Ryan J. Hill, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007Allen B. Jaynes, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007Jonathan P. C. Kingman, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007Victor M. Langarica, 29, Army Corporal, Jan 20, 2007Phillip D. McNeill, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007Jonathan Millican, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007Toby R. Olsen, 28, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007Daryl D. Booker, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007John G. Brown, 43, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007David C. Canegata, 50, Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel, Jan 20, 2007Marilyn L. Gabbard, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant Major, Jan 20, 2007Roger W. Haller, 49, Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major, Jan 20, 2007Paul M. Kelly, 45, Army National Guard Colonel, Jan 20, 2007Floyd E. Lake, 43, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007Sean E. Lyerly, 31, Army National Guard Captain, Jan 20, 2007Michael Taylor, 40, Army National Guard Major, Jan 20, 2007William T. Warren, 48, Army National Guard 1st Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007Darrel J. Morris, 21, Marine Corporal, Jan 20, 2007Brandon L. Stout, 23, Air National Guard Specialist, Jan 21, 2007Andrew G. Matus, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 21, 2007Emilian D. Sanchez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 21, 2007Nicholas P. Brown, 24, Army Specialist, Jan 22, 2007Jamie D. Wilson, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 22, 2007Michael J. Wiggins, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007Gary S. Johnston, 21, Marine Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007Michael M. Kashkoush, 24, Marine Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007Keith A. Callahan, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 24, 2007Hector Leija, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 24, 2007Michael Balsley, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2007Alexander H. Fuller, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 25, 2007Darrell W. Shipp, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2007Mark D. Kidd, 26, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 25, 2007Nathan P. Fairlie, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 26, 2007Alan R. Johnson, 44, Army Major, Jan 26, 2007Mickel D. Garrigus, 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2007Jon B. St. John II, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2007Timothy A. Swanson, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 27, 2007David T. Toomalatai, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2007Anthony C. Melia, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 27, 2007Cornell C. Chao, 36, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 28, 2007Mark T. Resh, 28, Army Captain, Jan 28, 2007Carla J. Stewart, 37, Army Specialist, Jan 28, 2007Adam Q. Emul, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 29, 2007Alejandro Carrillo, 22, Marine Sergeant, Jan 30, 2007William M. Sigua, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 31, 2007Stephen D. Shannon, 21, Army Reserve Corporal, Jan 31, 2007Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/us-casualties-in-iraq-januarys-toll/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNames by Date - \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe lost 84 more men and women in uniform.  This post is for them and for the ordinary Americans who had the courage to stand apart and oppose the war.  Except for a few, our elected representatives cravenly swallowed the lies and fell in line behind the warmongers. Now they are trying to make amends.  It is not too late to contain the losses.  This is what the late \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/01/AR2007020101909.html\"\u003eMolly Ivins\u003c/a\u003e wrote shortly before her death on January 31st:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. Every single day every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. We need people in the streets banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it now!' \"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"black\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 01, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCharles D. Allen, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 04, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Lewis Mundell, 47, Army Reserve Major, Jan 05, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeremiah Johnson, 23, Army Corporal, Jan 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eIII, Raymond N. Mitchell, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 06, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eElizabeth A. Loncki, 23, Air Force Senior Airman, Jan 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel B. Miller Jr., 24, Air Force Senior Airman, Jan 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy R. Weiner, 35, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Jan 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEric T. Caldwell, 22, Army Corporal, Jan 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eStephen J. Raderstorf, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 07, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRyan R. Berg, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMing Sun, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames M. Wosika Jr., 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 09, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGregroy A. Wright, 28, Army Sergeant, Jan 13, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJames D. Riekena, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePaul T. Sanchez, 32, Army Sergeant, Jan 14, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eIan C. Anderson, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJohn E. Cooper, 29, Army Sergeant, Jan 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJason J. Corbett, 23, Army Specialist, Jan 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMark J. Daily, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jan 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew T. Grimm, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 15, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCollin R. Schockmel, 19, Army Specialist, Jan 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph D. Alomar, 22, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Jan 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJennifer A. Valdivia, 27, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Jan 17, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam J. Rechenmacher, 24, Army Corporal, Jan 18, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRussell P. Borea, 38, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eLuis J. Castillo, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJacob H. Neal, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 19, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian D. Allgood, 46, Army Colonel, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey D. Bisson, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJohnathan Bryan Chism, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eShawn Patrick Falter, 25, Army Private, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eSean P. Fennerty, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrian Scott Freeman, 31, Army Captain, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJacob N. Fritz, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRyan J. Hill, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAllen B. Jaynes, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan P. C. Kingman, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eVictor M. Langarica, 29, Army Corporal, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePhillip D. McNeill, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Millican, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eToby R. Olsen, 28, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDaryl D. Booker, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJohn G. Brown, 43, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid C. Canegata, 50, Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMarilyn L. Gabbard, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant Major, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eRoger W. Haller, 49, Army National Guard Command Sergeant Major, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003ePaul M. Kelly, 45, Army National Guard Colonel, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eFloyd E. Lake, 43, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eSean E. Lyerly, 31, Army National Guard Captain, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Taylor, 40, Army National Guard Major, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam T. Warren, 48, Army National Guard 1st Sergeant, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDarrel J. Morris, 21, Marine Corporal, Jan 20, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon L. Stout, 23, Air National Guard Specialist, Jan 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew G. Matus, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eEmilian D. Sanchez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 21, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas P. Brown, 24, Army Specialist, Jan 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJamie D. Wilson, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 22, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael J. Wiggins, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGary S. Johnston, 21, Marine Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael M. Kashkoush, 24, Marine Sergeant, Jan 23, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eKeith A. Callahan, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eHector Leija, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 24, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Balsley, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAlexander H. Fuller, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 25, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDarrell W. Shipp, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMark D. Kidd, 26, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 25, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eNathan P. Fairlie, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAlan R. Johnson, 44, Army Major, Jan 26, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMickel D. Garrigus, 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eJon B. St. John II, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy A. Swanson, 21, Army Corporal, Jan 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eDavid T. Toomalatai, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony C. Melia, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCornell C. Chao, 36, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 28, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMark T. Resh, 28, Army Captain, Jan 28, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eCarla J. Stewart, 37, Army Specialist, Jan 28, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAdam Q. Emul, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 29, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eAlejandro Carrillo, 22, Marine Sergeant, Jan 30, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam M. Sigua, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 31, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eStephen D. Shannon, 21, Army Reserve Corporal, Jan 31, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"U.S. Casualties in Iraq: January's Toll"},{"content":" Use of U.S. Made Cluster Bombs by Israel * National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) Four months after reports in world press about Israel's use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, our State Department issued a statement. The Post: \" WASHINGTON -- Israel likely misused American-made cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon during the war against Hezbollah last summer, the State Department said Monday.\" The Guardian, UK: US studies Israel's cluster bomb use in LebanonMark TranMonday January 29, 2007Guardian UnlimitedIsrael may have violated agreements with Washington on the use of US-made cluster bombs in its war with Hizbullah in Lebanon last summer, the state department said today.The Bush administration must now decide what action, if any, to take against Israel for its use of the weapons against towns and villages from which Hizbullah fighters fired rockets.Opinion among US officials was divided, the New York Times reported at the weekend. The paper said some middle-ranking officials at the Pentagon and the state department were arguing that Israel had violated prohibitions on using cluster munitions against civilian areas.However, others in both departments thought Israel's use of the weapons was justified on the grounds of self-defence in a conflict that cost the lives of 159 Israeli soldiers and civilians, the paper said. At least 850 Lebanese died in the fighting.Tough action from the US is believed to be unlikely because of the White House's staunch support for the Israeli government.Cluster bombs scatter hundreds of small \"bomblets\", many of which fail to explode, over a wide area. Inquisitive children may later pick these up, or civilians could step on them.Israeli forces dropped an estimated 1m cluster bomblets in southern Lebanon last summer, 90% of which were dropped (pdf) in the last three days of the conflict, the group Landmine Action reported in October.Even if Israel is found to be in violation of its agreements with the US, it is up to George Bush to decide whether to impose sanctions unless Congress decides to take legislative action, a highly unlikely development.The state department is required to notify Congress of even the preliminary findings of possible violations of the Arms Export Control Act, the statute governing arms sales. It began an investigation in August.Whatever the US decides, Israel makes its own cluster munitions, so a cutoff of US supplies would be mainly symbolic.In 1982, the Reagan administration imposed a six-year ban on cluster bombs sales to Israel after a congressional investigation found Israel had used the weapons in civilian areas during its invasion of Lebanon that year.The UN and human rights groups strongly criticised Israel's use of cluster bombs at the end of the 2006 Lebanon conflict.\"What is shocking and completely immoral is 90% of the cluster bomb strikes occurred in the last 72 hours of the conflict, when we knew there would be a resolution,\" the UN humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, said soon after the war ended.However, Israel said the use of cluster bombs was in accordance with international law and that its forces had not targeted civilians.\"The IDF [Israel Defence Force] does not deliberately attack civilians, and takes steps to minimise any incidental collateral harm by warning them in advance of an action, even at the expense of losing the element of surprise,\" the Israeli foreign ministry said last summer.Nevertheless, Israeli television reported in December that the military's judge advocate general was gathering evidence for possible criminal charges against military officers who may have given orders for cluster bombs to be dropped on populated areas.According to the UN mine action coordination centre for South Lebanon, by December 19, 18 people had been killed and 145 injured since the August ceasefire.The casualty rate has come down sharply. Immediately after the war, there were more than 30 casualties a week, but the figure now stands at around three or four.*New Report From The Folks Who Sold Us Saddam's WMDRelease of summary of the National Intelligence Estimate submitted to President Bush isn't going to make anyone feel good about the situation in Iraq. Mindful of the criticsm about its report about non-existent WMD in Iraq, the report tried to be objective -- \"dissents are prominently displayed\". What spin the White House is going to put on it? Karen DeYoung and Walter Pincus in The Washington PostA long-awaited National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, presented to President Bush by the intelligence community yesterday, outlines an increasingly perilous situation in which the United States has little control and there is a strong possibility of further deterioration, according to sources familiar with the document.In a discussion of whether Iraq has reached a state of civil war, the 90-page classified NIE comes to no conclusion and holds out prospects of improvement. But it couches glimmers of optimism in deep uncertainty about whether the Iraqi leaders will be able to transcend sectarian interests and fight against extremists, establish effective national institutions and end rampant corruption.Legislators have been equally critical of the intelligence community, repeatedly recalling that most of the key judgments in the October 2002 NIE on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were wrong. That assessment concluded that Saddam Hussein had amassed chemical and biological weapons and was \"reconstituting\" his nuclear weapons program. It became the foundation of the Bush administration's case -- and congressional authorization -- for invading Iraq.\"One of the sort of deeply held rumors around here is that the intelligence community gives an administration or a president what he wants by way of intelligence,\" Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told Navy Vice Adm. John M. McConnell, Bush's nominee to be director of national intelligence, during McConnell's confirmation hearing yesterday.Without directly accepting Feinstein's premise, McConnell replied that the intelligence community had learned \"meaningful\" lessons over the past several years and that \"there's very intense focus on independence.\" McConnell and others made clear that the new NIE on Iraq had been subjected to extensive competitive analysis to test its conclusions.One senior congressional aide said the NIE had been described to him as \"unpleasant but very detailed.\" A source familiar with its language said it contained several dissents that are prominently displayed so that policymakers understand any disagreements within the intelligence community -- a significant change from the 2002 document, which listed most key dissents in small-type footnotes.Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.), vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, pointedly told McConnell that \"we are not going to accept national security issue judgment[s] without examining the intelligence underlying the judgments, and I believe this committee has an obligation to perform due diligence on such important documents.\" Previous committee attempts to obtain material to back up a 2005 NIE on Iran, Bond said, had \"run into resistance.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/winning-hearts-and-minds-in-the-middle-east/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eUse of U.S. Made Cluster Bombs by Israel *  National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFour months after reports in world press about Israel's use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, our State Department issued a statement.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012900510.html\"\u003ePos\u003c/a\u003et: \"  WASHINGTON -- Israel likely misused American-made cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon during the war against Hezbollah last summer, the State Department said Monday.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2001284,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian, UK\u003c/a\u003e: \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUS studies Israel's cluster bomb use in Lebanon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMark Tran\u003cbr/\u003eMonday January 29, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuardian Unlimited\u003cbr/\u003eIsrael may have violated agreements with Washington on the use of US-made cluster bombs in its war with Hizbullah in Lebanon last summer, the state department said today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration must now decide what action, if any, to take against Israel for its use of the weapons against towns and villages from which Hizbullah fighters fired rockets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOpinion among US officials was divided, the New York Times reported at the weekend. The paper said some middle-ranking officials at the Pentagon and the state department were arguing that Israel had violated prohibitions on using cluster munitions against civilian areas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, others in both departments thought Israel's use of the weapons was justified on the grounds of self-defence in a conflict that cost the lives of 159 Israeli soldiers and civilians, the paper said. At least 850 Lebanese died in the fighting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTough action from the US is believed to be unlikely because of the White House's staunch support for the Israeli government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCluster bombs scatter hundreds of small \"bomblets\", many of which fail to explode, over a wide area. Inquisitive children may later pick these up, or civilians could step on them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIsraeli forces dropped an estimated 1m cluster bomblets in southern Lebanon last summer, 90% of which were dropped (pdf) in the last three days of the conflict, the group Landmine Action reported in October.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven if Israel is found to be in violation of its agreements with the US, it is up to George Bush to decide whether to impose sanctions unless Congress decides to take legislative action, a highly unlikely development.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe state department is required to notify Congress of even the preliminary findings of possible violations of the Arms Export Control Act, the statute governing arms sales. It began an investigation in August.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhatever the US decides, Israel makes its own cluster munitions, so a cutoff of US supplies would be mainly symbolic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1982, the Reagan administration imposed a six-year ban on cluster bombs sales to Israel after a congressional investigation found Israel had used the weapons in civilian areas during its invasion of Lebanon that year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe UN and human rights groups strongly criticised Israel's use of cluster bombs at the end of the 2006 Lebanon conflict.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What is shocking and completely immoral is 90% of the cluster bomb strikes occurred in the last 72 hours of the conflict, when we knew there would be a resolution,\" the UN humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, said soon after the war ended.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, Israel said the use of cluster bombs was in accordance with international law and that its forces had not targeted civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The IDF [Israel Defence Force] does not deliberately attack civilians, and takes steps to minimise any incidental collateral harm by warning them in advance of an action, even at the expense of losing the element of surprise,\" the Israeli foreign ministry said last summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, Israeli television reported in December that the military's judge advocate general was gathering evidence for possible criminal charges against military officers who may have given orders for cluster bombs to be dropped on populated areas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to the UN mine action coordination centre for South Lebanon, by December 19, 18 people had been killed and 145 injured since the August ceasefire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe casualty rate has come down sharply. Immediately after the war, there were more than 30 casualties a week, but the figure now stands at around three or four.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNew Report From The Folks Who Sold Us Saddam's WMD\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRelease of summary of the  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/01/AR2007020101152.html\"\u003eNational Intelligence Estimate\u003c/a\u003e submitted to President Bush isn't going to make anyone feel good about the situation in Iraq. Mindful of the criticsm about its report about non-existent WMD in Iraq, the report tried to be objective -- \"dissents are prominently displayed\".   What spin the White House is going to put on it?  Karen DeYoung and Walter Pincus in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/01/AR2007020101152.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA long-awaited National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, presented to President Bush by the intelligence community yesterday, outlines an increasingly perilous situation in which the United States has little control and there is a strong possibility of further deterioration, according to sources familiar with the document.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn a discussion of whether Iraq has reached a state of civil war, the 90-page classified NIE comes to no conclusion and holds out prospects of improvement. But it couches glimmers of optimism in deep uncertainty about whether the Iraqi leaders will be able to transcend sectarian interests and fight against extremists, establish effective national institutions and end rampant corruption.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLegislators have been equally critical of the intelligence community, repeatedly recalling that most of the key judgments in the October 2002 NIE on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were wrong. That assessment concluded that Saddam Hussein had amassed chemical and biological weapons and was \"reconstituting\" his nuclear weapons program. It became the foundation of the Bush administration's case -- and congressional authorization -- for invading Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"One of the sort of deeply held rumors around here is that the intelligence community gives an administration or a president what he wants by way of intelligence,\" Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told Navy Vice Adm. John M. McConnell, Bush's nominee to be director of national intelligence, during McConnell's confirmation hearing yesterday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWithout directly accepting Feinstein's premise, McConnell replied that the intelligence community had learned \"meaningful\" lessons over the past several years and that \"there's very intense focus on independence.\" McConnell and others made clear that the new NIE on Iraq had been subjected to extensive competitive analysis to test its conclusions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne senior congressional aide said the NIE had been described to him as \"unpleasant but very detailed.\" A source familiar with its language said it contained several dissents that are prominently displayed so that policymakers understand any disagreements within the intelligence community -- a significant change from the 2002 document, which listed most key dissents in small-type footnotes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.), vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, pointedly told McConnell that \"we are not going to accept national security issue judgment[s] without examining the intelligence underlying the judgments, and I believe this committee has an obligation to perform due diligence on such important documents.\" Previous committee attempts to obtain material to back up a 2005 NIE on Iran, Bond said, had \"run into resistance.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Winning Hearts and Minds in the Middle East"},{"content":" Witty, Feisty, IrreverentRead about Molly Ivins' death from cancer at 62 with sadness. Yet, remembering some of her comments made me chuckle. She will be missed....not by the Bushies in Texas but she didn't give a damn about them. She didn't spare Democrats either. Her 1998 book \"You Got to Dance with Them What Brung you\" was about the Clinton years. This is what she wrote about the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesotta:\"And what are we, the spiritual descendants of Puritans, to make of this monument to materialism? So much stuff it makes you sick to look at it, like eating too much cotton candy. Stores that sell only stuff to put your stuff in. Sub-specialties of stuff beyond the wildest dreams of most of the world's people. Should we not disapprove? Well, yeah. On the other hand, the pyramids were built for Pharaohs on the happy theory they could take their stuff with them. Versailles was built for kings on the theory that they should live surrounded by the finest stuff. The Mall of America is built on the premise that we should all be able to afford this stuff. It may be a shallow culture, but it's by-God democratic. Sneer if you dare; this is something new in world history.\"Katherine Seelye of the The NY Times, where Molly Ivins once worked as a reporter, covered the news very well. See excerpts.January 31, 2007Molly Ivins, Populist Texas Columnist, Dies at 62By KATHARINE Q. SEELYEIn her syndicated column, which appeared in about 350 newspapers, Ms. Ivins cultivated the voice of a folksy populist who derided those who acted too big for their britches. She was rowdy and profane, but she could filet her ideological opponents with droll precision.After Patrick J. Buchanan, as a conservative candidate for president, declared at the 1992 Republican National Convention that America was engaged in a cultural war, she said his speech “probably sounded better in the original German.”“There are two kinds of humor,” she told People magazine. One was the kind “that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity,” she said. “The other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule. That’s what I do.”Her subject was Texas. To her, the Great State, as she called it, was “reactionary, cantankerous and hilarious,” and its legislature was “reporter heaven.” When the legislature was set to convene, she warned her readers: “Every village is about to lose its idiot.”Her Texas upbringing made her something of an expert on the Bush family. She viewed President George H.W. Bush benignly. (“Real Texans do not use the word ‘summer’ as a verb,” she wrote.)But she derided President George W. Bush, whom she first knew in high school. She called him Shrub and Dubya. With the Texas journalist Lou Dubose, she wrote two best-selling books about Mr. Bush: “Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush” (2000) and “Bushwhacked” (2003).In 2004 she campaigned against Mr. Bush’s re-election, and as the war in Iraq continued, she called for his impeachment. In her last column, earlier this month, she urged readers to “raise hell” against the war.Like her mother, Margot, and grandmother, Ms. Ivins went to Smith College in Massachusetts. Graduating in 1966, she also studied at the Institute of Political Science in Paris and earned her master’s degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.Ronnie Dugger, the former publisher of The Observer, said the political circus in Texas inspired her. “It was like somebody snapped the football to her and said, ‘All the rules are off, this is the football field named Texas, and it’s wide open,”’ he said.In 1976, her writing, which she said was often fueled by “truly impressive amounts of beer,” landed her a job at The New York Times. She cut an unusual figure in The Times newsroom, wearing blue jeans, going barefoot and bringing in her dog, whose name was an expletive.She quit The Times in 1982 after The Dallas Times Herald offered to make her a columnist. She took the job even though she loathed Dallas, once describing it as the kind of town “that would have rooted for Goliath to beat David.”But the paper, she said, promised to let her write whatever she wanted. When she declared of a congressman, “If his I.Q. slips any lower, we’ll have to water him twice a day,” many readers were appalled, and several advertisers boycotted the paper. In her defense, her editors rented billboards that read: “Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?” The slogan became the title of the first of her six books.Ms. Ivins learned she had breast cancer in 1999 and was typically unvarnished in describing her treatments. “First they mutilate you; then they poison you; then they burn you,” she wrote. “I have been on blind dates better than that.”But she continued to write her columns and continued to write and raise money for The Observer.Indeed, rarely has a reporter so embodied the ethos of her publication. On the paper’s 50th anniversary in 2004, she wrote: “This is where you can tell the truth without the bark on it, laugh at anyone who is ridiculous, and go after the bad guys with all the energy you have.” ","permalink":"/posts/2007/02/molly-ivins-1944-2007/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWitty, Feisty, Irreverent\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRead about Molly Ivins' death from cancer at 62 with sadness.  Yet, remembering some of her comments made me chuckle.    She will be missed....not by the Bushies in Texas but she didn't give a damn about them. She didn't spare Democrats either.  Her 1998 book \"You Got to Dance with Them What Brung you\" was about the Clinton years.  This is what she wrote about the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesotta:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"And what are we, the spiritual descendants of Puritans, to make of this monument to materialism? So much stuff it makes you sick to look at it, like eating too much cotton candy. Stores that sell only stuff to put your stuff in. Sub-specialties of stuff beyond the wildest dreams of most of the world's people. Should we not disapprove? Well, yeah. On the other hand, the pyramids were built for Pharaohs on the happy theory they could take their stuff with them. Versailles was built for kings on the theory that they should live surrounded by the finest stuff. The Mall of America is built on the premise that we should all be able to afford this stuff. It may be a shallow culture, but it's by-God democratic. Sneer if you dare; this is something new in world history.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKatherine Seelye of the The \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/business/media/31cnd-ivins.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e, where Molly Ivins once worked as a reporter, covered the news very well. See excerpts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJanuary 31, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eMolly Ivins, Populist Texas Columnist, Dies at 62\u003cbr/\u003eBy KATHARINE Q. SEELYE\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn her syndicated column, which appeared in about 350 newspapers, Ms. Ivins cultivated the voice of a folksy populist who derided those who acted too big for their britches. She was rowdy and profane, but she could filet her ideological opponents with droll precision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAfter Patrick J. Buchanan, as a conservative candidate for president, declared at the 1992 Republican National Convention that America was engaged in a cultural war, she said his speech “probably sounded better in the original German.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e“There are two kinds of humor,” she told People magazine. One was the kind “that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity,” she said. “The other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule. That’s what I do.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHer subject was Texas. To her, the Great State, as she called it, was “reactionary, cantankerous and hilarious,” and its legislature was “reporter heaven.” When the legislature was set to convene, she warned her readers: “Every village is about to lose its idiot.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHer Texas upbringing made her something of an expert on the Bush family. She viewed President George H.W. Bush benignly. (“Real Texans do not use the word ‘summer’ as a verb,” she wrote.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut she derided President George W. Bush, whom she first knew in high school. She called him Shrub and Dubya. With the Texas journalist Lou Dubose, she wrote two best-selling books about Mr. Bush: “Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush” (2000) and “Bushwhacked” (2003).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn 2004 she campaigned against Mr. Bush’s re-election, and as the war in Iraq continued, she called for his impeachment. In her last column, earlier this month, she urged readers to “raise hell” against the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLike her mother, Margot, and grandmother, Ms. Ivins went to Smith College in Massachusetts. Graduating in 1966, she also studied at the Institute of Political Science in Paris and earned her master’s degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRonnie Dugger, the former publisher of The Observer, said the political circus in Texas inspired her. “It was like somebody snapped the football to her and said, ‘All the rules are off, this is the football field named Texas, and it’s wide open,”’ he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn 1976, her writing, which she said was often fueled by “truly impressive amounts of beer,” landed her a job at The New York Times. She cut an unusual figure in The Times newsroom, wearing blue jeans, going barefoot and bringing in her dog, whose name was an expletive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eShe quit The Times in 1982 after The Dallas Times Herald offered to make her a columnist. She took the job even though she loathed Dallas, once describing it as the kind of town “that would have rooted for Goliath to beat David.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut the paper, she said, promised to let her write whatever she wanted. When she declared of a congressman, “If his I.Q. slips any lower, we’ll have to water him twice a day,” many readers were appalled, and several advertisers boycotted the paper. In her defense, her editors rented billboards that read: “Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?” The slogan became the title of the first of her six books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMs. Ivins learned she had breast cancer in 1999 and was typically unvarnished in describing her treatments. “First they mutilate you; then they poison you; then they burn you,” she wrote. “I have been on blind dates better than that.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut she continued to write her columns and continued to write and raise money for The Observer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIndeed, rarely has a reporter so embodied the ethos of her publication. On the paper’s 50th anniversary in 2004, she wrote: “This is where you can tell the truth without the bark on it, laugh at anyone who is ridiculous, and go after the bad guys with all the energy you have.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","title":"Molly Ivins 1944-2007"},{"content":" Slimy Creatures and their WarVice President Cheney's former chief of staff \"Scooter\" Libby's trial for lying and obstructing justice in the CIA leak investigation brought out fascinating details of manipulation of media by the Bush Administration. One gets the impression that the journalists were often willing victims. They wanted fame and ready to pay the price for receiving tidbits from their \"sources\". Judith Miller, who had played a role in promoting the non-existent WMD stories in NY Times, was on the stand yesterday. Howard Kurz in the Washington Post:At a meeting in Libby's office in June 2003, Libby seemed \"agitated and frustrated and angry,\" not to mention \"annoyed,\" Miller said. He was concerned that the CIA, through a \"perverted war of leaks,\" was distancing itself from its prewar intelligence about Saddam Hussein's illegal weapons.So Libby would combat these leaks by leaking to Miller, she explained in a tone that indicated this was the most natural thing in the world. Miller said he told her that the wife of Joseph C. Wilson IV, the former ambassador who was challenging the administration's account that Iraq had tried to buy enriched uranium in Africa, worked for \"the bureau\" -- prompting Miller to put a question mark in her notes until she realized that Libby meant the CIA.During a two-hour meal at the St. Regis hotel the following month, Miller said, Libby changed the ground rules and went \"on deeper background,\" asking to be identified only as a \"former Hill staffer.\"Miller recalled that in a phone conversation from her home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., she told him she did not plan to write a story about Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, and \"didn't think the New York Times was interested in pursuing it.\"Why not? That has been one of the tale's lingering mysteries. Miller said she recommended to her boss, Jill Abramson, now the Times's managing editor, that the paper go after the Plame story, but \"she seemed very distracted that day\" and just said \"mmm-hmm.\" Abramson has denied that Miller made such a recommendation.They may have shared secrets, but Miller and Libby were not exactly friends. When she ran into Libby in the summer of 2003 in Jackson Hole, Wyo., she did not recognize him -- because, she said, he was wearing glasses, a cowboy hat and boots, a black T-shirt and jeans. But once she was incarcerated in 2005, Libby began to convince Miller that he would not hold her to her vow of secrecy. He wrote a poetic letter reminding her that \"the aspens will already be turning\" while she languished in jail.After the Plame controversy blew up, Miller posted a letter on her Web site in response to a stinging piece by Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who said that Miller was not \"credible\" and had written \"bogus\" stories about nonexistent weapons. Recalling that yesterday, Miller said she told editors that \"I did not think I had been a target\" of a concerted White House leak campaign.Miller turned hesitant under cross-examination, stumbling over her words and repeatedly gesturing with her right hand. She admitted that she had forgotten her June 2003 meeting with Libby until she found the missing notes of their conversation.A frequent television guest, Miller got tripped up by one of her appearances. She stared at a monitor, transfixed and tight-lipped, as a program from last January showed her saying words that she had failed to fully recall a moment earlier: \"It's really easy to forget details about a story you're not writing. . . . It was not important at the time.\"The videotape provided another reminder of why reporters much prefer asking questions to answering them.The day ended with legal wrangling about whether Miller could be asked to name other confidential sources. The issue, like the ambiguity of reporters' delicate dance with their informants, was not resolved. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/turning-aspens-and-the-byzantine-world-of-the-neocons/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSlimy Creatures and their War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eVice President Cheney's former chief of staff \"Scooter\" Libby's trial for lying and obstructing justice in the CIA leak investigation brought out fascinating details of manipulation of media by the Bush Administration.  One gets the impression that the journalists were often willing victims.  They wanted fame and ready to pay the price for receiving tidbits from their \"sources\".   \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJudith Miller, who had played a role in promoting the non-existent WMD stories in NY Times, was on the stand yesterday.  Howard Kurz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013001855.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt a meeting in Libby's office in June 2003, Libby seemed \"agitated and frustrated and angry,\" not to mention \"annoyed,\" Miller said. He was concerned that the CIA, through a \"perverted war of leaks,\" was distancing itself from its prewar intelligence about Saddam Hussein's illegal weapons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo Libby would combat these leaks by leaking to Miller, she explained in a tone that indicated this was the most natural thing in the world. Miller said he told her that the wife of Joseph C. Wilson IV, the former ambassador who was challenging the administration's account that Iraq had tried to buy enriched uranium in Africa, worked for \"the bureau\" -- prompting Miller to put a question mark in her notes until she realized that Libby meant the CIA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring a two-hour meal at the St. Regis hotel the following month, Miller said, Libby changed the ground rules and went \"on deeper background,\" asking to be identified only as a \"former Hill staffer.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMiller recalled that in a phone conversation from her home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., she told him she did not plan to write a story about Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, and \"didn't think the New York Times was interested in pursuing it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy not? That has been one of the tale's lingering mysteries. Miller said she recommended to her boss, Jill Abramson, now the Times's managing editor, that the paper go after the Plame story, but \"she seemed very distracted that day\" and just said \"mmm-hmm.\" Abramson has denied that Miller made such a recommendation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey may have shared secrets, but Miller and Libby were not exactly friends. When she ran into Libby in the summer of 2003 in Jackson Hole, Wyo., she did not recognize him -- because, she said, he was wearing glasses, a cowboy hat and boots, a black T-shirt and jeans. But once she was incarcerated in 2005, Libby began to convince Miller that he would not hold her to her vow of secrecy. He wrote a poetic letter reminding her that \"the aspens will already be turning\" while she languished in jail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the Plame controversy blew up, Miller posted a letter on her Web site in response to a stinging piece by Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who said that Miller was not \"credible\" and had written \"bogus\" stories about nonexistent weapons. Recalling that yesterday, Miller said she told editors that \"I did not think I had been a target\" of a concerted White House leak campaign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMiller turned hesitant under cross-examination, stumbling over her words and repeatedly gesturing with her right hand. She admitted that she had forgotten her June 2003 meeting with Libby until she found the missing notes of their conversation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA frequent television guest, Miller got tripped up by one of her appearances. She stared at a monitor, transfixed and tight-lipped, as a program from last January showed her saying words that she had failed to fully recall a moment earlier: \"It's really easy to forget details about a story you're not writing. . . . It was not important at the time.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe videotape provided another reminder of why reporters much prefer asking questions to answering them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe day ended with legal wrangling about whether Miller could be asked to name other confidential sources. The issue, like the ambiguity of reporters' delicate dance with their informants, was not resolved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Turning Aspens and the Byzantine World of the Neocons"},{"content":" \"Any man's death diminishes me.\" -- John Donne© NEWSWEEK.com Audio commentary by Glenn Kutler of Iraq Coalition CasualtiesStaff Sgt.Hector Leija of Houston, TX, died in Baghdad on January 24th. He was 27. Heads of States give speeches, soldiers die. Nothing unusual about that. He is one among the 3081 who have lost their lives in the war that began in March 2003. Damien Cave's report about Sg. Leija's death made it very real, brought it close to home. But how many of us will think of Hector Leija a week from now? Sgt Leija will be remembered by his family and by his friends; the war will continue, others will die. Our warrior president might even have a surprise up his sleeve. His recent rhetoric is beginning to sound like prelude to another war.NY TimesJanuary 29, 2007‘Man Down’: When One Bullet Alters EverythingBy DAMIEN CAVEBAGHDAD, Jan. 28 — Staff Sgt. Hector Leija scanned the kitchen, searching for illegal weapons. One wall away, in an apartment next door, a scared Shiite family huddled around a space heater, cradling an infant.It was after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, on Haifa Street in central Baghdad, and the crack-crack of machine-gun fire had been rattling since dawn. More than a thousand American and Iraqi troops had come to this warren of high rises and hovels to disrupt the growing nest of Sunni and Shiite fighters battling for control of the area.The joint military effort has been billed as the first step toward an Iraqi takeover of security. But this morning, in the two dark, third-floor apartments on Haifa Street, that promise seemed distant. What was close, and painfully real, was the cost of an escalating street fight that had trapped American soldiers and Iraqi bystanders between warring sects.And as with so many days here, a bullet changed everything.It started at 9:15 a.m.“Help!” came the shout. “Man down.”“Sergeant Leija got hit in the head,” yelled Specialist Evan Woollis, 25, his voice carrying into the apartment with the Iraqi family. The soldiers from the sergeant’s platoon, part of the Third Stryker Brigade Combat Team, rushed from one apartment to the other.In the narrow kitchen, a single bullet hole could be seen in a tinted glass window facing north.The platoon’s leader, Sgt. First Class Marc Biletski, ordered his men to get down, away from every window, and to pull Sergeant Leija out of the kitchen and into the living room.“O.K., everybody, let’s relax,” Sergeant Biletski said. But he was shaking from his shoulder to his hand.Relaxing was just not possible. Fifteen feet of floor and a three-inch-high metal doorjamb stood between where Sergeant Leija fell and the living room, out of the line of fire. Gunshots popped in bursts, their source obscured by echoes off the concrete buildings.“Don’t freak out on me, Doc,” Sergeant Biletski shouted to the platoon medic, Pfc. Aaron Barnum, who was frantically yanking at Sergeant Leija’s flak jacket to take the weight off his chest. “Don’t freak out.”Two minutes later, three soldiers rushed to help, dragging the sergeant from the kitchen. A medevac team then rushed in and carried him to a Stryker armored vehicle outside, around 9:20. He moaned as they carried him down the stairs on a stretcher.The men of the platoon remained in the living room, frozen in shock. They had a problem. Sergeant Leija’s helmet, flak jacket, gear and weapon, along with that of at least one other soldier, were still in the exposed area of the kitchen. They needed to be recovered. But how?“We don’t know if there’s friendlies in that building,” said Sgt. Richard Coleman, referring to the concrete complex a few feet away from where Sergeant Leija had been shot. Sergeant Biletski, 39, decided to wait. He called for another unit to search and clear the building next door.The additional unit needed time, and got lost. The men sat still. Sergeant B, as his soldiers called him, was near the wall farthest from the kitchen, out of sight from the room’s wide, shaded window. Sergeant Woollis, Private Barnum, Sergeant Coleman and Specialist Terry Wilson sat around him.Together, alone, trapped in a dark room with the blood of their comrade on the floor, they tried to piece together what had happened. Maybe the sniper saw Sergeant Leija’s silhouette in the window and fired. Or maybe the shot was accidental, they said, fired from below by Iraqi Army soldiers who had been moving between the buildings.Sergeant Woollis cited the available evidence — an entrance wound just below the helmet with an exit wound above. He said the shot must have been fired from the ground.The Iraqis were not supposed to even be there yet. The plan had been for Sergeant Leija’s squad to work alongside an Iraqi Army unit all day. But after arriving late at the first building, the Iraqis jumped ahead, leaving the Americans and pushing north without searching dozens of apartments in the area.The Iraqi soldiers below the kitchen window had once again skipped forward. An American officer later said the Iraqis were brave to push ahead toward the most intense gunfire.But Sergeant Leija’s squad had no communication links with their Iraqi counterparts, and because it was an Iraqi operation — as senior officers repeatedly emphasized — the Americans could not order the Iraqis to get back in line. There was nothing they could do.9:40 a.m.An Iraqi soldier rushed in and then stopped, seemingly surprised by the Americans sitting around him. He stood in the middle of the darkened living room, inches away from bloody bandages on the carpet.“Get away from the window!”The soldiers yelled at their interpreter, a masked Iraqi whom they called Santana. Between their shouts and his urgent Arabic, the Iraqi soldier got the message. He slowly walked away.A few minutes later it happened again. This time, the Iraqi lingered.“What part of ‘sniper’ don’t you understand?” Sergeant Biletski yelled. The other soldiers cursed and called the Iraqis idiots. They were still not sure whether an Iraqi soldier was responsible for Sergeant Leija’s wound, but they said the last thing they wanted was another casualty. In a moment of emotion, Private Barnum said, “I won’t treat him if he’s hit.”When the second Iraqi left, an airless silence returned. The dark left people alone to grieve. “You O.K.? ” Sergeant B asked each soldier. A few nods. A few yeses.Private Barnum stood up, facing the kitchen, eager to bring back the gear left. One foot back, the other forward, he stood like a sprinter. “I can get that stuff, Sergeant,” he said. “I can get it.”The building next door had still not been cleared by Americans. The answer was no.“I can’t lose another man,” Sergeant B said. “If I did, I failed. I already failed once. I’m not going to fail again.”The room went quiet. Faces turned away. “You didn’t fail, sir,” said one of the men, his voice disguised by the sound of fighting back tears. “You didn’t fail.”9:55 a.m.The piercing cry of an infant was easily identifiable, even as the gunfire outside intensified. It came from the apartment next door. The Iraqi Army had been there, too. In an interview before Sergeant Leija was shot, the three young Iraqis there said that their father had been taken by the soldiers.“Someone from over there” — they pointed back away from Haifa Street, toward the rows of mud-brick slums — “told them we had weapons,” said a young man, who seemed to be about 18.He was sitting on a couch. To his right, his older sister clutched an infant in a blanket; his younger sister, about 16, sat on the other side.The young man said the family was Shiite. He said the supposed informants were Sunni Arabs who wanted their apartment.The truth of his claim was impossible to verify, but it was far from the day’s only confounding tip. Earlier that morning, an Iraqi boy of about 8 ran up to Sergeant Leija. He wanted to tell the Americans about terrorists hiding in the slums behind the apartment buildings on Haifa Street’s eastern side.Sergeant Leija, an easygoing 27-year-old from Raymondville, Tex., ignored him. He and some of his soldiers said it was impossible to know whether the boy had legitimate information or would lead them to an ambush.That summed up intelligence in Iraq, they said: there is always the threat of being set up, for an attack or an Iraqi’s own agenda.The Iraqi Army did not seem worried about such concerns, according to the family. The three young Iraqis said they were glad that the Americans had come. Maybe they could help find their father.10:50 a.m.Sergeant. Coleman tried using a mop to get the gear, and failed. It was too far away. With more than an hour elapsed since the attack, and after no signs of another shot through the kitchen window, Sergeant B agreed to let Private Barnum make a mad dash for the equipment.Private Barnum waited for several minutes in the doorway, peeking around the corner, stalling. Then he dove forward, pushing himself up against the wall near the window to cut down the angle, pausing, then darting back to the camouflaged kit.Crack — a single gunshot. Private Barnum looked back at the kitchen window, his eyes squeezed with fear. His pace quickened. He cleared the weapons’ chambers and tossed them to the living room. Then he threw the flak jackets and bolt cutters.He picked up Sergeant Leija’s helmet, cradled it in his arms, then made the final dangerous move back to the living room, his fatigues indelibly stained with his friend’s blood. There were no cheers to greet him. It was a brave act borne of horror, and the men seemed eager to go.As Private Barnum gingerly wrapped the helmet in a towel, it tipped and blood spilled out.11:15 a.m.Sergeant B sat down on a chair outside the two apartments and used the radio to find out if they would be heading back to base or moving forward. He was told to stay put until after an airstrike on a building 500 yards away.The platoon, looking for cover, returned to the Iraqis’ apartment, where they found the family as they were before — on the couch, in the dark, around the heater.Specialist Wilson continued the conversation he started before the gunshot two hours earlier. The young Iraqi man said again that the Iraqi Army had taken his father. “Will you come back to help?” he asked.“We didn’t take him,” Specialist Wilson said. “The I.A. took him. If he didn’t do anything wrong, he should be back.”The Iraqi family nodded, as if they had heard this before.Speaking together — none of them gave their names — they said they had lived in the apartment for 16 years. Ten days ago, before the Americans arrived, Sunnis told them they would kill every Shiite in the building if they did not leave immediately. So they fled to a neighborhood in southern Baghdad where some Shiites had started to gather in abandoned homes. But again, a threat came: leave or die. So less than a week ago, the family returned to Haifa Street.And now the airstrike was coming.Sergeant B told the family that they should go into a back room for safety. He asked if they wanted to take the heater with them (they did not), and he reminded everyone to keep their mouths open to protect their inner ears against the airstrike’s shockwave.A boom, then another even louder explosion hit, shaking dust from the walls. One of blasts came from a mortar shell that hit the building, the soldier said. The family stayed, but for the Americans, it was time to go.12:30 p.m.Over the next few hours, the platoon combined sprints across open alleyways with bouts of rest in empty makeshift homes. Under what sounded like constant gunfire, the soldiers moved behind the Iraqi soldiers, staying close.At one point, the Iraqis detained a man who they said had videos of himself shooting American soldiers. The Iraqi soldiers slapped him in the head as they walked him past.About an hour later, a sniper wounded two Iraqi soldiers who were mingling outside a squat apartment like teenagers at a 7-11. Private Barnum wrapped their wounds with American bandages. He and the rest of the platoon had been inside, taking cover.“Stay away from the windows,” Sergeant B kept repeating. The point was clear: don’t let it happen again. Don’t fail.4 p.m.Downstairs in the lobby of a mostly abandoned high rise on Haifa Street, the sergeant and his men sat on the floor, exhausted. They were waiting for their Stryker to return so they could head back to base. In 14 hours, they had moved through a stretch of eight buildings on Haifa Street. They had been scheduled to clear 18.Upstairs, Iraqi soldiers searched rooms and made themselves at home in empty apartments. Many were spacious, even luxurious, with elevators opening into wide hallways and grand living rooms splashed with afternoon sun.Under Saddam Hussein, Haifa Street had been favored by Baath Party officials and wealthy foreigners. The current residents seemed to have fled in an instant; in one apartment, a full container of shaving cream was left in the bathroom. In that apartment’s living room, a band of Iraqi soldiers settled in, relaxing on blue upholstered couches and listening to a soccer game on a radio they found in a closet.They looked comfortable, like they were waiting to be called to dinner.Sergeant B and Specialist Woollis, meanwhile, talked about what they would eat when they got back to their homes in California. The consensus was chili dogs and burgers.Sergeant B also said he missed his 13-year-old son, who was growing up without him, playing football, learning to become a man with an absentee father. After 17 years in the Army, he said, he was thinking that maybe his family had put up with enough.“I don’t see how you can do this,” he said, “and not be damaged.”A few hours later, the word came in: Sergeant Leija had died. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/death-of-staff-sgt-hector-leija/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me.\" -- John Donne\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025581931961501954\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/nw_ah_iCasualties_25000.jpg\"/\u003e© NEWSWEEK.com  Audio commentary by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?type=ss\u0026amp;launch=16059273,3032542\u0026amp;pg=1\"\u003eGlenn Kutler\u003c/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=10446\"\u003eStaff Sgt.Hector Leija\u003c/a\u003e of Houston, TX, died  in Baghdad on January 24th.  He was 27. Heads of States give speeches, soldiers die.  Nothing unusual about that.  He is one among the 3081 who have lost their lives in the war that began in March 2003.  Damien Cave's report about Sg. Leija's death made it very real, brought it close to home.  But how many of us will think of Hector Leija a week from now? Sgt Leija will be remembered by his family and by his friends; the war will continue, others will die.   Our warrior president might even have a surprise up his sleeve.  His recent rhetoric  is beginning to  sound like prelude to another war.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/world/middleeast/29haifa.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJanuary 29, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e‘Man Down’: When One Bullet Alters Everything\u003cbr/\u003eBy DAMIEN CAVE\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBAGHDAD, Jan. 28 — Staff Sgt. Hector Leija scanned the kitchen, searching for illegal weapons. One wall away, in an apartment next door, a scared Shiite family huddled around a space heater, cradling an infant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, on Haifa Street in central Baghdad, and the crack-crack of machine-gun fire had been rattling since dawn. More than a thousand American and Iraqi troops had come to this warren of high rises and hovels to disrupt the growing nest of Sunni and Shiite fighters battling for control of the area.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe joint military effort has been billed as the first step toward an Iraqi takeover of security. But this morning, in the two dark, third-floor apartments on Haifa Street, that promise seemed distant. What was close, and painfully real, was the cost of an escalating street fight that had trapped American soldiers and Iraqi bystanders between warring sects.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd as with so many days here, a bullet changed everything.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt started at 9:15 a.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Help!” came the shout. “Man down.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Sergeant Leija got hit in the head,” yelled Specialist Evan Woollis, 25, his voice carrying into the apartment with the Iraqi family. The soldiers from the sergeant’s platoon, part of the Third Stryker Brigade Combat Team, rushed from one apartment to the other.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the narrow kitchen, a single bullet hole could be seen in a tinted glass window facing north.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe platoon’s leader, Sgt. First Class Marc Biletski, ordered his men to get down, away from every window, and to pull Sergeant Leija out of the kitchen and into the living room.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“O.K., everybody, let’s relax,” Sergeant Biletski said. But he was shaking from his shoulder to his hand.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRelaxing was just not possible. Fifteen feet of floor and a three-inch-high metal doorjamb stood between where Sergeant Leija fell and the living room, out of the line of fire. Gunshots popped in bursts, their source obscured by echoes off the concrete buildings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Don’t freak out on me, Doc,” Sergeant Biletski shouted to the platoon medic, Pfc. Aaron Barnum, who was frantically yanking at Sergeant Leija’s flak jacket to take the weight off his chest. “Don’t freak out.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo minutes later, three soldiers rushed to help, dragging the sergeant from the kitchen. A medevac team then rushed in and carried him to a Stryker armored vehicle outside, around 9:20. He moaned as they carried him down the stairs on a stretcher.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe men of the platoon remained in the living room, frozen in shock. They had a problem. Sergeant Leija’s helmet, flak jacket, gear and weapon, along with that of at least one other soldier, were still in the exposed area of the kitchen. They needed to be recovered. But how?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“We don’t know if there’s friendlies in that building,” said Sgt. Richard Coleman, referring to the concrete complex a few feet away from where Sergeant Leija had been shot. Sergeant Biletski, 39, decided to wait. He called for another unit to search and clear the building next door.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe additional unit needed time, and got lost. The men sat still. Sergeant B, as his soldiers called him, was near the wall farthest from the kitchen, out of sight from the room’s wide, shaded window. Sergeant Woollis, Private Barnum, Sergeant Coleman and Specialist Terry Wilson sat around him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTogether, alone, trapped in a dark room with the blood of their comrade on the floor, they tried to piece together what had happened. Maybe the sniper saw Sergeant Leija’s silhouette in the window and fired. Or maybe the shot was accidental, they said, fired from below by Iraqi Army soldiers who had been moving between the buildings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant Woollis cited the available evidence — an entrance wound just below the helmet with an exit wound above. He said the shot must have been fired from the ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraqis were not supposed to even be there yet. The plan had been for Sergeant Leija’s squad to work alongside an Iraqi Army unit all day. But after arriving late at the first building, the Iraqis jumped ahead, leaving the Americans and pushing north without searching dozens of apartments in the area.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraqi soldiers below the kitchen window had once again skipped forward. An American officer later said the Iraqis were brave to push ahead toward the most intense gunfire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Sergeant Leija’s squad had no communication links with their Iraqi counterparts, and because it was an Iraqi operation — as senior officers repeatedly emphasized — the Americans could not order the Iraqis to get back in line. There was nothing they could do.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e9:40 a.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Iraqi soldier rushed in and then stopped, seemingly surprised by the Americans sitting around him. He stood in the middle of the darkened living room, inches away from bloody bandages on the carpet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Get away from the window!”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe soldiers yelled at their interpreter, a masked Iraqi whom they called Santana. Between their shouts and his urgent Arabic, the Iraqi soldier got the message. He slowly walked away.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few minutes later it happened again. This time, the Iraqi lingered.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“What part of ‘sniper’ don’t you understand?” Sergeant Biletski yelled. The other soldiers cursed and called the Iraqis idiots. They were still not sure whether an Iraqi soldier was responsible for Sergeant Leija’s wound, but they said the last thing they wanted was another casualty. In a moment of emotion, Private Barnum said, “I won’t treat him if he’s hit.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the second Iraqi left, an airless silence returned. The dark left people alone to grieve. “You O.K.? ” Sergeant B asked each soldier. A few nods. A few yeses.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrivate Barnum stood up, facing the kitchen, eager to bring back the gear left. One foot back, the other forward, he stood like a sprinter. “I can get that stuff, Sergeant,” he said. “I can get it.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe building next door had still not been cleared by Americans. The answer was no.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“I can’t lose another man,” Sergeant B said. “If I did, I failed. I already failed once. I’m not going to fail again.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe room went quiet. Faces turned away. “You didn’t fail, sir,” said one of the men, his voice disguised by the sound of fighting back tears. “You didn’t fail.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e9:55 a.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe piercing cry of an infant was easily identifiable, even as the gunfire outside intensified. It came from the apartment next door. The Iraqi Army had been there, too. In an interview before Sergeant Leija was shot, the three young Iraqis there said that their father had been taken by the soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Someone from over there” — they pointed back away from Haifa Street, toward the rows of mud-brick slums — “told them we had weapons,” said a young man, who seemed to be about 18.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe was sitting on a couch. To his right, his older sister clutched an infant in a blanket; his younger sister, about 16, sat on the other side.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe young man said the family was Shiite. He said the supposed informants were Sunni Arabs who wanted their apartment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe truth of his claim was impossible to verify, but it was far from the day’s only confounding tip. Earlier that morning, an Iraqi boy of about 8 ran up to Sergeant Leija. He wanted to tell the Americans about terrorists hiding in the slums behind the apartment buildings on Haifa Street’s eastern side.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant Leija, an easygoing 27-year-old from Raymondville, Tex., ignored him. He and some of his soldiers said it was impossible to know whether the boy had legitimate information or would lead them to an ambush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat summed up intelligence in Iraq, they said: there is always the threat of being set up, for an attack or an Iraqi’s own agenda.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraqi Army did not seem worried about such concerns, according to the family. The three young Iraqis said they were glad that the Americans had come. Maybe they could help find their father.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e10:50 a.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant. Coleman tried using a mop to get the gear, and failed. It was too far away. With more than an hour elapsed since the attack, and after no signs of another shot through the kitchen window, Sergeant B agreed to let Private Barnum make a mad dash for the equipment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrivate Barnum waited for several minutes in the doorway, peeking around the corner, stalling. Then he dove forward, pushing himself up against the wall near the window to cut down the angle, pausing, then darting back to the camouflaged kit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCrack — a single gunshot. Private Barnum looked back at the kitchen window, his eyes squeezed with fear. His pace quickened. He cleared the weapons’ chambers and tossed them to the living room. Then he threw the flak jackets and bolt cutters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe picked up Sergeant Leija’s helmet, cradled it in his arms, then made the final dangerous move back to the living room, his fatigues indelibly stained with his friend’s blood. There were no cheers to greet him. It was a brave act borne of horror, and the men seemed eager to go.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs Private Barnum gingerly wrapped the helmet in a towel, it tipped and blood spilled out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e11:15 a.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant B sat down on a chair outside the two apartments and used the radio to find out if they would be heading back to base or moving forward. He was told to stay put until after an airstrike on a building 500 yards away.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe platoon, looking for cover, returned to the Iraqis’ apartment, where they found the family as they were before — on the couch, in the dark, around the heater.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpecialist Wilson continued the conversation he started before the gunshot two hours earlier. The young Iraqi man said again that the Iraqi Army had taken his father. “Will you come back to help?” he asked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“We didn’t take him,” Specialist Wilson said. “The I.A. took him. If he didn’t do anything wrong, he should be back.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraqi family nodded, as if they had heard this before.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpeaking together — none of them gave their names — they said they had lived in the apartment for 16 years. Ten days ago, before the Americans arrived, Sunnis told them they would kill every Shiite in the building if they did not leave immediately. So they fled to a neighborhood in southern Baghdad where some Shiites had started to gather in abandoned homes. But again, a threat came: leave or die. So less than a week ago, the family returned to Haifa Street.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd now the airstrike was coming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant B told the family that they should go into a back room for safety. He asked if they wanted to take the heater with them (they did not), and he reminded everyone to keep their mouths open to protect their inner ears against the airstrike’s shockwave.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA boom, then another even louder explosion hit, shaking dust from the walls. One of blasts came from a mortar shell that hit the building, the soldier said. The family stayed, but for the Americans, it was time to go.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e12:30 p.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOver the next few hours, the platoon combined sprints across open alleyways with bouts of rest in empty makeshift homes. Under what sounded like constant gunfire, the soldiers moved behind the Iraqi soldiers, staying close.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt one point, the Iraqis detained a man who they said had videos of himself shooting American soldiers. The Iraqi soldiers slapped him in the head as they walked him past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbout an hour later, a sniper wounded two Iraqi soldiers who were mingling outside a squat apartment like teenagers at a 7-11. Private Barnum wrapped their wounds with American bandages. He and the rest of the platoon had been inside, taking cover.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Stay away from the windows,” Sergeant B kept repeating. The point was clear: don’t let it happen again. Don’t fail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e4 p.m.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDownstairs in the lobby of a mostly abandoned high rise on Haifa Street, the sergeant and his men sat on the floor, exhausted. They were waiting for their Stryker to return so they could head back to base. In 14 hours, they had moved through a stretch of eight buildings on Haifa Street. They had been scheduled to clear 18.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUpstairs, Iraqi soldiers searched rooms and made themselves at home in empty apartments. Many were spacious, even luxurious, with elevators opening into wide hallways and grand living rooms splashed with afternoon sun.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder Saddam Hussein, Haifa Street had been favored by Baath Party officials and wealthy foreigners. The current residents seemed to have fled in an instant; in one apartment, a full container of shaving cream was left in the bathroom. In that apartment’s living room, a band of Iraqi soldiers settled in, relaxing on blue upholstered couches and listening to a soccer game on a radio they found in a closet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey looked comfortable, like they were waiting to be called to dinner.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant B and Specialist Woollis, meanwhile, talked about what they would eat when they got back to their homes in California. The consensus was chili dogs and burgers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSergeant B also said he missed his 13-year-old son, who was growing up without him, playing football, learning to become a man with an absentee father. After 17 years in the Army, he said, he was thinking that maybe his family had put up with enough.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“I don’t see how you can do this,” he said, “and not be damaged.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few hours later, the word came in: Sergeant Leija had died.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Owner/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Death of Staff Sgt. Hector Leija"},{"content":" Nick's Bar in \"The Time of Your Life\" * A Wide-eyed Immigrant in 1969 * Clea BertaniWatching a video of the Broadway production of William Saroyan's The Time of Your Life, I thought of the City -- the late Herb Caen's Baghdad by the Bay -- that I fell in love with.In 1969, when I took the bus on weekday mornings from the old SP Depot at Third \u0026amp; Townsend, Third Street had a decrepit look. Pawn shops were prominent. If you walked on Third toward downtown, passing Brannan, Bryant, Harrison, Folsom, Howard, and Mission, you could not escape the smell of cheap liquor, urine, and unwashed bodies from groups of people who hung out at street corners. Those days some old timers referred to it as Frisco. That has become passé. Didn't sound right. To me it was always San Francisco.Third Street today is very different. The City has changed, become gussied up. It looks prosperous, very expensive to live in. But it is a magical place with breathtaking views. Herb Caen wrote in one of his columns that \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of London, and the rascality of Paris\". Don't know about Sydney. I have been to Paris and London. Nothing comes close to the feeling I get when returning home to the Bay area I look down upon San Francisco as the aircraft begins to descend. The Time of Your Life (1976) TV,DVD© Amazon.comThe scene of Saroyan's play, The Time of Your Life, is a bar (Nick's Bar) on Pacific; the time 1939. A gritty place patronized by a cast of characters that gave the feeling of quintessential San Franciscans. Something quite believable about Harry, the mysterious, wealthy man ably played by Brooks Baldwin. Patti LuPone as the \"2-dollar whore\" Kitty Duval, was just right. If the City still has a bar like Nick's, chances are that the man behind the counter would be close to Nick in The Time of Your Life. Benjamin Hendrickson was real as can be. Kevin Kline did well in a cameo role as the longshoreman McCarthy.In declining the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1940, awarded for The Time of Your Life, William Saroyan said that \"art could not be patronized by wealth\". The Human Comedy(1943), a movie based on a William Saroyan story, is another one that I remember. A small farming town in the San Joaquin Delta affected by war. Sixtyfour years later we have small towns in America suffering from losses in another war that is now raging in a far-off land, a war that America was led into by use of deception and lies.My love affair with San Francisco began long before I arrived in California. Movies that I watched back home left indelible impressions. Among them: Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958) and Stanley Kramer's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967). I didn't think then that I would be working in San Francisco, walking and driving on streets that I had watched on screen.Kindness of Clea BertaniSan Francisco and its people were hospitable to me. I found a job, I found friends, and I discovered the charms of the City. Good restaurants, China Town, small book stores, the aroma of good tobacco at Grant's on Market Street (I used to be a pipe smoker before I started training to run marathons). Bali's Restaurant on Pacific was a favorite. The lamb shanks were superb. Mme Armen Bali had autographed photographs of ballet dancers on the walls. She counted Rudolf Nureyev and other Russian ballet stars among her friends. Peggy Knickerbocker's 1994 article, The Old Stoves of North Beach, is a mouthwatering trip through San Francisco's North Beach.Clea Bertani is someone I have a special reason to remember. Clea worked for Waterman Steamship Corp. Before coming to America I had sent out about a dozen resumes to companies in the ocean transportation business in San Francisco. Among the few responses was one from Clea Bertani. It was not the usual \"regret\" letter. Clea wrote that although Waterman didn't have any opening, The Guide, a local trade weekly, was running an ad for an operations assistant that might fit my background and that she had forwarded my application to The Guide. My application included a local address and telephone number. A few weeks after my arrival I received a call from the company that had advertised in The Guide. I followed through and got my first job. Some days later I walked into Waterman's office to thank Clea Bertani. She was warm and friendly just as I thought she would be when I read the letter that she took the time to write to a stranger in another country. Comments Müzmin Anonim \u0026mdash; 2007-02-12 Hi,\n[Totally off topic to the current topic]\nI came here while looking for the original (i.e. Turkish) version of Ziya Pasha's 'beyit (a two-liner poem). And, I was pleasantly surprised to find one here.\nIMHO [emphasis on 'humble'], somewhat a better translation might be something like this:\nAll I have taken is a drop. No more.\nThe undiminished ocean still crowds the shore..\nThough, I am translating from memory.I have read the original years ago (I am Turkish, but the 'beyit' was in old Turkish) but I can not locate where i have read it or where I can find it again.\nAnyway, here is another one you might like --which is more or less in the same vein:\nFor thirty years my watch [has] kept ticking, but I\nBusy flying a kite, unaware of the sky..\nNecip Fazil\n[ original:\nTam otuz yıl saatim çalışmış ben durmuşum\nGökyüzünden habersiz uçurtma uçurmuşum\n]\nAnyway, 'musafir' (written as 'misafir') in Turkish means a guest, an esteemed visitor. Probably a Persian word. And a very nice alias.\n{I apologize for the off-topic. I just thought I'd drop a line or two} Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-05-10 Ah, William Saroyan. Yet another one of my idols. Wrote one of the great koans of all time: \"No foundation. All the way down the line.\"\nNever had the luck to visit San Francisco even though sister graduated from Berkeley. I suspect, however, that were I to ever get there, I wouldn't leave either.\nf Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2009-08-14 Musafir comes from the Arabic word Al-Musafir which means the traveler. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/san-francisco---a-look-back/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNick's Bar in \"The Time of Your Life\" * A Wide-eyed Immigrant in 1969 * Clea Bertani\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWatching a video of the Broadway production of William Saroyan's The Time of Your Life, I thought of the City -- the late Herb Caen's Baghdad by the Bay -- that I fell in love with.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1969, when I took the bus on weekday mornings from the old SP Depot at Third \u0026amp; Townsend, Third Street had a decrepit look.  Pawn shops were prominent.  If you walked on Third toward downtown, passing Brannan, Bryant, Harrison, Folsom, Howard, and Mission, you could not escape the smell of cheap liquor, urine, and unwashed bodies from groups of people who hung out at street corners.  Those days some old timers referred to it as Frisco.  That has become \u003cspan class=\"hw\"\u003epassé.  Didn't sound right.  To me it was always San Francisco.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThird Street today is very different.  The City has changed, become gussied up.  It looks  prosperous, very expensive to live in. But it is a magical place with breathtaking views.   Herb Caen wrote in one of his columns that \"San Francisco has the charms of Sydney, the style of London, and the rascality of Paris\".  Don't know about Sydney. I have been to Paris and London.  Nothing comes close to the feeling I get when returning home to the Bay area I look down upon San Francisco  as the aircraft begins to descend.             \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://imdb.com/title/tt/\"\u003eThe Time of Your Life (1976) TV,DVD\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_P8qLgGJDkEg/Rbu_BPQvyOI/AAAAAAAAAAk/cH_3fs2h8dQ/s400/Time+of+your+Life.jpg\"/\u003e©\u003ca href=\"http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005TNFE.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg\u0026amp;imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/William-Saroyan-Broadway-Theatre-Archive/dp/B00005TNFE\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;h=240\u0026amp;w=240\u0026amp;sz=15\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;start=22\u0026amp;tbnid=l9ppXlFZSRnlxM:\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;tbnh=110\u0026amp;tbnw=110\u0026amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3DThe%2BTime%2Bof%2BYour%2BLife%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN\"\u003e Amazon.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe scene of Saroyan's play, The Time of Your Life, is a bar (Nick's Bar) on Pacific; the time 1939.   A gritty place patronized by a cast of characters that gave the feeling of quintessential San Franciscans.   Something quite believable about Harry, the mysterious, wealthy man ably played by Brooks Baldwin.  Patti LuPone as the \"2-dollar whore\" Kitty Duval, was just right. If the City still has a bar like Nick's,  chances are that the man behind the counter would be close to Nick in The Time of Your Life.    Benjamin Hendrickson was real as can be. Kevin Kline did well in a cameo role as the longshoreman McCarthy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn declining the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1940, awarded for The Time of Your Life, William Saroyan said that \"art could not be patronized by wealth\".     \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt/\"\u003eThe Human Comedy\u003c/a\u003e(1943), a movie based on a William Saroyan story, is another one that I remember. A small farming town in the San Joaquin Delta affected by war. Sixtyfour years later we have small towns in America suffering from losses in another war that is now raging in a far-off land, a war that America was led into by use of deception and lies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMy love affair with San Francisco began long before I arrived in California.  Movies that I watched back home left indelible impressions.  Among them: Hitchcock's \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt/\"\u003eVertigo\u003c/a\u003e (1958) and Stanley Kramer's \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt/\"\u003eGuess Who's Coming to Dinner\u003c/a\u003e (1967).  I didn't think then that I would be working in San Francisco, walking and driving on streets that I had watched on screen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt/\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKindness of Clea Bertani\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSan Francisco and its people were hospitable to me.  I found a job, I found friends, and I discovered the charms of the City. Good restaurants, China Town, small book stores, the aroma of good tobacco at Grant's on Market Street (I used to be a pipe smoker before I started training to run marathons).  Bali's Restaurant on Pacific was a favorite.  The lamb shanks were superb.  Mme Armen Bali had autographed photographs of ballet dancers on the walls.  She counted Rudolf Nureyev and other Russian ballet stars among her friends.  Peggy Knickerbocker's 1994 article, \u003ca href=\"http://www.saveur.com/article.jsp?ID=15884\u0026amp;typeID=100\"\u003eThe Old Stoves of North Beach\u003c/a\u003e, is a mouthwatering trip through San Francisco's North Beach.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClea Bertani is someone I have a special reason to remember.   Clea worked for Waterman Steamship Corp.   Before coming to America I had sent out about a dozen resumes to companies in the ocean transportation business in San Francisco.   Among the few responses was one from Clea Bertani.  It was not the usual \"regret\" letter.   Clea wrote that although Waterman didn't have any opening, The Guide, a local trade weekly, was running an ad for an operations assistant that might fit my background and that she had forwarded my application to The Guide.  My application included a local address and telephone number. A few weeks after my arrival I received a call from the company that had advertised in The Guide.   I followed through and got my first job.  Some days later I walked into Waterman's office to thank Clea Bertani.  She was warm and friendly just as I thought she would be when I read the letter that she took the time to write to a stranger in another country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMüzmin Anonim\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[Totally off topic to the current topic]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI came here while looking for the original (i.e. Turkish) version of Ziya Pasha's 'beyit (a two-liner poem). And, I was pleasantly surprised to find one here.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIMHO [emphasis on 'humble'], somewhat a better translation might be something like this:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll I have taken is a drop. No more.\u003cbr\u003eThe undiminished ocean still crowds the shore..\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough, I am translating from memory.I have read the original years ago (I am Turkish, but the 'beyit' was in old Turkish) but I can not locate where i have read it or where I can find it again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnyway, here is another one you might like --which is more or less in the same vein:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor thirty years my watch [has] kept ticking, but I\u003cbr\u003eBusy flying a kite, unaware of the sky..\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNecip Fazil\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[ original:\u003cbr\u003eTam otuz yıl saatim çalışmış ben durmuşum\u003cbr\u003eGökyüzünden habersiz uçurtma uçurmuşum\u003cbr\u003e]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnyway, 'musafir' (written as 'misafir') in Turkish means a guest, an esteemed visitor. Probably a Persian word. And a very nice alias.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e{I apologize for the off-topic. I just thought I'd drop a line or two}\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-05-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAh, William Saroyan.  Yet another one of my idols.  Wrote one of the great koans of all time:  \"No foundation.  All the way down the line.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNever had the luck to visit San Francisco even though sister graduated from Berkeley.  I suspect, however, that were I to ever get there, I wouldn't leave either.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-08-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir comes from the Arabic word Al-Musafir which means the traveler.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"San Francisco - A Look Back"},{"content":" The report in Washington Post about Mr. Frosty Hardison of Seattle and his battle with the Federal Way School Board is an example of the paranoia of fundamentalists. They will not let anyone or anything rob them from Armageddon. Be prepared for a loud whooshing sound when they go up to heaven. On second thought, the rest of us on earth might not be in a state to hear it.While President Bush appears to be softening his opposition to global warming, Mr. Hardison stands firm.Hardison, a parent of seven here in the southern suburbs of Seattle, hashimself roiled the global-warming waters. It happened early this month whenhe learned that one of his daughters would be watching \"An InconvenientTruth\" in her seventh-grade science class.No you will not teach or show that propagandist Al Gore video to my child,blaming our nation -- the greatest nation ever to exist on this planet --for global warming,\" Hardison wrote in an e-mail to the Federal Way SchoolBoard. The 43-year-old computer consultant is an evangelical Christian who says he believes that a warming planet is \"one of the signs\" of Jesus Christ's imminent return for Judgment Day.The school board rolled over without much of an argument.It drew following comments from KC, a friend:i guess what makes this story sad is that this is not happening inBackwardscreek, Alabama or Ridiculoso, Kansas; this story is set inSeattle, for crying out loud. The protagonist is not a gun-totingmoonshine-maker but a software programmer living in one of the bluerparts of the country.The inconvenient truth is not that the glaciers are melting, that isinconvenient only to the stupid people; the inconvenient truth is thatstupidity has no professional or geographical boundaries.But what I really really dont understand is that if you are someonewho \"believes that a warming planet is \"one of the signs of JesusChrist's imminent return for Judgment Day\", then where is theinconsistency with Gore's film? Isn't the Gore film simply saying thatthe end is neigh ? Gore's film predicts global disaster coming off theevil of mankind; passages in the Book of Revelations, which is thebasis for all the Judgement day hoopla, says there cometh a Judgementday due to the evil in men's hearts. Where is the inconsistency ?Gore's film makes the further point that, though late in the game, ifmen wanted, they could forestall global distaster. Is Mr.Hardisonafraid men's actions could thwart God's plans ? Hell, the God Ibelieve in takes no shit from man. He is all powerfull and just an allround cool dude.If Mr.Hardison has such little faith in the power of his God over thewill of man, then maybe he should shift his allegiance to mine.\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" -- Heraclitus 6th Century BCE ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/global-warming---what-evangelical-christians-fear/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401807.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e about Mr. Frosty Hardison of Seattle and his battle with the Federal Way School Board is an example of the paranoia of fundamentalists.  They will not let anyone or anything rob them from Armageddon. Be prepared for a loud whooshing sound when they go up to heaven. On second thought, the rest of us on earth might not be in a state to hear it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile President Bush appears to be softening his opposition to global warming, Mr. Hardison stands firm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHardison, a parent of seven here in the southern suburbs of Seattle, has\u003cbr/\u003ehimself roiled the global-warming waters. It happened early this month when\u003cbr/\u003ehe learned that one of his daughters would be watching \"An Inconvenient\u003cbr/\u003eTruth\" in her seventh-grade science class.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo you will not teach or show that propagandist Al Gore video to my child,\u003cbr/\u003eblaming our nation -- the greatest nation ever to exist on this planet --\u003cbr/\u003efor global warming,\" Hardison wrote in an e-mail to the Federal Way School\u003cbr/\u003eBoard. The 43-year-old computer consultant is an evangelical Christian who says he believes that a warming planet is \"one of the signs\" of Jesus Christ's imminent return for Judgment Day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe school board rolled over without much of an argument.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt drew following comments from KC, a friend:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ei guess what makes this story sad is that this is not happening in\u003cbr/\u003eBackwardscreek, Alabama or Ridiculoso, Kansas; this story is set in\u003cbr/\u003eSeattle, for crying out loud. The protagonist is not a gun-toting\u003cbr/\u003emoonshine-maker but a software programmer living in one of the bluer\u003cbr/\u003eparts of the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe inconvenient truth is not that the glaciers are melting, that is\u003cbr/\u003einconvenient only to the stupid people; the inconvenient truth is that\u003cbr/\u003estupidity has no professional or geographical boundaries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut what I really really dont understand is that if you are someone\u003cbr/\u003ewho \"believes that a warming planet is \"one of the signs of Jesus\u003cbr/\u003eChrist's imminent return for Judgment Day\", then where is the\u003cbr/\u003einconsistency with Gore's film? Isn't the Gore film simply saying that\u003cbr/\u003ethe end is neigh ? Gore's film predicts global disaster coming off the\u003cbr/\u003eevil of mankind; passages in the Book of Revelations, which is the\u003cbr/\u003ebasis for all the Judgement day hoopla, says there cometh a Judgement\u003cbr/\u003eday due to the evil in men's hearts. Where is the inconsistency ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGore's film makes the further point that, though late in the game, if\u003cbr/\u003emen wanted, they could forestall global distaster. Is Mr.Hardison\u003cbr/\u003eafraid men's actions could thwart God's plans ? Hell, the God I\u003cbr/\u003ebelieve in takes no shit from man. He is all powerfull and just an all\u003cbr/\u003eround cool dude.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf Mr.Hardison has such little faith in the power of his God over the\u003cbr/\u003ewill of man, then maybe he should shift his allegiance to mine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" -- Heraclitus 6th Century BCE\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Global Warming - What Evangelical Christians Fear"},{"content":" Garry Wills' op-ed column \"At Ease, Mr. President\" in The NY Times brings up an issue that many Americans must have thought about in recent years -- role of the president as the commander-in-chief. Mr. Wills is not alone in his position that \".....the president is not our commander-in-chief\". It is especially significant now because of the person who is our president and the abuses conducted by his administration, but regardless of who holds that office we ought to stop considering the president as commander-in-chief.The New York TimesJanuary 27, 2007At Ease, Mr. PresidentBy GARRY WILLSEvanston, Ill.WE hear constantly now about \"our commander in chief.\" The word has become a synonym for \"president.\" It is said that we \"elect a commander in chief.\" It is asked whether this or that candidate is \"worthy to be our commander in chief.\"But the president is not our commander in chief. He certainly is not mine. I am not in the Army.I first cringed at the misuse in 1973, during the \"Saturday Night Massacre\" (as it was called). President Richard Nixon, angered at the Watergate inquiry being conducted by the special prosecutor Archibald Cox, dispatched his chief of staff, Al Haig, to arrange for Mr. Cox's firing. Mr. Haig told the attorney general, Elliot Richardson, to dismiss Mr. Cox. Mr. Richardson refused, and resigned. Then Mr. Haig told the second in line at the Justice Department, William Ruckelshaus, to fire Cox. Mr. Ruckelshaus refused, and accepted his dismissal. The third in line, Robert Bork, finally did the deed.What struck me was what Mr. Haig told Mr. Ruckelshaus, \"You know what it means when an order comes down from the commander in chief and a member of his team cannot execute it.\" This was as great a constitutional faux pas as Mr. Haig's later claim, when President Reagan was wounded, that \"Constitutionally ... I'm in control.\"President Nixon was not Mr. Ruckelshaus's commander in chief. The president is not the commander in chief of civilians. He is not even commander in chief of National Guard troops unless and until they are federalized. The Constitution is clear on this: \"The president shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States.\"When Abraham Lincoln took actions based on military considerations, he gave himself the proper title, \"commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States.\" That title is rarely — more like never — heard today. It is just \"commander in chief,\" or even \"commander in chief of the United States.\" This reflects the increasing militarization of our politics. The citizenry at large is now thought of as under military discipline. In wartime, it is true, people submit to the national leadership more than in peacetime. The executive branch takes actions in secret, unaccountable to the electorate, to hide its moves from the enemy and protect national secrets. Constitutional shortcuts are taken \"for the duration.\" But those impositions are removed when normal life returns.But we have not seen normal life in 66 years. The wartime discipline imposed in 1941 has never been lifted, and \"the duration\" has become the norm. World War II melded into the cold war, with greater secrecy than ever — more classified information, tougher security clearances. And now the cold war has modulated into the war on terrorism.There has never been an executive branch more fetishistic about secrecy than the Bush-Cheney one. The secrecy has been used to throw a veil over detentions, \"renditions,\" suspension of the Geneva Conventions and of habeas corpus, torture and warrantless wiretaps. We hear again the refrain so common in the other wars — If you knew what we know, you would see how justified all our actions are.But we can never know what they know. We do not have sufficient clearance.When Adm. William Crowe, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, criticized the gulf war under the first President Bush, Secretary of State James Baker said that the admiral was not qualified to speak on the matter since he no longer had the clearance to read classified reports. If he is not qualified, then no ordinary citizen is. We must simply trust our lords and obey the commander in chief.The glorification of the president as a war leader is registered in numerous and substantial executive aggrandizements; but it is symbolized in other ways that, while small in themselves, dispose the citizenry to accept those aggrandizements. We are reminded, for instance, of the expanded commander in chief status every time a modern president gets off the White House helicopter and returns the salute of marines.That is an innovation that was begun by Ronald Reagan. Dwight Eisenhower, a real general, knew that the salute is for the uniform, and as president he was not wearing one. An exchange of salutes was out of order. (George Bush came as close as he could to wearing a uniform while president when he landed on the telegenic aircraft carrier in an Air Force flight jacket).We used to take pride in civilian leadership of the military under the Constitution, a principle that George Washington embraced when he avoided military symbols at Mount Vernon. We are not led — or were not in the past — by caudillos.Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan's prescient last book, \"Secrecy,\" traced the ever-faster-growing secrecy of our government and said that it strikes at the very essence of democracy — accountability of representatives to the people. How can the people hold their representatives to account if they are denied knowledge of what they are doing? Wartime and war analogies are embraced because these justify the secrecy. The representative is accountable to citizens. Soldiers are accountable to their officer. The dynamics are different, and to blend them is to undermine the basic principles of our Constitution.Garry Wills, a professor emeritus of history at Northwestern, is the author, most recently, of \"What Paul Meant.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/commander-in-chief/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGarry Wills' op-ed column \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/27/opinion/27wills.html\"\u003eAt Ease, Mr. President\u003c/a\u003e\" in The NY Times brings up an issue that many Americans must have thought about in recent years -- role of the president as the commander-in-chief.   Mr. Wills is not alone in his position that \".....the president is not our commander-in-chief\".  It is especially significant now because of the person who is our president and the abuses conducted by his administration, but regardless of who holds that office we ought to stop considering the president as commander-in-chief.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe New York Times\u003cbr/\u003eJanuary 27, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Ease, Mr. President\u003cbr/\u003eBy GARRY WILLS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEvanston, Ill.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWE hear constantly now about \"our commander in chief.\" The word has become a synonym for \"president.\" It is said that we \"elect a commander in chief.\" It is asked whether this or that candidate is \"worthy to be our commander in chief.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the president is not our commander in chief. He certainly is not mine. I am not in the Army.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI first cringed at the misuse in 1973, during the \"Saturday Night Massacre\" (as it was called). President Richard Nixon, angered at the Watergate inquiry being conducted by the special prosecutor Archibald Cox, dispatched his chief of staff, Al Haig, to arrange for Mr. Cox's firing. Mr. Haig told the attorney general, Elliot Richardson, to dismiss Mr. Cox. Mr. Richardson refused, and resigned. Then Mr. Haig told the second in line at the Justice Department, William Ruckelshaus, to fire Cox. Mr. Ruckelshaus refused, and accepted his dismissal. The third in line, Robert Bork, finally did the deed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat struck me was what Mr. Haig told Mr. Ruckelshaus, \"You know what it means when an order comes down from the commander in chief and a member of his team cannot execute it.\" This was as great a constitutional faux pas as Mr. Haig's later claim, when President Reagan was wounded, that \"Constitutionally ... I'm in control.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Nixon was not Mr. Ruckelshaus's commander in chief. The president is not the commander in chief of civilians. He is not even commander in chief of National Guard troops unless and until they are federalized. The Constitution is clear on this: \"The president shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Abraham Lincoln took actions based on military considerations, he gave himself the proper title, \"commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States.\" That title is rarely — more like never — heard today. It is just \"commander in chief,\" or even \"commander in chief of the United States.\" This reflects the increasing militarization of our politics. The citizenry at large is now thought of as under military discipline. In wartime, it is true, people submit to the national leadership more than in peacetime. The executive branch takes actions in secret, unaccountable to the electorate, to hide its moves from the enemy and protect national secrets. Constitutional shortcuts are taken \"for the duration.\" But those impositions are removed when normal life returns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut we have not seen normal life in 66 years. The wartime discipline imposed in 1941 has never been lifted, and \"the duration\" has become the norm. World War II melded into the cold war, with greater secrecy than ever — more classified information, tougher security clearances. And now the cold war has modulated into the war on terrorism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere has never been an executive branch more fetishistic about secrecy than the Bush-Cheney one. The secrecy has been used to throw a veil over detentions, \"renditions,\" suspension of the Geneva Conventions and of habeas corpus, torture and warrantless wiretaps. We hear again the refrain so common in the other wars — If you knew what we know, you would see how justified all our actions are.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut we can never know what they know. We do not have sufficient clearance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Adm. William Crowe, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, criticized the gulf war under the first President Bush, Secretary of State James Baker said that the admiral was not qualified to speak on the matter since he no longer had the clearance to read classified reports. If he is not qualified, then no ordinary citizen is. We must simply trust our lords and obey the commander in chief.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe glorification of the president as a war leader is registered in numerous and substantial executive aggrandizements; but it is symbolized in other ways that, while small in themselves, dispose the citizenry to accept those aggrandizements. We are reminded, for instance, of the expanded commander in chief status every time a modern president gets off the White House helicopter and returns the salute of marines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat is an innovation that was begun by Ronald Reagan. Dwight Eisenhower, a real general, knew that the salute is for the uniform, and as president he was not wearing one. An exchange of salutes was out of order. (George Bush came as close as he could to wearing a uniform while president when he landed on the telegenic aircraft carrier in an Air Force flight jacket).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe used to take pride in civilian leadership of the military under the Constitution, a principle that George Washington embraced when he avoided military symbols at Mount Vernon. We are not led — or were not in the past — by caudillos.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSenator Daniel Patrick Moynihan's prescient last book, \"Secrecy,\" traced the ever-faster-growing secrecy of our government and said that it strikes at the very essence of democracy — accountability of representatives to the people. How can the people hold their representatives to account if they are denied knowledge of what they are doing? Wartime and war analogies are embraced because these justify the secrecy. The representative is accountable to citizens. Soldiers are accountable to their officer. The dynamics are different, and to blend them is to undermine the basic principles of our Constitution.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGarry Wills, a professor emeritus of history at Northwestern, is the author, most recently, of \"What Paul Meant.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Commander-in-Chief"},{"content":" The Fictitious Yellow Cake (Uranium) from Niger \"Scooter\" Libby's trial for perjury in the investigation about the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame revealed fascinating facts. Former vice presidential aide Cathy Martin's testimony left no doubt that Vice President Cheney was deeply involved in smearing former Ambassador Joseph Wilson because his report, after being sent to investigate Iraq's acquisition of uranium from Niger, proved embarrassing to the Bush Administration. Vice President Cheney micro-managed the efforts to contain the fallout. On the other side of the picture was the division between aides at the White House and the vice president's office.The GuardianMr Wilson had been sent to Africa to investigate reports that Saddam Hussein was trying to buy uranium from Niger for his nuclear weapons programme. He reported back to the state department and the CIA that the reports were untrue, yet the claim surfaced in George Bush's state of the union speech in January, 2003. * What the President said (after Ambassador Wilson had submitted his report) in his State of the Union address, January 28, 2003:\"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities. He clearly has much to hide.\" * Ms Martin, currently employed in the White House, knew where the skeletons were buried and she did not hold back.George Tenet, the Fall Guy. Maybe that explains the Presidential Medal of Freedom.Washington PostAt length, Martin explained how she, Libby and deputy national security adviser Steve Hadley worked late into the night writing a statement to be issued by George Tenet in 2004 in which the CIA boss would take blame for the bogus claim in Bush's State of the Union address that Iraq was seeking nuclear material in Africa.After \"delicate\" talks, Tenet agreed to say the CIA \"approved\" the claim and \"I am responsible\" -- but even that disappointed Martin, who had wanted Tenet to say that \"we did not express any doubt about Niger.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2007-01-26 Keep giving them hell Musafir. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/libby-trial-exposes-bungled-coverup-of-another-lie/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Fictitious Yellow Cake (Uranium) from Niger  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012501951.html\"\u003e\"Scooter\" Libby's trial\u003c/a\u003e for perjury in the investigation about the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame revealed fascinating facts.   Former vice presidential aide Cathy Martin's testimony left no doubt that Vice President Cheney was deeply involved in smearing former Ambassador Joseph Wilson because his report, after being sent to investigate Iraq's acquisition of uranium from Niger, proved embarrassing to the Bush Administration. Vice President Cheney micro-managed the efforts to contain the fallout.  On the other side of the picture was the division between aides at the White House and the vice president's office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1999552,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMr Wilson had been sent to Africa to investigate reports that Saddam Hussein was trying to buy uranium from Niger for his nuclear weapons programme. He reported back to the state department and the CIA that the reports were untrue, yet the claim surfaced in George Bush's state of the union speech in January, 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat the President said (after Ambassador Wilson had submitted his report) in his State of the Union address, January 28, 2003:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities. He clearly has much to hide.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs Martin, currently employed in the White House, knew where the skeletons were buried and she did not hold back.\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Tenet, the Fall Guy.  Maybe that explains the Presidential Medal of Freedom.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012501951.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt length, Martin explained how she, Libby and deputy national security adviser Steve Hadley worked late into the night writing a statement to be issued by George Tenet in 2004 in which the CIA boss would take blame for the bogus claim in Bush's State of the Union address that Iraq was seeking nuclear material in Africa.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter \"delicate\" talks, Tenet agreed to say the CIA \"approved\" the claim and \"I am responsible\" -- but even that disappointed Martin, who had wanted Tenet to say that \"we did not express any doubt about Niger.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-01-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eKeep giving them hell Musafir.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Libby Trial Exposes Bungled Coverup of  Another Lie"},{"content":" Have they earned it ?The Bush Administration ramped up its offensive against critics of its latest plan for the war in Iraq. The leader of attack dogs, Vice President Cheney, came out with harsh words. He is good at that -- harsh words and in painting doomsday scenarios if we raise questions about the war that they got us into. Step back a little. As reported in CNN, this is the same man who on May 31, 2005, said: \"...... \"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\" On that day, dealth toll for American soldiers stood at 1070. The current number is 3064 (Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties); 1994 soldiers lost their lives since the vice president's statement. The man who took five deferments during the Vietnam war drools about Iraq. The warmongers are ignoring the fact that the majority of Americans no longer believes in their war.Calvin Trillin in The Nation June 16, 2005: When rockets fly and battle smoke is thick,It's good to hear from \"Four Deferments Dick.\"He's always sure. He knows what warfare is--Enough to know it's not for him or his.Insurgents somehow, though they're in the throes,Kill more GIs--but no one Cheney knows.*The \"War President\"As the late C.E. Montague, British soldier, author, journalist, said: \"War hath no fury like a noncombatant\".President Bush, July 2, 2003: \"Bring Them On\" (2857 soldiers have died since then).President Bush, Feb.8, 2004, NBC Meet the Press: \"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. And the American people need to know they got a president who sees the world the way it is. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/a-matter-of-trust/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHave they earned it ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Bush Administration ramped up its offensive against  critics of  its latest plan for the war in Iraq.  The leader of attack dogs, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012402066.html\"\u003eVice President Cheney\u003c/a\u003e,   came out  with harsh words.  He is good at that -- harsh words and in painting doomsday scenarios if we raise questions about the war that they got us into.    Step back a little.  As reported in \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.amnestyintl/index.html\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e, this is the same man who on May 31, 2005, said: \"...... \"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\"  On that day, dealth toll for American soldiers stood at 1070. The current number is 3064 (Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties)\u003c/a\u003e;  1994 soldiers lost their lives since the vice president's statement. The man who took five deferments during the Vietnam war drools about Iraq.  The warmongers are ignoring the fact that the majority of Americans no longer believes in their war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050704/trillin\"\u003eCalvin Trillin\u003c/a\u003e in The Nation June 16, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e When rockets fly and battle smoke is thick,\u003cbr/\u003eIt's good to hear from \"Four Deferments Dick.\"\u003cbr/\u003eHe's always sure. He knows what warfare is--\u003cbr/\u003eEnough to know it's not for him or his.\u003cbr/\u003eInsurgents somehow, though they're in the throes,\u003cbr/\u003eKill more GIs--but no one Cheney knows.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eThe \"War President\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the late C.E. Montague, British soldier, author, journalist, said:  \"War hath no fury like a noncombatant\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush, July 2, 2003:  \"Bring Them On\"  (2857 soldiers have died since then).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush, Feb.8, 2004, \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/\"\u003eNBC  Meet the Press\u003c/a\u003e: \"I'm a war president.  I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind.  Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true.  And the American people need to know they got a president who sees the world the way it is.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"A Matter of Trust"},{"content":" Panic in Bushland. What next for the Decider ? He tried -- again -- to sell continuation of his war and the troop surge by talking about threats. The usual suspects, the tried and tested bogies were mentioned. It worked for him in the past. Last night he failed miserably. Funny in a way when you think of President Bush talking about health care and the need for energy conservation. But he did. Desperate times call for desperate means. He was grasping at straws to bail himself out. Not many were fooled. It was Jim Webb, the Democrtatic Senator from Virginia, whose rebuttal made an impact. Rebuttal to the State of the Union speech often fell flat and soon forgotten. Jim Webb will be remembered for his words and for his delivery.Michael Shear in the Washington PostSen. James Webb, D-Va., delivered a forceful nine-minute response to President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday night, promising an aggressive challenge to Bush's Iraq and economic policies from the newly empowered Democratic majority in Congress.Speaking live from a historic Capitol Hill meeting room, Webb displayed the same blunt manner that won over Virginia voters in November and later generated headlines after a face-to-face exchange with Bush at the White House.Webb accused the president of taking the country into Iraq \"recklessly\" and forcing it to endure \"a mismanaged war for nearly four years.\"The full transcriptFrom NY Times editorial:The White House spin ahead of George W. Bush’s seventh State of the Union address was that the president would make a bipartisan call to revive his domestic agenda with “bold and innovative concepts.” The problem with that was obvious last night — in six years, Mr. Bush has shown no interest in bipartisanship, and his domestic agenda was set years ago, with huge tax cuts for wealthy Americans and crippling debt for the country.Combined with the mounting cost of the war in Iraq, that makes boldness and innovation impossible unless Mr. Bush truly changes course. And he gave no hint of that last night. Instead, he offered up a tepid menu of ideas that would change little: a health insurance notion that would make only a tiny dent in a huge problem. More promises about cutting oil consumption with barely a word about global warming. And the same lip service about immigration reform on which he has failed to deliver.\"Speaking into a Void\"We were bluffed and bullied into suporting the war. This time we must not let him get away with it.Dan Balz in the PostThe State of the President BeleagueredThere were three underlying messages in the president's address. The first was a familiar argument about the terrorist threat and plea for patience on Iraq, a chord struck earlier in the day by Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the expected new commander of U.S. forces there. Although about two in three Americans disagree with the decision to send more troops to Iraq and members of Congress are preparing nonbinding resolutions to declare their opposition, Bush asked for time to show that the strategy can succeed.He recalled that the country was largely united at the time of the invasion in 2003 and acknowledged the divisions that have emerged since. But he argued that whatever motivated members of Congress at the time of the invasion, there was a consensus that the United States must win the war.Bush may have been speaking into the void. Over the past six months, there has been a critical turn in public opinion. Long ago, a majority of Americans concluded that the president's decision to go to war was a mistake. The administration tried to shrug that off by focusing attention on the consequences of failure, believing that as long as Americans saw some chance for success they would continue to support the mission. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/presidents-smokescreen-blown-away-by-jim-webb/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePanic in Bushland.  What next for the Decider ?  He tried -- again -- to sell continuation of his war and the troop surge by talking about threats.  The usual suspects, the tried and tested bogies were  mentioned.   It worked for him in the past.  Last night he failed miserably.  Funny in a way when you think of President Bush talking about health care and the need for energy conservation.  But he did.  Desperate times call for desperate means.  He was grasping at straws to bail himself out.   Not many were fooled.  It was Jim Webb, the Democrtatic Senator from Virginia, whose rebuttal made an impact.  Rebuttal to the State of the Union speech often fell flat and soon forgotten.   Jim Webb will be remembered for his words and for his delivery.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Shear in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301080.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSen. James Webb, D-Va., delivered a forceful nine-minute response to President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday night, promising an aggressive challenge to Bush's Iraq and economic policies from the newly empowered Democratic majority in Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSpeaking live from a historic Capitol Hill meeting room, Webb displayed the same blunt manner that won over Virginia voters in November and later generated headlines after a face-to-face exchange with Bush at the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWebb accused the president of taking the country into Iraq \"recklessly\" and forcing it to endure \"a mismanaged war for nearly four years.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301369.html\"\u003eThe full transcript\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/opinion/24wed1.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e editorial:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe White House spin ahead of George W. Bush’s seventh State of the Union address was that the president would make a bipartisan call to revive his domestic agenda with “bold and innovative concepts.” The problem with that was obvious last night — in six years, Mr. Bush has shown no interest in bipartisanship, and his domestic agenda was set years ago, with huge tax cuts for wealthy Americans and crippling debt for the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eCombined with the mounting cost of the war in Iraq, that makes boldness and innovation impossible unless Mr. Bush truly changes course. And he gave no hint of that last night. Instead, he offered up a tepid menu of ideas that would change little: a health insurance notion that would make only a tiny dent in a huge problem. More promises about cutting oil consumption with barely a word about global warming. And the same lip service about immigration reform on which he has failed to deliver.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Speaking into a Void\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe were bluffed and bullied into suporting the war.  This time we must not let him get away with it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDan Balz in the Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301550.html\"\u003eThe State of the President Beleaguered\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere were three underlying messages in the president's address. The first was a familiar argument about the terrorist threat and plea for patience on Iraq, a chord struck earlier in the day by Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the expected new commander of U.S. forces there. Although about two in three Americans disagree with the decision to send more troops to Iraq and members of Congress are preparing nonbinding resolutions to declare their opposition, Bush asked for time to show that the strategy can succeed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe recalled that the country was largely united at the time of the invasion in 2003 and acknowledged the divisions that have emerged since. But he argued that whatever motivated members of Congress at the time of the invasion, there was a consensus that the United States must win the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush may have been speaking into the void. Over the past six months, there has been a critical turn in public opinion. Long ago, a majority of Americans concluded that the president's decision to go to war was a mistake. The administration tried to shrug that off by focusing attention on the consequences of failure, believing that as long as Americans saw some chance for success they would continue to support the mission.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President's Smokescreen Blown Away by Jim Webb"},{"content":" May 1, 2003. That was when President Bush appeared on the deck of the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Above him, the tower of the carrier displayed a large sign that read \"Mission Accomplished\". The \"Mission\" was Iraq. Now, almost 45 months later, as the president's latest strategy for victory by a surge in number of troops is underway, publication of \"A BBC International opinion poll\" reveals what the world thinks. There is very little in it to make us feel good but we can take consolation from the fact that the opinions are a reflection on the Bush Administration and its policies, not the American people.View of US's global role 'worse' (BBC)The view of the US's role in the world has deteriorated both internationally and domestically, a BBC poll suggests.The World Service survey, conducted in 25 nations including the US, found that three in four respondents disapproved of how Washington had dealt with Iraq.The majority of the 26,381 respondents also disapproved of the way five other foreign policy areas had been handled.The poll, released ahead of President Bush's State of the Union speech, was conducted between November and January.The number of those who said the US was a positive influence in the world fell in 18 nations polled in previous years.In those countries, 29% of people said the US had a positive influence, down from 36% last year and 40% two years ago.Across the 25 countries polled, 49% of respondents said the US played a mainly negative role in the world.In Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and the US most of those polled said they thought America had a positive role.But among Americans, the number of those who viewed their country's role positively fell to 57% - six percentage points down from last year and 14 percentage points down from two years ago.Mid-East roleRespondents were also asked about the Bush administration's handling of six areas of foreign policy: The war in Iraq: an average of 73% of respondents disapproved (57% in the US). Disapproval was strongest in Argentina and France, while people in Nigeria, Kenya and the Philippines were more likely to approve. Detainees in Guantanamo: 67% disapproved (50% in the US). Backing for America on this issue was highest in Nigeria, where 49% approved. Israeli-Hezbollah war: Washington's role met with approval from respondents in Nigeria and Philippines, but on average 65% disapproved across the 25 countries (50% in the US). Iran's nuclear programme: again, support for US actions appeared strongest in Kenya (62%), Nigeria (53%) and the Philippines (52%). But, overall 60% of respondents disapproved (50% in the US). Global warming: more than 80% of respondents in Argentina, France and Germany disapproved compared to 56% overall (54% in the US). But the White House had 50% or more support among those polled in Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines and South Korea. North Korea's nuclear programme: opposition to US policy was strongest among respondents in Argentina and Brazil. On average across the 25 countries 54% disapproved (43% in the US). When asked about US military presence in the Middle East, an average of 68% of respondents across the 25 countries answered that it \"provokes more conflict than it prevents\".SEE THE FULL SURVEYA second report in the BBC analyses the findings of the poll. 'Listen more' is world's message to US ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/america-mission-accomplished-to-troop-surge/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMay 1, 2003. That was when President Bush appeared on the deck of the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.  Above him, the tower of the carrier displayed a large sign that read \"Mission Accomplished\". The \"Mission\" was Iraq.  Now, almost 45 months later, as the president's latest strategy for victory by a surge in number of troops is underway, publication of \"A BBC International opinion poll\" reveals what the world thinks.  There is very little in it to make us feel good but we can take consolation from the fact that the opinions are a reflection on the Bush Administration and its policies, not the American people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6286755.stm\"\u003eView of US's global role 'worse' (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe view of the US's role in the world has deteriorated both internationally and domestically, a BBC poll suggests.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe World Service survey, conducted in 25 nations including the US, found that three in four respondents disapproved of how Washington had dealt with Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe majority of the 26,381 respondents also disapproved of the way five other foreign policy areas had been handled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe poll, released ahead of President Bush's State of the Union speech, was conducted between November and January.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of those who said the US was a positive influence in the world fell in 18 nations polled in previous years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn those countries, 29% of people said the US had a positive influence, down from 36% last year and 40% two years ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAcross the 25 countries polled, 49% of respondents said the US played a mainly negative role in the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and the US most of those polled said they thought America had a positive role.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut among Americans, the number of those who viewed their country's role positively fell to 57% - six percentage points down from last year and 14 percentage points down from two years ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMid-East role\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRespondents were also asked about the Bush administration's handling of six areas of foreign policy:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     The war in Iraq: an average of 73% of respondents disapproved (57% in the US). Disapproval was strongest in Argentina and France, while people in Nigeria, Kenya and the Philippines were more likely to approve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     Detainees in Guantanamo: 67% disapproved (50% in the US). Backing for America on this issue was highest in Nigeria, where 49% approved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     Israeli-Hezbollah war: Washington's role met with approval from respondents in Nigeria and Philippines, but on average 65% disapproved across the 25 countries (50% in the US).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     Iran's nuclear programme: again, support for US actions appeared strongest in Kenya (62%), Nigeria (53%) and the Philippines (52%). But, overall 60% of respondents disapproved (50% in the US).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     Global warming: more than 80% of respondents in Argentina, France and Germany disapproved compared to 56% overall (54% in the US). But the White House had 50% or more support among those polled in Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines and South Korea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     North Korea's nuclear programme: opposition to US policy was strongest among respondents in Argentina and Brazil. On average across the 25 countries 54% disapproved (43% in the US). \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen asked about US military presence in the Middle East, an average of 68% of respondents across the 25 countries answered that it \"provokes more conflict than it prevents\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/23_01_07_us_poll.pdf\"\u003eSEE THE FULL SURVEY\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA second report in the BBC analyses the findings of the poll.        \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6288933.stm\"\u003e'Listen more' is world's message to US\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"America: \"Mission Accomplished\" to Troop Surge"},{"content":" THE END OF THE WARHe came at midnight, both legs lopped off,though his old wounds had long since healed.He came through the third-story window--I was struck with wonder at how he got in.We'd lived though an age of calamity;many had lost their closest kin.In streets sown with shredded papersthe orphan survivors were skipping about.I was frozen as crystal when he came.He thawed me like pliant wax,altered me even as the pall of nightturns into the feather of dawn.His bold spirit translucent as mistthat streams from the morning clouds.---Dahlia Ravikovitch(Translated, from the Hebrew, by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld)©The New Yorker Dec.25,2006 \u0026amp; JAN 1,2007President Bush will read a speech tomorrow evening. In the past his State of the Union addresses were received with almost manic enthusiasm by Republicans in Congress. They basked in the pomp and circumstances. Props were used by the White House. Ahmed Chalabi, who had played an important role in creating the myth about Saddam Hussein's WMD, was among the honored guests after the invasion began. Then Chalabi fell from grace. Props there will be but things have changed. The president's policy about Iraq no longer enjoys credibility. Worse, by a wide margin Americans consider him as being unable to steer the country in the right direction.Death toll for soldiers is now at 3055, including 54 in this month. Visit Glenn Kutler's audio commenary (including photo gallery) in Newsweek.Confidence in Bush Leadership at All-Time Low, Poll FindsWashington PostPresident Bush will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday at the weakest point of his presidency, facing deep public dissatisfaction over his Iraq war policies and eroding confidence in his leadership, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.With a major confrontation between Congress and the president brewing over Iraq, Americans overwhelmingly oppose Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to the conflict. By wide margins they prefer that congressional Democrats, who now hold majorities in both chambers, rather than the president, take the lead in setting the direction for the country.Iraq dominates the national agenda, with 48 percent of Americans calling the war the single most important issue they want Bush and the Congress to deal with this year. No other issue rises out of single digits. The poll also finds that the public trusts congressional Democrats over Bush to deal with the conflict by a margin of 60 percent to 33 percent. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/a-poem-that-the-warrior-president-will-not-understand/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eTHE END OF THE WAR\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe came at midnight, both legs lopped off,\u003cbr/\u003ethough his old wounds had long since healed.\u003cbr/\u003eHe came through the third-story window--\u003cbr/\u003eI was struck with wonder at how he got in.\u003cbr/\u003eWe'd lived though an age of calamity;\u003cbr/\u003emany had lost their closest kin.\u003cbr/\u003eIn streets sown with shredded papers\u003cbr/\u003ethe orphan survivors were skipping about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI was frozen as crystal when he came.\u003cbr/\u003eHe thawed me like pliant wax,\u003cbr/\u003ealtered me even as the pall of night\u003cbr/\u003eturns into the feather of dawn.\u003cbr/\u003eHis bold spirit translucent as mist\u003cbr/\u003ethat streams from the morning clouds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Dahlia Ravikovitch\u003cbr/\u003e(Translated, from the Hebrew, by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld)\u003cbr/\u003e©The New Yorker Dec.25,2006 \u0026amp; JAN 1,2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush will read a speech tomorrow evening.  In the past his State of the Union addresses were received with almost manic enthusiasm by Republicans in Congress.  They basked in the pomp and circumstances.  Props were used by the White House.  Ahmed Chalabi, who had played an important role in creating the myth about Saddam Hussein's WMD, was among the honored guests after the invasion began.  Then Chalabi fell from grace. Props there will be but things have changed. The president's policy about Iraq no longer enjoys credibility.    Worse, by a wide margin Americans consider him as being unable to steer the country in the right direction.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDeath toll for soldiers is now at \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e3055\u003c/a\u003e, including 54 in this month.  Visit Glenn Kutler's  audio commenary (including  photo gallery) in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?type=ss\u0026amp;launch=16059273,3032542\u0026amp;pg=1\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eConfidence in Bush Leadership at All-Time Low, Poll Finds\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/22/AR2007012200236.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday at the weakest point of his presidency, facing deep public dissatisfaction over his Iraq war policies and eroding confidence in his leadership, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith a major confrontation between Congress and the president brewing over Iraq, Americans overwhelmingly oppose Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to the conflict. By wide margins they prefer that congressional Democrats, who now hold majorities in both chambers, rather than the president, take the lead in setting the direction for the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq dominates the national agenda, with 48 percent of Americans calling the war the single most important issue they want Bush and the Congress to deal with this year. No other issue rises out of single digits. The poll also finds that the public trusts congressional Democrats over Bush to deal with the conflict by a margin of 60 percent to 33 percent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A  Poem that the Warrior President will not Understand"},{"content":" Rest your Weary Feet; Feast your EyesThe pleasures of walking on trails include rest stops for picnics. While one can always find a grassy knoll or meadow to enjoy the view with some food and wine, on some trails the benches and picnic tables can take you by surprise. I always feel a sense of gratitude and admiration for those who paid for them and for those who built them.Long Ridge, one of the trails in the Stevens Creek and Upper Stevens Creek County Parks managed by the County of Santa Clara, has some benches that offer great views. The benches themselves look as if they belong there.Roderic F. Annable Bench @ MusafirView, Looking West @MusafirThe Plaque @ MusafirThe Leonard I. Schiff Bench @ MusafirView, Looking West @ MusafirThe Plaque @ Musafir\"Lover of this land and the stars above\", Leonard Schiff served as Chairman of Stanford's Physics Department from 1948 to 1966. He died in 1971. Didn't have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Schiff but the plaque tells me that he was a kindred spirit. Don't think he was a Republican. Hard to think of Republicans as lovers of open space. Yes, there are a few like former Congressman Pete McCloskey and perhaps Tom Campbell. But for every Pete McCloskey one is likely to find a dozen Richard Pombos.Distant view, Wallace Stegner Bench @ MusafirBorn in Iowa, Wallace Stegner joined Stanford University in 1945 and lived in Los Altos Hills until his death in 1993.\"Stegner's novel Angle of Repose won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972, and was directly based on the letters of Mary Hallock Foote (later published as the memoir A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West). Stegner's use of uncredited passages taken directly from Foote's letters caused a minor controversy[2]. Stegner also won the National Book Award for The Spectator Bird in 1977. He refused a National Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1992 due to his opposition to the way the NEA had become politicized in the late 1980s.\" Source: WikipediaClose up, Wallace Stegner Bench @ MusafirMade of rocks, it looks attractive but as I sat on the Stegner bench on a sunny afternoon in January I thought it was cold. Took a while to feel comfortable. In summer the bench would be blazing hot. Perhaps MROSD, which put up the Stegner Bench, wanted it to last for a long time; the wooden benches have a more limited life cycle.View from Wallace Stegner Bench @ MusafirThe plaque reads:\"...to try to save for everyone, for the hostile and indifferent as well as the committed, some of the health that flows across the green ridges from the Skyline, and some of the beauty and refreshment of spirit that are still available to any resident of the valley who has the moment, and the wit, to lift up his eyes unto the hills.\" - Wallace Stegner ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/bay-area-trails-the-benches-at-long-ridge/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eRest your Weary Feet;  Feast your Eyes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe pleasures of walking on trails include rest stops for picnics. While one can always find a grassy knoll or meadow to enjoy the view with some food and wine, on some trails the benches and picnic tables can take you by surprise.  I always feel a sense of gratitude and admiration for those who paid for them and for those who built them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLong Ridge, one of the trails in the Stevens Creek and Upper Stevens Creek County Parks managed by the County of Santa Clara, has some benches that offer great views. The benches themselves look as if they belong there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRoderic F. Annable Bench @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/Roderic F.. Annable Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eView, Looking West @Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/View from Roderic F. Annable Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Plaque @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/Plaque, Roderic F. Annable Bench.jpg\"/\u003eThe Leonard I. Schiff Bench @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/Leonard I. Schiff Bench at Long Ridge.jpg\"/\u003eView, Looking West @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/View, Looking West.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Plaque @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/The Plaque, Schiff Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Lover of this land and the stars above\", Leonard Schiff served as Chairman of  Stanford's  Physics Department from 1948 to 1966.  He died in 1971.  Didn't have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Schiff but the plaque tells me that he was a kindred spirit.  Don't think he was a Republican.  Hard to think of Republicans as lovers of open space.  Yes, there are a few like former Congressman Pete McCloskey and perhaps Tom Campbell.  But for every Pete McCloskey one is likely to find a dozen Richard Pombos.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDistant view, Wallace Stegner Bench @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/The Wallace Stegner Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBorn in Iowa, Wallace Stegner joined Stanford University in 1945 and lived in Los Altos Hills until his death in 1993.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Stegner's novel Angle of Repose won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972, and was directly based on the letters of Mary Hallock Foote (later published as the memoir A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West). Stegner's use of uncredited passages taken directly from Foote's letters caused a minor controversy[2]. Stegner also won the National Book Award for The Spectator Bird in 1977. He refused a National Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1992 due to his opposition to the way the NEA had become politicized in the late 1980s.\" Source: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Stegner\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eClose up, Wallace Stegner Bench @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/Close up -  Wallace Stegner Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMade of rocks, it looks attractive but as I sat on the  Stegner bench on a sunny  afternoon in January  I thought it was cold.  Took a while to feel comfortable.  In summer the bench would be blazing hot.  Perhaps \u003ca href=\"http://www.openspace.org/\"\u003eMROSD\u003c/a\u003e, which put up the Stegner Bench, wanted it to last for a long time;  the wooden benches have a more limited life cycle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eView from Wallace Stegner Bench @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/View from Wallace Stegner Bench.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe plaque reads:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"...to try to save for everyone, for the hostile and indifferent as well as the committed, some of the health that flows across the green ridges from the Skyline, and some of the beauty and refreshment of spirit that are still available to any resident of the valley who has the moment, and the wit, to lift up his eyes unto the hills.\"\u003cbr/\u003e                                                                                                           - Wallace Stegner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bay Area Trails: The Benches at Long Ridge"},{"content":" Impressive achievement. Congress passed a reform package that is not quite foolproof but it has teeth, enough teeth to put a crimp in the unhealthy relationship that existed between elected representatives and the lobbying industry. As expected, Republicans tried to lessen the impact by amendments but failed. The strong message from voters in the mid-term elections made them leery of being too aggressive in blocking passage of the legislation.How things have changed ! It was a year ago on January 18, 2006, that Jeffrey Birnbaum wrote in the Washington Post about the then Speaker Hastert's proposal for lobbyist-friendly reform legislation:\"According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if Hastert's proposal is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.\"One can say goodbye to all that. The reform legislation passed by Senate is quite different. It is a big step toward transparency and curbing of corrupt practices. Although, in recent years, it was the Republicans who completely sold themselves to special interest groups, some Democrats were willing participants in sharing the freebies.The Senate legislation, hailed by proponents as the most significant ethics reform since Watergate, would ban gifts, meals and travel funded by lobbyists, and would force lawmakers to attach their names to special-interest provisions and pet projects that they slip into bills. Lawmakers would have to pay charter rates on corporate jets, not the far-cheaper first-class rates they pay now.The House earlier this month approved similar language as part of an internal rules change. But other portions of the Senate-passed measure would carry the weight of law and would have impacts far beyond the Capitol. The House would have to pass comparable legislation for those provisions to take effect.One of those legislative provisions would force lobbyists to publicly disclose the small campaign donations they collect from clients and \"bundle\" into large donations to politicians. Bundling is a way for lobbyists to contribute far more money to candidates and thus wield more influence than they could by making individual contributions, which are currently limited to $2,100 per candidate for each election cycle. Lavish gatherings thrown by lobbyists and corporate interests at party conventions would be banned.State of the UnionIn other news, the great Decider is reported to be polishing up the State of the Union speech that he will read on Tuesday, January 23. It could include initiatives for energy and health care ! The main thrust, of course, will be to promote his latest plan for Iraq, a disaster that he and the necons created and very successfully sold to the nation. But those of you who will follow the telecast are likely to notice something different. I could be wrong but I doubt that the Republicans will bob up and down from their seats like marionettes every time the president ends a sentence. The war has taken its toll. They have lost their enthusiasm for the lies. Their constitutents sent them a strong message last November. They will be restrained in their applause. Old habits,however, die hard. Reflex action ?A Reality-Based State of the UnionA president who reduces the near-infinite variety of humankind to \"with us\" or \"against us\" has mired the nation in a disastrous, unnecessary war. Comparisons to Vietnam are imprecise -- the American casualties in Iraq are lower, the geopolitical stakes are much higher and the damage to our nation's standing in the world has been incalculable.Some believe that the president sees clearly the futility of his ill-advised war and that at this point he's just stalling so his successor will take the fall for an eventual American withdrawal. Those cynics are wrong; George W. Bush has demonstrated time and again that he values resolve over reason.The us-or-them president is now assuming an elbows-out posture toward Iran that is disturbingly reminiscent of the run-up to war in Iraq -- denunciations, threats, a military buildup in the Persian Gulf. Haven't we seen this movie before? ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/winds-of-change---lobbying-reform/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eImpressive achievement.  Congress passed a reform package that is not quite foolproof but it has teeth, enough teeth to put a crimp in the unhealthy relationship that existed between elected representatives and the lobbying industry.  As expected, Republicans tried to lessen the impact by amendments but failed.  The strong message from voters in the mid-term elections made them leery of being too aggressive in blocking passage of the legislation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow things have changed ! It was a year ago on January 18, 2006, that Jeffrey Birnbaum wrote in the\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011701311.html\"\u003e Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e about the then Speaker Hastert's proposal for lobbyist-friendly reform legislation:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if Hastert's proposal is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eOne can say goodbye to all that.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/18/AR2007011802176.html\"\u003ereform legislation\u003c/a\u003e passed by Senate is quite different.  It is a big step toward transparency and curbing of corrupt practices.  Although, in recent years,  it was the Republicans  who completely sold themselves to special interest groups,  some Democrats were willing participants in sharing the freebies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Senate legislation, hailed by proponents as the most significant ethics reform since Watergate, would ban gifts, meals and travel funded by lobbyists, and would force lawmakers to attach their names to special-interest provisions and pet projects that they slip into bills. Lawmakers would have to pay charter rates on corporate jets, not the far-cheaper first-class rates they pay now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe House earlier this month approved similar language as part of an internal rules change. But other portions of the Senate-passed measure would carry the weight of law and would have impacts far beyond the Capitol. The House would have to pass comparable legislation for those provisions to take effect.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne of those legislative provisions would force lobbyists to publicly disclose the small campaign donations they collect from clients and \"bundle\" into large donations to politicians. Bundling is a way for lobbyists to contribute far more money to candidates and thus wield more influence than they could by making individual contributions, which are currently limited to $2,100 per candidate for each election cycle. Lavish gatherings thrown by lobbyists and corporate interests at party conventions would be banned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eState of the Union\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn other news, the great Decider is reported to be polishing up the State of the Union speech that he will read on Tuesday, January 23.  It could include initiatives for energy and health care !  The main thrust, of course, will be  to promote his latest plan for Iraq, a disaster that he and the necons created and very successfully sold to the nation.  But those of you who will follow the telecast are likely to notice something different.  I could be wrong but I doubt that the Republicans will bob up and down from their seats like marionettes every time the president ends a sentence.  The war has taken its toll.  They have lost their enthusiasm for the lies.  Their constitutents sent them a strong message last November.  They will be restrained in their applause.  Old habits,however, die hard.  Reflex action ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/18/AR2007011801507.html\"\u003eA Reality-Based State of the Union\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA president who reduces the near-infinite variety of humankind to \"with us\" or \"against us\" has mired the nation in a disastrous, unnecessary war. Comparisons to Vietnam are imprecise -- the American casualties in Iraq are lower, the geopolitical stakes are much higher and the damage to our nation's standing in the world has been incalculable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome believe that the president sees clearly the futility of his ill-advised war and that at this point he's just stalling so his successor will take the fall for an eventual American withdrawal. Those cynics are wrong; George W. Bush has demonstrated time and again that he values resolve over reason.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe us-or-them president is now assuming an elbows-out posture toward Iran that is disturbingly reminiscent of the run-up to war in Iraq -- denunciations, threats, a military buildup in the Persian Gulf. Haven't we seen this movie before?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e","title":"Winds of Change - Lobbying Reform"},{"content":" Weiji, \"Cris-atunity\" and IraqGlenn Kessler's report from Riyadh in the Washington Post contains interesting nuggets about opinions held by Saudi Arabian foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, an influential voice in the Arab world. Secretary Rice threw in a comment about weiji, the Chinese term for crisis but an article in NY Times tells us that she was wrong.What Secretary Rice said:\"I don't read Chinese but I am told that the Chinese character for crisis is weiji, which means both danger and opportunity,\" Rice said. \"And I think that states it very well. We'll try to maximize the opportunity.\"Rice did not say where she learned this aphorism but oddly enough it was once featured on \"The Simpsons,\" as this excerpt from an episode shows:Lisa: \"Look on the bright side, Dad. Did you know that the Chinese use the same word for 'crisis' as they do for 'opportunity'?\"Homer: \"Yes! Cris-atunity.\" * From New York Times, Reading File: December 18, 2005By Any Other NameOn pinyin.info, a Web site about the Chinese language, Victor H. Mair, a professor of Chinese at the University of Pennsylvania, explodes the myth that \"crisis,\" in Chinese means both \"danger\" and \"opportunity.\"A whole industry of pundits and therapists has grown up around this one grossly inaccurate formulation. A casual search of the Web turns up more than a million references to this spurious proverb. It appears, ... often complete with Chinese characters, on the covers of books, on advertisements for seminars, on expensive courses for \"thinking outside of the box\" and practically everywhere one turns in the world of quick-buck business, pop psychology, and orientalist hocus-pocus. ...Like most Mandarin words, that for \"crisis\" (weiji) consists of two syllables that are written with two separate characters, wei and ji. The ji of weiji, in fact, means something like \"incipient moment; crucial point (when something begins or changes).\" Thus, a weiji is indeed a genuine crisis, a dangerous moment, a time when things start to go awry. A weiji indicates a perilous situation when one should be especially wary. It is not a juncture when one goes looking for advantages and benefits. In a crisis, one wants above all to save one's skin and neck! Washington PostRegarding Bush's plan, Saud was distinctly tepid. He said that he supports \"the objectives\" of the plan -- i.e., an end to violence and a stable government -- but he made no mention of the specific details. Indeed, when questioned on whether he supports the details, Saud shrugged off the question. Reporters knew that Rice, who arrived in Riyadh at 8 p.m. on Monday, had stayed up until 2:30 a.m. in a visit to the king's hunting camp. She then also had morning meetings. But Saud said there was not enough time to discuss the details of a plan that Bush had outlined in a 20-minute speech. * Then, Saud unexpectedly allowed another round of questions. Asked what he would do if Bush's plan does not succeed, Saud skillfully sounded a positive note -- \"why speculate on such dire consequences?\" -- while offering a devastating description of the situation in Iraq.\"Why not speculate on the positive side that everybody will come together and hopefully move out of the morass that exists in Iraq which serves nobody -- Shiites or Sunnis or Turkmen or Kurds. It serves no one,\" Saud said. \"It serves no neighboring country, no regional power and no international power.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/condoleezza-rices-mission-to-middle-east/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWeiji, \"Cris-atunity\" and Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGlenn Kessler's report from Riyadh in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/01/16/BL2007011600799_2.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e  contains interesting nuggets about opinions held by Saudi Arabian foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, an influential voice in the Arab world.  Secretary Rice threw in a comment about weiji, the Chinese term for crisis but an article in NY Times tells us that she was wrong.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat Secretary Rice said:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I don't read Chinese but I am told that the Chinese character for crisis is weiji, which means both danger and opportunity,\" Rice said. \"And I think that states it very well. We'll try to maximize the opportunity.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRice did not say where she learned this aphorism but oddly enough it was once featured on \"The Simpsons,\" as this excerpt from an episode shows:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLisa: \"Look on the bright side, Dad. Did you know that the Chinese use the same word for 'crisis' as they do for 'opportunity'?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHomer: \"Yes! Cris-atunity.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom New York Times, Reading File: December 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/weekinreview/18read.html?ex=1169182800\u0026amp;en=8a94e95f492e2004\u0026amp;ei=5070\"\u003eBy Any Other Name\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn pinyin.info, a Web site about the Chinese language, Victor H. Mair, a professor of Chinese at the University of Pennsylvania, explodes the myth that \"crisis,\" in Chinese means both \"danger\" and \"opportunity.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA whole industry of pundits and therapists has grown up around this one grossly inaccurate formulation. A casual search of the Web turns up more than a million references to this spurious proverb. It appears, ... often complete with Chinese characters, on the covers of books, on advertisements for seminars, on expensive courses for \"thinking outside of the box\" and practically everywhere one turns in the world of quick-buck business, pop psychology, and orientalist hocus-pocus. ...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike most Mandarin words, that for \"crisis\" (weiji) consists of two syllables that are written with two separate characters, wei and ji. The ji of weiji, in fact, means something like \"incipient moment; crucial point (when something begins or changes).\" Thus, a weiji is indeed a genuine crisis, a dangerous moment, a time when things start to go awry. A weiji indicates a perilous situation when one should be especially wary. It is not a juncture when one goes looking for advantages and benefits. In a crisis, one wants above all to save one's skin and neck! \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/01/16/BL2007011600799_2.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRegarding Bush's plan, Saud was distinctly tepid. He said that he supports \"the objectives\" of the plan -- i.e., an end to violence and a stable government -- but he made no mention of the specific details. Indeed, when questioned on whether he supports the details, Saud shrugged off the question. Reporters knew that Rice, who arrived in Riyadh at 8 p.m. on Monday, had stayed up until 2:30 a.m. in a visit to the king's hunting camp. She then also had morning meetings. But Saud said there was not enough time to discuss the details of a plan that Bush had outlined in a 20-minute speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen, Saud unexpectedly allowed another round of questions. Asked what he would do if Bush's plan does not succeed, Saud skillfully sounded a positive note -- \"why speculate on such dire consequences?\" -- while offering a devastating description of the situation in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Why not speculate on the positive side that everybody will come together and hopefully move out of the morass that exists in Iraq which serves nobody -- Shiites or Sunnis or Turkmen or Kurds. It serves no one,\" Saud said. \"It serves no neighboring country, no regional power and no international power.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Condoleezza Rice's Mission to Middle-East"},{"content":" Numbing. Explosions in Baghdad resulted in deaths of 80 or more people today. Most of the casualties took place near al-Mustansriya university, a Shia neighborhood. Retaliatory attacks cannot be too long in coming.35,000 civilian deaths in 2006The Guardian reports that according to the UN, Kirkuk in Northern Iraq is facing imminent outbreak of violence that could make it another Baghdad. This time the Kurds are responsible for atrocities against ethnic minorities. Kurdish Peshmerga forces are a part of the President Bush's strategy to quell violence in Baghdad. Talk about strange bedfellows and winning hearts and minds!UN warns of looming crisis in KirkukMark TranTuesday January 16, 2007Guardian UnlimitedThe deteriorating human rights situation in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq could be a prelude to a looming crisis in the Kurdish region, the UN warned today.In its bi-monthly human rights report on Iraq, the UN voiced concerns at reports of mistreatment of ethnic Turkmen and Arabs by the Kurdish majority.\"They face increasing threats, intimidations and detentions, often in KRG (Kurdish regional government) facilities run by Kurdish intelligence and security forces,\" the report said. \"Such violations may well be the prelude of a looming crisis in Kirkuk in the coming months.\"While media attention has focused on Baghdad, which accounts for most of Iraq's bloodletting, Kirkuk could be lurching towards its own mini-crisis.Kirkuk, an ancient city once part of the Ottoman empire, has a large minority of ethnic Turks as well as Christians, Shias and Sunnis, Armenians and Assyrians. The city lies just south of the autonomous Kurdish region stretching across Iraq's north-east.Under Iraq's new constitution, a local referendum is to be held this year to determine whether Kirkuk should join the Kurdistan regional confederacy (the united administration of Irbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya provinces). Because of its oil wealth, the Kurds covet the city and want it to become their regional capital.It is a prospect that horrifies Turkey, which fears that a strong Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq with Kirkuk's oil wealth would galvanise separatist Kurdish guerrillas in Turkey who have been fighting since 1984 for autonomy.Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, today warned Iraqi Kurdish groups against trying to seize control of Kirkuk. He said Turkey would not stand by amid growing ethnic tensions, prompting accusations of interference by Iraqi Kurds.The Kurdish coalition bloc in the Iraqi parliament today read a statement during a session accusing Turkey of interfering in Iraqi affairs. \"As we condemn this interference in Iraqi affairs by the Turkish government, we call upon the parliament to issue a statement condemning them as well,\" the coalition bloc said.But Mr Erdogan this week reminded the Kurds that Turkey sheltered more than 500,000 Iraqi Kurdish refugees who escaped Iraq's ruthless campaign following a failed Kurdish insurgency in early 1991.\"Turkey did not remain indifferent to the plight of Kurdish peshmergas who were escaping oppression and death,\" he said. \"Today, it will not remain indifferent to the Turkmens, Arabs ... in Kirkuk.\"Military intervention by Turkey, a Nato ally of the US in northern Iraq, is unlikely, but Ankara could apply economic pressure as potential oil exports from Kirkuk have to go overland through Turkey.Today's UN report said Kirkuk is heavily controlled by security forces and Kurdish militias - or peshmergas - who exercise to a large degree effective control of the city. Most senior official positions are occupied by Kurds or their allies from other ethnic groups.Under Saddam Hussein, Baghdad imposed an \"Arabisation\" policy on Kirkuk, a massive social engineering project that drove many Kurds from their homes to be replaced by Arabs, mostly Shias from the south. Since the US invasion of 2003, many Kurds have returned and Turkmen and Arabs in the city now complain of reverse \"ethnic cleansing\".\"Even though violence is not on the same level as in Baghdad,\" the UN said, \"ongoing human rights violations and the surge of violent acts which have significantly increased since 2003 are widely believed to be the doing of perpetrators and instigators from inside and outside Iraq and Kirkuk. Lately and due to the continuing insecurity, ethnic groups have moved closer to their own communities for protection.\"With tension rising in Kirkuk, the referendum is shaping up to be a key moment for the Kurdish region. The Iraq Study Group, chaired by former secretary of state James Baker, warned last month in its report of the \"great risk\" of the referendum sparking further violence in Kirkuk and recommended postponing it for a year.The Kurds would hardly welcome any such delay and might well annex the city precipitating a crisis with Turkey. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/kirkuk-the-next-killing-zone-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNumbing.  Explosions in Baghdad resulted in deaths of 80 or more people today.  Most of the casualties took place near al-Mustansriya university, a Shia neighborhood. Retaliatory attacks cannot be too long in coming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1991565,00.html\"\u003e35,000 civilian deaths in 2006\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian reports that according to the UN, Kirkuk in Northern Iraq is facing imminent outbreak of violence that could make it another Baghdad.  This time the Kurds are responsible for atrocities against ethnic minorities.  Kurdish Peshmerga forces are a part of the President Bush's strategy to quell violence in Baghdad.  Talk about strange bedfellows and winning hearts and minds!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1991752,00.html\"\u003eUN warns of looming crisis in Kirkuk\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMark Tran\u003cbr/\u003eTuesday January 16, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eGuardian Unlimited\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe deteriorating human rights situation in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq could be a prelude to a looming crisis in the Kurdish region, the UN warned today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn its bi-monthly human rights report on Iraq, the UN voiced concerns at reports of mistreatment of ethnic Turkmen and Arabs by the Kurdish majority.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They face increasing threats, intimidations and detentions, often in KRG (Kurdish regional government) facilities run by Kurdish intelligence and security forces,\" the report said. \"Such violations may well be the prelude of a looming crisis in Kirkuk in the coming months.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile media attention has focused on Baghdad, which accounts for most of Iraq's bloodletting, Kirkuk could be lurching towards its own mini-crisis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKirkuk, an ancient city once part of the Ottoman empire, has a large minority of ethnic Turks as well as Christians, Shias and Sunnis, Armenians and Assyrians. The city lies just south of the autonomous Kurdish region stretching across Iraq's north-east.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder Iraq's new constitution, a local referendum is to be held this year to determine whether Kirkuk should join the Kurdistan regional confederacy (the united administration of Irbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya provinces). Because of its oil wealth, the Kurds covet the city and want it to become their regional capital.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a prospect that horrifies Turkey, which fears that a strong Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq with Kirkuk's oil wealth would galvanise separatist Kurdish guerrillas in Turkey who have been fighting since 1984 for autonomy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTurkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, today warned Iraqi Kurdish groups against trying to seize control of Kirkuk. He said Turkey would not stand by amid growing ethnic tensions, prompting accusations of interference by Iraqi Kurds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Kurdish coalition bloc in the Iraqi parliament today read a statement during a session accusing Turkey of interfering in Iraqi affairs. \"As we condemn this interference in Iraqi affairs by the Turkish government, we call upon the parliament to issue a statement condemning them as well,\" the coalition bloc said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Mr Erdogan this week reminded the Kurds that Turkey sheltered more than 500,000 Iraqi Kurdish refugees who escaped Iraq's ruthless campaign following a failed Kurdish insurgency in early 1991.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Turkey did not remain indifferent to the plight of Kurdish peshmergas who were escaping oppression and death,\" he said. \"Today, it will not remain indifferent to the Turkmens, Arabs ... in Kirkuk.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMilitary intervention by Turkey, a Nato ally of the US in northern Iraq, is unlikely, but Ankara could apply economic pressure as potential oil exports from Kirkuk have to go overland through Turkey.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday's UN report said Kirkuk is heavily controlled by security forces and Kurdish militias - or peshmergas - who exercise to a large degree effective control of the city. Most senior official positions are occupied by Kurds or their allies from other ethnic groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder Saddam Hussein, Baghdad imposed an \"Arabisation\" policy on Kirkuk, a massive social engineering project that drove many Kurds from their homes to be replaced by Arabs, mostly Shias from the south. Since the US invasion of 2003, many Kurds have returned and Turkmen and Arabs in the city now complain of reverse \"ethnic cleansing\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Even though violence is not on the same level as in Baghdad,\" the UN said, \"ongoing human rights violations and the surge of violent acts which have significantly increased since 2003 are widely believed to be the doing of perpetrators and instigators from inside and outside Iraq and Kirkuk. Lately and due to the continuing insecurity, ethnic groups have moved closer to their own communities for protection.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith tension rising in Kirkuk, the referendum is shaping up to be a key moment for the Kurdish region. The Iraq Study Group, chaired by former secretary of state James Baker, warned last month in its report of the \"great risk\" of the referendum sparking further violence in Kirkuk and recommended postponing it for a year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Kurds would hardly welcome any such delay and might well annex the city precipitating a crisis with Turkey.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Kirkuk, the Next Killing Zone in Iraq ?"},{"content":" 'L'etat, C'est Moi' The president and his pet war continue to dominate the media. After failing miserably to question and probe claims by the Bush Administration before and after the launching of Operation Iraqi Freedom, reports in both print and broadcast media indicate that the days of rolling over for the spinmeisters from White House are past. It is hard to find much support for troop surge but the Decider is charging ahead. Behind the scenes, his administration is continuing to take actions that are reminiscent of the former Soviet Russia under Stalin. Not known whether President Bush is aware of the Sun King but he would have no problem with the statement made by Louis XIV of France \"L'Etat, C'est Moi\" (I am the State).Dahlia Lithwick in the Post:The Imperial PresidencyAnd why is President Bush still issuing grandiose and provocative signing statements, the latest of which claims that the executive branch has the power to open mail when it sees fit?I once believed that the common thread here is presidential blindness -- an extreme executive-branch myopia that leads the chief executive to believe that these futile measures are integral to combating terrorism; a self-delusion that precludes Bush and his advisers from recognizing that Padilla is a chump and Guantanamo Bay is just a holding pen for a jumble of innocent or half-guilty wretches.But it has finally become clear that the goal of these efforts isn't to win the war against terrorism; indeed, nothing about Padilla, Guantanamo Bay or signing statements moves the country an inch closer to eradicating terrorism. The object is a larger one: expanding executive power, for its own sake.Karen DeYoung in the Washington Post:Under then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Pentagon expanded its collection of intelligence within the borders of the United States -- a development that stirred concern among members of Congress and prompted stern criticism and lawsuits from civil liberties advocates.These efforts are overseen by the Pentagon's Counterintelligence Field Activity agency, or CIFA, which was established in September 2002 by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz.CIFA is charged with coordinating policy and overseeing the domestic counterintelligence activities of Pentagon agencies and the armed forces. The agency's size and budget are classified, but congressional sources have said that the agency spent more than $1 billion through October. One counterintelligence official recently estimated that CIFA has 400 full-time employees and 800 to 900 contractors working for it.In written responses to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing last month, Rumsfeld's replacement, Robert M. Gates, pledged to look \"in greater detail\" at CIFA's activities.The agency was criticized in December 2005 after it was revealed that a database managed by CIFA, called TALON, contained unverified, raw threat information about people who were peacefully protesting the Iraq war at defense facilities, including recruiting offices. In August, CIFA Director David A. Burtt II and his top deputy, Joseph Hefferon, resigned in the wake of a scandal involving CIFA contracts that went to MZM Inc., a company run by Mitchell J. Wade. Wade pleaded guilty last February to conspiring to bribe then-Rep. Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham (R-Calif).What lies ahead? If the opposition to troop surge by Democrats and some Republican members of Congress holds then then there is something to hope for. Even a nonbinding resolution cannot fail to have an impact on the warmongers.Opposition to Iraq Plan Leaves Bush IsolatedThe White House has downscaled its goals and is playing for time. Advisers resign themselves to a nonbinding congressional resolution condemning the troop increase but want to avoid many Republicans voting for it. Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who lost reelection, called Bush's plan \"a step in the right direction\" and said Republicans do not want to walk away from Iraq but are \"in full political survival mode\" now. \"It's very hard, particularly if you're on the ballot in two years, to run on the side of the president on anything to do with the war.\"The more serious threat to the White House would be a Democratic attempt to restrict funds for more troops. Bush aides said that current funds are enough to get started, and they are counting on the notion that it will take two months until the supplemental appropriation bill providing more war funds comes to a vote. By then, they said, extra troops will be on the ground and it will be too late for Congress to stop them. And they hope for signs of progress that would let them argue that the plan is working. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/darkness-at-noon---attack-on-civil-liberties/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'L'etat, C'est Moi' \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president and his pet war continue to dominate the media.  After failing miserably to question and probe claims by the Bush Administration before and after the launching of Operation Iraqi Freedom, reports in both print and broadcast media indicate that the days of rolling over for the spinmeisters  from White House are past. It is hard to find much support for troop surge but the Decider is charging ahead.  Behind the scenes, his administration is continuing to take actions that are reminiscent of the former Soviet Russia under Stalin.   Not known whether President Bush is aware of the Sun King but he would have no problem with the statement made by Louis XIV of France \"L'Etat, C'est Moi\" (I am the State).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDahlia Lithwick in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/12/AR2007011201952.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Imperial Presidency\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd why is President Bush still issuing grandiose and provocative signing statements, the latest of which claims that the executive branch has the power to open mail when it sees fit?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI once believed that the common thread here is presidential blindness -- an extreme executive-branch myopia that leads the chief executive to believe that these futile measures are integral to combating terrorism; a self-delusion that precludes Bush and his advisers from recognizing that Padilla is a chump and Guantanamo Bay is just a holding pen for a jumble of innocent or half-guilty wretches.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut it has finally become clear that the goal of these efforts isn't to win the war against terrorism; indeed, nothing about Padilla, Guantanamo Bay or signing statements moves the country an inch closer to eradicating terrorism. The object is a larger one: expanding executive power, for its own sake.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/13/AR2007011301486.html\"\u003eKaren DeYoung in the Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Pentagon expanded its collection of intelligence within the borders of the United States -- a development that stirred concern among members of Congress and prompted stern criticism and lawsuits from civil liberties advocates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThese efforts are overseen by the Pentagon's Counterintelligence Field Activity agency, or CIFA, which was established in September 2002 by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCIFA is charged with coordinating policy and overseeing the domestic counterintelligence activities of Pentagon agencies and the armed forces. The agency's size and budget are classified, but congressional sources have said that the agency spent more than $1 billion through October. One counterintelligence official recently estimated that CIFA has 400 full-time employees and 800 to 900 contractors working for it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn written responses to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing last month, Rumsfeld's replacement, Robert M. Gates, pledged to look \"in greater detail\" at CIFA's activities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe agency was criticized in December 2005 after it was revealed that a database managed by CIFA, called TALON, contained unverified, raw threat information about people who were peacefully protesting the Iraq war at defense facilities, including recruiting offices. In August, CIFA Director David A. Burtt II and his top deputy, Joseph Hefferon, resigned in the wake of a scandal involving CIFA contracts that went to MZM Inc., a company run by Mitchell J. Wade. Wade pleaded guilty last February to conspiring to bribe then-Rep. Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham (R-Calif).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat lies ahead?  If the  opposition to troop surge by Democrats and some Republican members of Congress holds then  then there is  something to hope for.  Even a nonbinding resolution cannot fail to have an impact on the warmongers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/13/AR2007011300561.html\"\u003eOpposition to Iraq Plan Leaves Bush Isolated\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe White House has downscaled its goals and is playing for time. Advisers resign themselves to a nonbinding congressional resolution condemning the troop increase but want to avoid many Republicans voting for it. Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who lost reelection, called Bush's plan \"a step in the right direction\" and said Republicans do not want to walk away from Iraq but are \"in full political survival mode\" now. \"It's very hard, particularly if you're on the ballot in two years, to run on the side of the president on anything to do with the war.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe more serious threat to the White House would be a Democratic attempt to restrict funds for more troops. Bush aides said that current funds are enough to get started, and they are counting on the notion that it will take two months until the supplemental appropriation bill providing more war funds comes to a vote. By then, they said, extra troops will be on the ground and it will be too late for Congress to stop them. And they hope for signs of progress that would let them argue that the plan is working.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Darkness at Noon - Attack on Civil Liberties"},{"content":" Bush's last stand. The Potomac will continue to flow after the presidency of George Walker Bush, aka Dubya, aka the Decider, is over and the legacy of the present occupier of the White House will continue to haunt us for a long time. The damage he has wrought will take decades to repair.As expected, the warrior president submitted his case for troop surge. It will take a few days to assess the impact of his move. Indications are that it will not receive support from a substantial majority of Americans. The Democrats are finally showing signs of courage by taking a stand against the president's plan. If they stick with it the president will not find it easy to get his way as he did in the past by spreading fear and talking about patriotism.Among the many comments in print media, this one from The Guardian, UK, stands out:Defiance and delusionLeaderThursday January 11, 2007The GuardianGeorge Bush's announcement last night that he is going to pour more troops into Iraq was the last throw of the dice in a misconceived enterprise that has dragged his country, this country and the Middle East into a nightmare. The package includes 17,500 more combat troops for Baghdad and 4,000 more marines for Anbar province, the cockpit of the Sunni insurgency. Over $1bn will be spent in economic aid. In return the Iraqis are to promise to crackdown on insurgents, regardless of sect or religion.In opting for a troop surge, Mr Bush has ignored the message of the mid-term elections, the Iraq Study Group, Congress, his own top generals and most world opinion. US generals have difficulty enough maintaining current levels of combat-ready troops and are not convinced that more troops will make any difference. Rather than listen to them, Mr Bush has turned to the right, to those who argue that honour and the America's national interests require fighting on. One senses that \"honour\" is the more important of the two.Back on Earth - where on Tuesday 1,000 American and Iraqi troops were battling Sunni insurgents with helicopters and warplanes for the control of a three-mile stretch of road running through the centre of Baghdad - any plan for Iraq is predicated on the ability of Nouri al-Maliki's government to disarm the Shia militias. Only then can the police force and army be rebuilt, Sunnis included in a settlement and control re-established over wide areas of the country. The task of regaining Iraq is no longer just about containing an insurgency; it is about staunching the flames of a civil war.Thus far, al-Maliki's record has not been good. He has been unable or unwilling to confront the main Shia warlord, Moqtada al-Sadr, on whom he depends for parliamentary support. His government cannot fight sectarianism, if entire ministries are working for the Shia militias. This was demonstrated by the execution of Saddam Hussein. On Tuesday alone, 40 bodies were found in Baghdad, the presumed work of the death squads.Back at home, the president is almost alone. Only senator John McCain, the leading Republican candidate to replace Mr Bush, and Joe Lieberman, on the right of the Democrats, support his plan. Queuing up to oppose him, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, and senator Edward Kennedy have all said that they intend to hold symbolic votes on the plan. They cannot overrule a decision by the commander-in-chief, but they can isolate him. There could be as many as 10 Republican defections in the Senate. The Democrats have turned up the volume of their moral outrage, presumably because they think Mr Bush will not be able to hold the line with the latest announcement. In most people's minds, the argument for withdrawal, however gradual, has already been won. The only issue that remains is how quickly it happens.Tony Blair was also having difficulty in the commons yesterday, with Sir Menzies Campbell pressing him on whether Britain will mirror Mr Bush's deepening of engagement. Mr Blair maintained that Basra was in a bubble of its own, unaffected by the troubles that beset Baghdad. He said that once the current operation against militia infiltration of the Basra police was complete, Iraqis would take over control over their own affairs.The claim peace is returning to Basra is as unreal as Mr Bush's hope that order can be brought to Baghdad. Surrounded by the wreckage of the disaster they created, both men still hope, against all reality, that somehow the pieces can be put back together again. But their project is dead. A few more troops, or a few more months, will not restore it. Both men are on their way out. By stringing the war along without admitting defeat, it will become the business of another British prime minister and another American president to end it. Also see \"Mr. Bush's Strategy\", Washington Post.Addendum: January 11, 2007 Washington Post-ABC News Poll \"Poll: Most Americans Opposed to Bush's Iraq PlanMajority of Those Surveyed Are Skeptical That Surge Would Make Victory More Likely\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/last-stand-at-the-potomac/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush's last stand.  The Potomac will continue to flow after the presidency of George Walker Bush, aka Dubya, aka the Decider, is over and the legacy of the present occupier of the White House will continue to haunt us for a long time.  The damage he has wrought will take decades to repair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs expected, the warrior president submitted his case for troop surge.  It will take a few days to assess the impact of his move.  Indications are that it will not receive support from a substantial majority of Americans.  The Democrats are finally showing signs of courage by taking a stand against the president's plan. If they stick with it the president will not find it easy to get his way as he did in the past by spreading fear and talking about patriotism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the many comments in print media, this one from \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1987457,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, UK, stands out:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDefiance and delusion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeader\u003cbr/\u003eThursday January 11, 2007\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Bush's announcement last night that he is going to pour more troops into Iraq was the last throw of the dice in a misconceived enterprise that has dragged his country, this country and the Middle East into a nightmare. The package includes 17,500 more combat troops for Baghdad and 4,000 more marines for Anbar province, the cockpit of the Sunni insurgency. Over $1bn will be spent in economic aid. In return the Iraqis are to promise to crackdown on insurgents, regardless of sect or religion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn opting for a troop surge, Mr Bush has ignored the message of the mid-term elections, the Iraq Study Group, Congress, his own top generals and most world opinion. US generals have difficulty enough maintaining current levels of combat-ready troops and are not convinced that more troops will make any difference. Rather than listen to them, Mr Bush has turned to the right, to those who argue that honour and the America's national interests require fighting on. One senses that \"honour\" is the more important of the two.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack on Earth - where on Tuesday 1,000 American and Iraqi troops were battling Sunni insurgents with helicopters and warplanes for the control of a three-mile stretch of road running through the centre of Baghdad - any plan for Iraq is predicated on the ability of Nouri al-Maliki's government to disarm the Shia militias. Only then can the police force and army be rebuilt, Sunnis included in a settlement and control re-established over wide areas of the country. The task of regaining Iraq is no longer just about containing an insurgency; it is about staunching the flames of a civil war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThus far, al-Maliki's record has not been good. He has been unable or unwilling to confront the main Shia warlord, Moqtada al-Sadr, on whom he depends for parliamentary support. His government cannot fight sectarianism, if entire ministries are working for the Shia militias. This was demonstrated by the execution of Saddam Hussein. On Tuesday alone, 40 bodies were found in Baghdad, the presumed work of the death squads.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack at home, the president is almost alone. Only senator John McCain, the leading Republican candidate to replace Mr Bush, and Joe Lieberman, on the right of the Democrats, support his plan. Queuing up to oppose him, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, and senator Edward Kennedy have all said that they intend to hold symbolic votes on the plan. They cannot overrule a decision by the commander-in-chief, but they can isolate him. There could be as many as 10 Republican defections in the Senate. The Democrats have turned up the volume of their moral outrage, presumably because they think Mr Bush will not be able to hold the line with the latest announcement. In most people's minds, the argument for withdrawal, however gradual, has already been won. The only issue that remains is how quickly it happens.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTony Blair was also having difficulty in the commons yesterday, with Sir Menzies Campbell pressing him on whether Britain will mirror Mr Bush's deepening of engagement. Mr Blair maintained that Basra was in a bubble of its own, unaffected by the troubles that beset Baghdad. He said that once the current operation against militia infiltration of the Basra police was complete, Iraqis would take over control over their own affairs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe claim peace is returning to Basra is as unreal as Mr Bush's hope that order can be brought to Baghdad. Surrounded by the wreckage of the disaster they created, both men still hope, against all reality, that somehow the pieces can be put back together again. But their project is dead. A few more troops, or a few more months, will not restore it. Both men are on their way out. By stringing the war along without admitting defeat, it will become the business of another British prime minister and another American president to end it. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso see \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/10/AR2007011002603.html\"\u003eMr. Bush's Strategy\u003c/a\u003e\", Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAddendum: January 11, 2007 \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_011107.htm\"\u003eWashington Post-ABC News Poll\u003c/a\u003e  \"Poll: \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/11/AR2007011100282.html\"\u003eMost Americans Opposed to Bush's Iraq Plan\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMajority of Those Surveyed Are Skeptical That Surge Would Make Victory More Likely\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Last Stand at the Potomac"},{"content":" Sons, brothers, sisters, husbands, friends and loversJuly 2, 2003 -- that was when President Bush issued his challenge to Iraqi insurgents \"Bring them on\". They did; they certainly did. Latest figure from Iraq Coalition Casualties is 3017. That means 2810 American soldiers have died after the president's bluster. Richard Cohen in the Post compares the president's support of death penalty with his position on Iraq: \"Irrational is as Irrational doesI bring up Bush's appalling record of executions not because I have once again mounted my anti-capital-punishment hobbyhorse but because his record offers an insight into why the United States will stay in Iraq and with even more troops than before.Let me explain. In Iowa, during the 2000 presidential campaign, Bush answered a question about why he so ardently supported capital punishment. He offered a number of reasons, but one -- deterrence -- prompted me to raise my hand and ask a follow-up: But, sir, there is absolutely no evidence that capital punishment is a deterrent. To my astonishment, Bush conceded my point: \"You're right. I can't prove it. But neither can the other side prove it's not.\"Ponder that answer for a while. What it means is not just that Bush embraced a famously irrational way of thinking -- the logical fallacy often called \"proving a negative\" -- but in this case he used it to overwhelm all evidence to the contrary. Once you know this, you can appreciate what Bush means when he calls himself The Decider. It means that evidence, arguments, proof and logic cannot be conclusive when, as is often the case, the president proceeds on what can be called a matter of faith. I am not referring here just to religion -- although surely that is paramount to Bush -- but to supremely secular matters of state: when to go to war, why go to war and when to remain at war. In Bush's mind, the bad guys will lose and the good guys will win and Iraq will become a democracy. This will happen not because Bush can prove that it will but because nobody can prove it won't.Across the Atlantic, Steve Bell of The Guardian, expressed his view in a cartoon.© Steve Bell 2006 - Guardian Co.UKSally Quinn wrote in the Post about her memory of soldiers wounded in the Korean war.The soldiers in the litters above and below me both died, blood dripping from their wounds. Many other soldiers died while we were in the air. We had to stop in Hawaii overnight to refuel and to leave the bodies.I hope that when President Bush discusses sending more troops to Iraq, knowing that we will have to pull out sooner rather than later, that the conversation comes around to the human suffering. Does anyone at the table ask about the personal anguish, the long-term effects, emotional, psychological and financial, on the families of those killed, wounded or permanently disabled?When I hear about the surge, all I can think of is those young soldiers on the plane to Texas. We have already lost more than 3,000 soldiers, and many more have been wounded and disabled.We have three choices here. All three are immoral. We can keep the status quo and gradually pull out; we can surge; or we can pull out now. When I think about those young soldiers on that plane coming back from Japan years ago, I believe pulling out now is the least immoral choice.Link: Glenn Kutler's audio report in Newsweek ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/from-bring-them-on-to-troop-surge-2810-dead/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSons, brothers, sisters, husbands, friends and lovers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJuly 2, 2003 -- that was when President Bush issued his challenge to Iraqi insurgents \"Bring them on\".  They did; they certainly did.  Latest figure from \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e is 3017. That means 2810 American soldiers have died after the president's bluster.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRichard Cohen in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010801420.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e compares the president's support of death penalty with his position on Iraq: \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIrrational is as Irrational does\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI bring up Bush's appalling record of executions not because I have once again mounted my anti-capital-punishment hobbyhorse but because his record offers an insight into why the United States will stay in Iraq and with even more troops than before.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet me explain. In Iowa, during the 2000 presidential campaign, Bush answered a question about why he so ardently supported capital punishment. He offered a number of reasons, but one -- deterrence -- prompted me to raise my hand and ask a follow-up: But, sir, there is absolutely no evidence that capital punishment is a deterrent. To my astonishment, Bush conceded my point: \"You're right. I can't prove it. But neither can the other side prove it's not.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePonder that answer for a while. What it means is not just that Bush embraced a famously irrational way of thinking -- the logical fallacy often called \"proving a negative\" -- but in this case he used it to overwhelm all evidence to the contrary. Once you know this, you can appreciate what Bush means when he calls himself The Decider. It means that evidence, arguments, proof and logic cannot be conclusive when, as is often the case, the president proceeds on what can be called a matter of faith. I am not referring here just to religion -- although surely that is paramount to Bush -- but to supremely secular matters of state: when to go to war, why go to war and when to remain at war. In Bush's mind, the bad guys will lose and the good guys will win and Iraq will become a democracy. This will happen not because Bush can prove that it will but because nobody can prove it won't.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAcross the Atlantic, Steve Bell of The Guardian, expressed his view in a cartoon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2007/01/Bush - Steve Bell.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,,1986113,00.html\"\u003e© Steve Bell 2006 - Guardian Co.UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSally Quinn wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010801417.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about her memory of soldiers wounded in the Korean war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe soldiers in the litters above and below me both died, blood dripping from their wounds. Many other soldiers died while we were in the air. We had to stop in Hawaii overnight to refuel and to leave the bodies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI hope that when President Bush discusses sending more troops to Iraq, knowing that we will have to pull out sooner rather than later, that the conversation comes around to the human suffering. Does anyone at the table ask about the personal anguish, the long-term effects, emotional, psychological and financial, on the families of those killed, wounded or permanently disabled?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I hear about the surge, all I can think of is those young soldiers on the plane to Texas. We have already lost more than 3,000 soldiers, and many more have been wounded and disabled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe have three choices here. All three are immoral. We can keep the status quo and gradually pull out; we can surge; or we can pull out now. When I think about those young soldiers on that plane coming back from Japan years ago, I believe pulling out now is the least immoral choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink: Glenn Kutler's audio report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16059273/displaymode/1107//s/2/framenumber/2\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"From \"Bring Them On\"  to  Troop Surge:  2810 Dead"},{"content":" Deaf, blind, arrogant. The president's utter disregard of facts and figures has raised comments from various quarters. For some, it took a while. They fell under the campaign of fear -- red herrings, terorists lurking around the corner, the non-existent WMD in Iraq -- including the patriotism thing. Anyone critical of the administration's war in Iraq was branded as unpatriotic.While majority of Americans are now aware of being duped and have seen through the hollow man, the president continues to charge ahead.The Washington Post and NY Times both ran editorials on January 6th and 7th about the unreal world of G.W. Bush. Scary to have such a man as head of the most powerful nation on earth. Members of Congress who rolled over and let him bamboozle them in the fall of 2002 must not allow it to happen again when he asks for support in increase of troop level for his pet war.Washington PostA Heckuva ClaimMr. Bush is oblivious to the consequences of his tax cuts.PRESIDENT BUSH wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Wednesday that \"it is also a fact that our tax cuts have fueled robust economic growth and record revenues.\" The claim about fueling record revenue is flat wrong, and it is shocking that the president should persist in making such errors. After all, tax cuts are the central plank of his domestic policy. How can he fail to understand the basic facts about them?This is not just our opinion. Harvard's N. Gregory Mankiw, an economic conservative who served as chairman of Mr. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, has tested the hypothesis on which Mr. Bush's claim is based: He looked at the extent to which tax cuts stimulate extra growth and the extent to which that growth generates extra tax revenue that offsets the initial loss of revenue from the tax cut. Mr. Mankiw's conclusion: Even over the long term, once you've allowed all of the extra growth to feed through into extra revenue, cuts in capital taxes juice the economy enough to recoup half of the lost revenue, and cuts in income taxes deliver a boost that recoups 17 percent of the lost revenue. So a $100 billion cut in taxes on capital widens the budget deficit by $50 billion, and a $100 billion cut in income taxes widens the budget deficit by $83 billion.NY TimesThe Imperial Presidency 2.0Published: January 7, 2007Observing President Bush in action lately, we have to wonder if he actually watched the election returns in November, or if he was just rerunning the 2002 vote on his TiVo.That year, the White House used the fear of terrorism to scare American voters into cementing the Republican domination of Congress. Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney then embarked on an expansion of presidential power chilling both in its sweep and in the damage it did to the constitutional system of checks and balances.In 2006, the voters sent Mr. Bush a powerful message that it was time to rein in his imperial ambitions. But we have yet to see any sign that Mr. Bush understands that — or even realizes that the Democrats are now in control of the Congress. Indeed, he seems to have interpreted his party’s drubbing as a mandate to keep pursuing his fantasy of victory in Iraq and to press ahead undaunted with his assault on civil liberties and the judicial system. Just before the Christmas break, the Justice Department served notice to Senator Patrick Leahy — the new chairman of the Judiciary Committee — that it intended to keep stonewalling Congressional inquiries into Mr. Bush’s inhumane and unconstitutional treatment of prisoners taken in anti-terrorist campaigns. It refused to hand over two documents, including one in which Mr. Bush authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to establish secret prisons beyond the reach of American law or international treaties. The other set forth the interrogation methods authorized in these prisons — which we now know ranged from abuse to outright torture.Also last month, Mr. Bush issued another of his infamous “presidential signing statements,” which he has used scores of times to make clear he does not intend to respect the requirements of a particular law — in this case a little-noticed Postal Service bill. The statement suggested that Mr. Bush does not believe the government must obtain a court order before opening Americans’ first-class mail. It said the administration had the right to “conduct searches in exigent circumstances,” which include not only protecting lives, but also unspecified “foreign intelligence collection.”The law is clear on this. A warrant is required to open Americans’ mail under a statute that was passed to stop just this sort of abuse using just this sort of pretext. But then again, the law is also clear on the need to obtain a warrant before intercepting Americans’ telephone calls and e-mail. Mr. Bush began openly defying that law after Sept. 11, 2001, authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop without a court order on calls and e-mail between the United States and other countries.News accounts have also reminded us of the shameful state of American military prisons, where supposed terrorist suspects are kept without respect for civil or human rights, and on the basis of evidence so deeply tainted by abuse, hearsay or secrecy that it is essentially worthless.Deborah Sontag wrote in The Times last week about the sorry excuse for a criminal case that the administration whipped up against Jose Padilla, who was once — but no longer is — accused of plotting to explode a radioactive “dirty bomb” in the United States. Mr. Padilla was held for two years without charges or access to a lawyer. Then, to avoid having the Supreme Court review Mr. Bush’s power grab, the administration dropped those accusations and charged Mr. Padilla in a criminal court on hazy counts of lending financial support to terrorists.But just as the government abandoned the “dirty bomb” case against Mr. Padilla, it quietly charged an Ethiopian-born man, Binyam Mohamed, with conspiring with Mr. Padilla to commit that very crime. Unlike Mr. Padilla, Mr. Mohamed is not a United States citizen, so the administration threw him into Guantánamo. Now 28, he is still being held there as an “illegal enemy combatant” under the anti-constitutional military tribunals act that was rushed through the Republican-controlled Congress just before last November’s elections.Mr. Mohamed was a target of another favorite Bush administration practice: “extraordinary rendition,” in which foreign citizens are snatched off the streets of their hometowns and secretly shipped to countries where they can be abused and tortured on behalf of the American government. Mr. Mohamed — whose name appears nowhere in either of the cases against Mr. Padilla — has said he was tortured in Morocco until he signed a confession that he conspired with Mr. Padilla. The Bush administration clearly has no intention of answering that claim, and plans to keep Mr. Mohamed in extralegal detention indefinitely.The Democratic majority in Congress has a moral responsibility to address all these issues: fixing the profound flaws in the military tribunals act, restoring the rule of law over Mr. Bush’s rogue intelligence operations and restoring the balance of powers between Congress and the executive branch. So far, key Democrats, including Mr. Leahy and Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, chairman of a new subcommittee on human rights, have said these issues are high priorities for them.We would lend such efforts our enthusiastic backing and hope Mr. Leahy, Mr. Durbin and other Democratic leaders are not swayed by the absurd notion circulating in Washington that the Democrats should now “look ahead” rather than use their new majority to right the dangerous wrongs of the last six years of Mr. Bush’s one-party rule.This is a false choice. Dealing with these issues is not about the past. The administration’s assault on some of the nation’s founding principles continues unabated. If the Democrats were to shirk their responsibility to stop it, that would make them no better than the Republicans who formed and enabled these policies in the first place. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/president-bush-disconnected-or-worse/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeaf, blind, arrogant.  The president's utter disregard of facts and figures has raised comments from various quarters.  For some, it took a while.  They fell under the campaign of fear -- red herrings, terorists lurking around the corner, the non-existent WMD in Iraq -- including the patriotism thing.  Anyone critical of the administration's war in Iraq was branded as unpatriotic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile majority of Americans are now aware of being duped and have seen through the hollow man, the president continues to charge ahead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Washington Post and NY Times both ran editorials on January 6th and 7th about the unreal world of G.W. Bush.  Scary to have such a man as head of the most powerful nation on earth. Members of Congress who rolled over and let him bamboozle them in the fall of 2002 must not allow it to happen  again when he  asks for support in increase of troop level for his pet war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/05/AR2007010501801.html\"\u003eA Heckuva Claim\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Bush is oblivious to the consequences of his tax cuts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePRESIDENT BUSH wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Wednesday that \"it is also a fact that our tax cuts have fueled robust economic growth and record revenues.\" The claim about fueling record revenue is flat wrong, and it is shocking that the president should persist in making such errors. After all, tax cuts are the central plank of his domestic policy. How can he fail to understand the basic facts about them?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is not just our opinion. Harvard's N. Gregory Mankiw, an economic conservative who served as chairman of Mr. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, has tested the hypothesis on which Mr. Bush's claim is based: He looked at the extent to which tax cuts stimulate extra growth and the extent to which that growth generates extra tax revenue that offsets the initial loss of revenue from the tax cut. Mr. Mankiw's conclusion: Even over the long term, once you've allowed all of the extra growth to feed through into extra revenue, cuts in capital taxes juice the economy enough to recoup half of the lost revenue, and cuts in income taxes deliver a boost that recoups 17 percent of the lost revenue. So a $100 billion cut in taxes on capital widens the budget deficit by $50 billion, and a $100 billion cut in income taxes widens the budget deficit by $83 billion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNY Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/opinion/07sun1.html\"\u003eThe Imperial Presidency 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePublished: January 7, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eObserving President Bush in action lately, we have to wonder if he actually watched the election returns in November, or if he was just rerunning the 2002 vote on his TiVo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat year, the White House used the fear of terrorism to scare American voters into cementing the Republican domination of Congress. Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney then embarked on an expansion of presidential power chilling both in its sweep and in the damage it did to the constitutional system of checks and balances.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 2006, the voters sent Mr. Bush a powerful message that it was time to rein in his imperial ambitions. But we have yet to see any sign that Mr. Bush understands that — or even realizes that the Democrats are now in control of the Congress. Indeed, he seems to have interpreted his party’s drubbing as a mandate to keep pursuing his fantasy of victory in Iraq and to press ahead undaunted with his assault on civil liberties and the judicial system. Just before the Christmas break, the Justice Department served notice to Senator Patrick Leahy — the new chairman of the Judiciary Committee — that it intended to keep stonewalling Congressional inquiries into Mr. Bush’s inhumane and unconstitutional treatment of prisoners taken in anti-terrorist campaigns. It refused to hand over two documents, including one in which Mr. Bush authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to establish secret prisons beyond the reach of American law or international treaties. The other set forth the interrogation methods authorized in these prisons — which we now know ranged from abuse to outright torture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso last month, Mr. Bush issued another of his infamous “presidential signing statements,” which he has used scores of times to make clear he does not intend to respect the requirements of a particular law — in this case a little-noticed Postal Service bill. The statement suggested that Mr. Bush does not believe the government must obtain a court order before opening Americans’ first-class mail. It said the administration had the right to “conduct searches in exigent circumstances,” which include not only protecting lives, but also unspecified “foreign intelligence collection.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe law is clear on this. A warrant is required to open Americans’ mail under a statute that was passed to stop just this sort of abuse using just this sort of pretext. But then again, the law is also clear on the need to obtain a warrant before intercepting Americans’ telephone calls and e-mail. Mr. Bush began openly defying that law after Sept. 11, 2001, authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop without a court order on calls and e-mail between the United States and other countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNews accounts have also reminded us of the shameful state of American military prisons, where supposed terrorist suspects are kept without respect for civil or human rights, and on the basis of evidence so deeply tainted by abuse, hearsay or secrecy that it is essentially worthless.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeborah Sontag wrote in The Times last week about the sorry excuse for a criminal case that the administration whipped up against Jose Padilla, who was once — but no longer is — accused of plotting to explode a radioactive “dirty bomb” in the United States. Mr. Padilla was held for two years without charges or access to a lawyer. Then, to avoid having the Supreme Court review Mr. Bush’s power grab, the administration dropped those accusations and charged Mr. Padilla in a criminal court on hazy counts of lending financial support to terrorists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut just as the government abandoned the “dirty bomb” case against Mr. Padilla, it quietly charged an Ethiopian-born man, Binyam Mohamed, with conspiring with Mr. Padilla to commit that very crime. Unlike Mr. Padilla, Mr. Mohamed is not a United States citizen, so the administration threw him into Guantánamo. Now 28, he is still being held there as an “illegal enemy combatant” under the anti-constitutional military tribunals act that was rushed through the Republican-controlled Congress just before last November’s elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Mohamed was a target of another favorite Bush administration practice: “extraordinary rendition,” in which foreign citizens are snatched off the streets of their hometowns and secretly shipped to countries where they can be abused and tortured on behalf of the American government. Mr. Mohamed — whose name appears nowhere in either of the cases against Mr. Padilla — has said he was tortured in Morocco until he signed a confession that he conspired with Mr. Padilla. The Bush administration clearly has no intention of answering that claim, and plans to keep Mr. Mohamed in extralegal detention indefinitely.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Democratic majority in Congress has a moral responsibility to address all these issues: fixing the profound flaws in the military tribunals act, restoring the rule of law over Mr. Bush’s rogue intelligence operations and restoring the balance of powers between Congress and the executive branch. So far, key Democrats, including Mr. Leahy and Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, chairman of a new subcommittee on human rights, have said these issues are high priorities for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe would lend such efforts our enthusiastic backing and hope Mr. Leahy, Mr. Durbin and other Democratic leaders are not swayed by the absurd notion circulating in Washington that the Democrats should now “look ahead” rather than use their new majority to right the dangerous wrongs of the last six years of Mr. Bush’s one-party rule.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is a false choice. Dealing with these issues is not about the past. The administration’s assault on some of the nation’s founding principles continues unabated. If the Democrats were to shirk their responsibility to stop it, that would make them no better than the Republicans who formed and enabled these policies in the first place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President Bush,  Disconnected Or Worse"},{"content":" Invasion of PrivacyWho will watch the watchers?\"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will watch the watchers?)\"-- Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis, Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)As he did many times in the past, on December 20, 2006, President Bush resorted to a signing statement to subvert the constitutional rights of citizens: \"......asserting the authority to open U.S. mail without judicial warrants in emergencies or foreign intelligence cases, prompting warnings yesterday from Democrats and privacy advocates that the administration is attempting to circumvent legal restrictions on its powers.\"Washington PostA \"signing statement\" attached to a postal reform bill on Dec. 20 says the Bush administration \"shall construe\" a section of that law to allow the opening of sealed mail to protect life, guard against hazardous materials or conduct \"physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.\" *This is an issue which cries out for Democrats to take a stand on. It is time to end the usurping of of power by President Bush. A small ruckus isn't enough. What is needed is a loud outcry.The latest statement caused a small ruckus on Capitol Hill yesterday just as Democrats were taking control of Congress. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called the statement a \"last-minute, irregular and unauthorized reinterpretation of a duly passed law.\"Sharp limits have been placed on the government's power to open mail since the 1970s, when a congressional committee investigating abuses found that, for three decades, the CIA and FBI had illegally opened hundreds of thousands of pieces of U.S. mail. Among the targets were \"large numbers of American dissidents, including those who challenged the condition of racial minorities and those who opposed the war in Vietnam,\" according to a report by the Senate panel, known as the Church committee. Also surveilled was \"the mail of Senators, Congressmen, journalists, businessmen, and even a Presidential candidate,\" the report said.During his tenure, Bush has made plentiful use of signing statements, which are issued along with a president's signature on legislation. Although previous presidents used them as guidance for the executive branch, Bush has offered revised interpretations of laws on constitutional or national security grounds in some of his statements.See: (1) Report by Charlie Savage of the Boston Globe \"Examples of the president's signing statements\", April 30, 2006.(2) Wikipedia : Signing Statement(3) FindLaw: The Problem with Presidential Signing Statements: Their Use and Misuse by the Bush Administration ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/bending-the-law---gw-bush-and-his-signing-statements/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eInvasion of Privacy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho will watch the watchers?\u003cbr/\u003e\"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?  (Who will watch the watchers?)\"\u003cbr/\u003e--  Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis,   Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs he did many times in the past, on December 20, 2006, President Bush resorted to a signing statement to subvert the constitutional rights of citizens:  \"......asserting the authority to open U.S. mail without judicial warrants in emergencies or foreign intelligence cases, prompting warnings yesterday from Democrats and privacy advocates that the administration is attempting to circumvent legal restrictions on its powers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR2007010401702.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA \"signing statement\" attached to a postal reform bill on Dec. 20 says the Bush administration \"shall construe\" a section of that law to allow the opening of sealed mail to protect life, guard against hazardous materials or conduct \"physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is an issue which cries out for Democrats to take a stand on.  It is time to end the usurping of of power by President Bush.  A small ruckus isn't enough.  What is needed  is a loud outcry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe latest statement caused a small ruckus on Capitol Hill yesterday just as Democrats were taking control of Congress. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called the statement a \"last-minute, irregular and unauthorized reinterpretation of a duly passed law.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSharp limits have been placed on the government's power to open mail since the 1970s, when a congressional committee investigating abuses found that, for three decades, the CIA and FBI had illegally opened hundreds of thousands of pieces of U.S. mail. Among the targets were \"large numbers of American dissidents, including those who challenged the condition of racial minorities and those who opposed the war in Vietnam,\" according to a report by the Senate panel, known as the Church committee. Also surveilled was \"the mail of Senators, Congressmen, journalists, businessmen, and even a Presidential candidate,\" the report said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring his tenure, Bush has made plentiful use of signing statements, which are issued along with a president's signature on legislation. Although previous presidents used them as guidance for the executive branch, Bush has offered revised interpretations of laws on constitutional or national security grounds in some of his statements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: (1) \u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/30/examples_of_the_presidents_signing_statements/\"\u003eReport\u003c/a\u003e by Charlie Savage of the Boston Globe \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/30/examples_of_the_presidents_signing_statements/\"\u003eExamples of the president's signing statements\u003c/a\u003e\", April 30, 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e(2) \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signing_statement\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e : Signing Statement\u003cbr/\u003e(3) \u003ca href=\"http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060113.html\"\u003eFindLaw\u003c/a\u003e: \u003cspan class=\"title\"\u003eThe Problem with Presidential Signing Statements: Their Use and Misuse by the Bush Administration \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bending the Law - G.W. Bush and His Signing Statements"},{"content":" 110th CongressIt felt good when San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to be sworn in as the Speaker of the House. Her speech on January 4th was not strident. She exuded confidence. There was a feeling of excitement and hope that things would be different.We have been disappointed too often in the past when elected representatives failed to deliver. They proved to be no match against the system; venality took over and peoples' business fell by the wayside. It is to be seen what the 110th Congress actually succeeds in accomplishing. If it lives up to the beginning then there is reason to expect that it will do much better than the 109th.Eugene Robinson is skeptical. \"With all due respect to the chamber that calls itself the \"world's greatest deliberative body,\" I wouldn't expect much initiative from the new Senate -- the Democrats' one-vote majority isn't enough to get much of anything done, especially with several senators moonlighting as presidential hopefuls. The action is in the House. And that's where the \"interesting\" part comes in. Pelosi's plan for a blitzkrieg of legislation in the first 100 hours of the new Congress is fine -- most Americans are in favor of a higher minimum wage, expanded stem-cell research, wider availability of student loans and fewer lobbyist-paid golfing trips to Scotland for our elected representatives. Pelosi could toss in a couple of bills supporting motherhood and apple pie while she's at it.\"Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) : \"If there is one lesson that stands out from our party's time in the majority, it is this: A congressional majority is simply a means to an end. The value of a majority lies not in the chance to wield great power but in the chance to do great things.\"Lindsey Layton in the Post:The role model herself stood on the dais to swear in the entire House amid a clutch of children, including several of her own grandchildren. She was calm enough to let one of the younger girls hold the newest grandbaby, and she was focused enough to do her work amid their antics, a talent she perfected years ago as a mother of five and grass-roots political activist.It is Pelosi's time in the sun. There will be turbulent days ahead but, as they say: \"You Go Girl\". ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/the-100-hour-agenda---you-go-girl/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e110th Congress\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt felt good when San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to be sworn in as the Speaker of the House. Her speech on January 4th was not strident.  She exuded confidence.  There was a feeling of excitement and hope that things would be different.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have been disappointed too often in the past when elected representatives failed to deliver.  They proved to be no match against the system; venality took over and peoples' business fell by the wayside.  It is to be seen what the 110th Congress actually succeeds in accomplishing. If it lives up to the beginning then there is reason to expect that it will do much better than the 109th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR2007010401356.html\"\u003eEugene Robinson\u003c/a\u003e is  skeptical.  \"With all due respect to the chamber that calls itself the \"world's greatest deliberative body,\" I wouldn't expect much initiative from the new Senate -- the Democrats' one-vote majority isn't enough to get much of anything done, especially with several senators moonlighting as presidential hopefuls. The action is in the House. And that's where the \"interesting\" part comes in. Pelosi's plan for a blitzkrieg of legislation in the first 100 hours of the new Congress is fine -- most Americans are in favor of a higher minimum wage, expanded stem-cell research, wider availability of student loans and fewer lobbyist-paid golfing trips to Scotland for our elected representatives. Pelosi could toss in a couple of bills supporting motherhood and apple pie while she's at it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMinority Leader \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR2007010400802.html\"\u003eJohn A. Boehner (R-Ohio)\u003c/a\u003e :  \"If there is one lesson that stands out from our party's time in the majority, it is this: A congressional majority is simply a means to an end. The value of a majority lies not in the chance to wield great power but in the chance to do great things.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLindsey Layton in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR2007010401935.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe role model herself stood on the dais to swear in the entire House amid a clutch of children, including several of her own grandchildren. She was calm enough to let one of the younger girls hold the newest grandbaby, and she was focused enough to do her work amid their antics, a talent she perfected years ago as a mother of five and grass-roots political activist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is Pelosi's time in the sun.  There will be turbulent days ahead but, as they say: \"You Go Girl\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The 100-Hour Agenda - You Go Girl"},{"content":" Poem, HaikusFound some good ones that fit the mood of the day.I wish I had a poem for a rainy daywhen the raindrops pelt against the metalof the AC and the hum of a car's engine isthe only sound breaking the day's silence.I should be dreaming of sleep or sleeping withdreams or writing to Olga wondering what typesof stuffed animals she collects.Maybe rainy days are only wistful things for dreamersand poets? Maybe I need a Diner in my life and a highwayto leave it near. Life can be mysterious like a sudden phonecallwhen you're thinking if Russia is closer than Mars and if parts ofCanada are really south of the United States?I wish I had a poem that was as blue as your eyesor as quiet as a raindropIf not I'm going to have to invent one.© William P Haynesmorning rainlingering in the curlof a fiddlehead fern© Cindy ZakowitzNot even a hat--And cold rain falling on me?Tut-tut! Think of that!--Basho (translated by Harold Henderson) * ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/rainy-morning-in-january/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePoem, Haikus\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFound some good ones that fit the mood of the day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wish I had a poem for a rainy day\u003cbr/\u003ewhen the raindrops pelt against the metal\u003cbr/\u003eof the AC and the hum of a car's engine is\u003cbr/\u003ethe only sound breaking the day's silence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI should be dreaming of sleep or sleeping with\u003cbr/\u003edreams or writing to Olga wondering what types\u003cbr/\u003eof stuffed animals she collects.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMaybe rainy days are only wistful things for dreamers\u003cbr/\u003eand poets? Maybe I need a Diner in my life and a highway\u003cbr/\u003eto leave it near. Life can be mysterious like a sudden phonecall\u003cbr/\u003ewhen you're thinking if Russia is closer than Mars and if parts of\u003cbr/\u003eCanada are really south of the United States?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wish I had a poem that was as blue as your eyes\u003cbr/\u003eor as quiet as a raindrop\u003cbr/\u003eIf not I'm going to have to invent one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?AuthorID=6253\u0026amp;id=161058\"\u003eWilliam P Haynes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003emorning rain\u003cbr/\u003elingering in the curl\u003cbr/\u003eof a fiddlehead fern\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.tempslibres.org/cindy/hku/cza66.html\"\u003e© Cindy Zakowitz\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot even a hat--\u003cbr/\u003eAnd cold rain falling on me?\u003cbr/\u003eTut-tut! Think of that!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Rainy Morning in January"},{"content":" Reverend Pat Robertson has a penchant for predictions. Some of his predictions are similar to what you see in the checkout counter rags (National Enquirer and others like it). The sensational headlines in the National Enquirer are there to sell more copies and make money; the reverend's predictions are to draw attention to himself ....and make his disciples contribute more in the hope of saving themselves. Don't know if those who write in the checkout counter rags make any claims about getting messages from God but the reverend does.His latest: God told him that a terrorist attack of massive scale would take place in America in the second-half of 2007. The Boston Globe: \"The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that.\"Interesting that God didn't tell him exactly where and when it would take place. The almighty is certainly aware of the details. So, he told the reverend only half.....maybe a quarter of what he knows. Odd isn't it. There could be an explanation -- that the reverend made the whole thing up. His photographs give the impression that he is not too far from being a candidate for looney bin. Just think, this man campaigned for the Republican party's nomination in the 1988 presidential election!Also odd that President Bush didn't hear from God. He reportedly received God's guidance in going to war against Iraq. One would think that he would be warned about the attack and get Homeland Security on a red alert. It might pay some political dividend too. He needs it. Perhaps God will speak to him tomorrow or he has already heard from God and keeping it up his sleeve.San Francisco Chronicle - October 7, 2005\"God would tell me, 'George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.' And I did, and then God would tell me, 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq ...' And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East.' And by God I'm gonna do it,\" Shaath quotes the president as saying in the three-part series.The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity.-- Oscar Wilde ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/reverend-pat-robertson-off-his-meds-or-off-his-rocker/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReverend Pat Robertson has a penchant for predictions.  Some of his predictions are similar to what you see in the checkout counter rags (National Enquirer and others like it).   The sensational headlines in the National Enquirer are there to sell more copies and make money;  the reverend's predictions are to draw attention to himself ....and make his disciples contribute more in the hope of saving themselves.  Don't know if those who write in  the checkout counter rags make any claims about getting messages from God but the reverend does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHis latest:  God told him that a terrorist attack of massive scale would take place in America in the second-half of 2007.   \u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/01/03/pat_robertson_predicts_mass_killing/\"\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c/a\u003e: \"The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInteresting that God didn't tell him exactly where and when it would take place.  The almighty is certainly aware of the details.  So, he told the reverend only half.....maybe a quarter of what he knows. Odd isn't it. There could be an explanation -- that the reverend made the whole thing up.  His photographs give the impression that he is not too far from being a candidate for looney bin. Just think, this man campaigned for the Republican party's nomination in the 1988 presidential election!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso odd that President Bush didn't hear from God.  He  reportedly received God's guidance in going to war against Iraq. One would think that he would be warned about the attack and get Homeland Security on a red alert. It might pay some political dividend too.  He needs it. Perhaps God will speak to him tomorrow or he has already heard from God and keeping it up his sleeve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/10/07/MNGNVF3SFM1.DTL\"\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e - October 7, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"God would tell me, 'George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.' And I did, and then God would tell me, 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq ...' And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East.' And by God I'm gonna do it,\" Shaath quotes the president as saying in the three-part series.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity.\u003cbr/\u003e-- Oscar Wilde\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Reverend Pat Robertson Off His Meds Or  Off His Rocker"},{"content":" Beginning of the End of Bush 43 * In Praise of LewinskySmirk has turned into grimace. Like Archie Bunker, for G.W. Bush the theme song could be \"Those were the days\". His next two years are going to be different, quite different than the past six. A subservient Congress no longer under his command, the president will have to work hard; eat humble pie. And he will not be able to push his legislative agenda through Congress. His new strategy for Iraq is yet to be announced but deployment of additional soldiers will face scrutiny and questions. Democratic legislators who meekly fell in line to support his war will not make the same mistake again. In face, even some Republican lawmakers are inclined to oppose him on Iraq.For us, it is just the opposite. Suzanne Goldberg's report in The Guardian warmed the cockles of my heart.Democratic strategists say they plan to use their new power as a committee chairs to look ahead, and that a primary focus will be the financing of the war. Aides are now exploring ways to attach conditions to future funding for the war as well as investigations into past misuse.\"There is a great deal of concern about how the money is being spent, what the costs are to the military and to our readiness in the future,\" said Peter Fenn, a Democratic strategist. \"I think what the Democrats are going to say is that we are not passing this in the dead of night. We want to see where the money is going and how it is going to be spent.\"*Monica LewinskyIt was time someone applauded Ms Lewinsky and stated that her public persona -- negative perception by the public -- was largely a creation of the media. Richard Cohen's column in the Post ought to receive the attention it deserves.Fairness for LewinskyBy Richard CohenTuesday, January 2, 2007In the various books I've read about the Bill Clinton impeachment scandal -- a scandal because of what was done and a scandal because the president was impeached for it -- the same story is told over and over again. When the prosecutors or lawyers or whoever finally got to meet the storied Monica Lewinsky, they were floored by her. She was smart, personable and -- as the record makes clear -- dignified. This is more than can be said about some of the people who write about her.I will not name names. But in recent days, Lewinsky has been back in the news. In December she graduated with a master's degree in social psychology from the London School of Economics. Her thesis was titled \"In Search of the Impartial Juror: An Exploration of the Third Person Effect and Pre-Trial Publicity.\" Her thesis might well have been called \"In Search of the Impartial Journalist,\" because she was immediately the subject of more poke-in-the-ribs stories about you know what. The Post, a better paper than it was that day, called her \"dumb-but-smart.\" It was more than could be said for that piece.It does not take a Freudian to appreciate why Lewinsky chose the topic she did. She is a victim of publicity, and her life has been a trial -- enough to floor almost anyone. But in Lewinsky's case, she took a bad situation and made something good of it. That hardly makes her \"dumb-but-smart,\" but rather once young -- and now older and incomparably wiser. An approximation of this befalls us all, but before we got to become wise and prudent in all things we were probably irresponsible, outrageous and wild -- in other words, young.Fortunately for me -- and probably this applies to you as well -- my outrageous deeds are known to only a few, and some of those people, after a lifetime of bad marriages and poor investments, have probably forgotten them. In Lewinsky's case, her youthful indiscretion has been forgotten by no one. On the contrary, it's recorded for the ages, in House and Senate proceedings, in the files of the creepy special prosecutor, in the databases of newspapers, in presidential histories and the musty joke files of second-rate comics.She is a branded woman, not an adulterer but something even worse -- a girl toy, a trivial thing, a punch line. Yet she did what so many women at that age would do. She seduced (or so she thought) an older man. She fantasized that he would leave his wife for her. Here was her crime: She was a girl besotted. It happens even to Republicans.But she is now a woman with a master's degree from a prestigious school and is going to be 34 come July. Her clock ticks, her life ebbs. Where is the man for her? Where is the guy brave enough, strong enough, admirable enough to take her as his wife, to suffer the slings and arrows of her outrageous fortune -- to say to the world (for it would be the entire world) that he loves this woman who will always be an asterisk in American history. I hope there is such a guy out there. It would be nice. It would be fair.It would be nice, too, and fair, also, if Lewinsky were treated by the media as it would treat a man. What's astounding is the level of sexism applied to her, as if the wave of the women's movement broke over a new generation of journalists and not a drop fell on any of them. Where, pray tell, is the man who is remembered just for sex? Where is the guy who is the constant joke for something he did in his sexually wanton youth? Maybe here and there some preacher, but in those cases the real subject matter is not sex but hypocrisy. Other than those, no names come to mind.This is the year 2007, brand new and full of promise. It would be nice if my colleagues in the media would resolve to treat Monica Lewinsky as a lady, to think of her as they would themselves, to remember their own youth and the things they did and to understand that from this day forward anyone who takes a cheap shot at Lewinsky has a moral and professional obligation to look in the mirror. To proceed otherwise is to miss the joke entirely. No longer is it Monica Lewinsky. It is now the people who write about her.cohenr@washpost.com ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/the-decider-not/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBeginning of the End of Bush 43 * In Praise of Lewinsky\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSmirk has turned into grimace.  Like Archie Bunker, for G.W. Bush the theme song could be \"Those were the days\".  His next two years are going to be different, quite different than the past six.  A subservient Congress no longer under his command, the president will have to work hard; eat humble pie.  And he will not be able to push his legislative agenda through Congress.  His new strategy for Iraq is yet to be announced but deployment of additional soldiers will face scrutiny and questions.  Democratic legislators who meekly fell in line to support his war will not make the same mistake again.  In face, even some Republican lawmakers are inclined to oppose him on Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor us, it is just the opposite. Suzanne Goldberg's report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1981688,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e warmed the cockles of my heart.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic strategists say they plan to use their new power as a committee chairs to look ahead, and that a primary focus will be the financing of the war. Aides are now exploring ways to attach conditions to future funding for the war as well as investigations into past misuse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There is a great deal of concern about how the money is being spent, what the costs are to the military and to our readiness in the future,\" said Peter Fenn, a Democratic strategist. \"I think what the Democrats are going to say is that we are not passing this in the dead of night. We want to see where the money is going and how it is going to be spent.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eMonica Lewinsky\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was time someone applauded Ms Lewinsky and stated that her public persona -- negative perception by the public --  was largely a creation of the media.  Richard Cohen's column in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100701.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e ought to receive the attention it  deserves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFairness for Lewinsky\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Richard Cohen\u003cbr/\u003eTuesday, January 2, 2007\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the various books I've read about the Bill Clinton impeachment scandal -- a scandal because of what was done and a scandal because the president was impeached for it -- the same story is told over and over again. When the prosecutors or lawyers or whoever finally got to meet the storied Monica Lewinsky, they were floored by her. She was smart, personable and -- as the record makes clear -- dignified. This is more than can be said about some of the people who write about her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI will not name names. But in recent days, Lewinsky has been back in the news. In December she graduated with a master's degree in social psychology from the London School of Economics. Her thesis was titled \"In Search of the Impartial Juror: An Exploration of the Third Person Effect and Pre-Trial Publicity.\" Her thesis might well have been called \"In Search of the Impartial Journalist,\" because she was immediately the subject of more poke-in-the-ribs stories about you know what. The Post, a better paper than it was that day, called her \"dumb-but-smart.\" It was more than could be said for that piece.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt does not take a Freudian to appreciate why Lewinsky chose the topic she did. She is a victim of publicity, and her life has been a trial -- enough to floor almost anyone. But in Lewinsky's case, she took a bad situation and made something good of it. That hardly makes her \"dumb-but-smart,\" but rather once young -- and now older and incomparably wiser. An approximation of this befalls us all, but before we got to become wise and prudent in all things we were probably irresponsible, outrageous and wild -- in other words, young.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFortunately for me -- and probably this applies to you as well -- my outrageous deeds are known to only a few, and some of those people, after a lifetime of bad marriages and poor investments, have probably forgotten them. In Lewinsky's case, her youthful indiscretion has been forgotten by no one. On the contrary, it's recorded for the ages, in House and Senate proceedings, in the files of the creepy special prosecutor, in the databases of newspapers, in presidential histories and the musty joke files of second-rate comics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe is a branded woman, not an adulterer but something even worse -- a girl toy, a trivial thing, a punch line. Yet she did what so many women at that age would do. She seduced (or so she thought) an older man. She fantasized that he would leave his wife for her. Here was her crime: She was a girl besotted. It happens even to Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut she is now a woman with a master's degree from a prestigious school and is going to be 34 come July. Her clock ticks, her life ebbs. Where is the man for her? Where is the guy brave enough, strong enough, admirable enough to take her as his wife, to suffer the slings and arrows of her outrageous fortune -- to say to the world (for it would be the entire world) that he loves this woman who will always be an asterisk in American history. I hope there is such a guy out there. It would be nice. It would be fair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt would be nice, too, and fair, also, if Lewinsky were treated by the media as it would treat a man. What's astounding is the level of sexism applied to her, as if the wave of the women's movement broke over a new generation of journalists and not a drop fell on any of them. Where, pray tell, is the man who is remembered just for sex? Where is the guy who is the constant joke for something he did in his sexually wanton youth? Maybe here and there some preacher, but in those cases the real subject matter is not sex but hypocrisy. Other than those, no names come to mind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is the year 2007, brand new and full of promise. It would be nice if my colleagues in the media would resolve to treat Monica Lewinsky as a lady, to think of her as they would themselves, to remember their own youth and the things they did and to understand that from this day forward anyone who takes a cheap shot at Lewinsky has a moral and professional obligation to look in the mirror. To proceed otherwise is to miss the joke entirely. No longer is it Monica Lewinsky. It is now the people who write about her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ecohenr@washpost.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Decider, Not"},{"content":" A sign of the times. As the 210th Congress begins its session under Democratic majority, there is concern among lobbyists about new rules of the game. Democratic lawmakers did not sell themselves lock, stock and barrel to the lobbyists as the Republicans did but they did not remain impervious. It is too early to tell how far the Democrats will go, or succeed, in curbing the insidious influence of K-Street.Now, one of the powerful lobbying organizations has launched an attack against legislators it considers as enemies of guns.Jeffrey Birnbaum in the Post:In lobbying, a threat is good for business, whether it's genuine or not.\"The new leadership could be one of the most unfriendly to the National Rifle Association,\" declared Andrew Arulanandam, spokesman for the NRA. \"If there's an effort to pursue gun control, we will mount an active defense.\"The famously combative lobby, with 4 million members, is displeased with the voting histories of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and other top Democrats in the House and is putting them on notice that it won't tolerate passage of anti-gun measures.The only problem: No one expects gun legislation this year.True, a few Democrats would love to take a potshot at the NRA. But its $20 million in political firepower has long discouraged any such effort. It helped to snuff out the presidential hopes of Democrat Al Gore in 2000 and to elect dozens, mostly Republicans, to Congress.Besides, one of the NRA's biggest backers is a Democrat, Rep. John D. Dingell (Mich.), who was instrumental in blocking the last major attempt at gun control in 1999 and will reclaim the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week.No matter. The NRA is on high alert, and its latest weapon is a pamphlet designed to send its members into fits of paranoid rage and to inspire them to open their wallets.A draft of the 27-page document, which was provided to The Washington Post by a source outside the NRA, lashes out at such icons of the left as investor George Soros, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Pelosi. They are depicted as part of \"a marching axis of adversaries far darker and more dangerous than gun owners have ever known.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/the-nra-targets-unfriendly-legislators/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA sign of the times.  As the 210th Congress begins its session  under Democratic majority, there is concern among lobbyists about new rules of the game.  Democratic lawmakers did not sell themselves lock, stock and barrel to the lobbyists as the Republicans did but they did not remain impervious. It is too early to tell how far the Democrats will go, or succeed, in curbing the insidious influence of K-Street.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow, one of the powerful lobbying organizations has launched an attack against legislators it considers as enemies of guns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey Birnbaum in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100682.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn lobbying, a threat is good for business, whether it's genuine or not.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The new leadership could be one of the most unfriendly to the National Rifle Association,\" declared Andrew Arulanandam, spokesman for the NRA. \"If there's an effort to pursue gun control, we will mount an active defense.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe famously combative lobby, with 4 million members, is displeased with the voting histories of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and other top Democrats in the House and is putting them on notice that it won't tolerate passage of anti-gun measures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe only problem: No one expects gun legislation this year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrue, a few Democrats would love to take a potshot at the NRA. But its $20 million in political firepower has long discouraged any such effort. It helped to snuff out the presidential hopes of Democrat Al Gore in 2000 and to elect dozens, mostly Republicans, to Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBesides, one of the NRA's biggest backers is a Democrat, Rep. John D. Dingell (Mich.), who was instrumental in blocking the last major attempt at gun control in 1999 and will reclaim the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo matter. The NRA is on high alert, and its latest weapon is a pamphlet designed to send its members into fits of paranoid rage and to inspire them to open their wallets.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA draft of the 27-page document, which was provided to The Washington Post by a source outside the NRA, lashes out at such icons of the left as investor George Soros, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Pelosi. They are depicted as part of \"a marching axis of adversaries far darker and more dangerous than gun owners have ever known.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The NRA Targets Unfriendly Legislators"},{"content":" Iraq dominated the headlines in 2006 and it will remain an issue that will shape American politics in the year which has just begun. Indications are that the president's yet to be announced new strategy isn't going to win much support at home and there are serious doubts -- even among Republicans -- that it would do any good. The strategy is expected to be based primarily on deployment of additional troops.As we entered 2007, the death toll for American soldiers reached 3000. The Bush Administration took the expected line about the number being meaningless. But how many more must die ? The President will not be able to shake off the gorilla on his back. Iraq will continue to plague him....and trouble us for being duped by the president and his cabal of neocons. ","permalink":"/posts/2007/01/iraq---the-gorilla-on-the-presidents-back/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq dominated the headlines in 2006 and it will remain an issue that will shape American politics in the year which has just begun.   Indications are that the president's  yet to be announced new \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/31/AR2006123100323.html\"\u003estrategy\u003c/a\u003e isn't going to win much support at home and there are serious doubts -- even among Republicans -- that it would do any good.  The strategy  is expected to be  based primarily on deployment of additional troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs we entered 2007, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003edeath toll\u003c/a\u003e for American soldiers reached 3000.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/31/AR2006123100430_2.html\"\u003eThe Bush Administration\u003c/a\u003e took the expected line about the number being meaningless.  But how many more must die ?  The President will not be able to shake off the  gorilla on his back.  Iraq will continue to plague him....and trouble us for being duped by the president and his cabal of neocons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq - The Gorilla on the President's Back"},{"content":" Weird Republicans in Kansas. Think of Oz, as in The Wizard of Oz. This one stood out among the headlines in the Washington Post: \"Party Puts Ousted Official In His Opponent's Old Post\".\"Statewide, Kline got barely 4 in 10 votes. In Johnson County, the state's most populous county, his loss was more dramatic. That made it especially shocking after the election when Republican precinct leaders in the county chose Kline to finish the final two years of Morrison's term as prosecutor.\"\"The moment Phill Kline got the nomination, half the room got up and walked out,\" said Scott Schwab, the county GOP chairman. \"It wasn't so much yelling or cussing. They threw up their arms and said, 'What do we do now?' \" * When it comes to bad news, for Americans, Iraq takes the top spot. There are other areas in the world where people are suffering -- Darfur and Somalia to name a few -- the scourge of AIDS is spreading in Asia. We have a dominant role in what is happening in Iraq and our soldiers are paying with their lives for Bush's folly. Number of Iraqi deads is staggering as is the cost in financial terms. * Good things happened. On November 7, 2006, President Bush had his comeuppance and lost his smirk. What the Democrats will achieve with the power they have regained is to be seen but, from environmental issues to Iraq, things will not continue to go downhill unchecked as they had since G.W. Bush became president.\"Boogie Nights\"Kate Faithful writes in The Guardian about her search for the best dance floor in London. She found it at the neighborhood kebab shop!When I jump down from the table and skip on to the street, well after midnight, hunger drives me into a modest-looking kebab shop, Marathon. Fluorescent light, elephant foot in the window, counter down the left wall - reckon you've been there before? Well, Marathon is a one-off: through an archway at the back there's a pair of pensioners playing sax. A bubbling band of pub stragglers eat kebabs and ketchup-slathered chips on tiny wooden tables. Praise be, there's also cider - pounds 2 a can. And then we get up and spin around the tiny space. I've discovered a Twenties speakeasy and I can't help feeling cool. I would never have planned the climax of a seven-day danceathon to take place in the narrow back room of a kebab shop. Now I realise why overpriced, overhyped nightclubs exist - it's so the pretentious attitudes within stay behind their velvet ropes and away from my favourite places. If they gatecrash Marathon it will stop being cool. Anyway, somehow time has jumped to 4am and I haven't even thought to check if my feet hurt.There Is Always Hope©friskypics.com/photos/hope.jpgThe year has been mostly good for the people I know. That is something to feel cheerful about. Stay well, be involved. It is a small world, \"what happens in other countries affect us\". ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/last-day-of-2006---there-is-always-hope/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWeird Republicans in Kansas.  Think of Oz, as in The Wizard of Oz.  This one stood out among the headlines in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/29/AR2006122901220.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Party Puts Ousted Official In His Opponent's Old Post\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Statewide, Kline got barely 4 in 10 votes. In Johnson County, the state's most populous county, his loss was more dramatic. That made it especially shocking after the election when Republican precinct leaders in the county chose Kline to finish the final two years of Morrison's term as prosecutor.\"\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The moment Phill Kline got the nomination, half the room got up and walked out,\" said Scott Schwab, the county GOP chairman. \"It wasn't so much yelling or cussing. They threw up their arms and said, 'What do we do now?' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen it comes to bad news, for  Americans, Iraq takes the top spot.  There are other areas in the world  where people are suffering -- Darfur and Somalia to name a few  -- the scourge of AIDS is spreading in Asia. We have a dominant role in what is happening in Iraq and our soldiers are paying with their lives for Bush's folly.  Number of Iraqi deads is staggering as is the cost in financial terms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGood things happened. On November 7, 2006, President Bush had his comeuppance and lost his smirk. What the Democrats will achieve with the power they have regained is to be seen but, from environmental issues to Iraq, things will not continue to go downhill unchecked as they had since G.W. Bush became president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Boogie Nights\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eKate Faithful writes in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,1980424,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e about her search for the best dance floor in London.  She found it at the neighborhood kebab shop!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I jump down from the table and skip on to the street, well after midnight, hunger drives me into a modest-looking kebab shop, Marathon. Fluorescent light, elephant foot in the window, counter down the left wall - reckon you've been there before? Well, Marathon is a one-off: through an archway at the back there's a pair of pensioners playing sax. A bubbling band of pub stragglers eat kebabs and ketchup-slathered chips on tiny wooden tables. Praise be, there's also cider - pounds 2 a can. And then we get up and spin around the tiny space. I've discovered a Twenties speakeasy and I can't help feeling cool. I would never have planned the climax of a seven-day danceathon to take place in the narrow back room of a kebab shop. Now I realise why overpriced, overhyped nightclubs exist - it's so the pretentious attitudes within stay behind their velvet ropes and away from my favourite places. If they gatecrash Marathon it will stop being cool. Anyway, somehow time has jumped to 4am and I haven't even thought to check if my feet hurt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/hope.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThere Is Always Hope\u003cbr/\u003e©friskypics.com/\u003cwbr\u003ephotos/hope.jpg\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe year has been mostly good for the people I know.  That is something to feel cheerful about. Stay well, be involved.  It is a small world, \"what happens in other countries affect us\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Last Day of 2006 - There is Always Hope"},{"content":" The execution by hanging of Saddam Hussein caused jubilation among those who suffered during his rule. They have reason to rejoice. What does it mean for Iraq and the Iraqis, the the rest of us, the world ? There is no sign that the sectarian violence raging in Iraq is going to end any time soon. We were in bed with Saddam Hussein when he served our needs, just as we have over the years supported other corrupt, murderous dictators and juntas in different parts of the world. That has not changed; we still have some goons as our friends.Iraq Coalition Casualties report that as of today 109 American soldiers have died this month in Iraq; the total todate 2998. What has their sacrifices achieved ?Editorial in the Palm Beach Post (circulation 716,500) says it well. I selected it over items in the giants of the print media.Dangerous in DeathSaturday, December 30, 2006By the spring of 2003, the Bush Team had drilled into Americans that it was Saddam Hussein who made Iraq dangerous.And not just Iraq. President Bush, along with Vice President Dick Cheney, then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and others in the Bush administration insisted that Saddam Hussein and his stockpiled weapons of mass destruction made the entire Persian Gulf region - in fact, the entire world - a terribly dangerous place.The solution was simple. Remove Hussein, remove the danger. It was so obvious and so necessary to America's safety that deposing Hussein was, President Bush indicated, not just his constitutional duty but a moral obligation.But long before Iraq hanged Hussein, it had become clear that U.S. misconceptions about Hussein and Iraq would prove to be much more dangerous than the man himself.The idea that Hussein's brutality was all that stood between Iraqis and freedom was naive. Nearly 3,000 U.S. military deaths later, we understand that Hussein's brutality restrained others with intentions and capabilities just as brutal.Removing Hussein freed innocent, oppressed Iraqis. But it freed other forces as well. And President Bush had no plan to protect innocent Iraqis from sectarian factions who now are violently determined to take Hussein's place.President Bush also failed to understand that, far from striking a blow in the war on terror, removing Hussein would hand international terrorists a new platform from which to attack Americans and a recruiting tool for their cause.Philosophers can debate whether Saddam Hussein's execution provides a measure of justice in a country he ruled so unjustly. But the grim, practical question is whether Saddam Hussein's execution will create yet another surge in the bloodbath his removal unleashed.When President Bush invaded Iraq in 2003, most Americans would not have believed that Saddam Hussein's death would be cause for anything other than celebration. Now, we know that, for Iraq, it will take much more than Hussein's execution to justify a celebration. Today, Americans know a great deal more about what makes Iraq dangerous. It will be time to celebrate when our leaders show that they know what to do about it. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/end-of-saddam-hussein-not-the-mess-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe execution by hanging of Saddam Hussein caused jubilation among those who suffered during his rule.  They have reason to rejoice. What does it mean for Iraq and the Iraqis, the the rest of us, the world ?   There is no sign that the sectarian violence raging in Iraq is going to end any time soon.  We were in bed with Saddam Hussein when he served our needs, just as we have over the years supported other corrupt, murderous dictators and juntas in different parts of the world.  That has not changed; we still have some goons as our friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties report that as of today 109 American soldiers have died this month in Iraq;  the total todate 2998.  What has their sacrifices achieved ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEditorial in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/12/30/a12a_Deadsaddam_edit_1230.html\"\u003ePalm Beach Post\u003c/a\u003e (circulation 716,500) says it well.  I selected it over items in the  giants of the print media.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDangerous in Death\u003cbr/\u003eSaturday, December 30, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy the spring of 2003, the Bush Team had drilled into Americans that it was Saddam Hussein who made Iraq dangerous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd not just Iraq. President Bush, along with Vice President Dick Cheney, then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and others in the Bush administration insisted that Saddam Hussein and his stockpiled weapons of mass destruction made the entire Persian Gulf region - in fact, the entire world - a terribly dangerous place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe solution was simple. Remove Hussein, remove the danger. It was so obvious and so necessary to America's safety that deposing Hussein was, President Bush indicated, not just his constitutional duty but a moral obligation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut long before Iraq hanged Hussein, it had become clear that U.S. misconceptions about Hussein and Iraq would prove to be much more dangerous than the man himself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe idea that Hussein's brutality was all that stood between Iraqis and freedom was naive. Nearly 3,000 U.S. military deaths later, we understand that Hussein's brutality restrained others with intentions and capabilities just as brutal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemoving Hussein freed innocent, oppressed Iraqis. But it freed other forces as well. And President Bush had no plan to protect innocent Iraqis from sectarian factions who now are violently determined to take Hussein's place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush also failed to understand that, far from striking a blow in the war on terror, removing Hussein would hand international terrorists a new platform from which to attack Americans and a recruiting tool for their cause.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhilosophers can debate whether Saddam Hussein's execution provides a measure of justice in a country he ruled so unjustly. But the grim, practical question is whether Saddam Hussein's execution will create yet another surge in the bloodbath his removal unleashed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen President Bush invaded Iraq in 2003, most Americans would not have believed that Saddam Hussein's death would be cause for anything other than celebration. Now, we know that, for Iraq, it will take much more than Hussein's execution to justify a celebration. Today, Americans know a great deal more about what makes Iraq dangerous. It will be time to celebrate when our leaders show that they know what to do about it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"End of Saddam Hussein, Not the Mess In Iraq"},{"content":" Expect More Lies When it comes to the Middle-East, Senator Joseph Lieberman's position is a no brainer. His argument for more troops in Iraq is just like the one President Bush makes and, for good measure, the Senator threw in 9/11 as the president does. It is their cash cow and they are not ready to stop milking it although \"the extremists who attacked us on 9/11\" had no connection with Iraq. The president is reported to be huddling in Crawford,TX, with his security advisers \"to hone a new Iraq strategy\". Lieberman gives the clear impression of being part of the orechestration.Why We Need More Troops In IraqI've just spent 10 days traveling in the Middle East and speaking to leaders there, all of which has made one thing clearer to me than ever: While we are naturally focused on Iraq, a larger war is emerging. On one side are extremists and terrorists led and sponsored by Iran, on the other moderates and democrats supported by the United States. Iraq is the most deadly battlefield on which that conflict is being fought. How we end the struggle there will affect not only the region but the worldwide war against the extremists who attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/lieberman-the-independent-senator/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eExpect More Lies \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen it comes to the Middle-East, Senator Joseph Lieberman's position is a no brainer. His argument for more troops in Iraq is just like the one President Bush makes and, for good measure, the Senator threw in 9/11 as the president does. It is their cash cow and they are not ready to stop milking it although \"the extremists who attacked us on 9/11\" had no connection with Iraq.  The president is reported to be huddling in Crawford,TX, with his security advisers \"to hone a new \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/27/AR2006122701826.html\"\u003eIraq strategy\u003c/a\u003e\". Lieberman gives the clear impression of being part of the orechestration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/28/AR2006122801055.html\"\u003eWhy We Need More Troops In Iraq\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI've just spent 10 days traveling in the Middle East and speaking to leaders there, all of which has made one thing clearer to me than ever: While we are naturally focused on Iraq, a larger war is emerging. On one side are extremists and terrorists led and sponsored by Iran, on the other moderates and democrats supported by the United States. Iraq is the most deadly battlefield on which that conflict is being fought. How we end the struggle there will affect not only the region but the worldwide war against the extremists who attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lieberman, the \"Independent\" Senator"},{"content":" Another Critic of Bush's WarBob Woodward's piece in the Washington Post reveals surprisingly strong anti-war position held by the late President Ford. He had stipulated that the interview not be published until after his death. Publication in 2004 would have perhaps helped to turn public sentiments against the war earlier. It is doubtful,however, that Bush and his team would have paid any attention to what President Ford said. The signs are clear that President Bush has no intention of ending the war until \"victory\". What that victory means is to be seen. The overwhelming feeling is that for the Bush Administration it has become a matter of saving face.Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. \"I don't think I would have gone to war,\" he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration.In a four-hour conversation at his house in Beaver Creek, Colo., Ford \"very strongly\" disagreed with the current president's justifications for invading Iraq and said he would have pushed alternatives, such as sanctions, much more vigorously. In the tape-recorded interview, Ford was critical not only of Bush but also of Vice President Cheney -- Ford's White House chief of staff -- and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who served as Ford's chief of staff and then his Pentagon chief.Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction,\" Ford said. \"And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do.\"In a conversation that veered between the current realities of a war in the Middle East and the old complexities of the war in Vietnam whose bitter end he presided over as president, Ford took issue with the notion of the United States entering a conflict in service of the idea of spreading democracy.\"Well, I can understand the theory of wanting to free people,\" Ford said, referring to Bush's assertion that the United States has a \"duty to free people.\" But the former president said he was skeptical \"whether you can detach that from the obligation number one, of what's in our national interest.\" He added: \"And I just don't think we should go hellfire damnation around the globe freeing people, unless it is directly related to our own national security.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/gerald-fords-voice-from-the-grave/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnother Critic of Bush's War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBob Woodward's piece in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/27/AR2006122701558.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reveals surprisingly strong anti-war position held by the late President Ford.    He had stipulated that the interview not be published until after his death. Publication in 2004 would have perhaps helped to turn public sentiments against the war earlier.  It is doubtful,however, that Bush and his team would have paid any attention to what President Ford said. The signs are clear that President Bush has no intention of ending the war until \"victory\".  What that victory means is to be seen. The overwhelming feeling is that for the Bush Administration it has become a matter of saving face.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. \"I don't think I would have gone to war,\" he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a four-hour conversation at his house in Beaver Creek, Colo., Ford \"very strongly\" disagreed with the current president's justifications for invading Iraq and said he would have pushed alternatives, such as sanctions, much more vigorously. In the tape-recorded interview, Ford was critical not only of Bush but also of Vice President Cheney -- Ford's White House chief of staff -- and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who served as Ford's chief of staff and then his Pentagon chief.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction,\" Ford said. \"And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a conversation that veered between the current realities of a war in the Middle East and the old complexities of the war in Vietnam whose bitter end he presided over as president, Ford took issue with the notion of the United States entering a conflict in service of the idea of spreading democracy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Well, I can understand the theory of wanting to free people,\" Ford said, referring to Bush's assertion that the United States has a \"duty to free people.\" But the former president said he was skeptical \"whether you can detach that from the obligation number one, of what's in our national interest.\" He added: \"And I just don't think we should go hellfire damnation around the globe freeing people, unless it is directly related to our own national security.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Gerald Ford's Voice from the Grave"},{"content":" Slouching Toward the Fourth Year of War in IraqReading Emily Miller's \"The Freedoms My Brother Is Defending\" I thought of the world of difference between the freedoms that she so eloquently wrote about and our president's view of freedoms. He is said to be a deeply religious man. Maybe so; his actions are that of a cynical, soul-less person.Here is what my brother, a member of the Army National Guard, told me as he prepared to serve in Iraq this year:The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is who controls the armed forces. Civilian command of the Army is a cornerstone of our democratic system.My brother told me that he takes his oath to defend the Constitution seriously and that he will fight and die if necessary to honor his commitment. When I asked him if he would be offended if I participated in activities opposing the war, he replied that it was not only my right but my obligation, and the obligation of all civilians opposing this war, to try to change bad policy. \"Give us good wars to fight,\" he said.While acknowledging that another possible moral option is to refuse to participate in a bad war, my brother chooses to place his oath to the Constitution and his belief in our democratic system at the pinnacle of his moral convictions. That some of us might differ with him is basically irrelevant -- we (most of us) are not faced with his decision.For the record, he believes that the war on terrorism is necessary to deal with real threats facing the United States. He is not convinced of what Iraq has to do with the matter, which puts him fairly well in the mainstream of American opinion.So it is terribly upsetting to me to hear that some people despair that there is \"no point\" to their soldier's death or wounding in the Iraq war. America does not have to be right in order for our soldiers' service to have meaning.What I find offensive is the idea that we have to \"follow through\" in order to give their deaths meaning post hoc. It is dreadfully apparent from the Iraq Study Group report that Iraq isn't going to have a democracy in any meaningful time frame. Even if this administration does everything perfectly, the best-case scenario is that we might maintain the barest outlines of order.Victory being out of the question at this point, the only democracy my brother is fighting for in Iraq is our democracy. The only constitution he is in Iraq fighting to defend is our Constitution. If my brother dies, it will not be for a mistake but rather because of his deeply held belief that the time it takes us as a people to figure out through democratic processes that we are wrong is more important than his own life.This places upon us an obligation. My brother and other service members living and dead have given us the sacred responsibility to use the democratic means we have at hand to bring judgment to bear on whether any given war is worth our soldiers' lives.Despite the clear results in last month's elections and the grim conclusions of the Iraq Study Group, we are still hearing intransigent rhetoric and seeing unrealistic posturing from some of our leaders. This is unacceptable.It's not too late for us to honor the almost 3,000 U.S. service members who have died defending the principles of our democracy. It is morally imperative for us to honor our living service members and to do what is demanded of us by our democracy and by common decency. We have taken a small step by changing some of our leadership in Washington, but now it is upon us to follow through at home and demand accountability from our leaders.What are you, fellow citizens, willing to do to defend our Constitution? Will you dignify the sacrifices of our soldiers? Will you honor my brother's faith in our system? Will you let my brother or others die to eke out a slightly smaller disaster in Iraq? These are the questions we face in the wake of the Baker-Hamilton report.My brother is betting his life that you are not going to ask this of him. He has placed his trust in the idea that we will not ask him to die for anything less than the necessary defense of our democracy. Reasonable people may at one time have disagreed about the necessity of the Iraq war, but now that it has become abundantly clear from every quarter that we cannot win, will you be responsible for asking my brother to stay?My family begs of you: Do not ask this of him. Do not ask this of us. My brother is doing his constitutional duty. Now it is time for us to do ours.The writer is a member of Military Families Speak Out, an organization of more than 3,100 military families opposed to the war in Iraq.According to latest report from Iraq Coalition Casualties, we have lost 91 soldiers this month. The figure could reach or exceed 100 in the remaining five days. Take the time to visit Glenn Kutler's narration (25,000 Dead or Wounded) and the accompanying images in Newsweek. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/defending-freedoms/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSlouching Toward the Fourth Year of War in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading Emily Miller's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/25/AR2006122500459.html\"\u003eThe Freedoms My Brother Is Defending\u003c/a\u003e\" I thought of the world of difference between the freedoms that she so eloquently wrote about and our president's view of freedoms.  He is said to be a deeply religious man.  Maybe so; his actions are that of a cynical, soul-less person.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere is what my brother, a member of the Army National Guard, told me as he prepared to serve in Iraq this year:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is who controls the armed forces. Civilian command of the Army is a cornerstone of our democratic system.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy brother told me that he takes his oath to defend the Constitution seriously and that he will fight and die if necessary to honor his commitment. When I asked him if he would be offended if I participated in activities opposing the war, he replied that it was not only my right but my obligation, and the obligation of all civilians opposing this war, to try to change bad policy. \"Give us good wars to fight,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile acknowledging that another possible moral option is to refuse to participate in a bad war, my brother chooses to place his oath to the Constitution and his belief in our democratic system at the pinnacle of his moral convictions. That some of us might differ with him is basically irrelevant -- we (most of us) are not faced with his decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the record, he believes that the war on terrorism is necessary to deal with real threats facing the United States. He is not convinced of what Iraq has to do with the matter, which puts him fairly well in the mainstream of American opinion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo it is terribly upsetting to me to hear that some people despair that there is \"no point\" to their soldier's death or wounding in the Iraq war. America does not have to be right in order for our soldiers' service to have meaning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat I find offensive is the idea that we have to \"follow through\" in order to give their deaths meaning post hoc. It is dreadfully apparent from the Iraq Study Group report that Iraq isn't going to have a democracy in any meaningful time frame. Even if this administration does everything perfectly, the best-case scenario is that we might maintain the barest outlines of order.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVictory being out of the question at this point, the only democracy my brother is fighting for in Iraq is our democracy. The only constitution he is in Iraq fighting to defend is our Constitution. If my brother dies, it will not be for a mistake but rather because of his deeply held belief that the time it takes us as a people to figure out through democratic processes that we are wrong is more important than his own life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis places upon us an obligation. My brother and other service members living and dead have given us the sacred responsibility to use the democratic means we have at hand to bring judgment to bear on whether any given war is worth our soldiers' lives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite the clear results in last month's elections and the grim conclusions of the Iraq Study Group, we are still hearing intransigent rhetoric and seeing unrealistic posturing from some of our leaders. This is unacceptable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's not too late for us to honor the almost 3,000 U.S. service members who have died defending the principles of our democracy. It is morally imperative for us to honor our living service members and to do what is demanded of us by our democracy and by common decency. We have taken a small step by changing some of our leadership in Washington, but now it is upon us to follow through at home and demand accountability from our leaders.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat are you, fellow citizens, willing to do to defend our Constitution? Will you dignify the sacrifices of our soldiers? Will you honor my brother's faith in our system? Will you let my brother or others die to eke out a slightly smaller disaster in Iraq? These are the questions we face in the wake of the Baker-Hamilton report.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy brother is betting his life that you are not going to ask this of him. He has placed his trust in the idea that we will not ask him to die for anything less than the necessary defense of our democracy. Reasonable people may at one time have disagreed about the necessity of the Iraq war, but now that it has become abundantly clear from every quarter that we cannot win, will you be responsible for asking my brother to stay?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy family begs of you: Do not ask this of him. Do not ask this of us. My brother is doing his constitutional duty. Now it is time for us to do ours.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe writer is a member of Military Families Speak Out, an organization of more than 3,100 military families opposed to the war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to latest report from \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e, we have lost 91 soldiers this month.  The figure could reach or exceed 100 in the remaining five days. Take the time to visit Glenn Kutler's narration (25,000 Dead or Wounded) and the accompanying images in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16059273/displaymode/1107/framenumber/1/s/2/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Defending Freedoms"},{"content":" \"Wosing\" The War, A Steve Bell CartoonThe war in Iraq goes on. Those who began it are loath to end it. The scenario -- their scenario -- has changed many times. The original reason (Saddam's WMD) for the invasion is no longer mentioned. It was mostly smoke and mirrors to justify their action. Death toll keeps mounting and the costs are going out of sight.Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz: “There’s a lot of money to pay for this that doesn’t have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people…and on a rough recollection, the oil revenues of that country could bring between $50 and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years…We’re dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.” [Source: House Committee on Appropriations Hearing on a Supplemental War Regulation, 3/27/03]That was 4 days after the invasion began. Mr. Wolfowitz is now running the World Bank, happy to escape questions about what he had said.Excerpts from \"End of the neocon dream\" by Paul Reynold, World Affairs Correspondent of the BBC, Dec.21, 2006.The neo-conservative dream faded in 2006.Iraq was meant to be the showcase for a New American CenturyThe ambitions proclaimed when the neo-cons' mission statement \"The Project for the New American Century\" was declared in 1997 have turned into disappointment and recriminations as the crisis in Iraq has grown.\"The Project for the New American Century\" has been reduced to a voice-mail box and a ghostly website. A single employee has been left to wrap things up.The idea of the \"Project\" was to project American power and influence around the world.The 1997 statement (written during the administration of President Bill Clinton) said:\"We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration's success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States' global responsibilities.\"Among the signatories were many of the senior officials who would later determine policy under President George W Bush - Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams and Lewis Libby - as well as thinkers including Francis Fukuyama, Norman Podheretz and Frank Gaffney.The neo-conservatives were called that because they sought to re-establish what they felt were true conservative values in the Republican Party and the United States.They wanted to stop what they felt were the isolationist tendencies that had developed under President Clinton, and even under the pragmatic President George Bush senior.They saw the war in Iraq as their big chance of showing how the \"New American Century\" might work.They predicted the development of democratic values in a region lacking in them and, in that way, the removal of any threat to the United States just as the democratisation of Germany and Japan after World War II had transformed Europe and the Pacific.AttackSince so much was pinned on Iraq, it is inevitable that the problems there should have undermined the whole idea.\"Neo-conservatism has gone for a generation, if in fact it ever returns,\" says one of the movement's critics, David Rothkopf, currently at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, and a former official in the Clinton administration.\"Their signal enterprise was the invasion of Iraq and their failure to produce results is clear. Precisely the opposite has happened,\" he says.\"The US use of force has been seen as doing wrong and as inflaming a region that has been less than susceptible to democracy.\"Their plan has fallen on hard times. There were flaws in the conception and horrendously bad execution. The neo-cons have been undone by their own ideas and the incompetence of the Bush administration.\"George Bush is about the last neo-conservative standing, Cheney as well maybe. Bush is not an analytical person so he just adopted the neo-cons' philosophy.\"It fitted into his Manichean, his black and white view of the world. After all, he gave up his dissolute youth and was born again as a new man, so it appealed to his character.\"In-fightingThe fading of the dream has led to a falling-out among the neo-conservatives themselves.In particular, two leading neo-conservatives, Richard Perle and Kenneth Adelman, attacked the Bush team in Vanity Fair magazine. Both had been on a Pentagon advisory board. Both had argued for war in Iraq.In an article called \"Neo Culpa\", Richard Perle declared that had he known how it would turn out, he would have been against it: \"I think now I probably would have said: 'No, let's consider other strategies'.\"Kenneth Adelman said: \"They turned out to be among the most incompetent teams in the post-war era.\"Not only did each of them, individually, have enormous flaws, but together they were deadly, dysfunctional.\"Donald Rumsfeld \"fooled me\", he said.He declared of neo-conservatism after Iraq: \"It's not going to sell.\"Defence and counter-attackOther neo-conservatives defend their record, arguing strongly that the original idea had an effect, and pressing the point raised by Perle and Adelman that it was the execution of the idea not the idea itself that was wrong.Gary Schmitt used to be a senior figure at the \"New American Century\" project. Now he is director of strategic studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and he says the project has come to a natural end.\"When the project started, it was not intended to go forever. That is why we are shutting it down. We would have had to spend too much time raising money for it and it has already done its job.\"We felt at the time that there were flaws in American foreign policy, that it was neo-isolationist. We tried to resurrect a Reaganite policy.\"Our view has been adopted. Even during the Clinton administration we had an effect, with Madeleine Albright [then secretary of state] saying that the United States was 'the indispensable nation'.\"But our ideas have not necessarily dominated. We did not have anyone sitting on Bush's shoulder. So the work now is to see how they are implemented. Obviously it makes life difficult with the specific failure in Iraq, but I do not agree with Richard Perle that we should never have gone in.\"I do argue that the execution should have been better. In fact, I argued in late 2003 that we needed more troops and a proper counter-insurgency policy.\"Indeed, not all neo-conservatives have given up all hope in Iraq.The AEI, which has become the natural home for refugees from the American Project, is promoting an article entitled: \"Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq\".The article calls not for a withdrawal of US troops but for an increase. President Bush's decision is expected in early January.Paul.Reynolds-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk© Steve Bell 2006steve.bell@guardian.co.uk ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/iraq-and-the-neocons/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Wosing\" The War, A Steve Bell Cartoon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe war in Iraq goes on. Those who began it are loath to end it. The scenario -- their scenario -- has changed many times.  The original reason (Saddam's WMD) for the invasion is no longer mentioned. It was mostly smoke and mirrors to justify their action. Death toll keeps mounting and the costs are going out of sight.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDeputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz: “There’s a lot of money to pay for this that doesn’t have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people…and on a rough recollection, the oil revenues of that country could bring between $50 and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years…We’re dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.” [Source: House Committee on Appropriations Hearing on a Supplemental War Regulation, 3/27/03]\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was 4 days after the invasion began.  Mr. Wolfowitz is now running the World Bank, happy to escape questions about what he had said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \"\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6189793.stm\"\u003eEnd of the neocon dream\u003c/a\u003e\" by Paul Reynold, World Affairs Correspondent of the BBC, Dec.21, 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe neo-conservative dream faded in 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq was meant to be the showcase for a New American Century\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe ambitions proclaimed when the neo-cons' mission statement \"The Project for the New American Century\" was declared in 1997 have turned into disappointment and recriminations as the crisis in Iraq has grown.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Project for the New American Century\" has been reduced to a voice-mail box and a ghostly website. A single employee has been left to wrap things up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe idea of the \"Project\" was to project American power and influence around the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 1997 statement (written during the administration of President Bill Clinton) said:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration's success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States' global responsibilities.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the signatories were many of the senior officials who would later determine policy under President George W Bush - Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams and Lewis Libby - as well as thinkers including Francis Fukuyama, Norman Podheretz and Frank Gaffney.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe neo-conservatives were called that because they sought to re-establish what they felt were true conservative values in the Republican Party and the United States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey wanted to stop what they felt were the isolationist tendencies that had developed under President Clinton, and even under the pragmatic President George Bush senior.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey saw the war in Iraq as their big chance of showing how the \"New American Century\" might work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey predicted the development of democratic values in a region lacking in them and, in that way, the removal of any threat to the United States just as the democratisation of Germany and Japan after World War II had transformed Europe and the Pacific.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAttack\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince so much was pinned on Iraq, it is inevitable that the problems there should have undermined the whole idea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Neo-conservatism has gone for a generation, if in fact it ever returns,\" says one of the movement's critics, David Rothkopf, currently at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, and a former official in the Clinton administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Their signal enterprise was the invasion of Iraq and their failure to produce results is clear. Precisely the opposite has happened,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The US use of force has been seen as doing wrong and as inflaming a region that has been less than susceptible to democracy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Their plan has fallen on hard times. There were flaws in the conception and horrendously bad execution. The neo-cons have been undone by their own ideas and the incompetence of the Bush administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"George Bush is about the last neo-conservative standing, Cheney as well maybe. Bush is not an analytical person so he just adopted the neo-cons' philosophy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It fitted into his Manichean, his black and white view of the world. After all, he gave up his dissolute youth and was born again as a new man, so it appealed to his character.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn-fighting\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fading of the dream has led to a falling-out among the neo-conservatives themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn particular, two leading neo-conservatives, Richard Perle and Kenneth Adelman, attacked the Bush team in Vanity Fair magazine. Both had been on a Pentagon advisory board. Both had argued for war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an article called \"Neo Culpa\", Richard Perle declared that had he known how it would turn out, he would have been against it: \"I think now I probably would have said: 'No, let's consider other strategies'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth Adelman said: \"They turned out to be among the most incompetent teams in the post-war era.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Not only did each of them, individually, have enormous flaws, but together they were deadly, dysfunctional.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDonald Rumsfeld \"fooled me\", he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe declared of neo-conservatism after Iraq: \"It's not going to sell.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDefence and counter-attack\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOther neo-conservatives defend their record, arguing strongly that the original idea had an effect, and pressing the point raised by Perle and Adelman that it was the execution of the idea not the idea itself that was wrong.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGary Schmitt used to be a senior figure at the \"New American Century\" project. Now he is director of strategic studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and he says the project has come to a natural end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When the project started, it was not intended to go forever. That is why we are shutting it down. We would have had to spend too much time raising money for it and it has already done its job.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We felt at the time that there were flaws in American foreign policy, that it was neo-isolationist. We tried to resurrect a Reaganite policy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Our view has been adopted. Even during the Clinton administration we had an effect, with Madeleine Albright [then secretary of state] saying that the United States was 'the indispensable nation'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But our ideas have not necessarily dominated. We did not have anyone sitting on Bush's shoulder. So the work now is to see how they are implemented. Obviously it makes life difficult with the specific failure in Iraq, but I do not agree with Richard Perle that we should never have gone in.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I do argue that the execution should have been better. In fact, I argued in late 2003 that we needed more troops and a proper counter-insurgency policy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndeed, not all neo-conservatives have given up all hope in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe AEI, which has become the natural home for refugees from the American Project, is promoting an article entitled: \"Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe article calls not for a withdrawal of US troops but for an increase. President Bush's decision is expected in early January.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul.Reynolds-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"22.12.06: Steve Bell on George Bush and Iraq\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/bell512ready.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© Steve Bell 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:steve.bell@guardian.co.uk\"\u003esteve.bell@guardian.co.uk\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq and the Neocons"},{"content":" A Long Way from Jamshedpur, India * Radio Days - Bob Fass, Jean Shepherd\"I love my past, I love my present. I am not ashamed of what I have had, and I am not sad because I no longer have it.\"-- Sidonie Gabrielle ColetteI grew up in Jamshedpur, known as the Steel Town. Tata Iron \u0026amp; Steel Company's plant was said to be the largest in Asia. Now there are steel plants galore of different sizes, and some are much larger. Things have changed. From all accounts, Jamshedpur is no longer the clean city, with good schools, playgrounds and hospital established by the owners of the steel plant. Good schools are still there but nowadays they are not run by Tisco, and they charge high fees. The town has become a victim of burgeoning population and sprawl.There are days when the mind travels back to Jamshedpur. Regal Cinema, which used to screen British and American movies in the evening (the matinee and late night shows were for Bombay films -- now known as Bollywood films) and Fakira's famous chanachur stand outside the building. Tisco promoted sports and athletic events. We eagerly awaited Ranji Trophy cricket matches between visiting teams and Bihar which used to be the name of the home state. Later it became part of Jharkhand. Most of the players in the Bihar team were from Jamshedpur.For some reason, rainy weather makes me think of Jamsedpur....not because it rained a lot when I lived there; in fact, we got much less rain than the big city, Kolkata, 160 miles east. But memories of other things kick in -- making boats out of sheets of newspaper and launching them from the verandah. Didn't take long for them to get soaked and crumple; playing football (soccer) in wet, muddy fields, the soda fountain on Main Road, Sanyal Bros bookstore where I spent many happy hours browsing English language books and magazines. Insignificant but the memories remain alive.Hard to keep track of all the name changes in India. Among the notables: Bombay became Mumbai, Calcutta became Kolkata, and Madras is now known as Chennai. I remember laughing when I read that the city fathers of Kolkata renamed Harington Street as Ho Chi Minh Sarani. The U.S. Consulate was located there and that was at the height of the Vietnam war.Remembering Wanda Hickey and Other Sweet ThingsIt was Richard Avedon's photograph of \"Bob Fass and other WBAT staffers\" that grabbed my attention as I was leafing through December 4th issue of The New Yorker. I never lived on the east coast and Bob Fass was not a familiar name. The New Yorker continues to be source of pleasure.....often pleasant surprises. Great article \"Voice of the Cabal - Bob Fass and the slow fade of countercultural radio\" by Marc Fisher. The article is not available on line but there is a mp3 audio clip of Marc Fisher talking about Bob Fass. It can be accessed at The New Yorker: online. Not only that, it mentions another radio personality -- Jean Shepherd.Now, Shepherd I knew of. Not through radio but the TV series Jean Shepherd's America which ran on PBS. And I read his books. Who can forget the delightful Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. We all have our nights of memories, if not golden certainly silvery.Then I thought of the late Scott Beach. He did a stint as dj for the now defunct classical music station KKHI. For a while he manned the graveyard shift and the nights when I had problem sleeping I'd dial KKHI on FM tadio. The selection of music was always good and his deep voice soothing. * Joy and Good Health to all visitors: regulars, occasional, and the accidental Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-24 Thanks very much for your kind mention of the piece in The New Yorker. If you're interested in Jean Shepherd, please have a look at my site, www.marcfisher.com, where you'll find material on Shepherd as well as excerpts from my book, \"Something in the Air,\" in which Shepherd is probably the most important figure. The book will be published in early January by Random House. Thanks for reading the Fass piece. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-28 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/christmas-eve-morning-in-california-2006/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Long Way from Jamshedpur, India * Radio Days - Bob Fass, Jean Shepherd\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I love my past, I love my present. I am not ashamed of what I have had, and I am not sad because I no longer have it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Sidonie Gabrielle Colette\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI grew up in \u003ca href=\"http://www.jamshedpurlive.com/i/h/dateline.html\"\u003eJamshedpur\u003c/a\u003e, known as the Steel Town. Tata Iron \u0026amp; Steel Company's plant was said to be the largest in Asia. Now there are steel plants galore of different sizes, and some are much larger. Things have changed. From all accounts, Jamshedpur is no longer the clean city, with good schools, playgrounds and hospital established by the owners of the steel plant. Good schools are still there but nowadays they are not run by \u003ca href=\"http://www.tatasteel.com/\"\u003eTisco\u003c/a\u003e, and they charge high fees. The town has become a victim of burgeoning population and sprawl.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are days when the mind travels back to Jamshedpur. Regal Cinema, which used to screen British and American movies in the evening (the matinee and late night shows were for Bombay films -- now known as Bollywood films) and \u003ca href=\"http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:lk9VP9tcjXIJ:www.telegraphindia.com/1050727/asp/jamshedpur/story_5039297.asp+chanachur%3F\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;gl=us\u0026amp;ct=clnk\u0026amp;cd=12\u0026amp;client=firefox-a\"\u003eFakira's\u003c/a\u003e famous chanachur stand outside the building. Tisco promoted sports and athletic events. We eagerly awaited Ranji Trophy cricket matches between visiting teams and Bihar which used to be the name of the home state. Later it became part of Jharkhand. Most of the players in the Bihar team were from Jamshedpur.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor some reason, rainy weather makes me think of Jamsedpur....not because it rained a lot when I lived there; in fact, we got much less rain than the big city, Kolkata, 160 miles east. But memories of other things kick in -- making boats out of sheets of newspaper and launching them from the verandah. Didn't take long for them to get soaked and crumple; playing football (soccer) in wet, muddy fields, the soda fountain on Main Road, Sanyal Bros bookstore where I spent many happy hours browsing English language books and magazines. Insignificant but the memories remain alive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHard to keep track of all the name changes in India. Among the notables: Bombay became Mumbai, Calcutta became Kolkata, and Madras is now known as Chennai. I remember laughing when I read that the city fathers of Kolkata renamed Harington Street as Ho Chi Minh Sarani. The U.S. Consulate was located there and that was at the height of the Vietnam war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemembering Wanda Hickey and Other Sweet Things\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was Richard Avedon's photograph of \"Bob Fass and other WBAT staffers\" that grabbed my attention as I was leafing through December 4th issue of The New Yorker. I never lived on the east coast and Bob Fass was not a familiar name. The New Yorker continues to be source of pleasure.....often pleasant surprises. Great article \"Voice of the Cabal - Bob Fass and the slow fade of countercultural radio\" by Marc Fisher. The article is not available on line but there is a \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/articles/061204on_onlineonly01\"\u003emp3 audio clip\u003c/a\u003e of Marc Fisher talking about Bob Fass. It can be accessed at The New Yorker: online.   Not only that, it mentions another radio personality -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.flicklives.com/Misc/who_is.htm\"\u003eJean Shepherd\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, Shepherd I knew of. Not through radio but the TV series Jean Shepherd's America which ran on PBS. And I read his books. Who can forget the delightful Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. We all have our nights of memories, if not golden certainly silvery.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen I thought of the late \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Beach\"\u003eScott Beach\u003c/a\u003e. He did a stint as dj for the now defunct classical music station KKHI. For a while he manned the graveyard shift and the nights when I had problem sleeping I'd dial KKHI on FM tadio. The selection of music was always good and his deep voice soothing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJoy and Good Health to all visitors:  regulars, occasional, and the accidental\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks very much for your kind mention of the piece in The New Yorker. If you're interested in Jean Shepherd, please have a look at my site, www.marcfisher.com, where you'll find material on Shepherd as well as excerpts from my book, \"Something in the Air,\" in which Shepherd is probably the most important figure. The book will be published in early January by Random House. Thanks for reading the Fass piece.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Christmas Eve Morning in California, 2006"},{"content":" With the solstice came rain. I am looking out at wet streets and leafless trees. It is winter. Our winter here in the San Francisco Bay area is not harsh -- no snow storms; blizzards are unheard of; daytime termperature rarely falls below 40° F, and even the rains are not very disruptive for those who like outdoor activities. However, three business days before Christmas, the rains could make things difficult for shoppers, and they lengthen commuting time for people going to and returning from work. Traffic reports on the AM radio channel often mention accidents and congestion. Drive with caution. Rainy afternoon © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3Fallen Leaves © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3Winter solitude-in a world of one colorthe sound of wind.--Basho (translated by Robert Haas) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-seasons-winter-2006/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith the solstice came rain.  I am looking out at wet streets and leafless trees.  It is winter.  Our  winter here in the San Francisco Bay area is not harsh -- no snow storms;  blizzards are unheard of; daytime termperature rarely falls below  40° F, and even the rains  are not  very disruptive for those who like outdoor activities.  However, three business days before Christmas, the rains could make things difficult for shoppers, and they lengthen commuting time for people going to and returning from work.  Traffic reports on the AM radio channel often mention accidents and congestion.  Drive with caution. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/IMG_0001.jpg\"/\u003eRainy afternoon © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Fallen Leaveas III.jpg\"/\u003eFallen Leaves © Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cspan name=\"KonaFilter\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWinter solitude-\u003cbr/\u003ein a world of one color\u003cbr/\u003ethe sound of wind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Basho        (translated by Robert Haas)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Winter 2006"},{"content":" Many atrocities have taken place during the past three and a half years in Iraq, atrocities committed by all sides. They cannot be justified but deaths of civilians -- so called \"collateral damage\" during military operations are one thing, deliberate killing of civilians by soldiers is another matter. That is what happened at Haditha on November 19, 2005. The rape and murder of 15-year old Abeer Hamza at Mahmudiyah was another shameful incident.The Washington PostBy Josh White and Sonya GeisFriday, December 22, 2006; Page A01Four U.S. Marines were charged with multiple counts of murder yesterday for their alleged roles in the deaths of two dozen civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha last year. The accusations set up what could be the highest-profile atrocity prosecution to arise from the Iraq war.In an unusual move, the Marine Corps also charged four officers with crimes related to their alleged failure to investigate and report the Nov. 19, 2005, slayings, which occurred when the Marines conducted a house-to-house sweep and attacked a vehicle after a member of their unit was killed in an ambush.The separate investigation into how the incident was reported led to dereliction charges against a lieutenant colonel, two captains and a first lieutenant. They are accused of failing to thoroughly investigate and accurately report the slayings to superiors. The lieutenant also faces charges of making a false official statement and obstructing justice, according to the Marine Corps.See: Sarah Meyer's \"The Haditha Doctor and the Media Dissemblers\"Also Civilian Victims in IraqHaditha-Hamandiya-IshaquiHaditha, Iraq, Truth it is UglyHaditha - Few Marines and Slaughter of Civilians ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-murders-at-haditha-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMany atrocities have taken place during the past three and a half years in Iraq, atrocities committed by all sides.  They cannot be justified but deaths of civilians -- so called \"collateral damage\" during military operations are one thing, deliberate killing of civilians by soldiers is another matter.   That is what happened at Haditha on November 19, 2005.   The rape and murder of  15-year old \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/07/neocons-war-and-girl-named-abeer-hamza.html\"\u003eAbeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e  at Mahmudiyah was another shameful incident.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122100124.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Josh White and Sonya Geis\u003cbr/\u003eFriday, December 22, 2006; Page A01\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFour U.S. Marines were charged with multiple counts of murder yesterday for their alleged roles in the deaths of two dozen civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha last year. The accusations set up what could be the highest-profile atrocity prosecution to arise from the Iraq war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an unusual move, the Marine Corps also charged four officers with crimes related to their alleged failure to investigate and report the Nov. 19, 2005, slayings, which occurred when the Marines conducted a house-to-house sweep and attacked a vehicle after a member of their unit was killed in an ambush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe separate investigation into how the incident was reported led to dereliction charges against a lieutenant colonel, two captains and a first lieutenant. They are accused of failing to thoroughly investigate and accurately report the slayings to superiors. The lieutenant also faces charges of making a false official statement and obstructing justice, according to the Marine Corps.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee:  Sarah Meyer's \"\u003ca href=\"http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2006/06/haditha-doctor-and-media-dissemblers.html\"\u003eThe Haditha Doctor and the Media Dissemblers\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003eAlso \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/07/civilian-victims-in-iraq.html\"\u003eCivilian Victims in Iraq\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/06/haditha-hamandiya-ishaqi-and-bumper.html\"\u003eHaditha-Hamandiya-Ishaqui\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/05/haditha-iraq-truth-it-is-ugly.html\"\u003eHaditha, Iraq, Truth it is Ugly\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/05/haditha-few-marines-and-slaughter-of.html\"\u003eHaditha - Few Marines and Slaughter of Civilians\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Murders at Haditha, Iraq"},{"content":" Piergeorgio WelbyA courageous physician named Mario Riccio made the decision to turn off the life support system and made it possible for Piergeorgio Welby to die as he expressly wanted. Mr. Welby's case received a lot of publicity because of his appeal to disconnect the life support system was rejected last week by an Italian Court.The action by Dr. Riccio was not an unusual one. There are physicians who make such decisions every day but they do so quietly and not all terminally ill patients who do not wish to live hooked up to respirators and being force-fed are fortunate to be under care of such doctors.Full report from the BBC:An Italian doctor has said he has switched off the life support system of a terminally ill man, who lost a legal battle for the right to die.Dr Mario Riccio, who disconnected the respirator, said he had fulfilled the patient's legal right to refuse treatment. He denied it was euthanasia.Piergiorgio Welby, 60, was paralysed by muscular dystrophy.His plea for euthanasia - illegal in mainly Roman Catholic Italy - sparked a landmark court case and fierce debate.Doctor's argument\"In Italian hospitals therapies are suspended all the time, and this does not lead to any intervention from magistrates or to problems of conscience,\" Dr Riccio told reporters, following Mr Welby's death late on Wednesday.\"This must not be mistaken for euthanasia. It is a suspension of therapies,\" he told a news conference in Rome. \"Refusing treatment is a right.\"Mr Welby had been attached to a respirator for the last six months and a feeding tube to keep him alive.He had communicated through a computer that read his eye movements.He had asked his family, his doctors and the courts to be allowed to die as he had suffered for many years from muscular dystrophy and his condition had worsened.A judge ruled on Saturday that while Mr Welby had the constitutional right to have his life support machine switched off, doctors would be legally obliged to resuscitate him.Euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide have been legalised in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, but remain illegal in much of the rest of the world.In September, Mr Welby had written to the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano pleading to be allowed to die.Italy's Health Minister, Livia Turco, has called for new legislation to clarify the legal position on exactly which aggressive measures are licit in order to sustain life in cases like that of Mr Welby, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome.The Vatican teaches that life must be safeguarded from its beginning to its natural end. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/a-bouquet-for-dr-mario-riccio/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePiergeorgio Welby\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA courageous physician named Mario Riccio made the decision to turn off the life support system and made it possible for Piergeorgio Welby to die as he expressly wanted.  Mr. Welby's case received a lot of publicity because of his appeal to disconnect the life support system was rejected last week by an Italian Court.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Yellow-Freesias.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe action by Dr. Riccio was not an unusual one.  There are physicians who make such decisions every day but they do so quietly and not all terminally ill patients who do not wish to live hooked up to respirators and being force-fed are fortunate to be under care of such doctors.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFull report from the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6199523.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Italian doctor has said he has switched off the life support system of a terminally ill man, who lost a legal battle for the right to die.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDr Mario Riccio, who disconnected the respirator, said he had fulfilled the patient's legal right to refuse treatment. He denied it was euthanasia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePiergiorgio Welby, 60, was paralysed by muscular dystrophy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis plea for euthanasia - illegal in mainly Roman Catholic Italy - sparked a landmark court case and fierce debate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDoctor's argument\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In Italian hospitals therapies are suspended all the time, and this does not lead to any intervention from magistrates or to problems of conscience,\" Dr Riccio told reporters, following Mr Welby's death late on Wednesday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This must not be mistaken for euthanasia. It is a suspension of therapies,\" he told a news conference in Rome. \"Refusing treatment is a right.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr Welby had been attached to a respirator for the last six months and a feeding tube to keep him alive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe had communicated through a computer that read his eye movements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe had asked his family, his doctors and the courts to be allowed to die as he had suffered for many years from muscular dystrophy and his condition had worsened.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA judge ruled on Saturday that while Mr Welby had the constitutional right to have his life support machine switched off, doctors would be legally obliged to resuscitate him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEuthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide have been legalised in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, but remain illegal in much of the rest of the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn September, Mr Welby had written to the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano pleading to be allowed to die.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItaly's Health Minister, Livia Turco, has called for new legislation to clarify the legal position on exactly which aggressive measures are licit in order to sustain life in cases like that of Mr Welby, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Vatican teaches that life must be safeguarded from its beginning to its natural end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Bouquet for Dr. Mario Riccio"},{"content":" It has become obvious that G.W. Bush is not going to deviate from his position on Iraq. It is up to the newly elected Democratic Congress to act and stop him. Measures to cut off funding for the war would be a good beginning. Are the Democrats up to it? So far, few voices have been heard about meaningful measures. All we hear is blather about bipartisanship and cooperation. Face the fact: The President will not take steps toward an early withdrawl. He will have to be forced, kicking and screaming, to do so. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) talked the good talk. As the saying goes \"put your money where your mouth is\". Do something. Stop the blood loss. Every day our soldiers ( most of them in their twenties) are dying for the hubris of a few megalomaniacs.The Washington Post\"There hasn't been a change from the president,\" observed Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), the incoming House majority leader. \"The president may be trapped in his own policy, sensing, 'If I don't succeed, it will be a huge blot on my record, and so therefore I have no choice but to try to succeed.' \"Hoyer pointedly added: \"I don't think the Democratic Congress is going to say, 'Well, that's okay.' \"In another report, Peter Baker of the Washington Post wrote:\"President Bush acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq and said he plans to expand the overall size of the \"stressed\" U.S. armed forces to meet the challenges of a long-term global struggle against terrorists.\"But in a wide-ranging session in the Oval Office, the president said he interpreted the Democratic election victories six weeks ago not as a mandate to bring the U.S. involvement in Iraq to an end but as a call to find new ways to make the mission there succeed. He confirmed that he is considering a short-term surge in troops in Iraq, an option that top generals have resisted out of concern that it would not help. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/democrats-stand-up-and-resist-the-president/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has become obvious that G.W. Bush is not going to deviate from his position on Iraq.  It is up to the newly elected  Democratic  Congress to  act  and  stop him.  Measures to cut off funding for the war would be a good beginning.  Are the Democrats up to it?  So far, few voices have been heard about meaningful measures.  All we hear is blather about bipartisanship and cooperation.  Face the fact:  The President will not take steps toward an early withdrawl.  He will have to be forced, kicking and screaming, to do so.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901566.html\"\u003eRep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)\u003c/a\u003e talked the good talk.   As the saying goes \"put your money where your mouth is\".  Do something.  Stop the blood loss.  Every day our soldiers ( most of them in their twenties)   are dying for the hubris of a few  megalomaniacs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901566.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There hasn't been a change from the president,\" observed Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), the incoming House majority leader. \"The president may be trapped in his own policy, sensing, 'If I don't succeed, it will be a huge blot on my record, and so therefore I have no choice but to try to succeed.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHoyer pointedly added: \"I don't think the Democratic Congress is going to say, 'Well, that's okay.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn another report, Peter Baker of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121900880.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"President Bush acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq and said he plans to expand the overall size of the \"stressed\" U.S. armed forces to meet the challenges of a long-term global struggle against terrorists.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut in a wide-ranging session in the Oval Office, the president said he interpreted the Democratic election victories six weeks ago not as a mandate to bring the U.S. involvement in Iraq to an end but as a call to find new ways to make the mission there succeed. He confirmed that he is considering a short-term surge in troops in Iraq, an option that top generals have resisted out of concern that it would not help.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats, Stand Up and Resist the President"},{"content":" No, we have not become inured to the deaths of soldiers in Iraq. More and more Americans are losing faith in the war that President and Bush and his team led us into. They are sick of the wasted lives that Eugene Robinson wrote about in the Post. The message from voters in the midterm elections was unequivocal. The Iraq Study Group's report left no doubt about the mishandling of the war although it failed to suggest a clear guideline for ending it. But the message has not gotten through to the president and the warmongers. They are manoeuvering to justify continuation of the war. The president is not using the phrase \"Stay the course\" but one gets the impression that he is doing just that.The death toll has reached 2950 out of of which 61 deaths took place in the first 19 days of December.The dead in December. The list is incomplete and reflects deaths confirmed by the DOD.Robert L. Love Jr., 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 01, 2006Keith E. Fiscus, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 02, 2006Bryan T. McDonough, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 02, 2006Corey J. Rystad, 20, Army Specialist, Dec 02, 2006Jesse D. Tillery, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 02, 2006Kermit O. Evans, 31, Air Force Captain, Dec 03, 2006Troy D. Cooper, 21, Army Private, Dec 03, 2006Shawn L. English, 35, Army Captain, Dec 03, 2006Billy B. Farris, 20, Army Corporal, Dec 03, 2006Kenneth W. Haines, 25, Army Specialist, Dec 03, 2006Joseph Trane McCloud, 39, Marine Major, Dec 03, 2006Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, Marine Corporal, Dec 03, 2006Dustin M. Adkins, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 04, 2006Jay R. Gauthreaux, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 04, 2006Ross A. McGinnis, 19, Army Private, Dec 04, 2006Albert M. Nelson, 31, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 04, 2006Roger A. Suarez-Gonzalez, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 04, 2006Nicholas D. Turcotte, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 04, 2006Thomas P. Echols, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 04, 2006Christopher A. Anderson, 24, Navy Hospitalman, Dec 04, 2006Jordan W. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2006Marco L. Miller, 36, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2006Jesse J.J. Castro, 22, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006Nicholas R. Gibbs, 25, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006Jason Huffman, 32, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006Travis C. Krege, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 06, 2006Joshua B. Madden, 21, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006Yari Mokri, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006Travis L. Patriquin, 32, Army Captain, Dec 06, 2006Vincent J. Pomante III, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006Yevgeniy Ryndych, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006Dustin J. Libby, 22, Marine Corporal, Dec 06, 2006Megan M. McClung, 34, Marine Major, Dec 06, 2006Cody G. Watson, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 06, 2006Kristofer R. Ciraso, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 07, 2006Micah S. Gifford, 27, Army Specialist, Dec 07, 2006Henry W. Linck, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 07, 2006Brent E. Beeler, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Dec 07, 2006Nathan M. Krissoff, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Dec 09, 2006Philip C. Ford, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 10, 2006Brennan C. Gibson, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 10, 2006Shawn M. Murphy, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 10, 2006Nicholas P. Steinbacher, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 10, 2006Thomas W. Clemons, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 10, 2006Budd M. Cote, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 11, 2006Matthew V. Dillon, 25, Marine Corporal, Dec 11, 2006Brian P. McAnulty, 39, Marine Master Sergeant, Dec 11, 2006Clinton J. Miller, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 11, 2006Gloria D. Davis, 47, Army Major, Dec 12, 2006Brent W. Dunkleberger, 29, Army Sergeant, Dec 12, 2006Theodore A. Spatol, 59, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 14, 2006Matt Clark, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 14, 2006Luke Yepsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 14, 2006Paul Balint Jr., 22, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 15, 2006Nick Palmer, 19, Marine Not reported yet, Dec 16, 2006Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties. Follow the link to Glen Kutler's audio report in Newsweek.Eugene Robinson in Washington PostHere's an idea: Let's send more U.S. troops to Iraq. The generals say it's way too late to even think about resurrecting Colin Powell's \"overwhelming force\" doctrine, so let's send over a modest \"surge\" in troop strength that has almost no chance of making any difference -- except in the casualty count. Oh, and let's not give these soldiers and Marines any sort of well-defined mission. Let's just send them out into the bloody chaos of Baghdad and the deadly badlands of Anbar province with orders not to come back until they \"get the job done.\"I don't know about you, but that strikes me as a terrible idea, arguably the worst imaginable \"way forward\" in Iraq. So of course this seems to be where George W. Bush is headed.Don't assign any real significance to the fact that the president has decided to wait until the new year before announcing his next step in Iraq, because if history is any guide, all of this photo-op \"consultation\" he's doing is just for show -- to convince us, or maybe to convince himself, that he has an open mind. The Decider doesn't have the capacity for indecision.\"War hath no fury like a noncombatant.--C.E. Montague ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/they-continue-to-die-in-bushs-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo, we have not become inured to the deaths of soldiers in Iraq.  More and more Americans are losing faith in the war that President and Bush and his team led us into.  They are sick of the wasted lives that Eugene Robinson wrote about in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/18/AR2006121800945.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e. The message from voters in the midterm elections was unequivocal.  The Iraq Study Group's report left no doubt about the mishandling of the war although it failed to suggest a clear guideline for ending it.  But the message has not gotten through to the president and the warmongers.  They are manoeuvering to justify continuation of the war.  The president is not using the phrase \"Stay the course\" but one gets the impression that he is doing just that.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe death toll has reached 2950 out of of which 61 deaths took place in the first 19 days of December.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe dead in December. The list is incomplete and reflects deaths confirmed by the DOD.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobert L. Love Jr., 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKeith E. Fiscus, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBryan T. McDonough, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCorey J. Rystad, 20, Army Specialist, Dec 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJesse D. Tillery, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKermit O. Evans, 31, Air Force Captain, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTroy D. Cooper, 21, Army Private, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShawn L. English, 35, Army Captain, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBilly B. Farris, 20, Army Corporal, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth W. Haines, 25, Army Specialist, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph Trane McCloud, 39, Marine Major, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua C. Sticklen, 24, Marine Corporal, Dec 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDustin M. Adkins, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJay R. Gauthreaux, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoss A. McGinnis, 19, Army Private, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAlbert M. Nelson, 31, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoger A. Suarez-Gonzalez, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas D. Turcotte, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eThomas P. Echols, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher A. Anderson, 24, Navy Hospitalman, Dec 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJordan W. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarco L. Miller, 36, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJesse J.J. Castro, 22, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas R. Gibbs, 25, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJason Huffman, 32, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTravis C. Krege, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua B. Madden, 21, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eYari Mokri, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTravis L. Patriquin, 32, Army Captain, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eVincent J. Pomante III, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eYevgeniy Ryndych, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDustin J. Libby, 22, Marine Corporal, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMegan M. McClung, 34, Marine Major, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCody G. Watson, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKristofer R. Ciraso, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMicah S. Gifford, 27, Army Specialist, Dec 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eHenry W. Linck, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrent E. Beeler, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Dec 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNathan M. Krissoff, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Dec 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePhilip C. Ford, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrennan C. Gibson, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShawn M. Murphy, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas P. Steinbacher, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eThomas W. Clemons, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBudd M. Cote, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew V. Dillon, 25, Marine Corporal, Dec 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrian P. McAnulty, 39, Marine Master Sergeant, Dec 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eClinton J. Miller, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGloria D. Davis, 47, Army Major, Dec 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrent W. Dunkleberger, 29, Army Sergeant, Dec 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTheodore A. Spatol, 59, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatt Clark, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLuke Yepsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Balint Jr., 22, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNick Palmer, 19, Marine Not reported yet, Dec 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e.  Follow the link to Glen Kutler's audio report  in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16059273/displaymode/1107/framenumber/1/s/2/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEugene Robinson in Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere's an idea: Let's send more U.S. troops to Iraq. The generals say it's way too late to even think about resurrecting Colin Powell's \"overwhelming force\" doctrine, so let's send over a modest \"surge\" in troop strength that has almost no chance of making any difference -- except in the casualty count. Oh, and let's not give these soldiers and Marines any sort of well-defined mission. Let's just send them out into the bloody chaos of Baghdad and the deadly badlands of Anbar province with orders not to come back until they \"get the job done.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI don't know about you, but that strikes me as a terrible idea, arguably the worst imaginable \"way forward\" in Iraq. So of course this seems to be where George W. Bush is headed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't assign any real significance to the fact that the president has decided to wait until the new year before announcing his next step in Iraq, because if history is any guide, all of this photo-op \"consultation\" he's doing is just for show -- to convince us, or maybe to convince himself, that he has an open mind. The Decider doesn't have the capacity for indecision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a noncombatant.\u003cbr/\u003e--C.E. Montague\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"They Continue to Die  in Bush's War"},{"content":" Colin Powell * The 4th Circuit Court in VirginiaThe man who stood a good chance of being elected president if he had decided to run in 2000, spoke about the mess in Iraq. After serving four humiliating years, when he was mostly a figurehead used by the neocon clique in the Bush Administration, General Powell left quietly to nurse his wounds. Finally, during his appearance on CBS' Face the Nation (Sunday, December 17), he was strongly critical of the \"new strategy\" being considered to deal with Iraq. Does his voice still carry weight? After his dog and pony show at the UN to sell the war he does not have much credibility left. True that he was snookered like majority of the Americans were but he was no ordinary American. He remained silent too long after the lies and deceptions used by the Bush Administration came to light.Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell said yesterday that the United States is losing what he described as a \"civil war\" in Iraq and that he is not persuaded that an increase in U.S. troops there would reverse the situation. Instead, he called for a new strategy that would relinquish responsibility for Iraqi security to the government in Baghdad sooner rather than later, with a U.S. drawdown to begin by the middle of next year.Powell's comments broke his long public silence on the issue and placed him at odds with the administration. President Bush is considering options for a new military strategy -- among them a \"surge\" of 15,000 to 30,000 troops added to the current 140,000 in Iraq, to secure Baghdad and to accelerate the training of Iraqi forces, as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and others have proposed; or a redirection of the U.S. military away from the insurgency to focus mainly on hunting al-Qaeda terrorists, as the nation's top military leaders proposed last week in a meeting with the president.Bad News for ConservativesThe ripple effects of midterm elections continue. The conservatives' success in filling up court appointments with agenda driven judges could be coming to an end. The Washington Post's report about the 4th Circuit Court is good news for the rest of us.A growing list of vacancies on the federal appeals court in Richmond is heightening concern among Republicans that one of the nation's most conservative and influential courts could soon come under moderate or even liberal control, Republicans and legal scholars say.A number of prominent Republican appointees have left or announced plans to leave the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which has played a key role in terrorism cases and has long been known for forceful conservative rulings and judicial personalities.Republican concerns also are fueled by the pending Democratic takeover of Congress, as several of President Bush's 4th Circuit nominees were already bottled up in the Senate when Republicans ran it. From the GOP's perspective, the situation now will worsen.The 4th Circuit's rulings affect everyone who lives, works or owns a business in the area, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas. The court's influence also has been widely felt nationally, and the emerging battle over it is part of a broader struggle for control of the federal judiciary. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-good-soldier-spoke-out/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eColin Powell * The 4th Circuit Court in Virginia\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe man who stood  a good chance of being elected president if he had decided to run in 2000, spoke about the mess in Iraq. After serving four humiliating years, when he was mostly a figurehead used by the neocon clique in the Bush Administration, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494.html\"\u003eGeneral Powell\u003c/a\u003e left quietly to nurse his wounds.  Finally, during his appearance on CBS' Face the Nation (Sunday, December 17), he was strongly critical of the \"new strategy\" being considered to deal with Iraq.  Does his voice still carry weight?  After his dog and pony show at the UN to sell the war he does not have much credibility left.  True that he was snookered like majority of the Americans were but he was no ordinary American.  He remained silent too long after the lies and deceptions used by the Bush Administration came to light.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer secretary of state Colin L. Powell said yesterday that the United States is losing what he described as a \"civil war\" in Iraq and that he is not persuaded that an increase in U.S. troops there would reverse the situation. Instead, he called for a new strategy that would relinquish responsibility for Iraqi security to the government in Baghdad sooner rather than later, with a U.S. drawdown to begin by the middle of next year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePowell's comments broke his long public silence on the issue and placed him at odds with the administration. President Bush is considering options for a new military strategy -- among them a \"surge\" of 15,000 to 30,000 troops added to the current 140,000 in Iraq, to secure Baghdad and to accelerate the training of Iraqi forces, as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and others have proposed; or a redirection of the U.S. military away from the insurgency to focus mainly on hunting al-Qaeda terrorists, as the nation's top military leaders proposed last week in a meeting with the president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBad News for Conservatives\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe ripple effects of midterm elections continue.  The conservatives' success in filling up court appointments with agenda driven judges could be coming to an end.  The Washington Post's report about the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121701127.html\"\u003e4th Circuit Court\u003c/a\u003e is good news for the rest of us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA growing list of vacancies on the federal appeals court in Richmond is heightening concern among Republicans that one of the nation's most conservative and influential courts could soon come under moderate or even liberal control, Republicans and legal scholars say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA number of prominent Republican appointees have left or announced plans to leave the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which has played a key role in terrorism cases and has long been known for forceful conservative rulings and judicial personalities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepublican concerns also are fueled by the pending Democratic takeover of Congress, as several of President Bush's 4th Circuit nominees were already bottled up in the Senate when Republicans ran it. From the GOP's perspective, the situation now will worsen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 4th Circuit's rulings affect everyone who lives, works or owns a business in the area, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas. The court's influence also has been widely felt nationally, and the emerging battle over it is part of a broader struggle for control of the federal judiciary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Good Soldier Spoke Out"},{"content":" See update: A Bouquet for Dr. Mario RiccioA defeat for proponents of euthanasia. \"The judge said that the case fell outside of his jurisdiction, saying politicians needed to address a 'gap' in the law.\" It is unlikely that Italian legislators would succeed in remedying the gap any time soon. Mr. Welby will have to endure living a life hooked up to high-tech gadgetry -- life that, for him, has ceased to be meaningful.Here in America we are far from making the choice of death with dignity available to all who desire such an option. Oregon is the only state in the union where a terminally ill person has the right seek physician assistance in dying. The enlightened voters of Oregon made that possible in the face of opposition from religious organizations and the Federal Government. Oregon's Death With Dignity Act survived a few rounds in the U.S. Supreme Court. The shift in balance of power following the mid-term elections will make it difficult for Congress to meddle with the law.Residents of other states do not have the option of physician assistance in dying but they can take steps to avoid being kept alive against their wish by executing an Advance Directive and Do Not Resuscitate Orders, also known as Living Will. The form is available from Caring Connections. Another source is American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The web sites contain detailed information about the law in all states of the union.From the BBC: \"Mr Welby is confined to bed, is fed through a tube and speaks through a computer that reads his eye movements.\"Mr Welby's case has been backed by pro-euthanasia campaigners in Italy's parliament.Marco Capatto of Italy's Radical Party, a coalition partner in Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government, said his group would continue to campaign on Mr Welby's behalf.\"We're determined to support his plea to stop the torture he is suffering,\" the Reuters news agency reported him as saying.But conservatives backed the decision.Rocco Buttiglione, a devout Catholic and part of the centre-right opposition, told Reuters: \"No-one can order to kill.\"Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left government is divided over the issue. His coalition includes Catholics as well as socialists, who have come out strongly in favour of Mr Welby's right to refuse treatment.Euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide have been legalised in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, but remain illegal in much of the rest of the world.Recommended reading:How We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage PaperbackOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell PublishingEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, LondonListening to: Bach CantatasComposer: Johann Sebastian BachConductor: Philippe HerreweghePerformer: Peter Kooy, Barbara Schlick, Howard CrookOrchestra: Collegium Vocale Ghent (Orchestre)EMI Records ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/piergiorgio-welby---italian-court-rejects-his-plea/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee update: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/12/bouquet-for-dr-mario-riccio.html\"\u003eA Bouquet for Dr. Mario Riccio\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA defeat for proponents of euthanasia.  \"The judge said that the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6186347.stm\"\u003ecase\u003c/a\u003e fell outside of his jurisdiction, saying politicians needed to address a 'gap' in the law.\"  It is unlikely that Italian legislators would succeed in remedying the gap any time soon.   Mr. Welby will have to endure living a life hooked up to high-tech gadgetry  --  life that, for him, has ceased to be meaningful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere  in America we are far from making the choice of death with dignity available to all who desire such an option.  Oregon is the only state in the union where a terminally ill person has  the right seek physician assistance in dying. The enlightened voters of Oregon made that possible in the face of opposition from religious organizations and the Federal Government.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml\"\u003eOregon's Death With Dignity Act\u003c/a\u003e survived a few rounds in the U.S. Supreme Court.  The shift in balance of power following the mid-term elections will make it difficult for Congress to meddle with the law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eResidents of other states do not have the option of physician assistance in dying but they can take steps to avoid being kept alive against their wish by executing an Advance Directive and Do Not Resuscitate Orders, also known as Living Will.  The form is available from \u003ca href=\"http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageid=3425\"\u003eCaring Connections\u003c/a\u003e.   Another source is \u003ca href=\"http://familydoctor.org/003.xml\"\u003eAmerican Academy of Family Physicians\u003c/a\u003e (AAFP).  The web sites contain detailed information about the law in all states of the union.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6186347.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Mr Welby is confined to bed, is fed through a tube and speaks through a computer that reads his eye movements.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr Welby's case has been backed by pro-euthanasia campaigners in Italy's parliament.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarco Capatto of Italy's Radical Party, a coalition partner in Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government, said his group would continue to campaign on Mr Welby's behalf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We're determined to support his plea to stop the torture he is suffering,\" the Reuters news agency reported him as saying.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut conservatives backed the decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRocco Buttiglione, a devout Catholic and part of the centre-right opposition, told Reuters: \"No-one can order to kill.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left government is divided over the issue. His coalition includes Catholics as well as socialists, who have come out strongly in favour of Mr Welby's right to refuse treatment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEuthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide have been legalised in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, but remain illegal in much of the rest of the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRecommended reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage Paperback\u003cbr/\u003eOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.\u003cbr/\u003eFinal Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell Publishing\u003cbr/\u003eEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to: Bach Cantatas\u003cbr/\u003eComposer: Johann Sebastian Bach\u003cbr/\u003eConductor: Philippe Herreweghe\u003cbr/\u003ePerformer: Peter Kooy, Barbara Schlick, Howard Crook\u003cbr/\u003eOrchestra: Collegium Vocale Ghent (Orchestre)\u003cbr/\u003eEMI Records\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Piergiorgio Welby - Italian Court Rejects His Plea"},{"content":" Venality Continues But Levin Ready to Investigate War \u0026amp; CounterterrorismThe shameless politicians did their behind the scene wheeling and dealing for their pet projects. As the 109th Congress came to an end, the new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) and the former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) lived up to their records.Jeffrey Birnbaum in the Post:In the wee hours of the morning Dec. 7, Senate negotiators rejected a Medicare measure pushed by outgoing House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) that would have meant big revenues for an insurance company in Hastert's home state. But a day later, the $100 million proposal was alive and well, paired with a plan for a major Nevada land swap backed by Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), the incoming Senate majority leader.The leaders' dealmaking went on behind the scenes during the final, frenetic hours of the 109th Congress. Hastert's provision, which would give certain Medicare beneficiaries additional time to change their health-care coverage, and Reid's plan, which involves more than 900 square miles of federal land, were included in a massive tax and trade measure approved by Congress shortly before its final adjournment early last Saturday morning.The good news is that Carl Levin (D-Mich), who will be taking over chairman of the Armed Services Committee has announced that he will issue subpoenas and hold hearings. \"The emerging plans to grill administration officials on the conduct of the war are part of a pledge for more aggressive congressional oversight on issues such as prewar intelligence, prisoner treatment at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, and the government's use of warrantless wiretaps.\"Among the most eager incoming chairmen is Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), a lawyer with a professor's demeanor and a prosecutor's doggedness. As head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Levin, 72, will be his party's point man on the Iraq war and on the Democrats' call to begin withdrawing troops in the coming months.Levin said he also plans inquiries into \"documentation of waste and fraud and abuse in the contracting areas\" of the military. Aggressive oversight \"is not just a budget issue,\" he said, but at some point \"becomes a significant moral issue.\" In the House, Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), another leading advocate of a phased withdrawal, has vowed to use his Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship to investigate the Iraq war, holding \"two hearings a day for the first three or four months . . . to find out exactly what happened and who's been responsible for these mistakes.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/reid-and-hastert---birds-of-a-feather/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eVenality Continues But Levin Ready to Investigate War \u0026amp; Counterterrorism\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe shameless politicians did their behind the scene wheeling and dealing for their pet projects.  As the 109th Congress came to an end, the new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) and the former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) lived up to their records.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey Birnbaum in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/15/AR2006121501679.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the wee hours of the morning Dec. 7, Senate negotiators rejected a Medicare measure pushed by outgoing House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) that would have meant big revenues for an insurance company in Hastert's home state. But a day later, the $100 million proposal was alive and well, paired with a plan for a major Nevada land swap backed by Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), the incoming Senate majority leader.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe leaders' dealmaking went on behind the scenes during the final, frenetic hours of the 109th Congress. Hastert's provision, which would give certain Medicare beneficiaries additional time to change their health-care coverage, and Reid's plan, which involves more than 900 square miles of federal land, were included in a massive tax and trade measure approved by Congress shortly before its final adjournment early last Saturday morning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe good news is that \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/15/AR2006121501680.html\"\u003eCarl Levin (D-Mich)\u003c/a\u003e, who will be taking over chairman of the Armed Services Committee has announced that he will issue subpoenas and hold hearings.  \"The emerging plans to grill administration officials on the conduct of the war are part of a pledge for more aggressive congressional oversight on issues such as prewar intelligence, prisoner treatment at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, and the government's use of warrantless wiretaps.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the most eager incoming chairmen is Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), a lawyer with a professor's demeanor and a prosecutor's doggedness. As head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Levin, 72, will be his party's point man on the Iraq war and on the Democrats' call to begin withdrawing troops in the coming months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLevin said he also plans inquiries into \"documentation of waste and fraud and abuse in the contracting areas\" of the military. Aggressive oversight \"is not just a budget issue,\" he said, but at some point \"becomes a significant moral issue.\" In the House, Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), another leading advocate of a phased withdrawal, has vowed to use his Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship to investigate the Iraq war, holding \"two hearings a day for the first three or four months . . . to find out exactly what happened and who's been responsible for these mistakes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Reid and Hastert - Birds of a Feather"},{"content":" Friday Morning CharivariSouth Dakota Senator Tim Johnson's medical condition threw an unexpected spanner in the works. To the consternation of Democrats and glee -- subdued, but certainly glee -- of Republicans there are uncertainties about his recovery. In the worst case scenario for Democrats, a Republican would be appointed by Mike Rounds, South Dakota's Republican Governor, thus removing their one vote majority and Vice President Cheney would be back to act as tie breaker. The vice president has been keeping a low profile after November 7th. The ISG report did not give him joy either.If Johnson's or any other Democrat's seat switches to the GOP after the new Senate is underway, however, even Cheney's tie-breaking powers could leave Republicans facing a difficult-to-impossible battle to seize control. Barring an agreement to the contrary, Democrats could filibuster efforts to reorganize the chamber and proceed to assume committee chairmanships.It is an uneasy time. If I were a praying man I'd be lighting candles for Senator Johnson. *The much anticipated ISG report landed with a thud but the president and those who are against an early withdrawl from Iraq found wiggle room. They are manoeuvring to continue, albeit with some cosmetic changes. The President is hooked to the war. The war and his macho talk made him popular back in 2003. He is unable to accept the fact that people no longer believe in the war or in him. Tom Toles' cartoon in the March 17th issue of the Washington Post is as true today as it was then. March 17, 2006 Hendrik Hertzberg in The New Yorker :The day after the Report was issued, President Bush held a joint news conference with a visitor, Prime Minister Tony Blair. The President took the opportunity, as the Times put it, to “distance himself” from “the central recommendations” of the Study Group—specifically, its calls for diplomatic engagement with Iran and Syria and for pulling back American combat brigades. That was no great surprise. More alarmingly, Bush also distanced himself from the cold shower of reality the Study Group had aimed at him. “I think the analysis of the situation is not really in dispute,” Blair said. But it was in dispute. “The thing I liked about the Baker-Hamilton approach is it discussed the way forward in Iraq,” Bush said—which was to say the thing he didn’t like about it is it discussed what is actually happening in Iraq. When a correspondent suggested that he was “still in denial about how bad things are in Iraq,” the President replied, “It’s bad in Iraq. Does that help?” When another reporter noted that the Study Group wants leaders to be “candid and forthright with people,” he tried. “We have not succeeded as fast as we wanted to succeed,” he said. “Progress is not as rapid as I had hoped,” he said. His problem is success that is insufficiently fast, progress that is insufficiently rapid. Our problem is that he sees it that way. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-looming-spectre-of-cheney-the-tie-breaker/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFriday Morning Charivari\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSouth Dakota Senator Tim Johnson's medical condition threw an unexpected spanner in the works.  To the consternation of Democrats and glee -- subdued, but certainly glee -- of Republicans there are uncertainties about his recovery. In the worst case scenario for Democrats, a Republican would be appointed by Mike Rounds, South Dakota's Republican Governor, thus removing their one vote majority and \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/14/AR2006121400379.html\"\u003eVice President Cheney\u003c/a\u003e would be back to act as tie breaker.  The vice president has been keeping a low profile after November 7th.  The ISG report did not give him joy either.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIf Johnson's or any other Democrat's seat switches to the GOP after the new Senate is underway, however, even Cheney's tie-breaking powers could leave Republicans facing a difficult-to-impossible battle to seize control. Barring an agreement to the contrary, Democrats could filibuster efforts to reorganize the chamber and proceed to assume committee chairmanships.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eIt is an uneasy time.  If I were a praying  man I'd be lighting candles for Senator Johnson.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe much anticipated ISG report landed with a thud but the president and those who are against an early withdrawl from Iraq found wiggle room. They are manoeuvring to continue, albeit with some cosmetic changes. The President is hooked to the war.  The war and his macho talk made him popular back in 2003.  He is unable to accept the fact that people no longer believe in the war or in him. Tom Toles' cartoon in the March 17th issue of the Washington Post is as true today as it was then.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarch 17, 2006 \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/ssi/images/Toles/c_03172006_520.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHendrik Hertzberg in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/061218ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e :\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe day after the Report was issued, President Bush held a joint news conference with a visitor, Prime Minister Tony Blair. The President took the opportunity, as the Times put it, to “distance himself” from “the central recommendations” of the Study Group—specifically, its calls for diplomatic engagement with Iran and Syria and for pulling back American combat brigades. That was no great surprise. \u003cfont\u003eMore alarmingly, Bush also distanced himself from the cold shower of reality the Study Group had aimed at him. “I think the analysis of the situation is not really in dispute,” Blair said. But it was in dispute. “The thing I liked about the Baker-Hamilton approach is it discussed the way forward in Iraq,” Bush said—which was to say the thing he didn’t like about it is it discussed what is actually happening in Iraq. When a correspondent suggested that he was “still in denial about how bad things are in Iraq,” the President replied, “It’s bad in Iraq. Does that help?” When another reporter noted that the Study Group wants leaders to be “candid and forthright with people,” he tried. “We have not succeeded as fast as we wanted to succeed,” he said. “Progress is not as rapid as I had hoped,” he said.\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e His problem is success that is insufficiently fast, progress that is insufficiently rapid. Our problem is that he sees it that 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Looming Spectre of Cheney the Tie Breaker"},{"content":" Walmart * Euthanasia Back in the NewsInsanity fair. Holocaust deniers gathered in Teheran to take part in a conference. Saw a picture of Ahmadinejad embracing a bearded Jew! The Holocaust happened. There is overwhelming evidence to support that a systematic slaughter of Jews took place during Hitler's Third Reich. Those who question it have blinders on.The animosity between Muslims and Jews in the Middle East is understandable. Israel's role in dealing with Palestinians cannot be condoned, neither can its operation against the Hezbollah in Lebanon that resulted in deaths of a thousand or more civilians. After years of using its vastly superior military force Israel has failed to have any noticeable impact on the will of the Palestinians. True, they live amidst rubbles and their economy is in shambles. Yet the suicide bombers keep coming. All that has nothing to do with the Holocaust. It was a dark chapter in history when many nations aware of what was going on in Germany looked the other way. The Vatican was among those who remained silent. Some of the very people who argue that the Holocaust did not take place also believe in Armageddon and extra-terrestrials landing in flying saucers.Facts - The CampsBelzecBergen-BelsenBuchenwaldChelmnoDachauDoraJanowMaidanekMauthausenNeuengammePonaryPustkowSkarzyskoSobiborStutthofTheresienstadtTreblinkaVilnaWarsaw Did Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's hints about nuclear weapons have anything to do with Teheran's tirade against Israel? Now he is trying to wiggle out of what he said but the fact that Israel has nuclear capability is not a secret. Think of Iran and Israel lobbing nukes at each other and there you have the scenario for end of the world as we know it.While on the subject of Armageddon, Walmart is in the news because of a series of video games based on the Left Behind series. Trust Walmart not to miss an opportunity for making money while the fervor lasts.From Campaign to Defend the ConstitutionWhat's Wal-Mart promoting this holiday season? The religious right's extreme ideology.Just in time for Christmas, the religious right has released a violent video game in which born-again Christians aim to convert or kill those who don't adhere to their extreme ideology. Disturbingly, the game's apparent attempts at religious indoctrination are aimed at children and focus on violent, divisive, and hateful scenarios. While the religious right apparently has no problem pushing the product this holiday season, America's #1 video game seller should know better.The Euthanasia Debate - Two Items from BBCAn Italian court has adjourned to decide whether to allow a terminally ill man to die, in a landmark case.The man, Piergiorgio Welby, has muscular dystrophy and is paralysed. He wants doctors to be allowed to turn off his artificial respirator.The high-profile case has sparked fierce debate in mostly-Roman Catholic Italy, where euthanasia is illegal and the Church forbids it.The judge is expected to deliver her verdict within a week.Church of EnglandA Christian medical body says holding back treatment to allow ill newborn babies to die - when treatment would be \"a burden\" - is not euthanasia.The Christian Medical Fellowship was responding to a report in the Observer.That said the Church of England believed withholding treatment from some seriously disabled newborns may be right \"in some circumstances\".The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has been seeking submissions into critical care in foetal and neonatal medicine.It told the BBC it has received over 100 submissions from interested organisations into the controversial issue.Its report will be published on Thursday looking at the ethical, social and legal issues which may arise when making decisions surrounding treating extremely premature babies. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/holocaust---denying-it-will-not-erase-the-facts/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWalmart * Euthanasia Back in the News\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInsanity fair. Holocaust deniers gathered in Teheran to take part in a conference.  Saw a picture of Ahmadinejad embracing a bearded Jew!  The Holocaust  happened. There is overwhelming evidence to support that a systematic slaughter of Jews took place during Hitler's Third Reich. Those who question it have blinders on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe animosity between Muslims and Jews in the Middle East is understandable.  Israel's role in dealing with Palestinians cannot be condoned, neither can its operation against the Hezbollah in Lebanon that resulted in deaths of a thousand or more civilians.  After years of using its vastly superior military force Israel has failed to have any noticeable impact on the will of the Palestinians.  True, they live amidst rubbles and their economy is in shambles.  Yet the suicide bombers keep coming. All that has nothing to do with the Holocaust.   It was a dark chapter in history when many nations aware of what was going on in Germany looked the other way.  The Vatican was among those who remained silent.  Some of the very people who argue that the Holocaust did not take place also believe in Armageddon and extra-terrestrials landing in flying saucers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFacts - The Camps\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBelzec\u003cbr/\u003eBergen-Belsen\u003cbr/\u003eBuchenwald\u003cbr/\u003eChelmno\u003cbr/\u003eDachau\u003cbr/\u003eDora\u003cbr/\u003eJanow\u003cbr/\u003eMaidanek\u003cbr/\u003eMauthausen\u003cbr/\u003eNeuengamme\u003cbr/\u003ePonary\u003cbr/\u003ePustkow\u003cbr/\u003eSkarzysko\u003cbr/\u003eSobibor\u003cbr/\u003eStutthof\u003cbr/\u003eTheresienstadt\u003cbr/\u003eTreblinka\u003cbr/\u003eVilna\u003cbr/\u003eWarsaw \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDid Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6170845.stm\"\u003ehints\u003c/a\u003e about nuclear weapons have anything to do with Teheran's tirade against Israel?  Now he is trying to wiggle out of what he said but the fact that Israel has nuclear capability is  not a secret. Think of Iran and Israel lobbing nukes at each other and there you have the scenario for end of the world as we know it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile on the subject of Armageddon, Walmart is in the news because of a series of video games based on the Left Behind series.  Trust Walmart not to miss an opportunity for making money while the fervor lasts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.defconamerica.org/\"\u003eCampaign to Defend the Constitution\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat's Wal-Mart promoting this holiday season? The religious right's extreme ideology.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust in time for Christmas, the religious right has released a violent video game in which born-again Christians aim to convert or kill those who don't adhere to their extreme ideology. Disturbingly, the game's apparent attempts at religious indoctrination are aimed at children and focus on violent, divisive, and hateful scenarios. While the religious right apparently has no problem pushing the product this holiday season, America's #1 video game seller should know better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Euthanasia Debate - Two Items from BBC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Italian court has adjourned to decide whether to allow a terminally ill man to die, in a landmark case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe man, \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6174603.stm\"\u003ePiergiorgio Welby\u003c/a\u003e, has muscular dystrophy and is paralysed. He wants doctors to be allowed to turn off his artificial respirator.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe high-profile case has sparked fierce debate in mostly-Roman Catholic Italy, where euthanasia is illegal and the Church forbids it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe judge is expected to deliver her verdict within a week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChurch of England\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Christian medical body says holding back treatment to allow ill newborn babies to die - when treatment would be \"a burden\" - is not euthanasia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Christian Medical Fellowship was responding to a report in the Observer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat said the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6141486.stm\"\u003eChurch of England\u003c/a\u003e believed withholding treatment from some seriously disabled newborns may be right \"in some circumstances\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Nuffield Council on Bioethics has been seeking submissions into critical care in foetal and neonatal medicine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt told the BBC it has received over 100 submissions from interested organisations into the controversial issue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIts report will be published on Thursday looking at the ethical, social and legal issues which may arise when making decisions surrounding treating extremely premature babies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Holocaust - Denying It Will Not Erase the Facts"},{"content":" The years when General Pinochet and the junta ruled Chile cannot be wiped out. His death could mean the end of bitterness for some of the survivors. For those who lost their friends and family members -- the ones who \"disappeared\" -- it is not that easy. We learn now that Augusto Pinochet was not only a despot but also a thief. He stashed away millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts.The United States played a shameful role in aiding and abetting Pinochet because the architects of American foreign policy lead by Henry Kissinger saw Pinochet and others like him as bulwarks against communism in Latin America. Pamela Constable in Washington Post:But when Pinochet spoke of the need to \"extirpate\" communism from Chilean soil, it sent chills down my spine. As victims emerged from secret prisons, we learned what that verb really meant: fingernails pulled out, electric shocks applied to genitals, mock-rape by dogs. To this day, I remember the faces and the voices of weeping men, ashamed to confide the terrible things that had been done to them.Among those who mourned his passing was Margaret Thatcher, Britain's former prime minister. An editorial in The Guardian commented:\"The \"sadness\" of Margaret Thatcher, grateful for the Chilean's help to Britain during the Falklands war, also reflected her feeling for an authoritarian rightwinger and anti-communist on a continent where military juntas were then commonplace. It would be fascinating too to hear from Henry Kissinger, architect of Washington's realpolitik calculations about policing its \"backyard\".How grand it sounds: Operation Iraqi Freedom. Those who coined the phrase probably patted themselves on the back. Three and half years later they face a quite different scenario. The situation has become nightmarish both for Iraqis and those who sold us the war in 2003. We who opposed the war have reason to feel vindicated -- vindicated but not elated. The costs in human and financial terms are staggering. Jon Cohen's report in today's Post reads: \"Poll: 7 of 10 Americans Disapprove of Handling of Iraq War\". Excerpts:Negative assessments of the war in Iraq -- the central issue in last month's midterm election -- continue to hold down President Bush's job approval ratings and could cast a pall on the final two years of his presidency.In a new Post-ABC News poll, seven in 10 Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the situation in Iraq -- the highest percentage since the March 2003 invasion. Six in 10 say the war was not worth fighting.While both gauges on the war have been negative since late 2004, Bush's approval rating on Iraq has deteriorated further since early October, likely weakened by recent high-profile criticisms of the administration's Iraq policy.The bleak appraisals of the war include the release last week of the much-anticipated report from the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan government advisory panel, which described conditions in Iraq as \"grave and deteriorating.\"With evident public skepticism about the situation in Iraq, the war remains the president's biggest challenge and the heaviest drag on his overall approval rating.In this poll, 36 percent approve of how Bush is handling his job, which is the second lowest percentage in Post-ABC polls since Bush took office in 2001; 62 percent disapprove.And as has been true throughout this year, the intensity of sentiment runs starkly against the president: Those who strongly disapprove of Bush's job performance outnumber those who strongly approve by nearly a 3-to-1 margin. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-12 Great post, thanks. Don't know if you've seen these two short videos from Iraq yet or not, but both show the US Military engaging in some very dubious actions. I have them up on my site at www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com ..You have to wonder what these soldiers were thinking when videotaping this stuff... ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/chiles-terrible-past-and-iraqs-violent-present/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe years when General Pinochet and the junta ruled Chile cannot be wiped out.  His death could mean the end of bitterness for some of the survivors.  For those who lost their friends and family members -- the ones who \"disappeared\" -- it is not that easy.  We learn now that  Augusto Pinochet was not only a despot but also  a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101226.html\"\u003ethief\u003c/a\u003e.  He stashed away millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe United States played a shameful role in aiding and abetting Pinochet because the architects of American foreign policy lead by Henry Kissinger saw Pinochet and others like him as bulwarks against communism in Latin America.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101204.html\"\u003ePamela Constable\u003c/a\u003e in Washington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut when Pinochet spoke of the need to \"extirpate\" communism from Chilean soil, it sent chills down my spine. As victims emerged from secret prisons, we learned what that verb really meant: fingernails pulled out, electric shocks applied to genitals, mock-rape by dogs. To this day, I remember the faces and the voices of weeping men, ashamed to confide the terrible things that had been done to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong those who mourned his passing was Margaret Thatcher, Britain's former prime minister. An editorial in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/chile/story/0,,1970168,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e commented:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The \"sadness\" of Margaret Thatcher, grateful for the Chilean's help to Britain during the Falklands war, also reflected her feeling for an authoritarian rightwinger and anti-communist on a continent where military juntas were then commonplace. It would be fascinating too to hear from Henry Kissinger, architect of Washington's realpolitik calculations about policing its \"backyard\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow grand it sounds: Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Those who coined the phrase probably patted themselves on the back.  Three and half years later they face a quite different scenario.   The situation has become nightmarish both for Iraqis and those who sold us the war in 2003.  We who opposed the war have reason to feel vindicated -- vindicated but not elated. The costs in human and financial terms are staggering.  Jon Cohen's report in today's  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/12/AR2006121200278.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reads: \"Poll: 7 of 10 Americans Disapprove of Handling of Iraq War\". \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNegative assessments of the war in Iraq -- the central issue in last month's midterm election -- continue to hold down President Bush's job approval ratings and could cast a pall on the final two years of his presidency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a new Post-ABC News poll, seven in 10 Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the situation in Iraq -- the highest percentage since the March 2003 invasion. Six in 10 say the war was not worth fighting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile both gauges on the war have been negative since late 2004, Bush's approval rating on Iraq has deteriorated further since early October, likely weakened by recent high-profile criticisms of the administration's Iraq policy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bleak appraisals of the war include the release last week of the much-anticipated report from the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan government advisory panel, which described conditions in Iraq as \"grave and deteriorating.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith evident public skepticism about the situation in Iraq, the war remains the president's biggest challenge and the heaviest drag on his overall approval rating.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn this poll, 36 percent approve of how Bush is handling his job, which is the second lowest percentage in Post-ABC polls since Bush took office in 2001; 62 percent disapprove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd as has been true throughout this year, the intensity of sentiment runs starkly against the president: Those who strongly disapprove of Bush's job performance outnumber those who strongly approve by nearly a 3-to-1 margin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat post, thanks.  Don't know if you've seen these two short videos from Iraq yet or not, but both show the US Military engaging in some very dubious actions.  I have them up on my site at www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com ..You have to wonder what these soldiers were thinking when videotaping this stuff...\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Chile's Terrible Past  and Iraq's Violent Present"},{"content":" Selling of Wars and Creation of Myths * End of an Evil ManSoldiers in battle risk their lives and perform acts of bravery. That is fact. On the flip side there are the exploiters who take part in exaggerating or creating myths about actions that didn't take place or, if they did, they were not what was made out to be. Recently, we had accounts in the media about Jessica Lynch's capture and rescue hyped up beyond any semblance of reality. Then there was the tragic case of Pat Tillman who was mistakenly shot by American soldiers in a so called friendly fire incident. Until the details trickled out, he was reported to have died bravely fighting enemy attackers in Afghanistan.Flags of our Fathers might not win Clint Eastwood many admirers but he and Steven Spielberg (producer) deserve praise for their courage to expose the sham behind the fabled flag at Iwo Jima. The details are nauseating. The people who staged the show at Iwo Jima might not be around but there are others like them who continue to do what was done at Iwo Jima. Their job is to sanitize and glorify wars. They hide or airbrush the ugly side, create a false, technicolor image for the public. Often, the mainstream media unquestioningly runs with the pap.Neal Ascherson in The Guardian, UKFlags of our Fathers, the new film directed by Clint Eastwood and produced by Steven Spielberg, is about how a human deed can become an artefact, shrinking its actors into irrelevance. Over the next 20 years, the flag raising on Iwo Jima morphed into a stream of representations, each vaster and more alienating than the last.The first repeat happened on the same day. Some officer down below wanted the flag for himself, so a new, bigger one was sent up. Six other Marines wrestled it into position, and as they did so, AP photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped them in a photograph that - marvellously composed by pure luck - went round the world and became, for Americans, the iconic picture of the Second World War.Three of Rosenthal's flag raisers were killed in the next few days. The other three were brought home, to be used as hero figures leading a gigantic, States-wide campaign for war bonds. Soon they were putting on their helmets and carbines to scale papier-mache models of Mount Suribachi, planting Old Glory on the summit for the enjoyment of 50,000 ecstatic patriots.By now the photograph had been on every front page. It hung on the office walls of senators and in the living rooms of millions of Americans. It generated paintings, models, postage stamps. It was no longer about six men but about collective heroism, patriotism, the cult of sacrifice. Details of the original moment began to peel away. It was written that the Marines had climbed the mountain under fire, fighting every inch of the way. One of the dead Marines was confused with another, who had not been at the flag raising, and when the three survivors protested, they were told to shut up. (The photograph shows only their backs, not their faces.) The image began to matter more than the individuals. An epic war movie, Sands of Iwo Jima, was made with John Wayne in 1949. Finally, in 1954, a colossal statuary group - 100 tons of bronze, each figure 30 feet high - was raised in Washington as the memorial of the United States Marine Corps. The three survivors were invited to the unveiling but the names of the flag raisers are not on the plinth. This was a monument to the power and triumph of a nation, not to them.Flags of our Fathers belongs to the tradition of great American war movies. But in striking ways it turns away from that tradition and marks its limits. Clint Eastwood has used all the technical genius of Spielberg, his producer. And yet, as an old man, he looks down on war with a sovereign anger and pity. That feeling has always been lurking. 'I guess we all died a little in that damned war,' he says in The Outlaw Josie Wales. He sees that the genre of Vietnam movies - all concerned with what happens to Americans, but not to their adversaries - has run out of time. And so, astonishingly, his companion film - Letters from Iwo Jima - is about the Japanese experience in that fight, which cost nearly 7,000 American lives but killed almost all the 22,000 Japanese defenders. The film, which opens on 20 December in America, has already been named Best Picture of 2006 by the critics at the National Board of Review. (It will be released in the UK on 23 February.) Another departure is Eastwood's rebellion against the notion of heroes. In a time when any soldier in action is termed a 'hero' this was a sturdy line to take.Yes, there are heroes. Then there are callous, boorish soldiers. A felllow blogger (www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com) referred me to an item on YouTube. The video clip made me think of apes, not soldiers.Anti-war filmsAnti-war fictionAugusto Pinochet (1915-2006)Count me among the gleeful. The headline in The Guardian reads \"Glee and Grief as man who brought 'Spanish Inqusition to Chile' dies at 91\". Good riddance. He was an evil man, a brutish dictator who came to power with help from the United States under President Nixon and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Too bad that he died without answering for his misdeeds -- the torture and murder of thousands of dissidents. In a just world Henry Kissinger should be on the dock answering charges for his role in the coup against late Salvador Allende, legitimately elected president of Chile. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-11 The war against communism and hunger in Chile left aproximately 3000 dead.\nUS war versus terrorism, how many?\nConsider facts within context, please. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/our-heroes-ourselves---reality-and-pr/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSelling of Wars and Creation of Myths * End of an Evil Man\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSoldiers in battle risk their lives and perform acts of bravery.  That is fact.  On the flip side there are the exploiters who take part in exaggerating or creating myths about actions that didn't take place or, if they did, they were not what was made out to be.  Recently, we had accounts in the media about Jessica Lynch's capture and rescue hyped up beyond any semblance of reality. Then there was the tragic case of Pat Tillman who was mistakenly shot by American soldiers in a so called friendly fire incident. Until the details trickled out, he was reported to have died bravely fighting enemy attackers in Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1968358,00.html\"\u003eFlags of our Fathers\u003c/a\u003e might not win Clint Eastwood many admirers but he and Steven Spielberg (producer) deserve praise for their courage to expose the sham behind the fabled flag at Iwo Jima.  The details are nauseating.  The people who staged the show at Iwo Jima might not be around but there are others like them who continue to do what was done at Iwo Jima.  Their job is to sanitize and glorify wars. They hide or airbrush the ugly side, create a false, technicolor image for the public. Often, the mainstream media unquestioningly runs with the pap.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1968358,00.html\"\u003eNeal Ascherson in The Guardian, UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFlags of our Fathers, the new film directed by Clint Eastwood and produced by Steven Spielberg, is about how a human deed can become an artefact, shrinking its actors into irrelevance. Over the next 20 years, the flag raising on Iwo Jima morphed into a stream of representations, each vaster and more alienating than the last.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first repeat happened on the same day. Some officer down below wanted the flag for himself, so a new, bigger one was sent up. Six other Marines wrestled it into position, and as they did so, AP photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped them in a photograph that - marvellously composed by pure luck - went round the world and became, for Americans, the iconic picture of the Second World War.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThree of Rosenthal's flag raisers were killed in the next few days. The other three were brought home, to be used as hero figures leading a gigantic, States-wide campaign for war bonds. Soon they were putting on their helmets and carbines to scale papier-mache models of Mount Suribachi, planting Old Glory on the summit for the enjoyment of 50,000 ecstatic patriots.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy now the photograph had been on every front page. It hung on the office walls of senators and in the living rooms of millions of Americans. It generated paintings, models, postage stamps. It was no longer about six men but about collective heroism, patriotism, the cult of sacrifice. Details of the original moment began to peel away. It was written that the Marines had climbed the mountain under fire, fighting every inch of the way. One of the dead Marines was confused with another, who had not been at the flag raising, and when the three survivors protested, they were told to shut up. (The photograph shows only their backs, not their faces.) The image began to matter more than the individuals. An epic war movie, Sands of Iwo Jima, was made with John Wayne in 1949. Finally, in 1954, a colossal statuary group - 100 tons of bronze, each figure 30 feet high - was raised in Washington as the memorial of the United States Marine Corps. The three survivors were invited to the unveiling but the names of the flag raisers are not on the plinth. This was a monument to the power and triumph of a nation, not to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFlags of our Fathers belongs to the tradition of great American war movies. But in striking ways it turns away from that tradition and marks its limits. Clint Eastwood has used all the technical genius of Spielberg, his producer. And yet, as an old man, he looks down on war with a sovereign anger and pity. That feeling has always been lurking. 'I guess we all died a little in that damned war,' he says in The Outlaw Josie Wales. He sees that the genre of Vietnam movies - all concerned with what happens to Americans, but not to their adversaries - has run out of time. And so, astonishingly, his companion film - Letters from Iwo Jima - is about the Japanese experience in that fight, which cost nearly 7,000 American lives but killed almost all the 22,000 Japanese defenders. The film, which opens on 20 December in America, has already been named Best Picture of 2006 by the critics at the National Board of Review. (It will be released in the UK on 23 February.) Another departure is Eastwood's rebellion against the notion of heroes. In a time when any soldier in action is termed a 'hero' this was a sturdy line to take.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYes, there are heroes.  Then there are callous, boorish soldiers.  A felllow blogger (\u003ca href=\"http://www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com/\"\u003ewww.minor-ripper.blogspot.com\u003c/a\u003e) referred me to an item on \u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9A_vxIOB-I\u0026amp;eurl=\"\u003eYouTube\u003c/a\u003e. The video clip made me think of apes,  not soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/02/needed-movies-about-war-in-iraq.html\"\u003eAnti-war films\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/02/wars-past-and-present-and-books-that.html\"\u003eAnti-war fiction\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/10/AR2006121000302.html\"\u003eAugusto Pinochet (1915-2006)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCount me among the gleeful.  The headline in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/pinochet/Story/0,,1969192,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e reads \"Glee and Grief as man who brought 'Spanish Inqusition to Chile' dies at 91\".  Good riddance.  He was an evil man, a brutish dictator who came to power with help from the United States under President Nixon and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.  Too bad that he died without answering for his misdeeds -- the torture and murder of thousands of dissidents.  In a just world Henry Kissinger should be on the dock answering charges for his role in the coup against late Salvador Allende, legitimately elected president of Chile.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe war against communism and hunger in Chile left aproximately 3000 dead.\u003cbr\u003eUS war versus terrorism, how many?\u003cbr\u003eConsider facts within context, please.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Our Heroes, Ourselves - Reality and PR"},{"content":" Power of Lobbyists * Military FamiliesThe tentacles of lobbyists reach deep into our system of government. From FDA to Congress and the NIH, legislations related to products and services that affect all Americans are often guided and shaped by lobbyists and elected representatives on the take. Democrats are not untainted although in recent years it was the Republicans who blatantly served special interest groups. They make a mockery of what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863: \"........and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\"The Post has two items about the power of special interest groups.Dairy Industry Crushed Innovator Who Bested Price-Control SystemIn the summer of 2003, shoppers in Southern California began getting a break on the price of milk.A maverick dairyman named Hein Hettinga started bottling his own milk and selling it for as much as 20 cents a gallon less than the competition, exercising his right to work outside the rigid system that has controlled U.S. milk production for almost 70 years. Soon the effects were rippling through the state, helping to hold down retail prices at supermarkets and warehouse stores.That was when a coalition of giant milk companies and dairies, along with their congressional allies, decided to crush Hettinga's initiative. For three years, the milk lobby spent millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions and made deals with lawmakers, including incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).NIH Scientist Pleads Guilty in accepting $285,000 from Pfizer A senior government scientist who was a focus of a congressional probe into conflicts of interest in medical research admitted in federal court yesterday that he improperly failed to disclose payments of $285,000 he received as a consultant for the pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer Inc.Pearson \"Trey\" Sunderland III, who was chief of the Geriatric Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, pleaded guilty in Baltimore to a misdemeanor charge of violating conflict-of-interest rules.There are many of us who hold strong position for or against the war in Iraq. How do the families of soldiers feel? They are the ones whose voices have more power than the rest. While Christian Davenport and Joshua Partlow's report in the Post covers only a few such families, it confirms that a divide exists. Opposition to the war has gained strength among military families but the oppposition is far from the level of sentiments in the waning days of Vietnam war.Nancy Hecker hasn't read the Iraq Study Group's report. She doesn't need to. She knows her son, Army Maj. William F. Hecker III, died at 37 for a just cause, no matter what the antiwar crowd thinks.If she \"can stand firm in support of our country and the mission, is it too much to ask the rest of the country to do so as well?\" she asked.Beverly Fabri also doesn't need the report to help her make up her mind on Iraq. \"We are not going to win this war,\" she said. \"And we shouldn't have gotten involved with it in the first place.\"Almost three years after her 19-year-old son, Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry, was killed, she said: \"I'm beginning to feel like he just died in vain, I really am.\"As the country debates what's next for Iraq, many family members who have lost loved ones in the war are torn about what should happen and how the legacy of those who have died there will be affected.When the war began nearly four years ago, there was virtually unanimous support for it among military families. But as the country's belief in it has deteriorated, cracks have also begun to show among those who were its staunchest backers. And now, as the death toll mounts, many are struggling to reconcile bad news that seems to keep getting worse with the mission their loved ones believed in and died fighting for. * Sunday morning musicJohann Sebastian Bach Organ Work SelectionToccata and FuguePerformer: Hans Otto, Helmuth Rilling, Jorgen Ernst Hansen, Knud VadAudio CD (April 16, 1995)Denon Records Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-10 Great post, thanks. Don't know if you've seen these two pretty shocking videos from Iraq yet or not (kid chasing bottle of water, car getting crushed), but both star the US Military and put it in a very negative light. I have them up on my site at www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com ..You have to wonder what these soldiers were thinking when videotaping this stuff... nvittal \u0026mdash; 2006-12-12 Another case of US doing it all wrong from start and creating a HUGE mess fo others to clean up! Sometimes, I think our leaders totally lack long-term strategies.\nThey just don;t seem to get it! It happened with Afghan mujahidden fighters, then with Saddam. We are still backing some of the most corrupt goverments for our short-term interests! Everytime we mess with a foreign country, we seem to be creating a future debacle! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/where-are-you-abe-lincoln-lobbyists-rule/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePower of Lobbyists * Military Families\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe tentacles of lobbyists reach deep into our system of government.  From FDA to Congress and the NIH, legislations related to products and services that affect all Americans  are often guided and shaped by lobbyists and elected representatives on the take.  Democrats are not  untainted although in recent years it was the Republicans who blatantly served special interest groups.  They make a mockery of what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863: \"........and that government of the people, by the people,  for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Post has two items about the power of special interest groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/08/AR2006120801572.html\"\u003eDairy Industry\u003c/a\u003e Crushed Innovator Who Bested Price-Control System\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the summer of 2003, shoppers in Southern California began getting a break on the price of milk.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA maverick dairyman named Hein Hettinga started bottling his own milk and selling it for as much as 20 cents a gallon less than the competition, exercising his right to work outside the rigid system that has controlled U.S. milk production for almost 70 years. Soon the effects were rippling through the state, helping to hold down retail prices at supermarkets and warehouse stores.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat was when a coalition of giant milk companies and dairies, along with their congressional allies, decided to crush Hettinga's initiative. For three years, the milk lobby spent millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions and made deals with lawmakers, including incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/08/AR2006120801572.html\"\u003eNIH Scientist  Pleads Guilty\u003c/a\u003e in accepting $285,000 from Pfizer \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA senior government scientist who was a focus of a congressional probe into conflicts of interest in medical research admitted in federal court yesterday that he improperly failed to disclose payments of $285,000 he received as a consultant for the pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer Inc.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePearson \"Trey\" Sunderland III, who was chief of the Geriatric Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, pleaded guilty in Baltimore to a misdemeanor charge of violating conflict-of-interest rules.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are many of us who hold strong position for or against the war in Iraq.  How do the families of soldiers feel?  They are the ones whose voices have more power than the rest.  While Christian Davenport and Joshua Partlow's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/09/AR2006120900868.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e covers only a few such families, it confirms that a divide exists. Opposition to the war has gained strength among military families but the oppposition is far from the level of sentiments in the waning days of Vietnam war.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNancy Hecker hasn't read the Iraq Study Group's report. She doesn't need to. She knows her son, Army Maj. William F. Hecker III, died at 37 for a just cause, no matter what the antiwar crowd thinks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf she \"can stand firm in support of our country and the mission, is it too much to ask the rest of the country to do so as well?\" she asked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBeverly Fabri also doesn't need the report to help her make up her mind on Iraq. \"We are not going to win this war,\" she said. \"And we shouldn't have gotten involved with it in the first place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlmost three years after her 19-year-old son, Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry, was killed, she said: \"I'm beginning to feel like he just died in vain, I really am.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the country debates what's next for Iraq, many family members who have lost loved ones in the war are torn about what should happen and how the legacy of those who have died there will be affected.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the war began nearly four years ago, there was virtually unanimous support for it among military families. But as the country's belief in it has deteriorated, cracks have also begun to show among those who were its staunchest backers. And now, as the death toll mounts, many are struggling to reconcile bad news that seems to keep getting worse with the mission their loved ones believed in and died fighting for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunday morning music\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohann Sebastian Bach Organ Work Selection\u003cbr/\u003eToccata and Fugue\u003cbr/\u003ePerformer: Hans Otto, Helmuth Rilling, Jorgen Ernst Hansen, Knud Vad\u003cbr/\u003eAudio CD (April 16, 1995)\u003cbr/\u003eDenon Records\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat post, thanks.  Don't know if you've seen these two pretty shocking videos from Iraq  yet or not (kid chasing bottle of water, car getting crushed), but both star the US Military and put it in a very negative light.  I have them up on my site at www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com ..You have to wonder what these soldiers were thinking when videotaping this stuff...\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003envittal\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAnother case of US doing it all wrong from start and creating a HUGE mess fo others to clean up! Sometimes, I think our leaders totally lack long-term strategies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey just don;t seem to get it! It happened with Afghan mujahidden fighters, then with Saddam. We are still backing some of the most corrupt goverments for our short-term interests! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEverytime we mess with a foreign country, we seem to be creating a future debacle!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Where are you Abe Lincoln ? Lobbyists Rule"},{"content":" Less than two weeks before the Winter Solstice. The much needed rains came yesterday and more expected during the next few days. Looking out of the window I see the Gingko trees have lost most of their bright yellow leaves. There are piles of leaves on the street. They,too, will disappear soon, scattered by winds.\nGingko Tree, Nov.14 @ Musafir Same tree - Dec.9 @ Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\nDec 9 @ Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\nCome, come thou bleak December wind,And blow the dry leaves from the tree!-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772-1834, Fragment 3 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/passages-december/","summary":"\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eLess than two weeks before the Winter Solstice. The much needed rains came yesterday and more expected during the next few days. Looking out of the window I see the Gingko trees have lost most of their bright yellow leaves. There are piles of leaves on the street. They,too, will disappear soon, scattered by winds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Gingko Tree Mid-November.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003eGingko Tree, Nov.14 @ Musafir \u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Dec 9 II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003eSame tree - Dec.9 @ Musafir, Canon Powershot S3\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Passages: December"},{"content":" Ten soldiers died yesterday in Bush's war. Twentynine, so far in December. The Baker-Hamilton Report (ISG) leaves no doubt about the fallacies of the war that President Bush and the neocons led us into. The sad fact is that many more will die before the exit from Iraq takes place.Paul Wolfowitz, one of the prime architects, must be happy to be out of it, running the World Bank. VP Cheney has stopped issuing his Strangelovian statements. Donald Rumsfeld paid the price for his role. Condoleezza Rice is reinventing herself. The smirk is gone but President Bush continues to defend his position. We'll hear more platitudes after his meeting with Prime Minister Blair. For reasons that mystify, Blair became a true believer in the Bush doctrine. He, too, paid a price for hitching his star to Bush.Why did 20-year old Lance Corporal Thomas P. Echols (1st BN, 6th Marine Reg, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force) become a casualty on December 4th. What did he die for? Someone must be held responsible for his death, the deaths of other soldiers, and the more than half a million Iraqis who died directly or indirecly from Operation Iraqi Freedom that we foisted on them. President Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinsky in the White House. The human and financial costs of the war in Iraq are more than enough to call for impeachment of President Bush. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-warrior-from-crawford-and-the-dead-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTen soldiers died \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/06/AR2006120601969.html\"\u003eyesterday\u003c/a\u003e in Bush's war.  Twentynine, so far in December.  The Baker-Hamilton Report (\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/06/AR2006120601482.html\"\u003eISG\u003c/a\u003e) leaves no doubt  about  the fallacies of  the war that  President Bush and the neocons led us into. The sad fact is that many more will die before the exit from Iraq takes place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Wolfowitz, one of the prime architects, must be happy to be out of it,  running the World Bank.  VP Cheney  has stopped  issuing his Strangelovian statements.  Donald Rumsfeld paid the price for his role.  Condoleezza Rice is reinventing herself.  The smirk is gone but President Bush continues to defend his position.  We'll hear more  platitudes after his meeting with Prime Minister Blair.  For reasons that mystify, Blair became a true believer in the Bush doctrine.  He, too, paid a price for hitching his star to Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy did 20-year old \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/Details.aspx\"\u003eLance Corporal Thomas P. Echols\u003c/a\u003e (1st BN, 6th Marine Reg, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force) become a casualty on December 4th.  What did he die for?  Someone must be held responsible for his death, the deaths of other soldiers, and the more than half a million Iraqis who died directly or indirecly from  Operation Iraqi Freedom that we foisted on them.  President Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinsky in the White House.    The human and financial costs of the war in Iraq are more than enough to call for impeachment of President Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Warrior  from Crawford and the Dead in Iraq"},{"content":" The Iraq Study Group (ISG)The much anticipated report from ISG has been submitted to the president and will be released to public later this morning (11:00 AM Eastern). President Bush made the usual noises. \"Congress seemed eager yesterday to embrace the new Baker-Hamilton report as a possible way out of the morass in Iraq, while the White House is increasingly insistent that the document is but one of several suggestions President Bush will review as he ponders changes to a policy widely seen as not working in Iraq.\"Despite the growing opposition to continuing our military presence in Iraq, the president keeps talking about no withdrawal until a victory. Perhaps only he knows what that \"victory\" means. A few days before he resigned, a leaked memo from former Secretary Donald Rumsfeld admitted failure of the Bush Administration's policy and Robert Gates, whose appointment as defense secretary was confirmed yesterday, made no bones about it.Ultimately, the president will not be able to maintain his position about a victory. But he is living up to his record. He was wrong to begin the war; he is wrong about when and how to end it. Like Nero, who fiddled while Rome was burning, Bush keeps on singing the same old song.Excerpts from The Washington Post:Iraq Panel Warns of Looming 'Catastrophe'Circumstances in Iraq are \"grave and deteriorating,\" with a potential government collapse and a \"humanitarian catastrophe\" if the U.S. does not change course and seek a broader diplomatic solution to the problems that have wracked the country since the U.S. invaded, according to a bipartisan panel that sent its findings to President Bush and Congress today.\nIn what amounts to the most extensive independent assessment of the nearly four-year-old conflict that has claimed the lives of 2,800 Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis, the Iraq Study Group painted a bleak picture of a nation that risks a \"slide toward chaos\" without new efforts to reconcile its feuding religious and ethnic minorities.\nDespite a laundry list of recommendations meant to encourage regional diplomacy and lead to a draw down of U.S. forces over the next year, the panel acknowledged that stability in the country may be impossible to achieve any time soon.Rumsfeld MemoTwo days before he resigned from the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sent to the White House a classified memo recommending \"a major adjustment\" in Iraq strategy and acknowledging slow progress there.\"Clearly, what U.S. forces are currently doing in Iraq is not working well enough or fast enough,\" Rumsfeld wrote in the Nov. 6 memo.Robert GravesRobert M. Gates was unanimously approved by a Senate committee yesterday to become President Bush's new defense secretary, after a day-long confirmation hearing in which he bluntly stated that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq.Gates also told the panel that \"it's too soon to tell\" whether the Bush administration made the right decision in launching the invasion in March 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein.In confirmation hearings that left both Democrats and Republicans praising his candor, Gates warned that the war risks provoking a \"regional conflagration\" in the Middle East unless a new strategy can arrest Iraq's slide toward chaos ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/what-would-bush-do/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraq Study Group (ISG)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe much anticipated report from ISG has been submitted to the president and will be released to public later this morning (11:00 AM Eastern).  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501526.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e made the usual noises.  \"Congress seemed eager yesterday to embrace the new Baker-Hamilton report as a possible way out of the morass in Iraq, while the White House is increasingly insistent that the document is but one of several suggestions President Bush will review as he ponders changes to a policy widely seen as not working in Iraq.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite the growing opposition to continuing our military presence in Iraq, the president keeps talking about no withdrawal until a victory.  Perhaps only he knows what that  \"victory\" means.  A few days before he resigned, a leaked memo from former Secretary \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120500152.html\"\u003eDonald Rumsfeld\u003c/a\u003e admitted  failure of the Bush Administration's policy and \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120500152.html\"\u003eRobert Gates\u003c/a\u003e, whose appointment as defense secretary was confirmed yesterday, made no bones about it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUltimately, the president will not be able to maintain his position about a victory. But he is living up to his record. He was wrong to begin the war; he is wrong about when and how to end it. Like Nero, who fiddled while Rome was burning, Bush keeps on singing the same old song.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from The Washington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/06/AR2006120600419.html\"\u003eIraq Panel Warns of Looming 'Catastrophe'\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eCircumstances in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e are \"grave and deteriorating,\" with a potential government collapse and a \"humanitarian catastrophe\" if the U.S. does not change course and seek a broader diplomatic solution to the problems that have wracked the country since the U.S. invaded, according to a bipartisan panel that sent its findings to President Bush and Congress today.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"What Would Bush Do?"},{"content":" One Man's Tribute to Dead Soldiers * The First Daughters20 days before Christmas. If reports are correct, cash registers are humming below the level for businesses to feel happy. Is that bad news? The pundits talk of good and bad economic indicators. People need jobs, and jobs depend on good economy. So, may the ringing of cash registers increase -- it usually does as the day comes close. On the 23rd and 24th there is pandemonium in the shopping centers. Even now parking spots are hard to find in local malls. The Silicon Valley, of course, cannot be taken as a sample of what is happening elsewhere in the country.News about Iraq continues to predominate. The president does not want his war to end soon; he talks about \"victory\". In the meantime, our soldiers are paying the price. Sixteen more have died this month. The total is 2906 (Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties).Two items, quite disparate, stood out -- Morrill Worcester's tribute to dead soldiers and the president's daughters.Washington Post'Rest easy, sleep well my brothers. Know the line has held, your job is done.'By Marc FisherSunday, December 3, 2006Every year for more than a decade, at the height of the season, Morrill Worcester would pack up a truckload of his Christmas wreaths and head down from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. Without fanfare, he and a dozen or so volunteers would lay red-bowed wreaths on a few thousand headstones of fallen Americans.There was no publicity. No crowds gathered. The gesture was one man's private duty, born of a trip to Washington he won as a 12-year-old paperboy. Of all the monuments and memorials he saw, it was the visit to Arlington that stuck with him -- the majesty and mystery, the sadness and the pride, the sight of all those neat rows of government-issue white headstones.Years later, after he had started his Christmas products business, at the crunch point of one season Worcester asked some men who were building his new factory to find some wreaths and buy them for him.They went a bit overboard: When Worcester heard that he was the proud owner of 4,000 wreaths that couldn't possibly be sold by Christmas, he called a friend who owned a trucking company, contacted his senator in Washington and, two weeks before Christmas 1992, was at Arlington, laying wreaths.It seemed like the right thing to do. So he continued the ritual each year, honoring those who had died so that he and other Americans might live as theyvery year for more than a decade, at the height of the season, Morrill Worcester would pack up a truckload of his Christmas wreaths and head down from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. Without fanfare, he and a dozen or so volunteers would lay red-bowed wreaths on a few thousand headstones of fallen Americans.It seemed like the right thing to do. So he continued the ritual each year, honoring those who had died so that he and other Americans might live as they saw fit.The First DaughtersMichael Kinsley's Sins of the Fathers in the Post pointed a spotlight on a subject that has been avoided by the media. \"It is not the fault of Jenna or Barbara Bush that their father, the president, has gotten us into a war that he doesn't know how to get us out of. And, although you can blame parents for almost anything, George W. and Laura Bush are no longer responsible for the behavior of their twin daughters, who are in their mid-20s. Presidents, like the rest of us, don't get to choose their relatives. Remember Billy Carter?\"Excerpts:As for the twins, we actually know next to nothing about them. George and Laura Bush made the wise decision to keep them out of the limelight, and -- with surprisingly little slippage -- they have managed to enforce this policy on the press, on the Republican propaganda machine and on the girls themselves. Good for them.From what little has leaked out, it seems that Jenna and Barbara are party girls who like to drink and dance until the wee hours with aristocrats and frat boys. Jenna is interning for UNICEF in Latin America (not actually teaching kids, as originally reported, but involved somehow in education). The twins recently took a trip to Argentina. Their first night there, partying in Buenos Aires, Barbara lost her purse to a thief.So it would appear that George W. Bush's daughters are not Amy Carter or Chelsea Clinton or Karenna Gore. So what? Are you surprised?Nevertheless, there is a war on. It's a war that has killed 3,000 Americans, most of them around Jenna and Barbara's age or younger. It has killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis of all ages. And even more Americans and Iraqis have been injured, lost limbs, suffered terrible pain. President Bush can be quite eloquent in talking about the sacrifices of American soldiers and -- he always adds -- their families. In the Reagan style that has become almost mandatory, he uses anecdotes. He talks of Marine 2nd Lt. Frederick Pokorney Jr. \"His wife, Carolyn, received a folded flag. His two-year-old daughter, Taylor, knelt beside her mother at the casket to say a final goodbye.\"Bush says truly, about the American dead, \"They did not yearn to be heroes. They yearned to see mom and dad again and to hold their sweethearts and to watch their sons and daughters grow. They wanted the daily miracle of freedom in America, yet they gave all that up and gave life itself for the sake of others.\"Living your life according to your own values is a challenge for everyone, and it must be a special challenge if you happen to be the president. No one thinks that the president should have to give up a child to prove that his family is as serious about freedom as these other families he praises. But it would be reassuring to see a little struggle here -- some sign that the Bush family truly believes that American soldiers are dying for our freedom, and that it's worth it.Who knows? Maybe they have had huge arguments about this. Maybe George and Laura wanted the girls to join the Red Cross, or the Peace Corps, or do something that would at least take them off the party circuit for a couple of years. And perhaps the girls said no. But I doubt this scenario, don't you?War hath no fury like a noncombatant---C.E. Montague ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/think-peace/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne Man's Tribute to Dead Soldiers * The First Daughters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e20  days before Christmas.  If reports are correct,  cash registers are humming below  the level for businesses to feel happy.  Is that bad news?  The pundits  talk of  good and bad economic indicators. People need jobs, and jobs depend on good economy.  So, may the ringing of cash registers increase -- it usually does as the day comes close.  On the 23rd and 24th there is pandemonium in the shopping centers.  Even now parking spots are hard to find in local malls.  The Silicon Valley, of course, cannot be taken as  a sample of what is happening  elsewhere in the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNews about Iraq continues to predominate.  The president does not want his war to end soon; he talks about \"victory\".  In the meantime,  our soldiers  are paying the price.  Sixteen more have died this month.  The total  is 2906  (Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTwo items, quite disparate, stood out --   Morrill Worcester's tribute to dead soldiers and  the president's daughters.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/02/AR2006120200928.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Rest easy, sleep well my brothers. Know the line has held, your job is done.'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Marc Fisher\u003cbr/\u003eSunday, December 3, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEvery year for more than a decade, at the height of the season, Morrill Worcester would pack up a truckload of his Christmas wreaths and head down from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. Without fanfare, he and a dozen or so volunteers would lay red-bowed wreaths on a few thousand headstones of fallen Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere was no publicity. No crowds gathered. The gesture was one man's private duty, born of a trip to Washington he won as a 12-year-old paperboy. Of all the monuments and memorials he saw, it was the visit to Arlington that stuck with him -- the majesty and mystery, the sadness and the pride, the sight of all those neat rows of government-issue white headstones.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYears later, after he had started his Christmas products business, at the crunch point of one season Worcester asked some men who were building his new factory to find some wreaths and buy them for him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey went a bit overboard: When Worcester heard that he was the proud owner of 4,000 wreaths that couldn't possibly be sold by Christmas, he called a friend who owned a trucking company, contacted his senator in Washington and, two weeks before Christmas 1992, was at Arlington, laying wreaths.\u003cbr/\u003eIt seemed like the right thing to do. So he continued the ritual each year, honoring those who had died so that he and other Americans might live as theyvery year for more than a decade, at the height of the season, Morrill Worcester would pack up a truckload of his Christmas wreaths and head down from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. Without fanfare, he and a dozen or so volunteers would lay red-bowed wreaths on a few thousand headstones of fallen Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt seemed like the right thing to do. So he continued the ritual each year, honoring those who had died so that he and other Americans might live as they saw fit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe First Daughters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Kinsley's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/04/AR2006120401049.html\"\u003eSins of the Fathers\u003c/a\u003e in the Post pointed a spotlight on a subject that has been avoided by the media.  \"It is not the fault of Jenna or Barbara Bush that their father, the president, has gotten us into a war that he doesn't know how to get us out of. And, although you can blame parents for almost anything, George W. and Laura Bush are no longer responsible for the behavior of their twin daughters, who are in their mid-20s. Presidents, like the rest of us, don't get to choose their relatives. Remember Billy Carter?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs for the twins, we actually know next to nothing about them. George and Laura Bush made the wise decision to keep them out of the limelight, and -- with surprisingly little slippage -- they have managed to enforce this policy on the press, on the Republican propaganda machine and on the girls themselves. Good for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom what little has leaked out, it seems that Jenna and Barbara are party girls who like to drink and dance until the wee hours with aristocrats and frat boys. Jenna is interning for UNICEF in Latin America (not actually teaching kids, as originally reported, but involved somehow in education). The twins recently took a trip to Argentina. Their first night there, partying in Buenos Aires, Barbara lost her purse to a thief.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo it would appear that George W. Bush's daughters are not Amy Carter or Chelsea Clinton or Karenna Gore. So what? Are you surprised?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, there is a war on. It's a war that has killed 3,000 Americans, most of them around Jenna and Barbara's age or younger. It has killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis of all ages. And even more Americans and Iraqis have been injured, lost limbs, suffered terrible pain. President Bush can be quite eloquent in talking about the sacrifices of American soldiers and -- he always adds -- their families. In the Reagan style that has become almost mandatory, he uses anecdotes. He talks of Marine 2nd Lt. Frederick Pokorney Jr. \"His wife, Carolyn, received a folded flag. His two-year-old daughter, Taylor, knelt beside her mother at the casket to say a final goodbye.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush says truly, about the American dead, \"They did not yearn to be heroes. They yearned to see mom and dad again and to hold their sweethearts and to watch their sons and daughters grow. They wanted the daily miracle of freedom in America, yet they gave all that up and gave life itself for the sake of others.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLiving your life according to your own values is a challenge for everyone, and it must be a special challenge if you happen to be the president. No one thinks that the president should have to give up a child to prove that his family is as serious about freedom as these other families he praises. But it would be reassuring to see a little struggle here -- some sign that the Bush family truly believes that American soldiers are dying for our freedom, and that it's worth it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho knows? Maybe they have had huge arguments about this. Maybe George and Laura wanted the girls to join the Red Cross, or the Peace Corps, or do something that would at least take them off the party circuit for a couple of years. And perhaps the girls said no. But I doubt this scenario, don't you?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eWar hath no fury like a noncombatant\u003cbr/\u003e---C.E. Montague\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Think Peace"},{"content":" Chanterelles, Boletes and other treasures in the ForestsAlthough I began foraging for wild mushrooms about 8 years back, during the walks through the woods my search was primarily for chanterelles -- easy to identify, delicious, and not very rare in the woods of the Bay area during fall and winter. In addition to chanterelles I pick oyster mushrooms that appear on logs and tree trunks after the first rains. The book I use has hundreds of color plates and detailed descriptions for identifying wild mushrooms. Yet, like many foragers, not being absolutely certain I stayed away from other kinds.Buckeye Creek, January 2006 © JHLChanterellesAC with a large Chanterelle, Santa Cruz Mountains @ MusafirMy first visit to the Fungus Fair in the Oakland Museum on December 2nd was very rewarding. It was a learning experience. The lectures accompanied by video presentation were full of interesting information. Samples on the tables manned by mycologists were educational. The cooking demonstrations (the area where more people were to be found than anywhere else) were mouth watering. The food smelled good, looked good, and tasted yummy. My friends and I walked a few blocks to China Town and had lunch at a small Mandarin restaurant called Shan Dong. The food and service were excellent.Oyster Mushrooms © David Arora, Mushrooms DemystifiedBoletes - Highly prized mushroomsQueen Boletes @ David Arora, Mushrooms DemystifiedWhite King Boletes © David Arora, Mushrooms DemystifiedThe Fungus Fair is an annual event. The one which ended on Sunday (Dec.3rd) was the 37th. The Mycological Society of San Francisco , deserves praise for organizing it.There are numerous books about wild mushrooms. David Arora's Mushrooms Demystified, published by Ten Speed Press, is a treasure trove for local enthusiasts. Somewhat bulky (over 950 pages) but the photographs make it worth the weight. Includes a few recipes too. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/the-fascinating-world-of-fungis/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eChanterelles, Boletes and other treasures in the Forests\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlthough I began foraging for wild mushrooms about 8 years back, during the walks through the woods my search was primarily for chanterelles -- easy to identify, delicious, and not very rare in the woods of the Bay area during fall and winter.  In addition to chanterelles I pick oyster mushrooms that appear on logs and tree trunks after the first rains.  The book I use has hundreds of color plates and detailed descriptions for identifying wild mushrooms.  Yet, like many foragers, not being absolutely certain I stayed away from other kinds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Buckeye Creek, January 2006.jpg\"/\u003eBuckeye Creek, January 2006 © JHL\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Chanterelles.jpg\"/\u003eChanterelles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Arild with a Chanterelle.jpg\"/\u003eAC with a large Chanterelle, Santa Cruz Mountains @ Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMy first visit to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.mssf.org/FungusFair/\"\u003eFungus Fair\u003c/a\u003e  in the Oakland Museum on December 2nd was very rewarding.  It was a learning experience.  The lectures accompanied by video presentation were full of interesting information.  Samples on the tables manned by mycologists were educational.  The cooking demonstrations  (the area  where more people were to be found than anywhere else) were mouth watering.  The food smelled good, looked good, and tasted yummy.  My friends and I walked a few blocks to China Town and had lunch at a small Mandarin restaurant called Shan Dong.  The food and service were excellent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Oyster Mushrooms.jpg\"/\u003eOyster Mushrooms © David Arora, Mushrooms Demystified\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBoletes - Highly prized mushrooms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/White King Boletes.jpg\"/\u003eQueen Boletes @ David Arora, Mushrooms Demystified\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/12/Queen Boletes.jpg\"/\u003eWhite King Boletes © David Arora, Mushrooms Demystified\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Fungus Fair is an annual event.  The one which ended on Sunday (Dec.3rd) was the 37th.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.mssf.org/\"\u003eMycological Society of San Francisco\u003c/a\u003e , deserves praise for organizing it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are numerous books about wild mushrooms.  David Arora's Mushrooms Demystified, \u003cfont\u003epublished by Ten Speed Press, is a treasure trove for local enthusiasts.  Somewhat bulky (over 950 pages) but the photographs make it worth the weight.  Includes a few recipes too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv 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nt\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Fascinating World of Fungis"},{"content":" Shias and Sunnis * Arabs and Jews * Hindus and Muslims * BushworldThe Catholics did it during the Spanish Inquisition; the Germans did it during Hitler's Third Reich; the Hindus and Muslims did it after the partition of India (sporadic incidents of communal violence still plague the sub-continent at times). Turks killed Armenians. Kurds in Iraq were killed during Saddam Hussein's reign. In more recent times, the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda killed each other in thousands.In Somalia warring factions of Muslims have been engaged in an orgy of killings for over a decade. The CIA was reported to be involved in supporting one of the groups. Last summer, Israelis killed a thousand or more civilians in Lebanon but failed to make a dent in Hezbollah's predominance. Now there are signs of trouble brewing between the Christians and supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence is not far from the surface.And in Iraq a bloodbath is going on between the Shias and Sunnis -- bloodbath that George Bush's war is largely responsible for creating.If there are sane voices among Islamic religious leaders,we do not hear them speaking out against the atrocities. They either approve of what is going on or they are powerless to do anything about it.The extremists (fundamentalists) have the same mindset whether they are in Baghdad, Teheran, Mumbai, or Boise, Idaho. They are right; their god is the true god. God, if there is one, must be sleeping through all this or just plain sick of the carnage.See: Shia-Sunni Bitter Divide (BBC)Religion and Ethics - Islam (BBC) * The Worst President EverFor some of us there is no question about G.W. Bush being at the bottom of the scale. In \"Move Over, Hoover\" Douglas Brinkley writes in the Post: \"Shortly after Thanksgiving I had dinner in California with Ronald Reagan's best biographer, Lou Cannon. Like many historians these days, we discussed whether George W. Bush is, conceivably, the worst U.S. president ever. Cannon bristled at the idea.Bush has two more years to leave his mark, he argued. What if there is a news flash that U.S. Special Forces have killed Osama bin Laden or that North Korea has renounced its nuclear program? What if a decade from now Iraq is a democracy and a statue of Bush is erected on Firdaus Square where that famously toppled one of Saddam Hussein once stood?\"Excerpts:There is wisdom in Cannon's prudence. Clearly it's dangerous for historians to wield the \"worst president\" label like a scalp-hungry tomahawk simply because they object to Bush's record. But we live in speedy times and, the truth is, after six years in power and barring a couple of miracles, it's safe to bet that Bush will be forever handcuffed to the bottom rungs of the presidential ladder. The reason: Iraq.At first, you'd want to compare Bush's Iraq predicament to that of Lyndon B. Johnson during the Vietnam War. But LBJ had major domestic accomplishments to boast about when leaving the White House, such as the Civil Rights Act and Medicare/Medicaid. Bush has virtually none. Look at how he dealt with the biggest post-9/11 domestic crisis of his tenure. He didn't rush to help the Gulf region after Hurricane Katrina because the country was overextended in Iraq and had a massive budget deficit. Texas conservatives always say that LBJ's biggest mistake was thinking that he could fund both the Great Society and Vietnam. They believe he had to choose one or the other. They call Johnson fiscally irresponsible. Bush learned this lesson: He chose Iraq over New Orleans.So Bush's legacy hinges on Iraq, which is an unmitigated disaster. Instead of being forgiven, like Polk and McKinley, for his phony pretext for war (WMD and al-Qaeda operatives in Baghdad), he stands to be lambasted by future scholars. What once were his two best sound bites -- \"Wanted dead or alive\" and \"Mission accomplished\" -- will be used like billy clubs to shatter his legacy every time it gets a revisionist lift. The left will keep battering him for warmongering while the right will remember its outrage that he didn't send enough battalions to Iraq.There isn't much that Bush can do now to salvage his reputation. His presidential library will someday be built around two accomplishments: that after 9/11, the U.S. homeland wasn't again attacked by terrorists (knock on wood) and that he won two presidential elections, allowing him to appoint conservatives to key judicial posts. I also believe that he is an honest man and that his administration has been largely void of widespread corruption. This will help him from being portrayed as a true villain.This last point is crucial. Though Bush may be viewed as a laughingstock, he won't have the zero-integrity factors that have kept Nixon and Harding at the bottom in the presidential sweepstakes. Oddly, the president whom Bush most reminds me of is Herbert Hoover, whose name is synonymous with failure to respond to the Great Depression. When the stock market collapsed, Hoover, for ideological reasons, did too little. When 9/11 happened, Bush did too much, attacking the wrong country at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. He has joined Hoover as a case study on how not to be president.dbrinkl@tulane.eduDouglas Brinkley is director of the Roosevelt Center at Tulane University. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/12/they-keep-on-killing-in-the-name-of-god/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eShias and Sunnis * Arabs and Jews * Hindus and Muslims * Bushworld\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Catholics did it during the Spanish Inquisition; the Germans did it during Hitler's Third Reich; the Hindus and Muslims did it after the partition of India (sporadic incidents of communal violence still plague the sub-continent at times).  Turks killed Armenians.  Kurds in Iraq were killed during Saddam Hussein's reign. In more recent times, the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda killed each other in thousands.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Somalia warring factions of Muslims have been engaged in an orgy of killings for over a decade.  The \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia\"\u003eCIA\u003c/a\u003e was reported to be involved in supporting one of the groups. Last summer,  Israelis killed a thousand or more civilians in Lebanon but failed to make a dent in Hezbollah's predominance.  Now there are signs of trouble brewing between the Christians and supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence is not far from the surface.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd in Iraq a bloodbath is going on between the Shias and Sunnis -- bloodbath that George Bush's war is largely responsible for creating.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf there are sane voices among Islamic religious leaders,we do not hear them speaking out against the atrocities.  They either approve of what is going on or they are powerless to do anything about it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe extremists (fundamentalists) have the same mindset whether they are in Baghdad, Teheran, Mumbai, or Boise, Idaho.  They are right; their god is the true god. God, if there is one, must be sleeping through all this or just plain sick of the carnage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4278331.stm\"\u003eShia-Sunni Bitter Divide\u003c/a\u003e (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/subdivisions/sunnishia_1.shtml\"\u003eReligion and Ethics - Islam\u003c/a\u003e (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Worst President Ever\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor some of us there is no question about G.W. Bush being at the bottom of the scale.  In \"Move Over, Hoover\" Douglas Brinkley writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101511.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Shortly after Thanksgiving I had dinner in California with Ronald Reagan's best biographer, Lou Cannon. Like many historians these days, we discussed whether George W. Bush is, conceivably, the worst U.S. president ever. Cannon bristled at the idea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush has two more years to leave his mark, he argued. What if there is a news flash that U.S. Special Forces have killed Osama bin Laden or that North Korea has renounced its nuclear program? What if a decade from now Iraq is a democracy and a statue of Bush is erected on Firdaus Square where that famously toppled one of Saddam Hussein once stood?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is wisdom in Cannon's prudence. Clearly it's dangerous for historians to wield the \"worst president\" label like a scalp-hungry tomahawk simply because they object to Bush's record. But we live in speedy times and, the truth is, after six years in power and barring a couple of miracles, it's safe to bet that Bush will be forever handcuffed to the bottom rungs of the presidential ladder. The reason: Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt first, you'd want to compare Bush's Iraq predicament to that of Lyndon B. Johnson during the Vietnam War. But LBJ had major domestic accomplishments to boast about when leaving the White House, such as the Civil Rights Act and Medicare/Medicaid. Bush has virtually none. Look at how he dealt with the biggest post-9/11 domestic crisis of his tenure. He didn't rush to help the Gulf region after Hurricane Katrina because the country was overextended in Iraq and had a massive budget deficit. Texas conservatives always say that LBJ's biggest mistake was thinking that he could fund both the Great Society and Vietnam. They believe he had to choose one or the other. They call Johnson fiscally irresponsible. Bush learned this lesson: He chose Iraq over New Orleans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo Bush's legacy hinges on Iraq, which is an unmitigated disaster. Instead of being forgiven, like Polk and McKinley, for his phony pretext for war (WMD and al-Qaeda operatives in Baghdad), he stands to be lambasted by future scholars. What once were his two best sound bites -- \"Wanted dead or alive\" and \"Mission accomplished\" -- will be used like billy clubs to shatter his legacy every time it gets a revisionist lift. The left will keep battering him for warmongering while the right will remember its outrage that he didn't send enough battalions to Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere isn't much that Bush can do now to salvage his reputation. His presidential library will someday be built around two accomplishments: that after 9/11, the U.S. homeland wasn't again attacked by terrorists (knock on wood) and that he won two presidential elections, allowing him to appoint conservatives to key judicial posts. I also believe that he is an honest man and that his administration has been largely void of widespread corruption. This will help him from being portrayed as a true villain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis last point is crucial. Though Bush may be viewed as a laughingstock, he won't have the zero-integrity factors that have kept Nixon and Harding at the bottom in the presidential sweepstakes. Oddly, the president whom Bush most reminds me of is Herbert Hoover, whose name is synonymous with failure to respond to the Great Depression. When the stock market collapsed, Hoover, for ideological reasons, did too little. When 9/11 happened, Bush did too much, attacking the wrong country at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. He has joined Hoover as a case study on how not to be president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003edbrinkl@tulane.edu\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDouglas Brinkley is director of the Roosevelt Center at Tulane University.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"They Keep on Killing In the Name of God"},{"content":" George Will Knocks Jim Webb (D, VA)Reading \"Already Too Busy for Civility\" by George Will in the Washington Post I thought about the president and whether he has really earned the respect that, according to George Will, Jim Webb failed to show. One can argue that \"form\" and circumstances when customs (traditions) about the Office of the President, not the individual who occupies it at a certain time, should take precedence over personal feelings. Was Jim Webb boorish ?Wednesday's Post reported that at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress, Webb \"tried to avoid President Bush,\" refusing to pass through the reception line or have his picture taken with the president. When Bush asked Webb, whose son is a Marine in Iraq, \"How's your boy?\" Webb replied, \"I'd like to get them [sic] out of Iraq.\" When the president again asked \"How's your boy?\" Webb replied, \"That's between me and my boy.\" Webb told The Post:\"I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall. No offense to the institution of the presidency, and I'm certainly looking forward to working with him and his administration. [But] leaders do some symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is.\"President Bush made a mockery of the oath of his office. Despite his statement about being a compassionate conservative, compassion has been sorely missing from his presidency. His administration engaged in a policy of divisiveness and exploited the tragic events of 9/11 to advance its agenda. He has beeen arrogant and deceitful. The voters sent a clear message on November 7th but he is continuing to proceed along the same route. The high price for his misadventure in Iraq will continue to haunt us for decades. No. Jim Webb was not a \"boor\"; he did the right thing. There must be others who feel the same way about their loved ones serving in Iraq. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-12-06 Thank you. Your background gives you a comprehensive knowledge of the situation. I, of course, lack that. However, the reasons for going to war didn't feel right long before details about misleading and deceptive information used by the Bush Administration to take the nation to war came to light.\nThere are many bloggers who keep posting about this unjust war. Few of us have illusions about the impact of what we say. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/a-matter-of-civility/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Will Knocks Jim Webb (D, VA)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading \"Already Too Busy for Civility\" by George Will in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/29/AR2006112901267.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e I thought about the president and whether he has really earned the respect that, according to George Will,  Jim Webb failed to show.    One can argue that \"form\" and circumstances when customs (traditions) about the Office of the President, not the individual who occupies it at a certain time, should take precedence over personal feelings.  Was Jim Webb boorish ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday's Post reported that at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress, Webb \"tried to avoid President Bush,\" refusing to pass through the reception line or have his picture taken with the president. When Bush asked Webb, whose son is a Marine in Iraq, \"How's your boy?\" Webb replied, \"I'd like to get them [sic] out of Iraq.\" When the president again asked \"How's your boy?\" Webb replied, \"That's between me and my boy.\" Webb told The Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall. No offense to the institution of the presidency, and I'm certainly looking forward to working with him and his administration. [But] leaders do some symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush made a mockery of the oath of his office.  Despite his statement about being a compassionate conservative, compassion has been sorely missing from his presidency.  His administration engaged in a policy of divisiveness and exploited the tragic events of 9/11 to advance its agenda.  He has beeen arrogant and deceitful. The voters sent a clear message on November 7th but he is continuing to proceed along the same route. The high price for his misadventure in Iraq will continue to haunt us for decades.  No. Jim Webb was not a \"boor\"; he did the right thing.   There must be others who feel the same way about their loved ones serving in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-12-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYour background gives you a comprehensive knowledge of the situation.  I, of course, lack that.  However, the reasons for going to war didn't feel right long before details about misleading and deceptive information used by the Bush Administration to take the nation to war came to light.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are many bloggers who keep posting about this unjust war. Few of us have illusions about the impact of what we say.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Matter of Civility"},{"content":" The Libby Zion Case * Saudis threaten Big Tobacco * Pakistani Court rules in favor of Mother of Misbah Rana * Slaughter of Civilians in IraqBarron H. Lerner in the Washington Post: \"Many people have vowed to avenge the untimely death of a relative. Lawyer and journalist Sidney Zion actually did so -- to the benefit of patients and doctors-in-training nationwide.\"After his 18-year-old daughter Libby died within 24 hours of an emergency hospital admission in 1984, Zion learned that her chief doctors had been medical residents covering dozens of patients and receiving relatively little supervision. His anger set in motion a series of reforms, most notably a series of work hour limitations instituted by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), that have revolutionized modern medical education.Just about everyone involved in the Libby Zion case -- her father, her doctors and the people who testified at the trial that eventually resulted -- has a different account of what happened. But there are some undisputed facts.Libby was a college freshman with an ongoing history of depression who came to New York Hospital in Manhattan on the evening of Oct. 4, 1984, with a fever, agitation and strange jerking motions of her body. She also seemed disoriented at times.Unable to diagnose her condition definitively, the emergency room physicians admitted her for hydration and observation. As the physician of record, Raymond Sherman, a senior clinician who had treated several members of the Zion family, approved the decision by phone.On the hospital ward where she was sent, Libby was evaluated by two residents: Luise Weinstein, an intern eight months out of medical school, and Gregg Stone, who had one additional year of training. They, too, were not quite certain of Libby's diagnosis. Stone termed it a \"viral syndrome with hysterical symptoms,\" suggesting that Libby was overreacting to a relatively mild illness. The doctors prescribed a shot of meperidine, a painkiller and sedative, to control her shaking. Sherman approved the plan by phone.The events of the next several hours will always remain controversial. At about 3 in the morning, Weinstein went off to care for some of the 40 other patients she was covering. Stone went to sleep in an adjacent building, where he would be available, if necessary, by beeper.After the doctors left, Libby became more agitated. The nurses contacted Weinstein at least twice. Weinstein ordered physical restraints to hold the patient down and prevent her from hurting herself. She also prescribed an injection of haloperidol, another medication aimed at calming her down. Busy with other patients, Weinstein did not reevaluate Libby.Libby finally fell asleep, according to the nurses, but when a nurse's aide took her temperature at 6:30 a.m., it was 107, dangerously high. Weinstein was called and emergency measures were tried to lower the temperature. But Libby Zion suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Weinstein called her parents, telling them doctors had done everything they could.To the doctors at the hospital, the case was an inexplicable \"bad outcome\" in which a healthy young woman had died of a mysterious infection.But the more Sidney Zion learned of the circumstances of Libby's death, the more he rejected this assertion. He became convinced his daughter's death was due to inadequate staffing at the teaching hospital. And he grew determined to ensure that others not fall victim to the same gaps in the teaching hospital system that he blamed for his daughter's death.From BBCSaudi Arabia has warned that it will sue global tobacco firms unless they pay the full cost of treating patients suffering from smoking-related illness.The health ministry said it had already rejected a lower offer from the tobacco firms, though did not say what level of compensation it was seeking. * A 12-year-old schoolgirl must return to her mother in Scotland, a judge in Pakistan has ruled.\nMisbah Rana, also known as Molly Campbell, is at the centre of a custody battle between her estranged parents.\nThe case ended up in the high court in Lahore after the girl flew to Pakistan to be with her father in August.Her mother Louise Campbell, who said she was \"elated\" at the ruling, added that her daughter would have a chance to say who she wants to live * US forces kill two women in Iraq US forces in Iraq have killed two women in an air attack on a house in Baquba, a day after five girls were killed by US tank fire in Ramadi. The US military said American soldiers engaged in a gun battle in the northern city called in air support that killed eight suspected insurgents.The military said the soldiers searching the building also found the bodies of two women. Iraqi police said all the dead were civilians from two families. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-12-02 I feel sorry for her for the extreme change of weather she'll have to experience on her return.\nNot all bad here though, unlike what some of the mainstream press have been reporting. Very low crime, traffic, pollution, urban sprawl. Beaches are good, too. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/a-mixed-bag---news-from-here-and-there/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Libby Zion Case * Saudis threaten Big Tobacco * Pakistani Court rules in favor of Mother of Misbah Rana *  Slaughter of Civilians in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBarron H. Lerner in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400985.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Many people have vowed to avenge the untimely death of a relative. Lawyer and journalist Sidney Zion actually did so -- to the benefit of patients and doctors-in-training nationwide.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter his 18-year-old daughter Libby died within 24 hours of an emergency hospital admission in 1984, Zion learned that her chief doctors had been medical residents covering dozens of patients and receiving relatively little supervision. His anger set in motion a series of reforms, most notably a series of work hour limitations instituted by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), that have revolutionized modern medical education.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust about everyone involved in the Libby Zion case -- her father, her doctors and the people who testified at the trial that eventually resulted -- has a different account of what happened. But there are some undisputed facts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLibby was a college freshman with an ongoing history of depression who came to New York Hospital in Manhattan on the evening of Oct. 4, 1984, with a fever, agitation and strange jerking motions of her body. She also seemed disoriented at times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnable to diagnose her condition definitively, the emergency room physicians admitted her for hydration and observation. As the physician of record, Raymond Sherman, a senior clinician who had treated several members of the Zion family, approved the decision by phone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the hospital ward where she was sent, Libby was evaluated by two residents: Luise Weinstein, an intern eight months out of medical school, and Gregg Stone, who had one additional year of training. They, too, were not quite certain of Libby's diagnosis. Stone termed it a \"viral syndrome with hysterical symptoms,\" suggesting that Libby was overreacting to a relatively mild illness. The doctors prescribed a shot of meperidine, a painkiller and sedative, to control her shaking. Sherman approved the plan by phone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe events of the next several hours will always remain controversial. At about 3 in the morning, Weinstein went off to care for some of the 40 other patients she was covering. Stone went to sleep in an adjacent building, where he would be available, if necessary, by beeper.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the doctors left, Libby became more agitated. The nurses contacted Weinstein at least twice. Weinstein ordered physical restraints to hold the patient down and prevent her from hurting herself. She also prescribed an injection of haloperidol, another medication aimed at calming her down. Busy with other patients, Weinstein did not reevaluate Libby.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLibby finally fell asleep, according to the nurses, but when a nurse's aide took her temperature at 6:30 a.m., it was 107, dangerously high. Weinstein was called and emergency measures were tried to lower the temperature. But Libby Zion suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Weinstein called her parents, telling them doctors had done everything they could.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo the doctors at the hospital, the case was an inexplicable \"bad outcome\" in which a healthy young woman had died of a mysterious infection.But the more Sidney Zion learned of the circumstances of Libby's death, the more he rejected this assertion. He became convinced his daughter's death was due to inadequate staffing at the teaching hospital. And he grew determined to ensure that others not fall victim to the same gaps in the teaching hospital system that he blamed for his daughter's death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom BBC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6194972.stm\"\u003eSaudi Arabia\u003c/a\u003e has warned that it will sue global tobacco firms unless they pay the full cost of treating patients suffering from smoking-related illness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003eThe health ministry said it had already rejected a lower offer from the tobacco firms, though did not say what level of compensation it was seeking.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA 12-year-old schoolgirl must return to her mother in Scotland, a judge in Pakistan has ruled.\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6192406.stm\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Mixed Bag - News from Here and There"},{"content":" 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division * William FaulknerTwo days before the month ends the November death toll for American soldiers in Iraq is 63, mercifully lower than October (106). For the 1st Brigade of 3rd Infantry Division, about to begin their third tour in Iraq since 2003, it is a time of closeness, anxiety, and prayer. The way things look they might be back for a fourth tour before American forces exit from Iraq. President Bush,scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan on November 29th, continues to maintain his \"no withdrawal\" position.Ann Scott Tyson in the Post:Fort Stewart, GA.Col. John Charlton, commander of the division's 1st Brigade, which next month begins its third Iraq tour in four years, stepped forward. \"Be thankful for your families, your health, and for every day that you're alive,\" he advised. The brigade's mission, he said, is to bring peace to Iraq's volatile western Anbar province and its capital, Ramadi, which he said despite progress remain \"a dangerous area, a very dangerous area.\"\"Take this time . . . to be thinking about those soldiers represented behind or in front of you,\" he said, \"and as you'll notice, there's still some space on the sidewalk there for more trees.\"This week, U.S. troops will have been fighting in Iraq longer than they did in World War II, with no relief in sight. Soldiers from 1st Brigade preparing at Fort Stewart for their third Iraq tour have been spending as much time in Iraq as at home. The rotations -- a year in Iraq followed by a year at home -- dictate soldiers' most intimate decisions: They mandate when troops can marry and have children. They sever relationships that cannot sustain the stress of absence or danger. And they lead some couples to pray for the war to end.After the memorial service, Lt. Col. Doug Crissman gathered his 1st Brigade soldiers and sent them on leave with a warning not to get hurt, go to jail or go AWOL.\"You're all a little bit nervous. Hell, I'm nervous,\" said Crissman, of Burke, Va., who commands the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. \"The Army is asking us to do some tough stuff.\"Then his voice softened as he nudged his troops to be attentive to their families. \"I need you to think about this visit a little differently,\" he said. \"Spend time with them. . . . Tell them you love them.\"\"Soldiers' Pay\", is the title of the first novel published (1926) by the late William Faulkner who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1949. Excerpts from his acceptance speech in Stockholm, December 10, 1950:I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work - a life's work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. So this award is only mine in trust. It will not be difficult to find a dedication for the money part of it commensurate with the purpose and significance of its origin. But I would like to do the same with the acclaim too, by using this moment as a pinnacle from which I might be listened to by the young men and women already dedicated to the same anguish and travail, among whom is already that one who will some day stand here where I am standing. Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/soldiers-pay/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division * William Faulkner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTwo days before the month ends the November death toll for American soldiers in Iraq is 63, mercifully lower than October (106).   For the 1st Brigade of 3rd Infantry Division, about to begin their third tour in Iraq since 2003, it is a  time of  closeness, anxiety, and prayer.   The way things look  they might be  back for a fourth tour before  American forces exit from Iraq.  President Bush,scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan on November 29th, continues to maintain his \"no withdrawal\" position.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnn Scott Tyson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/25/AR2006112500977.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/25/AR2006112500977.html\"\u003eFort Stewart, GA.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCol. John Charlton, commander of the division's 1st Brigade, which next month begins its third Iraq tour in four years, stepped forward. \"Be thankful for your families, your health, and for every day that you're alive,\" he advised. The brigade's mission, he said, is to bring peace to Iraq's volatile western Anbar province and its capital, Ramadi, which he said despite progress remain \"a dangerous area, a very dangerous area.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Take this time . . . to be thinking about those soldiers represented behind or in front of you,\" he said, \"and as you'll notice, there's still some space on the sidewalk there for more trees.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis week, U.S. troops will have been fighting in Iraq longer than they did in World War II, with no relief in sight. Soldiers from 1st Brigade preparing at Fort Stewart for their third Iraq tour have been spending as much time in Iraq as at home. The rotations -- a year in Iraq followed by a year at home -- dictate soldiers' most intimate decisions: They mandate when troops can marry and have children. They sever relationships that cannot sustain the stress of absence or danger. And they lead some couples to pray for the war to end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the memorial service, Lt. Col. Doug Crissman gathered his 1st Brigade soldiers and sent them on leave with a warning not to get hurt, go to jail or go AWOL.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You're all a little bit nervous. Hell, I'm nervous,\" said Crissman, of Burke, Va., who commands the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. \"The Army is asking us to do some tough stuff.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen his voice softened as he nudged his troops to be attentive to their families. \"I need you to think about this visit a little differently,\" he said. \"Spend time with them. . . . Tell them you love them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Soldiers' Pay\", is the title of the first novel published (1926) by the late William Faulkner who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1949.  Excerpts from his acceptance speech in Stockholm, December 10, 1950:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eI feel that this award was not made to me   as a man, but to my work - a life's work in the agony and sweat   of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit,   but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something   which did not exist before. So this award is only mine in trust.   It will not be difficult to find a dedication for the money part   of it commensurate with the purpose and significance of its   origin. But I would like to do the same with the acclaim too, by   using this moment as a pinnacle from which I might be listened to   by the young men and women already dedicated to the same anguish   and travail, among whom is already that one who will some day   stand here where I am standing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e   Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so   long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no   longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When   will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman   writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in   conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because   only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the   sweat.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Soldiers' Pay"},{"content":" First it was Putin, then Nuri al-Maliki of IraqExpect more claptrap to come out of Jordan from the man caught in his grand vision that went awry. President Bush talks about looking at them in the eye and becoming convinced of their their sincerity. But can al-Maliki trust the president? Faced with loss of support at home and mounting pressure for an exit from Iraq, President Bush is going to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan to discuss shifting more responsibility on the Iraqis. The president is between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Not going to be easy. The Iraqis are not ready to tackle the peacekeeping; they have neither the manpower nor resources for the task. And, in Iraq, there is growing opposition to Maliki.The Washington Post\"As violence in Iraq continues to mushroom, President Bush travels to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday and Thursday. Bush is coming under increasing pressure from the new Democratic Congress to reduce the U.S. troop presence in Iraq. But Maliki might push Bush for more support as he tries to govern a country torn by sectarian strife.\"The gathering is fraught with danger for Maliki. Both Shiite and Sunni leaders have criticized the prime minister; one prominent Sunni religious leader warned that the violence in Iraq could swell throughout the Middle East if the global community continues to back Maliki. Adding to the tension, Shiite politicians led by anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who form a key constituency for Maliki, are threatening to boycott the government if Maliki goes ahead with Thursday's meeting. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/for-the-eye-contact-president-the-next-stop-is-jordan/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFirst it was Putin, then Nuri al-Maliki of Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eExpect more claptrap to come out of Jordan from the man caught in his grand vision that went awry.   \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/17/AR2006061700662.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e talks about looking at them in the eye and becoming convinced of their their sincerity.  But can al-Maliki trust the president?  Faced with loss of support at home and mounting pressure for an exit from Iraq,  President Bush is going to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan to discuss shifting more responsibility on the Iraqis.    The president is between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Not going to be easy.  The Iraqis are not ready to tackle the peacekeeping; they have neither the manpower nor resources for the task.  And, in Iraq, there is growing opposition to Maliki.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/26/AR2006112601116.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"As violence in Iraq continues to mushroom, President Bush travels to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday and Thursday. Bush is coming under increasing pressure from the new Democratic Congress to reduce the U.S. troop presence in Iraq. But Maliki might push Bush for more support as he tries to govern a country torn by sectarian strife.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe gathering is fraught with danger for Maliki. Both Shiite and Sunni leaders have criticized the prime minister; one prominent Sunni religious leader warned that the violence in Iraq could swell throughout the Middle East if the global community continues to back Maliki. Adding to the tension, Shiite politicians led by anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who form a key constituency for Maliki, are threatening to boycott the government if Maliki goes ahead with Thursday's meeting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/17/AR2006061700662.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"For The \"Eye Contact\" President the Next Stop Is Jordan"},{"content":" Drug runners like them; terrorists like them; Shias like them, so do the Sunnis; the CIA supplied them to pro-American groups in various trouble spots in the world. Mind boggling. \".......responsible for about a quarter-million deaths every year\" is what Larry Kahaner wrote in the Post about the light weight automatic weapon created by Mikhail Kalashnikov. Truly a \"Weapon of Mass Destruction\".Excerpts:The AK-47 has become the world's most prolific and effective combat weapon, a device so cheap and simple that it can be bought in many countries for less than the cost of a live chicken. Depicted on the flag and currency of several countries, waved by guerrillas and rebels everywhere, the AK is responsible for about a quarter-million deaths every year.In Latin America, AKs ended up in the hands of drug cartels and anti-government rebels. Just as the CIA shipped AKs to Afghanistan, it did the same in Nicaragua in the early 1980s, sending arms to the contras in their fight against the Soviet-backed Sandinistas.In their battles against U.S. forces, many al-Qaeda fighters and tribal groups still carry the same AKs that the CIA had purchased more than a decade earlier. The first U.S. soldier to die by hostile fire in Afghanistan -- Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman of San Antonio -- was killed by a teenager shooting an AK.Although coalition bombing in 1991 destroyed much of Iraq's air force, Scud missiles and tanks, Saddam Hussein's regime retained its small weapons, including AKs. By March 2003, when Operation Iraqi Freedom began, Iraqi arsenals included seven to eight million small arms. These weapons -- which U.S. planners did not consider a major threat when the invasion began -- would prove deadly for American troops once major hostilities ended.The AK has pierced through popular culture, too. In 2004, Playboy magazine dubbed it one of the \"50 Products That Changed the World,\" ranking it behind the Apple Macintosh desktop, the birth-control pill and the Sony Betamax video machine. Rappers Ice Cube and Eminem mention AKs in their lyrics. And in the movie \"Jackie Brown,\" actor Samuel L. Jackson captures the weapon's global cachet: \"AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every [expletive] in the room.\"Now 85, tiny, feeble, nearly deaf, his right hand losing control because of tremors, Kalashnikov is often haunted by the killing machine he has bestowed upon the world. \"I wish I had invented a lawnmower,\" he told the Guardian in 2002. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/ak-47-a-cheap-and-efficient-killing-machine/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDrug runners like them; terrorists like them; Shias like them, so do the Sunnis; the CIA supplied them to pro-American groups in various trouble spots in the world. Mind boggling.  \".......responsible for about a quarter-million deaths every year\" is what Larry Kahaner wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400788.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about the light weight automatic weapon created by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalashnikov\"\u003eMikhail Kalashnikov\u003c/a\u003e.   Truly a \"Weapon of Mass Destruction\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe AK-47 has become the world's most prolific and effective combat weapon, a device so cheap and simple that it can be bought in many countries for less than the cost of a live chicken. Depicted on the flag and currency of several countries, waved by guerrillas and rebels everywhere, the AK is responsible for about a quarter-million deaths every year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn Latin America, AKs ended up in the hands of drug cartels and anti-government rebels. Just as the CIA shipped AKs to Afghanistan, it did the same in Nicaragua in the early 1980s, sending arms to the contras in their fight against the Soviet-backed Sandinistas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn their battles against U.S. forces, many al-Qaeda fighters and tribal groups still carry the same AKs that the CIA had purchased more than a decade earlier. The first U.S. soldier to die by hostile fire in Afghanistan -- Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman of San Antonio -- was killed by a teenager shooting an AK.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlthough coalition bombing in 1991 destroyed much of Iraq's air force, Scud missiles and tanks, Saddam Hussein's regime retained its small weapons, including AKs. By March 2003, when Operation Iraqi Freedom began, Iraqi arsenals included seven to eight million small arms. These weapons -- which U.S. planners did not consider a major threat when the invasion began -- would prove deadly for American troops once major hostilities ended.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe AK has pierced through popular culture, too. In 2004, Playboy magazine dubbed it one of the \"50 Products That Changed the World,\" ranking it behind the Apple Macintosh desktop, the birth-control pill and the Sony Betamax video machine. Rappers Ice Cube and Eminem mention AKs in their lyrics. And in the movie \"Jackie Brown,\" actor Samuel L. Jackson captures the weapon's global cachet: \"AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every [expletive] in the room.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNow 85, tiny, feeble, nearly deaf, his right hand losing control because of tremors, Kalashnikov is often haunted by the killing machine he has bestowed upon the world. \"I wish I had invented a lawnmower,\" he told the Guardian in 2002.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"AK-47, A  Cheap and Efficient Killing Machine"},{"content":" Iraq * Shifting Stance on Climate ChangeIf Vietnam was a quagmire, Iraq is turning out to be a bigger one. President Bush and his band of neocons exploited the fear following 9/11 and took us to war. Now it has become like a ball of fat that cannot be swallowed or spat out. We are stuck and how to get out of Iraq has become the primary issue facing the nation. The article by Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) in the Washington Post, \"Leaving Iraq Honorably\", deserves attention. When the time comes we might say that we left \"honorably\" but is the world going to see it that way? After all the lies, deceptions, and empty claims of accomplishments; after the high toll in lives lost and money wasted, \"honor\" is not a word that would be associated with the misadventure in Iraq.Leaving Iraq, Honorablyby Chuck HagelThere will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq. These terms do not reflect the reality of what is going to happen there. The future of Iraq was always going to be determined by the Iraqis -- not the Americans.Iraq is not a prize to be won or lost. It is part of the ongoing global struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism and terrorism. There will be no military victory or military solution for Iraq. Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger made this point last weekend.The time for more U.S. troops in Iraq has passed. We do not have more troops to send and, even if we did, they would not bring a resolution to Iraq. Militaries are built to fight and win wars, not bind together failing nations. We are once again learning a very hard lesson in foreign affairs: America cannot impose a democracy on any nation -- regardless of our noble purpose.We have misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam. Honorable intentions are not policies and plans. Iraq belongs to the 25 million Iraqis who live there. They will decide their fate and form of government.Climate Change Al Gore should feel vindicated. Less than a month after the Democrats' victory, there are signs of changing attitudes about climate change! A volteface; quite different from the sky will fall scenario that the energy companies pushed in the past. Certainly, good news. Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin in the Washington Post: \"While the political debate over global warming continues, top executives at many of the nation's largest energy companies have accepted the scientific consensus about climate change and see federal regulation to cut greenhouse gas emissions as inevitable.\"\"We have to deal with greenhouse gases,\" John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., said in a recent speech at the National Press Club. \"From Shell's point of view, the debate is over. When 98 percent of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, 'Let's debate the science'?\"\"We have to deal with greenhouse gases,\" John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., said in a recent speech at the National Press Club. \"From Shell's point of view, the debate is over. When 98 percent of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, 'Let's debate the science'?\"Hofmeister and other top energy company leaders, such as Duke Energy Corp.'s chief executive, James E. Rogers, back a proposal that would cap greenhouse gas emissions and allow firms to trade their quotas. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/the-quagmire-that-is-iraq/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq * Shifting Stance on Climate Change\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf Vietnam was a quagmire, Iraq is turning out to be a bigger one.  President Bush and his band of neocons exploited the fear following 9/11 and took us to war.  Now it has become like a ball of fat that cannot be swallowed or spat out.  We are stuck and how to get out of Iraq has become the primary issue facing the nation.  The article by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112401104.html\"\u003eSenator Chuck Hagel\u003c/a\u003e (R-NE) in the Washington Post, \"Leaving Iraq Honorably\", deserves attention.  When the time comes we might say that we left \"honorably\" but is the world going to see it that way?  After all the lies, deceptions, and empty claims of accomplishments; after the high toll in lives lost and money wasted, \"honor\" is not a word that would be associated with the misadventure in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeaving Iraq, Honorably\u003cbr/\u003eby Chuck Hagel\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq. These terms do not reflect the reality of what is going to happen there. The future of Iraq was always going to be determined by the Iraqis -- not the Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq is not a prize to be won or lost. It is part of the ongoing global struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism and terrorism. There will be no military victory or military solution for Iraq. Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger made this point last weekend.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe time for more U.S. troops in Iraq has passed. We do not have more troops to send and, even if we did, they would not bring a resolution to Iraq. Militaries are built to fight and win wars, not bind together failing nations. We are once again learning a very hard lesson in foreign affairs: America cannot impose a democracy on any nation -- regardless of our noble purpose.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe have misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam. Honorable intentions are not policies and plans. Iraq belongs to the 25 million Iraqis who live there. They will decide their fate and form of government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClimate Change \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAl Gore should feel vindicated. Less than a month after the Democrats' victory, there are signs of changing attitudes about climate change!  A volteface;  quite different from the sky will fall scenario that the energy companies pushed in the past.  Certainly, good news.  Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112401361.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  \"While the political debate over global warming continues, top executives at many of the nation's largest energy companies have accepted the scientific consensus about climate change and see federal regulation to cut greenhouse gas emissions as inevitable.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have to deal with greenhouse gases,\" John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., said in a recent speech at the National Press Club. \"From Shell's point of view, the debate is over. When 98 percent of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, 'Let's debate the science'?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have to deal with greenhouse gases,\" John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., said in a recent speech at the National Press Club. \"From Shell's point of view, the debate is over. When 98 percent of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, 'Let's debate the science'?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHofmeister and other top energy company leaders, such as Duke Energy Corp.'s chief executive, James E. Rogers, back a proposal that would cap greenhouse gas emissions and allow firms to trade their quotas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Quagmire that Is Iraq"},{"content":" \"Times, They Are A-Changin\"If not panic then certainly there is grave concern among the lobbyists and those who employ them. After enjoying six years of cozy relationships with Republican legislators the lobbying industry faced a different world on November 8th.It is to be seen how far the Democrats would go to implement lobbying reform. But even if they fail to carry out all that that they said they would do, lobbyists are regrouping -- preparing to play under different ground rules.Jeffrey Birnbaum in the Post:Labor and environmental representatives, once also-rans in congressional influence, are meeting frequently with Capitol Hill's incoming Democratic leaders. Corporations that once boasted about their Republican ties are busily hiring Democratic lobbyists. And industries worried about reprisals from the new Democrats-in-charge, especially the pharmaceutical industry, are sending out woe-is-me memos and hoping their GOP connections will protect them in the crunch.\"Change is in the air,\" said Melinda Pierce, a senior lobbyist for the Sierra Club. She had never even been invited to meet with Republican House leaders, but since Election Day, Democrats have welcomed her advice.Dan Danner sees change in the opposite direction. The top lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business has attended meetings with Republican leaders at least twice a month for the past 12 years. But he has yet to see any of the new Democratic crowd and doesn't expect to anytime soon. \"That's a significant difference,\" he said.But don't expect lobbyists with Republicans connections to roll over and quit.A post-election e-mail to executives at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline details just how tough. \"We now have fewer allies in the Senate,\" says the internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post. \"Thus, there is greater risk over the next two years that bad amendments will be offered to pending legislation.\" The company's primary concerns are bills that would allow more imported drugs and would force price competition for drugs bought under Medicare. The defeat of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) \"creates a big hole we will need to fill,\" the e-mail says. Sen.-elect Jon Tester (D-Mont.) \"is expected to be a problem,\" it says, and the elevation to the Senate of Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) \"will strengthen his ability to challenge us.\" The e-mail also mentions that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) \"has worked closely\" with the company and that the firm's PAC had supported six Democratic senators who faced reelection. \"These relationships should help us moderate proposals offered by Senate Democrats,\" the e-mail says. * Come gather 'round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou'll be drenched to the bone.If your time to youIs worth savin'Then you better start swimmin'Or you'll sink like a stoneFor the times they are a-changin'.-- Bob Dylan ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/panic-on-k-street/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Times, They Are A-Changin\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf not panic then certainly there is grave concern among the lobbyists and those who employ them. After enjoying six years of cozy relationships with Republican legislators the lobbying industry faced a  different world on November 8th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is to be seen how far the Democrats would go to implement lobbying reform.  But even if they fail to carry out all that that they said they would do, lobbyists are regrouping -- preparing to play under different ground rules.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey Birnbaum in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/22/AR2006112201940_pf.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLabor and environmental representatives, once also-rans in congressional influence, are meeting frequently with Capitol Hill's incoming Democratic leaders. Corporations that once boasted about their Republican ties are busily hiring Democratic lobbyists. And industries worried about reprisals from the new Democrats-in-charge, especially the pharmaceutical industry, are sending out woe-is-me memos and hoping their GOP connections will protect them in the crunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Change is in the air,\" said Melinda Pierce, a senior lobbyist for the Sierra Club. She had never even been invited to meet with Republican House leaders, but since Election Day, Democrats have welcomed her advice.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eDan Danner sees change in the opposite direction. The top lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business has attended meetings with Republican leaders at least twice a month for the past 12 years. But he has yet to see any of the new Democratic crowd and doesn't expect to anytime soon. \"That's a significant difference,\" he said.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eBut don't expect lobbyists with Republicans connections to roll over and quit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eA post-election e-mail to executives at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline details just how tough. \"We now have fewer allies in the Senate,\" says the internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post. \"Thus, there is greater risk over the next two years that bad amendments will be offered to pending legislation.\" The company's primary concerns are bills that would allow more imported drugs and would force price competition for drugs bought under Medicare.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e The defeat of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) \"creates a big hole we will need to fill,\" the e-mail says. Sen.-elect Jon Tester (D-Mont.) \"is expected to be a problem,\" it says, and the elevation to the Senate of Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) \"will strengthen his ability to challenge us.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e The e-mail also mentions that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) \"has worked closely\" with the company and that the firm's PAC had supported six Democratic senators who faced reelection. \"These relationships should help us moderate proposals offered by Senate Democrats,\" the e-mail says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCome gather 'round people\u003cbr/\u003eWherever you roam\u003cbr/\u003eAnd admit that the waters\u003cbr/\u003eAround you have grown\u003cbr/\u003eAnd accept it that soon\u003cbr/\u003eYou'll be drenched to the bone.\u003cbr/\u003eIf your time to you\u003cbr/\u003eIs worth savin'\u003cbr/\u003eThen you better start swimmin'\u003cbr/\u003eOr you'll sink like a stone\u003cbr/\u003eFor the times they are a-changin'.\u003cbr/\u003e-- Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","title":"Panic on K-Street"},{"content":" Thanksgiving 2006 * Three and Half Years of An Unjust War You've done enough damage, Mr. President; caused enough bloodshed, wasted enough of our money. Even Henry Kissinger believes that that the war is unwinnable.Associated Press/Washington Post November 20, 2006LONDON, Nov. 19 -- Military victory is no longer possible in Iraq, former secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday.Kissinger presented a bleak vision, saying the U.S. government must enter into dialogue with Iraq's neighbors -- including Iran -- if progress is to be made.\"If you mean by 'military victory' an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control in a time period that the political processes of the democracies will support, I don't believe that is possible,\" he said.Tomorrow, as Americans gather to celebrate this great holiday, there will be many homes in which the shadow of the war in Iraq will be present. Families will think of their loved ones serving in Iraq; some will try to cope with the memories of the dead, and others think of caring for the injured. Those of us who have not been directly affected by the war must not forget them and the hundreds of thousands of hapless Iraqis caught in the turmoil.Let's hope that come Thanksgiving 2007, the soldiers will be home.Every Thanksgiving Day, a column by Jon Carroll appears in The San Francisco Chronicle. Except for names of people he offers thanks to, the column has remained unchanged over the years. Excerpts from the column Thursday November 24, 2005.JON CARROLLA few years ago I wrote a Thanksgiving column that people seemed to like, so I've reprinted it annually. Here it is again, slightly revised:Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It is comfortably free of the strident religious and/or militaristic overtones that give the other holidays their soft emanations of uneasiness.At Christmas, for instance, we are required to deal with the divinity of Christ -- I know some of you folks have made up your minds about that one, but not me -- and on the Fourth of July we must wrestle with the question of whether all those simulated aerial bombardments represent the most useful form of nationalism available.At Thanksgiving, all we have to worry about is whether we can wholeheartedly support A) roasted turkey, B) friends and C) gratitude. My opinions on these matters are unambiguous; I am in favor of them all. The Squanto-give-corn stuff has been blessedly eliminated from the iconography, so the thrill of Thanksgiving is undiminished by caveats, codicils or carps. That alone is something to be thankful for.Thanksgiving provides a formal context in which to consider the instances of kindness that have enlightened our lives, for moments of grace that have gotten us through when all seemed lost. These are fine and sentimental subjects for contemplation. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/not-bring-em-on-mr-president-bring-them-home/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThanksgiving 2006 * Three and Half Years of  An Unjust War \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou've done enough damage, Mr. President; caused enough bloodshed, wasted enough of our money.   Even \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/19/AR2006111900890.html\"\u003eHenry Kissinger\u003c/a\u003e believes that that the war is unwinnable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAssociated  Press/Washington Post November 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLONDON, Nov. 19 -- Military victory is no longer possible in Iraq, former secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eKissinger presented a bleak vision, saying the U.S. government must enter into dialogue with Iraq's neighbors -- including Iran -- if progress is to be made.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"If you mean by 'military victory' an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control in a time period that the political processes of the democracies will support, I don't believe that is possible,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTomorrow, as Americans gather to celebrate this great holiday, there will be many homes in which the shadow of the war in Iraq will be present. Families will think of their loved ones serving in Iraq; some will try to cope with the memories of the dead, and others think of caring for the injured. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose of us who have not been directly affected by the war must not forget them and the hundreds of thousands of hapless Iraqis caught in the turmoil.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet's hope that come Thanksgiving 2007, the soldiers will be home.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEvery Thanksgiving Day, a column by Jon Carroll appears in The San Francisco Chronicle. Except for names of people he offers thanks to, the column has remained unchanged over the years. Excerpts from the column Thursday November 24, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/24/DDGRUFS7C31.DTL\"\u003eJON CARROLL\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few years ago I wrote a Thanksgiving column that people seemed to like, so I've reprinted it annually. Here it is again, slightly revised:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It is comfortably free of the strident religious and/or militaristic overtones that give the other holidays their soft emanations of uneasiness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Christmas, for instance, we are required to deal with the divinity of Christ -- I know some of you folks have made up your minds about that one, but not me -- and on the Fourth of July we must wrestle with the question of whether all those simulated aerial bombardments represent the most useful form of nationalism available.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Thanksgiving, all we have to worry about is whether we can wholeheartedly support A) roasted turkey, B) friends and C) gratitude. My opinions on these matters are unambiguous; I am in favor of them all. The Squanto-give-corn stuff has been blessedly eliminated from the iconography, so the thrill of Thanksgiving is undiminished by caveats, codicils or carps. That alone is something to be thankful for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThanksgiving provides a formal context in which to consider the instances of kindness that have enlightened our lives, for moments of grace that have gotten us through when all seemed lost. These are fine and sentimental subjects for contemplation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Not \"Bring 'em on\", Mr. President, Bring them home"},{"content":" Reform - How Far Will They Go ? * Slimy Pair: Murdoch and O.J.Politics and ethics don't mix. No surprise that some members of the Democratic majority in Congress are looking for wiggle room. A loop hole here, a loop hole there and before you know it Democrats and their lobbyist friends could be merrily on their way to serve special interest groups as the Republicans did. The good news is that serious efforts are underway to implement meaningful measures.Jonathan Weisman in the Post:Despite divisions among Democrats over how far to go in revising ethics rules, House leaders plan a major rollout of an ethics reform bill early next year to demonstrate concern about an issue that helped defeat the Republicans in the midterm elections.But they will do it with a twist: Instead of forwarding one big bill, Democrats will put together an ethics package on the House floor piece by piece, allowing incoming freshmen to take charge of high-profile issues and lengthening the time spent on the debate. The approach will ensure that each proposal -- including banning gifts, meals and travel from lobbyists as well as imposing new controls on the budget deficit -- is debated on its own and receives its own vote. That should garner far more media attention for the bill's components before a final vote on the entire package.\"This will be the most significant ethics and lobbying reform that Congress has ever voted on,\" promised Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.), one of the point men on the effort.The approach may be the first indication of how the Democrats plan to use their ability to control the House agenda as the majority power, setting the terms of debate while lifting the strict rules that Republicans used to curtail dissent.*Two ScumbagsPublic outcry caused media mogul Rupert Murdoch to retreat from proceeding with promotion of O.J. Simpson's book and TV special. The usual platitudes followed:By Lisa de Moraes and Bob ThompsonWashington Post News Corp. has spiked its O.J. Simpson book and TV special in the face of public and professional outrage over the project, in which the former football star describes hypothetically how he would have killed ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.\"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project,\" News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch said yesterday in a brief statement. \"We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/democrats-and-ethics/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eReform - How Far Will They Go ? *  Slimy Pair: Murdoch and O.J.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePolitics and ethics don't mix. No surprise that some members of the Democratic majority in Congress are looking for wiggle room.  A loop hole here, a loop hole there and before you know it Democrats and their lobbyist friends could be merrily on their way to serve special interest groups as the Republicans did.  The good news is that  serious efforts are underway to implement meaningful measures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Weisman in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112001233.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite divisions among Democrats over how far to go in revising ethics rules, House leaders plan a major rollout of an ethics reform bill early next year to demonstrate concern about an issue that helped defeat the Republicans in the midterm elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut they will do it with a twist: Instead of forwarding one big bill, Democrats will put together an ethics package on the House floor piece by piece, allowing incoming freshmen to take charge of high-profile issues and lengthening the time spent on the debate. The approach will ensure that each proposal -- including banning gifts, meals and travel from lobbyists as well as imposing new controls on the budget deficit -- is debated on its own and receives its own vote. That should garner far more media attention for the bill's components before a final vote on the entire package.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This will be the most significant ethics and lobbying reform that Congress has ever voted on,\" promised Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.), one of the point men on the effort.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe approach may be the first indication of how the Democrats plan to use their ability to control the House agenda as the majority power, setting the terms of debate while lifting the strict rules that Republicans used to curtail dissent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eTwo Scumbags\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePublic outcry caused media mogul Rupert Murdoch to retreat from proceeding with promotion of O.J. Simpson's book and TV special. The usual platitudes followed:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Lisa de Moraes and Bob Thompson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112000671.html\"\u003eWashington Post  \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNews Corp. has spiked its O.J. Simpson book and TV special in the face of public and professional outrage over the project, in which the former football star describes hypothetically how he would have killed ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project,\" News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch said yesterday in a brief statement. \"We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats and Ethics"},{"content":" The lovefest is over * Bring Back Military Draft ?The vice president and his friends raised their glasses after the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled in Baghdad. Recently, a few of us nonentities gathered in Campbell, California, to toast the defeat of the Republicans. By chance we happened to open two bottles of red, both French -- a Margaux and a St Estèphe. Perhaps that was a subconscious snub to the then House Speaker Hastert -- a buffoon -- who had marched out to boast in from of TV cameras in March 2003 that the House Cafetaria menu no longer displayed French Fries and French Toasts. They had become Freedom Fries and Freedom Toasts.(Note: last month the menu went back to French Fries and French Toasts.)Now it is November 2006. The midterm elections left no doubt about how American voters perceived Bush and the Republicans. They were badly mauled. Even the neocons, protagonists of the war, have turned against the president.Peter Baker in the Post:Embittered Insiders Turn Against BushThe weekend after the statue of Saddam Hussein fell, Kenneth Adelman and a couple of other promoters of the Iraq war gathered at Vice President Cheney's residence to celebrate. The invasion had been the \"cakewalk\" Adelman predicted. Cheney and his guests raised their glasses, toasting President Bush and victory. \"It was a euphoric moment,\" Adelman recalled.Forty-three months later, the cakewalk looks more like a death march, and Adelman has broken with the Bush team. He had an angry falling-out with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld this fall. He and Cheney are no longer on speaking terms. And he believes that \"the president is ultimately responsible\" for what Adelman now calls \"the debacle that was Iraq.\" * The Mess That Is IraqThe situation in Iraq continues to overshadow other issues as elected representatives try to come up with a solution to reduce our role. Not easy and nothing is going to happen in the near future. But Democratic Senator Charles Rangel (NY) stated: \".........that he will push to renew the military draft, as lawmakers in both parties sharpened their criticisms of the situation in Iraq and struggled for consensus and solutions.\"Charles Babington, Washington PostRep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) has long advocated returning to the draft, but his efforts drew little attention during the 12 years that House Democrats were in the minority. Starting in January, however, he will chair the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Yesterday he said \"you bet your life\" he will renew his drive for a draft.\"I will be introducing that bill as soon as we start the new session,\" Rangel said on CBS's \"Face the Nation.\" He portrayed the draft, suspended since 1973, as a means of spreading military obligations more equitably and prompting political leaders to think twice before starting wars.\"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way,\" said Rangel, a Korean War veteran. \"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/the-moving-finger---bush-and-the-neocons/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe lovefest is over * Bring Back Military Draft ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe vice president and his friends raised their glasses after the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled in Baghdad. Recently, a few of us nonentities gathered in Campbell, California, to toast the defeat of the Republicans.  By chance we happened to open two bottles of red, both French -- a Margaux and a St Estèphe.    Perhaps that was a subconscious snub to the then House Speaker Hastert -- a buffoon -- who had marched out to boast in from of TV cameras in March 2003 that the House Cafetaria menu no longer displayed French Fries and French Toasts. They had become Freedom Fries and Freedom Toasts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Note: last month the menu went back to French Fries and French Toasts.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow it is November 2006. The midterm elections left no doubt about how American voters perceived Bush and the Republicans. They were badly mauled.  Even the  neocons, protagonists  of the war, have turned against the president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePeter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/18/AR2006111801076.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEmbittered Insiders Turn Against Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe weekend after the statue of Saddam Hussein fell, Kenneth Adelman and a couple of other promoters of the Iraq war gathered at Vice President Cheney's residence to celebrate. The invasion had been the \"cakewalk\" Adelman predicted. Cheney and his guests raised their glasses, toasting President Bush and victory. \"It was a euphoric moment,\" Adelman recalled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eForty-three months later, the cakewalk looks more like a death march, and Adelman has broken with the Bush team. He had an angry falling-out with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld this fall. He and Cheney are no longer on speaking terms. And he believes that \"the president is ultimately responsible\" for what Adelman now calls \"the debacle that was Iraq.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Mess That Is Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe situation in Iraq continues to overshadow other issues as elected representatives try to come up with a solution to reduce our role.  Not easy and nothing is going to happen in the near future.  But Democratic Senator Charles Rangel (NY) stated: \".........that he will push to renew the military draft, as lawmakers in both parties sharpened their criticisms of the situation in Iraq and struggled for consensus and solutions.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" frame=\"border\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCharles Babington, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/19/AR2006111901100.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) has long advocated returning to the draft, but his efforts drew little attention during the 12 years that House Democrats were in the minority. Starting in January, however, he will chair the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Yesterday he said \"you bet your life\" he will renew his drive for a draft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I will be introducing that bill as soon as we start the new session,\" Rangel said on CBS's \"Face the Nation.\" He portrayed the draft, suspended since 1973, as a means of spreading military obligations more equitably and prompting political leaders to think twice before starting wars.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way,\" said Rangel, a Korean War veteran. \"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Moving Finger - Bush and The Neocons"},{"content":" San Francisco Bay AreaWild mushrooms are one of the bounties of fall. AC and I went on our first (this season) foraging expedition for chanterelles and and returned with four lbs in prime condition.For those who are into wild mushrooms, the 37th annual Fungus Fair will be held in Oakland on Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd.© http://www.mssf.org/ * ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/fall-and-fungi/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSan Francisco Bay Area\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWild mushrooms are one of the bounties of fall.  AC and I went on our first (this season) foraging expedition for chanterelles and and returned with four lbs in prime condition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor those who are into wild mushrooms, the 37th annual Fungus Fair will be held in Oakland on Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/11/Fungus Fair 2006.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e© http://www.mssf.org/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Fall and Fungi"},{"content":" For An Intellectually Challenged President Deep in his heart, Tony Blair might have doubts about his decision to commit himsel to the American president's war in Iraq. President Bush continues to bluster about the rightness of his action. He can do nothing else. At this point neither Blair nor Bush can admit that it was a mistake. Historians,however, are not likely to be kind to them.Excerpts from \"Time for your Vietnam History Lesson, George\" by Mary Riddell in The Observer.Iraq's tomorrow looks bleak, but its conflict will have an end some day. All Bush and Blair can do now is to hasten peace in any way they can. That means talking to Iran and Syria, without ruinous preconditions, and recognising that diplomacy is usually less lethal than aggression.Vietnam and Iraq have an identical message, for all their differences. One country offers a story of hope, the other - for now - of hopelessness. But the moguls of Hanoi and the morgues of Baghdad tell the same narrative of misbegotten war. So much blood running down the gutters of history, all shed for nothing.The President's insistence on a 'victory' in Iraq blinds him to the outcome of another ill-fated war ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/history-lesson/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFor An Intellectually Challenged President \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDeep in his heart, Tony Blair might have doubts about his decision to commit himsel to the American president's war in Iraq.  President Bush continues to bluster about the rightness of his action.  He can do nothing else.  At this point neither Blair nor Bush can admit that it was a mistake. Historians,however, are not likely to be kind to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \"\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1951706,00.html\"\u003eTime for your Vietnam History Lesson, George\u003c/a\u003e\" by Mary Riddell in The Observer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq's tomorrow looks bleak, but its conflict will have an end some day. All Bush and Blair can do now is to hasten peace in any way they can. That means talking to Iran and Syria, without ruinous preconditions, and recognising that diplomacy is usually less lethal than aggression.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVietnam and Iraq have an identical message, for all their differences. One country offers a story of hope, the other - for now - of hopelessness. But the moguls of Hanoi and the morgues of Baghdad tell the same narrative of misbegotten war. So much blood running down the gutters of history, all shed for nothing.The President's insistence on a 'victory' in Iraq blinds him to the outcome of another ill-fated war\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"History Lesson"},{"content":" Mahmudiya, Iraq, March 12, 2006 * 502nd Infantry RegimentThe war, President Bush's war, in Iraq began more than three and half years ago. Number of American soldiers who have lost their lives is nearing 2900; many times that number have suffered serious injuries. Estimates of the number of Iraqi deads range from 50,000 to more than half a million. There have been kidnappings and torture of prisoners. The images of American soldiers gleefully taking part in abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib remain indelible.One incident that stands apart is the rape and killing of 14-year old Abeer Hamza. It took place in Mahmudiya on March 12th and five soldiers of 1st Battalion,502nd Infantry Regiment participated in it. The methodical brutality with which they planned and executed the crimes is horrifying. They raped Abeer Hamza and killed her as well as her parents and her younger sister to leave no witnesses. Perhaps killing the parents was in a way an act of kindness. For them, living with the memory of what took place would have been worse than death.When the details began to emerge, cover-up was not an option. The facts were known to too many people -- Iraqis and American soldiers. Two soldiers of the 502nd were kidnapped , tortured and killed by Iraqis, reportedly to avenge what happened. A few soldiers came forward to report what they knew. Investigation began and charges were filed. Steven Green, accused of being the primary culprit, had left the army (discharged for \"personality disorder\") before the investigation began. He is awaiting trial in Kentucky. On November 16th, Spc. James P. Barker received a sentence of 90 years in prison for his role in the crimes.FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- A soldier who was sentenced to 90 years in prison for conspiring to rape a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and kill her and her family said he knew his actions would harm support for the U.S. military's mission in Iraq.At his sentencing Thursday, Spc. James P. Barker, one of four Fort Campbell soldiers accused in the March 12 rape and killings, begged Iraqis not to cast judgment on other troops.\"I do not ask anyone to forgive me today,\" he tearfully told the judge. \"I don't know how that would be possible after what I have done. I do ask the Iraqi people not to blame my brothers still fighting in Iraq.\"Barker pleaded guilty Wednesday and agreed to testify against the others to avoid the death penalty.The killings in Mahmoudiya, a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad, were among the worst in a series of alleged attacks on civilians and other abuses by military personnel in Iraq.*See: The Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer HamzaThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer HamzaAbeer Hamza ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/the-evil-that-man-does/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMahmudiya, Iraq, March 12, 2006 * 502nd Infantry Regiment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe war, President Bush's war, in  Iraq began more than three and half years ago. Number of American soldiers who have lost their lives is nearing \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e2900\u003c/a\u003e; many times that number have suffered serious injuries. Estimates of the number of Iraqi deads range from 50,000 to more than half a million.  There have been kidnappings and torture of prisoners.  The images of American soldiers gleefully taking part in abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib remain indelible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne incident that stands apart is the rape and killing of 14-year old Abeer Hamza. It took place in Mahmudiya on March 12th and five soldiers of 1st Battalion,502nd Infantry Regiment participated in it. The methodical brutality with which they planned and executed the crimes is horrifying.  They raped Abeer Hamza and killed her as well as her parents and her younger sister to leave no witnesses.  Perhaps killing the parents was in a way an act of kindness.  For them, living with the memory of what took place would have been worse than death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen the details began to emerge, cover-up was not an option.  The facts were known to too many people  -- Iraqis and American soldiers.  Two soldiers of the 502nd were kidnapped , tortured and killed by Iraqis, reportedly to avenge what happened.  A few soldiers came forward to report what they knew.  Investigation began and charges were filed. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110801134.html\"\u003eSteven Green\u003c/a\u003e,  accused of being the primary culprit, had left the army (discharged for \"personality disorder\") before the investigation began.  He is awaiting trial in Kentucky.  On November 16th, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/17/AR2006111700153.html\"\u003eSpc. James P. Barker\u003c/a\u003e received a sentence of 90 years in prison for his role in the crimes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- A soldier who was sentenced to 90 years in prison for conspiring to rape a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and kill her and her family said he knew his actions would harm support for the U.S. military's mission in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt his sentencing Thursday, Spc. James P. Barker, one of four Fort Campbell soldiers accused in the March 12 rape and killings, begged Iraqis not to cast judgment on other troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I do not ask anyone to forgive me today,\" he tearfully told the judge. \"I don't know how that would be possible after what I have done. I do ask the Iraqi people not to blame my brothers still fighting in Iraq.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBarker pleaded guilty Wednesday and agreed to testify against the others to avoid the death penalty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe killings in Mahmoudiya, a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad, were among the worst in a series of alleged attacks on civilians and other abuses by military personnel in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee: \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/07/neocons-war-and-girl-named-abeer-hamza.html\"\u003eThe Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/sane-voice-in-babel.html\"\u003eThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer Hamza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/08/our-world-on-saturday-morning_05.html\"\u003eAbeer Hamza\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080801228.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Evil That Man Does"},{"content":" The Abstinence (from sex) Brigade * Repugnicans ? DemoGlad by Mark FioreThe Bush Administration's hypocrisy about sex lives of Americans continues. How many among them practised abstinence during their youth? Listening to them you'd get the feeling that they didn't even masturbate; only prayed and took cold showers. And now they want to force their warped, fake moral values upon us.Christopher Lee in The Washington Post: \"The Bush administration has appointed a new chief of family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services who worked at a Christian pregnancy-counseling organization that regards the distribution of contraceptives as \"demeaning to women.\"Eric Keroack, medical director for A Woman's Concern, a nonprofit group based in Dorchester, Mass., will become deputy assistant secretary for population affairs in the next two weeks, department spokeswoman Christina Pearson said yesterday.Keroack, an obstetrician-gynecologist, will advise Secretary Mike Leavitt on matters such as reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy. He will oversee $283 million in annual family-planning grants that, according to HHS, are \"designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons.\"The appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation, was the latest provocative personnel move by the White House since Democrats won control of Congress in this month's midterm elections. President Bush last week pushed the Senate to confirm John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations and this week renominated six candidates for appellate court judgeships who have previously been blocked by lawmakers. Democrats said the moves belie Bush's post-election promises of bipartisanship.The Keroack appointment angered many family-planning advocates, who noted that A Woman's Concern supports sexual abstinence until marriage, opposes contraception and does not distribute information promoting birth control at its six centers in eastern Massachusetts.Repugnic PartyThe President continues to say \"Democrat Party\" instead of Democratic Party. Not known whether it is his inability to pronounce the last two letters. His problem with pronounciation of \"nuclear\" is a fact. What if we start saying \"Repugnicans\" instead of Republicans?But for us it is time to be happy and forgiving. Take a look at Mark Fiore's animated strip DemoGlad©. It is guaranteed to make you feel good -- not the Bushies but the rest of us. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/there-they-go-again/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Abstinence (from sex) Brigade * Repugnicans ? DemoGlad by Mark Fiore\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Bush Administration's hypocrisy about sex lives of Americans continues.  How many among them practised abstinence during their youth?  Listening to them you'd get the feeling that they didn't even masturbate;  only prayed and took cold showers.  And now they want to force their warped, fake moral values upon us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher Lee in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601929.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"The Bush administration has appointed a new chief of family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services who worked at a Christian pregnancy-counseling organization that regards the distribution of contraceptives as \"demeaning to women.\"\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEric Keroack, medical director for A Woman's Concern, a nonprofit group based in Dorchester, Mass., will become deputy assistant secretary for population affairs in the next two weeks, department spokeswoman Christina Pearson said yesterday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKeroack, an obstetrician-gynecologist, will advise Secretary Mike Leavitt on matters such as reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy. He will oversee $283 million in annual family-planning grants that, according to HHS, are \"designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation, was the latest provocative personnel move by the White House since Democrats won control of Congress in this month's midterm elections. President Bush last week pushed the Senate to confirm John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations and this week renominated six candidates for appellate court judgeships who have previously been blocked by lawmakers. Democrats said the moves belie Bush's post-election promises of bipartisanship.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Keroack appointment angered many family-planning advocates, who noted that A Woman's Concern supports sexual abstinence until marriage, opposes contraception and does not distribute information promoting birth control at its six centers in eastern Massachusetts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepugnic Party\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President continues to say \"Democrat Party\" instead of Democratic Party. Not known whether it is his inability to pronounce the last two letters.  His problem with pronounciation of \"nuclear\" is a fact.  What if we start saying \"Repugnicans\" instead of Republicans?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut for us it is time to be happy and forgiving.  Take a look at Mark Fiore's animated strip \u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/comics/fiore/\"\u003eDemoGlad©\u003c/a\u003e.  It is guaranteed to make you feel good -- not the Bushies but the rest of us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"There They Go Again"},{"content":" Elephants' Graveyard * Democrats and 'K' StreetBush in purgatory. The smirk is gone. The president spent his capital like a drunken sailor and the American voters in their wisdom put him in his place on November 7th. In his own words he got a \"thumpin\". Our Strangelovian vice president must be licking his wound in a bunker somewhere. Not a pip out of him after the results of midterm elections became known. Announcement of his resignation due to health reasons wouldn't come as a surprise.The inimitable Hendrik Hertzberg of The New Yorker summed it up in the final paragraph of his Talk of the Town piece, THUMP. The November 20th issue's cover by Mark Ulriksen shows statue of an elephant being toppled, with the White House in the background.It has been obvious for some time that, as President of the United States, George W. Bush is in very far over his head. He does not know how to use power wisely. He will now have a Democratic Congress to restrain him, and, perhaps, to protect him—and us—from his unfettered impulses. This may not be the Thanksgiving he was looking forward to, but the rest of us have reason to be grateful.'K' Street KerfuffleSpecial interest groups are readjusting to the new reality. Lobbyists with Democratic connections are back in favor. There is little doubt that some members of the 110th Congress will succumb to the temptations and be persuaded to drink from the pail. That is how our system works. Would they stoop as low as their predecessors? Let's hope that they do not.As Guard Changes in Congress, Lobbyists ScrambleNY Times 11/15/06K STREET DEMS SUDDENLY VERY POPULAR: Republicans do not cede control of Congress for nearly two months, but money, power and influence are already beginning to change hands. The political economy, at least here in the capital, is humming for Democrats.Democratic lobbyists are fielding calls from pharmaceutical companies, the oil and gas industry and military companies, all of which had grown accustomed to patronizing Republicans, as the environment in Washington abruptly shifts.The Republican Party lost its grip on Congress and is now bracing to lose its hold over K Street, the bustling corridor that has become synonymous with the lobbying industry. The so-called K Street Project, an effort engineered by Republicans to dominate the trade, is unraveling, and Democrats say they intend to pass sweeping reforms rather than reverse the project for their benefit.\"What!\" said the Prior, \"would you master stay our benefactor's soul in Purgatory?\" \"Ay,\" said the officer, coldly, \"an ye will not pray him thence for naught he must e'en roast.\"-- Ambrose Bierce (The Devil's Dictionary) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/end-of-the-run-amok-presidency/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eElephants' Graveyard * Democrats and 'K' Street\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBush in purgatory. The smirk is gone.  The president spent his capital like a drunken sailor and the American voters in their wisdom put him in his place on November 7th.   In his own words he got a \"thumpin\". Our Strangelovian vice president must be licking his wound in a bunker somewhere. Not a pip out of him after the results of midterm elections became known.  Announcement of his resignation due to health reasons wouldn't come as a surprise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe inimitable Hendrik Hertzberg of The New Yorker summed it up in the final paragraph of his Talk of the Town piece, \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/061120ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eTHUMP\u003c/a\u003e.      The November 20th issue's cover by Mark Ulriksen shows statue of an elephant being toppled, with the White House in the background.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt has been obvious for some time that, as President of the United States, George W. Bush is in very far over his head. He does not know how to use power wisely. He will now have a Democratic Congress to restrain him, and, perhaps, to protect him—and us—from his unfettered impulses. This may not be the Thanksgiving he was looking forward to, but the rest of us have reason to be grateful.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'K' Street Kerfuffle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpecial interest groups are readjusting to the new reality.  Lobbyists with Democratic connections are back in favor. There is little doubt that some members of the 110th Congress will succumb to the temptations and be persuaded to drink from the pail. That is how our system works.  Would they stoop as low as their predecessors?  Let's hope that they do not.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs Guard Changes in Congress, Lobbyists Scramble\u003cbr/\u003eNY Times 11/15/06\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eK STREET DEMS SUDDENLY VERY POPULAR: Republicans do not cede control of Congress for nearly two months, but money, power and influence are already beginning to change hands. The political economy, at least here in the capital, is humming for Democrats.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocratic lobbyists are fielding calls from pharmaceutical companies, the oil and gas industry and military companies, all of which had grown accustomed to patronizing Republicans, as the environment in Washington abruptly shifts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Republican Party lost its grip on Congress and is now bracing to lose its hold over K Street, the bustling corridor that has become synonymous with the lobbying industry. The so-called K Street Project, an effort engineered by Republicans to dominate the trade, is unraveling, and Democrats say they intend to pass sweeping reforms rather than reverse the project for their benefit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What!\" said the Prior, \"would you master stay our benefactor's soul in Purgatory?\" \"Ay,\" said the officer, coldly, \"an ye will not pray him thence for naught he must e'en roast.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Ambrose Bierce (The Devil's Dictionary)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"End of the 'Run Amok' Presidency"},{"content":" Toys for TotsPerhaps there are no limits. Anything goes. Beverley Hills Teddy Bear Co., a company based in Valencia, California, got rebuffed when they offered 400 \"......foot-tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season.\" The crassness of those who resort to such means to indoctrinate kids is sickening. However, not all Christian organizations follow that path. In the San Francisco Bay area there are quite a few food kitchens run by religious organizations. I serve as a volunteer in one of them (this is my 14th year). We serve hot meals to the poor and homeless. All comers are greeted cordially and with respect, no questions asked about their religious affiliation and no one tries to make them see the light. I have never heard or seen a church official or a volunteer make any efforts to proselytize. The day I do will be my last as a volunteer there.A talking Jesus doll has been turned down by the Marine Reserves' Toys for Tots program. A suburban Los Angeles company offered to donate 4,000 of the foot-tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season. The battery-powered Jesus is one of several dolls manufactured by one2believe, a division of the Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., based on Biblical figures.But the charity balked because of the dolls' religious nature.Toys are donated to kids based on financial need and \"we don't know anything about their background, their religious affiliations,\" said Bill Grein, vice president of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, in Quantico, Va.As a government entity, Marines \"don't profess one religion over another,\" Grein said Tuesday. \"We can't take a chance on sending a talking Jesus doll to a Jewish family or a Muslim family.\"Michael La Roe, director of business development for both companies, said the charity's decision left him \"surprised and disappointed.\"\"The idea was for them to be three-dimensional teaching tools for kids,\" La Roe said. \"I believe as a churchgoing person, anyone can benefit from hearing the words of the Bible.\"According to the company's Web site, the button-activated, bearded Jesus, dressed in hand-sewn cloth outfits and sandals, recites Scripture such as \"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again\" and \"Love your neighbor as yourself.\" It has a $20 retail value.Grein also questioned whether children would welcome a gift designed for religious instruction. \"Kids want a gift for the holiday season that is fun,\" he said.The program distributed 18 million stuffed animals, games, toy trucks and other gifts to children in 2005. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/talking-jesus-dolls---wwjd/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eToys for Tots\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePerhaps there are no limits.  Anything goes.  Beverley Hills Teddy Bear Co., a company based in Valencia, California, got rebuffed when they offered 400 \"......foot-tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season.\"  The crassness of those who resort to such means to indoctrinate kids is sickening.  However, not all Christian organizations follow that path.  In the San Francisco Bay area there are quite a few food kitchens run by religious organizations. I serve as a volunteer in one of them (this is my 14th year). We serve hot meals to the poor and homeless.  All comers are greeted cordially and with respect, no questions asked about their religious affiliation and no one tries to make them see the light.  I have never heard or seen a church official or a volunteer make any efforts to proselytize.  The day I do will be my last as a volunteer there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA talking Jesus doll has been turned down by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061114/ap_on_re_us/jesus_doll_rejected\"\u003eMarine Reserves' Toys for Tots\u003c/a\u003e program.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003eA suburban Los Angeles company offered to donate 4,000 of the foot-tall dolls, which quote Bible verses, for distribution to needy children this holiday season. The battery-powered Jesus is one of several dolls manufactured by one2believe, a division of the Valencia-based Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co., based on Biblical figures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the charity balked because of the dolls' religious nature.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToys are donated to kids based on financial need and \"we don't know anything about their background, their religious affiliations,\" said Bill Grein, vice president of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, in Quantico, Va.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs a government entity, Marines \"don't profess one religion over another,\" Grein said Tuesday. \"We can't take a chance on sending a talking Jesus doll to a Jewish family or a Muslim family.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael La Roe, director of business development for both companies, said the charity's decision left him \"surprised and disappointed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The idea was for them to be three-dimensional teaching tools for kids,\" La Roe said. \"I believe as a churchgoing person, anyone can benefit from hearing the words of the Bible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to the company's Web site, the button-activated, bearded Jesus, dressed in hand-sewn cloth outfits and sandals, recites Scripture such as \"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again\" and \"Love your neighbor as yourself.\" It has a $20 retail value.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrein also questioned whether children would welcome a gift designed for religious instruction. \"Kids want a gift for the holiday season that is fun,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe program distributed 18 million stuffed animals, games, toy trucks and other gifts to children in 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Talking Jesus Dolls - WWJD ?"},{"content":" Voter Fraud: Ehrlich and Steele's Dirty Tricks Exposed$100.00 per head, coffee, donuts, three meals and free bus rides! On November 7th, people behind the campaigns of Republicans Robert Ehrlich and Michael Steele picked up poor and homeless African Americans in Philadelphia and used them to deceive Black voters in Maryland with misleading fliers. Their dastardly tactics failed. Pox on them all. The shameful details in Washington Post.The six Trailways motorcoaches draped in Ehrlich and Steele campaign banners rumbled down Interstate 95 just before dawn on Election Day.On board, 300 mostly poor African Americans from Philadelphia ate doughnuts, sipped coffee and prepared to spend the day at the Maryland polls. After an early morning greeting from Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s wife, Kendel, they would fan out in white vans across Prince George's County and inner-city Baltimore, armed with thousands of fliers that appeared to be designed to trick black Democrats into voting for the two Republican candidates.The glossy fliers bore photos of black Democratic leaders on the front. Under the headline \"Democratic Sample Ballot\" were boxes checked in red for Ehrlich and Senate candidate Michael S. Steele, who were not identified as Republicans. Their names were followed by a long list of local Democratic candidates.Nearly a week later, a fuller picture has emerged about how the plan to capture blacks' votes unfolded -- details that suggest the fliers, and the people paid to distribute them, were not part of a hurry-up effort but a calculated strategy.Republican leaders have defended the Election Day episode as an accepted element of bare-knuckle politics. But for many voters, it shattered in one day the nice-guy images Ehrlich and Steele had cultivated for years. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/gops-third-world-strategy-in-maryland/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eVoter Fraud: Ehrlich and Steele's Dirty Tricks Exposed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e$100.00 per head, coffee, donuts, three meals and free bus rides!  On November 7th, people behind the campaigns of Republicans Robert Ehrlich and Michael Steele picked up poor and homeless African Americans in Philadelphia  and used them to deceive Black voters in Maryland with misleading fliers. Their dastardly tactics failed.  Pox on them all. The shameful details in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/12/AR2006111201084.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" frame=\"border\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe six Trailways motorcoaches draped in Ehrlich and Steele campaign banners rumbled down Interstate 95 just before dawn on Election Day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn board, 300 mostly poor African Americans from Philadelphia ate doughnuts, sipped coffee and prepared to spend the day at the Maryland polls. After an early morning greeting from Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s wife, Kendel, they would fan out in white vans across Prince George's County and inner-city Baltimore, armed with thousands of fliers that appeared to be designed to trick black Democrats into voting for the two Republican candidates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe glossy fliers bore photos of black Democratic leaders on the front. Under the headline \"Democratic Sample Ballot\" were boxes checked in red for Ehrlich and Senate candidate Michael S. Steele, who were not identified as Republicans. Their names were followed by a long list of local Democratic candidates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNearly a week later, a fuller picture has emerged about how the plan to capture blacks' votes unfolded -- details that suggest the fliers, and the people paid to distribute them, were not part of a hurry-up effort but a calculated strategy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepublican leaders have defended the Election Day episode as an accepted element of bare-knuckle politics. But for many voters, it shattered in one day the nice-guy images Ehrlich and Steele had cultivated for years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"GOP's Third World Strategy In Maryland"},{"content":" More than a \"Lame Duck\" Session * Kiran DesaiThe Republican legislators return to their last session. They are making noise about getting things done, and there are pending issues that need to be concluded. An editorial in the Post mentions some of them. It also points out important issues that are to be left for the 110th Congress. The surveillance program under the USA Patriot Act is an abomination that the Bush Administration, aided by a complaisant Congress, foisted on us. It needs thorough scrutiny.We would like to see carefully crafted legislation to provide a legal framework for the administration's warrantless surveillance program, but the measures that have been proposed so far go overboard in giving carte blanche to the administration. This is an important subject -- and one that ought to be taken up by the 110th Congress. Meanwhile, the president's last-ditch push to win confirmation of controversial U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton during the lame-duck session isn't a particularly good omen of presidential willingness to compromise with Democrats. Mr. Bolton's nomination is a matter the White House would do better to drop, for the lame-duck session and beyond, if Mr. Bush is serious about that new tone he talked about the day after the election.Citizenship in Bush's AmericaI get the feeling that here in the Silicon Valley a majority of the Indians are likely to be supporters of President Bush and the Republicans. Kiran Desai is not a resident of California. It was interesting to read comments by this year's Booker Prize winner -- that she put off going through the citizenship process because of her \"disapproval of the president's foreign policy\". Perhaps an extreme view but understandable. I love my adopted country. There are times though when I am not proud of what our government does. By Martin Roberts Wed Nov 8, 12:31 PM ETIndian novelist Kiran Desai said she may never have won the Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, had George W. Bush not been U.S. president - as he put her off becoming an American citizen.The Man Booker Prize is open only to British and Commonwealth citizens and Indian-born Desai has yet to apply for a U.S. passport, although she has lived in New York for 20 years.\"George Bush won once and he won the second time and I couldn't bring myself to (apply),\" Desai said late last month in an interview in Toronto as she voiced her disapproval of the president's foreign policy.\"So I really owe George Bush my Booker, in an odd way. It's really very funny.\"Desai, 35, became the youngest woman to capture the 50,000 pound ($95,000) prize last month with her sweeping novel \"The Inheritance of Loss.\" The book's narrative ranges from undocumented workers in New York to political violence in the foothills of the Himalayas during the 1980s.The novelist divides her time between New York and New Delhi, and while she finds traveling difficult on an Indian passport, she said it helped her maintain an essential contact with her roots while penning her prize-winning book.\"I couldn't have written this book without being interested (in India), I felt very Indian while writing it,\" she said.\"With politics in the United States, my immediate thought is how is this going to affect India or the Third World, who are they letting into the country, who they happen to be bombing.\"But Desai is quick to point out that her book deals with an underclass that is exploited in rich and poor countries alike.Applause and a bouquet for Kiran Desai. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/the-109th-congress---final-session/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMore than a \"Lame Duck\" Session *  Kiran Desai\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Republican legislators return to their last session.  They are making noise about getting things done, and there are pending issues that need to be concluded.    An editorial in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/12/AR2006111200713.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e mentions some of them.  It also points out important issues that are to be left for the 110th Congress. The surveillance program under the USA Patriot Act is an abomination that the Bush Administration, aided by a complaisant Congress, foisted on us.  It needs thorough scrutiny.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003eWe would like to see carefully crafted legislation to provide a legal framework for the administration's warrantless surveillance program, but the measures that have been proposed so far go overboard in giving carte blanche to the administration. This is an important subject -- and one that ought to be taken up by the 110th Congress. Meanwhile, the president's last-ditch push to win confirmation of controversial U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton during the lame-duck session isn't a particularly good omen of presidential willingness to compromise with Democrats. Mr. Bolton's nomination is a matter the White House would do better to drop, for the lame-duck session and beyond, if Mr. Bush is serious about that new tone he talked about the day after the election.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCitizenship in Bush's America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI get the feeling that here in the Silicon Valley a majority of the Indians are likely to be supporters of President Bush and the Republicans.  Kiran Desai is not a resident of California. It was interesting to read comments by this year's Booker Prize winner -- that she put off going through the citizenship process because of her \"disapproval of the president's foreign policy\". Perhaps an extreme view but understandable. I love my adopted country.  There are times though when I am not proud of what our government does.  \u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Martin Roberts  \u003cem class=\"timedate\"\u003eWed Nov  8, 12:31 PM ET\u003c/em\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian novelist Kiran Desai said she may never have won the Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, had George W. Bush not been U.S. president - as he put her off becoming an American citizen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Man Booker Prize is open only to British and Commonwealth citizens and Indian-born Desai has yet to apply for a U.S. passport, although she has lived in New York for 20 years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"George Bush won once and he won the second time and I couldn't bring myself to (apply),\" Desai said late last month in an interview in Toronto as she voiced her disapproval of the president's foreign policy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"So I really owe George Bush my Booker, in an odd way. It's really very funny.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDesai, 35, became the youngest woman to capture the 50,000 pound ($95,000) prize last month with her sweeping novel \"The Inheritance of Loss.\" The book's narrative ranges from undocumented workers in New York to political violence in the foothills of the Himalayas during the 1980s.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe novelist divides her time between New York and New Delhi, and while she finds traveling difficult on an Indian passport, she said it helped her maintain an essential contact with her roots while penning her prize-winning book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I couldn't have written this book without being interested (in India), I felt very Indian while writing it,\" she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"With politics in the United States, my immediate thought is how is this going to affect India or the Third World, who are they letting into the country, who they happen to be bombing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Desai is quick to point out that her book deals with an underclass that is exploited in rich and poor countries alike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApplause and a bouquet for Kiran Desai.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/11/Yellow-Freesias.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The 109th Congress - Final Session"},{"content":" Poems by Karen Karpowich and Yehuda AmichaiFeels different than a week ago. I'm looking at the same street, trees, and neighbors. Yet, there is a difference. It is in my heart. The barbarians have been defeated. There is a sense of hope. I don't believe in miracles. Things are not going to change overnight, but they will not continue to worsen. There is hope that the soldiers would begin to return home, that fewer people would die because of actions of our government; hope that the abuse of power would be checked, the divisive rhetorics muted. Above all, there is hope that a few megalomaniacs would never again be so easily able to con us into going to war. *A Poem Against War Near the band shell are Elms planted for heroes of a forgotten war. The trees create a thick canopy. It’s cool. No grass grows. A narrow path is pounded out by joggers who pass never noticing the plaques filled with names. A child might say this place is haunted. I only feel its sadness. Young men who fought and died never knowing what it is to live. I walk here each day. My pace quickens at its dark center.---Karen KarpowichHalf The People In The WorldHalf the people in the world love the other half,half the people hate the other half.Must I because of this half and that half go wanderingand changing ceaselessly like rain in its cycle,must I sleep among rocks, and grow rugged likethe trunks of olive trees,and hear the moon barking at me,and camouflage my love with worries,and sprout like frightened grass between the railroadtracks,and live underground like a mole,and remain with roots and not with branches, and notfeel my cheek against the cheek of angels, andlove in the first cave, and marry my wifebeneath a canopy of beams that support the earth,and act out my death, always till the last breath andthe last words and without ever understandig,and put flagpoles on top of my house and a bomb shelterunderneath. And go out on raids made only forreturning and go through all the apallingstations—cat,stick,fire,water,butcher,between the kid and the angel of death?Half the people love,half the people hate.And where is my place between such well-matched halves,and through what crack will I see the white housingprojects of my dreams and the bare foot runnerson the sands or, at least, the waving of a girl'skerchief, beside the mound?Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000), Translated by Chana Bloch And Stephen Mitchell ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/sunday-after-the-election-2006/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePoems by Karen Karpowich and Yehuda Amichai\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFeels different than  a week ago.  I'm looking at the same street,  trees, and neighbors.  Yet, there is a difference.  It is in my heart.  The barbarians have been defeated.  There is a sense of hope. I don't believe in miracles.  Things are not going to change overnight, but   they will not continue to worsen.   There is hope that the soldiers would begin to return home, that fewer people  would die because of actions of our government; hope that the  abuse of power  would be  checked, the divisive rhetorics  muted.  Above all, there is hope that  a few megalomaniacs would never again be so easily able to con us into going to war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Poem Against War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e   Near the band shell are Elms planted\u003cbr/\u003e   for heroes of a forgotten war.\u003cbr/\u003e   The trees create a thick canopy.\u003cbr/\u003e   It’s cool. No grass grows.\u003cbr/\u003e   A narrow path is pounded out by joggers\u003cbr/\u003e   who pass never noticing the plaques\u003cbr/\u003e   filled with names.\u003cbr/\u003e   A child might say this place is haunted.\u003cbr/\u003e   I only feel its sadness.\u003cbr/\u003e   Young men who fought and died\u003cbr/\u003e   never knowing what it is to live.\u003cbr/\u003e   I walk here each day.\u003cbr/\u003e   My pace quickens at its dark center.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Karen Karpowich\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHalf The People In The World\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHalf the people in the world love the other half,\u003cbr/\u003ehalf the people hate the other half.\u003cbr/\u003eMust I because of this half and that half go wandering\u003cbr/\u003eand changing ceaselessly like rain in its cycle,\u003cbr/\u003emust I sleep among rocks, and grow rugged like\u003cbr/\u003ethe trunks of olive trees,\u003cbr/\u003eand hear the moon barking at me,\u003cbr/\u003eand camouflage my love with worries,\u003cbr/\u003eand sprout like frightened grass between the railroad\u003cbr/\u003etracks,\u003cbr/\u003eand live underground like a mole,\u003cbr/\u003eand remain with roots and not with branches, and not\u003cbr/\u003efeel my cheek against the cheek of angels, and\u003cbr/\u003elove in the first cave, and marry my wife\u003cbr/\u003ebeneath a canopy of beams that support the earth,\u003cbr/\u003eand act out my death, always till the last breath and\u003cbr/\u003ethe last words and without ever understandig,\u003cbr/\u003eand put flagpoles on top of my house and a bomb shelter\u003cbr/\u003eunderneath. And go out on raids made only for\u003cbr/\u003ereturning and go through all the apalling\u003cbr/\u003estations—cat,stick,fire,water,butcher,\u003cbr/\u003ebetween the kid and the angel of death?\u003cbr/\u003eHalf the people love,\u003cbr/\u003ehalf the people hate.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd where is my place between such well-matched halves,\u003cbr/\u003eand through what crack will I see the white housing\u003cbr/\u003eprojects of my dreams and the bare foot runners\u003cbr/\u003eon the sands or, at least, the waving of a girl's\u003cbr/\u003ekerchief, beside the mound?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYehuda Amichai (1924-2000), \u003cspan name=\"KonaFilter\"\u003eTranslated by Chana Bloch And Stephen Mitchell        \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday After the Election (2006)"},{"content":" Our President and the so called \"Christian Right\"After the election of 2004, I wrote:\"Post election ruminations in a Judeo-Christian Land Slouching towards fundamentalism.\"The message from voters could not be more clear. The majority did not give a hoot about real issues. They elected a hollow man to lead the nation for another four years. They remained blissfully oblivious of his lies and embraced him for his religious position. How could John Kerry, a Catholic, compete against that, especially when Catholic priests were exhorting their parishioners not to vote for any candidate who supports women's right to choose? And then there was fear of terrorism in the home land. Again, it was George Bush and his talk about god and America that resonated.\"How good it feels to see a reversal. There were signs that cracks were appearing in the president's Christian base (one of his \"core\" support groups). The man who alluded to being told by God to go to war, was facing problems with the lies and deceptions that came to light. The costs (casualties and waste of our money) could not be brushed aside. Wonder if the weasely president,who is now turning somersaults to salvage the remaining two years of his term, feels like Julius Caesar -- \"Et tu, Brute\" after being deserted by the Christian Right. In \"Democrats Win Bigger Share of Religious Vote\", Alan Cooperman of the Washington Post comments about the religious vote.As the results of the midterm elections sank in this week, religious leaders across the ideological spectrum found something they could agree on: The \"God gap\" in American politics has narrowed substantially.Religious liberals contended that a concerted effort by Democrats since 2004 to appeal to people of faith had worked minor wonders, if not electoral miracles, in races across the country.Religious conservatives disagreed, arguing that the Republican Party lost religious voters rather than the Democrats winning them. *\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\"---Heraclitus (544-483 BC) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/you-too-god/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eOur President and the so called \"Christian Right\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the election of 2004, I wrote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Post election ruminations in a Judeo-Christian Land\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSlouching towards fundamentalism.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The message from voters could not be more clear. The majority did not give a hoot about real issues. They elected a hollow man to lead the nation for another four years. They remained blissfully oblivious of his lies and embraced him for his religious position. How could John Kerry, a Catholic, compete against that, especially when Catholic priests were exhorting their parishioners not to vote for any candidate who supports women's right to choose? And then there was fear of terrorism in the home land. Again, it was George Bush and his talk about god and America that resonated.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow good it feels to see a reversal. There were signs that cracks were appearing in the president's Christian base (one of his \"core\" support groups).   The man who alluded to being told by God to go to war, was facing problems with the lies and deceptions that came to light.  The costs (casualties and waste of our money) could not be brushed aside. Wonder if the weasely president,who is now turning somersaults to salvage the remaining two years of his term, feels like Julius Caesar --  \"Et tu, Brute\" after being deserted by the Christian Right.  In \"Democrats Win Bigger Share of Religious Vote\", Alan Cooperman of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001694.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e comments about the religious vote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs the results of the midterm elections sank in this week, religious leaders across the ideological spectrum found something they could agree on: The \"God gap\" in American politics has narrowed substantially.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eReligious liberals contended that a concerted effort by Democrats since 2004 to appeal to people of faith had worked minor wonders, if not electoral miracles, in races across the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eReligious conservatives disagreed, arguing that the Republican Party lost religious voters rather than the Democrats winning them.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Heraclitus (544-483 BC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"You too,  God !"},{"content":" \"For Whom the Bell Tolls\" ?The Israeli Government admitted that the shelling was due to \"technical error\" and stated that it could happen again. One can argue endlessly about the justification for such attacks. One thing is certain -- retaliatory action follows every time after such incidents. Recruits are readily available to become martyrs to avenge their family members and friends. The cycle of violence will continue and a generation of children (those who survive) will grow up with anger and hatred in their hearts.As the major suppliers of military hardware to the Israelis, we are not free from responsibility in the deaths and destruction. There is pressing need for negotiating a settlement. Unfortunately, we have squandered our moral authority. The Bush administration's distaste for Hamas made it sit back and give full support to Israel. But Hamas came to power after legitimately held election. Disregarding that fact is neither right nor prudent.Beit Hanoun (BBC)This street in Beit Hanoun is very, very quiet indeed. It's just a matter of hours since a number of Israeli shells fell on houses in this area, killing 18 people, including six children and two women. * Gaza hit was 'technical failure' (BBC)Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has said an army artillery barrage that killed 18 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip was the result of a \"technical failure\".He said troops had targeted an orange grove from which rockets had been fired on Wednesday, but instead hit homes in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.The victims, including several children and women, were buried in Beit Hanoun on Thursday amid emotional scenes.Palestinian officials described the killings as a massacre.\"I'm very uncomfortable with this event. I'm very distressed, Mr Olmert was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency..\"I checked it and I verified it. This is not the policy,\" he said.But military operations against suspected Palestinian militants would continue, he added, admitting that further mistakes \"may happen\". *Washington Post: \"BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip, Nov. 9 -- This farming community buried the al-Athamnah family Thursday, after marching through muddy streets bearing the bodies of the dead aloft and reaffirming in angry chants its commitment to war with Israel.Tens of thousands of Palestinians squeezed through narrow lanes here a day after Israeli artillery shells killed 20 civilians, all but three of them from the same family. The Israeli military announced Thursday that the bombardment of the neighborhood was the result of a \"technical failure in the artillery radar system.\"\"You see the sadness everywhere,\" said Rawda Hamad, 40, one of scores of women in enveloping black gowns who had gathered at the burial site. \"And violence will bring violence.\" *Jonathan Steele comments in The Guardian: \"A profound pessimism has taken hold of Israel\"The Israeli artillery fire that claimed 18 civilian lives in Beit Hanoun this week is the worst single attack in Gaza for six years. Whether it will prompt an end to Hamas's moratorium on suicide bombings hangs in the balance, but the attack - said by Israeli officials to be an error - has clearly put Israel on the moral defensive.Even if the shells had been properly aimed, they would still reflect the same shockingly disproportionate response that Israel inflicted on Lebanon this summer after two soldiers were captured in a cross-border operation by Hizbullah guerrillas. Three months after the 34-day war against their northern neighbour, Israelis are still debating what, if anything, it achieved. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/massacre-at-beit-hanoun/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"For Whom the Bell Tolls\" ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Israeli Government admitted that the shelling was due to \"technical error\" and stated that it could happen again.  One can argue endlessly about the justification for such attacks. One thing is certain -- retaliatory action follows every time after such incidents.  Recruits  are readily available to  become martyrs to avenge their  family members and friends.  The cycle of violence will  continue and a generation of  children  (those who survive) will grow up with anger and hatred in their hearts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the major suppliers of military hardware to the Israelis, we are not free from responsibility in the deaths and destruction.  There is pressing need for negotiating a settlement.  Unfortunately, we have squandered our moral authority.  The Bush administration's distaste for Hamas  made it  sit back and give full support to Israel.  But Hamas came to power after legitimately held election.   Disregarding that fact is neither right nor prudent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6128614.stm\"\u003eBeit Hanoun\u003c/a\u003e (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis street in Beit Hanoun is very, very quiet indeed. It's just a matter of hours since a number of Israeli shells fell on houses in this area, killing 18 people, including six children and two women.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6134412.stm\"\u003eGaza\u003c/a\u003e hit was 'technical failure' (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003eIsraeli PM Ehud Olmert has said an army artillery barrage that killed 18 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip was the result of a \"technical failure\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe said troops had targeted an orange grove from which rockets had been fired on Wednesday, but instead hit homes in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe victims, including several children and women, were buried in Beit Hanoun on Thursday amid emotional scenes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePalestinian officials described the killings as a massacre.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm very uncomfortable with this event. I'm very distressed, Mr Olmert was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency..\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I checked it and I verified it. This is not the policy,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut military operations against suspected Palestinian militants would continue, he added, admitting that further mistakes \"may happen\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/09/AR2006110901793.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/09/AR2006110901793.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \"BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip, Nov. 9 -- This farming community buried the al-Athamnah family Thursday, after marching through muddy streets bearing the bodies of the dead aloft and reaffirming in angry chants its commitment to war with Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTens of thousands of Palestinians squeezed through narrow lanes here a day after Israeli artillery shells killed 20 civilians, all but three of them from the same family. The Israeli military announced Thursday that the bombardment of the neighborhood was the result of a \"technical failure in the artillery radar system.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"You see the sadness everywhere,\" said Rawda Hamad, 40, one of scores of women in enveloping black gowns who had gathered at the burial site. \"And violence will bring violence.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Steele comments in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1944206,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e: \"A profound pessimism has taken hold of Israel\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Israeli artillery fire that claimed 18 civilian lives in Beit Hanoun this week is the worst single attack in Gaza for six years. Whether it will prompt an end to Hamas's moratorium on suicide bombings hangs in the balance, but the attack - said by Israeli officials to be an error - has clearly put Israel on the moral defensive.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eEven if the shells had been properly aimed, they would still reflect the same shockingly disproportionate response that Israel inflicted on Lebanon this summer after two soldiers were captured in a cross-border operation by Hizbullah guerrillas. Three months after the 34-day war against their northern neighbour, Israelis are still debating what, if anything, it achieved.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Massacre at Beit Hanoun"},{"content":" Defeat for George Allen in Virginia * Defeat for Richard Pombo in California 11:05 AM Pacific timeSenate goes to Democrats. What is the vice president (tiebreaker) to do? Gnash his teeth and shoot someone or something. All of a sudden there are reports about a \"changed president\". Huh ! The man is scrambling to salvage what he can. He either plays ball with Congress or spends the remaining term of his presidency with Barney, the dog. Sen. George Allen will concede the Virginia race to Democrat Jim Webb, giving Democrats a majority vote in the U.S. Senate, CNN.And in the 11th Congressional District of California, Richard Pombo (who never met a polluter he didn't like) was defeated by newcomer Jerry McNerney despite (or perhaps because of) personal appearance by President Bush and a barrage of negative ads against McNerney.The San Francisco Chronicle (Editorial 11/9/06)TO FULLY understand Tuesday's Democratic victory, look no further than California's 11th Congressional District.It was there that Jerry McNerney, an obscure Democratic candidate with almost no political experience, toppled Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, a powerful member of the Republican majority in Congress.Pombo suffered from being a protége of disgraced former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who elevated this San Joaquin County rancher with a hatred of many environmental regulations to chairman of the House Resources Committee. He also had received contributions from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.Pombo's efforts to weaken environmental regulations inspired the anger of environmentalists who, among many others, flooded his district to promote McNerney's candidacy. Almost the entire volunteer effort was run independently of the Democratic Party.The GOP selection of Pombo to head a committee charged with guarding the nation's environment was one of the most cynical acts of its now shattered majority. His departure from Congress is long overdue. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/president-and-barney---good-news-comes-in-spades/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDefeat for George Allen in Virginia * Defeat for Richard Pombo in California \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e11:05 AM Pacific time\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSenate goes to Democrats.  What is  the vice president (tiebreaker) to do?  Gnash his teeth and shoot someone or something. All of a sudden there are reports about a \"changed president\".  Huh !  The man is scrambling to salvage what he can.  He either plays ball with Congress or spends the remaining term of his presidency with Barney, the dog. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSen. George Allen will concede the Virginia race to Democrat Jim Webb, giving Democrats a majority vote in the U.S. Senate, \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/09/va.senate/index.html\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd in the 11th Congressional District of California, Richard Pombo (who never met a polluter he didn't like) was defeated by newcomer Jerry McNerney despite (or perhaps because of) personal appearance by President Bush and a barrage of negative ads against McNerney.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/09/EDG8EM8OGP1.DTL\u0026amp;hw=Richard+Pombo\u0026amp;sn=004\u0026amp;sc=410\"\u003eThe San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e (Editorial 11/9/06)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTO FULLY understand Tuesday's Democratic victory, look no further than California's 11th Congressional District.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt was there that Jerry McNerney, an obscure Democratic candidate with almost no political experience, toppled Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, a powerful member of the Republican majority in Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePombo suffered from being a protége of disgraced former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who elevated this San Joaquin County rancher with a hatred of many environmental regulations to chairman of the House Resources Committee. He also had received contributions from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePombo's efforts to weaken environmental regulations inspired the anger of environmentalists who, among many others, flooded his district to promote McNerney's candidacy. Almost the entire volunteer effort was run independently of the Democratic Party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe GOP selection of Pombo to head a committee charged with guarding the nation's environment was one of the most cynical acts of its now shattered majority. His departure from Congress is long overdue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President and Barney - Good News Comes in Spades"},{"content":" And More Bushspeak - The Frat Boy LivesSarah M, a kindred spirit from England forwarded the editorial from this morning's Guardian with the note \"from Sarah, too\" And she attached image of a rose. She is not happy about Lieberman's victory. It didn't please me either. It would be interesting to see what Senator Lieberman does as an Independent member. The Democrats need him on their side and no doubt they will make some accommodations.Thank You, AmericaFor six years, latterly with the backing of both houses of a markedly conservative Republican Congress, George Bush has led an American administration that has played an unprecedentedly negative and polarising role in the world's affairs. On Tuesday, in the midterm US congressional elections, American voters rebuffed Mr Bush in spectacular style and with both instant and lasting political consequences. By large numbers and across almost every state of the union, the voters defeated Republican candidates and put the opposition Democrats back in charge of the House of Representatives for the first time in a dozen years.When the remaining recounts and legal challenges are over, the Democrats may even have narrowly won control of the Senate too. Either way, the results change the political landscape in Washington for the final two years of this now thankfully diminished presidency. They also reassert a different and better United States that can again offer hope instead of despair to the world. Donald Rumsfeld's resignation last night was a fitting climax to the voters' verdict. Thank you, America. * To read the complete editorial, go to the link in The Guardian, UK.The Asia Times has a number of reports about Secretary Rumsfeld's departure. One of them reads: \"Rumsfeld takes a hit for Bush\"! There can be no questions about his botched up management of the war in Iraq, but it is the president (\"I'm a war president\") who should be held accountable. Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz, among other champions of PNAC, persuaded the president to go to war. The president cannot admit that, so he and Donald Rumsfeld went through a charade.A few gems from the president's press conference on November 8th.And while the ballots are still being counted in the Senate, it's clear the Democrat Party had a good night last night. And I congratulate them on their victories.Deliberately or due to his ignorance, the president continues to say \"Democrat Party\" instead of Democratic Party. I'm inclined to think that he does it deliberately. It is the frat boy in him.\"To the people of Iraq: Do not be fearful.\"BUSH: As you take the difficult steps toward democracy and peace, America's going to stand with you. We know you want a better way of life, and now is the time to seize it.If I were an Iraqi I'd say \"You have done enough. Please leave us alone.\"My point is is that, while we have been adjusting, we will continue to adjust to achieve the objective. And I believe that's what the American people want.Somehow it's seeped in their conscience that, you know, my attitude was just simply \"Stay the course.\" \"Stay the course\" means let's get the job done, but it doesn't mean staying stuck on a strategy or tactics that may not be working. So perhaps I need to do a better job of explaining that we're constantly adjusting.And so the fresh perspective (ph) on what the American people here today is we're constantly looking for fresh perspective. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/from-across-the-atlantic-thank-you-america/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnd More Bushspeak - The Frat Boy Lives\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSarah M, a kindred spirit from England forwarded the editorial from this morning's Guardian with the note \"from Sarah, too\" And she attached image of a rose.  She is not happy about Lieberman's victory.  It didn't please me either.  It would be interesting to see what Senator Lieberman does as an Independent member.  The Democrats need him on their side and no doubt they will make some accommodations.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThank You, America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor six years, latterly with the backing of both houses of a markedly conservative Republican Congress, George Bush has led an American administration that has played an unprecedentedly negative and polarising role in the world's affairs. On Tuesday, in the midterm US congressional elections, American voters rebuffed Mr Bush in spectacular style and with both instant and lasting political consequences. By large numbers and across almost every state of the union, the voters defeated Republican candidates and put the opposition Democrats back in charge of the House of Representatives for the first time in a dozen years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the remaining recounts and legal challenges are over, the Democrats may even have narrowly won control of the Senate too. Either way, the results change the political landscape in Washington for the final two years of this now thankfully diminished presidency. They also reassert a different and better United States that can again offer hope instead of despair to the world. Donald Rumsfeld's resignation last night was a fitting climax to the voters' verdict. Thank you, America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo read the complete editorial, go to the link in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/midterms2006/story/0,,1942821,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian, UK\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/11/images.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Asia Times has a number of reports about Secretary Rumsfeld's departure.  One of them reads:  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/HK10Aa04.html\"\u003eRumsfeld takes a hit for Bush\u003c/a\u003e\"!  There can be no questions about his botched up management of the war in Iraq, but  it is the president (\"I'm a war president\")  who  should be held accountable. Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz, among other champions of \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century\"\u003ePNAC\u003c/a\u003e,  persuaded the president to go to war.  The president cannot admit that, so he and Donald Rumsfeld went through a charade.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few gems from the president's press conference on November 8th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd while the ballots are still being counted in the Senate, it's clear the Democrat Party had a good night last night. And I congratulate them on their victories.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eDeliberately or due to his ignorance, the president continues to say \"Democrat Party\" instead of Democratic Party.  I'm inclined to think that he does it deliberately.  It is the frat boy in him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"To the people of Iraq: Do not be fearful.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBUSH: As you take the difficult steps toward democracy and peace, America's going to stand with you. We know you want a better way of life, and now is the time to seize it.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIf I were an Iraqi I'd say \"You have done enough.  Please leave us alone.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMy point is is that, while we have been adjusting, we will continue to adjust to achieve the objective. And I believe that's what the American people want.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSomehow it's seeped in their conscience that, you know, my attitude was just simply \"Stay the course.\" \"Stay the course\" means let's get the job done, but it doesn't mean staying stuck on a strategy or tactics that may not be working. So perhaps I need to do a better job of explaining that we're constantly adjusting.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd so the fresh perspective (ph) on what the American people here today is we're constantly looking for fresh perspective.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"From Across the Atlantic : \"Thank You, America\""},{"content":" A Joyful Morning * Bullies and Buffoons Depart Center Stage\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\"--Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to CharlemagneA hearty \"Thank you\" to those who voted in the midterm elections. This is what I had posted on November 8, 2004: \"Many of us seem to be in denial, offering arguments that Bush does not have a \"mandate\". Face it. He has, he has. Backed by a Congress with larger majorities in both houses, he will continue to move the nation to the right. His core support groups expect it of him, and he has proven beyond any doubt his tenacity to stick to his positions. Be prepared for social and environmental issues to suffer set backs on the domestic front. On foreign policy matters he might be forced to give some ground in an effort for rapprochement with Europe. \" On that day I certainly did not expect the political landscape to change so drastically within two years. But the Republicans helped; led by a dictatorial president they became power mad and self-destructed. The arrogant president will no longer have a subservient House of Representatives at his beck and call. It is uncertain whether the Republicans would be able to maintain their majority in the Senate, but if they do Vice President Cheney (Dr. Strangelove) might have to emerge from his secret bunker often to be the tiebreaker.Blue is BeautifulNot quite a tsunami, but close. What a difference two years make! The fact that the blustering, mean-spirited,hypocritical bullies have been put in their place is cause for rejoicing.The following deserve special mention.Santorum: Sanctimonious Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania who wrapped himself in Bible and the flag, sank. Pass it on.Harris: Katherine Harris -- the champion of theocracy who, as Florida's secretary of state, engineered gross violations of voters' rights in 2000,-- got hammered. Pass it on.Applause for 21 Senators, including one Republican (Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island) and the 133 members of the House (126 Democrats, 6 Republicans, 1 Independent) who had the courage to stand apart and vote \"Nay\" against the Iraq war in 2002.Applause for South Dakotans who voted against the draconian abortion ban introduced by bigots in their state.The victory feels good.......YES. But I have no illusions about the Democrats. How are they going to handle power ? They will not remain squeaky clean -- our campaign finance system makes that an unattainable goal -- but they can stay above the abysmal level of their predecessors in Congress. An ordinary rank and file Democrat, if I could speak to a member of the Democratic leadership, this is what I would say.Be humbleRemember that results of the 2006 Midterm Elections are more about their loss than your victory. The American people voted against them and you won by default.The president gleefully created a bloody mess in Iraq and some of you helped him to do it. There is no easy way out. But the majority of the Iraqis don't want us there. Look for solutions, avoid platitudes.Don't go to bed with the K-Street gang. Think of what happened to those who did. When you are courted by the lobbyists, remember you don't get something for nothing.Support the proposed H.R. 4682: Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006Give god a rest. A lot of bad things have been done in his name during the past six years.The separation of church and state, as envisaged by Thomas Jefferson, served the nation well in the past.Your words and actions will be judged just as the members across the aisle were judged. Make sincere efforts to reach bipartisanship.You're there to serve your constituents -- all of them -- not select groups represented by lobbyists.Be humble. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/hubris-vanquished---i-couldve-danced-all-night/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Joyful Morning * Bullies and Buffoons Depart Center  Stage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA hearty \"Thank you\" to those who voted in the midterm elections.  This is what I had \u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=109993529217988006\"\u003eposted\u003c/a\u003e on  November 8, 2004:  \"Many of us seem to be in denial, offering arguments that Bush does not have a \"mandate\". Face it. He has, he has. Backed by a Congress with larger majorities in both houses, he will continue to move the nation to the right. His core support groups expect it of him, and he has proven beyond any doubt his tenacity to stick to his positions. Be prepared for social and environmental issues to suffer set backs on the domestic front. On foreign policy matters he might be forced to give some ground in an effort for rapprochement with Europe. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e On that day I certainly did not expect the political landscape to change so drastically within two years.  But the Republicans helped; led by a dictatorial president they became power mad and self-destructed.  The arrogant president will no longer have a subservient House of Representatives at his beck and call.  It is uncertain whether the Republicans would be able to maintain their majority in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110800489.html\"\u003eSenate\u003c/a\u003e, but if they do Vice President Cheney (Dr. Strangelove)  might have to emerge from his secret bunker often to be the tiebreaker.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlue is Beautiful\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot quite a tsunami, but close. What a difference two years make! The fact that the blustering, mean-spirited,hypocritical bullies have been put in their place is cause for rejoicing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe following deserve special mention.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSantorum:  Sanctimonious Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania who wrapped himself in Bible and the flag, sank. Pass it on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHarris:  Katherine Harris -- the champion of theocracy who, as Florida's secretary of state, engineered gross violations of voters' rights in 2000,-- got hammered. Pass it on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eApplause for 21 Senators, including one Republican (Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island) and the 133 members of the House (126 Democrats, 6 Republicans, 1 Independent) who had the courage to stand apart and vote \"\u003ca href=\"http://usliberals.about.com/od/liberalleadership/a/IraqNayVote.htm\"\u003eNay\u003c/a\u003e\" against the Iraq war in 2002.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApplause for \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110800094.html\"\u003eSouth Dakotans\u003c/a\u003e who voted against the draconian abortion ban introduced by bigots in their state.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe victory feels good.......YES. But I have no illusions about the Democrats. How are they going to handle power ? They will not  remain squeaky clean -- our campaign finance system makes that an unattainable goal -- but they can stay above the abysmal level of their predecessors in Congress.  An ordinary rank and file Democrat, if I could speak to a member of the Democratic leadership, this is what I would say.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBe humble\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember that results of the 2006 Midterm Elections are more about their loss than your victory. The American people voted against them and you won by default.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president gleefully created a bloody mess in Iraq and some of you helped him to do it.  There is no easy way out. But the majority of the Iraqis don't want us there.  Look for solutions, avoid platitudes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't go to bed with the K-Street gang. Think of what happened to those who did. When you are courted by the lobbyists, remember you don't get something for nothing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSupport  the proposed H.R. 4682: \u003ca href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-4682\"\u003eHonest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGive god a rest. A lot of bad things have been done in his name during the past six years.The separation of church and state, as envisaged by Thomas Jefferson, served the nation well in the past.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYour words and actions will be judged just as the members across the aisle were judged. Make sincere efforts to reach bipartisanship.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou're there to serve your constituents -- all of them -- not select groups represented by lobbyists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBe humble.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hubris Vanquished - \"I Could've Danced All Night\""},{"content":" Midterm Elections 2006 Please, don't sit this one out. There is a lot at stake and your vote counts.America's Crisis of ConfidenceSurvey Finds Doubts About Leaders, and Nation's SafetyBy Elizabeth WilliamsonWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, November 7, 2006; A19Here's something to think about when you cast your vote today: A new study shows that Americans have lost faith in the people who lead their federal, state and local governments, and in businesses, churches and schools. And they are afraid to fly.\"America is in trouble,\" reads the introduction to the 2006 National Leadership Index, sponsored by U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. According to the report, nearly three-quarters of Americans think that the nation faces a \"leadership crisis.\"This is the survey's second year, and it has been downhill all the way, said Todd Pittinsky, the center's research director. \"Most groups are following the general trend of having low confidence and, if anything, having that confidence slip further.\"The only leaders who earn more than a smidgen of Americans' confidence, the researchers say, are those in the military and medical fields. (Confidence in the media didn't slip, but it was in the sewer already.)\"We could have asked about grandmothers,\" Pittinsky said. \"Maybe we could have had more confidence in grandmothers.\"The researchers hope the survey will \"contribute to our ongoing civic dialogue -- deepening our understanding of ourselves and the pressing need for effective, responsible democratic leadership.\"Sounds scary. Like the section called \"Global Leadership and Fear,\" in which 1,600 people were asked: \"How optimistic do you feel about the safety of the United States from a terrorist attack?\" Half felt at least a wee bit optimistic. But of the other half, 18 percent were somewhat pessimistic, and 16 percent wigged into the panicky \"very pessimistic\" category. Oddly, an additional 15 percent were neither pessimistic nor optimistic about the nation's safety.Perhaps, joked survey researcher and assistant professor Seth Rosenthal, these are people \"so paralyzed they can't even tell you if they're pessimistic.\"The researchers also asked: \"If you flew today, how confident do you feel that you would be safe from terrorist harm on a domestic flight?\" Nearly half sucked it up on this one, saying they felt confident about flying safely. But 13 percent put a potential evildoer on every plane. \"That's pretty bad,\" Rosenthal said. \"Obviously there aren't planes being dropped out of the sky every day.\"Blending fears of leadership failure and flying, the study further found that \"Americans who are not confident at all that government leaders in Washington will respond effectively to an emergency crisis are less confident than other Americans about their safety from a terrorist attack on a domestic flight.\"Any bright spots?The group was asked to guess where the United States ranks among the top 32 industrialized nations in terms of citizens' life expectancy, economic equality and mathematics literacy.Sunny optimism: The group put the United States in 10th place for longevity, and 15th for both economic equality and math skills.Misplaced optimism, it turns out: Global rankings place the nation in 24th place for longevity, 30th for economic equality and 25th for math literacy. In other words, we are more elitist and lousier in math than even these disappointed, mistrustful and frightened Americans imagined. And we'll all die sooner than they thought.\"Americans . . . hold the country in high esteem,\" Rosenthal said. \"Maybe higher than is realistic.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/stand-up-and-deliver/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections 2006 \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlease, don't sit this one out.  There is a lot at stake and your vote counts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmerica's Crisis of Confidence\u003cbr/\u003eSurvey Finds Doubts About Leaders, and Nation's Safety\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy Elizabeth Williamson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/06/AR2006110600889.html\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003eStaff Writer\u003cbr/\u003eTuesday, November 7, 2006; A19\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere's something to think about when you cast your vote today: A new study shows that Americans have lost faith in the people who lead their federal, state and local governments, and in businesses, churches and schools. And they are afraid to fly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"America is in trouble,\" reads the introduction to the 2006 National Leadership Index, sponsored by U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. According to the report, nearly three-quarters of Americans think that the nation faces a \"leadership crisis.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is the survey's second year, and it has been downhill all the way, said Todd Pittinsky, the center's research director. \"Most groups are following the general trend of having low confidence and, if anything, having that confidence slip further.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe only leaders who earn more than a smidgen of Americans' confidence, the researchers say, are those in the military and medical fields. (Confidence in the media didn't slip, but it was in the sewer already.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We could have asked about grandmothers,\" Pittinsky said. \"Maybe we could have had more confidence in grandmothers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe researchers hope the survey will \"contribute to our ongoing civic dialogue -- deepening our understanding of ourselves and the pressing need for effective, responsible democratic leadership.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSounds scary. Like the section called \"Global Leadership and Fear,\" in which 1,600 people were asked: \"How optimistic do you feel about the safety of the United States from a terrorist attack?\" Half felt at least a wee bit optimistic. But of the other half, 18 percent were somewhat pessimistic, and 16 percent wigged into the panicky \"very pessimistic\" category. Oddly, an additional 15 percent were neither pessimistic nor optimistic about the nation's safety.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps, joked survey researcher and assistant professor Seth Rosenthal, these are people \"so paralyzed they can't even tell you if they're pessimistic.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe researchers also asked: \"If you flew today, how confident do you feel that you would be safe from terrorist harm on a domestic flight?\" Nearly half sucked it up on this one, saying they felt confident about flying safely. But 13 percent put a potential evildoer on every plane. \"That's pretty bad,\" Rosenthal said. \"Obviously there aren't planes being dropped out of the sky every day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlending fears of leadership failure and flying, the study further found that \"Americans who are not confident at all that government leaders in Washington will respond effectively to an emergency crisis are less confident than other Americans about their safety from a terrorist attack on a domestic flight.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAny bright spots?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe group was asked to guess where the United States ranks among the top 32 industrialized nations in terms of citizens' life expectancy, economic equality and mathematics literacy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunny optimism: The group put the United States in 10th place for longevity, and 15th for both economic equality and math skills.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMisplaced optimism, it turns out: Global rankings place the nation in 24th place for longevity, 30th for economic equality and 25th for math literacy. In other words, we are more elitist and lousier in math than even these disappointed, mistrustful and frightened Americans imagined. And we'll all die sooner than they thought.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Americans . . . hold the country in high esteem,\" Rosenthal said. \"Maybe higher than is realistic.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Stand Up and Deliver\""},{"content":" At one time they claimed to have Him in their corner. But the signs are clear. He has had it with being used by bigoted Christians. A day before the midterm elections, in the flood tide of negative advertisements and smear campaigns, this one stands out as an example of utter crassness. Now we have pre-election \"telephone prayer service\" ! That is pushing bad taste to new heights.From The Tampa TribuneTAMPA - U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, who has made past comments that raised questions about her religious sensitivity, prayed in a telephone prayer service recently that God would \"bring the hearts and minds of our Jewish brothers and sisters into alignment.\"A Harris spokeswoman said Friday that the Longboat Key Republican, who has advocated electing Christian officeholders, was talking about converting Jews to vote Republican, not to Christianity.In a conference call prayer service sponsored by a religious conservative group on Oct. 3, Harris expressed the belief that Florida will lead the nation in a spiritual reawakening. She said that will include changes in government, including prayer in schools and changes in tax regulations on churches and charities.\"We just decree and declare there will be a shift for this nation, that there will be an enormous revival, even a revolution as we speak,\" she prayed. \"Once again, we'll rejoice, rejoice with your Son and bring this nation into alignment with your government with your kingdom principles and authority.\"I hear someone barfing; must be Him. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/gods-own-party/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt one time they claimed to have Him in their corner.  But the signs are clear.  He has had it with being used by  bigoted Christians.  A day before the midterm elections, in the flood tide of negative advertisements and smear campaigns,  this one stands out as an example of utter crassness.  Now we have  pre-election \"telephone prayer service\" !   That is pushing bad taste to new heights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFrom The Tampa Tribune\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTAMPA - \u003ca href=\"http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBNSMYJ3UE.html\"\u003eU.S. Rep. Katherine Harris\u003c/a\u003e, who has made past comments that raised questions about her religious sensitivity, prayed in a telephone prayer service recently that God would \"bring the hearts and minds of our Jewish brothers and sisters into alignment.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA Harris spokeswoman said Friday that the Longboat Key Republican, who has advocated electing Christian officeholders, was talking about converting Jews to vote Republican, not to Christianity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn a conference call prayer service sponsored by a religious conservative group on Oct. 3, Harris expressed the belief that Florida will lead the nation in a spiritual reawakening. She said that will include changes in government, including prayer in schools and changes in tax regulations on churches and charities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We just decree and declare there will be a shift for this nation, that there will be an enormous revival, even a revolution as we speak,\" she prayed. \"Once again, we'll rejoice, rejoice with your Son and bring this nation into alignment with your government with your kingdom principles and authority.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI hear someone barfing; must be Him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"God's Own Party ?"},{"content":" This item from Writer's Almanac was forwarded by my friend JHL. The poem can be heard in audio. By sheer coincidence I happened to watch Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971) on video a few nights back. Filmed in England, Dustin Hoffman and Susan George in the leading roles. Not quite my cup of tea.How to Live\"I don't know how to live.\"–Sharon OldsEat lots of steak and salmon and Thai curry and mu shupork and fresh green beans and baked potatoesand fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream.Kick-box three days a week. Stay strong and lean.Go fly-fishing every chance you get, with friendswho'll teach you secrets of the stream. Play guitarin a rock band. Read Dostoyevsky, Whitman, Kafka,Shakespeare, Twain. Collect Uncle Scrooge comics.See Peckinpah's Straw Dogs, and everything Monty Python made.Love freely. Treat ex-partners as kindlyas you can. Wish them as well as you're able.Snorkel with moray eels and yellow tangs. Watchspinner dolphins earn their name as your panga slam-bams over glittering seas. Try not to lie; it soursthe soul. But being a patsy sours it too. If you causea car wreck, and aren't hurt, but someone is, apologizesilently. Learn from your mistake. Walk gratefullyaway. Let your insurance handle it. Never drive drunk.Don't be a drunk, or any kind of \"aholic.\" It's badEnglish, and bad news. Don't berate yourself. If you losea game or prize you've earned, remember the winnershistory forgets. Remember them if you do win. Enjoysuccess. Have kids if you want and can afford them,but don't make them your reason-to-be. Spare them thatmisery. Take them to the beach. Mail order seamonkeys once in your life. Give someone the full-onass-kicking he (or she) has earned. Keep a box turtlein good heath for twenty years. If you get sick, don't thriveon suffering. There's nothing noble about pain. Dieif you need to, the best way you can. (You define best.)Go to church if it helps you. Grow tomatoes to put store-bought in perspective. Listen to Elvis and Bach. Unlessyou're tone deaf, own Perlman's \"Meditation from Thais.\"Don't look for hidden meanings in a cardinal's song.Don't think TV characters talk to you; that's crazy.Don't be too sane. Work hard. Loaf easily. Have goodfriends, and be good to them. Be immoderatein moderation. Spend little time anesthetized. Divethe Great Barrier Reef. Don't touch the coral. Watchfor sea snakes. Smile for the camera. Don't say \"Cheese.\"--Charles Harper Webb, Amplified Dog ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/a-poem-to-brighten-sunday-or-any-day/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis  item from Writer's Almanac was forwarded by my friend JHL.  The poem can be heard in \u003ca href=\"http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=37322\u0026amp;mlid=499\u0026amp;siteid=20130\u0026amp;uid=2ceba1233e\"\u003eaudio.\u003c/a\u003e By sheer coincidence I happened to watch Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971) on video a few nights back. Filmed in England, Dustin Hoffman and Susan George in the leading roles. Not quite my cup of tea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow to Live\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\"I don't know how to live.\"\u003cbr/\u003e–Sharon Olds\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEat lots of steak and salmon and Thai curry and mu shu\u003cbr/\u003epork and fresh green beans and baked potatoes\u003cbr/\u003eand fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream.\u003cbr/\u003eKick-box three days a week. Stay strong and lean.\u003cbr/\u003eGo fly-fishing every chance you get, with friends\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ewho'll teach you secrets of the stream. Play guitar\u003cbr/\u003ein a rock band. Read Dostoyevsky, Whitman, Kafka,\u003cbr/\u003eShakespeare, Twain. Collect Uncle Scrooge comics.\u003cbr/\u003eSee Peckinpah's Straw Dogs, and everything Monty Python made.\u003cbr/\u003eLove freely. Treat ex-partners as kindly\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eas you can. Wish them as well as you're able.\u003cbr/\u003eSnorkel with moray eels and yellow tangs. Watch\u003cbr/\u003espinner dolphins earn their name as your panga slam-\u003cbr/\u003ebams over glittering seas. Try not to lie; it sours\u003cbr/\u003ethe soul. But being a patsy sours it too. If you cause\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ea car wreck, and aren't hurt, but someone is, apologize\u003cbr/\u003esilently. Learn from your mistake. Walk gratefully\u003cbr/\u003eaway. Let your insurance handle it. Never drive drunk.\u003cbr/\u003eDon't be a drunk, or any kind of \"aholic.\" It's bad\u003cbr/\u003eEnglish, and bad news. Don't berate yourself. If you lose\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ea game or prize you've earned, remember the winners\u003cbr/\u003ehistory forgets. Remember them if you do win. Enjoy\u003cbr/\u003esuccess. Have kids if you want and can afford them,\u003cbr/\u003ebut don't make them your reason-to-be. Spare them that\u003cbr/\u003emisery. Take them to the beach. Mail order sea\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003emonkeys once in your life. Give someone the full-on\u003cbr/\u003eass-kicking he (or she) has earned. Keep a box turtle\u003cbr/\u003ein good heath for twenty years. If you get sick, don't thrive\u003cbr/\u003eon suffering. There's nothing noble about pain. Die\u003cbr/\u003eif you need to, the best way you can. (You define best.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGo to church if it helps you. Grow tomatoes to put store-\u003cbr/\u003ebought in perspective. Listen to Elvis and Bach. Unless\u003cbr/\u003eyou're tone deaf, own Perlman's \"Meditation from Thais.\"\u003cbr/\u003eDon't look for hidden meanings in a cardinal's song.\u003cbr/\u003eDon't think TV characters talk to you; that's crazy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't be too sane. Work hard. Loaf easily. Have good\u003cbr/\u003efriends, and be good to them. Be immoderate\u003cbr/\u003ein moderation. Spend little time anesthetized. Dive\u003cbr/\u003ethe Great Barrier Reef. Don't touch the coral. Watch\u003cbr/\u003efor sea snakes. Smile for the camera. Don't say \"Cheese.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Charles Harper Webb, Amplified Dog\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Poem to brighten  Sunday, or any day"},{"content":" For Rev. Ted Haggard, no more conference calls with the White House\"Agreed to resign\"! Did he have a choice ? A clear example of the saying \"Hoisted by his own petard\". It does not matter how they try to spin it, the once powerful Rev. Haggard will soon disappear into oblivion. Once the sordid details began to come out, the New Life Church of Colorado Springs,CO, sought a quick end by kicking Haggard out. There must be panic among others like him who preach about hell and damnation from the pulpits. But that is a common situation with hypocrites, especially when it comes to their sex lives. Not easy to maintain the hollow facade. Think of their miserable existence; always afraid of exposure and yet keeping up a front by their anti-gay, anti-abortion rants. No wonder Rev. Haggard bought methamphetamine.Rev. Haggard is not going to be back as president of National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) either.CNN:\"COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Nov.4,2006 - The Rev. Ted Haggard agreed Saturday to resign as leader of the megachurch he started in his basement more than 20 years ago after its independent investigative board said he was guilty of \"sexually immoral conduct.\"On Friday, the White House sought to downplay Haggard's influence within the administration. Spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Friday that it was inaccurate to portray him as being close to the White House, insisting Haggard was only an occasional participant in weekly conference calls between West Wing staff and leading evangelicals. \"He has been on a couple of calls,\" Fratto said. \"He's been to the White House one or two times.\"Last year, Time -- citing Haggard's White House access -- put him on its list of the nation's 25 most influential evangelicals. (Time.com article)\nEnd of Republican dominance?Headline of the report by Dan Balz and David Broder reads: \"Democrats, on the Offensive, Could Gain Both Houses\". Both houses! That would be something to celebrate but I would be happy if they succeed in taking the House. We can set our eyes on the Senate and the White House in 2008. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/another-holier-than-thou-bites-the-dust/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFor Rev. Ted Haggard, no more conference calls with the White House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Agreed to resign\"!  Did he have a choice ? A clear example of the saying \"Hoisted by his own petard\".  It does not matter how they try to spin it, the once powerful Rev. Haggard   will soon disappear into oblivion. Once the sordid details began to come out, the New Life Church of Colorado Springs,CO, sought a quick end by kicking Haggard out.  There must be panic among others like him who preach about hell and damnation from the pulpits.  But that is a common situation with hypocrites, especially when it comes to their sex lives.  Not easy to maintain the hollow facade.   Think of their  miserable existence; always afraid of exposure and yet keeping up a front by their anti-gay, anti-abortion rants.  No wonder  Rev. Haggard bought methamphetamine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRev. Haggard is not going to be back as president of National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) either.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/03/haggard.allegations/index.html\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\"COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Nov.4,2006 -  The Rev. Ted Haggard agreed Saturday to resign as leader of the megachurch he started in his basement more than 20 years ago after its independent investigative board said he was guilty of \"sexually immoral conduct.\"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn Friday, the White House sought to downplay Haggard's influence within the administration. Spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Friday that it was inaccurate to portray him as being close to the White House, insisting Haggard was only an occasional participant in weekly conference calls between West Wing staff and leading evangelicals. \"He has been on a couple of calls,\" Fratto said. \"He's been to the White House one or two times.\"Last year, Time -- citing Haggard's White House access -- put him on its list of the nation's 25 most influential evangelicals. (\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/time/covers/1101050207/photoessay/11.html\" target=\"new\"\u003eTime.com article\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"external link\" class=\"cnnOffsite\" hspace=\"0\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/11/icon.offsite.gif\" vspace=\"1\"/\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Another \"Holier than thou\" bites the dust"},{"content":" How the World Sees it: Fear = G.W. BushSurprise, or is it? It was President Lincoln who said: \"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.\" Here our president is going hoarse trying to convince voters in America that Democrats cannot be trusted and that they are weak on terrorism. The warmonger has become fearmonger. The polls are predicting an outcome that, if proven right, would cripple the remaining years of Bush presidency. So his desperation is a no brainer. But on the other side of the Atlantic our closest allies in the Coalition, the Brits have a different, very different, outlook. They don't feel good about the fact that Prime Minister Blair hitched up his star (which has become tarnished) to Bush's war, and they think that our president is a dangerous man.In a recent survey conducted by major newspapers in four countries -- The Guardian (UK), Haaretz in Israel, La Presse and Toronto Star in Canada, and the Reforma in Mexico -- President Bush is No.2 among those who are considered as dangerous to world peace. He is between Osama bin Laden (No.1) and North Korea's Kim Jong-il (No.3) ! bin Laden received 87% rating, President Bush 75%, and Kim Jong-il 69%. Caption of the article in The Guardian reads: \"British believe Bush is more dangerous than Kim Jong-il\"America is now seen as a threat to world peace by its closest neighbours and allies, according to an international survey of public opinion published today that reveals just how far the country's reputation has fallen among former supporters since the invasion of Iraq.Carried out as US voters prepare to go to the polls next week in an election dominated by the war, the research also shows that British voters see George Bush as a greater danger to world peace than either the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, or the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both countries were once cited by the US president as part of an \"axis of evil\", but it is Mr Bush who now alarms voters in countries with traditionally strong links to the US.Read the full article in The GuardianEugene Robinson in the Post: \"How Low Will Bush Go?\"If Democrats manage to take control of one or both houses of Congress on Tuesday, the reason will be that voters were not adequately roused into a state of heart-pounding, knee-knocking, teeth-chattering fear.Not that Republicans haven't been trying. George W. Bush used to claim he was \"a uniter, not a divider,\" but that was a long time ago. These days, he'd probably try to deny the quote the same way he tried to disown \"stay the course.\" The Karl Rove formula for political victory has been to draw a bright line between \"us\" and \"them\" and then paint those on the other side not as opponents but as monsters.\"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air\"The Three Witches, Macbeth, William Shakespeare, ul r:through the fog and filthy air.\nComments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-11-04 i love how the lefties inevitably turn everything into a vast plot being cooked up by george bush, or the mossad.\nwe could use a little more rational thought and a little less...\nskullmulderry - the act of seeking conspiratorial explanations for all events in a way that splits the human race into three groups: the evil, the brain-dead, and you. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-11-05 It's hardly a conspiracy that people fear GW - a conspiracy is claiming that the \"pages in Congress\" put Mark Foley up to it at the behest of Clinton. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/a-matter-of-trustand-fear/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eHow the World Sees it:  Fear = G.W. Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSurprise, or is it?  It was President Lincoln who said: \u003cspan italic=\"\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.\" Here our president is going hoarse trying to convince voters in America that Democrats cannot be trusted and that they are weak on terrorism.  The warmonger has become fearmonger. The polls are predicting an outcome that, if proven right, would cripple the remaining years of Bush presidency.  So his desperation is a no brainer.  But on the other side of the Atlantic our closest allies in the Coalition, the Brits have a different, very different, outlook.  They don't feel good about the fact that Prime Minister Blair hitched up his star (which has become tarnished) to Bush's war, and they think that our president is a dangerous man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a recent survey conducted by major newspapers in four countries -- The Guardian (UK), Haaretz in Israel, La Presse and Toronto Star in Canada, and the Reforma in Mexico --  President Bush is  No.2 among those who are considered as dangerous to world peace. He is between Osama bin Laden (No.1) and North Korea's Kim Jong-il (No.3) !  bin Laden received 87% rating, President Bush 75%, and Kim Jong-il 69%. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCaption of the article in The Guardian reads: \"British believe Bush is more dangerous than Kim Jong-il\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAmerica is now seen as a threat to world peace by its closest neighbours and allies, according to an international survey of public opinion published today that reveals just how far the country's reputation has fallen among former supporters since the invasion of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eCarried out as US voters prepare to go to the polls next week in an election dominated by the war, the research also shows that British voters see George Bush as a greater danger to world peace than either the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, or the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both countries were once cited by the US president as part of an \"axis of evil\", but it is Mr Bush who now alarms voters in countries with traditionally strong links to the US.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRead the full article in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1938434,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEugene Robinson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110201596.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"How Low Will Bush Go?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIf Democrats manage to take control of one or both houses of Congress on Tuesday, the reason will be that voters were not adequately roused into a state of heart-pounding, knee-knocking, teeth-chattering fear.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNot that Republicans haven't been trying. George W. Bush used to claim he was \"a uniter, not a divider,\" but that was a long time ago. These days, he'd probably try to deny the quote the same way he tried to disown \"stay the course.\" The Karl Rove formula for political victory has been to draw a bright line between \"us\" and \"them\" and then paint those on the other side not as opponents but as monsters.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Fair is foul,  and foul is fair:\u003cbr/\u003e Hover through the fog and filthy air\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Three Witches, Macbeth, William Shakespeare\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e, ul r:through the fog and filthy air.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Matter of Trust....and Fear"},{"content":" Pentecostals * South Dakota * The Rains CameFour days to go. \"It ain't over until the Fat Lady sings\". To us who wish to see the Republicans defeated, would it sound joyful, like Scott Joplin's Tremonisha, or like a tragic opera? The signs are still good but we'll have to wait until the morning of November 8th for the final results. Another sex scandal for the hypocrites. A man named Ted Haggard has been accused of paying for sex with a gay man. This wouldn't have been news except for the fact that Haggard happened to be the Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals who took a leading role in railing against homosexuals. The Post reported:\"Haggard, an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, vigorously denied the allegation. \"Never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife,\" he told a Colorado television station, KUSA. But in a later interview with a different local station, the church's associate pastor said Haggard had offered \"some admission of indiscretion\" to the church leadership -- though \"not admission to all of the material that has been discussed.\"The Christian Right reminds of me the saying about the Moral Majority of yesteryears -- that it was neither moral nor a majority. The supporters seem to have an obsession -- prurient,obsession. They are against women's right to choice. South Dakota legislature passed the most stringent anti-abortion measure in the nation to prevent doctors from performing abortion except in cases where the mother's life is in danger, and on March 6th Gov. Mike Rounds signed it into law. \"The bill was designed to challenge the Supreme Court's ruling in Roe , which in 1973 recognized a right of women to terminate pregnancies. Its sponsors want to force a reexamination of the ruling by the court, which now includes two justices appointed by President Bush.\"They are against availability of the Morning After pill to prevent unwanted pregnancy; they are against dissemination of birth control information to school students. What do they do to help the infants born to unwed mothers who are unable to take care of their babies? *©Ian Britton, FreeFoto.comThe first real rain of the season began on Wednesday evening. It felt good. Yesterday I ran in the rain and found leaves piling up under the trees on Selby Lane (Atherton, CA). There are lovely maple trees in that area. This morning, driving on Foothill Expressway I saw a row of colorful maple trees between Los Altos and Sunnyvale.A few minutes back I watched a young woman walk by holding an umbrella and talking on her cell phone, oblivious of the rain.Listening to Autumn Leaves. The CD is titled Tokyo 96. Keith Jarrett - piano, Gary Peacock - bass, Jack DeJohnette - drums. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/waiting-for-the-fat-lady/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePentecostals * South Dakota * The Rains Came\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFour days to go. \"It ain't over until the Fat Lady sings\".  To us who wish to see the Republicans defeated,  would it sound joyful, like Scott Joplin's Tremonisha, or  like a tragic opera?  The signs are still good but we'll have to wait until the morning of November 8th for the final results.    \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother sex scandal for the hypocrites.  A man named  Ted Haggard has been accused of paying for sex with a gay man.  This wouldn't have been news except for the fact that Haggard happened to be the Rev. Ted Haggard, president of  the National Association of Evangelicals who took a leading role in railing against homosexuals.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/03/AR2006110300317.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported:\"Haggard, an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, vigorously denied the allegation. \"Never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I'm steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife,\" he told a Colorado television station, KUSA.  But in a later interview with a different local station, the church's associate pastor said Haggard had offered \"some admission of indiscretion\" to the church leadership -- though \"not admission to all of the material that has been discussed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Christian Right reminds of me the saying about the Moral Majority of yesteryears -- that it was neither moral nor a majority.  The supporters seem to have an obsession -- prurient,obsession.  They are against women's right to choice.  South Dakota legislature passed the most stringent anti-abortion measure in the nation to prevent doctors from performing abortion except in cases where the mother's life is in danger, and on March 6th Gov. Mike Rounds signed it into law.  \"The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202424.html\"\u003ebill\u003c/a\u003e was designed to challenge the Supreme Court's ruling in \u003ci\u003eRoe\u003c/i\u003e , which in 1973 recognized a right of women to terminate pregnancies. Its sponsors want to force a reexamination of the ruling by the court, which now includes two justices appointed by President Bush.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey are against availability of the Morning After pill to prevent unwanted pregnancy; they are against dissemination of birth control information to school students.  What do they do to help the infants born to unwed mothers who are unable to take care of their babies?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/11/Trees in the rain.jpg\"/\u003e©Ian Britton, FreeFoto.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe first real rain of the season began on Wednesday evening.  It felt good.  Yesterday I ran in the rain and found leaves piling up under the trees on Selby Lane (Atherton, CA).  There are lovely maple trees in that area.  This morning, driving on Foothill Expressway I saw a row of colorful maple trees  between Los Altos and Sunnyvale.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few minutes back I watched a young woman walk by holding an umbrella and talking on her cell phone, oblivious of  the rain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to Autumn Leaves.  The CD is titled Tokyo 96. Keith Jarrett - piano, Gary Peacock - bass, Jack DeJohnette - drums.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Waiting for the Fat Lady"},{"content":" Midterm Elections Going down to the wire -- six more days and it still looks good for Democrats no thanks to John Kerry. It is not that only politicians (think of the Reverend Pat Robertson) open their big mouths and make gaffes but when they do it the media pounces on the story.and the shockwaves are felt. The opposition lapped it up. Of course, the Democrats would have acted no differently. The Commander-in-Chief was delighted to find something to talk about apart from his usual warnings that support for Democrats means support for terrorists. .The bottom line, however, is that for us the numbers look good. Music to my ears. The macaca man, Senator George Allen in Virginia is looking shaky. Dan Balz and Chris Cilliza in the Post: \"When strategists for the two political parties began handicapping the battle for the Senate earlier this year, nobody put Virginia on the charts of likely switchers. Republican Sen. George Allen was looking at the reelection contest as a tune-up for a likely 2008 presidential campaign.Democrats were looking elsewhere to find the six seats they needed to take control.A series of missteps that began with Allen’s now-famous \"macaca\" comment and that include question about of his Jewish ancestry and attitudes about race turned the state into a battleground. But as little as 10 days ago, some Republicans were beginning to believe Allen had regained his footing and was beginning to move into a clear lead.Now, with six days left until Election Day, Virginia has again moved decisively onto the list of potential takeovers for the Democrats, appearing at least as ripe for the picking as Missouri and perhaps slightly more so than Tennessee. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/foot-in-the-mouth---affliction-of-politicians/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGoing down to the wire -- six more days and it still looks good for Democrats no thanks to John Kerry.  It is not that only politicians (think of the Reverend Pat Robertson) open their big mouths and make gaffes but when they do it the media pounces on the story.and the shockwaves are felt. The opposition lapped it up.  Of course, the Democrats would have acted no differently. The Commander-in-Chief was delighted to find something to talk about apart from his  usual warnings that support for Democrats means support for terrorists.  .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe bottom line, however, is that for us the numbers look good.  Music to my ears. The macaca man, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/02/AR2006090201038.html\"\u003eSenator George Allen\u003c/a\u003e in Virginia is looking shaky. Dan Balz and Chris Cilliza in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign06/countdown.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"When strategists for the two political parties began handicapping the battle for the Senate earlier this year, nobody put Virginia on the charts of likely switchers. Republican Sen. George Allen was looking at the reelection contest as a tune-up for a likely 2008 presidential campaign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDemocrats were looking elsewhere to find the six seats they needed to take control.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA series of missteps that began with Allen’s now-famous \"macaca\" comment and that include question about of his Jewish ancestry and attitudes about race turned the state into a battleground. But as little as 10 days ago, some Republicans were beginning to believe Allen had regained his footing and was beginning to move into a clear lead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNow, with six days left until Election Day, Virginia has again moved decisively onto the list of potential takeovers for the Democrats, appearing at least as ripe for the picking as Missouri and perhaps slightly more so than Tennessee.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Foot  In the Mouth - Affliction of Politicians"},{"content":" Yes, definitely. It is not the only game in town.As a blogger (for two years) I had come to depend on Technorati, the blog search engine. It helped to build up readership. Its reciprocal arrangement with Washington Post was an attractive feature. The vagaries -- the periodic, inexplicable failure (for a day or two) for blog posts to appear on Technorati after \"pinging\" -- were furstrating but I felt that I could live with them. Except acknowleding e-mail messages Technorati does not respond to reports of service problems. Too busy or too few people. Cannot complain, it provides free service as do the other search engines. Have no clue whether my experience is an uncommon one. For me, things got much worse when, beginning October 24th the posts stopped appearing on Technorati. One day everything was normal and then pings became ineffective. Pings were acknowledged but nothing happened. No explanation. Although I \"pinged\" every day after the 24th, this is what I saw on October 31st:Ping Us Welcome back, musafir! When you update your blog let us know with a ping. Updated 7 days ago This morning it read \"Updated 21 hours ago\" !In the first few days the number of visitors dropped noticeably. That is the bad news. The good news is that after I started notifying Google, Yahoo, Del.icio.us, and Digg my hits are averaging the level I reached with Technorati. So, based on my experience I'd say that bloggers can survive without Technorati. I'm talking about the vast majority of us, not the stars of the blogosphere. No doubt they receive special attention from Technorati and they deserve it. But bloggers have other choices, rewarding choices, to announce new posts. Listing in Technorati will undoubtedly increase the hits, but I'm content. Have noticed that the Washington Post no longer shows a link to bloggers alongside all major news items in the web edition. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/11/the-blogosphere---is-there-life-without-technorati/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eYes,  definitely.  It is not the only game in town.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs a blogger (for two years) I had come to depend on Technorati, the blog search engine.  It helped to build up readership.  Its  reciprocal arrangement with Washington Post   was an attractive feature.  The vagaries -- the periodic, inexplicable failure (for a day or two) for blog posts to appear on Technorati after \"pinging\" -- were furstrating but I felt that I could live with them.  Except acknowleding e-mail messages Technorati does not respond to reports of service problems.  Too busy or too few people.  Cannot complain, it provides free service as do the other search engines. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\" face=\"arial\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHave no clue whether my experience is an uncommon one.  For me, things got much worse when, beginning October 24th  the posts stopped appearing on Technorati.  One day everything was normal and then pings became ineffective. Pings were acknowledged but nothing happened.  No explanation.  Although I \"pinged\" every day after the 24th, this is  what I saw on October 31st:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" frame=\"border\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch1\u003ePing Us\u003c/h1\u003e       Welcome back, musafir! When you update your blog let us know with a ping.      \u003cdiv class=\"pingblogs\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"blogname\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"updated\"\u003e                     Updated \u003cem\u003e 7 days ago\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"button\"\u003e  \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e  \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis morning it read \"Updated 21 hours ago\" !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the first few days the number of visitors dropped noticeably.   That is the bad news.  The good news is that  after I started notifying Google, Yahoo, Del.icio.us, and Digg  my hits are  averaging the level I reached with Technorati.   So, based on my experience I'd say that bloggers can survive without Technorati.  I'm talking about the vast majority of us, not the stars of the blogosphere.  No doubt they receive special attention from Technorati and they deserve it.  But bloggers have other choices, rewarding choices, to announce new posts.  Listing in Technorati will undoubtedly increase the hits, but I'm content. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHave noticed that the Washington Post no longer shows a link to bloggers alongside  all major news items in the web edition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Blogosphere - Is there life without Technorati?"},{"content":" As I write this, it is 6:20 PM in Baghdad. Iraq Coalition Casualties web site reports that 103 soldiers have died so far in October. The list below is incomplete (pending DOD confirmation). Four of them under 20 years of age; 73 in their twenties. Ask what did they die for? What has their deaths accomplished? The WMD never existed; the Iraqi freedom turned out to be a cruel joke. Currently, we are being told that the war is against global terrorism by radical Islamics. That,too, could change. \"Stay the course\" has now become flexible. The soldiers keep on dying.Peter Slevin in Washington Post, When the War Comes Home\"COLUMBUS, OhioAlone and in clusters, collars up to block the rain, thousands of people lined the streets on a gray October day in 2005 to welcome their warriors home. For 13 miles, they rose to wave, a few to salute, as the buses rolled slowly past. More than one tough Marine, homeward bound after a brutal tour in Iraq, shed a tear.Playing the terrorist threat card; the only hand they have got. CBS News/AP: \"Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday the increase of violence in Iraq is linked with efforts to influence the outcome of next week's elections in which Republicans are struggling to keep control of Congress. \"It's my belief that they're very sensitive of the fact that we've got an election scheduled and they can get on the websites like anybody else,\" Cheney said. Well, 17 months ago the same man said about the Iraqi insurgents: \"......they are in their in their last throes\" (May 31, 2005). Now his message is that the insurgents want Democrats to win ! Yes, go on spreading fear. From NPR: \"All Things Considered, October 30, 2006 · The U.S. military can't account for hundreds of thousands of weapons purchased to arm some 325,500 Iraqi security forces by December, according to a new report. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last week that the U.S. military would beef up Iraqi forces' training. But the new data reveals weaknesses in the arming of Iraqi security forces.Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction who provided the report to Sen. John Warner, says the Iraqi security forces lack the logistics personnel they need, including mechanics, supply clerks and medics.\"Chase A. Haag, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 01, 2006Mario Nelson, 26, Army Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006Denise A. Lannaman, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006Justin D. Peterson, 32, Marine Captain, Oct 01, 2006Christopher B. Cosgrove III, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 01, 2006Aaron L. Seal, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Oct 01, 2006Raymond S. Armijo, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006James D. Ellis, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006Satieon V. Greenlee, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006Justin R. Jarrett, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006Joe A. Narvaez, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006Michael K. Oremus, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006Joseph W. Perry, 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006Kristofer C. Walker, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006Daniel Isshak, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006Jonathan Rojas, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006Dean Bright, 32, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 04, 2006Timothy Burke, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006Christopher O. Moudry, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 04, 2006George R. Obourn Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006Edward M. Garvin, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 04, 2006Benjamin S. Rosales, 20, Marine Corporal, Oct 04, 2006Nicholas A. Arvanitis, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 06, 2006John Edward Hale, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2006Bradford H. Payne, 24, Marine Corporal, Oct 06, 2006Brandon S. Asbury, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006Carl W. Johnson II, 21, Army Corporal, Oct 07, 2006Lawrence Parrish, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006John Edward Wood, 37, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 07, 2006Shane R. Austin, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 08, 2006Timothy Fulkerson, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 08, 2006Stephen F. Johnson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006Derek W. Jones, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006Jeremy Scott Sandvick Monroe, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006Robert M. Secher, 33, Marine Captain, Oct 08, 2006Phillip B. Williams, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006Julian M. Arechaga, 23, Marine Sergeant, Oct 09, 2006Jon Eric Bowman, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 09, 2006Shelby J. Feniello, 25, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006Shane T. Adcock, 27, Army Captain, Oct 11, 2006Nicholas R. Sowinski, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006Justin T. Walsh, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006Gene A. Hawkins, 24, Army Sergeant, Oct 12, 2006Johnny K. Craver, 37, Army Lieutenant, Oct 13, 2006Thomas J. Hewett, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006Kenny F. Stanton Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006Leebenard E. Chavis, 21, Air Force Airman 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006Joseph M. Kane, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006Charles M. King, 48, Army 1st Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006Timothy J. Lauer, 25, Army Specialist, Oct 14, 2006Keith J. Moore, 28, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, Marine Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006Jr., Lester Domenico Baroncini, 33, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006Stephen Bicknell, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 15, 2006Joshua Deese, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 15, 2006Jonathan E. Lootens, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006Mark C. Paine, 32, Army Captain, Oct 15, 2006Brock A. Babb, 40, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006Joshua M. Hines, 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 15, 2006Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 17, 2006Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, Army Specialist, Oct 17, 2006Nathan J. Frigo, 23, Army Petty Officer 1st Class, Oct 17, 2006Ryan E. Haupt, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006Christopher E. Loudon, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 17, 2006Garth D. Sizemore, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006Norman R. Taylor III, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006David M. Unger, 21, Army Corporal, Oct 17, 2006Daniel W. Winegeart, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 17, 2006Ronald L. Paulsen, 53, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006Joshua L. Booth, 23, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 17, 2006Patrick O. Barlow, 42, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 18, 2006Jesus M. Montalvo, 46, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 18, 2006Jose R. Perez, 21, Army Not reported yet, Oct 18, 2006Daniel A. Brozovich, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 18, 2006Edwardo Lopez Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 19, 2006Kevin M. Witte, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 20, 2006Tony L. Knier, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 21, 2006Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006Nathan R. Elrod, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006Eric W. Herzberg, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006Joshua C. Watkins, 25, Marine Corporal, Oct 21, 2006Nathaniel A. Aguirre, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006Matthew W. Creed, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006Willsun M. Mock, 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 22, 2006Nicholas K. Rogers, 27, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006David G. Taylor, 37, Army Major, Oct 22, 2006Amos C. R Bock, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 23, 2006Carl A. Eason, 29, Army Specialist, Oct 23, 2006Richard A. Buerstetta, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 23, 2006Tyler R. Overstreet, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 23, 2006Charles O. Sare, 23, Navy Hospital Corpsman, Oct 23, 2006Donald S. Brown, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 25, 2006Daniel B. Chaires, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 25, 2006Thomas M. Gilbert, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 25, 2006Jonathan B. Thornsberry, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 25, 2006Charles V. Komppa, 35, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Oct 25, 2006Ricky L. McGinnis, 42, Army 1st Sergeant, Oct 26, 2006Luke J. Zimmerman, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 27, 2006 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-10-31 This list is too long... can you imagine a similar list of Iraqi civilians who've lost their lives? musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-11-01 Good point. Listing Iraqi civilian casualties by name cannot be done. The number, even if you take the lowest (about 45,000 according to Iraqi Body Count - http://www.iraqbodycount.org/) is numbing. A recent Johns Hopkins study reported more than half a million. I have commented about Iraqi civilians and \"collateral damage\" quite a few time since the war began. President Clinton faced impeachment because of his dallyings with Monica Lewinsky. It cost the nation $40 million. Now we have a president who took the nation to an unjustified war that resulted in deaths of many thousands. The costs could exceed one trillion. And he\nstill goes on creating reasons for the war. Perhaps I should stop listing the names of dead soldiers.\nThank you for writing. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/octobers-terrible-toll-in-iraq---names-by-date/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs I write this, it is 6:20 PM in Baghdad.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e web site reports that 103 soldiers have died so far in October.  The list below is incomplete (pending DOD confirmation). Four of them under 20 years of age; 73 in their twenties. Ask what did they die for?  What has their deaths accomplished?  The WMD never existed;  the Iraqi freedom turned out to be a cruel joke.  Currently, we are being told that the war is against global terrorism by radical Islamics.  That,too, could change.  \"Stay the course\" has now become flexible.  The soldiers keep on dying.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePeter Slevin in Washington Post, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/29/AR2006102900785.html\"\u003eWhen the War Comes Home\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"COLUMBUS, Ohio\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlone and in clusters, collars up to block the rain, thousands of people lined the streets on a gray October day in 2005 to welcome their warriors home. For 13 miles, they rose to wave, a few to salute, as the buses rolled slowly past. More than one tough Marine, homeward bound after a brutal tour in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e, shed a tear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePlaying the terrorist threat card; the only hand they have got. \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/30/politics/main2138005.shtml\"\u003eCBS News/AP\u003c/a\u003e: \"Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday the increase of violence in Iraq is linked with efforts to influence the outcome of next week's elections in which Republicans are struggling to keep control of Congress. \"It's my belief that they're very sensitive of the fact that we've got an election scheduled and they can get on the websites like anybody else,\" Cheney said.   Well, 17 months ago the same man said about the Iraqi insurgents:  \"......they are in their in their last throes\" (May 31, 2005).   Now his  message is that the insurgents want Democrats to win !  Yes, go on spreading fear.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom NPR: \u003cspan class=\"program\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=2\"\u003e\"All Things Considered\u003c/a\u003e, \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"date\"\u003eOctober 30, 2006 · \u003c/span\u003e The U.S. military can't account for hundreds of thousands of weapons purchased to arm some 325,500 Iraqi security forces by December, according to a new report. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last week that the U.S. military would beef up Iraqi forces' training. But the new data reveals weaknesses in the arming of Iraqi security forces.Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction who provided the report to Sen. John Warner, says the Iraqi security forces lack the logistics personnel they need, including mechanics, supply clerks and medics.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Helmet II.0.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChase A. Haag, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMario Nelson, 26, Army Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDenise A. Lannaman, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJustin D. Peterson, 32, Marine Captain, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher B. Cosgrove III, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAaron L. Seal, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRaymond S. Armijo, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames D. Ellis, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSatieon V. Greenlee, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJustin R. Jarrett, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoe A. Narvaez, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael K. Oremus, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph W. Perry, 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKristofer C. Walker, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Isshak, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan Rojas, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDean Bright, 32, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy Burke, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher O. Moudry, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge R. Obourn Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEdward M. Garvin, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBenjamin S. Rosales, 20, Marine Corporal, Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas A. Arvanitis, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Edward Hale, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBradford H. Payne, 24, Marine Corporal, Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon S. Asbury, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCarl W. Johnson II, 21, Army Corporal, Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLawrence Parrish, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Edward Wood, 37, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShane R. Austin, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy Fulkerson, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eStephen F. Johnson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDerek W. Jones, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy Scott Sandvick Monroe, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobert M. Secher, 33, Marine Captain, Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePhillip B. Williams, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJulian M. Arechaga, 23, Marine Sergeant, Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJon Eric Bowman, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShelby J. Feniello, 25, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShane T. Adcock, 27, Army Captain, Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas R. Sowinski, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJustin T. Walsh, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGene A. Hawkins, 24, Army Sergeant, Oct 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJohnny K. Craver, 37, Army Lieutenant, Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eThomas J. Hewett, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKenny F. Stanton Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLeebenard E. Chavis, 21, Air Force Airman 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph M. Kane, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCharles M. King, 48, Army 1st Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy J. Lauer, 25, Army Specialist, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKeith J. Moore, 28, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan J. Simpson, 25, Marine Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJr., Lester Domenico Baroncini, 33, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eStephen Bicknell, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua Deese, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan E. Lootens, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMark C. Paine, 32, Army Captain, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrock A. Babb, 40, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua M. Hines, 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRussell G. Culbertson III, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, Army Specialist, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNathan J. Frigo, 23, Army Petty Officer 1st Class, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRyan E. Haupt, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher E. Loudon, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGarth D. Sizemore, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNorman R. Taylor III, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid M. Unger, 21, Army Corporal, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel W. Winegeart, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRonald L. Paulsen, 53, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua L. Booth, 23, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick O. Barlow, 42, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJesus M. Montalvo, 46, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJose R. Perez, 21, Army Not reported yet, Oct 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel A. Brozovich, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEdwardo Lopez Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKevin M. Witte, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTony L. Knier, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eClifford R. Collinsworth, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNathan R. Elrod, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric W. Herzberg, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas J. Manoukian, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua C. Watkins, 25, Marine Corporal, Oct 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNathaniel A. Aguirre, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew W. Creed, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eWillsun M. Mock, 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas K. Rogers, 27, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid G. Taylor, 37, Army Major, Oct 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAmos C. R Bock, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCarl A. Eason, 29, Army Specialist, Oct 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRichard A. Buerstetta, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTyler R. Overstreet, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCharles O. Sare, 23, Navy Hospital Corpsman, Oct 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDonald S. Brown, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel B. Chaires, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eThomas M. Gilbert, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan B. Thornsberry, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCharles V. Komppa, 35, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Oct 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRicky L. McGinnis, 42, Army 1st Sergeant, Oct 26, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLuke J. Zimmerman, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 27, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-10-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis list is too long... can you imagine a similar list of Iraqi civilians who've lost their lives?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-11-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGood point. Listing Iraqi civilian casualties by name cannot be done. The number, even if you take the lowest (about 45,000 according to Iraqi Body Count - http://www.iraqbodycount.org/) is numbing. A recent Johns Hopkins study reported more than half a million. I have commented about Iraqi civilians and \"collateral damage\" quite a few time since the war began. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePresident Clinton faced impeachment because of his dallyings with Monica Lewinsky.  It cost the nation $40 million.  Now we have a president \u003cbr\u003ewho took the nation to an unjustified war that resulted in deaths of many thousands.  The costs could exceed one trillion. And he\u003cbr\u003estill goes on creating reasons for the war.  Perhaps I should stop listing the names of dead soldiers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThank you for writing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"October's Terrible Toll In Iraq  - Names by Date"},{"content":" You cannot keep them down. The Dixie Chicks received a lot of flak in March 2003, when Natalie Maines said before a performance in London (UK) \"Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.\" That caused a few cancellations and demonstrations against them but they remained defiant of the critics.Their latest political statement is the movie \"Shut Up and Sing\"www.dixie-chicks.comFilming some tough ChicksA documentary shows they won't 'Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing'By Damon Smith, Globe Correspondent | October 29, 2006NEW YORK -- Just weeks after 9/11, Ari Fleischer, then White House press secretary, warned Americans to \"watch what they say.\"Beyond alarming civil-rights advocates, who recoiled from the ominous tone of his words, Fleischer's admonition was a reminder that, in some quarters at least, any voice of dissent could be construed as anti patriotic, regardless of content or context. Just ask Bill Maher -- or the Dixie Chicks, the fiery subjects of Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck's rousing new behind-the-scenes portrait, \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing,\" which premiered last month at the Toronto Film Festival and opens in Boston Nov. 10.In 2003, these massively talented Southern stars were the best-selling all-female group in North America, beloved by adoring fans and the image-conscious country-music establishment, which regarded them as their sunny, all-American ambassadors.During a concert at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, however, on the eve of the Bush administration's shock-and-awe campaign in Iraq, lead vocalist Natalie Maines remarked that she was \"against this war, this violence,\" then cheekily added she was \"ashamed\" that the president of the United States was from Texas, her home state. Within days her comment was circulated online, and a backlash was born.\"I think they thought that they could set an example with the Dixie Chicks, that they would crumble,\" says Kopple, 60, a two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker, during a conversation in New York. \"But I think they had no idea who they were dealing with.\"Fueled by the zeal of arch-conservative websites such as FreeRepublic.com , Maines's remark (made \"on foreign soil,\" apoplectic fans and talking heads exclaimed, as if Great Britain were in cahoots with the Axis of Evil) quickly mushroomed into a major controversy, earning the group reams of hate mail, a nationwide radio boycott, CD burnings, even death threats. Willfully or not, the Dixie Chicks had stumbled into the ugly world of partisan politics. But instead of backing down, the makers of \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing\" discovered, the Chicks remained defiant.\"That's why country music got so mad at them,\" Kopple says of Maines and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, her musical cohorts. \"They didn't toe the line, in a sense. Country music probably thought of them as very conservative [people], and when they came out like this [against the war], I guess they felt betrayed.\"Cutting between then and now, \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing\" depicts the personal and artistic transformation this episode wreaked, for better and worse, on the lives of Maines, Maguire, and Robison. Instead of making nice with Nashville institutions like CMT and the Country Music Awards, the Chicks boldly pursued other avenues of self-expression.Working with famed producer Rick Rubin and songwriter Dan Wilson in 2005, the Dixie Chicks ventured away from the traditional country sound -- and its marketing apparatus -- to make \"Taking the Long Way Home,\" a mature, even defiant album overshadowed by events of the previous year and a half.Kopple and Peck have collaborated on numerous film projects, including a doc about Peck's father, Gregory, star of \"To Kill a Mockingbird.\" Both mention that they had wanted to profile the Dixie Chicks even before the anti war brouhaha.\"We were always intrigued by them and how they had risen to that level of success,\" says Peck, 48, on the phone from Austin, \"and the very fiery, independent spirit that had shown up way before London.\"After hearing about \"the comment,\" Kopple recalls, they were even more keen to do a film, and immediately sent over a new proposal. A few months passed, and then Kopple and Peck met with the Chicks in Los Angeles and got the green light, beating out other interested parties, including Michael Moore and \"Don't Look Back\" helmer D.A. Pennebaker.\"I think what we told them is that we were interested in their journey,\" says Peck. \"We didn't have an agenda about how to portray it or a slant that we wanted to take [on the controversy]. We just wanted to experience and understand what they were going through, through their eyes.\"Glimpsed in early 2004, when filming began with a bare-bones, all-female crew, the Chicks reveal themselves to be savvy strategists and hard-driving businesswomen, negotiating with a rep from jittery world-tour sponsor Lipton, managing the stinging aftermath of the radio ban on ticket sales, and posing for a provocative cover of Entertainment Weekly, adorned with some of the more hateful nicknames (\"Dixie Twits,\" \"Saddam's Angels\") they'd recently acquired. Maines, in particular, is a spitfire, never hesitating to say exactly what she's thinking. Simon Renshaw, their amiably effusive manager, is a sage adviser who makes things happen. But he's no Colonel Parker: He clearly takes orders from Maines, Maguire, and Robison.\"They are women in control,\" emphasizes Kopple, who says she was surprised and \"totally fascinated\" not only by the Chicks' complete autonomy over their hard-won, often stressful careers and the richness of their family lives (all three are mothers to small children), but the intense bonds of friendship that unite them. \"Sure, they argue and discuss, but when it comes down to it, they are there for each other.\"When Robison gives birth, for instance, her bandmates are there with her, jubilantly taking photos and making saucy jokes with her husband. And in their obligatory interview with Diane Sawyer in 2003, tough questions are asked. Yet rather than a teary-eyed confessional, the segment is an impressive show of group solidarity, and there are no apologies.\"They don't flinch,\" says Peck, with obvious admiration. \"And that's exactly how they feel and who they are. They don't look back, they don't have regrets.\"Like Peck, Kopple says she had no expectations at the outset -- \"The magic of documentary is that you don't know. You go with life and what happens\" -- and that her crew had, at best, a negligible impact on the Chicks' overall demeanor and decision-making process. \"We tried to let them forget we were even there, because what they were doing in their lives and the things they were figuring out and the music they were writing and the relationships they were having with their families is what\" they were focused on. \"I don't think we mattered.\"Kopple has had a long, distinguished career as a socially conscious documentarian. She was a member of the collective that produced the harrowing 1972 anti war film \"Winter Soldier,\" and in 1976, she won an Academy Award for \"Harlan County, U.S.A.,\" an incisive, unabashedly militant doc about beleaguered Kentucky coal miners. She won another Oscar in 1991 for \"American Dream,\" which trailed a group of Hormel meatpackers in their struggle for better working conditions. Other credits include \"Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson\" and \"Wild Man Blues,\" a popular film about Woody Allen's tour of Europe with his New Orleans-style jazz troupe.\"The majority of the films that I do are about people who are fighting for social justice, people who are standing up for what they believe in, and people who won't be silenced,\" says Kopple, who in 1998 was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. \"I'm sure many of the people who'll see this Dixie Chicks film would never have thought they would be so complex, so bright, such great businesswomen and so alive.\"Still, Kopple believes the cost-of-free-speech aspect may have a positive political -- and even personal -- effect on viewers of any persuasion.\"I'm hoping the people who don't agree with the Dixie Chicks, or with what they said, will see this film so they can understand where they're coming from. Because it seems like in this country, there is a real cowboy mentality: 'You're either with us or against us.' Dialogue has been lost, so we need people like this more than ever.\"Damon Smith can be reached at damon.g.smith@earthlink.net. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/shut-up-and-sing---the-dixie-chicks-do-their-thing/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou cannot keep them down.  The Dixie Chicks received a lot of flak in March 2003, when Natalie Maines said before a performance in London (UK) \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.\"  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e That caused a few cancellations and demonstrations against them but they remained defiant of the critics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir latest political statement is the movie \"Shut Up and Sing\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ewww.dixie-chicks.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Dixie Chicks.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFilming some tough Chicks\u003cbr/\u003eA documentary shows they won't 'Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy \u003ca href=\"http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/10/29/filming_some_tough_chicks/\"\u003eDamon Smith, Globe Correspondent\u003c/a\u003e  |  October 29, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNEW YORK -- Just weeks after 9/11, Ari Fleischer, then White House press secretary, warned Americans to \"watch what they say.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBeyond alarming civil-rights advocates, who recoiled from the ominous tone of his words, Fleischer's admonition was a reminder that, in some quarters at least, any voice of dissent could be construed as anti patriotic, regardless of content or context. Just ask Bill Maher -- or the Dixie Chicks, the fiery subjects of Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck's rousing new behind-the-scenes portrait, \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing,\" which premiered last month at the Toronto Film Festival and opens in Boston Nov. 10.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 2003, these massively talented Southern stars were the best-selling all-female group in North America, beloved by adoring fans and the image-conscious country-music establishment, which regarded them as their sunny, all-American ambassadors.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring a concert at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, however, on the eve of the Bush administration's shock-and-awe campaign in Iraq, lead vocalist Natalie Maines remarked that she was \"against this war, this violence,\" then cheekily added she was \"ashamed\" that the president of the United States was from Texas, her home state. Within days her comment was circulated online, and a backlash was born.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think they thought that they could set an example with the Dixie Chicks, that they would crumble,\" says Kopple, 60, a two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker, during a conversation in New York. \"But I think they had no idea who they were dealing with.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFueled by the zeal of arch-conservative websites such as FreeRepublic.com , Maines's remark (made \"on foreign soil,\" apoplectic fans and talking heads exclaimed, as if Great Britain were in cahoots with the Axis of Evil) quickly mushroomed into a major controversy, earning the group reams of hate mail, a nationwide radio boycott, CD burnings, even death threats. Willfully or not, the Dixie Chicks had stumbled into the ugly world of partisan politics. But instead of backing down, the makers of \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing\" discovered, the Chicks remained defiant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"That's why country music got so mad at them,\" Kopple says of Maines and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, her musical cohorts. \"They didn't toe the line, in a sense. Country music probably thought of them as very conservative [people], and when they came out like this [against the war], I guess they felt betrayed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCutting between then and now, \"Shut Up \u0026amp; Sing\" depicts the personal and artistic transformation this episode wreaked, for better and worse, on the lives of Maines, Maguire, and Robison. Instead of making nice with Nashville institutions like CMT and the Country Music Awards, the Chicks boldly pursued other avenues of self-expression.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWorking with famed producer Rick Rubin and songwriter Dan Wilson in 2005, the Dixie Chicks ventured away from the traditional country sound -- and its marketing apparatus -- to make \"Taking the Long Way Home,\" a mature, even defiant album overshadowed by events of the previous year and a half.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKopple and Peck have collaborated on numerous film projects, including a doc about Peck's father, Gregory, star of \"To Kill a Mockingbird.\" Both mention that they had wanted to profile the Dixie Chicks even before the anti war brouhaha.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We were always intrigued by them and how they had risen to that level of success,\" says Peck, 48, on the phone from Austin, \"and the very fiery, independent spirit that had shown up way before London.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter hearing about \"the comment,\" Kopple recalls, they were even more keen to do a film, and immediately sent over a new proposal. A few months passed, and then Kopple and Peck met with the Chicks in Los Angeles and got the green light, beating out other interested parties, including Michael Moore and \"Don't Look Back\" helmer D.A. Pennebaker.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think what we told them is that we were interested in their journey,\" says Peck. \"We didn't have an agenda about how to portray it or a slant that we wanted to take [on the controversy]. We just wanted to experience and understand what they were going through, through their eyes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGlimpsed in early 2004, when filming began with a bare-bones, all-female crew, the Chicks reveal themselves to be savvy strategists and hard-driving businesswomen, negotiating with a rep from jittery world-tour sponsor Lipton, managing the stinging aftermath of the radio ban on ticket sales, and posing for a provocative cover of Entertainment Weekly, adorned with some of the more hateful nicknames (\"Dixie Twits,\" \"Saddam's Angels\") they'd recently acquired. Maines, in particular, is a spitfire, never hesitating to say exactly what she's thinking. Simon Renshaw, their amiably effusive manager, is a sage adviser who makes things happen. But he's no Colonel Parker: He clearly takes orders from Maines, Maguire, and Robison.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They are women in control,\" emphasizes Kopple, who says she was surprised and \"totally fascinated\" not only by the Chicks' complete autonomy over their hard-won, often stressful careers and the richness of their family lives (all three are mothers to small children), but the intense bonds of friendship that unite them. \"Sure, they argue and discuss, but when it comes down to it, they are there for each other.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Robison gives birth, for instance, her bandmates are there with her, jubilantly taking photos and making saucy jokes with her husband. And in their obligatory interview with Diane Sawyer in 2003, tough questions are asked. Yet rather than a teary-eyed confessional, the segment is an impressive show of group solidarity, and there are no apologies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They don't flinch,\" says Peck, with obvious admiration. \"And that's exactly how they feel and who they are. They don't look back, they don't have regrets.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike Peck, Kopple says she had no expectations at the outset -- \"The magic of documentary is that you don't know. You go with life and what happens\" -- and that her crew had, at best, a negligible impact on the Chicks' overall demeanor and decision-making process. \"We tried to let them forget we were even there, because what they were doing in their lives and the things they were figuring out and the music they were writing and the relationships they were having with their families is what\" they were focused on. \"I don't think we mattered.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKopple has had a long, distinguished career as a socially conscious documentarian. She was a member of the collective that produced the harrowing 1972 anti war film \"Winter Soldier,\" and in 1976, she won an Academy Award for \"Harlan County, U.S.A.,\" an incisive, unabashedly militant doc about beleaguered Kentucky coal miners. She won another Oscar in 1991 for \"American Dream,\" which trailed a group of Hormel meatpackers in their struggle for better working conditions. Other credits include \"Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson\" and \"Wild Man Blues,\" a popular film about Woody Allen's tour of Europe with his New Orleans-style jazz troupe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The majority of the films that I do are about people who are fighting for social justice, people who are standing up for what they believe in, and people who won't be silenced,\" says Kopple, who in 1998 was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. \"I'm sure many of the people who'll see this Dixie Chicks film would never have thought they would be so complex, so bright, such great businesswomen and so alive.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStill, Kopple believes the cost-of-free-speech aspect may have a positive political -- and even personal -- effect on viewers of any persuasion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm hoping the people who don't agree with the Dixie Chicks, or with what they said, will see this film so they can understand where they're coming from. Because it seems like in this country, there is a real cowboy mentality: 'You're either with us or against us.' Dialogue has been lost, so we need people like this more than ever.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDamon Smith can be reached at damon.g.smith@earthlink.net.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Shut Up and Sing\"  - The Dixie Chicks Do Their Thing"},{"content":" Rhus Ridge/Black Mountain Trail (Los Altos, CA)At the top of the climb from Rhus Ridge Parking Lot© Frank Crossman,www.openspace.orgFor those who enjoy outdoor activities the weather couldn't get any better. Soon the rains will come but even then the conditions rarely get bad enough to stop runners and hikers from taking advantage of what the Bay area has to offer. One can almost say \"so many trails, so little time\". It is also that time of the year when the wild mushrooms begin to appear. I look only for chanterelles -- delicious and easy to identify. The winter of 2005/6 was especially bountiful.A few days back JHL and went to hike at Rhus Ridge, off Moody Road, less than a mile past Foothill College.Autumn leaves at Rancho San Antonio© Karl Gohl,www.openspace.orgThe trail begins with a steep 0.9 mile climb to the top where there is a choice of heading south past the former Windmill Pasture site towards Rancho San Antonio or taking the Black Mountain Trail on the right. Ascending Black Mountain is arduous. The 4.9 mile trail from Rhus Ridge parking lot involves a climb of 2800 feet. We have done that but last Tuesday we hiked a shorter loop. From the Black Mountain Trail, just over a mile past the junction of trails at Windmill Pasture meadow we made a dogleg to the right towards Duveneck Hidden Valley Ranch. Immediately on the left is a grove of trees with a view to the west.We sat down there for a picnic lunch. Chicken drumsticks baked in crushed tomatoes, artichoke hearts, seasoned with tarragon, salt and pepper; roasted sweet potatoes, washed down with a half bottle of merlot. Then we had coffee, apple and dark chocolate. All was right with the world.On the hike back we went down to Pipeline Trail, followed the creek and turned right to climb up Ewing Hill. The switchback trail makes it easier. It took us back to Black Mountain Trail. We turned left, hiked back to the Windmill Pasture meadow and descended to the parking lot. The downhiill part can be hard on the knees; hiking poles help.On the return leg we met Gayla Johnson, the ultra marathoner, who was on a run wearing knee braces. She stopped to talk for a few minutes. Gayla completed the Western States 100 mile endurance run in California from Squaw Valley to Auburn .....four times. Amazing feat. This 2000 photograph shows her leaving Foresthill (62 miles from Squaw Valley).©www.run100s.com ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/a-walk-in-the-woods-on-an-autumn-afternoon/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eRhus Ridge/Black Mountain Trail (Los Altos, CA)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAt the top of the climb from Rhus Ridge Parking Lot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Windmill Pasture.0.jpg\"/\u003e© Frank Crossman,www.openspace.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor those who enjoy outdoor activities the weather couldn't get any better.  Soon the rains will come but even then the conditions rarely get bad enough to stop runners and hikers from taking advantage of what the Bay area has to offer.  One can almost say \"so many trails, so little time\".  It is also that time of the year when the wild mushrooms begin to appear.  I look only for chanterelles -- delicious and easy to identify.  The winter of 2005/6 was especially bountiful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few days back JHL and went to hike at Rhus Ridge, off Moody Road, less than a mile past Foothill College.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAutumn leaves at Rancho San Antonio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Rancho San Antonio.jpg\"/\u003e© Karl Gohl,www.openspace.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe trail begins with a steep 0.9 mile climb to the top where there is a choice of heading south past the former Windmill Pasture site  towards Rancho San Antonio or taking the Black Mountain Trail on the right.  Ascending Black Mountain is arduous.  The 4.9 mile trail from Rhus Ridge parking lot involves a climb of 2800 feet. We have done that but last Tuesday we hiked a shorter loop.  From the Black Mountain Trail, just over a mile past the junction of trails at Windmill Pasture meadow we made a dogleg to the right towards Duveneck Hidden Valley Ranch.  Immediately on the left is a grove of trees with a view to the west.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe sat down there for a picnic lunch.   Chicken drumsticks baked in crushed tomatoes, artichoke hearts, seasoned with tarragon, salt and pepper; roasted sweet potatoes, washed down with a half bottle of merlot.  Then we had coffee, apple and dark chocolate.  All was right with the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn the hike back we went down to Pipeline Trail, followed the creek and turned right to climb up Ewing Hill.  The switchback trail makes it easier.  It took us back to Black Mountain Trail.  We turned left, hiked back to the Windmill Pasture meadow and descended to the parking lot.  The downhiill part can be hard on the knees;  hiking poles help.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the return leg we met Gayla Johnson, the ultra marathoner, who was on a run wearing knee braces.  She stopped to talk for a few minutes.  Gayla completed the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ws100.com/\"\u003eWestern States 100\u003c/a\u003e mile endurance run in California from Squaw Valley to Auburn .....four times.  Amazing feat. This 2000 photograph shows her leaving Foresthill (62 miles from Squaw Valley).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Gayla Johnson.jpg\"/\u003e©www.run100s.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ccentyer\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/centyer\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccentyer\u003e\u003c/centyer\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccentyer\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/centyer\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Walk in the Woods on an Autumn Afternoon"},{"content":" Campaign 2006Reading Carole Cadwalladr's delightful account of her trip to Kazakhstan in The Guardian helped to lighten up this morning's surfing in cyberspace.\"Oh, Borat has got it all wrong. Everyone I meet is in agreement on this. Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is not a totalitarian dictator; he is only moderately repressive: banning and intimidating opposition parties, jailing the odd journalist, etc. The country's national drink is not horse piss; it is fermented horse milk that merely tastes of piss. And Jew-baiting is not, actually, a national sport. It's more of a hobby, as in the phrase 'You're as tight as a Jew' or the practice of making 'a Jewish phone call' (when you get the other party to call you back on your landline).Dilyara, a fresh-faced student of economics in the city of Karaganda, who's showing us around the place and has lived in the States, is quite clear on this. 'There's an image of Jewish people being mean and crafty and good with money but I don't think many people have actually met them. We have Jews but they tend not to announce themselves.'And then she takes us - Steve, my travelling companion, and me - into a cafe where we have a bit of cake.'What's it called?' I ask.'The cake? It is known as \"nigger in the foam\".'So, you see, wrong, wrong, wrong. Or, perhaps, just a little bit right. And although the sequences in Sacha Baron Cohen's new film, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan, that purport to be in Kazakhstan were filmed in Romania, he didn't pick Romania, or Belarus, or Uzbekistan. He picked Kazakhstan.Poor Kazakhstan. First Stalin, now Borat. It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for the government and its blundering attempts to first sue Cohen and then hire a Western PR firm and launch a debunking marketing offensive - although the fact that Nazarbayev is alleged to have stashed $80m in an offshore account goes some way to mitigating my feelings in this.\" *No pause even on Sunday. In fact the tempo is increasing. Not a tv watcher, I miss most of them -- the slanderous ads, messages full of innuendos and spin. Just reading about them makes me sick. Among the many items to be found about this very American practice, Bob Hill's column in The Courier Journal (Louisville, KY) stands out. This is what he wrote about the impressions of children in a grade school: Campaign ads are resonating out of the mud Memo To: Anne Northup, John Yarmuth, Mike Sodrel, Baron Hill, and, OK, since you're coming to town, President Bush. Subject: America's children. It's also so important in this era of declining family values that we teach our children to respect one another, to always tell the truth. That's why I carefully taped several of your political messages and took them to a local grade school to show the kids. You would have been pleased. Your messages are getting out. One of the children said the commercials made him sad because it reminded him of the way Mommy and Daddy behaved just before they got divorced. Another child said she wanted to work in politics when she grew up because people got to tell lots of lies and make fun of each other and didn't even have to go to their rooms. Thank you for being such role models to our future generations. I know that's just one reason why you devote so much time and money to achieve higher office. Commercial controversy I don't mean to give you full credit for helping America's children in these confused and troubled times. In fact, one of the more precocious children mentioned he had heard his Mommy talking about Rush Limbaugh criticizing Michael J. Fox for shaking so much during a commercial. Limbaugh had said Fox was either faking his Parkinson's disease symptoms or had not been taking his drugs. The child wondered why Mr. Limbaugh would want to make fun of a sick man -- even if he did apologize later. Maybe one of you could answer that? I couldn't. All I could say was maybe Mr. Limbaugh already knew quite a bit about drugs and was willing to share his expertise. What I do know for certain is that your thoughtful words and campaign strategies have finally united our bitterly divided country. It's hard to go anywhere and not find somebody wanting to borrow an old 7-iron. Some of our most angry citizens have even suggested that the best way to cure Iraqis of wanting democracy is to ship over a few hours of our political commercials. I won't go that far. I still believe in politics -- and the Tooth Fairy. I know when all the mud clears you'll go back to talking about honesty, integrity, the need for good role models, always doing the right thing. You'll be more than willing to go into schools to explain to children that sometimes you just have to tell lies and have your friends make fun of sick people to get to be a role model. They'll understand. Please don't forget your Bibles or other religious text for the swearing-in ceremonies. I'm Bob Hill, and I approve this memo. Bob Hill's column appears on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach him at (502) 582-4646 or bhill@courier-journal.com. Comment on this column, and read his blog and previous columns, at www.courier-journal.com/bobhill. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/oh-to-be-in-boratstan-kazakhstan/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCampaign 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading Carole Cadwalladr's delightful account of her trip to Kazakhstan in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,,1933622,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e helped to lighten up this morning's surfing in cyberspace.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Oh, Borat has got it all wrong. Everyone I meet is in agreement on this. Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is not a totalitarian dictator; he is only moderately repressive: banning and intimidating opposition parties, jailing the odd journalist, etc. The country's national drink is not horse piss; it is fermented horse milk that merely tastes of piss. And Jew-baiting is not, actually, a national sport. It's more of a hobby, as in the phrase 'You're as tight as a Jew' or the practice of making 'a Jewish phone call' (when you get the other party to call you back on your landline).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDilyara, a fresh-faced student of economics in the city of Karaganda, who's showing us around the place and has lived in the States, is quite clear on this. 'There's an image of Jewish people being mean and crafty and good with money but I don't think many people have actually met them. We have Jews but they tend not to announce themselves.'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd then she takes us - Steve, my travelling companion, and me - into a cafe where we have a bit of cake.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'What's it called?' I ask.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'The cake? It is known as \"nigger in the foam\".'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo, you see, wrong, wrong, wrong. Or, perhaps, just a little bit right. And although the sequences in Sacha Baron Cohen's new film, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan, that purport to be in Kazakhstan were filmed in Romania, he didn't pick Romania, or Belarus, or Uzbekistan. He picked Kazakhstan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoor Kazakhstan. First Stalin, now Borat. It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for the government and its blundering attempts to first sue Cohen and then hire a Western PR firm and launch a debunking marketing offensive - although the fact that Nazarbayev is alleged to have stashed $80m in an offshore account goes some way to mitigating my feelings in this.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo pause even on Sunday. In fact the tempo is increasing.  Not a tv watcher, I miss most of them -- the slanderous ads, messages full of innuendos and spin. Just reading about them makes me sick. Among the many items to be found about this very American practice, Bob Hill's column in \u003ca href=\"http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061028/COLUMNISTS05/610280382/1008/NEWS01\"\u003eThe Courier Journal (Louisville, KY)\u003c/a\u003e stands out.  This is what he wrote about the impressions of children in a grade school:\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eCampaign ads are resonating out of the mud\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMemo To: Anne Northup, John Yarmuth, Mike Sodrel, Baron Hill, and, OK, since you're coming to town, President Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSubject: America's children.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt's also so important in this era of declining family values that we teach our children to respect one another, to always tell the truth. That's why I carefully taped several of your political messages and took them to a local grade school to show the kids.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eYou would have been pleased. Your messages are getting out. One of the children said the commercials made him sad because it reminded him of the way Mommy and Daddy behaved just before they got divorced.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnother child said she wanted to work in politics when she grew up because people got to tell lots of lies and make fun of each other and didn't even have to go to their rooms.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThank you for being such role models to our future generations. I know that's just one reason why you devote so much time and money to achieve higher office.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eCommercial controversy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI don't mean to give you full credit for helping America's children in these confused and troubled times. In fact, one of the more precocious children mentioned he had heard his Mommy talking about Rush Limbaugh criticizing Michael J. Fox for shaking so much during a commercial.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLimbaugh had said Fox was either faking his Parkinson's disease symptoms or had not been taking his drugs. The child wondered why Mr. Limbaugh would want to make fun of a sick man -- even if he did apologize later.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMaybe one of you could answer that? I couldn't. All I could say was maybe Mr. Limbaugh already knew quite a bit about drugs and was willing to share his expertise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat I do know for certain is that your thoughtful words and campaign strategies have finally united our bitterly divided country. It's hard to go anywhere and not find somebody wanting to borrow an old 7-iron.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSome of our most angry citizens have even suggested that the best way to cure Iraqis of wanting democracy is to ship over a few hours of our political commercials.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI won't go that far. I still believe in politics -- and the Tooth Fairy. I know when all the mud clears you'll go back to talking about honesty, integrity, the need for good role models, always doing the right thing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eYou'll be more than willing to go into schools to explain to children that sometimes you just have to tell lies and have your friends make fun of sick people to get to be a role model. They'll understand. Please don't forget your Bibles or other religious text for the swearing-in ceremonies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI'm Bob Hill, and I approve this memo.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eBob Hill's column appears on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach him at (502) 582-4646 or bhill@courier-journal.com. Comment on this column, and read his blog and previous columns, at www.courier-journal.com/bobhill.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Oh, to be in Boratstan (Kazakhstan)"},{"content":" What would we find as we digest results of the midterm elections ? The map dominated by \"red\", Republican, states as in 2004? Although the headlines read \"Republicans facing 'electoral hurricane' in face of centrist Democrat push\", the report filed by Julian Borger from Knoxville,TN, in The Guardian mentions possible scenarios:What if ..? The Capitol Hill scenariosDemocrats win the House of Representatives aloneThis would put a serious dent in the last two years of the Bush presidency. Democrats would be able to put forward their own legislation and control the federal budget. They would also take over the chairs of the powerful House committees, armed with power of subpoena, allowing them to launch investigations into the Iraq war and other presidential decisions taken in the first six Bush years.Democrats win both the House and SenateThey would have total control of the legislative agenda, forcing the president to accept it or use his veto. The Senate can launch its own investigations, which are taken more seriously. It has the additional power of ratifying treaties and confirming judicial nominations and cabinet appointments. With control of both houses, the Democrats could bring the Bush presidency to a virtual halt. George Bush would be a lame duck.The Democrats fail to capture either chamberIt would stun the party and plunge it into even deeper despair and defeatism, triggering an all-out fight between its competing power centres. The Bush White House would be given a new lease of life at home and abroad, and the president's influence over his party would be reasserted. *It is an uneasy time for us all -- Democrats and Republicans. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/when-we-wake-up-on-november-8-2006/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat would we find as we digest results of the midterm elections ?  The map dominated by \"red\", Republican, states as in 2004?  Although the headlines read \"Republicans facing 'electoral hurricane' in face of centrist Democrat push\", the report filed by Julian Borger from Knoxville,TN, in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/midterms2006/story/0,,1933883,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e mentions possible scenarios:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhat if ..? The Capitol Hill scenarios\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDemocrats win the House of Representatives alone\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis would put a serious dent in the last two years of the Bush presidency. Democrats would be able to put forward their own legislation and control the federal budget. They would also take over the chairs of the powerful House committees, armed with power of subpoena, allowing them to launch investigations into the Iraq war and other presidential decisions taken in the first six Bush years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDemocrats win both the House and Senate\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThey would have total control of the legislative agenda, forcing the president to accept it or use his veto. The Senate can launch its own investigations, which are taken more seriously. It has the additional power of ratifying treaties and confirming judicial nominations and cabinet appointments. With control of both houses, the Democrats could bring the Bush presidency to a virtual halt. George Bush would be a lame duck.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Democrats fail to capture either chamber\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt would stun the party and plunge it into even deeper despair and defeatism, triggering an all-out fight between its competing power centres. The Bush White House would be given a new lease of life at home and abroad, and the president's influence over his party would be reasserted.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is an uneasy time for us all -- Democrats and Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"When We Wake Up On November 8, 2006"},{"content":" They are backAnd how! The faceless, nameless organizations that fund slanderous advertisements are back with a vengeance, spending money like there is no end to it. The same people who gave us the \"Swift boat verterans\" in 2004. The fact is that negative ads pay. As long as voters give more attention to such ads and salacious, inconsequential tidbits than to real issues they will be fed such drivel. Red herrings will be let loose to deceive the voters. Victory of some candidates will be based largely due to impact of such ads and they will go to Washington to give speeches about moral values and deal with the nation's problems. The total spending (by both parties) have already exceeded one billion dollars. By November 7th the figure is expected to be more than 1.5 billion as voters are deluged with ads in the remaining days. The Democrats have not only to worry about slanderous ads but also the possibility of voter fraud. Diebold machines, for one. In the face of polls that show the Republicans to be in a very weak situation, President Bush and the vice president appear to be too sanguine about the result. Maybe they know something. Michael Grunwald in the Post: \"When the news is bad, the ads tend to be negative,\" said Shanto Iyengar, a Stanford professor who studies political advertising. \"And the more negative the ad, the more likely it is to get free media coverage. So there's a big incentive to go to the extremes.\" \"The Year Of Playing Dirtier\" - Excerpts:Rep. Ron Kind pays for sex!Well, that's what the Republican challenger for his Wisconsin congressional seat, Paul R. Nelson, claims in new ads, the ones with \"XXX\" stamped across Kind's face.It turns out that Kind -- along with more than 200 of his fellow hedonists in the House -- opposed an unsuccessful effort to stop the National Institutes of Health from pursuing peer-reviewed sex studies. According to Nelson's ads, the Democrat also wants to \"let illegal aliens burn the American flag\" and \"allow convicted child molesters to enter this country.To Nelson, that doesn't even qualify as negative campaigning.\"Negative campaigning is vicious personal attacks,\" he said in an interview. \"This isn't personal at all.By 2006 standards, maybe it isn't.On the brink of what could be a power-shifting election, it is kitchen-sink time: Desperate candidates are throwing everything. While negative campaigning is a tradition in American politics, this year's version in many races has an eccentric shade, filled with allegations of moral bankruptcy and sexual perversion.At the same time, the growth of \"independent expenditures\" by national parties and other groups has allowed candidates to distance themselves from distasteful attacks on their opponents, while blogs and YouTube have provided free distribution networks for eye-catching hatchet jobs.When the news is bad, the ads tend to be negative,\" said Shanto Iyengar, a Stanford professor who studies political advertising. \"And the more negative the ad, the more likely it is to get free media coverage. So there's a big incentive to go to the extremes.The result has been a carnival of ugly, especially on the GOP side, where operatives are trying to counter what polls show is a hostile political environment by casting opponents as fatally flawed characters. The National Republican Campaign Committee is spending more than 90 percent of its advertising budget on negative ads, according to GOP operatives, and the rest of the party seems to be following suit. A few examples of the \"character issues\" taking center stage two weeks before Election Day:In New York, the NRCC ran an ad accusing Democratic House candidate Michael A. Arcuri, a district attorney, of using taxpayer dollars for phone sex. \"Hi, sexy,\" a dancing woman purrs. \"You've reached the live, one-on-one fantasy line.\" It turns out that one of Arcuri's aides had tried to call the state Division of Criminal Justice, which had a number that was almost identical to that of a porn line. The misdial cost taxpayers $1.25. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/return-of-the-mudslingers---campaign-2006/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThey are back\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd how! The faceless, nameless organizations that fund slanderous advertisements are back with a vengeance, spending money like there is no end to it. The same people who gave us the \"Swift boat verterans\" in 2004. The fact is that negative ads pay. As long as voters give more attention to such ads and salacious, inconsequential tidbits than to real issues they will be fed such drivel. Red herrings will be let loose to deceive the voters. Victory of some candidates will be based largely due to impact of such ads and they will go to Washington to give speeches about moral values and deal with the nation's problems. The total spending (by both parties) have already exceeded one billion dollars. By November 7th the figure is expected to be more than 1.5 billion as voters are deluged with ads in the remaining days. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Democrats have not only to worry about slanderous ads but also the possibility of voter fraud. Diebold machines, for one. In the face of polls that show the Republicans to be in a very weak situation, President Bush and the vice president appear to be too sanguine about the result. Maybe they know something. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMichael Grunwald in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601811.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"When the news is bad, the ads tend to be negative,\" said Shanto Iyengar, a Stanford professor who studies political advertising. \"And the more negative the ad, the more likely it is to get free media coverage. So there's a big incentive to go to the extremes.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Year Of Playing Dirtier\" - Excerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRep. Ron Kind pays for sex!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWell, that's what the Republican challenger for his Wisconsin congressional seat, Paul R. Nelson, claims in new ads, the ones with \"XXX\" stamped across   Kind's face.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt turns out that Kind -- along with more than 200 of his fellow hedonists in the House -- opposed an unsuccessful effort to stop the National Institutes of Health from pursuing peer-reviewed sex studies. According to Nelson's ads, the Democrat also wants to \"let illegal aliens burn the American flag\" and \"allow convicted child molesters to enter this country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo Nelson, that doesn't even qualify as negative campaigning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Negative campaigning is vicious personal attacks,\" he said in an interview. \"This isn't personal at all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy 2006 standards, maybe it isn't.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn the brink of what could be a power-shifting election, it is kitchen-sink time: Desperate candidates are throwing everything. While negative campaigning is a tradition in American politics, this year's version in many races has an eccentric shade, filled with allegations of moral bankruptcy and sexual perversion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAt the same time, the growth of \"independent expenditures\" by national parties and other groups has allowed candidates to distance themselves from distasteful attacks on their opponents, while blogs and YouTube have provided free distribution networks for eye-catching hatchet jobs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the news is bad, the ads tend to be negative,\" said Shanto Iyengar, a Stanford professor who studies political advertising. \"And the more negative the ad, the more likely it is to get free media coverage. So there's a big incentive to go to the extremes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe result has been a carnival of ugly, especially on the GOP side, where operatives are trying to counter what polls show is a hostile political environment by casting opponents as fatally flawed characters. The National Republican Campaign Committee is spending more than 90 percent of its advertising budget on negative ads, according to GOP operatives, and the rest of the party seems to be following suit. A few examples of the \"character issues\" taking center stage two weeks before Election Day:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn New York, the NRCC ran an ad accusing Democratic House candidate Michael A. Arcuri, a district attorney, of using taxpayer dollars for phone sex. \"Hi, sexy,\" a dancing woman purrs. \"You've reached the live, one-on-one fantasy line.\" It turns out that one of Arcuri's aides had tried to call the state Division of Criminal Justice, which had a number that was almost identical to that of a porn line. The misdial cost taxpayers $1.25.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Return of the Mudslingers - Campaign 2006"},{"content":" A Disgusting ManSheik Taj el-Din al-Hilali, is Mufti of Australia's largest mosque. \"Mufti\" means a Muslim scholar who interprets the shari'a (The code of law based on the Koran). Sheik al-Hilali made it clear that when it came to stupid, bigoted statements he was not going to let Rev. Pat Robertson take the front seat. Take a deep breath. Speaking at his Lakemba Mosque, this is what he said about women:News.com But when it comes to adultery, it's 90 per cent the women's responsibility. Why? Because a woman possesses the weapon of seduction. It is she who takes off her clothes, shortens them, flirts, puts on make-up and powder and takes to the streets, God protect us, dallying. It's she who shortens, raises and lowers. Then it's a look, then a smile, then a conversation, a greeting, then a conversation, then a date, then a meeting, then a crime, then Long Bay jail. (laughs).\"Then you get a judge, who has no mercy, and he gives you 65 years.\"But when it comes to this disaster, who started it? In his literature, scholar al-Rafihi says: 'If I came across a rape crime – kidnap and violation of honour – I would discipline the man and order that the woman be arrested and jailed for life.' Why would you do this, Rafihi? He says because if she had not left the meat uncovered, the cat wouldn't have snatched it.\"\"If you take a kilo of meat, and you don't put it in the fridge or in the pot or in the kitchen but you leave it on a plate in the backyard, and then you have a fight with the neighbour because his cats eat the meat, you're crazy. Isn't this true?\"If you take uncovered meat and put it on the street, on the pavement, in a garden, in a park or in the backyard, without a cover and the cats eat it, is it the fault of the cat or the uncovered meat? The uncovered meat is the problem.\"If the meat was covered, the cats wouldn't roam around it. If the meat is inside the fridge, they won't get it.\"If the meat was in the fridge and it (the cat) smelled it, it can bang its head as much as it wants, but it's no use.\"If the woman is in her boudoir, in her house and if she's wearing the veil and if she shows modesty, disasters don't happen.On October 26th, the News.com reported: \"AUSTRALIA'S senior Muslim cleric cannot be sacked or deported despite the outrage caused by him saying immodestly dressed women invite sexual attacks.\" His supporters are no less disgusting. Where are the enlightened Muslims ? Why do they remain largely silent ? Pat Robertson and his ilk may have their supporters but here in America they face a lot of ridicule when they open their mouth to utter hateful, nonsensical opinions.Washington Post: Australia's Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Pru Goward, accused al-Hilali of inciting rape and said the temporary ban on preaching was inadequate punishment. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/mad-dogs-and-mullahs/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Disgusting Man\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSheik Taj el-Din al-Hilali, is Mufti of Australia's largest mosque. \"Mufti\" means a Muslim scholar who interprets the shari'a (The code of law based on the Koran). Sheik al-Hilali made it clear that when it came to stupid, bigoted statements he was not going to let Rev. Pat Robertson take the front seat. Take a deep breath. Speaking at his Lakemba Mosque, this is what he said about women:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" frame=\"border\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20652824-2,00.html\"\u003eNews.com \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut when it comes to adultery, it's 90 per cent the women's responsibility. Why? Because a woman possesses the weapon of seduction. It is she who takes off her clothes, shortens them, flirts, puts on make-up and powder and takes to the streets, God protect us, dallying. It's she who shortens, raises and lowers. Then it's a look, then a smile, then a conversation, a greeting, then a conversation, then a date, then a meeting, then a crime, then Long Bay jail. (laughs).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Then you get a judge, who has no mercy, and he gives you 65 years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But when it comes to this disaster, who started it? In his literature, scholar al-Rafihi says: 'If I came across a rape crime – kidnap and violation of honour – I would discipline the man and order that the woman be arrested and jailed for life.' Why would you do this, Rafihi? He says because if she had not left the meat uncovered, the cat wouldn't have snatched it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If you take a kilo of meat, and you don't put it in the fridge or in the pot or in the kitchen but you leave it on a plate in the backyard, and then you have a fight with the neighbour because his cats eat the meat, you're crazy. Isn't this true?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If you take uncovered meat and put it on the street, on the pavement, in a garden, in a park or in the backyard, without a cover and the cats eat it, is it the fault of the cat or the uncovered meat? The uncovered meat is the problem.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If the meat was covered, the cats wouldn't roam around it. If the meat is inside the fridge, they won't get it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If the meat was in the fridge and it (the cat) smelled it, it can bang its head as much as it wants, but it's no use.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If the woman is in her boudoir, in her house and if she's wearing the veil and if she shows modesty, disasters don't happen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn October 26th, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20645635-2,00.html\"\u003eNews.com\u003c/a\u003e reported: \"AUSTRALIA'S senior Muslim cleric cannot be sacked or deported despite the outrage caused by him saying immodestly dressed women invite sexual attacks.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis supporters are no less disgusting.  Where are the enlightened Muslims ? Why do they remain largely silent ? Pat Robertson and his ilk may have their supporters but here in America they face a lot of ridicule when they open their mouth to utter hateful, nonsensical opinions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102700239.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: Australia's Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Pru Goward, accused al-Hilali of inciting rape and said the temporary ban on preaching was inadequate punishment.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Mad Dogs and Mullahs"},{"content":" Depressing to read that the number of dead soldiers this month in Iraq is nearing 100. Five more days to go before the end of October. As to Iraqi civilian casualties, the number -- even if you accept the minimum -- is staggering but deaths of Iraqi civilians do not seem to have much of an impact on Americans.Women Against WarBEAT THE DRUM SLOWLY is a grass roots movement to record all women everywhere on the peace anthem, \"She Came Riding Up Slowly\". Music has the ability to reach across all lines quickly and communicate. This song seeks to reach beyond political and religious affiliations to the most powerful and influential group on the planet: MOTHERS. I, for one, have had enough: thousands of years of war and atrocity in the name of Power and God. Women are half the population of the world. We know children are born with no inherent hatred for race, religion or country. And yet we raise them to believe there are reasons to kill. What if none of us did that anymore? A darling of the right-wing talk shows, Rush Limbaugh, caused an uproar by his statement about the tv ad in which Michael J. Fox supported lifting restrictions on stem cell research. Typical. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/beat-the-drum-slowly/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDepressing to read that the number of dead soldiers this month in Iraq is nearing 100.  Five more days to go before the end of October.  As to \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraqi civilian casualties\u003c/a\u003e, the number -- even if you accept the minimum -- is staggering but deaths of Iraqi civilians do not seem to have much of an impact on Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWomen Against War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.beatthedrumslowly.com/\"\u003eBEAT THE DRUM SLOWLY\u003c/a\u003e is a grass roots movement to record all women everywhere on the peace anthem, \"She Came Riding Up Slowly\".  Music has the ability to reach across all lines quickly and communicate.  This song seeks to reach beyond political and religious affiliations to the most powerful and influential group on the planet: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMOTHERS. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI, for one, have had enough: thousands of years of war and atrocity in the name of Power and God.  Women are half the population of the world.  We know children are born with no inherent hatred for race, religion or country.  And yet we raise them to believe there are reasons to kill.  What if none of us did that anymore? \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA  darling of the right-wing talk shows, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102400691.html\"\u003eRush Limbaugh\u003c/a\u003e, caused an uproar by his statement about the tv ad in which \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102400691.html\"\u003eMichael J. Fox\u003c/a\u003e supported lifting restrictions on stem cell research.  Typical. Fox suffers from \u003ca href=\"http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm\"\u003eParkinson's disease\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Beat the Drum Slowly"},{"content":" The Bill Mitchell cartoon says it all.Secret Plan CNN - Bill MitchellMitchell's cartoons used to appear in print. Then during a National Arts Journalism Fellowship, he was given a T-1 connection, a Mac and shown the Web. He's been AWOL from newspapers, living in the Northern Rockies and publishing online since '95. Comments? Yell at MitchellA Strategic Retreat or Strategy for Retreat\"Stay the course\" ! Who said that ?President Bush and his aides are annoyed that people keep misinterpreting his Iraq policy as \"stay the course.\" A complete distortion, they say. \"That is not a stay-the-course policy,\" White House press secretary Tony Snow declared yesterday.\nWhere would anyone have gotten that idea? Well, maybe from Bush.\"We will stay the course. We will help this young Iraqi democracy succeed,\" he said in Salt Lake City in August.\"We will win in Iraq so long as we stay the course,\" he said in Milwaukee in July.\"I saw people wondering whether the United States would have the nerve to stay the course and help them succeed,\" he said after returning from Baghdad in June.But the White House is cutting and running from \"stay the course.\" A phrase meant to connote steely resolve instead has become a symbol for being out of touch and rigid in the face of a war that seems to grow worse by the week, Republican strategists say. Democrats have now turned \"stay the course\" into an attack line in campaign commercials, and the Bush team is busy explaining that \"stay the course\" does not actually mean stay the course.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/iraq---presidents-secret-plan/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bill Mitchell cartoon says it all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eSecret Plan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e \u003ctable width=\"455\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"212\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" naturalsizeflag=\"3\" src=\"/images/2006/10/23a.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd width=\"243\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" naturalsizeflag=\"3\" src=\"/images/2006/10/23b.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e \u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/analysis/toons/2006/10/23/mitchell/index.html\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e - Bill Mitchell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMitchell's cartoons used to appear in print. Then during a National Arts Journalism Fellowship, he was given a T-1 connection, a Mac and shown the Web. He's been AWOL from newspapers, living in the Northern Rockies and publishing online since '95. Comments? Yell at \u003ca href=\"mailto:bmitch@televar.com\"\u003eMitchell\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Strategic Retreat or Strategy for Retreat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Stay the course\" !  Who said that ?\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301053.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e and his aides are annoyed that people keep misinterpreting his Iraq policy as \"stay the course.\" A complete distortion, they say. \"That is not a stay-the-course policy,\" White House press secretary Tony Snow declared yesterday.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iraq - President's  Secret Plan"},{"content":" It is \"the Iraq war\", stupid * Death Tolls - Johns Hopkins Study Those who took the nation to war on deception and lies are dodging, weaving. and changing the message but nothing seems to be working. The tide has turned. The Democrats, who had meekly fallen in line behind them, are the beneficiaries of the backlash.Washington Post: \"Two weeks before the midterm elections, Republicans are losing the battle for independent voters, who now strongly favor Democrats on Iraq and other major issues facing the country and overwhelmingly prefer to see them take over the House in November, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.\"Soldiers continue to die. Latest casualty numbers: Month of October 88; total 2801. A recently released study by Johns Hopkins University caused an uproar because it mentioned civilian death toll in Iraq to be more than 650,000. Some critics went as far as to say that the release was deliberately timed before the midterm elections ! Well, what is an acceptable number to the critics of the study -- 300,000, 200,000 ? Still high, too high when you consider what lead to their death. Operation Iraqi Freedom -- give us a break. No wonder we are hated. \"In a Sea of Uncertainty, We All Have an Anchor\" by Shankar Vedantam in the Post makes interesting reading.Although the debate over the study has been largely driven by the political implications of the number of Iraqi casualties, psychologists say the fact that many people find the new number hard to digest is a perfect example of anchoring.Previous estimates had put the number of Iraqi casualties at 30,000 to 50,000. Once that number was anchored in people's minds, it was a foregone conclusion that most people would find it very difficult to accept a much larger number.\"It could be malicious and deliberate or innocent and just wrong, but the fact that the administration had set an anchor is what makes the new number seem implausible,\" said Max Bazerman, who studies human decision-making at Harvard Business School.It is important to remember that the psychological phenomenon does not tell you what the correct number of casualties in Iraq really is. But it does say that even if the 650,000 number is accurate, we are likely not to believe it. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/14-days-before-midterm-elections/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIt is \"the Iraq war\", stupid * Death Tolls - Johns Hopkins Study  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose who took the nation to war on deception and lies are dodging, weaving. and changing the message but nothing seems to be working.  The tide has turned.  The Democrats, who had meekly fallen in line behind them, are the beneficiaries of the backlash.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102300766.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Two weeks before the midterm elections, Republicans are losing the battle for independent voters, who now strongly favor Democrats on Iraq and other major issues facing the country and overwhelmingly prefer to see them take over the House in November, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoldiers continue to die.  Latest casualty numbers: Month of October 88; total 2801. A recently released study by Johns Hopkins University caused an uproar because it mentioned civilian death toll in Iraq to be more than 650,000.  Some critics went as far as to say that the release was deliberately timed before the midterm elections ! Well, what is an acceptable number to the critics of the study -- 300,000, 200,000 ?  Still high, too high when you consider what lead to their death.  Operation Iraqi Freedom -- give us a break. No wonder we are hated.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/22/AR2006102200828.html\"\u003eIn a Sea of Uncertainty, We All Have an Anchor\u003c/a\u003e\" by Shankar Vedantam in the Post makes interesting reading.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough the debate over the study has been largely driven by the political implications of the number of Iraqi casualties, psychologists say the fact that many people find the new number hard to digest is a perfect example of anchoring.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrevious estimates had put the number of Iraqi casualties at 30,000 to 50,000. Once that number was anchored in people's minds, it was a foregone conclusion that most people would find it very difficult to accept a much larger number.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It could be malicious and deliberate or innocent and just wrong, but the fact that the administration had set an anchor is what makes the new number seem implausible,\" said Max Bazerman, who studies human decision-making at Harvard Business School.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is important to remember that the psychological phenomenon does not tell you what the correct number of casualties in Iraq really is. But it does say that even if the 650,000 number is accurate, we are likely not to believe it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"14 Days Before Midterm Elections"},{"content":" Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed * Contraceptive Coverage - Court Rules Against Catholic EmployersDr. Syed is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and a writer on Islamic affairs. His 1998 article (see below) isn't likley to make him popular in the Muslim community but could very well bring the wrath of the mullahs upon him. Wearing of veil by Muslim women has become a polarizing issue. He wrote \"As a matter of fact, modesty in dress is also required on the part of Muslim men.\" How is that going to fly with Muslim men, especially those who live in the West ?Washington Post: \"While the veil issue has exacerbated tensions between non-Muslims and Muslims, it has also sparked passionate reactions within Muslim communities. Some Muslim leaders have accused Straw, Blair -- who called veils a \"mark of separation\" -- and others of demonizing Muslims, but others have said they have raised an important issue that has no clear consensus among Muslims.\"Is Head Cover For Women Mandatory In Islam ?by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph.D - Islamic Research Foundation International,Inc.(IFRI)Hijab (head cover) for Muslim women is not mandated in the Qur’an. If it is, it is only the subjective interpretation of an ayah (verse) on the part of the reader. Hence, many Islamic scholars say that according to hadith, a woman should cover her whole body, except her face and hands. The majority of Muslims do not know in which hadith this is mentioned. A very limited number of Muslims know that this is in Sunan Abu Dawud. The English translation of Sunan Abu Dawud is in three volumes. Again, nobody ever mentions that it is in Volume Three. Actually, it is in Volume 3, Book XXVII, Chapter 1535, and Hadith number 4092, titled: \"How Much Beauty Can A Woman Display?\" For the benefit of the readers, the exact hadith is reproduced below:(Go to the IFRI link for the complete text.)This article was printed in the April 1998 issue, Volume 19, No. 3 of \"The New Trend\" publication.Asra Nomani's article in the Washington Post: Clothes Are'nt the Issue is a shocker. She cites justification for wife beating in the Koran! Makes you wonder why Muslim women remain subservient and accept such conditions. Even if the practice is not widespread it has no place in today's world.MORGANTOWN, W.Va. When dealing with a \"disobedient wife,\" a Muslim man has a number of options. First, he should remind her of \"the importance of following the instructions of the husband in Islam.\" If that doesn't work, he can \"leave the wife's bed.\" Finally, he may \"beat\" her, though it must be without \"hurting, breaking a bone, leaving blue or black marks on the body and avoiding hitting the face, at any cost.\"Such appalling recommendations, drawn from the book \"Woman in the Shade of Islam\" by Saudi scholar Abdul Rahman al-Sheha, are inspired by as authoritative a source as any Muslim could hope to find: a literal reading of the 34th verse of the fourth chapter of the Koran, An-Nisa , or Women. \"[A]nd (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them,\" reads one widely accepted translation.A Defeat For Catholic Employers in New York StateGood news. Although the plaintiffs in this case plan to pursue an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the chances of the justices taking this up are slim.New York Law Journal:Health Law Requiring Plans To Offer Birth Control UpheldJohn Caher10-20-2006\"ALBANY - The Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the constitutionality of a women's health act that pressures some religious-affiliated employers to either offer their employees a prescription plan that includes contraceptive coverage or deny their workers any drug coverage at all.In Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany v. Serio, 110, the Court rejected the claims of 10 faith-based organizations and refused to exempt them from a key provision in the Women's Health and Wellness Act. The ruling makes it difficult, but not impossible, for an individual or group to avoid on religious grounds a neutral law of general application.- John Caher can be reached at jcaher@alm.com. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/is-the-veil-hijab-mandated-in-the-koran/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDr. Ibrahim B. Syed * Contraceptive Coverage - Court Rules Against Catholic Employers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.islamfortoday.com/syed.htm\"\u003eDr. Syed\u003c/a\u003e is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and a writer on Islamic affairs.  His 1998 article (see below) isn't likley to make him popular in the Muslim community but could very well bring the wrath of the mullahs upon him. Wearing of veil by Muslim women has become a polarizing issue. He wrote \"As a matter of fact, modesty in dress is also required on the part of Muslim men.\" How is that going to fly with Muslim men, especially those who live in the West ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/20/AR2006102001569.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"While the veil issue has exacerbated tensions between non-Muslims and Muslims, it has also sparked passionate reactions within Muslim communities. Some Muslim leaders have accused Straw, Blair -- who called veils a \"mark of separation\" -- and others of demonizing Muslims, but others have said they have raised an important issue that has no clear consensus among Muslims.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.irfi.org/articles/women_in_islam/is_head_cover_for_women_mandator.htm\"\u003eIs Head Cover For Women Mandatory In Islam ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eby Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph.D - Islamic Research Foundation International,Inc.(IFRI)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHijab (head cover) for Muslim women is not mandated in the Qur’an. If it is, it is only the subjective interpretation of an ayah (verse) on the part of the reader. Hence, many Islamic scholars say that according to hadith, a woman should cover her whole body, except her face and hands. The majority of Muslims do not know in which hadith this is mentioned. A very limited number of Muslims know that this is in Sunan Abu Dawud. The English translation of Sunan Abu Dawud is in three volumes. Again, nobody ever mentions that it is in Volume Three. Actually, it is in Volume 3, Book XXVII, Chapter 1535, and Hadith number 4092, titled: \"How Much Beauty Can A Woman Display?\" For the benefit of the readers, the exact hadith is reproduced below:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Go to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.irfi.org/articles/women_in_islam/is_head_cover_for_women_mandator.htm\"\u003eIFRI\u003c/a\u003e link for the complete text.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis article was printed in the April 1998 issue, Volume 19, No. 3 of \"The New Trend\" publication.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAsra Nomani's article in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/20/AR2006102001261.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: Clothes Are'nt the Issue is a shocker. She cites justification for wife beating in the Koran! Makes you wonder why Muslim women remain subservient and accept such conditions. Even if the practice is not widespread it has no place in today's world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMORGANTOWN, W.Va. When dealing with a \"disobedient wife,\" a Muslim man has a number of options. First, he should remind her of \"the importance of following the instructions of the husband in Islam.\" If that doesn't work, he can \"leave the wife's bed.\" Finally, he may \"beat\" her, though it must be without \"hurting, breaking a bone, leaving blue or black marks on the body and avoiding hitting the face, at any cost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuch appalling recommendations, drawn from the book \"Woman in the Shade of Islam\" by Saudi scholar Abdul Rahman al-Sheha, are inspired by as authoritative a source as any Muslim could hope to find: a literal reading of the 34th verse of the fourth chapter of the Koran, An-Nisa , or Women. \"[A]nd (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them,\" reads one widely accepted translation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Defeat For Catholic Employers in New York State\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGood news. Although the plaintiffs in this case plan to pursue an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the chances of the justices taking this up are slim.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNew York Law Journal:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.law.com/jsp/nylj/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1161248718133\"\u003eHealth Law Requiring Plans To Offer Birth Control Upheld\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Caher\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e10-20-2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"ALBANY - The Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the constitutionality of a women's health act that pressures some religious-affiliated employers to either offer their employees a prescription plan that includes contraceptive coverage or deny their workers any drug coverage at all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany v. Serio, 110, the Court rejected the claims of 10 faith-based organizations and refused to exempt them from a key provision in the Women's Health and Wellness Act. The ruling makes it difficult, but not impossible, for an individual or group to avoid on religious grounds a neutral law of general application.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e- John Caher can be reached at jcaher@alm.com.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Is the Veil (Hijab) Mandated In the Koran"},{"content":" Colonel Tom Vail * Iraq * Casualties * Garry TrudeauThe bluster has become muted, almost gone, but the same old refrain continues to be heard. And every day soldiers, most of them in their 20's -- some even younger -- die in the slaughterhouse that Iraq has turned into. We who opposed the war before the first pair of boots hit the ground feel vindicated but there is no joy. The cost in human terms is numbing; there is only sorrow. Tom Vail's mission is a worthy one. He will face anger, sadness, and questions about the wasted lives. Nevertheless, his personal meetings with bereaved families could provide much-needed closure for some.From The Observer (Guardian). October 22, 2006How Iraq Came to Haunt AmericaColonel Tom Vail is planning a road trip around the United States. It is his last, sad duty before returning to his family from eastern Baghdad. For when the commander of the 4th Brigade of the 101st Airborne arrives back in the States, it will be with videos of the memorial services held in Baghdad for each of his fallen soldiers to give to the families of the dead men.He knows that some of the families will not want to see him, and he understands. Grief works in different ways, he says. For others, however, it will be an opportunity to talk, to learn something, he hopes, of the inexplicable nature of their children's deaths.So, when he has a moment, when he is not driving round the battlefield that is eastern Baghdad, Vail examines the map and plans his flights and his car hire. And he wonders at the reception he will receive - a messenger of death, bringing the war back from Iraq to the home front.For when Vail and his soldiers return, it will be in the knowledge that the United States that they are going home to is not the one that they left. That in their year-long absence a seismic shift has occurred in support for the war in Iraq. And that the deaths that Colonel Vail must carry back with him to grieving families - deaths that once seemed to Americans to be a necessary cost - now seem to the majority a dreadful and pointless waste.See Doonesbury's War for Garry Trudeau and stories about injured veterans. \"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take Till he knows that too many people have died.\" --Bob Dylan ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/one-soldier-plans-a-road-trip-around-america/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eColonel Tom Vail * Iraq * Casualties * Garry Trudeau\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe bluster has become muted, almost gone, but the same old refrain continues to be heard. And every day soldiers, most of them in their 20's -- some even younger -- die in the slaughterhouse that Iraq has turned into. We who opposed the war before the first pair of boots hit the ground feel vindicated but there is no joy. The cost in human terms is numbing; there is only sorrow. Tom Vail's mission is a worthy one. He will face anger, sadness, and questions about the wasted lives. Nevertheless, his personal meetings with bereaved families could provide much-needed closure for some.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The Observer (Guardian). October 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1928616,00.html\"\u003eHow Iraq Came to Haunt America\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eColonel Tom Vail is planning a road trip around the United States. It is his last, sad duty before returning to his family from eastern Baghdad. For when the commander of the 4th Brigade of the 101st Airborne arrives back in the States, it will be with videos of the memorial services held in Baghdad for each of his fallen soldiers to give to the families of the dead men.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe knows that some of the families will not want to see him, and he understands. Grief works in different ways, he says. For others, however, it will be an opportunity to talk, to learn something, he hopes, of the inexplicable nature of their children's deaths.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo, when he has a moment, when he is not driving round the battlefield that is eastern Baghdad, Vail examines the map and plans his flights and his car hire. And he wonders at the reception he will receive - a messenger of death, bringing the war back from Iraq to the home front.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor when Vail and his soldiers return, it will be in the knowledge that the United States that they are going home to is not the one that they left. That in their year-long absence a seismic shift has occurred in support for the war in Iraq. And that the deaths that Colonel Vail must carry back with him to grieving families - deaths that once seemed to Americans to be a necessary cost - now seem to the majority a dreadful and pointless waste.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/20/AR2006102000446.html\"\u003eDoonesbury's War\u003c/a\u003e for Garry Trudeau and stories about injured veterans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e \"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take \u003cbr/\u003e Till he knows that too many people have died.\"\u003cbr/\u003e --Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"One Soldier Plans a Road Trip Around America"},{"content":" A few days back my friend JHL forwarded an item that appeared in The Writers' Almanac of October 19th. It took me to a poem by Gary Snyder, one of my favorite poets in America. It was timely, fitted my mood as she thought it would.The web site includes an audio link. Give it a try.MapA hill, a farm,A forest, and a valley.Half a hill plowed, half woods.A forest valley and a valley field.Sun passes over;Two solstices a yearCow in the pastureSometimes deerA farmhouse built of wood.A forest built on bones.The high field, hawksThe low field, crowsWren in the bramblesFrogs in the creekHot in summerCold in snowThe woods fade and pass.The farm goes on.The farm quits and failsThe woods creep downStocks fall you can't sell cornBig frost and tree-mice starveWho wins who cares?The woods have time.The farmer has heirs.--Gary Snyder * Here is another that I like. Now 76, Gary Snyder lives in the Sierra foothills. A WalkSunday the only day we don't work:Mules farting around the meadow, Murphy fishing,The tent flaps in the warmEarly sun: I've eaten breakfast and I'll Take a walkTo Benson Lake. Packed a lunch,Goodbye. Hopping on creekbed bouldersUp the rock throat three miles Puite Creek --In steep gorge glacier-slick rattlesnake countryJump, land by a pool, trout skitter,The clear sky. Deer tracks.Bad place by a falls, boulders big as houses,Lunch tied to belt,I stemmed up a crack and almost fellBut rolled out safe on a ledge and ambled on.Quail chicks freeze underfoot, color of stoneThen run cheep! away, hen quail fussing.Craggy west end of Benson Lake -- after edgingPast dark creek pools on a long white slope --Lookt down in the ice-black lake lined with cliffFrom far above: deep shimmering trout.A lone duck in a gunsightpass steep side hillThrough slide-aspen and talus, to the east end,Down to grass, wading a wide smooth streamInto camp. At last. By the rusty three-year-Ago left-behind cookstoveOf the old trail crew,Stoppt and swam and ate my lunch.--Gary Snyder ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/sunday-a-gary-snyder-kind-of-sunday/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few days back my friend JHL forwarded an item that appeared in \u003ca href=\"http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=31700\u0026amp;mlid=499\u0026amp;siteid=20130\u0026amp;uid=2ceba1233e\"\u003eThe Writers' Almanac\u003c/a\u003e of October 19th.  It took me to a poem by Gary Snyder, one of my favorite poets in America.  It was timely, fitted my mood as she thought it would.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe web site includes an audio link.  Give it a try.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMap\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA hill, a farm,\u003cbr/\u003eA forest, and a valley.\u003cbr/\u003eHalf a hill plowed, half woods.\u003cbr/\u003eA forest valley and a valley field.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSun passes over;\u003cbr/\u003eTwo solstices a year\u003cbr/\u003eCow in the pasture\u003cbr/\u003eSometimes deer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA farmhouse built of wood.\u003cbr/\u003eA forest built on bones.\u003cbr/\u003eThe high field, hawks\u003cbr/\u003eThe low field, crows\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWren in the brambles\u003cbr/\u003eFrogs in the creek\u003cbr/\u003eHot in summer\u003cbr/\u003eCold in snow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe woods fade and pass.\u003cbr/\u003eThe farm goes on.\u003cbr/\u003eThe farm quits and fails\u003cbr/\u003eThe woods creep down\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStocks fall you can't sell corn\u003cbr/\u003eBig frost and tree-mice starve\u003cbr/\u003eWho wins who cares?\u003cbr/\u003eThe woods have time.\u003cbr/\u003eThe farmer has heirs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--Gary Snyder\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere is another that I like.  Now 76, Gary Snyder lives in the Sierra foothills.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cpre\u003eA Walk\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunday the only day we don't work:\u003cbr/\u003eMules farting around the meadow,\u003cbr/\u003e                            Murphy fishing,\u003cbr/\u003eThe tent flaps in the warm\u003cbr/\u003eEarly sun: I've eaten breakfast and I'll\u003cbr/\u003e                              Take a walk\u003cbr/\u003eTo Benson Lake. Packed a lunch,\u003cbr/\u003eGoodbye. Hopping on creekbed boulders\u003cbr/\u003eUp the rock throat three miles\u003cbr/\u003e                              Puite Creek --\u003cbr/\u003eIn steep gorge glacier-slick rattlesnake country\u003cbr/\u003eJump, land by a pool, trout skitter,\u003cbr/\u003eThe clear sky. Deer tracks.\u003cbr/\u003eBad place by a falls, boulders big as houses,\u003cbr/\u003eLunch tied to belt,\u003cbr/\u003eI stemmed up a crack and almost fell\u003cbr/\u003eBut rolled out safe on a ledge\u003cbr/\u003e                              and ambled on.\u003cbr/\u003eQuail chicks freeze underfoot, color of stone\u003cbr/\u003eThen run cheep! away, hen quail fussing.\u003cbr/\u003eCraggy west end of Benson Lake -- after edging\u003cbr/\u003ePast dark creek pools on a long white slope --\u003cbr/\u003eLookt down in the ice-black lake\u003cbr/\u003e                             lined with cliff\u003cbr/\u003eFrom far above: deep shimmering trout.\u003cbr/\u003eA lone duck in a gunsightpass\u003cbr/\u003e                             steep side hill\u003cbr/\u003eThrough slide-aspen and talus, to the east end,\u003cbr/\u003eDown to grass, wading a wide smooth stream\u003cbr/\u003eInto camp. At last.\u003cbr/\u003e            By the rusty three-year-\u003cbr/\u003eAgo left-behind cookstove\u003cbr/\u003eOf the old trail crew,\u003cbr/\u003eStoppt and swam and ate my lunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e--Gary Snyder\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Sunday,  A Gary Snyder Kind of Sunday"},{"content":" Faith as Political Weapon * An Evening with AmanpourPolitical expediency, taking a page out of the Republicans' work book or the Democrats have seen the light and taking their faith public ? Daniel Burke in the Post: \"Gone are the days when \"faith outreach\" meant visiting African-American churches two weeks before an election, party leaders say. Instead, Democrats are seeking -- and getting -- regular meetings with megachurch pastors T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen and Rick Warren.\"Excerpts:Some at Democratic Party headquarters are taking an under-the-radar approach to religious outreach and are reluctant to divulge all the party's plans and advisers.\n\"Our focus is not in putting someone behind a pulpit,\" said Leslie Brown, the DNC's \"faith in action\" coordinator. But after conducting polls, meeting with state party chairs and undertaking an \"internal education,\" Democrats are building a \"message-driven machine,\" Brown said.\n\"We want to talk about things in ways we can relate to the faith community,\" said Rep. Clyburn, who heads the Faith Working Group. \"I don't talk about the environment just as keeping things green, I talk about it in terms of stewardship.\"\nBut while recent polls suggest evangelicals may be growing disillusioned with Republicans, many are still reluctant to pull the lever for Democratic candidates, said the Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals.\n\"Simply using 'faith language' won't redound to the benefit of any candidate, Republican or Democrat, without some authenticity there,\" Cizik said.\n\"When evangelicals think about the reputation of the Republican Party, which isn't too good right now, at least it does have a record of reaching out to those voters and it does have a record on Capitol Hill of at least trying to carry water for their issues,\" Cizik said.\n*Christiane AmanpourViewers of CNN are familiar with its star international correspondent. Last evening she spoke at Flint Center, DeAnza College, Cupertino.She stayed out of taking sides in the current conflict in Iraq but mentioned the out of control situation; talked about the grand mothers of Africa who are taking care of millions of babies whose parents have died of AIDS; and expressed her concern about the dwindling role of international reporting as media organizations reduce their coverage of world events. She feels that today, more than ever, it is important for people to be aware of what is happening in different corners of the globe.Over the years Amanpour had one-on-one interviews with leaders in many countries. When asked who she would like to meet most, Amanpour said \"Osama bin Laden and Kim Jong II\". If a reporter succeeds in meeting them it could very well be Christiane Amanpour. She is bright, dedicated, passionate.....and she has moxie. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/democrats-closing-the-god-gap/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFaith as Political Weapon *  An Evening with Amanpour\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePolitical expediency, taking a page out of the Republicans' work book or the Democrats have seen the light and taking their faith public ?  Daniel Burke in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/20/AR2006102001407.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Gone are the days when \"faith outreach\" meant visiting African-American churches two weeks before an election, party leaders say. Instead, Democrats are seeking -- and getting -- regular meetings with megachurch pastors T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen and Rick Warren.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome at Democratic Party headquarters are taking an under-the-radar approach to religious outreach and are reluctant to divulge all the party's plans and advisers.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Democrats Closing \"The God Gap\""},{"content":" Soon after President Pervez Musharraf's failed attempt to amend Pakistan's rape laws (under Hudood Ordinances) in the face of opposition from Muslim religious groups, comes news from India about a woman who was raped by her father-in-law and is now considered by some Muslim clerics and scholars to be unfit to live with her husband. Amazing that such cave-age customs are still alive and well. What is it about Islam that condones grossly repressive practices against women -- hatred or fear ? The heinous custom of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) is still prevalent among Muslim communities in Sudan and other African countries. It is said to be a \"cultural practice, not a religious practice\".This is from Times of India: LUCKNOW: Muslim scholars and clerics in Uttar Pradesh have expressed diverse opinions over the court verdict on Imrana that sentenced her father-in-law Ali Mohammed to 10 years in jail for raping and attempting to murder her last year.While some clerics including those representing the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have welcomed Thursday's order of the Muzaffarnagar district court, there were others who feel that young Imrana, mother of five children, was still not entitled to live with her husband Noor Ilahi.\"After being raped by her father-in-law, Imrana ceased to remain Noor Ilahi's wife. Instead she acquired the status of Ilahi's mother. So irrespective of the court order, the Shariat would not permit her to cohabit with Ilahi,\" Maulana Imrana, who heads the Shariat court in Muzaffarnagar, told reporters.\"The court verdict could not override the view of the Shariat and according to that Ilahi must leave Imrana.\"Said AIMPLB member and head of the Lucknow-based Firangi Mahal Islamic seminary Maulana Khalid Rashid: \"I welcome the court verdict and it must be followed in true letter and spirit.\"While declaring Islam favours capital punishment for rapists for whom it prescribes stoning to death, he, however, did not elaborate on the key question of letting Imrana stay on with her husband.\"That is a question which I am not empowered to decide, it can be dealt with only by a Darul-Qaza, which is the highest Islamic court.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/misogynistic-muslims/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoon after President Pervez Musharraf's failed attempt to amend Pakistan's \u003ca href=\"http://www.crescentlife.com/articles/social%20issues/rape_laws.htm\"\u003erape laws\u003c/a\u003e (under \u003ca href=\"http://www.ahrchk.net/hrsolid/mainfile.php/2003vol13no04-05/2292/\"\u003eHudood Ordinances\u003c/a\u003e) in the face  of opposition from Muslim religious groups, comes news from India about a woman who was raped by her father-in-law  and is now considered by some Muslim clerics and scholars to be unfit to live with her husband.  Amazing that such cave-age customs are still alive and well.  What is it about Islam that condones grossly repressive practices against women --  hatred or fear ?   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe heinous custom of \u003ca href=\"http://www.members.tripod.com/%7EWolvesdreams/FGM.html\"\u003eFGM\u003c/a\u003e (Female Genital Mutilation) is still prevalent among Muslim communities in Sudan and other African countries.  It is said to be a \"cultural practice, not a religious practice\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is from \u003ca href=\"http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2218406.cms\"\u003eTimes of India\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e LUCKNOW: Muslim scholars and clerics in Uttar Pradesh have expressed diverse opinions over the court verdict on Imrana that sentenced her father-in-law Ali Mohammed to 10 years in jail for raping and attempting to murder her last year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhile some clerics including those representing the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have welcomed Thursday's order of the Muzaffarnagar district court, there were others who feel that young Imrana, mother of five children, was still not entitled to live with her husband Noor Ilahi.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"After being raped by her father-in-law, Imrana ceased to remain Noor Ilahi's wife. Instead she acquired the status of Ilahi's mother. So irrespective of the court order, the Shariat would not permit her to cohabit with Ilahi,\" Maulana Imrana, who heads the Shariat court in Muzaffarnagar, told reporters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The court verdict could not override the view of the Shariat and according to that Ilahi must leave Imrana.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSaid AIMPLB member and head of the Lucknow-based Firangi Mahal Islamic seminary Maulana Khalid Rashid: \"I welcome the court verdict and it must be followed in true letter and spirit.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhile declaring Islam favours capital punishment for rapists for whom it prescribes stoning to death, he, however, did not elaborate on the key question of letting Imrana stay on with her husband.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"That is a question which I am not empowered to decide, it can be dealt with only by a Darul-Qaza, which is the highest Islamic court.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Misogynistic Muslims"},{"content":" What did they die for and how many more must die ?Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties\nChase A. Haag, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 01, 2006 Mario Nelson, 26, Army Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006 Denise A. Lannaman, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 01, 2006 Justin D. Peterson, 32, Marine Captain, Oct 01, 2006 Christopher B. Cosgrove III, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 01, 2006 Aaron L. Seal, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Oct 01, 2006 Raymond S. Armijo, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006 James D. Ellis, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006 Satieon V. Greenlee, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006 Justin R. Jarrett, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006 Joe A. Narvaez, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006 Michael K. Oremus, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 02, 2006 Joseph W. Perry, 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 02, 2006 Kristofer C. Walker, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 02, 2006 Daniel Isshak, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006 Jonathan Rojas, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2006 Dean Bright, 32, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 04, 2006 Timothy Burke, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006 Christopher O. Moudry, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 04, 2006 George R. Obourn Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Oct 04, 2006 Edward M. Garvin, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 04, 2006 Benjamin S. Rosales, 20, Marine Corporal, Oct 04, 2006 Nicholas A. Arvanitis, 22, Army Corporal, Oct 06, 2006 John Edward Hale, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2006 Bradford H. Payne, 24, Marine Corporal, Oct 06, 2006 Brandon S. Asbury, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006 Carl W. Johnson II, 21, Army Corporal, Oct 07, 2006 Lawrence Parrish, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 07, 2006 John Edward Wood, 37, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 07, 2006 Shane R. Austin, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 08, 2006 Timothy Fulkerson, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 08, 2006 Stephen F. Johnson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006 Derek W. Jones, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006 Jeremy Scott Sandvick Monroe, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2006 Robert M. Secher, 33, Marine Captain, Oct 08, 2006 Phillip B. Williams, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006 Julian M. Arechaga, 23, Marine Sergeant, Oct 09, 2006 Jon Eric Bowman, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 09, 2006 Shelby J. Feniello, 25, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2006 Shane T. Adcock, 27, Army Captain, Oct 11, 2006 Nicholas R. Sowinski, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006 Justin T. Walsh, 24, Marine Sergeant, Oct 11, 2006 Gene A. Hawkins, 24, Army Sergeant, Oct 12, 2006 Johnny K. Craver, 37, Army Lieutenant, Oct 13, 2006 Thomas J. Hewett, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006 Kenny F. Stanton Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2006 Leebenard E. Chavis, 21, Air Force Airman 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006 Joseph M. Kane, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006 Charles M. King, 48, Army 1st Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006 Timothy J. Lauer, 25, Army Specialist, Oct 14, 2006 Keith J. Moore, 28, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 14, 2006 Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, Marine Sergeant, Oct 14, 2006 Jr., Lester Domenico Baroncini, 33, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006 Stephen Bicknell, 19, Army Private, Oct 15, 2006 Joshua Deese, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 15, 2006 Jonathan E. Lootens, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006 Mark C. Paine, 32, Army Captain, Oct 15, 2006 Brock A. Babb, 40, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Oct 15, 2006 Joshua M. Hines, 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 15, 2006 Christopher E. Loudon, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 17, 2006\n*Note: The total todate for October is reported to be 74. The list represents deaths confirmed by the D.O.D.Total since beginning of the war: 2785President admits comparison with VietnamReality check...for the president Vietnam is no longer taboo in talking about the situation in Iraq. At the same time the president threw in a bit of campaigning -- mentioned the upcoming elections here in the United States. \"Bush has strongly resisted comparisons between Iraq and Vietnam, but with U.S. casualties continuing to mount, he agreed to an interviewer's analogy and said he detected a spike in attacks timed to the congressional elections in three weeks with the goal of forcing the United States to lose its will.\" Ah, the bogey of Democrats being weak on terrorism and the insurgents would like to see them win! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/dirge-of-october---names-by-date/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWhat did they die for and how many more must die ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" frame=\"border\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Helmet II.0.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chase A. Haag,  22, Army  Corporal,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mario  Nelson,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Denise A. Lannaman,  46, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin D. Peterson,  32, Marine  Captain,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher B.  Cosgrove III,  23, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron L. Seal,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Oct 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raymond S. Armijo,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D. Ellis,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Satieon V. Greenlee,  24, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin R. Jarrett,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joe A. Narvaez,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael K. Oremus,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph W. Perry,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kristofer C. Walker,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Isshak,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Rojas,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dean Bright,  32, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy  Burke,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher O. Moudry,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George R. Obourn Jr.,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward M. Garvin,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin S.  Rosales,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas A. Arvanitis,  22, Army  Corporal,   Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Edward Hale,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradford H. Payne,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon S. Asbury,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl W. Johnson II,  21, Army  Corporal,   Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lawrence Parrish,  36, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Edward Wood,  37, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane R. Austin,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy Fulkerson,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen F. Johnson,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Derek W.  Jones,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy Scott Sandvick Monroe,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert M. Secher,  33, Marine  Captain,   Oct 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip B. Williams,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Julian M. Arechaga,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jon Eric Bowman,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shelby J. Feniello,  25, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane T. Adcock,  27, Army  Captain,   Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas R. Sowinski,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin T. Walsh,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   Oct 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gene A. Hawkins,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Johnny K. Craver,  37, Army  Lieutenant,   Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas J. Hewett,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenny F. Stanton Jr.,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leebenard E. Chavis,  21, Air Force  Airman 1st Class,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph M. Kane,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles M. King,  48, Army  1st Sergeant,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy J. Lauer,  25, Army  Specialist,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keith J. Moore,  28, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan J. Simpson,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Oct 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jr., Lester Domenico Baroncini,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen Bicknell,  19, Army  Private,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua  Deese,  25, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan E. Lootens,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark C. Paine,  32, Army  Captain,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brock A. Babb,  40, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua M. Hines,  26, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Oct 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                          Christopher E. Loudon,  23, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Oct 17, 2006\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Dirge of October - Names By Date"},{"content":" The Baker Mission * Surprise Around the Corner ?Ann Telnaes - Slate Magazine\"BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi insurgents killed 10 U.S. soldiers in a single day, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, in the latest of a surge of attacks on American forces battling soaring sectarian violence and a Sunni Arab revolt.\"No secret that former secretary of state, and a friend of the Bush family, James Baker is involved in backchannel negotiations to resolve the crisis in Iraq -- pull chestnuts out of fire for Junior. The Guardian reports that leaks about the Baker Mission were timed for the midterm elections. This could be the October surprise that was expected to be sprung or an attempt to allow the president a face-saving exit from the mess he created. Can it save the Republicans ? By now American voters know enough about the Bush Administration not to be duped by this ploy but one can never tell.The GuardianOctober 18,2006A radical change in US policy over Iraq after the November elections appeared increasingly likely yesterday after reports that a bipartisan commission headed by a Bush family confidant will recommend an approach to Iran and Syria for help or a withdrawal to bases outside Iraq.The Iraq Study Group is chaired by James Baker, who was the first President Bush's secretary of state. It is not due to deliver its findings until after the congressional elections on November 7 because of their potentially explosive political impact, but the panel's proceedings have been leaked to the press.In recent interviews, Mr Baker said the group has taken no firm decisions but made it clear that the current US strategy was no longer an option. \"There'll probably be some things in our report that the administration might not like,\" Mr Baker predicted in a TV interview. He said: \"Our commission believes there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run'.\"He made it clear he believed there should be approaches to Iraq's neighbours, including those the White House has accused of fomenting the insurgency. \"I believe in talking to your enemies,\" he said. \"Neither the Syrians nor the Iranians want a chaotic Iraq ... so maybe there is some potential for getting something other than opposition from those countries.\"In a BBC interview yesterday, the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, expressed support for such a move, saying it would \"be the beginning of the end of terrorism\".Mr Baker has also suggested that the US might have to give up its long-term war aim of democracy across the Middle East. Instead he suggested that the US define success as achieving \"representative government, not necessarily democracy\".According to leaks published first in the New York Sun and then in the Los Angeles Times, the Iraq Study Group, which has consulted 150 outside experts including Syrian and Iranian representatives, is focusing on two broad options.One is entitled \"Stability First\" and it would involve focusing the military effort on pacifying Baghdad while attempting to draw some insurgent groups into the political process and opening talks with Syria and Iran.The second has been called \"Redeploy and Contain\", pulling US troops back to bases outside Iraq and conducting military operations from there in support of Iraqi government forces.However they were spun, both would represent a measure of defeat for President Bush, but with a American death toll fast approaching 3,000, the new report may reflect a realisation he has no choice. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-10-18 If Baker telling Bush to change tactics is the \"October surprise,\" Rove is slipping...\n...or more like finally listening to the critics that have been saying this for two years. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-10-20 Thank you for visiting from Japan.\nComments shed light on views of readers. Not all of them support my position and that is how it should be. I was amongst those who opposed the the war before the first pair of boots landed in Iraq. We feel vindicated but the costs -- especially in human terms -- give no cause for joy. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/bloody-october-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Baker Mission * Surprise Around the Corner ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/Hello Dad - Ann Telnaes.0.png\"/\u003eAnn Telnaes - Slate Magazine\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=116115193864566909\"\u003e\"BAGHDAD (Reuters)\u003c/a\u003e - Iraqi insurgents killed 10 U.S. soldiers in a single day, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, in the latest of a surge of attacks on American forces battling soaring sectarian violence and a Sunni Arab revolt.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo secret that former secretary of state, and a friend of the Bush family, James Baker is involved in backchannel negotiations to resolve the crisis in Iraq -- pull chestnuts out of fire for Junior. \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1924927,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e reports that leaks about the Baker Mission were timed for the midterm elections. This could be the October surprise that was expected to be sprung or an attempt to allow the president a face-saving exit from the mess he created. Can it save the Republicans ? By now American voters know enough about the Bush Administration not to be duped by this ploy but one can never tell.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr/\u003eOctober 18,2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA radical change in US policy over Iraq after the November elections appeared increasingly likely yesterday after reports that a bipartisan commission headed by a Bush family confidant will recommend an approach to Iran and Syria for help or a withdrawal to bases outside Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Iraq Study Group is chaired by James Baker, who was the first President Bush's secretary of state. It is not due to deliver its findings until after the congressional elections on November 7 because of their potentially explosive political impact, but the panel's proceedings have been leaked to the press.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn recent interviews, Mr Baker said the group has taken no firm decisions but made it clear that the current US strategy was no longer an option. \"There'll probably be some things in our report that the administration might not like,\" Mr Baker predicted in a TV interview. He said: \"Our commission believes there are alternatives between the stated alternatives, the ones that are out there in the political debate of 'stay the course' and 'cut and run'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe made it clear he believed there should be approaches to Iraq's neighbours, including those the White House has accused of fomenting the insurgency. \"I believe in talking to your enemies,\" he said. \"Neither the Syrians nor the Iranians want a chaotic Iraq ... so maybe there is some potential for getting something other than opposition from those countries.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn a BBC interview yesterday, the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, expressed support for such a move, saying it would \"be the beginning of the end of terrorism\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMr Baker has also suggested that the US might have to give up its long-term war aim of democracy across the Middle East. Instead he suggested that the US define success as achieving \"representative government, not necessarily democracy\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAccording to leaks published first in the New York Sun and then in the Los Angeles Times, the Iraq Study Group, which has consulted 150 outside experts including Syrian and Iranian representatives, is focusing on two broad options.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOne is entitled \"Stability First\" and it would involve focusing the military effort on pacifying Baghdad while attempting to draw some insurgent groups into the political process and opening talks with Syria and Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe second has been called \"Redeploy and Contain\", pulling US troops back to bases outside Iraq and conducting military operations from there in support of Iraqi government forces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHowever they were spun, both would represent a measure of defeat for President Bush, but with a American death toll fast approaching 3,000, the new report may reflect a realisation he has no choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-10-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIf Baker telling Bush to change tactics is the \"October surprise,\" Rove is slipping...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e...or more like finally listening to the critics that have been saying this for two years.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-10-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for visiting from Japan.\u003cbr\u003eComments shed light on views of readers.  Not all of them support my position and that is how it should be.  I was amongst those who opposed the  the war before the first pair of boots landed in Iraq.  We feel vindicated but the costs -- especially in human terms --  give no cause for joy.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Bloody October In Iraq"},{"content":" Bob Woodward's \"State of Denial\" * India's Dubious Honor * Google/YouTubeIn a lead article titled Cross Eyed and Clueless, The Economist commented about Bob Woodward's \"State of Denial\". \"Mr Woodward's critics on both left and right have complained that this is all old hat. '“We've read this book before,'” says Tony Snow, Mr Bush's press secretary. But it matters, because Mr Woodward can hardly be classified as a Bush-hater. '“Bush at War'” painted such a flattering portrait of the great leader that the Republican National Committee sold it on its website. And it matters because the Woodward publicity machine is a mighty engine. '“State of Denial'” has already sold out its first printing of 750,000 copies, and Mr Woodward is omnipresent on cable TV.\" Iraq continues to plague the president. Attacks against U.S. soldiers have increased; 56 more died between October 1-15. Three weeks before midterm elections, if they are having nightmares at Pennsylvania Avenue there is more than Woodward's book to account for them. Putting it mildly, the projections don't look encouraging. No less a source than the Congressional Quarterly's Weekly Report (for the period Oct.9-13) presents a bleak landscape for the G.O.P. However, Democrats have reason to be wary. The backlash against Republicans does not mean approval for Democrats; currently they are being seen as lesser of two evils and that is not something to bank on. *India Ranked No.1 In BPIBPI is the acronym for Transparency International's Bribe Payer's Index ! In a report datelined 5 October, Times of India/India Times reported \"India World Leader In Greasing Palms\"\" LONDON/NEW DELHI: India doesn't just have loads of corruption at home, it is also the world leader in exporting graft. Months after Transparency International ranked India as among the more corrupt societies in the world, the NGO'’s Bribe Payer's Index 2006 shows that Indian exporters are more willing than their counterparts from other countries to pay overseas bribes to secure business, clinch contracts, do deals and generally get on in the world. Of the 30 countries surveyed by the index, India was the worst '— or most willing to give'— followed by China and Russia.The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likely to use brown envelopes and backhanders to get the job done. No Asian country figures in the list of the ten cleanest countries. Japan figures eleventh followed by Singapore.While corruption exists in most countries, the degree of it varies -- the developed nations in the west generally more clean in comparison with the rest. Also, the nature of bribery is different. Here in the United States influence peddling by lobbyists is a fact of life. Award of billion-dollar contracts are based on contributions (in cash or kind) to political parties and legislators. It is a form of legalized bribery and practised at the highest levels of government.Swiss companies might not pay bribe to get contracts today but they were certainly involved in the Bofors scandal in India in the 80's (the investigation is still continuing). The Swiss banking system is known to promote and encourage stashing of money from illegal transactions, whether bribes or narcotic traffic. Switzerland has been a haven for dirty money for years. * \"Down the tube\"?From across the Atlantic, The Scotsman had this to say about Google's acquisition:\"What if Google deal is '£880m down the tube'?BUSINESS FOCUSGRAHAM STEWARTIT SOUNDS like a tale from the dotcom boom and bust era. Technology giant buys a website that's never made a penny of profit for an eyewatering sum which it is never likely to recoup. After Google paid $1.65bn (£883m) for the video sharing site YouTube last week, analysts have been wondering whether history is about to repeat itself.While the California-based YouTube offers nothing unique in technology terms, it has one commodity which all online media companies covet: a mass audience.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-10-17 Comments on the Indian BPI story. Text within quotes are excerpts from the Times story:\n\"The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likely to use brown envelopes\nand backhanders to get the job done.\"\n--\u003e the swiss dont use 'brown envelopes', the swiss ARE a giant brown\nenvelope, used by bribers and bribees from around the globe to pass\nvast monies too large to fit inside quaint brown envelopes. The swiss\ndont need to give bribes, their reputation preceeds them. Why mess\naround with brown envelopes when every drug dealer, arm dealer, war\nprofiteer, oil baron, pimp, pusher and kleptocrat of note simply hand\nyou the fruits of their tireless pursuits for you to squirrel away in\ngiant underground security vaults, far from prying eyes.\n\"The newest league table was compiled after asking 11,000 top business\nexecutives in 125 countries\"\n--\u003e I wonder how many of these \"top business executives\" were\ngovernment officials with the power to hand over oil-drilling rights\nto foreign companies. I dont suppose Chevron and Shell won their oil\nrights in Nigeria in some sort of an open, transparent auction. You\ndont suppose the Nigerian government officials are protecting\nCheveron's assets from marauding oil workers out of the goodness of\ntheir hearts. You dont suppose Mr. Nazarbayev, the president (for\nlife) of Kazakhstan won his fortunes in a game of poker, or had the\nwerewithal, on a government paycheck, to send his kids to expensive\nswiss, yes swiss, finishing schools, now do you.\nI wonder how many of these \"top business executives\" were government\nofficials with the power to hand over arms contracts to foreign\ncompanies. Didn't we have those nice swedes filling vast trust funds\ncontrolled by certain indian politicians in return for the right sell\na few hundred pieces of artillary equipment.\nAnd as for mundane items of commerce such as aircrafst and genetically\nmodified seeds and power generation centers, Boeing does not need to\nhand over a brown envelope when it has the US Secretary of State\nmaking a business pitch on its behalf to recalcitrant foreign buyers;\nsundry private nuclear companies dont need to hand over brown\nenvelopes to sell heavy water to third-world power generators when the\nthreat of sanctions can be dangled; Monsanto does not need to hand\nover brown envelopes when the US Secretary of Commerce can make noises\nabout your textile export quotas.\nDifferent strokes for different folks. Some people hand over brown\nenvelopes, others simply move an aircraft carrier into your neck of\nthe woods.\n-kcr ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/nightmares-at-pennsylvania-avenue/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBob Woodward's \"State of Denial\"  * India's Dubious Honor * Google/YouTube\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn a lead article titled \u003ca href=\"http://www.economist.com/world/na/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=8001225\"\u003eCross Eyed and Clueless\u003c/a\u003e, The Economist commented about Bob Woodward's \"State of Denial\". \"Mr Woodward's critics on both left and right have complained that this is all old hat. '“We've read this book before,'” says Tony Snow, Mr Bush's press secretary. But it matters, because Mr Woodward can hardly be classified as a Bush-hater. '“Bush at War'” painted such a flattering portrait of the great leader that the Republican National Committee sold it on its website. And it matters because the Woodward publicity machine is a mighty engine. '“State of Denial'” has already sold out its first printing of 750,000 copies, and Mr Woodward is omnipresent on cable TV.\"  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/16/AR2006101600338.html\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e continues to plague the president. Attacks against U.S. soldiers have increased; 56 more died between October 1-15. \u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/16/AR2006101600338.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThree weeks before midterm elections, if they are having nightmares at Pennsylvania Avenue there is more than Woodward's book to account for them.    Putting it mildly, the projections don't look encouraging.  No less a source than the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cqpolitics.com/images/39politicscht.pdf\"\u003eCongressional Quarterly's  Weekly Report\u003c/a\u003e (for the period Oct.9-13)  presents a bleak landscape for the G.O.P.  However,  Democrats have reason to be wary.  The backlash against Republicans does not mean approval for Democrats; currently they are being seen as lesser of two evils and that is not something to bank on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIndia Ranked No.1 In BPI\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBPI is the acronym for  Transparency International's  Bribe Payer's Index !  In a report datelined 5 October, Times of India/India Times reported \"\u003ca href=\"http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2091020.cms\"\u003eIndia World Leader In Greasing Palms\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"  LONDON/NEW DELHI: India doesn't just have loads of corruption at home, it is also the world leader in exporting graft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e  Months after Transparency International ranked India as among the more corrupt societies in the world, the NGO'’s Bribe Payer's Index 2006 shows that Indian exporters are more willing than their counterparts from other countries to pay overseas bribes to secure business, clinch contracts, do deals and generally get on in the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e  Of the 30 countries surveyed by the index, India was the worst '— or most willing to give'— followed by China and Russia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likely to use brown envelopes and backhanders to get the job done. No Asian country figures in the list of the ten cleanest countries. Japan figures eleventh followed by Singapore.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eWhile corruption exists in most countries, the degree of it varies -- the developed nations in the west generally  more clean in comparison with  the rest.   Also,  the  nature of  bribery is different.  Here in the United States  influence peddling by lobbyists is a fact of life. Award of billion-dollar contracts are based on  contributions  (in cash or kind) to political parties and legislators.  It is a form of legalized bribery and practised at the highest levels of government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSwiss companies might not pay bribe to get contracts today but they were certainly involved in the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_Scandal\"\u003eBofors scandal\u003c/a\u003e in India in the 80's (the investigation is still continuing).  The Swiss banking system is known to promote and encourage stashing of money from illegal transactions, whether bribes or narcotic traffic.  Switzerland has been  a haven for dirty money for years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Down the tube\"?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom across the Atlantic, \u003ca href=\"http://business.scotsman.com/ebusiness.cfm?id=1526252006\"\u003eThe Scotsman\u003c/a\u003e had this to say about Google's acquisition:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What if Google deal is '£880m down the tube'?\u003cbr/\u003eBUSINESS FOCUS\u003cbr/\u003eGRAHAM STEWART\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIT SOUNDS like a tale from the dotcom boom and bust era. Technology giant buys a website that's never made a penny of profit for an eyewatering sum which it is never likely to recoup. After Google paid $1.65bn (£883m) for the video sharing site YouTube last week, analysts have been wondering whether history is about to repeat itself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile the California-based YouTube offers nothing unique in technology terms, it has one commodity which all online media companies covet: a mass audience.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-10-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eComments on the Indian BPI story. Text within quotes are excerpts from the Times story:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The BPI ranked Swiss companies as least likely to use brown envelopes\u003cbr\u003eand backhanders to get the job done.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003e  the swiss dont use 'brown envelopes', the swiss ARE a giant brown\u003cbr\u003eenvelope, used by bribers and bribees from around the globe to pass\u003cbr\u003evast monies too large to fit inside quaint brown envelopes. The swiss\u003cbr\u003edont need to give bribes, their reputation preceeds them. Why mess\u003cbr\u003earound with brown envelopes when every drug dealer, arm dealer, war\u003cbr\u003eprofiteer, oil baron, pimp, pusher and kleptocrat of note simply hand\u003cbr\u003eyou the fruits of their tireless pursuits for you to squirrel away in\u003cbr\u003egiant underground security vaults, far from prying eyes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The newest league table was compiled after asking 11,000 top business\u003cbr\u003eexecutives in 125 countries\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003e I wonder how many of these \"top business executives\" were\u003cbr\u003egovernment officials with the power to hand over oil-drilling rights\u003cbr\u003eto foreign companies. I dont suppose Chevron and Shell won their oil\u003cbr\u003erights in Nigeria in some sort of an open, transparent auction. You\u003cbr\u003edont suppose the Nigerian government officials are protecting\u003cbr\u003eCheveron's assets from marauding oil workers out of the goodness of\u003cbr\u003etheir hearts. You dont suppose Mr. Nazarbayev, the president (for\u003cbr\u003elife) of Kazakhstan won his fortunes in a game of poker, or had the\u003cbr\u003ewerewithal, on a government paycheck, to send his kids to expensive\u003cbr\u003eswiss, yes swiss, finishing schools, now do you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI wonder how many of these \"top business executives\" were government\u003cbr\u003eofficials with the power to hand over arms contracts to foreign\u003cbr\u003ecompanies. Didn't we have those nice swedes filling vast trust funds\u003cbr\u003econtrolled by certain indian politicians in return for the right sell\u003cbr\u003ea few hundred pieces of artillary equipment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd as for mundane items of commerce such as aircrafst and genetically\u003cbr\u003emodified seeds and power generation centers, Boeing does not need to\u003cbr\u003ehand over a brown envelope when it has the US Secretary of State\u003cbr\u003emaking a business pitch on its behalf to recalcitrant foreign buyers;\u003cbr\u003esundry private nuclear companies dont need to hand over brown\u003cbr\u003eenvelopes to sell heavy water to third-world power generators when the\u003cbr\u003ethreat of sanctions can be dangled; Monsanto does not need to hand\u003cbr\u003eover brown envelopes when the US Secretary of Commerce can make noises\u003cbr\u003eabout your textile export quotas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDifferent strokes for different folks. Some people hand over brown\u003cbr\u003eenvelopes, others simply move an aircraft carrier into your neck of\u003cbr\u003ethe woods.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-kcr\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Nightmares at Pennsylvania Avenue"},{"content":" \"Memory, you have the key\" wrote T.S. Eliot (Rhapsody on a Windy Night, Prufrock and other Observations). There are times when memories come crowding in without explanation. I don't look for the key; it is not important.Sunday doesn't have that special meaning for me that it has for those who are employed. But on Sunday mornings I spend more time listening to music than on other days. I enjoy Bach -- both his choral and secular compositions; the blues, and unusual musicians like Anouar Brahem.Sidney Bechet is on, playing \"Nobody Knows The Way I Feel Dis Mornin\". Earlier I listened to Bach's Cantata BWV 82 (Ich habe genug) by the great mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. Lieberson died of breast cancer in July 2006. She was fifty-two. Santiniketan in West Bengal, India, is a long way from the San Francisco Peninsula. Perhaps it was Lieberson and Bach's music that made me think of a friend who died there a few weeks ago. He had lung cancer, suffering from pain and the degradation that the disease causes and didn't want to continue with medication. I don't believe in an \"after life\", in tomb stones, or urns full of ashes. I accept the \"blank certitude of death\". Yet the loss of a friend is painful.....it lingers. And sometimes memories of days long past are triggered by a soundtrack on an album, a sentence in a book, or a flower in my garden.Shibji died surrounded by people who loved him. In the October 10th issue of New York Times there was an essay (Friends for Life: An Emerging Biology of Emotional Healing) by Daniel Goleman that resonated. The essay included the following:\"My friend has reached that point where doctors see nothing else totry.On my last visit, he and his wife told me that he was startinghospice care. One challenge, he told me, will be channeling the river of people whowant to visit into the narrow range of hours in a week when hestill has the energy to engage them.As he said this, I felt myself tearing up, and responded: \"You know,at least it's better to have this problem. So many people go throughthis all alone.He was silent for a moment, thoughtful. Then he answered softly, \"You're right.\" *Anthropologist Theodora Kroeber ,author of Ishi In Two Worlds, was an extraordinary woman. She died of cancer on July 4, 1979. Here is a poem that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle some years back.Poem for the LivingWhen I am deadCry for me a little.Think of me sometimesBut not too much.It is not good for youOr for your wife or your husbandOr your childrenTo allow your thoughts to dwellToo long on the Dead.Think of me now and againAs I was in lifeAt some momentit is pleasant to recall.But not for long.Leave me in peaceAs I shall leaveyou, too, in peace.While you liveLet your thoughts be withthe Living.---Theodora KroeberLorraine Hunt LiebersonBach Cantatas BWV 82 and BWV 199Craig Smith, ConductorOrchestra of Emmanuel MusicLabel: Nonesuch ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/sunday-morning---time-distance-and-lament-for-a-friend/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"timestamp\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Memory, you have the key\" wrote T.S. Eliot (Rhapsody on a Windy Night, Prufrock and other Observations). There are times when memories come crowding in without explanation.   I don't look for the key; it is not important.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunday doesn't have that special meaning for me that it has for those who are employed.  But on Sunday mornings I spend more time listening to music than on other days.    I enjoy Bach -- both his choral and secular compositions; the blues, and unusual musicians like Anouar Brahem.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSidney Bechet is on, playing \"Nobody Knows The Way I Feel Dis Mornin\".  Earlier I listened to   Bach's Cantata BWV 82 (Ich habe genug) by the great mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson.  Lieberson died of breast cancer in July 2006.  She was fifty-two.   Santiniketan in West Bengal, India, is a long way from the San Francisco Peninsula.  Perhaps it was Lieberson and Bach's music that made me think of a friend who died there a few weeks ago.   He had lung cancer, suffering from  pain and the degradation that the disease causes and didn't want to continue with medication.     I don't believe in an \"after life\", in tomb stones, or urns full of ashes. I accept the \"blank certitude of death\". Yet the loss of a friend is painful.....it lingers.  And sometimes memories of days long past are triggered by a soundtrack on an album, a sentence in a book, or a flower in my garden.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShibji died surrounded by people who loved him.   In the October 10th issue of New York Times there was an essay (Friends for Life: An Emerging Biology of Emotional Healing) by Daniel Goleman that resonated.   The essay included the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"My friend has reached that point where doctors see nothing else to\u003cbr/\u003etry.On my  last visit, he and his wife told me that he was starting\u003cbr/\u003ehospice care.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e One challenge, he told me, will be channeling the river of people who\u003cbr/\u003ewant to visit into the narrow range of hours in a week when he\u003cbr/\u003estill has the energy to engage them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs he said this, I felt myself tearing up, and responded: \"You know,\u003cbr/\u003eat least it's better to have this problem. So many people go through\u003cbr/\u003ethis all alone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe was silent for a moment, thoughtful. Then he answered softly, \"You're right.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003eAnthropologist \u003ca href=\"http://www.cateweb.org/CA_Authors/Kroeber.html\"\u003eTheodora Kroeber\u003c/a\u003e ,author of Ishi In Two Worlds, was an extraordinary woman.  She died of cancer on July 4, 1979.     Here is a poem that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle some years back.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoem for the Living\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I am dead\u003cbr/\u003eCry for me a little.\u003cbr/\u003eThink of me sometimes\u003cbr/\u003eBut not too much.\u003cbr/\u003eIt is not good for you\u003cbr/\u003eOr for your wife or your husband\u003cbr/\u003eOr your children\u003cbr/\u003eTo allow your thoughts to dwell\u003cbr/\u003eToo long on the Dead.\u003cbr/\u003eThink of me now and again\u003cbr/\u003eAs I was in life\u003cbr/\u003eAt some moment\u003cbr/\u003eit is pleasant to recall.\u003cbr/\u003eBut not for long.\u003cbr/\u003eLeave me in peace\u003cbr/\u003eAs I shall leave\u003cbr/\u003eyou, too, in peace.\u003cbr/\u003eWhile you live\u003cbr/\u003eLet your thoughts be with\u003cbr/\u003ethe Living.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Theodora Kroeber\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLorraine Hunt Lieberson\u003cbr/\u003eBach Cantatas BWV 82 and BWV 199\u003cbr/\u003eCraig Smith, Conductor\u003cbr/\u003eOrchestra of Emmanuel Music\u003cbr/\u003eLabel: Nonesuch\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday  Morning - Time, Distance and Lament for a Friend"},{"content":" Ogden Nash's Senator SmootThe inimitable Ogden Nash wrote about uptight Republicans 75 years ago. Watching them in action today makes it apparent that they haven't changed much. If anything, they have gotten worse as they strut around blathering about moral values.\"Senator Smoot (Republican, Ut.)Is planning a ban on smutOh rooti-ti-toot for Smoot of Ut.And his reverent occiput.Smite. Smoot, smite for Ut.,Grit your molars and do your dut.,Gird up your l--ns,Smite h-p and th-gh,We'll all be KansasBy and By.\" -- Ogden Nash, \"Invocation,\" 1931 * Foaming at the MouthRemember the late Spiro Agnew's \"Nattering nabobs of negativism\" ? Spiro Agnew was Richard Nixon's vice president until he resigned after pleading \"no contest\" to charges of tax fraud. He will be remembered for his attack of the administration's critics in a speech on September 11, 1970, at Republican State Convention in San Diego, California. The journalist William Saffire is reported to be the author of the phrase. \"In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H Club -- the 'hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history'.\" Music to my ears. Usually Vice President Cheney plays the attack-dog role but our commander-in-chief has been going a bit shrill against his critics. R. Jeffrey Smith in the Washington Post: \"But a survey of transcripts from Bush's public remarks over the past seven years shows the president's worsening political predicament has actually stoked, rather than diminished, his desire to proclaim what he cannot abide. Some presidential scholars and psychologists describe the trend as a signpost of Bush's rising frustration with his declining influence. Watch the bloodpressure.In the first nine months of this year, Bush declared more than twice as many events or outcomes \"unacceptable\" or \"not acceptable\" as he did in all of 2005, and nearly four times as many as he did in 2004. He is, in fact, at a presidential career high in denouncing events he considers intolerable. They number 37 so far this year, as opposed to five in 2003, 18 in 2002 and 14 in 2001.Through a spokesman and then in a televised statement, he declared North Korea's claimed nuclear test \"unacceptable\" before and after it occurred Oct. 9. But he could also be heard on Jan. 9 lecturing students at an elementary school in Glen Burnie, Md., that their recent scores on math and reading proficiency tests were \"unacceptable.\"Having a president call something \"unacceptable\" is not the same as having him order U.S. troops into action. But foreign policy experts say the word is one of the strongest any leader can deploy, since it both broadcasts a national position and conveys an implicit threat to take action if his warnings are disregarded.Bush's use of the term \"reflects in some ways his frustration with a world that doesn't seem as amenable to his policies as he would like them to be,\" said Stanley A. Renshon, a political scientist at the City University of New York. Bush \"has strong views; he believes in doing what is right. All of those things give an emotional force to his response\" to events he often sees and describes without nuance. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/bushs-rising-frustration-and-republicanut/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOgden Nash's Senator Smoot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe inimitable Ogden Nash wrote about uptight Republicans 75 years ago.  Watching them in action today makes it apparent that they haven't changed much.  If anything, they have gotten worse as they strut around blathering about moral values.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"details\"\u003e\"Senator Smoot (Republican, Ut.)\u003cbr/\u003eIs planning  a ban on smut\u003cbr/\u003eOh rooti-ti-toot for Smoot of Ut.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd his reverent  occiput.\u003cbr/\u003eSmite. Smoot, smite for Ut.,\u003cbr/\u003eGrit your molars and do your  dut.,\u003cbr/\u003eGird up your l--ns,\u003cbr/\u003eSmite h-p and th-gh,\u003cbr/\u003eWe'll all be  Kansas\u003cbr/\u003eBy and By.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e  -- Ogden Nash, \"Invocation,\" 1931\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoaming at the Mouth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRemember the late Spiro Agnew's \"Nattering nabobs of negativism\" ?  Spiro Agnew was Richard Nixon's vice president until he resigned after pleading \"no contest\" to charges of tax fraud.  He will be remembered for his attack of the administration's critics in a speech on September 11, 1970, at Republican State Convention in San Diego, California.  The journalist William Saffire is reported to be the author of the phrase.  \"In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H Club -- the 'hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history'.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMusic to my ears.  Usually Vice President Cheney plays the attack-dog role but our commander-in-chief has been going a bit shrill against his critics.  R. Jeffrey Smith in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101201580.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"But a survey of transcripts from Bush's public remarks over the past seven years shows the president's worsening political predicament has actually stoked, rather than diminished, his desire to proclaim what he cannot abide. Some presidential scholars and psychologists describe the trend as a signpost of Bush's rising frustration with his declining influence.  Watch the bloodpressure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the first nine months of this year, Bush declared more than twice as many events or outcomes \"unacceptable\" or \"not acceptable\" as he did in all of 2005, and nearly four times as many as he did in 2004. He is, in fact, at a presidential career high in denouncing events he considers intolerable. They number 37 so far this year, as opposed to five in 2003, 18 in 2002 and 14 in 2001.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThrough a spokesman and then in a televised statement, he declared North Korea's claimed nuclear test \"unacceptable\" before and after it occurred Oct. 9. But he could also be heard on Jan. 9 lecturing students at an elementary school in Glen Burnie, Md., that their recent scores on math and reading proficiency tests were \"unacceptable.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHaving a president call something \"unacceptable\" is not the same as having him order U.S. troops into action. But foreign policy experts say the word is one of the strongest any leader can deploy, since it both broadcasts a national position and conveys an implicit threat to take action if his warnings are disregarded.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush's use of the term \"reflects in some ways his frustration with a world that doesn't seem as amenable to his policies as he would like them to be,\" said Stanley A. Renshon, a political scientist at the City University of New York. Bush \"has strong views; he believes in doing what is right. All of those things give an emotional force to his response\" to events he often sees and describes without nuance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\".....Bush's rising frustration....\"  And \"Republican,Ut\""},{"content":" Iraq - The Bombshell from Britain * The Gorilla On Bush's BackIf British forces pull out of Iraq that would be much more than the proverbial 'straw' that breaks the camel's back. It is no secret that the much-vaunted \"coalition\" in the war against Iraq consisted mainly of British and American forces. Australia still has a presence -- a somewhat insignificant presence -- total of under 2000 armed personnel. Poland and Italy have announced withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2006. Therefore, British army chief Sir Richard Dannatt's blunt statement for withdrawal from Iraq must have sent shockwaves all the way across the Atlantic. Stretched, as the American soldiers now are, without support of the British army their situation would be untenable.\"Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as \"naive.\" No doubt Downing Street will issue clarifications and assurances. But Sir Richard's statement is on record. No amount of dancing around it will lessen its impact.U.K. Troops in Iraq Said Hurt SituationThe Associated Press/Washington PostThursday, October 12, 2006; 5:59 PMLONDON -- The head of the British Army said British troops in Iraq are making the situation worse and must leave the country soon, according to a newspaper interview published Thursday.The British military should \"get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems,\" Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt told the Daily Mail in the interview released on the tabloid's Web site.\"We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear,\" he added. \"As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but we weren't invited certainly by those in Iraq at the time.\"Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as \"naive.\"It is highly unusual for a sitting military commander to publicly criticize the government's foreign policy.\"Whatever consent we may have had in the first place\" from the Iraqi people \"has largely turned to intolerance,\" he said.\"In a blistering attack on Tony Blair's foreign policy, Gen Dannatt said the continuing military presence in Iraq was jeopardising British security and interests around the world.\"See detailed report in The Guardian. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/britannia-wavering---is-this-the-end-of-the-coalition/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq - The Bombshell from Britain *  The Gorilla On Bush's Back\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf British forces pull out of Iraq that would be much more than the proverbial 'straw' that breaks the camel's back.  It is no secret that the much-vaunted \"coalition\" in the war against Iraq consisted mainly of British and American forces.  Australia still has a presence -- a somewhat insignificant presence -- total of under 2000 armed personnel.  Poland and Italy have announced withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2006. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTherefore, British army chief Sir Richard Dannatt's  blunt statement for withdrawal from Iraq must have sent shockwaves all the way across the Atlantic.  Stretched, as the American soldiers  now are,  without support of the British army their situation would be untenable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as \"naive.\" No doubt Downing Street will issue clarifications and assurances.   But Sir Richard's  statement  is on record.  No amount of dancing around it will lessen its impact.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eU.K. Troops in Iraq Said Hurt Situation\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101201146.html\"\u003eThe Associated Press/Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThursday, October 12, 2006;  5:59 PM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLONDON -- The head of the British Army said British troops in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e are making the situation worse and must leave the country soon, according to a newspaper interview published Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe British military should \"get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems,\" Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt told the Daily Mail in the interview released on the tabloid's Web site.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear,\" he added. \"As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but we weren't invited certainly by those in Iraq at the time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as \"naive.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is highly unusual for a sitting military commander to publicly criticize the government's foreign policy.\"Whatever consent we may have had in the first place\" from the Iraqi people \"has largely turned to intolerance,\" he said.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In a blistering attack on Tony Blair's foreign policy, \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1921450,00.html\"\u003eGen Dannatt \u003c/a\u003esaid the continuing military presence in Iraq was jeopardising British security and interests around the world.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSee detailed report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1921450,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Britannia Wavering - Is this the End of the \"Coalition\" ?"},{"content":" Midterm Elections * The Unaware (of Guns in Schools) PresidentThe message is loud and clear. The voters have had enough of the party in power and its arrogance; its unhealthy relationship with the lobbyists of 'K' Street; and its \"bridge to nowhere\" pork-barrel legislations. Twentysix days before mid-term elections there can be no doubt about the Republicans' fall from grace. They are vulnerable and they know it. The fear is palpable. Even the God-factor is not doing them much good. Now,as David Broder commented in his column in the Post, all that remains is for the voters to 'pull the trigger'. \"The old theater adage demands that if you show a pistol in Act 1, you'd better fire the gun in Act 3. That same wisdom applies to politics. The voters have been pointing a symbolic gun at the Republican regime in Washington for many months now. All that remains is for them to pull the trigger on Election Day.\"When you examine the latest round of preelection polls, what is striking is the stability of public attitudes over the preceding months. In this week's Post-ABC News poll, for example, President Bush has a job approval score of 39 percent, with 60 percent disapproving. Eleven months earlier, in November 2005, the scores were identical.\nIn between, Bush got up as high as 47 percent and fell as low as 33 percent. But at no time did more Americans approve of his job performance than disapprove.\nThe public has shown similar consistency with party support for Congress. In the latest poll, Democrats lead Republicans, 54 percent to 41 percent, among registered voters. In November 2005 the Democrats led 52 percent to 37 percent. The margins are almost identical.\nTo take one more example, look at the broad question of the overall direction of the nation -- right path or wrong track. In this latest poll, by a margin of 66 percent to 32 percent, people said \"wrong track.\" Last November the comparable numbers were 68 and 30 percent.\nWhat all this suggests is a settled judgment on the part of the majority of Americans that the current leadership of the nation is not doing the job that people expect. This is the government the people chose in 2004, but now they are showing clear signs of buyer's remorse.\nThe disillusionment is not the product of the Foley scandal, which is shifting few votes, as far as I can judge. And it also reflects more than the continuing bad news from Iraq, though that has had a large effect on public opinion.\nWhat is driving public opinion is an overall impression that those in office -- meaning mainly Republicans -- have let things slide out of control and need to be relieved.\n*Guns and School Violence Knock me down with a feather ! President Bush presided over a discussion about school shootings without once mentioning guns. Neither did First Lady Laura Bush. In the cuckooland where they live, guns don't kill kids. Dana Milbank, Washington Post: \"President Bush has always been a disciplined man, but yesterday he set a new standard for self-control: He moderated an hour-long discussion about the rash of school shootings in the past week without once mentioning the word 'guns'. First lady Laura Bush was nearly as good, giving a seven-minute speech at yesterday's White House Conference on School Safety without mentioning guns. Two longtime aides, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, deftly led hours of panels at the National 4-H building in Chevy Chase with only a few glancing references to weapons.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-10-12 Pretty soon he'll be talking about a \"conflict\" in Iraq and the thousands that have been killed there without mentioning the word \"innocent bystanders,\" instead using the convenient euphemism \"collateral damage...\"...oh, wait. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/voice-of-the-people/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections * The Unaware (of Guns in Schools) President\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe message is loud and clear.  The voters have had enough of the party in power and its arrogance; its unhealthy relationship with the lobbyists of 'K' Street; and its \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm889.cfm\"\u003ebridge to nowhere\u003c/a\u003e\"  pork-barrel legislations.  Twentysix days before mid-term elections there can be no doubt about the Republicans' fall from grace.  They are vulnerable and they know it.  The fear is palpable. Even the God-factor is not doing them much good.  Now,as David Broder commented in his column in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/11/AR2006101101596.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, all that remains is for the voters to 'pull the trigger'.   \"The old theater adage demands that if you show a pistol in Act 1, you'd better fire the gun in Act 3. That same wisdom applies to politics. The voters have been pointing a symbolic gun at the Republican regime in Washington for many months now. All that remains is for them to pull the trigger on Election Day.\"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\" face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003eWhen you examine the latest round of preelection polls, what is striking is the stability of public attitudes over the preceding months. In this week's Post-ABC News poll, for example, President Bush has a job approval score of 39 percent, with 60 percent disapproving. Eleven months earlier, in November 2005, the scores were identical.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Voice of the People"},{"content":" Thirty Days Before Midterm Elections\nA typical October in the San Francisco Bay area. A few showers followed by warm, sunny days. The leaves,however, make it clear that it is fall. You don't see piles of them under the trees yet but the colors have started to turn. A friend who recently returned from a trip to Eastern Sierra and Nevada said that the fall colors were \"spectacular\". Here in the Silicon Valley we rarely see that kind of foliage but there are pockets of blazing colors along Skyline that can surprise hikers and drivers.\nWell, it's a marvelous night for a MoondanceWith the stars up above in your eyesA fantabulous night to make romance'Neath the cover of October skiesAnd all the leaves on the trees are fallingTo the sound of the breezes that blowAnd I'm trying to please to the callingOf your heart-strings that play soft and lowAnd all the night's magic seems to whisper and hushAnd all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush-- Van Morrison, Moondance Last year there was a bumper crop of chanterelles. It will take more rainy days before they begin to emerge. The mushrooms are unpredictable but the pleasures of walking through the woods are rewarding enough....good for the body and soul.\nOctober has brought its share of news --- good and bad.Good news is the battering taken by the Republicans over the Foley scandal. It ripped away their sanctimonious facade. Fall of hubris is cause for celebration. Too early to tell if the disgust for Republican politicians and their hypocrisy will mean victory for Democrats. All 435 House seats and 34 Senate seats are to be contested on November 7th. Based on current polls the Republicans risk losing between 7 to 30 seats in the House. Democrats need to win 15 to retake control of Congress. They are unlikely to win six seats needed for majority in the Senate. David Broder and Dan Balz in the Post: \"Approval of Congress has plunged to its lowest level in more than a decade (32 percent), and Americans, by a margin of 54 percent to 35 percent, say they trust Democrats more than Republicans to deal with the biggest problems the nation is confronting. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said congressional Democrats deserve to be reelected next month, but just 39 percent said Republicans deserve to return to office.\"President Bush has failed to drum up support for his misadventure in Iraq despite repeatedly playing the threat of terrorism card. The American public has begun to see through him. 39 more American soldiers lost their lives in the first 10 days of October. (Source: Iraq Casualties.org). The president spoke about the war as \"just a comma\". He got to be an insensitive dunce to disregard the human cost of the war. But the masters of dirty tricks will try their damndest to retain power. From voter fraud to red herrings, they will stop at nothing.Then there was the murder of the Amish school girls by a crazy man. The tragedy reminded me of the NRA bumper sticker \"Guns don't kill people, People Do\" Yes, it takes someone to pull the trigger but the abundance and easy availability of guns have an undeniable role in the high number of gun-related deaths in our country.North Korea thumbed its nose at world opinion and carried out a nuclear test. There is hypocrisy about this too. America which has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons is the loudest critic of North Korea. The argument that North Korea cannot be trusted sounds hollow when you look at the records of the countries currently in the Nuclear Club, those \"suspected\" to possess nuclear weapons, and those \"suspected of having clandestine nuclear programs\".Atrocities continue in Darfur, described by George Packer as \"the world's greatest human disaster\". The major powers, including the United States, remain largely uninvolved. Silence of Islamic countries is especially difficult to understand. Thousands of their brethren are being killed and there is no outcry from the Muslims ! Is it because the perpetrators of the massacre are Muslims ? Comments Seven Star Hand \u0026mdash; 2006-10-11 Hello Musafir,\nInteresting to read your bit about chantrelles, since I also look forward to them. Early ones in late September/October near rivers and more after the winter rains start. Just had fresh chantrelles for dinner this weekend.\nOn to more serious fare...:\nHere's some more red hot ink for your pen. Now help me vanquish the sword!\nThis Foley fiasco has given people the chance to change the make-up of this government, which will ultimately lead to the end of the Bush-Cheney reign. It may not be pretty, but it is a gift, nonetheless. Don't waste this advantage. Use it wisely to end the more pressing problems that face us all.\nWant to better understand some of the desperation among top Christian politicos? Want to know what else they are pretending not to know about? Follow the links and read about who I am and what I have to say. Notice that my last name is Page? Think this \"page\" scandal is a mere coincidence? The timing and ramifications are much worse than most realize yet.\nIf Christian political leaders are going to go around attacking others for not living up to their professed values, it's a damn good idea to be truthful and actually walk the walk. Logs and motes in the eye, camels through the eye of a needle, glass houses, kettles and pots, and what goes around comes around, et al. Karma's a bitch when She finally decides enough is enough! This wouldn't have been so bad on Republicans if they hadn't been such arrogant hypocrites in order to corner the so-called values voters! Now the \"Two Candlesticks\" and \"Two Witnesses\" (Truth and Justice) are \"breathing fire\" and \"raining hailstones!\"\nChristian Political Leadership, Hypocrisy, Duplicity, and Purposeful Evil\nThe current scandal involving Congressman Foley is merely the latest in an amazingly long list of blatant deception and duplicity by Republicans and the Christian Right in recent years. While bedeviling us all with their holier-than-thou pretenses, they consistently support and/or perform blatant greed and abominable evil. Never forget the extent of their arrogance over the last two decades and especially the last 6 years. It is beyond amazing that Christians continue to blindly support such obviously blatant scoundrels, even as they are repeatedly exposed going against the most basic of human values. The level of hypocrisy and duplicity boggles the mind. There is no longer any doubt, whatsoever, that Christianity is little more than a purposeful deception used by political and religious leaders to dupe, manipulate, and coerce entire populations into giving them wealth and power, which they always use for greed, injustice, and abominable evils. The actions of Foley and those who covered up for him directly parallel the actions of scores of priests that have raped innocent children, preyed upon others for centuries, and had their actions hidden and abetted by the Vatican. Now, in eerie repetition of Vatican history, we have a power hungry Christian Emperor (GW) working closely with the Vatican and Judeo-Christian aristocrats to lead crusades in the so-called Holy Land. Furthermore, to leave little doubt about the reality of this assessment, the USA, as the new Holy Roman Empire, is about to legalize the torture it has perpetrated in recent years while steadily reversing many of the democratic and civil freedoms that people gained when the Vatican and royalty lost control of their European empire at the turn of the nineteenth century. Now we see them following the same old path of evil as they strive to cement the status of the USA as the latest proxy Vatican empire. Make no mistake about it, the new dark ages are looming on the horizon unless we do something proactive to prevent it.\nRemember that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it!\nRead More:\nHere is Wisdom !!\nPeace... ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/october-2006/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThirty Days Before \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2006/07/22/CU2006072200370.html\"\u003eMidterm Elections\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA typical October in the San Francisco Bay area.   A few showers followed by warm, sunny days.  The leaves,however, make it clear that it is fall.  You don't see piles of them under the trees yet but the colors have started to turn.  A friend who recently returned from a trip to Eastern Sierra and Nevada said that the fall colors were \"spectacular\".  Here in the Silicon Valley we rarely see that kind of foliage but there are pockets of blazing colors along Skyline that can surprise hikers and drivers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"October 2006"},{"content":" \"Grace in grief\"Regular viewers of the Newshour on PBS are familiar with essayist Anne Taylor Fleming. Her commentaries -- whether about social mores or the problems of aging -- reflect awareness and compassion. On October 6th she spoke about the murder of Amish school girls. Among the thousands of words printed about the subject, nothing comes close to illustrate the goodness and strength of the Amish community. It gives us hope.We have spent our week as heartbroken voyeurs of a way of life foreign to almost all of us, the simple life of the Amish: no cars, no cell phones, no electricity. A life so unfathomably simple to so many of us, quaint, kids in hats, women in bonnets, horse-drawn buggies.But what is most unfathomable of all is something that became apparent this week as the Amish community struggled with the ghastly schoolhouse murder of five young girls by a deranged, distraught father who then took his own life.The modern media world descended en masse into this rural enclave, as if dropped back through time, poking and prodding the grief of the families and the community as a whole. And what they found and what we heard from that community was not revenge or anger, but a gentle, heart-stricken insistence on forgiveness; forgiveness, that is, of the shooter himself. The widow of the shooter was actually invited to one of the funerals, and it was said she would be welcome to stay in the community.The tender face of religionIn a world gone mad with revenge killings and sectarian violence, chunks of the globe, self-immolating with hatred, this was something to behold, this insistence on forgiveness. It was so strange, so elemental, so otherworldly.This, the Amish said, showing us the tender face of religion at a time and in a world where we are so often seeing the rageful face. This was Jesus' way, and they had Jesus in them, not for a day, an hour, not just in good times, but even in the very worst.The freedom contained in Jesus' teaching of forgiveness, wrote the German philosopher Hannah Arendt, is the freedom from vengeance, which includes both doer and sufferer in the relentless automatism of the action process, which by itself need never come to an end.We have seldom seen this in action. So many tribes and sects in a froth of revenge, from Darfur to Baghdad. And, here in this country, so many victims and victims' families crying out in our courthouses for revenge.To this, the Amish have offered a stunning example of the freedom that comes with forgiveness, a reminder that religion need not turn lethal or combative. I, for one, as this week ends, stand in awe of their almost-unfathomable grace in grief.I'm Anne Taylor Fleming. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/another-face-of-religion/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Grace in grief\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRegular viewers of the Newshour on PBS are familiar with essayist \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/anne_t_fleming.html\"\u003eAnne Taylor Fleming\u003c/a\u003e.  Her commentaries -- whether about social mores or the problems of aging -- reflect awareness and compassion.  On October 6th she spoke about the murder of Amish school girls.  Among the thousands of words printed about the subject, nothing comes close to illustrate the goodness and strength of the Amish community.  It gives us hope.\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"565\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe have spent our week as heartbroken voyeurs of a way of life foreign to almost all of us, the simple life of the Amish: no cars, no cell phones, no electricity. A life so unfathomably simple to so many of us, quaint, kids in hats, women in bonnets, horse-drawn buggies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut what is most unfathomable of all is something that became apparent this week as the Amish community struggled with the ghastly schoolhouse murder of five young girls by a deranged, distraught father who then took his own life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe modern media world descended en masse into this rural enclave, as if dropped back through time, poking and prodding the grief of the families and the community as a whole. And what they found and what we heard from that community was not revenge or anger, but a gentle, heart-stricken insistence on forgiveness; forgiveness, that is, of the shooter himself. The widow of the shooter was actually invited to one of the funerals, and it was said she would be welcome to stay in the community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe tender face of religion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a world gone mad with revenge killings and sectarian violence, chunks of the globe, self-immolating with hatred, this was something to behold, this insistence on forgiveness. It was so strange, so elemental, so otherworldly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis, the Amish said, showing us the tender face of religion at a time and in a world where we are so often seeing the rageful face. This was Jesus' way, and they had Jesus in them, not for a day, an hour, not just in good times, but even in the very worst.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe freedom contained in Jesus' teaching of forgiveness, wrote the German philosopher Hannah Arendt, is the freedom from vengeance, which includes both doer and sufferer in the relentless automatism of the action process, which by itself need never come to an end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe have seldom seen this in action. So many tribes and sects in a froth of revenge, from Darfur to Baghdad. And, here in this country, so many victims and victims' families crying out in our courthouses for revenge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo this, the Amish have offered a stunning example of the freedom that comes with forgiveness, a reminder that religion need not turn lethal or combative. I, for one, as this week ends, stand in awe of their almost-unfathomable grace in grief.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI'm Anne Taylor Fleming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Another  Face of Religion"},{"content":" Storm in a tea cup It is almost funny to see British politicians, media and the Muslim community doing their bit over Jack Straw's remarks about veil-wearing women. Nothing he said called for such over the top reaction.It is a sign of the times when thin-skinned Muslims feel slighted by little or nothing and politicians bend over backward to appease them.No woman should be forced to stop wearing a veil (headscarf, chador, burqa, or whatever) and no woman should be required by law or religious edicts to wear one. It appears that some Muslim women prefer to cover their face in public while others, given a choice, would gladly do without veil. Jack Straw expressed his personal preference. Just because he is a member of the cabinet his comments should not be blown up out of proportion to what actually occurred.It is not always a \"personal choice\". Not in Britain, not in France, not in today's Iraq, and certainly not in Iran and Saudi Arabia.The GuardianRuth Kelly yesterday defended the wearing of the veil as a 'personal choice' by Muslims that must be respected. She made her comments as the Cabinet began distancing itself from Jack Straw's disclosure that he asked women attending his constituency surgery to uncover their faces.Kelly, the Women's Minister and Communities Secretary, also warned that more serious threats to female freedom must not be 'swept under the carpet', citing the refusal of some Muslim families to let their daughters go to university for fear of exposure to undesirable influences or the failure to confront domestic violence in the Muslim community.Her repositioning of the debate followed three days of uproar over Straw's disclosure. Kelly told The Observer she changed her own views about traditional dress being repressive after speaking to high-profile Muslim women.The Muslims who complain about discrimination ought to pause and consider conditions in Islamic countries where one has no choice. In Saudi Arabia, for example, women do not have full voting right; are not allowed to drive a car; and consumption of alcohol is prohibited. You cannot buy a bottle of beer in Yemen while a large percentage of the Yemenis go about chewing qat and getting high. The hypocrisy is astounding. What position do the Muslims from Pakistan take about Hudood under which a woman needs four male witnesses to file a complaint for being raped -- do they want a similar law adopted in England ? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/absurd-the-veil-controversy/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStorm in a tea cup \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is almost funny to see British politicians, media  and the Muslim community doing their bit over Jack Straw's remarks about veil-wearing women.  Nothing he said called for such over the top reaction.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a sign of the times when thin-skinned Muslims feel slighted by little or nothing and politicians bend over backward to appease them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo woman should be forced to stop wearing a veil (headscarf, chador, burqa, or whatever) and no woman should be required by law or religious edicts to wear one.  It appears that some Muslim women prefer to cover their face in public while others, given a choice, would gladly do without veil.    Jack Straw expressed his personal preference. Just because he is a member of the cabinet his comments should not be blown up out of proportion to what actually occurred.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is not always a \"personal choice\".   Not in Britain, not in France, not in today's Iraq, and certainly not in Iran and Saudi Arabia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,1890492,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuth Kelly yesterday defended the wearing of the veil as a 'personal choice' by Muslims that must be respected. She made her comments as the Cabinet began distancing itself from Jack Straw's disclosure that he asked women attending his constituency surgery to uncover their faces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKelly, the Women's Minister and Communities Secretary, also warned that more serious threats to female freedom must not be 'swept under the carpet', citing the refusal of some Muslim families to let their daughters go to university for fear of exposure to undesirable influences or the failure to confront domestic violence in the Muslim community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHer repositioning of the debate followed three days of uproar over Straw's disclosure. Kelly told The Observer she changed her own views about traditional dress being repressive after speaking to high-profile Muslim women.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Muslims who complain about discrimination ought to pause and consider conditions in Islamic countries where one has no choice.  In Saudi Arabia, for example, women do not have full voting right; are not allowed to drive a car; and consumption of alcohol is prohibited.   You cannot buy a bottle of beer  in Yemen while a large percentage of the Yemenis go about chewing \u003ca href=\"http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Hornet/qat.html\"\u003eqat\u003c/a\u003e and getting high.  The hypocrisy is astounding. What position do the Muslims from Pakistan take about \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudood_Ordinance\"\u003eHudood\u003c/a\u003e under which a woman needs four male witnesses to file a complaint for being raped -- do they want a similar law adopted in England ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Absurd: The Veil Controversy"},{"content":" Headlines on Sunday morningMurder In Moscow\"ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA, who was murdered in her apartment building yesterday, knew it was dangerous to be an honest reporter in President Vladimir Putin's Russia. Yet, as he wielded a combination of blandishments and bullying to gradually reimpose authoritarianism on his country, Ms. Politkovskaya, 48 and the mother of two, never yielded. Whether reporting on Mr. Putin's dirty war in the separatist region of Chechnya or on the diminution of freedom at home in Moscow, she remained, if not unafraid, unbowed.\"Chances are Ms. Politkovskaya's murderer will never be officially identified. At least a dozen other journalists have been murdered in contract-style killings in the past six years, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and not one of those murders has been solved. Human rights advocates and pro-democracy politicians have been struck down in the same way.Yet it is quite possible, without performing any detective work, to say what is ultimately responsible for these deaths: It is the climate of brutality that has flourished under Mr. Putin. A former KGB agent himself, he inherited an imperfect democracy and systematically undermined its institutions. The media, political parties, local government, private business -- each in turn was neutered. Loyalty to Mr. Putin has become the quality that matters most, and any opponent is labeled an enemy, to be bankrupted, imprisoned or worse. Meanwhile, ugly nationalism was permitted to flourish.Now you can see these same values being applied to foreign policy. The independent nation of Georgia, to Russia's south, has not displayed adequate fealty in Mr. Putin's view; it wants to be a democracy, with normal ties to the West. So the czar has launched an ugly campaign of threats against the country and the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Georgians who live in Russia. It is a dangerous moment.U.S. Casualties In Iraq Reach Two-Year HighSharp rise in numbers of wounded troops grimly reflects the degree to which the United States has taken the lead in staving off a full-scale civil war.–Ann Scott Tyson, Washington PostFoley Consuming GOP As Elections Draw NearVoters may see scandal as a metaphor for party leadership's ethical lapses, strategists believe.–Michael Grunwald and Chris Cillizza, Washington PostA Not So Happy Warrior ReturnsThe vice president emerged from his secret bunker to give one of his standard speeches -- what a great job the Bush Administration is doing and the Democrats cannot be trusted to protect the nation from terrorists. He sounds like a vinyl LP with needle stuck in a groove but what else is there for him to say. Peter Baker in the Post: \"Vice President Cheney sometimes starts speeches with a Ronald Reagan quotation about a \"happy\" nation needing \"hope and faith.\" But not much happy talk follows. Not a lot of hope, either. He does, though, talk about the prospect of \"mass death in the United States.\" Foley Slate Magazine, Ann TelnaesPartisan Woes Slate Magazine, Nick Anderson ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/the-way-we-are/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHeadlines on Sunday morning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMurder In Moscow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/07/AR2006100700718.html\"\u003e\"ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA\u003c/a\u003e, who was murdered in her apartment building yesterday, knew it was dangerous to be an honest reporter in President Vladimir Putin's Russia. Yet, as he wielded a combination of blandishments and bullying to gradually reimpose authoritarianism on his country, Ms. Politkovskaya, 48 and the mother of two, never yielded. Whether reporting on Mr. Putin's dirty war in the separatist region of Chechnya or on the diminution of freedom at home in Moscow, she remained, if not unafraid, unbowed.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChances are Ms. Politkovskaya's murderer will never be officially identified. At least a dozen other journalists have been murdered in contract-style killings in the past six years, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and not one of those murders has been solved. Human rights advocates and pro-democracy politicians have been struck down in the same way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet it is quite possible, without performing any detective work, to say what is ultimately responsible for these deaths: It is the climate of brutality that has flourished under Mr. Putin. A former KGB agent himself, he inherited an imperfect democracy and systematically undermined its institutions. The media, political parties, local government, private business -- each in turn was neutered. Loyalty to Mr. Putin has become the quality that matters most, and any opponent is labeled an enemy, to be bankrupted, imprisoned or worse. Meanwhile, ugly nationalism was permitted to flourish.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow you can see these same values being applied to foreign policy. The independent nation of Georgia, to Russia's south, has not displayed adequate fealty in Mr. Putin's view; it wants to be a democracy, with normal ties to the West. So the czar has launched an ugly campaign of threats against the country and the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Georgians who live in Russia. It is a dangerous moment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Casualties In Iraq Reach Two-Year High\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSharp rise in numbers of wounded troops grimly reflects the degree to which the United States has taken the lead in staving off a full-scale civil war.\u003cbr/\u003e–Ann Scott Tyson, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/07/AR2006100700907.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoley Consuming GOP As Elections Draw Near\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVoters may see scandal as a metaphor for party leadership's ethical lapses, strategists believe.\u003cbr/\u003e–Michael Grunwald and Chris Cillizza, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/07/AR2006100701059.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Not So Happy Warrior Returns\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe vice president emerged from his secret bunker to give one of his standard speeches -- what a great job the Bush Administration is doing and the Democrats cannot be trusted to protect the nation from terrorists.  He sounds like a vinyl LP with needle stuck in a groove but what else is there for him to say.  Peter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/07/AR2006100700892.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Vice President Cheney sometimes starts speeches with a Ronald Reagan quotation about a \"happy\" nation needing \"hope and faith.\" But not much happy talk follows. Not a lot of hope, either. He does, though, talk about the prospect of \"mass death in the United States.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/anntelnaes/\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoley\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"htnavbar\"\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e  \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=40\u0026amp;topicid=105\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=1\u0026amp;topicid=105\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e  \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/anntelnaes/\"\u003e \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://content.todayscartoons.uclick.com/?feature=6e68b5d7cc5d7c5c710ddb64855457d8\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/anntelnaes/\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/static/105.html\"\u003eSlate Magazine\u003c/a\u003e, Ann Telnaes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ePartisan Woes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"htnavbar\"\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e  \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=255\u0026amp;topicid=9\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=1\u0026amp;topicid=9\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e  \u003cdiv\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/nickanderson/\"\u003e \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://content.todayscartoons.uclick.com/?feature=f762fb3022c1695b896a29f3b1721149\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/nickanderson/\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://cartoonbox.slate.com/static/9.html\"\u003eSlate Magazine\u003c/a\u003e, Nick Anderson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Way We Are"},{"content":" The controversy over what Jack Straw said about wearing of veil has grown since publication of initial reports. See \"Veil, Burqa, Purdah and Muslim Women\" The Post: \"Jack Straw, leader of the House of Commons, provoked a mixture of anger and derision on Thursday when he said the wearing of veils made community relations 'more difficult' because they acted as 'a visible statement of separation and difference'. While British newspapers and commentators applauded Straw's stance, which he said was designed to provoke a 'mature debate', many Muslims reacted with anger.\"Fear of extremists has moved the Moroccan Government to eliminate references to head scarves from school text books.If there are liberals in the Islamic world, their voices remain unheard. They are afraid to speak out. The consequences could be frightful.....think of what Salmon Rushdie went through. The BBC report (see below) states: \"Other Arab countries have made similar changes, worrying that the veil could be used as a symbol of extremism.\" How else can it be described when an individual is forced, directly or indrectly, to adopt a practice by state or religious bodies ?Fundamentalist Christian groups in America would love to have the power and influence that Islamic mullahs have. When it comes to control over women's bodies they are not that far apart. They are trying but things have not gotten that bad here.....yet.Morocco is making major changes to religious education, in particular regarding whether young girls should wear headscarves.A picture of a mother and her daughter wearing headscarves is being removed from the latest editions of a text book.A verse from the Koran that says girls should don veils has already been taken out of the books.Other Arab countries have made similar changes, worrying that the veil could be used as a symbol of extremism.TrustThere are few things that have become such obvious and controversial symbols of Islamic identity as the headscarf.But until now it has not been a controversial issue in Morocco.On Avenue Mohammed V, the main avenue in central Rabat, older women in particular can be seen wearing traditional long robes with full headscarves.But younger women wear everything from that to more modern clothes such as trainers, jeans and T-shirts, with nothing on their heads - except perhaps some expensive designer sunglasses.The variety of clothes and head dresses seems to reflect the fact that Morocco is seen as a liberal country with some pro-western leanings.But for some more conservative people this latest move is an underhand way of undermining Morocco's Islamic roots.Abdelkarim El Houichre from the Association of Teachers of Islamic Education does not trust the government's motives:\"I think there is pressure coming from the United States, which believes that teaching about traditional Islam and teaching girls to wear headscarves will somehow encourage extremism and terrorism,\" he says.\"But I think Islamic education has to be kept within mainstream teaching in our schools because that way we can control it. If we deny it to them in school then they will only go and find out more outside of school and they are more likely to fall into the wrong hands.\"DilemmaIn the current climate, the Moroccan government is worried about anything that might fan the flames of Islamic fundamentalism and says it does not want the headscarf to become a rallying cry for extreme organisations.Education ministry official Aboulkacem Samir says the headscarf has political overtones:\"This issue isn't really about religion, its about politics,\" he says.\"The headscarf for women is a political symbol, in the same way as the beard is for men. But we in the ministry must be very careful that the books are fair to all Moroccans and do not represent just one political faction.\"Across the Arab world the headscarf issue seems to be gathering momentum.In Tunisia for example, young women who wear veils say they have been harassed by the authorities who are forcing the girls to remove their veils at schools and universities.The veil is perhaps a microcosm of a much broader dilemma - should Arab countries in north Africa turn towards secular democracies or to more traditional Islamist countries for their guidance and inspiration?Morocco is treading a fine line between these competing influences and the headscarf might just be something that trips it up.From BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/5413808.stm* ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/835-days-countdown-gw-bush-presidency/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cembed align=\"middle\" allowscriptaccess=\"sameDomain\" bgcolor=\"#000000\" height=\"255\" name=\"BackwardsBush\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" quality=\"high\" src=\"http://www.backwardsbush.com/images/BackwardsBush_Flash.swf\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"300\" wmode=\"transparent\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe controversy over what Jack Straw said about wearing of veil has grown since publication of initial reports.  See \"\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/10/veil-burqa-purdah-and-muslim-women.html\"\u003eVeil, Burqa, Purdah and Muslim Women\u003c/a\u003e\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/06/AR2006100601743.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Jack Straw, leader of the House of Commons, provoked a mixture of anger and derision on Thursday when he said the wearing of veils made community relations 'more difficult'  because they acted as 'a visible statement of separation and difference'. While British newspapers and commentators applauded Straw's stance, which he said was designed to provoke a 'mature debate', many Muslims reacted with anger.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFear of extremists has moved the Moroccan Government to eliminate references to head scarves from school text books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIf there are liberals in the Islamic world, their voices remain unheard.  They are afraid to speak out.  The consequences could be frightful.....think of what Salmon Rushdie went through.   The BBC report (see below) states: \"Other Arab countries have made similar changes, worrying that the veil could be used as a symbol of extremism.\"  How else can it be described when an individual is forced, directly or indrectly, to adopt a practice by  state or religious bodies ?\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFundamentalist Christian groups in America would love to have the power and influence that  Islamic mullahs have.  When it comes to control over women's bodies they are not that far apart.   They are trying but things have not gotten that bad here.....yet.\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"550\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5413808.stm\"\u003eMorocco\u003c/a\u003e is making major changes to religious education, in particular regarding whether young girls should wear headscarves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA picture of a mother and her daughter wearing headscarves is being removed from the latest editions of a text book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA verse from the Koran that says girls should don veils has already been taken out of the books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOther Arab countries have made similar changes, worrying that the veil could be used as a symbol of extremism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrust\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are few things that have become such obvious and controversial symbols of Islamic identity as the headscarf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut until now it has not been a controversial issue in Morocco.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Avenue Mohammed V, the main avenue in central Rabat, older women in particular can be seen wearing traditional long robes with full headscarves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut younger women wear everything from that to more modern clothes such as trainers, jeans and T-shirts, with nothing on their heads - except perhaps some expensive designer sunglasses.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe variety of clothes and head dresses seems to reflect the fact that Morocco is seen as a liberal country with some pro-western leanings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut for some more conservative people this latest move is an underhand way of undermining Morocco's Islamic roots.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbdelkarim El Houichre from the Association of Teachers of Islamic Education does not trust the government's motives:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think there is pressure coming from the United States, which believes that teaching about traditional Islam and teaching girls to wear headscarves will somehow encourage extremism and terrorism,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But I think Islamic education has to be kept within mainstream teaching in our schools because that way we can control it. If we deny it to them in school then they will only go and find out more outside of school and they are more likely to fall into the wrong hands.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDilemma\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the current climate, the Moroccan government is worried about anything that might fan the flames of Islamic fundamentalism and says it does not want the headscarf to become a rallying cry for extreme organisations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEducation ministry official Aboulkacem Samir says the headscarf has political overtones:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This issue isn't really about religion, its about politics,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The headscarf for women is a political symbol, in the same way as the beard is for men. But we in the ministry must be very careful that the books are fair to all Moroccans and do not represent just one political faction.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAcross the Arab world the headscarf issue seems to be gathering momentum.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Tunisia for example, young women who wear veils say they have been harassed by the authorities who are forcing the girls to remove their veils at schools and universities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe veil is perhaps a microcosm of a much broader dilemma - should Arab countries in north Africa turn towards secular democracies or to more traditional Islamist countries for their guidance and inspiration?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorocco is treading a fine line between these competing influences and the headscarf might just be something that trips it up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom BBC NEWS:\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/5413808.stm\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"835 Days:  Countdown  G.W. Bush Presidency"},{"content":" Jack Straw * Kevin Phillips' \"American Theocracy\" An unidentified woman wearing a niqab – or full veil – on January 17 2004. Photograph: PA.© Guardian UnlimitedStraw: I'd rather no one wore veils....\" Jack Straw, former British Foreign Minister, found himself in the middle of a brouhaha after commenting about veil worn by Muslim women. I am among those who feel that a woman who is not forced to go about covered in a veil (burqa, chador, or any other name) but does so because of her own desire should have the right no matter in which country she lives. However, no one must be compelled to wear a veil because of archaic tradition or on religious grounds.The Muslim society,however, is unlikely to endorse such a position. It observes strange customs, like the hudood under which a woman filing a complaint for being raped is required to produce four male witnesses. Recently, Pakistan's President Musharraf failed in an attempt to amend the hudood.Nakasha Ahmed's 'Unveiling the Veil' presents both sides of the argument.Politics and Evangelical ChristiansHere in America we have our own bigots. Fundamentalist Christian groups have made great strides. For the first time in our history we have a president who claims to be a 'born again Christian' and does all he can to support them. Does he speak in tongues when he communicates with his god.From the book jacket of 'American Theocracy' by Kevin Phillips: \"He then turns to the surge of fundamentalist and evangelical religion in the United States, outlining the way a long tradition of radical and sectarian religion has taken an unprecedented political role under George W. Bush, as more and more Republican think in apocalyptic terms and seek to shape domestic and foreign policy around religion.\" The fundamentalists are waiting for the Second Coming. Personally, I'll be happy when they ascend to heaven. I'll take my chances being left behind and facing horrific punishment for not being among them.More bad news for Republicans. Alan Cooperman writes in the Post about the GOP's waning support among evangelical Christians. \"ANOKA, Minn. -- Lynn Sunde, an evangelical Christian, is considering what for her is a radical step. Come November, she may vote for a Democrat for Congress.\"Sunde, 35, manages a coffee shop and attends a nondenominational Bible church. \"You're never going to agree with one party on everything, so for me the key has always been the religion issues -- abortion, the marriage amendment\" to ban same-sex unions, she said.That means she consistently votes Republican. But, she said, she is starting to worry about the course of the Iraq war, and she finds the Internet messages from then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to teenage boys \"pretty sickening.\" When she goes into the voting booth this time, she said, \"I'm going to think twice. . . . I'm not going to vote party line as much as to vote issues.\"Even a small shift in the loyalty of conservative Christian voters such as Sunde could spell trouble for the GOP this fall. In 2004, white evangelical or born-again Christians made up a quarter of the electorate, and 78 percent of them voted Republican, according to exit polls. But some pollsters believe that evangelical support for the GOP peaked two years ago and that what has been called the \"God gap\" in politics is shrinking. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/veil-burqa-purdah-and-muslim-women-evangelical-christians-in-america/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eJack Straw * Kevin Phillips' \"American Theocracy\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"An unidentified woman wearing a niqab – or full veil – on January 17 2004. Photograph: PA.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/10/veil.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn unidentified woman wearing a niqab – or full veil – on January 17 2004. Photograph: PA.\u003cbr/\u003e© Guardian Unlimited\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStraw: I'd rather no one wore veils....\"  \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,1889173,00.html\"\u003eJack Straw\u003c/a\u003e, former British Foreign Minister, found himself in the middle of a brouhaha after commenting about veil worn by Muslim women.  I am among those who feel that a woman who is not forced to go about covered in a veil (burqa, chador, or any other name) but does so because of her own desire should have the right no matter in which country she lives.  However, no one must be compelled to wear a veil because of archaic tradition or on religious grounds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Muslim society,however, is unlikely to endorse such a position.  It observes strange customs, like the hudood under which a woman filing a complaint for being raped is required to produce four male witnesses.  Recently, Pakistan's President Musharraf failed in an attempt to amend the \u003ca href=\"http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/legislation/zia_po_1979/ord7_1979.html\"\u003ehudood\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNakasha Ahmed's '\u003ca href=\"http://niralimagazine.com/2006/09/unveiling-the-veil/\"\u003eUnveiling the Veil\u003c/a\u003e' presents both sides of the argument.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePolitics and Evangelical Christians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere in America we have our own bigots.  Fundamentalist Christian groups have made great strides.  For the first time in our history we have a president who claims to be a 'born again Christian' and does all he can to support them.  Does he speak in \u003ca href=\"http://www.teleiosministries.com/Pdf%27s/Speaking%20in%20Tongues/Speaking%20in%20Tongues.pdf\"\u003etongues\u003c/a\u003e when he communicates with his god.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the book jacket of '\u003ca href=\"http://www.americantheocracy.net/\"\u003eAmerican Theocracy\u003c/a\u003e' by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Phillips_%28political_commentator%29\"\u003eKevin Phillips\u003c/a\u003e:  \"He then turns to the surge of fundamentalist and evangelical religion in the United States, outlining the way a long tradition of radical and sectarian religion has taken an unprecedented political role under George W. Bush, as more and more Republican think in apocalyptic terms and seek to shape domestic and foreign policy around religion.\"  The fundamentalists are waiting for the Second Coming.  Personally, I'll be happy when they ascend to heaven. I'll take my chances being left behind and facing horrific punishment for not being among them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore bad news for Republicans.  Alan Cooperman writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/05/AR2006100501763.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about the GOP's waning support among evangelical Christians. \"ANOKA, Minn. -- Lynn Sunde, an evangelical Christian, is considering what for her is a radical step. Come November, she may vote for a Democrat for Congress.\"\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSunde, 35, manages a coffee shop and attends a nondenominational Bible church. \"You're never going to agree with one party on everything, so for me the key has always been the religion issues -- abortion, the marriage amendment\" to ban same-sex unions, she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat means she consistently votes Republican. But, she said, she is starting to worry about the course of the Iraq war, and she finds the Internet messages from then-\u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/f000238/\" target=\"\"\u003eRep. Mark Foley\u003c/a\u003e (R-Fla.) to teenage boys \"pretty sickening.\" When she goes into the voting booth this time, she said, \"I'm going to think twice. . . . I'm not going to vote party line as much as to vote issues.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven a small shift in the loyalty of conservative Christian voters such as Sunde could spell trouble for the GOP this fall. In 2004, white evangelical or born-again Christians made up a quarter of the electorate, and 78 percent of them voted Republican, according to exit polls. But some pollsters believe that evangelical support for the GOP peaked two years ago and that what has been called the \"God gap\" in politics is shrinking.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Veil, Burqa, Purdah and Muslim Women *  Evangelical Christians In America"},{"content":" War Lovers * Hastert, the Ex-Wrestler, Fighting to Save His PositionMore than 'just a comma', Mr. President -- ask the families and friends of dead and wounded soldiers. Peter Baker in the Post: \"As he heads out on the campaign trail, haunted by an unpopular war, President Bush has begun reassuring audiences that this traumatic period in Iraq will be seen as \"just a comma\" in the history books. By that, aides say, he means to reinforce his message of resolve in the long struggle for Iraqi democracy.\" The champions of the war in Iraq -- President Bush, VP Cheney, Secretary Rice -- never took part in armed combat. The vice president took multiple deferments during Vietnam war. As more and more Americans are questioning our presence in Iraq, the war lovers are beginning to sound shrill in their attempts to justify their position and to spread fear. They are making noise in the hope that fear will again do the trick.FactsAs of October 5th the total for dead American soldiers stands at: 2736 of which 20 died this month.Since President Bush's \"Mission Accomplished\" appearance, May 1, 2003: 2597Since the president said \"'Bring them on\" July 2, 2003: ', 2529Since VP Cheney said \"......they are in their in their last throes\" May 31, 2005: 1070Source: Iraq Coalition CasualtiesDennis Hastert In A FirestormIs he going to survive ? Within the short course of a week, Speaker of the House, Denny Hastert (R-Ill), has become a pitiful figure. The power and glory went up in smoke after revealations about torrid e-mail messages sent to House pages by former Congressman Foley came to light. Now he is spending all his time trying to prove that he did nothing wrong by failing to take action against Mark Foley. His speakership is in jeopardy. In worst case scenario the conservatives might not be satisfied until Hastert gives up his seat.....resigns from Congress. \"A longtime chief of staff to disgraced former representative Mark Foley (R-Fla.) approached House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's office three years ago, repeatedly imploring senior Republicans to help stop Foley's advances toward teenage male pages, the staff member said yesterday.\"When I think of Hastert I see a buffoon talking in front of tv cameras about changing names of french fries and french toast to 'freedom fries' and 'freedom toast' in the House cafetaria because France refused to join the president's 'coalition forces' for his war against Iraq. Utterly juvenile, but I guess it played well in Peoria. And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/chickenhawks-and-dead-soldiers/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWar Lovers * Hastert, the Ex-Wrestler, Fighting to Save His Position\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore than  'just a comma', Mr. President -- ask the families and friends of dead and wounded soldiers.  Peter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/04/AR2006100401707.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"As he heads out on the campaign trail, haunted by an unpopular war, President Bush has begun reassuring audiences that this traumatic period in Iraq will be seen as \"just a comma\" in the history books. By that, aides say, he means to reinforce his message of resolve in the long struggle for Iraqi democracy.\"  The champions of the war in Iraq -- President Bush, VP Cheney, Secretary Rice -- never took part in armed combat.  The vice president took multiple deferments during Vietnam war. As more and more Americans are questioning our presence in Iraq, the war lovers are beginning to sound shrill in their attempts to justify their position and to spread fear.  They are making noise in the hope that fear will again do the trick.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFacts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs of October 5th the total for dead American soldiers stands at:  2736 of which 20 died this month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince President Bush's \"Mission Accomplished\" appearance, May 1, 2003: 2597\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince the president said \"'Bring them on\" July 2, 2003: ', 2529\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSince VP Cheney said \"......they are in their in their last throes\" May 31, 2005: 1070\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDennis Hastert In A Firestorm\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs he going to survive ? Within the short course of a week, Speaker of the House, Denny Hastert  (R-Ill), has become a pitiful figure.  The power and glory went up in smoke after revealations about torrid e-mail messages sent to House pages by former Congressman Foley came to light.  Now he is spending all his time trying to prove that he did nothing wrong by failing to take action against Mark Foley. His speakership is in jeopardy.  In worst case scenario the conservatives might not be satisfied until Hastert gives up his seat.....resigns from Congress. \"A longtime chief of staff to disgraced former representative \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/04/AR2006100400616.html\"\u003eMark Foley\u003c/a\u003e (R-Fla.) approached House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's office three years ago, repeatedly imploring senior Republicans to help stop Foley's advances toward teenage male pages, the staff member said yesterday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen I think of Hastert I see a buffoon talking in front of tv cameras about changing names of french fries and french toast to 'freedom fries' and 'freedom toast' in the House cafetaria because France refused to join the president's 'coalition forces' for his war against Iraq.  Utterly juvenile, but I guess it played well in Peoria. And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Chickenhawks and Dead Soldiers"},{"content":" Deliver Us From Evil The October surprise turned out to be the fallout from Foley scandal. The House Republicans up for reelection are scrambling like chickens with heads cut off. So the president went on the warpath to hype the \"Democrats are soft against terrorists\" card. It worked for him in the past. Peter Baker writes in the Post: \"With his party in serious trouble five weeks before Election Day, Bush shifted into full campaign mode this week, kicking off a month of frenetic barnstorming aimed at drawing disgruntled Republicans back into the fold. As part of the effort, he has escalated the intensity of his attacks with each passing day, culminating with what aides called a \"very aggressive\" series of speeches Tuesday.\"Then there is Laura Mallory who wants Harry Potter books to be banned in Gwinnett County,GA, because \"..........the popular fiction series is an \"evil\" attempt to indoctrinate children in the Wicca religion.\" Seen any witches flying around in your neighborhood ? Newsday.com published the story in \"Entertainment\" Section. Appropriate.Bush's tough talk Tuesday came after he suggested at a Monday night fundraiser in Nevada that Democrats were content to sit back until terrorists strike again. \"It sounds like they think the best way to protect the American people is wait until we're attacked again,\" he said.","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/morning-news-harry-potter-and-president-bush/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDeliver Us From Evil \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe October surprise turned out to be the fallout from \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301322.html\"\u003eFoley scandal\u003c/a\u003e. The House Republicans up for reelection are scrambling like chickens with heads cut off. So the president went on the warpath to hype  the \"Democrats are soft against terrorists\" card.  It worked for him in the past. Peter Baker writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301391.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"With his party in serious trouble five weeks before Election Day, Bush shifted into full campaign mode this week, kicking off a month of frenetic barnstorming aimed at drawing disgruntled Republicans back into the fold. As part of the effort, he has escalated the intensity of his attacks with each passing day, culminating with what aides called a \"very aggressive\" series of speeches Tuesday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen there is Laura Mallory who wants Harry Potter books to be banned in Gwinnett County,GA, because \"..........the popular fiction series is an \"evil\" attempt to indoctrinate children in the Wicca religion.\"    Seen any witches flying around in your neighborhood ?  Newsday.com published the story in \"Entertainment\" Section.  Appropriate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush's tough talk Tuesday came after he suggested at a Monday night fundraiser in Nevada that Democrats were content to sit back until terrorists strike again. \"It sounds like they think the best way to protect the American people is wait until we're attacked again,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstyle=\"font-weight: bold=\"\"\u003eThe emphasis on terrorism and allegations of Democratic weakness replicate a strategy used to powerful effect in 2002 and 2004, but polls suggest the president may have a harder sell this year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/style=\"font-weight:\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-pottermom1004,0,2109891.story?coll=ny-entertainment-headlines\"\u003eNewsday.com\u003c/a\u003e (Associated Press)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e       Laura Mallory, a mother of four, told a hearing officer for the Gwinnett County Board of Education on Tuesday that the popular fiction series is an \"evil\" attempt to indoctrinate children in the Wicca religion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBoard of Education attorney Victoria Sweeny said that if schools were to remove all books containing reference to witches, they would have to ban \"Macbeth\" and \"Cinderella.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There's a mountain of evidence for keeping Harry Potter,\" she said, adding that the books don't support any particular religion but present instead universal themes of friendship and overcoming adversity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn June, the county's library board eliminated the $3,000 that had been set aside to buy Spanish-language fiction in the coming fiscal year. One board member said the move came after some residents objected to using taxpayer dollars to entertain readers who might be illegal immigrants.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDays later, the board reversed its decision amid accusations that the move was anti-Hispanic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Morning News:  Harry Potter and President Bush"},{"content":" In Falsehood and in Deceit * Vindication of a Tortured Prisoner * Panic In Red LandAmong the gems (there are many) in State of Denial: \"According to Woodward, Bush was absolutely certain he was on the right course on Iraq. The writer said that when Bush invited key Republicans to the White House to discuss Iraq, the president told them, 'I will not withdraw even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me,' referring to his wife and Scottish terrier.\"Well, dogs are said to be man's best friends. Good for Barney to stand by his master. *Anne Mcllroy's article in The Guardian about Canadian citizen Maher Arar's imprisonment and torture (his interrogation was outsourced to Syria under \"extraordinary rendition\" program of the CIA) makes interesting reading. It has a happy ending -- he is a free man. The memory of what he went through will not be forgotten, it will haunt him for the rest of his life.Excerpts Guardian Unlimited Monday October 2, 2006 Four years ago, Canadian Maher Arar was detained on a routine airport stopover in the United States. He ended up Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured for 10 months. When he was released by the Syrians and returned to Canada, he started asking how he had been targeted as an Islamist terrorist. His search for answers has made him into a national celebrity, and is likely to end with an apology from the prime minister himself. Late last month, a public inquiry cleared him of any connection to terrorism and criticised the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for feeding American officials misleading information about him. Last week, RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli finally offered Mr Arar a full apology: \"I wish to take this opportunity to express publicly to you and to your wife and to your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the RCMP may have contributed to the terrible injustices that you experienced and the pain that you and your family endured.\" Sex Scandals and the GOPPanic among Republicans. They are getting a taste of their own medicine and it is sour. Paul Farhi writes in the Post about fallout from the Foley scandal - The Redder They Are The Harder They Fall: \"Sex scandals involving politicians are as old as Thomas Jefferson, but the outcome seems to depend on which party you represent. In recent years, for the most part, Democrats have been able to survive their sordid escapades while Republicans have paid with their political lives.\"Foley's creepy behavior might have done him in even if he'd been the most liberal of Democrats. But that's not assured. With a Republican at the center of the seamy scandal, however, it was almost a slam-dunk that Foley would have to quit.That's how it usually turns out for members of the conservative, traditional-family-values party. Just ask Bob Livingston, Jack Ryan, Bob Packwood, Dan Crane or others in the GOP who've watched their careers go pffft! with salacious disclosures. Or ask Bill Clinton, Gerry Studds, Barney Frank and other Democrats who've withstood embarrassing revelations to govern another day. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/all-the-presidents-supporters---barney-the-dog-and-the-first-lady/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIn Falsehood and in Deceit * Vindication of a Tortured Prisoner * Panic In Red Land\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong the gems (there are many) in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092900144.html\"\u003eState of Denial\u003c/a\u003e:  \"According to Woodward, Bush was absolutely certain he was on the right course on Iraq. The writer said that when Bush invited key Republicans to the White House to discuss Iraq, the president told them, 'I will not withdraw even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me,' referring to his wife and Scottish terrier.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWell, dogs are said to be man's best friends.  Good for Barney to stand by his master.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnne Mcllroy's article in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1885684,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e about Canadian citizen Maher Arar's imprisonment and torture (his interrogation was outsourced to Syria under \"extraordinary rendition\" program of the CIA) makes interesting reading. It has a happy ending -- he is a free man. The memory of what he went through will not be forgotten, it will haunt him for the rest of his life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eExcerpts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1885684,00.html\"\u003eGuardian Unlimited\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMonday October 2, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFour years ago, Canadian Maher Arar was detained on a routine airport stopover in the United States. He ended up Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured for 10 months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhen he was released by the Syrians and returned to Canada, he started asking how he had been targeted as an Islamist terrorist. His search for answers has made him into a national celebrity, and is likely to end with an apology from the prime minister himself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLate last month, a public inquiry cleared him of any connection to terrorism and criticised the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for feeding American officials misleading information about him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLast week, RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli finally offered Mr Arar a full apology: \"I wish to take this opportunity to express publicly to you and to your wife and to your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the RCMP may have contributed to the terrible injustices that you experienced and the pain that you and your family endured.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eSex Scandals and the GOP\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePanic among Republicans. They are getting a taste of their own medicine and it is sour. Paul Farhi writes in the Post about fallout from the Foley scandal - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201302.html\"\u003eThe Redder They Are The Harder They Fall\u003c/a\u003e: \"Sex scandals involving politicians are as old as Thomas Jefferson, but the outcome seems to depend on which party you represent. In recent years, for the most part, Democrats have been able to survive their sordid escapades while Republicans have paid with their political lives.\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201302.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201302.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFoley's creepy behavior might have done him in even if he'd been the most liberal of Democrats. But that's not assured. With a Republican at the center of the seamy scandal, however, it was almost a slam-dunk that Foley would have to quit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat's how it usually turns out for members of the conservative, traditional-family-values party. Just ask Bob Livingston, Jack Ryan, Bob Packwood, Dan Crane or others in the GOP who've watched their careers go pffft! with salacious disclosures. Or ask Bill Clinton, Gerry Studds, Barney Frank and other Democrats who've withstood embarrassing revelations to govern another day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"All the President's Supporters - Barney, the dog, and the First Lady"},{"content":" Midterm ElectionsWhat a difference a year makes! The erosion of GOP's clout started more than a year ago and accelerated this year. The president's misadventure in Iraq, its escalating costs and mounting casualties are certainly factors that contributed to the Republicans' loss of support. Exposure of corruption and scandals also hurt them but they have become so used (addicted) to favors from PACs that they resist any attempts for reform. About five weeks from midterm elections, the 'October surprise' could still happen; the Bushies will try their damndest to spring one. In the absence of a real one they will increase the tempo on threat of terrorism. From the look of things, Democrats are in a strong position to retake the House. Latest reports indicate that even retaining control of the Senate is no longer a sure thing for Republicans. Encouraging. But a word of caution to Democratic lawmakers. If you act like your counterparts across the aisles -- if you begin grandstanding and treating the voters with contempt, if you sell yourselves to the PACs, then you will not be immune from backlash. It has been a hard, uphill journey to be where we are today. We -- ordinary Americans who are registered Democrats, the liberals, the media which exposed the emperor without his clothes -- are not going to sit back and allow you to lose the ground gained.Are Democratic leaders going to pay any attention to Sebastian Mallaby's column in the Post? \"A Party Without Principles\" is too harsh a description but Mr. Mallaby makes some valid points.After years of single-party government, the prospect of a Democratic majority in the House ought to feel refreshing. But even with Republicans collapsing in a pile of sexual sleaze, I just can't get excited. Most Democrats in Congress seem bereft of ideas or the courage to stand up for them. They clearly want power, but they have no principles to guide their use of it.On Friday, Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate, correctly denounced a border-fence bill as a concession \"to the radical anti-immigrant right wing\" of the Republican Party. It's absurd to fence off 700 miles of the border and leave the other 1,300 miles open; besides, the government lacks the manpower to prevent migrants from defeating the fence with tunnels or ladders. But if blowing billions on this symbolism is a sop to right-wing nuts, why did 26 Senate Democrats vote for the bill while only 17 opposed it?The day before the immigration vote, the majority of Senate Democrats summoned up the courage to oppose the Bush assault on the nation's traditions of justice. Of course they were right; you don't win a war of ideas by abandoning your most appealing ones. But if the Democrats had made common cause with the bill's Republican opponents, they could have filibustered the president's bill. Why vote against something and simultaneously allow it through? On an issue as basic as access to justice, can't Democrats stand on principle? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/changing-fortunes-and-democratic-leadership/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat a difference a year makes!  The erosion of GOP's clout started more than a year ago and accelerated this year.  The president's misadventure in Iraq, its escalating costs and mounting casualties are certainly factors that contributed to the Republicans' loss of support.  Exposure of corruption and scandals also hurt them but they have become so used   (addicted) to  favors from PACs that  they resist any attempts for reform.  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAbout five weeks from midterm elections, the 'October surprise' could still happen;   the Bushies will try their damndest to spring one.  In the absence of a real one they will increase the tempo on threat of terrorism.  From the look of things, Democrats are in a strong position to retake the House.  Latest reports indicate that even retaining control of the Senate is no longer a sure thing for Republicans. Encouraging. But a word of caution to Democratic lawmakers. If you act like your counterparts across the aisles -- if you begin grandstanding and treating the voters with contempt, if you sell yourselves to the PACs, then you will not be immune from backlash. It has been a hard, uphill journey to be where we are today. We -- ordinary Americans who are registered Democrats, the liberals, the media which exposed the emperor without his clothes -- are not going to sit back and allow you to lose the ground gained.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAre Democratic leaders going to pay any attention to Sebastian Mallaby's column in the Post?  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/01/AR2006100100872.html\"\u003eA Party Without Principles\u003c/a\u003e\" is too harsh a description but Mr. Mallaby makes some valid points.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter years of single-party government, the prospect of a Democratic majority in the House ought to feel refreshing. But even with Republicans collapsing in a pile of sexual sleaze, I just can't get excited. Most Democrats in Congress seem bereft of ideas or the courage to stand up for them. They clearly want power, but they have no principles to guide their use of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Friday, Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate, correctly denounced a border-fence bill as a concession \"to the radical anti-immigrant right wing\" of the Republican Party. It's absurd to fence off 700 miles of the border and leave the other 1,300 miles open; besides, the government lacks the manpower to prevent migrants from defeating the fence with tunnels or ladders. But if blowing billions on this symbolism is a sop to right-wing nuts, why did 26 Senate Democrats vote for the bill while only 17 opposed it?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe day before the immigration vote, the majority of Senate Democrats summoned up the courage to oppose the Bush assault on the nation's traditions of justice. Of course they were right; you don't win a war of ideas by abandoning your most appealing ones. But if the Democrats had made common cause with the bill's Republican opponents, they could have filibustered the president's bill. Why vote against something and simultaneously allow it through? On an issue as basic as access to justice, can't Democrats stand on principle?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Changing Fortunes and Democratic Leadership"},{"content":" Dennis Hastert, the \"Freedom Fries\" Man Failed to Cover-up Earlier reports about GOP leaders in Congress and their knowledge of Mark Foley's prurient interest in young pages have proven to be correct. Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-ILL) was fully aware of the facts months ago and so was House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) . Just think what these champions of moral values would have done if Foley was a Democrat ! They sat on their king-size butts until the proverbial 'shit hit the fan'. And then they tried their best to cover up, find excuses. Too little and too late. Time for them to face the music. The Post: \"House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was notified early this year of inappropriate e-mails from former representative Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to a 16-year-old page, a top GOP House member said yesterday -- contradicting the speaker's assertions that he learned of concerns about Foley only last week.\"Hastert did not dispute the claims of Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-N.Y.), and his office confirmed that some of Hastert's top aides knew last year that Foley had been ordered to cease contact with the boy and to treat all pages respectfully.Reynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, became the second senior House Republican to say that Hastert has known of Foley's contacts for months, prompting Democratic attacks about the GOP leadership's inaction. Foley abruptly resigned his seat Friday.House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post on Friday that he had learned in late spring of inappropriate e-mails Foley sent to the page, a boy from Louisiana, and that he promptly told Hastert, who appeared to know already of the concerns. Hours later, Boehner contacted The Post to say he could not be sure he had spoken with Hastert. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/10/the-speaker-of-the-house-and-mark-foley/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDennis Hastert, the \"Freedom Fries\" Man Failed to Cover-up \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEarlier reports about GOP leaders in Congress and their knowledge of Mark Foley's prurient interest in young pages have proven to be correct.  Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-ILL) was fully aware of the facts months ago and so was House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) .  Just think what these champions of moral values would have done if Foley was a Democrat !  They sat on their king-size butts until the proverbial 'shit hit the fan'.  And then they tried their best to cover up, find excuses.  Too little and too late.  Time for them to face the music.   \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093001265.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was notified early this year of inappropriate e-mails from former representative Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to a 16-year-old page, a top GOP House member said yesterday -- contradicting the speaker's assertions that he learned of concerns about Foley only last week.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHastert did not dispute the claims of Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-N.Y.), and his office confirmed that some of Hastert's top aides knew last year that Foley had been ordered to cease contact with the boy and to treat all pages respectfully.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, became the second senior House Republican to say that Hastert has known of Foley's contacts for months, prompting Democratic attacks about the GOP leadership's inaction. Foley abruptly resigned his seat Friday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHouse Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post on Friday that he had learned in late spring of inappropriate e-mails Foley sent to the page, a boy from Louisiana, and that he promptly told Hastert, who appeared to know already of the concerns. Hours later, Boehner contacted The Post to say he could not be sure he had spoken with Hastert.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Speaker of the House and Mark Foley"},{"content":" The Sad Story of General Colin PowellSnookered....and snookered by a gang of lesser men and a woman. Why did he allow himself to be used and humiliated is for historians to write about. The General himself has not said much but there are hints about a good soldier doing his job. If that gives him consolation, fine. However, his name will no longer be associated with honor and dignity. President Bush and his amoral aides used him and then unceremoniously pushed him out. The Post has published excerpts from Karen DeYoung's forthcoming book \"Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell\". The final paragraph, about Colin Powell's last meeting with the president, tells it all.\"The session ended with a cordial handshake, and the secretary returned to the State Department. 'That was really strange,' he reported to Wilkerson. 'The president didn't know why I was there.' \"Excerpts:ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004, eight days after the president he served was elected to a second term, Secretary of State Colin Powell received a telephone call from the White House at his State Department office. The caller was not President Bush but Chief of Staff Andrew Card, and he got right to the point.\"The president would like to make a change,\" Card said, using a time-honored formulation that avoided the words \"resign\" or \"fire.\" He noted briskly that there had been some discussion of having Powell remain until after Iraqi elections scheduled for the end of January, but that the president had decided to take care of all Cabinet changes sooner rather than later. Bush wanted Powell's resignation letter dated two days hence, on Friday, November 12, Card said, although the White House expected him to stay at the State Department until his successor was confirmed by the Senate. * He artfully brushed aside inquiries about the many published accounts of deep ideological schisms that had rent Bush's national security team throughout the first term and the private humiliations he reportedly had endured at the hands of powerful colleagues.\nAudiences often asked about his public role in promoting and defending what many now consider to be the most ill-advised act of Bush's presidency: the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Powell usually offered a tepid defense, allowing only that he wished there had been more troops committed to the war and its aftermath, and a better plan to rebuild the country.\nPowell had thrown his considerable personal and professional reputation behind the administration's charges that Iraq possessed chemical, biological and perhaps even nuclear weapons, and posed an imminent threat to the United States. In a crucial speech to the United Nations Security Council six weeks before the invasion was launched, he had single-handedly convinced many skeptical Americans that the threat posed by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was real.\n* No one in his legions of admirers wanted to believe that Powell had been duped by the White House -- or, worse yet, that he had knowingly betrayed the nation's trust. Many assumed that he had privately argued against such a clearly misguided adventure and been overruled.\nIn fact, Powell had never advised against the Iraq invasion, although he had warned Bush of the difficulties and counseled patience. He had no reason to resign over Iraq, he told questioners. But the larger mystery of his tenure as the nation's chief diplomat, fourth in line for succession to the presidency, remained.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-good-soldier-got-snookered/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Sad Story of General Colin Powell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSnookered....and snookered by a gang of lesser men and a woman. Why did he allow himself to be used and humiliated is for historians to write about.  The General himself has not said much but there are hints about a good soldier doing his job. If that gives him consolation, fine. However, his name will no longer be associated with honor and dignity. President Bush and his amoral aides used him and then unceremoniously pushed him out. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092700106_5.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e has published excerpts from Karen DeYoung's forthcoming book \"Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell\". The final paragraph, about Colin Powell's last meeting with the president, tells it all.\"The session ended with a cordial handshake, and the secretary returned to the State Department. 'That was really strange,' he reported to Wilkerson. 'The president didn't know why I was there.' \"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004, eight days after the president he served was elected to a second term, Secretary of State Colin Powell received a telephone call from the White House at his State Department office. The caller was not President Bush but Chief of Staff Andrew Card, and he got right to the point.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The president would like to make a change,\" Card said, using a time-honored formulation that avoided the words \"resign\" or \"fire.\" He noted briskly that there had been some discussion of having Powell remain until after Iraqi elections scheduled for the end of January, but that the president had decided to take care of all Cabinet changes sooner rather than later. Bush wanted Powell's resignation letter dated two days hence, on Friday, November 12, Card said, although the White House expected him to stay at the State Department until his successor was confirmed by the Senate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe artfully brushed aside inquiries about the many published accounts of deep ideological schisms that had rent Bush's national security team throughout the first term and the private humiliations he reportedly had endured at the hands of powerful colleagues.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Good Soldier Got Snookered"},{"content":" * Bob Woodward's \"State of Denial\" * Foley's FollyDr. Kissinger, who never met a brutal dictator he didn't like, reportedly advised President and VP Cheney to remain in Iraq until victory is achieved. Did he define \"victory\"; did he mention the costs in human terms ? The Washington Post has published excerpts from Bob Woodward's new book State of Denial - Bush At War Part III:\"In May, President Bush spoke in Chicago and gave a characteristically upbeat forecast: \"Years from now, people will look back on the formation of a unity government in Iraq as a decisive moment in the story of liberty, a moment when freedom gained a firm foothold in the Middle East and the forces of terror began their long retreat.Two days later, the intelligence division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff circulated a secret intelligence assessment to the White House that contradicted the president's forecast.\" In a column in The Washington Post on Aug. 12, 2005, titled \"Lessons for an Exit Strategy,\" Kissinger wrote, 'Victory over the insurgency is the only meaningful exit strategy.' He delivered the same message directly to Bush, Cheney and Hadley at the White House. \"Victory had to be the goal, he told all. Don't let it happen again. Don't give an inch, or else the media, the Congress and the American culture of avoiding hardship will walk you back.\u0026gt;He said the eventual outcome in Iraq was more important than Vietnam had been. A radical Islamic or Taliban-style government in Iraq would be a model that could challenge the internal stability of key countries in the Middle East and elsewhere.Kissinger told Rice that in Vietnam they didn't have the time, focus, energy or support at home to get the politics in place. That's why it had collapsed like a house of cards. He urged that the Bush administration get the politics right, both in Iraq and on the home front. Partially withdrawing troops had its own dangers. Even entertaining the idea of withdrawing any troops could create momentum for an exit that was less than victory.The Fall of Mark FoleyThe timing couldn't have been worse. Less than forty days before mid-term elections, the resignation of Florida's six-term Republican Representative Mark Foley is bad news for GOP leaders in Congress. What did Majority Leader Boehner and Speaker Hastert know and when did they know it? Details published in the Washington Post indicate that the story has got legs. The 'holier than thou' Republicans are squirming. They deserve it. \"The resignation rocked the Capitol, and especially Foley's GOP colleagues, as lawmakers were rushing to adjourn for at least six weeks. \"House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate \"contact\" between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert. It was not immediately clear what actions Hastert took. His spokesman had said earlier that the speaker did not know of the sexually charged online exchanges between Foley and the boy.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-chickenhawks-and-henry-kissinger/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBob Woodward's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093000293_4.html\"\u003eState of Denial\u003c/a\u003e\" * Foley's Folly\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDr. Kissinger, who never met a brutal dictator he didn't like, reportedly advised President and VP Cheney to remain in Iraq until victory is achieved.  Did he define \"victory\"; did he mention the costs in human terms ?  The Washington Post has published excerpts from Bob Woodward's new book \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093000293_4.html\"\u003eState of Denial - Bush At War Part III\u003c/a\u003e:\"In May, President Bush spoke in Chicago and gave a characteristically upbeat forecast: \"Years from now, people will look back on the formation of a unity government in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el\" target=\"\"\u003eIraq\u003c/a\u003e as a decisive moment in the story of liberty, a moment when freedom gained a firm foothold in the Middle East and the forces of terror began their long retreat.Two days later, the intelligence division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff circulated a secret intelligence assessment to the White House that contradicted the president's forecast.\"   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn a column in The Washington Post on Aug. 12, 2005, titled \"Lessons for an Exit Strategy,\" Kissinger wrote, 'Victory over the insurgency is the only meaningful exit strategy.' He delivered the same message directly to Bush, Cheney and Hadley at the White House. \"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eVictory had to be the goal, he told all. Don't let it happen again. Don't give an inch, or else the media, the Congress and the American culture of avoiding hardship will walk you back.\u0026gt;He said the eventual outcome in Iraq was more important than Vietnam had been. A radical Islamic or Taliban-style government in Iraq would be a model that could challenge the internal stability of key countries in the Middle East and elsewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eKissinger told Rice that in Vietnam they didn't have the time, focus, energy or support at home to get the politics in place. That's why it had collapsed like a house of cards. He urged that the Bush administration get the politics right, both in Iraq and on the home front. Partially withdrawing troops had its own dangers. Even entertaining the idea of withdrawing any troops could create momentum for an exit that was less than victory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Fall of Mark Foley\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe timing couldn't have been worse.  Less than forty days before mid-term elections, the resignation of Florida's six-term Republican Representative Mark Foley is bad news for GOP leaders in Congress.  What did Majority Leader Boehner and Speaker Hastert know and when did they know it?  Details published in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574.html\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003e indicate that the story has got legs.   The 'holier than thou' Republicans are squirming.  They deserve it. \"The resignation rocked the Capitol, and especially Foley's GOP colleagues, as lawmakers were rushing to adjourn for at least six weeks. \"House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate \"contact\" between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert. It was not immediately clear what actions Hastert took. His spokesman had said earlier that the speaker did not know of the sexually charged online exchanges between Foley and the boy.\" \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Chickenhawks and Henry Kissinger"},{"content":" Iraq, Stem Cells and Abortion * \"In Jesus' Camp\" A hypocrite of the worst kind, one who uses the name of God to justify his acts. From Iraq and terrorism to debates about stem cells and abortion, there are discernible gaps between the truth and President Bush's positions.Michael Kinsley in the Post:Bush, as we know, believes deeply and earnestly that human life begins at conception. Even tiny embryos composed of a half-dozen microscopic cells, he thinks, have the same right to life as you and I do. That is why he cannot bring himself to allow federal funding for research on new lines of embryonic stem cells or even for other projects in labs where stem cell research is going on. Even though these embryos are obtained from fertility clinics, where they would otherwise be destroyed anyway, and even though he appears to have no objection to the fertility clinics themselves, where these same embryos are manufactured and destroyed by the thousands -- nevertheless, the much smaller number of embryos needed and destroyed in the process of developing cures for diseases such as Parkinson's are, in effect, tiny little children whose use in this way constitutes killing a human being and therefore is intolerable.But President Bush does not believe that the deaths of all little children as a result of U.S. policy are, in effect, murder. He thinks that some, while very unfortunate, are also inevitable and essential.You know who I mean. Close to 50,000 Iraqi civilians have died so far as a direct result of our invasion and occupation of their country, in order to liberate them. The numbers are increasing as the country slides into chaos: more than 6,500 in July and August alone. These numbers are from reliable sources and are not seriously contested. They include many who were tortured and then killed, along with others blown up less personally by car bombs and suicide bombers. The number does not include the hundreds of thousands who have died prematurely as a result of a decade and a half of war and embargos imposed on the Iraqi economy. Nor does it include soldiers on both sides, most of whom are innocent, too. Last week the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan surpassed the number of people who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.Bush is right, of course, that the inevitable loss of innocent life in wartime cannot be a reason not to go to war or a reason not to fight that war in a way intended to win. Eggs, omelets and all that. \"Collateral damage\" should be a consideration weighed in the balance. But there is no formula to determine when you have the balance right. It does seem to me that both our wars in Iraq were started and conducted with insufficient consideration for the cost in innocent blood. Callousness, naivete and isolation -- isolation of the decision makers from democratic accountability and isolation of citizens from the consequences, or even the awareness, of what is being done in their name -- all have played a role. I don't see anything coming out of this war that is worth 50,000 innocent lives, although a case can be made, I guess.But it is hard -- indeed, I would say it is impossible -- to reconcile Bush's absolutism over allegedly human life when it is a clump of unknowing, unfeeling cells with his sophisticated, if not cavalier, attitude toward the loss of innocent human life when it is children and adults in Iraq.'Tongues of Fire'It was depressing to read Ann Hornaday's review of the documentary film, Jesus Camp. I am glad that all the children I know are growing up normally, like most other American kids, and not being indoctrinated into the narrow world of evangelical christians. To paraphrase T.S. Eliot: Between the madrassas and Jesus Camp 'falls the shadow for thine is the kingdom'.\"Jesus Camp\" opens with an unsettling sequence, during which young Christians -- dressed in camouflage and with their faces painted brown and green -- enact a warlike ritual dedicating themselves to fighting for God. Soon after, we meet the film's stars: 12-year-old Levi, who wears his hair cut short except for a rat's tail, declares he was saved when he was 5 \"because I wanted more out of life,\" and now aims to be a preacher; Rachael, 9, who longs to be an evangelist and is practicing spreading the Word at her local bowling alley; and Tory, 10, who loves to dance but shamefully admits that sometimes she doesn't dance only for Jesus, but also \"for the flesh.\" And we also meet Becky Fischer, the outgoing, charismatic leader of a youth ministry in the kids' home state of Missouri, who serves as a counselor at a summer camp called Kids on Fire in (wait for it) Devil's Lake, N.D.Bookended with news reports about the resignation of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the announcement of the nomination of Samuel Alito to take her place, \"Jesus Camp\" takes as its subject the most colorful arm of Christianity, that of charismatic Pentecostalism. Although firm numbers are difficult to nail down, research from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life indicates that Pentecostalism may account for between 15 and 20 percent of evangelicals, who number around 52 million adults in this country, and who in recent years have emerged as a powerful political force.\"Jesus Camp\" is composed of images of kids being radicalized spiritually and politically that will be heartening or chilling depending on the viewer. There are moments sure to set secular humanists' teeth on edge: when Tory's mother, who educates her kids at home, dismisses global warming and declares once and for all that creationism provides \"the only possible answer to all the questions\"; or when Becky excoriates Harry Potter to nervous-looking youngsters (\"Warlocks are enemies of God!\"). And it's hard not to feel a little frightened watching Becky and her fellow leaders goad their young charges into speaking in tongues, or joining in chants like \"This means war!\" and smashing coffee cups that symbolize secularized government. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/conflicted-no-he-is-a-fake/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq, Stem Cells and Abortion * \"In Jesus' Camp\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA hypocrite of the worst kind, one who uses the name of God to justify his acts.  From Iraq and terrorism to debates about stem cells and abortion, there are discernible gaps between the truth and President Bush's positions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Kinsley in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801457.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBush, as we know, believes deeply and earnestly that human life begins at conception. Even tiny embryos composed of a half-dozen microscopic cells, he thinks, have the same right to life as you and I do. That is why he cannot bring himself to allow federal funding for research on new lines of embryonic stem cells or even for other projects in labs where stem cell research is going on. Even though these embryos are obtained from fertility clinics, where they would otherwise be destroyed anyway, and even though he appears to have no objection to the fertility clinics themselves, where these same embryos are manufactured and destroyed by the thousands -- nevertheless, the much smaller number of embryos needed and destroyed in the process of developing cures for diseases such as Parkinson's are, in effect, tiny little children whose use in this way constitutes killing a human being and therefore is intolerable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut President Bush does not believe that the deaths of all little children as a result of U.S. policy are, in effect, murder. He thinks that some, while very unfortunate, are also inevitable and essential.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou know who I mean. Close to 50,000 Iraqi civilians have died so far as a direct result of our invasion and occupation of their country, in order to liberate them. The numbers are increasing as the country slides into chaos: more than 6,500 in July and August alone. These numbers are from reliable sources and are not seriously contested. They include many who were tortured and then killed, along with others blown up less personally by car bombs and suicide bombers. The number does not include the hundreds of thousands who have died prematurely as a result of a decade and a half of war and embargos imposed on the Iraqi economy. Nor does it include soldiers on both sides, most of whom are innocent, too. Last week the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan surpassed the number of people who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBush is right, of course, that the inevitable loss of innocent life in wartime cannot be a reason not to go to war or a reason not to fight that war in a way intended to win. Eggs, omelets and all that. \"Collateral damage\" should be a consideration weighed in the balance. But there is no formula to determine when you have the balance right. It does seem to me that both our wars in Iraq were started and conducted with insufficient consideration for the cost in innocent blood. Callousness, naivete and isolation -- isolation of the decision makers from democratic accountability and isolation of citizens from the consequences, or even the awareness, of what is being done in their name -- all have played a role. I don't see anything coming out of this war that is worth 50,000 innocent lives, although a case can be made, I guess.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut it is hard -- indeed, I would say it is impossible -- to reconcile Bush's absolutism over allegedly human life when it is a clump of unknowing, unfeeling cells with his sophisticated, if not cavalier, attitude toward the loss of innocent human life when it is children and adults in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Tongues of Fire'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was depressing to read Ann Hornaday's review of the documentary film, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801923.html\"\u003eJesus Camp\u003c/a\u003e. I am  glad that all the children I know are growing up normally, like most other American kids, and not being indoctrinated into the narrow world of evangelical christians.  To paraphrase T.S. Eliot: Between the madrassas and Jesus Camp 'falls the shadow for thine is the kingdom'.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Jesus Camp\" opens with an unsettling sequence, during which young Christians -- dressed in camouflage and with their faces painted brown and green -- enact a warlike ritual dedicating themselves to fighting for God. Soon after, we meet the film's stars: 12-year-old Levi, who wears his hair cut short except for a rat's tail, declares he was saved when he was 5 \"because I wanted more out of life,\" and now aims to be a preacher; Rachael, 9, who longs to be an evangelist and is practicing spreading the Word at her local bowling alley; and Tory, 10, who loves to dance but shamefully admits that sometimes she doesn't dance only for Jesus, but also \"for the flesh.\" And we also meet Becky Fischer, the outgoing, charismatic leader of a youth ministry in the kids' home state of Missouri, who serves as a counselor at a summer camp called Kids on Fire in (wait for it) Devil's Lake, N.D.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBookended with news reports about the resignation of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the announcement of the nomination of Samuel Alito to take her place, \"Jesus Camp\" takes as its subject the most colorful arm of Christianity, that of charismatic Pentecostalism. Although firm numbers are difficult to nail down, research from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life indicates that Pentecostalism may account for between 15 and 20 percent of evangelicals, who number around 52 million adults in this country, and who in recent years have emerged as a powerful political force.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Jesus Camp\" is composed of images of kids being radicalized spiritually and politically that will be heartening or chilling depending on the viewer. There are moments sure to set secular humanists' teeth on edge: when Tory's mother, who educates her kids at home, dismisses global warming and declares once and for all that creationism provides \"the only possible answer to all the questions\"; or when Becky excoriates Harry Potter to nervous-looking youngsters (\"Warlocks are enemies of God!\"). And it's hard not to feel a little frightened watching Becky and her fellow leaders goad their young charges into speaking in tongues, or joining in chants like \"This means war!\" and smashing coffee cups that symbolize secularized government.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"'Conflicted'  No, He Is A Fake"},{"content":" A Republican \"for old reasons\" - Is anyone listening ? Not for the first time, John Danforth, former Republican Senator from Missouri, an ordained Episcopal priest, spoke out about the Christian Right. \"CHICAGO. Sept. 27 -- The potency of the Christian right in the Republican Party is limited, former senator John C. Danforth of Missouri is telling audiences this month. A lifelong Republican moderate disturbed by his party's direction, he contends that the political center has a future.\" In the cacophony about red herrings -- gay marriage, women's right to choose, and school prayers -- Danforth's warning is not likely to have much impact. Fundamentalist Christian groups have tasted power. For the first time, they have an ally in the White House who is openly supportive of them. Thomas Jefferson's \"Wall of separation between church and state\" has been eroded. Pulpits are increasingly being used for political campaigns. They are not going to relinquish their hard-earned influence. Tolerance has no place in their belief. They are waiting for the Third Awakening....and Armageddon.Excerpts - The Washington PostDescribing himself as a \"a Republican for the old reasons,\" Danforth, 70, is promoting a new book that describes religion as a divisive force in the United States today and accuses the religious right and its political supporters of creating a sectarian party.\"I'm trying to shed light on it,\" Danforth told a gathering of more than 100 people at Chicago's Union League Club on Tuesday, \". . . but I'm really encouraging people to get mad, to speak out on this and express themselves. That's when politics will change.\"The GOP leadership habitually strives to please its base at the expense of meaningful compromise, he maintains, proving to be neither humble Christians nor effective politicians. His reasoning holds that social conservatives cannot prevail because a majority of Americans do not share their views or appreciate their style. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/john-danforths-sane-voice/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Republican \"for old reasons\" - Is anyone listening ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNot for the first time, John Danforth, former Republican Senator from Missouri, an ordained Episcopal priest, spoke out about the Christian Right.  \"CHICAGO. Sept. 27 -- The potency of the Christian right in the Republican Party is limited, former senator \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092701708.html\"\u003eJohn C. Danforth \u003c/a\u003eof Missouri is telling audiences this month. A lifelong Republican moderate disturbed by his party's direction, he contends that the political center has a future.\"   In the cacophony about red herrings -- gay marriage, women's right to choose, and school prayers -- Danforth's warning is not likely to have much impact.  Fundamentalist Christian groups have tasted power.  For the first time, they have an ally in the White House who is openly supportive of them. Thomas Jefferson's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html\"\u003eWall of separation between church and state\u003c/a\u003e\" has been eroded.  Pulpits are increasingly being used for political campaigns. They are not going to relinquish their hard-earned influence.  Tolerance has no place in their belief.  They are waiting for the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/12/AR2006091201594.html\"\u003eThird Awakening\u003c/a\u003e....and \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armageddon\"\u003eArmageddon\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092701708.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDescribing himself as a \"a Republican for the old reasons,\" Danforth, 70, is promoting a new book that describes religion as a divisive force in the United States today and accuses the religious right and its political supporters of creating a sectarian party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm trying to shed light on it,\" Danforth told a gathering of more than 100 people at Chicago's Union League Club on Tuesday, \". . . but I'm really encouraging people to get mad, to speak out on this and express themselves. That's when politics will change.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe GOP leadership habitually strives to please its base at the expense of meaningful compromise, he maintains, proving to be neither humble Christians nor effective politicians. His reasoning holds that social conservatives cannot prevail because a majority of Americans do not share their views or appreciate their style.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"John Danforth's Sane Voice"},{"content":" The caption for Polly Toynbee's comments in The Guardian about Tony Blair's speech at Labour Party conference in Manchester on September 26th reads: \"Charm and eloquence. But a missed chance\" As the British Prime Minister begins preparations for his exit a year from now there can be no question about his 'charm and eloquence'.....and intellectual brillance. Qualities that are sadly missing in our current president. Yet, Mr. Blair's decision to become an unquestioning ally of President Bush in the war against Iraq is the primary reason for his loss of support and popularity both at home and abroad. The unfolding events in Iraq exposed facts that portrayed an unwholesome complicity by Blair.I remember being in England shortly after the Labour Party came to power. On May 1, 1997, Tony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6,1953) led the Labour Party to its biggest ever general election victory. The excitement and enthusiasm for change were palpable. After 11 years of Margaret Thatcher and the Tories, the British people wanted change. Mr. Blair didn't let them down -- not then. Although the lies and fabricated reports about Iraq were mostly concocted by the neocons in America, Mr. Blair emerged tarnished because of his role in championing them. It must hurt.Polly Toynbee, The Guardian, September 26, 2006Yet they know why he must go, for his winning days are over. Many wished he had said goodbye right here, right now, sudden and decisive. These delegates have seen their Labour stronghold councils fall, long-time Labour cities lost, Wales and Scotland in peril, local parties near defunct for lack of members - all poisoned by Iraq and that wider mistrust it came to symbolise.The greatest moments video to a handclapping hall left an ache of nostalgia for what 10 hard years in office has done to the man, to the party and probably to themselves.Can they recapture the spirit of the early days? Whatever Gordon Brown will be, he has no miracle elixir for the party's lost youth and innocence.Full text of Blair's speech (BBC)The Washington Post reported:Blair, 53, recently said he would resign within a year. Pressure in his own party has been building for him to make way for a new leader. Since he became prime minister in 1997, his sky-high popularity ratings have plummeted because of domestic scandals, fatigue with a third-term government, his backing of the Iraq war and his closeness to President Bush.But Blair won a sustained standing ovation after a televised address that seemed like the beginning of the country's goodbye to him. \"Of course, it's hard to let go,\" he said. Many in the audience dabbed tears. One held a handwritten sign that said \"Too Young to Retire.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/countdown-for-tony-blair/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe caption for Polly Toynbee's comments in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1881762,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e about Tony Blair's speech at Labour Party conference in Manchester on September 26th  reads: \"Charm and eloquence. But a missed chance\"  As the British Prime Minister begins preparations for his exit a year from now there can be no question about his 'charm and eloquence'.....and intellectual brillance.  Qualities that are sadly missing in  our current president.  Yet, Mr. Blair's decision to become an unquestioning ally of President Bush in the war against Iraq is the primary reason for his loss of support and popularity both at home and abroad. The unfolding events in Iraq exposed facts that portrayed an unwholesome complicity by Blair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI remember being in England shortly after the Labour Party came to power.  On May 1, 1997, \u003cstrong\u003eTony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6,1953) \u003c/strong\u003e led the Labour Party to its biggest ever general election victory. The excitement and enthusiasm for change were palpable. After 11 years of Margaret Thatcher and the Tories, the British people wanted change. Mr. Blair didn't let them down -- not then. Although the lies and fabricated reports about Iraq were mostly concocted by the  neocons in America, Mr. Blair emerged tarnished because of his role in championing them.  It must hurt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1881762,00.html\"\u003ePolly Toynbee, The Guardian, September 26, 2006\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet they know why he must go, for his winning days are over. Many wished he had said goodbye right here, right now, sudden and decisive. These delegates have seen their Labour stronghold councils fall, long-time Labour cities lost, Wales and Scotland in peril, local parties near defunct for lack of members - all poisoned by Iraq and that wider mistrust it came to symbolise.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe greatest moments video to a handclapping hall left an ache of nostalgia for what 10 hard years in office has done to the man, to the party and probably to themselves.Can they recapture the spirit of the early days? Whatever Gordon Brown will be, he has no miracle elixir for the party's lost youth and innocence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFull text of  Blair's \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5382590.stm\"\u003espeech\u003c/a\u003e  (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092600297.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reported:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlair, 53, recently said he would resign within a year. Pressure in his own party has been building for him to make way for a new leader. Since he became prime minister in 1997, his sky-high popularity ratings have plummeted because of domestic scandals, fatigue with a third-term government, his backing of the Iraq war and his closeness to President Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Blair won a sustained standing ovation after a televised address that seemed like the beginning of the country's goodbye to him. \"Of course, it's hard to let go,\" he said. Many in the audience dabbed tears. One held a handwritten sign that said \"Too Young to Retire.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Countdown for Tony Blair"},{"content":" The War President and his 'Mission Accomplished' (May 1, 2003)The president grieves in private. Maybe he does but I find it hard to believe just as I doubt the claim that this summer he read The Stranger by Albert Camus. The casualties mount and reports about the deception foisted upon the American public to sell the war in Iraq continue to surface. Latest numbers (U.S. Soldiers): September 1-25: 63 Total todate: 2705 When the president appeared on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, against the backdrop of a large banner reading 'Mission Accomplished' the U.S. casualties were 42. Then there was his \"Bring them on\" challenge to the insurgents on July 2, 2003. Since then 2498 soldiers have died in Iraq. Peter Baker in the Post: \"FALMOUTH, Maine -- They sat on two frayed chairs in a teacher's lounge, the president and the widow, just the two of them so close that their knees were almost touching.She was talking about her husband, the soldier who died in a far-off war zone. Tears rolled down her face as she mentioned two children left fatherless. His eyes welled up, too. He hugged her, held her face, kissed her cheek. \"I am so sorry for your loss,\" he kept repeating.\"She told him she considers him responsible for her husband's death and begged him to bring home the troops. \"It's time to put our pride behind us and stop the bleeding, for all of us,\" she recalled saying. The president demurred, unwilling to debate a mourning woman. \"We see things differently,\" he said.But Hildi Halley, a self-described liberal antiwar activist who met with President Bush in Maine last month, said she believes he felt her grief. \"It wasn't just a crocodile tear,\" she said in an interview at her home. \"I felt like I moved him. I don't think he's going to wake up tomorrow and say, 'Oh my gosh, I've been wrong this whole time and I'm going to change all my policies because of my meeting with this woman.' I just hope that with each soldier, he remembers my pain.\"He has a lot of pain to remember. Now more than five years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Bush has served as a wartime president longer than any occupant of the White House since Lyndon B. Johnson. He has presided over more U.S. military casualties than any since Richard M. Nixon. While he travels the country defending his policy and arguing to stay the course in Iraq, he also confronts the human burdens of wartime leadership.The two sides of Bush as commander in chief can be hard to reconcile. His public persona gives little sense that he dwells on the costs of war. He does not seem to agonize as Johnson did, or even as his father, George H.W. Bush, did before the Persian Gulf War. While he pays tribute to those who have fallen, the president strives to show resolve and avoid displays that might be seen as weak or doubting. His refusal to attend military funerals, while taking long Texas vacations and extended bicycle rides, strikes some critics as callous indifference.Home they brought her warrior dead, is the title of a poem by Alfred Lord TennysonAngel D. Mercado-Velazquez, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2006Cliff Golla, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 01, 2006Eugene Alex, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 02, 2006Edwin Anthony Andino Jr., 23, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006Justin W. Dreese, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006Richard J. Henkes II, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006Nicholas A. Madaras, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006Jason L. Merrill, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 03, 2006Ralph N. Porras, 36, Army Sergeant, Sep 03, 2006Shane P. Harris, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2006Philip A. Johnson, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2006Ryan E. Miller, 21, Marine Private, Sep 03, 2006Hannah L. Gunterman, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 04, 2006Marshall A. Gutierrez, 41, Army Lieutenant Colonel, Sep 04, 2006Germaine L. Debro, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 04, 2006Jared M. Shoemaker, 29, Marine Reserve Corporal, Sep 04, 2006Eric P. Valdepenas, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Sep 04, 2006Christopher Walsh, 30, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, Sep 04, 2006John A. Carroll, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 06, 2006Jeremy R. Shank, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 06, 2006Luis A. Montes, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 07, 2006David J. Ramsey, 27, Army Specialist, Sep 07, 2006Vincent M. Frassetto, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Sep 07, 2006David W. Gordon, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 08, 2006Anthony P. Seig, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 09, 2006Johnathan Benson, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 09, 2006Alexander Jordan, 31, Army Specialist, Sep 10, 2006Harley D. Andrews, 22, Army Specialist, Sep 11, 2006Emily J.T. Perez, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Sep 12, 2006Matthew C. Mattingly, 30, Army Captain, Sep 13, 2006Jeffrey Shaffer, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 13, 2006Marcus A. Cain, 20, Army Corporal, Sep 14, 2006Jennifer M. Hartman, 21, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006Russell M. Makowski, 23, Army Specialist, Sep 14, 2006Aaron A. Smith, 31, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006David Thomas Weir, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006Clint E. Williams, 24, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006Ryan A. Miller, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 14, 2006Cesar A. Granados, 21, Army Corporal, Sep 15, 2006David S. Roddy, 32, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Sep 16, 2006David J. Davis, 32, Army Sergeant, Sep 17, 2006Adam L. Knox, 21, Army Sergeant, Sep 17, 2006James R. Worster, 24, Army Sergeant, Sep 18, 2006Robert Thomas Callahan, 22, Army Specialist, Sep 19, 2006Ashley L. Henderson Huff, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Sep 19, 2006Jared Raymond, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 19, 2006Eric Kavanagh, 20, Army Private, Sep 20, 2006Robb Gordon Needham, 51, Army Master Sergeant, Sep 20, 2006Charles Jason Jones, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 20, 2006Yull Estrada Rodriguez, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 20, 2006Christopher M. Zimmerman, 28, Marine Sergeant, Sep 20, 2006Allan R. Bevington, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 21, 2006Howard S. March Jr., 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2006Rene Martinez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2006Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/home-they-brought-her-warrior-dead/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe War President\u003c/strong\u003e and his 'Mission Accomplished' (May 1, 2003)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president grieves in private.  Maybe he does but I find it hard to believe just as I doubt the claim that this summer he read \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stranger_%28novel%29\"\u003eThe Stranger\u003c/a\u003e by Albert Camus.  The casualties mount and reports about the deception foisted upon the American public to sell the war in Iraq continue to surface.     \u003cstrong\u003eLatest numbers (U.S. Soldiers): September 1-25: 63  Total todate: 2705\u003c/strong\u003e   When the president appeared on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, against the backdrop of a large banner reading '\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/01/bush.carrier.landing/\"\u003eMission Accomplished\u003c/a\u003e' the U.S. casualties were 42.  Then there was his \"Bring them on\" challenge to the insurgents on July 2, 2003.  Since then 2498 soldiers have died in Iraq.   Peter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/24/AR2006092400747.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"FALMOUTH, Maine -- They sat on two frayed chairs in a teacher's lounge, the president and the widow, just the two of them so close that their knees were almost touching.She was talking about her husband, the soldier who died in a far-off war zone. Tears rolled down her face as she mentioned two children left fatherless. His eyes welled up, too. He hugged her, held her face, kissed her cheek. \"I am so sorry for your loss,\" he kept repeating.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe told him she considers him responsible for her husband's death and begged him to bring home the troops. \"It's time to put our pride behind us and stop the bleeding, for all of us,\" she recalled saying. The president demurred, unwilling to debate a mourning woman. \"We see things differently,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Hildi Halley, a self-described liberal antiwar activist who met with President Bush in Maine last month, said she believes he felt her grief. \"It wasn't just a crocodile tear,\" she said in an interview at her home. \"I felt like I moved him. I don't think he's going to wake up tomorrow and say, 'Oh my gosh, I've been wrong this whole time and I'm going to change all my policies because of my meeting with this woman.' I just hope that with each soldier, he remembers my pain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe has a lot of pain to remember. Now more than five years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Bush has served as a wartime president longer than any occupant of the White House since Lyndon B. Johnson. He has presided over more U.S. military casualties than any since Richard M. Nixon. While he travels the country defending his policy and arguing to stay the course in Iraq, he also confronts the human burdens of wartime leadership.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe two sides of Bush as commander in chief can be hard to reconcile. His public persona gives little sense that he dwells on the costs of war. He does not seem to agonize as Johnson did, or even as his father, George H.W. Bush, did before the Persian Gulf War. While he pays tribute to those who have fallen, the president strives to show resolve and avoid displays that might be seen as weak or doubting. His refusal to attend military funerals, while taking long Texas vacations and extended bicycle rides, strikes some critics as callous indifference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHome they brought her warrior dead, is the title of a \u003ca href=\"http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/HomeTheyBrought.htm\"\u003epoem\u003c/a\u003e by Alfred Lord Tennyson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/Helmet II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAngel D. Mercado-Velazquez, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCliff Golla, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEugene Alex, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEdwin Anthony Andino Jr., 23, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJustin W. Dreese, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRichard J. Henkes II, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas A. Madaras, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJason L. Merrill, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRalph N. Porras, 36, Army Sergeant, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShane P. Harris, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePhilip A. Johnson, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRyan E. Miller, 21, Marine Private, Sep 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eHannah L. Gunterman, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarshall A. Gutierrez, 41, Army Lieutenant Colonel, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGermaine L. Debro, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJared M. Shoemaker, 29, Marine Reserve Corporal, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric P. Valdepenas, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher Walsh, 30, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, Sep 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJohn A. Carroll, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy R. Shank, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLuis A. Montes, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid J. Ramsey, 27, Army Specialist, Sep 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eVincent M. Frassetto, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Sep 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid W. Gordon, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony P. Seig, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJohnathan Benson, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAlexander Jordan, 31, Army Specialist, Sep 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eHarley D. Andrews, 22, Army Specialist, Sep 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEmily J.T. Perez, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Sep 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew C. Mattingly, 30, Army Captain, Sep 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey Shaffer, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarcus A. Cain, 20, Army Corporal, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJennifer M. Hartman, 21, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRussell M. Makowski, 23, Army Specialist, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAaron A. Smith, 31, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Thomas Weir, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eClint E. Williams, 24, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRyan A. Miller, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCesar A. Granados, 21, Army Corporal, Sep 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Roddy, 32, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Sep 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid J. Davis, 32, Army Sergeant, Sep 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAdam L. Knox, 21, Army Sergeant, Sep 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames R. Worster, 24, Army Sergeant, Sep 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobert Thomas Callahan, 22, Army Specialist, Sep 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAshley L. Henderson Huff, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Sep 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJared Raymond, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric Kavanagh, 20, Army Private, Sep 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobb Gordon Needham, 51, Army Master Sergeant, Sep 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCharles Jason Jones, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eYull Estrada Rodriguez, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher M. Zimmerman, 28, Marine Sergeant, Sep 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAllan R. Bevington, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eHoward S. March Jr., 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRene Martinez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.aspx\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"'Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead'"},{"content":" Expect Spin, Lot of SpinDetails of a National Intelligence Estimate prepared in April of this year make a big hole in the Bush Administration's support of the war and occupation of Iraq. \"The war in Iraq has become a primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world whose numbers may be increasing faster than the United States and its allies can reduce the threat, U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded.\" Bush-Cheney and champions of the misadventure in Iraq must be scrambling to come up with spin -- that is something they are never shy of. Not going to be easy. \"Each NIE is reviewed and approved for dissemination by the National Intelligence Board (NIB), which is comprised of the DNI and other senior Intelligence Community leaders within the Intelligence Community.\"Excerpts from the Washington Post:A 30-page National Intelligence Estimate completed in April cites the \"centrality\" of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the insurgency that has followed, as the leading inspiration for new Islamic extremist networks and cells that are united by little more than an anti-Western agenda. It concludes that, rather than contributing to eventual victory in the global counterterrorism struggle, the situation in Iraq has worsened the U.S. position, according to officials familiar with the classified document.\"It's a very candid assessment,\" one intelligence official said yesterday of the estimate, the first formal examination of global terrorist trends written by the National Intelligence Council since the March 2003 invasion. \"It's stating the obvious.\"\nThe NIE, whose contents were first reported by the New York Times, coincides with public statements by senior intelligence officials describing a different kind of conflict than the one outlined by President Bush in a series of recent speeches marking the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-nie-bombshell/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eExpect Spin, Lot of Spin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDetails of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/23/AR2006092301130.html\"\u003eNational Intelligence Estimate\u003c/a\u003e prepared in April of this year make a big hole in the  Bush Administration's support of the war and occupation of Iraq. \"The war in Iraq has become a primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world whose numbers may be increasing faster than the United States and its allies can reduce the threat, U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded.\"   Bush-Cheney and champions of the misadventure in Iraq must be scrambling to come up with spin -- that is something they are never shy of. Not going to be easy.  \"Each \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Intelligence_Estimate\"\u003eNIE\u003c/a\u003e  is reviewed and approved for dissemination by the National Intelligence Board (NIB), which is comprised of the DNI and other senior Intelligence Community leaders within the Intelligence Community.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/23/AR2006092301130.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA 30-page National Intelligence Estimate completed in April cites the \"centrality\" of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the insurgency that has followed, as the leading inspiration for new Islamic extremist networks and cells that are united by little more than an anti-Western agenda. It concludes that, rather than contributing to eventual victory in the global counterterrorism struggle, the situation in Iraq has worsened the U.S. position, according to officials familiar with the classified document.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"It's a very candid assessment,\" one intelligence official said yesterday of the estimate, the first formal examination of global terrorist trends written by the National Intelligence Council since the March 2003 invasion. \"It's stating the obvious.\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The NIE Bombshell"},{"content":" Goodbye Summer\nAnother summer is behind us. For many of us the change of seasons means different things, often depending on where we live, where we grew up. Perhaps summer is missed more by those who live in harsh climes. Thoughts of long winters can dampen the spirits.\nJohn Donne wrote about the \"fear that summer will be short\" . A few days back, during dinner at a friend's house the guests talked of the fleeting summer. No doubt next year -- next summer -- we'll feel the same way.\nI was fortunate to spend my childhood in a place where autumn and the cold weather were welcome. It meant the beginning of cricket season and the end of football (soccer) among other things. Now a resident of the San Francisco Bay area, I enjoy fall almost as much as I enjoy the warm months. A December morning can be wonderfully bracing -- sunny, and the sky a lovely shade of azure. ©Ian Britton, FreeFoto.comA selection of poems and haikus about autumn and the end of summer\nSummer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have alwaysbeen the two most beautiful words in the English language.--Henry JamesOur fear of death is like our fear that summer will be short,but when we have had our swing of pleasure, our fill of fruit,and our swelter of heat, we say we have had our day.\n- John Donne, 1620\nSorrow and scarlet leaf,Sad thoughts and sunny weather.Ah me, this glory and this griefAgree not well together!\n- Thomas Parsons, 1880, A Song For September\nTry to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen life was slow and oh so mellowTry to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen grass was green and grain so yellowTry to remember the kind of SeptemberWhen you were a young and a callow fellowTry to remember and if you rememberThen follow--follow, oh-oh\n- Try to Remember, Lyrics by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt\nSource: http://www.egreenway.com/months/monsep.htm\nMaple leaves dangle.Morning sun through the window.My eyes are heavy.\nFrost on cold panes--rock candywindows reflect messy red noses.We laugh together.\n--Christopher Jones\n© http://www.dce.harvard.edu/pubs/charles/2000/fall/cjones.html\nLeaves Red, green, yellow, gold Drifting slowly to the ground Wind blowing them down. --Erin, Grade 4,Farmingville SchoolSource: http://www.ridgefield.org/farmingville/index.htmsweet as a late marriagea few blossoms in fallthe tattered crabapple--Erin Noteboom ©http://www.vividpieces.net/2003/09/19-fall_haiku.shtmlAnd my favorites:A traveler--Let my name be thus known--This autumnal shower.--BashoThe winds that blow--Ask them, which leaf of the treeWill be next to go !--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)Finally, one by Seamus Heany. It has nothing to do with autumn. It evokes memories that linger.SongA rowan like a lipsticked girl.Between the by-road and the main roadAlder trees at a wet and dripping distanceStand off among the rushes.There are the mud-flowers of dialectAnd the immortelles of perfect pitchAnd that moment when the bird sings very closeTo the music of what happens.Seamus HeaneySource: http://www.poemhunter.com/p/m/poem.asp?poet=6714\u0026amp;poem=31250 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-seasons-fall-2006/","summary":"\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoodbye Summer\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\" face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003eAnother summer is behind us.  For many of us the change of seasons means different things, often depending on where we live, where we grew up.  Perhaps summer is missed more by those who live in harsh climes.  Thoughts of long winters can dampen the spirits.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJohn Donne wrote about the \"fear that summer will be short\" .  A few days back, during dinner at a  friend's  house  the guests talked of the fleeting summer.  No doubt  next year -- next summer -- we'll feel the same way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Fall 2006"},{"content":" The article about former AP Photographer Bilal Hussein exemplifies what happens when U.S. military authorities in Iraq suspect someone of being allied to insurgents. Bilal Hussein's story was published in the Washington Post because Tom Curley, Head of the Associated Press wrote about it. It can safely be assumed that there are others. \"Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi photographer who helped the Associated Press win a Pulitzer Prize last year, is now in his sixth month in a U.S. Army prison in Iraq. He doesn't understand why he's there, and neither do his AP colleagues. The Army says it thinks Bilal has too many contacts among insurgents. He has taken pictures the Army thinks could have been made only with the connivance of insurgents. So Bilal himself must be one, too, or at least a sympathizer.\"It is a measure of just how dangerous and disorienting Iraq has become that suspicions such as these are considered adequate grounds for locking up a man and throwing away the key.After more than five months of trying to bring Bilal's case into the daylight, AP is now convinced the Army doesn't care whether Bilal is or isn't an insurgent. The Army doesn't have to care. Bilal is off the street, and the military says it doesn't consider itself accountable to any judicial authority that could question his guilt.But Bilal's incarceration delivers a further bonus. He is no longer free to circulate in his native Fallujah or in Ramadi, taking photographs that coalition commanders would prefer not to see published.Anbar province is a hot zone in a hot country. Violence and lawlessness there have been a special problem for U.S. forces nearly since they arrived in Iraq, which means the flow of breaking news has been continuous, much of it bad.U.S. journalists are severely limited in their ability to move safely, make themselves understood and develop sources in such areas. AP has learned to overcome those limitations, using techniques honed over decades of covering sectarian confrontation and bloodshed in the Middle East.It has long been AP practice to hire and train local people in the agency's permanent international bureaus. Many become highly skilled career journalists who remain with the Associated Press for decades. Several are second-generation staffers. Their work has never been more important to the Associated Press and the global audience that relies on our reporting.Without their access and insight into what is happening in their countries and communities, our understanding of the history being made there every day would be shallow and one-dimensional. It would also be far more vulnerable to control and spin by \"official\" sources.Both official and unofficial parties on every side of a conflict try to discredit or silence news they don't like. That is certainly the case in Iraq, where journalists are routinely harassed, defamed, beaten and kidnapped. At last count, 80 had been killed.Bilal Hussein is part of the latest generation of Associated Press hires in the Middle East. He was a shopkeeper in Fallujah, selling mobile phones and computers. Although he had a degree from the Baghdad Institute of Technology, it was the best opportunity available in the fractured Iraqi economy.AP first hired him as a translator and driver. He proved smart and trustworthy, and was already comfortable with the phones, laptops and cameras that are tools of the journalist's trade. Within months, he was taking professional-quality pictures, including one of insurgents engaged with coalition forces that was part of AP's Pulitzer Prize-winning photography entry last year.Bilal has shared the hardships of all Iraqis in disputed areas -- hardships that are worse for journalists, whose job is to get as close as they can to places where guns and bombs are being used. His home has been riddled with gunfire. His family has fled. At least once he had to ditch his camera equipment to run for his life.He faces what may be greater dangers now. From prison, he has told his attorneys that he fears he is a marked man among the detainees, who now know he is a journalist working for a Western news service. Meanwhile, agents of the most powerful country on Earth have labeled him an enemy. They say they have evidence to satisfy themselves, and don't need to prove it to anyone else.As the organization that handed Bilal the camera that helped put him where he is today, the Associated Press cannot turn its back on him. We cannot dismiss Bilal's insistence that he is not an insurgent solely on the strength of the unexamined suspicions offered by the U.S. military.If Bilal has done something wrong, the Iraqi courts stand ready to try him. Iraqi authorities have asked more than once that he and other Iraqi citizens in prolonged U.S. military custody be turned over to them for due process. We ask the same.The writer (Tom Curley) is president and chief executive of the Associated Press. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/abuse-of-power-the-bilal-hussein-story/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe article about former AP  Photographer Bilal Hussein  exemplifies what happens when U.S.  military authorities in Iraq suspect someone of being allied to insurgents.  Bilal Hussein's story was published in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/22/AR2006092201444.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e because Tom Curley, Head of the Associated Press wrote about it.  It can safely be assumed that there are others.  \"Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi photographer who helped the Associated Press win a Pulitzer Prize last year, is now in his sixth month in a U.S. Army prison in Iraq. He doesn't understand why he's there, and neither do his AP colleagues.   The Army says it thinks Bilal has too many contacts among insurgents. He has taken pictures the Army thinks could have been made only with the connivance of insurgents. So Bilal himself must be one, too, or at least a sympathizer.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a measure of just how dangerous and disorienting Iraq has become that suspicions such as these are considered adequate grounds for locking up a man and throwing away the key.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter more than five months of trying to bring Bilal's case into the daylight, AP is now convinced the Army doesn't care whether Bilal is or isn't an insurgent. The Army doesn't have to care. Bilal is off the street, and the military says it doesn't consider itself accountable to any judicial authority that could question his guilt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Bilal's incarceration delivers a further bonus. He is no longer free to circulate in his native Fallujah or in Ramadi, taking photographs that coalition commanders would prefer not to see published.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnbar province is a hot zone in a hot country. Violence and lawlessness there have been a special problem for U.S. forces nearly since they arrived in Iraq, which means the flow of breaking news has been continuous, much of it bad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. journalists are severely limited in their ability to move safely, make themselves understood and develop sources in such areas. AP has learned to overcome those limitations, using techniques honed over decades of covering sectarian confrontation and bloodshed in the Middle East.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has long been AP practice to hire and train local people in the agency's permanent international bureaus. Many become highly skilled career journalists who remain with the Associated Press for decades. Several are second-generation staffers. Their work has never been more important to the Associated Press and the global audience that relies on our reporting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWithout their access and insight into what is happening in their countries and communities, our understanding of the history being made there every day would be shallow and one-dimensional. It would also be far more vulnerable to control and spin by \"official\" sources.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBoth official and unofficial parties on every side of a conflict try to discredit or silence news they don't like. That is certainly the case in Iraq, where journalists are routinely harassed, defamed, beaten and kidnapped. At last count, 80 had been killed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBilal Hussein is part of the latest generation of Associated Press hires in the Middle East. He was a shopkeeper in Fallujah, selling mobile phones and computers. Although he had a degree from the Baghdad Institute of Technology, it was the best opportunity available in the fractured Iraqi economy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAP first hired him as a translator and driver. He proved smart and trustworthy, and was already comfortable with the phones, laptops and cameras that are tools of the journalist's trade. Within months, he was taking professional-quality pictures, including one of insurgents engaged with coalition forces that was part of AP's Pulitzer Prize-winning photography entry last year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBilal has shared the hardships of all Iraqis in disputed areas -- hardships that are worse for journalists, whose job is to get as close as they can to places where guns and bombs are being used. His home has been riddled with gunfire. His family has fled. At least once he had to ditch his camera equipment to run for his life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe faces what may be greater dangers now. From prison, he has told his attorneys that he fears he is a marked man among the detainees, who now know he is a journalist working for a Western news service. Meanwhile, agents of the most powerful country on Earth have labeled him an enemy. They say they have evidence to satisfy themselves, and don't need to prove it to anyone else.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the organization that handed Bilal the camera that helped put him where he is today, the Associated Press cannot turn its back on him. We cannot dismiss Bilal's insistence that he is not an insurgent solely on the strength of the unexamined suspicions offered by the U.S. military.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf Bilal has done something wrong, the Iraqi courts stand ready to try him. Iraqi authorities have asked more than once that he and other Iraqi citizens in prolonged U.S. military custody be turned over to them for due process. We ask the same.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe writer (Tom Curley)  is president and chief executive of the Associated Press.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Abuse of Power, The Bilal Hussein Story"},{"content":" Between the late John Ford's classic films to the outsourcing of torture by the Bush Administration there lies a lot of American history. Harold Meyerson's eloquent column ought to be a must read for those who are unsure about the president's insistence on being permitted to continue torture of prisoners by methods that contravene Geneva Conventions. \"As events would have it, though, our nation is led by men who have carefully avoided both war and literature. By men devoid of a sense of the nation's and their own moral fallibility. By men who have led us into a moral desert and aren't even looking for a way back home.\" See Naomi Klein's article in The Guardian. Dec.10,2005. \"The US has used torture for decades. All that's new is the openness about it\"Into A Moral DesertDefend civilization by becoming as barbaric as its enemies, Ford suggests, and you are no longer really part of that civilization. Or perhaps you are, but that civilization has lost some of its ideals, its raison d'être, in the process.\nThese thoughts of Homer and Ford on men in war are occasioned by the story of the Syrian-born Canadian computer engineer whom the Mounties misidentified as an al-Qaeda associate and whom our own government then spirited off to Syria in September 2002 so he could be tortured into revealing what he knew. After nearly a year of torture, it was clear that he knew nothing, because he wasn't an al-Qaeda associate.\nWhat's striking about this story (and it's just one of many things that are striking about this story) is that we sent him to Syria, which was providing us with some assistance during the period between Sept. 11 and our invasion of Iraq but which also was an authoritarian regime that knew no constraints in the treatment of its presumed enemies. We sent him there because he'd be tortured, because the Syrians would do the kinds of things that the same administration officials who devised this policy feared the Syrians, given half a chance, would do to us.\nBut why rely just on the Syrians? At the same time, as the president acknowledged this month, we ourselves (that is, CIA employees) had embarked on our own round of torture of al-Qaeda suspects, some of them the genuine article, some not. As the president asserted during his news conference Friday, that doesn't mean that we've become our enemy, that we're in any sense the moral equivalent of al-Qaeda. But it most certainly means we've abandoned our own moral and legal norms, as the administration's determination to create a loophole in the Geneva Conventions makes unmistakably clear.\nLindsey Graham, John Warner, Colin Powell and above all John McCain know firsthand what war can do to men and why we need laws to keep men from becoming their nightmare image of their enemy. Their knowledge is as old as Homer, as American as John Ford.\nAs events would have it, though, our nation is led by men who have carefully avoided both war and literature. By men devoid of a sense of the nation's and their own moral fallibility. By men who have led us into a moral desert and aren't even looking for a way back home.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/moral-desert---what-the-president-and-his-team-have-wrought/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBetween the late John Ford's classic films to the outsourcing of torture by the Bush Administration there lies a lot of American history.  Harold Meyerson's  eloquent \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/19/AR2006091901440.html\"\u003ecolumn\u003c/a\u003e ought to be a must read  for those who are unsure about the president's insistence on being permitted to continue torture of prisoners by methods that contravene Geneva Conventions.  \"As events would have it, though, our nation is led by men who have carefully avoided both war and literature. By men devoid of a sense of the nation's and their own moral fallibility. By men who have led us into a moral desert and aren't even looking for a way back home.\"  See Naomi Klein's article in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1483801,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e. Dec.10,2005.  \"\u003cb\u003eThe US has used torture for decades.  All that's new is the openness about it\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003eInto A Moral Desert\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eDefend civilization by becoming as barbaric as its enemies, Ford suggests, and you are no longer really part of that civilization. Or perhaps you are, but that civilization has lost some of its ideals, its raison d'être, in the process.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"'Moral Desert' - What the President and His Team Have Wrought"},{"content":" The Legislators and Their Love for EarmarkingIt is no secret; elected representatives (of both parties) love the nefarious practice of earmarking for their pet projects. As expected, proposed reform of earmarking ended up as a joke, the opposition was too strong. Ruth Marcus in the Post described it as a \"charade\". Rightly so. \"And so Stark, as I said, would have found the congressional debate a hoot. Because this charade of earmark reform involved lawmakers forcing themselves to take credit for their earmarks -- in essence, engaging in the legislative equivalent of naming the hospital after themselves.Under the new rule, some -- but not all -- earmarks will require that the sponsoring lawmaker be identified. Big whoop. The problem with the most egregious earmarks isn't that the public doesn't know who's behind them. It's that the patrons are completely unabashed about the pork they are pushing.\"Excerpts:\"All The King's Earmarks\"Exhibit A: Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens's tirade on the Senate floor against efforts to take away funding for his \"bridge to nowhere.\"Exhibit B: the entire state of West Virginia, crammed with the earmarked products of the Senate Appropriations Committee's senior Democrat. To wit, the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building and Courthouse in Charleston (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building and Courthouse in Beckley); the Robert C. Byrd Expressway (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Freeway or the Robert C. Byrd Bridge); the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center at Wheeling Jesuit University (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Science and Technology Center at Shepherd University or the Robert C. Byrd Technology Center at Alderson-Broaddus College). \"I don't care if you list the members who sponsor earmarks. I put out press releases on every one of them,\" Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in explaining how ineffective this change would be.That didn't stop the House leadership from congratulating itself. \"Today is an important day for the House as an institution,\" pronounced Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). Perhaps, in the sense that it showed how resistant the chamber is to any deviation from business as usual.So resistant, in fact, that the writers of large checks, also known as the House Appropriations Committee, greeted this minor incursion on their power with howls of outrage. They were being unfairly singled out for abuse, the appropriators bleated behind closed doors; the new rule would still let the tax writers and the authorizers get away with their special-interest shenanigans. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/den-of-thieves/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Legislators and Their Love for Earmarking\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is no secret;  elected representatives (of both parties) love the nefarious practice of earmarking for their pet projects. As expected, proposed reform of earmarking ended up as a joke,  the opposition was too strong.  Ruth Marcus in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/19/AR2006091901441.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e described it as a \"charade\".  Rightly so. \"And so Stark, as I said, would have found the congressional debate a hoot. Because this charade of earmark reform involved lawmakers forcing themselves to take credit for their earmarks -- in essence, engaging in the legislative equivalent of naming the hospital after themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eUnder the new rule, some -- but not all -- earmarks will require that the sponsoring lawmaker be identified. Big whoop. The problem with the most egregious earmarks isn't that the public doesn't know who's behind them. It's that the patrons are completely unabashed about the pork they are pushing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"All The King's Earmarks\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExhibit A: Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens's tirade on the Senate floor against efforts to take away funding for his \"bridge to nowhere.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExhibit B: the entire state of West Virginia, crammed with the earmarked products of the Senate Appropriations Committee's senior Democrat. To wit, the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building and Courthouse in Charleston (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building and Courthouse in Beckley); the Robert C. Byrd Expressway (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Freeway or the Robert C. Byrd Bridge); the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center at Wheeling Jesuit University (not to be confused with the Robert C. Byrd Science and Technology Center at Shepherd University or the Robert C. Byrd Technology Center at Alderson-Broaddus College). \"I don't care if you list the members who sponsor earmarks. I put out press releases on every one of them,\" Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in explaining how ineffective this change would be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat didn't stop the House leadership from congratulating itself. \"Today is an important day for the House as an institution,\" pronounced Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). Perhaps, in the sense that it showed how resistant the chamber is to any deviation from business as usual.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo resistant, in fact, that the writers of large checks, also known as the House Appropriations Committee, greeted this minor incursion on their power with howls of outrage. They were being unfairly singled out for abuse, the appropriators bleated behind closed doors; the new rule would still let the tax writers and the authorizers get away with their special-interest shenanigans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Den of Thieves"},{"content":" President Bush spoke before the UN. Iraq and Iran both figured prominently in his speech but there are doubts as to how his assurance to Muslims would play in the Islamic world. The facts about his position on Gaza, Lebanon and Iran are known. The mess resulting from his war in Iraq cannot be downplayed or glossed over. UNITED NATIONS -- President Bush on Tuesday appealed directly to Muslims to assure them that the United States is not waging war with Islam as he laid out a vision for peace in the Middle East before skeptical world leaders at the United Nations. On the sidelines, Bush pressed Iran to return at once to international talks on its nuclear program and threatened consequences if they do not.\"President Bush might not get all he wants. The structure of the UN Security Council no longer allows the super powers to bully and push resolutions through but the United States still has clout and uses it.On another front -- the issue of torture of prisoners -- despite unexpectedly hard opposition from members of his own party and worldwide condemnation the president has not given up trying to get a legislation passed to permit his administration to continue practices that contravene Article 26 of the Geneva Convention relative to The Treatment of Prisoners of War. There are two items in today's Washington Post about this issue, both critical of the president's position.In Torture Is Torture Eugene Robinson writes:I wish I could turn to cheerier matters, but I just can't get past this torture issue -- the fact that George W. Bush, the president of the United States of America, persists in demanding that Congress give him the right to torture anyone he considers a \"high-value\" terrorist suspect. The president of the United States. Interrogation by torture. This just can't be happening.It's past time to stop mincing words. The Decider, or maybe we should now call him the Inquisitor, sticks to anodyne euphemisms. He speaks of \"alternative\" questioning techniques, and his umbrella term for the whole shop of horrors is \"the program.\" Of course, he won't fully detail the methods that were used in the secret CIA prisons -- and who knows where else? -- but various sources have said they have included not just the infamous \"waterboarding,\" which the administration apparently will reluctantly forswear, but also sleep deprivation, exposure to cold, bombardment with ear-splitting noise and other assaults that cause not just mental duress but physical agony. That is torture, and to call it anything else is a lie.Tom Malinowski draws comparison with methods used when Joseph Stalin ruled the former USSR. Call Cruelty What It IsPresident Bush is urging Congress to let the CIA keep using \"alternative\" interrogation procedures -- which include, according to published accounts, forcing prisoners to stand for 40 hours, depriving them of sleep and use of the \"cold cell,\" in which the prisoner is left naked in a cell kept near 50 degrees and doused with cold water.Bush insists that these techniques are not torture -- after all, they don't involve pulling out fingernails or applying electric shocks. He even says that he \"would hope\" the standards he's proposing are adopted by other countries. But before he again invites America's enemies to use such \"alternative\" methods on captured Americans, he might benefit from knowing a bit of their historical origins and from hearing accounts of those who have experienced them. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the president's reading list.He might begin with Robert Conquest's classic work on Stalin, \"The Great Terror.\" Conquest wrote: \"When there was time, the basic [Soviet Secret police] method for obtaining confessions and breaking the accused man was the 'conveyor' -- continual interrogation by relays of police for hours and days on end. As with many phenomena of the Stalin period, it has the advantage that it could not easily be condemned by any simple principle. Clearly, it amounted to unfair pressure after a certain time and to actual physical torture later still, but when? . . . At any rate, after even twelve hours, it is extremely uncomfortable. After a day, it becomes very hard. And after two or three days, the victim is actually physically poisoned by fatigue. It was as painful as any torture.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/sanctions-against-iran-and-justifying-torture-of-prisoners/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush spoke before the UN.  Iraq and Iran both figured prominently in his speech but there are doubts as to how his assurance to Muslims would play in the Islamic world.  The facts about his position on Gaza, Lebanon and Iran are known.  The mess resulting from his war in Iraq cannot be downplayed or glossed over.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091800196.html\"\u003eUNITED NATIONS\u003c/a\u003e -- President Bush on Tuesday appealed directly to Muslims to assure them that the United States is not waging war with Islam as he laid out a vision for peace in the Middle East before skeptical world leaders at the United Nations. On the sidelines, Bush pressed Iran to return at once to international talks on its nuclear program and threatened consequences if they do not.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush might not get all he wants.  The structure of the UN Security Council no longer allows the super powers to bully and push resolutions through  but the United States still has clout and uses it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn another front -- the issue of torture of prisoners -- despite unexpectedly hard opposition from members of his own party and worldwide condemnation the president has not given up trying to get a legislation passed to permit his administration to continue practices that contravene \u003ca href=\"http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm\"\u003eArticle 26 of the Geneva Convention relative to The Treatment of Prisoners of War. \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are two items in today's Washington Post about this issue, both critical of the president's position.\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091800995.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091800995.html\"\u003eTorture Is Torture\u003c/a\u003e Eugene Robinson writes:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wish I could turn to cheerier matters, but I just can't get past this torture issue -- the fact that George W. Bush, the president of the United States of America, persists in demanding that Congress give him the right to torture anyone he considers a \"high-value\" terrorist suspect. The president of the United States. Interrogation by torture. This just can't be happening.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt's past time to stop mincing words. The Decider, or maybe we should now call him the Inquisitor, sticks to anodyne euphemisms. He speaks of \"alternative\" questioning techniques, and his umbrella term for the whole shop of horrors is \"the program.\" Of course, he won't fully detail the methods that were used in the secret CIA prisons -- and who knows where else? -- but various sources have said they have included not just the infamous \"waterboarding,\" which the administration apparently will reluctantly forswear, but also sleep deprivation, exposure to cold, bombardment with ear-splitting noise and other assaults that cause not just mental duress but physical agony. That is torture, and to call it anything else is a lie.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTom Malinowski draws comparison with methods used when Joseph Stalin ruled the former USSR.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/17/AR2006091700516.html\"\u003eCall Cruelty What It Is\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush is urging Congress to let the CIA keep using \"alternative\" interrogation procedures -- which include, according to published accounts, forcing prisoners to stand for 40 hours, depriving them of sleep and use of the \"cold cell,\" in which the prisoner is left naked in a cell kept near 50 degrees and doused with cold water.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush insists that these techniques are not torture -- after all, they don't involve pulling out fingernails or applying electric shocks. He even says that he \"would hope\" the standards he's proposing are adopted by other countries. But before he again invites America's enemies to use such \"alternative\" methods on captured Americans, he might benefit from knowing a bit of their historical origins and from hearing accounts of those who have experienced them. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the president's reading list.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe might begin with Robert Conquest's classic work on Stalin, \"The Great Terror.\" Conquest wrote: \"When there was time, the basic [Soviet Secret police] method for obtaining confessions and breaking the accused man was the 'conveyor' -- continual interrogation by relays of police for hours and days on end. As with many phenomena of the Stalin period, it has the advantage that it could not easily be condemned by any simple principle. Clearly, it amounted to unfair pressure after a certain time and to actual physical torture later still, but when? . . . At any rate, after even twelve hours, it is extremely uncomfortable. After a day, it becomes very hard. And after two or three days, the victim is actually physically poisoned by fatigue. It was as painful as any torture.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sanctions Against Iran and Justifying Torture of Prisoners"},{"content":" Victims of WarA news item among many others. But to those of us who love books it strikes a chord. The daily chronicles of deaths, injuries, and atrocities have made us somewhat jaded. We read that x-number of people died in a bomb attack in Baghdad and go on to something else. Sudarshan Raghavan's excellent report in the Post about Naim al-Shatri and the booksellers of Mutanabi Street brought home another side of George Bush's war against Iraq. \"BAGHDAD -- A silence has fallen upon Mutanabi Street.In the buttery sunlight, faded billboards hang from old buildings. Iron gates seal entrances to bookstores and stationery shops. On this Friday, like the past 13 Fridays, the violence has taken its toll. There is not a customer around, only ghosts.\nPerched on a red chair outside a closet-sized bookshop, the only one open, Naim al-Shatri is nearly in tears. Short, with thin gray hair and dark, brooding eyes, his voice is grim. This is normally his busiest day, but he hasn't had a single sale. A curfew is approaching.\"\nViolence Changes Fortunes of Storied Baghdad StreetExcerptsSoon, his sobs break the stillness. \"Is this Iraq?\" he asked no one in particular, pointing at the gritty, trash-covered street as the scent of rotting paper and sewage mingled in the air.\nIt is a question many of the booksellers on Mutanabi Street are asking. Here, in the intellectual ground zero of Baghdad, they are the guardians of a literary tradition that has survived empire and colonialism, monarchy and dictatorship. In the heady days after the U.S.-led invasion, Mutanabi Street pulsed with the promise of freedom.\nNow, in the fourth year of war, it is a shadow of its revered past. Many of the original booksellers have been forced to shut down. Others have been arrested, kidnapped or killed, or have fled Iraq. \"We are walking with our coffins in our hands,\" said Mohammad al-Hayawi, the owner of the Renaissance book store, one of the street's oldest shops. \"Nothing in Iraq is guaranteed anymore.\"\nIn a city known across the Arab world for its love affair with books, such emotions reflect the decline of a vibrant community. For the residents of Baghdad, Mutanabi Street is a link to their city's past glory, less a place than an extension of their souls.\n\"It is the lungs that I breathe with,\" said Zaien Ahmad al-Nakshabandi, another bookseller. \"I'm choked now.\"\nThree months ago, the government imposed the midday curfew on Islam's holiest day to stop attacks on mosques. That was a major setback for Mutanabi Street, named after a 10th-century poet. For most Iraqis, Friday is their only day off from work and a time to head to the book market.\nWashington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/17/AR2006091700695.htm\n* \"For books are more than books, they are the life The very heart and core of ages past, The reason why men lived and worked and died, The essence and quintessence of their lives.\" ---Amy Lowell \"The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.\"---Elizabeth Hardwick ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/bookstores-on-mutanabi-street-baghdad/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eVictims of War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA news item among many others.  But to those of us who love books it strikes a chord.  The daily chronicles of deaths, injuries, and atrocities have made us somewhat jaded.  We read that x-number of people died in a bomb attack in Baghdad and go on to something else.   Sudarshan Raghavan's  excellent report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/17/AR2006091700695.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about Naim al-Shatri and the booksellers of Mutanabi Street brought home another side of George Bush's war against Iraq.  \"BAGHDAD -- A silence has fallen upon Mutanabi Street.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the buttery sunlight, faded billboards hang from old buildings. Iron gates seal entrances to bookstores and stationery shops. On this Friday, like the past 13 Fridays, the violence has taken its toll. There is not a customer around, only ghosts.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Bookstores on Mutanabi Street, Baghdad"},{"content":" Pathetic is what comes to mind. Pope Benedict is doing everything but genuflecting and offering an outright apology to the Muslims for his unwise remarks. There can be little doubt that he meant what he said about the Muslims. Of course, the Islamic world jumped at the opportunity to attack him. Then there was President Bush and his talk about a Third Awakening. There is a lot of similarity between them -- the Pope, the Mullahs, and President Bush.VATICAN CITY, Sept. 16 -- Pope Benedict XVI \"sincerely regrets\" offending Muslims with his reference to an obscure medieval text that characterizes some of the teachings of Islam's founder as \"evil and inhuman,\" a senior Vatican official said in a statement Saturday.\nBut the comment stopped short of the apology demanded by Islamic leaders around the world, and anger among Muslims remained intense. Palestinians attacked five churches in the West Bank and Gaza over the pope's remarks in a speech Tuesday to university professors in his native Germany.\nWashington Post\nSunday, September 17, 2006Gods of War\nPresident Bush spoke on Tuesday of a \"Third Awakening\" of religious devotion in the United States, linking it to support for the battle against terrorism. The survey\n\"American Piety in the 21st Century,\" released last week by Baylor University, reveals that regular churchgoers are more likely than non-churchgoers to trust Bush,\nback the war in Iraq and believe that Saddam Hussein was involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.\nATTEND CHURCH WEEKLY\nNEVER ATTEND\nAgree that Iraq war is justified\n54.8%\n30.5%\nBelieve that Hussein involved in 9/11\n48.5%\n24.4%\nSupport expansion of government authority to fight terrorism\n68.6%\n44.8%\nTrust Bush \"a lot\"\n32.2%\n8.4%\nNOTE: SURVEY INCLUDES RESPONSES FROM 1,721 PEOPLE IN LATE 2005. SOURCE: BAYLOR INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES OF RELIGION ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/pope-benedicts-mea-culpa---not-enough-for-the-muslims/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePathetic is what comes to mind.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600205.html\"\u003ePope Benedict\u003c/a\u003e is doing everything but genuflecting and offering an outright apology to the Muslims for his unwise remarks.   There can be little doubt that he meant what he said about the Muslims.  Of course, the Islamic world jumped at the opportunity to attack him.  Then there was President Bush and his talk about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500986.html\"\u003ea Third Awakening\u003c/a\u003e.    There is a lot of similarity between them -- the Pope, the Mullahs, and President Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eVATICAN CITY, Sept. 16 -- Pope Benedict XVI \"sincerely regrets\" offending Muslims with his reference to an obscure medieval text that characterizes some of the teachings of Islam's founder as \"evil and inhuman,\" a senior Vatican official said in a statement Saturday.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Pope Benedict's Mea Culpa - Not Enough for the Muslims"},{"content":" The President and his aides continue to spread fear and lies. They are asking the American public to believe them....that they know best and they are doing everything to protect the security of the nation. The facts present a completely different picture. Whether the war in Iraq or failure to rebuild damage from Katrina, the Bush Administration's records speak for themselves.In his book The One Percent Doctrine, Ron Suskind wrote about the domestic surveillance program being carried out under USA Patriot Act: \"Whether reasonable people agree or not with this particular course of action--and the expansion of presidential authority it entails--will be debated for years; maybe,even, for as long as the so-called 'war on terror' lasts. What is known and indisputable? As this machine searched the landscape, it swept up the suspicious, or simply the unfortunate, by the stadiumful and caught almost no one who was actually a danger to America.\"Suskind described The Cheney Doctrine thus: \"Even if there 's just one a one percent chance of the unimaginable coming due, act as if it is a certainty. It's not about 'our analysis' as Cheney said. It's about 'our response' This doctrine--the one percent solution--divided what had largely been indivisible in the conduct of American foreign poilicy: analysis and action. Justified or not, fact based or not, 'our response' is what matters. As to 'evidence' the bar was set so low that the word itself almost didn't apply.\"Frank Rich's column in the New York Times exposes the continuing lies and deceptions.The Longer the War, the Larger the Lies By FRANK RICH Published: September 17, 2006The Bush administration is carpet-bombing America with still more fictions about Iraq.\nRARELY has a television network presented a more perfectly matched double feature. President Bush's 9/11 address on Monday night interrupted ABC's \"Path to 9/11\" so seamlessly that a single network disclaimer served them both: \"For dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, as well as time compression.\" No kidding: \"The Path to 9/11\" was false from the opening scene, when it put Mohamed Atta both in the wrong airport (Boston instead of Portland, Me.) and on the wrong airline (American instead of USAirways). It took Mr. Bush but a few paragraphs to warm up to his first fictionalization for dramatic purposes: his renewed pledge that \"we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor or support them.\" Only days earlier the White House sat idly by while our ally Pakistan surrendered to Islamic militants in its northwest frontier, signing a \"truce\" and releasing Al Qaeda prisoners. Not only will Pakistan continue to harbor terrorists, Osama bin Laden probably among them, but it will do so without a peep from Mr. Bush. You'd think that after having been caught concocting the scenario that took the nation to war in Iraq, the White House would mind the facts now. But this administration understands our culture all too well. This is a country where a cable news network (MSNBC) offers in-depth journalism about one of its anchors (Tucker Carlson) losing a prime-time dance contest and where conspiracy nuts have created a cottage industry of books and DVD's by arguing that hijacked jets did not cause 9/11 and that the 9/11 commission was a cover-up. (The fictionalized \"Path to 9/11,\" supposedly based on the commission's report, only advanced the nuts' case.) If you're a White House stuck in a quagmire in an election year, what's the percentage in starting to tell the truth now? It's better to game the system.\nThe untruths are flying so fast that untangling them can be a full-time job. Maybe that's why I am beginning to find Dick Cheney almost refreshing. As we saw on \"Meet the Press\" last Sunday, these days he helpfully signals when he's about to lie. One dead giveaway is the word context, as in \"the context in which I made that statement last year.\" The vice president invoked \"context\" to try to explain away both his bogus predictions: that Americans would be greeted as liberators in Iraq and that the insurgency (some 15 months ago) was in its \"last throes.\" The other instant tip-off to a Cheney lie is any variation on the phrase \"I haven't read the story.\" He told Tim Russert he hadn't read The Washington Post's front-page report that the bin Laden trail had gone \"stone cold\" or the new Senate Intelligence Committee report(PDF) contradicting the White House's prewar hype about nonexistent links between Al Qaeda and Saddam. Nor had he read a Times front-page article about his declining clout. Or the finding by Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency just before the war that there was \"no evidence of resumed nuclear activities\" in Iraq. \"I haven't looked at it; I'd have to go back and look at it again,\" he said, however nonsensically. These verbal tics are so consistent that they amount to truth in packaging — albeit the packaging of evasions and falsehoods. By contrast, Condi Rice's fictions, also offered in bulk to television viewers to memorialize 9/11, are as knotty as a David Lynch screenplay. Asked by Chris Wallace of Fox News last Sunday if she and the president had ignored prewar \"intelligence that contradicted your case,\" she refused to give up the ghost: \"We know that Zarqawi was running a poisons network in Iraq,\" she insisted, as she continued to state again that \"there were ties between Iraq and Al Qaeda\" before the war. Ms. Rice may be a terrific amateur concert pianist, but she's an even better amateur actress. The Senate Intelligence Committee report released only two days before she spoke dismissed all such ties. Saddam, who \"issued a general order that Iraq should not deal with Al Qaeda,\" saw both bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as threats and tried to hunt down Zarqawi when he passed through Baghdad in 2002. As for that Zarqawi \"poisons network,\" the Pentagon knew where it was and wanted to attack it in June 2002. But as Jim Miklaszewski of NBC News reported more than two years ago, the White House said no, fearing a successful strike against Zarqawi might \"undercut its case for going to war against Saddam.\" Zarqawi, meanwhile, escaped.\nIt was in an interview with Ted Koppel for the Discovery Channel, though, that Ms. Rice rose to a whole new level of fictionalizing by wrapping a fresh layer of untruth around her most notorious previous fiction. Asked about her dire prewar warning that a smoking gun might come in the form of a mushroom cloud, she said that \"it wasn't meant as hyperbole.\" She also rewrote history to imply that she had been talking broadly about the nexus between \"terrorism and a nuclear device\" back then, not specifically Saddam — a rather deft verbal sleight-of-hand. Ms. Rice sets a high bar, but Mr. Bush, competitive as always, was not to be outdone in his Oval Office address. Even the billing of his appearance was fiction. \"It's not going to be a political speech,\" Tony Snow announced, knowing full well that the 17-minute text was largely Cuisinarted scraps from other recent political speeches, including those at campaign fund-raisers. Moldy canards of yore (Saddam \"was a clear threat\") were interspersed with promising newcomers: Iraq will be \"a strong ally in the war on terror.\" As is often the case, the president was technically truthful. Iraq will be a strong ally in the war on terror — just not necessarily our ally. As Mr. Bush spoke, the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, was leaving for Iran to jolly up Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Perhaps the only way to strike back against this fresh deluge of fiction is to call the White House's bluff. On Monday night, for instance, Mr. Bush flatly declared that \"the safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad.\" He once again invoked Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, asking, \"Do we have the confidence to do in the Middle East what our fathers and grandfathers accomplished in Europe and Asia?\" Rather than tune this bluster out, as the country now does, let's try a thought experiment. Let's pretend everything Mr. Bush said is actually true and then hold him to his word. If the safety of America really depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad, then our safety is in grave peril because we are losing that battle. The security crackdown announced with great fanfare by Mr. Bush and Mr. Maliki in June isfailing. Rosy American claims of dramatically falling murder rates are being challenged by the Baghdad morgue. Perhaps most tellingly, the Pentagon has now stopped including in its own tally the large numbers of victims killed by car bombings and mortar attacks in sectarian warfare.\nAnd that's the good news. Another large slice of Iraq, Anbar Province (almost a third of the country), is slipping away so fast that a senior military official told NBC News last week that 50,000 to 60,000 additional ground forces were needed to secure it, despite our huge sacrifice in two savage battles for Falluja. The Iraqi troops \"standing up\" in Anbar are desertingat a rate as high as 40 percent.\n\"Even the most sanguine optimist cannot yet conclude we are winning,\" John Lehman, the former Reagan Navy secretary, wroteof the Iraq war last month. So what do we do next? Given that the current course is a fiasco, and that the White House demonizes any plan or timetable for eventual withdrawal as \"cut and run,\" there's only one immediate alternative: add more manpower, and fast. Last week two conservative war supporters, William Kristol and Rich Lowry, called for exactly that — \"substantially more troops.\" These pundits at least have the courage of Mr. Bush's convictions. Shouldn't Republicans in Congress as well?\nAfter all, if what the president says is true about the stakes in Baghdad, it's tantamount to treason if Bill Frist, Rick Santorum and John Boehner fail to rally their party's Congressional majority to stave off defeat there. We can't emulate our fathers and grandfathers and whip today's Nazis and Communists with 145,000 troops. Roosevelt and Truman would have regarded those troop levels as defeatism.\nThe trouble, of course, is that we don't have any more troops, and supporters of the war, starting with Mr. Bush, don't want to ask American voters to make any sacrifices to provide them. They don't want to ask because they know the voters will tell them no. In the end, that is the hard truth the White House is determined to obscure, at least until Election Day, by carpet-bombing America with still more fictions about Iraq.http://select.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/opinion/17rich.html ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/doing-what-they-do-best---barrage-of-lies/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President and his aides continue to spread fear and lies.  They are asking the American public to believe them....that they know best and they are doing everything to protect the security of the nation.  The facts present a completely different picture.   Whether the war in Iraq or failure to rebuild damage from Katrina,  the Bush Administration's records speak for themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn his book  The One Percent Doctrine, Ron Suskind wrote about the domestic surveillance program being carried out under USA Patriot Act: \"Whether reasonable people agree or not with this particular course of action--and the expansion of presidential authority it entails--will be debated for years; maybe,even, for as long as the so-called 'war on terror' lasts.  What is known and indisputable? As this machine searched the landscape, it swept up the suspicious, or simply the unfortunate, by the stadiumful and caught almost no one who was actually a danger to America.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSuskind described The Cheney Doctrine  thus:  \"Even if there 's just one a one percent chance of the unimaginable coming due, act as if it is a certainty.  It's not about 'our analysis' as Cheney said.  It's about 'our response'  This doctrine--the one percent solution--divided what had largely been indivisible in the conduct of American foreign poilicy: analysis and action.  Justified or not, fact based or not, 'our response' is what matters.  As to 'evidence' the bar was set so low that the word itself almost didn't apply.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eFrank Rich's column in the \u003ca href=\"http://select.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/opinion/17rich.html\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e  exposes the continuing lies and deceptions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Longer the War, the Larger the Lies\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBy FRANK RICH\u003c/strong\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"pubDate\"\u003ePublished: September 17, 2006\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"summary\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Bush administration is carpet-bombing America with still more fictions about Iraq.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Doing What They Do Best - Barrage of Lies"},{"content":" Surgical Strike * Attempt to redefine Geneva Convention First, the good news. Despite a visit by President Bush to sell his proposed legislation to permit methods of interrogation and trial that contravene Geneva Convention, the Senate Armed Services Committee went against him. The Post reported : \" A Senate committee rebuffed the personal entreaties of President Bush yesterday, rejecting his proposed strategies for interrogating and trying enemy combatants and approving alternative legislation that he has strenuously opposed.\" General Powell no longer commands the respect that he once had. Perhaps in an attempt to redeem himself, he spoke out against the president's proposal.The bipartisan vote sets up a legislative showdown on an issue that GOP strategists had hoped would unite their party and serve as a cudgel against Democrats in the Nov. 7 elections. Instead, Bush and congressional Republican leaders are at loggerheads with a dissident group led by Sen. John McCain (R), who says the president's approach would jeopardize the safety of U.S. troops and intelligence operatives.Despite heavy lobbying by Bush, who visited the Capitol yesterday, and Vice President Cheney, who was there Tuesday, McCain and his allies held fast. Even former secretary of state Colin L. Powell weighed in on McCain's side.Iran's Nuclear Program and the IAEASuper hawk Charles Krauthammer's column \"The Tehran Calculus\" calmly ponders surgical air strike against Iran's nuclear facilities while U.N. Inspectors question findings in a report issued by the House Intelligence Committee. \"U.N. inspectors investigating Iran's nuclear program angrily complained to the Bush administration and to a Republican congressman yesterday about a recent House committee report on Iran's capabilities, calling parts of the document \"outrageous and dishonest\" and offering evidence to refute its central claims.\" Same tactics were used by the Bush administration to prepare the nation for the war against Iraq. Charles KrauthammerIn his televised Sept. 11 address, President Bush said that we must not \"leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons.\" There's only one such current candidate: Iran.The next day, he responded thus (as reported by Rich Lowry and Kate O'Beirne of National Review) to a question on Iran: \"It's very important for the American people to see the president try to solve problems diplomatically before resorting to military force.\"U.N. Inspectors Dispute Iran ReportOfficials of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency said in a letter that the report contained some \"erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated statements.\" The letter, signed by a senior director at the agency, was addressed to Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), chairman of the House intelligence committee, which issued the report. A copy was hand-delivered to Gregory L. Schulte, the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA in Vienna.The IAEA openly clashed with the Bush administration on pre-war assessments of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Relations all but collapsed when the agency revealed that the White House had based some allegations about an Iraqi nuclear program on forged documents.After no such weapons were found in Iraq, the IAEA came under additional criticism for taking a cautious approach on Iran, which the White House says is trying to build nuclear weapons in secret. At one point, the administration orchestrated a campaign to remove the IAEA's director general, Mohamed ElBaradei. It failed, and he won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/prelude-to-another-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSurgical Strike * Attempt to redefine Geneva Convention \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFirst, the good news.  Despite a visit by President Bush to  sell his proposed legislation to permit methods of interrogation and trial that contravene Geneva Convention, the  Senate Armed Services Committee  went against him.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/14/AR2006091400160.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported :  \" A Senate committee rebuffed the personal entreaties of President Bush yesterday, rejecting his proposed strategies for interrogating and trying enemy combatants and approving alternative legislation that he has strenuously opposed.\"   General Powell no longer commands the respect that he once had.  Perhaps in an attempt to redeem himself, he spoke out against the president's proposal.\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bipartisan vote sets up a legislative showdown on an issue that GOP strategists had hoped would unite their party and serve as a cudgel against Democrats in the Nov. 7 elections. Instead, Bush and congressional Republican leaders are at loggerheads with a dissident group led by Sen. John McCain (R), who says the president's approach would jeopardize the safety of U.S. troops and intelligence operatives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite heavy lobbying by Bush, who visited the Capitol yesterday, and Vice President Cheney, who was there Tuesday, McCain and his allies held fast. Even former secretary of state Colin L. Powell weighed in on McCain's side.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIran's Nuclear Program and the IAEA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSuper hawk Charles Krauthammer's column \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/14/AR2006091401413.html\"\u003eThe Tehran Calculus\u003c/a\u003e\" calmly ponders surgical air strike against Iran's nuclear facilities while U.N. Inspectors question findings in a report issued by the House Intelligence Committee. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302052.html\"\u003eU.N. inspectors\u003c/a\u003e investigating Iran's nuclear program angrily complained to the Bush administration and to a Republican congressman yesterday about a recent House committee report on Iran's capabilities, calling parts of the document \"outrageous and dishonest\" and offering evidence to refute its central claims.\"   Same tactics were used by the Bush administration to prepare the nation for the war against Iraq. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/14/AR2006091401413.html\"\u003e Charles Krauthammer\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his televised Sept. 11 address, President Bush said that we must not \"leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons.\" There's only one such current candidate: Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe next day, he responded thus (as reported by Rich Lowry and Kate O'Beirne of National Review) to a question on Iran: \"It's very important for the American people to see the president try to solve problems diplomatically before resorting to military force.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302052.html\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003eU.N. Inspectors Dispute Iran Report\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOfficials of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency said in a letter that the report contained some \"erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated statements.\" The letter, signed by a senior director at the agency, was addressed to Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), chairman of the House intelligence committee, which issued the report. A copy was hand-delivered to Gregory L. Schulte, the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA in Vienna.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe IAEA openly clashed with the Bush administration on pre-war assessments of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Relations all but collapsed when the agency revealed that the White House had based some allegations about an Iraqi nuclear program on forged documents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter no such weapons were found in Iraq, the IAEA came under additional criticism for taking a cautious approach on Iran, which the White House says is trying to build nuclear weapons in secret. At one point, the administration orchestrated a campaign to remove the IAEA's director general, Mohamed ElBaradei. It failed, and he won the Nobel Peace Prize last year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Prelude to Another War ?"},{"content":" The General BlinkedPakistan's President Pervez Musharraf (General Musharraf) meant well but proved to be no match for the Muslim clerics who opposed reform of the country's rape law under Hudood Ordinance promulgated in 1979. Based on Sharia (Islamic Law), Hudood requires women filing complaints for being raped to produce four (4) male witnesses. The Post: \"The government gave in last week to a hardline Islamist alliance, the largest opposition bloc in the chamber, after it threatened to quit parliament if the laws, commonly known as the Hudood Ordinances, were changed.\" Not being conversant with Islamic scriptures I am unaware of what excactly is the justification for such a strange, archaic, and unjust law. What I find surprising is that the majority of the men and women in Pakistan seem to accept the situation without protest. Are they afraid or are they in agreement ? Almost beyond belief that a country that has the technical expertise to produce nuclear weapons can be so backward when it comes to women's rights. In Pakistan, the Mullahs rule. Christian Science MonitorPakistan to broaden rape laws, but women's groups see setbackA bill originally intended to repeal Pakistan's controversial rape laws is likely to suffer a severe setback this week, analysts say, when Parliament votes on a watered-down version designed to placate conservatives.Under the country's long-standing Hudood Ordinances, a woman who claims to have been raped must produce four Muslim male eyewitnesses to the crime - a virtual impossibility in most cases. If the witnesses cannot be produced, the rape victim herself can be charged with fornication, or adultery if she is already married, a crime punishable in the most stringent circumstances by death.This, and other provisions regarding public morality, have prompted calls from human rights activists and progressives for repeal of the Hudood Ordinances since their inception in 1979. The push for changing the laws gathered steam this summer after a private television channel initiated a series of debates on whether the laws are indeed rooted in the Koran and the Sunna (the sayings of Muhammad), as some religious conservatives contend.The government channeled the repeal momentum into a narrower effort focused on repealing the rape provisions. The Protection of Women bill was supposed to come to a vote on Monday. But the government has now postponed it until Wednesday because, it says, it wanted to consult with religious scholars who could ensure the bill honors the spirit of religious law.Progressives, rights activists, some members of the government had hoped that a vote on the Hudood Ordinances would place secular law over religious edicts. But after conservatives flexed their political muscle, the government has announced it will not touch the religious laws.Instead it has struck a compromise, one which many say reflects the tightrope it must tread: Rape will remain under the purview of Islamic law, but judges can also choose to use secular evidentiary procedures provided by Pakistan's penal code if the circumstances of evidence and witnesses call for it.Ruling party members say the amendment will constitute a step forward. \"We are going to make it easier for [rapists] to be convicted,\" says Tarique Azim Khan, spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League, the ruling party.But many analysts and activists say the bill highlights the power of hard-line Islamists to strong-arm the government.\"It might be a step forward, but it's a step backward in the broader context of Pakistan,\" says Kamila Hyat, joint director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. \"Once again, it shows that the government caved into the pressure of extremists.\"This week's decision, which comes after months of political wrangling and protests, is one of the central skirmishes in a larger battle between secular and religious forces, a kind of barometer of Pakistan's commitment to progressive values, analysts say.Women's rights activists and progressives argue that rape should be placed under Pakistan's penal code, where standard criminal and evidentiary procedures apply. The Hudood requirements, they say, place the onus of proof on women, and are therefore inherently discriminatory.The new bill likely to be passed this week claims to put an end to this controversy: In the event that four witnesses cannot be found, a judge is empowered to use evidentiary standards of the penal code, such as DNA tests or other medical means, to establish rape.Mr. Khan, of the ruling party, calls it a major step forward. \"A judge can decide that a woman's own testimony is good enough, without the need for four witnesses.\"Almost all analysts agree that, since finding four eyewitnesses to rape is practically impossible, most cases going forward will likely be tried under secular law.Nonetheless, hard-line Islamists insist that the witness rule must remain on the books so as to honor Islamic principles. \"It is important because [the four-witness rule] is a God-given law, and no court can amend God-given laws,\" says Dr. Fareed Ahmed Paracha, a member of the National Assembly from Jamaat-Islami, one of the conservative parties working to uphold the Hudood laws.As part of the compromise reached this week, the government has ensured it will keep the witness rule on the books, as well as the strict punishments for adultery and fornication between unmarried persons codified in Hudood - currently 100 lashes or even death by stoning. Dr. Paracha says such punishments are rarely if ever administered, but must remain on the books as a deterrent.Such small victories symbolize the power conservative religious parties have to sidetrack political reform, analysts say. More than 60 hard-line politicians, who view the repeal of Hudood as blasphemy, have threatened for weeks to resign from the National Assembly, organizing street protests and rallies. Their mass exodus would have forced fresh elections for those seats, with no guarantee that conservative elements or the ruling party - the pillars of President Musharraf's constituency - would be voted back in.\"It clearly shows the lack of commitment,\" says Bushra Gohar, a women's rights activist in Islamabad. \"The government is going to try to appease the extremists rather than looking to the rights of women.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/pakistan---proposed-reform-of-rape-law-bites-the-dust/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe General Blinked\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePakistan's President Pervez Musharraf (General Musharraf) meant well but proved to be no match for the Muslim clerics who opposed reform of the country's rape law under \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudood_Ordinance\"\u003eHudood Ordinance\u003c/a\u003e promulgated in 1979.  Based on  \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia\"\u003eSharia\u003c/a\u003e (Islamic Law), Hudood requires women filing complaints for being raped to produce four (4) male witnesses.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/14/AR2006091400340.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"The government gave in last week to a hardline Islamist alliance, the largest opposition bloc in the chamber, after it threatened to quit parliament if the laws, commonly known as the Hudood Ordinances, were changed.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot being conversant with Islamic scriptures I am unaware of what excactly is the justification for such a strange, archaic, and unjust law.  What I find surprising is that the majority of the men and women in Pakistan seem to accept the situation without protest.  Are they afraid or are they in agreement ?  Almost beyond belief that a country that has the technical expertise to produce nuclear weapons can be so backward when it comes to women's rights.  In Pakistan, the Mullahs rule. \u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0913/p04s01-wosc.html\"\u003eChristian Science Monitor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePakistan to broaden rape laws, but women's groups see setback\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA bill originally intended to repeal Pakistan's controversial rape laws is likely to suffer a severe setback this week, analysts say, when Parliament votes on a watered-down version designed to placate conservatives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder the country's long-standing Hudood Ordinances, a woman who claims to have been raped must produce four Muslim male eyewitnesses to the crime - a virtual impossibility in most cases. If the witnesses cannot be produced, the rape victim herself can be charged with fornication, or adultery if she is already married, a crime punishable in the most stringent circumstances by death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis, and other provisions regarding public morality, have prompted calls from human rights activists and progressives for repeal of the Hudood Ordinances since their inception in 1979. The push for changing the laws gathered steam this summer after a private television channel initiated a series of debates on whether the laws are indeed rooted in the Koran and the Sunna (the sayings of Muhammad), as some religious conservatives contend.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe government channeled the repeal momentum into a narrower effort focused on repealing the rape provisions. The Protection of Women bill was supposed to come to a vote on Monday. But the government has now postponed it until Wednesday because, it says, it wanted to consult with religious scholars who could ensure the bill honors the spirit of religious law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eProgressives, rights activists, some members of the government had hoped that a vote on the Hudood Ordinances would place secular law over religious edicts. But after conservatives flexed their political muscle, the government has announced it will not touch the religious laws.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInstead it has struck a compromise, one which many say reflects the tightrope it must tread: Rape will remain under the purview of Islamic law, but judges can also choose to use secular evidentiary procedures provided by Pakistan's penal code if the circumstances of evidence and witnesses call for it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuling party members say the amendment will constitute a step forward. \"We are going to make it easier for [rapists] to be convicted,\" says Tarique Azim Khan, spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League, the ruling party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut many analysts and activists say the bill highlights the power of hard-line Islamists to strong-arm the government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It might be a step forward, but it's a step backward in the broader context of Pakistan,\" says Kamila Hyat, joint director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. \"Once again, it shows that the government caved into the pressure of extremists.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis week's decision, which comes after months of political wrangling and protests, is one of the central skirmishes in a larger battle between secular and religious forces, a kind of barometer of Pakistan's commitment to progressive values, analysts say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWomen's rights activists and progressives argue that rape should be placed under Pakistan's penal code, where standard criminal and evidentiary procedures apply. The Hudood requirements, they say, place the onus of proof on women, and are therefore inherently discriminatory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe new bill likely to be passed this week claims to put an end to this controversy: In the event that four witnesses cannot be found, a judge is empowered to use evidentiary standards of the penal code, such as DNA tests or other medical means, to establish rape.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Khan, of the ruling party, calls it a major step forward. \"A judge can decide that a woman's own testimony is good enough, without the need for four witnesses.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlmost all analysts agree that, since finding four eyewitnesses to rape is practically impossible, most cases going forward will likely be tried under secular law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNonetheless, hard-line Islamists insist that the witness rule must remain on the books so as to honor Islamic principles. \"It is important because [the four-witness rule] is a God-given law, and no court can amend God-given laws,\" says Dr. Fareed Ahmed Paracha, a member of the National Assembly from Jamaat-Islami, one of the conservative parties working to uphold the Hudood laws.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs part of the compromise reached this week, the government has ensured it will keep the witness rule on the books, as well as the strict punishments for adultery and fornication between unmarried persons codified in Hudood - currently 100 lashes or even death by stoning. Dr. Paracha says such punishments are rarely if ever administered, but must remain on the books as a deterrent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuch small victories symbolize the power conservative religious parties have to sidetrack political reform, analysts say. More than 60 hard-line politicians, who view the repeal of Hudood as blasphemy, have threatened for weeks to resign from the National Assembly, organizing street protests and rallies. Their mass exodus would have forced fresh elections for those seats, with no guarantee that conservative elements or the ruling party - the pillars of President Musharraf's constituency - would be voted back in.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It clearly shows the lack of commitment,\" says Bushra Gohar, a women's rights activist in Islamabad. \"The government is going to try to appease the extremists rather than looking to the rights of women.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Pakistan - Proposed Reform of Rape Law Bites the Dust"},{"content":" Or \"Gott Mit Uns\"\"Gott Mit Uns (meaning God With Us) was a motto of the Prussian emperor; it was later used by German armies in World War I. During Hitler's reign, the traditional crest was replaced by the Nazi swastika and eagle, however the religious inscription remained unaltered. It is thought that part of the reason the Nazi government retained this motto was an attempt on the part of Hitler to retain the support of Christians, who comprised the overwhelming majority of German citizens.\" Source: WikipediaWhatever happened to the Second Coming ? I was under the impression that the president and his evangelical Christian followers were waiting for Armageddon and a quick trip to heaven, leaving the rest of us to face horrible deaths. Now he is into \"Third Awakening\". If speeches about threat of terrorism are no longer persuasive then trust him to throw in the standby 'good and evil' scenario. Peter Baker in the Post: \"President Bush said yesterday that he senses a \"Third Awakening\" of religious devotion in the United States that has coincided with the nation's struggle with international terrorists, a war that he depicted as \"a confrontation between good and evil.\"Bush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people \"who saw life in terms of good and evil\" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms.\"A lot of people in America see this as a confrontation between good and evil, including me,\" Bush said during a 1 1/2 -hour Oval Office conversation on cultural changes and a battle with terrorists that he sees lasting decades. \"There was a stark change between the culture of the '50s and the '60s -- boom -- and I think there's change happening here,\" he added. \"It seems to me that there's a Third Awakening.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/a-third-awakening/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOr \"Gott Mit Uns\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Gott Mit Uns (meaning God With Us) was a motto of the Prussian emperor; it was later used by German armies in World War I. During Hitler's reign, the traditional crest was replaced by the Nazi swastika and eagle, however the religious inscription remained unaltered. It is thought that part of the reason the Nazi government retained this motto was an attempt on the part of Hitler to retain the support of Christians, who comprised the overwhelming majority of German citizens.\" Source: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gott_Mit_Uns\"\u003eWikipedia\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhatever happened to the Second Coming ?   I was under the  impression that the president and his  evangelical Christian  followers were waiting for  Armageddon  and a quick trip to heaven, leaving the rest of us to face horrible deaths.       Now he is into \"Third Awakening\".  If speeches about threat of terrorism are no longer persuasive then trust him to throw in the standby  'good and evil' scenario.  Peter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/12/AR2006091201594.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"President Bush said yesterday that he senses a \"Third Awakening\" of religious devotion in the United States that has coincided with the nation's struggle with international terrorists, a war that he depicted as \"a confrontation between good and evil.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush told a group of conservative journalists that he notices more open expressions of faith among people he meets during his travels, and he suggested that might signal a broader revival similar to other religious movements in history. Bush noted that some of Abraham Lincoln's strongest supporters were religious people \"who saw life in terms of good and evil\" and who believed that slavery was evil. Many of his own supporters, he said, see the current conflict in similar terms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A lot of people in America see this as a confrontation between good and evil, including me,\" Bush said during a 1 1/2 -hour Oval Office conversation on cultural changes and a battle with terrorists that he sees lasting decades. \"There was a stark change between the culture of the '50s and the '60s -- boom -- and I think there's change happening here,\" he added. \"It seems to me that there's a Third Awakening.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"'A Third Awakening' !"},{"content":" Major Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, the first soldier on Iraq Coalition Casualties' list died on March 21, 2003. 21 year old Marine Corporal Jonathan Benson died on September 9, 2006 -- his name was 2669 on the list. The voodoo men spoke and resurrected ghosts of Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill. But even as they were speaking about successes in the war against terror, details of Col. Pete Devlin's report about Anbar Provice appeared in print in the Washington Post: \"The chief of intelligence for the Marine Corps in Iraq recently filed an unusual secret report concluding that the prospects for securing that country's western Anbar province are dim and that there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do to improve the political and social situation there, said several military officers and intelligence officials familiar with its contents.\" \"Even dating is Perilous in Polarized Baghdad\" Romance is not dead in Iraq but the sectarian violence has cast its shadow on mixed relationships.Situation Called Dire in West IraqOne Army officer summarized it as arguing that in Anbar province, \"We haven't been defeated militarily but we have been defeated politically -- and that's where wars are won and lost.\"The \"very pessimistic\" statement, as one Marine officer called it, was dated Aug. 16 and sent to Washington shortly after that, and has been discussed across the Pentagon and elsewhere in national security circles. \"I don't know if it is a shock wave, but it's made people uncomfortable,\" said a Defense Department official who has read the report. Like others interviewed about the report, he spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name because of the document's sensitivity.'Matters of the Heart'BAGHDAD -- He was a dashing young computer engineer. She was a shy student at his alma mater. They fell in love over lunch last year in the university cafeteria and promptly became engaged.As they prepared for a future together, the couple barely discussed a subject that, under Saddam Hussein's rule, amounted to a footnote in matters of the heart: He was a Shiite Muslim; she was a Sunni Kurd.But now those labels are tearing the couple apart. Barred by their families from marrying anyone of the opposite sect, the couple has erased one another's cellphone numbers and stopped speaking.\"There is no hope in this country anymore for Sunnis and Shiites to fall in love,\" said Husham al-Gizzy, a 25-year-old engineer, as he buried his face in his hands and recounted the story. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-voodoo-men-soldiers-and-love-among-the-ruins/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMajor Jay Thomas Aubin, 36, the first soldier on \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.aspx\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e' list died on March 21, 2003. 21 year old Marine Corporal Jonathan Benson died on September 9, 2006 -- his name was 2669 on the list. The voodoo men spoke and resurrected ghosts of Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill. But even as they were speaking about successes in the war against terror, details of Col. Pete Devlin's report about Anbar Provice appeared in print in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/10/AR2006091001204.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"The chief of intelligence for the Marine Corps in Iraq recently filed an unusual secret report concluding that the prospects for securing that country's western Anbar province are dim and that there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do to improve the political and social situation there, said several military officers and intelligence officials familiar with its contents.\" \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/11/AR2006091101044.html\"\u003eEven dating is Perilous in Polarized Baghdad\u003c/a\u003e\" Romance is not dead in Iraq but the sectarian violence has cast its shadow on mixed relationships.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSituation Called Dire in West Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne Army officer summarized it as arguing that in Anbar province, \"We haven't been defeated militarily but we have been defeated politically -- and that's where wars are won and lost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \"very pessimistic\" statement, as one Marine officer called it, was dated Aug. 16 and sent to Washington shortly after that, and has been discussed across the Pentagon and elsewhere in national security circles. \"I don't know if it is a shock wave, but it's made people uncomfortable,\" said a Defense Department official who has read the report. Like others interviewed about the report, he spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name because of the document's sensitivity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Matters of the Heart'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBAGHDAD -- He was a dashing young computer engineer. She was a shy student at his alma mater. They fell in love over lunch last year in the university cafeteria and promptly became engaged.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs they prepared for a future together, the couple barely discussed a subject that, under Saddam Hussein's rule, amounted to a footnote in matters of the heart: He was a Shiite Muslim; she was a Sunni Kurd.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut now those labels are tearing the couple apart. Barred by their families from marrying anyone of the opposite sect, the couple has erased one another's cellphone numbers and stopped speaking.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There is no hope in this country anymore for Sunnis and Shiites to fall in love,\" said Husham al-Gizzy, a 25-year-old engineer, as he buried his face in his hands and recounted the story.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Voodoo Men, Soldiers, and Love Among the Ruins"},{"content":" It is not just another day. 9/11 left permanent scars on us and our society. After the speeches and memorial services are over we will, at times, pause to think about where we were and what we were doing on that fateful morning five years ago. We will think of what took place and we will think of where we are today in terms of global terrorism. 2669 of our soldiers have died (25 of them during the first 10 days of this September) in the war in Iraq. What did they die for -- what has their deaths achieved ? See Mark Fiore's animated strip.Knowing what we do now, are we safe -- safer than we were in 2001? Has power been abused by our government in the name of war against terror? There are no simple answers. When it comes to abuse of power in the domestic front the worst example is the attack on Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights that has been carried out under the USA Patriot Act.The Fourth Amendment\"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.\"Here are excerpts from articles that deserve atttention:Vanished Towers, Vanished LeadershipThe Washington PostFive years later, you look at the rancid state of our politics, the decline in America's standing in the world and the behavior of our national leadership, and you want to shed tears for your nation. This year, so much of what's being said about the events of Sept. 11 is about the political survival of the Bush administration.\"Washington PostBody Count in Baghdad Nearly TriplesMorgue's Revised Toll for August Undermines Claims by Leaders of Steep Drop in ViolenceBAGHDAD, Sept. 7 -- Baghdad's morgue almost tripled its count for violent deaths in Iraq's capital during August from 550 to 1,536, authorities said Thursday, appearing to erase most of what U.S. generals and Iraqi leaders had touted as evidence of progress in a major security operation to restore order in the capital.BBCThe Changing Faces of TerrrorismThe oft-repeated statement 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' reflects genuine doubts about what constitutes 'terrorism'. Sir Adam Roberts surveys the ever-changing definition of terrorist activity, including mass murder of civilians exemplified by the events of September 11.Washington PostConfirmation of CIA Prisons leaves Europeans mistrustfulPARIS, President Bush's transfer of terrorism suspects out of secret CIA prisons to the Guantanamo detention facility would do little to repair transatlantic distrust that has grown in recent years, political analysts in France and other European countries said Thursday.\"How willing a really liberal Democrat is to listen to George Bush -- that's about how willing the French are,\" said Nicole Bacharan, an expert on French-American relations at the Institute for Political Studies in Paris.LOST LOVEby Hendrik Hertzberg, The New YorkerIssue of 2006-09-11After the calamity that glided down upon us out of a clear blue sky on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001—five short years ago, five long years ago—a single source of solace emerged amid the dread and grief: a great upwelling of simple solidarity. Here in New York, and in similarly bereaved Washington, that solidarity took homely forms. Strangers connected as friends; volunteers appeared from everywhere; political and civic leaders of all parties and persuasions stood together, united in sorrow and defiance. In certain regions of the country, New York had been regarded (and resented) as somehow not quite part of America; that conceit, not shared by the terrorists, vanished in the fire and dust of the Twin Towers. The reconciliation was mutual. In SoHo and the Upper West Side, in the Village and the Bronx, sidewalk crowds cheered every flag-bedecked fire engine, and the Stars and Stripes sprouted from apartment windows all over town. New York, always suspect as the nation’s polyglot-plutocratic portal, was now its battered, bloody shield.The wider counterpart to our traumatized togetherness at home was an astonishing burst abroad of what can only be called pro-Americanism. Messages of solidarity and indignation came from Libya and Syria as well as from Germany and Israel; flowers and funeral wreaths piled up in front of American Embassies from London to Beijing; flags flew at half-staff across Europe; in Iran, a candlelight vigil expressed sympathy. “Any remnants of neutrality thinking, of our traditional balancing act, have gone out of the window now,” a Swedish political scientist told Reuters. “There has not been the faintest shadow of doubt, not a trace of hesitation of where we stand, nowhere in Sweden.” Le Monde’s front-page editorial was headlined NOUS SOMMES TOUS AMÉRICAINS, and Italy’s Corriere della Sera echoed, “We are all Americans. The distance from the United States no longer exists because we, our values, are also in the crosshairs of evil minds.” In Brussels, the ambassadors of the nineteen members of NATO invoked, for the first time in the alliance’s fifty-two-year history, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, affirming that “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all” and pledging action, “including the use of armed force.”No one realistically expected that the mood of fellow-feeling and coöperation would long persist in the extraordinarily powerful form it took in the immediate wake of September 11th. The normal divisions of American politics and society were bound to make themselves felt again, and whatever the United States did in response to the attacks would provoke the tensions and misunderstandings that inevitably accompany the actions of a superpower in distress, no matter how deft its diplomacy or thorough its consultations. But it was natural to hope that domestic divisions would prove less rancorous in the face of the common danger, and that international frictions could be minimized in a struggle against what almost every responsible leader in the world recognized, or claimed to recognize, as an assault on civilization itself.What few expected was how comprehensively that initial spirit would be ruined by the policies and the behavior of our government, culminating in, though hardly limited to, the disastrous occupation of Iraq. This shouldn’t have been so surprising. George W. Bush campaigned in 2000 as a “compassionate conservative,” one who recognized that government was not the enemy, praised bipartisanship, proclaimed his intention to “change the tone in Washington,” and advocated a foreign policy of humility and respect. None of that happened. Nine months into his Presidency, an economic policy of transferring the budget surplus to the wealthy, a social policy hewing to the demands of the Christianist far right, and a foreign policy marked by contempt for international instruments (the Kyoto protocol, the anti-ballistic-missile treaty) and the abandonment of diplomatic responsibilities (the negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear activities, the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate) had pushed Bush’s job ratings lower than those of any of his predecessors at a like point in their tenures. September 11th offered him a chance for a new beginning, and at first he seemed willing to seize it. Although the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan was not as widely backed at first as is often assumed (particularly among many on the European left and some on the American), it is now almost universally supported in the Western world, with some forty countries involved and NATO troops carrying an increasing share of the military burden. But then came a reversion to form, and Iraq.In “America Against the World: How We Are Different and Why We Are Disliked,” based on ninety-one thousand interviews conducted in fifty nations from 2002 to 2005 by the Pew Research Center, Andrew Kohut and Bruce Stokes write that while “the first hints that the world was becoming troubled by America came soon after the election of George W. Bush,” and that “whatever global goodwill the United States had in the wake of the September 11 attacks appears to have quickly dissipated,” after the Iraq invasion “favorable opinions had more than slipped. They had plummeted.” It’s grown worse since May, when the book was published. The most recent Pew findings show that “favorable opinions of the U.S.” have gone from eighty-three per cent in 2000 to fifty-six per cent in 2006 in Britain, seventy-eight to thirty-seven in Germany, and sixty-two to thirty-nine in France. The majorities saying that the Iraq war has made the world more dangerous are equally impressive: sixty per cent in Britain, sixty-six in Germany, and seventy-six in France. On this point, the United States is catching up. The most recent CNN poll, taken in late August, found fifty-five per cent of Americans saying that the Iraq war has made them less safe from terrorism.Last week, the Administration launched a new public-relations campaign aimed at marketing the war in Iraq as the indispensable key to the struggle against terrorism. The Vice-President and the Secretary of Defense gave speeches attacking the war’s opponents (a category that includes, if that same CNN poll is to be believed, sixty-one per cent of the American public) as the contemporary counterparts of the appeasers of Nazism. President Bush, as one of his contributions to the P.R. campaign, granted an interview to Brian Williams, of NBC. As the two men, shirtsleeved in the sun, strolled together down a bleak New Orleans street, Williams wondered if the President shouldn’t “have asked for some sort of sacrifice after 9/11.” Bush’s reply:Americans are sacrificing. I mean, we are. You know, we pay a lot of taxes. America sacrificed when they, you know, when the economy went into the tank. Americans sacrificed when, you know, air travel was disrupted. American taxpayers have paid a lot to help this nation recover. I think Americans have sacrificed.And so we have. Not by paying “a lot of taxes,” of course; we pay less of those than we did before, and the very, very richest among us pay much, much less. But we have sacrificed, God knows. “The military occupation in Iraq is consuming practically the entire defense budget and stretching the Army to its operational limits,” John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan Administration and a member of the 9/11 Commission, wrote in the Washington Post a couple of days after Bush’s interview. “This is understood quite clearly by both our friends and our enemies, and as a result, our ability to deter enemies around the world is disintegrating.” That’s a sacrifice. And here’s another: our country’s reputation. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/then-and-now---5-years-after-911/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is not just another day.  9/11 left permanent scars on us and our society.  After the speeches and memorial services are over we will, at times, pause to think about  where we were and what we were doing on that fateful morning five years ago.  We will think of what took place and we will think of where we are today in terms of global terrorism. \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e2669\u003c/a\u003e of our soldiers have died (25 of them during the first 10 days of this September) in the war in Iraq.  What did they die for -- what has their deaths achieved ?  See Mark Fiore's \u003ca href=\"http://www.markfiore.com/animation/phony.html\"\u003eanimated strip\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKnowing what we do now, are we safe -- safer than we were in 2001?   Has power been abused by our government in the name of  war against terror?   There are no simple answers.  When it comes to abuse of power in the domestic front the worst example is the attack on Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights that has been carried out under the USA Patriot Act.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Fourth Amendment\u003cbr/\u003e\"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere are excerpts from articles that deserve atttention:\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701619.html\"\u003eVanished Towers, Vanished Leadership\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFive years later, you look at the rancid state of our politics, the decline in America's standing in the world and the behavior of our national leadership, and you want to shed tears for your nation. This year, so much of what's being said about the events of Sept. 11 is about the political survival of the Bush administration.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090700768.html\"\u003eBody Count in Baghdad Nearly Triples\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMorgue's Revised Toll for August Undermines Claims by Leaders of Steep Drop in Violence\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBAGHDAD, Sept. 7 -- Baghdad's morgue almost tripled its count for violent deaths in Iraq's capital during August from 550 to 1,536, authorities said Thursday, appearing to erase most of what U.S. generals and Iraqi leaders had touted as evidence of progress in a major security operation to restore order in the capital.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBBC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/recent/sept_11/changing_faces_01.shtml\"\u003eThe Changing Faces of Terrrorism\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe oft-repeated statement 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' reflects genuine doubts about what constitutes 'terrorism'. Sir Adam Roberts surveys the ever-changing definition of terrorist activity, including mass murder of civilians exemplified by the events of September 11.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701504.html\"\u003eConfirmation of CIA Prisons leaves Europeans mistrustful\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePARIS, President Bush's transfer of terrorism suspects out of secret CIA prisons to the Guantanamo detention facility would do little to repair transatlantic distrust that has grown in recent years, political analysts in France and other European countries said Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"How willing a really liberal Democrat is to listen to George Bush -- that's about how willing the French are,\" said Nicole Bacharan, an expert on French-American relations at the Institute for Political Studies in Paris.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060911ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eLOST LOVE\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eby Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker\u003cbr/\u003eIssue of 2006-09-11\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the calamity that glided down upon us out of a clear blue sky on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001—five short years ago, five long years ago—a single source of solace emerged amid the dread and grief: a great upwelling of simple solidarity. Here in New York, and in similarly bereaved Washington, that solidarity took homely forms. Strangers connected as friends; volunteers appeared from everywhere; political and civic leaders of all parties and persuasions stood together, united in sorrow and defiance. In certain regions of the country, New York had been regarded (and resented) as somehow not quite part of America; that conceit, not shared by the terrorists, vanished in the fire and dust of the Twin Towers. The reconciliation was mutual. In SoHo and the Upper West Side, in the Village and the Bronx, sidewalk crowds cheered every flag-bedecked fire engine, and the Stars and Stripes sprouted from apartment windows all over town. New York, always suspect as the nation’s polyglot-plutocratic portal, was now its battered, bloody shield.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe wider counterpart to our traumatized togetherness at home was an astonishing burst abroad of what can only be called pro-Americanism. Messages of solidarity and indignation came from Libya and Syria as well as from Germany and Israel; flowers and funeral wreaths piled up in front of American Embassies from London to Beijing; flags flew at half-staff across Europe; in Iran, a candlelight vigil expressed sympathy. “Any remnants of neutrality thinking, of our traditional balancing act, have gone out of the window now,” a Swedish political scientist told Reuters. “There has not been the faintest shadow of doubt, not a trace of hesitation of where we stand, nowhere in Sweden.” Le Monde’s  front-page editorial was headlined NOUS SOMMES TOUS AMÉRICAINS, and Italy’s Corriere della Sera echoed, “We are all Americans. The distance from the United States no longer exists because we, our values, are also in the crosshairs of evil minds.” In Brussels, the ambassadors of the nineteen members of NATO invoked, for the first time in the alliance’s fifty-two-year history, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, affirming that “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all” and pledging action, “including the use of armed force.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo one realistically expected that the mood of fellow-feeling and coöperation would long persist in the extraordinarily powerful form it took in the immediate wake of September 11th. The normal divisions of American politics and society were bound to make themselves felt again, and whatever the United States did in response to the attacks would provoke the tensions and misunderstandings that inevitably accompany the actions of a superpower in distress, no matter how deft its diplomacy or thorough its consultations. But it was natural to hope that domestic divisions would prove less rancorous in the face of the common danger, and that international frictions could be minimized in a struggle against what almost every responsible leader in the world recognized, or claimed to recognize, as an assault on civilization itself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat few expected was how comprehensively that initial spirit would be ruined by the policies and the behavior of our government, culminating in, though hardly limited to, the disastrous occupation of Iraq. This shouldn’t have been so surprising. George W. Bush campaigned in 2000 as a “compassionate conservative,” one who recognized that government was not the enemy, praised bipartisanship, proclaimed his intention to “change the tone in Washington,” and advocated a foreign policy of humility and respect. None of that happened. Nine months into his Presidency, an economic policy of transferring the budget surplus to the wealthy, a social policy hewing to the demands of the Christianist far right, and a foreign policy marked by contempt for international instruments (the Kyoto protocol, the anti-ballistic-missile treaty) and the abandonment of diplomatic responsibilities (the negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear activities, the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate) had pushed Bush’s job ratings lower than those of any of his predecessors at a like point in their tenures. September 11th offered him a chance for a new beginning, and at first he seemed willing to seize it. Although the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan was not as widely backed at first as is often assumed (particularly among many on the European left and some on the American), it is now almost universally supported in the Western world, with some forty countries involved and NATO troops carrying an increasing share of the military burden. But then came a reversion to form, and Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn “America Against the World: How We Are Different and Why We Are Disliked,” based on ninety-one thousand interviews conducted in fifty nations from 2002 to 2005 by the Pew Research Center, Andrew Kohut and Bruce Stokes write that while “the first hints that the world was becoming troubled by America came soon after the election of George W. Bush,” and that “whatever global goodwill the United States had in the wake of the September 11 attacks appears to have quickly dissipated,” after the Iraq invasion “favorable opinions had more than slipped. They had plummeted.” It’s grown worse since May, when the book was published. The most recent Pew findings show that “favorable opinions of the U.S.” have gone from eighty-three per cent in 2000 to fifty-six per cent in 2006 in Britain, seventy-eight to thirty-seven in Germany, and sixty-two to thirty-nine in France. The majorities saying that the Iraq war has made the world more dangerous are equally impressive: sixty per cent in Britain, sixty-six in Germany, and seventy-six in France. On this point, the United States is catching up. The most recent CNN poll, taken in late August, found fifty-five per cent of Americans saying that the Iraq war has made them less safe from terrorism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast week, the Administration launched a new public-relations campaign aimed at marketing the war in Iraq as the indispensable key to the struggle against terrorism. The Vice-President and the Secretary of Defense gave speeches attacking the war’s opponents (a category that includes, if that same CNN poll is to be believed, sixty-one per cent of the American public) as the contemporary counterparts of the appeasers of Nazism. President Bush, as one of his contributions to the P.R. campaign, granted an interview to Brian Williams, of NBC. As the two men, shirtsleeved in the sun, strolled together down a bleak New Orleans street, Williams wondered if the President shouldn’t “have asked for some sort of sacrifice after 9/11.” Bush’s reply:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmericans are sacrificing. I mean, we are. You know, we pay a lot of taxes. America sacrificed when they, you know, when the economy went into the tank. Americans sacrificed when, you know, air travel was disrupted. American taxpayers have paid a lot to help this nation recover. I think Americans have sacrificed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so we have. Not by paying “a lot of taxes,” of course; we pay less of those than we did before, and the very, very richest among us pay much, much less. But we have sacrificed, God knows. “The military occupation in Iraq is consuming practically the entire defense budget and stretching the Army to its operational limits,” John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan Administration and a member of the 9/11 Commission, wrote in the Washington Post a couple of days after Bush’s interview. “This is understood quite clearly by both our friends and our enemies, and as a result, our ability to deter enemies around the world is disintegrating.” That’s a sacrifice. And here’s another: our country’s reputation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Then and Now - 5 Years After 9/11"},{"content":" His reelection is doubtful but that didn't deter Senator Lincoln Chafee from throwing in a spanner in the works. His surprise announcement to oppose confirmation of John Bolton caught Republican senators by surprise. \"Republican efforts to formally confirm John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations hit an unexpected snag yesterday when a Republican senator in a tough reelection bid said he could not support the diplomat until the Bush administration answers his questions on Middle East policy.\"Excerpts: The Washington PostThe protest by Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R.I.) is only the latest development in the long-running battle to get Bolton confirmed to the post he now holds on a temporary basis. Last year, Chafee supported Bolton's confirmation, but the opposition of Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) prompted President Bush to name him to the U.N. post as a recess appointment.Chafee is fighting for his political life. Next Tuesday, Rhode Island primary voters must decide between Chafee, the Senate's most liberal Republican, and Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey, who is challenging him from the right. If Chafee survives the GOP primary, he must then win reelection in one of the most Democratic states in the country.Stephen Hourahan, Chafee's spokesman, said the senator's move against Bolton was not motivated by politics, noting that Chafee remains in a political bind. The move might play well with Democratic voters in November, he acknowledged, but next week it could enflame Republican primary voters already drawn to Laffey.\"Unfortunately, there was no win on this one,\" Hourahan said.Moreover, Chafee's foreign policy concerns -- expressed in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- could alienate Jewish voters and some Christian conservatives who tend to be staunchly pro-Israel. In the letter, Chafee, who chairs the Foreign Relations subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, urged the Bush administration to stop Israel's construction of 690 new homes in two West Bank settlements.\"It is no secret that I have serious questions about this Administration's policies in the Middle East,\" Chafee wrote.But victory in the primary will probably be decided by independent voters, not party stalwarts, and burnishing his independent credentials may be a help. In a new campaign advertisement airing in Rhode Island, a character labels the senator \"independent minded\" before Chafee states: \"I believe that neither Republicans nor Democrats are always right.\"Republican leadership aides said GOP leaders are willing to give Chafee some room to maneuver ahead of Tuesday's primary. But they indicated they will probably push for a vote after the polls close next week. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/do-the-right-thing---senator-chafee-did/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis reelection is doubtful but that didn't deter Senator Lincoln Chafee from throwing in a spanner in the works. His surprise announcement to oppose confirmation of John Bolton caught Republican senators by surprise.  \"Republican efforts to formally confirm \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090700128.html\"\u003eJohn R. Bolton\u003c/a\u003e as ambassador to the United Nations hit an unexpected snag yesterday when a Republican senator in a tough reelection bid said he could not support the diplomat until the Bush administration answers his questions on Middle East policy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:   \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090700128.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe protest by Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R.I.) is only the latest development in the long-running battle to get Bolton confirmed to the post he now holds on a temporary basis. Last year, Chafee supported Bolton's confirmation, but the opposition of Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) prompted President Bush to name him to the U.N. post as a recess appointment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChafee is fighting for his political life. Next Tuesday, Rhode Island primary voters must decide between Chafee, the Senate's most liberal Republican, and Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey, who is challenging him from the right. If Chafee survives the GOP primary, he must then win reelection in one of the most Democratic states in the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStephen Hourahan, Chafee's spokesman, said the senator's move against Bolton was not motivated by politics, noting that Chafee remains in a political bind. The move might play well with Democratic voters in November, he acknowledged, but next week it could enflame Republican primary voters already drawn to Laffey.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Unfortunately, there was no win on this one,\" Hourahan said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMoreover, Chafee's foreign policy concerns -- expressed in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- could alienate Jewish voters and some Christian conservatives who tend to be staunchly pro-Israel. In the letter, Chafee, who chairs the Foreign Relations subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, urged the Bush administration to stop Israel's construction of 690 new homes in two West Bank settlements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is no secret that I have serious questions about this Administration's policies in the Middle East,\" Chafee wrote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut victory in the primary will probably be decided by independent voters, not party stalwarts, and burnishing his independent credentials may be a help. In a new campaign advertisement airing in Rhode Island, a character labels the senator \"independent minded\" before Chafee states: \"I believe that neither Republicans nor Democrats are always right.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepublican leadership aides said GOP leaders are willing to give Chafee some room to maneuver ahead of Tuesday's primary. But they indicated they will probably push for a vote after the polls close next week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Do the Right Thing - Senator Chafee Did"},{"content":" The cash cow has become a sick cow but those who exploited the national tragedy are not going to let it rest. Michael Abramowitz and Charles Babington in the Post: \"With a series of forceful speeches on terrorism and a dramatic announcement that he has sent top-tier terrorism suspects to the Guantanamo Bay prison, President Bush this week has demonstrated anew the power of even a weakened commander in chief to set the terms of national debate.All week, the White House has made plain its desire to refocus the attention of voters this fall away from a troubled and unpopular war in Iraq in favor of Bush's vision of a worldwide struggle against Islamic radicalism and terrorism. Yesterday, Bush sought to turn a legal defeat at the Supreme Court into a political opportunity.\"\nBy challenging Congress to immediately give the administration authority to try notorious al-Qaeda figures such as Khalid Sheik Mohammed by military commissions, he shifted the argument with Democratic critics of national security policies and competence. As Bush framed the choice, anyone against his proposal would be denying him necessary tools to protect American security.His success in catching much of Washington by surprise showed that a president who polls show has his political back to the wall still has formidable tools: the ability to make well-timed course corrections on policy, dominate the news and shape the capital's agenda in the weeks before Election Day.On the other side of the Atlantic, Clive James comments in The Guardian about the midterm elections: \"For two years straight, from the invasion of Iraq to the ceremonial handover of power to the Iraqis, the Republican administration got away with linking the Iraq war with the wider war on terror. Anyone who questioned US involvement in Iraq could not be trusted to keep the country safe. But that argument has swayed fewer and fewer Americans, as they've seen Iraq fall into chaos and the civilian and military death toll climb.\"Republicans are pinning their hopes on the one bright spot in the polls for them that gives the president high marks for handling the war on terrorism. Voters credit the President for the absence of a terrorist attack on US soil, since September 11 2001. But even this \"natural\" advantage could be turned against Republicans. In the words of the White House's latest strategy issued this month for combating terrorism, \"terrorist networks today are more dispersed and less centralised. They are more reliant on smaller cells inspired by a common ideology and less directed by a central command structure.In other words, instead of a small concentrated number of miscreants, our enemies have multiplied, become more radicalised and splintered, so that they are harder to track down. The question Democrats should frame is: Are we really safer with Republicans in charge? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/milking-of-911---the-fear-factor/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe cash cow has become a sick cow but those who exploited the national tragedy are not going to let it rest. Michael Abramowitz and Charles Babington in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/06/AR2006090602098.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:   \"With a series of forceful speeches on terrorism and a dramatic announcement that he has sent top-tier terrorism suspects to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/06/AR2006090600417.html\" target=\"\"\u003eGuantanamo Bay prison\u003c/a\u003e, President Bush this week has demonstrated anew the power of even a weakened commander in chief to set the terms of national debate.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAll week, the White House has made plain its desire to refocus the attention of voters this fall away from a troubled and unpopular \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/specials/america_at_war.html\" target=\"\"\u003ewar in Iraq\u003c/a\u003e in favor of Bush's vision of a worldwide struggle against Islamic radicalism and terrorism. Yesterday, Bush sought to turn a legal defeat at the Supreme Court into a political opportunity.\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Milking of 9/11 - The Fear Factor"},{"content":" Salafism * Sharia and Pakistan's Rape Law Changes happen slowly....very slowly in the Islamic world, especially about the role of women in society. Two news items today make it clear that Muslim women who want equality and social justice have a long, hard road ahead of them.The Post reported about 7th and 8th grade Mulsim girl students' participation in a debate held at Silver Springs Community Center. The subject: \"Is a segregated, all-Islamic upbringing key to protecting your Muslim identity?\" While their concern about \"sexually saturated pop culture\" is understandable, if that is all they see then there is something wrong with what they are being taught. Indoctrination is not education.Eight of the dozen argued yes, using variants of the theme offered by Fatimah Waseem. Young Muslims \"join with the non-Muslims, copy them and look up to them. This is hurting our identity. . . . Sometimes, we turn way from Islam,\" she said. \"In conclusion, . . . we cannot sway in the wind and become weak. We need to be protected . . . by segregation.\"\" Takbeer! \" shouted some in the audience of proud, clapping parents as each girl concluded her case. \"Let us praise God!\"Like Fatimah, most of the debaters attend Al-Huda School in College Park. It is run by Dar-us-Salaam, one of the Washington area's most conservative Muslim congregations. Many of its members believe that, in order to be true to their faith, they should live apart from secular society as much as possible. The congregation's Web site describes how it hopes one day to become a self-contained Islamic community.The kind of Islam practiced at Dar-us-Salaam, known as Salafism, once had a significant foothold among area Muslims, in large part because of an aggressive missionary effort by the government of Saudi Arabia. Salafism and its strict Saudi version, known as Wahhabism, struck a chord with many Muslim immigrants who took a dim view of the United States' sexually saturated pop culture and who were ambivalent about participating in a secular political system. It was also attractive to young Muslims searching for a more \"authentic\" Islam than what their Westernized immigrant parents offered.Pakistan's Rape Law - Rule of the MullahsSome Pakistani legislators are protesting proposed changes in Pakistan's rape law based on Sharia . Changes are overdue and the current law has been criticized by women's organizations and human rights groups. The law is a classic Catch 22. It requires testimony from four witnesses! One gets the feeling that the Mullahs are bent on punishing women for being born with vaginas.Houston Chronicle - Associated PressLawmakers from a coalition of six Islamic groups threatened on Tuesday to vacate their parliamentary seats if Pakistan's government changes a rape law criticized by human rights activists.A walkout by the 68 lawmakers could destabilize the government of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, criticized by Islamic parties since his ruling party last month presented a bill to amend the law in a bid to protect women's rights. Pakistan's National Assembly has 344 members. A walkout could force by-elections. Under the current law, approved by a former military dictator in 1979, prosecuting a rape case requires testimony from four witnesses, making punishment almost impossible because such attacks are rarely public. A woman who claims she was raped but fails to prove her case can be convicted of adultery, punishable by death. Maulana Fazalur Rahman, a leader of the Islamic coalition, said Tuesday that lawmakers in his group would vacate their seats in the National Assembly if the government tries to get the assembly's approval to change the law. \"We will render every sacrifice for the protection of the Shariah (traditional Islamic) laws,\" he said at a news conference.However, the ruling Pakistan Muslim Party --— which has a majority in the assembly -- — has praised Musharraf for taking steps to amend the law and end the four-witness requirement. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/women-and-islam/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSalafism * Sharia and Pakistan's Rape Law  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChanges happen slowly....very slowly in the Islamic world, especially about the role of women in society.  Two news items today make it clear that Muslim women who want equality and social justice have a long, hard road ahead of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR2006090401107.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported  about 7th and 8th grade Mulsim girl students' participation in a debate held at Silver Springs Community Center.   The subject: \"Is a segregated, all-Islamic upbringing key to protecting your Muslim identity?\" While their concern about \"sexually saturated pop culture\" is understandable, if  that is all they see then there is something wrong with what they are being taught.   Indoctrination is not education.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEight of the dozen argued yes, using variants of the theme offered by Fatimah Waseem. Young Muslims \"join with the non-Muslims, copy them and look up to them. This is hurting our identity. . . . Sometimes, we turn way from Islam,\" she said. \"In conclusion, . . . we cannot sway in the wind and become weak. We need to be protected . . . by segregation.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\" Takbeer! \" shouted some in the audience of proud, clapping parents as each girl concluded her case. \"Let us praise God!\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike Fatimah, most of the debaters attend Al-Huda School in College Park. It is run by Dar-us-Salaam, one of the Washington area's most conservative Muslim congregations. Many of its members believe that, in order to be true to their faith, they should live apart from secular society as much as possible. The congregation's Web site describes how it hopes one day to become a self-contained Islamic community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe kind of Islam practiced at Dar-us-Salaam, known as Salafism, once had a significant foothold among area Muslims, in large part because of an aggressive missionary effort by the government of Saudi Arabia. Salafism and its strict Saudi version, known as Wahhabism, struck a chord with many Muslim immigrants who took a dim view of the United States' sexually saturated pop culture and who were ambivalent about participating in a secular political system. It was also attractive to young Muslims searching for a more \"authentic\" Islam than what their Westernized immigrant parents offered.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePakistan's Rape Law - Rule of the Mullahs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSome Pakistani legislators are protesting proposed changes in Pakistan's rape law based on \u003ca href=\"http://lexicorient.com/e.o/sharia.htm\"\u003eSharia\u003c/a\u003e .  Changes are overdue and the current law has been criticized by women's organizations and human rights groups.  The law is a classic Catch 22.  It requires testimony from four witnesses!  One gets the feeling that the Mullahs are bent on punishing women for being born with vaginas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4164939.html\"\u003eHouston Chronicle - Associated Press\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLawmakers from a coalition of six Islamic groups threatened on Tuesday to vacate their parliamentary seats if Pakistan's government changes a rape law criticized by human rights activists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA walkout by the 68 lawmakers could destabilize the government of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, criticized by Islamic parties since his ruling party last month presented a bill to amend the law in a bid to protect women's rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Pakistan's National Assembly has 344 members. A walkout could force by-elections. Under the current law, approved by a former military dictator in 1979, prosecuting a rape case requires testimony from four witnesses, making punishment almost impossible because such attacks are rarely public.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e A woman who claims she was raped but fails to prove her case can be convicted of adultery, punishable by death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Maulana Fazalur Rahman, a leader of the Islamic coalition, said Tuesday that lawmakers in his group would vacate their seats in the National Assembly if the government tries to get the assembly's approval to change the law. \"We will render every sacrifice for the protection of the Shariah (traditional Islamic) laws,\" he said at a news conference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, the ruling Pakistan Muslim Party --— which has a majority in the assembly -- — has praised Musharraf for taking steps to amend the law and end the four-witness requirement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Women and Islam"},{"content":" \"All hands drunk\"I must confess to being among those who thought that long school holidays were one of the rewards that made teaching an attractive profession. Not so according to Tom Lutz, author of a new book titled \"“Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers and Bums in America\".” In a delightful article in the NY Times, Summer Next Time, Mr. Lutz commented: \"In late May, for those of us who teach, the summer stretches out like the great expanse of freedom it was in grammar school. Ah, the days on the beach! The books we will read! The adventures we will have! But before hunkering down to months of leisurely lolling around a pool slathered in S.P.F. 80, we need to take care of a few things: see what got buried in the e-mail pile over the course of the year, write a few letters of recommendation, and finally get to those book reviews we agreed to do. A few leftover dissertation chapters. The syllabuses and book orders for next year's classes. Then those scholarly articles we were snookered into writing when the deadlines were far, far in the future --— deadlines that now, magically, are receding into the past. My God, did I really tell someone I would write an article called \"“Teaching Claude McKay\"”? Before we know it, the summer is eaten up, we're still behind on our e-mail, and the fall semester looms. On paper, the academic life looks great. As many as 15 weeks off in the summer, four in the winter, one in the spring, and then, usually, only three days a week on campus the rest of the time. Anybody who tells you this wasn'’t part of the lure of a job in higher education is lying. But one finds out right away in graduate school that in fact the typical professor logs an average of 60 hours a week, and the more successful professors work even more --— including not just 14-hour days during the school year, but 10-hour days in the summer as well.\nWhy, then, does there continue to be a glut of fresh Ph.D.'’s? It isn'’t the pay scale, which, with a few lucky exceptions, offers the lowest years-of-education-to-income ratio possible. It isn'’t really the work itself, either. Yes, teaching and research are rewarding, but we face as much drudgery as in any professional job. Once you'’ve read 10,000 freshman essays, you'’ve read them all. But we academics do have something few others possess in this postindustrial world: control over our own time. All the surveys point to this as the most common factor in job satisfaction. The jobs in which decisions are made and the pace set by machines provide the least satisfaction, while those, like mine, that foster at least the illusion of control provide the most. Left to our own devices, we seldom organize our time with 8-to-5 discipline. The pre-industrial world of agricultural and artisan labor was structured by what the historian E. P. Thompson calls \"“alternate bouts of intense labor and of idleness wherever men were in control of their working lives\". Agricultural work was seasonal, interrupted by rain, forced into hyperactivity by the threat of rain, and determined by other uncontrollable natural processes. The force of long cultural habit ensured that the change from such discontinuous tasks to the regimented labor of the factory never went particularly smoothly. In 1877 a New York cigar manufacturer grumbled that his cigar makers could never be counted on to do a straight shift'’s work. They would \"“come down to the shop in the morning, roll a few cigars\",” he complained to The New York Herald, \"“and then go to a beer saloon and play pinochle or some other game\".” The workers would return when they pleased, roll a few more cigars, and then revisit the saloon, all told \"“working probably two or three hours a day\".” Cigar makers in Milwaukee went on strike in 1882 simply to preserve their right to leave the shop at any time without their foreman'’s permission.\nIn this the cigar workers were typical. American manufacturing laborers came and left for the day at different times. \"“Monday\",” one manufacturer complained, was always \"“given up to debauchery\",” and on Saturdays, brewery wagons came right to the factory, encouraging workers to celebrate payday. Daily breaks for \"“dramming\"” were common, with workers coming and going from the work place as they pleased. Their workdays were often, by 20th-century standards, riddled with breaks for meals, snacks, wine, brandy and reading the newspaper aloud to fellow workers. An owner of a New Jersey iron mill made these notations in his diary over the course of a single week:\n\"“All hands drunk.\"”\n\"“Jacob Ventling hunting\".”\n\"“Molders all agree to quit work and went to the beach\".”\n\"“Peter Cox very drunk\".”\n\"“Edward Rutter off a-drinking\".”\nAt the shipyards, too, workers stopped their labor at irregular intervals and drank heavily. One ship'’s carpenter in the mid-19th century described an almost hourly round of breaks for cakes, candy and whiskey, while some of his co-workers \"“sailed out pretty regularly 10 times a day on the average\"” to the \"“convenient grog-shops\".” Management attempts to stop such midday drinking breaks routinely met with strikes and sometimes resulted in riots. During much of the 19th century, there were more strikes over issues of time-control than there were about pay or working hours.\nI was recently offered a non-teaching job that would have almost doubled my salary, but which would have required me to report to an office in standard 8-to-5 fashion. I turned it down, and for a moment I felt like the circus worker in the joke: he follows the elephant with a shovel, and when offered another job responds, \"“What, and give up show business\"?” Really, though, I'’m more like Jacob Ventling and Edward Rutter. I don'’t go out 10 times a day for a dram of rum, but I could. And in fact, maybe I will. Next summer.\nThe New York Times ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/groves-of-academe/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"All hands drunk\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI must confess to being among those who thought that long school holidays were one of the rewards that made teaching an attractive profession.  Not so according to Tom Lutz, author of a new book titled \"“Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers and Bums in America\".”  In a delightful article in the NY Times, \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/04/opinion/04lutz.html\"\u003eSummer Next Time\u003c/a\u003e, Mr. Lutz commented: \"In late May, for those of us who teach, the summer stretches out like the great expanse of freedom it was in grammar school. Ah, the days on the beach! The books we will read! The adventures we will have!  But before hunkering down to months of leisurely lolling around a pool slathered in S.P.F. 80, we need to take care of a few things: see what got buried in the e-mail pile over the course of the year, write a few letters of recommendation, and finally get to those book reviews we agreed to do. A few leftover dissertation chapters. The syllabuses and book orders for next year's classes. Then those scholarly articles we were snookered into writing when the deadlines were far, far in the future --— deadlines that now, magically, are receding into the past. My God, did I really tell someone I would write an article called \"“Teaching Claude McKay\"”? Before we know it, the summer is eaten up, we're still behind on our e-mail, and the fall semester looms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn paper, the academic life looks great. As many as 15 weeks off in the summer, four in the winter, one in the spring, and then, usually, only three days a week on campus the rest of the time. Anybody who tells you this wasn'’t part of the lure of a job in higher education is lying. But one finds out right away in graduate school that in fact the typical professor logs an average of 60 hours a week, and the more successful professors work even more --— including not just 14-hour days during the school year, but 10-hour days in the summer as well.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Groves of Academe"},{"content":" Midterm ElectionsThe thought of November 7th, when midterm elections will be held, is making Republican Congressional candidates lose sleep. They thought they were invincible and their egos made them act at times like kings, at times like clowns (the posturing about Freedom Fries and Freedom Toasts, for example). Now they are looking at the handwriting on the wall. Their prospects are dismal. But they wrote the book on dirty tricks and they have the money for a blitz of ads; negative ads work. Then there are expectations that the Bush administration will pull a rabbit out of the hat -- an October surprise. Could happen but even that might not enable the Republicans to retain control of the House. Dan Balz and David Broder in the Post: \"Facing the most difficult political environment since they took control of Congress in 1994, Republicans begin the final two months of the midterm campaign in growing danger of losing the House while fighting to preserve at best a slim majority in the Senate, according to strategists and officials in both parties.\"Over the summer, the political battlefield has expanded well beyond the roughly 20 GOP House seats originally thought to be vulnerable. Now some Republicans concede there may be almost twice as many districts from which Democrats could wrest the 15 additional seats they need to take control.President Bush's low approval ratings, the sharp divisions over the war in Iraq, dissatisfaction with Congress, and economic anxiety caused by high gasoline prices and stagnant wages have alienated independent voters, energized the Democratic base and thrown once-safe Republican incumbents on the defensive.As the campaign season begins, Democrats are trying to guard against premature celebration, even as their prospects are brighter than most ever imagined. Republicans are hoping for some outside event that would show the president and their party in a better light -- a spate of good news from Iraq, a foiled terrorist plot or an unlikely break in the deadlock over immigration on Capitol Hill.Labor Day 2006Remember the Veterans. \"Healing War Wounds\",an article by Karen Breslau in Newsweek describes radically new approach to rehabilitation of injured soldiers. \"To address the problem, the military has adopted a holistic mind-body approach, deploying a fleet of experts ranging from orthopedic surgeons to therapists to work on the wounded. Doctors insist on group therapy to help cope with the guilt that often dogs survivors who have lost—or left—comrades on the battlefield. Of special concern are the service members, like Smith, classified by the Pentagon as \"severely injured\"—having lost limbs or eyesight, or suffering burns, paralysis or debilitating brain injuries that will not emerge fully in some cases for years. \"Technology has advanced to the point where we can salvage patients who would not have survived before,\" says Lt. Col. John McManus of the Army's Institute for Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas. \"The bigger test is psychological. Can we restore a life worth living?\"Iraq War - the tolls: U.S. Soldiers September 1/3,2006: 10 - Total todate 2652Injured 10782 (as updated by DOD Aug.30,2006)Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/good-news-gets-better---gop-in-disarray/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe thought of November 7th, when midterm elections will be held, is making Republican Congressional candidates lose sleep. They thought they were invincible and their egos made them act at times like kings, at times like clowns (the posturing about Freedom Fries and Freedom Toasts, for example). Now they are looking at the handwriting on the wall. Their prospects are dismal.  But they wrote the book on dirty tricks and they have the money for a blitz of ads; negative ads work.  Then there are expectations that the Bush administration will pull a rabbit out of the hat -- an October surprise.  Could happen but even that might not enable the Republicans to retain control of the House. Dan Balz and David Broder in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/02/AR2006090200975.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Facing the most difficult political environment since they took control of Congress in 1994, Republicans begin the final two months of the midterm campaign in growing danger of losing the House while fighting to preserve at best a slim majority in the Senate, according to strategists and officials in both parties.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOver the summer, the political battlefield has expanded well beyond the roughly 20 GOP House seats originally thought to be vulnerable. Now some Republicans concede there may be almost twice as many districts from which Democrats could wrest the 15 additional seats they need to take control.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush's low approval ratings, the sharp divisions over the war in Iraq, dissatisfaction with Congress, and economic anxiety caused by high gasoline prices and stagnant wages have alienated independent voters, energized the Democratic base and thrown once-safe Republican incumbents on the defensive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the campaign season begins, Democrats are trying to guard against premature celebration, even as their prospects are brighter than most ever imagined. Republicans are hoping for some outside event that would show the president and their party in a better light -- a spate of good news from Iraq, a foiled terrorist plot or an unlikely break in the deadlock over immigration on Capitol Hill.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLabor Day 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRemember the Veterans.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14624444/site/newsweek/\"\u003eHealing War Wounds\u003c/a\u003e\",an article by Karen Breslau in Newsweek describes radically new approach to rehabilitation of injured soldiers.  \"To address the problem, the military has adopted a holistic mind-body approach, deploying a fleet of experts ranging from orthopedic surgeons to therapists to work on the wounded. Doctors insist on group therapy to help cope with the guilt that often dogs survivors who have lost—or left—comrades on the battlefield. Of special concern are the service members, like Smith, classified by the Pentagon as \"severely injured\"—having lost limbs or eyesight, or suffering burns, paralysis or debilitating brain injuries that will not emerge fully in some cases for years. \"Technology has advanced to the point where we can salvage patients who would not have survived before,\" says Lt. Col. John McManus of the Army's Institute for Surgical Research in San Antonio, Texas. \"The bigger test is psychological. Can we restore a life worth living?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq War - the tolls:   U.S. Soldiers \u003cbr/\u003eSeptember 1/3,2006: 10 - Total todate 2652\u003cbr/\u003eInjured 10782 (as updated by DOD  Aug.30,2006)\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Good News Gets Better - GOP In Disarray"},{"content":" Karimov, FOB (Friend of Bush)Craig Murray, Britain's former ambassador to Uzbekistan, pulled no punches in describing his experience and his impressions of the Karimov regime. Mr. Murray's outspokenness cost him his job. \"The courtroom provided a telling introduction. I had recently arrived as British ambassador in Uzbekistan's old Silk Road capital of Tashkent, where I was watching the trial of a 22-year-old dissident named Iskander Khuderbegainov. The gaunt young man was accused with five other Muslims of several crimes, including membership in a terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda. The six sat huddled in a cage guarded by 14 Kalashnikov-wielding soldiers. The judge made a show of not listening to the defense, haranguing the men with anti-Islamic jokes. It looked like a replay of footage I'd seen of Nazi show trials. The next day, an envelope landed on my desk; inside were photos of the corpse of a man who had been imprisoned in Uzbekistan's gulags. I learned that his name was Muzafar Avazov. His face was bruised, his torso and limbs livid purple. We sent the photos to the University of Glasgow. Two weeks later, a pathology report arrived. It said that the man's fingernails had been pulled out, that he had been beaten and that the line around his torso showed he had been immersed in hot liquid. He had been boiled alive.\"\"In other words, when the prisoner was boiled to death that summer, U.S. taxpayers had helped heat the water.\" Her Majesty's Man in Tashkhent can be read in the Washington Post.Excerpts:That was my welcome to Uzbekistan, a U.S. and British ally in the war on terror. Trying to tell the truth about the country cost me my job. Continuing to tell the truth about it dragged me into the Kafkaesque world of official censorship and gave me a taste of the kind of character assassination of which I once thought only a government like Uzbekistan's was capable.When I arrived in Tashkent, in the summer of 2002, I was a 43-year-old career diplomat with two decades of varied experience, which included analyzing Iraqi efforts at weapons procurement and negotiating a peace treaty with Liberian President Charles Taylor. But nothing had prepared me for Uzbekistan, a country immediately north of Afghanistan in the heart of hydrocarbon-rich Central Asia. President Islam Karimov had reigned here as the Soviet satrap since 1989; after independence two years later, he had managed to make poverty and repression even worse than in Soviet times.In Karimov's Uzbekistan, no dissent is allowed. Media are state-controlled, and opposition parties are banned from elections. Millions of people, including children, toil on vast state-owned cotton farms, receiving some $2 a month for working 70-hour weeks. Their labor has made Uzbekistan the world's second-largest cotton exporter. More than 10,000 dissidents are held in Soviet-style gulags. Many are pro-democracy advocates, but anyone showing religious enthusiasm is also swept up. Most are Muslims, but Baptists and Jehovah's Witnesses are routinely persecuted, too.I saw this happening in a country regarded as a strategic friend by the United States, which was looking for well-placed allies after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Karimov had delivered for President Bush, allowing the United States to take over a major former Soviet airbase at Karshi-Khanabad to help wage war in neighboring Afghanistan; the several thousand U.S. forces stationed there were the first Americans permitted to serve in former Soviet territory. As a reward, Karimov had been Bush's guest for tea in the White House in March 2002.It was clear by the time I arrived in Tashkent a few months later that the United States was handsomely rewarding Karimov's cooperation. Hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid were flowing to the country -- after the U.S. government, evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, repeatedly certified that the Uzbek government was making progress on human rights and democracy. According to a press release distributed to local media by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent in December 2002, the Karimov regime received more than $500 million in U.S. aid that year alone. That included $120 million for the Uzbek armed forces and more than $80 million for the re-branded Uzbek security services, successor to the KGB.Mid-term ElectionsThe outlook is grim for Republicans. While control of the Senate is expected to remain in their hands, the Congress is a different story. So Bush and his team are out playing the card that has paid dividends in the past. Fifth anniversary of 9/11 is around the corner. They are ramping up the fear factor -- national security, terrorism, and that they know best. The army's top brass made a hole in Bush and Rumsfeld's exhortations about success in Iraq. But that is not going to stop them. They are desperate and lies come easy to them. Paul Harris in The Observer: \"While 68 Iraqis have died in two days, the President talks up military success with an eye on the mid-term elections. Meanwhile, defence chiefs are ever more fearful of another Vietnam\"President Bush yesterday denied that Iraq was plunging into civil war, just a day after the Pentagon painted a bloody picture of a nation caught in a spiral of increasing violence.His statement appears to widen the gap between the political message coming from a White House concerned about upcoming mid-term elections and a military establishment fearful of getting caught in another Vietnam.In his weekly radio address to the nation, Bush lashed out at critics of the war and portrayed the conflict in Iraq as an integral part of the war on terror. He said the country was not sliding into civil war.'Our commanders and diplomats on the ground believe that Iraq has not descended into a civil war. They report that only a small number of Iraqis are engaged in sectarian violence,' he said.That may be true, but the tone of Bush's speech was deeply at odds with a Pentagon report released late on Friday, which showed Iraqi casualties had soared by more than 50 per cent in recent months. The Pentagon often releases bad news late in the week in order to minimise press coverage and the study certainly made for grim reading. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/sunday-morning-charivari/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eKarimov, FOB (Friend of Bush)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCraig Murray, Britain's former ambassador to Uzbekistan, pulled no punches in  describing  his experience and his impressions of the Karimov regime.   Mr. Murray's outspokenness cost him his job.  \"The courtroom provided a telling introduction. I had recently arrived as British ambassador in Uzbekistan's old Silk Road capital of Tashkent, where I was watching the trial of a 22-year-old dissident named Iskander Khuderbegainov. The gaunt young man was accused with five other Muslims of several crimes, including membership in a terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda. The six sat huddled in a cage guarded by 14 Kalashnikov-wielding soldiers. The judge made a show of not listening to the defense, haranguing the men with anti-Islamic jokes. It looked like a replay of footage I'd seen of Nazi show trials. The next day, an envelope landed on my desk; inside were photos of the corpse of a man who had been imprisoned in Uzbekistan's gulags. I learned that his name was Muzafar Avazov. His face was bruised, his torso and limbs livid purple. We sent the photos to the University of Glasgow. Two weeks later, a pathology report arrived. It said that the man's fingernails had been pulled out, that he had been beaten and that the line around his torso showed he had been immersed in hot liquid. He had been boiled alive.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In other words, when the prisoner was boiled to death that summer, U.S. taxpayers had helped heat the water.\"  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090101418.html\"\u003eHer Majesty's Man in Tashkhent\u003c/a\u003e  can be read in the Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was my welcome to Uzbekistan, a U.S. and British ally in the war on terror. Trying to tell the truth about the country cost me my job. Continuing to tell the truth about it dragged me into the Kafkaesque world of official censorship and gave me a taste of the kind of character assassination of which I once thought only a government like Uzbekistan's was capable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I arrived in Tashkent, in the summer of 2002, I was a 43-year-old career diplomat with two decades of varied experience, which included analyzing Iraqi efforts at weapons procurement and negotiating a peace treaty with Liberian President Charles Taylor. But nothing had prepared me for Uzbekistan, a country immediately north of Afghanistan in the heart of hydrocarbon-rich Central Asia. President Islam Karimov had reigned here as the Soviet satrap since 1989; after independence two years later, he had managed to make poverty and repression even worse than in Soviet times.\u003cbr/\u003eIn Karimov's Uzbekistan, no dissent is allowed. Media are state-controlled, and opposition parties are banned from elections. Millions of people, including children, toil on vast state-owned cotton farms, receiving some $2 a month for working 70-hour weeks. Their labor has made Uzbekistan the world's second-largest cotton exporter. More than 10,000 dissidents are held in Soviet-style gulags. Many are pro-democracy advocates, but anyone showing religious enthusiasm is also swept up. Most are Muslims, but Baptists and Jehovah's Witnesses are routinely persecuted, too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI saw this happening in a country regarded as a strategic friend by the United States, which was looking for well-placed allies after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Karimov had delivered for President Bush, allowing the United States to take over a major former Soviet airbase at Karshi-Khanabad to help wage war in neighboring Afghanistan; the several thousand U.S. forces stationed there were the first Americans permitted to serve in former Soviet territory. As a reward, Karimov had been Bush's guest for tea in the White House in March 2002.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was clear by the time I arrived in Tashkent a few months later that the United States was handsomely rewarding Karimov's cooperation. Hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid were flowing to the country -- after the U.S. government, evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, repeatedly certified that the Uzbek government was making progress on human rights and democracy. According to a press release distributed to local media by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent in December 2002, the Karimov regime received more than $500 million in U.S. aid that year alone. That included $120 million for the Uzbek armed forces and more than $80 million for the re-branded Uzbek security services, successor to the KGB.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMid-term Elections\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe outlook is grim for Republicans. While control of the Senate is expected to remain in their hands, the Congress is a different story.  So Bush and his team are out playing the card that has paid dividends in the past. Fifth anniversary of 9/11 is around the corner.  They are ramping up the fear factor -- national security, terrorism, and that they know best. The army's top brass made a hole in Bush and Rumsfeld's exhortations about success in Iraq.  But that is not going to stop them.  They are desperate and lies come easy to them. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Harris in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1863851,00.html\"\u003eThe Observer\u003c/a\u003e:  \"While 68 Iraqis have died in two days, the President talks up military success with an eye on the mid-term elections. Meanwhile, defence chiefs are ever more fearful of another Vietnam\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush yesterday denied that Iraq was plunging into civil war, just a day after the Pentagon painted a bloody picture of a nation caught in a spiral of increasing violence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis statement appears to widen the gap between the political message coming from a White House concerned about upcoming mid-term elections and a military establishment fearful of getting caught in another Vietnam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his weekly radio address to the nation, Bush lashed out at critics of the war and portrayed the conflict in Iraq as an integral part of the war on terror. He said the country was not sliding into civil war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'Our commanders and diplomats on the ground believe that Iraq has not descended into a civil war. They report that only a small number of Iraqis are engaged in sectarian violence,' he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat may be true, but the tone of Bush's speech was deeply at odds with a Pentagon report released late on Friday, which showed Iraqi casualties had soared by more than 50 per cent in recent months. The Pentagon often releases bad news late in the week in order to minimise press coverage and the study certainly made for grim reading.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday Morning Charivari"},{"content":" *The use of cluster bombs by the Israelis has received some attention but not enough. Numerous cluster bombs were used in air strikes in Lebanon. What was worse, most of them were dropped in the last few days of the conflict when cease fire was imminent. It is incomprehensible that the same people whose ancestors (some still alive) were victims of the holocaust during Hitler's Third Reich planned and carried out such fiendishly inhumane operations intended to kill and maim innocent people. No doubt some Hezbollah fighters would be among the dead. Does that justify it? Large supplies of cluster bombs were provided by America under the presidency of G.W. Bush.Washington Post (filed by Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters)A Decade to Clear Cluster BombsGENEVA (Reuters) - Clearing unexploded cluster bombs used by Israel in Lebanon during the month-long war, many of them U.S.-manufactured, could take 10 years, a British-based demining group said on Friday.\"We will be clearing unexploded cluster munitions from the rubble of the villages of southern Lebanon for another decade,\" said Simon Conway, director of Land mine Action. \"That is the grim reality,\" he told reporters in Geneva.Before the recent war between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in the south, demining teams were still clearing unexploded cluster munitions from Israel's 1978 and 1982 incursions into Lebanon, according to the advocacy group which is campaigning for an international ban on their use.Such weapons continue to kill and maim civilians, especially children, for years after a conflict, it said.MoreThree types of artillery-delivered cluster bombs were used by Israel in Lebanon -- two U.S.-made (M42 and M77) and one Israeli (M85), each with roughly the same failure rate of 40 percent, he said.So far, the United Nations has found 400 strike sites where cluster bombs -- \"a lot of them U.S.-manufactured\" -- were used, said David Shearer, U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon.The GuardianIsrael faced a stinging rebuke from the UN yesterday when the world body's humanitarian chief expressed shock at the \"completely immoral\" use of cluster bombs in Lebanon and Kofi Annan called for a rapid end to the conflict in Gaza.Jan Egeland said civilians were facing \"massive problems\" returning home because of as many as 100,000 unexploded cluster bombs, most of which were dropped in the last days of the war.\"What's shocking - and I would say to me completely immoral - is that 90% of the cluster bomb strikes occurred in the last 72 hours of the conflict, when we knew there would be a resolution,\" Mr Egeland said. \"Every day people are maimed, wounded and are killed by these ordnance.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/cluster-bombs---the-united-states-shameful-role/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe use of cluster bombs by the Israelis has received some attention but not enough.  Numerous  cluster bombs were used in air strikes in Lebanon.  What was worse, most of them were dropped in the last few days of the conflict when cease fire was imminent.  It is incomprehensible that the same people whose ancestors (some still alive) were victims of the holocaust during Hitler's Third Reich planned and carried out such  fiendishly inhumane operations intended to kill and maim innocent people.  No doubt some Hezbollah fighters would be among the dead.  Does that justify it?  Large supplies of cluster bombs were provided by America  under the presidency of G.W. Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090100565.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e (filed by Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Decade to Clear Cluster Bombs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGENEVA (Reuters) - Clearing unexploded cluster bombs used by Israel in Lebanon during the month-long war, many of them U.S.-manufactured, could take 10 years, a British-based demining group said on Friday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We will be clearing unexploded cluster munitions from the rubble of the villages of southern Lebanon for another decade,\" said Simon Conway, director of Land mine Action. \"That is the grim reality,\" he told reporters in Geneva.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBefore the recent war between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in the south, demining teams were still clearing unexploded cluster munitions from Israel's 1978 and 1982 incursions into Lebanon, according to the advocacy group which is campaigning for an international ban on their use.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuch weapons continue to kill and maim civilians, especially children, for years after a conflict, it said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThree types of artillery-delivered cluster bombs were used by Israel in Lebanon -- two U.S.-made (M42 and M77) and one Israeli (M85), each with roughly the same failure rate of 40 percent, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo far, the United Nations has found 400 strike sites where cluster bombs -- \"a lot of them U.S.-manufactured\" -- were used, said David Shearer, U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1861423,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIsrael faced a stinging rebuke from the UN yesterday when the world body's humanitarian chief expressed shock at the \"completely immoral\" use of cluster bombs in Lebanon and Kofi Annan called for a rapid end to the conflict in Gaza.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJan Egeland said civilians were facing \"massive problems\" returning home because of as many as 100,000 unexploded cluster bombs, most of which were dropped in the last days of the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What's shocking - and I would say to me completely immoral - is that 90% of the cluster bomb strikes occurred in the last 72 hours of the conflict, when we knew there would be a resolution,\" Mr Egeland said. \"Every day people are maimed, wounded and are killed by these ordnance.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Cluster Bombs - The United States' Shameful Role"},{"content":" Passages - 2006Summer is coming to an end. Three weeks before the autumnal equinox, the signs of change are creeping in. The mornings are dark when I wake up and there is that different feeling when I step out of the door -- the air is cooler and the sky looks different. The late Philip Hamburger described it amazingly well in a few words.A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.The beach house at Pajaro Dunes©MusafirOne for Christmas Card 2006?© www.eliz-art.comSky is the Limit © www.eliz-art.comSand Castle Builders© www.eliz-art.comChildren on the beach© www.eliz-art.comFather and daughters© www.eliz-art.comMargarita time© JHLAs in past years, I went away to the coast to spend a week with friends. Pajaro Dunes is only 50 miles away but in summer it feels like a different world. Much cooler and on most days the sun does not emerge until late afternoon. That did not dampen our spirits. We walked on the beach; the children froliced; watched dolphins and shore birds. Some played tennis while others went out for runs along the shore. When the tides came in the sound of the waves crashing could be heard from the beach house. There were interesting books, good music and conversation. We had great meals accompanied by copious amounts of wine. The days went by too quickly and it was time to return to the valley.Poet's CornerSay Summer/For My MotherI could give it back to you, perhaps in a season,say summer. I could give you leaf back, greengrass, sky full of rain, rootthat won't dig deeper, the names called outjust before sundown: Linda back, Susy back,Carolyn.I could give you back supperon the porch or the room without a breathof fresh air, back the little tears in the heat,the hot sleep on the kitchen floor,back the talk in the great dark,the voices low on the lawnso the children can't hear,say summer, say father, say mother:Ruth and Mary and Esther, names in a book,names I remember -- I could give you back this name,and back the breath to say it with --we all know we'll die of our children --back the tree bent over the water,back the sun burning down,back the witness back each morning.---Stanley PlumlyWashington Post: Robert Pinsky - Poet's Choice ","permalink":"/posts/2006/09/the-ache-of-summer/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePassages - 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSummer is coming to an end.  Three weeks before the autumnal equinox, the signs of change are creeping in.  The mornings are dark when I wake up and there is that  different feeling when I step out of the door -- the air is cooler and the sky looks different. The late Philip Hamburger described it amazingly well in a few words.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe beach house at Pajaro Dunes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/The Beach House at Pajaro Dunes.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne for Christmas Card 2006?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/One for Christmas Card.jpg\"/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.eliz-art.com/\" onclick=\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.eliz-art.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSky is the Limit\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/Sky is the Limit.jpg\"/\u003e © \u003ca href=\"http://www.eliz-art.com/\" onclick=\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.eliz-art.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSand Castle Builders\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/Sandcastle Builders.jpg\"/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.eliz-art.com/\" onclick=\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.eliz-art.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChildren on the beach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/Playing on the Sand.jpg\"/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.eliz-art.com/\" onclick=\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.eliz-art.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1412/573/400/Sisters.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFather and daughters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/Father and daughters.jpg\"/\u003e© \u003ca href=\"http://www.eliz-art.com/\" onclick=\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.eliz-art.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMargarita time\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/09/At Pajaro Dunes Sept.2005.jpg\"/\u003e© JHL\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs in past years, I went away to the coast to spend a week with friends.  Pajaro Dunes is only 50 miles away but in summer it feels like a different world.  Much cooler and on most days the sun does not emerge until late afternoon.  That did not dampen our spirits.  We walked on the beach; the children froliced; watched dolphins and shore birds.  Some played tennis while others went out for runs along the shore.  When the tides came in the sound of the waves crashing could be heard from the beach house.  There were interesting books, good music and conversation. We had great meals accompanied by copious amounts of wine. The days went by too quickly and it was time to return to the valley.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoet's Corner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSay Summer/For My Mother\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI could give it back to you, perhaps in a season,\u003cbr/\u003esay summer. I could give you leaf back, green\u003cbr/\u003egrass, sky full of rain, root\u003cbr/\u003ethat won't dig deeper, the names called out\u003cbr/\u003ejust before sundown: Linda back, Susy back,\u003cbr/\u003eCarolyn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI could give you back supper\u003cbr/\u003eon the porch or the room without a breath\u003cbr/\u003eof fresh air, back the little tears in the heat,\u003cbr/\u003ethe hot sleep on the kitchen floor,\u003cbr/\u003eback the talk in the great dark,\u003cbr/\u003ethe voices low on the lawn\u003cbr/\u003eso the children can't hear,\u003cbr/\u003esay summer, say father, say mother:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuth and Mary and Esther, names in a book,\u003cbr/\u003enames I remember -- I could give you back this name,\u003cbr/\u003eand back the breath to say it with --\u003cbr/\u003ewe all know we'll die of our children --\u003cbr/\u003eback the tree bent over the water,\u003cbr/\u003eback the sun burning down,\u003cbr/\u003eback the witness back each morning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Stanley Plumly\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/27/AR2006072701180_3.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: Robert Pinsky - Poet's Choice\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"The Ache of Summer\""},{"content":" *On the offensive in a last ditch effort to prevent a debacle in November or are they circling the wagons to save themselves ? One thing is clear. They are desperate. A day after Donald Rumsfeld spoke before the American Foreign Legion about critics of Iraq war as \"extremists waging 'a new type of fascism'\", President Bush begins the first of a series of talks over the next 20 days. The American public heard this before and were not convinced. Nothing has changed. Can they be persuaded to fall in line? \"President Bush and his surrogates are launching a new campaign intended to rebuild support for the war in Iraq by accusing the opposition of aiming to appease terrorists and cut off funding for troops on the battlefield, charges that many Democrats say distort their stated positions.\"With an appearance before the American Legion in Salt Lake City today, Bush will begin a series of speeches over 20 days centered on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he and his top lieutenants have foreshadowed in recent days the thrust of the effort to put Democrats on the defensive with rhetoric that has further inflamed an already emotional debate.Bush suggested last week that Democrats are promising voters to block additional money for continuing the war. Vice President Cheney this week said critics \"claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone.\" And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, citing passivity toward Nazi Germany before World War II, said that \"many have still not learned history's lessons\" and \"believe that somehow vicious extremists can be appeased.\"Pressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone. But White House and Republican officials said those are logical interpretations of the most common Democratic position favoring a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-president-and-his-attack-dogs/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the offensive in a last ditch effort to prevent a debacle in November or are they circling the wagons to  save  themselves ? One thing is clear.  They are desperate.  A day after \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/29/AR2006082900585.html\"\u003eDonald Rumsfeld\u003c/a\u003e spoke before the American Foreign Legion about  critics of Iraq war as \"extremists  waging 'a new type of fascism'\", President Bush begins the first of a series of talks over the next 20 days.  The American public heard this before and were not convinced.   Nothing has changed.  Can they be persuaded to fall in line?  \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083003177.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e and his surrogates are launching a new campaign intended to rebuild support for the war in Iraq by accusing the opposition of aiming to appease terrorists and cut off funding for troops on the battlefield, charges that many Democrats say distort their stated positions.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith an appearance before the American Legion in Salt Lake City today, Bush will begin a series of speeches over 20 days centered on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he and his top lieutenants have foreshadowed in recent days the thrust of the effort to put Democrats on the defensive with rhetoric that has further inflamed an already emotional debate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush suggested last week that Democrats are promising voters to block additional money for continuing the war. Vice President Cheney this week said critics \"claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone.\" And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, citing passivity toward Nazi Germany before World War II, said that \"many have still not learned history's lessons\" and \"believe that somehow vicious extremists can be appeased.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone. But White House and Republican officials said those are logical interpretations of the most common Democratic position favoring a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The President and His Attack Dogs"},{"content":" The President went and did his thing. Photo opportunities galore. Platitudes aplenty. As details emerge of what has actually been accomplished for reconstruction of New Orleans the consensus is clear -- very little. FEMA is not a scapegoat. Its ineptitude to cope and mismanagement of funds are glaring. \"Bush again accepted responsibility for the botched federal response to Katrina. \"The hurricane . . . brought terrible scenes that we never thought we would see in America,\" Bush told a friendly audience gathered at Warren Easton Senior High School. \"Citizens drowned in their attics, desperate mothers crying out on national TV for food and water, a breakdown of law and order, and a government at all levels that fell short of its responsibilities.\"The White House carefully chose the scenes it wanted to highlight on this, the anniversary of one of Bush's biggest political embarrassments. Warren Easton is the city's oldest public high school and, like others, shut down after the city flooded. It has reformulated itself as a charter school, with greater leeway to set its own rules and have its own board.In anticipation of the president's visit, school employees scrambled to complete work on plumbing and electricity, according to the principal, Alexina Medley, and the entire first floor remained gutted. Still, Warren Easton will reopen next week a year ahead of schedule, with about 800 students expected to attend, about a third fewer than before.Jennifer Loven's report in the Post reveals the orchestrated events during the President's visit. \"NEW ORLEANS -- President Bush comforted this city that lost so much in Hurricane Katrina and has regained so little in the year since. Amid the raw sorrow of Tuesday's anniversary, the president selected a few beacons of hope to give a lift to struggling Gulf communities and his own still-smarting presidency. He scarfed hot cakes with happy patrons at Betsy's Pancake House, a reopened hangout in a downtrodden, flood-stained New Orleans neighborhood. He chose as a speech backdrop a new charter school viewed as a sign of the city's commitment to a better post-Katrina educational system. He scarfed hot cakes with happy patrons at Betsy's Pancake House, a reopened hangout in a downtrodden, flood-stained New Orleans neighborhood. He chose as a speech backdrop a new charter school viewed as a sign of the city's commitment to a better post-Katrina educational system.\"Recommended reading:Disaster Capitalism: how to make money out of misery - Naomi Klein, The Guardian. \"The privatisation of aid after Katrina offers a glimpse of a terrifying future in which only the wealthy are saved\" The first step was the government's abdication of its core responsibility to protect the population from disasters. Under the Bush administration, whole sectors of the government, most notably the Department of Homeland Security, have been turned into glorified temp agencies, with essential functions contracted out to private companies. The theory is that entrepreneurs, driven by the profit motive, are always more efficient (please suspend hysterical laughter). ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/a-year-after-katrina-the-poor-gets-poorer/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President went and did his thing.  Photo opportunities galore.  Platitudes aplenty.  As details emerge of what has actually been accomplished for reconstruction of New Orleans the consensus is clear --  very little.  FEMA is not a scapegoat.  Its ineptitude to cope and mismanagement of funds are glaring.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/29/AR2006082901289.html\"\u003eBush\u003c/a\u003e again accepted responsibility for the botched federal response to Katrina. \"The hurricane . . . brought terrible scenes that we never thought we would see in America,\" Bush told a friendly audience gathered at Warren Easton Senior High School. \"Citizens drowned in their attics, desperate mothers crying out on national TV for food and water, a breakdown of law and order, and a government at all levels that fell short of its responsibilities.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe White House carefully chose the scenes it wanted to highlight on this, the anniversary of one of Bush's biggest political embarrassments. Warren Easton is the city's oldest public high school and, like others, shut down after the city flooded. It has reformulated itself as a charter school, with greater leeway to set its own rules and have its own board.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn anticipation of the president's visit, school employees scrambled to complete work on plumbing and electricity, according to the principal, Alexina Medley, and the entire first floor remained gutted. Still, Warren Easton will reopen next week a year ahead of schedule, with about 800 students expected to attend, about a third fewer than before.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJennifer Loven's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083000681.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reveals the orchestrated events during the President's visit.  \"NEW ORLEANS -- President Bush comforted this city that lost so much in Hurricane Katrina and has regained so little in the year since. Amid the raw sorrow of Tuesday's anniversary, the president selected a few beacons of hope to give a lift to struggling Gulf communities and his own still-smarting presidency. He scarfed hot cakes with happy patrons at Betsy's Pancake House, a reopened hangout in a downtrodden, flood-stained New Orleans neighborhood. He chose as a speech backdrop a new charter school viewed as a sign of the city's commitment to a better post-Katrina educational system. He scarfed hot cakes with happy patrons at Betsy's Pancake House, a reopened hangout in a downtrodden, flood-stained New Orleans neighborhood. He chose as a speech backdrop a new charter school viewed as a sign of the city's commitment to a better post-Katrina educational system.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eRecommended reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1860821,00.html\"\u003eDisaster Capitalism: how to make money out of misery\u003c/a\u003e - Naomi Klein, The Guardian.  \"The privatisation of aid after Katrina offers a glimpse of a terrifying future in which only the wealthy are saved\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first step was the government's abdication of its core responsibility to protect the population from disasters. Under the Bush administration, whole sectors of the government, most notably the Department of Homeland Security, have been turned into glorified temp agencies, with essential functions contracted out to private companies. The theory is that entrepreneurs, driven by the profit motive, are always more efficient (please suspend hysterical laughter).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Year After Katrina: The Poor Gets Poorer"},{"content":" A Wide Gap * Brits Bend Over Backward to Appease Muslims * GOP Candidates Deserting The President's WarWho is Nursultan Nazarbayev ? President of Kazakhstan, an autocratic ruler who has a history of suppressing dissent. Reported to be involved in a bribery scandal, he is a friend of President Bush. Peter Baker writes in the Post: \"President Bush launched an initiative this month to combat international kleptocracy, the sort of high-level corruption by foreign officials that he called \"a grave and corrosive abuse of power\" that \"threatens our national interest and violates our values.\" The plan, he said, would be \"a critical component of our freedom agenda.\" Three weeks later, the White House is making arrangements to host the leader of Kazakhstan, an autocrat who runs a nation that is anything but free and who has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of pocketing the bulk of $78 million in bribes from an American businessman. Not only will President Nursultan Nazarbayev visit the White House, people involved say, but he also will travel to the Bush family compound in Maine.\"Nazarbayev's upcoming visit, according to analysts and officials, offers a case study in the competing priorities of the Bush administration at a time when the president has vowed to fight for democracy and against corruption around the globe. Nazarbayev has banned opposition parties, intimidated the press and profited from his post, according to the U.S. government. But he also sits atop massive oil reserves that have helped open doors in Washington.\nNazarbayev is hardly the only controversial figure received at the top levels of the Bush administration. In April, the president welcomed to the Oval Office the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, who has been accused of rigging elections. And Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the president of Equatorial Guinea, who has been found to have millions of dollars stashed in overseas bank accounts.\nPolitical Correctness or Fear of Terrorism ?The Guardian reported that a Bangladeshi/British photographer has been the victim of censorship, apparently in an effort to stop offending Muslim audience. Syra Miah's exhibition included \"image of a semi-naked woman\"! Astounding.The GuardianCharlotte Higgins, Arts CorrespondentA Bangladeshi-British photographer is complaining that her work has been censored by the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. A documentary work made in Bangladesh by Syra Miah and shown as part of the museum's Art and Islam exhibitions was removed because it contained an image of a semi-naked woman.The museum said it had been advised some days after the show opened to the public on July 8 that the image could offend a Muslim audience. However, Ms Miah, 29, rejected the suggestion. The image had not been mentioned by visitors in the museum's comments book, on its website, or indeed by her own family, \"who are very conservative\", she said.Article continues\"I felt that the whole message behind my show had been undermined by this censorship,\" she said. \"During the editing process the curators seemed to want images in the exhibition that portrayed Bangladesh as another colourful Asian country. Sadly, the removal of this image, the only image in the show that could be interpreted as gritty, confirmed my growing cynical view that the museum wanted to perpetuate a myth about Muslim societies: that nudity isn't tolerated. In Bangladeshi society - at least the one I witnessed - it clearly is.\"The partially dressed figure in the image was actually a mentally ill woman who had made a home of a bus shelter. She was looked after by locals who made sure she was out of danger and fed. I think this shows a compassionate view of Islamic society.\"Midterm ElectionsThe heading for E.J. Dionne's column reads \"Slowly Sidling to Iraq's Exit\". One gets the feeling that the sidling could become a stampede. The fear is palpable. \"By Election Day, how many Republican candidates will have come out against the Iraq war or distanced themselves from the administration's policies?\" But don't expect the warrior in the White House and VP \"Last Throes\" Cheney to ever admit that things are not going well in Iraq. August 2006 will be remembered as a watershed in the politics of Iraq. It is the month in which a majority of Americans told pollsters that the struggle for Iraq was not connected to the larger war on terrorism. They thus renounced a proposition the administration has pushed relentlessly since it began making the case four years ago to invade Iraq.That poll finding, from a New York Times-CBS News survey, came to life on the campaign trail when Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.), one of the most articulate supporters of the war, announced last Thursday that he favored a time frame for withdrawing troops. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-09-01 The Artists Circle seem to have issued a statement regarding this: http://artistscircle.org.uk/statement.htm ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/between-the-presidents-mouth-and-his-acts/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Wide Gap * Brits Bend Over Backward to Appease Muslims * GOP Candidates Deserting The President's War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWho is Nursultan Nazarbayev ? President of Kazakhstan, an autocratic ruler who has a history of suppressing dissent. Reported to be involved in a bribery scandal, he is a friend of President Bush. Peter Baker writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/28/AR2006082801282.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"President Bush launched an initiative this month to combat international kleptocracy, the sort of high-level corruption by foreign officials that he called \"a grave and corrosive abuse of power\" that \"threatens our national interest and violates our values.\" The plan, he said, would be \"a critical component of our freedom agenda.\" Three weeks later, the White House is making arrangements to host the leader of Kazakhstan, an autocrat who runs a nation that is anything but free and who has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of pocketing the bulk of $78 million in bribes from an American businessman. Not only will President Nursultan Nazarbayev visit the White House, people involved say, but he also will travel to the Bush family compound in Maine.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"590\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eNazarbayev's upcoming visit, according to analysts and officials, offers a case study in the competing priorities of the Bush administration at a time when the president has vowed to fight for democracy and against corruption around the globe. Nazarbayev has banned opposition parties, intimidated the press and profited from his post, according to the U.S. government. But he also sits atop massive oil reserves that have helped open doors in Washington.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Between The President's Mouth and His Acts"},{"content":" Women's Right to ChooseThe abortion issue has taken center stage in South Dakota. The Post: \"South Dakota is the unlikely home of this year's most intense duel over abortion, a Nov. 7 referendum to decide the future of HB 1215, a measure that would institute a broad ban on the procedure. No exceptions would be allowed for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest -- abortion would be permitted only when the mother's life is in jeopardy.\"Partisans across the nation are delivering money and tactical advice on an issue that has divided residents of the state. South Dakota's fight could be a harbinger of political battles across the country should the Supreme Court strike down Roe v. Wade , the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.\n\"This has become the focal point in the country for the choice debate,\" said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, which is channeling cash into the campaign. \"The stakes are very high, especially for us to win in November and again say America is pro-choice, America doesn't think politicians should be involved in these private decisions, and enough is enough.\"\nA fresh poll suggests voters are inclined to oppose the law as too severe. In a late-July sounding, opponents of the ban held an eight-point lead, with 14 percent undecided.\nBack in February I commented on this subject after reading that Governor of South Dakota, Mike Rounds (R) said that he was inclined to sign the bill which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it was necessary to save the woman's life. The measure would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.Thought that it would be appropriate to reproduce what I wrote then.What a chaste group of people with high moral values! Are they, really? Are we to believe that they grew up without indulging in pre-marital sex? That they waited for holy matrimony before their first sexual experience? May be they didn't even masturbate. Just prayed or took a cold shower when they got the urge. Possible? Give them the benefit of the doubt...some might. The more likely explanation is that all of them indulged in youthful indiscretions--- the terminology made famous by G.W. Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign. That could cover a gamut of what the holy rollers consider sinful, immoral activities. Then one day they saw the light and decided not to allow anyone else to engage in them. Just say \"No\" to sex. Power is an aphrodisiac. The modern day Torquemadas in South Dakota are charged up. Praise the Lord and do it in the missionary position...any other is taboo.The issue is bound to head for the Supreme Court on a fast track. It would be interesting to see how the justices, especially Roberts and Alito, who spoke about respect for \"precedence\" during their confirmation hearings, vote.Here is an item to lighten up a little. After reading about the hypocrites in South Dakota one needs something that is more earthly.(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")Plan B (Emergency Contraceptive)After dragging its feet for more than two years to appease the conservative Christians, on August 24th the FDA approved sale of Plan B Emergency Contraceptive (also known as the Morning After Pill) without prescription to women 18 years of age and older. Younger women will require a prescription to buy the product.See Washington Post Editorial Aug.25, 2006Wolters Kluwer - Facts \u0026amp; Comparisons ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/battleground-south-dakota---hb1215/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWomen's Right to Choose\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe abortion issue has taken center stage in South Dakota.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/27/AR2006082700773.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"South Dakota is the unlikely home of this year's most intense duel over abortion, a Nov. 7 referendum to decide the future of HB 1215, a measure that would institute a broad ban on the procedure. No exceptions would be allowed for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest -- abortion would be permitted only when the mother's life is in jeopardy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003ePartisans across the nation are delivering money and tactical advice on an issue that has divided residents of the state. South Dakota's fight could be a harbinger of political battles across the country should the Supreme Court strike down \u003ci\u003eRoe v. Wade\u003c/i\u003e , the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Battleground South Dakota - HB1215"},{"content":" Same old, same oldEleanor Clift wrote in Newsweek about the Fear Factor and President Bush. Nothing new; others have remarked about the subject, that the president and offcials in his administration thrive on ramping up threat of terrorism at every opportunity. There are times when opportunities are created and the threats exaggerated. Ever since 9/11 terrorists have become their life rope, and they show no sign of giving it up. They cannot survive without it.With 876 days to go before this president leaves the White House we are stuck. We cannot stop him from continuing with his lies but we don't have to believe him. The failures -- from the war in Iraq to reconstruction of the area ravaged by Katrina -- of his administration can no longer be in hidden. More and more people are tuning him off. That is how it should be.Elenaor Clift - NewsweekBush’s original sin was to politicize U.S. intervention in Iraq. He used the war to transform an aimless presidency into one of Churchillian dimensions, and now that it’s all turned sour, he has nothing to fall back on. Bush is as beleaguered now as Lyndon Johnson was during Vietnam—with one key difference. The worse the news is from Iraq, the more positive Bush is that he’s right. As Vietnam raged on, Johnson became less certain he was doing the right thing.Victory no longer appears possible in Iraq, yet Bush’s rhetoric is more bullish than ever about the correctness of his course. U.S. forces are not leaving Iraq as long as he’s president. His model is Prime Minister Winston Churchill, defeated by an ungrateful British public after leading the country through war, a lonely figure vindicated by history. To achieve stability in Iraq, Thomas Ricks, Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post and author of “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” (Penguin 2006), says U.S. forces can expect to stay for 10 to 15 years, on top of the three they’ve already been there. “And that’s the optimistic scenario,” he says.A Republican Bigot Speaks Out in FloridaRemember Kathleen Harris and her role in the 2000 presidential election ? At that time she was Florida's Secretary of State. She won a seat in Congress in 2002 and is currently the Republican contender for U.S. Senate. This is what the Post reported \"ORLANDO, Aug. 25 -- Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) said this week that God did not intend for the United States to be a \"nation of secular laws\" and that the separation of church and state is a \"lie we have been told\" to keep religious people out of politics.\"\"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin,\" Harris told interviewers from the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. She cited abortion and same-sex marriage as examples of that sin.Harris, a candidate in the Sept. 5 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, said her religious beliefs \"animate\" everything she does, including her votes in Congress. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-bush-presidency---days-left-876/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSame old, same old\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEleanor Clift wrote in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14515978/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e about the Fear Factor and President Bush. Nothing new; others have remarked about the subject,  that the president and offcials in his administration thrive on ramping up threat of terrorism at every opportunity. There are times when opportunities are created and the threats exaggerated. Ever since 9/11 terrorists have become their life rope, and they show no sign of giving it up. They cannot survive without it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWith 876 days to go before this president leaves the White House we are stuck. We cannot stop him from continuing with his lies but we don't have to believe him. The failures -- from the war in Iraq to reconstruction of the area ravaged by Katrina -- of his administration can no longer be in hidden. More and more people are tuning him off. That is how it should be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14515978/site/newsweek/\"\u003eElenaor Clift - Newsweek\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush’s original sin was to politicize U.S. intervention in Iraq. He used the war to transform an aimless presidency into one of Churchillian dimensions, and now that it’s all turned sour, he has nothing to fall back on. Bush is as beleaguered now as Lyndon Johnson was during Vietnam—with one key difference. The worse the news is from Iraq, the more positive Bush is that he’s right. As Vietnam raged on, Johnson became less certain he was doing the right thing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVictory no longer appears possible in Iraq, yet Bush’s rhetoric is more bullish than ever about the correctness of his course. U.S. forces are not leaving Iraq as long as he’s president. His model is Prime Minister Winston Churchill, defeated by an ungrateful British public after leading the country through war, a lonely figure vindicated by history. To achieve stability in Iraq, Thomas Ricks, Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post and author of “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” (Penguin 2006), says U.S. forces can expect to stay for 10 to 15 years, on top of the three they’ve already been there. “And that’s the optimistic scenario,” he says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Republican Bigot Speaks Out in Florida\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRemember Kathleen Harris and her role in the 2000 presidential election ?  At that time she was Florida's Secretary of State.  She won a seat in Congress in 2002 and is currently the Republican contender for U.S. Senate.  This is what the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/25/AR2006082501640.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported  \"ORLANDO, Aug. 25 -- Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) said this week that God did not intend for the United States to be a \"nation of secular laws\" and that the separation of church and state is a \"lie we have been told\" to keep religious people out of politics.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin,\" Harris told interviewers from the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. She cited abortion and same-sex marriage as examples of that sin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHarris, a candidate in the Sept. 5 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, said her religious beliefs \"animate\" everything she does, including her votes in Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Bush Presidency - Days left: 876"},{"content":" And the Fallout from KatrinaDuring the Vietnam war President Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard but the records of his service are somewhat murky. Our hawkish Vice-president Cheney never served in the army; he took deferments during the Vietnam war. In 1989 he said to Joseph Wilson of the Washington Post \"I had other priorities in the '60s than military service\".Current and former officials of the Bush Administration who never served: Paul Wolfowitz, former Deputy Secretary of Defense George Tenet, former CIA Director Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of StateElliott Abrams, Deputy National Security AdviserKarl Rove, Head,Office of Political AffairsProminent Republicans who never served: John Ashcroft, former U.S. Attorney General. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House Tom Delay, former House Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader Roy Blunt, House WhipSaxby Chambliss, (attacked Max Cleland) Jon Kyl, Senator (R-AZ) Phil Gramm Rick Santorum, Senator (R-PA) Trent Lott, US SenatorNewt Gingrich, Former Speaker Rudy Giuliani, Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor New York City George Pataki, NY Governer Jeb Bush, Florida Governor Source: Political Intelligence by Alan Simpson(updated by the writer)What brought this up? An article by Gary Younge in The Guardian. In \"We shall not be moved\", he wrote about soldiers who deserted from the war in Iraq and their feelings about it. \"Some joined the US military as a patriotic duty, some to better themselves, but the horrors of serving in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib, changed everything. Deserters tell Gary Younge why they had to quit.\" Excerpts:For Camilo Mejia there was no epiphany. In fact, his refusal to rejoin his regiment in Iraq barely represented a decision at all. It was more a weary submission to months of anxiety that had gnawed at his sense of duty until there was nothing left but his conscience. \"I didn't wake up thinking I wouldn't go,\" he says. \"I just went to bed and didn't get up in time to catch the plane. But I kept thinking maybe I would go back sometime.\"Mejia, 30, never did go back. He went on the run for five months, staying with friends and relatives, using only cash, travelling by bus and not calling his mother or daughter, before he turned himself in as a conscientious objector. A military tribunal sentenced him to one year in prison.Like Mejia, 24-year-old Darrell Anderson went on the run just a few days before he was due to redeploy. \"I was supposed to leave for Iraq on January 8th. On the 3rd I started to talk to people about the war. By the 6th I woke up and had hit a brick wall. I just knew I wasn't going to be able to live a normal life if I went back.\"He told his mother, Anita, who said she \"had been hoping for that\". \"I packed up the car and took him to Canada. It was the first time I slept through the night in two years,\" she says. Anderson is now essentially a fugitive seeking asylum in Canada.And then there was Joshua Casteel, an interrogator at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. His turning point came when a 22-year-old Saudi who came to Iraq for jihad was brought before him for questioning. \"He admitted it,\" says Casteel, 26, a deeply religious Catholic convert from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. \"I asked him why he had come to Iraq to kill. Then he asked me why I had come to Iraq to kill. He said I wasn't following the teachings of Jesus, which was pretty ironic. But I thought he sounded just like me. He was not a maniacal kind of killer. He had never fired a weapon in his life ... I know what it's like to proselytise. At one time I had been a pretty nationalistic kid. I understood where he was coming from but in order to do my job I couldn't look at him as a human being. I had to look at him as an object of exploitation.\"Two days later Casteel went to Qatar on leave. When he came back he told his commander that he would be applying for conscientious objector status. \"I said I wouldn't turn in my weapon while I was there or talk to the media but would carry on doing my job and when I got back home I would ask to leave the military.\" He filed his application on February 16 and was granted an honourable discharge on May 31.Whether you call them deserters, conscientious objectors or resisters, every story of American soldiers who left the army prematurely because of the Iraq war shares the same emotional trajectory. They begin with doubt and end with determination. And somewhere along the way comes that ill-defined but crucial moment when the psychological struggle and moral angst overwhelm their military commitment.The number applying for conscientious objector status has quadrupled since 2000 but remains small, though many more simply go awol. In 2004, 110 soldiers filed, of whom around half were successful. The rest went back to war, refused to serve, were jailed or are still in hiding. Yet there has been a huge increase in enquiries, according to JE McNeil, director of the Centre on Conscience and War. Before 9/11, she says, its GI hotline received roughly one phone call a month from those seeking information about how to get out of the military. In the year after, it went up to one or two a week. Currently it stands at more than one a day.As of August 25th, U.S. military fatalities total 2,621 including 43 who died this month. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties*It is not only the mess that he created in Iraq but also the ghost of Katrina that President Bush is unable to shake off. Jonathan Weisman and Michael Abramowitz in the Post: \"From the demise of his Social Security overhaul to the war in Iraq, many factors have contributed to Bush's slide in popularity in the past year. But the winds of Katrina may have been the force that finally wrenched the Bush presidency off its moorings, these observers said.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/hawks-chickenhawks-and-deserters/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the Fallout from Katrina\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring the Vietnam war President Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard but the records of his service are somewhat murky. Our hawkish Vice-president Cheney never served in the army; he took deferments during the Vietnam war. In 1989 he said to Joseph Wilson of the Washington Post \"I had other priorities in the '60s than military service\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrent and former officials of the Bush Administration who never served:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003ePaul              Wolfowitz, former Deputy Secretary of Defense\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eGeorge              Tenet, former CIA Director\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eCondoleezza              Rice, Secretary of State\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eElliott Abrams, Deputy National Security Adviser\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eKarl            Rove, Head,Office of Political Affairs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eProminent Republicans who never served:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eJohn              Ashcroft, former U.S. Attorney General.\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eDennis              Hastert, Speaker of the House\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eTom              Delay, former House Majority Leader\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eBill              Frist, Senate Majority Leader\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eRoy            Blunt, House Whip\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eSaxby            Chambliss, (attacked Max Cleland)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eJon              Kyl, Senator (R-AZ) \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003ePhil            Gramm \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eRick              Santorum, Senator (R-PA)\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eTrent            Lott, US Senator\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eNewt            Gingrich, Former Speaker\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eRudy              Giuliani, Former NYC Mayor\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eMichael              Bloomberg, Mayor New York City\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eGeorge            Pataki, NY Governer\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eJeb              Bush, Florida Governor\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=115653951030880011\"\u003ePolitical Intelligence by Alan Simpson\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(updated by the writer)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat brought this up?  An article by Gary Younge in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1857415,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e.  In \"We shall not be moved\", he wrote about soldiers who deserted from the war in Iraq and their feelings about it.  \"Some joined the US military as a patriotic duty, some to better themselves, but the horrors of serving in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib, changed everything. Deserters tell Gary Younge why they had to quit.\"  Excerpts:\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"630\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Camilo Mejia there was no epiphany. In fact, his refusal to rejoin his regiment in Iraq barely represented a decision at all. It was more a weary submission to months of anxiety that had gnawed at his sense of duty until there was nothing left but his conscience. \"I didn't wake up thinking I wouldn't go,\" he says. \"I just went to bed and didn't get up in time to catch the plane. But I kept thinking maybe I would go back sometime.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMejia, 30, never did go back. He went on the run for five months, staying with friends and relatives, using only cash, travelling by bus and not calling his mother or daughter, before he turned himself in as a conscientious objector. A military tribunal sentenced him to one year in prison.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike Mejia, 24-year-old Darrell Anderson went on the run just a few days before he was due to redeploy. \"I was supposed to leave for Iraq on January 8th. On the 3rd I started to talk to people about the war. By the 6th I woke up and had hit a brick wall. I just knew I wasn't going to be able to live a normal life if I went back.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe told his mother, Anita, who said she \"had been hoping for that\". \"I packed up the car and took him to Canada. It was the first time I slept through the night in two years,\" she says. Anderson is now essentially a fugitive seeking asylum in Canada.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd then there was Joshua Casteel, an interrogator at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. His turning point came when a 22-year-old Saudi who came to Iraq for jihad was brought before him for questioning. \"He admitted it,\" says Casteel, 26, a deeply religious Catholic convert from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. \"I asked him why he had come to Iraq to kill. Then he asked me why I had come to Iraq to kill. He said I wasn't following the teachings of Jesus, which was pretty ironic. But I thought he sounded just like me. He was not a maniacal kind of killer. He had never fired a weapon in his life ... I know what it's like to proselytise. At one time I had been a pretty nationalistic kid. I understood where he was coming from but in order to do my job I couldn't look at him as a human being. I had to look at him as an object of exploitation.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo days later Casteel went to Qatar on leave. When he came back he told his commander that he would be applying for conscientious objector status. \"I said I wouldn't turn in my weapon while I was there or talk to the media but would carry on doing my job and when I got back home I would ask to leave the military.\" He filed his application on February 16 and was granted an honourable discharge on May 31.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"630\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhether you call them deserters, conscientious objectors or resisters, every story of American soldiers who left the army prematurely because of the Iraq war shares the same emotional trajectory. They begin with doubt and end with determination. And somewhere along the way comes that ill-defined but crucial moment when the psychological struggle and moral angst overwhelm their military commitment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number applying for conscientious objector status has quadrupled since 2000 but remains small, though many more simply go awol. In 2004, 110 soldiers filed, of whom around half were successful. The rest went back to war, refused to serve, were jailed or are still in hiding. Yet there has been a huge increase in enquiries, according to JE McNeil, director of the Centre on Conscience and War. Before 9/11, she says, its GI hotline received roughly one phone call a month from those seeking information about how to get out of the military. In the year after, it went up to one or two a week. Currently it stands at more than one a day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs of August 25th, U.S. military fatalities total 2,621 including 43 who died this month.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is not only the mess that he created in Iraq but also the ghost of Katrina that President Bush is unable to shake off.  Jonathan Weisman and Michael Abramowitz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/25/AR2006082501481.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"From the demise of his Social Security overhaul to the war in Iraq, many factors have contributed to Bush's slide in popularity in the past year. But the winds of Katrina may have been the force that finally wrenched the Bush presidency off its moorings, these observers said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Hawks (Chickenhawks) and  Deserters"},{"content":" Ehud Olmert On Shaky Grounds Less than two weeks after the cease fire agreement, a movement calling for resignation of Prime Minister Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz for mishandling the war is gaining strength. In a report filed from Jerusalem, Rory McCarthy of The Guardian wrote: \"A poll in the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper showed 63% want Mr Olmert to go. The defence minister, Amir Peretz, appears even more vulnerable with 74% calling for his resignation, while 54% want the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, to resign as well.\" And in the mess that is Iraq Shias and Sunnis continue to kill each other in a frenzy. Ellen Knickmeyer in the Post: \"These cases do not need to go back to the religious courts,\" said the commander, who sat elbow to elbow with a fellow fighter in a short-sleeved, striped shirt. Neither displayed weapons. \"Our constitution, the Koran, dictates killing for those who kill.\"The GuardianThe poll reflects growing disillusionment within Israeli society about the 34-day conflict with Hizbullah and the fact that the country emerged without any clear victory over the Lebanese militia. The two Israeli soldiers whose capture triggered the conflict are still not free. The war claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people in Lebanon, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.Hundreds of protesters, many of them waving Israeli flags, gathered at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem to call for Mr Olmert's resignation. Among them were military reservists who have led criticism of the war as well as Moshe and Riva Moskal, whose son Rafael, a 21-year-old staff sergeant, was killed in the fighting.\"We think this country deserves better leadership,\" said Mrs Moskal. \"The north was bombed and they didn't do anything. They failed there, they failed here,\" she said. \"We feel lost. We feel there is no leadership and we feel as parents that we lost the most precious thing we had.\"We believe it was our duty to raise a voice of protest. This beautiful Israeli nation is strong but has values which seem to have been lost in the last few years.\"*Washington PostHis comments offered a rare acknowledgment of the role of the Mahdi Army in the sectarian bloodletting that has killed more than 10,400 Iraqis in recent months. The Mahdi Army is the militia of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, now one of the most powerful figures in the country. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/summer-of-discontent-in-israel/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eEhud Olmert  On Shaky Grounds  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLess than two weeks after the cease fire agreement, a movement calling for resignation of Prime Minister Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz for mishandling the war is gaining strength. In a report filed from Jerusalem, Rory McCarthy of \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1858513,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e wrote: \"A poll in the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper showed 63% want Mr Olmert to go. The defence minister, Amir Peretz, appears even more vulnerable with 74% calling for his resignation, while 54% want the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, to resign as well.\"  And in the mess that is Iraq  Shias and Sunnis continue to kill each other in a frenzy.  Ellen Knickmeyer in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/24/AR2006082401721.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"These cases do not need to go back to the religious courts,\" said the commander, who sat elbow to elbow with a fellow fighter in a short-sleeved, striped shirt. Neither displayed weapons. \"Our constitution, the Koran, dictates killing for those who kill.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1858513,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe poll reflects growing disillusionment within Israeli society about the 34-day conflict with Hizbullah and the fact that the country emerged without any clear victory over the Lebanese militia. The two Israeli soldiers whose capture triggered the conflict are still not free. The war claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people in Lebanon, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHundreds of protesters, many of them waving Israeli flags, gathered at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem to call for Mr Olmert's resignation. Among them were military reservists who have led criticism of the war as well as Moshe and Riva Moskal, whose son Rafael, a 21-year-old staff sergeant, was killed in the fighting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We think this country deserves better leadership,\" said Mrs Moskal. \"The north was bombed and they didn't do anything. They failed there, they failed here,\" she said. \"We feel lost. We feel there is no leadership and we feel as parents that we lost the most precious thing we had.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We believe it was our duty to raise a voice of protest. This beautiful Israeli nation is strong but has values which seem to have been lost in the last few years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/24/AR2006082401721.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis comments offered a rare acknowledgment of the role of the Mahdi Army in the sectarian bloodletting that has killed more than 10,400 Iraqis in recent months. The Mahdi Army is the militia of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, now one of the most powerful figures in the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Summer of Discontent in Israel"},{"content":" Death of the Neocons' Scenario * Albert Camus and G.W. BushThey being the people of the predominantly Muslim regions -- Middle East, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia. Then there are countries where the presence of Muslims is strong (Britain, India). Some among them participate in acts of terrorism. President Bush described them as \"Islamo-Fascists\".Think about what we have done to generate hate against the American government and its policies.The WMD story used by the neocons to take the nation to war against Iraq is now a dead horse. Operation Iraqi Freedom is a joke but Bush and the Republicans continue to exploit Iraq as the center of al-Qaeda activities. More than 40,000 Iraqi civilians have died, not counting the victims of sectarian violence now raging between the Sunnis and Shias. The much vaunted elections in Iraq resulted in Shiites gaining power. The neocons' scenario for postwar Iraq went up in flames. Yes, majority of Iraqis hate the army of occupation.We wanted, and encouraged, elections in Palestine. To our consternation the Palestinians voted Hamas into power. We shunned Hamas and allowed Israel to continue military actions against civilian population in Gaza. No wonder that we are detested by the Palestinians.The recent war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah had our fingerprints all over the map. No American boots on the ground but we were a party \"by proxy\". An uneasy peace prevails in Lebanon but only after its infrastructure was destroyed and large number of civilians died. Can we expect the Lebanese to love us ?Now we are taking a leading role in the drumbeat for war against Iran. We don't want them to possess nuclear technology beyond what we consider to be \"safe\". We describe them as a rogue nation and we want their oil. We rule over a nuclear club with restricted membership. We don't even mention that Israel has nuclear weapons. It does not take much imagination to visualize what is going to happen if we decide to liberate Iran. You can bet that Iranians will not be greeting us with flowers and chocolates.Saad Eddin Ibrahim's article 'The New Middleast' Bush Is Resisting in the Post goes to the heart of the matter. \"President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be quite right about a new Middle East being born. In fact, their policies in support of the actions of their closest regional ally, Israel, have helped midwife the newborn. But it will not be exactly the baby they have longed for. For one thing, it will be neither secular nor friendly to the United States. For another, it is going to be a rough birth.\" What is happening in the broader Middle East and North Africa can be seen as a boomerang effect that has been playing out slowly since the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001. In the immediate aftermath of those attacks, there was worldwide sympathy for the United States and support for its declared \"war on terrorism,\" including the invasion of Afghanistan. Then the cynical exploitation of this universal goodwill by so-called neoconservatives to advance hegemonic designs was confirmed by the war in Iraq. The Bush administration's dishonest statements about \"weapons of mass destruction\" diminished whatever credibility the United States might have had as liberator, while disastrous mismanagement of Iraqi affairs after the invasion led to the squandering of a conventional military victory. The country slid into bloody sectarian violence, while official Washington stonewalled and refused to admit mistakes. No wonder the world has progressively turned against America. What the President is \"reading\" this summer Adam Gopnik in The New Yorker writes about the president's summer reading list. It includes The Stranger by Albert Camus. Wow, the president has hidden depths of which we are unaware. Seriously though, I don't believe he read Camus or can understand Camus. The summer reading list is just another prop used by the White House. And all this brings us no further than book one on the President’s stack, with Oppenheimer and Lincoln still to be chewed on. Bush may have emerged from his syllabus as little altered as most undergraduates emerge from theirs. Still, it is encouraging to think that he has spent the summer reflecting on the inscrutable origins of human violence and on the unimaginable destructive powers now available through American science, while contemplating the achievements of a great man who hated wars, made a necessary one, and wandered the halls of the White House agonized by the consequences. It sounds almost like the beginnings of wisdom, or, at least, a compulsory fall reading list for us all. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-09-11 Dear Musafir,First of all let me congratulate you for your courage to speak out, a priviledge not readily available in the know religious repressed world.\nReligion \u0026 politics is a well known hot potato by todays standards. It is unfortunate that we as humanity have not matured with tolerance, but rather have stooped down to the lowest denomination available in human behaviour with very grave results.\nWe can only hope that the moderate populus of any ethnic \u0026 religious groups are able to see beyond thier just cause \u0026 accept another human being for who they are rather than vilify them by political or religious means. That is the hope.\nThe main resolve in our human conflict is to letting go of our tendencies for control over one another,\u0026 learning to negotiate rather than irritate. We only have to look at the world wide propoganda from every nation on this planet \u0026 see for ourselves that we are responsible for our own demise.\nSome countries claiming \"war on (fill this blank)\" are only doing injustice for thier population \u0026 thier economies. The average person on this planet needs to be able to express thier autonomy \u0026 enjoy the company of thier fellow human being without prejudice. A very long term prospect remaining contentious to the end.\nMay you find peace in your pilgramage \u0026 help another human being find joy in living. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-failed-policy---no-wonder-they-hate-us/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDeath of the Neocons' Scenario * Albert Camus and G.W. Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey being the people of the predominantly Muslim regions -- Middle East, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia. Then there are countries where the presence of Muslims is strong (Britain, India). Some among them participate in acts of terrorism. President Bush described them as \"Islamo-Fascists\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThink about what we have done to generate hate against the American government and its policies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe WMD story  used by the neocons to take the nation to war against Iraq is now a dead horse.  Operation Iraqi Freedom is a joke but Bush and the Republicans continue to exploit Iraq as the center of al-Qaeda activities. More than 40,000 Iraqi civilians have died, not counting the victims of sectarian violence now raging between the Sunnis and Shias. The much vaunted elections in Iraq resulted in Shiites gaining power. The neocons' scenario for postwar Iraq went up in flames. Yes, majority of Iraqis hate the army of occupation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe wanted, and encouraged, elections in Palestine. To our consternation the Palestinians voted Hamas into power.  We shunned Hamas and allowed Israel to continue  military actions against civilian population in Gaza. No wonder that we are detested by the Palestinians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe recent war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah had our fingerprints all over the map. No American boots on the ground but we were a party \"by proxy\". An uneasy peace prevails in Lebanon but only after its infrastructure was destroyed and large number of civilians died. Can we expect the Lebanese to love us ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow we are taking a leading role in the drumbeat for war against Iran. We don't want them to possess nuclear technology beyond what we consider to be \"safe\". We describe them as a rogue nation and we want their oil. We rule over a nuclear club with restricted membership. We don't even mention that Israel has nuclear weapons. It does not take much imagination to visualize what is going to happen if we decide to liberate Iran. You can bet that Iranians will not be greeting us with flowers and chocolates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSaad Eddin Ibrahim's article 'The New Middleast' Bush Is Resisting in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/22/AR2006082200978.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e goes to the heart of the matter.  \"President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be quite right about a new Middle East being born. In fact, their policies in support of the actions of their closest regional ally, Israel, have helped midwife the newborn. But it will not be exactly the baby they have longed for. For one thing, it will be neither secular nor friendly to the United States. For another, it is going to be a rough birth.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat is happening in the broader Middle East and North Africa can be seen as a boomerang effect that has been playing out slowly since the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001. In the immediate aftermath of those attacks, there was worldwide sympathy for the United States and support for its declared \"war on terrorism,\" including the invasion of Afghanistan. Then the cynical exploitation of this universal goodwill by so-called neoconservatives to advance hegemonic designs was confirmed by the war in Iraq. The Bush administration's dishonest statements about \"weapons of mass destruction\" diminished whatever credibility the United States might have had as liberator, while disastrous mismanagement of Iraqi affairs after the invasion led to the squandering of a conventional military victory. The country slid into bloody sectarian violence, while official Washington stonewalled and refused to admit mistakes. No wonder the world has progressively turned against America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eWhat the President is \"reading\" this summer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAdam Gopnik in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060828ta_talk_gopnik\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e writes about the president's summer reading list. It includes The Stranger by Albert Camus. Wow, the president has hidden depths of which we are unaware. Seriously though, I don't believe he read Camus or can understand Camus. The summer reading list is just another prop used by the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnd all this brings us no further than book one on the President’s stack, with Oppenheimer and Lincoln still to be chewed on. Bush may have emerged from his syllabus as little altered as most undergraduates emerge from theirs. Still, it is encouraging to think that he has spent the summer reflecting on the inscrutable origins of human violence and on the unimaginable destructive powers now available through American science, while contemplating the achievements of a great man who hated wars, made a necessary one, and wandered the halls of the White House agonized by the consequences. It sounds almost like the beginnings of wisdom, or, at least, a compulsory fall reading list for us all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-09-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDear Musafir,First of all let me congratulate you for your courage to speak out, a priviledge not readily available in the know religious repressed world.\u003cbr\u003eReligion \u0026 politics is a well known hot potato by todays standards. It is unfortunate that we as humanity have not matured with tolerance, but rather have stooped down to the lowest denomination available in human behaviour with very grave results.\u003cbr\u003eWe can only hope that the moderate populus of any ethnic \u0026 religious groups are able to see beyond thier just cause \u0026 accept another human being for who they are rather than vilify them by political or religious means. That is the hope.\u003cbr\u003eThe main resolve in our human conflict is to letting go of our tendencies for control over one another,\u0026 learning to negotiate rather than irritate. We only have to look at the world wide propoganda from every nation on this planet \u0026 see for ourselves that we are responsible for our own demise.\u003cbr\u003eSome countries claiming  \"war on (fill this blank)\" are only doing injustice for thier population \u0026 thier economies. The average person on this planet needs to be able to express thier autonomy \u0026 enjoy the company of thier fellow human being without prejudice. A very long term prospect remaining contentious to the end.\u003cbr\u003eMay you find peace in your pilgramage \u0026 help another human being find joy in living.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Failed Policy - No Wonder They Hate Us"},{"content":" \"The Lies Behind the Truth......\"©Don Asmussen, sfchronicle.com 8/20/06It was a long press conference. The suprise was in his admission that Iraq had nothing to do with the attack on the World Trade Center but he maintained that the decision to go to war was right! From the transcript:\n:Q What did Iraq have to do with that? THE PRESIDENT: What did Iraq have to do with what? Q The attack on the World Trade Center? THE PRESIDENT: Nothing, except for it's part of -- and nobody has ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a -- the lesson of September the 11th is, take threats before they fully materialize, Ken. Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq. I have suggested, however, that resentment and the lack of hope create the breeding grounds for terrorists who are willing to use suiciders to kill to achieve an objective. I have made that case. THE PRESIDENT: Frustrated? Sometimes I'm frustrated. Rarely surprised. Sometimes I'm happy. This is -- but war is not a time of joy. These aren't joyous times. These are challenging times, and they're difficult times, and they're straining the psyche of our country. I understand that. You know, nobody likes to see innocent people die. Nobody wants to turn on their TV on a daily basis and see havoc wrought by terrorists. And our question is, do we have the capacity and the desire to spread peace by confronting these terrorists, and supporting those who want to live in liberty? That's the question. And my answer to that question is, we must. We owe it to future generations to do so.\nEugene Robinson's column in the Post \"President on Another Planet\" describes the disconnect that exists between the president's view and the real world.\nWatching Lebanon, Seymour Hersh in The New Yorker:\nEven those who continue to support Israel’s war against Hezbollah agree that it is failing to achieve one of its main goals—to rally the Lebanese against Hezbollah. “Strategic bombing has been a failed military concept for ninety years, and yet air forces all over the world keep on doing it,” John Arquilla, a defense analyst at the Naval Postgraduate School, told me. Arquilla has been campaigning for more than a decade, with growing success, to change the way America fights terrorism. “The warfare of today is not mass on mass,” he said. “You have to hunt like a network to defeat a network. Israel focussed on bombing against Hezbollah, and, when that did not work, it became more aggressive on the ground. The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result.” ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/iraq-lebanon-iran-gaza-and-our-warrior-president/","summary":"\"The Lies Behind the Truth......\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/08/Asmussen.jpg\"/\u003e©Don Asmussen, sfchronicle.com 8/20/06\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was a long press conference.  The suprise was in his admission that Iraq had nothing to do with the  attack on the  World Trade Center but he maintained that the decision to go to war was right!    From the \u003ca href=\"http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060821.html\"\u003etranscript\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctd width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e:Q    What did Iraq have to do with that?  \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e THE PRESIDENT: What did Iraq have to do with what?  \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Q    The attack on the World Trade Center?  \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iraq,  Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, and Our Warrior President"},{"content":" Going, Going, GoneGood news. A large number of Republican voters have had it with President Bush and their anger is affecting the incumbents running for reelection. Jim Vanderhei in the Post: \"PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. -- When it comes to President Bush and the Republican Congress, Rep. Jim Gerlach says voters in his suburban Philadelphia district are in a \"sour mood.\"That's why when it comes to his reelection, the two-term incumbent says \"the name of the game\" is to convince those same voters that he can be independent of his own party. He has turned his standard line about Bush -- \"When I think he's wrong, I let him know\" -- into a virtual campaign slogan, repeated in interviews and TV ads.\"It is a combination of things, from the war in Iraq to gas prices to what they are experiencing in their local areas,\" Gerlach said of the surly electorate whose decision he will know on Nov. 7.The Iraq war and Bush's low approval ratings have created trouble for Republicans in all regions. But nowhere is the GOP brand more scuffed than in the Northeast, where this year's circumstances are combining with long-term trends to endanger numerous incumbents.Robbing the PoorThe report by Larry Margasak of Associated Press is not a surprise to most of us -- that our elected representatives are by and large unethical is a generally accepted fact. Nevertheless, the details about their blatant waste of taxpayers' money are sickening. Scandal after scandal and yet they shamelessly carry on feeding their egos. The term \"corrupt politician\" has become an oxymoron.WASHINGTON -- The federal program that provides legal help to poor Americans turns away half of its applicants for lack of resources. But that hasn't stopped its executives from lavishing expensive meals, chauffeur-driven cars and foreign trips on themselves.Agency documents obtained by The Associated Press detail the luxuries that executives of the Legal Services Corp. have given themselves with federal money -- from $14 \"Death by Chocolate\" desserts to $400 chauffeured rides to locations within taxi distance of their offices.The government-funded corporation also has a spacious headquarters in Washington's tony Georgetown district -- with views of the Potomac River and a rent significantly higher than other tenants in the same building.And board members wrote themselves a policy that doubled the amount they could claim for meals compared with their staff. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-presidential-coattail/","summary":"Going, Going, Gone\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGood news. A large number of Republican voters have had it with President Bush and their anger is affecting the incumbents running for reelection. Jim Vanderhei in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/13/AR2006081300766.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. -- When it comes to President Bush and the Republican Congress, Rep. Jim Gerlach says voters in his suburban Philadelphia district are in a \"sour mood.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat's why when it comes to his reelection, the two-term incumbent says \"the name of the game\" is to convince those same voters that he can be independent of his own party. He has turned his standard line about Bush -- \"When I think he's wrong, I let him know\" -- into a virtual campaign slogan, repeated in interviews and TV ads.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is a combination of things, from the war in Iraq to gas prices to what they are experiencing in their local areas,\" Gerlach said of the surly electorate whose decision he will know on Nov. 7.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iraq war and Bush's low approval ratings have created trouble for Republicans in all regions. But nowhere is the GOP brand more scuffed than in the Northeast, where this year's circumstances are combining with long-term trends to endanger numerous incumbents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobbing the Poor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/15277401.htm?source=rss\u0026amp;channel=dfw_nation\"\u003eLarry Margasak\u003c/a\u003e of Associated Press is not a surprise to most of us -- that our elected representatives are by and large unethical is a generally accepted fact. Nevertheless, the details about their blatant waste of taxpayers' money are sickening. Scandal after scandal and yet they shamelessly carry on feeding their egos. The term \"corrupt politician\" has become an oxymoron.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON -- The federal program that provides legal help to poor Americans turns away half of its applicants for lack of resources. But that hasn't stopped its executives from lavishing expensive meals, chauffeur-driven cars and foreign trips on themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAgency documents obtained by The Associated Press detail the luxuries that executives of the Legal Services Corp. have given themselves with federal money -- from $14 \"Death by Chocolate\" desserts to $400 chauffeured rides to locations within taxi distance of their offices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe government-funded corporation also has a spacious headquarters in Washington's tony Georgetown district -- with views of the Potomac River and a rent significantly higher than other tenants in the same building.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd board members wrote themselves a policy that doubled the amount they could claim for meals compared with their staff.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Presidential Coattail"},{"content":" LebanonAfter Israel launched a full scale military offensive on July 12,2006, it became apparent that the United States did not want a quick stop to the war. Secretary of State Rice (who,in her appearances before the media,looked like the cat who had swallowed the canary) and President Bush issued statements about \"a lasting peace\" and \"an enduring peace\" while expediting supply of weapons and technology to assist the Israelis. It was part of a strategy to hit back at Syria and Iran through the Hezbollah.....the human toll be damned. It was part of an agenda. Now Seymour Hersh has exposed the damning facts. There are doubts about the effectiveness of the UN peace agreement as there are doubts about gains made by the United States and Israel from this episode and consequent deaths and destruction. Molly Moore and Edward Cody in the Washington Post: \"JERUSALEM, Aug. 14 -- The Israeli military halted its combat operations against Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah rockets stopped raining on Israel early Monday morning as a tenuous U.N.-imposed cease-fire took effect after more than a month of fighting that devastated parts of Lebanon and sent hundreds of thousands of Israelis into bomb shelters.\"Bush 'helped Israeli attack on Lebanon'The GuardianThe US government was closely involved in planning the Israeli campaign in Lebanon, even before Hizbullah seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross border raids in July. American and Israeli officials met in the spring, discussing plans on how to tackle Hizbullah, according to a report published yesterday.The veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh writes in the current issue of the New Yorker magazine that Israeli government officials travelled to the US in May to share plans for attacking Hizbullah.Quoting a US government consultant, Hersh said: \"Earlier this summer ... several Israeli officials visited Washington, separately, 'to get a green light for the bombing operation and to find out how much the United States would bear'.\"The Israeli action, current and former government officials told Hersh, chimed with the Bush administration's desire to reduce the threat of possible Hizbullah retaliation against Israel should the US launch a military strike against Iran.\"A successful Israeli Air Force bombing campaign ... could ease Israel's security concerns and also serve as a prelude to a potential American pre-emptive attack to destroy Iran's nuclear installations,\" sources told Hersh.Yesterday Mr Hersh told CNN: \"July was a pretext for a major offensive that had been in the works for a long time. Israel's attack was going to be a model for the attack they really want to do. They really want to go after Iran.\"An unnamed Pentagon consultant told Hersh: \"It was our intention to have Hizbullah diminished and now we have someone else doing it.\"Officials from the state department and the Pentagon denied the report. A spokesman for the National Security Council told Hersh that \"The Israeli government gave no official in Washington any reason to believe that Israel was planning to attack.\"Hersh has a track record in breaking major stories. He was the first to write about the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and has written extensively about the build-up to the war in Iraq. He made his name when he uncovered the massacre at My Lai during the Vietnam war. Most recently he has written about US plans for Iran, alleging that US special forces had already been active inside the country. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/from-the-same-people-who-gave-us-the-war-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv id=\"GuardianArticle\"\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLebanon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter Israel launched a full scale military offensive on July 12,2006, it became apparent that the United States did not want a quick stop to the war. Secretary of State Rice (who,in her appearances before the media,looked like the cat who had swallowed the canary) and President Bush issued statements about \"a lasting peace\" and  \"an enduring  peace\"  while expediting supply of weapons and technology to assist the Israelis.  It was part of a strategy to hit back at Syria and Iran through the Hezbollah.....the human toll be damned. It was part of an agenda. Now \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060710fa_fact\"\u003eSeymour Hersh\u003c/a\u003e has exposed the damning facts.  There are doubts about the effectiveness of the UN peace agreement as there are doubts about gains made by the United States and Israel from this episode and consequent deaths and destruction. Molly Moore and Edward Cody in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/14/AR2006081400179.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"JERUSALEM, Aug. 14 -- The Israeli military halted its combat operations against Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah rockets stopped raining on Israel early Monday morning as a tenuous U.N.-imposed cease-fire took effect after more than a month of fighting that devastated parts of Lebanon and sent hundreds of thousands of Israelis into bomb shelters.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush 'helped Israeli attack on Lebanon'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1844021,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe US government was closely involved in planning the Israeli campaign in Lebanon, even before Hizbullah seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross border raids in July. American and Israeli officials met in the spring, discussing plans on how to tackle Hizbullah, according to a report published yesterday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh writes in the current issue of the New Yorker magazine that Israeli government officials travelled to the US in May to share plans for attacking Hizbullah.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eQuoting a US government consultant, Hersh said: \"Earlier this summer ... several Israeli officials visited Washington, separately, 'to get a green light for the bombing operation and to find out how much the United States would bear'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Israeli action, current and former government officials told Hersh, chimed with the Bush administration's desire to reduce the threat of possible Hizbullah retaliation against Israel should the US launch a military strike against Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"A successful Israeli Air Force bombing campaign ... could ease Israel's security concerns and also serve as a prelude to a potential American pre-emptive attack to destroy Iran's nuclear installations,\" sources told Hersh.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYesterday Mr Hersh told CNN: \"July was a pretext for a major offensive that had been in the works for a long time. Israel's attack was going to be a model for the attack they really want to do. They really want to go after Iran.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAn unnamed Pentagon consultant told Hersh: \"It was our intention to have Hizbullah diminished and now we have someone else doing it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOfficials from the state department and the Pentagon denied the report. A spokesman for the National Security Council told Hersh that \"The Israeli government gave no official in Washington any reason to believe that Israel was planning to attack.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHersh has a track record in breaking major stories. He was the first to write about the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and has written extensively about the build-up to the war in Iraq. He made his name when he uncovered the massacre at My Lai during the Vietnam war. Most recently he has written about US plans for Iran, alleging that US special forces had already been active inside the country.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"From the Same People Who Gave Us the War in Iraq"},{"content":" Is a victor going to emerge from the dust ? Did the United States get what it wanted ? For the beleagured civilians it is a long and anxious day. The UN peace agreement takes effect tomorrow. Until then the war continues, with both sides claiming victory. Victory, as they see it. Indications are that at best it is an uneasy truce, far from the objective of the parties that took part in the war and the negotiations. Robin Wright in the Post: \"It was a very close call. U.N. diplomats assembled at 3 p.m. in the cavernous Security Council hall to get the U.S.-French proposal to end an excruciating month of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The United States had Lebanon's approval but still had not received word from Israel. U.S. Ambassador John R. Bolton did a \"diplomatic tap dance\" to stall, U.S. officials said. Then at 3:53 Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the third time during a tense day of diplomacy. Despite its decision just hours earlier to launch a ground invasion, Israel agreed to the terms of the resolution. It was a deal. \"But the future of the Middle East may be markedly different as a result of the bloody drama that erupted July 12 after the seizure of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanon's Shiite militia. So, too, the image of the United States. What many now consider to be the sixth modern Middle East war has some distinct winners and losers, interviews with a range of former U.S. officials and Middle East analysts reveal.Although the outcome will be long debated, big losers at this stage appear to be Israel's government, the Lebanese people, and the Bush administration's struggle against terrorism and its campaign for democracy, these observers said.In waging the longest Arab war against Israel, the big winner may be Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah -- for now. One surprise has been the strong leadership of neophyte Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.Yet every party has lost something.Olmert In A Shaky PositionHow quickly the tides turn. The Guardian:The future of Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, was last night hanging on how successfully he could sell his citizens the idea that the country had been 'victorious' in the 'war in the north' as criticism of his shaky performance began to escalate amid the first calls for his resignation.While Olmert's allies and government officials lined up to express satisfaction about the outcome of the UN ceasefire resolution passed while the fighting continued, attempts to present a 'victory' to the Israeli public could not disguise the deep sense of disquiet over the operation's failures and fears that Hizbollah might manage to emerge 'victorious' in the coming days. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/israel-lebanon-and-the-peace-agreement/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs a victor going to emerge from the dust ? Did the United States get what it wanted ? For the beleagured civilians it is a long and anxious day. The UN peace agreement takes effect tomorrow. Until then the war continues, with both sides claiming victory. Victory, as they see it. Indications are that at best it is an uneasy truce, far from the objective of the parties that took part in the war and the negotiations. Robin Wright in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/12/AR2006081200995.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"It was a very close call. U.N. diplomats assembled at 3 p.m. in the cavernous Security Council hall to get the U.S.-French proposal to end an excruciating month of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The United States had Lebanon's approval but still had not received word from Israel. U.S. Ambassador John R. Bolton did a \"diplomatic tap dance\" to stall, U.S. officials said. Then at 3:53 Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the third time during a tense day of diplomacy. Despite its decision just hours earlier to launch a ground invasion, Israel agreed to the terms of the resolution. It was a deal. \"\u003ctable celpadding=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut the future of the Middle East may be markedly different as a result of the bloody drama that erupted July 12 after the seizure of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanon's Shiite militia. So, too, the image of the United States. What many now consider to be the sixth modern Middle East war has some distinct winners and losers, interviews with a range of former U.S. officials and Middle East analysts reveal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAlthough the outcome will be long debated, big losers at this stage appear to be Israel's government, the Lebanese people, and the Bush administration's struggle against terrorism and its campaign for democracy, these observers said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn waging the longest Arab war against Israel, the big winner may be Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah -- for now. One surprise has been the strong leadership of neophyte Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYet every party has lost something.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOlmert In A Shaky Position\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow quickly the tides turn. \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1843523,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe future of Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, was last night hanging on how successfully he could sell his citizens the idea that the country had been 'victorious' in the 'war in the north' as criticism of his shaky performance began to escalate amid the first calls for his resignation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhile Olmert's allies and government officials lined up to express satisfaction about the outcome of the UN ceasefire resolution passed while the fighting continued, attempts to present a 'victory' to the Israeli public could not disguise the deep sense of disquiet over the operation's failures and fears that Hizbollah might manage to emerge 'victorious' in the coming days.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Israel, Lebanon and the Peace Agreement"},{"content":" Smoke \u0026amp; Mirrors * Flag Waving * Fluff Factor Enters French PoliticsNo matter what he does the president seems unable to garner support for his actions. The swagger of the war president no longer cuts it. Smoke and mirrors fail to hide the ugly truth. The voters in their wisdom have seen through the facade. Results of the latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll are revealing.\"An Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted this week found the president's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent, matching his low in May. His handling of nearly every issue, from the Iraq war to foreign policy, contributed to the president's decline around the nation, even in the Republican-friendly South.More sobering for the GOP are the number of voters who backed Bush in 2004 who are ready to vote Democratic in the fall's congressional elections — 19 percent. These one-time Bush voters are more likely to be female, self-described moderates, low- to middle-income and from the Northeast and Midwest.Two years after giving the Republican president another term, more than half of these voters — 57 percent — disapprove of the job Bush is doing.Ah, thought of the consternation among the president's handlers is cause for rejoicing.\"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the king's horses,And all the king's men,Couldn't put Humpty together again.\"-- Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass*They Are Still Playing the Patriot CardThe total number of American soldiers who died in Iraq is now 2599 including 21 in August. Against the war in Iraq ? Then you are unpatriotic. Same old refrain. Nothing else seems to be working for the Republicans, so they wrap themselves in the Flag. It is the same gang that came up with Freedom Fries.E.J. Dionne in the Post:\nOh my goodness, as Don Rumsfeld might say. Support for the Iraq war hits a record low, and all the president's hit men decide that it's time to smear their opponents as defeatists who give aid and comfort to the enemy.Of course they didn't mention the poll on Iraq released by CNN on Wednesday. As a basis for their guilt-by-association campaign, they used the fact that Democratic voters in Tuesday's Connecticut primary favored antiwar businessman Ned Lamont over Sen. Joe Lieberman.The gentlemen who have gotten us into a mess in Iraq prefer not to explain how they'll fix things. They would rather use national security for partisan purposes, and they were all out there on Wednesday, spewing incendiary talking points. Hey, they may not have sent enough troops to win a war, but they sure know how to win midterm elections.Segolene RoyalThe French political scene rocked by controvery over presidential candidate Segolene Royal's photographs (taken by paparazzi without her consent) in a turquoise bikini. It is not that the French are prudes. The moral values brigade from America has not yet infiltrated French politicians. It is what they consider \"trivilization\" of politics in popular media that has rattled them. The French ought to accept the inevitable. The French public has shown a voracious appetite for the so called \"tell all\" magazines about the rich and famous. So, the publishers will do their best to cater to them. Segolene Royal is 54 and attractive. She reportedly went through a makeover before entering the presidential race. The pictures cannot do her any harm. In America it would have been a different kettle of fish. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-fall-of-humpty-dumpty/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSmoke \u0026amp; Mirrors * Flag Waving * Fluff Factor Enters French Politics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo matter what he does the president seems unable to garner support for his actions.  The swagger of the war president no longer cuts it.  Smoke and mirrors fail to hide the ugly truth. The voters in their wisdom have seen through the facade.  Results of the latest \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/republicans_ap_poll\"\u003eAssociated Press-Ipsos\u003c/a\u003e poll are revealing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"An Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted this week found the president's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent, matching his low in May. His handling of nearly every issue, from the Iraq war to foreign policy, contributed to the president's decline around the nation, even in the Republican-friendly South.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMore sobering for the GOP are the number of voters who backed Bush in 2004 who are ready to vote Democratic in the fall's congressional elections — 19 percent. These one-time Bush voters are more likely to be female, self-described moderates, low- to middle-income and from the Northeast and Midwest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTwo years after giving the Republican president another term, more than half of these voters — 57 percent — disapprove of the job Bush is doing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAh, thought of the consternation among the president's handlers is cause for rejoicing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,\u003cbr/\u003eHumpty Dumpty had a great fall.\u003cbr/\u003eAll the king's horses,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd all the king's men,\u003cbr/\u003eCouldn't put Humpty together again.\"\u003cbr/\u003e-- Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey Are Still Playing the Patriot Card\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe total number of American soldiers who died in Iraq is now 2599 including 21 in \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eAugust\u003c/a\u003e.  Against the war in Iraq ?  Then you are unpatriotic. Same old refrain. Nothing else seems to be working for the Republicans, so they wrap themselves in the Flag.  It is the same gang that came up with Freedom Fries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eE.J. Dionne in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001314.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Fall of Humpty Dumpty"},{"content":" Suffering Inflicted on Both Sides of the Border From the BBC:The UN Human Rights Council has voted to launch an inquiry into alleged abuses committed by Israel during its month-long offensive in Lebanon.Human rights commissioner Louise Arbour backed the probe, but earlier called for Hezbollah to also face an inquiry.She condemned both Israel and Hezbollah for the suffering inflicted on civilians in Lebanon and north Israel.Ms Arbour said there was evidence to strongly suggest that indiscriminate force was being used by both sides.War crimes could be committed even by those who believed their cause was worthy, she warned.She was speaking at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council.\"If terrorism doesn't scare you, maybe Bush will\"Jimmy Greenfield in The Chicago Tribune:Published August 11, 2006Scared yet? Well, you may be soon.What we almost certainly will see in aftermath of the alleged plot to blow up several planes en route to the U.S. is a thunderous response from President Bush and other Republican leaders.With the midterm elections less than three months away, they will attempt to scare Americans into re-electing Republicans or risk facing instant annihilation at the hands of an evil and murderous enemy.Choose us and live. Choose them and die. Your call.Nice way to end the summer, isn't it?Believe it or not, Thursday was actually a good day. Everybody in his or her right mind knows there are always terrorists plotting to attack the U.S., so it didn't bother me that some people were discovered to be doing just that.What made it a good day was that at least one government, even if it was the British government, knew how to foil a massive terrorist plot. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-lebanon-war---human-rights-abuse/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSuffering Inflicted on Both Sides of the Border \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4783511.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe UN Human Rights Council has voted to launch an inquiry into alleged abuses committed by Israel during its month-long offensive in Lebanon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHuman rights commissioner Louise Arbour backed the probe, but earlier called for Hezbollah to also face an inquiry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe condemned both Israel and Hezbollah for the suffering inflicted on civilians in Lebanon and north Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs Arbour said there was evidence to strongly suggest that indiscriminate force was being used by both sides.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWar crimes could be committed even by those who believed their cause was worthy, she warned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe was speaking at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"If terrorism doesn't scare you, maybe Bush will\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJimmy Greenfield in \u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/redeye/red-081106-greenfield,1,7827791.column?coll=chi-news-hed\"\u003eThe Chicago Tribune\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePublished August 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eScared yet? Well, you may be soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat we almost certainly will see in aftermath of the alleged plot to blow up several planes en route to the U.S. is a thunderous response from President Bush and other Republican leaders.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith the midterm elections less than three months away, they will attempt to scare Americans into re-electing Republicans or risk facing instant annihilation at the hands of an evil and murderous enemy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChoose us and live. Choose them and die. Your call.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNice way to end the summer, isn't it?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBelieve it or not, Thursday was actually a good day. Everybody in his or her right mind knows there are always terrorists plotting to attack the U.S., so it didn't bother me that some people were discovered to be doing just that.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat made it a good day was that at least one government, even if it was the British government, knew how to foil a massive terrorist plot.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Lebanon War - Human Rights Abuse"},{"content":" Terrorism - Hatred Among the RuinsPresident Bush eagerly jumped at the opportunity to talk about terrorism -- the topic has done him well -- and put in a plug for the endangered domestic surveillance program. His pet war is floundering to say the least. The non-existent WMD and mission accomplished a distant memory. In the din about the new threat of terrorist plans to destroy passenger aircraft unearthed in London, negotiations for a cease fire agreement in Lebanon temporarily ceded the headlines. The Post: \"This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11,\" Bush said with Air Force One behind him. \"We've taken a lot of measures to protect the American people. But obviously we're still not completely safe, because there are people that still plot and people who want to harm us for what we believe in.\" The timing was right. The prospects look dim for Republicans facing re-election. It might, just might gain the president a few points in a poll and give Republican candidates a chance to say that they are stronger when it comes to national security.In what was an apparent reference to this year's controversies over the administration's surveillance programs, Bush told reporters: \"It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America. And that is why we have given our officials the tools they need to protect our people.\"The Other WarStalemate in the negotiations for cease fire in the other war that the Bush Administration is fighting through Israel. No boots on the ground but steady supply of weapons of war and technology to assist Israel. The civilians continue to take the brunt of the attacks. Good for the Hezbollah; they are assured of new recruits. A large anti-war demonstration is planned for tomorrow (Aug.12) in Washington, DC. The organizers plan to surround the White House. Petula Dvorak in the Post: \"The nation's capital is becoming a stage where passions on both sides of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict are being played out with a series of protests, vigils and rallies in Washington in recent weeks, with more to come.\"The largest demonstration -- billed as a protest of the \"U.S.-Israeli war\" -- is expected to draw \"tens of thousands\" of people who plan to surround the White House tomorrow, said Tony Kutayli, communications coordinator for the Washington-based American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, one of the groups helping coordinate participants arriving from across the country.Hatred Among the RuinsOn July 22nd, the Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid wrote in the Washington Post about reaction among muslims to the attacks against Lebanon.Mounting Muslim Anger Endangers SecurityLahore, Pakistan - The Israeli attack on Lebanon is fuelling unprecedented anger amongst ordinary Muslims, despite the support that many moderate Muslim regimes are demonstrating for the action.Muslim anger on the street is being directed at Israel, America and Britain and also at their own leaders who are doing nothing to help bring about a cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire. The U.S. -- by publicizing its success in isolating Syria and Iran for their support for Hezbollah -- falls further in public opinion in the Muslim world, endangering its own security, making it more of a target for terrorist attacks and undermining any future role the U.S. may have in brokering a peace between Israel and the Palestinians.Israel's air and land invasion is unlikely to wipe out Hezbollah. Instead the group will go further underground and become more dependent on terrorist tactics to continue the fight. Also there will now be a much greater justification for Sunni terrorist groups such as al' Qaeda to link up with Shia extremist groups such as Hezbollah to work and plan together. This would encourage and strengthen terrorist groups in Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and the Middle East. The world is certainly becoming a more unsafe place. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-president-in-his-element/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eTerrorism - Hatred Among the Ruins\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush  eagerly jumped at the opportunity to talk about terrorism -- the topic has done him well -- and put in a plug for the endangered domestic surveillance program.    His pet war is floundering to say the least.  The non-existent WMD and mission accomplished a distant memory.  In the din about the new threat of terrorist plans to destroy passenger aircraft unearthed in London, negotiations for a cease fire agreement in Lebanon temporarily ceded the headlines. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001625.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11,\" Bush said with Air Force One behind him. \"We've taken a lot of measures to protect the American people. But obviously we're still not completely safe, because there are people that still plot and people who want to harm us for what we believe in.\"   The timing was right.  The prospects look dim for Republicans facing re-election.  It might, just might gain the president a few points in a poll and give Republican candidates a chance to say that they are stronger when it comes to national security.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn what was an apparent reference to this year's controversies over the administration's surveillance programs, Bush told reporters: \"It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America. And that is why we have given our officials the tools they need to protect our people.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Other War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStalemate in the negotiations for cease fire in the other war that the Bush Administration is fighting through Israel. No boots on the ground but steady supply of weapons of war and technology to assist Israel. The civilians continue to take the brunt of the attacks. Good for the Hezbollah; they are assured of new recruits. A large anti-war demonstration is planned for tomorrow (Aug.12) in Washington, DC. The organizers plan to surround the White House. Petula Dvorak in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001611.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"The nation's capital is becoming a stage where passions on both sides of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict are being played out with a series of protests, vigils and rallies in Washington in recent weeks, with more to come.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe largest demonstration -- billed as a protest of the \"U.S.-Israeli war\" -- is expected to draw \"tens of thousands\" of people who plan to surround the White House tomorrow, said Tony Kutayli, communications coordinator for the Washington-based American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, one of the groups helping coordinate participants arriving from across the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eHatred Among the Ruins\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn July 22nd, the Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/ahmed_rashid/2006/07/anger_among_ordinary_muslims.html#more\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e about reaction among muslims to the attacks against Lebanon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMounting Muslim Anger Endangers Security\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLahore, Pakistan - The Israeli attack on Lebanon is fuelling unprecedented anger amongst ordinary Muslims, despite the support that many moderate Muslim regimes are demonstrating for the action.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMuslim anger on the street is being directed at Israel, America and Britain and also at their own leaders who are doing nothing to help bring about a cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire. The U.S. -- by publicizing its success in isolating Syria and Iran for their support for Hezbollah -- falls further in public opinion in the Muslim world, endangering its own security, making it more of a target for terrorist attacks and undermining any future role the U.S. may have in brokering a peace between Israel and the Palestinians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIsrael's air and land invasion is unlikely to wipe out Hezbollah. Instead the group will go further underground and become more dependent on terrorist tactics to continue the fight. Also there will now be a much greater justification for Sunni terrorist groups such as al' Qaeda to link up with Shia extremist groups such as Hezbollah to work and plan together. This would encourage and strengthen terrorist groups in Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and the Middle East. The world is certainly becoming a more unsafe place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The President In His Element"},{"content":" Rabbi David J. Goldberg * The Proxy War Rages On* Shame of the 502nd Infantry Regiment\nNo surprise that the U.S. is unwilling to accept changes in the draft UN peace agreement submitted by France. At this point the U.S. and Israel believe that they are winning against the Hezbollah (think Syria and Iran) and do not wish to stop. \"UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 8 -- The United States and France have split over key provisions in a compromise resolution to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, triggering intense diplomatic scrambling, according to European and U.S. officials. \" France wants to incorporate ideas from Lebanon's new proposals, particularly on two issues: deploying Lebanese troops alongside a more robust version of the U.N. force now in Lebanon as a means to expedite an Israeli withdrawal, and settling the status of Shebaa Farms, the officials said.\nBut the United States, which has accepted Israel's concerns on both issues, thinks that a strong international force still needs to be in place before an Israeli withdrawal to ensure that the Shiite militia is not able to resume control of southern Lebanon or shoot at Israeli forces as they pull out, U.S. and European officials say.\nThe Guardian\nWhether Hizbullah is indeed the fanatical spearhead of a Shia arc of extremism bent on the liquidation of Israel followed by world domination, or whether the prospect of Muslim unity among its opposed factions is a chimera, is something for strategic analysts to argue over. What is certain is that governments must respond to events in the present, even while getting their foreign-policy thinktanks to anticipate the shape of future alliances. In replying as forcefully and misguidedly as it has done to provocation from Lebanon, Israel might not even achieve a rocket-free zone in the north.\nBut given that the Palestinian problem is no nearer solution and that by creating a wilderness in Lebanon and calling it peace Israel has recruited thousands of new martyrs to the Hizbullah cause, military and diplomatic planners are going to have to ask themselves how long the respite will last. Was Israel's disproportionate response worth the cost of strengthening Arab hatred, alienating world opinion yet again and, last but not least, inviting criticism from a growing number of diaspora Jews who wish for Israel to live in security but find it increasingly difficult to condone what is being done by the Jewish state in their name? As the late Richard Crossman said, a policy of pragmatism is never justified - especially if it is unsuccessful.\n·Rabbi Dr David J Goldberg is emeritus rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, and author of The Divided Self: Israel and the Jewish Psyche Today.\nThe 502nd Infantry Regiment and Abeer HamzaIt was stress that made them rape and kill! Andy Mosher in the Post: BAGHDAD, Aug. 8 -- The constant fear of death and the trauma of several devastating incidents took a heavy toll on morale in the U.S. Army unit whose members included five soldiers accused of involvement in the rape and killing of an Iraqi teenager, witnesses testified Tuesday in a military court. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/a-sane-voice-in-the-babel/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRabbi David J. Goldberg * The Proxy War Rages On* Shame of the 502nd Infantry Regiment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo surprise that the U.S. is unwilling to accept changes in the draft UN peace agreement submitted by France.  At this point the U.S.  and Israel  believe that they are  winning against the Hezbollah (think Syria and Iran) and do not wish to stop.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080801446.html\"\u003eUNITED NATIONS\u003c/a\u003e, Aug. 8 -- The United States and France have split over key provisions in a compromise resolution to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, triggering intense diplomatic scrambling, according to European and U.S. officials. \" \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrance wants to incorporate ideas from Lebanon's new proposals, particularly on two issues: deploying Lebanese troops alongside a more robust version of the U.N. force now in Lebanon as a means to expedite an Israeli withdrawal, and settling the status of Shebaa Farms, the officials said.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Sane Voice in the Babel"},{"content":" Blather, blather * Incumbents Beware * AOL Hopes for a solution to the Lebanon crisis appear to be bogged down as the parties debate about the terms of settlement. What is worse is that the UN resolution could fail to bring a lasting peace that we keep hearing about. The GuardianThe UN security council will almost certainly adopt a ceasefire resolution this week, in spite of objections from Lebanon and others in the Arab world. But diplomats and analysts were united in despair yesterday, expressing doubts that the resolution could stop the fighting.\"It does not look good,\" one European diplomat said. \"There is nobody interested in stopping now. Hizbullah has no reason to stop. The discrepancy between what is being discussed at the diplomatic table and what is happening on the ground is terrible.\"Washington PostThe foreign ministers from member states of the Arab League gathered in Beirut despite the hostilities for a day-long show of solidarity. They decided to send representatives to the United Nations to press the case for an immediate cease-fire and other changes in a proposed Security Council resolution. Their deliberations were overshadowed, however, by knowledge that a cease-fire decision resided not with Arab governments, but with Israel, Hezbollah and the big powers on the Security Council.Good news in the Post about voters' dissatisfaction with their elected representatives. If the polls are right then we can expect quite a few of them to lose their seats in the mid-term election. They deserve it.Most Americans describe themselves as being in an anti-incumbent mood heading into this fall's midterm congressional elections, and the percentage of people who approve of their own representative's performance is at the lowest level since 1994, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.As attention turns to Connecticut for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman's Democratic primary showdown today, the poll found some of the same political currents that have buffeted his campaign flowing through the national electorate. The public has soured on politicians backing the Iraq war, which Democrats consider the most important issue of the election.AOL - Was it a \"Screw Up\"Ellen Nakashima in the Post:AOL issued an apology yesterday for posting on a public Web site 20 million keyword searches conducted by hundreds of thousands of its subscribers from March to May. But the company's admission that it made a mistake did little to quell a barrage of criticism from bloggers and privacy advocates who questioned the company's security practices and said the data breach raised the risk of identity theft.\"This was a screw-up and we're angry and upset about it,\" the company said in a statement. \"Although there was no personally-identifiable data linked to these accounts, we're absolutely not defending this. It was a mistake, and we apologize.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/the-guns-of-august-2006/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBlather, blather * Incumbents Beware * AOL \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHopes for a solution to the Lebanon crisis appear to be bogged down as the parties debate about the terms of settlement. What is worse is that the UN resolution could fail to bring a lasting peace that we keep hearing about. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1839464,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe UN security council will almost certainly adopt a ceasefire resolution this week, in spite of objections from Lebanon and others in the Arab world. But diplomats and analysts were united in despair yesterday, expressing doubts that the resolution could stop the fighting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It does not look good,\" one European diplomat said. \"There is nobody interested in stopping now. Hizbullah has no reason to stop. The discrepancy between what is being discussed at the diplomatic table and what is happening on the ground is terrible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080701389.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe foreign ministers from member states of the Arab League gathered in Beirut despite the hostilities for a day-long show of solidarity. They decided to send representatives to the United Nations to press the case for an immediate cease-fire and other changes in a proposed Security Council resolution. Their deliberations were overshadowed, however, by knowledge that a cease-fire decision resided not with Arab governments, but with Israel, Hezbollah and the big powers on the Security Council.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGood news in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080701120.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about voters' dissatisfaction with  their  elected representatives.   If the polls are right then we can expect quite a few of them to lose their seats in the mid-term election.   They deserve it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMost Americans describe themselves as being in an anti-incumbent mood heading into this fall's midterm congressional elections, and the percentage of people who approve of their own representative's performance is at the lowest level since 1994, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs attention turns to Connecticut for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman's Democratic primary showdown today, the poll found some of the same political currents that have buffeted his campaign flowing through the national electorate. The public has soured on politicians backing the Iraq war, which Democrats consider the most important issue of the election.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAOL - Was it a \"Screw Up\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"620\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEllen Nakashima in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080701150.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003eAOL issued an apology yesterday for posting on a public Web site 20 million keyword searches conducted by hundreds of thousands of its subscribers from March to May. But the company's admission that it made a mistake did little to quell a barrage of criticism from bloggers and privacy advocates who questioned the company's security practices and said the data breach raised the risk of identity theft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This was a screw-up and we're angry and upset about it,\" the company said in a statement. \"Although there was no personally-identifiable data linked to these accounts, we're absolutely not defending this. It was a mistake, and we apologize.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Guns of August 2006"},{"content":" Slaughter of Civilians ContinuesIt is clear that before the UN plan (now being hammered out) is implemented the relentless attacks by Israelis will continue as will retaliation by the Hezbollah. The civilians on both sides of the border are like sacrificial goats in this \"proxy war\". President Bush, vacationing in Crawford, and his Secretary of State are engaged in taking advantage of the crisis to gain ground against Syria and Iran. In their world, the mounting casualties mean nothing. Michael Fletcher in the Post: CRAWFORD, Tex., Aug. 6 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed Sunday for approval of a draft U.N. resolution calling for a \"cessation of hostilities\" between Israel and Hezbollah, saying it is a crucial \"first step\" toward resolving the conflict.Acknowledging that passage of the resolution would not immediately end the fighting that has raged for most of the past month, Rice said that it nonetheless offers a framework that would not only eventually end the hostilities but also stabilize the area going forward.Are the Lebanese being pressured to accept unjust terms? Such tactics are likely to fail in achieving the long-term objective of the major powers. A report in the Guardian states:Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, piled pressure on Hizbullah to comply with the proposed UN call for a truce yesterday, reiterating Washington's insistence that a cessation of hostilities would be the first step towards a longer-term settlement. \"We're trying to deal with a problem that has been festering and brewing in Lebanon now for years and years and years,\" she said.But Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, rejected the 6,500-word text thrashed out by Washington and Paris. Mr Berri, who has been negotiating on behalf of Hizbullah, said the draft resolution legitimised Israel's occupation, adding that it would \"open the door to never-ending war\". Philippe Douste-Blazy, France's foreign minister, said obtaining Lebanese and Arab support for the plan was his government's priority.In the meantime, air attacks have killed more civilians in Lebanon. The Washington Post: BEIRUT, Aug. 7 -- A tearful Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told visiting foreign ministers that 40* people were killed in Israeli airstrikes early Monday, one day after intensified attacks on both sides left more than two dozen soldiers and civilians dead.\"State Terrorism ?\"An hour ago, there was a horrific massacre in the village of Houla,\" Siniora said, calling the bombing \"deliberate\" and the people who died \"martyrs.\" He interrupted his remarks several times to choke back tears and wipe his eyes, wire services reported. The ministers broke into applause.\"If these horrific actions are not state terrorism,\" Siniora asked rhetorically, \"then what is state terrorism?\"*Note: The number of dead was subsequently reported to be incorrect, and reduced. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07 if siniora had had the guts to stand up to the religious zealot, iran supported terrorist group hezbollah in the first place, and not let them grow and stockpile at the border, he would not need to shed a single tear today. make no mistake - he is directly responsible for the warring state, and while he cries for the tv crews, he could have stopped the atrocities from both side on day one, and he still can - forcing the hezbollah to return the kidnapped soldiers, and bringing in the lebanese military to the southern border and squelch the indiscriminate missile firing towards israel. Unknown \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07 @tsella, if Israel had withdrawed its troops from Shabaa farms - the Lebanes land occupied by Israel- and had set the Lebanese prisoners in its prisons free, Hezbolla wouldn't have initiated the war on them. Believe me, Senyora may cry after seeing the barbaric attack the IDF makes on children and innocent civilians, but Lebanon will never give up. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07 @tarek, shabaa? you must mean mount dov.. so you're saying lebanon is now fighting for syria? nice. that's what we're saying, but the cowards in syria are afraid to speak up.\nanyway, you know this is bullcrap. when the people behind hezbollah (iran if you're unsure) go all out saying israel should not exist, we both know hezbollah would have found whatever reason to declare holy jihad on israel.\nprisoners? you mean cold-blooded-by-his-own-confession samir kuntar? in any arab country he would have faced capital punishment (i.e. death sentense), but we're too civilized for that. he's serving life in prison, and i hope he rots in there alive for a hundred years more.\nregardless, bottom line, you're condoning terrorism - you're condoning warring state. there is no dialog with terrorists.\ni hope lebanon will be wiser than you. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/bush-and-israel-extracting-more-than-their-pound-of-flesh/","summary":"\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSlaughter of Civilians Continues\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is clear that before the UN plan (now being hammered out) is implemented the relentless attacks by Israelis will continue as will retaliation by the Hezbollah. The civilians on both sides of the border are like sacrificial goats in this  \"proxy war\". President Bush, vacationing in Crawford, and his Secretary of State are engaged in taking advantage of the crisis to gain ground against Syria and Iran. In their world, the mounting casualties mean nothing. Michael Fletcher in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/06/AR2006080600721.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: CRAWFORD, Tex., Aug. 6 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed Sunday for approval of a draft U.N. resolution calling for a \"cessation of hostilities\" between Israel and Hezbollah, saying it is a crucial \"first step\" toward resolving the conflict.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAcknowledging that passage of the resolution would not immediately end the fighting that has raged for most of the past month, Rice said that it nonetheless offers a framework that would not only eventually end the hostilities but also stabilize the area going forward.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAre the Lebanese being pressured to accept unjust terms?  Such tactics are likely to fail in achieving the long-term objective of the major powers.  A report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1838869,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e states:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eCondoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, piled pressure on Hizbullah to comply with the proposed UN call for a truce yesterday, reiterating Washington's insistence that a cessation of hostilities would be the first step towards a longer-term settlement. \"We're trying to deal with a problem that has been festering and brewing in Lebanon now for years and years and years,\" she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, rejected the 6,500-word text thrashed out by Washington and Paris. Mr Berri, who has been negotiating on behalf of Hizbullah, said the draft resolution legitimised Israel's occupation, adding that it would \"open the door to never-ending war\". Philippe Douste-Blazy, France's foreign minister, said obtaining Lebanese and Arab support for the plan was his government's priority.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIn the meantime, air attacks have killed more civilians in Lebanon.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080700254.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  BEIRUT, Aug. 7 -- A tearful Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told visiting foreign ministers that 40* people were killed in Israeli airstrikes early Monday, one day after intensified attacks on both sides left more than two dozen soldiers and civilians dead.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eState Terrorism ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"An hour ago, there was a horrific massacre in the village of Houla,\" Siniora said, calling the bombing \"deliberate\" and the people who died \"martyrs.\" He interrupted his remarks several times to choke back tears and wipe his eyes, wire services reported. The ministers broke into applause.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"If these horrific actions are not state terrorism,\" Siniora asked rhetorically, \"then what is state terrorism?\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e*Note: The number of dead was subsequently reported to be incorrect, and reduced.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eif siniora had had the guts to stand up to the religious zealot, iran supported terrorist group hezbollah in the first place, and not let them grow and stockpile at the border, he would not need to shed a single tear today. make no mistake - he is directly responsible for the warring state, and while he cries for the tv crews, he could have stopped the atrocities from both side on day one, and he still can - forcing the hezbollah to return the kidnapped soldiers, and bringing in the lebanese military to the southern border and squelch the indiscriminate missile firing towards israel.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e@tsella, if Israel had withdrawed its troops from Shabaa farms - the Lebanes land occupied by Israel- and had set the Lebanese prisoners in its prisons free, Hezbolla wouldn't have initiated the war on them. Believe me, Senyora may cry after seeing the barbaric attack the IDF makes on children and innocent civilians, but Lebanon will never give up.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-08-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e@tarek, shabaa? you must mean mount dov.. so you're saying lebanon is now fighting for syria? nice. that's what we're saying, but the cowards in syria are afraid to speak up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eanyway, you know this is bullcrap. when the people behind hezbollah (iran if you're unsure) go all out saying israel should not exist, we both know hezbollah would have found whatever reason to declare holy jihad on israel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eprisoners? you mean cold-blooded-by-his-own-confession samir kuntar? in any arab country he would have faced capital punishment (i.e. death sentense), but we're too civilized for that. he's serving life in prison, and i hope he rots in there alive for a hundred years more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eregardless, bottom line, you're condoning terrorism - you're condoning warring state. there is no dialog with terrorists.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei hope lebanon will be wiser than you.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Bush and Israel Extracting More than their  Pound of Flesh"},{"content":" They talk about peace....a lasting peace, but only at their terms. Do they think of the victims? \"KFAR GILADI, Israel, Aug. 6 -- Ten people, most of whom appeared to be Israeli reserve soldiers, were killed Sunday afternoon when a barrage of Katusha rockets fired by Hezbollah militants landed in a parking lot where the troops were gathered near this kibbutz on Israel's northernmost tip, according to witnesses at the scene.\"\"The Bush administration's policy of refusing to engage with nations and groups linked to terrorism, including Syria, Iran and Palestinian factions, has sharply limited U.S. maneuvering room during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, according to former administration officials and outside experts.\"\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"You who are lengthening your liveswith the best doctors and best medicinesremember those who are shortening their liveswith the warthat you in your long lives are notpreventing.You who are again screwingthe younger generationsand winking at each otherthe winking of your eyelidsis like chill of the swinging shuttersin an empty house.---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)* Listening to Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata No.131 \"\"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir,\"Conductor: Philippe HerreweghePerformer: Peter Kooy, Barbara Schlick, et al.Orchestra: Collegium Vocale Ghent (Orchestre)Label: EMI Records [All429] ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/for-the-warmongers-a-poem-by-yehuda-amichai/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey talk about peace....a lasting peace, but only at their terms. Do they think of the victims? \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/06/AR2006080600149.html\"\u003eKFAR GILADI, Israel\u003c/a\u003e, Aug. 6 -- Ten people, most of whom appeared to be Israeli reserve soldiers, were killed Sunday afternoon when a barrage of Katusha rockets fired by Hezbollah militants landed in a parking lot where the troops were gathered near this kibbutz on Israel's northernmost tip, according to witnesses at the scene.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/05/AR2006080500500.html\"\u003eBush administration's policy\u003c/a\u003e of refusing to engage with nations and groups linked to terrorism, including Syria, Iran and Palestinian factions, has sharply limited U.S. maneuvering room during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, according to former administration officials and outside experts.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"azure\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are lengthening your lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the best doctors and best medicines\u003cbr/\u003eremember those who are shortening their lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the war\u003cbr/\u003ethat you in your long lives are not\u003cbr/\u003epreventing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are again screwing\u003cbr/\u003ethe younger generations\u003cbr/\u003eand winking at each other\u003cbr/\u003ethe winking of your eyelids\u003cbr/\u003eis like chill of the swinging shutters\u003cbr/\u003ein an empty house.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata No.131 \"\"Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir,\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eConductor: Philippe Herreweghe\u003cbr/\u003ePerformer: Peter Kooy, Barbara Schlick, et al.\u003cbr/\u003eOrchestra: Collegium Vocale Ghent (Orchestre)\u003cbr/\u003eLabel: EMI Records [All429]\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"For The Warmongers, A Poem by Yehuda Amichai"},{"content":" No Cuckoos in Lebanon\"Sumer is ycomen in,Loude sing cuckou!Groweth seed and bloweth meed,And springth the wode now.Sing cuckou!\"---Anonymous (13th Century English Poem)The headlines paint a bleak picture of what is happening in our world on this sunny morning in July. For us in the San Francisco Bay area the weather is balmy. Mild temperature and blue sky. One cannot,however, escape what is happening in Lebanon, Gaza, and Iraq. If there are cuckoos, they are not singing. People in Israel too have not escaped suffering but I am with those whose sympathies are with the civilians who have received the brunt of Israel's brute force.Emma Brockes writes in The Guardian, \"Oh God, Redux\": \"At this stage, the shelf starts to buckle. Embedded in these stories was speculation about Iran's nuclear threat, a reminder that Gaza is still under siege, analysis of Tony Blair's fallout with his cabinet and footage of his joint press conference with George Bush, which when it was shown the first time round - Blair frowning powerfully, Bush sinisterly jocular - was a tipping point into despair for lots of people. The final item on the news that evening couldn't have been more symbolic if it had shown the ravens leaving the Tower of London. Fidel Castro, the one constant in all our lives, was on the blink. That's when I reached for the phone and -\"We're fucked.\" Biblical prophesy sites have been quick to jump on the Israel/Lebanon crisis as a realisation of Thessalonians 5:3 (\"While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape ...\") and the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. They must be the only people actively enjoying the situation. \"Got that dancing feeling on the inside of me,\" posts one contributor to the Rapture Ready website, an outfit dedicated to scouring world events for signs of the second coming. Its talkboards are in a state of high excitement at the moment. \"This is the busiest I've ever seen this website in a few years!\" posts one contributor. \"I have been having rapture dreams and I can't believe that this is really it! We are on the edge of eternity!!!!!!!\" \"Whoa! I can sure feel the glory bumps after reading this thread!\" replies another contributor and another points out that there are exactly 40 days between the date on which the first Israeli soldier was kidnapped and that day's date, which, he writes, \"I find to be a HUGE coincidence.\" I must confess that the thought of a world without the holy rollers -- assuming that they would soon ascend to heaven -- makes me happy. I shall take my chances of being left behind.And there is news about agreement being reached between the U.S. and France on a mid-east truce. It was time. Let us hope that peace, a lasting peace prevails in Lebanon.Abeer HamzaThe case against soldiers accused of rape and murder of a 14-year old Iraqi girl in Mahmudiya is making progress. The NY Times reported: \"On March 13, a group of American soldiers sitting at a checkpoint south of Baghdad were asked to look into a horrible crime: a 14-year-old Iraqi girl had been raped, then killed along with her family in their house nearby in Mahmudiya.\" Those soldiers, along with others from their checkpoint, walked over and took detailed forensic photographs of the charred and bullet-riddled bodies, as if it were a routine investigation of an insurgent attack, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Now, those photographs are likely to serve as evidence in the military’s prosecution of the case, which opens a new chapter tomorrow when an Article 32 hearing, the rough equivalent of a grand jury proceeding, begins in Baghdad for five soldiers accused in the crime. Dog Days For Bush and BlairTony Blair postponed his vacation in Bermuda, and President Bush has decided to shorten his annual vacation in Crawford. Doubt if he took any books to read. In the meantime, GOP candidates worried about their prospects in mid-term election are keeping their distance from El Jefe. Michael Abramowitz in the Post: \"On Capitol Hill, Rep. Mark Kennedy (Minn.) and Sen. James M. Talent (Mo.) are known as loyal Republican soldiers, reliable votes for President Bush on tax cuts and the Iraq war. In elections past, they have aired advertisements featuring the president and have stumped with him at public rallies.\" This year, both are running for Senate seats, but their television ads have made no mention of Bush -- and have been conspicuous in distancing the candidates from their partisan affiliation. \"Most people don't care if you're red or blue, Republican or Democrat,\" Talent's ad states. A recent ad from Kennedy says, \"He doesn't do what the party says to.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/our-world-on-a-saturday-morning/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNo Cuckoos in Lebanon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Sumer is ycomen in,\u003cbr/\u003eLoude sing cuckou!\u003cbr/\u003eGroweth seed and bloweth meed,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd springth the wode now.\u003cbr/\u003eSing cuckou!\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Anonymous (13th Century English Poem)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe headlines paint a bleak picture of what is happening in our world on this sunny morning in July. For us in the San Francisco Bay area the weather is balmy. Mild temperature and blue sky. One cannot,however, escape what is happening in Lebanon, Gaza, and Iraq. If there are cuckoos, they are not singing. People in Israel too have not escaped suffering but I am with those whose sympathies are with the civilians who have received the brunt of Israel's brute force.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEmma Brockes writes in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1837808,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, \"Oh God, Redux\": \"At this stage, the shelf starts to buckle. Embedded in these stories was speculation about Iran's nuclear threat, a reminder that Gaza is still under siege, analysis of Tony Blair's fallout with his cabinet and footage of his joint press conference with George Bush, which when it was shown the first time round - Blair frowning powerfully, Bush sinisterly jocular - was a tipping point into despair for lots of people. The final item on the news that evening couldn't have been more symbolic if it had shown the ravens leaving the Tower of London. Fidel Castro, the one constant in all our lives, was on the blink. That's when I reached for the phone and -\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We're fucked.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eBiblical prophesy sites have been quick to jump on the Israel/Lebanon crisis as a realisation of Thessalonians 5:3 (\"While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape ...\") and the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. They must be the only people actively enjoying the situation. \"Got that dancing feeling on the inside of me,\" posts one contributor to the Rapture Ready website, an outfit dedicated to scouring world events for signs of the second coming. Its talkboards are in a state of high excitement at the moment. \"This is the busiest I've ever seen this website in a few years!\" posts one contributor. \"I have been having rapture dreams and I can't believe that this is really it! We are on the edge of eternity!!!!!!!\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Whoa! I can sure feel the glory bumps after reading this thread!\" replies another contributor and another points out that there are exactly 40 days between the date on which the first Israeli soldier was kidnapped and that day's date, which, he writes, \"I find to be a HUGE coincidence.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI must confess that the thought of a world without the holy rollers -- assuming that they would soon ascend to heaven -- makes me happy. I shall take my chances of being left behind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd there is news about agreement being reached between the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/05/AR2006080500373.html\"\u003eU.S. and France\u003c/a\u003e on a mid-east truce. It was time. Let us hope that peace, a lasting peace prevails in Lebanon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbeer Hamza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe case against soldiers accused of rape and murder of a 14-year old Iraqi girl in Mahmudiya is making progress. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/05/world/middleeast/05abuse.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e reported: \"On March 13, a group of American soldiers sitting at a checkpoint south of Baghdad were asked to look into a horrible crime: a 14-year-old Iraqi girl had been raped, then killed along with her family in their house nearby in Mahmudiya.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThose soldiers, along with others from their checkpoint, walked over and took detailed forensic photographs of the charred and bullet-riddled bodies, as if it were a routine investigation of an insurgent attack, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNow, those photographs are likely to serve as evidence in the military’s prosecution of the case, which opens a new chapter tomorrow when an Article 32 hearing, the rough equivalent of a grand jury proceeding, begins in Baghdad for five soldiers accused in the crime.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDog Days For Bush and Blair\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTony Blair postponed his vacation in Bermuda, and President Bush has decided to shorten his annual vacation in Crawford. Doubt if he took any books to read. In the meantime, GOP candidates worried about their prospects in mid-term election are keeping their distance from El Jefe. Michael Abramowitz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/04/AR2006080401807.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"On Capitol Hill, Rep. Mark Kennedy (Minn.) and Sen. James M. Talent (Mo.) are known as loyal Republican soldiers, reliable votes for President Bush on tax cuts and the Iraq war. In elections past, they have aired advertisements featuring the president and have stumped with him at public rallies.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThis year, both are running for Senate seats, but their television ads have made no mention of Bush -- and have been conspicuous in distancing the candidates from their partisan affiliation. \"Most people don't care if you're red or blue, Republican or Democrat,\" Talent's ad states. A recent ad from Kennedy says, \"He doesn't do what the party says to.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Our World On A Saturday Morning"},{"content":" Think of them. Are they going to forget their experience? Will they grow up forgiving those responsible for the deaths and devastation ? Are they going to love those who were responsible?When we consider what is happening in Lebanon we must not forget the role of the United States and Britain in not only supporting the Israeli actions but also supplying them with the means to continue the massacre of civilians. Some of the images of the casualties depict the horrendous effects of weapons used. Now there is talk of financial aid to rebuild Lebanon and the Lebanese army! The neocons have the gift of erasing their memory; they don't remember Iraq. After destroying their country and killing hundreds of (perhaps thousands before the shooting stops) they expect the Lebanese to roll over and follow their bidding because they offer financial aid.Traumatised and afraid - 300,000 children who want to go homeBy Anne Penketh and Kim SenguptaThe Independent,UKPublished: 04 August 2006 \"I don't want to die. I want to go to school,\" says Jamal, a four-year-old Lebanese boy scarred by the Israeli bombing of his country. Home for Jamal is now a \"displacement centre\" in the southern town of Jezzine, where his family fled in fear for their lives.\"We've had our picnic, and we want to go home now,\" says another child,staying in a makeshift refugee camp in the Sanayeh public gardens in Beirut. \"We are bored and afraid and we want to go home,\" says another.These are the voices of the dispossessed of Lebanon, the hundreds of thousands of children whose world was changed forever in the seconds that followed the explosion of a bomb. \"Mummy, what is a massacre?\" another child asks.About 300,000 Lebanese children have been displaced by Israel's three-week war against Hizbollah - a third of the number of people who have abandoned their homes. In many cases they were ordered out by Israeli army leaflets. They are living in open-air camps, like the one in the Beirut park, or in schools, where many sought refuge. Many children have been housed with host families - in the port of Sidon, 48km (30 miles) south of the capital, 40 per cent of the 22,700 children in temporary accommodation are doing so. The rest are in displacement centres.On August 3rd, Reuters reported: \"BEIRUT - Israel's military appears to have deliberately bombed civilians in Lebanon and some of its strikes constitute war crimes, U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.HRW said Israel's contention that Hizbollah fighters were hiding among Lebanese civilians did not justify its \"systematic failure\" to distinguish between civilians and combatants.\"Democrats Smelling Blood In The WaterYes, there are signs that the conservatives have problems. Their past is catching up with them. Hubris vanquished is always cause to rejoice. E.J. Dionne writes in the Post: \"Is conservatism finished?\"What might have seemed an absurd question less than two years ago is now one of the most important issues in American politics. The question is being asked -- mostly quietly but occasionally publicly -- by conservatives themselves as they survey the wreckage of their hopes, and as their champions in the Republican Party use any means necessary to survive this fall's elections. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/children-in-the-war-zone-war-crimes-conservatives-last-gasp/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThink of them. Are they going to forget their experience? Will they grow up forgiving those responsible for the deaths and devastation ? Are they going to love those who were responsible?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen we consider what is happening in Lebanon we must not forget the role of the United States and Britain in not only supporting the Israeli actions but also supplying them with the means to continue the massacre of civilians. Some of the images of the casualties depict the horrendous effects of weapons used. Now there is talk of financial aid to rebuild Lebanon and the Lebanese army! The neocons have the gift of erasing their memory; they don't remember Iraq. After destroying their country and killing hundreds of (perhaps thousands before the shooting stops) they expect the Lebanese to roll over and follow their bidding because they offer financial aid.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTraumatised and afraid - 300,000 children who want to go home\u003cbr/\u003eBy Anne Penketh and Kim Sengupta\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1212793.ece\"\u003eThe Independent,UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePublished: 04 August 2006 \u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I don't want to die. I want to go to school,\" says Jamal, a four-year-old Lebanese boy scarred by the Israeli bombing of his country. Home for Jamal is now a \"displacement centre\" in the southern town of Jezzine, where his family fled in fear for their lives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We've had our picnic, and we want to go home now,\" says another child,staying in a makeshift refugee camp in the Sanayeh public gardens in Beirut. \"We are bored and afraid and we want to go home,\" says another.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThese are the voices of the dispossessed of Lebanon, the hundreds of thousands of children whose world was changed forever in the seconds that followed the explosion of a bomb. \"Mummy, what is a massacre?\" another child asks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAbout 300,000 Lebanese children have been displaced by Israel's three-week war against Hizbollah - a third of the number of people who have abandoned their homes. In many cases they were ordered out by Israeli army leaflets. They are living in open-air camps, like the one in the Beirut park, or in schools, where many sought refuge. Many children have been housed with host families - in the port of Sidon, 48km (30 miles) south of the capital, 40 per cent of the 22,700 children in temporary accommodation are doing so. The rest are in displacement centres.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn August 3rd, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080300160.html\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e reported: \"BEIRUT - Israel's military appears to have deliberately bombed civilians in Lebanon and some of its strikes constitute war crimes, U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHRW said Israel's contention that Hizbollah fighters were hiding among Lebanese civilians did not justify its \"systematic failure\" to distinguish between civilians and combatants.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats Smelling Blood In The Water\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYes, there are signs that the conservatives have problems. Their past is catching up with them. Hubris vanquished is always cause to rejoice. E.J. Dionne writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080301259.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Is conservatism finished?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhat might have seemed an absurd question less than two years ago is now one of the most important issues in American politics. The question is being asked -- mostly quietly but occasionally publicly -- by conservatives themselves as they survey the wreckage of their hopes, and as their champions in the Republican Party use any means necessary to survive this fall's elections.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Children In The War Zone *  War Crimes * Conservatives' Last Gasp?"},{"content":" Lebanese civilians caught in the strife are the losers. That is one fact that stands out. They have paid with their lives (over 900 according to latest report). They have lost their homes and properties. Most of them innocent victims of what is being described as a \"proxy war\" between the U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran and Syria on the other. Currently, while terms of a cease fire are being argued, deaths and destruction continues. The United States is creating hatred and generations of potential Hezbollah recruits. Just as its grand scenario for a puppet regime in Iraq went down in flames, its plans for Lebanon are doomed to fail. Reading about Hezbollah loyalists in the Post reminded me of the Spanish Civil War slogan \"No passaran\" -- They shall not pass. \"Three weeks into its war with Israel,Hezbollah has retained its presence in southern Lebanon, often the sole authority in devastated towns along the Israeli border. The militia is elusive, with few logistics, little hierarchy and less visibility. Even residents often say they don't know how the militiamen operate or are organized. Communication is by walkie-talkie, always in code, and sometimes messages are delivered by motorcycle. Weapons seem to be already in place across a terrain that fighters say they know intimately.\" Hezbollah admits to having suffered losses, but in the fighting so far, it has demonstrated its detailed planning since the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending an 18-year occupation. Fighters appear to exercise a great deal of autonomy, a flexibility evident along the region's back roads: ammunition loaded in cars, trucks in camouflage, rocket launchers tucked in banana plantations. Analysts say the militia could probably hold out a month without serious resupply. Fighters and supporters suggest that time is their advantage in a war that most suspect won't have a conclusive end. In conversations in southern Lebanon, the militia's supporters seem most adamant in trying to deprive either Israel or the United States of political gains from the military campaign. Robert Pape in NY Times: ISRAEL has finally conceded that air power alone will not defeat Hezbollah. Over the coming weeks, it will learn that ground power won'’t work either. The problem is not that the Israelis have insufficient military might, but that they misunderstand the nature of the enemy. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, Hezbollah is principally neither a political party nor an Islamist militia. It is a broad movement that evolved in reaction to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. At first it consisted of a small number of Shiites supported by Iran. But as more and more Lebanese came to resent Israel’s occupation, Hezbollah — never tight-knit — expanded into an umbrella organization that tacitly coordinated the resistance operations of a loose collection of groups with a variety of religious and secular aims. Civil War in IraqThings are bad enough in Iraq but we could expect much worse. What General Abizaid said during his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee was revealing and quite contrary to the rosy picture that the president continues to mention. The outgoing British Ambassador's assessment along the same lines was reported by BBC prior to General Abizaid's statement. The top U.S. commander in the Middle East told a Senate panel today that the recent wave of sectarian violence in Iraq threatens to push the country toward an all-out civil war. Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of the U.S. Central Command, also said U.S. forces could take more casualties as they carry out a new plan to reinforce Baghdad, and he cast doubt on earlier predictions that the U.S. troop level in Iraq could be drawn down this year. Abizaid, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, made the comments after the British ambassador to Iraq reported in a diplomatic dispatch that Iraq was more likely headed to \"low intensity civil war\" and sectarian partition than to a stable democracy. The BBC reported that the assessment was contained in the final diplomatic cable from William Patey to Prime Minister Tony Blair and top members of Blair's cabinet before Patey left the Iraqi capital last week. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/lebanon-winners-and-losers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLebanese civilians caught in the strife are the losers. That is one fact that stands out. They have paid with their lives (over 900 according to latest report). They have lost their homes and properties. Most of them innocent victims of what is being described as a \"proxy war\" between the U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran and Syria on the other. Currently, while terms of a cease fire are being argued, deaths and destruction continues. The United States is creating hatred and generations of potential Hezbollah recruits. Just as its grand scenario for a puppet regime in Iraq went down in flames, its plans for Lebanon are doomed to fail. Reading about Hezbollah loyalists in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/02/AR2006080201584.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reminded me of the Spanish Civil War slogan \"No passaran\" -- They shall not pass. \"Three weeks into its war with Israel,Hezbollah has retained its presence in southern Lebanon, often the sole authority in devastated towns along the Israeli border. The militia is elusive, with few logistics, little hierarchy and less visibility. Even residents often say they don't know how the militiamen operate or are organized. Communication is by walkie-talkie, always in code, and sometimes messages are delivered by motorcycle. Weapons seem to be already in place across a terrain that fighters say they know intimately.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHezbollah admits to having suffered losses, but in the fighting so far, it has demonstrated its detailed planning since the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending an 18-year occupation. Fighters appear to exercise a great deal of autonomy, a flexibility evident along the region's back roads: ammunition loaded in cars, trucks in camouflage, rocket launchers tucked in banana plantations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnalysts say the militia could probably hold out a month without serious resupply. Fighters and supporters suggest that time is their advantage in a war that most suspect won't have a conclusive end. In conversations in southern Lebanon, the militia's supporters seem most adamant in trying to deprive either Israel or the United States of political gains from the military campaign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eRobert Pape in \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/opinion/03pape.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eISRAEL has finally conceded that air power alone will not defeat Hezbollah. Over the coming weeks, it will learn that ground power won'’t work either. The problem is not that the Israelis have insufficient military might, but that they misunderstand the nature of the enemy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eContrary to the conventional wisdom, Hezbollah is principally neither a political party nor an Islamist militia. It is a broad movement that evolved in reaction to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. At first it consisted of a small number of Shiites supported by Iran. But as more and more Lebanese came to resent Israel’s occupation, Hezbollah — never tight-knit — expanded into an umbrella organization that tacitly coordinated the resistance operations of a loose collection of groups with a variety of religious and secular aims.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCivil War in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThings are bad enough in Iraq but we could expect much worse.  What \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080300277.html\"\u003eGeneral Abizaid\u003c/a\u003e said during his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee was revealing and quite contrary to the rosy picture that the president continues to mention. The outgoing British Ambassador's assessment along the same lines was reported by BBC prior to General Abizaid's statement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe top U.S. commander in the Middle East told a Senate panel today that the recent wave of sectarian violence in Iraq threatens to push the country toward an all-out civil war.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eArmy Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of the U.S. Central Command, also said U.S. forces could take more casualties as they carry out a new plan to reinforce Baghdad, and he cast doubt on earlier predictions that the U.S. troop level in Iraq could be drawn down this year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAbizaid, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, made the comments after the British ambassador to Iraq reported in a diplomatic dispatch that Iraq was more likely headed to \"low intensity civil war\" and sectarian partition than to a stable democracy.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe BBC reported that the assessment was contained in the final diplomatic cable from William Patey to Prime Minister Tony Blair and top members of Blair's cabinet before Patey left the Iraqi capital last week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lebanon: Winners and Losers"},{"content":" Iraq * Lebanon, The Proxy War and \"The Futility of Force\"It was long overdue but better late than never. The Democratic leadership in Congress got their act together in a joint appeal for an end to the unjust war. \"After months of struggling to forge a unified stance on the Iraq war, top congressional Democrats joined voices yesterday to call on President Bush to begin withdrawing U.S. troops by the end of the year and to \"transition to a more limited mission\" in the war-torn nation.\" The President isn't going to pay any attention to it. What matters is that the Democrats succeeded in presenting an united front.With the midterm elections three months away, and Democrats seeing public discontent over Iraq as their best chance for retaking the House or Senate, a dozen key lawmakers told Bush in a letter: \"In the interests of American national security, our troops and our taxpayers, the open-ended commitment in Iraq that you have embraced cannot and should not be sustained. . . . We need to take a new direction.\"Aftermath of QanaNo relief in sight for the suffering Lebanese. They are caught in something much bigger than the battle between Hezbollah and Israel. While the members of UN Security Council are working to reach an agreement for cease fire it is clear that the United States is determined to extract its pound of flesh -- complete surrender by,and disarming, of Hezbollah and thereby defang Iran and Syria's power and influence in Lebanon. Experts doubt whether the Hezbollah can be completely disarmed or be forced to cease their activities. Richard Norton-Taylor in The Guardian:The Futility of Force - Israel is learning a lesson that the armies of other countries, including the US, have already grasped. Military force can no longer guarantee victory, certainly not in the conflict Israel and its western allies say they are engaged in - the \"war on terror\", as the Bush White House calls it, or the \"long war\", as the Pentagon now prefers.Whether you call them guerrillas, insurgents or terrorists, you cannot bomb them into submission, as the US has found to its cost in Iraq, and as Israel is discovering in Lebanon. Even Tony Blair appeared to admit this in his weekend speech to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp organisation. \"My concern is that we cannot win this struggle by military means or security measures alone, or even principally by them,\" he said. \"We have to put our ideas up against theirs.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/08/democrats-take-a-cohesive-position-on-iraq-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq * Lebanon, The Proxy War and \"The Futility of Force\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was long overdue but better late than never.   The Democratic leadership in Congress got their act together in a joint appeal for an end to the unjust war.  \"After months of struggling to forge a unified stance on the Iraq war, top congressional \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100743.html\"\u003eDemocrats\u003c/a\u003e joined voices yesterday to call on President Bush to begin withdrawing U.S. troops by the end of the year and to \"transition to a more limited mission\" in the war-torn nation.\"   The President isn't going to pay any attention to it.  What matters is that the Democrats succeeded in presenting an united front.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eWith the midterm elections three months away, and Democrats seeing public discontent over Iraq as their best chance for retaking the House or Senate, a dozen key lawmakers told Bush in a letter: \"In the interests of American national security, our troops and our taxpayers, the open-ended commitment in Iraq that you have embraced cannot and should not be sustained. . . . We need to take a new direction.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAftermath of Qana\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo relief in sight for the suffering Lebanese.  They are caught in something much bigger than the battle between Hezbollah and Israel.  While the members of UN Security Council are working to reach an agreement for cease fire it is clear that the United States is determined to extract its pound of flesh -- complete surrender by,and disarming, of Hezbollah and thereby defang Iran and Syria's power and influence in Lebanon.  Experts doubt whether the Hezbollah can be completely disarmed or be forced to cease their activities. Richard Norton-Taylor in \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/comment/0,,1834634,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Futility of Force -   Israel is learning a lesson that the armies of other countries, including the US, have already grasped. Military force can no longer guarantee victory, certainly not in the conflict Israel and its western allies say they are engaged in - the \"war on terror\", as the Bush White House calls it, or the \"long war\", as the Pentagon now prefers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhether you call them guerrillas, insurgents or terrorists, you cannot bomb them into submission, as the US has found to its cost in Iraq, and as Israel is discovering in Lebanon. Even Tony Blair appeared to admit this in his weekend speech to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp organisation. \"My concern is that we cannot win this struggle by military means or security measures alone, or even principally by them,\" he said. \"We have to put our ideas up against theirs.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats Take A Cohesive Position On Iraq War"},{"content":" Disinformation RulesThe disinformation war is raging but the images tell a story that no official statements can explain away. Bodies of dead children have an impact that lingers. David Clark in The Guardian: As if we didn't know it already, the conflict in Lebanon shows that truth and war don't mix. All parties to the tragedy of the Middle East resort to disinformation and historical falsification to bolster their case, but rarely has an attempt to rewrite the past occurred so soon after the fact. Israeli ministers and their supporters have justified the bombardment of Lebanon as \"a matter of survival\". Total war has been declared on Israel, so Israel is entitled to use the methods of total war in self-defence. This would be reasonable if it were true, but it isn't. It's completely false.\"Despite Israel's protestations that it is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties, it is clear that its military strategy is aimed at maximising the suffering of the Lebanese people as a whole. This was declared quite openly on day one of the campaign, when Israel's chief of staff, General Dan Halutz, promised to \"turn back the clock in Lebanon by 20 years\", and confirmed again yesterday with the horrific slaughter at Qana. The approach is identical to the one taken in similar operations in 1996 and 1993, when Yitzhak Rabin admitted: \"The goal of the operation is to get the southern Lebanese population to move northward, hoping that this will tell the Lebanese government something about the refugees, who may get as far north as Beirut.\" Populations will move like this only if they are in fear of their lives.The same applies to Gaza, where the pretence at discrimination is even thinner and Palestinian civilians are being subjected to a brutal siege and acts of violence that have no military justification. As in Lebanon, the intention is to force civilians to turn on the militias by inflicting as much pain and suffering as the Israeli government thinks it can get away with. What is this if it is not terrorism? It is certainly a war crime. So let's hear no more hypocritical utterances about the evils of terrorism from Bush and Blair. Not until they are able to speak with genuine moral authority by condemning all forms of illegal violence, irrespective of who commits them.A New Middle East Quagmire?One good thing for the Bush Administration is that in recent days attention has shifted from the mess in Iraq. News about recent casualties suffered by U.S. forces didn't receive much attention. Peter Baker writes in the Post about the bombing of Qana and \"........ the prospect of a backlash resulting in a new Middle East quagmire for the United States, according to regional specialists, diplomats and former U.S. officials.\"Although the United States has urged Israel to use restraint, it has also strongly defended the military assaults as a reasonable response to Hezbollah rocket attacks, a position increasingly at odds with allies that see a deadly overreaction. Analysts think that if the war drags on, as appears likely, it could leave the United States more isolated than at any time since the Iraq invasion three years ago and hindered in its foreign policy goals such as shutting down Iran's nuclear program and spreading democracy around the world.\"The arrows are all pointing in the wrong direction,\" said Richard N. Haass, who was President Bush's first-term State Department policy planning director. \"The biggest danger in the short run is it just increases frustration and alienation from the United States in the Arab world. Not just the Arab world, but in Europe and around the world. People will get a daily drumbeat of suffering in Lebanon and this will just drive up anti-Americanism to new heights.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/atrocities-in-lebanon-and-cloud-of-lies/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDisinformation Rules\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\" face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003eThe disinformation war is raging but the images tell a story that no official statements can explain away.   Bodies of dead children have an impact that lingers.  David Clark in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1833932,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e: As if we didn't know it already, the conflict in Lebanon shows that truth and war don't mix. All parties to the tragedy of the Middle East resort to disinformation and historical falsification to bolster their case, but rarely has an attempt to rewrite the past occurred so soon after the fact. Israeli ministers and their supporters have justified the bombardment of Lebanon as \"a matter of survival\". Total war has been declared on Israel, so Israel is entitled to use the methods of total war in self-defence. This would be reasonable if it were true, but it isn't. It's completely false.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite Israel's protestations that it is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties, it is clear that its military strategy is aimed at maximising the suffering of the Lebanese people as a whole. This was declared quite openly on day one of the campaign, when Israel's chief of staff, General Dan Halutz, promised to \"turn back the clock in Lebanon by 20 years\", and confirmed again yesterday with the horrific slaughter at Qana. The approach is identical to the one taken in similar operations in 1996 and 1993, when Yitzhak Rabin admitted: \"The goal of the operation is to get the southern Lebanese population to move northward, hoping that this will tell the Lebanese government something about the refugees, who may get as far north as Beirut.\" Populations will move like this only if they are in fear of their lives.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe same applies to Gaza, where the pretence at discrimination is even thinner and Palestinian civilians are being subjected to a brutal siege and acts of violence that have no military justification. As in Lebanon, the intention is to force civilians to turn on the militias by inflicting as much pain and suffering as the Israeli government thinks it can get away with. What is this if it is not terrorism? It is certainly a war crime. So let's hear no more hypocritical utterances about the evils of terrorism from Bush and Blair. Not until they are able to speak with genuine moral authority by condemning all forms of illegal violence, irrespective of who commits them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA New Middle East Quagmire?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne good thing for the Bush Administration is that in recent days attention has shifted from the mess in Iraq.  News about recent casualties suffered by U.S. forces didn't receive much attention.  Peter Baker writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/30/AR2006073000578.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about the bombing of Qana and \"........ the prospect of a backlash resulting in a new Middle East quagmire for the United States, according to regional specialists, diplomats and former U.S. officials.\"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough the United States has urged Israel to use restraint, it has also strongly defended the military assaults as a reasonable response to Hezbollah rocket attacks, a position increasingly at odds with allies that see a deadly overreaction. Analysts think that if the war drags on, as appears likely, it could leave the United States more isolated than at any time since the Iraq invasion three years ago and hindered in its foreign policy goals such as shutting down Iran's nuclear program and spreading democracy around the world.\"The arrows are all pointing in the wrong direction,\" said Richard N. Haass, who was President Bush's first-term State Department policy planning director. \"The biggest danger in the short run is it just increases frustration and alienation from the United States in the Arab world. Not just the Arab world, but in Europe and around the world. People will get a daily drumbeat of suffering in Lebanon and this will just drive up anti-Americanism to new heights.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Atrocities in Lebanon and Cloud of Lies"},{"content":" How will history judge us when the bombs and rockets stop falling, when the shooting ends ? \"JERUSALEM, July 30 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was forced to cancel a trip to Beirut Sunday after an Israeli airstrike killed more than 50 people, mostly women and children, in the southern Lebanese town of Qana in the bloodiest attack since the hostilities began between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. But she did not call for an immediate ceasefire.\"BEIRUT, July 30 -- In an attack that the Israeli military said was aimed at destroying Hezbollah rocket launchers, Israeli warplanes blasted a group of buildings in a southern Lebanese village Sunday, killing more than 50 people, most of them women and children, according to Lebanese officials and on-scene interviews by Lebanese television reporters.Coming at a particularly sensitive point in negotiations to end the conflict, the attack on the village threw the painstaking process of building toward an agreement into turmoil. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he would not hold talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice until a ceasefire is called. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-30 I would love to comment. Why I wonder do the press and others not call for Hezbollah to simply stop firing on ISRAEL? This destruction is on HEZBOLLAH heads not our friends Israel.This gang with the yellow flag is embraced by Lebanon....so must they also embrace the destruction they bring with them.This is not the fault of USA.Israel has a govermnet of its own we have no more power over them do we have over IRAN OR SYRIA musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-07-31 Re: \"This is not the fault of the USA\".\nDidn't we rush a supply of \"smart bombs\" to Israel on an emergency basis? Based on images of what some of bombs do to living creatures their use could fall under War Crimes. The U.S. is supposedly fighting a \"proxy war\" against Iran and Syria with Israel doing the dirty work. But at what price? One has to be naive to think that the death and destruction will be wiped off the memory of the Lebanese people. Perhaps we expect to buy their support with money for reconstruction. Look at what is happening in Iraq. We failed to buy their support. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/condoning-butchery---the-bushblair-axis/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow will history judge us when the bombs and rockets stop falling, when the shooting ends ? \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/30/AR2006073000129.html\"\u003eJERUSALEM, July 30\u003c/a\u003e -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was forced to cancel a trip to Beirut Sunday after an Israeli airstrike killed more than 50 people, mostly women and children, in the southern Lebanese town of Qana in the bloodiest attack since the hostilities began between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. But she did not call for an immediate ceasefire.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/30/AR2006073000093.html\"\u003eBEIRUT, July 30 \u003c/a\u003e-- In an attack that the Israeli military said was aimed at destroying Hezbollah rocket launchers, Israeli warplanes blasted a group of buildings in a southern Lebanese village Sunday, killing more than 50 people, most of them women and children, according to Lebanese officials and on-scene interviews by Lebanese television reporters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eComing at a particularly sensitive point in negotiations to end the conflict, the attack on the village threw the painstaking process of building toward an agreement into turmoil. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he would not hold talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice until a ceasefire is called.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI would love to comment. Why I wonder do the press and others not call for Hezbollah to simply stop firing on ISRAEL? \u003cbr\u003e This destruction is on HEZBOLLAH heads not our friends Israel.This gang with the yellow flag is embraced by Lebanon....so must they also embrace the destruction they bring with them.This is not the fault of USA.Israel has a govermnet of its own we have no more power over them do we have over IRAN OR SYRIA\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRe: \"This is not the fault of the USA\".\u003cbr\u003eDidn't we rush a supply of \"smart bombs\" to Israel on an emergency basis?  Based on images of what some of bombs   do to living creatures their use could fall under War Crimes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe U.S. is supposedly fighting a \"proxy war\" against Iran and Syria with Israel doing the dirty work.  But at what price?  One has to be naive to think that the death and destruction will be wiped off the memory of the Lebanese people.   Perhaps we expect to buy their support with money for reconstruction.  Look at what is happening in Iraq.  We failed to  buy their support.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Condoning Butchery - The Bush/Blair Axis"},{"content":" Tony Blair, True Believer ? It is a wellknown fact that President Bush is incapable of expressing himself without a script. His weakness becomes glaring when Prime Minister Blair speaks standing next to him. But Tony Blair, who hitched himself lock, stock and barrel to the neocons' disastrous war in Iraq, is no longer in a position to redeem himself. He parrotted President Bush about the crisis in Lebanon, that Israel was right in its attacks on Lebanese civilians and destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, until public opinion at home and abroad forced him to try to persuade President Bush to agree to a prompt cease fire. Apparently, he got rolled over. The joint statement that resulted after his meeting with President Bush in Washington made it clear that Blair failed to change the Bush Administration's position if that was his objective.\"The resolution would also call for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, but Bush and Blair made it clear they were not talking about the kind of immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah being promoted by other world leaders.\"Blair has been calling almost from the beginning of the crisis for a multinational force to help police southern Lebanon. U.S. officials -- mindful of the political difficulties the situation is creating for Blair at home -- said the prime minister has been influential in helping to convince the president that the idea makes sense as a way of helping the Lebanese government reestablish authority.At the news conference yesterday, Blair put little daylight between himself and Bush, casting Hezbollah as the instigator of the crisis and coming to the president's defense -- with a passionate plea to look at the larger stakes -- when Bush was questioned about declining U.S. clout in the world. Blair said the growing violence in the Middle East is not a function of declining U.S. influence but a global movement of Islamic radicals determined to subvert democracy in that region and elsewhere.Wider ConflictA report in the BBC mentions threat of a wider conflict:The agony of Lebanon was, like the carnage in Iraq, part of the birth pains of the New Middle East for the neo-conservative ideologues in Washington. This was Israel's contribution to the war on terror, dealing a blow to a proxy offspring of those \"axis of evil\" nations, Syria and Iran.This was Israel's contribution to the war on terror, dealing a blow to a proxy offspring of those \"axis of evil\" nations, Syria and Iran.A cease fire would be welcome news but there is no sign that it is going to happen anytime soon. We are again going to see Secretary Rice on center stage in the Middle East as she utters high sounding words. Disarming of Hezbollah is easier said than done. Few believe that it can be achieved. Does not matter. It is the Lebanese people,refugees in their own land, who deserve our support and sympathy. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-eloquent-and-deferential-prime-minister/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eTony Blair, True Believer ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is a wellknown fact that President Bush is incapable of expressing himself without a script.  His weakness becomes glaring when Prime Minister Blair speaks standing next to him. But Tony Blair, who hitched himself lock, stock and barrel to the neocons' disastrous war in Iraq, is no longer in a position to redeem himself.  He parrotted President Bush about the crisis in Lebanon, that Israel was right in its attacks on Lebanese civilians and destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, until public opinion at home and abroad forced him to try to persuade President Bush to agree to a prompt cease fire.  Apparently, he got rolled over.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/28/AR2006072801008.html\"\u003ejoint statement\u003c/a\u003e that resulted after his meeting with President Bush in Washington made it clear that Blair failed to change the Bush Administration's position if that was his objective.\"The resolution would also call for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, but Bush and Blair made it clear they were not talking about the kind of immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah being promoted by other world leaders.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlair has been calling almost from the beginning of the crisis for a multinational force to help police southern Lebanon. U.S. officials -- mindful of the political difficulties the situation is creating for Blair at home -- said the prime minister has been influential in helping to convince the president that the idea makes sense as a way of helping the Lebanese government reestablish authority.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt the news conference yesterday, Blair put little daylight between himself and Bush, casting Hezbollah as the instigator of the crisis and coming to the president's defense -- with a passionate plea to look at the larger stakes -- when Bush was questioned about declining U.S. clout in the world. Blair said the growing violence in the Middle East is not a function of declining U.S. influence but a global movement of Islamic radicals determined to subvert democracy in that region and elsewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003eWider Conflict\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA report in the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5223210.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e mentions threat of a wider conflict:\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe agony of Lebanon was, like the carnage in Iraq, part of the birth pains of the New Middle East for the neo-conservative ideologues in Washington. This was Israel's contribution to the war on terror, dealing a blow to a proxy offspring of those \"axis of evil\" nations, Syria and Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis was Israel's contribution to the war on terror, dealing a blow to a proxy offspring of those \"axis of evil\" nations, Syria and Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA cease fire would be welcome news but there is no sign that it is going to happen anytime soon.  We are again going to see Secretary Rice on center stage in the Middle East as she utters high sounding words.  Disarming of Hezbollah is easier said than done.  Few believe that it can be achieved. Does not matter.  It is the Lebanese people,refugees in their own land, who deserve our support and sympathy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Eloquent and Deferential Prime Minister"},{"content":" Vindication or Disgrace * The Warrior Princess In A Cream Colored SuitWe have become blasé about use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes. The problem is endemic and it is almost taken for granted that the stars in professional sports use them. Yet the news about failed drug test by Floyd Landis caused shock and dismay. His victory in Tour de France made us proud and happy. We rejoiced at his superb recovery after falling behind from 1st place to 11th in the most challenging segment of the race and in his victory.Then came the shocker about the drug test. Landis appeared at a press conference in Madrid to tell his side of the story. A second test might vindicate him or it might not. Apparently, the tests are not infallible. Among the glut of reports about Floyd Landis I liked Mike Freeman's column in CBS SportsLine.com:\"We know all of this. We know the sport is one test tube away from becoming the WWE and is the dirtiest one of all. We know many cyclists dabble in drugs and violate rules by toiling in technologies designed to create supermen. Only instead of capes, they don yellow jerseys.But Landis? Wasn't he supposed to be different? Wasn't he the anti-Lance Armstrong? There weren't supposed to be steroid rumors swirling around Landis as there have been around Armstrong. There was not supposed to be a smoking needle, err, gun.There is a chance a plausible explanation exists for the elevated testosterone levels allegedly discovered in the Landis sample. He might be completely innocent. His second sample could be clean. He could also be the victim of bullied blood work. The French and others have been accused by American cyclists of being sophisticated saboteurs. Armstrong has had numerous run-ins with their various cycling bodies and pernicious French media. The French, we are told, would love to be riggers of the Petri dish. They hate American cyclists so much that when one tests positive for some illicit substance, the moment is treated like Bastille Day.Please let it be that. Please let it be some legitimate mistake or conspiracy. Because how many more times can our Tour de France champions, or even our NFL and baseball heroes, go through performance enhancing drug scandals before we all become so cynical we don't care if our athletes cheat?Or have we long passed that point?\"The Gloating Secretary of StateOne person who is revelling in the Lebanon crisis is Condoleezza Rice. The news clips show her obvious pleasure at being in the center of action, calling the shots, talking about \"enduring\" peace, which became \"sustainable\" peace in the Rome Conference while hapless Lebanese civilians are bearing the brunt of Israel's ceaseless pounding. She is doing what her boss wants but there can be no doubt that Condoleezza Rice is out to make her own place in history. Eugene Robinson in the Post: \"Lebanon has now become Condi's war. You can argue whether legal title to the tragic mess in Iraq properly belongs to Rummy or Cheney or to the Decider himself, but as far as Lebanon is concerned, it's Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who has stepped front and center to handle the crisis and show the world who's boss.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-28 Is this the same Condi Rice who could not imagine anyone flying fuel laden jets into buildings? Wonder where she has been. The bad guys tried to do this very thing to the Eifel Tower in the early nineties but could not fly the plane and were eventually foiled by French commandoes.Maybe Condi was playing the piano when this went down? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/floyd-landis---how-would-it-play-out/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eVindication or Disgrace  * The Warrior Princess In A Cream Colored Suit\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have become blasé about use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes.  The problem is endemic and it is almost taken for granted that the stars in professional sports use them.  Yet the news about failed drug test by Floyd Landis caused shock and dismay.  His victory in Tour de France made us proud and happy. We rejoiced at his superb recovery after falling behind from 1st place to 11th in the most challenging segment of the race and in his victory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen came the shocker about the drug test.   Landis appeared at a press conference in Madrid to tell his side of the story.  A second test might vindicate him or it might not.  Apparently, the tests are not infallible.  Among the glut of reports about Floyd Landis I liked Mike Freeman's column in \u003ca href=\"http://www.sportsline.com/print/columns/story/9574604\"\u003eCBS SportsLine.com\u003c/a\u003e:\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"580\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We know all of this. We know the sport is one test tube away from becoming the WWE and is the dirtiest one of all. We know many cyclists dabble in drugs and violate rules by toiling in technologies designed to create supermen. Only instead of capes, they don yellow jerseys.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Landis? Wasn't he supposed to be different? Wasn't he the anti-Lance Armstrong? There weren't supposed to be steroid rumors swirling around Landis as there have been around Armstrong. There was not supposed to be a smoking needle, err, gun.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a chance a plausible explanation exists for the elevated testosterone levels allegedly discovered in the Landis sample. He might be completely innocent. His second sample could be clean. He could also be the victim of bullied blood work. The French and others have been accused by American cyclists of being sophisticated saboteurs. Armstrong has had numerous run-ins with their various cycling bodies and pernicious French media. The French, we are told, would love to be riggers of the Petri dish. They hate American cyclists so much that when one tests positive for some illicit substance, the moment is treated like Bastille Day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlease let it be that. Please let it be some legitimate mistake or conspiracy. Because how many more times can our Tour de France champions, or even our NFL and baseball heroes, go through performance enhancing drug scandals before we all become so cynical we don't care if our athletes cheat?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOr have we long passed that point?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Gloating Secretary of State\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne person who is revelling in the Lebanon crisis is Condoleezza Rice.  The news clips show her obvious pleasure at being in the center of action, calling the shots, talking about \"enduring\" peace, which became \"sustainable\" peace in the Rome Conference while hapless Lebanese civilians are bearing the brunt of Israel's ceaseless pounding.  She is doing what her boss wants but there can be no doubt that Condoleezza Rice is out to make her own place in history.  Eugene Robinson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/27/AR2006072701220.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Lebanon has now become Condi's war.  You can argue whether legal title to the tragic mess in Iraq properly belongs to Rummy or Cheney or to the Decider himself, but as far as Lebanon is concerned, it's Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who has stepped front and center to handle the crisis and show the world who's boss.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIs this the same Condi Rice who could not imagine anyone flying fuel laden jets into buildings? Wonder where she has been. The bad guys tried to do this very thing to the Eifel Tower in the early nineties but could not fly the plane and were eventually foiled by French commandoes.Maybe Condi was playing the piano when this went down?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Floyd Landis - How Would It Play Out ?"},{"content":" Editorial in The Guardian : \"It seems astonishing that the world is still watching rather than acting two weeks after the Lebanon war began. After the international embarrassments of the 1990s, in which Europe watched as Sarajevo's civilian population was assaulted from its surrounding hills and the UN failed to intervene to halt genocide in Rwanda, audiences in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, seeing nightly on television the carnage and despoilation of the Lebanon, rightly expect their governments to respond. And yet nothing happens.The US alliance with Israel has been a fact of international life for decades, but seldom has Washington acted so blatantly in support of the country and with such disregard for the rest of the international community. By blocking diplomatic action, the US has alienated the Arab world even further. And Britain, shamefully, has been a party to this. Washington and London argue that there is no point in calling for an immediate ceasefire because it would only be a temporary solution and what is needed is a sustainable ceasefire. This is an unusual approach to conflict. It is normal to press for a ceasefire and then try to work out peace terms. To demand a workable peace plan for the Israel-Lebanon first is the stuff of dreams. Israel and Lebanon have now been in conflict since 1982: there is no easy solution on offer.Picasso's GuernicaAnd Our Soldiers In IraqLatest number for total military fatalities: 2570. So far this month 36 soldiers have died in Iraq. Yes, the people who started the war keep saying that the numbers don't mean anything. Can that be true? Surely the numbers mean something to the families....to the friends and neighbors. To them the numbers represent real people whom they had known and loved. But do they question why they died -- not sure that many do. And that is the saving grace for the warmongers. Joshua Partlow writes in the Post about soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division: \"Think of what you hate most about your job. Then think of doing what you hate most for five straight hours, every single day, sometimes twice a day, in 120-degree heat,\" he said. \"Then ask how morale is.\"\nAs President Bush plans to deploy more troops in Baghdad, U.S. soldiers who have been patrolling the capital for months describe a deadly and infuriating mission in which the enemy is elusive and success hard to find. Each day, convoys of Humvees and Bradley Fighting Vehicles leave Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad with the goal of stopping violence between warring Iraqi religious sects, training the Iraqi army and police to take over the duty, and reporting back on the availability of basic services for Iraqi civilians.\nBut some soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division -- interviewed over four days on base and on patrols -- say they have grown increasingly disillusioned about their ability to quell the violence and their reason for fighting. The battalion of more than 750 people arrived in Baghdad from Kuwait in March, and since then, six soldiers have been killed and 21 wounded.\n\"It sucks. Honestly, it just feels like we're driving around waiting to get blown up. That's the most honest answer I could give you,\" said Spec. Tim Ivey, 28, of San Antonio, a muscular former backup fullback for Baylor University. \"You lose a couple friends and it gets hard.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/lebanon-july-2006---guernica-april-1937/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEditorial in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1830975,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e : \"It seems astonishing that the world is still watching rather than acting two weeks after the Lebanon war began. After the international embarrassments of the 1990s, in which Europe watched as Sarajevo's civilian population was assaulted from its surrounding hills and the UN failed to intervene to halt genocide in Rwanda, audiences in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, seeing nightly on television the carnage and despoilation of the Lebanon, rightly expect their governments to respond. And yet nothing happens.\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"570\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe US alliance with Israel has been a fact of international life for decades, but seldom has Washington acted so blatantly in support of the country and with such disregard for the rest of the international community. By blocking diplomatic action, the US has alienated the Arab world even further. And Britain, shamefully, has been a party to this. Washington and London argue that there is no point in calling for an immediate ceasefire because it would only be a temporary solution and what is needed is a sustainable ceasefire. This is an unusual approach to conflict. It is normal to press for a ceasefire and then try to work out peace terms. To demand a workable peace plan for the Israel-Lebanon first is the stuff of dreams. Israel and Lebanon have now been in conflict since 1982: there is no easy solution on offer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003ePicasso's \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_%28painting%29\"\u003eGuernica\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/Guernica.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Our Soldiers In Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLatest number for total military fatalities: 2570.  So far this month 36 soldiers have died in Iraq. Yes, the people who started the war keep saying that the numbers don't mean anything.  Can that be true?  Surely the numbers mean something to the families....to the friends and neighbors.  To them the numbers represent real people whom they had known and loved.  But do they question why they died -- not sure that many do.  And that is the saving grace for the warmongers. Joshua Partlow writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072601666.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division: \"Think of what you hate most about your job. Then think of doing what you hate most for five straight hours, every single day, sometimes twice a day, in 120-degree heat,\" he said. \"Then ask how morale is.\"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Lebanon, July 2006 - Guernica, April 1937"},{"content":" Thrust and Parry in RomeThe parties agreed to disagree in the 18-nation Rome meeting to find a solution to the current crisis. People in the war zone can expect their suffering to continue until the super powers find a way to reach \"enduring peace\" -- a phrase which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice keeps repeating. It has a bite to it and she obviously likes the sound. One can even see a smirk (shadow of G.W. Bush) in her face. \"But the participating foreign ministers could not agree on the timing of a cease-fire, with the United States standing by its position that a settlement be in place for an \"enduring\" peace prior to a cessation of hostilities. And Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan publicly disagreed at a grim-faced news conference on whether Iran and Syria should be involved in talks, with Annan saying they should, and Rice denouncing the two nations for their role in the region.\"After listening to the news conference, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora expressed despair. Saying his country was being \"cut to pieces\" by Israel, Siniora said: \"We really wanted, on the one hand, to really ask the participants to provide humanitarian relief assistance, which is important, and to provide all other assistance. . . . But more, we wanted a cease-fire, an immediate cease-fire.\"U.S. officials briefing after the meeting played down disagreements. But others did not. Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said that \"we agreed upon what we could agree upon, but that does not change the fact that the European Union has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities\" while the United States has not.The Bombing of UNIFIL - Accidental or Deliberate ?Four members of UNIFIL died yesterday after repeated bombing of the UN base at Lebanon-Israeli border. \"The UN general secretary, Kofi Annan, today accused the Israeli military of carrying out a sustained bombing of the UN base on the Lebanon-Israel border that culminated in the killing of four unarmed monitors.Mr Annan said he had suggested to the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, that they carry out a joint investigation into the events that led to the shelling of the \"well-established and well marked\" Unifil (UN interim force in Lebanon) post in the town of Khiyam.\" According to a detailed timeline of the incident provided by an unidentified UN officer and reported by CNN, the first bomb exploded around 200 metres from the post at 1.20pm (11.20am BST) yesterday.Unifil observers then telephoned their designated contact with the Israeli military, who assured them the attacks would stop. In the following hours, nine more bombs fell close to the post, each one followed by a call to the Israeli military, the UN officer said.The main Unifil base in the town of Naqoura lost contact with the post at 7.40pm, seemingly the time when the post received a direct hit. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/lebanon-the-elusive-enduring-peace/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThrust and Parry in Rome\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThe parties agreed to disagree in the 18-nation Rome meeting to find a solution to the current crisis. People in the war zone can expect their suffering to continue until the super powers find a way to reach \"enduring peace\" -- a phrase which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice keeps repeating. It has a bite to it and she obviously likes the sound. One can even see a smirk (shadow of G.W. Bush) in her face. \"But the participating foreign ministers could not agree on the timing of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072600289.html\"\u003ecease-fire\u003c/a\u003e, with the United States standing by its position that a settlement be in place for an \"enduring\" peace prior to a cessation of hostilities. And Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan publicly disagreed at a grim-faced news conference on whether Iran and Syria should be involved in talks, with Annan saying they should, and Rice denouncing the two nations for their role in the region.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"silver\" width=\"575\"\u003eAfter listening to the news conference, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora expressed despair. Saying his country was being \"cut to pieces\" by Israel, Siniora said: \"We really wanted, on the one hand, to really ask the participants to provide humanitarian relief assistance, which is important, and to provide all other assistance. . . . But more, we wanted a cease-fire, an immediate cease-fire.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. officials briefing after the meeting played down disagreements. But others did not. Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said that \"we agreed upon what we could agree upon, but that does not change the fact that the European Union has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities\" while the United States has not.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Bombing of UNIFIL - Accidental or Deliberate ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eFour members of UNIFIL died yesterday after repeated bombing of the UN base at Lebanon-Israeli border. \"\u003ci\u003eThe UN general secretary, \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1830397,00.html\"\u003eKofi Annan\u003c/a\u003e, today accused the Israeli military of carrying out a sustained bombing of the UN base on the Lebanon-Israel border that culminated in the killing of four unarmed monitors.Mr Annan said he had suggested to the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, that they carry out a joint investigation into the events that led to the shelling of the \"well-established and well marked\" Unifil (UN interim force in Lebanon) post in the town of Khiyam.\u003c/i\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"silver\" width=\"575\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to a detailed timeline of the incident provided by an unidentified UN officer and reported by CNN, the first bomb exploded around 200 metres from the post at 1.20pm (11.20am BST) yesterday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnifil observers then telephoned their designated contact with the Israeli military, who assured them the attacks would stop. In the following hours, nine more bombs fell close to the post, each one followed by a call to the Israeli military, the UN officer said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe main Unifil base in the town of Naqoura lost contact with the post at 7.40pm, seemingly the time when the post received a direct hit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lebanon: The Elusive \"Enduring Peace\""},{"content":" Signing StatementsBack in January 2006, esteemed journalist Helen Thomas compared the president with Louis XIV of France, credited for saying \"L'etat, C'est Moi\" (I am the State). The looming battle over signing statements used by the president to demonstrate defiance of legislations highlights his arrogance. Michael Abramowitz in the Post: \"A panel of legal scholars and lawyers assembled by the American Bar Association is sharply criticizing the use of \"signing statements\" by President Bush that assert his right to ignore or not enforce laws passed by Congress.In a report to be issued today, the ABA task force said that Bush has lodged more challenges to provisions of laws than all previous presidents combined. \"The panel members described the development as a serious threat to the Constitution's system of checks and balances, and they urged Congress to pass legislation permitting court review of such statements.\"The president is indicating that he will not either enforce part or the entirety of congressional bills,\" said ABA president Michael S. Greco, a Massachusetts attorney. \"We will be close to a constitutional crisis if this issue, the president's use of signing statements, is left unchecked.\"Unconstitutional LoopholesThe Guardian: \"The American Bar Association, an independent lawyers' organisation, issued a report on President Bush's prolific use of \"signing statements\" and found he was using them to create unconstitutional loopholes to laws passed by Congress.The ABA found that the president used signing statements to make more than 800 challenges to congressional legislation, 200 more than all previous US presidents put together. Signing statements have been issued since the nation's founding but they have traditionally served a ceremonial function, extolling the virtues of the legislation just signed.Forbes Magazine: \"We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional,\" Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the Senate floor.It will be interesting to see how this vitally important issue plays out. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-imperial-presidency---i-think-i-am-the-state/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSigning Statements\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in January 2006,  esteemed journalist \u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0127-20.htm\"\u003eHelen Thomas\u003c/a\u003e compared the president with Louis XIV of France, credited for saying \"L'etat, C'est Moi\" (I am the State). The looming battle over signing statements  used by the president to demonstrate defiance of legislations highlights his arrogance. Michael Abramowitz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/23/AR2006072300511.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"A panel of legal scholars and lawyers assembled by the American Bar Association is sharply criticizing the use of \"signing statements\" by President Bush that assert his right to ignore or not enforce laws passed by Congress.In a report to be issued today, the ABA task force said that Bush has lodged more challenges to provisions of laws than all previous presidents combined. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"silver\" width=\"550\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe panel members described the development as a serious threat to the Constitution's system of checks and balances, and they urged Congress to pass legislation permitting court review of such statements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The president is indicating that he will not either enforce part or the entirety of congressional bills,\" said ABA president Michael S. Greco, a Massachusetts attorney. \"We will be close to a constitutional crisis if this issue, the president's use of signing statements, is left unchecked.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnconstitutional Loopholes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"silver\" width=\"550\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1828114,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e: \"The American Bar Association, an independent lawyers' organisation, issued a report on President Bush's prolific use of \"signing statements\" and found he was using them to create unconstitutional loopholes to laws passed by Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe ABA found that the president used signing statements to make more than 800 challenges to congressional legislation, 200 more than all previous US presidents put together. Signing statements have been issued since the nation's founding but they have traditionally served a ceremonial function, extolling the virtues of the legislation just signed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/07/24/ap2900817.html\"\u003eForbes Magazine\u003c/a\u003e: \"We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional,\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/07/24/ap2900817.html\"\u003eJudiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa.\u003c/a\u003e, said on the Senate floor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt will be interesting to see how this vitally important issue plays out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Imperial Presidency - (I Think) \"I Am The State\""},{"content":" The United States In A Familiar RoleIt was not much of a secret although the details were not public. Israel's actions against Lebanon had the blessing of the Bush Administration. The Guardian (UK) has come out with the details of the \"Green Light\". \"The US is giving Israel a window of a week to inflict maximum damage on Hizbullah before weighing in behind international calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to British, European and Israeli sources. The Bush administration, backed by Britain, has blocked efforts for an immediate halt to the fighting initiated at the UN security council, the G8 summit in St Petersburg and the European foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.\" Blair was fully aware of what was going on. Did Foreign Office Minister Howells go out on a limb ? He shows no sign of backing down from his position which is radically different than that of Tony Blair and Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett.\"It's clear the Americans have given the Israelis the green light. They [the Israeli attacks] will be allowed to go on longer, perhaps for another week,\" a senior European official said yesterday. Diplomatic sources said there was a clear time limit, partly dictated by fears that a prolonged conflict could spin out of control.US strategy in allowing Israel this freedom for a limited period has several objectives, one of which is delivering a slap to Iran and Syria, who Washington claims are directing Hizbullah and Hamas militants from behind the scenes.Blood and Oil-Stained HandsA dismal scene. In 1953, U.S. and Britain engineered a coup to topple Iran's the then prime minister Mohammed Mossadegh and installed a puppet, Reza Shah Pahlavi. Now, 53 years later the same team is involved,with Israel doing most of the dirty work, in toppling the current regime of hardline Shiaites who came into power because of the late Shah's repressive rule under which thousands of Iranians were tortured and killed. The primary reason then was oil. The present policy is based on fear that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons. And, of course, the U.S. would love to get its hands on Iran's oil. The kingmakers engaged in geopolitical gamesmanship. The failure of their grand vision in Iraq means nothing.An Arabic newspaper on the History of the Green Light.Also see Washington Post columnist David Ignatius and Fareed Zacharia's \"Is the war making the world safer for Israel, America and their allies or more dangerous?\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/looking-back-looking-forward---mossadeq-to-ahmedinejad/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe United States In A Familiar Role\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was not much of a secret although the details were not public. Israel's actions against Lebanon had the blessing of the Bush Administration. \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1823817,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e (UK) has come out with the details of the \"Green Light\".  \"The US is giving Israel a window of a week to inflict maximum damage on Hizbullah before weighing in behind international calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to British, European and Israeli sources. The Bush administration, backed by Britain, has blocked efforts for an immediate halt to the fighting initiated at the UN security council, the G8 summit in St Petersburg and the European foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.\"    Blair was fully aware of what was going on.  Did \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1827393,00.html\"\u003eForeign Office Minister Howells\u003c/a\u003e go out on a limb ? He shows no sign of backing down from his position which is radically different than that of Tony Blair and Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd bgcolor=\"aqua\" width=\"600\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's clear the Americans have given the Israelis the green light. They [the Israeli attacks] will be allowed to go on longer, perhaps for another week,\" a senior European official said yesterday. Diplomatic sources said there was a clear time limit, partly dictated by fears that a prolonged conflict could spin out of control.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUS strategy in allowing Israel this freedom for a limited period has several objectives, one of which is delivering a slap to Iran and Syria, who Washington claims are directing Hizbullah and Hamas militants from behind the scenes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlood and Oil-Stained Hands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA dismal scene. In 1953, U.S. and Britain engineered a coup to topple Iran's the then prime minister \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Mossadeq\"\u003eMohammed Mossadegh\u003c/a\u003e and installed a puppet, Reza Shah Pahlavi. Now, 53 years later the same team is involved,with Israel doing most of the dirty work, in toppling the current regime of hardline Shiaites who came into power because of the late Shah's repressive rule under which thousands of Iranians were tortured and killed. The primary reason then was oil. The present policy is based on fear that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons. And, of course, the U.S. would love to get its hands on Iran's oil. The kingmakers engaged in geopolitical gamesmanship. The failure of their grand vision in Iraq means nothing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Arabic newspaper on the \u003ca href=\"http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3\u0026amp;id=5713\"\u003eHistory of the Green Light\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso see Washington Post columnist David Ignatius and Fareed Zacharia's \"\u003ca href=\"http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/\"\u003eIs the war making the world safer for Israel, America and their allies or more dangerous?\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Looking Back, Looking Forward - Mossadeq to Ahmedinejad"},{"content":" Applause, Britain does the right thingForeign Minister Kim Howells' statement from Beirut could not be any more clear. It does not matter that Bush Administration remains oblivious to world opinion. It has shown no concern for civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan; it will not intervene to stop the carnage in Lebanon. Despite the close tie between Blair and Bush, Britain took a stand to condemn the utter disregard for suffering of Lebanese civilians.The Observer/Guardian, July 23, 2006Britain dramatically broke ranks with George Bush last night over the Lebanon crisis, publicly criticising Israel's military tactics and urging America to 'understand' the price being paid by ordinary Lebanese civilians.The remarks, made in Beirut by the Foreign Office minister, Kim Howells, were the first public criticism by this country of Israel's military campaign, and placed it at odds with Washington's strong support. The Observer can also reveal that Tony Blair voiced deep concern about the escalating violence during a private telephone conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, last week. But sources close to Blair said Olmert had replied that Israel faced a dire security threat from the Hizbollah militia and was determined to do everything necessary to defeat it.Britain's shift came as Israeli tanks and warplanes pounded targets across the border in southern Lebanon yesterday ahead of an imminently expected ground offensive to clear out nearby Hizbollah positions, which have been firing dozens of rockets onto towns and cities inside Israel.Violation of Humanitarian LawThe BBC: The UN's Jan Egeland has condemned the devastation caused by Israeli air strikes in Beirut, saying it is a violation of humanitarian law. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/lebanon-britain-takes-a-stand-away-from-gw-bush/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eApplause, Britain does the right thing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eForeign Minister Kim Howells' statement from Beirut could not be any more clear. It does not matter that Bush Administration remains oblivious to world opinion.  It has shown no concern for civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan; it will not intervene to stop the carnage in Lebanon. Despite the close tie between Blair and Bush, Britain took a stand to condemn the utter disregard for suffering of Lebanese civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1826969,00.html\"\u003eThe Observer/Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, July 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBritain dramatically broke ranks with George Bush last night over the Lebanon crisis, publicly criticising Israel's military tactics and urging America to 'understand' the price being paid by ordinary Lebanese civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe remarks, made in Beirut by the Foreign Office minister, Kim Howells, were the first public criticism by this country of Israel's military campaign, and placed it at odds with Washington's strong support. The Observer can also reveal that Tony Blair voiced deep concern about the escalating violence during a private telephone conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, last week. But sources close to Blair said Olmert had replied that Israel faced a dire security threat from the Hizbollah militia and was determined to do everything necessary to defeat it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBritain's shift came as Israeli tanks and warplanes pounded targets across the border in southern Lebanon yesterday ahead of an imminently expected ground offensive to clear out nearby Hizbollah positions, which have been firing dozens of rockets onto towns and cities inside Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eViolation of Humanitarian Law\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5207478.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e: The UN's Jan Egeland has condemned the devastation caused by Israeli air strikes in Beirut, saying it is a violation of humanitarian law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lebanon: Britain Takes a Stand,  Away From G.W. Bush"},{"content":" *Comparison with Vietnam back again! Lessons, what lessons? Cannot be true. It is a piece of leftist, anti-war propaganda. The chocolates and flowers are late in coming. The Iraqis will eventually greet us as liberators after the Iraq they knew ceases to exist. Thomas E. Ricks write in the Post: \"In Iraq, Military Forgot Lessons of Vietnam\"But there is also strong evidence, based on a review of thousands of military documents and hundreds of interviews with military personnel, that the U.S. approach to pacifying Iraq in the months after the collapse of Hussein helped spur the insurgency and made it bigger and stronger than it might have been.Killings Legitimized - ROETrust them to find justification for murder of civilians -- Rules of Engagement (ROE). Soldiers facing charges for killing Iraqi civilians are being defended on the ground that their actions were based on ROE. That is how we are going to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis! \"Army Lt. Col. John W. McClory found that Spec. Nathan B. Lynn, 21, of South Williamsport, Pa., did nothing wrong in shooting Gani Ahmad Zaben in the post-curfew darkness outside a group of homes on Feb. 15. McClory ruled that Lynn thought the man was armed with an AK-47 and believed he was a threat.\"The military ROE in Iraq are central to most homicide cases against U.S. troops and are at the heart of a major investigation into the killings of two dozen civilians in a group of homes in Haditha. Lawyers representing several Marines in that case -- which has so far yielded no charges -- have said they plan to argue that their clients were following the ROE when they thought they were under attack.Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that four Army soldiers charged with killing three detainees they captured in raids near Samarra told investigators their ROE were to kill \"all military-age males.\" They said commanders authorized the rules for a special mission and initially cleared them of wrongdoing, according to the AP. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/no-chocolates-and-flowers-for-us-troops-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eComparison with Vietnam back again! Lessons, what lessons? Cannot be true. It is a piece of leftist, anti-war propaganda. The chocolates and flowers are late in coming. The Iraqis will eventually greet us as liberators after the Iraq they knew ceases to exist. Thomas E. Ricks write in the Post: \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/22/AR2006072201004.html\"\u003eIn Iraq, Military Forgot Lessons of Vietnam\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut there is also strong evidence, based on a review of thousands of military documents and hundreds of interviews with military personnel, that the U.S. approach to pacifying Iraq in the months after the collapse of Hussein helped spur the insurgency and made it bigger and stronger than it might have been.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eKillings Legitimized - ROE\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrust them to find justification for murder of civilians -- Rules of Engagement (ROE). Soldiers facing charges for killing Iraqi civilians are being defended on the ground that their actions were based on ROE. That is how we are going to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis! \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/21/AR2006072101350.html\"\u003eArmy Lt. Col. John W. McClory\u003c/a\u003e found that Spec. Nathan B. Lynn, 21, of South Williamsport, Pa., did nothing wrong in shooting Gani Ahmad Zaben in the post-curfew darkness outside a group of homes on Feb. 15. McClory ruled that Lynn thought the man was armed with an AK-47 and believed he was a threat.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe military ROE in Iraq are central to most homicide cases against U.S. troops and are at the heart of a major investigation into the killings of two dozen civilians in a group of homes in Haditha. Lawyers representing several Marines in that case -- which has so far yielded no charges -- have said they plan to argue that their clients were following the ROE when they thought they were under attack.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eYesterday, the Associated Press reported that four Army soldiers charged with killing three detainees they captured in raids near Samarra told investigators their ROE were to kill \"all military-age males.\" They said commanders authorized the rules for a special mission and initially cleared them of wrongdoing, according to the AP.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"No Chocolates and Flowers For U.S. Troops In Iraq"},{"content":" The New BarbariansAll of them are not on the Lebanese side of the border.The New York TimesJuly 22, 2006WeaponsU.S. Speeds Up Bomb Delivery for the IsraelisBy DAVID S. CLOUD and HELENE COOPERWASHINGTON, July 21 -- The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.The decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials said. Its disclosure threatens to anger Arab governments and others because of the appearance that the United States is actively aiding the Israeli bombing campaign in a way that could be compared to Iran'’s efforts to arm and resupply Hezbollah.The munitions that the United States is sending to Israel are part of a multimillion-dollar arms sale package approved last year that Israel is able to draw on as needed, the officials said. But Israel'’s request for expedited delivery of the satellite and laser-guided bombs was described as unusual by some military officers, and as an indication that Israel still had a long list of targets in Lebanon to strike.The numbers speak.Yesterday's casualties\nLebanese\nYesterday:Deaths 8\nSince outbreak:Military 66Civilians 345Wounded +1000\nIsraeli\nYesterday:Military 4Wounded Civilians 15\nSince outbreak:Military 15Civilians 19Wounded 300+\nRefugees in Lebanon. The images of faces without names cry out.An Israeli human rights organization presents a view from the other side. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/bombs-for-lebanon-with-love-from-uncle-sam/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe New Barbarians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll of them are not on the Lebanese side of the border.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe New York Times\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eJuly 22, 2006\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eWeapons\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eU.S. Speeds Up Bomb Delivery for the Israelis\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eBy DAVID S. CLOUD and HELENE COOPER\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWASHINGTON, July 21 -- The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials said. Its disclosure threatens to anger Arab governments and others because of the appearance that the United States is actively aiding the Israeli bombing campaign in a way that could be compared to Iran'’s efforts to arm and resupply Hezbollah.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe munitions that the United States is sending to Israel are part of a multimillion-dollar arms sale package approved last year that Israel is able to draw on as needed, the officials said. But Israel'’s request for expedited delivery of the satellite and laser-guided bombs was described as unusual by some military officers, and as an indication that Israel still had a long list of targets in Lebanon to strike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1826491,00.html\"\u003eThe numbers speak\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYesterday's casualties\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Bombs for Lebanon With Love From Uncle Sam"},{"content":" So Many Books, So Little TimeList of books for summer are out. As usual, a mixed bag. In NPR I found comments by Chris Lehman about Jonathan Ames' favorite --- The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett. I must confess that I am not familiar with Jonathan Ames but Hammett, who lived in San Francisco and served a sentence for his refusal to cooperate with HUAC, is one of my favorites too. Another great author of whodunits from that era is Raymond Chandler. Just finished re-reading The Raymond Chandler Omnibus which contains four of his Philip Marlowe novels. Lady in the Lake, Farewell My Lovely, The Big Sleep, The High Window . Hard to put down.Nancy Pearl lists \"Books That May Make You Skip Work\":The Brief History of the Dead - Kevin BrockmeierThe Little Friend - Donna TarttThe Girls - Lori LansensCitizen Vince - Jess WaltersHer non-fiction choice is: To Rule the Waves by Arthur HermannI am reading E.L. Doctorow's \"The March\", a Civil War story. 1864 -- General Sherman's march through Georgia after the burning of Atlanta. I like Doctorow and I have an interest in the Civil War. See \"Independence Day 2005 and A Stillness At Appomattox\"These are books for us ordinary people. August is around the corner. That is when the president goes to Crawford for his vacation. Do you have any idea of what the president reads? No fiction for him. He is a heavy hitter, constantly educating his mind, or so it would seem according to The Guardian which listed the books he took with him to Crawford last summer. Among them \"The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M Barry.\" One wonders. Well, as long as no one asks him about the contents the president is safe.\"The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.\"--- Elizabeth Hardwick\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/you-me-and-president-bush-summer-reading/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSo Many Books, So Little Time\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eList of books for summer are out.  As usual, a   mixed bag.  In NPR I found comments by \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5567922\"\u003eChris Lehman\u003c/a\u003e  about Jonathan Ames' favorite --- The Dain Curse by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell_Hammett\"\u003eDashiell Hammett\u003c/a\u003e.  I must confess that I am not familiar with Jonathan Ames but Hammett,  who lived in San Francisco and served a sentence for his refusal to cooperate with HUAC, is one of my favorites too. Another great author of whodunits from that era is \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler\"\u003eRaymond Chandler\u003c/a\u003e. Just finished re-reading The Raymond Chandler Omnibus which contains four of his Philip Marlowe novels. Lady in the Lake, Farewell My Lovely, The Big Sleep, The High Window . Hard to put down.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5474426\"\u003eNancy Pearl\u003c/a\u003e lists \"Books That May Make You Skip Work\":\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Brief History of the Dead - Kevin Brockmeier\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Little Friend - Donna Tartt\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Girls - Lori Lansens\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eCitizen Vince - Jess Walters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eHer non-fiction choice is: To Rule the Waves by Arthur Hermann\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI am reading E.L. Doctorow's \"The March\", a Civil War story. 1864 -- General Sherman's march through Georgia after the burning of Atlanta.   I like Doctorow and I have an interest in the Civil War. See \"\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/07/independence-day-2005-and-stillness-at.html\"\u003eIndependence Day 2005 and A Stillness At Appomattox\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThese are books for us ordinary people. August is around the corner. That is when the president goes to Crawford for his vacation. Do you have any idea of  what the president reads? No fiction for him.  He is a heavy hitter, constantly educating his mind, or so it would seem according to \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5264214-99819,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e which listed the books he took with him to Crawford last summer. Among them \"The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M Barry.\" One wonders. Well, as long as no one asks him about the contents the president is safe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- Elizabeth Hardwick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"You, Me, and President Bush:  Summer Reading"},{"content":" Bush, the Peacemaker * Bush, the Black Vote Seeker It was not a secret. At the beginning of the current conflict in Lebanon our president made his position clear about the right side with some platitudes about minimizing civilian casualties in Lebanon. For him the timing couldn't have been better. He probably gloated about the developments -- the opportunity to strike back at a Shiaite militant group backed by arch-enemies Iran and Syria without being directly involved in military action. An example of how to make an omelette without breaking an egg. Michael Abramowitz writes in the Post: \"In Mideast Strife, Bush Sees a Step To Peace\". He would....I mean \"see a step to peace\" in the inferno that is Lebanon. A good return for all the financial and military aid to Israel. When hostilities have broken out in the past, the usual U.S. response has been an immediate and public bout of diplomacy aimed at a cease-fire, in the hopes of ensuring that the crisis would not escalate. This week, however, even in the face of growing international demands, the White House has studiously avoided any hint of impatience with Israel. While making it plain it wants civilian casualties limited, the administration is also content to see the Israelis inflict the maximum damage possible on Hezbollah. Nomination for Nobel Peace Prize?Bottom Line: Republicans Need Black VotersHe went there not quite with his hat in his hand but admitted that the Republican Party had neglected black voters. What falling poll numbers will do! Apparently, Karl Rove decided that it was time to repair the damage. After scornfully avoiding appearance at NAACP's annual convention in the past five years, yesterday President Bush read a speech before the gathering. Black voters are not going to shift their allegiance en masse because of the speech but his appearance could sway some of them. The President's support of the Voting Rights Act didn't hurt. The administration's records display an abysmal failure of programs for benefit of people at the lower end of our society, not only African Americans. That is not going to change. The courtship will not last. The Post: \"I understand that many African Americans distrust my political party,\" Bush said at the gathering in Washington. \"I want to change the relationship.\" Bush's remarks met with largely lukewarm applause from the crowd and at one point near the end of his speech, two hecklers threatened to disrupt the address. The president pressed ahead undaunted, though.Bush said the Republican Party wrote off the country's African-American vote for too long and many African-Americans also wrote off the Republican Party. \"It's not good for our country,\" Bush said. Mid-East War Crimes\"The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has warned that war crimes may have been committed in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. BBC News website World Affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds examines the issues.\" Comments Justiceiro \u0026mdash; 2006-07-21 I think you are, as many on the arab side of the arab-israeli do, placing too much weight behind the idea that Washington can pull Israel's strings like a puppetmaster. The US may be Israel's \"best friend\", but they are not unconditionally friendly, noris Israel unconditionally friendly to eht US (google \"USS Liberty\" to see what I mean). It's hard to find a harsher American critic of Israel than me; but even I have difficulty seeing how israel could have attempted to settle this (the kidnapping and rocket firing) through negotiation. I think the wantonness and level of destruction is disproportionate, but its very clearly a result of frustration felt by Israel, the frustration brought on by a totally intractable and foolish Hezbollah.\nAt this point Hezbollah can't give the soldiers back, because it would lose face (which makes Israel's public invasion rather stupid, they should have counterkidnapped Nasrullah's cousin or something and privately squeezed his balls, allowing Hezbollah to make a \"magnanimous gesture\" or something, of course of their own free will.)\nWhat's really pathetic is that Hezbollah is, much like a drug dealing Los Angeles street gang, more concerned about \"street cred\" than the people it purports to defend and represent. The only reason they kidnapped two people is because Hamas kidnapped one, and they HAD to look better than Hamas. It started out as a Hezbollah-Hamas pissing contest, and unfortunately the Lebanese people are the ones taking the consequences.\nAs far as the USA being involved, I think not. You can't argue for the USA to get involved in the conflict in Lebanon, but not in Iraq. Either the USA is an imperial arbiter, or it isn't. I prefer it not to be. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-07-21 \".......on the Arab side\"? Not quite true although I often find myself on the side of the underdogs. In this instance my position is based on what you described as \"wantonness and level of destruction\" and compassion for the hapless civilians caught in the middle. Thanks for your comments. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/how-to-make-an-omlette-the-gw-bush-way/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBush, the Peacemaker * Bush, the Black Vote Seeker \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was not a secret. At the beginning of the current conflict in Lebanon our president made his position clear about the right side with some platitudes about minimizing civilian casualties in Lebanon. For him the timing couldn't have been better. He probably gloated about the developments -- the opportunity to strike back at a Shiaite militant group backed by arch-enemies Iran and Syria without being directly involved in military action. An example of how to make an omelette without breaking an egg.  Michael Abramowitz writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072001907.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"In Mideast Strife, Bush Sees a Step To Peace\".  He would....I mean \"see a step to peace\" in the inferno that is Lebanon. A good return for all the financial and military aid to Israel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhen hostilities have broken out in the past, the usual U.S. response has been an immediate and public bout of diplomacy aimed at a cease-fire, in the hopes of ensuring that the crisis would not escalate. This week, however, even in the face of growing international demands, the White House has studiously avoided any hint of impatience with Israel. While making it plain it wants civilian casualties limited, the administration is also content to see the Israelis inflict the maximum damage possible on Hezbollah.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e Nomination for Nobel Peace Prize?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eBottom Line: Republicans Need Black Voters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eHe went there not quite with his hat in his hand but admitted that the Republican Party had neglected black voters. What falling poll numbers will do! Apparently, Karl Rove decided that it was time to repair the damage. After scornfully avoiding appearance at NAACP's annual convention in the past five years, yesterday President Bush read a speech before the gathering. Black voters are not going to shift their allegiance en masse because of the speech but his appearance could sway some of them. The President's support of the Voting Rights Act didn't hurt. The administration's records display an abysmal failure of programs for benefit of people at the lower end of our society, not only African Americans. That is not going to change. The courtship will not last. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/20/AR2006072000794.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eI understand that many African Americans distrust my political party,\" Bush said at the gathering in Washington. \"I want to change the relationship.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBush's remarks met with largely lukewarm applause from the crowd and at one point near the end of his speech, two hecklers threatened to disrupt the address. The president pressed ahead undaunted, though.Bush said the Republican Party wrote off the country's African-American vote for too long and many African-Americans also wrote off the Republican Party. \"It's not good for our country,\" Bush said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cb\u003eMid-East War Crimes\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has warned that war crimes may have been committed in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. BBC News website World Affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5198342.stm\"\u003eexamines the issues\u003c/a\u003e.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJusticeiro\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI think you are, as many on the arab side of the arab-israeli do, placing too much weight behind the idea that Washington can pull Israel's strings like a puppetmaster.  The US may be Israel's \"best friend\", but they  are not unconditionally friendly, noris Israel unconditionally friendly to eht US (google \"USS Liberty\" to see what I mean). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's hard to find a harsher American critic of Israel than me; but even I  have difficulty seeing how israel could have attempted to settle this (the kidnapping and rocket firing) through negotiation.  I think the wantonness and level of destruction is disproportionate, but its very clearly a result of frustration felt by Israel, the frustration brought on by a totally intractable and foolish Hezbollah.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt this point Hezbollah can't give the soldiers back, because it would lose face (which makes Israel's public invasion rather stupid, they should have counterkidnapped Nasrullah's cousin or something and privately squeezed his balls, allowing Hezbollah to make a \"magnanimous gesture\" or something, of course of their own free will.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat's really pathetic is that Hezbollah is, much like a drug dealing Los Angeles street gang, more concerned about \"street cred\" than the people it purports to defend and represent.  The only reason they kidnapped two people is because Hamas kidnapped one, and they HAD to look better than Hamas.  It started out as a Hezbollah-Hamas pissing contest, and unfortunately the Lebanese people are the ones taking the consequences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs far as the USA being involved, I think not.  You can't argue for the USA to get involved in the conflict in Lebanon, but not in Iraq.  Either the USA is an imperial arbiter, or it isn't.  I prefer it not to be.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\".......on the Arab side\"?  Not quite true although I often find myself on the side of the underdogs.  In this instance my position is based on what you described as \"wantonness and level of destruction\" and compassion for the hapless civilians caught in the middle.    \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for your comments.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"How to Make An Omlette: The G.W. Bush Way"},{"content":" It is a naked demonstration of power. Power of vastly superior military force. Let the pundits argue about \"over reaction\" and Hezbollah's \"miscalculation\". It is indisputable that Israel is determined to destroy Lebanon's economy and infrastructure. If hapless civilians get caught in the attacks and die, it is the cost they must pay to be Lebanese or a resident of Lebanon. President Bush made it clear where he stood on the issue; according to him the Israelis are defending themselves. The peace mission by Secretary Rice is not likely to take place until the Israelis have achieved their objective, world opinion be damned. But in the long run are they really going to be safe? For every innocent life they take they create a recruit for extremist Islamic groups. They can be defiant but at the cost of being despised not only in the Middle East but also in much of the civilized world. Misery and suffering being inflicted upon thousands of people are bound to have a long lasting effect that will bode Israel no good. Washington Post: \"The United States faces growing tensions with allies over its support of Israel's military campaign to cripple Hezbollah, amid calls for a cease-fire to help with the mounting humanitarian crisis.\"European allies are particularly alarmed about the disproportionately high civilian death toll in Lebanon. They are also concerned that the U.S. position will increase tensions between the Islamic world and the West by fueling militants, playing into the rhetoric of Osama bin Laden and adding to the problems of the U.S.-led coalition force in Iraq.The fragile Lebanese government has pleaded for a cease-fire, and France has urged the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution calling for an end to hostilities, proposing political and security measures. France also has called for \"humanitarian corridors\" to guarantee safety for civilians fleeing areas under fire.More than 500,000 people -- about one in eight in a country smaller than Connecticut -- have been displaced, according to the Lebanese government. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-20 I have not much doubt that US \"keyhole\" satellite photos are being shared with the Israelis. Lets not mince words. This is a preemptive proxy war between Iran and the US. The Arab and Persian countries will be rightfully enraged for another generation. I'm an American, but the federal government of this country ceased to represent me when this moronic administration took office. God help us. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/destruction-of-lebanon/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a naked demonstration of power.  Power of vastly superior military force.  Let the pundits argue about \"over reaction\" and Hezbollah's \"miscalculation\".  It is indisputable that Israel is determined to destroy Lebanon's economy and infrastructure.  If hapless civilians get caught in the attacks and die, it is the cost they must pay to be Lebanese or a resident of Lebanon.  President Bush made it clear where he stood on the issue;  according to him the Israelis are defending themselves.  The peace mission by Secretary Rice is not likely to take place until the Israelis have achieved their objective, world opinion be damned.   But in the long run are they really going to be safe?  For every innocent life they take they create a recruit for extremist Islamic groups. They can be defiant but at the cost of being despised not only in the Middle East but also in much of the civilized world.  Misery and suffering being inflicted upon thousands of people are bound to have a long lasting effect that will bode Israel no good. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/19/AR2006071901932.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  \"The United States faces growing tensions with allies over its support of Israel's military campaign to cripple Hezbollah, amid calls for a cease-fire to help with the mounting humanitarian crisis.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEuropean allies are particularly alarmed about the disproportionately high civilian death toll in Lebanon. They are also concerned that the U.S. position will increase tensions between the Islamic world and the West by fueling militants, playing into the rhetoric of Osama bin Laden and adding to the problems of the U.S.-led coalition force in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe fragile Lebanese government has pleaded for a cease-fire, and France has urged the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution calling for an end to hostilities, proposing political and security measures. France also has called for \"humanitarian corridors\" to guarantee safety for civilians fleeing areas under fire.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMore than 500,000 people -- about one in eight in a country smaller than Connecticut -- have been displaced, according to the Lebanese government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI have not much doubt that US \"keyhole\" satellite photos are being shared with the Israelis. Lets not mince words. This is a preemptive proxy war between Iran and the US. The Arab and Persian countries will be rightfully enraged for another generation. I'm an American, but the federal government of this country ceased to represent me when this moronic administration took office. God help us.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Destruction of Lebanon"},{"content":" Henry Kissinger, Former Aider and Abetter of Torture and Murder, Pontificates * India Blocks BloggersGordon Orr in Shlomo, Israel, and Saleem Khoury in Beirut, Lebanon. The BBC deserves praise for publishing them but the e-mail messages between an Israeli and a Lebanese made me despair of any lasting solution to the crisis in the Middle East. Their minds are set; they talk without listening and,unfortunately, there is no leading voice on either side to set the right tone.Saleem KhouryI do not believe that Israel ever had the intention of fighting Hezbollah. From the first day of their attack, they only wanted to destroy our civilian infrastructure.The fighters of Hezbollah are in the south and Israel hasn't sent a single tank there. Instead they destroy the civilian airport, bridges and power plants. How can they justify that?Lebanon has lost many civilians - children, old people, all trying to escape. In Beirut, we haven't been able to go to work. Life has stopped.Maybe Israel has a special obscure and twisted logic that nobody else understands I do not know how such actions will free their two soldiers.Gordon OrrI live in Shlomi on the border with Lebanon. I can see a Hezbollah lookout post from my balcony.Shlomi was among the settlements shelled on Wednesday morning. This shelling brought Israeli soldiers to the border area where they were ambushed: seven were killed and two were kidnapped.What option did Israel have? Should we have said: 'Well done Mr Nasrallah, got us this time, we'll do whatever you want' And for what purpose?This was Nasrallah [Hezbollah's chief] trying to improve his standing in the Arab world.It is difficult to believe that the interest of the Lebanese people was in his mind when he gave the order for this.What others call negotiating is really a call to give in blindly to his demands, and that puts my life and the life of every other Israeli at risk.On and on ad infinitum. In the news this morning: \"At least 49 civilians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon.At least 12 people died and about 30 were wounded in the southern village of Srifa, near Tyre, where residents said several homes were flattened.\"--- BBCOne of Our Elder Statesmen, A Friend of ButchersDr. Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State, who was the architect of our Latin American policy under which thousands of dissidents were killed and tortured in Chile and Argentina, appeared on Newshour to talk about negotiating peace in the Middle East. He had also supported General Suharto's repressive measures against the East Timorese. Kissinger is truly a man without shame and conscience.Censorship Raises Its Ugly Head in IndiaBBC 19th July 2006:\"India's burgeoning blogging community is up in arms against a government directive that they say has led to the blocking of their web logs.The country's 153 internet service providers (ISP) have blocked 17 websites since last week on federal government orders. \" BBCInternet professionals and lawyers believe that blocking sites really serves no purpose in a large country like India with an increasingly thriving blogging community.\"The ISPs can block a specific site, but the person who runs it can easily tweak its name a bit and return,\" says Mr Tiwari.There are an estimated 50 million internet users in India, according to ISP industry estimates.Only seven million people subscribe to the internet, of whom 1.5 million receive broadband services. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-endless-loop---e-mail-between-an-israeli-and-a-lebanese/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHenry Kissinger, Former  Aider and Abetter of Torture and Murder, Pontificates * India Blocks Bloggers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5180694.stm\"\u003eGordon Orr in Shlomo\u003c/a\u003e, Israel, and \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5191912.stm\"\u003eSaleem Khoury in Beirut\u003c/a\u003e, Lebanon.   The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5180694.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e deserves praise for publishing them but the e-mail messages between an Israeli and a Lebanese made me despair of any lasting solution to the crisis in the Middle East. Their minds are set;  they talk without listening and,unfortunately, there is no leading voice on either side to set the right tone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSaleem Khoury\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eI do not believe that Israel ever had the intention of fighting Hezbollah. From the first day of their attack, they only wanted to destroy our civilian infrastructure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe fighters of Hezbollah are in the south and Israel hasn't sent a single tank there. Instead they destroy the civilian airport, bridges and power plants. How can they justify that?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLebanon has lost many civilians - children, old people, all trying to escape. In Beirut, we haven't been able to go to work. Life has stopped.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMaybe Israel has a special obscure and twisted logic that nobody else understands I do not know how such actions will free their two soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eGordon Orr\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eI live in Shlomi on the border with Lebanon. I can see a Hezbollah lookout post from my balcony.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eShlomi was among the settlements shelled on Wednesday morning. This shelling brought Israeli soldiers to the border area where they were ambushed: seven were killed and two were kidnapped.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhat option did Israel have? Should we have said: 'Well done Mr Nasrallah, got us this time, we'll do whatever you want' And for what purpose?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis was Nasrallah [Hezbollah's chief] trying to improve his standing in the Arab world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIt is difficult to believe that the interest of the Lebanese people was in his mind when he gave the order for this.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhat others call negotiating is really a call to give in blindly to his demands, and that puts my life and the life of every other Israeli at risk.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn and on ad infinitum.  In the news this morning: \"At least 49 civilians have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon.At least 12 people died and about 30 were wounded in the southern village of Srifa, near Tyre, where residents said several homes were flattened.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5193662.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne of Our Elder Statesmen,  A Friend of Butchers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDr. Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State, who was the architect of our Latin American policy under which thousands of dissidents were killed and tortured in Chile and Argentina, appeared on \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec06/mideast_07-18.html\"\u003eNewshour\u003c/a\u003e to talk about negotiating peace in the Middle East. He had also supported General Suharto's repressive measures against the East Timorese. Kissinger is truly a man without shame and conscience.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCensorship Raises Its Ugly Head in India\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5194172.stm\"\u003eBBC 19th July 2006\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"India's burgeoning blogging community is up in arms against a government directive that they say has led to the blocking of their web logs.The country's 153 internet service providers (ISP) have blocked 17 websites since last week on federal government orders. \" BBC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eInternet professionals and lawyers believe that blocking sites really serves no purpose in a large country like India with an increasingly thriving blogging community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The ISPs can block a specific site, but the person who runs it can easily tweak its name a bit and return,\" says Mr Tiwari.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere are an estimated 50 million internet users in India, according to ISP industry estimates.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOnly seven million people subscribe to the internet, of whom 1.5 million receive broadband services.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Endless Loop - E-Mail between An Israeli and A Lebanese"},{"content":" Stem Cell Research, Morning After Pill, Women's Right to ChooseThe warrior is about to put his money where his mouth is -- ready with his pen to sign the first veto. The issue: Federal funding for stem cell research. It will play well in certain quarters. \"But Bush is unwilling to tolerate deviations from his policy restricting federal funding for stem cell research that he set out in his first prime-time television address in August 2001. If all goes as scheduled later this week, he will do something he has avoided for nearly six years: veto a bill.\"\"The president feels he made the right decision, and a principled decision, and he's not going to be swayed by the fact that he may not have the votes on Capitol Hill,\" said Jay Lefkowitz, a New York lawyer who helped Bush craft his position while a staff member at the White House.By refusing to budge from his position, the president also appears to be reaffirming his bona fides with religious conservatives who make up an important part of his political base, even while he differs with other prominent Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and former first lady Nancy Reagan.Recent reports leave no doubt that the president has supporters among health care workers. Where Are We Heading?A sign of the times. Things have come to such a stage in our 'land of the free' that one has to look into religious orientation of doctors and nurses at local hospitals before seeking care. Did healthcare workers always refuse service to those whose needs infringed on their religious beliefs or are such actions resulted from the Bush Administration's overt support for them? I am with those who feel that people with strong religious convictions ought not to choose a field of work in which they are likely to face such decisions. Rob Stein in the Washington Post: \"In Chicago, an ambulance driver refused to transport a patient for an abortion. In California, fertility specialists rebuffed a gay woman seeking artificial insemination. In Texas, a pharmacist turned away a rape victim seeking the morning-after pill.\" Excerpts:Around the United States, health workers and patients are clashing when providers balk at giving care that they feel violates their beliefs, sparking an intense, complex and often bitter debate over religious freedom vs. patients' rights.Legal and political battles have followed. Patients are suing and filing complaints after being spurned. Workers are charging religious discrimination after being disciplined or fired. Congress and more than a dozen states are considering laws to compel workers to provide care -- or, conversely, to shield them from punishment.The issue is driven by the rise in religious expression and its political prominence in the United States, and by medicine's push into controversial new areas. And it is likely to intensify as doctors start using embryonic stem cells to treat disease, as more states legalize physician-assisted suicide and as other wrenching issues emerge.For Debra Shipley, her duties as a nurse began to conflict with her Christian faith when the county health clinic where she worked near Memphis required she dispense the morning-after pill.\"I felt like my religious liberties were being violated,\" said Shipley, 49, of Atoka, Tenn. \"I could not live with myself if it did it. I answer to God first and foremost.\"But Paige Gerson, 37, of Leawood, Kan., believes doctors and nurses should never let their personal values interfere with patient care. Her doctor refused to give her the morning-after pill, citing religious objections.There is more\"Seeking Care, and Refused\". Love of God, fear of God, or just inability to accept those who are different?Desperate to have a baby, Guadalupe Benitez was hoping her next try would finally work. So Benitez was stunned when a crucial moment arrived in her cycle and her fertility clinic refused to do the insemination procedure.\"I was in tears,\" said Benitez, 34, of Oceanside, Calif. \"I wanted to be a mom. I was in a panic.\"The clinic told Benitez, who is gay, that staff members were uncomfortable about treating her because of their religious values. \"I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was almost surreal,\" Benitez said. \"It was so upsetting.\"Benitez eventually conceived a boy, then twin girls, with the help of another specialist. But she sued the clinic and two of its doctors in 2001, charging discrimination.\"For Some, There is No ChoiceWhen the dispatcher called, Stephanie Adamson knew this might be the run she had feared. But it wasn't until her ambulance arrived at the hospital and she saw the words \"elective abortion\" on the patient's chart that she knew she had to make a choice.\"I just got a sick feeling in my stomach,\" said Adamson, an emergency medical technician from Channahon, Ill. Adamson called her boss to say she could not transport the patient to the other hospital where the procedure was scheduled.And MoreFederally funded \"pregnancy resource centers\" are incorrectly telling women that abortion results in an increased risk of breast cancer, infertility and deep psychological trauma, a minority congressional report charged yesterday. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-19 I would like to personally thank the President for stopping this unfit piece of legislation. If the research was truly work the money, private organizations would be willing to pay the monet. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-07-19 The White House would be happy to receive your comments, typos and all. I suppose one can request a meeting with the president to personally thank him but I wouldn't bet on receiving an appointment. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-first-veto-by-our-president---crusader-against-evil/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eStem Cell Research, Morning After Pill, Women's Right to Choose\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe warrior is about to put his money where his mouth is -- ready with his pen to sign the first veto.    The issue: Federal funding for stem cell research.  It will play well in certain quarters. \"But \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/17/AR2006071700412.html\"\u003eBush\u003c/a\u003e is unwilling to tolerate deviations from his policy restricting federal funding for stem cell research that he set out in his first prime-time television address in August 2001. If all goes as scheduled later this week, he will do something he has avoided for nearly six years: veto a bill.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The president feels he made the right decision, and a principled decision, and he's not going to be swayed by the fact that he may not have the votes on Capitol Hill,\" said Jay Lefkowitz, a New York lawyer who helped Bush craft his position while a staff member at the White House.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBy refusing to budge from his position, the president also appears to be reaffirming his bona fides with religious conservatives who make up an important part of his political base, even while he differs with other prominent Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/f000439/\" target=\"\"\u003eBill Frist \u003c/a\u003e(R-Tenn.) and former first lady Nancy Reagan.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eRecent reports leave no doubt that the president has supporters among health care workers.   \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere Are We Heading?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA sign of the times.  Things have come to such a stage in our 'land of the free' that one has to look into religious orientation of doctors and nurses at  local hospitals before seeking care. Did healthcare workers always refuse service to those whose needs infringed on their religious beliefs or are such actions resulted from the Bush Administration's overt support for them?   I am with those who feel that people with strong religious convictions ought not to choose a field of work in which they are likely to face such decisions.    Rob Stein in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/15/AR2006071500846.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"In Chicago, an ambulance driver refused to transport a patient for an abortion. In California, fertility specialists rebuffed a gay woman seeking artificial insemination. In Texas, a pharmacist turned away a rape victim seeking the morning-after pill.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAround the United States, health workers and patients are clashing when providers balk at giving care that they feel violates their beliefs, sparking an intense, complex and often bitter debate over religious freedom vs. patients' rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLegal and political battles have followed. Patients are suing and filing complaints after being spurned. Workers are charging religious discrimination after being disciplined or fired. Congress and more than a dozen states are considering laws to compel workers to provide care -- or, conversely, to shield them from punishment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe issue is driven by the rise in religious expression and its political prominence in the United States, and by medicine's push into controversial new areas. And it is likely to intensify as doctors start using embryonic stem cells to treat disease, as more states legalize physician-assisted suicide and as other wrenching issues emerge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eFor Debra Shipley, her duties as a nurse began to conflict with her Christian faith when the county health clinic where she worked near Memphis required she dispense the morning-after pill.\"I felt like my religious liberties were being violated,\" said Shipley, 49, of Atoka, Tenn. \"I could not live with myself if it did it. I answer to God first and foremost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut Paige Gerson, 37, of Leawood, Kan., believes doctors and nurses should never let their personal values interfere with patient care. Her doctor refused to give her the morning-after pill, citing religious objections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThere is more\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/15/AR2006071500787.html\"\u003eSeeking Care, and Refused\u003c/a\u003e\".  Love of God, fear of God, or just inability to accept those who are different?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDesperate to have a baby, Guadalupe Benitez was hoping her next try would finally work. So Benitez was stunned when a crucial moment arrived in her cycle and her fertility clinic refused to do the insemination procedure.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I was in tears,\" said Benitez, 34, of Oceanside, Calif. \"I wanted to be a mom. I was in a panic.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe clinic told Benitez, who is gay, that staff members were uncomfortable about treating her because of their religious values. \"I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was almost surreal,\" Benitez said. \"It was so upsetting.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBenitez eventually conceived a boy, then twin girls, with the help of another specialist. But she sued the clinic and two of its doctors in 2001, charging discrimination.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/15/AR2006071500790.html\"\u003eFor Some, There is No Choice\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhen the dispatcher called, Stephanie Adamson knew this might be the run she had feared. But it wasn't until her ambulance arrived at the hospital and she saw the words \"elective abortion\" on the patient's chart that she knew she had to make a choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I just got a sick feeling in my stomach,\" said Adamson, an emergency medical technician from Channahon, Ill. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAdamson called her boss to say she could not transport the patient to the other hospital where the procedure was scheduled.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAnd More\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFederally funded \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/17/AR2006071701145.html\"\u003epregnancy resource centers\u003c/a\u003e\" are incorrectly telling women that abortion results in an increased risk of breast cancer, infertility and deep psychological trauma, a minority congressional report charged yesterday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI would like to personally thank the President for stopping this unfit piece of legislation.  If the research was truly work the money, private organizations would be willing to pay the monet.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe White House would be happy to receive your comments, typos and all. I suppose one can request a meeting with the president to personally thank him but I wouldn't bet on receiving an appointment.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The First Veto by Our  President - Crusader Against Evil"},{"content":" Paul Krugman Exposes the Sham Paul Krugman's collection of quotations demonstrates the lies and utterly cynical positions held by the president and his supporters. Perhaps they are without memories; for them the past is a blank slate, each day a new day.March of FollyPaul Krugman, The New York Times,July 17, 2006\"Since those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it --— and since the cast of characters making pronouncements on the crisis in the Middle East is very much the same as it was three or four years ago -- it seems like a good idea to travel down memory lane. Here'’s what they said and when they said it:\"“The greatest thing to come out of [invading Iraq] for the world economy would be $20 a barrel for oil.\"” Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation (which owns Fox News), February 2003\"“Oil Touches Record $78 on Mideast Conflict.\"” Headline on www.foxnews.com, July 14, 2006\"“The administration'’s top budget official estimated today that the cost of a war with Iraq could be in the range of $50 billion to $60 billion,\"” saying that \"“earlier estimates of $100 billion to $200 billion in Iraq war costs by Lawrence B. Lindsey, Mr. Bush'’s former chief economic adviser, were too high.\"” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2002\"“According to C.B.O.'’s estimates, from the time U.S. forces invaded Iraq in March 2003, $290 billion has been allocated for activities in Iraq.\" Additional costs over the 2007-2016 period would total an estimated $202 billion under the first [optimistic] scenario, and $406 billion under the second one.\"” Congressional Budget Office, July 13, 2006\"“Peacekeeping requirements in Iraq might be much lower than historical experience in the Balkans suggests. There'’s been none of the record in Iraq of ethnic militias fighting one another that produced so much bloodshed and permanent scars in Bosnia.\"” Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense and now president of the World Bank, Feb. 27, 2003\"“West Baghdad is no stranger to bombings and killings, but in the past few days all restraint has vanished in an orgy of '‘ethnic cleansing.'’ Shia gunmen are seeking to drive out the once-dominant Sunni minority and the Sunnis are forming neighborhood posses to retaliate. Mosques are being attacked. Scores of innocent civilians have been killed, their bodies left lying in the streets.\"” The Times of London, July 14, 2006\"“Earlier this week, I traveled to Baghdad to visit the capital of a free and democratic Iraq.\"” President Bush, June 17, 2006\"“People are doing the same as [in] Saddam'’s time and worse. \" These were the precise reasons that we fought Saddam and now we are seeing the same things.\"” Ayad Allawi, Mr. Bush'’s choice as Iraq'’s first post-Saddam prime minister, November 2005\"“Iraq'’s new government has another able leader in Speaker Mashhadani. He rejects the use of violence for political ends. And by agreeing to serve in a prominent role in this new unity government, he'’s demonstrating leadership and courage.\"” President Bush, May 22, 2006\"“Some people say ‘we saw you beheading, kidnappings and killing. In the end we even started kidnapping women who are our honor.\"’ These acts are not the work of Iraqis. I am sure that he who does this is a Jew and the son of a Jew.\"” Mahmoud Mashhadani, speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, July 13, 2006\"“My fellow citizens, not only can we win the war in Iraq, we are winning the war in Iraq.\"” President Bush, Dec. 18, 2005\"“I think I would answer that by telling you I don'’t think we'’re losing.\"” Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, when asked whether we'’re winning in Iraq, July 14, 2006\"“Regime change in Iraq would bring about a number of benefits for the region. Extremists in the region would have to rethink their strategy of jihad. Moderates throughout the region would take heart, and our ability to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process would be enhanced.\"” Vice President Dick Cheney, Aug. 26, 2002\"“Bush --— The world is coming unglued before his eyes. His naive dreams are a Wilsonian disaster.\"” Newsweek Conventional Wisdom Watch, July 24, 2006 edition\"“'It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be the commander in chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation'’s peril.\"” Senator Joseph Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, Dec. 6, 2005\"“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now.\"” Representative Tom DeLay, Republican of Texas, on the campaign against Slobodan Milosevic, April 28, 1999 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-17 Mr. Krugman's superbly written piece fails because it doesn't go back to the false premise of the war; That Saddam Hussein in alliance with OBL planned and implemented the attacks on 911.\nAll assertions are provable from a false premise. Since we (Americans) have permitted the administration to adhere to the ridiculous notions of what happened on 911, permitting these additional indiscretions is only a minor sin.\nMr. Krugman should begin by questioning why the president did not use his authority to stop the three hijacked, but yet to be crashed, airliners before he entered the Booker elementary classroom on 911. I will hazard a guess to say that most Americans continue to believe Michael Moore's assertion that the president found out only when Andrew Card whispered in his ear.\nMr. Krugman, please lead Americans to an independent, honest investigation of the events of 911. Those who died and those who have survived deserve answers. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/sound-bites-photo-ops-and-reality/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman Exposes the Sham \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman's collection of quotations demonstrates the lies and utterly cynical positions held by the   president and his supporters.  Perhaps they are without memories; for them the past is a blank slate, each day a new day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eMarch of Folly\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman, The New York Times,July 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Since those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it --— and since the cast of characters making pronouncements on the crisis in the Middle East is very much the same as it was three or four years ago -- it seems like a good idea to travel down memory lane. Here'’s what they said and when they said it:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“The greatest thing to come out of [invading Iraq] for the world economy  would be $20 a barrel for oil.\"” Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation (which owns Fox News), February 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Oil Touches Record $78 on Mideast Conflict.\"” Headline on www.foxnews.com, July 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“The administration'’s top budget official estimated today that the cost of a war with Iraq could be in the range of $50 billion to $60 billion,\"” saying that \"“earlier estimates of $100 billion to $200 billion in Iraq war costs by Lawrence B. Lindsey, Mr. Bush'’s former chief economic adviser, were too high.\"” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2002\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“According to C.B.O.'’s estimates, from the time U.S. forces invaded Iraq in March 2003, $290 billion has been allocated for activities in Iraq.\" Additional costs over the 2007-2016 period would total an estimated $202 billion under the first [optimistic] scenario, and $406 billion under the second one.\"” Congressional Budget Office, July 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Peacekeeping requirements in Iraq might be much lower than historical experience in the Balkans suggests. There'’s been none of the record in Iraq of ethnic militias fighting one another that produced so much bloodshed and permanent scars in Bosnia.\"” Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense and now president of the World Bank, Feb. 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“West Baghdad is no stranger to bombings and killings, but in the past few days all restraint has vanished in an orgy of '‘ethnic cleansing.'’ Shia gunmen are seeking to drive out the once-dominant Sunni minority and the Sunnis are forming neighborhood posses to retaliate. Mosques are being attacked. Scores of innocent civilians have been killed, their bodies left lying in the streets.\"” The Times of London, July 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Earlier this week, I traveled to Baghdad to visit the capital of a free and democratic Iraq.\"” President Bush, June 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“People are doing the same as [in] Saddam'’s time and worse. \" These were the precise reasons that we fought Saddam and now we are seeing the same things.\"” Ayad Allawi, Mr. Bush'’s choice as Iraq'’s first post-Saddam prime minister, November 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Iraq'’s new government has another able leader in Speaker Mashhadani.  He rejects the use of violence for political ends. And by agreeing to serve in a prominent role in this new unity government, he'’s demonstrating leadership and courage.\"” President Bush, May 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Some people say ‘we saw you beheading, kidnappings and killing. In the end we even started kidnapping women who are our honor.\"’ These acts are not the work of Iraqis. I am sure that he who does this is a Jew and the son of a Jew.\"” Mahmoud Mashhadani, speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, July 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“My fellow citizens, not only can we win the war in Iraq, we are winning the war in Iraq.\"” President Bush, Dec. 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“I think I would answer that by telling you I don'’t think we'’re losing.\"” Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, when asked whether we'’re winning in Iraq, July 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Regime change in Iraq would bring about a number of benefits for the region. Extremists in the region would have to rethink their strategy of jihad. Moderates throughout the region would take heart, and our ability to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process would be enhanced.\"” Vice President Dick Cheney, Aug. 26, 2002\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“Bush --— The world is coming unglued before his eyes. His naive dreams are a Wilsonian disaster.\"” Newsweek Conventional Wisdom Watch, July 24, 2006 edition\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“'It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be the commander in chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation'’s peril.\"” Senator Joseph Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, Dec. 6, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now.\"” Representative Tom DeLay, Republican of Texas, on the campaign against Slobodan Milosevic, April 28, 1999\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMr. Krugman's superbly written piece fails because it doesn't go back to the false premise of the war;  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat Saddam Hussein in alliance with OBL planned and implemented the attacks on 911.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll assertions are provable from a false premise.  Since we (Americans) have permitted the administration to adhere to the ridiculous notions of what happened on 911, permitting these additional indiscretions is only a minor sin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr. Krugman should begin by questioning why the president did not use his authority to stop the three hijacked, but yet to be crashed, airliners before he entered the Booker elementary classroom on 911.  I will hazard a guess to say that most Americans continue to believe Michael Moore's assertion that the president found out only when Andrew Card whispered in his ear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr. Krugman, please lead Americans to an independent, honest investigation of the events of 911.  Those who died and those who have survived deserve answers.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Sound Bites, Photo Ops, and Reality"},{"content":" Smoke and Mirrors, and \"Filters\" \"Now it is Operation Together Forward! You'll have to give credit to the team that concocts the names for the president's grand illusions. Look behind the sound bite and there is nothing, absolutely nothing. Timely column by Frank Rich, NY Times. A must read.From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You 'Axis of Evil'AS American foreign policy lies in ruins from Pyongyang to Baghdad to Beirut, its epitaph is already being written in Washington. Last week’s Time cover, “The End of Cowboy Diplomacy,” lays out the conventional wisdom: the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war, upended by chaos in Iraq and the nuclear intransigence of North Korea and Iran, is now officially kaput. In its stead, a sadder but more patient White House, under the sway of Condi Rice, is embracing the fine art of multilateral diplomacy and dumping the “bring ’em on” gun-slinging that got the world into this jam.The only flaw in this narrative — a big one — is that it understates the administration’s failure by assuming that President Bush actually had a grand, if misguided, vision in the first place. Would that this were so. But in truth this presidency never had a vision for the world. It instead had an idée fixe about one country, Iraq, and in pursuit of that obsession recklessly harnessed American power to gut-driven improvisation and P.R. strategies, not doctrine. This has not changed, even now.Only if we remember that the core values of this White House are marketing and political expediency, not principle and substance, can we fully grasp its past errors and, more important, decipher the endgame to come. The Bush era has not been defined by big government or small government but by virtual government. Its enduring shrine will be a hollow Department of Homeland Security that finds more potential terrorist targets in Indiana than in New York.Like his father, George W. Bush always disdained the vision thing. He rode into office on the heels of a boom, preaching minimalist ambitions reminiscent of the 1920’s boom Republicanism of Harding and Coolidge. Mr. Bush’s most fervent missions were to cut taxes, pass a placebo patients’ bill of rights and institute the education program he sold as No Child Left Behind. His agenda was largely exhausted by the time of his fateful Crawford vacation in August 2001, so he talked vaguely of immigration reform and announced a stem-cell research “compromise.” But he failed to seriously lead on either issue, both of which remain subjects of toxic debate today. To appear busy once he returned to Washington after Labor Day, he cooked up a typically alliterative “program” called Communities of Character, a grab bag of “values” initiatives inspired by polling data. That was forgotten after the Qaeda attacks. But the day that changed everything didn’t change the fundamental character of the Bush presidency. The so-called doctrine of pre-emption, a repackaging of the long-held Cheney-Rumsfeld post-cold-war mantra of unilateralism, was just another gaudy float in the propaganda parade ginned up to take America to war against a country that did not attack us on 9/11. As the president’s chief of staff then, Andrew Card, famously said of the Iraq war just after Labor Day 2002, “From a marketing point of view, you don’t introduce new products in August.” The Bush doctrine was rolled out officially two weeks later, just days after the administration’s brass had fanned out en masse on the Sunday-morning talk shows to warn that Saddam’s smoking gun would soon come in the form of a mushroom cloud.The Bush doctrine was a doctrine in name only, a sales strategy contrived to dress up the single mission of regime change in Iraq with philosophical grandiosity worthy of F.D.R. There was never any serious intention of militarily pre-empting either Iran or North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions were as naked then as they are now, or of striking the countries that unlike Iraq were major enablers of Islamic terrorism. Axis of Evil was merely a clever brand name from the same sloganeering folks who gave us '“compassionate conservatism'” and '“a uniter, not a divider'” --— so clever that the wife of a presidential speechwriter, David Frum, sent e-mails around Washington boasting that her husband was the '“Axis of Evil'” author. (Actually, only '“axis'” was his.)Since then, the administration has fiddled in Iraq while Islamic radicalism has burned brighter and the rest of the Axis of Evil, not to mention Afghanistan and the Middle East, have grown into just the gathering threat that Saddam was not. And there'’s still no policy. As Ivo Daalder of the Brookings Institution writes on his foreign-affairs blog, Mr. Bush isn'’t pursuing diplomacy in his post-cowboy phase so much as '“a foreign policy of empty gestures'” consisting of 'strong words here; a soothing telephone call and hasty meetings there.'” The ambition is not to control events but '“to kick the proverbial can down the road '— far enough so the next president can deal with it.'” There is no plan for victory in Iraq, only a wish and a prayer that the apocalypse won'’t arrive before Mr. Bush retires to his ranch.But for all the administration'’s setbacks, its core belief in P.R. remains unshaken. Or at least its faith in domestic P.R. (It has never cared about the destruction of America'’s image abroad by our countenance of torture.) That marketing imperative, not policy, was once again the driving vision behind the latest Iraq offensive: the joint selling of the killing of Zarqawi, the formation of the new Maliki government, the surprise presidential trip to the Green Zone and the rollout of Operation Together Forward to secure Baghdad more than three years after its liberation from Saddam.Operation Together Forward is just the latest model of the Axis of Evil gimmick. In his Rose Garden press conference last month, Mr. Bush promised that this juggernaut of crack Iraqi troops and American minders would '“increase the number of checkpoints, enforce a curfew and implement a strict weapons ban across the Iraqi capital.'” It'’s been predictably downhill ever since. After two weeks of bloodshed, Col. Jeffrey Snow of the Army explained that the operation was a success even if the patient, Iraq, was dying, because '“we expected that there would be an increase in the number of attacks.'” Last week, the American ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, allowed that there would be '“adjustments'” to the plan and that the next six months (why is it always six months?) would be critical. Gen. George Casey spoke of tossing more American troops into the Baghdad shooting gallery to stave off disaster.So what'’s the latest White House strategy to distract from the escalating mayhem? Yet another P.R. scheme, in this case drawn from the playbook of fall 2003, when the president countered news of the growing Iraq insurgency by going around the media '“filter'” to speak to the people through softball interviews with regional media outlets. Thus the past two weeks have brought the spectacle of Mr. Bush yukking it up at Graceland, flattering immigrant workers at a Dunkin'’ Donuts, patronizing a children'’s lemonade stand in Raleigh, N.C., and meeting the press in such comfy settings as an outside-the-filter press conference (in Chicago) and '“Larry King Live.'” The people, surely, are feeling better already about all that nasty business abroad.Or not. The bounce in the polls that once reliably followed these stunts is no more. As Americans contemplate the tragedy of Iraq, the triumph of Islamic jihadists in '“democracies'” we promoted for the Middle East, and the unimpeded power plays of Kim Jong Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, they see reality for what it is. Gone are the days when '“Mission Accomplished'” would fly. Barring a miracle, one legacy of the Bush Iraq-centric foreign policy will be the mess that those who come next will have to clean up.ANOTHER, equally significant, part of the Bush legacy is already evident throughout Washington, and not confined to foreign policy or the executive branch. Following the president'’s leadership, Congress has also embraced the virtual governance of substituting publicity stunts for substance.Instead of passing an immigration law, this Congress has entertained us with dueling immigration hearings. Instead of overseeing the war in Iraq or homeland security, its members have held press conferences announcing that they, if not the Pentagon, have at last found Saddam'’s weapons of mass destruction (degraded mustard gas and sarin canisters from the 1980'’s). Instead of promised post-DeLay reforms, the House concocted a sham Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act that won'’t do away with the gifts and junkets politicians rake in from the Abramoffs of K Street. And let'’s not forget all the days devoted to resolutions about same-sex marriage, flag burning, the patriotism of The New York Times and the Pledge of Allegiance.'“Before long, Congress will be leaving on its summer vacation,'” Bob Schieffer of CBS News said two weeks ago. '“My question is, how will we know they are gone?'” By the calculation of USA Today, the current Congress is on track to spend fewer days in session than the '“do-nothing Congress'” Harry Truman gave hell to in 1948. No wonder its approval rating, for Republicans and Democrats together, is even lower than the president'’s. It'’s not only cowboy diplomacy that'’s dead at this point in the Bush era, but also functioning democracy as we used to know it.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-cowboy-from-crawford-and-his-missions-not-accomplished/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSmoke and Mirrors, and \"Filters\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now it is Operation Together Forward!  You'll have to give credit to the team that concocts the names for the president's grand illusions.  Look behind the sound bite and there is nothing, absolutely nothing. Timely column by Frank Rich, NY Times. A must read.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eFrom Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You 'Axis of Evil'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAS American foreign policy lies in ruins from Pyongyang to Baghdad to Beirut, its epitaph is already being written in Washington. Last week’s Time cover, “The End of Cowboy Diplomacy,” lays out the conventional wisdom: the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war, upended by chaos in Iraq and the nuclear intransigence of North Korea and Iran, is now officially kaput. In its stead, a sadder but more patient White House, under the sway of Condi Rice, is embracing the fine art of multilateral diplomacy and dumping the “bring ’em on” gun-slinging that got the world into this jam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe only flaw in this narrative — a big one — is that it understates the administration’s failure by assuming that President Bush actually had a grand, if misguided, vision in the first place. Would that this were so. But in truth this presidency never had a vision for the world. It instead had an idée fixe about one country, Iraq, and in pursuit of that obsession recklessly harnessed American power to gut-driven improvisation and P.R. strategies, not doctrine. This has not changed, even now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOnly if we remember that the core values of this White House are marketing and political expediency, not principle and substance, can we fully grasp its past errors and, more important, decipher the endgame to come. The Bush era has not been defined by big government or small government but by virtual government. Its enduring shrine will be a hollow Department of Homeland Security that finds more potential terrorist targets in Indiana than in New York.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLike his father, George W. Bush always disdained the vision thing. He rode into office on the heels of a boom, preaching minimalist ambitions reminiscent of the 1920’s boom Republicanism of Harding and Coolidge. Mr. Bush’s most fervent missions were to cut taxes, pass a placebo patients’ bill of rights and institute the education program he sold as No Child Left Behind. His agenda was largely exhausted by the time of his fateful Crawford vacation in August 2001, so he talked vaguely of immigration reform and announced a stem-cell research “compromise.” But he failed to seriously lead on either issue, both of which remain subjects of toxic debate today. To appear busy once he returned to Washington after Labor Day, he cooked up a typically alliterative “program” called Communities of Character, a grab bag of “values” initiatives inspired by polling data. That was forgotten after the Qaeda attacks. But the day that changed everything didn’t change the fundamental character of the Bush presidency. The so-called doctrine of pre-emption, a repackaging of the long-held Cheney-Rumsfeld post-cold-war mantra of unilateralism, was just another gaudy float in the propaganda parade ginned up to take America to war against a country that did not attack us on 9/11. As the president’s chief of staff then, Andrew Card, famously said of the Iraq war just after Labor Day 2002, “From a marketing point of view, you don’t introduce new products in August.” The Bush doctrine was rolled out officially two weeks later, just days after the administration’s brass had fanned out en masse on the Sunday-morning talk shows to warn that Saddam’s smoking gun would soon come in the form of a mushroom cloud.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c/em\u003eThe Bush doctrine was a doctrine in name only, a sales strategy contrived to dress up the single mission of regime change in Iraq with philosophical grandiosity worthy of F.D.R. There was never any serious intention of militarily pre-empting either Iran or North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions were as naked then as they are now, or of striking the countries that unlike Iraq were major enablers of Islamic terrorism. Axis of Evil was merely a clever brand name from the same sloganeering folks who gave us '“compassionate conservatism'” and '“a uniter, not a divider'” --— so clever that the wife of a presidential speechwriter, David Frum, sent e-mails around Washington boasting that her husband was the '“Axis of Evil'” author. (Actually, only '“axis'” was his.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSince then, the administration has fiddled in Iraq while Islamic radicalism has burned brighter and the rest of the Axis of Evil, not to mention Afghanistan and the Middle East, have grown into just the gathering threat that Saddam was not. And there'’s still no policy. As Ivo Daalder of the Brookings Institution writes on his foreign-affairs blog, Mr. Bush isn'’t pursuing diplomacy in his post-cowboy phase so much as '“a foreign policy of empty gestures'” consisting of 'strong words here; a soothing telephone call and hasty meetings there.'” The ambition is not to control events but '“to kick the proverbial can down the road '— far enough so the next president can deal with it.'” There is no plan for victory in Iraq, only a wish and a prayer that the apocalypse won'’t arrive before Mr. Bush retires to his ranch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut for all the administration'’s setbacks, its core belief in P.R. remains unshaken. Or at least its faith in domestic P.R. (It has never cared about the destruction of America'’s image abroad by our countenance of torture.) That marketing imperative, not policy, was once again the driving vision behind the latest Iraq offensive: the joint selling of the killing of Zarqawi, the formation of the new Maliki government, the surprise presidential trip to the Green Zone and the rollout of Operation Together Forward to secure Baghdad more than three years after its liberation from Saddam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOperation Together Forward is just the latest model of the Axis of Evil gimmick. In his Rose Garden press conference last month, Mr. Bush promised that this juggernaut of crack Iraqi troops and American minders would '“increase the number of checkpoints, enforce a curfew and implement a strict weapons ban across the Iraqi capital.'” It'’s been predictably downhill ever since. After two weeks of bloodshed, Col. Jeffrey Snow of the Army explained that the operation was a success even if the patient, Iraq, was dying, because '“we expected that there would be an increase in the number of attacks.'” Last week, the American ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, allowed that there would be '“adjustments'” to the plan and that the next six months (why is it always six months?) would be critical. Gen. George Casey spoke of tossing more American troops into the Baghdad shooting gallery to stave off disaster.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo what'’s the latest White House strategy to distract from the escalating mayhem? Yet another P.R. scheme, in this case drawn from the playbook of fall 2003, when the president countered news of the growing Iraq insurgency by going around the media '“filter'” to speak to the people through softball interviews with regional media outlets. Thus the past two weeks have brought the spectacle of Mr. Bush yukking it up at Graceland, flattering immigrant workers at a Dunkin'’ Donuts, patronizing a children'’s lemonade stand in Raleigh, N.C., and meeting the press in such comfy settings as an outside-the-filter press conference (in Chicago) and '“Larry King Live.'” The people, surely, are feeling better already about all that nasty business abroad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOr not. The bounce in the polls that once reliably followed these stunts is no more. As Americans contemplate the tragedy of Iraq, the triumph of Islamic jihadists in '“democracies'” we promoted for the Middle East, and the unimpeded power plays of Kim Jong Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, they see reality for what it is. Gone are the days when '“Mission Accomplished'” would fly. Barring a miracle, one legacy of the Bush Iraq-centric foreign policy will be the mess that those who come next will have to clean up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eANOTHER, equally significant, part of the Bush legacy is already evident throughout Washington, and not confined to foreign policy or the executive branch. Following the president'’s leadership, Congress has also embraced the virtual governance of substituting publicity stunts for substance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInstead of passing an immigration law, this Congress has entertained us with dueling immigration hearings. Instead of overseeing the war in Iraq or homeland security, its members have held press conferences announcing that they, if not the Pentagon, have at last found Saddam'’s weapons of mass destruction (degraded mustard gas and sarin canisters from the 1980'’s). Instead of promised post-DeLay reforms, the House concocted a sham Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act that won'’t do away with the gifts and junkets politicians rake in from the Abramoffs of K Street. And let'’s not forget all the days devoted to resolutions about same-sex marriage, flag burning, the patriotism of The New York Times and the Pledge of Allegiance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e'“Before long, Congress will be leaving on its summer vacation,'” Bob Schieffer of CBS News said two weeks ago. '“My question is, how will we know they are gone?'” By the calculation of USA Today, the current Congress is on track to spend fewer days in session than the '“do-nothing Congress'” Harry Truman gave hell to in 1948. No wonder its approval rating, for Republicans and Democrats together, is even lower than the president'’s. It'’s not only cowboy diplomacy that'’s dead at this point in the Bush era, but also functioning democracy as we used to know it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Cowboy From Crawford  and His Missions Not Accomplished"},{"content":" Facing DestructionThe BBC reported that Israeli air strike on a convoy of civilians fleeing from Southern Lebanon killed 13 of them on July 15th. And there went President Bush's message to Israelis for restraint against civilian population. No one believed in his sincerity. American forces have killed more than 40,000 Iraqi civilians in the past 3-1/2 years of war. The current situation in Lebanon and Gaza is such that even with good intentions civilian casualties cannot be avoided, and good intentions are notably absent. Local residents told al-Jazeera TV the villagers were targeted after being ordered to leave Marwahin, and refused shelter by the UN forces. Ahmad Ali Ubayd said many did not own vehicles and a main road has been under continuous bombardment. \"Where is the international justice when children, women, and the elderly are killed?\" he said. Correspondents say there is nowhere safe to go for many trying to flee the south. In past hostilities much of the mainly Shia population of the south has sought refuge in the capital Beirut's largely Shia southern suburbs, but this time they are under attack too, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Damour, south of Beirut. On Saturday, Israeli warplanes also hit the southern suburbs, which are a Hezbollah stronghold. Earlier, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV says three civilians were killed in an Israeli attack in Hermel, on the border with Syria. They also carried out raids in the north and the north-east of the country for the first time on Saturday. A number of bridges, petrol stations and key roads have also been hit, including the main road linking northern Lebanon to Syria. The Lebanese were just beginning to rebuild their lives, society and infrastructure after decades of being in the middle of a war zone. Beirut, the capital of Lebanon (once called Switzerland of the Middle East), was the epicenter of violence that raged between 1975 and 1990. The marks are still visible. Now it is back to ground zero. The Hezbollah remains adamant about their position and so do the Israelis in use of their vastly superior military prowess. Ordinary people die and each death leaves scars, causes ripples. The Hezbollah gains new recruits; the power of Israeli hard-liners grow. Sane voices drown in the clamor for blood and revenge. The recently elected Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel has unleashed the full force of Israel's army against Gaza and Beirut. It appears that dead and injured civilians, if they were given any consideration at all, were shrugged off as the cost for retaliation. Scott Wilson in the Post: \"JERUSALEM, July 14 -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, elected just months ago on a promise to ease Israel's grip on the occupied Palestinian territories, now is fighting a two-front war on battlefields the Jewish state has occupied and abandoned before in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. The outcome will determine not only the fate of three captured Israeli soldiers and the northern Israeli towns under rocket fire, but also his own goal of defining Israel's permanent borders.\"Efforts were underway for reforestation of the famed Cedars of Lebanon. North Lebanon, where the cedar groves are, has also come under air strikes. The fate of the famed trees is as uncertain as that of the Lebanese people. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/people-of-lebanon-and-the-cedars-of-lebanon/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFacing Destruction\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5182564.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported that Israeli air strike on a convoy of civilians fleeing from Southern Lebanon killed 13 of them on July 15th. And there went President Bush's message to Israelis for restraint against civilian population.  No one believed in his sincerity.  American forces have killed more than 40,000 Iraqi civilians in the past 3-1/2 years of war.  The current situation in Lebanon and Gaza is such that even with good intentions civilian casualties cannot be avoided, and good intentions are notably absent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Local residents told al-Jazeera TV the villagers were targeted after being ordered to leave Marwahin, and refused shelter by the UN forces. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         Ahmad Ali Ubayd said many did not own vehicles and a main road has been under continuous bombardment.                         \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         \"Where is the international justice when children, women, and the elderly are killed?\" he said.                         \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         Correspondents say there is nowhere safe to go for many trying to flee the south.                         \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e In past hostilities much of the mainly Shia population of the south has sought refuge in the capital Beirut's largely Shia southern suburbs, but this time they are under attack too, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Damour, south of Beirut. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         On Saturday, Israeli warplanes also hit the southern suburbs, which are a Hezbollah stronghold.                          \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         Earlier, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV says three civilians were killed in an Israeli attack in Hermel, on the border with Syria.                         \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         They also carried out raids in the north and the north-east of the country for the first time on Saturday.                          \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e A number of bridges, petrol stations and key roads have also been hit, including the main road linking northern Lebanon to Syria. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Lebanese were just beginning to rebuild their lives, society and infrastructure after decades of being in the middle of a war zone.  Beirut, the capital of Lebanon (once called Switzerland of the Middle East), was the epicenter of violence that raged between 1975 and 1990.  The marks are still visible. Now it is back to ground zero.  The Hezbollah remains adamant about their position and so do the Israelis in use of their vastly superior military prowess.  Ordinary people die and each death leaves scars, causes ripples.  The Hezbollah gains new recruits; the power of Israeli hard-liners grow.  Sane voices drown in the clamor for blood and revenge.  The recently elected Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel  has unleashed the full force of Israel's army against Gaza and Beirut.  It appears that dead and injured civilians, if they were given any consideration at all, were shrugged off as the cost for retaliation. Scott Wilson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071401832.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"JERUSALEM, July 14 -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, elected just months ago on a promise to ease Israel's grip on the occupied Palestinian territories, now is fighting a two-front war on battlefields the Jewish state has occupied and abandoned before in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. The outcome will determine not only the fate of three captured Israeli soldiers and the northern Israeli towns under rocket fire, but also his own goal of defining Israel's permanent borders.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEfforts were underway for reforestation of the famed Cedars of Lebanon.  North Lebanon, where the cedar groves are, has also come under air strikes.  The fate of the famed trees is as uncertain as that of the Lebanese people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"People of Lebanon and the Cedars of Lebanon"},{"content":" High Civilian Toll The number will be much higher by the time siege of Beirut by Israelis and the rocket attacks on Israel by Hezbollah come to a halt. Could take a long time. The various parties involved show no signs of backing off. President Bush, after giving Israel what amounted to full support for their show of force, is now busy trying to broker a peace agreement! While there is no question about America's military supremacy, President Bush has lost the moral authority to act effectively as a peacemaker. His appearance at the press conference at Straslund, Germany, on July 13, gave the overwhelming impression of a wound up robot. \"DAMOUR, Lebanon, July 14 -- Israel imposed a blockade on Lebanon by land, sea and air on Thursday, striking the capital's airport twice, cutting off its ports and wrecking bridges and roads in attacks that killed at least 47 people in the last two days, nearly all of them Lebanese civilians. Israel said the radical Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah fired 150 rockets into northern Israel, including two that reached the port city of Haifa. Israeli jets repeatedly crossed over Beirut before dawn Friday. At least two explosions were heard, and antiaircraft fire and flares lit up the night sky.\"Excerpts from a report by Anthony Shadid and Scott Wilson, Washington Post:In Israel, the steady boom of Hezbollah's Katyusha rockets triggered air raid sirens and calls to take cover in basements throughout Israel's northern border area. \"This is taking us back 20 years to the Lebanon war,\" said Rachel Ronen, 54, whose accounting firm was left a shambles by the morning rockets that hit 15 minutes before her secretary was due for work. Asked what Israel should do in return, Ronen, her eyes red from weeping, said, \"Hit them.\"Across Lebanon, residents expressed fear that the conflict might drag on days, even weeks. Lines snaked around gas stations in Beirut, as drivers stocked up on fuel. Supermarkets were crowded, and the roads that remained open, especially to the Syrian border, Lebanon's last outlet after the airport's closure, were clogged. Lebanese officials put the toll at 47 dead and 103 wounded, including a family of 12 in the village of Dweir. Residents said three people were still buried under rubble.\"What do I think personally?\" asked Munzir Baram, a 40-year-old Lebanese making his way across a partially repaired bridge spanning the green-tinted Damour River. \"It's going to get a lot, lot worse.\"U.S. Vetoes UN Resolution on GazaAs expected the United States stood by Israel.\"UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution put forward by Qatar on behalf of Arab states that called on Israel to immediately end its two-week military incursion in Gaza. Ten of the council's 15 member-nations voted in favor of the resolution, while the United States cast the sole \"no\" vote. Four countries abstained -- Britain, Denmark, Peru and Slovakia.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/insanity-fair---lebanon-israel-gaza-and-a-wound-up-robot/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHigh Civilian Toll \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe number will be much higher by the time siege of Beirut by Israelis and the rocket attacks on Israel by Hezbollah come to a halt.  Could take a long time. The various parties involved show no signs of backing off.  President Bush, after giving Israel what amounted to full support for their show of force, is now busy trying to broker a peace agreement!  While there is no question about America's military supremacy, President Bush has lost the moral authority to act effectively as a peacemaker.   His appearance at the press conference at Straslund, Germany, on July 13, gave the overwhelming impression of a wound up robot. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/13/AR2006071300278.html\"\u003eDAMOUR, Lebanon\u003c/a\u003e, July 14 -- Israel imposed a blockade on Lebanon by land, sea and air on Thursday, striking the capital's airport twice, cutting off its ports and wrecking bridges and roads in attacks that killed at least 47 people in the last two days, nearly all of them Lebanese civilians. Israel said the radical Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah fired 150 rockets into northern Israel, including two that reached the port city of Haifa. Israeli jets repeatedly crossed over Beirut before dawn Friday. At least two explosions were heard, and antiaircraft fire and flares lit up the night sky.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from a report by Anthony Shadid and Scott Wilson, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/13/AR2006071300278.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn Israel, the steady boom of Hezbollah's Katyusha rockets triggered air raid sirens and calls to take cover in basements throughout Israel's northern border area. \"This is taking us back 20 years to the Lebanon war,\" said Rachel Ronen, 54, whose accounting firm was left a shambles by the morning rockets that hit 15 minutes before her secretary was due for work. Asked what Israel should do in return, Ronen, her eyes red from weeping, said, \"Hit them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAcross Lebanon, residents expressed fear that the conflict might drag on days, even weeks. Lines snaked around gas stations in Beirut, as drivers stocked up on fuel. Supermarkets were crowded, and the roads that remained open, especially to the Syrian border, Lebanon's last outlet after the airport's closure, were clogged. Lebanese officials put the toll at 47 dead and 103 wounded, including a family of 12 in the village of Dweir. Residents said three people were still buried under rubble.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"What do I think personally?\" asked Munzir Baram, a 40-year-old Lebanese making his way across a partially repaired bridge spanning the green-tinted Damour River. \"It's going to get a lot, lot worse.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Vetoes UN Resolution on Gaza\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs expected the United States stood by Israel.\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/13/AR2006071301156.html\"\u003eUNITED NATIONS\u003c/a\u003e (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution put forward by Qatar on behalf of Arab states that called on Israel to immediately end its two-week military incursion in Gaza. Ten of the council's 15 member-nations voted in favor of the resolution, while the United States cast the sole \"no\" vote. Four countries abstained -- Britain, Denmark, Peru and Slovakia.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Insanity Fair - Lebanon, Israel ,Gaza, and A Wound Up Robot"},{"content":" What does he stand for? Whom does he represent?Senator Lieberman's voting records tell a story. Try as he might to put a spin on them, the senator from Connecticut is not exactly in tune with mainstream Democrats. In \"Lieberman's Real Problem\" Harold Meyerson mentions \"crazy lefty bloggers as the culprits behind the drive to purge Lieberman from Democratic ranks.\" I make no apology for being one of them and I think that endorsement by David Brooks is reason enough to be suspicious of Senator Lieberman.On the op-ed pages of leading newspapers, we read that Lieberman is \"the most kind-hearted and well-intentioned of men\" (that's from the New York Times' David Brooks), a judgment that cannot credibly be disputed -- though if ever a road to hell was paved with good intentions, it would start with the anti-Saddam Hussein interventionism of pro-democracy advocates and end in downtown Baghdad today. *Source: New York Times. July 4, 2006 *Cuba Democracy PlanAnother flowery name for a nefarious plan to create mischief. $80 million will buy a lot of dirty deals. Cuba is going to be democratized. Leaders of the Miami mafia must be licking their chops and have their bags packed, waiting for Castro to die. A few of them will make a lot of money. The timing is right. It will be good for Brother Jeb. From the BBC:US in $80m 'Cuba democracy' planUS President George W Bush has approved an $80m (£43m) fund which he says will go towards boosting democracy in Cuba.Mr Bush said the fund would help the Cuban people in their \"transition from repressive control to freedom\".The fund is part of proposals by a commission analysing US policy towards Cuba after the eventual death of Fidel Castro, who turns 80 next month.The Cuban government said the plan was an act of aggression, violating Cuba's sovereignty and international law.The president of Cuba's National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, said the world should be outraged by the actions of the US. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/lieberman-behind-the-facade---brother-jeb-and-the-liberators/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWhat does he stand for?  Whom does he represent?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSenator Lieberman's voting records tell  a story.  Try as he might to put a spin on them, the senator from Connecticut is not exactly in tune with mainstream Democrats.  In \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/11/AR2006071101204.html\"\u003eLieberman's Real Problem\u003c/a\u003e\" Harold Meyerson mentions \"crazy lefty bloggers  as the culprits behind the drive to purge Lieberman from Democratic ranks.\"  I make no apology for being one of them and I think that endorsement by David Brooks is reason enough to be suspicious of Senator Lieberman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn the op-ed pages of leading newspapers, we read that Lieberman is \"the most kind-hearted and well-intentioned of men\" (that's from the New York Times' David Brooks), a judgment that cannot credibly be disputed -- though if ever a road to hell was paved with good intentions, it would start with the anti-Saddam Hussein interventionism of pro-democracy advocates and end in downtown Baghdad today.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/0704-met-webLIEBERMAN.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/nyregion/04lieberman.html\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e. July 4, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCuba Democracy Plan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnother flowery name for a nefarious plan to create mischief. $80 million will buy a lot of dirty deals. Cuba is going to be democratized.  Leaders of the Miami mafia must be licking their chops and have their bags packed, waiting for Castro to die.  A few of them will make a lot of money. The timing is right. It will be good for Brother Jeb. From the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/5166806.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUS in $80m 'Cuba democracy' plan\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUS President George W Bush has approved an $80m (£43m) fund which he says will go towards boosting democracy in Cuba.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMr Bush said the fund would help the Cuban people in their \"transition from repressive control to freedom\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe fund is part of proposals by a commission analysing US policy towards Cuba after the eventual death of Fidel Castro, who turns 80 next month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Cuban government said the plan was an act of aggression, violating Cuba's sovereignty and international law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe president of Cuba's National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, said the world should be outraged by the actions of the US.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Lieberman Behind the Facade - Brother Jeb and the Liberators"},{"content":" Few weeks back a woman friend said I had a hang up about fat people and was unfair in my comments about them. Both of us are thin. Thinking about her comments I had to admit to myself that she was right. I have stopped being critical or, rather, I stop myself from being critical about those who are obese. I no longer contemptuously think that they are responsible for their condition.Rachel Cooke's article \"Is weight the new race\" in The Observer (Guardian) is well-written and tries to present a balanced view. \"Truly terrible, is the answer. You may think that you know this already, but in order to come even close to grasping a fat person's misery, you should probably take that imagined desperation, and triple it. Then consider your attitude to this unhappy person. Do you pity them? Or do you despise them? If the latter, do you feel able to say so out loud, in public? I bet that you do. These are critical times in the great obesity debate. In the West, all we talk about is our increasing weight, and what we can do to keep it at bay. Emotive words like 'epidemic' and 'time-bomb' are thrown about like so many hand grenades. Open a newspaper, and a story will certainly be there (most recently, it was reported from the British Dietetic Association conference that the risk of fatal disease increases by one per cent for every pound a person is overweight). The seemingly well-established connection between fat and disease has meant - so far - that it has been somehow acceptable to criticise the fat; it's for their own good, after all. But now there are rumblings. The fat and their supporters have had enough of what they regard as discrimination. They are angry, and they are going to fight. They regard their cause as just. They believe that fat is the new race.\"Excerpts:So is fat the new race? I don't believe that it is, though it could become so in the future. But that's not to say that thinking about it in these terms isn't a useful corrective. If we're allowed to want fat people to lose weight, then they're allowed to want thin people to be kind - or, better still, blind. Best not to forget, then, where we started - with a woman walking down a street, feeling as though she might as well be stark naked.'I know ... that when a thin person looks at a fat person, the thin person considers the fat person less virtuous than he,' writes Judith Moore in her memoir, Fat Girl. 'The fat person lacks willpower, pride, this wretched attitude, \"self-esteem\", and does not care about friends and family because if he or she did care about friends and family, he or she would not wander the earth looking like a repulsive sow, rhinoceros, hippo, elephant, general wide-mawed flesh-flopping flabby monster.'Imagine feeling like that. Think before you click your tongue against the roof of your mouth.*Cacomorphobia: Fear of fat people ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-obese-and-the-rest-of-us/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFew weeks back a woman friend  said I had a hang up about fat people and was unfair in my comments about them.  Both of us are thin.  Thinking about her comments I had to admit to myself that she was right.  I have stopped being critical or, rather,  I stop myself from being critical about those who are obese.  I  no longer contemptuously think that they are responsible for  their condition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRachel Cooke's article \"\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/woman/story/0,,1813081,00.html\"\u003eIs weight the new race\u003c/a\u003e\" in The Observer (Guardian) is well-written and tries to present a balanced view.  \"Truly terrible, is the answer. You may think that you know this already, but in order to come even close to grasping a fat person's misery, you should probably take that imagined desperation, and triple it. Then consider your attitude to this unhappy person. Do you pity them? Or do you despise them? If the latter, do you feel able to say so out loud, in public? I bet that you do. These are critical times in the great obesity debate. In the West, all we talk about is our increasing weight, and what we can do to keep it at bay. Emotive words like 'epidemic' and 'time-bomb' are thrown about like so many hand grenades. Open a newspaper, and a story will certainly be there (most recently, it was reported from the British Dietetic Association conference that the risk of fatal disease increases by one per cent for every pound a person is overweight). The seemingly well-established connection between fat and disease has meant - so far - that it has been somehow acceptable to criticise the fat; it's for their own good, after all. But now there are rumblings. The fat and their supporters have had enough of what they regard as discrimination. They are angry, and they are going to fight. They regard their cause as just. They believe that fat is the new race.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSo is fat the new race? I don't believe that it is, though it could become so in the future. But that's not to say that thinking about it in these terms isn't a useful corrective. If we're allowed to want fat people to lose weight, then they're allowed to want thin people to be kind - or, better still, blind. Best not to forget, then, where we started - with a woman walking down a street, feeling as though she might as well be stark naked.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e'I know ... that when a thin person looks at a fat person, the thin person considers the fat person less virtuous than he,' writes Judith Moore in her memoir, Fat Girl. 'The fat person lacks willpower, pride, this wretched attitude, \"self-esteem\", and does not care about friends and family because if he or she did care about friends and family, he or she would not wander the earth looking like a repulsive sow, rhinoceros, hippo, elephant, general wide-mawed flesh-flopping flabby monster.'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eImagine feeling like that. Think before you click your tongue against the roof of your mouth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eCacomorphobia: Fear of fat people\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Obese and the Rest of Us"},{"content":" Christian Crusaders of Scottsdale, ArizonaNow we have Alliance Defense Fund battling to make America a country for Bible thumping Christians only. The bigots have gained ground under the Bush Administration, received full support of the government in their holy war. Be afraid. At heart they are no different than Islamic fundamentalists and they will happily send the rest of us to salt mines. \"What we are really trying to protect are the things this country was founded on,\" said D. James Kennedy, leader of Florida's Coral Ridge Ministries and one of the prominent Christian conservatives who fashioned the alliance in 1993 as a sharp stick in the national culture debate.That is not how opponents see the organization. While crediting the ADF with training troops for battles once fought by a haphazard assortment of government lawyers and often ill-prepared volunteers, critics question the alliance's commitment to tolerance and the Constitution.\"They're not for some form of generic religious freedom. They're for Christian superiority, that Christians take over the courts,\" said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. \"They are living in this fantasy world where the majority religion, Christianity, is claimed to be literally under attack.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10 I love you dude, but you're crazy. The ADF-Taliban comparison is very reminiscent to the Bush-Hitler similarity. I guess if those terrorizing Bible thumpers are getting you all riled up, they must be doing something right! Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10 There are some similarities, yes, but good that G.W. Bush is oratorically challenged. Adolf Hitler, the crazy dictator, was a great speaker. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10 I do think there is cause for alarm. This country was founded on the principle of religous freedom not as a religious state like Iran. ADF is advocating, not freedom of religion (including Islam, Buddhism, Wicka, etc...), they're simply pounding their narrow version of a particular religion. I find this very scary indeed if we as a nation are forced to believe one man-made verison of so-called Christianity. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10 The scare-language you've used is typical of someone who is ignorant of the facts and has been misled by the media's misguided portrayel of Christians. Our country was founded upon Christian principles - that's an undisputed fact. We live in a Christian nation that allows other religions to flourish within it - another fact. The separation of church and state was invented by a radical Supreme Court, had no precedent of any kind when enacted, and is seen as one of the worst judicial decisions of all time by liberal judicial scholars - still another fact. The ADF is trying to defend laws that have already been in place for decades. They are not trying to create anything new - to say so is an absolute lie. The ADF fights to prevent the ACLU and other radical groups from changing our laws through the courts, instead of through the legislature, where our Constitution says laws were meant to be created and refined. The ACLU creates new law - the ADF defends existing law.\nThe ACLU has been slowly destroying the Christian heritage and freedom this country was founded upon. They do not try to hide this fact - their president has stated this view in their printed materials. Anyone saying that the ACLU is not attacking Christianity is someone who disgrees with the ACLU's own president.\nAgain, there are many more facts that get ignored by those, like yourself, who want to use name-calling and poorly-researched facts as a basis for your arguments. We can only hope that all of us would seek out the truth rather than settling for misinformation, lies, and name calling as the basis for our views. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10 The paragraph quoted below is from Thomas Jefferson's letter (final version) dated Jan 1,1802, to Danbury Baptists. Source: Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html\n\"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man \u0026 his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, \u0026 not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should \"make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,\" thus building a wall of separation between Church \u0026 State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/a-taliban-by-any-other-name/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eChristian Crusaders of Scottsdale, Arizona\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow we have \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/09/AR2006070900903.html\"\u003eAlliance Defense Fund\u003c/a\u003e battling to make America a country for Bible thumping Christians only. The bigots have gained ground under the Bush Administration, received full support of the government in their holy war.  Be afraid. At heart they are no different than Islamic fundamentalists and they will happily send the rest of us to salt mines. \"What we are really trying to protect are the things this country was founded on,\" said D. James Kennedy, leader of Florida's Coral Ridge Ministries and one of the prominent Christian conservatives who fashioned the alliance in 1993 as a sharp stick in the national culture debate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThat is not how opponents see the organization. While crediting the ADF with training troops for battles once fought by a haphazard assortment of government lawyers and often ill-prepared volunteers, critics question the alliance's commitment to tolerance and the Constitution.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"They're not for some form of generic religious freedom. They're for Christian superiority, that Christians take over the courts,\" said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. \"They are living in this fantasy world where the majority religion, Christianity, is claimed to be literally under attack.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI love you dude, but you're crazy. The ADF-Taliban comparison is very reminiscent to the Bush-Hitler similarity. I guess if those terrorizing Bible thumpers are getting you all riled up, they must be doing something right!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThere are some similarities, yes, but good that G.W. Bush is oratorically challenged. Adolf Hitler, the crazy dictator, was a great speaker.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI do think there is cause for alarm.  This country was founded on the principle of religous freedom not as a religious state like Iran. ADF is advocating, not freedom of religion (including Islam, Buddhism, Wicka, etc...), they're simply pounding their narrow version of a particular religion.  I find this very scary indeed if we as a nation are forced to believe one man-made verison of so-called Christianity.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe scare-language you've used is typical of someone who is ignorant of the facts and has been misled by the media's misguided portrayel of Christians. Our country was founded upon Christian principles  - that's an undisputed fact. We live in a Christian nation that allows other religions to flourish within it - another fact. The separation of church and state was invented by a radical Supreme Court, had no precedent of any kind when enacted, and is seen as one of the worst judicial decisions of all time by liberal judicial scholars - still another fact. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ADF is trying to defend laws that have \u003cI\u003e\u003cB\u003ealready been in place for decades.\u003c/B\u003e\u003c/I\u003e They are not trying to create anything new - to say so is an absolute lie. The ADF fights to prevent the ACLU and other radical groups from changing our laws through the courts, instead of through the legislature, where our Constitution says laws were meant to be created and refined. The ACLU creates new law - the ADF defends existing law.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ACLU has been slowly destroying the Christian heritage and freedom this country was founded upon. They do not try to hide this fact - their president has stated this view in their printed materials. Anyone saying that the ACLU is not attacking Christianity is someone who disgrees with the ACLU's own president.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAgain, there are many more facts that get ignored by those, like yourself,  who want to use name-calling and poorly-researched facts as a basis for your arguments. We can only hope that all of us would seek out the truth rather than settling for misinformation, lies, and name calling as the basis for our views.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe paragraph quoted below is from Thomas Jefferson's letter (final version) dated Jan 1,1802, to Danbury Baptists.  Source: Library of Congress.  http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man \u0026 his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, \u0026 not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should \"make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,\" thus building a wall of separation between Church \u0026 State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Taliban By Any Other Name"},{"content":" World Cup Final: France vs Italy - July 9, 2006In a nutshell, Italy won 5-4 on penalties. But that is the footnote. What Zidane did was ugly to watch. Why it happened was not known to us watching the final game between France and Italy on tv. The game went past the regulation time to extra time (two 15-minute periods) and then to penalty kicks. Zidane's folly occurred shortly before the end of the regulation time. To us viewers it appeared as though he completely lost his sense of the crucial importance of the game and consequence of his action. There was no justification for what he did. I was glad that Italy won. When I thought of Zidane and his superb artistry on the field there was a sense of regret about this great player and his last major game, possibly his last game.Simon Barnes in Times on Line: The End of Zidane's World ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/zidanes-flameout---fall-of-a-giant/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWorld Cup Final: France vs Italy - July 9, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn a nutshell, Italy won 5-4 on penalties.  But that is the footnote. What Zidane did was ugly to watch. Why it happened was not known to us watching the final game between France and Italy on tv.  The game went past the regulation time to extra time (two 15-minute periods) and then to penalty kicks. Zidane's folly occurred shortly before the end of the regulation time.  To us viewers it appeared as though  he completely lost his sense of the crucial importance of the game and consequence of his action. There was no justification for what he did.  I was glad that Italy won.  When I thought of Zidane and his superb artistry on the field there was a sense of regret about this great player and his last major game, possibly his last game.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSimon Barnes in Times on Line: \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28806-2263291,00.html\"\u003eThe End of Zidane's  World\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Zidane's Flameout - Fall of A Giant"},{"content":" Cost of An Iraqi LifeThe cost of an Iraqi life depends on who you are; to some the Iraqis are expendable. Collateral damage is a cynical phrase that covers a lot of wrongdoings. It displays callousness and deliberate denial of the domino effect of deaths of innocent civilians. The people responsible continue ostrich-like without paying heed to the consequences of their actions. If they have any doubts or regrets they rarely express them. But recent instances of deliberate killing of civilians in Iraq have received broad exposure in the media, and the picture has changed. What happened at Haditha, Hamandiya, Samarra, and Mahmudiyah cannot be covered up---not completely covered up. Andrew J. Bacevich writes in the Post: \"In Iraq, lives differ in value -- and so do deaths. In this disparity lies an important reason why the United States has botched this war.\"Last November in Haditha , a squad of Marines, outraged at the loss of a comrade, is said to have run amok, avenging his death by killing two dozen innocent bystanders. And in March, U.S. soldiers in Mahmudiyah allegedly raped a young Iraqi woman and killed her along with three of her relatives -- an apparently premeditated crime for which one former U.S. soldier has been charged . These incidents are among at least five recent cases of Iraqi civilian deaths that have triggered investigations of U.S. military personnel. If the allegations prove true, Haditha and Mahmudiyah will deservedly take their place alongside Sand Creek, Samar and My Lai in the unhappy catalogue of atrocities committed by American troops.But recall a more recent incident, in Samarra . On May 30, U.S. soldiers manning a checkpoint there opened fire on a speeding vehicle that either did not see or failed to heed their command to stop. Two women in the vehicle were shot dead. One of them, Nahiba Husayif Jassim, 35, was pregnant. The baby was also killed. The driver, Jassim's brother, had been rushing her to a hospital to give birth. No one tried to cover up the incident: U.S. military representatives issued expressions of regret.The BBC filed the following report on July 8th:\"US 'finds Iraq killing failings' US marine officers at all levels failed to investigate conflicting reports of killings in the Iraqi town of Haditha, a report quoted by US media says. The report has been completed and reviewed by Lt-Gen Peter Chiarelli, the second-ranking US commander in Iraq. Twenty-four civilians died in the incident in November. The US military initially said they were killed in a bomb blast and exchange of fire. But reports subsequently emerged alleging that US soldiers killed them. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/civilian-victims-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eCost of An Iraqi Life\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"headline\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe cost of an Iraqi life depends on who you are; to some the Iraqis are expendable. Collateral damage is a cynical phrase that covers a lot of wrongdoings.  It displays callousness and deliberate denial of the domino effect of deaths of innocent civilians.  The people responsible continue ostrich-like without  paying heed to  the consequences of their actions. If they have any doubts or regrets they rarely express them.  But recent instances of deliberate killing of civilians in Iraq have received broad exposure in the media, and the picture has changed.  What happened at Haditha, Hamandiya, Samarra, and Mahmudiyah cannot be covered up---not completely covered up. Andrew J. Bacevich writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/07/AR2006070701155.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"In Iraq, lives differ in value -- and so do deaths. In this disparity lies an important reason why the United States has botched this war.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLast November in Haditha , a squad of Marines, outraged at the loss of a comrade, is said to have run amok, avenging his death by killing two dozen innocent bystanders. And in March, U.S. soldiers in Mahmudiyah allegedly raped a young Iraqi woman and killed her along with three of her relatives -- an apparently premeditated crime for which one former U.S. soldier has been charged . These incidents are among at least five recent cases of Iraqi civilian deaths that have triggered investigations of U.S. military personnel. If the allegations prove true, Haditha and Mahmudiyah will deservedly take their place alongside Sand Creek, Samar and My Lai in the unhappy catalogue of atrocities committed by American troops.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut recall a more recent incident, in Samarra . On May 30, U.S. soldiers manning a checkpoint there opened fire on a speeding vehicle that either did not see or failed to heed their command to stop. Two women in the vehicle were shot dead. One of them, Nahiba Husayif Jassim, 35, was pregnant. The baby was also killed. The driver, Jassim's brother, had been rushing her to a hospital to give birth. No one tried to cover up the incident: U.S. military representatives issued expressions of regret.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5160276.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e filed the following report on July 8th:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"US 'finds Iraq killing failings' \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e US marine officers at all levels failed to investigate conflicting reports of killings in the Iraqi town of Haditha, a report quoted by US media says. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         The report has been completed and reviewed by Lt-Gen Peter Chiarelli, the second-ranking US commander in Iraq. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Twenty-four civilians died in the incident in November. The US military initially said they were killed in a bomb blast and exchange of fire. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e                         But reports subsequently emerged alleging that US soldiers killed them.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Civilian Victims In Iraq"},{"content":" Debate On Both Sides of the Atlantic * \"Religious Persecution\" * \"Glove Puppet\"Scientists in England have strongly reacted against Roman Catholic Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo's call for excommunication of those who are involved in embryonic stem cell research. The BBC reported that: \"Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, made his comments in Famiglia Cristiana, a Catholic magazine. He said research carried out on embryos was 'the same as abortion'.\"The threat of excommunication is not likely to be effective. Just as many Catholic couples routinely practice contraception---use condoms and other means, and do so with a clear conscience, those involved in stem cell research are not going to be deterred by the edict of Cardinal Trujillo.Scientists in the UK called his comments outrageous and said they amounted to \"religious persecution\".\"Excommunication applies to all women, doctors and researchers who eliminate embryos.\"But Dr Stephen Minger, leading stem cell expert at Kings College, said: \"Having been raised a Catholic I found this stance really outrageous.\"Are they going to excommunicate IVF doctors, nurses and embryologists who routinely put millions of embryos down the sink every year throughout the world?\"It is more ethical to use embryos that are going to be destroyed anyway for the general benefit of mankind than simply putting them down the sink.\"Professor Allan Templeton, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, called the cardinal's comments \"insensitive and unhelpful\".He added: \"I cannot really believe it represents the thinking of the Roman Catholic church.\"Professor Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Chair in practical ethics at the University of Oxford, warned: \"This amounts to religious persecution of scientists which has no place in modern liberal societies.One gets the feeling that Cardinal Trujillo and others like him long for the days of the Inquisition.They have friends in high places. President Bush is a champion of those who oppose stem cell research. Michael Kinsley, in his column False Dilemma, points out the hollowness of their position, that they totally disregard what happens in fertility clinics. \"In any particular case, fertility clinics try to produce more embryos than they intend to implant. Then -- like the Yale admissions office (only more accurately) -- they pick and choose among the candidates, looking for qualities that make for a better human being. If you don't get into Yale, you have the choice of attending a different college. If the fertility clinic rejects you, you get flushed away -- or maybe frozen until the day you can be discarded without controversy.\"And fate isn't much kinder to the embryos that make this first cut. Usually several of them are implanted in the hope that one will survive. Or, to put it another way, in the hope that all but one will not survive. And fertility doctors do their ruthless best to make these hopes come true.In short, if embryos are human beings with full human rights, fertility clinics are death camps -- with a side order of cold-blooded eugenics. No one who truly believes in the humanity of embryos could possibly think otherwise.*\"Mentally deficent glove puppet\"Found following entry in the Urban Dictionary \"Refer to George W. Bush and his whole ****ing OligarchyThe dictat-president is a mentally deficent glove puppet.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/stem-cell-research-and-fertility-clinics/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDebate On Both Sides of the Atlantic *  \"Religious Persecution\" * \"Glove Puppet\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eScientists in England  have strongly reacted against Roman Catholic Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo's call for excommunication of those who are involved in embryonic stem cell research. The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5158760.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported that: \"Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, made his comments in Famiglia Cristiana, a Catholic magazine.  He said research carried out on embryos was 'the same as abortion'.\"The threat of excommunication is not likely to be effective.  Just as many Catholic couples routinely practice contraception---use condoms and other means, and do so with a clear conscience, those involved in stem cell research are not going to be deterred by the edict of Cardinal Trujillo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eScientists in the UK called his comments outrageous and said they amounted to \"religious persecution\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Excommunication applies to all women, doctors and researchers who eliminate embryos.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut Dr Stephen Minger, leading stem cell expert at Kings College, said: \"Having been raised a Catholic I found this stance really outrageous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Are they going to excommunicate IVF doctors, nurses and embryologists who routinely put millions of embryos down the sink every year throughout the world?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"It is more ethical to use embryos that are going to be destroyed anyway for the general benefit of mankind than simply putting them down the sink.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eProfessor Allan Templeton, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, called the cardinal's comments \"insensitive and unhelpful\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe added: \"I cannot really believe it represents the thinking of the Roman Catholic church.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eProfessor Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Chair in practical ethics at the University of Oxford, warned: \"This amounts to religious persecution of scientists which has no place in modern liberal societies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne gets the feeling that Cardinal Trujillo and others like him long for the days of the Inquisition.They have friends in high places.  President Bush is a champion of those who oppose stem cell research.  Michael Kinsley, in his column \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070601554.html\"\u003eFalse Dilemma\u003c/a\u003e,  points out the hollowness of their position, that they totally disregard what happens in fertility clinics. \"In any particular case, fertility clinics try to produce more embryos than they intend to implant. Then -- like the Yale admissions office (only more accurately) -- they pick and choose among the candidates, looking for qualities that make for a better human being. If you don't get into Yale, you have the choice of attending a different college. If the fertility clinic rejects you, you get flushed away -- or maybe frozen until the day you can be discarded without controversy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd fate isn't much kinder to the embryos that make this first cut. Usually several of them are implanted in the hope that one will survive. Or, to put it another way, in the hope that all but one will not survive. And fertility doctors do their ruthless best to make these hopes come true.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn short, if embryos are human beings with full human rights, fertility clinics are death camps -- with a side order of cold-blooded eugenics. No one who truly believes in the humanity of embryos could possibly think otherwise.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Mentally deficent glove puppet\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFound following entry in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mentally+deficent+glove+puppet\"\u003eUrban Dictionary \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Refer to George W. Bush and his whole ****ing Oligarchy\u003cbr/\u003eThe dictat-president is a mentally deficent glove puppet.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Stem Cell Research and Fertility Clinics"},{"content":" Gaza, bloody Gaza - No end in sightOperation Summer Rains! Another utterly cynical title like Operation Iraqi Freedom. You wonder if there are PR firms that concoct the names or officials with grand visions,and without any concern for the human suffering,are responsible for giving military actions such flowery titles. \"BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip, July 6 -- Israeli tanks pushed into populated areas here Thursday for the first time since reentering the Gaza Strip last week and met fierce resistance from Palestinians using rocket-propelled grenades, roadside mines and rifles to slow their advance.At least 21 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, many from the governing Hamas movement's armed wing, and an Israeli soldier died after being shot in the head by a sniper.\"From a report in The Guardian filed by Chris McGreal in Jerusalem:The politicians and military agreed early on in the crisis that Cpl Shalit's capture offered the opportunity to curb the firing of Palestinian rockets. Military leaders urged Mr Peretz and Mr Olmert to authorise a large-scale ground invasion deep into the Gaza Strip. But the politicians were cautious, warning the army should be prepared for a long operation that must retain foreign governments' backing.Cpl Shalit's father, Noam, cautioned against using the capture of his son, in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militias nearly two weeks ago, as a justification for a wider military operation.\"It seems unrealistic to me to say that Israel can restore its deterrent capability at the expense of Gilad,\" he said. \"My son does not have such broad shoulders. If Israel had wanted to regain its deterrent capability, in my humble opinion it ought to have done so before the abduction.\"But there are indications of a wider agenda to bury the Hamas-led government. Israel has detained eight Hamas cabinet members and 20 of its MPs, and targeted government infrastructure, including missile attacks on the offices of the prime minister and interior ministry.\"There's a school of thought in the Israeli security establishment that said since the Hamas victory this is going to end up in confrontation and the sooner we pre-empt that conflict the better; remove their leadership, destroy their infrastructure,\" said Mr Alpher. \"That is certainly some of the hidden agenda of this operation but it's not a declared goal. But it could become a declared goal.\"London 7/7/2005On this day a year ago London suffered attacks by Islamic terrorists. 52 people died. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/they-call-it-operation-summer-rains/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eGaza, bloody Gaza - No end in sight\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOperation Summer Rains!  Another utterly cynical title like Operation Iraqi Freedom.  You wonder if there are PR firms that concoct the names or officials with grand visions,and without any concern for the human suffering,are  responsible for giving military actions such flowery titles. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070600166.html\"\u003eBEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip\u003c/a\u003e, July 6 -- Israeli tanks pushed into populated areas here Thursday for the first time since reentering the Gaza Strip last week and met fierce resistance from Palestinians using rocket-propelled grenades, roadside mines and rifles to slow their advance.At least 21 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, many from the governing Hamas movement's armed wing, and an Israeli soldier died after being shot in the head by a sniper.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom a report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1814462,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e filed by Chris McGreal in Jerusalem:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe politicians and military agreed early on in the crisis that Cpl Shalit's capture offered the opportunity to curb the firing of Palestinian rockets. Military leaders urged Mr Peretz and Mr Olmert to authorise a large-scale ground invasion deep into the Gaza Strip. But the politicians were cautious, warning the army should be prepared for a long operation that must retain foreign governments' backing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eCpl Shalit's father, Noam, cautioned against using the capture of his son, in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militias nearly two weeks ago, as a justification for a wider military operation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"It seems unrealistic to me to say that Israel can restore its deterrent capability at the expense of Gilad,\" he said. \"My son does not have such broad shoulders. If Israel had wanted to regain its deterrent capability, in my humble opinion it ought to have done so before the abduction.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut there are indications of a wider agenda to bury the Hamas-led government. Israel has detained eight Hamas cabinet members and 20 of its MPs, and targeted government infrastructure, including missile attacks on the offices of the prime minister and interior ministry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"There's a school of thought in the Israeli security establishment that said since the Hamas victory this is going to end up in confrontation and the sooner we pre-empt that conflict the better; remove their leadership, destroy their infrastructure,\" said Mr Alpher. \"That is certainly some of the hidden agenda of this operation but it's not a declared goal. But it could become a declared goal.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,,1814861,00.html\"\u003eLondon 7/7/2005\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn this day a year ago London suffered attacks by Islamic terrorists. 52 people died.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"They call it \"Operation Summer Rains\""},{"content":" Wunderlich Park and A Picnic Table * google Google * Bush's WorldIt was just a picnic table under an oak tree at Wunderlich County Park. Weather beaten and a little wobbly after years of being there. Not all hikers used the table. It was sort of hidden in a small clearing surrounded by brush---manzanita, chamise, chaparral pea, yerba santa, and scotch broom. The hike on the Bear Creek Gulch Trail to the meadow is approximately 2.4 miles from the parking lot. It is an uphill walk, elevation gain from apprx.475 ft at the parking lot to 1,000 ft. Not very demanding but enough to make you sweat. A good trail on hot summer days because large eycalyptus,redwood, madrone and oak trees provide shade most of the way. A group of us went up to the meadow on July 4th for a picnic. The day was sunny but not too warm. Temperature in the low 70's (Fahrenheit). When it is not smoggy, the meadow offers a good view of Fremont in east bay. JHL and I have spent many pleasant hours at the meadow and used the picnic table. Yesterday, there was an empty space where the table used to be. No clue whether it has been removed for good or there will be another to take its place. We had our picnic sitting on the ground; absence of the table did not stop us from enjoying ourselves. Still, I felt a sense of loss; I had gotten used to seeing it there.Wunderlich Park © San Mateo County Parks \u0026amp; Recreation Dept.© John LazarGoogle In Websters DictionaryThe Associated Press reported that \"It's one of about 100 new words added to the reference volume. Google, with a small \"g,\" is a verb meaning to use the Google Internet search engine.\"Go \"google\" yourself. If you don't know what it means, you can now look up \"google\" in the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.\nPresident Bush and the World We Live In Topsy turvy, volatile---these are words that come to mind when looking at what is going on in our world. Many people believe that part of the volatility is due to actions and policies of the Bush Administration. Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright of the Post describe the \"World of crises\" faced by the president. \"From deteriorating security in Afghanistan and Somalia to mayhem in the Middle East, confrontation with Iran and eroding relations with Russia, the White House suddenly sees crisis in every direction.\"\"I am hard-pressed to think of any other moment in modern times where there have been so many challenges facing this country simultaneously,\" said Richard N. Haass, a former senior Bush administration official who heads the Council on Foreign Relations. \"The danger is that Mr. Bush will hand over a White House to a successor that will face a far messier world, with far fewer resources left to cope with it.\"\"White House officials emphatically reject such pessimism, and yesterday leading figures in both parties saw some diplomatic opportunity for the United States out of the missile failure. But the events on the Korean Peninsula underscored how the administration has lost the initiative it once possessed on foreign policy in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, leaving at risk the central Bush aspiration of democracy-building around the world.\"They also showed how the huge commitment of resources and time on Iraq -- and the attendant falloff in international support for the United States -- has limited the administration's flexibility in handling new world crises. \"This is a distracted government that has to take care of too many things at the same time and has been consumed by the war on Iraq,\" said Moisés Naím, editor of Foreign Policy magazine.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/thursday-morning-charivari/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWunderlich Park and A Picnic Table * google Google * Bush's World\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was just a picnic table under an oak tree at Wunderlich County Park.  Weather beaten and a little wobbly after years of being there.  Not all hikers used the table.  It was sort of hidden in a small clearing surrounded by brush---manzanita, chamise, chaparral pea, yerba santa, and scotch broom.  The hike on the Bear Creek Gulch Trail to the meadow is approximately 2.4 miles from the parking lot.  It is an uphill walk, elevation gain from apprx.475 ft at the parking lot to 1,000 ft. Not very demanding but enough to make you sweat.  A good trail on hot summer days because large eycalyptus,redwood, madrone and oak trees  provide shade most of the way.  A group of us went up to the meadow on July 4th for a picnic.  The day was sunny but not too warm.  Temperature in the low 70's (Fahrenheit).  When it is not smoggy, the meadow offers a good view of Fremont in east bay.  JHL and I have spent many pleasant hours at  the meadow and used the picnic table.  Yesterday, there was an empty space where the table used to be.  No clue whether it has been removed for good or there will be another to take its place.  We had our picnic sitting on the ground;  absence of the table did not stop us from enjoying ourselves. Still, I felt a sense of loss;  I had gotten used to seeing it there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWunderlich Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/13555686Wunderlich.jpg\"/\u003e   © San Mateo County Parks \u0026amp; Recreation Dept.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/Wunderlich B.jpg\"/\u003e© John Lazar\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoogle In Websters Dictionary\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Associated Press reported that \"It's one of about 100 new words added to the reference volume. Google, with a small \"g,\" is a verb meaning to use the Google Internet search engine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Go \"google\" yourself. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you don't know what it means, you can now look up \"google\" in the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Thursday Morning Charivari"},{"content":" What Next ? Pyongyang went ahead and test fired a seventh ballistic missile despite warnings from the international community.\"TOKYO July 5 -- Japan slapped limited economic sanctions on North Korea Wednesday and moved with the United States to condemn Pyongyang in advance of a hastily called session of the U. N. Security Council after the Stalinist state unnerved the region by test launching a barrage of least seven missiles. After firing six missiles over four hours early Wednesday, North Korea continued its unprecedented series of tests by sending a seventh into the Sea of Japan some 12 hours later during rush hour in Japanese cities.\"The Guardian: \"In a typically defiant riposte, Pyongyang said the missile tests were its right as a sovereign nation, despite Japan's claims they violated a moratorium on missile tests agreed between the countries in 2002. \"The missile launch is an issue that is entirely within our sovereignty. No one has the right to dispute it,\" Ri Pyong-dok, a researcher at the North Korean foreign ministry, said on Japanese television. \"On the missile launch, we are not bound by any agreement.\"The missile launch is an issue that is entirely within our sovereignty. No one has the right to dispute it,\" Ri Pyong-dok, a researcher at the North Korean foreign ministry, said on Japanese television. \"On the missile launch, we are not bound by any agreement.\"The security council is to discuss a Japanese resolution condemning the tests. Japan's foreign minister, Taro Aso, said there was a \"very high possibility\" the UN would impose economic sanctions against North Korea.The Japanese defence agency said the first six missiles were fired between 3.30am and 8.20am and that all had landed in the Sea of Japan several hundred miles from the Japanese coast. Tokyo condemned the tests and said North Korea had \"threatened the stability of the international community\". The US called them a \"provocation\".\"The United States strongly condemns these missile launches and North Korea's unwillingness to heed calls for restraint from the international community,\" White House spokesman Tony Snow said.China called for a cool-headed response to North Korea's missile tests, according to Kyodo news agency, which quoted foreign ministry official Liu Jianchao as saying that countries should respond calmly to the missile test launches.Mexico All bets are off. The situation has changed dramatically since initial vote counts were announced. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the left leader and his supporters are claiming fraud and the lead by his opponent, Felipe Calderón, has shrunk from 1 percent to 0.64 percent. \"MEXICO CITY, July 4 -- A big question looms over Mexico: Will Andres Manuel López Obrador unleash the fury of the streets?\"Emotions here intensified Tuesday as Mexico's electoral commission counted additional ballots, shrinking the lead of López Obrador's opponent, Felipe Calderon, from 400,000 votes, or 1 percent, to 257,000 votes, or 0.64 percent. Lopez Obrador's supporters have also reacted emotionally as the populist candidate and his top aides have outlined a growing list of alleged election law violations. No large demonstrations have been held yet, apparently because López Obrador's supporters are waiting for a signal from him and because they want to see the results of an official count that begins Wednesday.Still, the rhetoric is getting more heated. On Tuesday, López Obrador's campaign demanded a ballot-by-ballot recount. And Emilio Serrano, a federal legislator from the candidate's Democratic Revolutionary Party, or PRD, said in an interview that violence is possible if the vote-tampering allegations are proved. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/north-korea-thumbs-its-nose-mexico-election-dispute/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWhat Next ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePyongyang went ahead and test fired a seventh ballistic missile despite warnings from the international community.\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/05/AR2006070500217.html\"\u003eTOKYO July 5\u003c/a\u003e -- Japan slapped limited economic sanctions on North Korea Wednesday and moved with the United States to condemn Pyongyang in advance of a hastily called session of the U. N. Security Council after the Stalinist state unnerved the region by test launching a barrage of least seven missiles.  After firing six missiles over four hours early Wednesday, North Korea continued its unprecedented series of tests by sending a seventh into the Sea of Japan some 12 hours later during rush hour in Japanese cities.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,,1813147,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e: \"In a typically defiant riposte, Pyongyang said the missile tests were its right as a sovereign nation, despite Japan's claims they violated a moratorium on missile tests agreed between the countries in 2002. \"The missile launch is an issue that is entirely within our sovereignty. No one has the right to dispute it,\" Ri Pyong-dok, a researcher at the North Korean foreign ministry, said on Japanese television. \"On the missile launch, we are not bound by any agreement.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe missile launch is an issue that is entirely within our sovereignty. No one has the right to dispute it,\" Ri Pyong-dok, a researcher at the North Korean foreign ministry, said on Japanese television. \"On the missile launch, we are not bound by any agreement.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe security council is to discuss a Japanese resolution condemning the tests. Japan's foreign minister, Taro Aso, said there was a \"very high possibility\" the UN would impose economic sanctions against North Korea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Japanese defence agency said the first six missiles were fired between 3.30am and 8.20am and that all had landed in the Sea of Japan several hundred miles from the Japanese coast. Tokyo condemned the tests and said North Korea had \"threatened the stability of the international community\". The US called them a \"provocation\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The United States strongly condemns these missile launches and North Korea's unwillingness to heed calls for restraint from the international community,\" White House spokesman Tony Snow said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eChina called for a cool-headed response to North Korea's missile tests, according to Kyodo news agency, which quoted foreign ministry official Liu Jianchao as saying that countries should respond calmly to the missile test launches.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eMexico  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAll bets are off. The situation has changed dramatically since initial vote counts were announced. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/04/AR2006070400966.html\"\u003eAndrés Manuel López Obrador\u003c/a\u003e, the left leader and his supporters are claiming fraud and the lead by his opponent, Felipe Calderón, has shrunk from 1 percent to 0.64 percent.  \"MEXICO CITY, July 4 -- A big question looms over Mexico: Will Andres Manuel López Obrador unleash the fury of the streets?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eEmotions here intensified Tuesday as Mexico's electoral commission counted additional ballots, shrinking the lead of López Obrador's opponent, Felipe Calderon, from 400,000 votes, or 1 percent, to 257,000 votes, or 0.64 percent. Lopez Obrador's supporters have also reacted emotionally as the populist candidate and his top aides have outlined a growing list of alleged election law violations. No large demonstrations have been held yet, apparently because López Obrador's supporters are waiting for a signal from him and because they want to see the results of an official count that begins Wednesday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eStill, the rhetoric is getting more heated. On Tuesday, López Obrador's campaign demanded a ballot-by-ballot recount. And Emilio Serrano, a federal legislator from the candidate's Democratic Revolutionary Party, or PRD, said in an interview that violence is possible if the vote-tampering allegations are proved.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"North Korea Thumbs Its Nose * Mexico Election Dispute"},{"content":" Casualties * Victims * \"The Marlboro Man\" When the war ends, as it will some day, and the soldiers come home how will we remember it? What will stand out---stories about the daily danger faced by many, unusual bravery of some, or the images of the prisoners and their gleefully sadistic guards at Abu Ghraib? Then there was the failed propaganda spun around Jessica Lynch. An attempt was made to make Pat Tillman a hero but he lost his life in friendly fire in Afghanistan, not Iraq. Or are we going to remember what took place in Mahmudiyah on March 12th? The Post: \"Ex-Soldier Charged in Killing of Iraqi Family\". What have we wrought! I suppose that there will be people on both sides of the spectrum. Some will see nothing but good in Operation Iraqi Freedom while others will decry the lies that led us to the war and the lives lost: (current numbers: 2538 American soldiers, more than 40,000 Iraqi civilians not counting victims of the factional strife raging between the Sunnis and Shias).Monsters Among UsAbeer Hamza was raped and killed one night in March. Life will never be the same for surviving members of her family. She could have been a daughter, grand daughter or sister to one of us. Rapes and murders take place here in America and we react with horror and sadness. Four soldiers of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 4th Infantry Division, are under investigation for rape and murder of Abeer Qasim Hamza. BAGHDAD, July 2 -- Fifteen-year-old Abeer Qasim Hamza was afraid, her mother confided in a neighbor. As pretty as she was young, the girl had attracted the unwelcome attention of U.S. soldiers manning a checkpoint that the girl had to pass through almost daily in their village in the south-central city of Mahmudiyah, her mother told the neighbor.Fakhriyah feared that the Americans might come for her daughter at night, at their home. She asked her neighbor if Abeer might sleep at his house, with the women there.Janabi said he agreed.Then, \"I tried to reassure her, remove some of her fear,\" Janabi said. \"I told her, the Americans would not do such a thing.\"Abeer did not live to take up the offer of shelter.Instead, attackers came to the girl's house the next day, apparently separating Abeer from her mother, father and young sister.Janabi and others knowledgeable about the incident said they believed that the attackers raped Abeer in another room. Medical officials who handled the bodies also said the girl had been raped, but they did not elaborate.Before leaving, the attackers fatally shot the four family members -- two of Abeer's brothers had been away at school -- and attempted to set Abeer's body on fire, according to Janabi, another neighbor who spoke on condition of anonymity, the mayor of Mahmudiyah and a hospital administrator with knowledge of the case. *\"The Marlboro Man\"Paul Harris in The Guardian: \"Combat can change a life in a second. The snap of a sniper's bullet or the blast of a bomb will instantly end it or turn a healthy body into a maimed wreck. But for US marine James Blake Miller what changed his life was the sudden shutter click of a war photographer's camera. On a rooftop in Falluja, Miller was captured in a picture that has become one of the enduring images of the Iraq war. It showed his wan face, streaked with mud and blood, in a moment of reflection. His eyes stared out, tired yet determined. From his lips drooped a cigarette, curling a wisp of thin pale smoke.\" The image hit the world on 10 November, 2004, as US marines stormed into Falluja to try to end a war that was supposed to have finished more than a year earlier. It appeared on newspaper front pages and made the cover of Time.Miller's image became a symbol of steely resolve, of weary-yet-determined struggle, of the toughness of the American fighting man having a cigarette break before finishing the job. It captured a moment when most Americans still thought the invasion of Iraq a worthy undertaking.Now Miller is a different symbol in a different time. As the war has dragged on, Miller's life has collapsed in the face of post-traumatic stress disorder. He draws a disability pension for his condition and his personal life is a wreck. He suffers from nightmares, panic attacks and survivor's guilt. Despite the immense goodwill of a grateful nation, Miller has slumped into struggle and despair. Last week came the news that he and his childhood sweetheart, Jessica, were getting divorced.Marlboro Man is no longer an icon for the American warrior ethic. He is a symbol of pain and suffering and the enormous problems endured by veterans returning home. He has become the public face of shell-shock. No longer the victor, Miller has become one of the war's victims.In the Appalachian hills which Miller calls home, the word for grandfather is 'papaw'. Miller's step-papaw, Joe Lee, was a Vietnam veteran. In interviews Miller has described how Papaw Joe Lee would get drunk and tell war stories. Then Papaw would get upset and tearful at the memories of death and killing in Vietnam and eventually his wife, fearful of scaring the grandchildren, would tell him to be quiet.Link to the complete article A Soldier's Story by Paul Harris. * The poem below was part of British author Harold Pinter's Nobel Prize (Literature, 2005) acceptance speech.DeathWhere was the dead body found?Who found the dead body?Was the dead body dead when found?How was the dead body found?Who was the dead body?Who was the father or daughter or brotherOr uncle or sister or mother or sonOf the dead and abandoned body?Was the body dead when abandoned?Was the body abandoned?By whom had it been abandoned?Was the dead body naked or dressed for a journey?What made you declare the dead body dead?Did you declare the dead body dead?How well did you know the dead body?How did you know the dead body was dead?Did you wash the dead bodyDid you close both its eyesDid you bury the bodyDid you leave it abandonedDid you kiss the dead body Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-07-04 This reminds me of Sergeant Frank Ronghi, a Gulf War vet who murdered and sodomized an 11-year old girl in Kosovo. Ronghi took with him another soldier, a private, who finally turned him in. He told him: \"(it was) easy to get away with something like this in a Third World country\". Sergeant Christopher Rice, who was on duty the night Ronghi murdered the child, added: \"He knew because he'd done it before in the desert (in operation 'Desert Storm' in Iraq).\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-neocons-war-and-a-girl-named-abeer-hamza/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eCasualties *  Victims *  \"The Marlboro Man\" \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen the war ends, as it will some day, and the soldiers come home how will we remember it? What will stand out---stories about the daily danger faced by many, unusual bravery of some, or the images of the prisoners and their gleefully sadistic guards at Abu Ghraib?  Then there was the failed propaganda spun around Jessica Lynch.  An attempt was made to make \u003ci\u003ePat Tillman\u003c/i\u003e a hero but he lost his life in friendly fire in Afghanistan, not Iraq. Or are we going to remember what took place in Mahmudiyah on March 12th?  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070301206.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Ex-Soldier Charged in Killing of Iraqi Family\".   What have we wrought!  I suppose that there will be people on both sides of the spectrum. Some will see nothing but good in Operation Iraqi Freedom while others will decry the lies that led us to the war and the lives lost:  (current numbers: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e2538\u003c/a\u003e  American soldiers, more than \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003e40,000\u003c/a\u003e Iraqi civilians not counting victims of the factional strife raging between the Sunnis and Shias).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMonsters Among Us\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAbeer Hamza was raped and killed one night in March.  Life will never be the same for surviving members of her family.  She could have been a daughter, grand daughter or sister to one of us.  Rapes and murders take place here in America and we react with horror and sadness.  Four soldiers of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 4th Infantry Division, are under investigation for rape and murder of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/02/AR2006070200673.html\"\u003eAbeer Qasim Hamza\u003c/a\u003e.  BAGHDAD, July 2 -- Fifteen-year-old Abeer Qasim Hamza was afraid, her mother confided in a neighbor.  As pretty as she was young, the girl had attracted the unwelcome attention of U.S. soldiers manning a checkpoint that the girl had to pass through almost daily in their village in the south-central city of Mahmudiyah, her mother told the neighbor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eFakhriyah feared that the Americans might come for her daughter at night, at their home. She asked her neighbor if Abeer might sleep at his house, with the women there.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eJanabi said he agreed.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThen, \"I tried to reassure her, remove some of her fear,\" Janabi said. \"I told her, the Americans would not do such a thing.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAbeer did not live to take up the offer of shelter.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eInstead, attackers came to the girl's house the next day, apparently separating Abeer from her mother, father and young sister.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eJanabi and others knowledgeable about the incident said they believed that the attackers raped Abeer in another room. Medical officials who handled the bodies also said the girl had been raped, but they did not elaborate.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBefore leaving, the attackers fatally shot the four family members -- two of Abeer's brothers had been away at school -- and attempted to set Abeer's body on fire, according to Janabi, another neighbor who spoke on condition of anonymity, the mayor of Mahmudiyah and a hospital administrator with knowledge of the case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Marlboro Man\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Harris in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1810767,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e: \"Combat can change a life in a second. The snap of a sniper's bullet or the blast of a bomb will instantly end it or turn a healthy body into a maimed wreck. But for US marine James Blake Miller what changed his life was the sudden shutter click of a war photographer's camera. On a rooftop in Falluja, Miller was captured in a picture that has become one of the enduring images of the Iraq war. It showed his wan face, streaked with mud and blood, in a moment of reflection. His eyes stared out, tired yet determined. From his lips drooped a cigarette, curling a wisp of thin pale smoke.\" \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe image hit the world on 10 November, 2004, as US marines stormed into Falluja to try to end a war that was supposed to have finished more than a year earlier. It appeared on newspaper front pages and made the cover of Time.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMiller's image became a symbol of steely resolve, of weary-yet-determined struggle, of the toughness of the American fighting man having a cigarette break before finishing the job. It captured a moment when most Americans still thought the invasion of Iraq a worthy undertaking.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNow Miller is a different symbol in a different time. As the war has dragged on, Miller's life has collapsed in the face of post-traumatic stress disorder. He draws a disability pension for his condition and his personal life is a wreck. He suffers from nightmares, panic attacks and survivor's guilt. Despite the immense goodwill of a grateful nation, Miller has slumped into struggle and despair. Last week came the news that he and his childhood sweetheart, Jessica, were getting divorced.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMarlboro Man is no longer an icon for the American warrior ethic. He is a symbol of pain and suffering and the enormous problems endured by veterans returning home. He has become the public face of shell-shock. No longer the victor, Miller has become one of the war's victims.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn the Appalachian hills which Miller calls home, the word for grandfather is 'papaw'. Miller's step-papaw, Joe Lee, was a Vietnam veteran. In interviews Miller has described how Papaw Joe Lee would get drunk and tell war stories. Then Papaw would get upset and tearful at the memories of death and killing in Vietnam and eventually his wife, fearful of scaring the grandchildren, would tell him to be quiet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eLink to the complete article \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1810767,00.html\"\u003eA Soldier's Story\u003c/a\u003e by Paul Harris.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/center\u003eThe poem below was part of British author Harold Pinter's  Nobel Prize (Literature, 2005) acceptance speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeath\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere was the dead body found?\u003cbr/\u003eWho found the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003eWas the dead body dead when found?\u003cbr/\u003eHow was the dead body found?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was the father or daughter or brother\u003cbr/\u003eOr uncle or sister or mother or son\u003cbr/\u003eOf the dead and abandoned body?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWas the body dead when abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003eWas the body abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003eBy whom had it been abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWas the dead body naked or dressed for a journey?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat made you declare the dead body dead?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you declare the dead body dead?\u003cbr/\u003eHow well did you know the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003eHow did you know the dead body was dead?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDid you wash the dead body\u003cbr/\u003eDid you close both its eyes\u003cbr/\u003eDid you bury the body\u003cbr/\u003eDid you leave it abandoned\u003cbr/\u003eDid you kiss the dead body\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-07-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis reminds me of Sergeant Frank Ronghi, a Gulf War vet who murdered and sodomized an 11-year old girl in Kosovo. Ronghi took with him another soldier, a private, who finally turned him in. He told him: \"(it was) easy to get away with something like this in a Third World country\". Sergeant Christopher Rice, who was on duty the night Ronghi murdered the child, added: \"He knew because he'd done it before in the desert (in operation 'Desert Storm' in Iraq).\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Neocons' War and A Girl Named Abeer Hamza"},{"content":" The Gift Program \"approved by Congress\" * Our Friends In Somalia * Election, South of the Border\n$1.3 billion is a large amount of money by any account. That is what our Dept. of Agriculture paid out to people as subsidy for not using their land to farm. The report in the Post made me gasp. \"EL CAMPO, Tex. -- Even though Donald R. Matthews put his sprawling new residence in the heart of rice country, he is no farmer. He is a 67-year-old asphalt contractor who wanted to build a dream house for his wife of 40 years. Yet under a federal agriculture program approved by Congress, his 18-acre suburban lot receives about $1,300 in annual \"direct payments,\" because years ago the land was used to grow rice.\"Matthews is not alone. Nationwide, the federal government has paid at least $1.3 billion in subsidies for rice and other crops since 2000 to individuals who do no farming at all, according to an analysis of government records by The Washington Post.Some of them collect hundreds of thousands of dollars without planting a seed. Mary Anna Hudson, 87, from the River Oaks neighborhood in Houston, has received $191,000 over the past decade. For Houston surgeon Jimmy Frank Howell, the total was $490,709.The Looking Glass War Somalia is as good a place as any to spread some cash, buy some friends and win popularity. The details of why the U.S. paid money to a group of war lords in Somalia to enable them to arm themselves and, instead of reaping benefits, helped the return of a militant leader who is reported to have ties to al-Qaeda should not come as a surprise. The U.S. usually sides with groups hated by local people. Washington Post: \"The Americans were in Somalia because of concerns about terrorism, not land. But when the gunfire rang out, the sources said, the U.S. officials wrongly concluded that they were under attack by Islamic terrorists and abruptly fled. It was a provocation, U.S. officials later told Somalis, that demanded a muscular response.\"\"In the weeks that followed this little-known incident, which U.S. officials have refused to confirm or deny, the United States expanded its role in Somalia to levels not seen since it abandoned the country in 1994. The Americans helped organize a group of secular warlords into an \"anti-terror coalition\" and provided them with a large, steady diet of cash.The warlords, feared and hated by many Somalis, bragged about the money as they armed themselves as never before.The infusion of cash upset a fragile balance between the two sides -- but not in the direction the Americans had hoped.By March, the warlords were under siege. By June 6, they had fled. And by June 24, Hassan Dahir Aweys, a militant Islamic leader hostile to Western democracy and reputed to have ties to al-Qaeda, had taken control of Mogadishu. Late last week, Osama bin Laden boasted of successes there in an audiotape that singled out Somalia as a front in his war against Americans.Mexico ElectionToo close to call. While officials are still checking numbers, both leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and conservative Felipe Calderon are claiming victory. But Mexico is not likely to go through a repeat of Bush-Gore 2000. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/generous-usda-yes-there-is-santa-claus/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Gift Program \"approved by Congress\" * Our Friends In Somalia * Election, South of the Border\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e$1.3 billion is a large amount of money by any account.  That is what our Dept. of Agriculture paid out to people as subsidy for not using their land to farm. The report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/01/AR2006070100962.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e made me gasp. \"EL CAMPO, Tex. -- Even though Donald R. Matthews put his sprawling new residence in the heart of rice country, he is no farmer. He is a 67-year-old asphalt contractor who wanted to build a dream house for his wife of 40 years. Yet under a federal agriculture program approved by Congress, his 18-acre suburban lot receives about $1,300 in annual \"direct payments,\" because years ago the land was used to grow rice.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eMatthews is not alone. Nationwide, the federal government has paid at least $1.3 billion in subsidies for rice and other crops since 2000 to individuals who do no farming at all, according to an analysis of government records by The Washington Post.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSome of them collect hundreds of thousands of dollars without planting a seed. Mary Anna Hudson, 87, from the River Oaks neighborhood in Houston, has received $191,000 over the past decade. For Houston surgeon Jimmy Frank Howell, the total was $490,709.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThe Looking Glass War \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSomalia is as  good a place as any to spread some cash, buy some friends and win popularity.  The details of  why the U.S. paid money to a group of war lords in Somalia to enable them to arm themselves and, instead of reaping benefits, helped the return of a militant leader who is reported to have ties to al-Qaeda should not come as a surprise. The U.S. usually sides with groups hated by local people. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/01/AR2006070100850.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"The Americans were in Somalia because of concerns about terrorism, not land. But when the gunfire rang out, the sources said, the U.S. officials wrongly concluded that they were under attack by Islamic terrorists and abruptly fled. It was a provocation, U.S. officials later told Somalis, that demanded a muscular response.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"In the weeks that followed this little-known incident, which U.S. officials have refused to confirm or deny, the United States expanded its role in Somalia to levels not seen since it abandoned the country in 1994. The Americans helped organize a group of secular warlords into an \"anti-terror coalition\" and provided them with a large, steady diet of cash.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe warlords, feared and hated by many Somalis, bragged about the money as they armed themselves as never before.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe infusion of cash upset a fragile balance between the two sides -- but not in the direction the Americans had hoped.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBy March, the warlords were under siege. By June 6, they had fled. And by June 24, Hassan Dahir Aweys, a militant Islamic leader hostile to Western democracy and reputed to have ties to al-Qaeda, had taken control of Mogadishu. Late last week, Osama bin Laden boasted of successes there in an audiotape that singled out Somalia as a front in his war against Americans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eMexico Election\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/02/AR2006070200160.html\"\u003eToo close to call\u003c/a\u003e.  While officials are  still  checking  numbers, both leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and conservative Felipe Calderon are claiming victory.  But Mexico is not likely to go through a repeat of Bush-Gore 2000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Generous USDA  (Yes, There is Santa Claus)"},{"content":" A Summer Song * World Cup Soccer \"Hey hey, hey, come right awayCome and join the party every day. Take a vacation, fall out for a while,Summer's comin' in, and it's goin' outa styleWell, lie down smokin', honey; have yourself a ball,Cause your mother's down in Memphis, won't be back 'till the fall. Hey hey, hey, come right awayCome and join the party every day.\"©The Grateful DeadTwo days before July 4th, here in the San Francisco Peninsula there are still pockets of green in the foothills. A reminder of the late rains and unusually cool temperatures. We have had a few days when the thermometer hovered around 100º F (apprx 38º C) but mostly the temperature remains under 90º F. Around 6 P.M. a breeze begins and the evenings turn cool.Berry Creek Falls©musafirYesterday, on a hike in Big Basin Redwood Park I found the Buckeye trees full of white clusters, some beginning to turn brown. Berry Creek Falls still flowing well but the upper falls---Golden Cascade and Silver---have lost force. The holiday weekend brought large number of visitors to the park; it was difficult to find parking space. The campgrounds were full.Red Hibiscus Hibiscus blooming in my yard. Tomato plants (Early Girl) looking strong, still some weeks away before tomatoes ripen. Thai chilies have began to appear. All the herbs---thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, and lavender doing well but I haven't had any success with basil. Snail bait has failed to prevent them from destroying the basil as they emerge. The keffir lime (dwarf variety) has done better than in previous years. It is full of fragrant leaves. The World CupMy favorite team, Brazil, is out. Defeated by France 1-0. The ageing Zinedine Zidane again showed his mastery of the game. England lost to Portugal 3-0. Following the game, Beckham gave up his captaincy, and the coach, Sven Goran Eriksen, will retire without the crowing glory of World Cup victory. With Brazil and Argentina out of the tournament, Germany is in a good position to be in the final. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/the-seasons-summer/","summary":"\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Summer Song *  World Cup Soccer \u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Hey hey, hey, come right away\u003cbr/\u003eCome and join the party every day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e   Take a vacation, fall out for a while,\u003cbr/\u003eSummer's comin' in, and it's goin' outa style\u003cbr/\u003eWell, lie down smokin', honey; have yourself a ball,\u003cbr/\u003eCause your mother's down in Memphis, won't be back 'till the fall.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003ci\u003e   Hey hey, hey, come right away\u003cbr/\u003eCome and join the party every day.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©The Grateful Dead\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo days before July 4th, here in the San Francisco Peninsula there are still pockets of green in the foothills. A reminder of the late rains and unusually cool temperatures. We have had a few days when the thermometer hovered around 100º F (apprx 38º C) but mostly the temperature remains under 90º F. Around 6 P.M. a breeze begins and the evenings turn cool.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBerry Creek Falls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/Big Basin I.jpg\"/\u003e©musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eYesterday, on a hike in Big Basin Redwood Park I found the Buckeye trees full of white clusters, some beginning to turn brown. Berry Creek Falls still flowing well but the upper falls---Golden Cascade and Silver---have lost force. The holiday weekend brought large number of visitors to the park; it was difficult to find parking space. The campgrounds were full.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/Red Hibiscus1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRed Hibiscus \u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/07/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eHibiscus blooming in my yard. Tomato plants (Early Girl) looking strong, still some weeks away before tomatoes ripen. Thai chilies have began to appear. All the herbs---thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, and lavender doing well but I haven't had any success with basil. Snail bait has failed to prevent them from destroying the basil as they emerge. The keffir lime (dwarf variety) has done better than in previous years. It is full of fragrant leaves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003eThe World Cup\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eMy favorite team, Brazil, is out. Defeated by France 1-0. The ageing Zinedine Zidane again showed his mastery of the game. England lost to Portugal 3-0. Following the game, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/02/AR2006070200126.html\"\u003eBeckham\u003c/a\u003e gave up his captaincy, and the coach, Sven Goran Eriksen, will retire without the crowing glory of World Cup victory. With Brazil and Argentina out of the tournament, Germany is in a good position to be in the final.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Summer"},{"content":" Democrats Have Found God * Mahmudiyah, IraqIt seems that there is a headlong rush by Democratic leaders to embrace God. Not that they were all atheists or agnostics, but they were different than the Republicans who began wearing God on their sleeves years ago. It paid dividends in the elections. Is that the reason for Democrats to prove to the American voters that they,too, are religious? That would make them contemptible. E.J. Dionne's column in the Post \"Obama's Eloquent Faith\" is about the speech given by Senator Barrack Obama (D-IL) at Call to Renewal Conference on June 28th. \"Many Democrats discovered God in the 2004 exit polls. Specifically, they looked at the importance of religious voters to President Bush's majority and decided: We need some of those folks. Off Democrats went to their Bibles, finding every verse they could -- there are many -- describing the imperative to help the poor, battle injustice and set the oppressed free. \"Here's what stands out. First, Obama offers the first faith testimony I have heard from any politician that speaks honestly about the uncertainties of belief. \"Faith doesn't mean that you don't have doubts,\" Obama declared. \"You need to come to church in the first place precisely because you are first of this world, not apart from it.\"In an interview yesterday, Obama didn't back away. \"By definition, faith admits doubt,\" he said. \"Otherwise, it isn't faith. . . . If we don't sometimes feel hopeless, then we're really insulating ourselves from the world around us.\"On the matter of church-state separation, Obama doesn't propose some contrived balancing act but embraces religion's need for independence from government. In a direct challenge to \"conservative leaders,\" he argued that \"they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice.\"The excesses of religious zealots in recent years have given many of us a bad taste in the mouth. I do not question the sincerity of Barrack Obama's position but one has to accept the fact that zealotry among the faithful is not confined exclusively to Republicans. I am concerned about their influence as the Democratic Party courts them.A recently published book, American Gospel by Jon Meacham casts a fresh look at the subject.At a time when our country seems divided by extremism, American Gospel draws on the past to offer a new perspective. Meacham re-creates the fascinating history of a nation grappling with religion and politics –from John Winthrop'’s \"A “city on a hill\"” sermon to Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence; from the Revolution to the Civil War; from a proposed nineteenth-century Christian Amendment to the Constitution to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call for civil rights; from George Washington to Ronald Reagan.Debates about religion and politics are often more divisive than illuminating. Secularists point to a \"“wall of separation between church and state\",” while many conservatives act as though the Founding Fathers were apostles in knee britches. As Meacham shows in this brisk narrative, neither extreme has it right. At the heart of the American experiment lies the God of what Benjamin Franklin called \"“public religion\",” a God who invests all human beings with inalienable rights while protecting private religion from government interference. It is a great American balancing act, and it has served us well. *What Happened at MahmoudiyahDisturbing report about American soldiers being investigated for rape and murder at Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad. \"BAGHDAD, June 30 -- The U.S. Army is investigating allegations that American soldiers raped and killed a woman and killed three of her family members in a town south of Baghdad, then reported the incident as an insurgent attack, a military official said Friday.\"The alleged crimes occurred in March in the insurgent hotbed of Mahmudiyah. The four soldiers involved, from the 502nd Infantry Regiment, attempted to burn the family's home to the ground and blamed insurgents for the carnage, according to a military official familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was providing details not released publicly.Recently an American soldier was taken prisoner and killed by insurgents in Iraq. His body was found brutally mutilated. It drew universal condemnation. Rightly so. There is no justification for such barbaric acts. Do we have the right to point our fingers at others if our soldiers are found guilty of rape and murder of civilians? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/07/faith-and-politics/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats Have Found God * Mahmudiyah, Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt seems that there is a headlong rush by Democratic leaders to embrace God.  Not that they were all atheists or agnostics, but they were different than the Republicans who began wearing God on their sleeves years ago.  It paid dividends in the elections.  Is that the reason for Democrats to prove to the American voters that they,too, are religious?  That would make them contemptible.  E.J. Dionne's column in the Post \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062901778.html\"\u003eObama's Eloquent Faith\u003c/a\u003e\"  is about the speech given by Senator Barrack Obama (D-IL) at Call to Renewal Conference on June 28th.  \"Many Democrats discovered God in the 2004 exit polls.  Specifically, they looked at the importance of religious voters to President Bush's majority and decided: We need some of those folks. Off Democrats went to their Bibles, finding every verse they could -- there are many -- describing the imperative to help the poor, battle injustice and set the oppressed free. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eHere's what stands out. First, Obama offers the first faith testimony I have heard from any politician that speaks honestly about the uncertainties of belief. \"Faith doesn't mean that you don't have doubts,\" Obama declared. \"You need to come to church in the first place precisely because you are first of this world, not apart from it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn an interview yesterday, Obama didn't back away. \"By definition, faith admits doubt,\" he said. \"Otherwise, it isn't faith. . . . If we don't sometimes feel hopeless, then we're really insulating ourselves from the world around us.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn the matter of church-state separation, Obama doesn't propose some contrived balancing act but embraces religion's need for independence from government. In a direct challenge to \"conservative leaders,\" he argued that \"they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe excesses of religious zealots in recent years have given many of us a bad taste in the mouth.  I do not question the sincerity of Barrack Obama's position but one has to accept the fact that zealotry among the faithful is not confined exclusively to Republicans. I am concerned about their influence as the Democratic Party courts them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA recently published book, \u003ca href=\"http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400065554\"\u003eAmerican Gospel by Jon Meacham\u003c/a\u003e casts a fresh look at the subject.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAt a time when our country seems divided by extremism, American Gospel draws on the past to offer a new perspective. Meacham re-creates the fascinating history of a nation grappling with religion and politics –from John Winthrop'’s \"A “city on a hill\"” sermon to Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence; from the Revolution to the Civil War; from a proposed nineteenth-century Christian Amendment to the Constitution to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call for civil rights; from George Washington to Ronald Reagan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDebates about religion and politics are often more divisive than illuminating. Secularists point to a \"“wall of separation between church and state\",” while many conservatives act as though the Founding Fathers were apostles in knee britches. As Meacham shows in this brisk narrative, neither extreme has it right. At the heart of the American experiment lies the God of what Benjamin Franklin called \"“public religion\",” a God who invests all human beings with inalienable rights while protecting private religion from government interference. It is a great American balancing act, and it has served us well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eWhat Happened at Mahmoudiyah\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDisturbing report about American soldiers being investigated for rape and murder at Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad. \"BAGHDAD, June 30 -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063000495.html\"\u003eThe U.S. Army\u003c/a\u003e is investigating allegations that American soldiers raped and killed a woman and killed three of her family members in a town south of Baghdad, then reported the incident as an insurgent attack, a military official said Friday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe alleged crimes occurred in March in the insurgent hotbed of Mahmudiyah. The four soldiers involved, from the 502nd Infantry Regiment, attempted to burn the family's home to the ground and blamed insurgents for the carnage, according to a military official familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was providing details not released publicly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently an American soldier was taken prisoner and killed by insurgents in Iraq.  His body was found brutally mutilated.  It drew universal condemnation.  Rightly so.  There is no justification for such barbaric acts.  Do we have the right to point our fingers at others if our soldiers are found guilty of rape and murder of civilians?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Faith and Politics"},{"content":" The Hamdan Case * Guantanamo Maybe there is hope. That was my thought when The Supreme Court's 5:3 ruling on the Hamdan case sent shockwaves on June 29th. To say that it was a setback to President Bush's arrogant disregard of the Constitution and Geneva Convention would be an understatement. It brought him to a screeching halt. What a subservient Congress does to give him the authority he is now seeking remains to be seen. Peter Baker and Michel Abramowitz in the Post: \"For five years, President Bush waged war as he saw fit. If intelligence officers needed to eavesdrop on overseas telephone calls without warrants, he authorized it. If the military wanted to hold terrorism suspects without trial, he let it.\" Now the Supreme Court has struck at the core of his presidency and dismissed the notion that the president alone can determine how to defend the country. In rejecting Bush's military tribunals for terrorism suspects, the high court ruled that even a wartime commander in chief must govern within constitutional confines significantly tighter than this president has believed appropriate. For many in Washington, the decision echoed not simply as a matter of law but as a rebuke of a governing philosophy of a leader who at repeated turns has operated on the principle that it is better to act than to ask permission. This ethos is why many supporters find Bush an inspiring leader, and why many critics in this country and abroad react so viscerally against him. This case vividly demonstrates the crucial importance of the swing vote. Chief Justice Roberts recused himself because of his prior involvement in a case about Hamdan. If he sat on this case then the ruling would have gone 5:4.SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States)Guantanamo The Guantanamo Prison is also a part of the story about abuses. The Road to Guantanamo, a film made by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross, depicts the experience of three British nationals who were held there. David Denby's review of the movie appeared in The New Yorker June 26th issue. Here is his concluding paragraph: \"The movie is shot from the victims’ point of view, as a kind of absurdist, theatre-of-cruelty exercise set in the real world. But what do the Americans think they are doing? How do they justify themselves? The actors playing the guards and interrogators are nonentities with beefy faces; they are just as opaque as the men who have fallen into their hands. We seem to have entered a land in which intelligence of any kind has been extinguished. The Red Cross has reported that some of the prisoners at Guantánamo are falling into despair; three have committed suicide, and more than twenty have tried. “The Road to Guantánamo” will tell you why, but it won’t tell you much else. And the movie, harsh as it is, underplays the moral case against Guantánamo. The filmmakers implicitly condemn the practice of holding men without formally charging them, and without giving them access to counsel and family visits. But, in making a melodrama about three innocent men, they ignore the larger point—that all prisoners should be granted these basic rights. This exposé of American sadism is a shocker, but the movie doesn’t bring us any closer to understanding the abuse that is carried out in our names.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/abuse-of-power---checks-and-balances-and-the-scotus/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Hamdan Case * Guantanamo \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eMaybe there is hope.  That was my thought when The Supreme Court's 5:3 ruling on the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062902300.html\"\u003eHamdan\u003c/a\u003e case sent shockwaves on June 29th. To say that it was a setback to President Bush's arrogant disregard of the Constitution and Geneva Convention would be an understatement. It brought him to a screeching halt. What a subservient Congress does to give him the authority he is now seeking remains to be seen. Peter Baker and Michel Abramowitz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062902300.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"For five years, President Bush waged war as he saw fit. If intelligence officers needed to eavesdrop on overseas telephone calls without warrants, he authorized it. If the military wanted to hold terrorism suspects without trial, he let it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNow the Supreme Court has struck at the core of his presidency and dismissed the notion that the president alone can determine how to defend the country. In rejecting Bush's military tribunals for terrorism suspects, the high court ruled that even a wartime commander in chief must govern within constitutional confines significantly tighter than this president has believed appropriate.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eFor many in Washington, the decision echoed not simply as a matter of law but as a rebuke of a governing philosophy of a leader who at repeated turns has operated on the principle that it is better to act than to ask permission. This ethos is why many supporters find Bush an inspiring leader, and why many critics in this country and abroad react so viscerally against him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e This case vividly demonstrates the crucial importance of the swing vote. Chief Justice Roberts recused himself because of his prior involvement in a case about Hamdan. If he sat on this case then the ruling would have gone 5:4.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuantanamo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThe Guantanamo Prison is also a part of the story about abuses.   \u003ci\u003eThe Road to Guantanamo\u003c/i\u003e, a film made by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross, depicts the experience of three British nationals who were held there. David Denby's review of the movie appeared in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/060626crci_cinema\"\u003eThe New Yorker \u003c/a\u003eJune 26th issue.  Here is his concluding paragraph:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"The movie is shot from the victims’ point of view, as a kind of absurdist, theatre-of-cruelty exercise set in the real world. But what do the Americans think they are doing? How do they justify themselves? The actors playing the guards and interrogators are nonentities with beefy faces; they are just as opaque as the men who have fallen into their hands. We seem to have entered a land in which intelligence of any kind has been extinguished. The Red Cross has reported that some of the prisoners at Guantánamo are falling into despair; three have committed suicide, and more than twenty have tried. “The Road to Guantánamo” will tell you why, but it won’t tell you much else. And the movie, harsh as it is, underplays the moral case against Guantánamo. The filmmakers implicitly condemn the practice of holding men without formally charging them, and without giving them access to counsel and family visits. But, in making a melodrama about three innocent men, they ignore the larger point—that all prisoners should be granted these basic rights. \u003cb\u003eThis exposé of American sadism is a shocker, but the movie doesn’t bring us any closer to understanding the abuse that is carried out in our names.\u003c/b\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Abuse of Power - Checks and Balances, and The SCOTUS"},{"content":" Remember 2004 * The Internet - Republicans Go After Consumers, AgainElection fraud by manipulation of Diebold voting machines in Ohio was reported after the 2004 presidential election. There was no conclusive evidence. Now, as the nation gears up for mid-term elections, to be followed by the race for 2008 presidential election, the Post reports\" \"A Single Person Could Swing An Election\"To determine what it would take to hack a U.S. election, a team of cybersecurity experts turned to a fictional battleground state called Pennasota and a fictional gubernatorial race between Tom Jefferson and Johnny Adams. It's the year 2007, and the state uses electronic voting machines. Jefferson was forecast to win the race by about 80,000 votes, or 2.3 percent of the vote. Adams's conspirators thought, \"How easily can we manipulate the election results?\" The report concluded that the three major electronic voting systems in use have significant security and reliability vulnerabilities. But it added that most of these vulnerabilities can be overcome by auditing printed voting records to spot irregularities. And while 26 states require paper records of votes, fewer than half of those require regular audits. \"With electronic voting systems, there are certain attacks that can reach enough voting machines . . . that you could affect the outcome of the statewide election,\" said Lawrence D. Norden, associate counsel of the Brennan Center. This must be music to some ears and not all of them are hackers. Now, more than ever, there is need to be on guard against the nefarious fraudsters who will go to any length to attain power and retain it. * \"Net Neutrality\" Following their usual practice the Republicans in Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted against consumers' interests. \"A proposal to prevent Internet service providers from charging Web firms more for faster service to consumers failed yesterday to clear a Senate committee.\" The bill would make it easier for telephone companies to expand into the cable television franchise business, a move which lawmakers hope will result in more competition and lower prices for consumers. \".....more competition and lower prices\". We have heard that song before. The large telecom companies are straining at the leash for an opportunity to assess charges on use of Internet. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the committee, said he was not sure he had the 60 votes necessary to move the legislation forward. He said he would be open to negotiating with Democrats in September, when Congress comes back from its recess.The House passed its telecom bill earlier this month, and both versions include weaker net-neutrality language that would require the Federal Communications Commission to study and monitor the issue. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/be-afraid---vulnerability-of-electronic-voting-machines/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember 2004 *  The Internet - Republicans Go After   Consumers, Again\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eElection fraud by manipulation of Diebold voting machines in Ohio was reported after the 2004 presidential election. There was no conclusive evidence. Now, as the nation gears up for mid-term elections, to be followed by the race for 2008 presidential election, the Post reports\" \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062701451.html\"\u003eA Single Person Could Swing An Election\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eTo determine what it would take to hack a U.S. election, a team of cybersecurity experts turned to a fictional battleground state called Pennasota and a fictional gubernatorial race between Tom Jefferson and Johnny Adams. It's the year 2007, and the state uses electronic voting machines. Jefferson was forecast to win the race by about 80,000 votes, or 2.3 percent of the vote. Adams's conspirators thought, \"How easily can we manipulate the election results?\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe report concluded that the three major electronic voting systems in use have significant security and reliability vulnerabilities. But it added that most of these vulnerabilities can be overcome by auditing printed voting records to spot irregularities. And while 26 states require paper records of votes, fewer than half of those require regular audits.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"With electronic voting systems, there are certain attacks that can reach enough voting machines . . . that you could affect the outcome of the statewide election,\" said Lawrence D. Norden, associate counsel of the Brennan Center.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThis must be music to some ears and not all of them are hackers. Now, more than ever, there is need to be on guard against the nefarious fraudsters who will go to any length to attain power and retain it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/28/AR2006062802176.html\"\u003eNet Neutrality\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eFollowing their usual practice the Republicans in Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted against consumers' interests. \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"A proposal to prevent Internet service providers from charging Web firms more for faster service to consumers failed yesterday to clear a Senate committee.\" \u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe bill would make it easier for telephone companies to expand into the cable television franchise business, a move which lawmakers \u003cb\u003ehope will result in more competition and lower prices for consumers.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\".....more competition and lower prices\".  We have heard that song before. The large telecom companies are straining at the leash for an opportunity to assess charges on use of Internet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eSen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the committee, said he was not sure he had the 60 votes necessary to move the legislation forward. He said he would be open to negotiating with Democrats in September, when Congress comes back from its recess.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe House passed its telecom bill earlier this month\u003c/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e, and both versions include weaker net-neutrality language that would require the Federal Communications Commission to study and monitor the issue.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Be Afraid - Vulnerability of Electronic Voting Machines"},{"content":" The Foreign Secretary who said \"Fuck\" Today The Guardian, tomorrow The Times, The Washington Post ! Well, maybe not tomorrow but it is not too far off. It was amusing to read that Margaret Beckett, the new British Foreign Secretary exclaimed \"fuck\" when told by Prime Minister Blair that she was being promoted. \"Ms Beckett was the secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she was called in by the prime minister following the May 5 local elections. When told she would replace Jack Straw as the foreign secretary - one of the most senior ranking posts in government - Ms Beckett's response was \"unprintable in your newspaper\", she confided.\"\"Fuck\", she told Tony Blair at the time, who was nothing if not amused. \"He told me he wanted me to go on working on climate change issues but to do it from the foreign office. I was stunned.\"A good, old Anglo-Saxon word. There is nothing wrong with its appearance in media. In fact, people use it all the time in conversation. Can \"Cunt\" be far behind ? Comments * (asterisk) \u0026mdash; 2007-02-02 Good old Anglo-Saxon word indeed. Good for her! The cunt. No, to be fair, I think she might be one of the best of our bad bunch. Maybe. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/the-f-word-goes-mainstream/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Foreign Secretary who said  \"Fuck\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eToday \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,,1807797,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, tomorrow The Times, The Washington Post ! Well, maybe not tomorrow but it is not too far off. It was amusing to read that Margaret Beckett, the new British Foreign Secretary exclaimed \"fuck\" when told by Prime Minister Blair that she was being promoted. \"Ms Beckett was the secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she was called in by the prime minister following the May 5 local elections. When told she would replace Jack Straw as the foreign secretary - one of the most senior ranking posts in government - Ms Beckett's response was \"unprintable in your newspaper\", she confided.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Fuck\", she told Tony Blair at the time, who was nothing if not amused. \"He told me he wanted me to go on working on climate change issues but to do it from the foreign office. I was stunned.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eA good, old Anglo-Saxon word. There is nothing wrong with its appearance in media. In fact, people use it all the time in conversation. Can \"Cunt\" be far behind ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e* (asterisk)\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2007-02-02\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGood old Anglo-Saxon word indeed. Good for her! The cunt. No, to be fair, I think she might be one of the best of our bad bunch. Maybe.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The F Word Goes Mainstream"},{"content":" Newsmaker, Not NewscasterYes, this is about Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh. The rabble-rouser survived his brush with the law about his Oxy-contin addiction. Now he is in the news about possession of unprescribed (for him) Viagra. The latest incident might actually endear him to Dittoheads. One can imagine them leering. Old Rush flies to Dominican Republic in his own jet plane with a stash of Viagra! Wink wink, nod nod.Chicago Tribune:\"FT. LAUDERDALE -- Police and prosecutors were investigating Tuesday whether Rush Limbaugh broke the law by obtaining Viagra in someone else's name, possibly violating a deal with prosecutors in his \"doctor shopping\" case.Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, has said the two doctors prescribed the Viagra for Limbaugh under their names to protect his privacy. An expert on medical practice said Florida requires the patient's name and address be on the label.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-06-28 Why would a christain un married man need over 30 pills when going on a golfing trip to the dominion republic ( little girls maybe) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/have-viagra---will-travel/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNewsmaker, Not Newscaster\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes, this is about Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh.  The rabble-rouser survived his brush with the law about his Oxy-contin addiction.  Now he is in the news about possession of unprescribed (for him) Viagra. The latest incident might actually endear him to Dittoheads.  One can imagine them leering.  Old Rush flies to Dominican Republic in his own jet plane with a stash of Viagra!  Wink wink, nod nod.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0606280135jun28,1,4144831.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed\"\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c/a\u003e:\"FT. LAUDERDALE -- Police and prosecutors were investigating Tuesday whether Rush Limbaugh broke the law by obtaining Viagra in someone else's name, possibly violating a deal with prosecutors in his \"doctor shopping\" case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLimbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, has said the two doctors prescribed the Viagra for Limbaugh under their names to protect his privacy. An expert on medical practice said Florida requires the patient's name and address be on the label.\" \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWhy would a christain un married man need over 30 pills when going on a golfing trip to the dominion republic ( little girls maybe)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Have Viagra - Will Travel"},{"content":" Hypocrisy FailedThey tried hard and they succeeded in getting support from 14 Democrats. Yet the proponents couldn't muster the two-thirds majority required for passage. Three Republicans---Senators Robert F. Bennett of Utah, Lincoln Chafee, R.I., and Mitch McConnell, Kentucky---voted against the amendment. They came close. The vote was 66 to 34---a narrow victory, but a victory nevertheless for the those who opposed the measure. It was a cynical move by the Republicans. They expect to make capital out of their loss as described by Charles Babington in the Post: \"Behind the constitutional rhetoric were cold political considerations. Republicans are eager to energize conservative voters this fall, and the flag initiative -- even if doomed to fail -- is seen as a sure-fire way to inspire them, especially a week before Independence Day.\" Overturning a Texas law in 1989, the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that burning an American flag in protest is a form of political speech protected under the First Amendment. Congress later passed a federal anti-flag-desecration law, and the high court invalidated it on the same grounds. Ever since, lawmakers have debated whether flag burning is an unsavory cost of political freedom or something more akin to intolerable hate speech or monument defacement. \"Hours before the votes were taken, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) thrust the issue into his reelection campaign. Noting that Democratic challenger James Webb had said he opposed the amendment, Allen's campaign issued a press release linking Webb to Sens. John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, who voted against the amendment. The release said Webb is \"totally beholden to the liberal Washington senators\" who backed him in this month's primary. We are going to hear a lot more along this line before...and after the mid-term elections. They will exploit it, squeeze the last drop out of it.But hypocrisy was not limited to Republicans. An alternative proposed by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and seconded by Senator Hillary Clinton was a transparent attempt to appease both sides. \"The measure -- a proposed statute, rather than constitutional amendment -- was offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and was strongly endorsed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a possible presidential candidate who has sought a middle ground in the flag-burning debate.\" The proposal would have outlawed flag desecration if the perpetrators were also damaging federal property, trying to incite violence or trying to intimidate someone. Opponents called Durbin's measure a political fig leaf that the Supreme Court would rule unconstitutional. It fooled no one. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/defeat-of-flag-burning-amendment/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHypocrisy Failed\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThey tried hard and they succeeded in getting support from 14 Democrats.  Yet the proponents couldn't muster the two-thirds majority required for passage. Three Republicans---Senators Robert F. Bennett of Utah, Lincoln  Chafee, R.I.,  and Mitch McConnell, Kentucky---voted against the amendment. They came close. The vote was 66 to 34---a narrow victory, but a victory nevertheless for the those who opposed the measure. It was a cynical move by the Republicans. They expect to make capital out of their loss as described by Charles Babington in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062701056.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"\u003ci\u003eBehind the constitutional rhetoric were cold political considerations. Republicans are eager to energize conservative voters this fall, and the flag initiative -- even if doomed to fail -- is seen as a sure-fire way to inspire them, especially a week before Independence Day.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eOverturning a Texas law in 1989, the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that burning an American flag in protest is a form of political speech protected under the First Amendment. Congress later passed a federal anti-flag-desecration law, and the high court invalidated it on the same grounds.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eEver since, lawmakers have debated whether flag burning is an unsavory cost of political freedom or something more akin to intolerable hate speech or monument defacement.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Hours before the votes were taken, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) thrust the issue into his reelection campaign. Noting that Democratic challenger James Webb had said he opposed the amendment, Allen's campaign issued a press release linking Webb to Sens. John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, who voted against the amendment. The release said Webb is \"totally beholden to the liberal Washington senators\" who backed him in this month's primary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eWe are going to hear a lot more along this line before...and after the mid-term elections. They will exploit it, squeeze the last drop out of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003eBut hypocrisy was not limited to Republicans. An alternative proposed by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and seconded by Senator Hillary Clinton was a transparent attempt to appease both sides. \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe measure -- a proposed statute, rather than constitutional amendment -- was\u003c/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and was strongly endorsed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a possible presidential candidate who has sought a middle ground in the flag-burning debate.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cfont\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe proposal would have outlawed flag desecration if the perpetrators were also damaging federal property, trying to incite violence or trying to intimidate someone. Opponents called Durbin's measure a political fig leaf that the Supreme Court would rule unconstitutional.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e It fooled no 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of Flag Burning Amendment"},{"content":" Are we naive ?The WMD cow has been milked dry. The President went on the bully pulpit to speak about the evils of same-sex marriage but The Marriage Protection Amendment went down like a rock in the Senate. Now the champions of freedom and democracy, the guardians of American virtues are getting ready to revive Constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning. The timing is right. July 4th is around the corner. Some Democrats, including Senator Diane Feinstein of California, are with the Republicans on this one. Hillary Clinton is trying to take a middle ground.Dana Milbank in the Post: \"The naive among us may have trouble appreciating how four flag-burning episodes would constitute a constitutional crisis. But the men and women of the Senate, ever alert to emerging threats, are on the case.\" \"I think it's important to focus on the basic fact that the text of the First Amendment, the text of the Constitution, the text of the Bill of Rights is not involved,\" Specter argued. The Judiciary Committee chairman did not explain how he could add 17 words to the Constitution without altering its text.\" I am a naturalized citizen. I love America and respect the flag but I remain unconvinced about the need for Constitutional amendment. It is a non-issue, a case of jingoism. By far the best piece of writing on this subject is in The New Yorker by Hendrik Hertzberg. Mr. Hertzberg's For Which It Stands is in the print edition dated July 6, 2006 and it appeared in the on-line edition on June 26, 2006. \"The flag is not a piece of cloth, any more than the Constitution is a piece of paper; and the flag’s sacredness is not damaged when a piece of cloth representing it is burned or trampled or used as an autograph book, any more than the Constitution can be damaged by the destruction of a printed copy. But the Constitution can and would be damaged, to the nation’s shame, by the addition of something as inimical to its spirit as the flag-desecration amendment. One may safely assume that most of the sixty-six senators—fifty-two Republicans and fourteen Democrats—who at this writing are listed as supporting the amendment do not seriously regard it as a good, let alone a necessary, idea. Its Republican supporters intend to use it aggressively while its Democratic supporters intend to use it defensively, but for both the support is a by-product of negative campaigning. (Intellectual corruption, like the venal variety, is no stranger to either party, even if, in the present era, both varieties are more common among Republicans.) “Providence,” Lord Bryce, the laboratories-of-democracy chap, once remarked, “has under its special care children, idiots, and the United States of America.” The kids are still all right, but unless thirty-four senators hold firm Providence may no longer be able to indulge the second without harming the third.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-06-28 nice, cozy place you got here :).. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/flag-burning-amendment-politicians-in-search-of-bogies/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAre we \u003ci\u003enaive\u003c/i\u003e ?\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThe WMD cow has been milked dry.  The President went on the bully pulpit to speak about the evils of same-sex marriage but The Marriage Protection Amendment went down like a rock in the Senate. Now the champions of freedom and democracy, the guardians of American virtues are getting ready to revive Constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning. The timing is right. July 4th is around the corner. Some Democrats, including Senator Diane Feinstein of California, are with the Republicans on this one. Hillary Clinton is trying to take a middle ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eDana Milbank in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062601321.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe naive among us \u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003ci\u003emay have trouble appreciating how four flag-burning episodes would constitute a constitutional crisis. But the men and women of the Senate, ever alert to emerging threats, are on the case\u003c/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"I think it's important to focus on the basic fact that the text of the First Amendment, the text of the Constitution, the text of the Bill of Rights is not involved,\" Specter argued. \u003cb\u003eThe Judiciary Committee chairman did not explain how he could add 17 words to the Constitution without altering its text.\u003c/b\u003e\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eI am a naturalized citizen. I love America and respect the flag but I remain unconvinced about the need for Constitutional amendment. It is a non-issue, a case of jingoism. By far the best piece of writing on this subject is in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060703ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e by Hendrik Hertzberg. Mr. Hertzberg's \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060703ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eFor Which It Stands\u003c/a\u003e is in the print edition dated July 6, 2006 and it appeared in the on-line edition on June 26, 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The flag is not a piece of cloth, any more than the Constitution is a piece of paper; and the flag’s sacredness is not damaged when a piece of cloth representing it is burned or trampled or used as an autograph book, any more than the Constitution can be damaged by the destruction of a printed copy. But the Constitution can and would be damaged, to the nation’s shame, by the addition of something as inimical to its spirit as the flag-desecration amendment. One may safely assume that most of the sixty-six senators—fifty-two Republicans and fourteen Democrats—who at this writing are listed as supporting the amendment do not seriously regard it as a good, let alone a necessary, idea. Its Republican supporters intend to use it aggressively while its Democratic supporters intend to use it defensively, but for both the support is a by-product of negative campaigning. (Intellectual corruption, like the venal variety, is no stranger to either party, even if, in the present era, both varieties are more common among Republicans.) “Providence,” Lord Bryce, the laboratories-of-democracy chap, once remarked, “has under its special care children, idiots, and the United States of America.” The kids are still all right, but unless thirty-four senators hold firm Providence may no longer be able to indulge the second without harming the third.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003enice, cozy place you got here :)..\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Flag Burning Amendment: Politicians in Search of Bogies"},{"content":" Mid-term Elections * A Treasure Trove of Travel BooksInteresting to read in a British paper, The Observer (Guardian), that Mark Parkinson, former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, is running as a Democratic candidate for the position of Deputy Governor. My regular source of such news, the Washington Post, buried it in Page A20 on May 31st, and it was one of many items under the heading Nation in Brief ! \"TOPEKA, Kan. -- Mark Parkinson, the former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, switched his affiliation to Democrat amid speculation that he would become the running mate of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) as she seeks a second term.\"No wonder I missed it. How did Mark Parkinson dare to leave God's Own Party! As the Queen said to Alice \"Off with his head\". (Alice In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll)The Observer piece, filed by Paul Harris from Topeka, Kansas, deserves attention. Mr. Harris mentioned Mark Parkinson's defection and more. \"Sitting in his headquarters, the new Democrat is sticking to his guns. Republicans in Kansas, he says, have let down their own people. \"\". 'They were fixated on ideological issues that really don't matter to people's everyday lives. What matters is improving schools and creating jobs,' he said. 'I got tired of the theological debate over whether Charles Darwin was right.' This is music to Democratic ears and has profound potential implications for November's mid-term elections. Kansas has been an iconic state for the Republican right, a symbol for issues such as teaching creationism in schools and fighting abortion rights. The modern Republican party, masterminded by political guru Karl Rove, has harnessed fury over such topics to allow the Republicans to dominate US politics since 2000. This was the topic of Thomas Frank's hit book of the 2004 presidential election campaign entitled: What's The Matter With Kansas? It used the state's falling under the spell of conservative Republicanism to explain national American politics. But in a swath of heartland states such as Kansas, Democrats are seeing the first signs of their party's rebirth. Parkinson is not alone in switching sides. In Virginia, Jim Webb, a one-time Reagan official, is seeking to be a Democrat senator. In South Carolina, top Republican prosecutor Barney Giese has defected after a spat with conservatives. Back in Kansas another top Republican, Paul Morrison, also joined the Democrats and is challenging a Republican to be the state attorney-general. *\"Come senators, congressmenPlease heed the callDon't stand in the doorwayDon't block up the hallFor he that gets hurtWill be he who has stalledThere's a battle outsideAnd it is ragin'.It'll soon shake your windowsAnd rattle your wallsFor the times they are a-changin'.\"---Bob Dylan * Unrequired Reading !The world wide web continues to amaze me. Last year I posted an item about Chasing the Monsoon, a book by British travel writer Alexander Frater. Checking recent visitors to my blog I found one who came to it from Marriott Picks, web site of the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library! Following the link I landed at a page titled \"Unrequired Reading - Travel and Adventure\". To my great pleasure I found a listing of travel books that took my breath away. I like to travel and I enjoy reading travel books. Don't believe I shall find all of them in local libraries but there will be enough of them to keep me content for months.The list below is just to impart a flavor of what the Marriott has.A Time of Gifts; from the Hook of Holland to the middle Danube /Patrick Leigh FermorAs an 18 year old walks from Holland to Istanbul in 1933London / John Russell“a fine and scholarly book that is also, in a sense, indulgent. John Russell is like a kind uncle who is taking London itself out for a treat.” NYTimesA Corner in the Marais; memoir of a Paris neighborhood /Alex Karmel A short history of Paris as exemplified by the author’s pied-a-terre.Long ago in France / M.F.K. FisherAmerica’s most gifted food writer on her life in Aix , Marseilles, and Dijon.The Roads to Santiago / Cees NooteboomAn appreciation of Spain by an art-lover who especially favors the Romanesque and small towns.Motoring with Mohammed; journeys to Yemen and the Red Sea / Eric HansenShipwrecked on a Red Sea island, Hansen must bury his travel journals and return years later to isolated Yemen to retrieve the experiences.The Heart of India / Mark Tully” ... powerful moral fables, informed by an elegiac sadness at the gradual erosion of the rural old India before a riptide of corruption, brutality and intolerance.” The TimesIn Xanadu / William Dalrymple A retracing of Marco Polo’s trek from Jerusalem to Kubla Kahn’s legendary palace. Desert Places / Robyn DavidsonTrek with the Rabaris, one of India’s vanishing nomadic peoples.Travel, it is wonderful. It educates your mind and your palate. It broadens your horizons. If you travel, go with an open mind. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/the-times-they-are-a-changing/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMid-term Elections * A Treasure Trove of Travel Books\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eInteresting to read  in a British paper, \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1805330,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Observer (Guardian), that Mark Parkinson, former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, is running as a Democratic candidate for the position of Deputy Governor. My regular source of such news, the Washington Post, buried it in Page A20 on May 31st, and it was one of many items under the heading \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/30/AR2006053001239.html\"\u003eNation in Brief\u003c/a\u003e !  \"\u003ci\u003eTOPEKA, Kan. -- Mark Parkinson, the former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, switched his affiliation to Democrat amid speculation that he would become the running mate of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) as she seeks a second term.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo wonder I missed it. How did Mark Parkinson dare to leave God's Own Party! As the Queen said to Alice \"Off with his head\". (\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_Hearts_%28Alice_character%29\"\u003eAlice In Wonderland\u003c/a\u003e, Lewis Carroll)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1805330,00.html\"\u003eThe Observer\u003c/a\u003e piece, filed by Paul Harris from Topeka, Kansas, deserves attention. Mr. Harris mentioned Mark Parkinson's defection and more. \"Sitting in his headquarters, the new Democrat is sticking to his guns. Republicans in Kansas, he says, have let down their own people. \"\". 'They were fixated on ideological issues that really don't matter to people's everyday lives. What matters is improving schools and creating jobs,' he said. 'I got tired of the theological debate over whether Charles Darwin was right.'    \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis is music to Democratic ears and has profound potential implications for November's mid-term elections. \u003cb\u003eKansas has been an iconic state for the Republican right, a symbol for issues such as teaching creationism in schools and fighting abortion rights. The modern Republican party, masterminded by political guru Karl Rove, has harnessed fury over such topics to allow the Republicans to dominate US politics since 2000.\u003c/b\u003e This was the topic of Thomas Frank's hit book of the 2004 presidential election campaign entitled: What's The Matter With Kansas? It used the state's falling under the spell of conservative Republicanism to explain national American politics.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBut in a swath of heartland states such as Kansas, Democrats are seeing the first signs of their party's rebirth. Parkinson is not alone in switching sides. In Virginia, Jim Webb, a one-time Reagan official, is seeking to be a Democrat senator. In South Carolina, top Republican prosecutor Barney Giese has defected after a spat with conservatives. Back in Kansas another top Republican, Paul Morrison, also joined the Democrats and is challenging a Republican to be the state attorney-general.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Come senators, congressmen\u003cbr/\u003ePlease heed the call\u003cbr/\u003eDon't stand in the doorway\u003cbr/\u003eDon't block up the hall\u003cbr/\u003eFor he that gets hurt\u003cbr/\u003eWill be he who has stalled\u003cbr/\u003eThere's a battle outside\u003cbr/\u003eAnd it is ragin'.\u003cbr/\u003eIt'll soon shake your windows\u003cbr/\u003eAnd rattle your walls\u003cbr/\u003eFor the times they are a-changin'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnrequired Reading !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThe world wide web continues to amaze me.  Last year I posted an item about Chasing the Monsoon, a book by British travel writer Alexander Frater. Checking recent visitors to my blog I found one who came to it from Marriott Picks, web site of the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library! Following the link I landed at a page titled \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.lib.utah.edu/unreq/fb/3mp_travel.html\"\u003eUnrequired Reading - Travel and Adventure\u003c/a\u003e\". To my great pleasure I found a listing of travel books that took my breath away. I like to travel and I enjoy reading travel books. Don't believe I shall find all of them in local libraries but there will be enough of them to keep me content for months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe list below is just to impart  a flavor of what the Marriott has.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Time of Gifts; from the Hook of Holland to the middle Danube /Patrick Leigh Fermor\u003cbr/\u003eAs an 18 year old walks from Holland to Istanbul in 1933\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLondon / John Russell\u003cbr/\u003e“a fine and scholarly book that is also, in a sense, indulgent. John Russell is like a kind uncle who is taking London itself out for a treat.” NYTimes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Corner in the Marais; memoir of a Paris neighborhood /Alex Karmel A short history of Paris as exemplified by the author’s pied-a-terre.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLong ago in France / M.F.K. Fisher\u003cbr/\u003eAmerica’s most gifted food writer on her life in Aix , Marseilles, and          Dijon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Roads to Santiago / Cees Nooteboom\u003cbr/\u003eAn appreciation of Spain by an art-lover who especially favors the Romanesque and small towns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMotoring with Mohammed; journeys to Yemen and the Red Sea / Eric Hansen\u003cbr/\u003eShipwrecked on a Red Sea island, Hansen must bury his travel journals and return years later to isolated Yemen to retrieve the experiences.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Heart of India / Mark Tully\u003cbr/\u003e” ... powerful moral fables, informed by an elegiac sadness at the gradual erosion of the rural old India before a riptide of corruption, brutality and intolerance.” The Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eIn Xanadu / William Dalrymple \u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA retracing of  Marco Polo’s trek from Jerusalem to Kubla Kahn’s legendary palace. \u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDesert Places / Robyn Davidson\u003cbr/\u003eTrek with the Rabaris, one of India’s vanishing nomadic peoples.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTravel, it is wonderful. It educates your mind and your palate. It broadens your horizons. If you travel, go with an open mind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\".....the times they are a changing\""},{"content":" Mandarins of Morality * The non-existent WMDThink Fahrenheit 451. Can book burning be far behind? How appropriate, North Carolina---the home of Rev. Billy Graham, took the step to ban Cassel Dictionary of Slangs from school libraries. Before going further I would like to state I used the word \"prick\" as defined in wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn (asshole: insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous) and not one of the other definitions---\"penis\". The pricks, devout pricks, campaigned against five books. Four of them escaped being banned but their turn might come.What about the Song of Songs (Bible: King James Version) ? That's one erotic piece of verse.From The Guardian, June 24, 2006: Jonathon Green, who compiled the 87,000 entries in the Cassell Dictionary of Slang, which was published last year, said that North Carolina is the only place he knows of where the book cannot be used in schools. A Wake County school official told ABC News that five books, including the dictionary, were formally challenged. The others were listed as The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, Junie B Jones and Some Sneaky, Peaky Spying by Barbara Park, Reluctantly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds and In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. School officials acted after pressure from Called2Action, a local Christian activist group whose website asks people to \"join our E-army today to take your place on the front lines of the battle for our children's future\". Some parents were also upset that their children were required to read books such as The Colour Purple by Alice Walker and Beloved by Toni Morrison, on the grounds that the books contain \"vulgar and sexually explicit language\". *Saddam Hussein's WMD They found them---they were stored in their heads---and they took us to war. Now they talk about democratizing Iraqis as the reason for the war. This is from the Post: \"In late January 2003, as Secretary of State Colin Powell prepared to argue the Bush administration's case against Iraq at the United Nations, veteran CIA officer Tyler Drumheller sat down with a classified draft of Powell's speech to look for errors. He found a whopper: a claim about mobile biological labs built by Iraq for germ warfare.\" Drumheller instantly recognized the source, an Iraqi defector suspected of being mentally unstable and a liar. The CIA officer took his pen, he recounted in an interview, and crossed out the whole paragraph. A few days later, the lines were back in the speech. Powell stood before the U.N. Security Council on Feb. 5 and said: \"We have first-hand descriptions of biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/prudes-pricks-bigots/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMandarins of Morality * The non-existent WMD\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThink \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv\u0026amp;cf=info\u0026amp;id=1808647210\"\u003eFahrenheit 451\u003c/a\u003e.  Can book burning be far behind?  How appropriate, North Carolina---the home of Rev. Billy Graham, took the step to ban Cassel Dictionary of Slangs from school libraries. Before going further I would like to state I used the word \"prick\" as defined in wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn (asshole: insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous) and not one of the other definitions---\"penis\". \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe pricks, devout pricks, campaigned against five books.  Four of them escaped being banned but their turn might come.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat about the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bartleby.com/108/22/\"\u003eSong of Songs\u003c/a\u003e (Bible: King James Version) ?  That's one erotic piece of verse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://education.guardian.co.uk/schoolsworldwide/story/0,,1805001,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, June 24, 2006:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eJonathon Green, who compiled the 87,000 entries in the Cassell Dictionary of Slang, which was published last year, said that North Carolina is the only place he knows of where the book cannot be used in schools.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eA Wake County school official told ABC News that five books, including the dictionary, were formally challenged. The others were listed as The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, Junie B Jones and Some Sneaky, Peaky Spying by Barbara Park, Reluctantly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds and In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. School officials acted after pressure from Called2Action, a local Christian activist group whose website asks people to \"join our E-army today to take your place on the front lines of the battle for our children's future\".\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSome parents were also upset that their children were required to read books such as The Colour Purple by Alice Walker and Beloved by Toni Morrison, on the grounds that the books contain \"vulgar and sexually explicit language\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaddam Hussein's  WMD\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eThey found them---they were stored in their heads---and they took us to war. Now they talk about democratizing Iraqis as the reason for the war. This is from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/24/AR2006062401081.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"In late January 2003, as Secretary of State Colin Powell prepared to argue the Bush administration's case against Iraq at the United Nations, veteran CIA officer Tyler Drumheller sat down with a classified draft of Powell's speech to look for errors. He found a whopper: a claim about mobile biological labs built by Iraq for germ warfare.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eDrumheller instantly recognized the source, an Iraqi defector suspected of being mentally unstable and a liar. The CIA officer took his pen, he recounted in an interview, and crossed out the whole paragraph.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"justify\"\u003eA few days later, the lines were back in the speech. Powell stood before the U.N. Security Council on Feb. 5 and said: \"We have first-hand descriptions of biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails.\"\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Prudes, Pricks, Bigots"},{"content":" Politicians and ElectorateAn ominous trend that has been growing for some time---more and more voters, especially younger ones, are sitting out elections. They think that it does not matter. Before criticizing them we ought to consider the legislators and their shameless antics in Congress. The title of late John Kennedy Toole's novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, is an apt description for the lot. Richard Morin's column in the Post points the finger at Jon Stewart's Daily Show for being partly responsible. \"This is not funny: Jon Stewart and his hit Comedy Central cable show may be poisoning democracy. Two political scientists found that young people who watch Stewart's faux news program, \"The Daily Show,\" develop cynical views about politics and politicians that could lead them to just say no to voting. \" Perhaps there is some truth in it but let's face it, the so called \"voter turn off\" began long before Jon Stewart appeared on the scene.On to Charles Babington, Page 01 of the Post: \"The Republican-controlled Congress seems to be struggling lately to carry out its most basic mission: passing legislation. A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed miserably. Long-debated immigration legislation has reached an impasse. The House passed line-item veto and estate tax measures that face significant hurdles in the Senate, while the Senate devoted a week to impassioned debates over Iraq that only resulted in two failed Democratic resolutions.\"Democratic critics are reviving Harry S. Truman's taunt of a \"Do-Nothing Congress.\" But many Republicans say they are exactly where they want to be as they head into the November elections, which will determine whether they retain their House and Senate majorities. In every instance, GOP leaders pushed legislation known to have little or no chance of eventual enactment but also known to appeal to conservative voters, whose turnout is crucial to the party's success. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/young-voters-jon-stewart-and-the-daily-show/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoliticians and Electorate\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn ominous trend that has been growing for some time---more and more voters, especially younger ones, are sitting out elections. They think that it does not matter. Before criticizing them we ought to consider the legislators and their shameless antics in Congress. The title of late John Kennedy Toole's novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, is an apt description for the lot.  Richard Morin's column in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032401719.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e points the finger at Jon Stewart's Daily Show for being partly responsible.  \"This is not funny: Jon Stewart and his hit Comedy Central cable show may be poisoning democracy. Two political scientists found that young people who watch Stewart's faux news program, \"The Daily Show,\" develop cynical views about politics and politicians that could lead them to just say no to voting. \" \u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003ePerhaps there is some truth in it but let's face it, the so called \"voter turn off\" began long before Jon Stewart appeared on the scene.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003eOn to \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/23/AR2006062301719.html\"\u003eCharles Babington\u003c/a\u003e, Page 01 of the Post: \"The Republican-controlled Congress seems to be struggling lately to carry out its most basic mission: passing legislation. A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed miserably. Long-debated immigration legislation has reached an impasse. The House passed line-item veto and estate tax measures that face significant hurdles in the Senate, while the Senate devoted a week to impassioned debates over Iraq that only resulted in two failed Democratic resolutions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\"Democratic critics are reviving Harry S. Truman's taunt of a \"Do-Nothing Congress\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e.\" But many Republicans say they are exactly where they want to be as they head into the November elections, which will determine whether they retain their House and Senate majorities. In every instance, GOP leaders pushed legislation known to have little or no chance of eventual enactment but also known to appeal to conservative voters, whose turnout is crucial to the party's success.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Young Voters, Jon Stewart and \"The Daily Show\""},{"content":" We Are the Enemy * Ronaldo the Magnificent They are at it again. The Republicans have decided that success lies in standing behind the president and demonizing those who are critical of the war in Iraq. They have embraced the strategy, reported to be engineered by Karl Rove, to recover their crumbling fortunes. They have found the enemy and it is us. Charles Babington in the Post: \"The Republican-controlled Senate, embracing President Bush's handling of the unpopular war in Iraq, rejected two Democratic efforts yesterday to begin a withdrawal of U.S. troops from the three-year-old conflict.\"Displaying cohesion that has eluded Democrats, Republicans voted overwhelmingly to leave deployment decisions in the president's hands. The votes, which followed three days of sometimes-fierce debate, outlined the positions the two parties will carry into the November congressional elections and underscored the Democratic constituency's split between staunchly antiwar activists and those who are frustrated but less fervent. Thirty-one of the Senate's 44 Democrats opposed setting a firm deadline for withdrawal.True to form, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Con) sided with Republicans.More about Rove in Dan Froomkin's White House Briefing, June 22,2006: \"Karl Rove is a master of high-stakes brinksmanship, as he has proven time and time again. But his latest venture may be his riskiest yet. Rove is betting that he can reframe the war in Iraq as a battle between courageous Republicans and pusillanimous Democrats. The stakes: Congress. (And subpoena power.)\"Rove believes that this strength vs. weakness rhetorical construct, combined with continued attacks on the media, will be enough to counterbalance whatever negative news about the actual war continues to emerge between now and the mid-term elections. *Ronaldo of BrazilBetween Robinho, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho the Brazilians displayed great skill in their game against Japan (4-1). The Brazilians are in a strong position to return home with the cup. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/summer-of-06---republicans-grand-strategy/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWe Are the Enemy * Ronaldo the Magnificent \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey are at it again.  The Republicans have decided that success lies in standing behind the president and demonizing those who are critical of the war in Iraq.  They have embraced the strategy, reported to be engineered by Karl Rove, to recover their crumbling fortunes.  They have found the enemy and it is us.  Charles Babington in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/22/AR2006062200745.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"The Republican-controlled Senate, embracing President Bush's handling of the unpopular war in Iraq, rejected two Democratic efforts yesterday to begin a withdrawal of U.S. troops from the three-year-old conflict.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eDisplaying cohesion that has eluded Democrats, Republicans voted overwhelmingly to leave deployment decisions in the president's hands. The votes, which followed three days of sometimes-fierce debate, outlined the positions the two parties will carry into the November congressional elections and underscored the Democratic constituency's split between staunchly antiwar activists and those who are frustrated but less fervent. Thirty-one of the Senate's 44 Democrats opposed setting a firm deadline for withdrawal.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eTrue to form, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Con) sided with Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore about Rove in Dan Froomkin's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/06/22/BL2006062200793.html\"\u003eWhite House Briefing\u003c/a\u003e, June 22,2006: \"Karl Rove is a master of high-stakes brinksmanship, as he has proven time and time again.  But his latest venture may be his riskiest yet.  Rove is betting that he can reframe the war in Iraq as a battle between courageous Republicans and pusillanimous Democrats.  The stakes: Congress. (And subpoena power.)\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRove believes that this strength vs. weakness rhetorical construct, combined with continued attacks on the media, will be enough to counterbalance whatever negative news about the actual war continues to emerge between now and the mid-term elections.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRonaldo of Brazil\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBetween Robinho, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho the Brazilians displayed great skill in their game against Japan (4-1).  The Brazilians are in a strong position to return home with the cup.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Summer of '06 - Republicans' Grand Strategy"},{"content":" Pragmatism or expediencySummer has begun. The mid-term elections are getting closer and there are signs that the Democrats don't have their act together. The Republicans are vulnerable but how strong is the backlash against their excesses and the president's failed policies remain open to questions. A lot can happen between now and November. But November will certainly be an indicator of the direction the winds are blowing. Then the presidential hopefuls will begin jockeying in earnest for 2008. David Broder's Thinking Outside The Blog describes the influence of bloggers in shaping policies of the Democratic Party. \"But the blogs I have scanned are heavier on vituperation of President Bush and other targets than on creative thought. The candidates who have been adopted as heroes by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the convention's leader, and his fellow bloggers have mainly imploded in the heat of battle -- as was the case with Howard Dean in 2004 -- or come up short, as happened to the Democratic challengers in special House elections in Ohio and California.\"Fortunately, there are others than these \"net roots\" activists working on the challenge of defining the Democratic message. I do not include the Democratic congressional leadership in the hopeful camp. The new legislative \"agenda\" that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and Co. trotted out last week was as meager as it was unimaginative.Yes, bloggers like Moulitsas of the DailyKos have an impact. If some of them are strident, some stridency is needed. For too long the divisive and militant tactics of the Republicans succeeded in muting the voice of opposition. However, for the Democrats to take back Congress calls for the need to compromise. My fear is how far to the right they will move. The Democratic leaders in Congress do not give much reason to hope that they will be more principled than the members across the aisle. I am for pragmatism; I will bitterly condemn them if they sell themselves and end up becoming Republican light. *Martin TaylorIs the departure of Martin Taylor from Microsoft a significant event? To us, non techies, he was unknown until the announcement on June 20th that he was no longer vice president of Windows live and MSN marketing. There are speculations about where he will surface---Google, Yahoo. Does it really matter? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/left-right-or-center/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePragmatism or expediency\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSummer has begun.  The mid-term elections are getting closer and there are signs that the Democrats don't have their act together.  The Republicans are vulnerable but how strong is the backlash against their excesses and the president's failed policies remain open to questions.  A lot can happen between now and November.  But November will certainly be an indicator of the direction the winds are blowing.  Then the presidential hopefuls will begin jockeying in earnest for 2008.   David Broder's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101521.html\"\u003eThinking Outside The Blog\u003c/a\u003e describes the influence of bloggers in shaping policies of the Democratic Party.  \"But the blogs I have scanned are heavier on vituperation of President Bush and other targets than on creative thought. The candidates who have been adopted as heroes by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the convention's leader, and his fellow bloggers have mainly imploded in the heat of battle -- as was the case with Howard Dean in 2004 -- or come up short, as happened to the Democratic challengers in special House elections in Ohio and California.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFortunately, there are others than these \"net roots\" activists working on the challenge of defining the Democratic message. I do not include the Democratic congressional leadership in the hopeful camp. The new legislative \"agenda\" that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and Co. trotted out last week was as meager as it was unimaginative.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes, bloggers like Moulitsas of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.dailykos.com/\"\u003eDailyKos\u003c/a\u003e have an impact.  If some of them are strident, some stridency is needed.  For too long the  divisive and militant  tactics of the Republicans succeeded in muting the voice of opposition.  However, for the Democrats to take back Congress calls for the need to compromise.  My fear is how far to the right they will move.  The Democratic leaders in Congress do not give much reason to hope  that they will be more principled than the members across the aisle.  I am for pragmatism;  I will bitterly condemn them if they sell themselves and end up becoming Republican light.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMartin Taylor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs the departure of \u003ca href=\"http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/274848_msfttaylor22.html?source=rss\"\u003eMartin Taylor\u003c/a\u003e from Microsoft a significant event?  To us, non techies, he was unknown until the announcement on June 20th that he was no longer vice president of \u003ca href=\"http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/martintaylor/default.mspx\"\u003eWindows live and MSN marketing\u003c/a\u003e.  There are speculations about where he will surface---Google, Yahoo.  Does it really matter?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Left, Right or Center?"},{"content":" Looking for Enemies, Looking for Wars The more we learn about the people who exploited and manipulated post 9/11 America the more scary they look. In their world the enemies lurk everywhere...enemies often created by them. In The Shadow War, In a Surprising New Light, Barton Gellman of the Washington Post writes about Ron Suskind's new book \"The One Percent Doctrine\". \"This \"Cheney Doctrine\" let Bush evade analytic debate, Suskind writes, and \"rely on impulse and improvisation to a degree that was without precedent for a modern president.\" But that approach constricted the mission of the intelligence and counterterrorism professionals whose point of view dominates this book. Many of them came to believe, Suskind reports, that \"their jobs were not to help shape policy, but to affirm it.\" (Some of them nicknamed Cheney \"Edgar,\" as in Edgar Bergen -- casting the president as the ventriloquist's dummy.) Suskind calls those career terror-fighters \"the invisibles,\" and he likes them. His book is full of amazing, persuasively detailed vignettes about their world. At least a dozen former intelligence officials speak frankly in public here, as did former treasury secretary Paul O'Neill in Suskind's previous book, \"The Price of Loyalty.\"Where are they going to take us and how far are we going to let them go? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/dr-strangelove-alive-and-well-in-washington-dc/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eLooking for Enemies, Looking for Wars      \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe more we learn about the people who exploited and manipulated post 9/11 America the more scary they look.  In their world the enemies lurk everywhere...enemies often created by them.  In \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/19/AR2006061901211.html\"\u003eThe Shadow War, In a Surprising New Light\u003c/a\u003e, Barton Gellman of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/19/AR2006061901211.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e writes about Ron Suskind's new book \"The One Percent Doctrine\".  \"This \"Cheney Doctrine\" let Bush evade analytic debate, Suskind writes, and \"rely on impulse and improvisation to a degree that was without precedent for a modern president.\" But that approach constricted the mission of the intelligence and counterterrorism professionals whose point of view dominates this book. Many of them came to believe, Suskind reports, that \"their jobs were not to help shape policy, but to affirm it.\" (Some of them nicknamed Cheney \"Edgar,\" as in Edgar Bergen -- casting the president as the ventriloquist's dummy.) Suskind calls those career terror-fighters \"the invisibles,\" and he likes them. His book is full of amazing, persuasively detailed vignettes about their world. At least a dozen former intelligence officials speak frankly in public here, as did former treasury secretary Paul O'Neill in Suskind's previous book, \"The Price of Loyalty.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere are they going to take us and how far are we going to let them go?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Dr. Strangelove alive and well in Washington DC"},{"content":" \" A novel where India examines E.M. Forster\"That is the title of the review of E.M. Forster's A Passage to India. The Guardian, one of my favorite newspapers on the web, republished its review of \"A Passage to India\". The review had appeared 82 years ago---on June 20, 1924. \"The story is, essentially, that of the close contact of east and west in the persons of Dr Aziz, a Muslim, assistant medical officers of the Chandrapore hospital, and Mr Fielding, principal of the college. In them it is as close as blood itself allows. So far as affection is concerned they are friends, so that the interplay of east and west is along the very finest channels of human intercourse - suggesting the comparison of the blood and air vessels in the lungs; but the friendship is always at the mercy of the feelings which rise from the deeps of racial personality. \"I have read the book more than once (it was a must read for book lovers growing up in India) and I have seen the 1984 movie directed by David Lean. It is Forster's \"Howards End\" that I rate at the top of his works. But Forster's story of a small town in India during the early part of 20th century remains a classic. Mr Forster leans, if anywhere, towards his own race in his acute sense of their difficulties, but not more than by the weight of blood; and, again, fairness is not the word for his sensitive presentation. It is something much less conscious; not so much a virtue as a fatality of his genius. Whether he presents Englishman or Muslim or Hindu or Eurasian he is no longer examining life, but being examined by it in the deeps of his personality as an artist.Not all readers will agree but it is a passage worth taking. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/india---a-journey-to-the-past/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\" A novel where India examines E.M. Forster\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is the title of the review of E.M. Forster's A Passage to India. \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, one of my favorite newspapers on the web, republished its \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/fromthearchive/story/0,,1801526,00.html\"\u003ereview \u003c/a\u003eof  \"A Passage to India\".  The review had appeared 82 years ago---on June 20, 1924.  \"The story is, essentially, that of the close contact of east and west in the persons of Dr Aziz, a Muslim, assistant medical officers of the Chandrapore hospital, and Mr Fielding, principal of the college. In them it is as close as blood itself allows. So far as affection is concerned they are friends, so that the interplay of east and west is along the very finest channels of human intercourse - suggesting the comparison of the blood and air vessels in the lungs; but the friendship is always at the mercy of the feelings which rise from the deeps of racial personality. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have read the book more than once (it was a must read  for book lovers growing up in India) and I have seen the 1984 movie directed by David Lean.   It is Forster's \"Howards End\" that I rate at the top of his works.  But Forster's story of a small town in India during the early part of 20th century   remains a classic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e Mr Forster leans, if anywhere, towards his own race in his acute sense of their difficulties, but not more than by the weight of blood; and, again, fairness is not the word for his sensitive presentation. It is something much less conscious; not so much a virtue as a fatality of his genius. Whether he presents Englishman or Muslim or Hindu or Eurasian he is no longer examining life, but being examined by it in the deeps of his personality as an artist.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eNot all readers will agree but it is a passage worth taking.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"India -  A Journey to the Past"},{"content":" Truthout.org and Karl Rove * The World Cup - Braziiiiil, BraziiiillA case of wish fulfillment. Joe Lauria's article in the Post reminded me that I was among those who ran with Truthout's report about the indictment of Karl Rove. The fact that mainstream media remained quiet didn't deter us because other important stories have appeared in independent publications , and in the blogosphere, ahead of the majors. Our visceral dislike of the Bush Administration no doubt played a role. We wanted to see Karl Rove on the dock and we didn't stop to think. \"The May 13 story on the Web site Truthout.org was explosive: Presidential adviser Karl Rove had been indicted by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald in connection with his role in leaking CIA officer Valerie Plame's name to the media, it blared. The report set off hysteria on the Internet, and the mainstream media scrambled to nail it down. Only . . . it wasn't true.\" *Brazil in World CupWas not following the games closely but yesterday, when Brazil defeated the Australian Socceroos 2-0 to be in the final 16, my Brazilian neighbors made the whole neighborhood aware. Loud cheers, music and dancing on sidewalks by men and women wearing the Brazilian team colors provided entertainment on a sunny morning. Great fun. I was in Paris when the French beat Brazil (3-0) to win the cup in 1998. The city went wild. Champs D'Elysee was closed to vehicular traffic and the celebrations went on through the night. I am rooting for Brazil, the defending champions. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/running-with-the-mob---the-indictment-that-never-happened/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eTruthout.org and Karl Rove * The World Cup - Braziiiiil, Braziiiill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA case of wish fulfillment.  Joe Lauria's article in the\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061601754.html\"\u003e Post\u003c/a\u003e reminded me that I was among those who ran with Truthout's report about the indictment of Karl Rove. The fact that mainstream media remained quiet didn't deter us because other important stories have appeared in independent publications  , and in the blogosphere, ahead of the majors.   Our visceral dislike of the Bush Administration no doubt played a role. We wanted to see Karl Rove on the dock and we didn't stop to think. \"The May 13 story on the Web site Truthout.org was explosive: Presidential adviser Karl Rove had been indicted by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald in connection with his role in leaking CIA officer Valerie Plame's name to the media, it blared. The report set off hysteria on the Internet, and the mainstream media scrambled to nail it down. Only . . . it wasn't true.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBrazil in World Cup\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWas not following the games closely but yesterday, when Brazil defeated the Australian Socceroos 2-0 to be in the final 16, my Brazilian neighbors made the whole neighborhood aware.  Loud cheers, music and dancing on sidewalks by men and women wearing the Brazilian team colors provided entertainment on a sunny morning.  Great fun.  I was in Paris when the French beat Brazil (3-0) to win the cup in 1998.  The city went wild.  Champs D'Elysee was closed to vehicular traffic and the celebrations went on through the night.  I am rooting for Brazil, the defending champions.     \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Running with the Mob - The Indictment that never happened"},{"content":" Clock Ticking for Tony Blair * Lethal Weapons Unless the Labour Party has a change of heart, Tony Blair's term as prime minister would end before 2008 when there will be a new president in the United States. I was in England shortly after the 1997 election when Tony Blair broke the Conservatives' 18-year lock by defeating John Major. There was a sense of hope among Labourites, and he did not let them down,,,,not then. But people change and power corrupts. Over the course of years he became arrogant and, among other things, led Britain into an unpopular and unjustified war. Why Tony Blair, a far more intelligent and eloquent man than G.W. Bush can ever hope to be, decided to hitch his star to the American president is a mystery. Perhaps he miscalculated. He saw a chance of glory and, after committing himself, he was unable back out. Blair was an active partner in the lies and deceptions spun about Iraq. Influence of \"donors\" has also raised its ugly head.Patrick Wintur in The Guardian: \"Nearly a quarter of current party members disclose they were close or \"quite close\" to quitting the party because of the invasion of Iraq, but 60% say they were not at all close. Asked to name the party's six worst mistakes, Iraq comes top, cited by 52%. Subservience to the US comes second (49%), relying on privatisation in the public services (46%) comes third, and refusing to raise the top rate of income tax (36%) comes fourth.Only 15% of party members cite removing Saddam Hussein as the one of the most six successful aspects of the government.\"\nA quarter of current party members think that rich donors have a \"great deal of influence\", with a further half claiming they have \"some influence\". Yet 62% believe individual donors should have no influence.In a blow to Mr Blair's efforts to secure a legacy, members believe policies most associated with the chancellor, Gordon Brown - a stable economy and tax credits to help the poor - have been the most successful aspects of the Labour government. The poll also reveals members want the deputy leader, John Prescott, to stand down at the same time as Mr Blair. *Knives, Rifles and a Whip - Do They Tell SomethingJulian Borger in The Guardian: \"A braided leather whip, a sniper rifle, six jars of fertiliser and a copy of the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook were among the presents foreign leaders have given George Bush. They are clearly trying to tell him something. The inventory of official gifts from 2004, published this week by the state department, reads like the wish list of the sort of paranoid survivalist who holes up in his log cabin to await Armageddon, having long ago severed all ties with the rest of the world.\"The president received a startling array of weapons, including assorted daggers and a machete from Gabon. He got the braided whip with a wooden handle from the Hungarian prime minister. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, a gift from the Sultan of Brunei, has some tips on how to use some of these implements in a tight spot.The paperback also explains how to wrestle with an alligator, escape from a mountain lion and take a punch. But the small arsenal of guns presented by Jordan's King Abdullah, including a $10,000 sniper rifle, would presumably render much of that advice unnecessary.It is apparent that a lot of the foreign dignitaries do not do much research before buying gifts. President Bush, a reformed drunk, was given a cellarful of wine over the course of 2004.Alligator, mountain lion---nothing about rattle snakes in Crawford, TX ! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/labour-party-wants-blair-to-go-gifts-recived-by-our-president/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eClock Ticking for Tony Blair * Lethal Weapons \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eUnless the Labour Party has a change of heart, Tony Blair's term as prime minister would end before 2008 when there will be a new president in the United States. I was in England shortly after the 1997 election when Tony Blair  broke the Conservatives' 18-year lock by defeating John Major.  There was a sense of hope among Labourites, and he did not let them down,,,,not then.  But people change and power corrupts. Over the course of years he became arrogant and, among other things, led Britain into an unpopular and unjustified war. Why Tony Blair, a far more intelligent and eloquent  man than G.W. Bush can ever hope to be, decided to hitch his star to  the American president is a mystery.  Perhaps he miscalculated.  He saw  a chance of glory and, after committing himself, he was unable back out.    Blair was an active partner in the lies and deceptions spun about Iraq.  Influence of \"donors\" has also raised its ugly head.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/polls/story/0,,1799789,00.html\"\u003ePatrick Wintur\u003c/a\u003e  in The Guardian:  \"Nearly a quarter of current party members disclose they were close or \"quite close\" to quitting the party because of the invasion of Iraq, but 60% say they were not at all close. Asked to name the party's six worst mistakes, Iraq comes top, cited by 52%. Subservience to the US comes second (49%), relying on privatisation in the public services (46%) comes third, and refusing to raise the top rate of income tax (36%) comes fourth.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOnly 15% of party members cite removing Saddam Hussein as the one of the most six successful aspects of the government.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Labour Party Wants Blair to Go *  Gifts recived by Our President"},{"content":" Saturday's Snippets Another delightful column in the Post by Alaka Basu of Cornell University. It took me back to the India I knew. It was not only girls, we boys too applied copious amounts of oil to our hair. Talk about a greasy look ! But the fact is I know of Indian women and men working and living in the United States who still follow the routine. Some traditions die hard. \"But the lessons the nuns taught were clearly poorly absorbed. For even a simple term such as \"bad hair,\" something on which a clear, literal definition was surely possible, meant different things to us and to those who controlled us. To our mothers, bad hair was hair that was cut so short that, when it was worn loose down the back, one could not sit on it. Bad hair was what resulted when we refused to let Granny massage her home-extracted hibiscus oil into our scalps twice a week. (Here we were one with the nuns, who also gagged on the smell of that oil.) Bad hair was hair that fell in bangs on the forehead, and caused our eyelashes to flutter unduly through them. Bad hair was hair that smelled of some capitalist-conspiracy-inspired shampoo instead of the sandalwood incense in which live coals were bathed for us to dry our freshly washed hair over.\"Soon all the bad hair girls formed a bold and confident group around Sister Aquinas. She agreed that it was not immoral to want to look nice (we often wondered if she ever regretted her own clean-shaven head). But she also told us that it was immoral not to discover all the other joys that the world had to offer, joys that did not spring from male admirers alone. So she took us for long walks along the beach to savor the sand under our toes and the sunset above our heads; she introduced us to \"How Green Was My Valley\" and \"The Scarlet Pimpernel.\" She assured us that it was important to know our native literature and our own gods as well as we were being taught to know William Golding and Jesus Christ.\"Karl Rove Back in the SaddleDid champagne corks pop in the White House? We'll never know but President Bush expressed his pleasure. Karl Rove, the master political strategist is back to serve the president. He has his work cut out for him. The political scenario has changed; not all of Rove's plans paid off. Jim VandeHei and Dan Balz in the Post:\"Rove gambled that Bush could bend Congress and a skeptical public to his will. He was wrong.\"When you look at the history of this second term, the Social Security proposal and selling of it . . . was a big tactical mistake,\" said a former White House official, who would discuss internal operations only under the condition of anonymity. \"The problem was the opportunity cost: When Bush was busy selling Social Security ineffectively, the numbers on Iraq were dropping precipitously.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/bad-hair-day-the-presidents-turd-blossom/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSaturday's Snippets \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnother delightful column in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061601594.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061601594.html\"\u003eAlaka Basu\u003c/a\u003e of Cornell University.  It took me back to the India I knew. It was not only girls, we boys too applied copious amounts of oil to our hair.  Talk about a greasy look !  But the fact is I know of Indian women and men working and living in the United States who still follow the routine. Some traditions die hard. \"But the lessons the nuns taught were clearly poorly absorbed. For even a simple term such as \"bad hair,\" something on which a clear, literal definition was surely possible, meant different things to us and to those who controlled us. To our mothers, bad hair was hair that was cut so short that, when it was worn loose down the back, one could not sit on it. Bad hair was what resulted when we refused to let Granny massage her home-extracted hibiscus oil into our scalps twice a week. (Here we were one with the nuns, who also gagged on the smell of that oil.) Bad hair was hair that fell in bangs on the forehead, and caused our eyelashes to flutter unduly through them. Bad hair was hair that smelled of some capitalist-conspiracy-inspired shampoo instead of the sandalwood incense in which live coals were bathed for us to dry our freshly washed hair over.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSoon all the bad hair girls formed a bold and confident group around Sister Aquinas. She agreed that it was not immoral to want to look nice (we often wondered if she ever regretted her own clean-shaven head). But she also told us that it was immoral not to discover all the other joys that the world had to offer, joys that did not spring from male admirers alone. So she took us for long walks along the beach to savor the sand under our toes and the sunset above our heads; she introduced us to \"How Green Was My Valley\" and \"The Scarlet Pimpernel.\" She assured us that it was important to know our native literature and our own gods as well as we were being taught to know William Golding and Jesus Christ.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKarl Rove Back in the Saddle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDid champagne corks pop in the White House?  We'll never know but  President Bush expressed his pleasure.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061602015_2.html\"\u003eKarl Rove\u003c/a\u003e, the master political strategist is back to serve the president. He has his work cut out for him.  The political scenario has changed;  not all of Rove's plans paid off. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061602015_2.html\"\u003eJim VandeHei and Dan Balz\u003c/a\u003e in the Post:\"Rove gambled that Bush could bend Congress and a skeptical public to his will. He was wrong.\"When you look at the history of this second term, the Social Security proposal and selling of it . . . was a big tactical mistake,\" said a former White House official, who would discuss internal operations only under the condition of anonymity. \"The problem was the opportunity cost: When Bush was busy selling Social Security ineffectively, the numbers on Iraq were dropping precipitously.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bad Hair Day  *  The President's Turd Blossom"},{"content":" Episcopalians * Southern Baptists How refreshing to read in the Post about former Senator John Danforth's call to Episcopalians to retreat from the increasingly militant position being adopted by church leaders on issues that mean nothing except in the minds of bigots. \"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- John Danforth, an Episcopal priest and former U.S. senator, warned Thursday that the church risked irrelevancy by focusing on divisive issues such as gay clergy and same-gender couples. Instead, Danforth said the denomination should turn away from the \"inside baseball\" of church politics and put its energy behind reconciling a world increasingly polarized by politics and religion.\" \"For 99 percent-plus of people, they really couldn't care less who the bishop of diocese `X' or `Z' is,\" Danforth said, during the church's national legislative meeting. \"Nor could they care less whether a liturgy for blessing same-sex unions is available in a prayer book or over the Internet.\" *A Mellowing Among Southern Baptists ?Stranger things have happened but I am not going to bet on Southern Baptists becoming compassionate Christians. That would be like the compassionate conservative G.W. Bush talked about during his campaign in 2000. Op-ed column by E.J. Dionne in the Post covers the recent election of Rev. Frank Page as the group's president and the possibility of a \"shift\". \"Sometimes very important elections receive very little attention.When the Southern Baptist Convention elected the Rev. Frank Page as the group's president at its meeting this week in Greensboro, N.C., the news appeared on the back pages of most secular newspapers -- or it didn't appear at all.But Page's upset victory could be very significant, both to the nation's religious life and to politics. He defeated candidates supported by the convention's staunchly conservative establishment, which has dominated the organization since the mid-1980s. His triumph is one of many signs that new breezes are blowing through the broader evangelical Christian world.No, this is not some liberal victory. Indeed, the Baptist Press reported that Page went out of his way to tell reporters that he was not elected \"to somehow undo the conservative resurgence\" in the convention. But he also signaled that the spirit he hopes to embody is quite different from that of the angry, right-wing, politicized preacher who has been a stock figure in American life for more than two decades.\"I believe in the word of God,\" Page said. \"I'm just not mad about it.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/john-danforth---in-the-babble-a-sane-voice/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e  Episcopalians * Southern Baptists\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e   \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow refreshing to read in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/15/AR2006061500176.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about former Senator John Danforth's call to  Episcopalians to retreat from the increasingly militant position being adopted  by church  leaders on issues that mean nothing except in the minds of bigots.   \"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/15/AR2006061500176.html\"\u003eJohn Danforth\u003c/a\u003e, an Episcopal priest and former U.S. senator,  warned Thursday that the church risked irrelevancy by focusing on divisive  issues such as gay clergy and same-gender couples. Instead, Danforth said the denomination should turn away from the \"inside  baseball\" of church politics and put its energy behind reconciling a world  increasingly polarized by politics and religion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"For 99 percent-plus of people, they really couldn't care less who the bishop  of diocese `X' or `Z' is,\" Danforth said, during the church's national  legislative meeting. \"Nor could they care less whether a liturgy for blessing  same-sex unions is available in a prayer book or over the Internet.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eA Mellowing Among Southern Baptists ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStranger things have happened but I am not going to bet on Southern Baptists becoming compassionate Christians.  That would be like the compassionate conservative G.W. Bush talked about during his campaign in 2000.  Op-ed column by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/15/AR2006061501790.html\"\u003eE.J. Dionne\u003c/a\u003e in the Post covers the recent election of    Rev. Frank Page as the group's president and the possibility of a \"shift\".  \"Sometimes very important elections receive very little attention.When the Southern Baptist Convention elected the Rev. Frank Page as the group's president at its meeting this week in Greensboro, N.C., the news appeared on the back pages of most secular newspapers -- or it didn't appear at all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut Page's upset victory could be very significant, both to the nation's religious life and to politics. He defeated candidates supported by the convention's staunchly conservative establishment, which has dominated the organization since the mid-1980s. His triumph is one of many signs that new breezes are blowing through the broader evangelical Christian world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNo, this is not some liberal victory. Indeed, the Baptist Press reported that Page went out of his way to tell reporters that he was not elected \"to somehow undo the conservative resurgence\" in the convention. But he also signaled that the spirit he hopes to embody is quite different from that of the angry, right-wing, politicized preacher who has been a stock figure in American life for more than two decades.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"I believe in the word of God,\" Page said. \"I'm just not mad about it.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"John Danforth - In the Babble, A Sane Voice"},{"content":" The Gap between President Bush's View and A Worldwide SurveyFollowing his surprise visit to Baghdad and meetings with Iraq's prime minister and members of his cabinet, the president spoke of steady progress. \"President Bush said yesterday that the United States is making steady progress in Iraq toward its goal of standing up a government that can sustain and protect the country, but he emphasized that the ultimate success of the U.S.-led venture lies in the hands of Iraqis. In a Rose Garden news conference just over six hours after his surprise whirlwind visit to Baghdad, Bush said that \"I sense something different happening in Iraq\" and predicted that \"progress will be steady\" toward achieving the U.S. mission there.\"\"Biggest Danger to World Peace\"A quite different picture emerges from Washington-based of Pew Research Center's worldwide survey released on Tuesday (June 13). The Guardian commented on the report. \"Iraq war seen as biggest threat to peace. \"The US occupation of Iraq presents a bigger danger to world peace than Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, according to a worldwide survey published on Wednesday. \"The annual survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center suggests that support for the US-led \"war on terrorism\" continues to be on the wane around the world, undermined by the Iraq conflict.The Pew, which is widely respected and has been running since 2001, polled 17,000 people in 15 countries between March and May. In a press release, it says: \"Despite growing concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions, the US presence in Iraq is cited at least as often as Iran - and in many countries much more often - as a danger to world peace.\"Only in the US and Germany is Iran seen as presenting a greater danger than the US in Iraq. Public opinion in 12 of the other countries - Britain, France, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, India and China - cite the US presence in Iraq as being the greater danger. Opinion in Japan was evenly divided.The complete text of the worldwide survey can be accessed at the Guardian: Pew Global Attitudes. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/us-occupation-of-iraq---global-attitudes/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Gap between President Bush's View and A Worldwide Survey\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing his surprise visit to Baghdad and meetings with Iraq's prime minister and members of his cabinet, the president spoke of steady progress.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/14/AR2006061400626.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e said yesterday that the United States is making steady progress in Iraq toward its goal of standing up a government that can sustain and protect the country, but he emphasized that the ultimate success of the U.S.-led venture lies in the hands of Iraqis.  In a Rose Garden news conference just over six hours after his surprise whirlwind visit to Baghdad, Bush said that \"I sense something different happening in Iraq\" and predicted that \"progress will be steady\" toward achieving the U.S. mission there.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Biggest Danger to World Peace\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA quite different picture emerges from Washington-based of Pew Research Center's  worldwide survey released on Tuesday (June 13).  \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1797408,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e commented on the report.  \"Iraq war seen as biggest threat to peace.  \"The US occupation of Iraq presents a bigger danger to world peace than Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, according to a worldwide survey published on Wednesday. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe annual survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center suggests that support for the US-led \"war on terrorism\" continues to be on the wane around the world, undermined by the Iraq conflict.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Pew, which is widely respected and has been running since 2001, polled 17,000 people in 15 countries between March and May. In a press release, it says: \"Despite growing concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions, the US presence in Iraq is cited at least as often as Iran - and in many countries much more often - as a danger to world peace.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOnly in the US and Germany is Iran seen as presenting a greater danger than the US in Iraq. Public opinion in 12 of the other countries - Britain, France, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, India and China - cite the US presence in Iraq as being the greater danger. Opinion in Japan was evenly divided.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eThe complete text of the worldwide survey can be accessed at the Guardian: \u003ca href=\"http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2006/06/14/PewGlobalAttitudes.pdf\"\u003ePew Global Attitudes\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"U.S. Occupation of Iraq - Global Attitudes"},{"content":" Democrats dithering * Karl Rove As the Democrats gathered in the nation's capital for Take Back America Conference, the war in Iraq cast its long shadow. Democratic leaders, including Hillary Clinton, who supported the decision to go to war, are scrambling to clarify their position. Not easy. As the saying goes \"You can't have your cake and eat it too\". Dan Balz in the Post: \"Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) drew boos and hisses from an audience of liberal activists yesterday as she defended her opposition to a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, and later she received an implicit rebuke from Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) for failing to acknowledge that her support for the war was a mistake. \"Clinton and Kerry supported the 2002 congressional resolution authorizing the Iraq war. Kerry recently renounced that vote, but Clinton has never done so. She finds herself in opposition to a majority of Democratic activists and is the target of passionate criticism from some of them.Clinton won repeated applause through most of her speech, which dealt at length with domestic issues but also sharply criticized President Bush's handling of the war. But the audience turned against her when, in what she called a difficult conversation, she restated her long-standing position about timetables for withdrawing U.S forces. *Rove is off the HookIt is official. Karl Rove will not be indicted in the CIA leak investigation. One can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the White House. \"Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald told Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, in a short letter delivered Monday afternoon that he \"does not anticipate seeking charges\" against Rove in the case, Luskin said. Rove was told about 4 p.m. while aboard a Southwest Airlines flight en route to a campaign speech in New Hampshire, but he waited until early yesterday morning to publicly reveal the news.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/on-the-road-to-2008-the-shadow-of-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats dithering *  Karl Rove \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the Democrats gathered in the nation's capital for Take Back America Conference, the war in Iraq cast its long shadow. Democratic leaders, including Hillary Clinton, who supported the decision to go to war, are scrambling to clarify their position. Not easy. As the saying goes \"You can't have your cake and eat it too\". Dan Balz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/13/AR2006061301449.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) drew boos and hisses from an audience of liberal activists yesterday as she defended her opposition to a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, and later she received an implicit rebuke from Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) for failing to acknowledge that her support for the war was a mistake. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinton and Kerry supported the 2002 congressional resolution authorizing the Iraq war. Kerry recently renounced that vote, but Clinton has never done so. She finds herself in opposition to a majority of Democratic activists and is the target of passionate criticism from some of them.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eClinton won repeated applause through most of her speech, which dealt at length with domestic issues but also sharply criticized President Bush's handling of the war. But the audience turned against her when, in what she called a difficult conversation, she restated her long-standing position about timetables for withdrawing U.S forces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRove is off the Hook\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is official. Karl Rove will not be indicted in the CIA leak investigation. One can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the White House. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/13/AR2006061300267.html\"\u003eSpecial Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald\u003c/a\u003e told Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, in a short letter delivered Monday afternoon that he \"does not anticipate seeking charges\" against Rove in the case, Luskin said. Rove was told about 4 p.m. while aboard a Southwest Airlines flight en route to a campaign speech in New Hampshire, but he waited until early yesterday morning to publicly reveal the news.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008: The Shadow of Iraq"},{"content":" Another KarlA perfect fit, that was my impression when I read about Karl Zinsmeister, new chief domestic policy adviser to President Bush. What he wrote as editor in chief of the American Enterprise Institute's magazine, as reported in the Post, leaves no doubt about his qualifications. \"Bill Clinton is a \"virtuoso deceiver\" and Hillary Rodham Clinton a \"true chameleon\" guilty of \"self-serving behavior, comparative radicalism, and dubious personal morality. Al Gore is a \"mad dog\" known to \"foam at the mouth.\" John McCain is given to \"showboating.\" And Jacques Chirac, Nelson Mandela, Gerhard Schroeder and Kofi Annan are all \"feckless fools.\"For a dozen years until his appointment, Zinsmeister held forth on all manner of issues and personalities as editor in chief of the American Enterprise Institute's magazine. With a sharp pen, he skewered the left, taking special aim at environmentalists, anti-globalists, feminists, contemporary artists, university faculties, Hollywood, Broadway and particularly the media, composed mainly of \"left-wing, cynical, wiseguy Ivy League types, with a high prima donna quotient.\"A review of years of articles reveals a formidable thinker with a powerful sense of what he considers right and wrong. As Zinsmeister sees it, racial profiling by the police makes sense; the military, if anything, treats terrorist suspects too gently; and casual sex has led to wrecked cities, violence and \"endless human misery.\" In a \"soft, often amoral, and self-indulgent age,\" he warned, some children \"will be ruined without a whip hand,\" and he assured that \"things generally go better with God.\"Not hard to imagine Zinsmeister foaming at the mouth. Yes, surrender yourself to the almighty and let the president give tax breaks to a privileged few. After all, GOP is said to be God's Own Party. Zinsmeister is now among people of high moral values and impeccable standards. He should be happy. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/mad-dogs-zinsmeister-and-god/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother Karl\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA perfect fit, that was my impression when I read about Karl Zinsmeister, new chief domestic policy adviser to President Bush. What he wrote as editor in chief of the American Enterprise Institute's magazine, as reported in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/12/AR2006061201479.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e,   leaves no doubt about his qualifications.  \"Bill Clinton is a \"virtuoso deceiver\" and Hillary Rodham Clinton a \"true chameleon\" guilty of \"self-serving behavior, comparative radicalism, and dubious personal morality.  Al Gore is a \"mad dog\" known to \"foam at the mouth.\" John McCain is given to \"showboating.\" And Jacques Chirac, Nelson Mandela, Gerhard Schroeder and Kofi Annan are all \"feckless fools.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFor a dozen years until his appointment, Zinsmeister held forth on all manner of issues and personalities as editor in chief of the American Enterprise Institute's magazine. With a sharp pen, he skewered the left, taking special aim at environmentalists, anti-globalists, feminists, contemporary artists, university faculties, Hollywood, Broadway and particularly the media, composed mainly of \"left-wing, cynical, wiseguy Ivy League types, with a high prima donna quotient.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eA review of years of articles reveals a formidable thinker with a powerful sense of what he considers right and wrong. As Zinsmeister sees it, racial profiling by the police makes sense; the military, if anything, treats terrorist suspects too gently; and casual sex has led to wrecked cities, violence and \"endless human misery.\" In a \"soft, often amoral, and self-indulgent age,\" he warned, some children \"will be ruined without a whip hand,\" and he assured that \"things generally go better with God.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eNot hard to imagine Zinsmeister foaming at the mouth.  Yes, surrender yourself to the almighty and let the president give tax breaks to a privileged few.  After all, GOP is said to be God's Own Party.  Zinsmeister is now among  people of high moral values and  impeccable standards.  He should be happy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Mad Dogs,  Zinsmeister,  and God"},{"content":" Exploitation of Fear * Catch 22 defense for Domestic Surveillance ProgramPrinceton Professor Paul Krugman's columns in the NYTimes are incisive. He is much more than a renowned economist. \"The Some of All Fears\", his column today is about the exploitation of fear; how vague allusions and hints about some people and/or statements are made to create fear and uncertainty in the minds of people. I am breaking my rule about not publishing complete texts of articles. The NYTimes makes it difficult to link items because some of the authors can be accessed only by subscription and the items which are accessible remain available only for a week.The Some of All Fears, by Paul Krugman, Commentary, NY Times: Back in 1971, Russell Baker, the legendary Times columnist, devoted one of his Op-Ed columns to an interview with Those Who — as in \"Those Who snivel and sneer whenever something good is said about America.\" Back then, Those Who played a major role in politicians' speeches. Times are different now, of course. ... And we rarely hear about Those Who these days. But the Republic faces an even more insidious threat: the Some. The Some take anti-American positions on a variety of issues. For example, they want to hurt the economy: \"Some say, well, maybe the recession should have been deeper,\" said President Bush in 2003...\nMainly, however, the Some are weak on national security. \"There's Some in America who say, 'Well, this can't be true there are still people willing to attack,' \" said Mr. Bush during a visit to the National Security Agency. The Some appear to be an important faction within the Democratic Party — a faction that has come out in force since the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Last week ... The Washington Times claimed that \"Some Democrats\" were calling Zarqawi's killing a \"stunt.\" Even some Democrats (not to be confused with Some Democrats) warn about the influence of the Some. \"Some Democrats are allergic to the use of force. They still have a powerful influence on the party,\" said Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution after the 2004 election. Joe Klein, the Time magazine columnist, went further, declaring that the Democratic Party's \"left wing\" has a \"hate America tendency.\"...\nBut here's the strange thing: it's hard to figure out who those Some Democrats are. For example, none of the Democrats quoted by The Washington Times actually called the killing of Zarqawi a stunt, or said anything to that effect. Mr. Klein's examples of people with a \"hate America tendency\" were \"Michael Moore and many writers at The Nation.\" That's a grossly unfair characterization, but in any case, since when do a filmmaker who supported Ralph Nader and a magazine's opinion writers constitute a wing of the Democratic Party? And which Democrats are \"allergic to the use of force\"? Some prominent Democrats opposed the Iraq war, but few if any of these figures oppose all military action. Howard Dean supported both the first gulf war and the invasion of Afghanistan. So did Al Gore ... both men opposed the Iraq war only because they thought this particular use of force was ill advised and was being sold on false pretenses. ...\nSo what's going on here? Some might suggest that the alleged influence of the Some is no more real than the problem of flag-burning, that right-wing propagandists are attacking straw men to divert attention from the Bush administration's failures...\nSome might also suggest that Democrats who accuse other Democrats of closet pacifism are motivated in part by careerism — that they're trying to sustain the peculiar rule, which still prevails in Washington, that you have to have been wrong about Iraq to be considered credible on national security. And they're doing this by misrepresenting the views and motives of those who had the good sense and courage to oppose this war. But that's just what Some Democrats might say. And everyone knows that Some Democrats hate America.\n*Bush Administration's Warrantless Domestic SurveillanceTalk about a classic Catch 22 situation! A report by Sarah Karush of AP in The Washington Post: \"DETROIT -- The federal government defended its warrantless domestic surveillance program in court for the first time Monday, saying it is well within the president's authority but that proving that would require revealing state secrets.\"U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor was hearing arguments in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against the National Security Agency.The ACLU wants the program halted immediately, arguing that it violates the rights to free speech and privacy, and says the government has already publicly revealed enough information about the program for Taylor to find it illegal.The Bush administration wants Taylor to dismiss the lawsuit.\"This case does not involve easy questions,\" government attorney Anthony J. Coppolino said. \"It's a case that requires a robust factual record.\" *\"There was no telling what people might find out once they felt free to ask whatever questions they wanted to.\"---Joseph Heller, Catch 22 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/fear-is-the-key/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eExploitation of Fear * Catch 22 defense for Domestic Surveillance Program\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePrinceton Professor Paul Krugman's columns in the NYTimes are incisive.  He is much more than a renowned economist.  \"The Some of All Fears\", his column today is about the exploitation of fear;  how vague allusions and hints about some people and/or statements are made to create fear and uncertainty in the minds of people. I am breaking my rule about not publishing complete texts of articles.  The NYTimes makes it difficult to link items because some of the authors can be accessed only by subscription and the items which are accessible remain available only for a week.\u003ca href=\"http://select.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://select.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html\"\u003eThe Some of  All Fears, by Paul Krugman, Commentary, NY Times\u003c/a\u003e: Back in 1971, Russell  Baker, the legendary Times columnist, devoted one of his Op-Ed columns to an  interview with Those Who — as in \"Those Who snivel and sneer whenever something  good is said about America.\" Back then, Those Who played a major role in  politicians' speeches. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Fear is the Key"},{"content":" Iraq -Deaths and Destruction in the Name of God and Righteousness * For Democrats, Money from the People 'He is not dead, he is alive with God This is a wedding, not a funeral' Ghaith Abdul-Ahad attended Abu Musab Zarqawi's funeral in the town of Zarqa, Jordan. Reading his account in the Guardian (June 10th) again made me think about the strange world of extremists. They look at the world quite differently than the rest of us, and not all of them are Islamic.In Amman, a jihadist told the Guardian: \"The Americans created from him a pretext for the failures in Iraq. He was never in control of the whole insurgency, but they tried to negate the fact that the Iraqis had a legitimate resistance movement.\"His death will help the Iraqi mujahideen, because now no one can accuse them of being followers of international terrorism. He had created an umbrella network for the mujahideen in Iraq ... as an attempt to unify them and to have the nucleus of an Islamic state. And this group will continue to work.\"Zarqawi's main loss [will be felt] not in Iraq, but the region. He was trying to expand the jihad to the rest of region, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon,\" he added.From Baghdad, a commander of the Iraqi insurgency was more upbeat about Zarqawi's death. \"May God have mercy upon him, but things will change now,\" he said. \"[Zarqawi] was committing lots of mistakes. Just wait for a few weeks and you will see the difference.\"In the funeral tent, the teenager next to me was wearing a black cap. \"My uncle might be dead, but his ideas are here,\" he said, pointing at his heart.The sheikh, Zarqawi's former comrade, was looking to the future: \"Oh, Allah, we pledge our alliance to our brother Abu Abdul-Rahman.\" In reference to the new head of the shoura council of mujahideen, the umbrella group formed a few months ago by Zarqawi, he named Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Iraqi as the head of the new organisation.\"Allahu Akbar ... Allahu Akbar\" came the cry. \"Oh, Bin Laden, don't worry, we will be Zarqawis,\" shouted other men. * Depressing. The cycle of violence isn't going to end anytime soon. There is no justification for actions of Zarqawi and bin Laden. Zarqawi died as he lived. Think of the more than 40,000 Iraqi civilians who have died in our war to liberate them. Is there justification for that ? * Money from the PeopleAfter years of lagging behind, fund raising efforts by Democrats have succeeded in bringing them close to the Republicans who have had the advantage of fat cats' contributions. The good news is that money for the Democrats has come from ordinary people. The Post: \" A surge in small, individual contributions is lifting Democratic campaigns this year and is helping close a Republican fundraising advantage that has existed for years in national politics, according to Federal Election Commission data. \"Democratic House and Senate candidates and their two major campaign committees are enjoying stronger grass-roots support than at any time since the GOP took over both chambers of Congress in the 1994 elections, according to strategists from both parties who have reviewed the most recent FEC data released this spring.\"Grass-roots\" support. As President Lincoln said \"You can't fool all the people all the time\". The Republican legislators became arrogant and corrupt. Their transgressions caught up with them. Let's hope that the Democrats will not squander what they have gained. Otherwise it will be back to the Red States and Blue States and lament for lost opportunity. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/terrorists-jihadis-liberators/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq -Deaths and Destruction in the Name of God and Righteousness * For Democrats, Money from the People \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e'He is not dead, he is alive with God This is a wedding, not a funeral'   Ghaith Abdul-Ahad attended Abu Musab Zarqawi's funeral in the town of Zarqa, Jordan.  Reading his account in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1794442,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e (June 10th) again made me think about the strange world of extremists.  They look at the world quite differently than the rest of us, and not all of them are Islamic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn Amman, a jihadist told the Guardian: \"The Americans created from him a pretext for the failures in Iraq. He was never in control of the whole insurgency, but they tried to negate the fact that the Iraqis had a legitimate resistance movement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"His death will help the Iraqi mujahideen, because now no one can accuse them of being followers of international terrorism. He had created an umbrella network for the mujahideen in Iraq ... as an attempt to unify them and to have the nucleus of an Islamic state. And this group will continue to work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Zarqawi's main loss [will be felt] not in Iraq, but the region. He was trying to expand the jihad to the rest of region, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon,\" he added.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eFrom Baghdad, a commander of the Iraqi insurgency was more upbeat about Zarqawi's death. \"May God have mercy upon him, but things will change now,\" he said. \"[Zarqawi] was committing lots of mistakes. Just wait for a few weeks and you will see the difference.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn the funeral tent, the teenager next to me was wearing a black cap. \"My uncle might be dead, but his ideas are here,\" he said, pointing at his heart.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe sheikh, Zarqawi's former comrade, was looking to the future: \"Oh, Allah, we pledge our alliance to our brother Abu Abdul-Rahman.\" In reference to the new head of the shoura council of mujahideen, the umbrella group formed a few months ago by Zarqawi, he named Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Iraqi as the head of the new organisation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Allahu Akbar ... Allahu Akbar\" came the cry. \"Oh, Bin Laden, don't worry, we will be Zarqawis,\" shouted other men.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDepressing.  The cycle of violence isn't going to end anytime soon.  There is no justification for actions of Zarqawi and bin Laden. Zarqawi died as he lived. Think of the more than 40,000 Iraqi civilians who have died in our war to liberate them.  Is there justification for that ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMoney from the People\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter years of lagging behind, fund raising efforts by Democrats have succeeded in bringing them close to the Republicans who have had the advantage of fat cats' contributions.  The good news is that money for the Democrats has come from ordinary people. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/10/AR2006061001039.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \" A surge in small, individual contributions is lifting Democratic campaigns this year and is helping close a Republican fundraising advantage that has existed for years in national politics, according to Federal Election Commission data. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eDemocratic House and Senate candidates and their two major campaign committees are enjoying stronger grass-roots support than at any time since the GOP took over both chambers of Congress in the 1994 elections, according to strategists from both parties who have reviewed the most recent FEC data released this spring.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\"Grass-roots\" support.  As President Lincoln said \"You can't fool all the people all the time\". The Republican legislators became arrogant and corrupt.  Their transgressions caught up with them. Let's hope that the Democrats will not squander what they have gained. Otherwise it will be back to the Red States and Blue States and lament for lost opportunity.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Terrorists, Jihadis, Liberators"},{"content":" The caption \"Whatever turns you on\", in The Guardian caught my attention. The fact that women have an interest in pornography is not news, and it is not only women in Britain who are exploring pornography. But the article by Anna-Marie Fitzgerald and Phoebe Frangoul contains witty comments and interesting facts. \"Ever wondered what might happen if For Women magazine was edited by Courtney Love with a bevy of shaggy-haired NME-fodder for models? Well, wonder no more. Flick through the pearly pages of new German \"porn for girls\" magazine Glück (created by Cologne-based music industry scenesters Nicole Rüdiger and Elke Kuhlen, available via Leckerheft.de) and you get a pretty good idea.\"Excerpts:There are no classically beautiful Adonises in these pages, just pale, skinny, sometimes hairy, indie boys. Photographed in the comfort of their own \"bohemian\" (read: dirty) bedsits, the Glück models pose naked, looking relaxed and natural, a million miles from the simulated \"erotic\" contortions of the girls in lads' mags. They gaze serenely, almost smugly, at the camera. In fact, these men seem to revel in their averageness: flaunting their flabby bodies and receding hairlines with aplomb. And the position of their hands is such that, whatever their appearance, your attention is drawn to just one thing (and it is not their come hither eyes).Glück is one of a clutch of alternative porn products that have sprung up, marketed to hip, urban, educated young women and supposedly offering a new take on porn, a guilt-free fix of boy-bod. There is also the US magazine Sweet Action and the SuicideBoys section of SuicideGirls website, both of which feature young, naked hipster boys. In the UK, Anna Span (apparently \"Britain's first female porn director\") has made films such as Hoxton Honey, in which she \"decided to hang out in London's trendy Hoxton area to catch the beautiful people going at it like animals in their own stylish pads\". Hmm. According to a Nielsen NetRatings survey for the Independent on Sunday last month, 1.4 million women in the UK downloaded pornographic images from the internet last year. Given this statistic, it is not surprising this indie niche has sprung up. It is certainly an alternative to the usual Playgirl/Cosmo beefcake, and, of course, to the über-creepy old-school porn stars - Ron Jeremy and his moustachioed ilk. But it raises the question: is this what young, educated women want to get off on? *As the ad for Virginia Slims cigarettes said: 'You've come a long way, baby'. A long way since Helen Gurley Brown's sensational Sex and the Single Girl appeared in print in 1962. Women have certainly become more aggressive in pursuit of sex. The covers of women's magazines at checkout counters of grocery stores in the United States leave no doubt that sex sells and publishers are making the most of it. Does aggressive pursuit result in success and satisfaction? I wonder. *Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation -the other eight are unimportant.---Henry Miller * Charities SufferingAs a volunteer in a local food kitchen I find it baffling that over the years contributions in cash and kind have decreased as level of affluence in the Silicon Valley has gone up by leaps and bounds. According to the Post, charities in Maryland and Virginia are feeling the crunch but for a different reason. \".........the soaring prices that have made housing affordability a growing concern throughout the region have claimed another casualty: generosity.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/sex-and-british-women---pornography-goes-mainstream/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe caption \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/gender/story/0,,1793740,00.html\"\u003eWhatever turns you on\u003c/a\u003e\", in The Guardian caught my attention.  The fact that women  have an interest in pornography is not news, and it is not only women in Britain who  are exploring pornography.  But the article by Anna-Marie Fitzgerald and Phoebe Frangoul contains witty comments and interesting facts.      \"Ever wondered what might happen if For Women magazine was edited by Courtney  Love with a bevy of shaggy-haired NME-fodder for models? Well, wonder no more.  Flick through the pearly pages of new German \"porn for girls\" magazine Glück  (created by Cologne-based music industry scenesters Nicole Rüdiger and Elke  Kuhlen, available via \u003ca href=\"http://www.leckerheft.de/\"\u003eLeckerheft.de\u003c/a\u003e) and  you get a pretty good idea.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere are no classically beautiful Adonises in these pages, just pale, skinny, sometimes hairy, indie boys. Photographed in the comfort of their own \"bohemian\" (read: dirty) bedsits, the Glück models pose naked, looking relaxed and natural, a million miles from the simulated \"erotic\" contortions of the girls in lads' mags. They gaze serenely, almost smugly, at the camera. In fact, these men seem to revel in their averageness: flaunting their flabby bodies and receding hairlines with aplomb. And the position of their hands is such that, whatever their appearance, your attention is drawn to just one thing (and it is not their come hither eyes).\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGlück is one of a clutch of alternative porn products that have sprung up,  marketed to hip, urban, educated young women and supposedly offering a new take  on porn, a guilt-free fix of boy-bod. There is also the US magazine Sweet Action  and the SuicideBoys section of SuicideGirls website, both of which feature  young, naked hipster boys. In the UK, Anna Span (apparently \"Britain's first  female porn director\") has made films such as Hoxton Honey, in which she  \"decided to hang out in London's trendy Hoxton area to catch the beautiful  people going at it like animals in their own stylish pads\". Hmm.\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAccording to a Nielsen NetRatings survey for the Independent on Sunday last  month, 1.4 million women in the UK downloaded pornographic images from the  internet last year. Given this statistic, it is not surprising this indie niche  has sprung up. It is certainly an alternative to the usual Playgirl/Cosmo  beefcake, and, of course, to the über-creepy old-school porn stars - Ron Jeremy  and his moustachioed ilk. But it raises the question: is this what young,  educated women want to get off on?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the ad for Virginia Slims cigarettes  said: 'You've come a long way, baby'.   A long way since Helen Gurley Brown's sensational Sex and the Single Girl appeared in print in 1962.  Women have certainly become more aggressive in pursuit of sex. The covers of women's magazines at checkout counters of grocery stores in the United States leave no doubt that sex sells and publishers are making the most of it.  Does aggressive pursuit result in success and satisfaction?   I wonder.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cpre\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eSex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation -\u003cbr/\u003ethe other eight are unimportant.\u003cbr/\u003e---Henry Miller\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCharities Suffering\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs a volunteer in a local food kitchen I find it baffling that over the years contributions in cash and kind have decreased as level of affluence in the Silicon Valley has gone up by leaps and bounds.  According to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901733.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, charities in Maryland and Virginia are feeling the crunch but for a different reason.  \".........the soaring prices that have made housing affordability a growing concern throughout the region have claimed another casualty: generosity.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sex and British Women - Pornography Goes Mainstream"},{"content":" Does it mean the end of take no prisoners, mean-spirited politics ? Former House majority leader, Tom DeLay, aka the Hammer, aka the Exterminator, lived up to his records. His farewell speech before the 109th Congress on June 8th was typical DeLay. \" DeLay suggested that pundits who complain about 'the divisive partisan rancor that supposedly weakens our democracy' are merely nostalgic for the days when most Republicans meekly accepted minority status. DeLay was never one of those Republicans. \"The common lament over the recent rise in political partisanship is often nothing more than a veiled complaint about the recent rise of political conservatism,\" DeLay said.I hope that Democrats succeed in regaining majority in Congress. But adoption of the tactics that DeLay so successfully used against them and continuation of unethical practices are not what I want to see. I abhor Tom DeLay and his ilk. If Democrats decide to follow his footsteps I shall detest them too. Congress will never be clean but it can be less dirty than what the bloviating hypocrites have turned it into.Ann CoulterLot of noise in the blogosphere about Ann Coulter. I have heard of her but never paid any attention. Ms Coulter and her supporters will survive without me just as I shall survive without them. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/end-of-an-era-the-tom-delay-era/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDoes it mean the end of take no prisoners, mean-spirited politics ?    Former House majority leader, Tom DeLay, aka the Hammer, aka the Exterminator, lived up to his records.  His farewell speech before the 109th Congress on June 8th was typical DeLay.  \" \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/08/AR2006060801342.html\"\u003eDeLay\u003c/a\u003e   suggested that pundits who complain about 'the divisive partisan rancor that supposedly weakens our democracy' are merely nostalgic for the days when most Republicans meekly accepted minority status. DeLay was never one of those Republicans. \"The common lament over the recent rise in political partisanship is often nothing more than a veiled complaint about the recent rise of political conservatism,\" DeLay said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI hope that Democrats succeed in regaining majority in Congress.  But adoption of the tactics  that DeLay so successfully used against them and continuation of unethical practices are not what I want to see.  I abhor Tom DeLay and his ilk.  If Democrats  decide to follow his footsteps I shall detest them too. Congress will never be clean but it can be less dirty than what the bloviating hypocrites have turned it into.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnn Coulter\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLot of noise in the blogosphere about Ann Coulter.  I have heard of her but never paid any attention.  Ms Coulter and her supporters will survive without me just as I shall survive without them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"End of an Era, the Tom DeLay Era"},{"content":" March of Holy Rollers * Fallout from Outsourcing of TortureAnother Republican presidential hopeful, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, played his God card. Bill Frist and Jeb Bush have reason to be concerned. John McCain, who has been trying to become a Bible thumper, has no chance against these stalwarts. Holy Big Mac! The possibilities are endless: God Bless you for that pack of cigarettes; God bless you for that Bud; God bless you for liberating Iraqis; God bless you for that great roll in the hay (except that they would use an euphemism like sexual congress or something like that) and so on. You get the point. A long piece in the Post about Senator Brownback: \"Three years ago he gave a speech at the Archdiocese of Denver. He spoke of the need to \"convert the culture\" by spreading God's love. He posed a question: \"When we walk up to the McDonald's counter, what if we looked at that person in the eye . . . and we said, 'God bless you for that Big Mac?!' \" Yes, and God bless you for that extra crispy fried chicken. * Extraordinary Rendition ProgramThe exposure of \"Extraordinary Rendition\", CIA's secret program for outsourcing interrogation of prisoners to countries where the Geneva Convention is a joke, must have caused consternation among those who were responsible for setting it up and managing it. Denials don't seem to do any good as more and more details keep coming out.The Guardian reported on a speech given by Tony Brown, former Foreign Office Minister in Britain. \"The British government's apparent support of CIA rendition flights is \"massively damaging\" in the battle against international terrorism, a former Foreign Office minister said today. Tony Lloyd demanded that the Bush administration give \"proper and definitive\" answers to allegations that it has been kidnapping terrorist suspects and transferring them to countries where they could be tortured.\"He was speaking as the Council of Europe human rights' committee named Britain among 14 countries that had colluded with the CIA practice, and called on the government to ask Washington \"the right questions\" about what the US flights that passed through Britain were being used. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/on-the-road-to-2008-god-bless-you-for-selling-me-the-big-black-hummer/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMarch of Holy Rollers *  Fallout from Outsourcing of Torture\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnother Republican presidential hopeful, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, played his God card. Bill Frist and Jeb Bush have reason to be concerned. John McCain, who has been trying to become a Bible thumper, has no chance against these stalwarts.  Holy Big Mac!  The possibilities are endless:  God Bless you for that pack of cigarettes; God bless you for that Bud; God bless you for liberating Iraqis; God bless you for that great roll in the hay (except that they would use an euphemism like sexual congress or something like that) and so on. You get the point.    A long piece in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/06/AR2006060601616.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about Senator Brownback: \"Three years ago he gave a speech at the Archdiocese of Denver. He spoke of the need to \"convert the culture\" by spreading God's love. He posed a question: \"When we walk up to the McDonald's counter, what if we looked at that person in the eye . . . and we said, 'God bless you for that Big Mac?!' \"  Yes, and   God bless you for that extra crispy fried chicken.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExtraordinary Rendition Program\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe exposure of \"Extraordinary Rendition\",  CIA's secret program for outsourcing interrogation of prisoners to countries where the Geneva Convention is a joke,  must have caused consternation among those who were responsible for setting it up and managing it.  Denials don't seem to do any good as more and more details keep coming out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1792271,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e reported on a speech given by  Tony Brown, former Foreign Office Minister in Britain.  \"The British government's apparent support of CIA rendition flights is \"massively damaging\" in the battle against international terrorism, a former Foreign Office minister said today.   Tony Lloyd demanded that the Bush administration give \"proper and definitive\" answers to allegations that it has been kidnapping terrorist suspects and transferring them to countries where they could be tortured.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHe was speaking as the Council of Europe human rights' committee named  Britain among 14 countries that had colluded with the CIA practice, and called  on the government to ask Washington \"the right questions\" about what the US  flights that passed through Britain were being used.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the road to 2008: God bless you for selling me the big, black Hummer"},{"content":" This time it is not a rumor. His death has been confirmed. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi died in an air strike on a safe house near Baquhba in Iraq. Now it is to be seen whether his death would have an impact on insurgents' activities---would we see less of it or a spurt in violence as a new leader tries to prove himself to his followers. \"BAGHDAD, June 8 --Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the mastermind behind hundreds of bombings, kidnappings and beheadings in Iraq, was killed early Wednesday by an air strike -northwest of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. \" (The Washington Post)U.S. warplanes dropped two 500-pound bombs on a house in which Zarqawi was meeting with other insurgent leaders. A U.S. military spokesman said coalition forces pinpointed Zarqawi's location after weeks of tracking the movements of his spiritual adviser, Sheik Abdul Rahman, who also was killed in the blast.Following the attack, coalition forces raided 17 locations in and around Baghdad, seizing a \"treasure trove\" of information about terror operations in the country, U.S. Major Gen. Bill Caldwell told reporters at a military briefing here. Some of the raids focused on targets the United States had been using to monitor Zarqawi's location, Caldwell said. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/death-of-a-terrorist/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis time it is not a rumor.  His death has been confirmed.  Abu Musab al-Zarqawi died in an air strike on a safe house near Baquhba in Iraq.  Now it is to be seen whether his death would have an impact on insurgents' activities---would we see less of it or a  spurt in violence as  a new leader tries to prove himself to his followers.  \"BAGHDAD, June 8 --Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the mastermind behind hundreds of bombings, kidnappings and beheadings in Iraq, was killed early Wednesday by an air strike -northwest of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday.  \"  (\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/08/AR2006060800114.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eU.S. warplanes dropped two 500-pound bombs on a house in which Zarqawi was meeting with other insurgent leaders. A U.S. military spokesman said coalition forces pinpointed Zarqawi's location after weeks of tracking the movements of his spiritual adviser, Sheik Abdul Rahman, who also was killed in the blast.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eFollowing the attack, coalition forces raided 17 locations in and around Baghdad, seizing a \"treasure trove\" of information about terror operations in the country, U.S. Major Gen. Bill Caldwell told reporters at a military briefing here. Some of the raids focused on targets the United States had been using to monitor Zarqawi's location, Caldwell said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Death of a Terrorist"},{"content":" Same-sex Marriage * Tom DeLay's Wife * Secret Prisons *Iraq President's game plan suffered a setback, or did it really? President Bush was well aware that his proposed constitutional amendment to ban same sex weddings didn't have enough support in the Senate. It was a move to appease and energize his core support groups. \"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed to pass the Senate on Wednesday but Republican leaders planned to take it up in the House, keeping a national spotlight on the divisive issue.\" Republicans thrive on divisive issues.The 49 to 48 vote basically ensures the measure won't get anywhere in the full Congress, thwarting President Bush and the mostly Republican senators who argued that the Constitution must be amended to prevent judges from striking down existing state bans on gay marriage.DeLay's WifeThe former House Majority Leader continues to be in the spotlight. Details have emerged about a questionable retirement fund set up for Mrs Christine DeLay when Tom DeLay was the House Whip. The Washington Post: \"A registered lobbyist opened a retirement account in the late 1990s for the wife of then-House Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and contributed thousands of dollars to it while also paying her a salary to work for him from her home in Texas, according to sources, documents and DeLay's attorney, Richard Cullen. \"Buckham's financial ties to DeLay's family -- and the retirement account in particular -- have recently attracted the interest of FBI agents and others in the federal task force probing public corruption by lawmakers and lobbyists, according to a source who was questioned in the course of the government's investigation.Secret Prisons, What Secret Prisons?The story refuses to die. The pesky Europeans continue to follow the trail about secret prisons used by the United States for holding and interrogating prisoners. The facts include complicity by a number of European nations. It is not difficult to understand countries like Poland,Romania, Turkey, and Bosnia doing dirty work for the United States in exchange for money or other forms of payment. One can also find no surprise in Tony Blair's Britain being involved. But Sweden, Germany, Italy ! They should be ashamed. \"BERLIN, June 7 -- A European investigator concluded Wednesday that there are \"serious indications\" that the CIA operated secret prisons for suspected al-Qaeda leaders in Poland and Romania as part of a clandestine \"spider's web\" to catch, transfer and hold terrorism suspects around the world.\"In addition, Dick Marty, a Swiss investigator working on behalf of the Council of Europe, the continent's official human-rights organization, said at least seven European nations colluded with the CIA to abduct and secretly detain terrorism suspects, including several who were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. He said those countries should be held accountable under European human-rights laws.Sweden, Italy, Britain, Turkey, Germany, Bosnia and Macedonia \"could be held responsible for violations of the rights of specific individuals\" who were handed over to the CIA or captured by U.S. operatives in those countries, Marty said in a report released Wednesday in Paris.The Free, Democratized Iraq of G.W. BushThe BBC reports \"Violent Baghdad deaths top 6,000\" The number is for this year (2006) and just for Baghdad...not all of Iraq.MORTUARY'S MONTHLY TOLLJanuary: 1068February: 1110March: 1294April: 1155May: 1398Is this the Iraq President Bush talks about? There is a disconnect somewhere. Comments of an Iraqi woman blogger in Baghdad Burning. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/wednesday-news-from-here-and-there/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSame-sex Marriage * Tom DeLay's Wife * Secret Prisons *Iraq \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident's game plan suffered  a setback, or did it really?  President Bush was well aware that his proposed constitutional amendment to ban same sex weddings didn't have enough support in the Senate.  It was a move to appease and energize his core support groups.   \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060700830.html\"\u003eWASHINGTON (Reuters) \u003c/a\u003e- A constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed to pass the Senate on Wednesday but Republican leaders planned to take it up in the House, keeping a national spotlight on the divisive issue.\"  Republicans thrive on divisive issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe 49 to 48 vote basically ensures the measure won't get anywhere in the full Congress, thwarting President Bush and the mostly Republican senators who argued that the Constitution must be amended to prevent judges from striking down existing state bans on gay marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eDeLay's Wife\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe former House Majority Leader continues to be in the spotlight.  Details have emerged about a questionable retirement fund set up for Mrs Christine DeLay when Tom DeLay was the House Whip. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/06/AR2006060601320.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"A registered lobbyist opened a retirement account in the late 1990s for the wife of then-House Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and contributed thousands of dollars to it while also paying her a salary to work for him from her home in Texas, according to sources, documents and DeLay's attorney, Richard Cullen. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBuckham's financial ties to DeLay's family -- and the retirement account in particular -- have recently attracted the interest of FBI agents and others in the federal task force probing public corruption by lawmakers and lobbyists, according to a source who was questioned in the course of the government's investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSecret Prisons, What Secret Prisons?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe story refuses to die.  The pesky Europeans continue to follow the trail about secret prisons used by the United States for holding and interrogating prisoners.  The facts include complicity by a number of European nations. It is not difficult to understand countries like Poland,Romania, Turkey, and Bosnia doing dirty work for the United States in exchange for money or other forms of payment.  One can also find no surprise in Tony Blair's Britain being involved.  But Sweden, Germany, Italy !  They should be ashamed.  \"BERLIN, June 7 -- A European investigator concluded Wednesday that there are \"serious indications\" that the CIA operated secret prisons for suspected al-Qaeda leaders in Poland and Romania as part of a clandestine \"spider's web\" to catch, transfer and hold terrorism suspects around the world.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn addition, Dick Marty, a Swiss investigator working on behalf of the Council of Europe, the continent's official human-rights organization, said at least seven European nations colluded with the CIA to abduct and secretly detain terrorism suspects, including several who were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. He said those countries should be held accountable under European human-rights laws.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSweden, Italy, Britain, Turkey, Germany, Bosnia and Macedonia \"could be held responsible for violations of the rights of specific individuals\" who were handed over to the CIA or captured by U.S. operatives in those countries, Marty said in a report released Wednesday in Paris.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Free, Democratized Iraq of G.W. Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5053134.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reports \"Violent Baghdad deaths top 6,000\"   The number is for this year (2006) and just for Baghdad...not all of Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003eMORTUARY'S MONTHLY TOLL\u003cbr/\u003eJanuary: 1068\u003cbr/\u003eFebruary: 1110\u003cbr/\u003eMarch: 1294\u003cbr/\u003eApril: 1155\u003cbr/\u003eMay: 1398\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs this the Iraq President Bush talks about?  There is a disconnect somewhere.  Comments of an Iraqi woman blogger in \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Wednesday: News from Here and There"},{"content":" The Fundos and Balderdash How many of you were aware that according to fundamentalist Christians--those who believe in the doomsday scenario made popular by some authors--today represents \"the number of the beast\". The article in the Washington Post made me gasp that there are people who take it seriously. Get a life. \"Satan's spawn are having a lucrative old time today. The calendar says this is the 6th day of the 6th month of the millennium's 6th year. According to the King James version of the Book of Revelation, 666 is \"the number of the beast.\" Some interpret Chapter 13, Verse 18 as referring to the coming of the Antichrist, who will receive his power directly from Satan to establish a kingdom on Earth that will be the beginning of Armageddon.\"\"Number of the beast\", my foot! It is a nice morning. Enjoy it. Let the nuts worry about Armageddon.\"There is a sucker born every minute\"---Joseph Bessimer or David Hannum ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/weird-people---the-armageddon-followers/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Fundos and Balderdash \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow many of you were aware that according to fundamentalist Christians--those who believe in the doomsday scenario made popular by some authors--today represents \"the number of the beast\".  The article in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/05/AR2006060501363.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e made me gasp that there are people who take it seriously.  Get a life.  \"Satan's spawn are having a lucrative old time today. The calendar says this is the 6th day of the 6th month of the millennium's 6th year.  According to the King James version of the Book of Revelation, 666 is \"the number of the beast.\" Some interpret Chapter 13, Verse 18 as referring to the coming of the Antichrist, who will receive his power directly from Satan to establish a kingdom on Earth that will be the beginning of Armageddon.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Number of the beast\", my foot!  It is a nice morning.  Enjoy it.  Let the nuts worry about Armageddon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There is a sucker born every minute\"\u003cbr/\u003e---\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_is_a_sucker_born_every_minute\"\u003eJoseph Bessimer or David Hannum\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Weird People -  The Armageddon Followers"},{"content":" Grief, Anger.....and a Sense of BewildermentI opposed the war before the first bombs fell on Baghdad, before the first pair of boots hit the ground in Iraq. Today, with all the facts that are known, my position has solidified. Our nation was taken to war on a pack of lies. The cost has been horrendous both in terms of wasted lives and the money (our money) spent. The lies continue although they have gone through different versions since March 2003 when the war began. So, I read Peter Slevin's Bonded by Loss, Divided by War in the Post with sadness. \"UNIONTOWN, Ohio -- Bob Derga searches for purpose on a flat terrace behind his house, overlooking the woods. On one side is a weeping cherry tree. On the other, above the Marine Corps seal, is a chiseled stone: \"If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.\" Beyond saying that I'm with the parents who question the senselessness of the war, I wouldn't comment about the sentiments expressed.Amid the sadness that has looped through his life since the death in Iraq of his only son, Derga has found a spark that drives him to defend President Bush, the war and the troops who are fighting it. He has begun to speak out, urging Americans \"to have the guts as a nation to stay the course.\"Forty miles north, Paul Schroeder and Rosemary Palmer, whose only son lived and died in the same Marine Reserve unit as Derga's son, have also been driven by anguish to speak out. But they do not believe in this war or this president or in staying the course.They are convinced that their son's life was wasted. They want negotiations to begin, the war to end and the troops to come home.One war, one Marine unit, two pained families divided about the way forward.The numbers (see below) tell a story but only a small part of the story. When you think of the loss of lives, think not only of our soldiers but also about the hapless Iraqi civilians who got caught in the unjustified war. It would be absurd if one fails to take them into the equation.U.S. Deaths confirmed by the DOD: 2,473Injured: 8,344Iraqi civilians: 38,059 (minimum) 42,434 (maximum)Sources: Iraq Coalition Casualties and Iraq Body Count\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\"---C.E. Montague, British author, journalist, soldier ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/iraq-war---parents-of-casualties-speak/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGrief, Anger.....and a Sense of Bewilderment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI opposed the war before the first bombs fell on Baghdad, before the first pair of boots hit the ground in Iraq.  Today, with all the facts that are known, my position has solidified. Our nation was taken to war on a pack of lies.  The cost has been horrendous both in terms of wasted lives and the money (our money) spent.  The lies continue although they have gone through different versions  since March 2003 when the war began.  So, I read Peter Slevin's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/04/AR2006060400871.html\"\u003eBonded by Loss, Divided by War\u003c/a\u003e in the Post with sadness. \"UNIONTOWN, Ohio -- Bob Derga searches for purpose on a flat terrace behind his house, overlooking the woods. On one side is a weeping cherry tree. On the other, above the Marine Corps seal, is a chiseled stone: \"If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.\"  Beyond saying that I'm with the parents who question the senselessness of the war, I wouldn't comment about the sentiments expressed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAmid the sadness that has looped through his life since the death in Iraq of his only son, Derga has found a spark that drives him to defend President Bush, the war and the troops who are fighting it. He has begun to speak out, urging Americans \"to have the guts as a nation to stay the course.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eForty miles north, Paul Schroeder and Rosemary Palmer, whose only son lived and died in the same Marine Reserve unit as Derga's son, have also been driven by anguish to speak out. But they do not believe in this war or this president or in staying the course.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThey are convinced that their son's life was wasted. They want negotiations to begin, the war to end and the troops to come home.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOne war, one Marine unit, two pained families divided about the way forward.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe numbers (see below) tell a story but only a small part of the story.  When you  think of the loss of lives,  think not only of our soldiers but also about the hapless Iraqi civilians who got caught in the unjustified war.  It would be absurd if one fails to take them into the equation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Deaths confirmed by the DOD: 2,473\u003cbr/\u003eInjured: 8,344\u003cbr/\u003eIraqi civilians:  38,059 (minimum)  42,434 (maximum)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSources:  \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\"\u003cbr/\u003e---C.E. Montague, British author, journalist, soldier\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq War - Parents of Casualties Speak"},{"content":" Bill Lichtman * Barcelona * The RamblasI had the good fortune to work for some years under a man named Gabriel \"Bill\" Lichtman. He was the quintessential shipping man. He had began his career as a reporter and got into ocean transportation almost by accident and became an authority. For more than 30 years he managed the the activities of a large American steamship company from an office in Calcutta, India. The cargo ships plied from the east coast of the United States to Persian Gulf and through the Suez to Rangoon, Burma. Enroute they stopped at Karachi and Bombay. On the return leg the ships called at Chittagong (Bangla Desh), then Calcutta, Madras, Cochin, Colombo and headed for the U.S. Atlantic Coast via the Suez Canal. But he was more than a shipping man. Widely read, he radiated warmth and made friends no matter where went. He was a raconteur, a bon vivant. Short and bald but sought after by women of all ages.In those days the cargo containers were just beginning to make their presence felt. Shipments were loaded and unloaded in breakbulk form. One could see bales of jute, coir, human hair and snake skins (yes, there was trade in human hair), crates of machinery, chests of tea, and bags of mail.Strange, how the mind works. Reading about the Ramblas in Barcelona in Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind took me back to Bill Lichtman and times long past. He had spent some years in Barcelona and talked fondly about the city although he detested General Franco and his regime. I remembered that years later, when he was living in Livorno, Italy, and I was in California, he wrote about the Ramblas. I dug up the letter. \"I am going to Rostock on the 28th but I am not looking forward to it very much. It has an interesting maritime history but on these trips it is bam to the meeting! And bam to the airport! It is a pity to to miss the local color or even see if the people are always laughing and smiling as they always do in the pictures in the DSR magazine which we receive. In early December I will do better, with Leo, I will be attending a meeting in Barcelona. I can smell the flowers on the Ramblas already for I am sure that the market there hasn't changed at all even though it is 40 years since I last walked through it. \"Bill Lichtman used to type or handwrite letters. He died before the quantum leap to instantaneous electronic communication. I wonder if he would have used e-mail. Would the messages have had the same impact of opening envelopes bearing stamps of different countries, extracting the pages and savouring them time and time again as I did today ? No, for me they wouldn't.*Listening to Regret (based on Bach choral prelude for organ \"The old year has now passed away\").Modern Jazz Quartet: Blues on Bach.John Lewis, piano and harpsichordMilt Jackson, vibraharpPercy Heath, bassConnie Kay, drums and percussion ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/the-shadow-of-the-wind-the-ramblas-and-a-man-for-all-seasons/","summary":"\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBill Lichtman * Barcelona * The Ramblas\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI had the good fortune to work for some years under a man named Gabriel \"Bill\" Lichtman. He was the quintessential \u003cfont\u003eshipping man\u003c/font\u003e. He had began his career as a reporter and got into ocean transportation almost by accident and became an authority.  For more than 30 years he managed the the activities of a large American steamship company from an office in Calcutta, India.  The cargo ships plied from the east coast of the United States to Persian Gulf and through the Suez to Rangoon, Burma.   Enroute they stopped at Karachi and Bombay.  On the return leg the ships called at Chittagong (Bangla Desh), then Calcutta, Madras, Cochin, Colombo and headed for the U.S. Atlantic Coast via the Suez Canal. But he was more than a shipping man.  Widely read, he radiated warmth and made friends no matter where went.  He was a raconteur, a bon vivant. Short and bald but sought after by women of all ages.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn those days the cargo containers were just beginning to make their presence felt.  Shipments were loaded and unloaded in breakbulk form.  One could see  bales of jute, coir, human hair and snake skins (yes, there was trade in human hair),  crates of machinery, chests of tea, and bags of mail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStrange, how the mind works.  Reading about the Ramblas in Barcelona in Carlos  Ruiz Zafón's  \u003cfont\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1496\"\u003eThe Shadow of the Wind\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/font\u003etook me back to Bill Lichtman and times long past.   He had spent some years in Barcelona and talked fondly about the city although he detested General Franco and his regime. I remembered that years later, when he was living in Livorno, Italy, and I was in California, he wrote about the \u003ca href=\"http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/ramblas/barcelona-las-ramblas.html\"\u003eRamblas\u003c/a\u003e.  I dug up the letter.  \"\u003cfont\u003eI am going to Rostock on the 28th but I am not looking forward to it very much.  It has an interesting maritime history but on these trips it is bam to the meeting! And bam to the airport!  It is a pity to to miss the local color or even see if the people are always laughing and\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e \u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003esmiling as they always do in the pictures in the DSR magazine which we receive.\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e  In early December I will do better, with Leo, I will be attending a meeting in Barcelona.  I can smell the flowers on the Ramblas already for I am sure that the market there hasn't changed at all even though it is 40 years since I last walked through it. \"\u003c/font\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/06/Bill Lichtman.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBill Lichtman used to type or handwrite letters.  He died before the quantum leap to instantaneous electronic communication.  I wonder if he would have used e-mail. Would the messages have had the same impact of opening  envelopes bearing stamps of different countries, extracting the pages and savouring them time and time again as I did today ? No,  for me they wouldn't.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eListening to \u003cfont\u003eRegret\u003c/font\u003e (based on Bach choral prelude for organ \"\u003cfont\u003eThe old year has now passed away\"\u003c/font\u003e).\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eModern Jazz Quartet:  Blues on Bach.\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Lewis, piano and harpsichord\u003cbr/\u003eMilt Jackson, vibraharp\u003cbr/\u003ePercy Heath, bass\u003cbr/\u003eConnie Kay, drums and percussion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont size=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"The Shadow of the Wind\" * The Ramblas * And A Man for All Seasons"},{"content":" The President fires a salvo on.....? Same sex marriageThe bigots will lap it up. It was expected to happen. President Bush played to his core support groups. He will get some dividends. But his call for Constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage is a cynical political ploy which deceives no one. Peter Baker in the Post: \"President Bush plans to wade back into the emotional debate over same-sex marriage for the first time in his second term beginning today with a pair of speeches pressing the Senate to approve a constitutional amendment next week defining marriage as the union of a man and woman.\"But critics said the only reason Bush and Frist are reviving the issue is for election-year pandering to conservative voters, who, polls show, have grown disaffected with the president for various reasons.\"They understand that they are in deep trouble and they need to do anything they can to appease their people, which is the right-wing base,\" said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization. \"This is an age-old political tactic, which is when everything is falling down around you -- as it is for the administration -- you go for your base.\"And what is VP Cheney going to say if he is questioned about this issue ? He will try to waffle, dodge it. However, during a campaign speech in Iowa in August 2004, the vice president who has a \"openly lesbian\" daughter, stated: \".....the issue of legalising gay unions should be settled by individual states rather than by Washington.\" (The BBC)This move was so typical of Bush that it failed to cause waves. But there will be more moral values issues coming down from the White House. He is president of God's Own Party and must battle on behalf of besieged fellow devouts. Holier than thou ? I have my doubts.*Chastity Belt, Anyone ?On a somewhat related subject, an article that I had missed when it first appeared in the Post on May 16th, Virginity Pledges Can't Be Taken on Faith, made me chuckle. The clean, pure Americans tirelessly working to prevent young boys and girls from having sex. I say bring back the chastity belt; virginity pledges are not doing much good. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/mid-term-elections-divisive-issuesand-sex/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe President fires a salvo on.....?   Same sex marriage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe bigots will lap it up. It was expected to happen.  President Bush played to his core support groups.  He will get some dividends.  But his call for Constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage is a cynical political ploy which deceives no one. Peter Baker in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201519.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"President Bush plans to wade back into the emotional debate over same-sex marriage for the first time in his second term beginning today with a pair of speeches pressing the Senate to approve a constitutional amendment next week defining marriage as the union of a man and woman.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut critics said the only reason Bush and Frist are reviving the issue is for election-year pandering to conservative voters, who, polls show, have grown disaffected with the president for various reasons.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"They understand that they are in deep trouble and they need to do anything they can to appease their people, which is the right-wing base,\" said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization. \"This is an age-old political tactic, which is when everything is falling down around you -- as it is for the administration -- you go for your base.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAnd what is VP Cheney going to say if he is questioned about this issue ?  He will try to waffle, dodge it.  However, during a campaign speech in Iowa in August 2004, the vice president who has a \"openly lesbian\" daughter, stated:  \".....the issue of legalising gay unions should be settled by individual states rather than by Washington.\" (\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3596732.stm\"\u003eThe BBC\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis move was so typical of Bush that it failed to cause waves.  But there will be more moral values issues coming down from the White House.   He is president of God's Own Party and must battle on behalf of besieged fellow devouts.  Holier than thou ?  I have my doubts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eChastity Belt, Anyone ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn a somewhat related subject, an article that I had missed when it first appeared in the Post on May 16th, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051500842.html\"\u003eVirginity Pledges Can't Be Taken on Faith\u003c/a\u003e, made me chuckle.  The clean, pure  Americans tirelessly working to prevent young boys and girls from having sex.  I say bring back the chastity belt; virginity pledges are not doing much good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Mid-term Elections, Divisive Issues.....and Sex"},{"content":" Killing of Iraqi CiviliansThe abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib brought out other instances, including Guantanamo, and the outsourcing of torture under CIA's extraordinary rendition program. Similarly, the exposure of deliberate killing of Iraqi civilians in Haditha on November 19, 2005, has resulted in disclosure of other cases, one is about deaths of civilians in Ishaqi. \"U.S. commanders used appropriate force in taking down a safe house in Iraq during a March 15 military raid that led to the deaths of as many as a dozen civilians, according to the results of an investigation announced in Baghdad yesterday.\" This, however, is not the end of the story. The BBC reports that :\"The Iraqi government has rejected the findings of a US military investigation into the deaths of 11 civilians in the village of Ishaqi, north of Baghdad. A spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said the report, which cleared the US soldiers of wrongdoing, was unfair.Josh White in The Washington Post: \"A third case, involving a separate group of Marines, could lead to murder charges at Camp Pendleton in California. In that case, Marines allegedly dragged an Iraqi civilian out of his home and executed him. A defense attorney for one of the Marines had predicted that charges would be filed by yesterday, but Camp Pendleton officials said they had not been filed as of last night.\"The death toll for Iraqi civilians kept going up and up (currently close to 40,000) and yet hardly raised any eyebrows here in America. They were expendable in Bush's war. Perhaps now, after three years, there would be some attention paid to civilian casualties, especially when military action is involved. Let us hope so.*Bumper sticker seen this morning on a Volvo in Palo Alto: STOP THE MAD COWBOY DISEASE. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-06-03 The Iraqi woman who made this video is incredibly brave. Please, watch this video and pass it along... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=891513925297288257\u0026q=Iraq%3A+The+Women%27s+Story ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/haditha-hamandiya-ishaqi-and-a-bumper-sticker/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eKilling of Iraqi Civilians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib brought out other instances, including Guantanamo, and the outsourcing of torture under CIA's extraordinary rendition program.  Similarly, the exposure of deliberate killing of Iraqi civilians in Haditha on November 19, 2005, has resulted in disclosure of other cases, one is about deaths of civilians in Ishaqi.    \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201796.html\"\u003eU.S. commanders\u003c/a\u003e used appropriate force in taking down a safe house in Iraq during a March 15 military raid that led to the deaths of as many as a dozen civilians, according to the results of an investigation announced in Baghdad yesterday.\"  This, however, is not the end of the story.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5044244.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reports that :\"\u003cb\u003eThe Iraqi government has rejected the findings of a US military investigation into the deaths of 11 civilians in the village of Ishaqi, north of Baghdad. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e A spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said the report, which cleared the US soldiers of wrongdoing, was unfair.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJosh White in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201796.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"A third case, involving a separate group of Marines, could lead to murder charges at Camp Pendleton in California. In that case, Marines allegedly dragged an Iraqi civilian out of his home and executed him. A defense attorney for one of the Marines had predicted that charges would be filed by yesterday, but Camp Pendleton officials said they had not been filed as of last night.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe death toll for Iraqi civilians kept going up and up (currently close to 40,000) and yet hardly raised any eyebrows here in America.  They were expendable in Bush's war.  Perhaps now, after three years, there would be some attention paid to civilian casualties, especially when military action is involved.  Let us hope so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBumper sticker seen this  morning on a Volvo in Palo Alto:  STOP THE MAD COWBOY DISEASE.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe Iraqi woman who made this video is incredibly brave. Please, watch this video and pass it along... \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=891513925297288257\u0026q=Iraq%3A+The+Women%27s+Story\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Haditha *  Hamandiya * Ishaqi (?) * And a Bumper Sticker"},{"content":" The Hay Festival * Lord Rees on \"Humanity's defining moment\"As he, himself, tells it he \"used to be the next president of the United States\". Many of us wince because there is truth in that. Al Gore looks good, and sounds good. He stands head shoulders above the current incumbent of the White House who has made America a mean-spirited nation, and who is despised by people in most of the countries in the world.The Guardian, a venerable British newspaper, organizes the annual Hay festival. \"Hay is a tiny market town in the Brecon Beacons National Park, It has 1500 people and 41 bookshops. The Festival is a spectacular holiday party for friends to gather and indulge their tastes for the finest books, food, drink, comedy, music, art, argument and literature.\"This year the festival began on May 26th and will end June 4th. Mr. Gore appeared there on May 30th and spoke about global warming and climate change. Later, in an interview with Jonathan Burkman and Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian, he made one of his sharpest attacks on the Bush presidency, describing it as \"a renegade band of rightwing extremists\". We have seen the emperor without his clothes; \"rightwing extremist\" is an understatement.Al Gore's candidacy in 2008 is uncertain. At this point we don't know if he would throw his hat in the ring ? But the more one listens to the new Al Gore the more attractive he appears to be. He can provide the balance between the Democrats who seem too willing to shift to the right, become Republican Light, and the firebrands. *Lord Rees, head of the Royal Society of Britain, was another distinguished guest who spoke at Hay. \"Humanity has reached a \"defining moment\" in our dominion over the planet and our ability to destroy it, according to the head of the Royal Society, Britain's premier scientific institution. \"The 21st century is the first in the Earth's history where one species has our planet's future in its hands and could jeopardise life's immense potential,\" Lord Rees told an audience at the Hay festival yesterday.\" The eminent physicist, who is Astronomer Royal, said scientific advances had made it much easier for individuals to commit devastating acts of terror on a much greater scale than 9/11, using for example biological weapons. \"In a global village there will be global village idiots. And with this power, just one could be too many,\" he said. These might not be fundamentalists, but those with the mentality of a computer virus designer or arsonist, he added. \"Even a single person will have the capacity to cause massive disruption through error or through terror. We are kidding ourselves if we think that technical education leads to balanced rationality.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/the-new-al-gore---the-man-who-was-elected-by-the-people-in-2000/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Hay Festival * Lord Rees on \"Humanity's defining moment\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs he, himself, tells it he \"used to be the next president of the United States\".  Many of us wince because there is truth in that. Al Gore looks good, and sounds good.  He stands head shoulders above the current incumbent of the White House who has made America a mean-spirited nation, and who is despised by people in most of the countries in the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Guardian, a venerable British newspaper, organizes the annual Hay festival.  \"Hay is a tiny market town in the Brecon Beacons National Park, It has 1500 people and 41 bookshops. The Festival is a spectacular holiday party for friends to gather and indulge their tastes for the finest books, food, drink, comedy, music, art, argument and literature.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis year the festival began on May 26th and will end June 4th.  Mr. Gore appeared there on May 30th and spoke about global warming and climate change.  Later, in an interview with Jonathan Burkman and Jonathan Freedland of \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1786443,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, he made one of his sharpest attacks on the Bush presidency, describing it  as \"a renegade band of rightwing extremists\".  We have seen the emperor without his clothes;  \"rightwing extremist\" is an understatement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAl Gore's candidacy in 2008  is  uncertain.  At this point we don't know if he would throw his hat in the ring ?  But the more one listens to the new Al Gore the more attractive he appears to be.   He can provide the balance between the  Democrats who seem too willing to shift to the right, become  Republican Light, and the  firebrands.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/hay2006/story/0,,1785176,00.html\"\u003eLord Rees\u003c/a\u003e, head of the Royal Society of Britain, was another distinguished guest who spoke at Hay.  \"Humanity has reached a \"defining moment\" in our dominion over the planet and our ability to destroy it, according to the head of the Royal Society, Britain's premier scientific institution. \"The 21st century is the first in the Earth's history where one species has our planet's future in its hands and could jeopardise life's immense potential,\" Lord Rees told an audience at the Hay festival yesterday.\"   \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe eminent physicist, who is Astronomer Royal, said scientific advances had made it much easier for individuals to commit devastating acts of terror on a much greater scale than 9/11, using for example biological weapons.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"In a global village there will be global village idiots. And with this power, just one could be too many,\" he said. These might not be fundamentalists, but those with the mentality of a computer virus designer or arsonist, he added. \"Even a single person will have the capacity to cause massive disruption through error or through terror. We are kidding ourselves if we think that technical education leads to balanced rationality.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The new Al Gore - The man who was \"elected\" by the people in 2000"},{"content":" It was a pleasure to read in Eugene Robinson's column Chicks \u0026amp; Balances that the Dixie Chicks' new album is No.1 on the Billboard's chart. Great. Their courageous anti-war statement in March 2003 drew a lot of criticism and the jingoism that prevailed at that time resulted in the Dixie Chicks being put on the black list of many country music stations. \"Taking the Long Way,\" the Chicks' new album, opened at No. 1 on the Billboard charts last week, with 525,829 copies sold. That would be remarkable under any circumstances -- the Chicks, by some measures, have become the most successful female group in history -- but it's downright astounding given that many country stations are refusing to play the album's first single, \"Not Ready to Make Nice.\"In fact, a lot of country stations have refused to play any of the Dixie Chicks' songs since March 10, 2003. By then it was clear that nothing would deter George W. Bush from launching his elective war in Iraq, and the Chicks were giving a concert in London, where popular opinion generally saw the impending invasion as pure madness. Maines committed the crime of speaking her mind. \"Just so you know,\" the golden-haired, golden-voiced Texan told the audience, \"we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.\"The Dixie Chicks were right. Today they have many more on their side than they had in 2003. It is a vindication not only for them but for all of us who were against the unjustified war. * Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-06-02 Nicely said. The \"I told you so\" element even seems to have added some fire to their music.\nThere's actually lots of great anti-war music out there. One of my personal favorites is Josh Ritter's song called \"Girl in the War\". http://www.joshritter.com/album_animal.shtml\nCheck it out! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/dixie-chicks---you-go-girls/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was a pleasure to  read in Eugene Robinson's column \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/01/AR2006060101536.html\"\u003eChicks \u0026amp; Balances\u003c/a\u003e  that the Dixie Chicks'  new album is No.1 on the Billboard's chart. Great.  Their courageous anti-war statement in March 2003 drew a lot of criticism and the jingoism that prevailed at that time resulted in the Dixie Chicks being put on the black list of many country music stations.  \"Taking the Long Way,\" the Chicks' new album, opened at No. 1 on the Billboard charts last week, with 525,829 copies sold. That would be remarkable under any circumstances -- the Chicks, by some measures, have become the most successful female group in history -- but it's downright astounding given that many country stations are refusing to play the album's first single, \"Not Ready to Make Nice.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn fact, a lot of country stations have refused to play any of the Dixie Chicks' songs since March 10, 2003. By then it was clear that nothing would deter George W. Bush from launching his elective war in Iraq, and the Chicks were giving a concert in London, where popular opinion generally saw the impending invasion as pure madness. Maines committed the crime of speaking her mind. \"Just so you know,\" the golden-haired, golden-voiced Texan told the audience, \"we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Dixie Chicks were right.  Today they have many more on their side than they had in 2003. It is a vindication not only for them but for all of us who were against the unjustified war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-02\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNicely said. The \"I told you so\" element even seems to have added some fire to their music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere's actually lots of great anti-war music out there. One of my personal favorites is Josh Ritter's song called \"Girl in the War\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehttp://www.joshritter.com/album_animal.shtml\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCheck it out!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Dixie Chicks - You go Girls"},{"content":" From the same wonderful folks who gave us moral values. A sickening example of hypocrisy. It is the leaders who sent them there, not the soldiers out in combat zone who need to learn about core values. \"The U.S. military investigation of how Marine commanders handled the reporting of events last November in the Iraqi town of Haditha, where troops allegedly killed 24 Iraqi civilians, will conclude that some officers gave false information to their superiors, who then failed to adequately scrutinize reports that should have caught their attention, an Army official said yesterday.\" \"False information\", duh ! Weren't we all fed a pack of lies to take us to war ?Even before the final report is delivered, Army Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, today ordered that all U.S. and allied troops in Iraq undergo new \"core values\" training in how to operate professionally and humanely. Not only will leaders discuss how to treat civilians under the rules of engagement, but small units also will be ordered to go through training scenarios to gauge their understanding of those rules.William Arkin's post \"Haditha Can't Be Blamed for a Lost War\" hits the nail on the head.\"In Baghdad, the U.S. military has announced that it will interrupt the killing to conduct across-the-board \"core values\" training. This is a hapless and hollow gesture.Haditha either represents an exceptional incident perpetrated by the rage of a platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines and as such does not necessitate a sensitivity class for the American military at large or it represents a hidden side of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where civilian deaths are all too common and accountability on a day-to-day basis doesn't exist. *David Broder's op-ed piece The Seer and the Scandals covers the very unexpected developments in the second term of G.W. Bush. In less than a year a series of set backs, both domestic and in Iraq, brought the mighty, invincible (or so it seemed) Bush juggernaut to a screeching halt. \"Even as Bush and his most loyal international partner, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, met to celebrate the (partial) formation of a permanent government in Iraq, a wave of violence swept across Baghdad, taking the lives of two members of a CBS News television crew, among others. And details began leaking out about an alleged massacre last November of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines who were said to be retaliating for the death of one of their buddies in one of the countless roadside bombings.\"This second-term swamp is a far cry from what most of the Washington Monthly experts predicted -- and from what I would have guessed had I indulged in a crystal-ball exercise. Grover Norquist, the conservative activist, said Bush and the Republicans would send the Democrats into permanent political exile. Paul Begala, a Democratic political consultant, said Bush would exact vengeance on his political enemies. Several people predicted that he would usher in a new era of good feelings, tackling global warming and avoiding divisive social issues. Wrong, wrong, wrong. * Great but it remains to be seen what the Democrats can do with the opportunity that now exists to regain power. There are days when I don't feel too optimistic about their success. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/06/now-it-is-core-values-training-for-soldiers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the same wonderful folks who gave us moral values.  A sickening example of hypocrisy.  It is  the leaders who sent them there, not the soldiers out in combat zone who need to learn about core values.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/01/AR2006060100343.html\"\u003eThe U.S. military investigation\u003c/a\u003e of how Marine commanders handled the reporting of events last November in the Iraqi town of Haditha, where troops allegedly killed 24 Iraqi civilians, will conclude that some officers gave false information to their superiors, who then failed to adequately scrutinize reports that should have caught their attention, an Army official said yesterday.\"  \"False information\", duh !  Weren't we all fed a pack of lies to take us to war ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eEven before the final report is delivered, Army Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, today ordered that all U.S. and allied troops in Iraq undergo new \"core values\" training in how to operate professionally and humanely. Not only will leaders discuss how to treat civilians under the rules of engagement, but small units also will be ordered to go through training scenarios to gauge their understanding of those rules.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eWilliam Arkin's post \"\u003ca href=\"http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/\"\u003eHaditha Can't Be Blamed for a Lost War\u003c/a\u003e\" hits the nail on the head.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"In Baghdad, the U.S. military has announced that it will interrupt the killing to conduct across-the-board \"core values\" training.  This is a hapless and hollow gesture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHaditha either represents an exceptional incident perpetrated by the rage of a platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines and as such does not necessitate a sensitivity class for the American military at large or it represents a hidden side of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where civilian deaths are all too common and accountability on a day-to-day basis doesn't exist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDavid Broder's op-ed piece \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/31/AR2006053102040.html\"\u003eThe Seer and the Scandals\u003c/a\u003e covers the very unexpected developments in the second term of G.W. Bush. In less than a year a series of set backs, both domestic and in Iraq, brought the mighty, invincible (or so it seemed) Bush juggernaut to a screeching halt.  \"Even as Bush and his most loyal international partner, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, met to celebrate the (partial) formation of a permanent government in Iraq, a wave of violence swept across Baghdad, taking the lives of two members of a CBS News television crew, among others. And details began leaking out about an alleged massacre last November of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines who were said to be retaliating for the death of one of their buddies in one of the countless roadside bombings.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis second-term swamp is a far cry from what most of the Washington Monthly experts predicted -- and from what I would have guessed had I indulged in a crystal-ball exercise. Grover Norquist, the conservative activist, said Bush and the Republicans would send the Democrats into permanent political exile. Paul Begala, a Democratic political consultant, said Bush would exact vengeance on his political enemies. Several people predicted that he would usher in a new era of good feelings, tackling global warming and avoiding divisive social issues. Wrong, wrong, wrong.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGreat but it remains to be seen what the Democrats can do with the opportunity that now exists to regain power.   There are days when I don't feel too optimistic about their success.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Now it is  \"Core Values\" training for Soldiers"},{"content":" Initial reports about the massacre of civilians in Haditha were disturbing. There was a sense that something horrible took place there on November 19, 2005. Now it has been officially confirmed that some members of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, went on a rampage and shot 24 Iraqi civilians, including women and children. Yes, the perpetrators must answer for what they did but trial and punishment of the offenders will not erase the shameful episode, and they will not heal the sorrow and anger of the Iraqis. Congressman John Murtha (D-Pa), who was among those who demanded a release of report of the enquiry, had mentioned attempts to coverup. Coverup at this point is no longer an issue. An editorial in the Post calls for full accountability.TIME Magazine has the most detailed report,datelined May 28th, about the massacre. \"But one morning last November, some members of Kilo Company apparently didn't attempt to distinguish between enemies and innocents. Instead, they seem to have gone on the worst rampage by U.S. service members in the Iraq war, killing as many as 24 civilians in cold blood. The details of what happened in Haditha were first disclosed in March by TIME's Tim McGirk and Aparisim Ghosh, and their reporting prompted the military to launch an inquiry into the civilian deaths. The darkest suspicions about the killings were confirmed last week, when members of Congress who were briefed on the two ongoing military investigations disclosed that at least some members of a Marine unit may soon be charged in connection with the deaths of the Iraqis--and that the charges may include murder, which carries the death penalty. \"This was a small number of Marines who fired directly on civilians and killed them,\" said Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican and former Marine who was briefed two weeks ago by Marine Corps officials. \"This is going to be an ugly story.\" Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-06-01 Thank you for your comments.\nI disagree. All marines are not \"evil\". Congressman John Murtha who played a leading role in demanding full investigation and report of the massacre in Haditha, was himself a decorated war veteran---a marine---although he didn't serve in Iraq. I think the leaders (including Tony Blair) who began the war against Iraq are in a way worse than the marines involved in the killings in Haditha. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-06-05 The marines shouldn't \"get away with it\". Yes, what they did was akin to an act of terrorism. But they are part of a bigger picture. A few marines being punished will not address the totally unjustified war and the ones who were responsible for sending them there. One has to assume that there were other, unreported instances when civilians were killed under questionable circumstances. One hopes that the harsh glare under which the U.S. Army has been placed in Iraq would prevent further atrocities. I wouldn't bet on it. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/haditha-iraq---the-truth-it-is-ugly/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInitial reports about  the massacre of civilians  in Haditha  were  disturbing.  There was a sense that something horrible took place  there on November 19, 2005.  Now it has been officially confirmed that some members of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, went on a rampage and shot 24 Iraqi civilians, including women and children.  Yes, the perpetrators must  answer for what they did but trial and punishment of the offenders will not erase the shameful episode, and they will not heal the sorrow and anger of the Iraqis.  Congressman John Murtha (D-Pa), who was among those who demanded a release of report of the enquiry,  had mentioned attempts to coverup.  Coverup at this point is no longer an issue.  An editorial in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/30/AR2006053001308.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e calls for full accountability.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1198892,00.html\"\u003eTIME Magazine\u003c/a\u003e has the most detailed report,datelined May 28th, about the massacre. \"But one morning last November, some members of Kilo Company apparently didn't attempt to distinguish between enemies and innocents. Instead, they seem to have gone on the worst rampage by U.S. service members in the Iraq war, killing as many as 24 civilians in cold blood. The details of what happened in Haditha were first disclosed in March by TIME's Tim McGirk and Aparisim Ghosh, and their reporting prompted the military to launch an inquiry into the civilian deaths. The darkest suspicions about the killings were confirmed last week, when members of Congress who were briefed on the two ongoing military investigations disclosed that at least some members of a Marine unit may soon be charged in connection with the deaths of the Iraqis--and that the charges may include murder, which carries the death penalty. \"This was a small number of Marines who fired directly on civilians and killed them,\" said Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican and former Marine who was briefed two weeks ago by Marine Corps officials. \"This is going to be an ugly story.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for your comments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI disagree.  All marines are not  \"evil\".  Congressman John Murtha who played a leading role in demanding full investigation and report of the massacre in Haditha, was himself a decorated war veteran---a marine---although he didn't serve in Iraq. I think the leaders (including Tony Blair) who began the war against Iraq are in a way worse than the marines involved in the killings in Haditha.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-06-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe marines shouldn't \"get away with it\".  Yes, what they did was akin to an act of terrorism.  But they are part of a bigger picture.  A few marines being punished will not address the totally unjustified war and the ones who were responsible for sending them there. One has to assume that there were other, unreported  instances when civilians were killed under questionable circumstances.   One hopes that the harsh glare under which the U.S. Army has been placed in Iraq would prevent further atrocities. I wouldn't bet on it.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Haditha, Iraq - The Truth, It is Ugly"},{"content":" Two More British Soldiers died in IraqDeath toll for British soldiers reached 113 in the war against Iraq started by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair. \"Lieutenant Tom Mildinhall, 26, and Lance Corporal Paul Farrelly, 27, from the Queen's Dragoon Guards, (Welsh Cavalry) died on patrol in Basra on Sunday.\"It is ironic that Britain's Tony Blair is described by some as Bush's poodle. An eloquent speaker and intellectually far above the American president, Blair decided to throw in his lot with George W. Bush. And, like President Bush, Tony Blair is paying a price for his role in the misadventure. Interesting to think about how history will judge them. A report in the Post stated that Tony Blair substantially revised a speech he gave on May 26th to appease his friend (master?) G.W. Bush. \"LONDON, May 29 -- Prime Minister Tony Blair caved in to White House pressure by sharpening language on Iran and softening it on global warming in a speech he delivered Friday at Georgetown University, according to a British press report Sunday that Blair's office immediately denied.\"According to the Sunday Telegraph, Blair made \"significant\" last-minute changes to his major foreign policy address and \"objections by President George W. Bush's inner circle played a key role in the alterations.\" An official at Blair's 10 Downing Street office, speaking on condition of anonymity as is standard practice here, said it was \"categorically untrue that any White House objective played any part\" in the speech.Blair is frequently criticized in Britain for his close relationship with Bush, who is extremely unpopular among Britons. The prime minister is particularly faulted for his alliance with Bush in the Iraq war. Critics have complained that Blair seems too eager to please Bush in what many here view as a lopsided relationship that has benefited Bush far more than Britain. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/tony-blair-follows-his-masters-voice/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo More British Soldiers died in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDeath toll for British soldiers reached 113 in the war against Iraq started by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair. \"\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5029806.stm\"\u003eLieutenant Tom Mildinhall\u003c/a\u003e, 26, and \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5029806.stm\"\u003eLance Corporal Paul Farrelly\u003c/a\u003e, 27, from the Queen's Dragoon Guards, (Welsh Cavalry) died on patrol in Basra on Sunday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is ironic that Britain's Tony Blair is described by some as Bush's poodle.  An eloquent speaker and intellectually far above the American president, Blair decided to throw in his lot with George W. Bush.  And, like President Bush, Tony Blair is paying a price for his role in the misadventure. Interesting to think about how history will judge them. A report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/28/AR2006052800528.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e stated that Tony Blair substantially revised a speech he gave on May 26th to appease his friend (master?) G.W. Bush.  \"LONDON, May 29 -- Prime Minister Tony Blair caved in to White House pressure by sharpening language on Iran and softening it on global warming in a speech he delivered Friday at Georgetown University, according to a British press report Sunday that Blair's office immediately denied.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAccording to the Sunday Telegraph, Blair made \"significant\" last-minute changes to his major foreign policy address and \"objections by President George W. Bush's inner circle played a key role in the alterations.\" An official at Blair's 10 Downing Street office, speaking on condition of anonymity as is standard practice here, said it was \"categorically untrue that any White House objective played any part\" in the speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBlair is frequently criticized in Britain for his close relationship with Bush, who is extremely unpopular among Britons. The prime minister is particularly faulted for his alliance with Bush in the Iraq war. Critics have complained that Blair seems too eager to please Bush in what many here view as a lopsided relationship that has benefited Bush far more than Britain.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Tony Blair follows his Master's Voice"},{"content":" The Cost in Human Terms - Bare FactsAmerican SoldiersDead in May : 60Total since the war began March 20, 2003: 2,464Injured: 8,344Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties Robbie Glen Light, 21, Army Corporal, May 01, 2006 Robert L. Moscillo, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 01, 2006 Christopher M. Eckhardt, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2006 Benjamin T. Zieske, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2006 Joseph E. Proctor, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 03, 2006 Brian S. Letendre, 27, Marine Reserve Captain, May 03, 2006 Bryan L. Quinton, 24, Army Specialist, May 04, 2006 Gavin B. Reinke, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, May 04, 2006 Stephen R. Bixler, 20, Marine Corporal, May 04, 2006 Elisha R. Parker, 21, Marine Sergeant, May 04, 2006 Alva L. Gaylord, 25, Army Private, May 05, 2006 Carlos N. Saenz, 46, Army Sergeant, May 05, 2006 Teodoro Torres, 29, Army 1st Sergeant, May 05, 2006 Nathan J. Vacho, 29, Army Sergeant, May 05, 2006 Dale James Kelly Jr., 48, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2006 David Michael Veverka, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2006 Leon Deraps, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, May 06, 2006 Matthew J. Fenton, 24, Marine Sergeant, May 06, 2006 Cory L. Palmer, 21, Marine Corporal, May 06, 2006 Emmanuel L. Legaspi, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, May 07, 2006 Gregory A. Wagner, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, May 08, 2006 Aaron P. Latimer, 26, Army Specialist, May 09, 2006 Alessandro Carbonaro, 28, Marine Sergeant, May 10, 2006 Armer N. Burkart, 26, Army Specialist, May 11, 2006 Eric D. Clark, 22, Army Specialist, May 11, 2006 Stephen P. Snowberger III, 18, Army Private, May 11, 2006 Jason K. Burnett, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 11, 2006 David J. GramesSanchez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 11, 2006 Michael L. Licalzi, 24, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, May 11, 2006 Steve Vahaviolos, 21, Marine Corporal, May 11, 2006 Brandon L. Teeters, 21, Army Specialist, May 12, 2006 Adam C. Conboy, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 12, 2006 Ron Gebur, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, May 13, 2006 Richard Z. James, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 13, 2006 John W. Engeman, 45, Army Chief Warrant Officer 4, May 14, 2006 Jamie D. Weeks, 47, Army Chief Warrant Officer 5, May 14, 2006 Robert H. West, 37, Army Master Sergeant, May 14, 2006 Matthew W. Worrel, 34, Army Major, May 14, 2006 Shane Mahaffee, 36, Army Reserve Captain, May 14, 2006 Jose S. Marin Dominguez Jr., 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 14, 2006 Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 14, 2006 Grant Allen Dampier, 25, Army Private 1st Class, May 15, 2006 Marion Flint Jr., 29, Army Staff Sergeant, May 15, 2006 Santiago M. Halsel, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, May 16, 2006 Lonnie Calvin Allen Jr., 26, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2006 Nicholas Cournoyer, 25, Army Private 1st Class, May 18, 2006 Daniel E. Holland, 43, Army Lieutenant Colonel, May 18, 2006 Robert Seidel III, 23, Army Lieutenant, May 18, 2006 William B. Fulks, 23, Marine Corporal, May 18, 2006Benito A. Ramirez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 21, 2006David Christoff Jr., 25, Marine Sergeant, May 22, 2006William J. Leusink, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 22, 2006Michael L. Hermanson, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, May 23, 2006Steven Freund, 20, Marine Private, May 23, 2006Robert G. Posivio III, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 23, 2006Doug DiCenzo, 30, Army Captain, May 25, 2006Caleb Lufkin, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 25, 2006Adam Lucas, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 26, 2006 *Iraqi civiliansDead 37,813 (Min.) 42,180 (Max.)Source: Iraq Body Count *The Bush Administration went through many spins to justify the war. The current version is that we are there to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqis. *Haditha - A Coverup ?Congressman John Murtha (D, PA), a former marine, continues to speak out about the killing of civilians that took place in Haditha, Iraq.\"A powerful member of Congress alleged yesterday that there has been a conscious effort by Marine commanders to cover up the facts of a November incident in which rampaging Marines allegedly killed 24 Iraqi civilians.\"\"There has to have been a coverup of this thing,\" Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, charged in an interview on ABC's \"This Week.\" \"No question about it.\"John W. Warner (R-Va.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also raised the issue of whether the military chain of command reacted properly and legally. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-05-29 Thanks for the DailyKos post. In the past I,too, mentioned the warriors who managed to stay away from military duties. There is a deafening silence about their role. Perhaps it is a form of denial but the military families that have been affected by deaths and injuries continue to look the other way. How can they, with all that is now known about the lies and deceptions to take the nation to war ! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/memorial-day-2006---the-third-year-of-war-against-iraq/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/strong\u003eThe Cost in Human Terms - Bare Facts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmerican Soldiers\u003cbr/\u003eDead in May : 60\u003cbr/\u003eTotal since the war began  March 20, 2003:  2,464\u003cbr/\u003eInjured: 8,344\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Helmet.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robbie Glen Light,  21, Army  Corporal,   May 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. Moscillo,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Eckhardt,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin T. Zieske,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph E. Proctor,  38, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian S. Letendre,  27, Marine Reserve  Captain,   May 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan L. Quinton,  24, Army  Specialist,   May 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gavin B. Reinke,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen R. Bixler,  20, Marine  Corporal,   May 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elisha R. Parker,  21, Marine  Sergeant,   May 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alva L. Gaylord,  25, Army  Private,   May 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carlos N. Saenz,  46, Army  Sergeant,   May 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Teodoro Torres,  29, Army  1st Sergeant,   May 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan J. Vacho,  29, Army  Sergeant,   May 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dale James  Kelly Jr.,  48, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Michael Veverka,  25, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leon Deraps,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew J. Fenton,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   May 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory L. Palmer,  21, Marine  Corporal,   May 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Emmanuel L.  Legaspi,  38, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory A.  Wagner,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron P. Latimer,  26, Army  Specialist,   May 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alessandro Carbonaro,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   May 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Armer N. Burkart,  26, Army  Specialist,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric D. Clark,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen P. Snowberger III,  18, Army  Private,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason K. Burnett,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. GramesSanchez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L.  Licalzi,  24, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steve Vahaviolos,  21, Marine  Corporal,   May 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon L. Teeters,  21, Army  Specialist,   May 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e         Adam C. Conboy,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ron Gebur,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Z. James,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John W. Engeman,  45, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 4,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jamie D. Weeks,  47, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 5,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert H. West,  37, Army  Master Sergeant,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew W. Worrel,  34, Army  Major,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane Mahaffee,  36, Army Reserve  Captain,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose S. Marin  Dominguez Jr.,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Grant Allen Dampier,  25, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marion  Flint Jr.,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Santiago M. Halsel,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lonnie Calvin  Allen Jr.,  26, Army  Sergeant,   May 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas Cournoyer,  25, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel E. Holland,  43, Army  Lieutenant Colonel,   May 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Seidel III,  23, Army  Lieutenant,   May 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                         William B. Fulks,  23, Marine  Corporal,   May 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBenito A. Ramirez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Christoff Jr., 25, Marine Sergeant, May 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam J. Leusink, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael L. Hermanson, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, May 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSteven Freund, 20, Marine Private, May 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobert G. Posivio III, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDoug DiCenzo, 30, Army Captain, May 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCaleb Lufkin, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAdam Lucas,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 26, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraqi civilians\u003cbr/\u003eDead 37,813 (Min.) 42,180 (Max.)\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Bush Administration went through many spins to justify the war.  The current version is that we are there to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqis.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHaditha - A Coverup ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCongressman John Murtha (D, PA), a former marine,  continues to speak out about the killing of civilians that took place in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/28/AR2006052801011.html\"\u003eHaditha, Iraq\u003c/a\u003e.\"A powerful member of Congress alleged yesterday that there has been a conscious effort by Marine commanders to cover up the facts of a November incident in which rampaging Marines allegedly killed 24 Iraqi civilians.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"There has to have been a coverup of this thing,\" Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, charged in an interview on ABC's \"This Week.\" \"No question about it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eJohn W. Warner (R-Va.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also raised the issue of whether the military chain of command reacted properly and legally.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for the DailyKos post.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the past I,too, mentioned the warriors who  managed to stay away from military duties. There is a deafening silence about their role. Perhaps it is a form of denial but the military families that have been affected by deaths and injuries continue to look the other way.  How can they, with all that is now known about the lies and deceptions to take the nation to war !\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Memorial Day 2006 - The Third Year of War Against Iraq"},{"content":" Fear is the Key - How to turn the miserable poll ratings * The Wild Parrots of Telegraph HillThe desperation shows. Earlier in the year, the president tried a series of speeches to justify his war and they fell with a thud. So he tried a new tack, compared the elusive Islamic terrorists with the evil Communists of Cold War era. Would he get a rise out of it ? \"WEST POINT, N.Y., May 27 -- President Bush, likening the war against Islamic radicals to the Cold War threat of communism, told U.S. Military Academy graduates on Saturday that America's safety depends on an aggressive push for democracy, especially in the Middle East.\"The Wild Parrots of Telegraph HillIt was Herb Caen, late columnist of the San Francisco Chronicle, who described his beloved City as Baghdad By the Bay. Yesterday, a few of us drove to San Francisco to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was a beautiful spring day. The bay sparklingly blue; the Golden Gate Bridge clearly visible. We watched massive container ships heading for the Port of Oakland and hundreds of pleasure boats that dotted the bay. We had brunch at Green's, Fort Mason Center, and then walked to Coit Tower (built in 1933) on Telegraph Hill. After looking at the murals about old California, we walked down to Filbert and saw the famous parrots. It was my first time and I was impressed.© claudesplace.com©reelingreviews.comJudy Irving made a great film, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003), and it is available on video. Recommend the article by Robin Clifford and Judy Clifford about the making of the film. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/bush-resurrects-ghost-of-cold-war-a-walk-in-baghdad-by-the-bay/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eFear is the Key - How to turn the miserable poll ratings *  The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe desperation shows.  Earlier in the year, the president tried a series  of speeches to justify his war and they fell with a thud. So he tried a new tack, compared the elusive Islamic terrorists with the evil Communists of Cold War era.  Would he get a rise out of it ?    \"WEST POINT, N.Y., May 27 -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/27/AR2006052700255.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e, likening the war against Islamic radicals to the Cold War threat of communism, told U.S. Military Academy graduates on Saturday that America's safety depends on an aggressive push for democracy, especially in the Middle East.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Caen\"\u003eHerb Caen\u003c/a\u003e, late columnist of the San Francisco Chronicle, who described his beloved City as Baghdad By the Bay.  Yesterday, a few of us drove to San Francisco to celebrate a friend's birthday.  It was a beautiful spring day.  The bay sparklingly blue; the Golden Gate Bridge clearly visible.  We watched massive container ships heading for the Port of Oakland and hundreds of pleasure boats that dotted the bay. We had brunch at Green's, Fort Mason Center, and then walked to Coit Tower (built in 1933)  on Telegraph Hill. After looking at the murals about old California, we walked down to Filbert and saw the famous parrots.  It was my first time and I was impressed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Parrots claudesspace.jpg\"/\u003e© claudesplace.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/reelingreviews.jpg\"/\u003e©reelingreviews.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJudy Irving made a great film, \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424565/\"\u003eThe Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill\u003c/a\u003e (2003), and it is available on video.  Recommend the \u003ca href=\"http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.reelingreviews.com/thewildparrotsoftelegraphhillpic.jpg\u0026amp;imgrefurl=http://www.reelingreviews.com/thewildparrotsoftelegraphhill.htm\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;h=381\u0026amp;w=560\u0026amp;sz=31\u0026amp;tbnid=foYi_6pABDfxDM:\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;tbnh=89\u0026amp;tbnw=131\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;start=20\u0026amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwild%2Bparrots%2B%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG\"\u003earticle \u003c/a\u003eby Robin Clifford and Judy Clifford about the making of the film.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush Resurrects Ghost of Cold War  *  A Walk in Baghdad by the Bay"},{"content":" Haditha, Iraq, November 19, 2005 It was not the only incident in which unarmed, innocent civilians were killed but it could not be covered up because of the scale of the massacre and witnesses who came forward. Although findings of the investigation have not been not yet been released by the Pentagon, reports leave no doubt that deliberate killing of Iraqi civilians did take place in Haditha. The action of a few marines will leave a blot on the corps. Ellen Knickmeyer in the Post: \"BAGHDAD, May 26 -- Witnesses to the slaying of 24 Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines in the western town of Haditha say the Americans shot men, women and children at close range in retaliation for the death of a Marine lance corporal in a roadside bombing.\"Aws Fahmi, a Haditha resident who said he watched and listened from his home as Marines went from house to house killing members of three families, recalled hearing his neighbor across the street, Younis Salim Khafif, plead in English for his life and the lives of his family members. \"I heard Younis speaking to the Americans, saying: 'I am a friend. I am good,' \" Fahmi said. \"But they killed him, and his wife and daughters.\"The 24 Iraqi civilians killed on Nov. 19 included children and the women who were trying to shield them, witnesses told a Washington Post special correspondent in Haditha this week and U.S. investigators said in Washington. The girls killed inside Khafif's house were ages 14, 10, 5, 3 and 1, according to death certificates. * \"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" ---John Donne, Meditation XVII, No man is an island. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/haditha---a-few-marines-and-slaughter-of-civilians/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHaditha, Iraq, November 19, 2005 \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was not the only incident in which unarmed, innocent civilians were killed but it could not be covered up because of the scale of the massacre and witnesses who came forward. Although findings of the investigation have not been not yet been released by the Pentagon,   reports leave no doubt that deliberate killing of Iraqi civilians did take place in Haditha.  The action of a few marines will leave a blot on the corps.   Ellen Knickmeyer in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/26/AR2006052602069.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"BAGHDAD, May 26 -- Witnesses to the slaying of 24 Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines in the western town of Haditha say the Americans shot men, women and children at close range in retaliation for the death of a Marine lance corporal in a roadside bombing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAws Fahmi, a Haditha resident who said he watched and listened from his home as Marines went from house to house killing members of three families, recalled hearing his neighbor across the street, Younis Salim Khafif, plead in English for his life and the lives of his family members. \"I heard Younis speaking to the Americans, saying: 'I am a friend. I am good,' \" Fahmi said. \"But they killed him, and his wife and daughters.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe 24 Iraqi civilians killed on Nov. 19 included children and the women who were trying to shield them, witnesses told a Washington Post special correspondent in Haditha this week and U.S. investigators said in Washington. The girls killed inside Khafif's house were ages 14, 10, 5, 3 and 1, according to death certificates.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text\"\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" \u003cbr/\u003e---John Donne, Meditation XVII, No man is an island.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Haditha - A Few Marines and Slaughter of Civilians"},{"content":" Lay, Skillings, Ebbers, Kozlowski, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan et al. Another trial of corporate fraudsters ended with guilty verdicts. Except for the families of Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skillings no one will shed tears for them.There are more, many more. John Schoen's article in MSNBC sums it up well. \"“The imbalance between the incentive to cheat and the cost for cheating were so great that you got away with scandals,” he said. “That balance is closer (today), but it doesn’t mean we'’re going to eliminate scandal.” In one mushrooming current scandal, federal authorities are investigating stock options granted to top executives at several companies to determine whether those options were backdated to increase the value of those options.\"Worldwide, losses from fraud rose 50 percent from 2003, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers.“Globally, the trend is toward an increase in economic crime, not a decrease,” the firm found in its 2005 Global Economic Crime Study.The report found that, since 2003, the number of companies reporting cases of corruption and bribery rose 71 percent; those reporting cases of money laundering were up 133 percent and reports of financial misrepresentation were up 140 percent.A few other big names who were found guilty of corporate fraud.Bernard Ebbers, Worldcom Corp.Dennis Kozlowski, Tyco International Sanjay Kumar, Computer AssociatesGiants of banking and brokerage industries penalized for helping Enron to manipulate earnings:CitigroupCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, JPMorgan Chase \u0026amp; Co.Settlement negotiations continuing with:Merrill Lynch \u0026amp; Co. Inc.Barclays P.L.C.Toronto-Dominion BankRoyal Bank of CanadaDeutsche Bank AGRoyal Bank of Scotland Group P.L.C. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/gallery-of-rogues/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eLay, Skillings, Ebbers, Kozlowski, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan et al. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother trial of corporate fraudsters ended with \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052500374.html\"\u003eguilty verdicts\u003c/a\u003e.  Except for the families of Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skillings no one will shed tears for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are more, many more.  John Schoen's article in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12762573/\"\u003eMSNBC\u003c/a\u003e sums it up well.  \"“The imbalance between the incentive to cheat and the cost for cheating were so great that you got away with scandals,” he said. “That balance is closer (today), but it doesn’t mean we'’re going to eliminate scandal.”  In one mushrooming current scandal, federal authorities are investigating stock options granted to top executives at several companies to determine whether those options were backdated to increase the value of those options.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eWorldwide, losses from fraud rose 50 percent from 2003, according to a report from  PricewaterhouseCoopers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e“Globally, the trend is toward an increase in economic crime, not a decrease,” the firm found in its 2005 Global Economic Crime Study.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe report found that, since 2003, the number of companies reporting cases of corruption and bribery rose 71 percent; those reporting cases of money laundering were up 133 percent and reports of financial misrepresentation were up 140 percent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eA few other big names who were found guilty of corporate fraud.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBernard Ebbers, Worldcom Corp.\u003cbr/\u003eDennis Kozlowski, Tyco International \u003cbr/\u003eSanjay Kumar, Computer Associates\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGiants of \u003ca href=\"http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/14660208.htm?source=rss\u0026amp;channel=inquirer_business\"\u003ebanking and brokerage industries\u003c/a\u003e penalized for helping Enron to manipulate  earnings:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCitigroup\u003cbr/\u003eCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, \u003cbr/\u003eJPMorgan Chase \u0026amp; Co.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSettlement negotiations continuing with:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMerrill Lynch \u0026amp; Co. Inc.\u003cbr/\u003eBarclays P.L.C.\u003cbr/\u003eToronto-Dominion Bank\u003cbr/\u003eRoyal Bank of Canada\u003cbr/\u003eDeutsche Bank AG\u003cbr/\u003eRoyal Bank of Scotland Group P.L.C.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Gallery of Rogues"},{"content":" \"The Elephant in the Room\" It came as no suprise that Hillary Clinton gave an almost hour-long speech about energy policy at the National Press Club on May 25th and did so with impressive command of the subject. David Broder's column in The Washington Post covered her speech and more. He brought up the the state of relationship that exists between Bill and Hillary Clinton. \"The two sides of Hillary Rodham Clinton -- the opposites that make her potential presidential candidacy such a gamble -- came into sharp focus Tuesday morning at the National Press Club. For the better part of an hour, the senator from New York held forth in a disquisition on energy policy that was as overwhelming in its detail as it was ambitious in its reach. \" Broder concluded his column with \".........the elephant in the room went unmentioned.\"But the buzz in the room was not about her speech -- or her striking appearance in a lemon-yellow pantsuit -- but about the lengthy analysis of the state of her marriage to Bill Clinton that was on the front page of that morning's New York Times.The article, by Patrick Healy, was anything but unsympathetic. It touched only lightly on the former president's friendship with Canadian politician Belinda Stronach. It documented that despite their busy separate schedules, the Clintons had managed to spend two-thirds of their weekends together during the past 18 months.As contenders for the presidential race in 2008 are making themselves known, Hillary Clinton is at the head of the pack among the Democrats. Politics is all about cutting deals, compromising. The question is how far right Mrs Clinton would go to make her candidacy viable. There are issues other than energy policy that matter to rank and file Democrats. The current trend is ominous. There is a rush among Democratic leadership to adopt distatsteful Republicans policies to court voters. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25 It's certainly unfortunate that potential candidates have to reach out and appear more to the right than their base. Howevever, it is inevitable and wise under the circumstances and certainly goes a long way towards declawing the right and preventing the type of attach which might render any Presidential campaign completely ineffective. Swift boat anyone? Pragmatism may not be pretty but it is necessary. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25 type of \"attack\" rather...\nHere's to Hillary '08 after forty three men it's about time. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25 I have nothing against a woman president. It is not only time for a woman to occupy the White House, it would probably do the nation good. But man or woman, I have fear about how far the candidate would bend to win. Yes, one has to be pragmatic but where does pragmatism end and cynical catering to interest groups begin. Senator McCain is another one with the \"fire in the belly\", ready to dance to any music to win the Republican nomination for 2008.\nWhen such people win they just cannot walk away from supporters who made it possible. Remember the title of the book by Molly Ivins--- \"You've got to dance with them what brung you\". ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/on-the-road-to-2008---the-hillary-and-bill-show/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Elephant in the Room\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt came as no suprise that Hillary Clinton gave an almost hour-long speech about energy policy at the National Press Club on May 25th and did so with impressive command of the subject.  David Broder's column in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/24/AR2006052402436.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e covered her speech and more.  He brought up the the state of relationship that exists between Bill and Hillary Clinton.  \"The two sides of Hillary Rodham Clinton -- the opposites that make her potential presidential candidacy such a gamble -- came into sharp focus Tuesday morning at the National Press Club. For the better part of an hour, the senator from New York held forth in a disquisition on energy policy that was as overwhelming in its detail as it was ambitious in its reach. \"  Broder concluded his column with \".........the elephant in the room went unmentioned.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut the buzz in the room was not about her speech -- or her striking appearance in a lemon-yellow pantsuit -- but about the lengthy analysis of the state of her marriage to Bill Clinton that was on the front page of that morning's New York Times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe article, by Patrick Healy, was anything but unsympathetic. It touched only lightly on the former president's friendship with Canadian politician Belinda Stronach. It documented that despite their busy separate schedules, the Clintons had managed to spend two-thirds of their weekends together during the past 18 months.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs contenders for the presidential race in 2008 are making themselves known, Hillary Clinton is at the head of the pack among the Democrats.   Politics is all about cutting deals, compromising.  The question is how far right Mrs Clinton would go to make her candidacy viable.  There are issues other than energy policy that matter to rank and file Democrats.  The current trend is ominous.  There is a rush among Democratic leadership to adopt distatsteful Republicans policies to court voters.   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIt's certainly unfortunate that potential candidates have to reach out and appear more to the right than their base. Howevever, it is inevitable and wise under the circumstances and certainly goes a long way towards declawing the right and preventing the type of attach which might render any Presidential campaign completely ineffective. Swift boat anyone? Pragmatism may not be pretty but it is necessary.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003etype of \"attack\" rather...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere's to Hillary '08 after forty three men it's about time.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI have nothing against a woman president. It is not only time for a woman to occupy the White House, it would probably do the nation good.  But man or woman, I have fear about how far the candidate would bend to win.  Yes, one has to be pragmatic but where does pragmatism end and cynical catering to interest groups begin.  Senator McCain is another one with the \"fire in the belly\", ready to dance to any music to win the Republican nomination for 2008.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen such people win they just cannot walk away from supporters who made it possible.  Remember the title of the book by Molly Ivins--- \"You've got to dance with them what brung you\".\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008 - The Hillary and Bill Show"},{"content":" The disaster that is Iraq * In Afghanistan, More \"Collateral damage\"Paul Wolfowitz moved away to a cushy job as chief of the World Bank but most of the other architects of the failed policy about Iraq are still around. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, the president and his aides continue to try to justify taking the nation to war. They go through contortions to make their point but humility is a word they don't know the meaning of. Harold Meyerson writes in the Post: \"The sharpest irony was their stunning indifference to the need for civic order. When the Army chief of staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki, said that the occupation would require many hundreds of thousands of troops to establish and maintain the peace, he was publicly rebuked by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, the administration's foremost neocon, and quickly put out to pasture. When the first U.S. official to take charge in post-invasion-Iraq, Jay Garner, called for a massive effort to train Iraq's police and restore order, he was summarily dismissed. When looting far more widespread than anything the United States had ever known swept Iraq's cities after Hussein's fall, Don Rumsfeld shrugged and said, \"Stuff happens\" -- a two-word death sentence for the possibility of a livable Iraq.\"And now, just as middle-class Americans fled the cities in the wake of urban disorder, so middle-class Iraqis are fleeing, too -- not just the cities but the nation. In a signally important and devastating dispatch from Baghdad that ran in last Friday's New York Times, correspondent Sabrina Tavernise reports that fully 7 percent of the country's population, and an estimated quarter of the nation's middle class, has been issued passports in the past 10 months alone. Tavernise documents the sectarian savagery that is directed at the world of Iraqi professionals -- the murders in their offices, their neighborhood stores, their children's schools, their homes -- and that has already turned a number of Baghdad's once-thriving upscale neighborhoods into ghost towns.Slaughter is the order of the day, and the police are nowhere to be found. \"I have no protection from my government,\" Monkath Abdul Razzaq, a middle-class Sunni who has decided to emigrate, told Tavernise. \"Anyone can come into my house, take me, kill me, and throw me into the trash.\" * Deaths of Innocent CiviliansClaims and counterclaims about dead Afghans are not going to bring them back. Neither will demand for investigation by President Karzai going to put a stop to such incidents. \"Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to summon the head of US-led coalition forces for a \"full explanation\" of a raid officials say killed 16 civilians. \" The numbers of civilian casualties keep climbing both in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is quite clear that we don't give a damn. So what if a few civilians die in our military actions against the evil doers. Women and children among the dead....too bad. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. President Bush is carrying on a mission to bring freedom and democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan and they ought to be happy. Instead, the Iraqis and Afghans are complaining about dead civilians. Ungrateful lot. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/the-neocons---failure-has-not-made-them-humble/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe disaster that is Iraq *  In Afghanistan, More \"Collateral damage\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePaul Wolfowitz moved away to a cushy job as chief of the World Bank but most of the other architects of the failed policy about Iraq are still around.  And despite all the evidence to the contrary, the president and his aides continue to try to justify taking the nation to war.  They go through contortions to make their point but humility is a word they don't know the meaning of.  Harold Meyerson writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/23/AR2006052301527.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"The sharpest irony was their stunning indifference to the need for civic order. When the Army chief of staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki, said that the occupation would require many hundreds of thousands of troops to establish and maintain the peace, he was publicly rebuked by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, the administration's foremost neocon, and quickly put out to pasture. When the first U.S. official to take charge in post-invasion-Iraq, Jay Garner, called for a massive effort to train Iraq's police and restore order, he was summarily dismissed. When looting far more widespread than anything the United States had ever known swept Iraq's cities after Hussein's fall, Don Rumsfeld shrugged and said, \"Stuff happens\" -- a two-word death sentence for the possibility of a livable Iraq.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eAnd now, just as middle-class Americans fled the cities in the wake of urban disorder, so middle-class Iraqis are fleeing, too -- not just the cities but the nation. In a signally important and devastating dispatch from Baghdad that ran in last Friday's New York Times, correspondent Sabrina Tavernise reports that fully 7 percent of the country's population, and an estimated quarter of the nation's middle class, has been issued passports in the past 10 months alone. Tavernise documents the sectarian savagery that is directed at the world of Iraqi professionals -- the murders in their offices, their neighborhood stores, their children's schools, their homes -- and that has already turned a number of Baghdad's once-thriving upscale neighborhoods into ghost towns.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSlaughter is the order of the day, and the police are nowhere to be found. \"I have no protection from my government,\" Monkath Abdul Razzaq, a middle-class Sunni who has decided to emigrate, told Tavernise. \"Anyone can come into my house, take me, kill me, and throw me into the trash.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeaths of Innocent Civilians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eClaims and counterclaims  about dead Afghans are not going to bring them back.  Neither will demand for investigation by President Karzai going to put a stop to such incidents.  \"\u003cb\u003eAfghan President Hamid \u003c/b\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5009364.stm\"\u003eKarzai\u003c/a\u003e \u003cb\u003e is to summon the head of US-led coalition forces for a \"full explanation\" of a raid officials say killed 16 civilians. \u003c/b\u003e\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe numbers of civilian casualties keep climbing both in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It is quite clear that we don't give a damn.  So what if a few civilians die in our military actions against the evil doers.  Women and children among the dead....too bad.  They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  President Bush is carrying on a mission to bring freedom and democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan and they ought to be happy.  Instead, the Iraqis and Afghans are complaining about dead civilians. Ungrateful lot.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Neocons - Failure has not made them humble"},{"content":" A Page out of Karl Rove's Game PlanVotes, votes, we need votes. If that requires kneeling down and speaking in tongues, so be it. A sign of the times or just old-fashioned politics of expediency ? It is becoming obvious that Democratic leaders have decided to turn right. Where then is the difference between them and the Republicans? Just when the tide against the pious hypocrites was turning the Democrats decided to drape themselves in scriptures like those who sit across the aisle. It made me sick to read The New Temptation of Democrats, Ruth Marcus' column in the Post. \"When mega-pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church opened last year in its new Houston home, the city's former professional basketball arena, a most unlikely guest was on hand for the celebration: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a minister's son who chairs the House Democrats' Faith Working Group, headed to Dallas a few months later to worship with Bishop T.D. Jakes, an African American Pentecostal minister who's been called \"the next Billy Graham.\"This month, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean -- yes, that would be the Howard Dean who dismissed Republicans last year as \"pretty much a white, Christian Party\" -- went on Pat Robertson's \"700 Club,\" asserting that Democrats \"have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community.\" Randy Brinson, founder of Redeem the Vote (think Rock the Vote meets Jesus), met last week with the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.Democrats these days are a party on a mission that might sound impossible: to persuade evangelical Christian voters to consider converting -- to the Democratic Party.So, it comes down to a cynical courtship of evangelical Christian voters. If that is the path my party is going to follow to defeat the Republicans I shall not be proud of being a Democrat. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-05-31 the values of fairness,unity, love, equal treatment of individuals, fair wages, ending hunger, having safety nets, protecting the downtrodden from the oppressor are all traditional Christian values(as well as most world religions). The Democratic Party and true Christians have shared values since i was old enough to read at least (I only go back as far as 1960.) The republican party has always stood for the opposite but was able to market themselves to \"religious\" groups esp since the onset of the Abortion debate. They further ingratiated themselves to the worse elements in churches by attacking outsiders like Homosexuals etc just as Hitler had united the religios right under his banner.The political right is as far from true Christian values as you can get. If George Bush were to sprout horns and have 666 suddenly emblazoned on his forehead many true Christians would say, \"Saw that coming a mile away\" It is certainly good that the Democratic party get back to its roots. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/evangelical-christian-democrats/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Page out of Karl Rove's Game Plan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eVotes, votes, we need votes.  If that requires kneeling down and speaking in tongues, so be it. A sign of the times or just old-fashioned politics of expediency ?  It is becoming obvious that Democratic leaders have decided to turn right.  Where then is the difference between them and the Republicans? Just when the tide against the pious hypocrites was turning the Democrats decided to drape themselves in scriptures  like those who sit across the aisle.   It made me sick to read \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/22/AR2006052201154.html\"\u003eThe New  Temptation of Democrats\u003c/a\u003e, Ruth Marcus' column in the Post.  \"When mega-pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church opened last year in its new Houston home, the city's former professional basketball arena, a most unlikely guest was on hand for the celebration: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a minister's son who chairs the House Democrats' Faith Working Group, headed to Dallas a few months later to worship with Bishop T.D. Jakes, an African American Pentecostal minister who's been called \"the next Billy Graham.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis month, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean -- yes, that would be the Howard Dean who dismissed Republicans last year as \"pretty much a white, Christian Party\" -- went on Pat Robertson's \"700 Club,\" asserting that Democrats \"have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community.\" Randy Brinson, founder of Redeem the Vote (think Rock the Vote meets Jesus), met last week with the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDemocrats these days are a party on a mission that might sound impossible: to persuade evangelical Christian voters to consider converting -- to the Democratic Party.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo, it comes down to a cynical courtship of evangelical Christian voters.  If that is the path my party is going to follow to defeat the Republicans I shall not be proud of being a Democrat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ethe values of fairness,unity, love, equal treatment of individuals, fair wages, ending hunger, having safety nets, protecting the downtrodden from the oppressor are all traditional Christian values(as well as most world religions). The Democratic Party and true Christians have shared values since i was old enough to read at least (I only go back as far as 1960.) The republican party has always stood for the opposite but was able to market themselves to \"religious\" groups esp since the onset of the Abortion debate. They further ingratiated themselves to the worse elements in churches by attacking outsiders like Homosexuals etc just as Hitler had united the religios right under his banner.The political right is as far from true Christian values as you can get. If George Bush were to sprout horns and have 666 suddenly emblazoned on his forehead many true Christians would say, \"Saw that coming a mile away\"  It is certainly good that the Democratic party get back to its roots.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Evangelical Christian Democrats !"},{"content":" Euphoria in Finland * A Mother Grieves in IraqThe Finnish hard rock group Lordi, named after the lead singer, caused a sensation at the Eurovision Song Festival in Athens, Greece. The mask-wearing heavy metal band won the top prize.©Eurovision TV - http://www.eurovision.tvAs expected, there were comments about satan worship and such weird stuff. One can discount them. Lordi and his group make music....music that is not quite my cup of tea but I am glad for the Finns and Lordi. The competition was fierce and they deserve their place in the sun. * Mothers and Sons. There are many parents here in America and in Iraq who worry about their sons in the combat zone. Some will not come home. Ellen Knickmeyer's article, An Iraqi Mother's Most Dreaded Mission, is a must read. It depicts the anxiety and the suffering of all parents. \"Searching for missing loved ones has become a common mission -- especially for Sunni families -- in Baghdad in recent months as sectarian violence has surged. Fahdriya and family members agreed to let a reporter accompany them for parts of their search. Other events were recounted in interviews.\"*Listening to: Gothic Voices, Sequences and hymns by Abbess Hildegarde of Bingen (1170)Emma Kirkby directed by Christopher PageHyperion CDA66039 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/eurovision-2006---the-finns-rocked-the-world/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eEuphoria in Finland * A Mother Grieves in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Finnish hard rock group \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5004170.stm\"\u003eLordi\u003c/a\u003e, named after the lead singer, caused a  sensation at the Eurovision Song Festival in Athens, Greece.   The mask-wearing heavy metal band won the top prize.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Lordi Euro Vision.jpg\"/\u003e©Eurovision TV - http://www.eurovision.tv\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs expected, there were comments about satan worship and such weird stuff.  One can discount them.  Lordi and his group make music....music that is not quite my cup of tea but I am glad for the Finns and Lordi.  The competition was fierce and they deserve their place in the sun.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMothers and Sons.  There are many parents here in America and in Iraq who worry about their sons in the combat zone.  Some will not come home.   Ellen Knickmeyer's article, An Iraqi \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/21/AR2006052101154.html\"\u003eMother's Most Dreaded Mission\u003c/a\u003e, is a must read.    It depicts the anxiety and the suffering of all parents. \"Searching for missing loved ones has become a common mission -- especially for Sunni families -- in Baghdad in recent months as sectarian violence has surged. Fahdriya and family members agreed to let a reporter accompany them for parts of their search. Other events were recounted in interviews.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to: Gothic Voices, Sequences and hymns by Abbess Hildegarde of Bingen (1170)\u003cbr/\u003eEmma Kirkby directed by Christopher Page\u003cbr/\u003eHyperion CDA66039\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Eurovision 2006 - The Finns Rocked the World"},{"content":" G.W. Bush and Conservatives * Saudi Arabia and \"Unbelievers\"When all is said and done what are the conservative Republicans going to do about their dissatisfaction with President Bush and his policies? The honeymoon lasted a long time but seems to be over. Richard Viguerie writes about Bush's Base Betrayal. Bush and his handlers are doing what they have always done. Principle has nothing to do with it. It is to be seen whether the Republicans will, at the end, forgive Bush and come to the aid of the party. \"Republicans were desperate to retake the White House, conservatives were desperate to get the Clinton liberals out and there was no direct heir to Reagan running for president. So most conservatives supported Bush as the strongest candidate -- some enthusiastically and some, like me, reluctantly. After the disastrous presidency of his father, our support for the son was a triumph of hope over experience.\"Once he took office, conservatives were willing to grant this Bush a honeymoon. We were happy when he proposed tax cuts (small, but tax cuts nonetheless) and when he pushed for a missile defense system. Then came the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and conservatives came to see support for the president as an act of patriotism.Conservatives tolerated the No Child Left Behind Act, an extensive intrusion into state and local education, and the budget-busting Medicare prescription drug benefit. They tolerated the greatest increase in spending since Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society. They tolerated Bush's failure to veto a single bill, and his refusal to enforce immigration laws. They even tolerated his signing of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance overhaul, even though Bush's opposition to that measure was a key reason they backed him over Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in the 2000 primaries. *The Wahabi Kingdom Tries a Makeover of Text BooksIt does not matter what the Saudis do---how backward the country is about women's rights and its treatment of those who do not practise Wahabism---it has vast reserves of oil and it enjoys a cozy relationship with the president and his father, former President George H.W. Bush. The Clinton Administration,too, did its best to remain friendly with the Saudis. Nina Shea in the Post: \"Saudi Arabia's public schools have long been cited for demonizing the West as well as Christians, Jews and other \"unbelievers.\" But after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis -- that was all supposed to change.\"A year ago, an embassy spokesman declared: \"We have reviewed our educational curriculums. We have removed materials that are inciteful or intolerant towards people of other faiths.\" The embassy is also distributing a 74-page review on curriculum reform to show that the textbooks have been moderated.The problem is: These claims are not true.A review of a sample of official Saudi textbooks for Islamic studies used during the current academic year reveals that, despite the Saudi government's statements to the contrary, an ideology of hatred toward Christians and Jews and Muslims who do not follow Wahhabi doctrine remains in this area of the public school system. The texts teach a dualistic vision, dividing the world into true believers of Islam (the \"monotheists\") and unbelievers (the \"polytheists\" and \"infidels\").This indoctrination begins in a first-grade text and is reinforced and expanded each year, culminating in a 12th-grade text instructing students that their religious obligation includes waging jihad against the infidel to \"spread the faith.\"The Saudis might mount a PR blitz to polish up their image but don't expect meaningful reform. Comments Nancy Tyrrel \u0026mdash; 2006-05-21 A very insightful blog. It's too bad November is just a congressional election, George can still do a lot of damage.... and the GOP handlers will certainly mount a full \"liberal-horror show\" campaign on the base between now and 2008. Hopefully the Dems can wrest the party's voice from bull-horn liberal Kennedy to more moderate leaders. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/distant-thunder---fury-on-the-right/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eG.W. Bush and Conservatives *  Saudi Arabia and \"Unbelievers\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen all is said and done what are the conservative Republicans going to do about their dissatisfaction with President Bush and his policies?  The honeymoon lasted a long time but seems to be over.  Richard Viguerie writes about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901770.html\"\u003eBush's Base Betrayal\u003c/a\u003e.   Bush and his handlers are doing what they have always done.  Principle has nothing to do with it.  It is to be seen whether the Republicans will, at the end, forgive Bush and come to the aid of the party. \"Republicans were desperate to retake the White House, conservatives were desperate to get the Clinton liberals out and there was no direct heir to Reagan running for president. So most conservatives supported Bush as the strongest candidate -- some enthusiastically and some, like me, reluctantly. After the disastrous presidency of his father, our support for the son was a triumph of hope over experience.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eOnce he took office, conservatives were willing to grant this Bush a honeymoon. We were happy when he proposed tax cuts (small, but tax cuts nonetheless) and when he pushed for a missile defense system. Then came the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and conservatives came to see support for the president as an act of patriotism.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eConservatives tolerated the No Child Left Behind Act, an extensive intrusion into state and local education, and the budget-busting Medicare prescription drug benefit. They tolerated the greatest increase in spending since Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society. They tolerated Bush's failure to veto a single bill, and his refusal to enforce immigration laws. They even tolerated his signing of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance overhaul, even though Bush's opposition to that measure was a key reason they backed him over Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in the 2000 primaries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Wahabi Kingdom Tries a Makeover of Text Books\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt does not matter what the Saudis do---how backward the country is about women's rights and its treatment of those who do not practise Wahabism---it has vast reserves of oil and it enjoys a cozy relationship with the president and his father, former President George H.W. Bush.  The Clinton Administration,too, did its best to remain friendly with the Saudis. Nina Shea in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901769.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Saudi Arabia's public schools have long been cited for demonizing the West as well as Christians, Jews and other \"unbelievers.\" But after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis -- that was all supposed to change.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eA year ago, an embassy spokesman declared: \"We have reviewed our educational curriculums. We have removed materials that are inciteful or intolerant towards people of other faiths.\" The embassy is also distributing a 74-page review on curriculum reform to show that the textbooks have been moderated.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe problem is: These claims are not true.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eA review of a sample of official Saudi textbooks for Islamic studies used during the current academic year reveals that, despite the Saudi government's statements to the contrary, an ideology of hatred toward Christians and Jews and Muslims who do not follow Wahhabi doctrine remains in this area of the public school system. The texts teach a dualistic vision, dividing the world into true believers of Islam (the \"monotheists\") and unbelievers (the \"polytheists\" and \"infidels\").\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis indoctrination begins in a first-grade text and is reinforced and expanded each year, culminating in a 12th-grade text instructing students that their religious obligation includes waging jihad against the infidel to \"spread the faith.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Saudis might mount a PR blitz to polish up their image but don't expect meaningful reform.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNancy Tyrrel\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-05-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eA very insightful blog. It's too bad November is just a congressional election, George can still do a lot of damage.... and the GOP handlers will certainly mount a full \"liberal-horror show\" campaign on the base between now and 2008.  Hopefully the Dems can wrest the party's voice from bull-horn liberal Kennedy to more moderate leaders.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Distant Thunder - Fury on the Right"},{"content":" Midterm Elections * Liberal ChristiansIs Bush dragging the GOP down ? The much sought-after presidential coattail has lost its appeal for many GOP incumbents fighting to retain their seats. \"VIRGINIA BEACH, May 19 -- When some of the country's top political handicappers drew up their charts of vulnerable House incumbents at the beginning of this year, Rep. Thelma D. Drake (R-Va.) was not among them. Now she is.\"President Bush carried her district with 58 percent of the vote in 2004, but strategists say his travails are part of the reason the freshman lawmaker now has a fight on her hands. He swooped into town briefly Friday for a closed-door fundraiser for Drake but made no public appearances.Some veterans of the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress see worrisome parallels between then and now, in the way once-safe districts are turning into potential problems. Incumbents' poll numbers have softened. Margins against their Democratic opponents have narrowed. Republican voters appear disenchanted. The Bush effect now amounts to a drag of five percentage points or more in many districts.Encouraging. If only the Democrats don't get carried away by the polls and lose a sense of balance. When it comes to grandstanding, the Democratic leadership isn't much different than those on the other side of the aisle.Christianity in America - Emergence of Religious LiberalsAccording to a report in the Post, liberals in the Christian community are making their presence felt. The conservative Christians found a champion in the White House. The president cynically courted them and together they subdued Christians who felt uncomfortable with what was taking place. \"Long overshadowed by the Christian right, religious liberals across a wide swath of denominations are engaged today in their most intensive bout of political organizing and alliance-building since the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s, according to scholars, politicians and clergy members.\"In large part, the revival of the religious left is a reaction against conservatives' success in the 2004 elections in equating moral values with opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.Religious liberals say their faith compels them to emphasize such issues as poverty, affordable health care and global warming. Disillusionment with the war in Iraq and opposition to Bush administration policies on secret prisons and torture have also fueled the movement.The winds, they are changing. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/saturday-morning-fish-fry/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eMidterm Elections * Liberal Christians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901921.html\"\u003eBush\u003c/a\u003e dragging the GOP down ? The much sought-after presidential coattail has lost its appeal for many GOP incumbents fighting to retain their seats. \"VIRGINIA BEACH, May 19 -- When some of the country's top political handicappers drew up their charts of vulnerable House incumbents at the beginning of this year, Rep. Thelma D. Drake (R-Va.) was not among them. Now she is.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003ePresident Bush carried her district with 58 percent of the vote in 2004, but strategists say his travails are part of the reason the freshman lawmaker now has a fight on her hands. He swooped into town briefly Friday for a closed-door fundraiser for Drake but made no public appearances.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSome veterans of the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress see worrisome parallels between then and now, in the way once-safe districts are turning into potential problems. Incumbents' poll numbers have softened. Margins against their Democratic opponents have narrowed. Republican voters appear disenchanted. The Bush effect now amounts to a drag of five percentage points or more in many districts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEncouraging.  If only the Democrats don't get carried away by the polls and lose a sense of balance. When it comes to grandstanding, the Democratic leadership isn't much different than those on the other side of the aisle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristianity in America - Emergence of Religious Liberals\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to a report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901813.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, liberals in the Christian community are making their presence felt.  The conservative Christians found a champion in the White House.  The president cynically courted them and together they subdued Christians who felt uncomfortable with what was taking place. \"Long overshadowed by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901813.html\"\u003eChristian right\u003c/a\u003e, religious liberals across a wide swath of denominations are engaged today in their most intensive bout of political organizing and alliance-building since the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s, according to scholars, politicians and clergy members.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn large part, the revival of the religious left is a reaction against conservatives' success in the 2004 elections in equating moral values with opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eReligious liberals say their faith compels them to emphasize such issues as poverty, affordable health care and global warming. Disillusionment with the war in Iraq and opposition to Bush administration policies on secret prisons and torture have also fueled the movement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe winds, they are changing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Saturday Morning Fish Fry"},{"content":" 2454 and Counting * John Murtha * Homeless Veterans50 more soldiers have died in Iraq so far in the month of May; The total is 2454. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties.What happened in Haditha,Iraq, on November 19,2005 ? Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) stated in a report that innocent women and children were killed in \"cold blood\" by marines. A criminal investigation is continuing. \"WASHINGTON -- Military officials said Thursday that a criminal investigation into a firefight in western Iraq that left at least 15 civilians dead is not complete, but they did not dispute a congressman's charges that the attack by Marines was far worse than originally reported.\"Plight of the VeteransFrom a report by Daniel Trotta in Reuters-AlertnetOn any given night the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps 200 to 250 of them, and more go uncounted. They are among nearly 200,000 homeless veterans in America, largely from the Vietnam War.Advocates say the number of homeless veterans is certain to grow, just as it did in the years following the Vietnam and Gulf wars, as a consequence of the stresses of war and inadequate job training.Homeless veterans have remained in the shadows of the national debate about Iraq, although the issue may gain traction from the film \"When I Came Home,\" which won an award the month for best New York-made documentary at the city's Tribeca Film Festival.The documentary tells the story of Iraq war veteran Herold Noel as he lived in his car. It will get a screening in June at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, a California Democrat, calls it a \"national disgrace\" that homelessness among veterans has not been solved and held an informal hearing on Thursday to highlight the issue. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/fractured-friday---slaughterhouse-iraq/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e2454 and Counting * John Murtha * Homeless Veterans\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e50 more soldiers have died in Iraq so far in the month of May;  The total is 2454.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003eWhat happened in Haditha,Iraq, on November 19,2005 ?  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/18/AR2006051801804.html\"\u003eRep. John Murtha\u003c/a\u003e (D-PA) stated in a report that innocent women and children were killed in \"cold blood\" by marines. A criminal investigation is continuing. \"WASHINGTON -- Military officials said Thursday that a criminal investigation into a firefight in western Iraq that left at least 15 civilians dead is not complete, but they did not dispute a congressman's charges that the attack by Marines was far worse than originally reported.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlight of the Veterans\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom a report by Daniel Trotta in \u003ca href=\"http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19384748.htm\"\u003eReuters-Alertnet\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn any given night the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helps 200 to 250 of them, and more go uncounted. They are among nearly 200,000 homeless veterans in America, largely from the Vietnam War.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cli\u003eAdvocates say the number of homeless veterans is certain to grow, just as it did in the years following the Vietnam and Gulf wars, as a consequence of the stresses of war and inadequate job training.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cli\u003eHomeless veterans have remained in the shadows of the national debate about Iraq, although the issue may gain traction from the film \"When I Came Home,\" which won an award the month for best New York-made documentary at the city's Tribeca Film Festival.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe documentary tells the story of Iraq war veteran Herold Noel as he lived in his car. It will get a screening in June at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c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Rep. Bob Filner, a California Democrat, calls it a \"national disgrace\" that homelessness among veterans has not been solved and held an informal hearing on Thursday to highlight the 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Friday - Slaughterhouse Iraq"},{"content":" Jeb Bush * John McCain * Hillary Clinton * Italy's Romano Prodi George Will writes in the Post about the emergence of a new phrase in political campaigns. \"Who Isn't A Value Voter\". Just like moral values, which the GOP adopted, value voters is hollow and Will rightly takes it apart. \"This phrase diminishes our understanding of politics. It also is arrogant on the part of social conservatives and insulting to everyone else because it implies that only social conservatives vote to advance their values and everyone else votes to . . . well, it is unclear what they supposedly think they are doing with their ballots.\" On Sunday a Los Angeles Times article on the possibility of a presidential run by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush reported: \"The Family Research Council, an influential evangelical activist group, has invited Gov. Bush to appear at a fall conference of 'values voters.' \" On Monday the Wall Street Journal quoted a pastor who is president of a Texas-based organization, Vision America, that mobilizes conservative pastors: \"Values voters see their vote as a sacred trust.\" The phrase \"values voters,\" which has become ubiquitous, subtracts from social comity by suggesting that one group has cornered the market on moral seriousness.Last Saturday, when John McCain delivered the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, he was said to be reaching out to values voters. Hillary Clinton, speaking recently at the annual U.S. Chamber of Commerce convention, scolded \"kids,\" by which she evidently meant young adults, for thinking \"work is a four-letter word.\" She was said to be courting values voters. If so, those voters must value slapdash rhetorical nonsense as well as work.Sacred trust, my foot. But we are going to hear and read more about value voters. Apparently, politicians and their handlers think there is capital to be made from them. Shame on the media for being ready and available to publicize such claptrap. *Romano Prodi does the Right Thing As expected, newly elected Prime Minister Romano Prodi of Italy came out against the occupation of Iraq. \"Another U.S. ally in the war in Iraq distanced itself from the U.S.- led effort today when Italy's new prime minister, Romano Prodi, called the invasion and occupation a \"grave error\" and said he would propose a withdrawal of Italian troops.\"\"We consider the war in Iraq and the occupation of the country a grave error,\" Prodi told the upper house of Parliament, wire services reported. \"It has not resolved, but complicated the situation of security.\" Italy has about 3,000 troops in Iraq in peacekeeping roles. They are already due to be withdrawn in groups before the end of the year. Prodi did not set forth a timetable for withdrawal and it was unclear whether he would speed up the departure.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/on-the-road-to-2008---brother-jeb-and-value-voters/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eJeb Bush * John McCain * Hillary Clinton  *  Italy's Romano Prodi  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGeorge Will writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/17/AR2006051701874.html\"\u003ePost \u003c/a\u003eabout the emergence of a new phrase in political campaigns. \"Who Isn't A Value Voter\".  Just like moral values, which the GOP adopted, value voters is hollow and Will rightly takes it apart.  \"This phrase diminishes our understanding of politics. It also is arrogant on the part of social conservatives and insulting to everyone else because it implies that only social conservatives vote to advance their values and everyone else votes to . . . well, it is unclear what they supposedly think they are doing with their ballots.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eOn Sunday a Los Angeles Times article on the possibility of a presidential run by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush reported: \"The Family Research Council, an influential evangelical activist group, has invited Gov. Bush to appear at a fall conference of 'values voters.' \" On Monday the Wall Street Journal quoted a pastor who is president of a Texas-based organization, Vision America, that mobilizes conservative pastors: \"Values voters see their vote as a sacred trust.\" The phrase \"values voters,\" which has become ubiquitous, subtracts from social comity by suggesting that one group has cornered the market on moral seriousness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLast Saturday, when John McCain delivered the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, he was said to be reaching out to values voters. Hillary Clinton, speaking recently at the annual U.S. Chamber of Commerce convention, scolded \"kids,\" by which she evidently meant young adults, for thinking \"work is a four-letter word.\" She was said to be courting values voters. If so, those voters must value slapdash rhetorical nonsense as well as work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSacred trust, my foot.  But we are going to hear and read more about value voters.  Apparently, politicians and their handlers think there is capital to be made from them.  Shame on the media for being ready and available to publicize such claptrap.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eRomano Prodi does the Right Thing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e As expected, newly elected Prime Minister \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/18/AR2006051800451.html\"\u003eRomano Prodi\u003c/a\u003e of Italy came out against the occupation of Iraq.  \"Another U.S. ally in the war in Iraq distanced itself from the U.S.- led effort today when Italy's new prime minister, Romano Prodi, called the invasion and occupation a \"grave error\" and said he would propose a withdrawal of Italian troops.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"We consider the war in Iraq and the occupation of the country a grave error,\" Prodi told the upper house of Parliament, wire services reported. \"It has not resolved, but complicated the situation of security.\" Italy has about 3,000 troops in Iraq in peacekeeping roles. They are already due to be withdrawn in groups before the end of the year. Prodi did not set forth a timetable for withdrawal and it was unclear whether he would speed up the departure.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008 - Brother Jeb and 'Value Voters'"},{"content":" Not to be led astray by pictures of women in newspapers * Midterm elections and DemocratsIt would be funny if it were not for the seriousness with which such edicts by the monarch are taken by the people of Saudi Arabia. They have no choice. Obey or be punished, and punishment could be severe.\"In recent months, newspapers have published pictures of women — always wearing the traditional Muslim headscarf — to illustrate stories with increasing regularity. Usually the stories have had to do with women's issues. The papers have also started publishing a range of views on causes that are not generally accepted in Saudi Arabia — such as women having the right to drive and vote.\"RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah has told Saudi editors to stop publishing pictures of women as they could make young men go astray, newspapers reported Tuesday.The king told editors on Monday night that publishing a woman's picture for the world to see was inappropriate.\"The youth are driven by emotion ... and sometimes they can be lead astray. So, please, try to cut down on this,\" he said.Led astray by looking at pictures of women wearing headscarf.....and no doubt the rest of their bodies properly covered ! Pity the youth of Saudi Arabia. Raed, the Iraqi blogger would say \"Ya Habibi\". *Democrats - Success or failure, what lies ahead ?That is the heart of the matter. A headline in the Post reads \"Confidence in GOP is at new low in poll\". Heartening news indeed but what does it portend for Democrats ? \"The second warning for Democrats is that their improved prospects for November appear driven primarily by dissatisfaction with Republicans rather than by positive impressions of their own party. Congressional Democrats are rating only slightly more favorably than congressional Republicans, and 52 percent of those surveyed said the Democrats have not offered a sharp contrast to Bush and the Republicans.\" There is no question that the Republicans are vulnerable. Among other things they have lost the American public's support for the war. According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll 59% of those contacted felt it was a \"Mistake\"; 40% \"It was the right thing\"; and 1% had no opinion. There is clamor but not a single Democratic leader has emerged to offer clear and different alternatives about the war; health care; education; tax cuts; and women's right to choose. To their shame, they are playing politics. There is crying need for a man or woman to rise above the herd. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/the-pure-chaste-youth-of-saudi-arabia/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNot to be led astray by pictures of women in newspapers * Midterm elections and Democrats\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt would be funny if it were not for the seriousness with which such edicts by the monarch are taken by the people of \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060516/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_women\"\u003eSaudi Arabia\u003c/a\u003e.  They have no choice.  Obey or be punished, and punishment could be severe.\"In recent months, newspapers have published pictures of women — always wearing the traditional Muslim headscarf — to illustrate stories with increasing regularity. Usually the stories have had to do with women's issues. The papers have also started publishing a range of views on causes that are not generally accepted in Saudi Arabia — such as women having the right to drive and vote.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRIYADH, Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah has told Saudi editors to stop publishing pictures of women as they could make young men go astray, newspapers reported Tuesday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe king told editors on Monday night that publishing a woman's picture for the world to see was inappropriate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The youth are driven by emotion ... and sometimes they can be lead astray. So, please, try to cut down on this,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eLed astray by looking at pictures of women wearing headscarf.....and no doubt the rest of their bodies properly covered !  Pity the youth of Saudi Arabia.  \u003ca href=\"http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRaed\u003c/a\u003e, the Iraqi blogger would say \"Ya Habibi\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003eDemocrats - Success or failure, what lies ahead ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is the heart of the matter.  A headline in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/16/AR2006051601264.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reads \"Confidence in GOP is at new low in poll\". Heartening news indeed but what does it portend for Democrats ?  \"The second warning for Democrats is that their improved prospects for November appear driven primarily by dissatisfaction with Republicans rather than by positive impressions of their own party. Congressional Democrats are rating only slightly more favorably than congressional Republicans, and 52 percent of those surveyed said the Democrats have not offered a sharp contrast to Bush and the Republicans.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is no question that the Republicans are vulnerable.  Among other things they have lost the American public's support for the war. According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll  59% of those contacted felt it was a \"Mistake\"; 40% \"It was the right thing\"; and 1% had no opinion. There is clamor but not a single Democratic leader has emerged to offer clear and different alternatives about the war; health care; education;  tax cuts; and women's right to choose.  To their shame, they are playing politics.  There is crying need for a man or woman to rise above the herd.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Pure, Chaste Youth of Saudi Arabia"},{"content":" Illegal Immigrants * Hitech, National Guards and the Elusive Trouts I was not among those who watched the telecast of the president's speech. Read the transcript. To no one's surprise he tried to appease people on both sides of this contentious issue and failed. Among other things he talked about the end of catch and release. \"For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold them while the legal process unfolded. So most were released back into our society and asked to return for a court date. When the date arrived, the vast majority did not show up. This practice, called \"catch and release,\" is unacceptable. And we will end it.\" And he threw in a human interest item about a soldier named Guadalupe Denogean who served in Iraq. *Good try at making no enemies.Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman \"With the Senate set to debate the largest overhaul of immigration laws in decades, Bush did not specifically address what many Republican lawmakers consider the most politically explosive and intractable issue confronting the country: what to do with most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States today.\"Would it sell in Peoria ?Dan Balz \"Bush sought to reassure both sides with his speech last night, and in doing so he attempted to define the middle ground in a debate where consensus has been difficult. By ordering National Guard troops to the border, he was determined to show conservatives and House Republicans his belief that border security is a prerequisite to any legislative solution. But on the most contentious issue before Congress, Bush came closer to the approach now on the Senate floor, saying he favors a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants while rejecting either mass deportation or automatic amnesty for those now here illegally.\"Immigration-Bush-Politics-Musafir's Musings ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/president-bush-straddled-the-fence-on-immigration/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIllegal Immigrants *  Hitech, National Guards   and the Elusive Trouts \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI was not among those who watched the telecast of the president's speech. Read the transcript. To no one's surprise he tried to appease people on both sides of this contentious issue and failed. Among other things he talked about the end of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051501139.html\"\u003ecatch and release\u003c/a\u003e. \"For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold them while the legal process unfolded. So most were released back into our society and asked to return for a court date. When the date arrived, the vast majority did not show up. This practice, called \"catch and release,\" is unacceptable. And we will end it.\"   And he threw in a  human interest item about a soldier  named \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051501139.html\"\u003eGuadalupe Denogean\u003c/a\u003e who served in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eGood try at making no enemies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051500618.html\"\u003eJim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman\u003c/a\u003e \"With the Senate set to debate the largest overhaul of immigration laws in decades, Bush did not specifically address what many Republican lawmakers consider the most politically explosive and intractable issue confronting the country: what to do with most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States today.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWould it sell in Peoria ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051501809.html\"\u003eDan Balz\u003c/a\u003e \"Bush sought to reassure both sides with his speech last night, and in doing so he attempted to define the middle ground in a debate where consensus has been difficult. By ordering National Guard troops to the border, he was determined to show conservatives and House Republicans his belief that border security is a prerequisite to any legislative solution. But on the most contentious issue before Congress, Bush came closer to the approach now on the Senate floor, saying he favors a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants while rejecting either mass deportation or automatic amnesty for those now here illegally.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003chref musafir=\"\" musingsl=\"\" rel=\"tag\"\u003eImmigration-Bush-Politics-Musafir's Musings\u003c/href\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"President Bush Straddled the Fence on Immigration"},{"content":" \"Widening Gyre\" What goes up must come down. A rift developing between Republican senators and leaders of the House. It was sort of inevitable. Falling support and what it means for mid-term elections have them scrambling in different directions. The Post: \"From immigration policy to energy to emergency spending, House Republican leaders are publicly breaking rank with their counterparts in the Senate, fearing that Senate efforts at compromise are jeopardizing the party's standing with conservative voters.\"The breach in congressional leadership has been especially stark in the past two weeks. As the Senate returns to the immigration issue this week, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said House Republicans will not agree to any plan granting illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that does not require them first to return to their home countries. House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) dismissed Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's proposed $100 rebate for gasoline as \"insulting\" and \"stupid.\" And House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) declared a Senate-passed, $109 billion bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hurricane relief and a bevy of home-state pet projects \"dead on arrival.\"Hastert even parted company with Frist (R-Tenn.) last week on President Bush's nomination of Gen. Michael V. Hayden to head the CIA. Hastert asserted, \"I don't think a military guy should be head of CIA, frankly,\" even as Frist called him \"the ideal man for the job.\"If the Democrats can keep their heads and make the best of the situation there is a strong chance of seeing a reversal of fortunes. In politics six months is a very long time. Consider how far the president's rating has dropped in the past six months. Don't blow it, Democrats. *Turning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhereThe ceremony of innocence is drowned;The best lack all conviction; while the worstAre full of passionate intensity. ---W.B. Yeats ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/gop---the-senate-and-the-house/","summary":"\"Widening Gyre\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat goes up must come down.  A rift developing between Republican senators and leaders of the House. It was sort of inevitable.  Falling support and what it means for mid-term elections have them scrambling in different directions. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/14/AR2006051400778.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"From immigration policy to energy to emergency spending, House Republican leaders are publicly breaking rank with their counterparts in the Senate, fearing that Senate efforts at compromise are jeopardizing the party's standing with conservative voters.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe breach in congressional leadership has been especially stark in the past two weeks. As the Senate returns to the immigration issue this week, House Majority Whip \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b000575/\" target=\"\"\u003eRoy Blunt\u003c/a\u003e (R-Mo.) said House Republicans will not agree to any plan granting illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that does not require them first to return to their home countries. House Majority Leader \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b000589/\" target=\"\"\u003eJohn A. Boehner\u003c/a\u003e (R-Ohio) dismissed Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's proposed $100 rebate for gasoline as \"insulting\" and \"stupid.\" And House Speaker \u003ca href=\"http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/h000323/\" target=\"\"\u003eJ. Dennis Hastert\u003c/a\u003e (R-Ill.) declared a Senate-passed, $109 billion bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hurricane relief and a bevy of home-state pet projects \"dead on arrival.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\" face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eHastert even parted company with Frist (R-Tenn.) last week on President Bush's nomination of Gen. Michael V. Hayden to head the CIA. Hastert asserted, \"I don't think a military guy should be head of CIA, frankly,\" even as Frist called him \"the ideal man for the job.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eIf  the Democrats can keep their heads and make the best of the situation there is a strong chance of seeing  a reversal of fortunes. In politics six months is a very long time.  Consider how far the president's rating has dropped in the past six months.   Don't blow it, Democrats.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTurning and turning in the widening gyre\u003cbr/\u003eThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;\u003cbr/\u003eThings fall apart; the centre cannot hold;\u003cbr/\u003eMere anarchy is loosed upon the world,\u003cbr/\u003eThe blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere\u003cbr/\u003eThe ceremony of innocence is drowned;\u003cbr/\u003eThe best lack all conviction; while the worst\u003cbr/\u003eAre full of passionate intensity. \u003cbr/\u003e---W.B. Yeats\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"GOP - The Senate and the House"},{"content":" A Day to Celebrate Women * Veterans tell their StoriesMother's Day is not only for mothers. It is for all women---to be celebrated, to be praised, to be remembered. *In Their Own Words,The Washington Post contains a great item---comments of 100 veterans who served in Iraq. They tell their stories--the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read them; think about those who are still out there; rejoice about those who returned whole. And don't forget the more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians who have died since President Bush began his war on March 20, 2003.How can you describe what that was like? Who would understand it?Nobody. So Reuter keeps his mouth shut. His army uniform is packed in a box in the garage. He hasn't looked at it in months. Instead, he kisses his baby boy every night. He gets on with his life, because that's what everyone else is doing.At home in Newnan, Ga., there is no war.\"It doesn't cross their minds,\" Reuter said. \"To them, everything is fine.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/mothers-day-2006-and-the-veterans-of-iraq-war/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eA Day to Celebrate Women * Veterans tell their Stories\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Yellow-Freesias.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMother's Day is not only for mothers.  It is for all women---to be celebrated, to be praised, to be remembered.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/13/AR2006051301312.html\"\u003eIn Their Own Words\u003c/a\u003e,The Washington Post contains a great item---comments of 100 veterans who served in Iraq.  They tell their stories--the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read them; think about those who are still out there;  rejoice about those who returned whole. And don't forget the more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians who have died since President Bush began his war on March 20, 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/13/AR2006051301312.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHow can you describe what that was like? Who would understand it?\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eNobody. So Reuter keeps his mouth shut. His army uniform is packed in a box in the garage. He hasn't looked at it in months. Instead, he kisses his baby boy every night. He gets on with his life, because that's what everyone else is doing.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAt home in Newnan, Ga., there is no war.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"It doesn't cross their minds,\" Reuter said. \"To them, everything is fine.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Mother's Day 2006 and the Veterans of Iraq War"},{"content":" Rove unraveling ? * The Fog around Kyle Foggo of CIA While not much can be found in mainstream media, the blogosphere is going wild with reports that the indictment of Karl Rove is about to take place. 'Turd Blossom' is reported to be one of the pet names the president used for his trusted aide Karl Rove. Made sense. If Rove is indicted he will be busy consulting attorneys and preparing a defense; his services will no longer be available to the president. Did Rove's recent re-assignment result from anticipation of the indictment ? Rove has appeared before the grand jury convened for the Valerie Plame investigation being conducted by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. Think of the possibilities---what if Rove testifies that he was asked by the president to smear Ambassador Joseph Wilson and leak his wife's name (Valerie Plame worked for the CIA as an undercover officer).The White House staffers must feel as though they are under siege. The shells keep coming and hitting where it hurts. Do they ever think about the arrogance and the contempt with which they treated anyone who questioned the administration's policies or lack thereof ? The members of God's Own Party must have displeased the almighty with their hypocrisy and excesses. Prayer breakfasts are not going to help them. *It was no less a person than Kyle \"Dusty\" Foggo, former executive director of the CIA, allegedly involved in a corruption enquiry, whose office and home were searched by Federal agents on May 12th. It would be interesting to follow the enquiry. It might net a few more big fish.Officials inside CIA headquarters saw agents hauling away items from Foggo's seventh-floor suite, and neighbors outside his rented house in the Oakdale Park section of Vienna said officers, some wearing plastic gloves, placed materials in vans parked at the front and rear of the split-level brick home.Aside from well-publicized espionage cases, veteran intelligence officers said they could not recall another time when FBI agents picked through offices at the CIA's Langley headquarters. * \"The bigger they are, the harder they fall\" (English proverb) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/bushs-turd-blossom---is-indictment-imminent/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eRove unraveling ?  *  The Fog around Kyle Foggo of CIA  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile not much can be found in mainstream media, the blogosphere is going wild with reports that the indictment of Karl Rove is about to take place. 'Turd Blossom' is reported to be one of the pet names the president used for his trusted aide Karl Rove.  Made sense.  If Rove is indicted he will be busy consulting attorneys and preparing a defense;  his services will no longer be available to the president. Did Rove's recent re-assignment result from anticipation of the indictment ? Rove has appeared before the grand jury convened for the \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame\"\u003eValerie Plame\u003c/a\u003e investigation being conducted by Special Prosecutor \u003ca href=\"http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/\"\u003ePatrick Fitzgerald\u003c/a\u003e. Think of the possibilities---what if Rove testifies that he was asked by the president to smear Ambassador Joseph Wilson and leak his wife's name (Valerie Plame worked for the CIA as an undercover officer).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe White House staffers must feel as though they are under siege.  The shells keep coming and hitting where it hurts.   Do they ever think about the arrogance and the contempt with which they treated anyone who questioned the administration's policies or lack thereof ?  The members of God's Own Party must have displeased the almighty with their hypocrisy and excesses. Prayer breakfasts are not going to help them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIt was no less a person than \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/12/AR2006051200989.html\"\u003eKyle \"Dusty\" Foggo\u003c/a\u003e, former executive director of the CIA, allegedly involved in a corruption enquiry, whose office and home were searched by Federal agents on May 12th.  It would be interesting to follow the enquiry.  It might net a few more big fish.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOfficials inside CIA headquarters saw agents hauling away items from Foggo's seventh-floor suite, and neighbors outside his rented house in the Oakdale Park section of Vienna said officers, some wearing plastic gloves, placed materials in vans parked at the front and rear of the split-level brick home.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAside from well-publicized espionage cases, veteran intelligence officers said they could not recall another time when FBI agents picked through offices at the CIA's Langley headquarters.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"The bigger they are, the harder they fall\" (English proverb)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccxenter\u003e\u003c/cxenter\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003ccxenter\u003e\u003c/cxenter\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush's 'Turd Blossom' - Is Indictment Imminent ?"},{"content":" *Berry Creek Falls * Golden Cascade Falls * Silver FallsSpring is the time to visit the water falls at Big Basin State Park. During winter months the trails get too muddy and impassable at points because of damaged foot bridges, mud slides, and fallen trees. Once the rains and the storms are over work begins to repair the trails. JHL and I went there a few days back and saw trail crews working hard. But the Skyline to Sea Trail to Berry Creek Falls was open, and so was the mile-long trail from Berry Creek to Golden Cascade and Silver Falls.The Sunset Trail from Silver Falls makes it possible to do a loop instead of returning via Skyline to Sea Trail. The total distance for the loop--Park Headquarters to Berry Creek and returning via Sunset Trail is about 11.5 miles. There is a sign in the park that alerts visitors that it is a strenuous hike and time required is 6 hours.Berry Creek Falls©musafirGolden Cascade Falls©musafirSilver Falls©musafirIt was just the right time when Joanne and I did the hike. Sunny but not too warm, and the falls were at their best. Took us a little under 5 hours to do the loop. Although we had done it a few years back it was a rewarding experience to see Berry Creek Falls when it came into view as we turned a corner. Worth the time and effort. We sat on a bench facing the water falls and had a picnic lunch: chicken-apple sausage; potatoes and onions roasted with sage, rosemary and garlic; steamed spears of asparagus rolled in a vinaigrette dressing; an Australian wine (Penfolds Shiraz-Mouvedre); coffee, strawberries, and home made pound cake. All felt right with the world.As the days get warmer the flow of water will slow down. By mid-June the falls will lose their charm and warm temperature will make the hike more demanding. Time to visit is now. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/the-water-falls-at-big-basin-state-park-california/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBerry Creek Falls * Golden Cascade Falls * Silver Falls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSpring is the time to visit the water falls at Big Basin State Park. During winter months the trails get too muddy and impassable at points because of damaged foot bridges, mud slides, and fallen trees. Once the rains and the storms are over work begins to repair the trails. JHL and I went there a few days back and saw trail crews working hard. But the Skyline to Sea Trail to Berry Creek Falls was open, and so was the mile-long trail from Berry Creek to Golden Cascade and Silver Falls.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Sunset Trail from Silver Falls makes it possible to do a loop instead of returning via Skyline to Sea Trail. The total distance for the loop--Park Headquarters to Berry Creek and returning via Sunset Trail is about 11.5 miles. There is a sign in the park that alerts visitors that it is a strenuous hike and time required is 6 hours.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBerry Creek Falls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Big Basin I.jpg\"/\u003e©musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGolden Cascade Falls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Golden Cascade Falls.jpg\"/\u003e©musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSilver Falls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Silver Falls II.jpg\"/\u003e©musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was just the right time when Joanne and I did the hike.  Sunny but not too warm, and the falls were at their best.  Took us a little under 5 hours to do the loop.    Although we had done it a few years back it was a rewarding experience to see Berry Creek Falls when it came into view as we turned a corner.  Worth the time and effort.   We sat on a bench facing the water falls and had a picnic lunch: chicken-apple sausage; potatoes and onions roasted with sage, rosemary and garlic; steamed spears of asparagus rolled in a vinaigrette dressing; an Australian wine (Penfolds Shiraz-Mouvedre); coffee, strawberries, and home made pound cake.  All felt right with the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the days get warmer the flow of water will slow down. By mid-June the falls will lose their charm  and warm temperature will make the hike more demanding.  Time to visit is now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Water Falls at Big Basin State Park, California"},{"content":" John McCain * Further Loss of Support for Bush Vote for Hillary Clinton if she wins the nomination in 2008 ? Yes, I would but not because I think highly of her. The current stable of Republican candidates is pitiful. John McCain, the man I respected once has become just another politician, adept at expediency. McCain has been castigated by George Will for his position on campaign financing. In my book that is a plus for McCain. Among the Democrats there is Hillary Clinton, the enigma. Can she be trusted ? I have my doubts. Richard Cohen explores the Clinton candidacy in Who are You Hillary ? \"But politics is not just about money -- not quite yet, anyway -- if only because ideology and principles are not yet \"products.\" That being the case (I hope), then Hillary Clinton's vast lead in fundraising -- she now has more than $20 million in the bank -- will be offset by growing questions about her principles and ideology. In other words, who is this woman who wants to be the next president of the United States? Is she the wife of Bill Clinton, who we were once led to believe was more liberal than he was, or is she actually far more conservative? The answer, at the moment, is something I cannot provide.\" * How bad can it get for El Jefe ? The president's approval rating is continuing to slide and he is taking the Republican Congress down with him. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving lot. They are being deserted by their core support groups. \"Bush and Congress have suffered a decline in support from almost every part of the conservative coalition over the past year, a trend that has accelerated with alarming implications for Bush's governing strategy.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/on-the-road-to-2008---hillary-clinton/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohn McCain * Further Loss of Support for Bush \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVote for Hillary Clinton if she wins the nomination in 2008 ?  Yes, I would but not because I  think highly of her.  The current stable of Republican candidates is pitiful.  John McCain, the man I respected once has become just another politician, adept at expediency.  McCain has been castigated by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051001787.html\"\u003eGeorge Will\u003c/a\u003e for his position on campaign financing.  In my book that is a plus for McCain. Among the Democrats there is Hillary Clinton, the enigma.  Can she be trusted ?  I have my doubts.  Richard Cohen explores the Clinton candidacy in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051001783.html\"\u003eWho are You Hillary ?\u003c/a\u003e \"But politics is not just about money -- not quite yet, anyway -- if only because ideology and principles are not yet \"products.\" That being the case (I hope), then Hillary Clinton's vast lead in fundraising -- she now has more than $20 million in the bank -- will be offset by growing questions about her principles and ideology. In other words, who is this woman who wants to be the next president of the United States? Is she the wife of Bill Clinton, who we were once led to believe was more liberal than he was, or is she actually far more conservative? The answer, at the moment, is something I cannot provide.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e * \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow bad can it get for El Jefe ? The president's approval rating is continuing to slide and he is taking the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051002040.html\"\u003eRepublican Congress\u003c/a\u003e down with him. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving lot.  They are being deserted by their core support groups.  \"Bush and Congress have suffered a decline in support from almost every part of the conservative coalition over the past year, a trend that has accelerated with alarming implications for Bush's governing strategy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"On the Road to 2008 - Hillary Clinton"},{"content":" House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi * The Fishing President * Death With Dignity and the Brits One of the things I detest about Republican lawmakers is the stridency with which they pursue their agenda. They bloviate.....a lot. Now the House Minority Leader, our own Nancy Pelosi from California, is acting like one of them. The Democrats are far from reaching the position that would allow them to pursue investigation of the Bush administration's various abuses. Perhaps there is sufficient ground to launch investigations. But for Pelosi to mouth off about investigations and hint about impeachment of the president is foolhardy.....a bad case of Washingtonitis. Dan Balz in the Post: \"These centrist Democrats argued that voters are more receptive to the Democrats because of Bush's mistakes in Iraq. But they warned against calls to launch investigations into past administration decisions if Democrats gain control of the House or Senate in the November elections. Instead, they said, Democrats should concentrate on charting alternative policies for fighting terrorism and succeeding in Iraq.\" I am far from a \"centrist\" Democrat but I agree with them in this instance. *Reading Dan Froomkin's column : \"Would Bush Rather Be Fishing?\" made me think of a bumper sticker that I see on pickup trucks near fishing holes---A bad day fishing is better than a good day working. \"Is it possible that President Bush doesn't really enjoy his job? \"Asked by a German tabloid to name the most wonderful moment of his presidency, Bush on Friday said it came while he was on vacation, fishing on his private lake.\" A joke or a reflection of his innermost self in an unguarded moment ? A Freudian slip.* Our friends across the Atlantic are considering a bill to allow assistance in dying for terminally ill patients. Baroness Mary Warnock in The Guardian, May 7th: \"Considering that all men are mortal, we are curiously unwilling to acknowledge that death, our inevitable fate, should not always be postponed. The Romans recognised that suicide was sometimes not only an admirable but a rational end to life. I think they were right and that there are situations of suffering where to kill oneself is the most reasonable and the most desirable course to take. But committing suicide is difficult, especially if one is ill and under constant surveillance. And though suicide is not illegal, as the law stands, one cannot ask help from anyone else, because assisting suicide is a criminal offence. On Friday, Lord Joffe's bill to permit assisted dying for the terminally ill is to receive its second reading in the House of Lords. It is a bill of limited scope, allowing doctors to provide patients with the means to commit suicide, but only those who ask repeatedly for help to die, who are competent to make their own decisions and who are suffering acutely in the terminal stage of an incurable illness.\"The bill appears to be identical to the one that the voters of Oregon passed in 1997, and which has, so far, survived repeated attacks against it by the Bush Administration. It is unfortunate that bigots in America are receiving support of the government to deny physician assistance in dying to terminally ill people who wish to elect that option, and the Bush Administration is prepared to ignore State's rights to appease its core support groups. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/pelosi-on-a-high-horse/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHouse Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi * The Fishing President * Death With Dignity and the Brits \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne of the things I detest about Republican lawmakers is the stridency with which they pursue their agenda. They bloviate.....a lot. Now the House Minority Leader, our own Nancy Pelosi from California, is acting like one of them. The Democrats are far from reaching the position that would allow them to pursue investigation of the Bush administration's various abuses. Perhaps there is sufficient ground to launch investigations. But for Pelosi to mouth off about investigations and hint about impeachment of the president is foolhardy.....a bad case of Washingtonitis.   Dan Balz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/AR2006050901485.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"These centrist Democrats argued that voters are more receptive to the Democrats because of Bush's mistakes in Iraq. But they warned against calls to launch investigations into past administration decisions if Democrats gain control of the House or Senate in the November elections. Instead, they said, Democrats should concentrate on charting alternative policies for fighting terrorism and succeeding in Iraq.\"  I am far from a \"centrist\" Democrat but I agree with them in this instance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading Dan Froomkin's column : \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/05/08/BL2006050800788.html\"\u003eWould Bush Rather Be Fishing?\u003c/a\u003e\" made me think of a bumper sticker that I see on pickup trucks near fishing holes---A bad day fishing is better than a good day working. \"Is it possible that President Bush doesn't really enjoy his job? \"Asked by a German tabloid to name the most wonderful moment of his presidency, Bush on Friday said it came while he was on vacation, fishing on his private lake.\"  A joke or a reflection of his  innermost self in an unguarded moment ?  A Freudian slip.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur friends across the Atlantic are considering a bill to allow assistance in dying for terminally ill patients. \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1769395,00.html\"\u003eBaroness Mary Warnock\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1769395,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, May 7th: \"Considering that all men are mortal, we are curiously unwilling to acknowledge that death, our inevitable fate, should not always be postponed. The Romans recognised that suicide was sometimes not only an admirable but a rational end to life. I think they were right and that there are situations of suffering where to kill oneself is the most reasonable and the most desirable course to take. But committing suicide is difficult, especially if one is ill and under constant surveillance. And though suicide is not illegal, as the law stands, one cannot ask help from anyone else, because assisting suicide is a criminal offence. On Friday, Lord Joffe's bill to permit assisted dying for the terminally ill is to receive its second reading in the House of Lords. It is a bill of limited scope, allowing doctors to provide patients with the means to commit suicide, but only those who ask repeatedly for help to die, who are competent to make their own decisions and who are suffering acutely in the terminal stage of an incurable illness.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bill appears to be identical to the one that the voters of \u003ca href=\"http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/faqs.shtml\"\u003eOregon\u003c/a\u003e passed in 1997, and which has, so far, survived repeated attacks against it by the Bush Administration. It is unfortunate that bigots in America are receiving support of the government to deny physician assistance in dying to terminally ill people who wish to elect that option, and the Bush Administration is prepared to ignore State's rights to appease its core support groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Pelosi on a High Horse"},{"content":" Argentina's Dirty War and Dr. Kissinger * Tony Blair * Health Coverage, The Enzi BillAnother shameful period in our nation's history when the evil Dr. Henry Kissinger, as President Nixon's secretary of state, pursued a policy of aiding and abetting dictators in Latin America to torture and kill dissidents. In Argentina's dirty war in the 70's as many as 30,000 people were reportedly killed. \"Argentina has requested the extradition of six men from Uruguay over the 1976 disappearance of the daughter-in law of a famous Argentine poet, Juan Gelman. The accused, five ex-military officers and an ex-policeman, have already been taken into custody in Uruguay. Nineteen-year-old Maria Claudia Garcia was seven months pregnant when she was abducted in Buenos Aires 30 years ago. \" * Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing demands to relinquish his position before the expiry of his full term. Some call him Bush's Poodle. That is too harsh a term. Tony Blair, even on a bad day, stands way above George Bush when it comes to eloquence and intellectual brilliance. \"It would not end this distraction but take it to a new level,\" said Blair, the Bush administration's closest ally in Europe. He was addressing reporters for the first time since a weak showing by Labor in local elections on Thursday and a controversial cabinet reshuffle on Friday.\" Why Blair hitched his star to Bush and the neocons is a mystery. Could be the God thing. Perhaps Blair,too, received message from up high to launch a war against Iraq. * Dana Milbank's column in the Post brings up the Republican lawmakers' tireless battle to protect their friends in the health care industry. \"When it comes to health care, the Senate has developed a repetitive stress injury. Five times in the past five years, Republicans brought medical malpractice limits to the floor -- and five times they lost. Yesterday, they brought two more medical malpractice bills to the floor and, to nobody's surprise, lost twice more.\"HIMMA, the bill sponsored by Mike Enzi (R-Wyo) is up for consideration. Editorial in the Post: \"TODAY THE Senate will consider a bill that would radically change the nation's health insurance market, shifting power from states to the federal government and to a regulatory regime lighter than nearly all states have now. Given that nearly 46 million Americans lack health insurance, it's clear that the status quo isn't working well. Yet the proposed bill is risky. Its preemption of state authority might stifle creative experiments in health policy that could help solve the long-term crisis of health costs.\" Well, when Senator Enzi is the sponsor one can be sure whose interests are on his mind. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/tuesdays-chatters/","summary":"Argentina's Dirty War and Dr. Kissinger * Tony Blair * Health Coverage, The Enzi Bill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnother shameful period in our nation's history when the evil \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1101121,00.html\"\u003eDr. Henry Kissinger\u003c/a\u003e, as President Nixon's secretary of state, pursued a policy of aiding and abetting dictators in Latin America to torture and kill dissidents. In Argentina's dirty war  in the 70's as many as  30,000 people were reportedly killed.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4753687.stm\"\u003eArgentina\u003c/a\u003e has requested the extradition of six men from Uruguay over the 1976 disappearance of the daughter-in law of a famous Argentine poet, Juan Gelman. The accused, five ex-military officers and an ex-policeman, have already been taken into custody in Uruguay. Nineteen-year-old Maria Claudia Garcia was seven months pregnant when she was abducted in Buenos Aires 30 years ago. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePrime Minister \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4981532.stm\"\u003eTony Blair\u003c/a\u003e is facing demands to relinquish his position before the expiry of his full term.  Some call him Bush's Poodle. That is too harsh a term. Tony Blair, even on a bad day, stands way above George Bush when it comes to eloquence and intellectual brilliance. \"It would not end this distraction but take it to a new level,\" said Blair, the Bush administration's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050800874.html\"\u003eclosest ally in Europe\u003c/a\u003e. He was addressing reporters for the first time since a weak showing by Labor in local elections on Thursday and a controversial cabinet reshuffle on Friday.\" Why Blair hitched his star to Bush and the neocons is a mystery. Could be the God thing. Perhaps Blair,too, received message from up high to launch a war against Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDana Milbank's column in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050801317.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e brings up the Republican lawmakers' tireless battle to protect their friends in the health care industry. \"When it comes to health care, the Senate has developed a repetitive stress injury. Five times in the past five years, Republicans brought medical malpractice limits to the floor -- and five times they lost. Yesterday, they brought two more medical malpractice bills to the floor and, to nobody's surprise, lost twice more.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2006/03/have-bible-will-vote.html\"\u003eHIMMA\u003c/a\u003e, the bill sponsored by Mike Enzi (R-Wyo) is up for consideration.  Editorial in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050801507.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"TODAY THE Senate will consider a bill that would radically change the nation's health insurance market, shifting power from states to the federal government and to a regulatory regime lighter than nearly all states have now. Given that nearly 46 million Americans lack health insurance, it's clear that the status quo isn't working well. Yet the proposed bill is risky. Its preemption of state authority might stifle creative experiments in health policy that could help solve the long-term crisis of health costs.\"  Well, when Senator Enzi is the sponsor one can be sure whose interests are on his mind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Tuesday's Chatters"},{"content":" Americans Express Their Opinions * United 93, the Movie * Democrats AscendantA few weeks back, Washington Post invited readers to comment on the following: \"In Today's Culture, Do You See Evidence of a War on Christianity?\" The responses were published this morning. Out of a total of 42, an overwhelming majority (30) did not support the argument;six supported the view; and six took a somewhat middle-of-the road position. Very interesting. Perhaps there is hope for us; bigots are not going to prevail. Midterm elections hold the key as to whether we continue to step backward or turn toward a tolerant, compassionate society. *I have not seen United 93. The reviews of the film have been mostly laudatory. In the blogosphere the posts are divided. Last night I read David Denby's review in The New Yorker. Full of praise. The fact that the script writers and the director stayed away from making it into a John Wayne movie, heroic Americans battling evil terrorists, makes it appealing. It is about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Yet I am not sure that I want to relive that day. *Go slow, Democrats. The midterm elections are more than six months away. The signs are encouraging but don't get carried away. Let us not forget that the opposition wrote the book on dirty tricks. Karl Rove and the Bush team will stop at nothing to reverse the falling support for the president and his party. Jonathan Weisman in the Post: \"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said in an interview last week that a Democratic House would launch a series of investigations of the Bush administration, beginning with the White House's first-term energy task force and probably including the use of intelligence in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. Pelosi denied Republican allegations that a Democratic House would move quickly to impeach President Bush. But, she said of the planned investigations, \"You never know where it leads to.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/war-on-christianity/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAmericans Express Their Opinions * United 93, the Movie * Democrats Ascendant\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA few weeks back, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/05/AR2006050500952_5.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e invited readers to comment on the following: \"In Today's Culture, Do You See Evidence of a War on Christianity?\"  The responses were published this morning.  Out of a total of 42, an overwhelming majority (30) did not support the argument;six supported the view; and six took a somewhat middle-of-the road position.  Very interesting.  Perhaps there is hope for us; bigots are not going to prevail.  Midterm elections hold the key as to whether we continue to step backward or turn toward  a tolerant, compassionate society.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have not seen United 93.  The reviews of the film have been mostly laudatory.  In the blogosphere the posts are divided.  Last night I read David Denby's review in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/060501crci_cinema\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e.  Full of praise.  The fact that the script writers and the director stayed away from making it into a John Wayne movie, heroic Americans battling evil terrorists, makes it appealing. It is about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.  Yet I am not sure that I want to relive that day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGo slow, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/06/AR2006050601336.html\"\u003eDemocrats\u003c/a\u003e. The midterm elections are more than six months away.  The signs are encouraging but don't get carried away.  Let us not forget that the opposition wrote the book on  dirty tricks.  Karl Rove and the Bush team will stop at nothing to reverse the falling support for the president and his party.   Jonathan Weisman in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/06/AR2006050601336.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said in an interview last week that a Democratic House would launch a series of investigations of the Bush administration, beginning with the White House's first-term energy task force and probably including the use of intelligence in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. Pelosi denied Republican allegations that a Democratic House would move quickly to impeach President Bush. But, she said of the planned investigations, \"You never know where it leads to.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"War On Christianity ?"},{"content":" It is getting \"Curiouser and curiouser\" (Alice In Wonderland)Or murkier and murkier. Slimy creatures being exposed under stones. The blogosphere is running wild with stories about possible connection of CIA Director Porter Goss with the investigation about defense contractor Brent Wilkes...that he provided call girls to entertain former congressman Randy \"Duke\" Cunningham (R-Calif) and his friends in high places. Kyle Foggo, No.3 man at the CIA, has been mentioned among those who visited the hotel suites rented by Wilkes.Some posts allude to that being the reason for the very abrupt manner in which Goss resigned.Talk about scandals and the Bush Administration. These are the people who rode into town claiming moral superiority over the Clinton presidency and always ready to climb on a pulpit to preach about moral values. Catering for prayer breakfasts became big business in Washington,DC. Their hypocrisy has been fully exposed. They are far from the \"holier than thou\" image they tried to project. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/hookergate-anything-is-possible/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eIt is getting \"Curiouser and curiouser\" (Alice In Wonderland)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOr murkier and murkier. Slimy creatures being exposed under stones.  The blogosphere is running wild with stories about possible connection of CIA Director Porter Goss with the investigation about defense contractor Brent Wilkes...that he provided call girls to entertain former congressman \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/05/AR2006050501613.html\"\u003eRandy \"Duke\" Cunningham\u003c/a\u003e (R-Calif) and his friends in high places.  Kyle Foggo, No.3 man at the CIA, has been mentioned among those who visited the hotel suites rented by Wilkes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome posts allude to that being the reason for the very abrupt manner in which Goss resigned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTalk about scandals and the Bush Administration.  These are the people who rode into town claiming moral superiority over the Clinton presidency and always ready to climb on a pulpit to preach about moral values.     Catering for prayer breakfasts became big business in Washington,DC. Their hypocrisy has been fully exposed.  They are far from the \"holier than thou\" image they tried to project.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Hookergate !  Anything is possible"},{"content":" The \"Fix-It Man\" Quits * San Diego Loses in Court - The Cross on the Hilltop Porter Goss leaves in a cloud of mystery. Less than two years after President Bush announced the appointment of Porter Goss as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, yesterday Mr. Goss abruptly submitted his resignation. Speculations are rife about why he left. Turf battle--after John Negroponte became his boss as national intelligence director--could very well be the real reason. The Post reports: \"The likely successor to Goss is Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the former director of the National Security Agency and now deputy to Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte, senior administration officials said. He could be named as soon as Monday.\" Expect contentious confirmation hearings in the Senate.*The order by District Judge Gordon Thompson in San Diego is going to make many people apoplectic. \"After a 17-year legal battle between the city and a self-described atheist, a judge has ordered San Diego officials to remove a giant cross from a hilltop park or start paying $5,000 a day in fines. Defying the order is something cash-strapped San Diego can ill afford. Its pension fund is more than $1 billion in debt, the federal government is investigating, and there's been talk of bankruptcy.\"I have mixed feelings about this. In this particular case I have no objection to letting the cross stay. The problem is where does one draw the line. Allowing it to remain could encourage zealots to go on a spree of putting up such symbols on public lands all over the country. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/cia---the-truth-is-out-there/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe \"Fix-It Man\" Quits *  San Diego Loses in Court -  The Cross on the Hilltop  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/05/AR2006050500937.html\"\u003ePorter Goss \u003c/a\u003eleaves in a cloud of mystery.  Less than two years after President Bush announced the appointment of Porter Goss as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, yesterday Mr. Goss abruptly submitted his resignation. Speculations are rife about why he left. Turf battle--after John Negroponte became his boss as national intelligence director--could very well be the real reason. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/05/AR2006050500937.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reports: \"The likely successor to Goss is Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the former director of the National Security Agency and now deputy to Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte, senior administration officials said. He could be named as soon as Monday.\"  Expect contentious confirmation hearings in the Senate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe order by District Judge Gordon Thompson in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/04/AR2006050400442.html\"\u003eSan Diego\u003c/a\u003e is going to make many people apoplectic. \"After a 17-year legal battle between the city and a self-described atheist, a judge has ordered San Diego officials to remove a giant cross from a hilltop park or start paying $5,000 a day in fines. Defying the order is something cash-strapped San Diego can ill afford. Its pension fund is more than $1 billion in debt, the federal government is investigating, and there's been talk of bankruptcy.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have mixed feelings about this. In this particular case I have no objection to letting the cross stay.  The problem  is where does one draw the line.  Allowing it to remain could encourage zealots to go on a spree of putting up such symbols on public lands all over the country. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"CIA - The Truth Is Out There"},{"content":" Failure of Abstinence Education * Murdoch, not Scalia, The Kingmaker ! It is a no brainer---that the rate of unwanted pregnancies is much higher among poor women. This is another issue that highlights the hypocrisy of the Bush administration and some religious bodies responsible for promoting sex education to emphasize abstinence over condoms. Marc Kaufman's report in the Post is based on data collected by National Center for Health Statistics and other sources. \"The abortion rate also rose among poor women while declining among the more affluent.\"Asked what was driving the trends, the authors noted that some state and federal reproductive health programs have been cut or made more restrictive in recent years. State and federal programs have increasingly focused on abstinence rather than contraception, and some analysts have argued that the shift is leading to less use of contraceptives and more unintended pregnancies.\"Incidentally, the wise old men in Vatican \".......could permit condoms to battle AIDS has a very narrow scope: married Roman Catholic couples in which one partner has the virus.\" Mercy.*The Role of Fox News in 2000 Presidential ElectionThe Fox News Effect, Richard Morin's column in the Post makes interesting reading. It is no secret that Rupert Murdoch's FOX News Channel is an unabashed champion of the Bush administration. In the eye of the management and reporters at FOX, the president can do no wrong. But it has influence. \"We report. You decide. Does President Bush owe his controversial win in 2000 to Fox cable television news? Yes, suggest data collected by two economists who found that the growth of the Fox cable news network in the late 1990s may have significantly boosted the Republican Party's share of the vote in the 2000 election and delivered Florida to Bush.FOX News made an impact in 2004 also. I am not a viewer but I imagine that it is doing what it can to bolster the sagging support for President Bush and the GOP. Come November we shall see how the cookie crumbles. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/poor-women-rich-women-and-unwanted-pregnancies/","summary":"Failure of Abstinence Education * Murdoch, not Scalia, The Kingmaker ! \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is a no brainer---that the rate of unwanted pregnancies is much higher among poor women.  This is another issue that highlights the hypocrisy of the Bush administration and some religious bodies responsible for promoting sex education to emphasize abstinence over condoms. Marc Kaufman's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/04/AR2006050400820.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e is based on data collected by National Center for Health Statistics and other sources.  \"The abortion rate also rose among poor women while declining among the more affluent.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAsked what was driving the trends, the authors noted that some state and federal reproductive health programs have been cut or made more restrictive in recent years. State and federal programs have increasingly focused on abstinence rather than contraception, and some analysts have argued that the shift is leading to less use of contraceptives and more unintended pregnancies.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIncidentally, the wise old men in \u003ca href=\"http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/3838105.html\"\u003eVatican\u003c/a\u003e \".......could permit condoms to battle AIDS has a very narrow scope: married Roman Catholic couples in which one partner has the virus.\" Mercy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Role of Fox News in 2000 Presidential Election\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/03/AR2006050302299.html\"\u003eThe Fox News Effect\u003c/a\u003e, Richard Morin's column in the Post makes interesting reading.  It is no secret that Rupert Murdoch's FOX News Channel is an unabashed champion of the Bush administration.  In the eye of the management and reporters at FOX, the president can do no wrong.  But it has influence.  \"We report. You decide. Does President Bush owe his controversial win in 2000 to Fox cable television news?  Yes, suggest data collected by two economists who found that the growth of the Fox cable news network in the late 1990s may have significantly boosted the Republican Party's share of the vote in the 2000 election and delivered Florida to Bush.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFOX News  made an impact in 2004 also.  I am not a viewer but I imagine that it is doing what it can to bolster the sagging support for President Bush and the GOP.  Come November we shall see how the cookie crumbles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Poor Women, Rich Women, and Unwanted Pregnancies"},{"content":" A lesson for Fed Chairman Bernanke * And the President extols his tax cutsA black-tie affair, a few drinks, an attractive woman reporter. Not too hard to imagine that Chairman Bernanke loosened up and said something he shouldn't have. On the other hand, there are those who feel that it was a deliberate plant. At the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner on March 29th, during a conversation with CNBC reporter Maria Bartiromo, the Fed Chairman said his comments before the Senate Finance Committee were misinterpreted by the financial community. From Bloomberg.com: \"Bernanke, who became Fed chairman in February, told the Congress's Joint Economic Committee on April 27 that the Fed may suspend the increases even if economic risks are tilted toward faster inflation. Policy makers meet to decide borrowing costs next week.``We were swept off our feet'' by CNBC's report of Bernanke's comments, said Richard Franulovich, a currency strategist at Westpac Banking Corp. in New York. ``Bernanke is still easing his way into the role and learning what he can and can't say, and to whom. He won't be speaking off the cuff to media people again. He's probably learned a lesson.''What is the truth ? Chairman Bernanke isn't talking. In the absence of denial there is no dispute about what Ms Bartiromo reported from the Chicago Stock Exchange on Monday(May 1st) afternoon. It roiled the spooky market. The choppiness continues. With the stalemate in respect to efforts to control Iran's nuclear capability, high oil prices, and the mess in Iraq, the market has little to feel confident about.*The War President.....and the Tax Cut President. The massive tax cuts back in news as Republican lawmakers agreed on extending them beyond the 2008 expiration date to 2010. Jonathan Weisman in the Post:\"With this week's hard-fought agreement on a $70 billion tax-cut extension, President Bush and congressional Republicans have effectively set a date for a fiscal day of reckoning for the next president and a future Congress: Jan. 1, 2011.\"Taking a partisan turn, the president mocked Democrats who had opposed his tax cuts and had warned that they would lead to economic disaster. \"The Democrats' record of pessimism has been consistent: It's been consistently wrong,\" Bush said to loud applause.\"But the decisions taken now inevitably will cause politicians in the future to confront difficult choices -- a trade-off that Bush did not acknowledge in his speech.Lost in the smoke and mirrors is the true picture of the tax cuts---who are the major beneficiaries and who will bear the brunt. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/was-it-a-slip-or-a-plant/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA lesson for Fed Chairman Bernanke * And the President extols his tax cuts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA black-tie affair, a few drinks, an  attractive woman reporter.  Not too hard to imagine that  Chairman Bernanke loosened up and  said something  he  shouldn't have.  On the other hand, there are those who feel that it was a deliberate plant.  At the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner on March 29th,  during a conversation with CNBC reporter Maria Bartiromo, the Fed Chairman said his comments before the Senate Finance Committee  were misinterpreted by the financial community.  From \u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/news/economy/fedwatch.html\"\u003eBloomberg.com\u003c/a\u003e: \u003cspan class=\"style5\"\u003e\"Bernanke, who became Fed chairman in February, told the Congress's Joint Economic Committee on April 27 that the Fed may suspend the increases even if economic risks are tilted toward faster inflation. Policy makers meet to decide borrowing costs next week.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"style5\"\u003e``We were swept off our feet'' by CNBC's report of Bernanke's comments, said Richard Franulovich, a currency strategist at Westpac Banking Corp. in New York. ``Bernanke is still easing his way into the role and learning what he can and can't say, and to whom. He won't be speaking off the cuff to media people again. He's probably learned a lesson.''\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat is the truth ?  Chairman Bernanke isn't talking.  In the absence of denial there is no dispute about what Ms Bartiromo reported from the Chicago Stock Exchange on Monday(May 1st) afternoon. It roiled the spooky market.  The choppiness continues.  With the stalemate in respect to efforts to control Iran's  nuclear capability,  high oil prices, and the mess in Iraq, the market has little to feel confident about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe War President.....and the Tax Cut President.  The massive tax cuts back in news as Republican lawmakers agreed on extending them beyond the 2008 expiration date to 2010. Jonathan Weisman in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/03/AR2006050302244.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\"With this week's hard-fought agreement on a $70 billion tax-cut extension, President Bush and congressional Republicans have effectively set a date for a fiscal day of reckoning for the next president and a future Congress: Jan. 1, 2011.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eTaking a partisan turn, the president mocked Democrats who had opposed his tax cuts and had warned that they would lead to economic disaster. \"The Democrats' record of pessimism has been consistent: It's been consistently wrong,\" Bush said to loud applause.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"But the decisions taken now inevitably will cause politicians in the future to confront difficult choices -- a trade-off that Bush did not acknowledge in his speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eLost in the smoke and mirrors is the true picture of the tax cuts---who are the major beneficiaries and who will bear the brunt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Was it a slip or a plant ?"},{"content":" Thank you, Stephen Colbert * How many more Nathaniel DeTample ?What a difference ! Remember Bush and the Republicans after the second inaugural ? They were the new centurions. Arrogant, invincible. They claimed they had a mandate. It felt as if they had. Things look different now. Applause for Stephen Colbert who exposed the president and his warts in public at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner on April 29th. Dan Froomkin in the Post: \"Colbert was merciless, reserving his most potent zingers for the people in spitting distance: The president who took the nation to war on false pretenses and the press corps that let him do it.\" The boozy bonhomie of the annual event is intended to serve as a balm for the often tense relationship between the White House and the reporters who cover it. Bush largely delivered on his side of the bargain. Colbert delivered something else entirely. The full transcript of Colbert's speech is avilable at the DailyKos.Here are a few excerpts. Wow. Wow, what an honor. The White House correspondents' dinner. To actually sit here, at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what? I'm a pretty sound sleeper -- that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face. Is he really not here tonight? Dammit. The one guy who could have helped. Now, I know there are some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in \"reality.\" And reality has a well-known liberal bias. So, Mr. President, please, pay no attention to the people that say the glass is half full. 32% means the glass -- it's important to set up your jokes properly, sir. Sir, pay no attention to the people who say the glass is half empty, because 32% means it's 2/3 empty. There's still some liquid in that glass is my point, but I wouldn't drink it. The last third is usually backwash. Okay, look, folks, my point is that I don't believe this is a low point in this presidency. I believe it is just a lull before a comeback. I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world. *\"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knowsThat too many people have died?The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,The answer is blowin' in the wind.\"---Bob DylanOn August 13, 2005, I wrote about a 19-year old soldier, Nathaniel DeTample who died in Iraq on August 9th of that year. Since then 31 soldiers under the age of 20 have lost their lives in Iraq. Think about them. The total now is 2406; think about all of them and ask what did they die for. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/the-bush-presidency---cracks-in-the-armor/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThank you, Stephen Colbert * How many more Nathaniel DeTample ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat a difference ! Remember Bush and the Republicans after the second inaugural ? They were the new centurions.  Arrogant, invincible. They claimed they had a mandate. It felt as if they had. Things look different now. Applause for Stephen Colbert who exposed the president and his warts in public at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner on April 29th. Dan Froomkin in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/05/01/BL2006050100680.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Colbert was merciless, reserving his most potent zingers for the people in spitting distance: The president who took the nation to war on false pretenses and the press corps that let him do it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe boozy bonhomie of the annual event is intended to serve as a balm for the often tense relationship between the White House and the reporters who cover it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBush largely delivered on his side of the bargain. Colbert delivered something else entirely.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThe full transcript of Colbert's speech is avilable at the \u003ca href=\"http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/4/30/1441/59811\"\u003eDailyKos\u003c/a\u003e.Here are a few excerpts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWow. Wow, what an honor. The White House correspondents' dinner. To actually sit here, at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what? I'm a pretty sound sleeper -- that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face. Is he really not here tonight? Dammit. The one guy who could have helped.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, I know there are some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in \"reality.\" And reality has a well-known liberal bias.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo, Mr. President, please, pay no attention to the people that say the glass is half full. 32% means the glass -- it's important to set up your jokes properly, sir. Sir, pay no attention to the people who say the glass is half empty, because 32% means it's 2/3 empty. There's still some liquid in that glass is my point, but I wouldn't drink it. The last third is usually backwash. Okay, look, folks, my point is that I don't believe this is a low point in this presidency. I believe it is just a lull before a comeback.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows\u003cbr/\u003eThat too many people have died?\u003cbr/\u003eThe answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,\u003cbr/\u003eThe answer is blowin' in the wind.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Bob Dylan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/DeTample.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn August 13, 2005, I wrote about a 19-year old soldier, Nathaniel DeTample who died in Iraq on August 9th of that year. Since then 31 soldiers under the age of 20 have lost their lives in Iraq. Think about them. The total now is 2406; think about all of them and ask what did they die for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Bush Presidency  - Cracks in the Armor"},{"content":" Or How She Got Into Harvard * End of Berlusconi EraIn the din about Kaavya Viswanathan's plagiarism there was one item that didn't draw much attention---the fact that her parents paid Ivywise, an admissions counselling service to get her accepted by Harvard. Perhaps not a rare situation. Other wealthy parents do the same for their offsprings who cannot make it on their own. In this case, Ivywise not only prepped Viswanathan for Harvard but also steered her to a \"book packager\"! Ruth Marcus in the Post: \"It's no excuse, but with all this third-party positioning, is it any wonder that a person -- especially a teenage person -- could forget (or ignore) the fact that some of the writing in her book is not actually hers? How easy it is for authenticity to be obscured in a world in which hired help packages preschool applications, in which the line between a real relationship with an adult and strategic sucking up is blurred.\"\"Life that is, in this case, more engaging, more nuanced and ultimately more disturbing than art. And Viswanathan, perhaps, has learned a lesson that the admissions industrial complex does its best to obscure: There are more things to cry about than not getting into Harvard.\"It is doubtful that Ivywise would suffer because of the brouhaha over Kaavya Viswanathan. In fact it might benefit from it. There are enough monied parents out there who will continue to retain admissions counselling services.Recently, two young women I know (one from Israel and the other from Pakistan) went through the process. One failed to make it; the other got accepted by Harvard but decided on Duke instead because it offered her a better scholarship package and she felt that the program at Duke was more in line with her objective. Both of them did their own work.Late breaking newsFrom Associated Press: \"A reader alerted The New York Times to at least three portions of \"How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life\" that are similar to passages in the novel \"Can You Keep a Secret?\" by Sophie Kinsella.\"And so it goes.*Good news. Another friend of President Bush, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi has resigned. Centre-Left leader Romano Prodi will now form a government. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/the-packaging-of-the-plagiarist/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eOr How She Got Into Harvard * End of Berlusconi Era\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the din about Kaavya Viswanathan's plagiarism there was one item that didn't draw much attention---the fact that her parents paid Ivywise, an admissions counselling service to get her accepted by Harvard.  Perhaps not a rare situation.  Other wealthy parents do the same for their offsprings who cannot make it on their own.  In this case, Ivywise not only prepped Viswanathan for Harvard but also steered her to a \"book packager\"!   Ruth Marcus in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/01/AR2006050101272.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"It's no excuse, but with all this third-party positioning, is it any wonder that a person -- especially a teenage person -- could forget (or ignore) the fact that some of the writing in her book is not actually hers? How easy it is for authenticity to be obscured in a world in which hired help packages preschool applications, in which the line between a real relationship with an adult and strategic sucking up is blurred.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Life that is, in this case, more engaging, more nuanced and ultimately more disturbing than art. And Viswanathan, perhaps, has learned a lesson that the admissions industrial complex does its best to obscure: There are more things to cry about than not getting into Harvard.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is doubtful that Ivywise would suffer because of the brouhaha over Kaavya Viswanathan.  In fact it might benefit from it.  There are enough monied parents out there who will continue to retain admissions counselling services.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRecently, two young women I know (one from Israel and the other from Pakistan) went through the process. One failed to make it; the other got accepted by Harvard but decided on Duke instead because it offered her a better  scholarship package and she felt that the program at Duke was more in line with her objective. Both of them did their own work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLate breaking news\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060502/ap_en_ot/young_author\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e:  \"\u003cbr/\u003eA reader alerted The New York Times to at least three portions of \"How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life\" that are similar to passages in the novel \"Can You Keep a Secret?\" by Sophie Kinsella.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGood news. Another friend of President Bush, Italy's \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/italy\"\u003eSilvio Berlusconi\u003c/a\u003e has resigned.  Centre-Left leader Romano Prodi will now form a government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Packaging of the Plagiarist"},{"content":" John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) * Late Spring He was a giant. I could imagine the reaction of the rapacious champions of laissez faire who now call the shots about economic policies of the current administration. Sacrilegious....socialist or worse! Bart Barnes in the Post:\"One of the most influential was \"The Affluent Society\" (1958), which argued that overproduction of consumer goods was harming the public sector and depriving Americans of such benefits as clean air, clean streets, good schools and support for the arts.\" Galbraith was the right person for the time when he was appointed by President Kennedy as the U.S. Ambassador to India. Dr. Galbraith was generally considered to have been an apostle of the theories advanced by British economist John Maynard Keynes: that government could promote full employment and a stable economy by stimulating spending and investment with adjustments in interest and tax rates, and deficit financing. He lamented what he believed was an excess accumulation of private wealth at the expense of public needs, and he warned that an unfettered free market system and capitalism without regulation would fail to meet basic social demands. This was echoed in \"The Affluent Society.\" * Sunny and warm days at last. For us in the San Francisco Bay area it felt as though the cold and rainy days would never end. They continued a month beyond the spring solstice. Now it feels like spring and it is a good feeling.©Ian Britton, Freefoto.com SpringNothing is so beautiful as spring--When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lushThrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrushThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wringThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing:The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brushThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rushWith richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.What is all this juice and all this joy ?A strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning... --Gerard Manley Hopkins ","permalink":"/posts/2006/05/monday-morning-soliloquies/","summary":"John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) * Late Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe was a giant. I could imagine the reaction of the rapacious champions of laissez faire who now call the shots about economic policies of the current administration. Sacrilegious....socialist or worse! Bart Barnes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/30/AR2006043000422.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\"One of the most influential was \"The Affluent Society\" (1958), which argued that overproduction of consumer goods was harming the public sector and depriving Americans of such benefits as clean air, clean streets, good schools and support for the arts.\" Galbraith was the right person for the time when he was appointed by President Kennedy as the U.S. Ambassador to India. \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eDr. Galbraith was generally considered to have been an apostle of the theories advanced by British economist John Maynard Keynes: that government could promote full employment and a stable economy by stimulating spending and investment with adjustments in interest and tax rates, and deficit financing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eHe lamented what he believed was an excess accumulation of private wealth at the expense of public needs, and he warned that an unfettered free market system and capitalism without regulation would fail to meet basic social demands. This was echoed in \"The Affluent Society.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e* \u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSunny and warm days at last.  For us in the San Francisco Bay area it felt as though the cold and rainy days would never end.  They continued a month beyond the spring solstice. Now it feels like spring and it is a good feeling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/05/Spring.1.jpg\"/\u003e©Ian Britton, Freefoto.com\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNothing is so beautiful as spring--\u003cbr/\u003eWhen weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush\u003cbr/\u003eThrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrush\u003cbr/\u003eThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wring\u003cbr/\u003eThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing:\u003cbr/\u003eThe glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush\u003cbr/\u003eThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rush\u003cbr/\u003eWith richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is all this juice and all this joy ?\u003cbr/\u003eA strain of earth's sweet being in the beginning...\u003cbr/\u003e  --Gerard Manley Hopkins  \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Monday Morning Soliloquies"},{"content":" Emperor George * Neil Young's \"Living With War\" * The \"I\" Word As April comes to a close, we learn that 72 of our soldiers have died in Iraq during the month. The total is 2400. Think of the president's Mission Accomplished appearance in a flight suit on the USS Lincoln. That was May 2,2003. Remember the words: \".....I think they're in the last throes if you will, of the insurgency\" ? That was Vice President Cheney on CNN May 30,2005. U.S. casualties in May 2005 numbered 1666. So, 734 soldiers died since the vice president (who had taken four deferments during the Vietnam war) said that a year ago about the insurgents. Think about it. 734 soldiers, majority of them in their 20's. Those who sent them to Iraq will again issue lofty statements. The bereaved families will grieve but few of them will speak out about the wasted lives and maimed bodies. And the cost in terms of dollars (our money) keeps going up and up. The president still wants the grossly skewed tax cuts made permanent. Our children and grand children will pay for it while those who lead the nation into the mess do their golfing and quail hunting. The much vaunted Operation Iraqi Freedom has turned out to be a disaster. The Post reports that: \"As the U.S. military struggles against persistent sectarian violence in Iraq, military officers and security experts find themselves in a vigorous debate over an idea that just months ago was largely dismissed as a fringe thought: that the surest -- and perhaps now the only -- way to bring stability to Iraq is to divide the country into three pieces.\" In the meantime, one hears more and more about the once unthinkable subject---impeachment of President Bush. Living With War, a newly released CD by Neil Young (yes, he is Canadian) includes a song \"Let's impeach the President\" Click on the title of the CD to listen to clips. In a despatch from Washington, Sarah Baxter of The Times (London) reports: \"THE movement to impeach President George W Bush over the war on terror began with a few tatty bumper stickers on the back of battered old Volvos and slogans such as “Bush lied, people died” on far-left websites. But as Democrat hopes rise of gaining control of Congress this autumn, dreams of impeaching Bush are no longer confined to the political fringe. A poll last week found that voters, by 50% to 37%, would prefer the Democrats to win control of Congress. If Bush’s opponents find themselves in a position of power, the temptation to humiliate him is likely to be irresistible.\" I doubt that Democrats would succeed in taking control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections. In the unlikely event that should come to pass, I would rather see the Bush administration in a lame duck presidency than going through the process of impeachment. It is too expensive in every sense of the word. The nation will need all the energy the leaders can muster to move forward and repair the damage done after 2000. I opposed the impeachment of President Clinton for diddling with Monica Lewinsky and lying about it. No one died because of what he did. The Clinton impeachment was purely a partisan thing. I would have supported his impeachment if he took the nation to war on lies. No question that President Bush deserves to be impeached. Still, it is a course that I have deep reservations about. The fallen (two names have not yet been released by the DOD. Source:Iraq Coalition Casualties. Let's not forget the hapless Iraqi civilians killed in military action: Min. 34,512 Max.38,661 Source: Iraq Body Count Darrell P. Clay, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006Israel Devora Garcia, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006Michael L. Hartwick, 37, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Apr 01, 2006Timothy J. Moshier, 25, Army Captain, Apr 01, 2006Jeremy W. Ehle, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2006Andres Aguilar Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006David A. Bass, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Patrick J. Gallagher, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Kun Y. Kim, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Eric A. McIntosh, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006Eric A. Palmisano, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Scott J. Procopio, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Felipe D. Sandoval-Flores, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Brian R. St. Germain, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Abraham G. Twitchell, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006Marcques J. Nettles, 22, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Apr 02, 2006Geovani Padilla Aleman, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Apr 02, 2006Ty J. Johnson, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2006Dustin J. Harris, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2006Daniel L. Sesker, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 06, 2006Chase A. Edwards, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2006Bryan N. Taylor, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2006Richard P. Waller, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 07, 2006Shawn R. Creighton, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 08, 2006Jody W. Missildine, 19, Army Private, Apr 08, 2006Philip John Martini, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006Juana NavarroArellano, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006David S. Collins, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2006Joseph I. Love-Fowler, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006Gregory S. Rogers, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006James W. \"Will\" Gardner, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 10, 2006Randall L. Lamberson, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 10, 2006Joseph A. Blanco, 25, Army Corporal, Apr 11, 2006James F. Costello III, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006Kenneth D. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 11, 2006George R. Roehl Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006Scott M. Bandhold, 37, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2006Roland E. Calderon-Ascencio, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2006Marcus S. Glimpse, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2006Andrew K. Waits, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 13, 2006Salem Bachar, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 13, 2006Stephen Joseph Perez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 13, 2006Darin T. Settle, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2006Mark W. Melcher, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 15, 2006Derrick J. Cothran, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 15, 2006Pablo V. Mayorga, 33, Marine Corporal, Apr 15, 2006Justin D. Sims, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 15, 2006Ryan G. Winslow, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 15, 2006Clinton W. Cubert, 38, Army National Guard Master Sergeant, Apr 16, 2006Ian P. Weikel, 31, Army Captain, Apr 18, 2006Robert J. Settle, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 19, 2006Patrick A. Tinnell, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 19, 2006Jason C. Ramseyer, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 20, 2006Jacob H. Allcott, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 22, 2006Michael E. Bouthot, 19, Army Private, Apr 22, 2006Kyle A. Colnot, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 22, 2006Eric D. King, 29, Army Specialist, Apr 22, 2006Travis C. Zimmerman, 19, Army Private, Apr 22, 2006Eric R. Lueken, 23, Marine Corporal, Apr 22, 2006Jason B. Daniel, 21, Army Corporal, Apr 23, 2006Robert W. Ehney, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 23, 2006Shawn Thomas Lasswell Jr., 21, Army Corporal, Apr 23, 2006Metodio A. Bandonill, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2006Aaron William Simons, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 24, 2006Raymond L. Henry, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 25, 2006Richard J. Herrema, 27, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 25, 2006Michael L. Ford, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 26, 2006Matthew Webber, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 27, 2006Edward Davis III, 31, Marine Sergeant, Apr 27, 2006Lea R. Mills, 0, Marine Not reported yet, Apr 27, 2006* The Burial of the Dead \"April is the cruellest month,breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.\" ---T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), Waste Land ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/distant-drums---the-dead-of-april/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eEmperor George * Neil Young's \"Living With War\" * The \"I\" Word \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs April comes to a close, we learn that 72 of our soldiers have died in Iraq during the month. The total is 2400. Think of the president's Mission Accomplished appearance in a flight suit on the USS Lincoln. That was May 2,2003. Remember the words: \".....I think they're in the last throes if you will, of the insurgency\" ? That was Vice President Cheney on CNN May 30,2005. U.S. casualties in May 2005 numbered 1666. So, 734 soldiers died since the vice president (who had taken four deferments during the Vietnam war) said that a year ago about the insurgents. Think about it. 734 soldiers, majority of them in their 20's. Those who sent them to Iraq will again issue lofty statements. The bereaved families will grieve but few of them will speak out about the wasted lives and maimed bodies. And the cost in terms of dollars (our money) keeps going up and up. The president still wants the grossly skewed tax cuts made permanent. Our children and grand children will pay for it while those who lead the nation into the mess do their golfing and quail hunting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe much vaunted Operation Iraqi Freedom has turned out to be a disaster.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042901142.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e reports that: \"As the U.S. military struggles against persistent sectarian violence in Iraq, military officers and security experts find themselves in a vigorous debate over an idea that just months ago was largely dismissed as a fringe thought: that the surest -- and perhaps now the only -- way to bring stability to Iraq is to divide the country into three pieces.\" In the meantime, one hears more and more about the once unthinkable subject---impeachment of President Bush. \u003ca href=\"http://www.neilyoung.com/\"\u003eLiving With War\u003c/a\u003e, a newly released CD by Neil Young (yes, he is Canadian) includes a song \"Let's impeach the President\" Click on the title of the CD to listen to clips. In a despatch from Washington, Sarah Baxter of \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2092455,00.html\"\u003eThe Times\u003c/a\u003e (London) reports: \"THE movement to impeach President George W Bush over the war on terror began with a few tatty bumper stickers on the back of battered old Volvos and slogans such as “Bush lied, people died” on far-left websites. But as Democrat hopes rise of gaining control of Congress this autumn, dreams of impeaching Bush are no longer confined to the political fringe. A poll last week found that voters, by 50% to 37%, would prefer the Democrats to win control of Congress. If Bush’s opponents find themselves in a position of power, the temptation to humiliate him is likely to be irresistible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI doubt that Democrats would succeed in taking control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections. In the unlikely event that should come to pass, I would rather see the Bush administration in a lame duck presidency than going through the process of impeachment. It is too expensive in every sense of the word. The nation will need all the energy the leaders can muster to move forward and repair the damage done after 2000. I opposed the impeachment of President Clinton for diddling with Monica Lewinsky and lying about it. No one died because of what he did. The Clinton impeachment was purely a partisan thing. I would have supported his impeachment if he took the nation to war on lies. No question that President Bush deserves to be impeached. Still, it is a course that I have deep reservations about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe fallen (two names have not yet been released by the DOD. Source:\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e. Let's not forget the hapless Iraqi civilians killed in military action: Min. 34,512 Max.38,661 Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eDarrell P. Clay, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eIsrael Devora Garcia, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael L. Hartwick, 37, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy J. Moshier, 25, Army Captain, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy W. Ehle, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAndres Aguilar Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid A. Bass, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick J. Gallagher, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKun Y. Kim, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric A. McIntosh, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric A. Palmisano, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eScott J. Procopio, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eFelipe D. Sandoval-Flores, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrian R. St. Germain, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAbraham G. Twitchell, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarcques J. Nettles, 22, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGeovani Padilla Aleman, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTy J. Johnson, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDustin J. Harris, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel L. Sesker, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChase A. Edwards, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBryan N. Taylor, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRichard P. Waller, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShawn R. Creighton, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJody W. Missildine, 19, Army Private, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePhilip John Martini, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJuana NavarroArellano, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Collins, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph I. Love-Fowler, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGregory S. Rogers, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames W. \"Will\" Gardner, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRandall L. Lamberson, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph A. Blanco, 25, Army Corporal, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames F. Costello III, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth D. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge R. Roehl Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eScott M. Bandhold, 37, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoland E. Calderon-Ascencio, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarcus S. Glimpse, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew K. Waits, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSalem Bachar, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eStephen Joseph Perez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDarin T. Settle, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMark W. Melcher, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDerrick J. Cothran, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePablo V. Mayorga, 33, Marine Corporal, Apr 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJustin D. Sims, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRyan G. Winslow, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eClinton W. Cubert, 38, Army National Guard Master Sergeant, Apr 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eIan P. Weikel, 31, Army Captain, Apr 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobert J. Settle, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick A. Tinnell, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 19, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJason C. Ramseyer, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJacob H. Allcott, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael E. Bouthot, 19, Army Private, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKyle A. Colnot, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric D. King, 29, Army Specialist, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTravis C. Zimmerman, 19, Army Private, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric R. Lueken, 23, Marine Corporal, Apr 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJason B. Daniel, 21, Army Corporal, Apr 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRobert W. Ehney, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShawn Thomas Lasswell Jr., 21, Army Corporal, Apr 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMetodio A. Bandonill, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAaron William Simons, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRaymond L. Henry, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRichard J. Herrema, 27, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael L. Ford, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 26, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew Webber, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 27, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEdward Davis III, 31, Marine Sergeant, Apr 27, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLea R. Mills, 0, Marine Not reported yet, Apr 27, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e The Burial of the Dead\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e  \"April is the cruellest month,breeding   Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing  Memory and desire, stirring  Dull roots with spring rain.\" ---T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), Waste Land\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Distant Drums - The Dead of April"},{"content":" End of fleeting fortune...and fame for Kaavya Viswanathan. The publishers, Little Brown and Co.,did the right thing by pulling the book from stores. Once the details of her lies became undeniable, the publishers had no choice. Dragging the sordid affair and trying to put a spin on it wouldn't have done them any good. \"CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 27 -- The debut novel by a Harvard student, who seemingly copied numerous passages from another author's books, is being withdrawn from sale, the publishing house Little, Brown and Co. announced Thursday evening.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/exits-kaavya-viswanathan---good-riddance/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEnd of fleeting fortune...and fame for \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/27/AR2006042702366.html\"\u003eKaavya Viswanathan\u003c/a\u003e. The publishers, Little Brown and Co.,did the right thing by pulling the book from stores. Once the details of her lies became undeniable, the publishers had no choice. Dragging the sordid affair and trying to put a spin on it wouldn't have done them any good. \"CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 27 -- The debut novel by a Harvard student, who seemingly copied numerous passages from another author's books, is being withdrawn from sale, the publishing house Little, Brown and Co. announced Thursday evening.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Exits Kaavya Viswanathan - Good Riddance"},{"content":" More dark clouds for the Bush White HouseFive times before the grand jury investigating the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame's name! Must be uneasy nights for Karl Rove. If he is indicted then it would be another issue to add to the growing list of problems facing the White House. Dan Froomkin in the Post: \"In his fifth appearance before the grand jury, Rove spent considerable time arguing that it would have been foolish for him to knowingly mislead investigators about his role in the disclosure of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame to the media, the source said. His grand jury appearance, which was kept secret even from Rove's closest White House colleagues until shortly before he went to court yesterday, suggests that prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald remains keenly interested in Rove's role in the case.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/karl-the-machinator---is-the-noose-tightening/","summary":"More dark clouds for the Bush White House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFive times before the grand jury investigating the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame's name! Must be uneasy nights for Karl Rove. If he is indicted then it would be another issue to add to the growing list of problems facing the White House. Dan Froomkin in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/04/28/BL2006042801119.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"In his fifth appearance before the grand jury, Rove spent considerable time arguing that it would have been foolish for him to knowingly mislead investigators about his role in the disclosure of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame to the media, the source said. His grand jury appearance, which was kept secret even from Rove's closest White House colleagues until shortly before he went to court yesterday, suggests that prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald remains keenly interested in Rove's role in the case.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Karl the Machinator - Is the Noose Tightening?"},{"content":" They Go on Killing * And the Plagiarist faces fallout from \"Opal Mehta .....\"There seems to be no end to the daily slaughter. Shias killing Sunnis, Sunnis killing Shias and, it seems at times that radical Muslims are killing just for pleasure; they don't care who they kill.In the past, Islamic nations have failed to raise their voices to condemn such acts of violence. Perhaps, at long last, there is an awakening. What happened last week at Dahab,Egypt, caused Arabs to question such wanton killings. No sign that the lunatics who carry out such atrocities are paying any attention. Further bombings took place in the days following the April 24th attack on a tourist resort in Dahab. From Washington Post: CAIRO, Egypt -- The Arab world reacted in horror and outrage Tuesday at the bombings of an Egyptian resort _ and a rift opened between hardline al-Qaida sympathizers and other radical Muslim groups who say the latest attacks have gone too far. *Kaavya Viswanathan, the Harvard student who unconsciously \"internalized\" 40 passages written by another author, continues to go through contortions. Her explanation after she was caught does not wash. Comments in The Onion about Kaavya Viswanathan. The Post: CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 25 -- Apology not accepted. That was the response Tuesday from author Megan McCafferty and her publishers to a Harvard student-turned-novelist who said she was sorry for her \"unconscious\" copying of passages from two of McCafferty's books.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-bloodlust-of-radical-islamists/","summary":"They Go on Killing * And the Plagiarist faces fallout from \"Opal Mehta .....\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere seems to be no end to the daily slaughter. Shias killing Sunnis, Sunnis killing Shias and, it seems at times that radical Muslims are killing just for pleasure; they don't care who they kill.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the past, Islamic nations have failed to raise their voices to condemn such acts of violence. Perhaps, at long last, there is an awakening. What happened last week at Dahab,Egypt, caused Arabs to question such wanton killings. No sign that the lunatics who carry out such atrocities are paying any attention. Further bombings took place in the days following the April 24th attack on a tourist resort in Dahab. From \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/25/AR2006042500757.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: CAIRO, Egypt -- The Arab world reacted in horror and outrage Tuesday at the bombings of an Egyptian resort _ and a rift opened between hardline al-Qaida sympathizers and other radical Muslim groups who say the latest attacks have gone too far.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eKaavya Viswanathan, the Harvard student who unconsciously \"internalized\" 40 passages written by another author, continues to go through contortions. Her explanation after she was caught does not wash. Comments in The Onion about \u003ca href=\"http://mobile.theonion.com/content/node/47912\"\u003eKaavya Viswanathan\u003c/a\u003e.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/25/AR2006042501983.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e:  CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 25 -- Apology not accepted.   \u003cp\u003eThat was the response Tuesday from author Megan McCafferty and her publishers to a Harvard student-turned-novelist who said she was sorry for her \"unconscious\" copying of passages from two of McCafferty's books.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Bloodlust of Radical Islamists"},{"content":" The Lawmakers and Their Patrons, the Lobbyists Let's face it. Congress does not want enactment of a meaningful legislation to curb the influence of lobbyists. It never did. The members made some noises after details of Jack Abramoff's illegal deals came to light. But they had second thoughts. Editorial in the Post, Sham Lobbying Reform, paints a sickening picture of the lawmakers and their shameful decision to push for a toothless bill. \"Mr. Dreier's Rules Committee took an already weak House bill and made it weaker. From the version of the measure approved by the House Judiciary Committee, it dropped provisions that would require lobbyists to disclose fundraisers they host for candidates, campaign checks they solicit for lawmakers and parties they finance (at conventions, for example) in honor of members.Excerpts: Privately paid travel, such as the lavish golfing trips to Scotland that Mr. Abramoff arranged for members? \"Private travel has been abused by some, and I believe we need to put an end to it,\" said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). But that was January; this is now. Privately funded trips wouldn't be banned under the House bill, just \"suspended\" until Dec. 15 (yes, just after the election) while the House ethics committee, that bastion of anemic do-nothingness, ostensibly develops recommendations. Meals and other gifts from lobbyists? \"I believe that it's also very important for us to proceed with a significantly stronger gift ban, which would prevent members and staff from personally benefiting from gifts from lobbyists,\" said Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) in -- you guessed it -- January. Now, Mr. Dreier's bill would leave the current gift limits unchanged. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/for-the-109th-congress-it-is-business-as-usual/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Lawmakers and Their Patrons, the Lobbyists \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet's face it. Congress does not want enactment of a meaningful legislation to curb the influence of lobbyists. It never did. The members made some noises after details of Jack Abramoff's illegal deals came to light. But they had second thoughts. Editorial in the Post, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/24/AR2006042401451.html\"\u003eSham Lobbying Reform\u003c/a\u003e,  paints a sickening picture of the lawmakers and their shameful decision to push for a toothless bill.  \"Mr. Dreier's Rules Committee took an already weak House bill and made it weaker. From the version of the measure approved by the House Judiciary Committee, it dropped provisions that would require lobbyists to disclose fundraisers they host for candidates, campaign checks they solicit for lawmakers and parties they finance (at conventions, for example) in honor of members.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePrivately paid travel, such as the lavish golfing trips to Scotland that Mr. Abramoff arranged for members? \"Private travel has been abused by some, and I believe we need to put an end to it,\" said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). But that was January; this is now. Privately funded trips wouldn't be banned under the House bill, just \"suspended\" until Dec. 15 (yes, just after the election) while the House ethics committee, that bastion of anemic do-nothingness, ostensibly develops recommendations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMeals and other gifts from lobbyists? \"I believe that it's also very important for us to proceed with a significantly stronger gift ban, which would prevent members and staff from personally benefiting from gifts from lobbyists,\" said Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) in -- you guessed it -- January. Now, Mr. Dreier's bill would leave the current gift limits unchanged.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"For the 109th Congress, It Is Business As Usual"},{"content":" Ad for a House of Prostitution riles MuslimsThe report from BBC starkly exemplifies the hypocrisy of the Muslims. \"A Cologne brothel touting for clients with a World Cup-themed banner has blacked out the flags of Iran and Saudi Arabia after threats from Muslims.\" What does the protest mean...that Muslims don't patronize prostitutes? That is absurd. The giant banner on a high-rise building shows a semi-naked woman and the flags of the 32 countries in the World Cup, which kicks off in June. Back in the 1980's a building in Bangkok,Thailand, was known as the Saudi Hotel because plane loads of Saudi Arabians went to Bangkok and stayed there to cavort with prostitutes. The wide-open sex trade in Thailand attracted people from all nations. Perhaps it still does. Friends in Mumbai (Bombay) told me about regular traffic of rich Arabs who came to Mumbai to have sex with prostitutes.Then, the nature of the protest. Not a group with banners, chanting slogans. They don't believe in peaceful demonstrations. First there were telephone threats of violence, then about 30 hooded protesters armed with knives and sticks turned up outside Pascha on Friday, the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper reported. Why the readiness for violence? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/there-they-go-again-prostitutes-and-islam/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAd for a House of Prostitution riles Muslims\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe report from \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4941788.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e starkly exemplifies the hypocrisy of the Muslims. \"A Cologne brothel touting for clients with a World Cup-themed banner has blacked out the flags of Iran and Saudi Arabia after threats from Muslims.\" What does the protest mean...that Muslims don't patronize prostitutes? That is absurd.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe giant banner on a high-rise building shows a semi-naked woman and the flags of the 32 countries in the World Cup, which kicks off in June.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in the 1980's a building in Bangkok,Thailand, was known as the Saudi Hotel because plane loads of Saudi Arabians went to Bangkok and stayed there to cavort with prostitutes. The wide-open sex trade in Thailand attracted people from all nations. Perhaps it still does. Friends in Mumbai (Bombay) told me about regular traffic of rich Arabs who came to Mumbai to have sex with prostitutes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThen, the nature of the protest. Not a group with banners, chanting slogans.  They don't believe in peaceful demonstrations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFirst there were telephone threats of violence, then about 30 hooded protesters armed with knives and sticks turned up outside Pascha on Friday, the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper reported.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Why the readiness for violence?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"There They Go Again: Prostitutes and Islam"},{"content":" Bruce Springsteen sings Pete Seeger * \"Good Night, Irene\" in Kolkata * Bush's Third War? Interesting article about The Boss in the Sunday Observer/Guardian. \"Over on Ocean Avenue, a patron sits with a lunchtime shot and beer in the Wonder Bar, which advertises a dance party with DJ Jersey Joe. Down the block is the Stone Pony, the nightclub where Bruce Springsteen, the Jersey Shore's famous son, made his name. Its marquee advertises a show by Nils Lofgren, guitarist for Springsteen's long-time collaborators the E Street Band.\" Reading about Springsteen's new album, a tribute to Pete Seeger, brought back memories of the old troubadour. I listened to Pete Seeger strum his guitar and sing in Calcutta (Kolkata as it is known now) in the late 1960's. Didn't know much about Pete Seeger those days but someone gave me a leaflet that contained brief background information. The Vietnam war was raging and I had strong feelings about America's role. Reading that Pete Seeger was part of an anti-war movement was enough for me and a few friends to show up for the performance. Of course, the USIS wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole. His appearance was privately organized. It was standing room only at the Rabindra Sadan auditorium. The audience (mostly Bengalis) enthusiastically joined Pete Seeger in what he called \"a hootenanny\" when he sang Good Night,Irene; We shall overcome; and Where have all the flowers gone. The New Yorker, in its issue of April 17,2006, has a profile of Pete Seeger. I spent more than an hour trying to negotiate the New Yorker's poorly designed, user unfriendly web site to get a link to the article before giving up. According to the New Yorker Forum there are others who find the web site frustrating. Wonder if the designers intentionally made it so. Seeger is 86, he was born in 1919. \"He doesn't cultivate publicity. That isn't what he does. He's far more modest than that. He would never make a fuss. He's just standing out there in the cold and the sleet like a scarecrow. I go a little bit down the road, so that when I get him in view again, this solitary and elderly figure,I see that what he's written on the sign is 'Peace'.\"---The Protest Singer by Alec Wilkinson,The New Yorker.The Boss has done his share of making music against the war in Iraq, and Neil Young has recently issued an anti-war album which includes a song titled \"Impeach the President\". More power to them.* A lot is being written about Iran's nuclear program and President Bush's threats of war. Arthur Schlesinger Jr.in the Post on Bush's Thousand days: \"There stretch ahead for Bush a thousand days of his own. He might use them to start the third Bush war: the Afghan war (justified), the Iraq war (based on fantasy, deception and self-deception), the Iran war (also fantasy, deception and self-deception). There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.\" Frightening to think of the power that lies in the hands of a few megalomaniacs, and I don't mean Ahmadinejad and his aides. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-04-26 hey there,\njust thought i'd make a suggestion for anyone interested in anti-war music (or just great music in general). check out Josh Ritter: http://www.joshritter.com/music.shtml\nhis song \"Girl in the War\" is really great, as is all of his stuff.\nenjoy! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-boss-and-the-protest-singer/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBruce Springsteen sings Pete Seeger * \"Good Night, Irene\" in Kolkata * Bush's Third War?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInteresting article about \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1759069,00.html\"\u003eThe Boss \u003c/a\u003ein the Sunday Observer/Guardian. \"Over on Ocean Avenue, a patron sits with a lunchtime shot and beer in the Wonder Bar, which advertises a dance party with DJ Jersey Joe. Down the block is the Stone Pony, the nightclub where Bruce Springsteen, the Jersey Shore's famous son, made his name. Its marquee advertises a show by Nils Lofgren, guitarist for Springsteen's long-time collaborators the E Street Band.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading about Springsteen's new  album, a tribute to Pete Seeger,  brought back memories of the old troubadour. I listened to Pete Seeger strum his guitar and sing in Calcutta (Kolkata as it is known now) in the late 1960's. Didn't know much about Pete Seeger those days but someone gave me a leaflet that contained brief background information. The Vietnam war was raging and I had strong feelings about America's role. Reading that Pete Seeger was part of an anti-war movement was enough for me and a few friends to show up for the performance. Of course, the USIS wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole. His appearance was privately organized. It was standing room only at the Rabindra Sadan auditorium. The audience (mostly Bengalis) enthusiastically joined Pete Seeger in what he called \"a hootenanny\" when he sang Good Night,Irene; We shall overcome; and Where have all the flowers gone.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe New Yorker, in its issue of April 17,2006, has a profile of Pete Seeger. I spent more than an hour trying to negotiate the New Yorker's poorly designed, user unfriendly web site to get a link to the article before giving up. According to the New Yorker Forum there are others who find the web site frustrating. Wonder if the designers intentionally made it so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSeeger is 86, he was born in 1919.  \"He doesn't cultivate publicity. That isn't what he does. He's far more modest than that. He would never make a fuss. He's just standing out there in the cold and the sleet like a scarecrow. I go a little bit down the road, so that when I get him in view again, this solitary and elderly figure,I see that what he's written on the sign is 'Peace'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---The Protest Singer by Alec Wilkinson,The New Yorker.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Boss has done his share of making music against the war in Iraq, and \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4915672.stm\"\u003eNeil Young \u003c/a\u003ehas recently issued an anti-war album which includes a song titled \"Impeach the President\".  More power to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e A lot is being written about Iran's nuclear program and President Bush's threats of war. Arthur Schlesinger Jr.in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/23/AR2006042301014.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e on Bush's Thousand days:  \"There stretch ahead for Bush a thousand days of his own. He might use them to start the third Bush war: the Afghan war (justified), the Iraq war (based on fantasy, deception and self-deception), the Iran war (also fantasy, deception and self-deception). There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.\"  Frightening to think of the power that lies in the hands of a few megalomaniacs, and I don't mean Ahmadinejad and his aides.\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-26\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ehey there,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ejust thought i'd make a suggestion for anyone interested in anti-war music (or just great music in general). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003echeck out Josh Ritter: http://www.joshritter.com/music.shtml\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehis song \"Girl in the War\" is really great, as is all of his stuff.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eenjoy!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Boss and the \"Protest  Singer\""},{"content":" Waves over the leaks about Extraordinary Rendition Reading about the firing of CIA officer Mary McCarthy, it becomes clear that the seriousness of the case lies primarily in information about the secret program for outsourcing torture of prisoners. Ms McCarthy allegedly divulged details of the so called \"extraordinary rendition\" program, including names of countries to which the prisoners were sent. Very sensitive issue indeed.\"The CIA said in a statement last week that omitted McCarthy's name that the officer was fired for discussing operational intelligence matters with journalists. Officials have said the journalists included Washington Post correspondent Dana Priest, who last week was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for national security reporting that included the revelation of secret, CIA-run prisons for suspected terrorists in Eastern Europe and elsewhere.\" Intelligence gathering by nations is necessary and a fact of life. Intelligence agencies,however,do more than gather and interprete data. They participate in covert actions that are often border-line and sometimes clear violations of international laws. The \"extraordinary rendition\" program falls under that category. One can understand the embarrassment of high officials who had at one time flatly denied existence of it. Jane Meyer in The New Yorker,Feb.14,2005: On January 27th, President Bush, in an interview with the Times assured the world that \"torture is never acceptable, nor do we hand over people to countries that do torture.\" A report broadcast by the BBC on March 20th describes in detail the case of one Abu Omar, renditioned by CIA agents from Italy to Egypt and the torture he underwent. \"The Italian Government has issued \"arrest warrants for 22 alleged CIA operatives involved\". Egypt's role is easy to understand. It is the second largest recipient (after Israel) of U.S. aid. If all it took was to torture some prisoners to stay in the good graces of America, Hosni Mobarek's government saw nothing wrong. It is, however, the conduct of European nations that is murky....and shameful. Despite their professions of ignorance and outrage, almost all European governments are now facing questions about how much they have known about CIA operations. Have they been turning a blind eye? Have they allowed European airspace to be used for rendition? There is a suspicion in some quarters that they co-operate in secret but back off fast when CIA operations become public. Others believe that governments simply choose not to ask too many questions about what may be going on, even when it involves their territory. Whatever the case, the CIA's increasingly toxic reputation in Europe is causing some serious headaches, and may be making vital co-operation in the war against terrorism even harder to maintain. (This edition of Secret Wars by Gordon Corera was broadcast on BBC World Service on Monday 20 March.) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/cia-and-the-mary-mccarthy-affair/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\nWaves over the leaks about Extraordinary Rendition\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading about the firing of CIA officer \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/22/AR2006042201442.html\"\u003eMary McCarthy\u003c/a\u003e, it becomes clear that the seriousness of the case lies primarily in information about the secret program for outsourcing torture of prisoners. Ms McCarthy allegedly divulged details of the so called \"extraordinary rendition\" program, including names of countries to which the prisoners were sent. Very sensitive issue indeed.\"The CIA said in a statement last week that omitted McCarthy's name that the officer was fired for discussing operational intelligence matters with journalists. Officials have said the journalists included Washington Post correspondent Dana Priest, who last week was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for national security reporting that included the revelation of secret, CIA-run prisons for suspected terrorists in Eastern Europe and elsewhere.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIntelligence gathering by nations is necessary and a fact of life. Intelligence agencies,however,do more than gather and interprete data. They participate in covert actions that are often border-line and sometimes clear violations of international laws. The \"extraordinary rendition\" program falls under that category. One can understand the embarrassment of high officials who had at one time flatly denied existence of it.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJane Meyer in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?050214fa_fact6\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e,Feb.14,2005: On January 27th, President Bush, in an interview with the Times assured the world that \"torture is never acceptable, nor do we hand over people to countries that do torture.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report broadcast by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4822374.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e on March 20th describes in detail the case of one Abu Omar, renditioned by CIA agents from Italy to Egypt and the torture he underwent. \"The Italian Government has issued \"arrest warrants for 22 alleged CIA operatives involved\". \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nEgypt's role is easy to understand. It is the second largest recipient (after Israel) of U.S. aid. If all it took was to torture some prisoners to stay in the good graces of America, Hosni Mobarek's government saw nothing wrong.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt is, however, the conduct of European nations that is murky....and shameful.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite their professions of ignorance and outrage, almost all European governments are now facing questions about how much they have known about CIA operations.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHave they been turning a blind eye? Have they allowed European airspace to be used for rendition?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere is a suspicion in some quarters that they co-operate in secret but back off fast when CIA operations become public.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOthers believe that governments simply choose not to ask too many questions about what may be going on, even when it involves their territory. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhatever the case, the CIA's increasingly toxic reputation in Europe is causing some serious headaches, and may be making vital co-operation in the war against terrorism even harder to maintain. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e(This edition of Secret Wars by Gordon Corera was broadcast on BBC World Service on Monday 20 March.)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"CIA and the Mary McCarthy Affair"},{"content":" President Bush, the Environmentalist * Golfing CongressmenThe records are clear and abundant. The Bush Administration is no friend of the environment. But,like a chameleon, the president changes colors to suit the situation. And so he promoted alternative fuel on Earth Day. \"With gas prices at $3 a gallon, Bush said the best way for the nation to end its addiction to foreign oil is to make a transition more quickly to vehicles that run on renewable and domestically produced energy.\"Tom DeLay went to play at St. Andrews in Scotland. Cannot blame Tom Reynolds for liking Pebble Beach. The view is breathtaking. Great golf course.\"The ethical furnace keeps getting hotter for House Republicans. Even Rep. Tom Reynolds, who heads the GOP reelection effort, is feeling some heat. The four-term New Yorker is being targeted by a liberal watchdog group, New Yorkers for a Cleaner Congress, for taking \"more lobbyist-funded luxury trips outside of western New York in the last three years than he has returned home to western New York.\" The group singles out jaunts to Pebble Beach, Calif., by Reynolds that have totaled $205,185 over five years.\" While Republicans enjoy a more cozy relationship with them, Democrats are not immune from the insidious influence of lobbyists. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/bush-and-earth-day-there-is-a-disconnect/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush, the Environmentalist * Golfing Congressmen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe records are clear and abundant. The Bush Administration is no friend of the environment. But,like a chameleon, the president changes colors to suit the situation. And so he promoted alternative fuel on Earth Day. \"With gas prices at $3 a gallon, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/22/AR2006042201174.html\"\u003eBush\u003c/a\u003e said the best way for the nation to end its addiction to foreign oil is to make a transition more quickly to vehicles that run on renewable and domestically produced energy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTom DeLay went to play at St. Andrews in Scotland.  Cannot blame \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/22/AR2006042200995.html\"\u003eTom Reynolds\u003c/a\u003e for liking Pebble Beach. The view is breathtaking. Great golf course.\"The ethical furnace keeps getting hotter for House Republicans. Even Rep. Tom Reynolds, who heads the GOP reelection effort, is feeling some heat. The four-term New Yorker is being targeted by a liberal watchdog group, New Yorkers for a Cleaner Congress, for taking \"more lobbyist-funded luxury trips outside of western New York in the last three years than he has returned home to western New York.\" The group singles out jaunts to Pebble Beach, Calif., by Reynolds that have totaled $205,185 over five years.\" While Republicans enjoy a more cozy relationship with them, Democrats are not immune from the insidious influence of lobbyists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush and Earth Day!  There is a Disconnect"},{"content":" Smell of Decay in Washington,DC * Immigration and GOP * Vatican and CondomsCover story of The April 20th issue of The Economist (London) reads: \"Taking on Bush - Can the Democrats get their act together?\" Don't think that I am an exception when I say that there are days when the prospects look far from bright. What a pity that would be. With all the negative baggage being carried by Bush and the GOP, if the Democrats fail then they would have no one to blame but themselves.Editorial in The Economist: \"SNIFF the air in Washington, DC, this spring and you notice the smell of decay.\" Mr Bush is the most unpopular Republican president since Richard Nixon: a recent Washington Post-ABC poll showed that 47% of voters “strongly” disapprove of his performance. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader who did more than anybody else to build the conservative machine in Congress, is retiring in disgrace, the better to focus on his numerous legal problems. More Republicans may well be implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal in the coming months. The ideological shine has gone, too. The party of streamlined government has been gorging on legislative pork. A party that once prided itself on businesslike pragmatism has become synonymous with ideologically skewed ineptitude of the sort epitomised by Donald Rumsfeld (see article). “What is the difference between the Titanic and the Republican Party?” goes one joke in conservative circles. “At least the Titanic wasn't trying to hit the iceberg.” *The immigration issue has become a hot potato for the GOP as gay rights is for Democrats. With the midterm elections looming ahead, the Republicans are scrambling to find a middle ground between the hardliners and the so called elitist members of the party. The bottom line, they don't want to completely lose the Hispanic voters. \"\"How The GOP Lost Its Way\",There is nothing new about this division. It is a 40-year-old fight that has its roots in the cultural, economic, regional and ideological differences between the two camps. Still, most conservatives felt that after the victory of Ronald Reagan and the Republican Revolution of 1994 their point was made and the country-clubbers would know their place. They were wrong. The Rockefeller wing is now attempting to reassert its control over the party and is openly hostile toward the Reagan populists who created the Republican majority in the first place.\"*The Vatican approves condoms! Not quite. As a weapon against AIDS, yes. \"We must do everything to fight AIDS,\" said Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the retired archbishop of Milan, in Italy's L'Espresso newsweekly. \"Certainly, the use of condoms can constitute in certain situations a lesser evil.\"But some things never change--old men in robes and their position on abstinence. \"While there is no specific, authoritative Vatican policy on using condoms to protect against AIDS, the Vatican opposes condoms because they are a form of artificial contraception. Pope Benedict XVI repeated the Vatican's position last June, when he told African bishops abstinence was the only \"fail-safe\" way to prevent the spread of HIV.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-04-22 To some, it may appear that Martini is breaking with the pope and official church teachings.\nBut in fact, Martini's comments in the Italian magazine are entirely consistent with the church's reverance for life.\nThe church teaches that no one should use a condom or any other type of artificial contraception.\nThe reality, though, that if everyone follows that teaching, people will likely die.\nMartini is not a relativist. He is not arguing that the church shirk its beliefs and adapt to contemporary, secular morality — or immorality, if you will. He is not calling for condom distributions after Mass.\nMartini just wants to make sure that whenever possible, the church avoids a greater evil and, even after man has sinned, always stands up for life. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-04-22 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/saturdays-snippets/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSmell of Decay in Washington,DC  *  Immigration and GOP  *   Vatican and Condoms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCover story of The April 20th issue of The Economist (London) reads: \"Taking on Bush - Can the Democrats get their act together?\" Don't think that I am an exception when I say that there are days when the prospects look far from bright. What a pity that would be. With all the negative baggage being carried by Bush and the GOP, if the Democrats fail then they would have no one to blame but themselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEditorial in \u003ca href=\"http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_ID=6826160\"\u003eThe Economist\u003c/a\u003e: \"SNIFF the air in Washington, \u003cspan class=\"scaps\"\u003eDC\u003c/span\u003e, this spring and you notice the smell of decay.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eMr Bush is the most unpopular Republican president since Richard Nixon: a recent Washington Post-ABC poll showed that 47% of voters “strongly” disapprove of his performance. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader who did more than anybody else to build the conservative machine in Congress, is retiring in disgrace, the better to focus on his numerous legal problems. More Republicans may well be implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal in the coming months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe ideological shine has gone, too. The party of streamlined government has been gorging on legislative pork. A party that once prided itself on businesslike pragmatism has become synonymous with ideologically skewed ineptitude of the sort epitomised by Donald Rumsfeld (\u003ca href=\"http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6828179\"\u003esee article\u003c/a\u003e). “What is the difference between the Titanic and the Republican Party?” goes one joke in conservative circles. “At least the Titanic wasn't trying to hit the iceberg.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe immigration issue has become a hot potato for the GOP as gay rights is for Democrats. With the midterm elections looming ahead, the Republicans are scrambling to find a middle ground between the hardliners and the so called elitist members of the party.  The bottom line, they don't want to completely lose the Hispanic voters.  \"\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101593.html\"\u003eHow The GOP Lost Its Way\u003c/a\u003e\",There is nothing new about this division. It is a 40-year-old fight that has its roots in the cultural, economic, regional and ideological differences between the two camps. Still, most conservatives felt that after the victory of Ronald Reagan and the Republican Revolution of 1994 their point was made and the country-clubbers would know their place. They were wrong. The Rockefeller wing is now attempting to reassert its control over the party and is openly hostile toward the Reagan populists who created the Republican majority in the first place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Vatican approves condoms!  Not quite.  As a weapon against AIDS, yes. \"We must do everything to fight AIDS,\" said \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101117.html\"\u003eCardinal Carlo Maria Martini\u003c/a\u003e, the retired archbishop of Milan, in Italy's L'Espresso newsweekly. \"Certainly, the use of condoms can constitute in certain situations a lesser evil.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBut some things never change--old  men in robes and their position on abstinence. \"While there is no specific, authoritative Vatican policy on using condoms to protect against AIDS, the Vatican opposes condoms because they are a form of artificial contraception. Pope Benedict XVI repeated the Vatican's position last June, when he told African bishops abstinence was the only \"fail-safe\" way to prevent the spread of HIV.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eTo some, it may appear that Martini is breaking with the pope and official church teachings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut in fact, Martini's comments in the Italian magazine are entirely consistent with the church's reverance for life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe church teaches that no one should use a condom or any other type of artificial contraception.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe reality, though, that if everyone follows that teaching, people will likely die.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMartini is not a relativist. He is not arguing that the church shirk its beliefs and adapt to contemporary, secular morality — or immorality, if you will. He is not calling for condom distributions after Mass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMartini just wants to make sure that whenever possible, the church avoids a greater evil and, even after man has sinned, always stands up for life.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Saturday's Snippets"},{"content":" Can we expect the midterm elections to bring a sea change? Signs are encouraging. The domino effect of the president's abysmal approval rating is becoming painfully clear to the Republicans. \"And the possibility of a Democratic tide that might sweep in second- or third-tier challengers is no longer mere fantasy talk among liberals at cocktail parties. It is a genuine Republican fear. According to figures from state polls published this week by SurveyUSA, Bush has an approval rating above 50 percent in just four states -- Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska. His disapproval rating is 60 percent or higher in such key battlegrounds as Virginia, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.\"Does he still receive messages from God? The President ought to be able to appreciate Proverb 16:18: \"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. \" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-shifting-political-tide/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCan we expect the midterm elections to bring a sea change? Signs are encouraging. The domino effect of the president's abysmal approval rating is becoming painfully clear to the Republicans.  \"And the possibility of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001351.html\"\u003eDemocratic tide\u003c/a\u003e that might sweep in second- or third-tier challengers is no longer mere fantasy talk among liberals at cocktail parties. It is a genuine Republican fear. According to figures from state polls published this week by SurveyUSA, Bush has an approval rating above 50 percent in just four states -- Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska. His disapproval rating is 60 percent or higher in such key battlegrounds as Virginia, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDoes he still receive messages from God? The President ought to be able to appreciate Proverb 16:18:  \"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Shifting Political Tide"},{"content":" Wild Flowers * Deer, RattlesnakesAfter the long spell of cold and rainy days it felt like spring last Wednesday (April 19th). It was sunny and warm. The long range weather forecast indicates that we still have some wet days ahead of us.JHL and I took advantage of the weather to go hiking in Edgewood Park. This is a good time of the year to go there. Edgewood Park is limited in terms of trails that offer long hikes. But parts of the park are hilly and one can get a good panoramic view of the Bay area. We take the trailhead at the junction of Edgewood Road and Canãda Road (west of 280), not the main entrance off Edgewood Road.Edgewood Park is known for display of wild flowers in spring. We took the Serpentine Trail and then Ridgeview to the top of the hill. Then we sat down on the grass, facing west with Hwy 280 about a mile away, for a picnic of Lanterne pasta with roasted butternut squash, pine nuts and sage, and asparagus gratin, accompanied by a Johannisberg Riesling; coffee, and dark chocolate for dessert. The photographs of Edgewood Park are from Paul Furman's edgehill.net The gallery includes various locations in California---from the Bay area to the High Desert. Mr. Furman's photographs are superb. Cream Cups [Platystemon californicus] Poppy Family. © Paul FurmanSuncups [Oenothera spp.], Blue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum] © Paul FurmanLooking west from the ridge © Paul FurmanOwl's Clover [Orthocarpus \u0026gt; Castilleja exserta] Goldfields and Tidy Tips. © Paul FurmanSuncups [Oenothera spp.], Blue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum] © Paul FurmanBlue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum] © Paul Furman On the return leg we made a loop via Ridgeview to Serpentine. Saw a few deers,healthy and not too afraid of human beings. Edgewood is a habitat for rattle snakes also and the warm weather brings them out. Joanne and I were talking about snakes when a woman runner passed us and all of a sudden came to a halt about 20 yards ahead of us. I could see a long dark object lying across the trail and thought that it was a snake. It was. A big rattle snake. It slowly crossed the trail and went into the brush alongside. The runner was hesitant to go past that spot. We went first. The rattler was visible,long and thick. Yes, I am aware that they are not aggressive and are not likely to attack unless provoked. Nevertheless, I am afraid of them, almost stepped on one when I was running on a trail a few years back. I don't like anything that slithers....even lizards make me feel uneasy. I am cautious when I hike or run on trails in warm weather. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/edgewood-park-san-mateo-county---a-gem-just-off-hwy-280/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWild Flowers * Deer, Rattlesnakes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter the long spell of cold and rainy days it felt like spring last Wednesday (April 19th). It was sunny and warm. The long range weather forecast indicates that we still have some wet days ahead of us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJHL and I took advantage of the weather to go hiking in Edgewood Park. This is a good time of the year to go there. Edgewood Park is limited in terms of trails that offer long hikes. But parts of the park are hilly and one can get a good panoramic view of the Bay area. We take the trailhead at the junction of Edgewood Road and Canãda Road (west of 280), not the main entrance off Edgewood Road.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEdgewood Park is known for display of wild flowers in spring. We took the Serpentine Trail and then Ridgeview to the top of the hill. Then we sat down on the grass, facing west with Hwy 280 about a mile away, for a picnic of Lanterne pasta with roasted butternut squash, pine nuts and sage, and asparagus gratin, accompanied by a Johannisberg Riesling; coffee, and dark chocolate for dessert.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe photographs of Edgewood Park are from Paul Furman's \u003ca href=\"http://www.edgehill.net/1/?SC=go.php\u0026amp;DIR=California/Bay-Area/Peninsula/San-Bruno-Mtn/2006-04-17\"\u003eedgehill.net \u003c/a\u003eThe gallery includes various locations in California---from the Bay area to the High Desert. Mr. Furman's photographs are superb.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Cream Cups [Platystemon californicus] Poppy Family.  \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park V.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuncups [Oenothera spp.], Blue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum]\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park VI.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking west from the ridge\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park IV.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOwl's Clover [Orthocarpus \u0026gt; Castilleja exserta] Goldfields and Tidy Tips.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park III.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuncups [Oenothera spp.], Blue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum]\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park II.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlue-eyed Grass [Sisyrinchium bellum]\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Edgewood Park I.jpg\"/\u003e© Paul Furman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOn the return leg we made a loop via Ridgeview to Serpentine. Saw a few deers,healthy and not too afraid of human beings. Edgewood is a habitat for rattle snakes also and the warm weather brings them out. Joanne and I were talking about snakes when a woman runner passed us and all of a sudden came to a halt about 20 yards ahead of us. I could see a long dark object lying across the trail and thought that it was a snake. It was. A big rattle snake. It slowly crossed the trail and went into the brush alongside. The runner was hesitant to go past that spot. We went first. The rattler was visible,long and thick. Yes, I am aware that they are not aggressive and are not likely to attack unless provoked. Nevertheless, I am afraid of them, almost stepped on one when I was running on a trail a few years back. I don't like anything that slithers....even lizards make me feel uneasy. I am cautious when I hike or run on trails in warm weather.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Edgewood Park, San Mateo County - A Gem Just off  Hwy 280"},{"content":" Sounds noble but what India is doing is recognizing which side the bread is buttered and to heck with the moral implications of its decision to go to bed with a country which,under G.W. Bush, has adopted an arrogant policy of 'my way or no other way'. Jim Hoagland in the Post: \"This lack of nuclear cooperation is the last remaining cobweb from our old relationship, and we can now sweep it aside,\" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said with an expressive wave of his hand. \"There are no other barriers to a more productive, more durable relationship with the United States. The potential is enormous for our two nations.\"\"Expediency often silences justice.\"--- Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/india-new-friend-of-bush---realpolitik-or-simple-brown-nosing/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSounds noble but what India is doing is recognizing which side the bread is buttered and to heck with the moral implications of its decision to go to bed with a country which,under G.W. Bush, has adopted an arrogant policy of 'my way or no other way'. Jim Hoagland in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/19/AR2006041902480.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"This lack of nuclear cooperation is the last remaining cobweb from our old relationship, and we can now sweep it aside,\" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said with an expressive wave of his hand. \"There are no other barriers to a more productive, more durable relationship with the United States. The potential is enormous for our two nations.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Expediency often silences justice.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"India, New Friend of  Bush - Realpolitik or Simple Brown-nosing"},{"content":" They are the ones we don't read much about. Women combat amputees. The Post article by Donna St. George describes the experience of a few of them.\"Their numbers are small, 11 in three years of war, compared with more than 350 men. They are not quite a band of sisters, but more a chain of women linked by history and experience and fate -- one extending herself to another who then might offer something for the next.\" They have discovered, at various points of their recovery, that gender has made a difference -- \"not better or worse,\" as Halfaker put it, \"just different.\" For Halfaker, an athlete with a strong sense of her physical self, the world was transformed June 19, 2004, on a night patrol through Baqubah, Iraq. Out of nowhere had come the rocket-propelled grenade, exploding behind her head. Another soldier's arm was sheared off. Blood was everywhere. \"Get us out of the kill zone!\" she yelled to the Humvee driver. She was a 24-year-old first lieutenant, a platoon leader who two months earlier had led her unit in repulsing a six-hour attack on a police station in Diyala province. As medics worked to stabilize her, she warned: \"You bastards better not cut my arm off.\" Latest data from Iraq Coalition Casualties:In March 2006: 50Total since beginning of the war: 2378 (Female fatalities 57)Injured (not returned to duty): 8058Injured (returned to duty): 9491Civilians killed by military intervention in Iraq: 34,511 (Minimum) 38,660 (Maximum)Source: Iraq Body Count \"War hath no fury like a noncombatant\"---C.E. Montague (1867-1928), British soldier,author,journalistNote: \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\" is the title of a book by the Goan author Lambert Mascarenhas. It was written long before the unjustified war in Iraq. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/women-amputees-toll-of-war-sorrowing-lies-my-land/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey are the ones we don't read much about.  Women combat amputees. The Post article by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/17/AR2006041701618.html\"\u003eDonna St. George\u003c/a\u003e describes the experience of a few of them.\"Their numbers are small, 11 in three years of war, compared with more than 350 men. They are not quite a band of sisters, but more a chain of women linked by history and experience and fate -- one extending herself to another who then might offer something for the next.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThey have discovered, at various points of their recovery, that gender has made a difference -- \"not better or worse,\" as Halfaker put it, \"just different.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFor Halfaker, an athlete with a strong sense of her physical self, the world was transformed June 19, 2004, on a night patrol through Baqubah, Iraq. Out of nowhere had come the rocket-propelled grenade, exploding behind her head.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnother soldier's arm was sheared off. Blood was everywhere.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Get us out of the kill zone!\" she yelled to the Humvee driver. She was a 24-year-old first lieutenant, a platoon leader who two months earlier had led her unit in repulsing a six-hour attack on a police station in Diyala province. As medics worked to stabilize her, she warned: \"You bastards better not cut my arm off.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eLatest data from \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003eIn March 2006: 50\u003cbr/\u003eTotal since beginning of the war: 2378 (Female fatalities 57)\u003cbr/\u003eInjured (not returned to duty): 8058\u003cbr/\u003eInjured (returned to duty): 9491\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCivilians killed by military intervention in Iraq: 34,511 (Minimum) 38,660 (Maximum)\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a noncombatant\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e---C.E. Montague (1867-1928), British soldier,author,journalist\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNote: \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\" is the title of a book by the Goan author Lambert Mascarenhas. It was written long before the unjustified war in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Women Amputees: Toll of War, \"Sorrowing Lies My Land\""},{"content":" Double Standard of the Dept of State * National Parks Service dying a slow death Teodoro Obiang Nguema is president of Equatorial Guinea, \"Africa's third largest oil producer\". An editorial in the Post,\"With Friends Like these....\",reads: \" According to State Department reports, the president's goons have urinated on prisoners, sliced their ears and smeared them with oil to attract stinging ants.\" So, what did head of the State Department do? Offered a warm welcome to President Obiang Nguema! Fidel Castro is an enemy---don't ask why. In the global rankings of political and civil liberties compiled by Freedom House, only seven countries rate worse than Equatorial Guinea. If President Bush and Ms. Rice want anyone to take their pro-democracy rhetoric seriously, they must stop throwing bouquets to odious dictators. The meeting with Mr. Obiang was presumably a reward for his hospitable treatment of U.S. oil firms, though we cannot be sure since the State Department declined our invitation to comment. But Ms. Rice herself argues that U.S. foreign policy spent too long coddling corruption and autocracy in Arab oil states. Surely she doesn't have a different standard for Africa? Is the Post being facetious? It is a known fact that we observe double-standard in deciding who are our friends. If a murderous dictator happens to be head of a country with large oil deposits and he opens the door to American oil companies, he is a friend and he can do no wrong.Inching Toward Privatization Buried in Page A11 of the Post was an item about the slow bleeding of the Park Service. Squeeze until the ground becomes ready for privatization. The president failed to convince the nation of the benefits of privatizing Social Security but he could succeed in accomplishing his goal for the National Parks. \"The Bush administration has ordered America's national parks to show that they can function at 80 percent or less of their operating budgets, which is forcing some parks to cut services for visitors as summer approaches.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/our-friends-our-enemies/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eDouble Standard of the Dept of State * National Parks Service dying a slow death \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e Teodoro Obiang Nguema is president of Equatorial Guinea, \"Africa's third largest oil producer\".  An editorial in the Post,\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/17/AR2006041701368.html\"\u003eWith Friends Like these\u003c/a\u003e....\",reads: \" According to State Department reports, the president's goons have urinated on prisoners, sliced their ears and smeared them with oil to attract stinging ants.\"  So, what did head of the State Department do? Offered a warm welcome to President Obiang Nguema! Fidel Castro is an enemy---don't ask why.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn the global rankings of political and civil liberties compiled by Freedom House, only seven countries rate worse than Equatorial Guinea. If President Bush and Ms. Rice want anyone to take their pro-democracy rhetoric seriously, they must stop throwing bouquets to odious dictators. The meeting with Mr. Obiang was presumably a reward for his hospitable treatment of U.S. oil firms, though we cannot be sure since the State Department declined our invitation to comment. But Ms. Rice herself argues that U.S. foreign policy spent too long coddling corruption and autocracy in Arab oil states. Surely she doesn't have a different standard for Africa?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e Is the Post being facetious? It is a known fact that we observe double-standard in deciding who are our friends. If a murderous dictator happens to be head of a country with large oil deposits and he opens the door to American oil companies, he is a friend and he can do no wrong.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInching Toward Privatization \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBuried in Page A11 of the Post was an item about the slow bleeding of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600612.html\"\u003ePark Service\u003c/a\u003e. Squeeze until the ground becomes ready for privatization. The president failed to convince the nation of the benefits of privatizing Social Security but he could succeed in accomplishing his goal for the National Parks. \"The Bush administration has ordered America's national parks to show that they can function at 80 percent or less of their operating budgets, which is forcing some parks to cut services for visitors as summer approaches.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Our Friends, Our Enemies"},{"content":" Death Valley * Joshua Tree National Park\nAt the beginning of April, a friend and I went to the High Desert area. It was a long drive---about 1500 miles roundtrip from the Silicon Valley---and my first visit to that part of California. The landscape changed during the drive. The unusually heavy spring rains made a difference. The meadows and the foothills were green. Even when we got on to Interstate 5 and headed south toward Wasco the fields looked soft and velvety. It was only after we took Hwy 58 and drove through Tehachapi and Mojave that the changes became noticeable. The barren stretches of land and rocky outcroppings were in marked contrast to what lay behind us. I thought that one had to be of a special breed to opt to live there. Not many do.Red Rock Canyon, Hwy 14/178 to Death Valley © www.earth.edu.waseda.ac.jpHwy 190, Death Valley© rogerhe,stock.xchng The Sierra Club's website describes it in a nutshell:\nFifteen thousand years ago, toward the end of the last Ice Age, the lakes covering most of present-day Nevada and parts of Utah, California, Oregon, and Idaho dried up. Left behind was a vast, arid, high-elevation basin, with deep canyons and steep, north/south-trending mountain ranges, piercingly cold in winter and blisteringly hot in summer. Temperature in Death Valley was around 80°F (27°C) which allowed us to do some hiking. Spring of 2005 was reported to be exceptional for the display of wild flowers. We came across only a few although more of them have been sighted at higher elevations.Death Valley Sand Dunes ©Ian Britton,freefoto.comArtists' Palette (see next image for details) © U.S.Parks Service Details: Artist's Palette © MusafirZabriskie Point, looking north © Musafir\nZabriskie Point, looking south © MusafirAt Zabriskie Point, Death Valley ©Musafir Near Zabriskie Point, Death Valley ©MusafirWhite Bear Poppy near Zabriskie Point©MusafirDesert Velvet near Zabriskie Point©MusafirCreosote Bush near Zabriskie Point ©Musafir Desert Gold near Zabriskie Point©MusafirField of Desert Gold south of Badwater©Musafir From Death Valley we drove on Hwy 190 and 127 to Shoshone and continued on to Baker. At Baker we took the Baker-Kelso Road and drove through Mojave National Preserve,then to Amboy on National Trails Hwy and followed Amboy Road to Twentynine Palms. The 22nd Annual Baker to Vegas 120-mile foot race was in progress when we were on the Baker-Kelso Road. It slowed us down. The race is run as a relay by 20-member teams and restricted to employees of law enforcement agencies. There were participants from many states as well as Canada and Australia. Badwater (285 ft below sea level), which we had passed on our way through Death Valley, is the starting point for the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon,said to be the toughest footrace in the world.\nBeyond Baker the road offers no facilities (service stations,water,telephone access). So, it could be a problem if one gets stuck on that stretch. As to getting help from other motorists, we saw few cars on that day. But we decided to take that route instead of driving via Barstow because that would have meant close to 100 miles of additional driving.\nView of Mojave Sand Dunes, Baker-Kelso Road©Musafir Twentynine Palms is the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. The weather continued to be mild and we were able to do more hiking in the park. Wild flowers were not plentiful but we saw more of them in the Cottonwood Spring area of the park than in Death Valley.\nGood specimen of a Joshua Tree ©Arundhati BhowmickSkull Rocks, Joshua Tree National Park©MusafirJoshua Tree with buds©Arundhati BhowmickOcotillo in bloom, Joshua Tree National Park©Arundhati BhowmickAB on Mount Ryan, Joshua Tree National Park©MusafirTop of Mount Ryan, Joshua Tree National Park©Arundhati BhowmickTeddybear Cholla,Joshua Tree National Park©MusafirBigelow Cholla, Joshua Tree National Park©MusafirDesert Tortoise near Mastodon Mine, Joshua Tree National Park©Arundhati BhowmickWild Flowers near Cottonwood Spring©Arundhati BhowmickWild Flowers near Cottonwood Spring©Arundhati BhowmickNear Cottonwood Spring©Arundhati Bhowmick When we left on the morning of April 3rd it felt like it would be a blistering hot day. Twentynine Palms is the home of the Marine Corps Combat Center, the world's largest U.S. Marine Corps base. Driving through Morongo Valley,San Bernardino County, it is easy to sense the pulse of the residents. According to unofficial vote totals for 2004, Bush received 226,133 votes and John Kerry received 175,533 votes. A place where I would feel like a fish out of water.The rains hit us when we were driving past Los Angeles and stayed with us all the way home to Bay area. That was two weeks ago. The weather continues to be wet and cold; the foothills and meadows still look lush and green.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/californias-high-desert---arid-and-awesome/","summary":"\u003cp class=\"subtitle\"\u003eDeath Valley * Joshua Tree National Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAt the beginning of April, a friend and I went to the High Desert area. It was a long drive---about 1500 miles roundtrip from the Silicon Valley---and my first visit to that part of California. The landscape changed during the drive. The unusually heavy spring rains made a difference. The meadows and the foothills were green. Even when we got on to Interstate 5 and headed south toward Wasco the fields looked soft and velvety. It was only after we took Hwy 58 and drove through Tehachapi and Mojave that the changes became noticeable. The barren stretches of land and rocky outcroppings were in marked contrast to what lay behind us. I thought that one had to be of a special breed to opt to live there. Not many do.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Red Rock Canyon.jpg\"/\u003eRed Rock Canyon, Hwy 14/178 to Death Valley ©  www.earth.edu.waseda.ac.jp\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHwy 190, Death Valley\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/rogerhe@stockxchng.jpg\"/\u003e© rogerhe,stock.xchng\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp class=\"subtitle\"\u003eThe Sierra Club's \u003ca href=\"http://www.sierraclub.org/ecoregions/greatbasin.asp\"\u003ewebsite\u003c/a\u003e describes it in a nutshell:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"California's High Desert - Arid and Awesome"},{"content":" How sweet it is! It brightened my morning to read confirmation of the president's falling popularity. The Bush juggernaut is showing signs of wear and tear. Is Karl Rove's head spinning? He must be going bonkers. \"Polls have reflected voter discontent with Bush for many months, but as the election nears, operatives are paying special attention to one subset of the numbers. It is the wide disparity between the number of people who are passionate in their dislike of Bush vs. those who support him with equal fervor.\" Red, Blue, and now Pink! More encouraging news in the Post for Democrats and midterm elections. \"States that were once reliably red are turning pink. Some are no longer red but a sort of powder blue. In fact, a solid majority of residents in states that President Bush carried in 2004 now disapprove of the job he is doing as president. Views of the GOP have also soured in those Republican red states.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/gop-and-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"byline\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow sweet it is! It brightened my morning to read confirmation of the president's falling popularity. The Bush juggernaut is showing signs of wear and tear. Is Karl Rove's head spinning? He must be going bonkers. \"Polls have reflected \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600648.html\"\u003evoter discontent\u003c/a\u003e with Bush for many months, but as the election nears, operatives are paying special attention to one subset of the numbers. It is the wide disparity between the number of people who are passionate in their dislike of Bush vs. those who support him with equal fervor.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRed, Blue, and now Pink!  More encouraging news in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600858.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e for Democrats and midterm elections. \"States that were once reliably red are turning pink. Some are no longer red but a sort of powder blue. In fact, a solid majority of residents in states that President Bush carried in 2004 now disapprove of the job he is doing as president. Views of the GOP have also soured in those Republican red states.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"GOP and Horsemen of the Apocalypse"},{"content":" No one talks about the Dead and Injured * Amichai on War Let the pundits argue about the very unusual situation--what made the retired general come out with scathing criticism of Secretary Rumsfeld. Richard Holbrooke's op-ed piece in the Post made me think of the soldiers who are out there. So far in April 44 soldiers have died in Iraq; 31 of them in their 20's and three under 20. \"These generals are not newly minted doves or covert Democrats. (In fact, one of the main reasons this public explosion did not happen earlier was probably concern by the generals that they would seem to be taking sides in domestic politics.)\" Background details in Newsweek, \"Anatomy of a Revolt\".Names of soldiers who died in the first 15 days of April. 3 names have not yet been released by the DOD. The total now stands at 2375. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties.Darrell P. Clay, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006Israel Devora Garcia, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006Michael L. Hartwick, 37, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Apr 01, 2006Timothy J. Moshier, 25, Army Captain, Apr 01, 2006Jeremy W. Ehle, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2006Andres Aguilar Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006David A. Bass, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Patrick J. Gallagher, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Kun Y. Kim, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Eric A. McIntosh, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006Eric A. Palmisano, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Scott J. Procopio, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Felipe D. Sandoval-Flores, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Brian R. St. Germain, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006Abraham G. Twitchell, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006Geovani Padillaaleman, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Apr 02, 2006Ty J. Johnson, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2006Dustin J. Harris, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2006Daniel L. Sesker, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 06, 2006Chase A. Edwards, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2006Bryan N. Taylor, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2006Richard P. Waller, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 07, 2006Shawn R. Creighton, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 08, 2006Jody W. Missildine, 19, Army Private, Apr 08, 2006Philip John Martini, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006Juana NavarroArellano, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006David S. Collins, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2006Joseph I. Love-Fowler, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006Gregory S. Rogers, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006James W. \"Will\" Gardner, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 10, 2006Randall L. Lamberson, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 10, 2006Joseph A. Blanco, 25, Army Corporal, Apr 11, 2006James F. Costello III, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006Kenneth D. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 11, 2006George R. Roehl Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006Scott M. Bandhold, 37, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2006Roland E. Calderon-Ascencio, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2006Marcus S. Glimpse, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2006Andrew K. Waits, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 13, 2006Salem Bachar, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 13, 2006Stephen Joseph Perez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 13, 2006*\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\" by Yehuda AmichaiYou who are lengthening your liveswith the best doctors and best medicinesremember those who are shortening their liveswith the warthat you in your long lives are notpreventing.You who are again screwingthe younger generationsand winking at each otherthe winking of your eyelidsis like chill of the swinging shuttersin an empty house.---Translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier Comments Atlantic Review \u0026mdash; 2006-04-16 Thanks for paying Marla Ruzicka a tribute last year.\nToday is the anniversary of her tragic death. To keep her memory alive, we posted this in the Atlantic Review: Marla Ruzicka: Civilian Victims of War. She did advance U.S. interests considerably:Marla: Reconciliation. Thanks. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/revolt-of-the-generals-and-the-names-of-the-dead-in-april/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eNo one talks about the Dead and Injured * Amichai on War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet the pundits argue about the very unusual situation--what made the retired general come out with scathing criticism of Secretary Rumsfeld. Richard Holbrooke's op-ed piece in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041401451.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e made me think of the soldiers who are out there. So far in April 44 soldiers have died in Iraq; 31 of them in their 20's and three under 20. \"These generals are not newly minted doves or covert Democrats. (In fact, one of the main reasons this public explosion did not happen earlier was probably concern by the generals that they would seem to be taking sides in domestic politics.)\" Background details in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12335719/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e, \"Anatomy of a Revolt\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNames of soldiers who died in the first 15 days of April. 3 names have not yet been released by the DOD. The total now stands at 2375. Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/04/Helmet.0.jpg\"/\u003eDarrell P. Clay, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eIsrael Devora Garcia, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael L. Hartwick, 37, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy J. Moshier, 25, Army Captain, Apr 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy W. Ehle, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAndres Aguilar Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid A. Bass, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick J. Gallagher, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKun Y. Kim, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric A. McIntosh, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eEric A. Palmisano, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eScott J. Procopio, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eFelipe D. Sandoval-Flores, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrian R. St. Germain, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAbraham G. Twitchell, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGeovani Padillaaleman, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Apr 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eTy J. Johnson, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDustin J. Harris, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel L. Sesker, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChase A. Edwards, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBryan N. Taylor, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRichard P. Waller, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eShawn R. Creighton, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJody W. Missildine, 19, Army Private, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePhilip John Martini, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJuana NavarroArellano, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Collins, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph I. Love-Fowler, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGregory S. Rogers, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames W. \"Will\" Gardner, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRandall L. Lamberson, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph A. Blanco, 25, Army Corporal, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJames F. Costello III, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth D. Hess, 26, Army Specialist, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge R. Roehl Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eScott M. Bandhold, 37, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoland E. Calderon-Ascencio, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarcus S. Glimpse, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew K. Waits, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSalem Bachar, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eStephen Joseph Perez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\" by Yehuda Amichai\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are lengthening your lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the best doctors and best medicines\u003cbr/\u003eremember those who are shortening their lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the war\u003cbr/\u003ethat you in your long lives are not\u003cbr/\u003epreventing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are again screwing\u003cbr/\u003ethe younger generations\u003cbr/\u003eand winking at each other\u003cbr/\u003ethe winking of your eyelids\u003cbr/\u003eis like chill of the swinging shutters\u003cbr/\u003ein an empty house.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAtlantic Review\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for paying Marla Ruzicka a tribute last year.\u003cbr\u003eToday is the anniversary of her tragic death. To keep her memory alive, we posted this in the Atlantic Review:  \u003cB\u003e\u003cA HREF=\"http://atlanticreview.org/archives/298-Civilian-Victims-of-War.html\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003eMarla Ruzicka: Civilian Victims of War\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/B\u003e.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe did advance U.S. interests considerably:\u003cA HREF=\"http://atlanticreview.org/archives/243-Marla-Ruzicka,-civilian-victims-and-reconciliation.html\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003eMarla: Reconciliation\u003c/A\u003e. Thanks.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Revolt of the Generals and the Names of the Dead in April"},{"content":" Primal ScreamThere must be legions of bloggers who read David Finkel's article about Maryscott O'Connor in the Post and understood exactly what made her tick. Not all bloggers on the left use expletives but we share her visceral antipathy toward Bush and the Republicans. \"Out there, awaiting her building fury: the Angry Left, where O'Connor's reputation is as one of the angriest of all. \"One long, sustained scream\" is how she describes the writing she does for various Web logs, as she wonders what she should scream about this day.\"The Generals Speak OutThe rumble against Donald Rumsfeld turning into thunder and lightning. The mounting criticism by retired generals--now there are six of them--of Secretary Rumsfeld's handling of the war is causing waves. The president issued a statement expressing strong support for the secretary. \"In an unusual statement issued from Camp David, where he had already retired for the weekend, Bush stepped directly into the debate over Rumsfeld's performance to offer his \"strong support\" and make it clear he would keep the embattled defense secretary. Rumsfeld separately declared that he would not go.\" What else could he do? To remove Rumsfeld because of things gone awry in Iraq would be an admission of his own failure. It will be interesting to see whether the president would be able to put a lid on this.Senator Chafee Facing Long KnivesRepublican Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island is facing the ire of his party. What did he do? He opposed the war against Iraq,domestic wire tapping,and confirmation of Justice Alito. Deadly sins. \"Chafee, 53, once could count on voters in Rhode Island to tolerate his maverick ways, but this time the response was blank stares. \"Nobody listened to my reasoning,\" Chafee recounted as he piled hay into a wheelbarrow. \"They support the president on everything.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-angry-left-retired-generals-senator-chafee/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePrimal Scream\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere must be legions of bloggers who read David Finkel's article about Maryscott O'Connor in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041401648.html\"\u003ePost \u003c/a\u003eand understood exactly what made her tick. Not all bloggers on the left use expletives but we share her visceral antipathy toward Bush and the Republicans. \"Out there, awaiting her building fury: the Angry Left, where O'Connor's reputation is as one of the angriest of all. \"One long, sustained scream\" is how she describes the writing she does for various Web logs, as she wonders what she should scream about this day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Generals Speak Out\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe rumble against \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041401649.html\"\u003eDonald Rumsfeld\u003c/a\u003e turning into thunder and lightning. The mounting criticism by retired generals--now there are six of them--of Secretary Rumsfeld's handling of the war is causing waves. The president issued a statement expressing strong support for the secretary. \"In an unusual statement issued from Camp David, where he had already retired for the weekend, Bush stepped directly into the debate over Rumsfeld's performance to offer his \"strong support\" and make it clear he would keep the embattled defense secretary. Rumsfeld separately declared that he would not go.\" What else could he do? To remove Rumsfeld because of things gone awry in Iraq would be an admission of his own failure. It will be interesting to see whether the president would be able to put a lid on this.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSenator Chafee Facing Long Knives\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRepublican Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island is facing the ire of his party. What did he do? He opposed the war against Iraq,domestic wire tapping,and confirmation of Justice Alito. Deadly sins. \"Chafee, 53, once could count on voters in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/13/AR2006041301917.html\"\u003eRhode Island\u003c/a\u003e to tolerate his maverick ways, but this time the response was blank stares. \"Nobody listened to my reasoning,\" Chafee recounted as he piled hay into a wheelbarrow. \"They support the president on everything.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Angry Left * Retired Generals * Senator Chafee"},{"content":" In his novel Holy Week, Louis Aragon narrated fateful days in the history of France. In the introduction,translator Haakon Chevalier wrote: \"Holy Week in the year 1815. March 19th to 25th. Seven days. Easter week, that year, occurring just at the point when winter turns into spring. . . .\nIt is a time of upheaval, a time of decision. One of those moments of history when irrevocable choices must be made--\"a tide in the affairs of men,\" as Shakespeare says, \"which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries . . .\" Holy Week 2006 is coming to an end. As I went past the local Catholic church on my run yesterday evening the faithful were driving in to attend Maundy Thursday service. It is an uneasy time for people in many parts of the word. Violence raging in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Here in America there are many families grieving for soldiers who have lost their lives; others live in constant anxiety over those who are serving in war zones. There is a shadow of fear about what might happen if an accord cannot be reached with Iran about its nuclear program. As usual, super powers are flexing their muscles and not always for a just cause. It is the ordinary people who suffer most in such strifes. How is the world going to be a year hence---a place in which people live without fear or full of turmoil as it is now ?It has been a tradition for me to join a group of friends for a long hike on Easter Sunday. After that we return to JHL's place in Palo Alto for lunch. For us in the San Francisco Bay area, it is an unusual spring. The forecast is for rain on Sunday. We shall probably have to forego the pleasure of the walk. There will be talk about family members who are absent,about friends,and the state of the world. All of us will think about peace just like millions of others who will attend Easter service in a place of worship.* Holy Week ©1961 BY G. P. Putnam's Sons and Hamish Hamilton Ltd. Originally published in France under the title La Semaine Sainte. ©1958 by Librairie Gallimard. Translated by Haakon Chevalier ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/holy-week-1815---then-and-now/","summary":"\u003cp class=\"3text text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his novel Holy Week, Louis Aragon narrated fateful days in the history of France. In the introduction,translator Haakon Chevalier wrote:  \"Holy Week in the year 1815. March 19th to 25th. Seven days. Easter week, that year, occurring just at the point when winter turns into spring. . . .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt is a time of upheaval, a time of decision. One of those moments of history when irrevocable choices must be made--\"a tide in the affairs of men,\" as Shakespeare says, \"which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries . . .\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHoly Week 2006 is coming to an end. As I went past the local Catholic church on my run yesterday evening the faithful were driving in to attend Maundy Thursday service. It is an uneasy time for people in many parts of the word. Violence raging in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Here in America there are many families grieving for soldiers who have lost their lives; others live in constant anxiety over those who are serving in war zones. There is a shadow of fear about what might happen if an accord cannot be reached with Iran about its nuclear program. As usual, super powers are flexing their muscles and not always for a just cause. It is the ordinary people who suffer most in such strifes. How is the world going to be a year hence---a place in which people live without fear or full of turmoil as it is now ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has been a tradition for me to join a group of friends for a long hike on Easter Sunday. After that we return to JHL's place in Palo Alto for lunch. For us in the San Francisco Bay area, it is an unusual spring. The forecast is for rain on Sunday. We shall probably have to forego the pleasure of the walk. There will be talk about family members who are absent,about friends,and the state of the world. All of us will think about peace just like millions of others who will attend Easter service in a place of worship.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHoly Week ©1961 BY G. P. Putnam's Sons and Hamish Hamilton Ltd.  Originally published in France under the title \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eLa Semaine Sainte.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/i\u003e ©1958 by Librairie Gallimard.  Translated by Haakon Chevalier \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Holy Week 1815  - Then and Now"},{"content":" The Guardian,UK * Michael Kinsley * Eugene RobinsonAll worth reading and thinking about. First, the leader in the Guardian: Iraq Ungoverned and ungovernable. \"In the meantime, and in the absence of effective national security forces, the quarrelling factions are taking matters into their own hands, through the use of militias. This, as the US ambassador in Baghdad recognises, provides the \"infrastructure of civil war\". Though the daily suicide bombings still attract most of the media's attention, a far more sinister trend is developing. This is the growing number of mutilated bodies that turn up - people who have been abducted and killed, simply because they belonged to the wrong sect.\"What have we achieved in Iraq for the lives lost,cities destroyed and the daily carnage? Michael Kinsley in the Post: \"So, after more than a half-century of active meddling -- protecting our interests, promoting our values, encouraging democracy, fighting terrorism, seeking stability, defending human rights, pushing peace -- it's come to this. In Iraq we find ourselves unwilling regents of a society splitting into a gangland of warring militias and death squads, with our side (labeled \"the government\") outperforming the other side (labeled \"the terrorists\") in both the quantity and gruesome quality of its daily atrocities. In Iran, an irrational government that hates us with special passion is closer to getting the bomb than Iraq -- the country we went to war with to keep from getting the bomb -- ever was.\"The more interesting part about the role of the United States as a king maker comes later in his op-ed piece Where do we Meddle Next? No wonder that we are not liked by the Iranians. Half a century ago, Iran was very close to a real democracy. It had an elected legislature, called the majlis, and it had a repressive monarch, called the shah, and power veered uncertainly between them. In 1951, over the shah's objections, the majlis voted in a man named Mohammad Mosaddeq as prime minister. His big issue was nationalizing the oil companies. But in 1952 the United States had an election for president, and the winner (Dwight Eisenhower) got more votes than anyone in Iran. That must explain why in 1953, in the spirit of democracy, the CIA instigated a riot and then staged a coup. Mosaddeq was arrested, the majlis was ultimately dissolved and the shah ran things his way, which involved torture and death for political opponents, caviar and champagne for an international cast of hangers-on, and no more crazy talk about nationalizing the oil companies. Then there is immigration, a hot-button issue. Eugene Robinson presents the case for legal recognition of the wetbacks,illegal immigrants. After all, we invited these people to come here and pick our strawberries, clean our offices, pluck our chickens, bus our tables, wash our cars and perform a host of other jobs for which our society no longer wants to shell out working-class wages and reasonable benefits such as health insurance. By \"invited\" I mean that we left the Mexican border essentially open, gave employers the luxury of no-questions-asked hiring without any credible threat of sanctions, and failed to make clear who was supposed to enforce the immigration laws and how. That adds up to an invitation. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/commentaries-iraq-iran-immigration/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian,UK * Michael Kinsley * Eugene Robinson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAll worth reading and thinking about.  First, the leader in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,,1753650,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e:  Iraq Ungoverned and ungovernable. \"In the meantime, and in the absence of effective national security forces, the quarrelling factions are taking matters into their own hands, through the use of militias. This, as the US ambassador in Baghdad recognises, provides the \"infrastructure of civil war\". Though the daily suicide bombings still attract most of the media's attention, a far more sinister trend is developing. This is the growing number of mutilated bodies that turn up - people who have been abducted and killed, simply because they belonged to the wrong sect.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat have we achieved in Iraq for the lives lost,cities destroyed and the daily carnage? Michael Kinsley in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/13/AR2006041301664.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"So, after more than a half-century of active meddling -- protecting our interests, promoting our values, encouraging democracy, fighting terrorism, seeking stability, defending human rights, pushing peace -- it's come to this. In Iraq we find ourselves unwilling regents of a society splitting into a gangland of warring militias and death squads, with our side (labeled \"the government\") outperforming the other side (labeled \"the terrorists\") in both the quantity and gruesome quality of its daily atrocities. In Iran, an irrational government that hates us with special passion is closer to getting the bomb than Iraq -- the country we went to war with to keep from getting the bomb -- ever was.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe more interesting part about the role of the United States as a king maker comes later in his op-ed piece \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/13/AR2006041301664.html\"\u003eWhere do we Meddle Next?   \u003c/a\u003e No wonder that we are not liked by the Iranians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHalf a century ago, Iran was very close to a real democracy. It had an elected legislature, called the majlis, and it had a repressive monarch, called the shah, and power veered uncertainly between them. In 1951, over the shah's objections, the majlis voted in a man named Mohammad Mosaddeq as prime minister. His big issue was nationalizing the oil companies.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut in 1952 the United States had an election for president, and the winner (Dwight Eisenhower) got more votes than anyone in Iran. That must explain why in 1953, in the spirit of democracy, the CIA instigated a riot and then staged a coup. Mosaddeq was arrested, the majlis was ultimately dissolved and the shah ran things his way, which involved torture and death for political opponents, caviar and champagne for an international cast of hangers-on, and no more crazy talk about nationalizing the oil companies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThen there is immigration, a hot-button issue. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/13/AR2006041301265.html\"\u003eEugene Robinson\u003c/a\u003e presents the case for legal recognition of the wetbacks,illegal immigrants.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAfter all, we invited these people to come here and pick our strawberries, clean our offices, pluck our chickens, bus our tables, wash our cars and perform a host of other jobs for which our society no longer wants to shell out working-class wages and reasonable benefits such as health insurance. By \"invited\" I mean that we left the Mexican border essentially open, gave employers the luxury of no-questions-asked hiring without any credible threat of sanctions, and failed to make clear who was supposed to enforce the immigration laws and how. That adds up to an invitation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Commentaries: Iraq, Iran, Immigration"},{"content":" Blogs * Russ Feingold's Censure Resolution * Republican LiteHendrik Hertzberg's comments in the Talk of the Town Section of The New Yorker are always a pleasure to read. In Disarray This, in the March 27th issue Mr. Hertzberg wrote: \"Meanwhile, the left-populist blogosphere--—a reliable barometer of the Democratic equivalent of the famous Republican \"“base\"--—erupted with praise for Feingold and contempt for his cautious Party colleagues. The adjectives used to limn the latter were pungent: \"“Spineless.\"” \"“Sluggish.\"” \"“Weak.\"” There is truth in it. I,myself, have used \"gutless\" and \"craven\" to describe the Democrats in Congress long before Russ Feingold proposed the censure resolution. Perhaps the majority of Democratic bloggers are left of center and our frustration surfaces in the posts that appear in the blogosphere. I make no apologies.Mr. Hertzberg went on to say: \"There is very little doubt that Bush deserves censure, not only for the warrantless wiretapping but also for the many other catastrophes his Administration has generated, including the manipulation of intelligence to justify the Iraq war, the willful failure to heed warnings of what the invasion'’s aftermath would entail, the sanctioning of torture, and the neglect of \"“homeland security\"---—to say nothing of a set of domestic policies that sacrifice solvency, safety, the environment, and elementary fairness on the altar of enriching the rich in the name of Christian compassion. And there is scarcely less doubt that, ever since 9/11, Democratic opposition to Bush'’s war-related policies has been inordinately muted. (Even a figure as non-populist as Zbigniew Brzezinski protested last week that \"“Democratic leaders have been silent or evasive.\"”) But none of that means that those who prefer strategies different from Feingold'’s are, ipso facto, spineless, sluggish, and weak.And further on: A poll taken last week by the American Research Group showed that a plurality of voters--—forty-eight per cent--—actually favor Feingold'’s resolution, with forty-three per cent opposed. Among Democratic respondents, support was seventy per cent. For senators whose seats are safely Democratic, supporting the resolution is a personally cost-free choice. (The same is true of the thirty-one members of the House who have endorsed an impeachment resolution: in 2004, all won with at least fifty-seven per cent of the vote. The average was seventy-five per cent.) That A.R.G. poll also showed independent voters narrowly opposing censure. The midterm election will be decided in places where no Democratic candidate can prevail without overwhelming independent support. Tactical calculations like these are never pleasant. But they are not always sordid, and sometimes they are necessary. Yes,even left-leaning bloggers recognize that in making political decisions expediency is unavoidable. Such tactics,however, are sordid....always. It is too bad that to unseat the amoral politicians we have to go down to their level and become Republican Lite.*An Uphill Battle For the Democrats, outlooks for the mid-term elections are far from rosy but the president is floundering and reports about Iraq and other matters continue to shed a harsh light upon the Bush administration. Jonathan Weisman in the Post: \"An 18-month recruitment drive by the Democrats has produced nearly a dozen strong candidates with the potential for unseating House Republicans, but probably not enough to take back control of the House absent a massive anti-incumbent wave this fall, according to House political experts.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/democrats-in-disarray-and-bloggers/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eBlogs * Russ Feingold's Censure Resolution * Republican Lite\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHendrik Hertzberg's comments in the Talk of the Town Section of The New Yorker are always a pleasure to read. In \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060327ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eDisarray This\u003c/a\u003e, in the March 27th issue Mr. Hertzberg wrote: \"Meanwhile, the left-populist blogosphere--—a reliable barometer of the Democratic equivalent of the famous Republican \"“base\"--—erupted with praise for Feingold and contempt for his cautious Party colleagues. The adjectives used to limn the latter were pungent: \"“Spineless.\"” \"“Sluggish.\"” \"“Weak.\"”  There is truth in it. I,myself, have used \"gutless\" and \"craven\" to describe the Democrats in Congress long before Russ Feingold proposed the censure resolution. Perhaps the majority of Democratic bloggers are left of center and our frustration surfaces in the posts that appear in the blogosphere. I make no apologies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Hertzberg went on to say:  \"There is very little doubt that Bush deserves censure, not only for the warrantless wiretapping but also for the many other catastrophes his Administration has generated, including the manipulation of intelligence to justify the Iraq war, the willful failure to heed warnings of what the invasion'’s aftermath would entail, the sanctioning of torture, and the neglect of \"“homeland security\"---—to say nothing of a set of domestic policies that sacrifice solvency, safety, the environment, and elementary fairness on the altar of enriching the rich in the name of Christian compassion. And there is scarcely less doubt that, ever since 9/11, Democratic opposition to Bush'’s war-related policies has been inordinately muted. (Even a figure as non-populist as Zbigniew Brzezinski protested last week that \"“Democratic leaders have been silent or evasive.\"”) But none of that means that those who prefer strategies different from Feingold'’s are, ipso facto, spineless, sluggish, and weak.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd further on: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eA poll taken last week by the American Research Group showed that a plurality of voters--—forty-eight per cent--—actually favor Feingold'’s resolution, with forty-three per cent opposed. Among Democratic respondents, support was seventy per cent. For senators whose seats are safely Democratic, supporting the resolution is a personally cost-free choice. (The same is true of the thirty-one members of the House who have endorsed an impeachment resolution: in 2004, all won with at least fifty-seven per cent of the vote. The average was seventy-five per cent.) That A.R.G. poll also showed independent voters narrowly opposing censure. The midterm election will be decided in places where no Democratic candidate can prevail without overwhelming independent support. Tactical calculations like these are never pleasant. But they are not always sordid, and sometimes they are necessary.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes,even left-leaning bloggers recognize that in making political decisions expediency is unavoidable. Such tactics,however, are sordid....always. It is too bad that to unseat the amoral politicians we have to go down to their level and become Republican Lite.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eAn Uphill Battle\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the Democrats, outlooks for the mid-term elections are far from rosy but the president is floundering and reports about Iraq and other matters continue to shed a harsh light upon the Bush administration. Jonathan Weisman in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/12/AR2006041202042.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"An 18-month recruitment drive by the Democrats has produced nearly a dozen strong candidates with the potential for unseating House Republicans, but probably not enough to take back control of the House absent a massive anti-incumbent wave this fall, according to House political experts.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats in Disarray and Bloggers"},{"content":" This story belongs to den of thieves category like the reports about lawmakers and lobbyists. \"Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. recently funded five studies that compared its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa with Risperdal, a competing drug made by Janssen. All five showed Zyprexa was superior in treating schizophrenia. But when Janssen sponsored its own studies comparing the two drugs, Risperdal came out ahead in three out of four.\" Anyone surprised? In fact, when psychiatrist John Davis analyzed every publicly available trial funded by the pharmaceutical industry pitting five new antipsychotic drugs against one another, nine in 10 showed that the best drug was the one made by the company funding the study. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-04-13 ZYPREXA cause your DIABETES? Victims networking site.\nHave you taken Zyprexa and developed diabetes?Information and news site for Victims.\nZyprexa, which is used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, accounted for 32% of Eli Lilly's $14.6 billion revenue last year.\nZyprexa is the product name for Olanzapine,it is Lilly's top selling drug.It was approved by the FDA in 1996 ,an 'atypical' antipsychotic a newer class of drugs without the motor side effects of the older Thorazine.Zyprexa has been linked to causing diabetes and pancreatitis.\nHow does Zyprexa cause diabetes?\nIt has been theorized that Zyprexa causes diabetes by poisoning the pancreatic beta cells causing them to die off.\nDid you know that Lilly made nearly $3 billion last year on diabetic meds, Actos,Humulin and Byetta?\nYes! They sell a drug that causes diabetes and then turn a profit on the drugs that treat the condition \u003ethat they caused in the first place!\nI was prescribed Zyprexa from 1996 until 2000.\nIn early 2000 i was shocked to have an A1C test result of 13.9 (normal is 4-6) I have no history of diabetes in my family.\nMY www.zyprexa-victims.com site documents my efforts to seek recovery and compensation from the Eli Lilly drug company for causing my diabetes.\nI did not make legal discovery until Dec 2005 when i saw a Television advertisement,only then did i make my Zyprexa/diabetes connection and was shocked.\nA special hardship in my case is an ileostomy from long-standing ulcerative colitis,this prevents me from eating a high fiber diet to control my blood sugar and adds to the cost of my diabetes management. Some featured topical listings at my site:\n*Best info page on zyprexa *Resource page for Zyprexa Victims *Latest Zyprexa news from google news wire *Yahoo Zyprexa search websites,news \u0026 blogs *MSN news wire for Zyprexa *Zyprexa discussion forum NEW\nYes,help today is only a mouse click away-Daniel Haszard http://www.zyprexa-victims.com ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/schizophrenia-drug-studies-and-pharmaceutical-companies/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis story belongs to den of thieves category like the reports about lawmakers and lobbyists. \"Pharmaceutical giant \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101478.html\"\u003eEli Lilly and Co.\u003c/a\u003e recently funded five studies that compared its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa with Risperdal, a competing drug made by Janssen. All five showed Zyprexa was superior in treating schizophrenia. But when Janssen sponsored its own studies comparing the two drugs, Risperdal came out ahead in three out of four.\" Anyone surprised?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn fact, when psychiatrist John Davis analyzed every publicly available trial funded by the pharmaceutical industry pitting five new antipsychotic drugs against one another, nine in 10 showed that the best drug was the one made by the company funding the study.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-13\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eZYPREXA cause your DIABETES? Victims networking site.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHave you taken Zyprexa and developed diabetes?Information and news site for Victims.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eZyprexa, which is used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, accounted for 32% of Eli Lilly's $14.6 billion revenue last year.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eZyprexa is the product name for Olanzapine,it is Lilly's top selling drug.It was approved by the FDA in 1996 ,an 'atypical' antipsychotic a newer class of drugs without the motor side effects of the older Thorazine.Zyprexa has been linked to causing diabetes and pancreatitis.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eHow does  Zyprexa cause diabetes?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIt has been theorized that Zyprexa causes diabetes by poisoning the pancreatic beta cells causing them to die off.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eDid you know that Lilly made nearly $3 billion  last year on diabetic meds, Actos,Humulin and Byetta?\u003cbr\u003eYes! They sell a drug that causes diabetes and then turn a profit on the drugs that treat the condition \u003ethat they caused in the first place!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI was prescribed Zyprexa from 1996 until 2000.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn early 2000 i was shocked to have an A1C test result of 13.9 (normal is 4-6) I have no history of diabetes in my family.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMY www.zyprexa-victims.com site documents my efforts to seek recovery and compensation from the Eli Lilly drug company for causing my diabetes.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eI did not make legal discovery until Dec 2005 when i saw a Television advertisement,only then did i make my Zyprexa/diabetes connection and was shocked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA special hardship in my case is an ileostomy from long-standing ulcerative colitis,this prevents me from eating a high fiber diet to control my blood sugar and adds to the cost of my diabetes management. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eSome featured topical listings at my site:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Best info page on zyprexa \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Resource page for Zyprexa Victims \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Latest Zyprexa news from google news wire \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Yahoo Zyprexa search websites,news \u0026 blogs \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*MSN news wire for Zyprexa \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*Zyprexa discussion forum NEW\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes,help today is only a mouse click away-Daniel Haszard http://www.zyprexa-victims.com\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Schizophrenia Drug Studies and Pharmaceutical Companies"},{"content":" Casualties of War In the first 11 days of April, 36 American soldiers have died in Iraq. The total: 2364. Taking the numbers into consideration the report that on May 29,2003, the president crowed \"We have found the weapons of mass destruction\" leaves no doubts as to what length the president was determined to go to justify the war. There was no evidence to support announcement of the finding of WMD and he knew it. Joby Warrick's report in the Post details the facts. The claim, repeated by top administration officials for months afterward, was hailed at the time as a vindication of the decision to go to war. But even as Bush spoke, U.S. intelligence officials possessed powerful evidence that it was not true. A secret fact-finding mission to Iraq -- not made public until now -- had already concluded that the trailers had nothing to do with biological weapons. Leaders of the Pentagon-sponsored mission transmitted their unanimous findings to Washington in a field report on May 27, 2003, two days before the president's statement. Silence of the families of soldiers is deafening.The 15th Annual Jefferson Muzzle AwardAnd the winner is G.W. Bush. There can be no argument about it. The President received the recognition that was due to him for his tireless efforts to curb our rights to protect us from evil doers.RICHMOND, Va. -Apr.11 President Bush and the Justice Department are among the winners of the 2006 Jefferson Muzzle awards, given by a free-speech group to those it considers the most egregious First Amendment violators in the past year. Bush led the list, compiled by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, for authorizing the National Security Agency to tap the phones of U.S. citizens who make calls overseas. The wiretaps were conducted without authorization from a federal court. The White House defended the warrantless wiretapping program as necessary to fight terrorism. The Justice Department earned a Muzzle for demanding that Google turn over thousands of Internet records, prompting concerns that more invasive requests could follow if the government prevails. \"If individuals are fearful that their communications will be intercepted by the government, such fears are likely to chill their speech,\" the Jefferson center said. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/weapons-of-mass-deception-and-a-fitting-reward-for-the-commander-in-chief/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eCasualties of War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the first 11 days of April, 36 \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eAmerican soldiers\u003c/a\u003e have died in Iraq. The total: 2364. Taking the numbers into consideration the report that on May 29,2003, the president crowed \"We have found the weapons of mass destruction\" leaves no doubts as to what length the president was determined to go to justify the war. There was no evidence to support announcement of the finding of WMD and he knew it. Joby Warrick's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101888.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e details the facts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe claim, repeated by top administration officials for months afterward, was hailed at the time as a vindication of the decision to go to war. But even as Bush spoke, U.S. intelligence officials possessed powerful evidence that it was not true.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eA secret fact-finding mission to Iraq -- not made public until now -- had already concluded that the trailers had nothing to do with biological weapons. Leaders of the Pentagon-sponsored mission transmitted their unanimous findings to Washington in a field report on May 27, 2003, two days before the president's statement.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Silence of the families of soldiers is deafening.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe 15th Annual Jefferson Muzzle Award\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd the winner is G.W. Bush. There can be no argument about it. The President received the recognition that was due to him for his tireless efforts to curb our rights to protect us from evil doers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRICHMOND, Va. -Apr.11\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060411/ap_on_re_us/muzzle_awards\"\u003ePresident Bush and the Justice Department\u003c/a\u003e are among the winners of the 2006 Jefferson Muzzle awards, given by a free-speech group to those it considers the most egregious First Amendment violators in the past year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBush led the list, compiled by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, for authorizing the National Security Agency to tap the phones of U.S. citizens who make calls overseas. The wiretaps were conducted without authorization from a federal court. The White House defended the warrantless wiretapping program as necessary to fight terrorism.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Justice Department earned a Muzzle for demanding that Google turn over thousands of Internet records, prompting concerns that more invasive requests could follow if the government prevails.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"If individuals are fearful that their communications will be intercepted by the government, such fears are likely to chill their speech,\" the Jefferson center said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Weapons of Mass Deception and a Fitting Reward for the Commander in Chief"},{"content":" Berlusconi vs Prodi * Price of Oil and the Stock Market * End of Reverend Robertson's Empire Oil, How High Will It Go An item in Yahoo Finance reads: \"Skilling Speaks, and Oil Spikes. Enron's former chief declares his innocence. Oil prices surge on fears of a military strike on Iran.\" President's friends on Wall Street are not happy about news of plans for a first strike against Iran and neither are ordinary Americans across the country. High price of oil affects us all although I have no sympathy for those who drive ugly behemoths. Uncertainy Over Polls in ItalyRomano Prodi, leader of the center-left party, is claiming victory but the very narrow margin (49.8% for Prodi to 49.7% for Berlusconi) raises questions about the final outcome. Allegations of irregularity have been made. Silvio Berlusconi,an autocratic buffoon, is a survivor, adept at dirty tricks. He has been a strong ally of President Bush. This morning the Italian financial market fell almost 1%.Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition Soon after the fall of Tom DeLay comes news that Rev. Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition is facing money crunch. What went wrong? \"The once-mighty Christian Coalition, founded 17 years ago by the Rev. Pat Robertson as the political fundraising and lobbying engine of the Christian right, is more than $2 million in debt, beset by creditors' lawsuits and struggling to hold on to some of its state chapters.\" Apparently, higher powers have not come to his aid and his followers are holding on to their wallets. With his valiant work to spread the Lord's words and tireless campaign on behalf of conservative Republicans one would think that he deserves a Federal bail out. Right now the president has other things on his mind. Once the dust settles--if the dust settles--perhaps he would take care of the reverend. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/news-from-here-and-there/","summary":"Berlusconi vs Prodi * Price of Oil and the Stock Market * End of Reverend Robertson's Empire \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOil, How High Will It Go\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn item in \u003ca href=\"http://finance.yahoo.com/columnist/article/business/3604\"\u003eYahoo Finance\u003c/a\u003e reads: \"Skilling Speaks, and Oil Spikes. Enron's former chief declares his innocence. Oil prices surge on fears of a military strike on Iran.\" President's friends on Wall Street are not happy about news of plans for a first strike against Iran and neither are ordinary Americans across the country. High price of oil affects us all although I have no sympathy for those who drive ugly behemoths.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e Uncertainy Over Polls in Italy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRomano Prodi, leader of the center-left party, is claiming victory but the very narrow margin (49.8% for Prodi to 49.7% for Berlusconi) raises questions about the final outcome. Allegations of irregularity have been made. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041000316.html\"\u003eSilvio Berlusconi\u003c/a\u003e,an autocratic buffoon, is a survivor, adept at dirty tricks. He has been a strong ally of President Bush. This morning the Italian financial market fell almost 1%.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePat Robertson and the Christian Coalition\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoon after the fall of Tom DeLay comes news that Rev. Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition is facing money crunch. What went wrong? \"The once-mighty Christian Coalition, founded 17 years ago by the Rev.\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/09/AR2006040901063.html\"\u003e Pat Robertson\u003c/a\u003e as the political fundraising and lobbying engine of the Christian right, is more than $2 million in debt, beset by creditors' lawsuits and struggling to hold on to some of its state chapters.\" Apparently, higher powers have not come to his aid and his followers are holding on to their wallets. With his valiant work to spread the Lord's words and tireless campaign on behalf of conservative Republicans one would think that he deserves a Federal bail out. Right now the president has other things on his mind. Once the dust settles--if the dust settles--perhaps he would take care of the reverend.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"News From Here and There"},{"content":" The President's approval rating in a free fall. The news made me see a silver lining in the rain clouds. Good news for those of us who opposed the war before the bombs fell on Baghdad. Good news for the Democrats hoping to be the majority party after the mid-term elections although I am not too sure of their success. Republicans are vulnerable but the Democrats' failure to stand up against abuses of power when it mattered has made it difficult for them to take advantage of the situation.One saving grace for the president is the support of the soldiers and their families. If they have doubts they do not publicly voice them.*\"Colonel Walter E. Kurtz: Did they say why, Willard? Why they wanted to terminate my command? Did they tell you?Captain Benjamin L. Willard: They told me you had gone totally insane and, uh....., that your methods were unsound.Colonel Walter E. Kurtz: Are my methods unsound?Captain Benjamin L. Willard: I don't see ... any method ... at all.\"~APOCALYPSE NOW ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-good-soldiers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President's approval rating in a free fall.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041000259.html\"\u003enews\u003c/a\u003e made me see a silver lining in the rain clouds. Good news for those of us who opposed the war before the bombs fell on Baghdad. Good news for the Democrats hoping to be the majority party after the mid-term elections although I am not too sure of their success. Republicans are vulnerable but the Democrats' failure to stand up against abuses of power when it mattered has made it difficult for them to take advantage of the situation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne saving grace for the president is the support of the soldiers and their families. If they have doubts they do not publicly voice them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Colonel Walter E. Kurtz: Did they say  why, Willard? Why they wanted to terminate my command? Did they tell  you?\u003cbr/\u003eCaptain Benjamin L. Willard: They told me you had gone totally insane  and, uh....., that your methods were unsound.\u003cbr/\u003eColonel Walter E. Kurtz: Are my  methods unsound?\u003cbr/\u003eCaptain Benjamin L. Willard: I don't see ... any method ...  at all.\"\u003cbr/\u003e~APOCALYPSE NOW\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Good Soldiers"},{"content":" Hit them all at once or according to his needsIran,Venezuela. Perhaps Cuba. Cuba will be good for Brother Jeb. Drum beat getting louder. The ground was laid with the preemption policy reiterated in March 2006. Timing is right. Now,more than ever, the president needs something to divert the nation's attention from reports about abuses by his administration. \"According to current and former officials, Pentagon and CIA planners have been exploring possible targets, such as the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz and the uranium conversion facility at Isfahan. Although a land invasion is not contemplated, military officers are weighing alternatives ranging from a limited airstrike aimed at key nuclear sites, to a more extensive bombing campaign designed to destroy an array of military and political targets.\"The villains have been created. An air war will minimize casualties on our side. Then he will read a speech about another mission accomplished. No, he is not going put on a flight suit.Seymour Hersh has a report,\"The Iran Story\",in The New Yorker, about the Bush administration's plans for a nuclear strike against Iran. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-war-president-getting-ready-for-battle/","summary":"Hit them all at once or according to his needs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIran,Venezuela. Perhaps Cuba. Cuba will be good for Brother Jeb. Drum beat getting louder. The ground was laid with the preemption policy reiterated in March 2006. Timing is right. Now,more than ever, the president needs something to divert the nation's attention from reports about abuses by his administration. \"According to current and former officials, Pentagon and CIA planners have been exploring possible targets, such as the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz and the uranium conversion facility at Isfahan. Although a land invasion is not contemplated, military officers are weighing alternatives ranging from a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/08/AR2006040801082.html\"\u003elimited airstrike\u003c/a\u003e aimed at key nuclear sites, to a more extensive bombing campaign designed to destroy an array of military and political targets.\"The villains have been created. An air war will minimize casualties on our side. Then he will read a speech about another mission accomplished. No, he is not going put on a flight suit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSeymour Hersh has a report,\"The Iran Story\",in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060417fa_fact\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e, about the Bush administration's plans for a nuclear strike against Iran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"The  War President Getting Ready for Battle"},{"content":" The Plame Story Unfolds - It was the Veep, \"Dr. Strangelove\" CheneyFrom the information available,it can safely be assumed that his boss was not far behind. They are writhing,the slimy creatures of the Bush White House. Barton Gellman and Dafna Linzer write in the Post 'A Concerted Effort' to Discredit Bush Critic: \"As he drew back the curtain this week on the evidence against Vice President Cheney's former top aide, Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the first time described a \"concerted action\" by \"multiple people in the White House\" -- using classified information -- to \"discredit, punish or seek revenge against\" a critic of President Bush's war in Iraq.\" Things are falling in place. Does not mean that the president and his aides will receive their just desserts but America and the world will know them for what they are. Thanks to Patrick Fitzgerald,the Bush administration's efforts to bluff,bully and subvert the nation are being exposed in full colors. It warms the cockles of my heart. Bluntly and repeatedly, Fitzgerald placed Cheney at the center of that campaign. Citing grand jury testimony from the vice president's former chief of staff, I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby, Fitzgerald fingered Cheney as the first to voice a line of attack that at least three White House officials would soon deploy against former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV. Sometimes the wheels of justice move in strange ways. Not hard to imagine the gnashing of teeth by the smarmy former AG John Ashcroft and the Republicans about the appointment of Patrick Fitzgerald. If they only knew.What made Tony Blair a member of the cabal for war is a mystery. Now his name,too, will be tied for ever to Bush and Cheney.\"Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.\"---Wm.Shakespeare, The Three Witches, Macbeth Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2006-04-09 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-04-09 That is an extreme view and could result in a\nknock on your door at midnight. As long as the families of soldiers (dead and injured) remain quiet or supportive of the president\nhe will continue to bluster through the end of his term. With the Republicans in control of Congress, impeachment is not in the scenario. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/fitzgerald-the-dragon-slayer---go-pat-go/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Plame Story Unfolds - It was  the Veep, \"Dr. Strangelove\" Cheney\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom the information available,it can safely be assumed that his boss was not far behind. They are writhing,the slimy creatures of the Bush White House. Barton Gellman and Dafna Linzer write in the Post '\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/08/AR2006040800916.html\"\u003eA Concerted Effort\u003c/a\u003e' to Discredit Bush Critic: \"As he drew back the curtain this week on the evidence against Vice President Cheney's former top aide, Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the first time described a \"concerted action\" by \"multiple people in the White House\" -- using classified information -- to \"discredit, punish or seek revenge against\" a critic of President Bush's war in Iraq.\" Things are falling in place. Does not mean that the president and his aides will receive their just desserts but America and the world will know them for what they are. Thanks to Patrick Fitzgerald,the Bush administration's efforts to bluff,bully and subvert the nation are being exposed in full colors. It warms the cockles of my heart.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBluntly and repeatedly, Fitzgerald placed Cheney at the center of that campaign. Citing grand jury testimony from the vice president's former chief of staff, I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby, Fitzgerald fingered Cheney as the first to voice a line of attack that at least three White House officials would soon deploy against former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Sometimes the wheels of justice move in strange ways. Not hard to imagine the gnashing of teeth by the smarmy former AG John Ashcroft and the Republicans about the appointment of Patrick Fitzgerald. If they only knew.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat made Tony Blair a member of the cabal for war is a mystery. Now his name,too, will be tied for ever to Bush and Cheney.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Fair is foul and foul is fair:\u003cbr/\u003e Hover through the fog and filthy air.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Wm.Shakespeare, The Three Witches, Macbeth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-04-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThat is an extreme view and could result in a\u003cbr\u003eknock on your door at midnight. As long as the families of soldiers (dead and injured) remain quiet or supportive of the president\u003cbr\u003ehe will continue to bluster through the end of his term. With the Republicans in control of Congress, impeachment is not in the scenario.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Fitzgerald the Dragon Slayer - Go Pat, Go"},{"content":" A gem in this morning's Washington Post---\"Words and Music\" by Alaka Basu. The first paragraph of her op-ed piece about National Security Language Initiative almost made me move to something else. The State Department's web site about NLSI reads :.....a plan to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills.\" While not all students of foreign languages will train to be spooks, the primary reason for establishment of NSLI was to create a pool from which to recruit.Glad that I stayed with the article. Caught mention of the Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason, a book that I had enjoyed a few years back, and continued following Ms Basu. \"This project reminds me of a book I read recently, \"The Piano Tuner,\" by Daniel Mason, in which the central character seeks and makes peace in late 19th-century Burma with music instead of guns. I want to believe the language initiative also is at least partly motivated by an interest in more nonviolent tools of negotiation, although I much prefer the word \"conversation\" to \"negotiation.\" Yes, \"negotiation\" is a hard word, it implies confrontation. The world would be better off when those in power meet to talk rather than negotiate. Not likely to happen any time soon.What drew me to the article in the first place was the author's name. A Bengali if I'm not mistaken. The Indian sub-continent has produced great authors and works of literature. Perhaps I am partial but to me Urdu and Bengali are far superior to Hindi, the national language of India. Hindi lacks the lilt,the sweetness found in the other two. *\"Language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms.\"---Penelope Lively ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/magic-of-languages/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA gem in this morning's Washington Post---\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/07/AR2006040701736.html\"\u003eWords and Music\u003c/a\u003e\" by Alaka Basu. The first paragraph of her op-ed piece about National Security Language Initiative almost made me move to something else. The State Department's web site about \u003ca href=\"http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/58733.htm\"\u003eNLSI\u003c/a\u003e reads :.....a plan to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills.\" While not all students of foreign languages will train to be spooks, the primary reason for establishment of NSLI was to create a pool from which to recruit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGlad that I stayed with the article. Caught mention of the Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason, a book that I had enjoyed a few years back, and continued following Ms Basu. \"This project reminds me of a book I read recently, \"The Piano Tuner,\" by Daniel Mason, in which the central character seeks and makes peace in late 19th-century Burma with music instead of guns. I want to believe the language initiative also is at least partly motivated by an interest in more nonviolent tools of negotiation, although I much prefer the word \"conversation\" to \"negotiation.\" Yes, \"negotiation\" is a hard word, it implies confrontation. The world would be better off when those in power meet to talk rather than negotiate. Not likely to happen any time soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat drew me to the article in the first place was the author's name. A Bengali if I'm not mistaken. The Indian sub-continent has produced great authors and works of literature. Perhaps I am partial but to me Urdu and Bengali are far superior to Hindi, the national language of India. Hindi lacks the lilt,the sweetness found in the other two.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"quote\"\u003e\"Language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms.\u003c/span\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Penelope Lively\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Magic of Languages"},{"content":" Commanders in Chief, Current and PreviousThe news broke yesterday that the decision to smear ex-diplomat Joseph Wilson and leak the name of his wife,Valerie Plame,an undercover CIA officer, came down from the very top. \"The court filing by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the first time places Bush and Vice President Cheney at the heart of what Libby testified was an exceptional and deliberate leak of material designed to buttress the administration's claim that Iraq was trying to obtain nuclear weapons. The information was contained in the National Intelligence Estimate, one of the most closely held CIA analyses of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the war.\" Faced with lack of evidence to support their arguments for the war the Bushies were mad and struck back as they know how. Today the print media covered it on front page but just as another item. There is no sense of surprise and there is an absence of indignation. There is no firestorm.....not yet. What does that say about us?The President's supporters argue that he has the right to declassify information. The Washington Post: Legal scholars and analysts said yesterday that the president has the authority to selectively declassify intelligence reports But they also said it was highly unusual for senior officials at the White House to take such an action so stealthily, without notifying Cabinet officials or others in the administration, including the CIA authors of the National Intelligence Estimate. The War (G.W. Bush) and the Intern (William Jefferson Clinton)William Jefferson Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Ms Lewinski and lying about it. The circus put up by Ken Starr and the Republicans (some of them probably drooled thinking about cigars and buxom females) cost the country about $30 million according to a CNN report. No one died although attempts were made to create a mystery around the suicide of Vince Foster.George Bush and the neocons engaged this nation in an unjust war. 2345 American soldiers have lost their lives, the number of severely injured is estimated to be 17469; number of Iraqi civilians killed: Minimum 33821 Maximum 37943, most of them from military action,i.e. \"collateral damage\". Based on estimates of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO),cost in dollars could exceed one trillion ($1,000,000,000,000). See left margin of this page for running costs. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/arrogance-and-contempt---a-president-above-the-law/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCommanders in Chief, Current and Previous\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe news broke yesterday that the decision to smear ex-diplomat \u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0706-02.htm\"\u003eJoseph Wilson\u003c/a\u003e and leak the name of his wife,\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Plame\"\u003eValerie Plame\u003c/a\u003e,an undercover CIA officer, came down from the very top. \"The court filing by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the first time places \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/06/AR2006040600333.html\"\u003eBush and Vice President Cheney\u003c/a\u003e at the heart of what Libby testified was an exceptional and deliberate leak of material designed to buttress the administration's claim that Iraq was trying to obtain nuclear weapons. The information was contained in the National Intelligence Estimate, one of the most closely held CIA analyses of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the war.\" Faced with lack of evidence to support their arguments for the war the Bushies were mad and struck back as they know how. Today the print media covered it on front page but just as another item. There is no sense of surprise and there is an absence of indignation. There is no firestorm.....not yet. What does that say about us?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President's supporters argue that he has the right to declassify information.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/06/AR2006040600333.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLegal scholars and analysts said yesterday that the president has the authority to selectively declassify intelligence reports But they also said it was highly unusual for senior officials at the White House to take such an action so stealthily, without notifying Cabinet officials or others in the administration, including the CIA authors of the National Intelligence Estimate.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThe War (G.W. Bush) and the Intern (William Jefferson Clinton)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam Jefferson Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Ms Lewinski and lying about it. The circus put up by Ken Starr and the Republicans (some of them probably drooled thinking about cigars and buxom females) cost the country about $30 million according to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/01/starr.costs/\"\u003eCNN\u003c/a\u003e report. No one died although attempts were made to create a mystery around the suicide of Vince Foster.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Bush and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12172528/site/newsweek/\"\u003eneocons\u003c/a\u003e engaged this nation in an unjust war. 2345 American soldiers have lost their lives, the number of severely injured is estimated to be 17469; number of Iraqi civilians killed: Minimum 33821 Maximum 37943, most of them from military action,i.e. \"collateral damage\". Based on \u003ca href=\"http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper\u0026amp;Itemid=182\"\u003eestimates\u003c/a\u003e of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO),cost in dollars could exceed one trillion ($1,000,000,000,000). See left margin of this page for running costs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Arrogance and Contempt - A President Above the Law"},{"content":" \"Religious party\"! Gag me with a spoon. While it is easy to understand the GOP's use of God, for God to permit the Republicans to adopt him is a different matter. God must be blind...and deaf. Was away in the high desert for a few days and didn't catch historian Kevin Phillips' article \"How GOP Became God's Own Party\" until this morning. \"Now that the GOP has been transformed by the rise of the South, the trauma of terrorism and George W. Bush's conviction that God wanted him to be president, a deeper conclusion can be drawn: The Republican Party has become the first religious party in U.S. history.\" What are the Democrats to do...turn into sanctimonious hypocrites? It would be interesting to see the results of the mid-term elections. Time is running out and the Democrats still lack a clear message. The gains and losses by each party will be an indicator of how the voters feel about God's party and what it has done for them and the country. Would the milking of God and 9/11 continue for ever and ever? The prospect is depressing. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/god-and-the-republicans---ahtogetherness/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Religious party\"! Gag me with a spoon. While it is easy to understand the GOP's use of God, for God to permit the Republicans to adopt him is a different matter. God must be blind...and deaf. Was away in the high desert for a few days and didn't catch historian Kevin Phillips' article \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040100004.html\"\u003eHow GOP Became God's Own Party\u003c/a\u003e\" until this morning. \"Now that the GOP has been transformed by the rise of the South, the trauma of terrorism and George W. Bush's conviction that God wanted him to be president, a deeper conclusion can be drawn: The Republican Party has become the first religious party in U.S. history.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat are the Democrats to do...turn into sanctimonious hypocrites? It would be interesting to see the results of the mid-term elections. Time is running out and the Democrats still lack a clear message. The gains and losses by each party will be an indicator of how the voters feel about God's party and what it has done for them and the country. Would the milking of God and 9/11 continue for ever and ever? The prospect is depressing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"God and the Republicans - Ah,Togetherness"},{"content":" Who Are the Beneficiaries? * Iraq - The President Talks but does not fundA clear picture is emerging of the effects of the much-vaunted tax cuts championed by the president and passed by Congress in 2003. It is not a \"water under the bridge\" issue. We are paying for the tax cuts and we'll continue to pay for them. David Cay Johnston writes in The NY Times: \"The first data to document the effect of President Bush's tax cuts for investment income show that they have significantly lowered the tax burden on the richest Americans, reducing taxes on incomes of more than $10 million by an average of about $500,000.\"To be fair, the president and his party made no secret of their objective. The numbers were there for all to see. They are,however,masters of the game. Smoke and mirrors succeeded in hiding the ugly truth. A few who raised red flags were not heard in the din. With Republicans in control of Congress, the tax bill was passed. The President continues to push to remove the sunset clause and make the cuts permanent. What has changed is that the president is no longer the 500 lb. gorilla he was back in 2003.Excerpts from NY Times:\"When Congress cut investment taxes three years ago, it was clear that the highest-income Americans would gain the most, because they had the most money in investments. But the size of the cuts and what share goes to each income group have not been known. As Congress debates whether to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, The Times analyzed I.R.S. figures for 2003, the latest year available and the first that reflected the tax cuts for income from dividends and from the sale of stock and other assets, known as capital gains. The analysis found the following: Among taxpayers with incomes greater than $10 million, the amount by which their investment tax bill was reduced averaged about $500,000 in 2003, and total tax savings, which included the two Bush tax cuts on compensation, nearly doubled, to slightly more than $1 million. These taxpayers, whose average income was $26 million, paid about the same share of their income in income taxes as those making $200,000 to $500,000 because of the lowered rates on investment income. Americans with annual incomes of $1 million or more, about one-tenth of 1 percent all taxpayers, reaped 43 percent of all the savings on investment taxes in 2003. The savings for these taxpayers averaged about $41,400 each. By comparison, these same Americans received less than 10 percent of the savings from the other Bush tax cuts, which applied primarily to wages, though that share is expected to grow in coming years. The savings from the investment tax cuts are expected to be larger in subsequent years because of gains in the stock market. *Funding for Iraq Not A PriorityThe glaring difference between what the president says and the facts about Iraq again brought to light in Peter Baker's report in the Post:\"The commitment to what the president of the United States will say every single day of the week is his number one priority in Iraq, when it's translated into action, looks very tiny,\" said Les Campbell, who runs programs in the Middle East for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, known as NDI.\"Note: NY Times articles can be accessed free of charge only for 7 days after publication. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-bush-tax-cuts---generosity-of-the-500-lb-gorilla/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWho Are the Beneficiaries? * Iraq - The President Talks but does not fund\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA clear picture is emerging of the effects of the much-vaunted tax cuts championed by the president and passed by Congress in 2003. It is not a \"water under the bridge\" issue. We are paying for the tax cuts and we'll continue to pay for them. \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/business/05tax.html\"\u003eDavid Cay Johnston\u003c/a\u003e writes in The NY Times: \"The first data to document the effect of President Bush's tax cuts for investment income show that they have significantly lowered the tax burden on the richest Americans, reducing taxes on incomes of more than $10 million by an average of about $500,000.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTo be fair, the president and his party made no secret of their objective. The numbers were there for all to see. They are,however,masters of the game. Smoke and mirrors succeeded in hiding the ugly truth. A few who raised red flags were not heard in the din. With Republicans in control of Congress, the tax bill was passed. The President continues to push to remove the sunset clause and make the cuts permanent. What has changed is that the president is no longer the 500 lb. gorilla he was back in 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/business/05tax.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When Congress cut investment taxes three years ago, it was clear that the highest-income Americans would gain the most, because they had the most money in investments. But the size of the cuts and what share goes to each income group have not been known.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs Congress debates whether to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, The Times analyzed I.R.S. figures for 2003, the latest year available and the first that reflected the tax cuts for income from dividends and from the sale of stock and other assets, known as capital gains. \u003cbr/\u003eThe analysis found the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmong taxpayers with incomes greater than $10 million, the amount by which their investment tax bill was reduced averaged about $500,000 in 2003, and total tax savings, which included the two Bush tax cuts on compensation, nearly doubled, to slightly more than $1 million.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThese taxpayers, whose average income was $26 million, paid about the same share of their income in income taxes as those making $200,000 to $500,000 because of the lowered rates on investment income.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmericans with annual incomes of $1 million or more, about one-tenth of 1 percent all taxpayers, reaped 43 percent of all the savings on investment taxes in 2003. The savings for these taxpayers averaged about $41,400 each. By comparison, these same Americans received less than 10 percent of the savings from the other Bush tax cuts, which applied primarily to wages, though that share is expected to grow in coming years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe savings from the investment tax cuts are expected to be larger in subsequent years because of gains in the stock market.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFunding for Iraq Not A Priority\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe glaring difference between what the president says and the facts about Iraq again brought to light in Peter Baker's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401626.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\"The commitment to what the president of the United States will say every single day of the week is his number one priority in Iraq, when it's translated into action, looks very tiny,\" said Les Campbell, who runs programs in the Middle East for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, known as NDI.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: NY Times articles can be accessed free of charge only for 7 days after publication.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Bush Tax Cuts - Generosity of the 500 Lb. Gorilla"},{"content":" The news that,due partly to female foeticide and skewed ratio of men to women,some Indians are paying to buy brides would have been amusing if it were not for the implications and conditions that created the situation. For centuries parents in India have been paying dowery to get their daughters married to suitable grooms. Although no longer legal, it is a practice that continues covertly and it is not going to disappear any time soon. Story about men buying brides (sex slaves) is another side of the picture. The customs---of female foeticide,dowery,and bride buying---are all reprehensible.From the BBC: \"Can a young, single girl get married to a father of six willingly?\" asks Anwari. \"It is all fate. What has happened has happened. What can I do? My parents didn't even get any money from this deal.\" Anwari is among the several thousand young women from all over India who are literally sold-off to men in Haryana, a state notorious for its low ratio of girls to boys. The going rate for buying a girl in the state is anything between 4,000 and 30,000 rupees ($88 to $660). Sex slaves\nA cultural preference for sons over daughters has skewed India's sex ratio in places like Haryana. As a result of female foeticide, there are about 861 women for every 1,000 men in Haryana, according to the last census. The national average is 927 women to 1,000 men. Since there aren't enough local women to marry, Haryana's men pay touts to bring women for them to marry and to work on their farms.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/haryana-india---from-bride-burning-to-bride-buying/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe news that,due partly to female foeticide and skewed ratio of men to women,some Indians are paying to buy brides would have been amusing if it were not for the implications and conditions that created the situation. For centuries parents in India have been paying dowery to get their daughters married to suitable grooms. Although no longer legal, it is a practice that continues covertly and it is not going to disappear any time soon. Story about men buying brides (sex slaves) is another side of the picture. The customs---of female foeticide,dowery,and bride buying---are all reprehensible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4862434.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Can a young, single girl get married to a father of six willingly?\" asks Anwari. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Haryana, India - From  Bride Burning to Bride Buying"},{"content":" DeLay * Liberals and the Immigration Debate * Iraq War * Twentynine Palms CA 92277 Events finally caught up with Tom DeLay, aka The Hammer, aka The Exterminator. Allegations of campaign finance law violations, questionable manipulation of redistricting in Texas, involvement in Jack Abramoff's shady deals, all dragged him into the center of a growing storm. The decision by Tony Rudy, his former aide, to plead guilty to conspiracy charges was perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back. The formerly feared congressman from Sugarland,TX, faced reality and announced that he would give up his seat and withdraw from reelection contest.The Immigration DebateTwo columnists,known for their liberal views, have expressed their reservations about the merits of the guest workers program. Their comments are close to those made by conservative Republicans.Robert Samuelson in the Post, \"We don't need guest workers\": Guest workers would mainly legalize today's vast inflows of illegal immigrants, with the same consequence: We'd be importing poverty. This isn't because these immigrants aren't hardworking; many are. Nor is it because they don't assimilate; many do. But they generally don't go home, assimilation is slow and the ranks of the poor are constantly replenished. Since 1980 the number of Hispanics with incomes below the government's poverty line (about $19,300 in 2004 for a family of four) has risen 162 percent. Over the same period, the number of non-Hispanic whites in poverty rose 3 percent and the number of blacks, 9.5 percent. What we have now -- and would with guest workers -- is a conscious policy of creating poverty in the United States while relieving it in Mexico. By and large, this is a bad bargain for the United States. It stresses local schools, hospitals and housing; it feeds social tensions (witness the Minutemen). To be sure, some Americans get cheap housecleaning or landscaping services. But if more mowed their own lawns or did their own laundry, it wouldn't be a tragedy. Paul Krugman in NY Times: \"North of the Border\" First, the net benefits to the U.S. economy from immigration, aside from the large gains to the immigrants themselves, are small. Realistic estimates suggest that immigration since 1980 has raised the total income of native-born Americans by no more than a fraction of 1 percent. Second, while immigration may have raised overall income slightly, many of the worst-off native-born Americans are hurt by immigration — especially immigration from Mexico. Because Mexican immigrants have much less education than the average U.S. worker, they increase the supply of less-skilled labor, driving down the wages of the worst-paid Americans. The most authoritative recent study of this effect, by George Borjas and Lawrence Katz of Harvard, estimates that U.S. high school dropouts would earn as much as 8 percent more if it weren't for Mexican immigration. The President,Iraq and History Twentynine Palms in California is the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. It also happens to be the home of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command. It was there a few days back that I read \"Deluded\",by Steve Coll which appeared in the Talk of the Town Section of The New Yorker, April 3rd issue. The President and the members of his war cabinet now routinely wave at the horizon and speak about the long arc of history's judgment--—many years or decades must pass, they suggest, before the overthrow of Saddam and its impact on the Middle East can be properly evaluated. This is not only an evasion; it is bad historiography. Particularly in free societies, botched or unnecessary military invasions are almost always recognized as mistakes by the public and the professional military soon after they happen, and are rarely vindicated by time. This was true of the Boer War, Suez, and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and it will be true of Iraq. At best, when enough time has passed, and the human toll is not so palpable, we may come to think of the invasion, and its tragicomedy of missing weapons, as just another imperial folly, the way we now remember the Spanish-American War or the doomed British invasions of Afghanistan. But that will take a very long time, and it will never pass as vindication.\nRegardless of how the president and his aides are judged by history for their role in the war, in towns like Twentynine Palms one is not likely to hear of opposition to the war. If there are dissidents, their voices remain mute. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/04/the-fall-of-tom-delay/","summary":"DeLay * Liberals and the Immigration Debate * Iraq War * Twentynine Palms CA 92277\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEvents finally caught up with \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040400513_2.html\"\u003eTom DeLay\u003c/a\u003e, aka The Hammer, aka The Exterminator. Allegations of campaign finance law violations, questionable manipulation of redistricting in Texas, involvement in Jack Abramoff's shady deals, all dragged him into the center of a growing storm. The decision by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040400190.html\"\u003eTony Rudy\u003c/a\u003e, his former aide, to plead guilty to conspiracy charges was perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back. The formerly feared congressman from Sugarland,TX, faced reality and announced that he would give up his seat and withdraw from reelection contest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Immigration Debate\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTwo columnists,known for their liberal views, have expressed their reservations about the merits of the guest workers program. Their comments are close to those made by conservative Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobert Samuelson in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101146.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, \"We don't need guest workers\":\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eGuest workers would mainly legalize today's vast inflows of illegal immigrants, with the same consequence: We'd be importing poverty. This isn't because these immigrants aren't hardworking; many are. Nor is it because they don't assimilate; many do. But they generally don't go home, assimilation is slow and the ranks of the poor are constantly replenished. Since 1980 the number of Hispanics with incomes below the government's poverty line (about $19,300 in 2004 for a family of four) has risen 162 percent. Over the same period, the number of non-Hispanic whites in poverty rose 3 percent and the number of blacks, 9.5 percent. What we have now -- and would with guest workers -- is a conscious policy of creating poverty in the United States while relieving it in Mexico. By and large, this is a bad bargain for the United States. It stresses local schools, hospitals and housing; it feeds social tensions (witness the Minutemen). To be sure, some Americans get cheap housecleaning or landscaping services. But if more mowed their own lawns or did their own laundry, it wouldn't be a tragedy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman in NY Times: \"North of the Border\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFirst, the net benefits to the U.S. economy from immigration, aside from the large gains to the immigrants themselves, are small. Realistic estimates suggest that immigration since 1980 has raised the total income of native-born Americans by no more than a fraction of 1 percent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSecond, while immigration may have raised overall income  slightly, many of  the worst-off native-born Americans are hurt by  immigration — especially  immigration from Mexico. Because Mexican immigrants  have much less education  than the average U.S. worker, they increase the  supply of less-skilled  labor, driving down the wages of the worst-paid  Americans. The most  authoritative recent study of this effect, by George  Borjas and Lawrence   Katz of Harvard, estimates that U.S. high school  dropouts would earn as much  as 8 percent more if it weren't for Mexican  immigration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThe President,Iraq and History \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwentynine Palms in California is the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. It also happens to be the home of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command. It was there a few days back that I read \"Deluded\",by \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060403ta_talk_coll\"\u003eSteve Coll \u003c/a\u003ewhich appeared in the Talk of the Town Section of The New Yorker, April 3rd issue.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"body\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"articles\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"talk\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"COMMENT\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe President and the members of his war cabinet now routinely wave at the horizon and speak about the long arc of history's judgment--—many years or decades must pass, they suggest, before the overthrow of Saddam and its impact on the Middle East can be properly evaluated. This is not only an evasion; it is bad historiography. Particularly in free societies, botched or unnecessary military invasions are almost always recognized as mistakes by the public and the professional military soon after they happen, and are rarely vindicated by time. This was true of the Boer War, Suez, and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and it will be true of Iraq. At best, when enough time has passed, and the human toll is not so palpable, we may come to think of the invasion, and its tragicomedy of missing weapons, as just another imperial folly, the way we now remember the Spanish-American War or the doomed British invasions of Afghanistan. But that will take a very long time, and it will never pass as vindication.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The  Fall of Tom DeLay"},{"content":" Do prayers by well-wishers help sick people? Some of us do not believe in the power of prayer while others do. A study,to be published in the April 4th issue of the American Heart Journal, based on 1800 heart by-pass patients, by the Harvard Medical School confirms \"Praying for other people to recover from an illness is ineffective, ......\" The study covered \" \"distant\" or \"intercessory\" prayer\". This is not going to deter the believers and rightly so. If they find solace in prayer more power to them. The study of more than 1,800 heart-bypass patients found that those who had people praying for them had as many complications as those who did not. In fact, one group of patients who knew they were the subject of prayers fared worse. The long-awaited results, the latest in a series of studies that have not found any benefit from \"distant\" or \"intercessory\" prayer, came as a blow to those hoping scientific research would validate the popular notion that people can influence others' health, even if the sick do not know that someone is praying for them. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-31 Duh! I pray government dollars were'nt spent to discover this obvious conclusion. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/prayers-and-patients/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDo prayers by well-wishers help sick people? Some of us do not believe in the power of prayer while others do. A study,to be published in the April 4th issue of the American Heart Journal, based on 1800 heart by-pass patients, by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/30/AR2006033000902.html\"\u003eHarvard Medical School \u003c/a\u003econfirms \"Praying for other people to recover from an illness is ineffective, ......\"  The study covered \" \"distant\" or \"intercessory\" prayer\". This is not going to deter the believers and rightly so. If they find solace in prayer more power to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe study of more than 1,800 heart-bypass patients found that those who had people praying for them had as many complications as those who did not. In fact, one group of patients who knew they were the subject of prayers fared worse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe long-awaited results, the latest in a series of studies that have not found any benefit from \"distant\" or \"intercessory\" prayer, came as a blow to those hoping scientific research would validate the popular notion that people can influence others' health, even if the sick do not know that someone is praying for them.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDuh! I pray government dollars were'nt spent to discover this obvious conclusion.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Prayers and Patients"},{"content":" A Mixed Bag on a Cloudy Thursday Morning First the good news. Jill Carroll,the free-lance reporter who was kidnapped on January 7th while on assignment for the Christian Science Monitor in Baghdad, has been freed, unharmed. \"I was treated very well. That's important people know that,\" she said in an interview broadcast by the Iraqi Islamic Party. \"They never said they would hit me, never threatened me in any way. I was just happy to be free, and I want to be with my family.\" Good news indeed. The Lobbying Bill After making a lot of noise the Senate produced a mouse---a toothless one at that. The legislation could be further watered down in the House. Democrats proved to be as unwilling as the Republicans to give up the rewards that lobbyists provide. They have become addicts. \"On Tuesday, the Senate rejected a bipartisan plan to create an independent investigative office designed to help the Senate's ethics committee enforce lobbying and ethics laws. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), one of the authors of the Democrats' lobbying proposals, voted against the Senate bill in part because it did not contain the office of public integrity.\"Remember Diebold,Inc. ?Diebold, the voting machine manufacturer was mentioned in 2004 for being involved in voting fraud by rigging the machines. This is from Naperville Sun 3/15/06: \"Shortly after North Canton Ohio-based Diebold Inc. bought the voting equipment company Global Election Systems Inc., past chairman and CEO Walden O'Dell allegedly told Republican fundraisers he would help Ohio deliver the electoral votes to President Bush in the 2004 election. O'Dell resigned from Diebold in December.\" Now the attorney general of Florida has subpoenaed Diebold and two other voting machine manufacturers for refusing \"to sell equipment to let disabled voters cast ballots without help in Leon County.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/jill-carroll-the-lobbying-bill-dieboldinc/","summary":"A Mixed Bag on a Cloudy Thursday Morning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFirst the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/30/AR2006033000225.html\"\u003egood news\u003c/a\u003e. Jill Carroll,the free-lance reporter who was kidnapped on January 7th while on assignment for the Christian Science Monitor in Baghdad, has been freed, unharmed. \"I was treated very well. That's important people know that,\" she said in an interview broadcast by the Iraqi Islamic Party. \"They never said they would hit me, never threatened me in any way. I was just happy to be free, and I want to be with my family.\" Good news indeed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eThe Lobbying Bill \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter making a lot of noise the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/29/AR2006032902424.html\"\u003eSenate\u003c/a\u003e produced a mouse---a toothless one at that. The legislation could be further watered down in the House. Democrats proved to be as unwilling as the Republicans to give up the rewards that lobbyists provide. They have become addicts. \"On Tuesday, the Senate rejected a bipartisan plan to create an independent investigative office designed to help the Senate's ethics committee enforce lobbying and ethics laws. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), one of the authors of the Democrats' lobbying proposals, voted against the Senate bill in part because it did not contain the office of public integrity.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember Diebold,Inc. ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDiebold, the voting machine manufacturer was mentioned in 2004 for being involved in voting fraud by rigging the machines. This is from \u003ca href=\"http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/news/n15diebold.htm\"\u003eNaperville Sun\u003c/a\u003e 3/15/06: \"Shortly after North Canton Ohio-based Diebold Inc. bought the voting equipment company Global Election Systems Inc., past chairman and CEO Walden O'Dell allegedly told Republican fundraisers he would help Ohio deliver the electoral votes to President Bush in the 2004 election. O'Dell resigned from Diebold in December.\" Now the attorney general of Florida has \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/29/AR2006032901587.html\"\u003esubpoenaed\u003c/a\u003e Diebold and two other voting machine manufacturers for refusing \"to sell equipment to let disabled voters cast ballots without help in Leon County.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Jill Carroll * The Lobbying Bill * Diebold,Inc."},{"content":" One thing leads to another. Reading former President Jimmy Carter's comments about the nuclear deal with India and the dangers of nuclear proliferation made me think of the very lucrative trading in arms and ammunition in which all major nations take part. An Israeli friend,currently in graduate school in the USA, to whom I had forwarded the Washington Post article \"Of Israel,Harvard and David Duke\" (March 26,2006) commented: They forgot to add it that even Israelis in Israel argue that they wish US aid to Israel will stop since it is making the country more militant, and only contributing to the military industrial complex. I think these authors will be more honest if they will realize that the US does not give money to Israel because they care about Israel's security; the US only tries to maintain the economic profitability from selling weapons. The military industrial complex in the US accounts for as much as 25% of the US GDP. You ask yourself how? Well, for every weapon that Israel 'buys' form the US, rich oil producing countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, buy the same weapons from the US to equalize their military power with Israel. This is really where the US makes its most money from weapons. Whether or not one agrees with her view, it is indisputable that the United States ranks No.1 among the nations that do a thriving business selling weapons of war--weapons of death--followed by Britain,Russia,France,China. Israel,Canada and Germany rank among the top ten.The web site of Federation of American Scientists (FAS) contains a wealth of facts including the following:The Global Picture\nAs reported by Richard Grimmett of the Congressional Research Service (in \"Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1994-2001\"), U.S. weapons sales for 2001 accounted for 45.8% of all registered international arms deliveries. This was roughly than 2.5 times the value of exports by the second (United Kingdom) and third (Russia) largest exporters, 9.7 times the level of exports registered by France, and 19 times the level of exports registered by China. Military Training: The U.S. government is training soldiers in upwards of 70 countries at any given time. The most transparent, and consequently well known of these training programs is the Pentagon's International Military Education and Training Program (IMET). Recent graduates as well as soldiers soon to be trained by this program come from countries at war or with horrific human rights records, including Indonesia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Congo, and Cote d'Ivoire.\nHuman Rights In Fiscal Year 1999, the United States delivered roughly $6.8 billion in armaments to nations which violate the basic standards of human rights (figure is conservative and based only on countries with major human rights problems). Conflicts Of the active conflicts in 1999, the United States supplied arms or military technology to parties in more than 92% of them --39 out of 42. In over one-third of these conflicts - 18 out of 42 - the United States provided from 10% to 90% of the arms imported by one side of the dispute. Between 1986 and 1995 the United States delivered $42 billion worth of armaments to parties in 45 ongoing conflicts. U.S. arms or U.S. military technology were used by adversaries confronting U.S. soldiers in Panama, Iraq, Somalia, and Haiti. A significant portion of the $6 billion in covert U.S. arms and training sent to Afghan rebel groups in the 1980s was funneled to right-wing Islamic fundamentalist forces that now use these resources to attack U.S. allies and citizens. *It is not a joke---for those who are not aware, every year our State Department issues a report listing countries that violate human rights! In the latest report it mentioned China among others. China lashed back listing a litany of human rights violations by the United States. And so it goes. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-29 Think about it - do you think anyone wants to buy weapons from Holland? How about Belgium? The reason America supplies the weapons is that we have the means, ability and expertise to make them. Do you really think that it is a problem to sell weapons to the UK, Australia, New Zealand or even Saudi Arabia? Remember if possible always BLAME America first. The best ally that the terrorists have are the liberal democrats in America. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-03-29 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-03-29 Ah, the \"liberal democrats\" and their love for terrorists. With the warrior in the White House you have nothing to worry.\nThink about it--how many Iraqis were involved in the attacks on 9/11? None. How many Iraqi civilians have died in the war? More than 30,000, the majority from military actions. Perhaps you are one of those who are unable to differentiate between peaceful civilians and insurgents.\n3:27 PM\nDelete ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/the-arms-merchants---nations-that-profit-from-war-and-deaths/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne thing leads to another. Reading former President Jimmy Carter's comments about the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/28/AR2006032801210.html\"\u003enuclear deal\u003c/a\u003e with India and the dangers of nuclear proliferation made me think of the very lucrative trading in arms and ammunition in which all major nations take part. An Israeli friend,currently in graduate school in the USA, to whom I had forwarded the Washington Post article \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032402147.html\"\u003eOf Israel,Harvard and David Duke\u003c/a\u003e\" (March 26,2006) commented:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThey forgot to add it that even Israelis in Israel argue that they wish US aid to Israel will stop since it is making the country more militant, and only contributing to the military industrial complex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eI think these authors will be more honest if they will realize that the US does not give money to Israel because they care about Israel's security; the US only tries to maintain the economic profitability from selling weapons. The military industrial complex in the US accounts for as much as 25% of the US GDP.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eYou ask yourself how? Well, for every weapon that Israel 'buys' form the US, rich oil producing countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, buy the same weapons from the US to equalize their military power with Israel. This is really where the US makes its most money from weapons.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e Whether or not one agrees with her view, it is indisputable that the United States ranks No.1 among the nations that do a thriving business selling weapons of war--weapons of death--followed by Britain,Russia,France,China. Israel,Canada and Germany rank among the top ten.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe web site of \u003ca href=\"http://www.fas.org/asmp/fast_facts.htm\"\u003eFederation of\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.fas.org/asmp/fast_facts.htm\"\u003e American Scientists \u003c/a\u003e  (FAS) contains a wealth of facts including the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ca name=\"TheGlobalPicture\"\u003e\u003cbig\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe     Global Picture\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/big\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Arms Merchants - Nations that Profit from War and Deaths"},{"content":" President Bush and Prime Minister Blair continue to justify the rightness of their position. They have no choice. But let us look at the headlines.\"Iraq bombing kills 40, U.S. raid denounced\" APAt least 40 people have been killed by a suicide bomb inside a military base housing US and Iraqi forces near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.\"Bush-Blair War Memo Revealed\" BBC The New York Times says it has seen a memo which shows that the US president was firmly set on the path to war two months before the 2003 Iraq invasion. From private talks between George Bush and UK PM Tony Blair, the memo makes it clear the US was determined to go to war whether or not he had UN backing. He is quoted discussing ways to provoke Saddam Hussein into a confrontation. \"Political storm over Iraq deaths\" BBC\"The US military in Iraq is facing growing political pressure over a raid on a Baghdad mosque complex that left about 20 people dead on Sunday evening.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/iraq---bush-blair-and-the-mess-they-have-wrought/","summary":"President Bush and Prime Minister Blair continue to justify the rightness of their position. They have no choice. But let us look at the headlines.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Iraq bombing kills 40, U.S. raid denounced\" \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/iraq\"\u003eAP\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb\u003eAt least 40 people have been killed by a suicide bomb inside a military base housing US and Iraqi forces near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bush-Blair War Memo Revealed\" \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4849744.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe New York Times says it has seen a memo which shows that the US president was firmly set on the path to war two months before the 2003 Iraq invasion.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e From private talks between George Bush and UK PM Tony Blair, the memo makes it clear the US was determined to go to war whether or not he had UN backing. \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e He is quoted discussing ways to provoke Saddam Hussein into a confrontation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \"Political storm over Iraq deaths\" \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4850108.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eThe US military in Iraq is facing growing political pressure over a raid on a Baghdad mosque complex that left about 20 people dead on Sunday evening.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq - Bush, Blair and the Mess they have Wrought"},{"content":" Something happens when an elected member of Congress goes to Washington, and I am not talking about the fabled Jefferson Smith in Frank Capra's classic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Mr. Smith (played by the late James Stewart) encountered corruption and fought it. Our present day legislators readily embrace the lobbyists and lap up the rewards. It happens in State houses across the nation too but it is Washington where the action is. So, the news that \"Lawmakers may be forced to Detail Contacts, Cash Received\", is encouraging. It is a very small step toward cleaning what has been described as legalized bribery that takes place in Washington but we should welcome it. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/a-bribe-by-any-other-name-still-stinks/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSomething happens when an elected member of Congress goes to Washington, and I am not talking about the fabled Jefferson Smith in Frank Capra's classic film \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/\"\u003eMr. Smith Goes to Washington\u003c/a\u003e. Mr. Smith (played by the late James Stewart) encountered corruption and fought it. Our present day legislators readily embrace the lobbyists and lap up the rewards. It happens in State houses across the nation too but it is Washington where the action is. So, the news that \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/26/AR2006032600884.html\"\u003eLawmakers\u003c/a\u003e may be forced to Detail Contacts, Cash Received\", is encouraging. It is a very small step toward cleaning what has been described as legalized bribery that takes place in Washington but we should welcome it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Bribe by any Other Name Still Stinks"},{"content":" A Sunday Morning in MarchBack when I belonged to the world of business my employers sent me to a full-day seminar conducted by the time management guru, Alan Lakein. Cannot honestly say that I did not benefit from it. In those days I was a corporate man, and it so happened that my work (in ocean transportation industry) gave me pleasure. Among other topics, Mr. Lakein covered positive procrastination. That was then. Nowadays I find myself spending a lot of time looking out of the window. Cars and people passing by are objects that do not always register, just blurs. My mind travels, often to the past. There are times when I think of the present and the future. I do not dwell upon unpleasant experiences. I cannot totally escape the harsh reality of what is happening in the world. I am affected by the use of force to dominate and control those who are weaker, by the suffering of people in different corners of the world and by the arrogant certitude of the adherents of different faiths. Simple,everyday things give me pleasure: Flowers,trees,walks and runs through the woods, drives through backroads, couples holding hands,children playing,the dip of the rod when a fish bites,smell of a soup simmering on the stove,sipping red wine,the sound of music.A few days back a frail, old Chinese lady stopped in front of my yard. I had seen her before--she lives in the neighborhood and a younger woman accompanies her. She looked at my flowers and started walking in from the sidewalk. She probably wanted a closer look. Her companion grabbed her hand and steered her away. I went out, cut a few daffodils and freesias, and gave them to her. Her face lit up. She said something in Chinese. I didn't understand what she said but there was no need. When I told my friend JHL about it she said \"It probably made her day and your day too\". Yes, it did.The late Emily Dickinson wrote about \"A bobolink for a chorister\". There is no bobolink around but cannot think of a better substitute than Janet Baker singing Bach arias. A star looks down at me And says: \"Here I and you Stand,each in our degree:What do you mean to do-- Mean to do?\"I say: \"For all I knowWait,and let Time go byTill my change come.\"--\"Just so,\" The star says: \"So mean I--So mean I.\"---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/looking-out-of-the-window/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA Sunday Morning in March\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack when I belonged to the world of business my employers sent me to a full-day seminar conducted by the time management guru, Alan Lakein. Cannot honestly say that I did not benefit from it. In those days I was a corporate man, and it so happened that my work (in ocean transportation industry) gave me pleasure. Among other topics, Mr. Lakein covered positive procrastination.  That was then.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNowadays I find myself spending a lot of time looking out of the window. Cars and people passing by are objects that do not always register, just blurs. My mind travels, often to the past. There are times when I think of the present and the future. I do not dwell upon unpleasant experiences. I cannot totally escape the harsh reality of what is happening in the world. I am affected by the use of force to dominate and control those who are weaker, by the suffering of people in different corners of the world and by the arrogant certitude of the adherents of different faiths. Simple,everyday things give me pleasure: Flowers,trees,walks and runs through the woods, drives through backroads, couples holding hands,children playing,the dip of the rod when a fish bites,smell of a soup simmering on the stove,sipping red wine,the sound of music.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA few days back a frail, old Chinese lady stopped in front of my yard. I had seen her before--she lives in the neighborhood and a younger woman accompanies her. She looked at my flowers and started walking in from the sidewalk. She probably wanted a closer look. Her companion grabbed her hand and steered her away. I went out, cut a few daffodils and freesias, and gave them to her. Her face lit up. She said something in Chinese. I didn't understand what she said but there was no need. When I told my friend JHL about it she said \"It probably made her day and your day too\". Yes, it did.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe late Emily Dickinson wrote about \"A bobolink for a chorister\". There is no bobolink around but cannot think of a better substitute than Janet Baker singing Bach arias.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA  star looks down at me\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e And says: \"Here I and you\u003cbr/\u003e Stand,each in our degree:\u003cbr/\u003eWhat do you mean to do--\u003cbr/\u003e Mean to do?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI say: \"For all I know\u003cbr/\u003eWait,and let Time go by\u003cbr/\u003eTill my change come.\"--\"Just so,\"\u003cbr/\u003e The star says: \"So mean I--\u003cbr/\u003eSo mean I.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Thomas Hardy \"Waiting Both\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Looking Out of the Window"},{"content":" The lies,the lies. They can no longer be brushed off. Yes, the heretofore unthinkable subject--calls for impeachment of President Bush--is being heard more and more. And what is surprising is that it is being voiced not only in liberal bastions like Massachusetts and Vermont. I do not believe that the process will actually reach the stage when the president will have to appear at impeachment hearings. Nevertheless, it is a heartening sign of how growing number of Americans feel about the president and his actions during the past five years. \"HOLYOKE, Mass. -- To drive through the mill towns and curling country roads here is to journey into New England's impeachment belt. Three of this state's 10 House members have called for the investigation and possible impeachment of President Bush.\" Thirty miles north, residents in four Vermont villages voted earlier this month at annual town meetings to buy more rock salt, approve school budgets, and impeach the president for lying about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction and for sanctioning torture. Window cleaner Ira Clemons put down his squeegee in the lobby of a city mall and stroked his goatee as he considered the question: Would you support your congressman's call to impeach Bush? His smile grew until it looked like a three-quarters moon. \"Why not? The man's been lying from Jump Street on the war in Iraq,\" Clemons said. \"Bush says there were weapons of mass destruction, but there wasn't. Says we had enough soldiers, but we didn't. Says it's not a civil war -- but it is.\" He added: \"I was really upset about 9/11 -- so don't lie to me.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/impeachment---rumbles-in-new-england/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe lies,the lies. They can no longer be brushed off. Yes, the heretofore unthinkable subject--calls for impeachment of President Bush--is being heard more and more. And what is surprising is that it is being voiced not only in liberal bastions like Massachusetts and Vermont. I do not believe that the process will actually reach the stage when the president will have to appear at impeachment hearings. Nevertheless, it is a heartening sign of how growing number of Americans feel about the president and his actions during the past five years. \"HOLYOKE, Mass. -- To drive through the mill towns and curling country roads here is to journey into New England's impeachment belt. Three of this state's 10 House members have called for the investigation and possible \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032402248.html\"\u003eimpeachment\u003c/a\u003e of President Bush.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThirty miles north, residents in four Vermont villages voted earlier this month at annual town meetings to buy more rock salt, approve school budgets, and impeach the president for lying about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction and for sanctioning torture.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eWindow cleaner Ira Clemons put down his squeegee in the lobby of a city mall and stroked his goatee as he considered the question: Would you support your congressman's call to impeach Bush? His smile grew until it looked like a three-quarters moon.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Why not? The man's been lying from Jump Street on the war in Iraq,\" Clemons said. \"Bush says there were weapons of mass destruction, but there wasn't. Says we had enough soldiers, but we didn't. Says it's not a civil war -- but it is.\" He added: \"I was really upset about 9/11 -- so don't lie to me.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Impeachment - Rumbles in New England"},{"content":" Reading one of the much-quoted Bushisms one wonders who he was talking about. You, me, all of us? \"There's an old saying in Tennessee --- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee--- that says, fool me once, shame on--— shame on you. Fool me-- you can't get fooled again.\" —President George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002\" Whenever the president is without a script and teleprompter he is likely to utter strange, tortuous mumbo jumbo. There are hundreds of examples. The signs are clear,however, that he is failing to fool us again. His exhortations are falling on deaf ears. He has been tuned out by all but his core supporters and even some of them are unhappy because they feel that he has not done enough for them!\"Is Anyone Listening?\"We are seeing a new Bush. Scratch the suface and you'll find the old Bush. Richard Wolffe and Holly Baily in Newsweek: \" The banner hanging over President George W. Bush read united to victory. But as Republicans listened to Bush slog through his familiar pep talk at a $2,500-a-head fund-raiser last Thursday night, the party faithful knew they were anything but united.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/fools-and-the-president/","summary":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/b\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading one of the much-quoted Bushisms one wonders who he was talking about. You, me, all of us? \"There's an old saying in Tennessee --- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee--- that says, fool me once, shame on--— shame on you. Fool me-- you can't get fooled again.\" —President George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002\" Whenever the president is without a script and teleprompter he is likely to utter strange, tortuous mumbo jumbo. There are hundreds of examples. The signs are clear,however, that he is failing to fool us again. His exhortations are falling on deaf ears. He has been tuned out by all but his core supporters and even some of them are unhappy because they feel that he has not done enough for them!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Is Anyone Listening?\"\u003cbr/\u003eWe are seeing a new Bush. Scratch the suface and you'll find the old Bush. Richard Wolffe and Holly Baily in Newsweek: \" The banner hanging over President George W. Bush read united to victory. But as  \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11903424/site/newsweek/\"\u003eRepublicans\u003c/a\u003e listened to Bush slog through his familiar pep talk at a $2,500-a-head fund-raiser last Thursday night, the party faithful knew they were anything but united.\"   \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Fools and the President"},{"content":" André Schwarz-Bart's \"The Last Of The Just\"Last year I wrote about the Holocaust when the world remembered Auschwitz and the unprecedented acts of barbarism committed against the Jews in Europe during Hitler's Third Reich. This year I failed to mention it. There are people who deny that the Holocaust occurred. I am not one of them.I recently did what many other booklovers do. In the absence of something new to read we go back to old favorites. I pulled out a book from my meager collection and re-read it. A work of fiction, but fiction with Holocaust in the background contains historical facts.Le Dernier des Justes by André Schwarz-Bart appeared in print in French in 1959. It was translated by Stephen Becker and published in 1960 as \"Last Of The Just\" by Atheneum House. \"André Schwarz-Bart, a French Jew of Polish descent, was born in Metz in 1924. Fifteen years later the Germans arrested his parents and shipped them to one of the extermination camps. Mr. Schwarz-Bart joined the Resistance, was arrested, escaped and rejoined the Maquis. Last of the Just, his first book, won the Prix de Goncourt, France's most important literary award.\"\"Yes, at times one's heart could break in sorrow. But often too,preferably in the evening,I can't help thinking that Ernie Levy,dead six million times,is still alive somewhere. I don't know where.....Yesterday,as I stood in the street trembling in despair, rooted to the spot,a drop of pity fell from above upon my face. But there was no breeze in the air,no cloud in the sky.....There was only a presence.\"Great writing. The copy I have is a somewhat battered Bantam paperback, published October 1961. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/holocaust-revisited/","summary":"André Schwarz-Bart's \"The Last Of The Just\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast year I wrote about the \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/01/auschwitz-sixty-years-later.html\"\u003eHolocaust   \u003c/a\u003ewhen the world remembered Auschwitz and the unprecedented acts of barbarism committed against the Jews in Europe during Hitler's Third Reich. This year I failed to mention it. There are people who deny that the Holocaust occurred. I am not one of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI recently did what many other booklovers do. In the absence of something new to read we go back to old favorites. I pulled out a book from my meager collection and re-read it. A work of fiction, but fiction with Holocaust in the background contains historical facts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLe Dernier des Justes by André Schwarz-Bart appeared in print in French in 1959. It was translated by Stephen Becker and published in 1960 as \"Last Of The Just\" by Atheneum House. \"André Schwarz-Bart, a French Jew of Polish descent, was born in Metz in 1924. Fifteen years later the Germans arrested his parents and shipped them to one of the extermination camps. Mr. Schwarz-Bart joined the Resistance, was arrested, escaped and rejoined the Maquis. Last of the Just, his first book, won the Prix de Goncourt, France's most important literary award.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Andre.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes, at times one's heart could break in sorrow. But often too,preferably in the evening,I can't help thinking that Ernie Levy,dead six million times,is still alive somewhere. I don't know where.....Yesterday,as I stood in the street trembling in despair, rooted to the spot,a drop of pity fell from above upon my face. But there was no breeze in the air,no cloud in the sky.....There was only a presence.\"\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/OWNER/LOCALS%7E1/TEMP/moz-screenshot.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat writing.  The copy I have is a somewhat  battered Bantam paperback, published October 1961.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Holocaust Revisited"},{"content":" Thomas Edsall writes in Washington Post that \"Millions of dollars in taxpayer funds have flowed to groups that support President Bush's agenda on abortion and other social issues.\" The president and his administration make no secret of their support of \"faith-based\" organizations, so the news that funding for them has taken a quantum leap should cause no surprise. It is part of a pattern. The goal is to politicize religious organizations. It paid dividends for the Republicans during the election of 2004 when pulpits were used to sermonize against candidates who supported women's right to choose. They are continuing to pursue the theme, empowered by money pouring in from our taxes.Payola or Patronage by Federal Government ? Under the auspices of its religion-based initiatives and other federal programs, the administration has funneled at least $157 million in grants to organizations run by political and ideological allies, according to federal grant documents and interviews. An example is Heritage Community Services in Charleston, S.C. A decade ago, Heritage was a tiny organization with deeply conservative social philosophy but not much muscle to promote it. An offshoot of an antiabortion pregnancy crisis center, Heritage promoted abstinence education at the county fair, local schools and the local Navy base. The budget was $51,288.\nBy 2004, Heritage Community Services had become a major player in the booming business of abstinence education. Its budget passed $3 million -- much of it in federal grants distributed by Bush's Department of Health and Human Services -- supporting programs for students in middle school and high school in South Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/condoms-no-abstinence-prayers-and-cold-showers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThomas Edsall writes in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101723.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e that  \"Millions of dollars in taxpayer funds have flowed to groups that support President Bush's agenda on abortion and other social issues.\" The president and his administration make no secret of their support of \"faith-based\" organizations, so the news that funding for them has taken a quantum leap should cause no surprise. It is part of a pattern. The goal is to politicize religious organizations. It paid dividends for the Republicans during the election of 2004 when pulpits were used to sermonize against candidates who supported women's right to choose. They are continuing to pursue the theme, empowered by money pouring in from our taxes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePayola or Patronage by Federal Government ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eUnder the auspices of its religion-based initiatives and other federal programs, the administration has funneled at least $157 million in grants to organizations run by political and ideological allies, according to federal grant documents and interviews.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn example is Heritage Community Services in Charleston, S.C. A decade ago, Heritage was a tiny organization with deeply conservative social philosophy but not much muscle to promote it. An offshoot of an antiabortion pregnancy crisis center, Heritage promoted abstinence education at the county fair, local schools and the local Navy base. The budget was $51,288.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Condoms, No.   Abstinence, Prayers and  Cold Showers"},{"content":" Just get the flight suit ready for another appearance. That should have more impact than dark suits. Continue to speak the truth---as you see it. The real truth? Who gives a damn. What the nation needs are more \"Bring 'em on\" and \"Smoke 'em out\" speeches. The polls? You don't pay any attention to them anyway. Perhaps Karl Rove does. Three years of upbeat White House assessments about Iraq that turned out to be premature, incomplete or plain wrong are complicating President Bush's efforts to restore public faith in the military operation and his presidency, according to pollsters and Republican lawmakers and strategists. The last two weeks have provided a snapshot of White House optimism that skeptics contend is at odds with the facts on the ground in Iraq. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/put-the-aviators-suit-on-mr-president/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust get the flight suit ready for another appearance. That should have more impact than dark suits. Continue to speak the truth---as you see it. The real truth? Who gives a damn. What the nation needs are more \"Bring 'em on\" and \"Smoke 'em out\" speeches. The polls? You don't pay any attention to them anyway. Perhaps Karl Rove does. Three years of upbeat White House assessments about Iraq that turned out to be premature, incomplete or plain wrong are complicating \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/20/AR2006032000341.html\"\u003ePresident Bush's efforts\u003c/a\u003e to restore public faith in the military operation and his presidency, according to pollsters and Republican lawmakers and strategists. The last two weeks have provided a snapshot of White House optimism that skeptics contend is at odds with the facts on the ground in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Put the Aviator's Suit on, Mr. President"},{"content":" One way is to kill 15 innocent civilians to avenge the death of one marine. BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Residents gave new details Monday about the shootings of civilians in a western Iraqi town, where the U.S. military is investigating allegations of potential misconduct by American troops last November. The residents said troops entered homes and shot and killed 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl, after a roadside bomb killed a U.S. Marine.\"Collateral damage\" is a term that has been grossly abused to describe deaths of civilians. But this was not death from the sky. The civilians were shot at close range. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/how-to-turn-peaceful-iraqis-into-bomb-throwing-insurgents/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne way is to kill 15 innocent civilians to avenge the death of one marine. BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Residents gave new details Monday about the shootings of civilians in a western Iraqi town, where the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/20/AR2006032000848.html\"\u003eU.S. military\u003c/a\u003e is investigating allegations of potential misconduct by American troops last November. The residents said troops entered homes and shot and killed 15 members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl, after a roadside bomb killed a U.S. Marine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Collateral damage\" is a term that has been grossly abused to describe deaths of civilians. But this was not death from the sky. The civilians were shot at close range.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"How to turn  peaceful Iraqis into bomb throwing Insurgents"},{"content":" Cold and overcast morning. The weather man said \"chances of showers\". Could happen. The signs of spring,however, are everywhere. The days will turn brighter and warmer, and then the heat of the sun will turn the lush green meadows brown. The seasons, they are wonderful.Cherry Blossoms© finfish,stock.xchng Cherry Tree in Spring© slonecker,stock.xchng For winter's rains and ruins are over,And all the season of snows and sins;The days dividing lover and lover,The light that loses, the night that wins;And time remembered is grief forgotten,And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,And in green underwood and coverBlossom by blossom the spring begins.---Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909)Atalanta in Calydon (1865) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/first-day-of-spring-2006/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCold and overcast morning. The weather man said \"chances of showers\". Could happen. The signs of spring,however, are everywhere. The days will turn brighter and warmer, and then the heat of the sun will turn the lush green meadows brown. The seasons, they are wonderful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eCherry Blossoms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/52233_cherry_blossoms.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© finfish,stock.xchng \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eCherry Tree in Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/284970_springtime.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e© slonecker,stock.xchng \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor winter's rains and ruins are over,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd all the season of snows and sins;\u003cbr/\u003eThe days dividing lover and lover,\u003cbr/\u003eThe light that loses, the night that wins;\u003cbr/\u003eAnd time remembered is grief forgotten,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd frosts are slain and flowers begotten,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd in green underwood and cover\u003cbr/\u003eBlossom by blossom the spring begins.\u003cbr/\u003e---Algernon Charles Swinburne  (1837–1909)\u003cbr/\u003eAtalanta in Calydon (1865)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"First Day of Spring 2006"},{"content":" Piety and Politics * Reform, What Reform?Christian zealots and venal politicians working together to continue their Taliban-like activities. Will the mid-term elections mean more pro-active position against women's right to choose and gay rights; promotion of intelligent design; pressure on educational institutions to allow prayer and teaching of Christianity; abstinence only sex education; ban on contraceptive drugs, and so on? Members of the moral values gang,who apparently remained chaste until they got married or,like our president, engaged in youthful indiscretions but emerged with clean slates when they became Born Again Christians,want the rest of us to follow them. Their hypocrisy is monumental. From the BBC: Prominent leaders from the Christian right have warned Republicans they must do more to advance conservative values ahead of the US mid-term elections. Their message to Congress, controlled by Republicans, is \"must do better\". Support from about a quarter of Americans who describe themselves as evangelicals was a factor in President George W Bush's two election victories. The Republicans will need to keep them onboard if they are to retain control of Congress in November. Death of ReformBusiness as Usual. The much ballyhooed reform in Congress has succumbed to the power of the lobbyists. Lawmakers have retreated from their position. Some of Washington's top lobbyists say that they expect to find ways around congressional efforts to impose new restrictions on lobbyists' dealings with lawmakers in the wake of the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal, and that any limits will barely put a dent in the billions of dollars spent to influence legislation.*Neanderthals on the MarchHave you heard of HIMMA? It spells out as \"Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization And Affordability Act\". Whew, a mouthful! This bill---a payback to the insurance industry---is being piloted through the senate by Mike Enzi, R-Wy. If passed, HIMMA would destroy State Mental Health Protection. In addition, mindful of the clout of the Christian Right, Senator Enzi has included provision to strip women's rights to obtain birth control pills and contraceptives (Contraceptive Equity Protection) under State laws. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-21 This is a TERRIBLE bill. Those state level requirements were put in place to protect their citizens. Health insurance doesn't do people any good if it doesn't cover important things like diabetes or mental and reproductive health. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/have-bible-will-vote/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePiety and Politics * Reform, What Reform?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eChristian zealots and venal politicians working together to continue their Taliban-like activities. Will the mid-term elections mean more pro-active position against women's right to choose and gay rights; promotion of intelligent design; pressure on educational institutions to allow prayer and teaching of Christianity; abstinence only sex education; ban on contraceptive drugs, and so on? Members of the moral values gang,who apparently remained chaste until they got married or,like our president, engaged in youthful indiscretions but emerged with clean slates when they became Born Again Christians,want the rest of us to follow them. Their hypocrisy is monumental.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4815912.stm\"\u003eFrom the BBC: \u003c/a\u003eProminent leaders from the Christian right have warned Republicans they must do more to advance conservative values ahead of the US mid-term elections.\u003cb\u003e \u003c/b\u003e  \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Their message to Congress, controlled by Republicans, is \"must do better\". \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e Support from about a quarter of Americans who describe themselves as evangelicals was a factor in President George W Bush's two election victories. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Republicans will need to keep them onboard if they are to retain control of Congress in November.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e   Death of Reform\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/18/AR2006031801305.html\"\u003eBusiness as Usual.  \u003c/a\u003eThe much ballyhooed reform in Congress has succumbed to the power of the lobbyists. Lawmakers have retreated from their position. Some of Washington's top lobbyists say that they expect to find ways around congressional efforts to impose new restrictions on lobbyists' dealings with lawmakers in the wake of the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal, and that any limits will barely put a dent in the billions of dollars spent to influence legislation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNeanderthals on the March\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHave you heard of HIMMA? It spells out as \"Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization And Affordability Act\". Whew, a mouthful! This bill---a payback to the insurance industry---is being piloted through the senate by Mike Enzi, R-Wy. If passed, HIMMA would destroy State Mental Health Protection. In addition, mindful of the clout of the Christian Right, Senator Enzi has included provision to strip women's rights to obtain birth control pills and contraceptives (Contraceptive Equity Protection) under State laws.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis is a TERRIBLE bill.  Those state level requirements were put in place to protect their citizens.  Health insurance doesn't do people any good if it doesn't cover important things like diabetes or mental and reproductive health.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Have Bible, Will Vote"},{"content":" A Father in America writes about his son * An Iraqi Woman writes about her countryIn the plethora of reports about the invasion of Iraq what stands out is that the situation is murky. All is going well and it is just a matter of perseverance and time according to Donald Rumsfeld, while a report in The Observer/Guardian describes a mess, bleak and hopeless. Are the Iraqis better off three years after we launched Operation Iraqi Freedom? Riverbend,the Iraqi woman blogger wrote on March 18th: \"I don’t think anyone imagined three years ago that things could be quite this bad today. The last few weeks have been ridden with tension. I’m so tired of it all- we’re all tired. Three years and the electricity is worse than ever. The security situation has gone from bad to worse. The country feels like it’s on the brink of chaos once more- but a pre-planned, pre-fabricated chaos being led by religious militias and zealots.\" The former Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi (he was our man) spoke of a civil war raging. \"Iraq is in the middle of civil war, the country's former interim prime minister Iyad Allawi has told the BBC. He said Iraq had not got to the point of no return, but if it fell apart sectarianism would spread abroad. The UK and US have repeatedly denied Iraq is facing a civil war, but Mr Allawi suggested there was no other way to describe the sectarian violence.\"\"A War Through A Father's Eyes\"Reading Henry Barry Holt's account of his feelings about his son who served in Iraq and returned home, made me think of other parents who have gone through such experience and of those whose sons and daughters are still out there. Then there are those in whose hearts there is ache and emptiness because their loved ones have given their lives. I do not belong to any of the above categories. I opposed the war before the first bomb fell in Baghdad. With all the facts that are now known about taking the nation war, my position has solidified against the war. In that sense, those who believe in it are strengthened by their conviction. It helps them through the long, sleepless nights. May all the soldiers return home soon. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/three-years-after-the-bombs-fell/","summary":"A Father in America writes about his son * An Iraqi Woman writes about her country\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn the plethora of reports about the invasion of Iraq what stands out is that the situation is murky. All is going well and it is just a matter of perseverance and time according to \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/17/AR2006031701797.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eDonald Rumsfeld\u003c/a\u003e, while a report in The Observer/Guardian describes a \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1732534,00.html\"\u003emess\u003c/a\u003e, bleak and hopeless. Are the Iraqis better off three years after we launched Operation Iraqi Freedom? \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRiverbend\u003c/a\u003e,the  Iraqi woman blogger wrote on March 18th: \"I don’t think anyone imagined three years ago that things could be quite this bad today. The last few weeks have been ridden with tension. I’m so tired of it all- we’re all tired. Three years and the electricity is worse than ever. The security situation has gone from bad to worse. The country feels like it’s on the brink of chaos once more- but a pre-planned, pre-fabricated chaos being led by religious militias and zealots.\" The former Iraqi Interim Prime Minister \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4821618.stm\"\u003eIyad Allawi\u003c/a\u003e  (he was our man) spoke of a civil war raging.  \"Iraq is in the middle of civil war, the country's former interim prime minister Iyad Allawi has told the BBC. He said Iraq had not got to the point of no return, but if it fell apart sectarianism would spread abroad. The UK and US have repeatedly denied Iraq is facing a civil war, but Mr Allawi suggested there was no other way to describe the sectarian violence.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A War Through A Father's Eyes\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading Henry Barry Holt's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/17/AR2006031701710.html\"\u003eaccount\u003c/a\u003e of his feelings about his son who served in Iraq and returned home, made me think of other parents who have gone through such experience and of those whose sons and daughters are still out there. Then there are those in whose hearts there is ache and emptiness because their loved ones have given their lives. I do not belong to any of the above categories. I opposed the war before the first bomb fell in Baghdad. With all the facts that are now known about taking the nation war, my position has solidified against the war. In that sense, those who believe in it are strengthened by their conviction. It helps them through the long, sleepless nights. May all the soldiers return home soon.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Three Years After the Bombs Fell"},{"content":" What are they to do! In the absence of terrorists from one of the evil nations (take your pick: Iran,N.Korea,Cuba,Venezuela) the groundwork is being laid for preemptive strikes based on assumptions and secrets known only to a selected few. It is the prelude to Iraq all over again. This time it might be more difficult but the warriors---deskbound almost without exception--- are busy working at it. \"This morning's news that President Bush is reasserting his doctrine of preemptive war is a bit of a surprise because, well, I think most people thought the Bush Doctrine was dead.How can Bush still argue for attacking another country based on his suspicions about their intentions -- when the first time he tried it, his public case turned out to be so utterly specious?\" (Washington Post, March 16,2006). Great cartoon by Tom Toles. March 17, 2006 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/looking-for-a-war---preemption-redux/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat are they to do! In the absence of terrorists from one of the evil nations (take your pick: Iran,N.Korea,Cuba,Venezuela) the groundwork is being laid for preemptive strikes based on assumptions and secrets known only to a selected few. It is the prelude to Iraq all over again. This time it might be more difficult but the warriors---deskbound almost without exception--- are busy working at it. \"This morning's news that President Bush is reasserting his doctrine of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/03/16/BL2006031600946.html\"\u003epreemptive war\u003c/a\u003e is a bit of a surprise because, well, I think most people thought the Bush Doctrine was dead.How can Bush still argue for attacking another country based on his suspicions about their intentions -- when the first time he tried it, his public case turned out to be so utterly specious?\" (Washington Post, March 16,2006).  Great cartoon by Tom Toles. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarch 17, 2006 \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/ssi/images/Toles/c_03172006_520.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Looking For A War - Preemption Redux"},{"content":" A grey and wet St. Patrick's Day morning. The weather pundits were right; rain and more rain. Two days before spring solstice, it is unusual weather for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Couldn't escape reading about the president but decided to stay away from him in my blog. He is mentioned but just in passing....in an item about Jessica Simpson, that she dodged an appearance at The White House. I am not familiar with her music but she looked pretty and wholesome in Washington Post. My favorite music: Bach, jazz, and blues. Recently, I watched a movie (Swedish, with sub-titles) that is not only named Saraband, Bach's cello suite is a part of the story and could be heard in the background. Made for Swedish TV, 86-year old Ingmar Bergman returned as director (he was also the author) for this 2005 sequel to his acclaimed 1973 production Scenes From A Marriage. While I wished that the story ended differently, it was a feast. Bergman announced that Saraband was his last appearance as a director. Magnificent.Erland Josephson and Liv Ullmann in Saraband - © Sony Pictures ClassicsJulia Dufvenius and Börje Ahlsted - © Sony Pictures ClassicsIngmar Bergman © Sony Pictures Classics Actors Liv Ullmann Marianne--Lawyer Erland Josephson Johan--Professor Emeritus Borje Ahlstedt Henrik--Professor Julia Dufvenius Karin--Cellist I am listening to Bach's Concerto in C Minor, Allegro, Band III. An old LP titled Two Concertos For Two Harpischords \u0026amp; Orchestra. George Malcolm and Simon Preston conducted by Yehudi Menhuin. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17 I am a pianist and I grew up listening to a lot of classical music, piano and otherwise, but I have ignored those roots for some time in favor of doing my own thing.\nI'm looking to get back into listening to more classical music, primarily for inspiration, and I am hoping to get some recommendations since I've been out of the loop for so long.\nHaving read your blog for quite some time now, I have the impression that you are quite the connoisseur, and I wondered if you might give me a few suggestions from amongst your favorites. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17 I am a pianist and I grew up listening to a lot of classical music, piano and otherwise, but I have ignored those roots for some time in favor of doing my own thing.\nI'm looking to get back into listening to more classical music, primarily for inspiration, and I am hoping to get some recommendations since I've been out of the loop for so long.\nHaving read your blog for quite some time now, I have the impression that you are quite the connoisseur, and I wondered if you might give me a few suggestions from amongst your favorites. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17 Some jazz and blues suggestions would be welcome as well. musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17 Thank you. A \"connnossieur\" I'm not but I'll be happy to send you a list of some of my favorites to check out. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/bach-and-bergman-not-bush-and-bombs/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA grey and wet St. Patrick's Day morning. The weather pundits were right; rain and more rain. Two days before spring solstice, it is unusual weather for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Couldn't escape reading about the president but decided to stay away from him in my blog. He is mentioned but just in passing....in an item about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/16/AR2006031602308_2.html\"\u003eJessica Simpson, \u003c/a\u003ethat she dodged an appearance at The White House. I am not familiar with her music but she looked pretty and wholesome in Washington Post. My favorite music: Bach, jazz, and blues. Recently, I watched a movie (Swedish, with sub-titles) that is not only named Saraband, Bach's cello suite is a part of the story and could be heard in the background. Made for Swedish TV, 86-year old Ingmar Bergman returned as director (he was also the author) for this 2005 sequel to his acclaimed 1973 production \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070644/\"\u003eScenes From A Marriage\u003c/a\u003e. While I wished that the story ended differently, it was a feast. Bergman announced that Saraband was his last appearance as a director. Magnificent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Liv UllmannII.jpg\"/\u003eErland Josephson and Liv Ullmann in Saraband - © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/julia_dufvenius5.jpg\"/\u003eJulia Dufvenius and Börje Ahlsted - © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Ingmar Bergman III.0.jpg\"/\u003eIngmar Bergman © Sony Pictures Classics\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ctable width=\"100%\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca name=\"Actors\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eActors\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800024091\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eLiv Ullmann\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eMarianne--Lawyer\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800014005\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eErland Josephson\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eJohan--Professor Emeritus\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1800022569\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eBorje Ahlstedt\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eHenrik--Professor\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"50%\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc\u0026amp;id=1808432045\u0026amp;cf=gen\"\u003eJulia Dufvenius\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003eKarin--Cellist\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/table\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eI am listening to Bach's Concerto in C Minor, Allegro, Band III. An old LP titled Two Concertos For Two Harpischords \u0026amp; Orchestra. George Malcolm and Simon Preston conducted by Yehudi Menhuin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1412/573/1600/Ingmar%20Bergman%20III.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI am a pianist and I grew up listening to a lot of classical music, piano and otherwise, but I have ignored those roots for some time in favor of doing my own thing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI'm looking to get back into listening to more classical music, primarily for inspiration, and I am hoping to get some recommendations since I've been out of the loop for so long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving read your blog for quite some time now, I have the impression that you are quite the connoisseur, and I wondered if you might give me a few suggestions from amongst your favorites.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI am a pianist and I grew up listening to a lot of classical music, piano and otherwise, but I have ignored those roots for some time in favor of doing my own thing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI'm looking to get back into listening to more classical music, primarily for inspiration, and I am hoping to get some recommendations since I've been out of the loop for so long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving read your blog for quite some time now, I have the impression that you are quite the connoisseur, and I wondered if you might give me a few suggestions from amongst your favorites.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSome jazz and blues suggestions would be welcome as well.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you.  A \"connnossieur\" I'm not but I'll be happy to send you a list of some of my favorites to check out.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Bach and Bergman, Not Bush and Bombs"},{"content":" What a difference three years make. The bluster has not completely disappeared but cracks have begun to appear in the facade of our warrior president.Three reports point out the president's loss of ground and his so far unsuccessful efforts to reclaim it.\"More rallies, no sale\" David Broder in The Washington Post: On the third anniversary of the war in Iraq, President Bush once again finds himself trying to rally American public opinion to support that costly venture. The series of speeches that began this week comes against a background of deepening skepticism on the part of voters about the effort that began in March 2003 with a lightning strike against Saddam Hussein's forces. A CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll, taken just as Bush began this latest oratorical push, found 57 percent of those surveyed said it was a mistake to start the war and 60 percent believe the struggle for democracy and order in that country is going badly. Only 1 voter in 3 believes Bush has a clear plan for winning or ending the war. *\"Can Bush rally US Public?\" Linda Feldmann, Christian Science Monitor: \"Preemption was the name of the game in President Bush's first-term foreign policy: Undo Iraqi President Saddam Hussein before he harms the United States. Now, with the three-year mark for the start of the Iraq war coming this Sunday, Mr. Bush has launched another preemptive campaign - to answer the war's critics before the media flood of anniversary coverage.\" * \"The Other Face of Bush\", Matt Frei BBC News:\"The man who gave the world jitters with his \"let's go it alone\", \"you're either with us or against us\", \"smoke 'em out!\" rhetoric and who peppered his speeches with words like pre-emption, evil and axis has turned out to be a soft-centred, fuzzy-lipped moderate who cannot stop talking about globalisation, inter-dependence, nation building and the UN.\" \"Yes, Mr Bush in his second term is the nice guy! The rank and file of his own party are now the nasties. Last week's row over the Dubai ports deal was a case in point.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/bush-the-warrior-who-has-lost-his-audience/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat a difference three years make. The bluster has not completely disappeared but cracks have begun to appear in the facade of our warrior president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThree reports point out the president's loss of ground and his so far unsuccessful efforts to reclaim it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"More rallies, no sale\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/15/AR2006031502182.html\"\u003eDavid Broder\u003c/a\u003e in The Washington Post: On the third anniversary of the war in Iraq, President Bush once again finds himself trying to rally American public opinion to support that costly venture. The series of speeches that began this week comes against a background of deepening skepticism on the part of voters about the effort that began in March 2003 with a lightning strike against Saddam Hussein's forces.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll, taken just as Bush began this latest oratorical push, found 57 percent of those surveyed said it was a mistake to start the war and 60 percent believe the struggle for democracy and order in that country is going badly. Only 1 voter in 3 believes Bush has a clear plan for winning or ending the war.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Can Bush rally US Public?\" \u003ca href=\"http://search.csmonitor.com/search_content/0315/p01s02-usfp.html\"\u003eLinda Feldmann\u003c/a\u003e, Christian Science Monitor: \"Preemption was the name of the game in President Bush's first-term foreign policy: Undo Iraqi President Saddam Hussein before he harms the United States. Now, with the three-year mark for the start of the Iraq war coming this Sunday, Mr. Bush has launched another preemptive campaign - to answer the war's critics before the media flood of anniversary coverage.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The Other Face of Bush\", \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4807446.stm\"\u003eMatt Frei BBC New\u003c/a\u003es:\"The man who gave the world jitters with his \"let's go it alone\", \"you're either with us or against us\", \"smoke 'em out!\" rhetoric and who peppered his speeches with words like pre-emption, evil and axis has turned out to be a soft-centred, fuzzy-lipped moderate who cannot stop talking about globalisation, inter-dependence, nation building and the UN.\"\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Bush, the Warrior Who Has Lost His Audience"},{"content":" Let us hope that Operation Swarmer would succeed in curbing insurgency and the cycle of violence raging in Iraq. For civilians in the area it is a time of terror and anxiety. Deaths of innocent civilians are unavoidable. They receive very little attention. The term collateral damage has ceased to be meaningful. Think of the hapless men, women and children caught in the maelstrom. \"U.S. and Iraqi forces today launched a sizeable helicopter and ground attack on a suspected insurgent stronghold northeast of Samarra, the city where a mosque bombing last month triggered a wave of deadly sectarian violence across the country, the U.S. military said. More than 1,500 U.S. and Iraqi troops, more than 200 tactical vehicles and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation, dubbed \"Operation Swarmer,\" according to a statement released by the U.S. military command in Baghdad.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/operation-swarmer-air-strikes-near-samarra-iraq/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLet us hope that Operation Swarmer would succeed in curbing insurgency and the cycle of violence raging in Iraq. For civilians in the area it is a time of terror and anxiety. Deaths of innocent civilians are unavoidable. They receive very little attention. The term collateral damage has ceased to be meaningful. Think of the hapless men, women and children caught in the maelstrom. \"U.S. and Iraqi forces today launched a sizeable helicopter and ground attack on a suspected insurgent stronghold northeast of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/16/AR2006031600761.html?sub=AR\"\u003eSamarra\u003c/a\u003e, the city where a mosque bombing last month triggered a wave of deadly sectarian violence across the country, the U.S. military said. More than 1,500 U.S. and Iraqi troops, more than 200 tactical vehicles and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation, dubbed \"Operation Swarmer,\" according to a statement released by the U.S. military command in Baghdad.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Operation Swarmer:  Air Strikes Near Samarra, Iraq"},{"content":" Spineless Democrats * Mullahs and Reverends * NCCC Program Facing the Axe, the Bush Axe*Will the Democrats ever recover from being gun shy about 9/11 and the president's exploitation of it ? Senator Feingold's speech on March 13th, calling for a resolution to censure President Bush has caused turmoil in and outside the Beltway. The Democrats sat on their hands. \"Many Democrats, while sympathetic to Feingold's maneuver, appeared to be distancing themselves from his resolution yesterday, wary of polls showing that a majority of Americans side with the president on wiretapping tactics.\" Excerpts from the speech by Senator Feingold (D-Wis): \"The President authorized an illegal program to spy on American citizens on American soil, and then misled Congress and the public about the existence and legality of that program. It is up to this body to reaffirm the rule of law by condemning the President's actions.\" All of us in this body took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear true allegiance to the same. Fulfilling that oath requires us to speak clearly and forcefully when the President violates the law. This resolution allows us to send a clear message that the President's conduct was wrong. *Mad Mullahs ....and ReverendsNo dispute about the fact that there are fanatics among the muslims. Fanatics exist among followers of all religions. There are times when one gets the feeling that perhaps Islam generates more fanatics than other faiths. Christianity has its share of them. When Rev. Pat Robertson called muslims \"crazed fanatics\" he conveniently forgot about himself. If anyone deserves to be in a padded cell it is Rev. Robertson. Pitiful, his efforts to draw attention to himself. The only way he can do so is by issuing outrageous statements. \"Outspoken US Christian evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson has accused Muslims of planning world domination, and said some were \"satanic\".On his live television programme, The 700 Club, he said radical Islamists were inspired by \"demonic power\". A US religious liberty watchdog called the comments \"grossly irresponsible\". NCCC, The Axe Man Cometh\"This week, the House Appropriations Committee is submitting its priorities for the 2007 budget. The Republican members, who have supported the NCCC for years, might pause over the program’s grave and recall all of the speeches they gave after 9/11 extolling the virtues of national service. “These are good kids from around the country who are dedicating time to help America,” President Bush said of the program he is now trying to end. Now it’s up to the rest of us to dedicate some time to trying to save it.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/russ-feingolds-call-for-censure-of-president-bush/","summary":"Spineless Democrats * Mullahs and Reverends * NCCC Program Facing the Axe, the Bush Axe\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWill the Democrats ever recover from being gun shy about 9/11 and the president's exploitation of it ? Senator Feingold's speech on March 13th, calling for a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/14/AR2006031401752.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eresolution to censure\u003c/a\u003e President Bush has caused turmoil in and outside the Beltway. The Democrats  sat on their hands. \"Many Democrats, while sympathetic to Feingold's maneuver, appeared to be distancing themselves from his resolution yesterday, wary of polls showing that a majority of Americans side with the president on wiretapping tactics.\"\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301167.html\"\u003espeech\u003c/a\u003e by Senator Feingold (D-Wis):\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"The President authorized an illegal program to spy on American citizens on American soil, and then misled Congress and the public about the existence and legality of that program. It is up to this body to reaffirm the rule of law by condemning the President's actions.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAll of us in this body took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear true allegiance to the same. Fulfilling that oath requires us to speak clearly and forcefully when the President violates the law. This resolution allows us to send a clear message that the President's conduct was wrong.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMad Mullahs ....and Reverends\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo dispute about the fact that there are fanatics among the muslims. Fanatics exist among followers of all religions. There are times when one gets the feeling that perhaps Islam generates more fanatics than other faiths. Christianity has its share of them. When \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4805952.stm\"\u003eRev. Pat Robertson\u003c/a\u003e called muslims \"crazed fanatics\" he conveniently forgot about himself. If anyone deserves to be in a padded cell it is Rev. Robertson. Pitiful, his efforts to draw attention to himself. The only way he can do so is by issuing outrageous statements. \u003cb\u003e\"\u003c/b\u003eOutspoken US Christian evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson has accused Muslims of planning world domination, \u003cb\u003eand said some were \"satanic\".\u003c/b\u003eOn his live television programme, The 700 Club, he said radical  Islamists were inspired by \"demonic power\". A US religious liberty watchdog called the comments \"grossly  irresponsible\". \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Russ Feingold's Call for Censure of President Bush"},{"content":" The Mess in Iraq * Retired Justice O'Connor speaks out about \"those who strong-arm judiciary\" *Veni Vidi Vici (I came,I saw,I conquered). That was the message sent to Rome by Julius Caesar in 47 BC after he defeated the army of Pharnaces. Our warrior president,flush after the army walked into Baghdad and toppled the statue of Saddam Hussein, put on an aviator's suit and crowed in front of a banner reading \"Mission Accomplished\". That was on May 2, 2003. Three years after the president's victory speech, 2270 soldiers have lost their lives (at the end of April 2003 the figure was 139, today it is 2309). The mission remains far from being accomplished. Iraq is a mess, largely due to faulty planning for civilian rule after removal of Saddam Hussein. The president not only failed to install a handpicked regime, the much vaunted election resulted in emergence of Shiites with close ties to Iran which was not in his game plan. The neocon scenario for post-war Iraq is in shambles. Iraq is no longer secular; mullahs are in power. The end of sectarian violence is nowhere in sight. Americans are questioning the direction of the war and the president's handling of it. Billions of dollars pouring into Iraq have meant immense profits for some favored contractors and corrupt Iraqi officials without much effect on rebuilding of the infrastructure. The president is on record that he does not pay any attention to polls. Right, and Karl Rove is an alien from outer space! War, war, the president needs another war. Time to democratize Iran and liberate the Iranians? \"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind. And again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true.\"---President Bush on NBC's 'Meet the Press' - Sunday, February 8, 2004; 12:03 PM No wonder that the latest USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll reflects the president's failure to persuade the American people to support him. \"The latest results show only 36% of those polled saying they \"approve\" of the way Bush is handling his job. Bush's previous low was 37%, set last November.\" No matter what he says to lessen the negative impact, the president is no longer able to convince people. Republican lawmakers faced with mid-term elections are staying away from hanging on to his coattails. The Democrats,too, are paying a price for being without a clear message and for their failure to oppose the war. Opportunity to change the imbalance in Congress exists. If the Democrats cannot win back enough seats to make a difference then they might as well give up. *Sandra Day O'Connor on attacks against the courts by Republicans No, not a wacky liberal but retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor expressed her concern about attacks by Republicans against the courts for liberal bias. Addressing a meeting of corporate lawyers at Georgetown University on March 9th, Ms O'Connor said: \"We must be ever-vigilant against those who would strong-arm the judiciary.\" She pointed to autocracies in the developing world and former Communist countries as lessons on where interference with the judiciary might lead. \"It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings.\"Nominated by late President Ronald Reagan in 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the 102nd justice and first female member of the Supreme Court.* ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/bush-juggernaut-caught-in-quagmire/","summary":"The Mess in Iraq  * Retired Justice O'Connor speaks out about \"those who strong-arm judiciary\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eVeni Vidi Vici (I came,I saw,I conquered). That was the message sent to Rome by Julius Caesar in 47 BC after he defeated the army of Pharnaces. Our warrior president,flush after the army walked into Baghdad and toppled the statue of Saddam Hussein, put on an aviator's suit and crowed in front of a banner reading \"Mission Accomplished\". That was on May 2, 2003. Three years after the president's victory speech, 2270 soldiers have lost their lives (at the end of April 2003 the figure was 139, today it is \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e2309\u003c/a\u003e). The mission remains far from being accomplished. Iraq is a mess, largely due to faulty planning for civilian rule after removal of Saddam Hussein. The president not only failed to install a handpicked regime, the much vaunted election resulted in emergence of Shiites with close ties to Iran which was not in his game plan. The neocon scenario for post-war Iraq is in shambles. Iraq is no longer secular; mullahs are in power. The end of sectarian violence is nowhere in sight. Americans are questioning the direction of the war and the president's handling of it. Billions of dollars pouring into Iraq have meant immense profits for some favored contractors and corrupt Iraqi officials without much effect on rebuilding of the infrastructure. The president is on record that he does not pay any attention to polls. Right, and Karl Rove is an alien from outer space! War, war, the president needs another war. Time to democratize \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301761.html?sub=AR\"\u003eIran\u003c/a\u003e and liberate the Iranians?  \"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind. And again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---President Bush on NBC's 'Meet the Press' - Sunday, February 8, 2004; 12:03 PM \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo wonder that the latest \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-03-13-bush-poll_x.htm?csp=24\"\u003eUSA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll\u003c/a\u003e reflects the president's failure to persuade the American people to support him.  \"The latest results show only 36% of those polled saying they \"approve\" of the way Bush is handling his job. Bush's previous low was 37%, set last November.\" No matter what he says to lessen the negative impact, the president is no longer able to convince people. Republican lawmakers faced with mid-term elections are staying away from hanging on to his coattails. The Democrats,too, are paying a price for being without a clear message and for their failure to oppose the war. Opportunity to change the imbalance in Congress exists. If the Democrats cannot win back enough seats to make a difference then they might as well give up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eSandra Day O'Connor on attacks against the courts by Republicans\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo, not a wacky liberal but retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor expressed her concern about attacks by Republicans against the courts for liberal bias. Addressing a meeting of corporate lawyers at Georgetown University on March 9th, \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1729396,00.html\"\u003eMs O'Connor\u003c/a\u003e said:  \"We must be ever-vigilant against those who would strong-arm the judiciary.\" She pointed to autocracies in the developing world and former Communist countries as lessons on where interference with the judiciary might lead. \"It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNominated by late President Ronald Reagan in 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the 102nd justice and first female member of the Supreme Court.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush Juggernaut Caught In Quagmire"},{"content":" It was on March 20, 2003, that the first missiles fell on Baghdad. Almost three years have elapsed since the beginning of Operation of Iraqi Freedom. \"Three Years On\" is the title of an article in the Sunday Observer (Guardian), UK, in which eight persons affected by the war express their feelings. The poet; the journalist's widow; the politician; the Iraqi mother; the civil servant; the British soldier; the American mother; and the US veteran. Visit the Guardian website and spend a few minutes to read what they said. Here is the poet: 'My mission was to try and rehumanise our society'Abdullah al-Baghdadi, 41, a poet, lives in the Karrada district of Baghdad\nOn 9 April 2003, when I saw the statue of Saddam being hauled to the ground in Baghdad's al-Fardous square, I had such hopes for the future. Seeing the tyrant lolling on his back with a rope around his neck was the ultimate in poetic justice. It opened up all sorts of possibilities for artists and intellectuals in Iraq. Previously half-formed thoughts and ambitions began to solidify in our minds. Inspired by the name of the movie, I decided to form an Iraqi Dead Poets' Society - so named because all of us had spent the past 35 years like dead men walking. I contacted all the poets I knew. It wasn't easy; all the phone lines were down. I sent letters and taxis and messengers across Baghdad, hunting down the pens that I knew could help beat the sword. And the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. I would find a suitable venue, a 'Poetry HQ', and we would meet weekly for readings of our work. All the poems and poets banned or suppressed under Saddam would have a chance to live and breathe again. We would issue a monthly magazine in both Arabic and English. We would invite poets from the West to come and share their inspirations with us, to bypass the artificially imposed barriers that had been in place for far too long. We would also form a poetry club for the youth of Iraq, who had been starved of all beauty under the Baathist regime. I remember how three years ago I had this passion - I felt it almost as a mission - to rehumanise our thoroughly brutalised society. I also wanted to override the images of concrete blast barriers, barbed wire, suicide bombs and mortar shells that were threatening to take hold of our imaginations after the first few months of liberation. I believed all that had been destroyed could be recreated again, in verse, by us poets. Any destruction of any thing means the death of part of a poet's soul. It took six months to find a building by the Tigris, where the society would meet and enjoy the intoxicating air of freedom. In 2003 we could write and read whatever we wanted. But then, like a slow trickle of acid on to our foreheads, the same intolerance we had seen under Saddam began to reappear. One poet was threatened; one was kidnapped; one was killed; one fled abroad. History repeated itself. We had begun once more to create a policeman inside our heads, bigger and more frightening than the policeman who stands on the street. Our pens were cuffed and our hearts imprisoned. And then on 31 December 2005, our building, Baghdad's nerve centre of verse, was wrecked by a bomb. Al-Qaeda nihilists? Angry Saddamists? Irate Iranians? Hopeless Americans? I neither knew nor cared. Was our society the intended target? Again I did not know or care. But of this I was certain. There I stood, just me, alone again, squinting through the dust and debris at the total eclipse of my dreams. *McCain Lines Up for 2008 After his appearance and spirited expression of support for the president at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference being held at Memphis,TN, Senator John McCain left no doubt that he would be a contender in 2008. His words indicated that on foreign policy issues he would act no differently than G.W. Bush. Political expediency or does McCain really feel that way? The Arizona senator was full-throated in his support for Bush on Iraq, Iran and even the now-defunct Dubai seaports deal. In doing so, he continued to establish his bona fides as the Republican most likely to defend and extend the president's controversial foreign policy record. At the same time, McCain delivered a stern condemnation of fiscal profligacy and corruption in Washington that was rooted in his reputation as an advocate of change and an antagonist of pork-barrel spending. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/iraqi-dead-poets-society---shattered-dreams/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was on March 20, 2003, that the first missiles fell on Baghdad. Almost three years have elapsed since the beginning of  Operation of Iraqi Freedom. \"Three Years On\" is the title of an article in the Sunday Observer (Guardian), UK, in which eight persons affected by the war express their feelings. The poet; the journalist's widow; the politician; the Iraqi mother; the civil servant; the British soldier; the American mother; and the US veteran. Visit the \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1729086,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e website and spend a few minutes to read what they said. Here is the poet:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e'My mission was to try and rehumanise our society'\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbdullah al-Baghdadi, 41, a poet, lives in the Karrada district of Baghdad\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iraqi 'Dead Poets' Society' - Shattered Dreams"},{"content":" I read the report about Tom Fox, the peace activist from Clear Brook, Virginia, found dead in Iraq with a deep sense of sorrow. Didn't know the man, never met him. But the news struck me with the same intensity as if it were a friend who died. The fate of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll is unknown. According to Newsweek,there are 46 hostages, including 15 Americans, unaccounted for. We question the violence raging in different parts of the world,we rail against the unjust war in Iraq, weep for the dead,but most of us are powerless to do much to prevent them. Selfless people like Tom who knowingly face danger to help the distressed and do what they can to bring peace are very special. The excerpts are from a piece \"Why Are We Here\", written by Tom Fox the day before he was abducted and published in CPTNet (Christian Peacemaker Teams) on December 2, 2005. As I survey the landscape here in Iraq, dehumanization seems to be the operative means of relating to each other. U.S. forces in their quest to hunt down and kill \"terrorists\" are, as a result of this dehumanizing word,not only killing \"terrorists,\" but also killing innocent Iraqis: men, women and children in the various towns and villages. It seems as if the first step down the road to violence is taken when I dehumanize a person. That violence might stay within my thoughts or find its way into the outer world and become expressed verbally, psychologically, structurally or physically. As soon as I rob a fellow human being of his or her humanity by sticking a dehumanizing label on them, I begin the process that can have, as an end result, torture, injury and death. \"Why are we here?\" We are here to root out all aspects of dehumanization that exist within us. We are here to stand with those being dehumanized by oppressors and stand firm against that dehumanization. We are here to stop people, including ourselves, from dehumanizing any of God's children, no matter how much they dehumanize their own souls. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-03-12 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/death-of-tom-fox-a-man-of-peace/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI read the report about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/10/AR2006031001935.html?sub=AR\"\u003eTom Fox\u003c/a\u003e, the peace activist from Clear Brook, Virginia, found dead in Iraq with a deep sense of sorrow. Didn't know the man, never met him. But the news struck me with the same intensity as if it were a friend who died. The fate of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll is unknown. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11765485/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e,there are 46 hostages, including 15 Americans, unaccounted for. We question the violence raging in different parts of the world,we rail against the unjust war in Iraq, weep for the dead,but most of us are powerless to do much to prevent them. Selfless people like Tom who knowingly face danger to help the distressed and do what they can to bring peace are very special. The excerpts are from a piece \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.cpt.org/archives/2005/dec05/0007.html\"\u003eWhy Are We Here\u003c/a\u003e\", written by Tom Fox the day before he was abducted and published in \u003ca href=\"http://www.cpt.org/archives/2005/dec05/0007.html\"\u003eCPTNet\u003c/a\u003e (Christian Peacemaker Teams) on December 2, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eAs I survey the landscape here in Iraq, dehumanization seems to be the operative means of relating to each other. U.S. forces in their quest to hunt down and kill \"terrorists\" are, as a result of this dehumanizing word,not only killing \"terrorists,\" but also killing innocent Iraqis: men, women and children in the various towns and villages.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt seems as if the first step down the road to violence is taken when I     dehumanize a person. That violence might stay within my thoughts or find its     way into the outer world and become expressed verbally, psychologically,     structurally or physically. As soon as I rob a fellow human being of his or     her humanity by sticking a dehumanizing label on them, I begin the process     that can have, as an end result, torture, injury and death. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Why are we here?\" We are here to root out all aspects of dehumanization that exist within us. We are here to stand with those being dehumanized by oppressors and stand firm against that dehumanization. We are here to stop people, including ourselves, from dehumanizing any of God's children, no matter how much they dehumanize their own souls.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-03-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Death of Tom Fox, A Man of Peace"},{"content":" An unabashed champion of unrestricted drilling for oil and downsizing of national parks,Secretary Norton, in her letter of resignation to President Bush, stated: \"\"Now I feel it is time for me to leave this mountain you gave me to climb, catch my breath, then set my sights on new goals to achieve in the private sector,.........\" It is a matter of time before she lands in a high-paying position as a lobbyist in the energy industry or as a consultant for it. Good riddance. People are waking up. Policies, domestic and foreign, of the Bush administration are no longer considered sacrosanct. For the president, Secretary Norton was the ideal person at DOI, always ready to expand drilling rights and move toward privatization of our national parks. While it would be naive to expect drastic changes in the way the Bush administration operates, the pace of the destructive anti-environment policies could slow down. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/gale-norton-departs-under-taint-of-abramoff-scandal/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAn unabashed champion of unrestricted drilling for oil and downsizing of national parks,\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/10/AR2006031001036.html\"\u003eSecretary Norton\u003c/a\u003e, in her letter of resignation to President Bush,  stated: \"\"Now I feel it is time for me to leave this mountain you gave me to climb, catch my breath, then set my sights on new goals to achieve in the private sector,.........\" It is a matter of time before she lands in a high-paying position as a lobbyist in the energy industry or as a consultant for it. Good riddance. People are waking up. Policies, domestic and foreign, of the Bush administration are no longer considered sacrosanct. For the president, Secretary Norton was the ideal person at \u003ca href=\"http://www.doi.gov/\"\u003eDOI\u003c/a\u003e, always ready to expand drilling rights and move toward privatization of our national parks. While it would be naive to expect drastic changes in the way the Bush administration operates, the pace of the destructive anti-environment policies could slow down.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Gale Norton Departs Under Taint of Abramoff Scandal"},{"content":" How sweet it is! It took a while but finally there are unmistakable signs that more and more Americans are beginning to see through the haze created by President Bush and his cohorts. The hollow man is no longer able to talk his way out. The Republicans are running scared. It is not time to break out the champagne.....not yet. The Democrats still paying for their abject surrender to fear of being branded unpatriotic and support of the president's war and the Patriot Act. They lack a message and a strong voice to be heard above the clamor. The Bush administration is not going to roll over. Expect to hear more about the danger from Iran, from Venezuela, from Cuba, and the ever-present terrorists lurking around corner. The American people can no longer be exhorted to respond to the call to back the president on Iraq. The president and his Strangelovian Veep desperately need a red herring...a bogey. They will try hard to create one. When President Bush and senior adviser Karl Rove mapped out plans for a political comeback in 2006, this was nowhere on the script. Suddenly, the collapse of a port-management deal neither even knew about a month ago has devastated the White House and raised questions about its ability to lead even fellow Republicans. \"He has no political capital,\" said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster. \"Slowly but surely it's been unraveling. There's been a direct correlation between the trajectory of his approval numbers and the -- I don't want to call it disloyalty -- the independence on the part of the Republicans in Congress.\" It feels good to be proven right. From an Associated Press release this morning: More and more people, particularly Republicans, disapprove of President Bush's performance, question his character and no longer consider him a strong leader against terrorism, according to an AP-Ipsos poll documenting one of the bleakest points of his presidency. Nearly four out of five Americans, including 70 percent of Republicans, believe civil war will break out in Iraq--- the bloody hot spot upon which Bush has staked his presidency. Nearly 70 percent of people say the U.S. is on the wrong track, a 6-point jump since February. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/the-emperor-has-no-clothes/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow sweet it is! It took a while but finally there are unmistakable signs that more and more Americans are beginning to see through the haze created by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/10/AR2006031000243.html\"\u003ePresident Bush\u003c/a\u003e and his cohorts. The hollow man is no longer able to talk his way out.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030902288.html\"\u003eRepublicans\u003c/a\u003e are running scared. It is not time to break out the champagne.....not yet. The Democrats still paying for their abject surrender to fear of being branded unpatriotic and support of the president's war and the Patriot Act. They lack a message and a strong voice to be heard above the clamor. The Bush administration is not going to roll over. Expect to hear more about the danger from Iran, from Venezuela, from Cuba, and the ever-present terrorists lurking around corner. The American people can no longer be exhorted to respond to the call to back the president on Iraq. The president and his Strangelovian Veep desperately need a red herring...a bogey. They will try hard to create one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhen President Bush and senior adviser Karl Rove mapped out plans for a political comeback in 2006, this was nowhere on the script. Suddenly, the collapse of a port-management deal neither even knew about a month ago has devastated the White House and raised questions about its ability to lead even fellow Republicans.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"He has no political capital,\" said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster. \"Slowly but surely it's been unraveling. There's been a direct correlation between the trajectory of his approval numbers and the -- I don't want to call it disloyalty -- the independence on the part of the Republicans in Congress.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e It feels good to be proven right. From an \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/10/AR2006031000243.html\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e release this morning:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMore and more people, particularly Republicans, disapprove of President Bush's performance, question his character and no longer consider him a strong leader against terrorism, according to an AP-Ipsos poll documenting one of the bleakest points of his presidency.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNearly four out of five Americans, including 70 percent of Republicans, believe civil war will break out in Iraq--- the bloody hot spot upon which Bush has staked his presidency. Nearly 70 percent of people say the U.S. is on the wrong track, a 6-point jump since February.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"The Emperor Has No Clothes\""},{"content":" *The wonderful people who have been so successful in giving Iraqis freedom and democratizing Iraq, are asking for another $91 billion to complete the job. Most likely they will get it too. \"Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that despite a surge in sectarian violence in Iraq, the process of creating a stable government is proceeding satisfactorily. \"Satisfactorily\" is a matter of opinion. One gathers that majority of Iraqis do not agree. Not only that--this is what our ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, said: \"The US ambassador to Baghdad conceded yesterday that the Iraq invasion had opened a Pandora's box of sectarian conflicts which could lead to a regional war and the rise of religious extremists who \"would make Taliban Afghanistan look like child's play\". \"Zalmay Khalilzad broke with the Bush administration's generally upbeat orthodoxy to present a stark profile of a volatile situation in danger of sliding into chaos.\" An opinion poll published by the Washington Post and ABC News yesterday suggested that most Americans agreed with Mr Khalilzad - with 80% saying civil war in Iraq was likely, and more than a third that it was very likely. More than half thought the US should start withdrawing its troops, although only one in six wanted all troops to be withdrawn immediately. Iran Next on the List to be Democratized?Drum beat getting louder for attacking Iran. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/all-we-need-is-additional-91-billion/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe wonderful people who have been so successful in giving Iraqis freedom and democratizing Iraq, are asking for another \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030900280.html\"\u003e$91 billion\u003c/a\u003e to complete the job. Most likely they will get it too. \"Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that despite a surge in sectarian violence in Iraq, the process of creating a stable government is proceeding satisfactorily. \"Satisfactorily\" is a matter of opinion. One gathers that majority of Iraqis do not agree. Not only that--this is what our ambassador, \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1726035,00.html\"\u003eZalmay Khalilzad\u003c/a\u003e,  said: \"The US ambassador to Baghdad conceded yesterday that the Iraq invasion had opened a Pandora's box of sectarian conflicts which could lead to a regional war and the rise of religious extremists who \"would make Taliban Afghanistan look like child's play\". \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Zalmay Khalilzad broke with the Bush administration's generally upbeat orthodoxy to present a stark profile of a volatile situation in danger of sliding into chaos.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAn \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/includes/postpoll_iraqwar_030606.htm\"\u003eopinion poll\u003c/a\u003e published by the Washington Post and ABC News yesterday suggested that most Americans agreed with Mr Khalilzad - with 80% saying civil war in Iraq was likely, and more than a third that it was very likely. More than half thought the US should start withdrawing its troops, although only one in six wanted all troops to be withdrawn immediately.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eIran Next on the List to be Democratized?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDrum beat getting louder for attacking \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2006/03/the_ball_keeps_.html\"\u003eIran\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"All We Need Is  Additional $91 Billion"},{"content":" * It was startling to read Dana Milbank's report in the Post about a conservative forum at the Cato Institute. It is questionable whether the tremors of discontent are going to turn into an upheaval. Nevertheless, comments by Bruce Bartlett and Andrew Sullivan make it clear that among some conservatives the disillusionment with G.W. Bush is more than just skin-deep. They sounded almost like....lefties!A few excerpts: Bartlett certainly thought so. He began by predicting a big tax increase \"to finance the inevitable growth of government that is in the pipeline that President Bush is largely responsible for.\" He also said many fellow conservatives don't know about the \"quite dreadful\" traits of the administration, such as the absence of \"anybody who does any serious analysis\" on policy issues. Instead, Sullivan was on hand to second the critique. \"This is a big-government agenda,\" he said. \"It is fueled by a new ideology, the ideology of Christian fundamentalism.\" The question period gave the two a chance to come up with new insults.\n\"If Bush were running today against Bill Clinton, I'd vote for Clinton,\" Bartlett served.\n\"You have to understand the people in this administration have no principles,\" Sullivan volleyed. \"Any principles that get in the way of the electoral map have to be dispensed with.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/conservatives-bash-bush-at-cato/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was startling to read Dana Milbank's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/07/AR2006030701403.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about a conservative forum at the Cato Institute. It is questionable whether the tremors of discontent are going to turn into an upheaval. Nevertheless, comments by \u003ca href=\"http://www.townhall.com/columnists/brucebartlett/archive.shtml\"\u003eBruce Bartlett\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://time.blogs.com/daily_dish/\"\u003eAndrew Sullivan\u003c/a\u003e make it clear that among some conservatives the disillusionment with G.W. Bush is more than just skin-deep. They sounded almost like....lefties!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few excerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBartlett certainly thought so. He began by predicting a big tax increase \"to finance the inevitable growth of government that is in the pipeline that President Bush is largely responsible for.\" He also said many fellow conservatives don't know about the \"quite dreadful\" traits of the administration, such as the absence of \"anybody who does any serious analysis\" on policy issues.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInstead, Sullivan was on hand to second the critique. \"This is a big-government agenda,\" he said. \"It is fueled by a new ideology, the ideology of Christian fundamentalism.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe question period gave the two a chance to come up with new insults.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Conservatives  Bash Bush At Cato"},{"content":" * For lawmakers facing mid-term elections, the Oscar winning song \"It's hard out here for a pimp\" might resonate. What they wear might be different but some politicians, Republican and Democrat, have a lot in common with pimps. The Democrats have so far failed to capitalize on the woes facing Republicans. With all that is known about the GOP and the Bush administration, the prospects for Democrats in the mid-term elections look far from encouraging. After quickly falling in line to support the decision to go to war and rubber-stamp the Patriot Act, they lack the voice to condemn the abuses and failures of the administration. Their statements fail to stir people. They are making noise but it lacks a beat. The president's popularity rating down to 34% and Republican lawmakers up for reelection are shying away from hanging on to his coattail. And the Democrats are reported to be working on a legislative manifesto! \"News about GOP political corruption, inept hurricane response and chaos in Iraq has lifted Democrats' hopes of winning control of Congress this fall. But seizing the opportunity has not been easy, as they found when they tried to unveil an agenda of their own.\" Enough to make the morning cup taste sour. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/looking-for-a-theme---bring-on-the-noise-bring-on-da-funk/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor lawmakers facing mid-term elections, the Oscar winning song \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.oscar.com/nominees/bestsongnominee2.html\"\u003eIt's hard out here for a pimp\u003c/a\u003e\" might resonate. What they wear might be different but some politicians, Republican and Democrat, have a lot in common with pimps. The Democrats have so far failed to capitalize on the woes facing Republicans. With all that is known about the GOP and the Bush administration, the prospects for Democrats in the mid-term elections look far from encouraging. After quickly falling in line to support the decision to go to war and rubber-stamp the Patriot Act, they lack the voice to condemn the abuses and failures of the administration. Their statements fail to stir people. They are making noise but it lacks a beat. The president's popularity rating down to 34% and Republican lawmakers up for reelection are shying away from hanging on to his coattail. And the Democrats are reported to be working on a legislative manifesto! \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030102193.html\"\u003eNews\u003c/a\u003e about GOP political corruption, inept hurricane response and chaos in Iraq has lifted Democrats' hopes of winning control of Congress this fall. But seizing the opportunity has not been easy, as they found when they tried to unveil an agenda of their own.\"  Enough to make the morning cup taste sour.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Looking For A Theme - \"Bring on the noise, bring on da funk\""},{"content":" Poems by Soen Nakagawa and other Zen Masters*Last night the sky opened up. Woke up a few times to the sound of hard rain. From the look of the clouds, there is more on the way.©Ian Britton, http://www.freefoto.com/Spring approachesthe Pacific Oceanwill be my sitting mat*Sound of mountainsound of oceaneverywhere spring rain *---Soen Nakagawa (1907-1984)Sitting quietly, doing nothingSpring Comes, and the grass grows by itself ---Zenrin KushuI Always think of Konan in MarchPartridges chirp among the scented blossoms.---FuketsuThe long night,The sound of the waterSays what I think---GochikuSource: The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/seasons-spring-rains/","summary":"Poems by \u003ca href=\"http://falcon.tamucc.edu/%7Esencerz/soen.htm\"\u003eSoen Nakagawa\u003c/a\u003e and other Zen Masters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLast night the sky opened up. Woke up a few times to the sound of hard rain. From the look of the clouds, there is more on the way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Rainy Day II.0.jpg\"/\u003e©Ian Britton, \u003ca href=\"http://www.freefoto.com/preview.jsp?id=16-06-16\u0026amp;k=Rainy+Day\"\u003ehttp://www.freefoto.com/\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpring approaches\u003cbr/\u003ethe Pacific Ocean\u003cbr/\u003ewill be my sitting mat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSound of mountain\u003cbr/\u003esound of ocean\u003cbr/\u003eeverywhere spring rain \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e---Soen Nakagawa (1907-1984)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSitting quietly, doing nothing\u003cbr/\u003eSpring Comes, and the grass grows by itself \u003cbr/\u003e---Zenrin Kushu\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI Always think of Konan in March\u003cbr/\u003ePartridges chirp among the scented blossoms.\u003cbr/\u003e---Fuketsu\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe long night,\u003cbr/\u003eThe sound of the water\u003cbr/\u003eSays what I think\u003cbr/\u003e---Gochiku\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.biblio.com/books/746996.html\"\u003eThe World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Seasons: Spring Rains"},{"content":" Onward Christian Soldiers * Seymour Hersh wrote in The New Yorker: \"After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that “\"God put me here”\" to deal with the war on terror. The President'’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that \"“he is the man\", the former official said. Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.\" And in England, Prime Minister Tony Blair said during a televised chat show on March 4th: \"........that God and history will eventually judge his decision to go to war with Iraq, and says his decision, like much of his policymaking, was underpinned by his Christian faith.\" \"Mr Blair made the remarks in an appearance on Parkinson ........., in which he spoke of the struggle with his conscience to do the right thing because people's lives are at stake.\" We don't know how God will judge Mr. Blair but, with all the facts that are now public about the lies and deception that went into the decision to go war, history is not likely to be kind.The toll in human terms as of March 3rdU.S. Soldiers 2300UK Soldiers 103Iraqi civilians - Minimum : 28636 Maximum 32270.Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties and Iraq Body Count Faith-based Foreign PolicyGeorge Bush is the darling of the so called Christian right, the evangelicals who consider themselves to be the chosen ones, waiting for the second coming when they will ascend to heaven. In President Bush,a BAC, they have a champion who is mindful of their clout and does everything he can to please them. From anti-abortion measures, sex education, to school prayers, and public display of Ten Commandments, the president is a zealous advocate. Now our foreign policy is being influenced by evangelical Christians. The world has reason to worry about this modern day crusader. He has almost four more years. Howard LaFranchi writes in The Christian Science Monitor: When President Bush recently used a public forum to announce his support for a more robust international intervention in Sudan's Darfur region - catching even some of his senior aides off guard - it was yet another milestone for the rising interest of Christian evangelicals in US foreign policy. In just a few years, conservative Christian churches and organizations have broadened their political activism from a near-exclusive domestic focus to an emphasis on foreign issues.*Enquiry Begins About Coverup of Pat Tillman's Death The army has announced that a criminal investigation will be conducted about the death of one-time NFL player Pat Tillman in Afghanistan in a friendly fire incident. Originally, the army had reported that Tillman died in enemy action. Tillman's family had reasons to question that and pushed for facts. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/bobbsey-twins-for-god---tony-blair-and-gw-bush/","summary":"Onward Christian Soldiers  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSeymour Hersh wrote in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e: \"After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that “\"God put me here”\" to deal with the war on terror. The President'’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that \"“he is the man\",  the former official said. Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.\"  And in England, \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,,1723115,00.html\"\u003ePrime Minister Tony Blair\u003c/a\u003e said during a televised chat show on March 4th: \"........that God and history will eventually judge his decision to go to war with Iraq, and says his decision, like much of his policymaking, was underpinned by his Christian faith.\" \"Mr Blair made the remarks in an appearance on Parkinson ........., in which he spoke of the struggle with his conscience to do the right thing because people's lives are at stake.\" We don't know how God will judge Mr. Blair but, with all the facts that are now public about the lies and deception that went into the decision to go war, history is not likely to be kind.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe toll in human terms as of March 3rd\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eU.S. Soldiers 2300\u003cbr/\u003eUK Soldiers 103\u003cbr/\u003eIraqi civilians - Minimum : 28636 Maximum 32270.\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFaith-based Foreign Policy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Bush is the darling of the so called Christian right, the evangelicals who consider themselves to be the chosen ones, waiting for the second coming when they will ascend to heaven. In President Bush,a BAC, they have a champion who is mindful of their clout and does everything he can to please them. From anti-abortion measures, sex education, to school prayers, and public display of Ten Commandments, the president is a zealous advocate. Now our foreign policy is being influenced by evangelical Christians. The world has reason to worry about this modern day crusader. He has almost four more years. Howard LaFranchi writes in \u003ca href=\"http://search.csmonitor.com/search_content/0302/p01s01-usfp.html\"\u003eThe Christian Science Monitor\u003c/a\u003e: When President Bush recently used a public forum to announce his support for a more robust international intervention in Sudan's Darfur region - catching even some of his senior aides off guard - it was yet another milestone for the rising interest of Christian evangelicals in US foreign policy. In just a few years, conservative Christian churches and organizations have broadened their political activism from a near-exclusive domestic focus to an emphasis on foreign issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnquiry Begins About  Coverup of Pat Tillman's Death \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe army has announced that a criminal investigation will be conducted about the death of one-time NFL player \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/04/AR2006030400824.html\"\u003ePat Tillman\u003c/a\u003e in Afghanistan in a friendly fire incident. Originally, the army had reported that Tillman died in enemy action. Tillman's family had reasons to question that and pushed for facts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bobbsey Twins for God  - Tony Blair and G.W. Bush"},{"content":" * Cold morning---cold for us here in the San Francisco Peninsula. Temp. 50°F (about 10°C). Going to be cloudy but no showers expected until tonight. Yesterday, we had snow on the foothills. Unusual for us and it never fails to cause comments and excitement. The powdery snow does not last too long. Had a lot of rain last March. If the weather pundits are right, this year too we have wet days ahead of us before the onset of spring---16 days from now.“\"In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature.”\"----Edna O'Brien “\"Spring too, very soon!They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon”(Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume)\"---Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold HendersonMy yard looks colorful. It is a pleasure to see the daffodils, irises and freesias. The freesias are fragrant. Sweetpea vines climbing higher and higher and the branches of gingko trees sprouting new leaves. Unmistakable signs that spring is around the corner. Hiking through Yorkshire Dales (UK) a few years back I came across a nursery that displayed a sign \"Sweetpeas are now ready for planting\". It was late May! The sweetpeas in my yard had almost finished blooming when I left on my trip. Sunday is Oscar night. I have not seen all the movies nominated for awards and so I shall refrain from picking winners. Among the ones I watched, Truman and Brokeback Mountain are sure to bag some awards. Also liked Good Night and Good Luck and The Constant Gardener. Have not seen any of the five films nominated for the best foreign movie award. Paradise Now, an entry from Palestine and described as a political thriller, has caused some controversy. The French entry Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) is an antiwar film; the story is about soldiers of World War I who observed truce and got together on a Christmas eve. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/the-seasons-oscar-awards-and-all-that-jazz/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCold morning---cold for us here in the San Francisco Peninsula. Temp. 50°F (about 10°C). Going to be cloudy but no showers expected until tonight. Yesterday, we had snow on the foothills. Unusual for us and it never fails to cause comments and excitement. The powdery snow does not last too long. Had a lot of rain last March. If the weather pundits are right, this year too we have wet days ahead of us before the onset of spring---16 days from now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“\"In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature.”\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Edna O'Brien\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e “\"Spring too, very soon!\u003cbr/\u003eThey are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon”\u003cbr/\u003e(Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume)\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold Henderson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Freesias in my yard.jpg\"/\u003eMy yard looks colorful. It is a pleasure to see the daffodils, irises and freesias. The freesias are fragrant. Sweetpea vines climbing higher and higher and the branches of gingko trees sprouting new leaves. Unmistakable signs that spring is around the corner. Hiking through Yorkshire Dales (UK) a few years back I came across a nursery that displayed a sign \"Sweetpeas are now ready for planting\". It was late May! The sweetpeas in my yard had almost finished blooming when I left on my trip.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSunday is Oscar night. I have not seen all the movies nominated for awards and so I shall refrain from picking winners. Among the ones I watched, Truman and Brokeback Mountain are sure to bag some awards.  Also liked Good Night and Good Luck and The Constant Gardener. Have not seen any of the five films nominated for the best foreign movie award. Paradise Now, an entry from Palestine and described as a political thriller, has caused some controversy. The French entry Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) is an antiwar film; the story is about soldiers of World War I who observed truce and got together on a Christmas eve.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons, Oscar Awards And all that Jazz"},{"content":" Covering Your Ass, Passing the Blame, etc. * The ghost of Katrina continues to haunt the president. \"Was the president misinformed, misspoken or misleading?\" Now we know why the president applauded FEMA's former chief Michael Brown. Being fully aware of his own role--total lack of comprehension and unresponsiveness to the briefing (caught on video) about the impending disaster--the president played the hand that was available and hoped that it would all blow away. The beleaguered White House staff is doing contortions to explain the ten words \"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.\" As to misspeaking, nothing new about that. He has been misspeaking ever since he emerged in the political arena. In hindsight Michael Brown, who became the butt of jokes and was castigated in the media, turned out to be not such a dumb cluck after all.*“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English). ---Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898), British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, ch. II, Macmillan (1865). ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/ghost-of-katrina-resurfaces/","summary":"Covering Your Ass, Passing the Blame, etc. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe ghost of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030202130.html\"\u003eKatrina\u003c/a\u003e continues to haunt the president. \"Was the president misinformed, misspoken or misleading?\" Now we know why the president applauded FEMA's former chief Michael Brown. Being fully aware of his own role--total lack of comprehension and unresponsiveness to the briefing (caught on video) about the impending disaster--the president played the hand that was available and hoped that it would all blow away. The beleaguered White House staff is doing contortions to explain the ten words \"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.\" As to misspeaking, nothing new about that. He has been misspeaking ever since he emerged in the political arena. In hindsight Michael Brown, who became the butt of jokes and was castigated in the media, turned out to be not such a dumb cluck after all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English). \u003cbr/\u003e---Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898), British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, ch. II, Macmillan (1865).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Ghost of Katrina Resurfaces"},{"content":" * George Will, in his column Rhetoric of Unreality, quoted Lawrence Kaplan (New Republic):\"With U.S reconstruction aid running out, Iraq's infrastructure, never fully restored to begin with, decays by the hour. . . . The level of corruption that pervades Iraq's ministerial orbit . . . would have made South Vietnam's kleptocrats blush. . . . Corruption has helped drive every public service measure -- electricity, potable water, heating oil -- down below its prewar norm.\" Is this the Iraq that President Bush talks about? There is a disconnect somewhere. The president's Iraq is a make-believe world created to justify his misadventure. He talks about freedom and democracy for the Iraqis but in reality the Iraqis are facing rule of the mullahs who are using Taleban-like methods. Even under Saddam Hussein, Iraq was secular in every sense of the word. Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute, writing in the Wall Street Journal, reports that Shiite militias \"have broken up coed picnics, executed barbers [for the sin of shaving beards] and liquor store owners, instituted their own courts, and posted religious guards in front of girls' schools to ensure Iranian-style dress.\" Iraq's other indispensable man, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, says that unless the government can protect religious sites, \"the believers will.\" Our soldiers are dying and getting maimed, and we are spending our money for this! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/the-real-iraq-and-the-presidents-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030101935.html\"\u003eGeorge Will\u003c/a\u003e, in his column Rhetoric of Unreality, quoted Lawrence Kaplan (New Republic):\"With U.S reconstruction aid running out, Iraq's infrastructure, never fully restored to begin with, decays by the hour. . . . The level of corruption that pervades Iraq's ministerial orbit . . . would have made South Vietnam's kleptocrats blush. . . . Corruption has helped drive every public service measure -- electricity, potable water, heating oil -- down below its prewar norm.\"  Is this the Iraq that President Bush talks about? There is a disconnect somewhere. The president's Iraq is a make-believe world created to justify his misadventure. He talks about freedom and democracy for the Iraqis but in reality the Iraqis are facing rule of the mullahs who are using Taleban-like methods. Even under Saddam Hussein, Iraq was secular in every sense of the word.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMichael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute, writing in the Wall Street Journal, reports that Shiite militias \"have broken up coed picnics, executed barbers [for the sin of shaving beards] and liquor store owners, instituted their own courts, and posted religious guards in front of girls' schools to ensure Iranian-style dress.\" Iraq's other indispensable man, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, says that unless the government can protect religious sites, \"the believers will.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003eOur soldiers are dying and getting maimed, and we are spending our money for this!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Real Iraq and The President's Iraq"},{"content":" The Named and the Nameless * \"Dear America, When Will This Cruel War Be Over?\", The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson,Gordonsville,Virginia,1864. \"At times I feel like I am a thousand years old---that is what this cruel war has done to me.\" Regardless of how they feel about the reason for the war in Iraq---just and necessary or a war for the grand plans and hubris of a few---there are many households in America in which the war is forever present because they have family members serving in the armed forces in Iraq. They must feel as Emma Simpson did back in 1864 about the civil war. They want the war to be over and soldiers to return home. Many more Iraqis have lost their lives, the majority of them hapless civilians who got caught in this action by the super powers. The Iraqi civilians deserve our sympathy just as much as our soldiers do.*\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" ---John Donne Garrison C. Avery, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Feb 01, 2006Marlon A. Bustamante, 25, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2006Anthony Chad Owens, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2006Caesar S. Viglienzone, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2006Sean T. Cardelli, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2006Simon T. Cox Jr., 30, Army 1st Lieutenant, Feb 02, 2006Walter B. Howard II, 35, Army Specialist, Feb 02, 2006Scott A. Messer, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 02, 2006Lance S. Cornett, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 03, 2006Jesse M. Zamora, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 03, 2006Roberto L. Martinez Salazar, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 04, 2006Jeremiah J. Boehmer, 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 05, 2006William S. Hayes III, 23, Army Specialist, Feb 05, 2006Sergio A. Mercedes Saez, 23, Army Specialist, Feb 05, 2006Christopher R. Morningstar, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 05, 2006Patrick W. Herried, 29, Army Specialist, Feb 06, 2006Orville Gerena, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 06, 2006David S. Parr, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 06, 2006Brandon S. Schuck, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 06, 2006Jacob D. \"Jake\" Spann, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 06, 2006Allen D. Kokesh Jr., 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 07, 2006Steven L. Phillips, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 07, 2006Javier Chavez Jr., 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 09, 2006Ross A. Smith, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 09, 2006Felipe J. Garcia Villareal, 26, Army Specialist, Feb 12, 2006Andrew J. Kemple, 23, Army Corporal, Feb 12, 2006Nicholas Wilson, 25, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Feb 12, 2006Matthew Ron Barnes, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2006Michael S. Probst, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2006Rusty L. Washam, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 14, 2006Anthony R. Garcia, 48, Army Captain, Feb 17, 2006Amos C. Edwards Jr., 41, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 17, 2006Charles E. Matheny IV, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 18, 2006Matthew D. Conley, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 18, 2006Jessie Davila, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 20, 2006Daniel J. Kuhlmeier, 30, Dept. of the Air Force Civilian, Feb 20, 2006Jay T. Collado, 31, Marine Staff Sergeant, Feb 20, 2006Almar L. Fitzgerald, 23, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Feb 21, 2006Gregson G. Gourley, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006Curtis T. Howard II, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006Rickey E. Jones, 21, Army Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006Christopher L. Marion, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2006Gordon F. Misner II, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006Allan A. Morr, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2006Thomas J. Wilwerth, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 22, 2006Dimitri Muscat, 21, Army Not reported yet, Feb 24, 2006Joshua Francis Powers, 0, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 25, 2006Adam J. VanAlstine, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 25, 2006Clay Farr, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 26, 2006Joshua Pearce, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 26, 2006Source: Iraq Coalition CasualtiesNames of five dead soldiers yet to be released by the DOD.*Jill Carroll, UpdateAccording to an AP report in the Post, she is being held by Islamic Army, the same insurgent group that released two French hostages in 2004 after keeping them captive for four months. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/03/dirge-of-february---the-killing-fields-in-iraq/","summary":"The Named and the Nameless  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Dear America, When Will This Cruel War Be Over?\", The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson,Gordonsville,Virginia,1864. \"At times I feel like I am a thousand years old---that is what this cruel war has done to me.\" Regardless of how they feel about the reason for the war in Iraq---just and necessary or a war for the grand plans and hubris of a few---there are many households in America in which the war is forever present because they have family members serving in the armed forces in Iraq. They must feel as Emma Simpson did back in 1864 about the civil war. They want the war to be over and soldiers to return home. Many more Iraqis have lost their lives, the majority of them hapless civilians who got caught in this action by the super powers. The Iraqi civilians deserve our sympathy just as much as our soldiers do.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text\"\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" \u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cspan class=\"text\"\u003e---\u003cb\u003eJohn Donne\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/03/Helmet.jpg\"/\u003eGarrison C. Avery, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Feb 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMarlon A. Bustamante, 25, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony Chad Owens, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCaesar S. Viglienzone, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSean T. Cardelli, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSimon T. Cox Jr., 30, Army 1st Lieutenant, Feb 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eWalter B. Howard II, 35, Army Specialist, Feb 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eScott A. Messer, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 02, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eLance S. Cornett, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJesse M. Zamora, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 03, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoberto L. Martinez Salazar, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJeremiah J. Boehmer, 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam S. Hayes III, 23, Army Specialist, Feb 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSergio A. Mercedes Saez, 23, Army Specialist, Feb 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher R. Morningstar, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003ePatrick W. Herried, 29, Army Specialist, Feb 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eOrville Gerena, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Parr, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eBrandon S. Schuck, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJacob D. \"Jake\" Spann, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 06, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAllen D. Kokesh Jr., 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSteven L. Phillips, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJavier Chavez Jr., 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Feb 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRoss A. Smith, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 09, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eFelipe J. Garcia Villareal, 26, Army Specialist, Feb 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAndrew J. Kemple, 23, Army Corporal, Feb 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas Wilson, 25, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Feb 12, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew Ron Barnes, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMichael S. Probst, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRusty L. Washam, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony R. Garcia, 48, Army Captain, Feb 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAmos C. Edwards Jr., 41, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCharles E. Matheny IV, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew D. Conley, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 18, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJessie Davila, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel J. Kuhlmeier, 30, Dept. of the Air Force Civilian, Feb 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJay T. Collado, 31, Marine Staff Sergeant, Feb 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAlmar L. Fitzgerald, 23, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Feb 21, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGregson G. Gourley, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eCurtis T. Howard II, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eRickey E. Jones, 21, Army Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher L. Marion, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eGordon F. Misner II, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAllan A. Morr, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eThomas J. Wilwerth, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eDimitri Muscat, 21, Army Not reported yet, Feb 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua Francis Powers, 0, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eAdam J. VanAlstine, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eClay Farr, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 26, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua Pearce, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 26, 2006\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNames of five dead soldiers yet to be released by the DOD.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eJill Carroll, Update\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to an AP report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022800247.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, she is being held by Islamic Army, the same insurgent group that released two French hostages in 2004 after keeping them captive for four months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Dirge of February - The Killing Fields in Iraq"},{"content":" Failure of the Bush-Blair Grand Plan * Is Blair A Bush Clone?* The story of Aldous Huxley's 1955 book Eyeless In Gaza,did not take place in Gaza, Palestine. The name, however, comes to my mind when I read about what is happening in Palestine and in Iraq. The major powers all played their hands and have no reason to be proud of their role. John Kaminski's article in rense.com is noteworthy. Looking at images of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, and reading about the violence raging in that land one sees another plot of the U.S. and the so called Coalition gone awry. We had been playing sectarian politics after toppling Saddam Hussein and lost control of the game. Instead of a puppet regime at our beck and call we have unleashed a monster. Long simmering grudges between the Sunnis and Shias have broken out. As usual, there is a scramble to point the finger at those responsible for destruction of the mosque. Who are they? Sunni extremists? Kurds, insurgents belonging to al-Qaeda? Iraqis are killing each other and whoever else gets in their way. Iraqi civilians under stress of the invasion that began in spring of 2003 now face the dangers of a bloody, full-scale civil war.From USA Today: Democracy faces tests in Iraq, and at home, too In the 13 months since George W. Bush made the worldwide spread of democracy an obsession of his presidency, two compelling truths have emerged. One, the global expansion of democracy, American-style, is stalled in Iraq. The other, individual freedom--the cornerstone of the democratic ideal--is being eroded here and in Britain,where Tony Blair governs like a Bush clone. We might never know the truth why Tony Blair decided to hitch his star to the American president's misadventure in Iraq--to share in the perceived glory of a subjugated Middle East or a vision that appeared when he was praying with George Bush. But whatever the reason he certainly didn't think of being described in history books as \"a Bush clone\".In the meantime, news from Baghdad makes dismal reading.BAGHDAD, Feb. 27 -- Grisly attacks and other sectarian violence unleashed by last week's bombing of a Shiite Muslim shrine have killed more than 1,300 Iraqis, making the past few days the deadliest of the war outside of major U.S. offensives, according to Baghdad's main morgue. The toll was more than three times higher than the figure previously reported by the U.S. military and the news media. A stark example of the pitfalls when we invade a country to bring freedom and democracy in the style of G.W. Bush. Read what Iraqi bloggers have to say: Baghdad Burning Feb.23, 2006 Raed In The Middle Feb.25, 2006 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-02-28 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/eyeless-in-samarra/","summary":"Failure of the Bush-Blair Grand Plan * Is Blair A Bush Clone?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe story of Aldous Huxley's 1955 book Eyeless In Gaza,did not take place in Gaza, Palestine. The name, however, comes to my mind when I read about what is happening in Palestine and in Iraq. The major powers all played their hands and have no reason to be proud of their role. John Kaminski's article in \u003ca href=\"http://www.rense.com/general67/eye.htm\"\u003erense.com\u003c/a\u003e is noteworthy. Looking at \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,,1717292,00.html\"\u003eimages\u003c/a\u003e of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, and reading about the violence raging in that land one sees another plot of the U.S. and the so called Coalition gone awry. We had been playing sectarian politics after toppling Saddam Hussein and lost control of the game. Instead of a puppet regime at our beck and call we have unleashed a monster. Long simmering grudges between the Sunnis and Shias have broken out. As usual, there is a scramble to point the finger at those responsible for destruction of the mosque. Who are they? Sunni extremists? Kurds, insurgents belonging to al-Qaeda? Iraqis are killing each other and whoever else gets in their way. Iraqi civilians under stress of the invasion that began in spring of 2003 now face the dangers of a bloody, full-scale civil war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/wickham/2006-02-27-wickham-edit_x.htm\"\u003eUSA Today\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eDemocracy faces tests in Iraq, and at home, too In the 13 months since George W. Bush made the worldwide spread of democracy an obsession of his presidency, two compelling truths have emerged.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOne, the global expansion of democracy, American-style, is stalled in Iraq. The other, individual freedom--the cornerstone of the democratic ideal--is being eroded here and in Britain,where Tony Blair governs like a Bush clone. \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e We might never know the truth why \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1701214,00.html\"\u003eTony Blair\u003c/a\u003e decided to hitch his star to the American president's misadventure in Iraq--to share in the perceived glory of a subjugated Middle East or a vision that appeared when he was praying with George Bush. But whatever the reason he certainly didn't think of being described in history books as \"a Bush clone\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the meantime, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/27/AR2006022701128.html\"\u003enews\u003c/a\u003e from Baghdad makes dismal reading.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBAGHDAD, Feb. 27 -- Grisly attacks and other sectarian violence unleashed by last week's bombing of a Shiite Muslim shrine have killed more than 1,300 Iraqis, making the past few days the deadliest of the war outside of major U.S. offensives, according to Baghdad's main morgue. The toll was more than three times higher than the figure previously reported by the U.S. military and the news media. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA stark example of the pitfalls when we invade a country to bring freedom and democracy in the style of G.W. Bush. Read what Iraqi bloggers have to say: \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e Feb.23, 2006  \u003ca href=\"http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRaed In The Middle\u003c/a\u003e Feb.25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-02-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Eyeless in Samarra"},{"content":" * There they go again. The Neanderthals are doing their thing--protecting morality of women. These are the same virtuous people who oppose women's right to choose abortion under any circumstances and sex education that includes teaching use of contraceptives! Message to women: Don't have sex unless you want to be pregnant. Pray and take cold showers. And they conveniently have no memory of what they did when they were young. The Taleban mentality alive and well in the red states. The Post: \"Expand or restrict access\". More than 60 bills have been filed in state legislatures already this year, and that follows an already busy 2005 session on emergency contraception. The resulting tug of war is creating an availability map for the pill that looks increasingly similar to the map of \"red states\" and \"blue states\" in the past two presidential elections -- with increased access in the blue states and greater restrictions in the red ones. The FDA's inaction on Plan B has been sharply criticized by most major medical societies and many in Congress, and led to a lawsuit by the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York. The federal magistrate judge hearing the case on Friday concluded that the center had established a \"strong preliminary showing of 'bad faith or misbehavior' \" on the part of FDA officials, and so ordered the case to go forward and ruled that top current and past FDA leaders should be interviewed under oath. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/plan-b-battle-line-shifts-to-states/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere they go again. The Neanderthals are doing their thing--protecting morality of women. These are the same virtuous people who oppose women's right to choose abortion under any circumstances and sex education that includes teaching use of contraceptives! Message to women: Don't have sex unless you want to be pregnant. Pray and take cold showers. And they conveniently have no memory of what they did when they were young. The Taleban mentality alive and well in the red states. The Post: \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022601380_Technorati.html\"\u003eExpand or restrict access\u003c/a\u003e\".  More than 60 bills have been filed in state legislatures already this year, and that follows an already busy 2005 session on emergency contraception. The resulting tug of war is creating an availability map for the pill that looks increasingly similar to the map of \"red states\" and \"blue states\" in the past two presidential elections -- with increased access in the blue states and greater restrictions in the red ones.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe FDA's inaction on Plan B has been sharply criticized by most major medical societies and many in Congress, and led to a lawsuit by the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York. The federal magistrate judge hearing the case on Friday concluded that the center had established a \"strong preliminary showing of 'bad faith or misbehavior' \" on the part of FDA officials, and so ordered the case to go forward and ruled that top current and past FDA leaders should be interviewed under oath.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Plan B Battle Line Shifts to States"},{"content":" A Veteran in Joliet,IL * A Music Store Owner Who Died in Baghdad* It has become commonplace, news about deaths and injuries in Iraq. We read about the casualties; we hear of them. After a while it fails to have the same impact that it once did unless....unless you happen to know one of the victims. War and its effects are dehumanizing. Yet, once in a while you come across items that make you pause and think. They cause deep sadness even if you didn't know the individuals.That is how I felt about David Adams of Joliet,IL, who returned home with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an Iraqi named Alan (Elin) who was shot and killed by insurgents when they kidnapped Jill Carroll, a free-lance journalist working for The Christian Science Monitor. Alan was acting as interpreter for Jill Carroll.\"When David Adams came back from Iraq, the war followed him home. Adams is from Joliet, Illinois. He was a specialist in the 101st Airborne from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, destined to be in the military.\"My father had served in the Marines. My mother's father served in World War Two in Patton's army. All my uncles and cousins, they've all served,\" said Adams.Adams was serving when the US went to war with Iraq in 2003. \"We were told this thing about winning the hearts and minds of the people and one of the way we can win the hearts and minds is to give them a bottle of water and throw candy to the kids,\" said Adams.Their orders were to keep the convoys moving through every village. Do not stop for any reason. That included one April morning. \"Out of the left corner of my eye, I can see a child start to run across the street,\" remembered Adams.Adams continued, \"She was a little girl, probably about 5 or 6 years old, and as she is running across the street, she's not looking where she's going. She's just a kid and she gets run over by a truck. I would say there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her.\" Source: KSDK.com*Riverbend, author of Baghdad Burning, wrote on January 12th about Alan, the record seller.\"Thank You for the Music...When I first heard about the abduction of Christian Science Monitor journalist Jill Carroll a week ago, I remember feeling regret. It was the same heavy feeling I get every time I hear of another journalist killed or abducted. The same heavy feeling that settles upon most Iraqis, I imagine, when they hear of acquaintances suffering under the current situation.I read the news as a subtitle on tv. We haven't had an internet connection for several days so I couldn't really read about the details. All I knew was that a journalist had been abducted and that her Iraqi interpreter had been killed. He was shot in cold blood in Al Adil district earlier this month, when they took Jill Carroll... They say he didn't die immediately. It is said he lived long enough to talk to police and then he died.I found out very recently that the interpreter killed was a good friend- Alan, of Alan's Melody, and I've spent the last two days crying.Everyone knew him as simply 'Alan', or \"Elin\" as it is pronounced in Iraqi Arabic. Prior to the war, he owned a music shop in the best area in Baghdad, A'arasat. He sold some Arabic music and instrumental music, but he had his regular customers - those westernized Iraqis who craved foreign music. For those of us who listened to rock, adult alternative, jazz, etc. he had very few rivals.It hit me then that it wasn't the music that made Alan's shop a haven- somewhere to forget problems and worries- it was Alan himself.He loved Pink Floyd:Did you see the frightened ones?Did you hear the falling bombs?Did you ever wonder why weHad to run for shelter when thePromise of a brave, new worldUnfurled beneath the clear blue sky?Did you see the frightened ones?Did you hear the falling bombs?The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on.Goodbye, blue skyGoodbye, blue sky.Goodbye. Goodbye.(Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink Floyd)Goodbye Alan...\"* Alan is gone, leaving behind a wife and two children. Jill Carroll's captors had threatened to kill her unless the U.S. met their demands by today, Sunday-Feb.26. Her fate is not known. The demands are \"unspecified\". For David Adams and others like him it is an uphill battle. Hope they are receiving the care they need to return to the life they knew before the war. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/tolls-of-war---in-midwest-and-in-iraq/","summary":"A Veteran in Joliet,IL  *  A Music Store Owner Who Died in Baghdad\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt has become commonplace, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022600078.html\"\u003enews\u003c/a\u003e about deaths and injuries in Iraq. We read about the casualties; we hear of them. After a while it fails to have the same impact that it once did unless....unless you happen to know one of the victims. War and its effects are dehumanizing. Yet, once in a while you come across items that make you pause and think. They cause deep sadness even if you didn't know the individuals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is how I felt about David Adams of Joliet,IL, who returned home with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an Iraqi named Alan (Elin) who was shot and killed by insurgents when they kidnapped \u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0110/p01s04-woiq.html\"\u003eJill Carroll\u003c/a\u003e, a free-lance journalist working for The Christian Science Monitor. Alan was acting as interpreter for Jill Carroll.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When David Adams came back from Iraq, the war followed him home. Adams is from Joliet, Illinois. He was a specialist in the 101st Airborne from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, destined to be in the military.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"My father had served in the Marines. My mother's father served in World War Two in Patton's army. All my uncles and cousins, they've all served,\" said Adams.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAdams was serving when the US went to war with Iraq in 2003. \"We were told this thing about winning the hearts and minds of the people and one of the way we can win the hearts and minds is to give them a bottle of water and throw candy to the kids,\" said Adams.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir orders were to keep the convoys moving through every village. Do not stop for any reason. That included one April morning. \"Out of the left corner of my eye, I can see a child start to run across the street,\" remembered Adams.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAdams continued, \"She was a little girl, probably about 5 or 6 years old, and as she is running across the street, she's not looking where she's going. She's just a kid and she gets run over by a truck. I would say there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her.\"\u003cbr/\u003e Source: \u003ca href=\"http://\" storyid=\"92757\"\u003eKSDK.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRiverbend, author of \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e, wrote on January 12th about Alan, the record seller.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_riverbendblog_archive.html\"\u003e\"Thank You for the Music\u003c/a\u003e...\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I first heard about the abduction of Christian Science Monitor journalist Jill Carroll a week ago, I remember feeling regret. It was the same heavy feeling I get every time I hear of another journalist killed or abducted. The same heavy feeling that settles upon most Iraqis, I imagine, when they hear of acquaintances suffering under the current situation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI read the news as a subtitle on tv. We haven't had an internet connection for several days so I couldn't really read about the details. All I knew was that a journalist had been abducted and that her Iraqi interpreter had been killed. He was shot in cold blood in Al Adil district earlier this month, when they took Jill Carroll... They say he didn't die immediately. It is said he lived long enough to talk to police and then he died.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI found out very recently that the interpreter killed was a good friend- Alan, of Alan's Melody, and I've spent the last two days crying.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEveryone knew him as simply 'Alan', or \"Elin\" as it is pronounced in Iraqi Arabic. Prior to the war, he owned a music shop in the best area in Baghdad, A'arasat. He sold some Arabic music and instrumental music, but he had his regular customers - those westernized Iraqis who craved foreign music. For those of us who listened to rock, adult alternative, jazz, etc. he had very few rivals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt hit me then that it wasn't the music that made Alan's shop a haven- somewhere to forget problems and worries- it was Alan himself.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe loved Pink Floyd:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDid you see the frightened ones?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you hear the falling bombs?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you ever wonder why we\u003cbr/\u003eHad to run for shelter when the\u003cbr/\u003ePromise of a brave, new world\u003cbr/\u003eUnfurled beneath the clear blue sky?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you see the frightened ones?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you hear the falling bombs?\u003cbr/\u003eThe flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on.\u003cbr/\u003eGoodbye, blue sky\u003cbr/\u003eGoodbye, blue sky.\u003cbr/\u003eGoodbye. Goodbye.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink Floyd)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoodbye Alan...\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAlan is gone, leaving behind a wife and two children. Jill Carroll's captors had threatened to kill her unless the U.S. met their demands by today, Sunday-Feb.26. Her fate is not known. The demands are \"unspecified\". For David Adams and others like him it is an uphill battle. Hope they are receiving the care they need to return to the life they knew before the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Tolls of War - In Midwest and In Iraq"},{"content":" Assault on Roe v. Wade * A report by Chet Brokaw,AP, in the Washington Post states: \"Gov. Mike Rounds (R) said he is inclined to sign the bill, which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it is necessary to save the woman's life. The measure would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.\" What a chaste group of people with high moral values! Are they, really? Are we to believe that they grew up without indulging in pre-marital sex? That they waited for holy matrimony before their first sexual experience? May be they didn't even masturbate. Just prayed or took a cold shower when they got the urge. Possible? Give them the benefit of the doubt...some might. The more likely explanation is that all of them indulged in youthful indiscretions--- the terminology made famous by G.W. Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign. That could cover a gamut of what the holy rollers consider sinful, immoral activities. Then one day they saw the light and decided not to allow anyone else to engage in them. Just say \"No\" to sex. Power is an aphrodisiac. The modern day Torquemadas in South Dakota are charged up. Praise the Lord and do it in the missionary position...any other is taboo.The issue is bound to head for the Supreme Court on a fast track. It would be interesting to see how the justices, especially Roberts and Alito, who spoke about respect for \"precedence\" during their confirmation hearings, vote.Here is an item to lighten up a little. After reading about the hypocrites in South Dakota one needs something that is more earthly. (Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\") ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/south-dakotan-legislators-and-hb1266/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eAssault on Roe v. Wade\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report by Chet Brokaw,AP, in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/24/AR2006022401128.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e states: \"Gov. Mike Rounds (R) said he is inclined to sign the bill, which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it is necessary to save the woman's life. The measure would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.\" What a chaste group of people with high moral values! Are they, really? Are we to believe that they grew up without indulging in pre-marital sex? That they waited for holy matrimony before their first sexual experience? May be they didn't even masturbate. Just prayed or took a cold shower when they got the urge. Possible? Give them the benefit of the doubt...some might. The more likely explanation is that all of them indulged in youthful indiscretions--- the terminology made famous by G.W. Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign. That could cover a gamut of what the holy rollers consider sinful, immoral activities. Then one day they saw the light and decided not to allow anyone else to engage in them. Just say \"No\" to sex. Power is an aphrodisiac. The modern day Torquemadas in South Dakota are charged up. Praise the Lord and do it in the missionary position...any other is taboo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe issue is bound to head for the Supreme Court on a fast track. It would be interesting to see how the justices, especially Roberts and Alito, who spoke about respect for \"precedence\" during their confirmation hearings, vote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere is an item to lighten up a little. After reading about the hypocrites in South Dakota one needs something that is more earthly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Before sex)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: What?\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"South Dakotan Legislators and HB1266"},{"content":" * That is fact. South Dakota is not an exception to the rule. Women of South Dakota are no more immune to unwanted pregnancies than women in other states. Therefore, one has to wonder about the women and men of South Dakota who approved a draconian legislation barring the option of abortion to women who might face an unwanted pregnancy. \"The measure, which passed the state Senate 23 to 12, makes it a felony for doctors to perform any abortion, except to save the life of a pregnant woman. The proposal still must be signed by Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who opposes abortion.\"According to Rapid City Journal: HB1266 passed the House 54-15 and the Senate approved the bill 25-10. It faces challenges before it can take effect. During debate on the measure Tuesday, Sen. David Knudson, R-Sioux Falls, tried unsuccessfully to change the measure so it would allow victims of incest or rape to obtain abortions. Knudson said the state should not force victims of rape or incest to bear the extra burden of continuing a pregnancy. The bill also is flawed because the Legislature unconstitutionally delegates its authority by allowing a court to decide when the law takes effect, he said. Schoenbeck said the state needs to take action against abortion, and he said very few abortions involve rape or incest. \"We lose 800 children a year in South Dakota. Those are 800 South Dakotans lost to the horrendous act of abortion,\" Schoenbeck said. \"Almost all of those children die for convenience sake.\" What about the other side...there is always a \"other\" side. What takes place after the birth? What will the State do for the mothers of who are not permitted to have abortion? What will the State do for the infants? Did the legislators ask themselves what if it happened to their daughters, their sisters, or their colleagues? Perhaps they did and felt secure enough to disregard it. Paradoxically, the same people who are against abortion under any circumstances also oppose sex education and contraception! Made me think of the slogan on belt buckles worn by Hitler's soldiers \"Gott mitt uns\" (God is with us). There are three women in the SD Senate and 13 women members in the House. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/unwanted-pregnancies-happeneven-in-s-dakota/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is fact. South Dakota is not an exception to the rule. Women of South Dakota are no more immune to unwanted pregnancies than women in other states. Therefore, one has to wonder about the women and men of South Dakota who approved a draconian legislation barring the option of abortion to women who might face an unwanted pregnancy. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202424.html\"\u003eThe measure\u003c/a\u003e, which passed the state Senate 23 to 12, makes it a felony for doctors to perform any abortion, except to save the life of a pregnant woman. The proposal still must be signed by Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who opposes abortion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to \u003ca href=\"http://http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/02/24/legislature/2005/news/news736.txt\"\u003eRapid City Journal\u003c/a\u003e: \u003ca href=\"http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/02/24/legislature/2005/news/news736.txt\"\u003eHB1266 \u003c/a\u003epassed the House 54-15 and the Senate approved the bill 25-10.  It faces challenges before it can take effect.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eDuring debate on the measure Tuesday, Sen. David Knudson, R-Sioux Falls, tried unsuccessfully to change the measure so it would allow victims of incest or rape to obtain abortions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eKnudson said the state should not force victims of rape or incest to bear the extra burden of continuing a pregnancy. The bill also is flawed because the Legislature unconstitutionally delegates its authority by allowing a court to decide when the law takes effect, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSchoenbeck said the state needs to take action against abortion, and he said very few abortions involve rape or incest.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"We lose 800 children a year in South Dakota. Those are 800 South Dakotans lost to the horrendous act of abortion,\" Schoenbeck said. \"Almost all of those children die for convenience sake.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat about the other side...there is always a \"other\" side. What takes place after the birth? What will the State do for the mothers of who are not permitted to have abortion? What will the State do for the infants? Did the legislators ask themselves what if it happened to their daughters, their sisters, or their colleagues? Perhaps they did and felt secure enough to disregard it. Paradoxically, the same people who are against abortion under any circumstances also oppose sex education and contraception! Made me think of the slogan on belt buckles worn by Hitler's soldiers \"Gott mitt uns\" (God is with us). There are three women in the SD Senate and 13 women members in the House.\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Unwanted pregnancies Happen...Even in S. Dakota"},{"content":" *Feb.20, 2006, issue of Newsweek contains an interview with Robert Redford. \"What's the political landscape look like to you today?\" \"Now you pick up the paper and there's a Watergate every day. I don't think anyone's connecting the dots and saying to the public, \"Wake up, folks, because you could end up in a totalitarian nightmare, wondering what happened to your country.\" What is happening to our country? Well, for one thing the president and his cohorts are busy doing what they are good at---subverting the rights of the people. Following from Reuters: \"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies have been secretly removing from public access at the National Archives thousands of historical documents that were available for years, The New York Times reported on Monday. The restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the CIA and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton, the Times said on its Web site. The secret program accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the September 11 attacks, according to archives records, the paper said. It came to light after intelligence historian Matthew Aid noticed dozens of documents he had copied years ago had been withdrawn from the archives' open shelves, the Times said. Under existing guidelines, government documents are supposed to be declassified after 25 years unless there is a particular reason to keep them secret. Some historians say the program is removing material that can do no conceivable harm to national security and note that some of the documents have been published by the government, the Times said. They keep using the tragic events of 9/11 like a cash cow.*Threat of Veto - President has a Hot Potato in His HandsBipartisan opposition to the proposed deal to permit a firm from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, take over management of six major U.S. sea ports means a problem for the president. No wonder he has threatened a veto. If he fails to twist the arms of Republican lawmakers to support the deal then he might be forced to exercise his first veto. Would it be sustainable?The AAAS Comes Out in Support of EvolutionThe American Association for Advancement of Science, at its annual meeting in Missouri,aligned itself on the side of evolution. \"Teaching the idea threatens scientific literacy among schoolchildren, it said.\" The fundos are sure to counterattack and they have a friend in the White House.The Chasm between What We Say and What We DoWhere is the moral high ground? Almost 100 prisoners have died in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since August 2002, according to US group Human Rights First. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-political-landscape/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFeb.20, 2006, issue of \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11298630/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e contains an interview with Robert Redford.  \"What's the political landscape look like to you today?\" \"Now you pick up the paper and there's a Watergate every day. I don't think anyone's connecting the dots and saying to the public, \"Wake up, folks, because you could end up in a totalitarian nightmare, wondering what happened to your country.\" What is happening to our country? Well, for one thing the president and his cohorts are busy doing what they are good at---subverting the rights of the people. Following from \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/security_archives_dc\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies have been secretly removing from public access at the National Archives thousands of historical documents that were available for years, The New York Times reported on Monday.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the CIA and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton, the Times said on its Web site.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe secret program accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the September 11 attacks, according to archives records, the paper said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt came to light after intelligence historian Matthew Aid noticed dozens of documents he had copied years ago had been withdrawn from the archives' open shelves, the Times said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eUnder existing guidelines, government documents are supposed to be declassified after 25 years unless there is a particular reason to keep them secret.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSome historians say the program is removing material that can do no conceivable harm to national security and note that some of the documents have been published by the government, the Times said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThey keep using the tragic events of 9/11 like a cash cow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThreat of Veto - President has a Hot Potato in His Hands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBipartisan opposition to the proposed \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/21/AR2006022100722.html\"\u003edeal\u003c/a\u003e to permit a firm from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, take over management of six major U.S. sea ports means a problem for the president. No wonder he has threatened a veto. If he fails to twist the arms of Republican lawmakers to support the deal then he might be forced to exercise his first veto. Would it be sustainable?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe AAAS Comes Out in Support of Evolution\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4731360.stm\"\u003eThe American Association for Advancement of Science\u003c/a\u003e, at its annual meeting in Missouri,aligned itself on the side of evolution. \"Teaching the idea threatens scientific literacy among schoolchildren, it said.\" The fundos are sure to counterattack and they have a friend in the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Chasm between What We Say and What We Do\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere is the moral high ground?  Almost 100 prisoners have died in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since August 2002, according to US group \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4738008.stm\"\u003eHuman Rights First\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Political Landscape"},{"content":" *Michael Lerner is editor of the bi-monthly Tikkun magazine and rabbi of Beyt-Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco. Tikkun is described as a \"Jewish\" magazine but it is much more that. Rabbi Lerner's outspoken voice for peace and justice has made him a controversial figure. His new book \"The Left Hand of God,Taking Back Our Country From The Religious Right\" is certain to aggravate Christian zealots. The book is very timely. When a religious group (any religious group) receives support of the government in power in carrying out its goals then the resultant combination spells ill for the rest of the population and abuses take place. Such a situation strikes at the very heart of democracy. We must not quietly surrender to the wave of bigotry currently gaining force in America. A review of the book by Rev. Ed Bacon of the All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena, California, appeared in the Los Angeles Times on February 19th.\"Where the Violence Comes From\"Here is a link to Rabbi Lerner's speech at American Academy of Religion ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-left-hand-of-god/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMichael Lerner is editor of the bi-monthly \u003ca href=\"http://www.tikkun.org/\"\u003eTikkun\u003c/a\u003e magazine and rabbi of Beyt-Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco. Tikkun is described as a \"Jewish\" magazine but it is much more that. Rabbi Lerner's outspoken voice for peace and justice has made him a controversial figure. His new book \"The Left Hand of God,Taking Back Our Country From The Religious Right\" is certain to aggravate Christian zealots. The book is very timely. When a religious group (any religious group) receives support of the government in power in carrying out its goals then the resultant combination spells ill for the rest of the population and abuses take place. Such a situation strikes at the very heart of democracy. We must not quietly surrender to the wave of bigotry currently gaining force in America. A \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-bk-bacon19feb19,1,607140.story\"\u003ereview\u003c/a\u003e of the book by Rev. Ed Bacon of the All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena, California, appeared in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-bk-bacon19feb19,1,607140.story\"\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c/a\u003e on February 19th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Where the Violence Comes From\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere is a link to Rabbi Lerner's speech at \u003ca href=\"http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/lerner.htm\"\u003eAmerican Academy of Religion\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"\"The Left Hand of God\""},{"content":" Smoke and Mirrors With Our Money*Of Course, El Jefe will be gone in three and half years and playing golf or killing rattle snakes in Crawford,TX, or whatever that turns him on. But our children and grand children will be paying through their nose for the parting gift for his friends that he has sneaked into his budget. The subservient Republicans in the House are likely to approve it. In the Senate it might run into some opposition. David Broder's column Trillion-Dollar Gimmick in the Post reveals the dirty ploy. It will make you weep unless you happen to be in the top 1% of the tax bracket--the targeted group that reaped most of the benefits. In fact, this analysis says, \"The administration's proposal, by changing the rules after the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were enacted but before they are extended, would ensure that the cost of continuing the tax cuts in the years after the current sunset dates would never be counted. The costs in those years were not counted when the tax cuts were first enacted. . . . Now, the administration is proposing that the tax cuts for those years also be ignored when the tax cuts are extended. To fail ever to count the cost of the tax cuts in the years after the sunset dates . . . would represent one of the largest and most flagrant budget gimmicks in recent memory.\" How large? The Congressional Budget Office scores the cost of making these tax cuts permanent at $1.6 trillion over the next decade. The administration's estimate is somewhat less -- $1.35 trillion. But, the folks at the OMB told me, it's wrong to claim that they are hiding that cost. They told me to get out my copy of the budget, and they told me right where to look. And sure enough on Column 8, Line 11 of Table S-7 on Page 324 of the green-bordered book, I found the very figure they had cited -- $1.35 trillion. The heading on the chart of Effects of Proposals on Receipts reads: \"Make Permanent Certain Tax Cuts Enacted in 2001 and 2003 (assumed in the baseline).\" Those last four words conceal more than a trillion dollars worth of lost revenue. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-mother-of-all-assumptions---135-trillion-in-the-bush-budget/","summary":"Smoke and Mirrors With Our Money\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOf Course, El Jefe will be gone in three and half years and playing golf or killing rattle snakes in Crawford,TX, or whatever that turns him on. But our children and grand children will be paying through their nose for the parting gift for his friends that he has sneaked into his budget. The subservient Republicans in the House are likely to approve it. In the Senate it might run into some opposition. David Broder's column \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021701848.html\"\u003eTrillion-Dollar Gimmick\u003c/a\u003e in the Post reveals the dirty ploy. It will make you weep unless you happen to be in the top 1% of the tax bracket--the targeted group that reaped most of the benefits.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn fact, this analysis says, \"The administration's proposal, by changing the rules after the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were enacted but before they are extended, would ensure that the cost of continuing the tax cuts in the years after the current sunset dates would never be counted. The costs in those years were not counted when the tax cuts were first enacted. . . . Now, the administration is proposing that the tax cuts for those years also be ignored when the tax cuts are extended. To fail ever to count the cost of the tax cuts in the years after the sunset dates . . . would represent one of the largest and most flagrant budget gimmicks in recent memory.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow large? The Congressional Budget Office scores the cost of making these tax cuts permanent at $1.6 trillion over the next decade. The administration's estimate is somewhat less -- $1.35 trillion.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut, the folks at the OMB told me, it's wrong to claim that they are hiding that cost. They told me to get out my copy of the budget, and they told me right where to look. And sure enough on Column 8, Line 11 of Table S-7 on Page 324 of the green-bordered book, I found the very figure they had cited -- $1.35 trillion.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe heading on the chart of Effects of Proposals on Receipts reads: \"Make Permanent Certain Tax Cuts Enacted in 2001 and 2003 (assumed in the baseline).\" Those last four words conceal more than a trillion dollars worth of lost revenue.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Mother of All Assumptions - $1.35 Trillion in the Bush Budget"},{"content":" We are now at war. To some of us it is an utterly senseless war in which almost 2300 American soldiers have lost their lives. Many more will die before it ends. The number of injured is close to 8000. And we have killed more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians in this war to bring them \"freedom\". The lists of casualties make it starkly clear that majority of our soldiers are in their twenties. It makes me sick to read names of 18 and 19-year old dead soldiers. A war based on lies and deceptions perpetrated by people in high positions, among them a president who avoided serving in Vietnam and a vice-president who took five deferments from the draft. George F. Will (not one of my favorites) wrote a great column on February 15th in the Washington Post about the abuse of power: \"No Checks, Many Imbalances\"The list of books is far from complete. I have read most, not all of them. In researching anti-war fiction I came across the classics: \"All Quiet On The Western Front\" by Erich Maria Remarque and \"Johnny Got His Gun\" by Dalton Trumbo--both about World War I. Other notable titles:Under Fire - Henri BarbusseThree Soldiers - John Dos PassosThe Good Soldier Svejk - Jaroslav HasekWorld War IICatch-22 - Joseph HellerSlaughterhouse Five (or The Children's Crusade) - Kurt VonnegutThe Painted Bird - Jerzy KosinskiFires on the Plain - Shohei Ooka, translated by Ivan MorrisThe Naked Pioneer Girl - Mikhail KononovVietnamGoing After Cacciato - Tim O'BrienThe Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien. More like a memoir than fiction.A Rumor of War - Philip CaputoThe Sorrow of War - Bao Ninh, translated by Frank Palmost and Phan T. HaoGardens of Stone - Nicholas Proffitt*A new, non-fiction book about Iraq.The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq \"Once and for all the idea of glorious victories won by the glorious army must be wiped out. Neither side is glorious. On either side they're just frightened men messing their pants and they all want the same thing - not to lie under the earth, but to walk upon it - without crutches.\"---Peter Weiss*\"NATIONAL DEFENSE, n. In U.S. political discourse: 1) The pauperization of the nation through expenditures for deadly weapons systems; 2) The bombardment and invasion of small countries. The United States is, of course, the only nation entitled to such 'defense.' If the inhabitants of other countries resist the U.S. government's 'defensive' measures, they become guilty of 'internal aggression'; and if governments of other countries practice U.S.-style national defense, they become guilty of 'naked aggression.'\"(U.S. government spokesmen repeatedly used the Orwellian term 'internal aggression' during the 1960s when referring to the resistance of the Vietnamese to the U.S. occupation of their country.)—Chaz Bufe, The Devil's Dictionaries (\"American Heretic's Dictionary\" section) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/wars-past-and-present-and-books-that-portray-the-dark-side/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe are now at war. To some of us it is an utterly senseless war in which almost 2300 American soldiers have lost their lives. Many more will die before it ends. The number of injured is close to 8000. And we have killed more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians in this war to bring them \"freedom\". The lists of casualties make it starkly clear that majority of our soldiers are in their twenties. It makes me sick to read names of 18 and 19-year old dead soldiers. A war based on lies and deceptions perpetrated by people in high positions, among them a president who avoided serving in Vietnam and a vice-president who took five deferments from the draft. George F. Will (not one of my favorites) wrote a great column on February 15th in the Washington Post about the abuse of power: \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021502003.html\"\u003eNo Checks, Many Imbalances\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe list of books is far from complete. I have read most, not all of them. In researching anti-war fiction I came across the classics: \"All Quiet On The Western Front\" by Erich Maria Remarque and \"Johnny Got His Gun\" by Dalton Trumbo--both about World War I. Other notable titles:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder Fire - Henri Barbusse\u003cbr/\u003eThree Soldiers  - John Dos Passos\u003cbr/\u003eThe Good Soldier Svejk - Jaroslav Hasek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eWorld War II\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCatch-22 -  Joseph Heller\u003cbr/\u003eSlaughterhouse Five (or The Children's Crusade) -  Kurt Vonnegut\u003cbr/\u003eThe Painted Bird - Jerzy Kosinski\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cb class=\"sans\"\u003e\u003c/b\u003eFires on the Plain - Shohei Ooka, translated by Ivan Morris\u003cbr/\u003eThe Naked Pioneer Girl - Mikhail Kononov\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVietnam\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoing After Cacciato -  Tim O'Brien\u003cbr/\u003eThe Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien. More like a memoir than fiction.\u003cbr/\u003eA Rumor of War - Philip Caputo\u003cbr/\u003eThe Sorrow of War - Bao Ninh, translated by Frank Palmost and Phan T. Hao\u003cbr/\u003eGardens of Stone - Nicholas Proffitt\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eA new, non-fiction book about Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch2 class=\"text-center\"\u003eThe Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003cspan class=\"terms\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e \u003cdiv 0pt=\"\" 1em=\"\" 205px=\"\" align=\"\" center=\"\" float=\"\" margin=\"\" right=\"\" width=\"\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.prwatch.org/images/wmd.gif\"/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Once and for all the idea of glorious victories won by the glorious army must be wiped out. Neither side is glorious. On either side they're just frightened men messing their pants and they all want the same thing - not to lie under the earth, but to walk upon it - without crutches.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Peter Weiss\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"NATIONAL DEFENSE, n. In U.S. political discourse: 1) The pauperization of the nation through expenditures for deadly weapons systems; 2) The bombardment and invasion of small countries. The United States is, of course, the only nation entitled to such 'defense.' If the inhabitants of other countries resist the U.S. government's 'defensive' measures, they become guilty of 'internal aggression'; and if governments of other countries practice U.S.-style national defense, they become guilty of 'naked aggression.'\"(U.S. government spokesmen repeatedly used the Orwellian term 'internal aggression' during the 1960s when referring to the resistance of the Vietnamese to the U.S. occupation of their country.)\u003cbr/\u003e—Chaz Bufe, \u003ci\u003eThe  Devil's Dictionaries\u003c/i\u003e (\"American Heretic's Dictionary\" section)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Wars Past and Present and Books that Portray the Dark Side"},{"content":" * The Post reported that the Republican Party's efforts to obtain church directories in North Carolina has caused consternation in some quarters. \"The North Carolina Republican Party asked its members this week to send their church directories to the party, drawing furious protests from local and national religious leaders.\" The GOP's action fits in very well with what it has been doing for some years. The Republicans found out that it paid to wear your religion on your sleeves. All of a sudden they became devout Born Again Christians, champions of bigotry, full of zeal to demolish the barrier between church and state. Their attempts to cull church directories to look for supporters and volunteers should not surprise any one. During the 2004 presidential race, the Bush-Cheney campaign sent a similar request to Republican activists across the country. It asked churchgoers not only to furnish church directories to the campaign, but also to use their churches as a base for political organizing. The tactic was roundly condemned by religious leaders across the political spectrum, including conservative evangelical Christians. Ten professors of ethics at major seminaries and universities wrote a letter to President Bush in August 2004 asking him to \"repudiate the actions of your re-election campaign,\" and calling on both parties to \"respect the integrity of all houses of worship.\" And so it goes. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/god-and-politics---mid-term-elections-gop-and-soldiers-of-christ/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021701978.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported that the Republican Party's efforts to obtain church directories in North Carolina has caused consternation in some quarters. \"The North Carolina Republican Party asked its members this week to send their church directories to the party, drawing furious protests from local and national religious leaders.\" The GOP's action fits in very well with what it has been doing for some years. The Republicans found out that it paid to wear your religion on your sleeves. All of a sudden they became devout Born Again Christians, champions of bigotry, full of zeal to demolish the barrier between church and state. Their attempts to cull church directories to look for supporters and volunteers should not surprise any one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eDuring the 2004 presidential race, the Bush-Cheney campaign sent a similar request to Republican activists across the country. It asked churchgoers not only to furnish church directories to the campaign, but also to use their churches as a base for political organizing.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe tactic was roundly condemned by religious leaders across the political spectrum, including conservative evangelical Christians. Ten professors of ethics at major seminaries and universities wrote a letter to President Bush in August 2004 asking him to \"repudiate the actions of your re-election campaign,\" and calling on both parties to \"respect the integrity of all houses of worship.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"God and Politics - Mid-Term Elections, GOP, and Soldiers of Christ"},{"content":" Denmark in The Center of the Cauldron * Anti-Semitism in Arab Press*Five people reported to have died in Pakistan in violent demonstrations against publications of cartoons about Prophet Mohammed. Are the demonstrations spontaneous? Not according to reports. For some reason it is not hard to incite mobs in that part of the world. If it is not satire about the prophet it would be something else. People should be free to demonstrate against acts that are rightly or wrongly taken as disrespect to deeply held beliefs. There is nothing wrong about boycotts of good and services from countries that are deemed responsible. But arson and looting are despicable acts. Loss of lives cannot be justified, even if the dead are considered by some as martyrs for a holy cause. Denmark, where it all began, and other European nations who are the targets of Islamic rage, face a difficult situation. But if they capitulate where would it all end? The BBC reported: \"Blatantly anti-Semitic literature is on sale in Cairo, just like many other Arab capitals. The BBC News website's Martin Patience reports on the apparent inconsistency in the Egyptian reaction to the Danish cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad.\"Cartoons are a form of satiric expression. No more, no less. One can argue about good taste or lack thereof in what cartoonists might use as subject but that is no justification to muzzle them. Above all, editorial policy must never be discriminatory. If the prophet is fair game, so must be the pope and Virgin Mary. From The Washington Post: \"But the scope of the fallout tells only one story. The debate over the cartoons is replete with unintended consequences, some still taking shape this week. On one side is a defense of freedom of expression, on the other an unforgivable insult to a sacred figure. In between are potentially longer-lasting repercussions: a rethinking of relations between Europe and the Muslim world, and a rare moment of empowerment among Muslims who have felt besieged. Given the moral certainty pronounced by each party, some in the middle feel forced to take sides, blurring the diversity of religious thought that might offer grounds for compromise.\"It is odd that the war against Iraq, in which thousands of innocent civilians have lost their lives, does not arouse Muslims to protest with the same degree of passion. Although no Islamic country joined the Coalition of the Willing as active partner, some tacitly provided support by allowing bases and overflights. \"Denmark was among the first countries to join the Coalition of the Willing.\" With the facts that are now known about the lies and deception used to form the Coalition, Danes have reason to be ashamed of their role in the war but not for publication of the cartoons. Comments Hepzibah The Watchman \u0026mdash; 2006-02-16 I enjoyed reading your opinions on the cartoons. Perhaps if the people rioting had more freedom of expression, they would respond with words instead of fire. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/violent-protests-over-cartoons-continue/","summary":"Denmark in The Center of the Cauldron * Anti-Semitism in Arab Press\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFive people reported to have died in \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4718958.stm\"\u003ePakistan\u003c/a\u003e in violent demonstrations against publications of cartoons about Prophet Mohammed. Are the demonstrations spontaneous? Not according to reports. For some reason it is not hard to incite mobs in that part of the world. If it is not satire about the prophet it would be something else. People should be free to demonstrate against acts that are rightly or wrongly taken as disrespect to deeply held beliefs. There is nothing wrong about boycotts of good and services from countries that are deemed responsible. But arson and looting are despicable acts. Loss of lives cannot be justified, even if the dead are considered by some as martyrs for a holy cause. Denmark, where it all began, and other European nations who are the targets of Islamic rage, face a difficult situation. But if they capitulate where would it all end? The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4701162.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported: \"Blatantly anti-Semitic literature is on sale in Cairo, just like many other Arab capitals. The BBC News website's Martin Patience reports on the apparent inconsistency in the Egyptian reaction to the Danish cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCartoons are a form of satiric expression. No more, no less. One can argue about good taste or lack thereof in what cartoonists might use as subject but that is no justification to muzzle them. Above all, editorial policy must never be discriminatory. If the prophet is fair game, so must be the pope and Virgin Mary. From The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021502865.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"But the scope of the fallout tells only one story. The debate over the cartoons is replete with unintended consequences, some still taking shape this week. On one side is a defense of freedom of expression, on the other an unforgivable insult to a sacred figure. In between are potentially longer-lasting repercussions: a rethinking of relations between Europe and the Muslim world, and a rare moment of empowerment among Muslims who have felt besieged. Given the moral certainty pronounced by each party, some in the middle feel forced to take sides, blurring the diversity of religious thought that might offer grounds for compromise.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is odd that the war against Iraq, in which thousands of innocent civilians have lost their lives, does not arouse Muslims to protest with the same degree of passion. Although no Islamic country joined the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm\"\u003eCoalition of the Willing\u003c/a\u003e as active partner, some tacitly provided support by allowing bases and overflights. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3167.htm\"\u003eDenmark\u003c/a\u003e was among the first countries to join the Coalition of the Willing.\"  With the facts that are now known about the lies and deception used to form the Coalition,  Danes have reason to be ashamed of their role in the war but not for publication of the cartoons.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHepzibah The Watchman\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-02-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI enjoyed reading your opinions on the cartoons.  Perhaps if the people rioting had more freedom of expression, they would respond with words instead of fire.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Violent Protests Over Cartoons Continue"},{"content":" The Veep Under Siege * Breaking News: Cheney to be InterviewedImaginary conversation. Cheney to Whittington: \"I hope we'll still be friends\". Don't bet on it. Strange, how efforts by the White House and VP's office to keep a lid on this story managed to do just the opposite. Another example of their arrogance and excessive concern about secrecy. Serves them right. Gloves are off and the media has smelled blood in the water. Howard Kurz in the Post: \"Okay, other than the fact that the comics haven't had so much fun since President Bush choked on a pretzel. (Letterman: \"We can't get Bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney.\").\"According to Reuters \"Cheney will be interviewed by Fox News at 2 p.m. (1900 GMT), White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters. The interview will not be aired live.\" Trust him to select a friendly news service. Think soft balls. Would that mean the end of it. Not likely. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-02-15 Of course the interview won't be aired live. Even the blind squirrels over at Fox might find an acorn and ask a real question. Then where would poor Dick be? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-shot-heard-around-the-world---stonewalling-fails/","summary":"The Veep Under Siege * Breaking News: Cheney to be Interviewed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eImaginary conversation. Cheney to Whittington: \"I hope we'll still be friends\". Don't bet on it. Strange, how efforts by the White House and VP's office to keep a lid on this story managed to do just the opposite. Another example of their arrogance and excessive concern about secrecy. Serves them right. Gloves are off and the media has smelled blood in the water. Howard Kurz in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2006/02/15/BL2006021500598.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e: \"Okay, other than the fact that the comics haven't had so much fun since President Bush choked on a pretzel. (Letterman: \"We can't get Bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney.\").\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAccording to \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060215/ts_nm/cheney_accident_interview_dc_3\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e \"Cheney will be interviewed by Fox News at 2 p.m. (1900 GMT), White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters. The interview will not be aired live.\" Trust him to select a friendly news service. Think soft balls. Would that mean the end of it. Not likely.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-02-15\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eOf course the interview won't be aired live.  Even the blind squirrels over at Fox might find an acorn and ask a real question.  Then where would poor Dick be?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Shot Heard Around the World - Stonewalling Fails"},{"content":" VP Cheney Shoots his hunting buddy * Saint Patrick, Fitzgerald the Dragon Slayer*Remember the hilarious novel \"The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight\" by Jimmy Breslin? It came to my mind when I read that Vice President Cheney accidentally shot one of his buddies during a quail hunting trip in Texas. The good news is that the victim, a Mr. Whittington, is doing fine. Lately nothing has gone right for the neocons who started the misadventure in Iraq. But the leaders who dodged Vietnam are charging ahead, blustering and lying. The death toll for U.S. soldiers: 2267, including 25 who have died this month.*Plamegate Invesigation Refuses to DieRepublicans, including the Strangelovian VP Cheney probably curse the day when Patrick Fitzgerald was appointed as special prosecutor to investigate the leaking of information about Valerie Plame. Just imagine what would have happened if the smarmy John Ashcroft remained in charge of the investigation. Mr. Firzgerald is quite different than the other special prosecutor whose office leaked like a sieve and who revelled in appearing in front of TV cameras. No one knows how it will end but \"Scooter\" Libby has already talked about the VP's role and Karl Rove is still a part of the investigation. Uneasy nights for them? You bet. Perhaps the vice president had a bad night before the hunting accident. The Guardian (UK) carried a special report on Patrick Fitzgerald. But for now, Plamegate remains open. The powerful still dread a phone call from his office. 'He has been walking on soft-boiled eggs so far and he is still doing it well. I don't think the White House is off the hook,' Mikva said. Some think they see Fitzgerald planting the seed of a political career. One day, they believe, he may run for the governorship of Illinois, a possible springboard for the presidency. Others dismiss that as nonsense, but see him as the next head of the FBI. Then the Untouchable would be the lawman for all America. Yet perhaps Fitzgerald is just that rarest of people: an honest man in Washington. 'The mystery is there is no mystery. He has a finely honed sense of right and wrong, that's all,' said Jay Stewart. If so, he might want to consider a saying from the French essayist Charles Peguy: 'The honest man must be a perpetual renegade.' The strange and growing list of Scooter Libby, Abdel-Rahman, Osama bin Laden, Conrad Black, the Gambino family, and perhaps even President Bush himself can all attest that the Untouchable has fulfilled that brief so far. * ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-gang-that-couldnt-shoot-straight/","summary":"VP Cheney Shoots his hunting buddy  *  Saint Patrick, Fitzgerald the Dragon  Slayer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRemember the hilarious novel \"The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight\" by \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Breslin\"\u003eJimmy Breslin\u003c/a\u003e? It came to my mind when I read that \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/12/AR2006021200524.html\"\u003eVice President Cheney\u003c/a\u003e accidentally shot one of his buddies during a quail hunting trip in Texas. The good news is that the victim, a Mr. Whittington, is doing fine. Lately nothing has gone right for the neocons who started the misadventure in Iraq. But the leaders who dodged Vietnam are charging ahead, blustering and lying. The death toll for U.S. soldiers: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e2267, including 25\u003c/a\u003e who have died this month.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003ePlamegate Invesigation Refuses to Die\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRepublicans, including the Strangelovian VP Cheney probably curse the day when Patrick Fitzgerald was appointed as special prosecutor to investigate the leaking of information about Valerie Plame. Just imagine what would have happened if the smarmy John Ashcroft remained in charge of the investigation. Mr. Firzgerald is quite different than the other special prosecutor whose office leaked like a sieve and who revelled in appearing in front of TV cameras. No one knows how it will end but \"Scooter\" Libby has already talked about the VP's role and Karl Rove is still a part of the investigation. Uneasy nights for them? You bet. Perhaps the vice president had a bad night before the hunting accident. \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1707777,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e (UK) carried a special report on Patrick Fitzgerald.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut for now, Plamegate remains open. The powerful still dread a phone call from his office. 'He has been walking on soft-boiled eggs so far and he is still doing it well. I don't think the White House is off the hook,' Mikva said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSome think they see Fitzgerald planting the seed of a political career. One day, they believe, he may run for the governorship of Illinois, a possible springboard for the presidency. Others dismiss that as nonsense, but see him as the next head of the FBI. Then the Untouchable would be the lawman for all America. Yet perhaps Fitzgerald is just that rarest of people: an honest man in Washington. 'The mystery is there is no mystery. He has a finely honed sense of right and wrong, that's all,' said Jay Stewart.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIf so, he might want to consider a saying from the French essayist Charles Peguy: 'The honest man must be a perpetual renegade.' The strange and growing list of Scooter Libby, Abdel-Rahman, Osama bin Laden, Conrad Black, the Gambino family, and perhaps even President Bush himself can all attest that the Untouchable has fulfilled that brief so far.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight\""},{"content":" The Air Force Academy * Year of the Dog begins for the Chinese* In Round II, evangelical Christians won back most of the ground they had lost in 2005 after complaints were voiced about overt promotion of Christian faith at the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. \"Air Force eases rules on religion\" is the caption of a report in today's Washington Post. \"The guidelines were first issued in late August after allegations that evangelical Christian commanders, coaches and cadets at the Air Force Academy had pressured cadets of other faiths. The original wording sought to tamp down religious fervor and to foster tolerance throughout the Air Force. It discouraged public prayers at routine events and warned superior officers that personal expressions of faith could be misunderstood as official statements.\" Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington-based group whose investigation of the Air Force Academy helped spark the controversy last year, said the revisions \"focus heavily on protecting the rights of chaplains, while ignoring the rights of nonbelievers and minority faiths.\" Michael L. \"Mikey\" Weinstein, an Albuquerque lawyer who is suing the Air Force over its policy on religion, questioned the sentence allowing commanders to share their faith when it is \"reasonably clear\" that they are speaking personally, not officially. \"Reasonably clear from whose perspective, the superior's or the subordinate's?\" asked Weinstein, a 1977 Air Force Academy graduate. \"When a senior member of your chain of command wants to speak to you 'reasonably' about religion, saying 'Get out of my face, sir!' is not an option.\" *Gung Hay Fat Choy Read about snow storm in Washington,DC. For us in the San Francisco Bay area, it is somewhat foggy. Temp. in the low 50's F (11°C). The fog will clear by noon and the sun will be out. The forecast is for more of the same the next few days. Good for outdoor activities--pottering in the yard, walks, runs. Many of us will do just that. Last evening the annual parade to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Dog) took place in San Francisco. It was a great success in terms of the pagentry and participation. To my Chinese friends: Gung Hay Fat Choy. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/faith-officers-and-cadets---evangelicals-at-the-rudder/","summary":"The Air Force Academy * Year of the Dog begins for the Chinese\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn Round II, evangelical Christians won back most of the ground they had lost in 2005 after complaints were voiced about overt promotion of Christian faith at the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. \"Air Force eases rules on religion\" is the caption of a report in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/09/AR2006020902211.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e.  \"The guidelines were first issued in late August after allegations that evangelical Christian commanders, coaches and cadets at the Air Force Academy had pressured cadets of other faiths. The original wording sought to tamp down religious fervor and to foster tolerance throughout the Air Force. It discouraged public prayers at routine events and warned superior officers that personal expressions of faith could be misunderstood as official statements.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmericans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington-based group whose investigation of the Air Force Academy helped spark the controversy last year, said the revisions \"focus heavily on protecting the rights of chaplains, while ignoring the rights of nonbelievers and minority faiths.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMichael L. \"Mikey\" Weinstein, an Albuquerque lawyer who is suing the Air Force over its policy on religion, questioned the sentence allowing commanders to share their faith when it is \"reasonably clear\" that they are speaking personally, not officially.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Reasonably clear from whose perspective, the superior's or the subordinate's?\" asked Weinstein, a 1977 Air Force Academy graduate. \"When a senior member of your chain of command wants to speak to you 'reasonably' about religion, saying 'Get out of my face, sir!' is not an option.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Chinatown/Window_dec.html\"\u003eGung Hay Fat Choy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRead about snow storm in Washington,DC. For us in the San Francisco Bay area, it is somewhat foggy. Temp. in the low 50's F (11°C). The fog will clear by noon and the sun will be out. The forecast is for more of the same the next few days. Good for outdoor activities--pottering in the yard, walks, runs. Many of us will do just that. Last evening the annual parade to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Dog) took place in San Francisco. It was a great success in terms of the pagentry and participation. To my Chinese friends: Gung Hay Fat Choy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"Faith, Officers, and Cadets - Evangelicals at the Rudder"},{"content":" It was time to ramp up the threat of terrorists. The President used a tried and tested ploy. Steve Bell of the Guardian created one of his masterly cartoons about the president's speech.©Steve Bell 2006The speech, however, failed to do the president much good. He has played that card so often that it is beginning to lose its power.Former President H.W. Bush miffed about attacks on son at Mrs King's funeral. Hah. Tunnel vision or what! When it comes to slander and dirty tricks, the Republicans wrote the book. (CBS) Former President George H.W. Bush has expressed dismay and anger at attacks on his son, President Bush, at the funeral for Coretta Scott King. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/a-cartoon-not-about-prophet-mohammed-but-our-eloquent-president/","summary":"It was time to ramp up the threat of terrorists. The President used a tried and tested  ploy. Steve Bell of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,,1706884,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e created one of his masterly cartoons about the president's speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"10.02.2006: Steve Bell on the alleged al-Qaida plot in Los Angeles\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/02/stevebell10a.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e©Steve Bell 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe speech, however, failed to do the president much good. He has played that card so often that it is beginning to lose its power.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFormer President H.W. Bush miffed about attacks on son at Mrs King's funeral. Hah. Tunnel vision or what! When it comes to slander and dirty tricks, the Republicans wrote the book. \u003cb\u003e(CBS) \u003c/b\u003eFormer \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/10/politics/main1303595.shtml\"\u003ePresident George H.W. Bush\u003c/a\u003e has expressed dismay and anger at attacks on his son, President Bush, at the funeral for Coretta Scott King. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Cartoon, Not about Prophet Mohammed but our eloquent President"},{"content":" Addicts and Pushers, Part II * The Freedom Fries Gang*We have been hearing and reading a lot about \"reform\" in Congress as we know it. Elected legislators, especially Republicans, are concerned about the impact of scandals on the mid-term elections. They are making appropriate noises and putting up the usual dog and pony shows which they are adept at doing. But meaningful reform? Forget it. Not going to happen. Read what Newsweek has to say about the newly elected majority leader. \"Only in Washington could an old pro like Boehner, an eight-term congressman with close ties to Washington's K Street lobbying culture, be seen as the fresh face of reform. Boehner's ever-present George Hamilton tan gives him the look of a man forever coming back from vacation. He does get around: over the years, he has made the most of controversial rules allowing members to accept free trips to luxury retreats around the world. Since 2000, Boehner has taken more than $150,000 worth of junkets paid for by private interests—ranking him in the top 10 of all members of Congress.\"The lawmakers have become addicted to freebies and the lobbyists are there to feed their habits. Changes, if any, are going to be cosmetic. Corruption is dead, no....long live corruption. The lawmakers will continue to chew, slurp and cut deals with those who pick up the tabs. The constituents can go pound salt. Remember, it is the same gang that gave us Freedom Fries. They spend their time occupied with important matters like fried potatoes and photo opportunities.\"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. \"--Kraus, Karl(1874-1936) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-new-face-of-reform-is-old-face-with-makeover/","summary":"Addicts and Pushers, Part II * The Freedom Fries Gang\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWe have been hearing and reading a lot about \"reform\" in Congress as we know it. Elected legislators, especially Republicans, are concerned about the impact of scandals on the mid-term elections. They are making appropriate noises and putting up the usual dog and pony shows which they are adept at doing. But meaningful reform? Forget it. Not going to happen. Read what \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11180108/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek \u003c/a\u003ehas to say about the newly elected majority leader.   \"Only in Washington could an old pro like Boehner, an eight-term congressman with close ties to Washington's K Street lobbying culture, be seen as the fresh face of reform. Boehner's ever-present George Hamilton tan gives him the look of a man forever coming back from vacation. He does get around: over the years, he has made the most of controversial rules allowing members to accept free trips to luxury retreats around the world. Since 2000, Boehner has taken more than $150,000 worth of junkets paid for by private interests—ranking him in the top 10 of all members of Congress.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe lawmakers have become addicted to freebies and the lobbyists are there to feed their habits. Changes, if any, are going to be cosmetic. Corruption is dead, no....long live corruption. The lawmakers will continue to chew, slurp and cut deals with those who pick up the tabs. The constituents can go pound salt. Remember, it is the same gang that gave us \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/11/sprj.irq.fries/\"\u003eFreedom Fries\u003c/a\u003e. They spend their time occupied with important matters like fried potatoes and photo opportunities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sqq\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. \"\u003cbr/\u003e--Kraus, Karl(1874-1936)\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The New Face of \"Reform\" Is Old Face With Makeover"},{"content":" * In some parts of the world it does not take much to incite violence. There are people blinded by faith who are too willing to be lead by mullahs or priests into the streets to burn or pillage when they perceive their faith to be under attack. Consider the current turmoil over the cartoons published in Jyllands-Posten in Denmark. Are there Christians, Hindus and Jews who would have been offended by caricature of their faith? Yes, certainly. Would they have gone on a rampage? That is questionable. Not that some among them would not have wanted to. Bigots exist among followers of all faiths but if they lived in a democratic society they would not have been permitted to cause the mayhem in which the Muslims are engaged in. Then there are others for whom it is an opportunity to vent their anger over issues that are unrelated to the offending cartoons. Griff Witte writes in the Washington Post: \"Furor over the caricatures of Islam's most revered figure may have triggered the wave of recent demonstrations among Muslims worldwide. But as the protests escalate, they are morphing into an opportunity for individuals, groups and governments to push agendas that often have little or nothing to do with defending Islam. Rallies ostensibly held for religious reasons have become chances to vent economic frustrations, settle local scores or gain political leverage.\"Rabble-rousers are making full use of communication technology to keep the flames alive. \"COPENHAGEN, Feb. 8 -- Mohammad Fouad Barazi, a prominent Muslim cleric here, received a text message on his cell phone last week. It was a mass mailing from an anonymous sender, he said, warning that Danish people were planning to burn the Koran that Saturday in Copenhagen's City Hall Square out of anger over Muslim demonstrations against Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/season-of-rabble-rousers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn some parts of the world it does not take much to incite violence. There are people blinded by faith who are too willing to be lead by mullahs or priests into the streets to burn or pillage when they perceive their faith to be under attack. Consider the current turmoil over the cartoons published in \u003ca href=\"http://www.jp.dk/meninger/artikel:aid=3527646/\"\u003eJyllands-Posten\u003c/a\u003e in Denmark. Are there Christians, Hindus and Jews who would have been offended by caricature of their faith? Yes, certainly. Would they have gone on a rampage? That is questionable. Not that some among them would not have wanted to. Bigots exist among followers of all faiths but if they lived in a democratic society they would not have been permitted to cause the mayhem in which the Muslims are engaged in. Then there are others for whom it is an opportunity to vent their anger over issues that are unrelated to the offending cartoons. Griff Witte writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802296.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Furor over the caricatures of Islam's most revered figure may have triggered the wave of recent demonstrations among Muslims worldwide. But as the protests escalate, they are morphing into an opportunity for individuals, groups and governments to push agendas that often have little or nothing to do with defending Islam. Rallies ostensibly held for religious reasons have become chances to vent economic frustrations, settle local scores or gain political leverage.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRabble-rousers are making full use of communication technology to keep the flames alive. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802293.html\"\u003eCOPENHAGEN\u003c/a\u003e, Feb. 8 -- Mohammad Fouad Barazi, a prominent Muslim cleric here, received a text message on his cell phone last week. It was a mass mailing from an anonymous sender, he said, warning that Danish people were planning to burn the Koran that Saturday in Copenhagen's City Hall Square out of anger over Muslim demonstrations against Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Season of Rabble-Rousers"},{"content":" Another day, another photo opportunity *The president, who during his first term never addressed the NAACP, went to Lithonia, GA, on February 7th to attend the funeral of Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Reports mentioned that he went to mend fences with the black community. Whatever the reason, his absence would have been glaring and so he was there and took his place among former presidents, H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. The president's speech was received with polite applause. \"The Rev. Joseph Lowery, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, drew a standing ovation when he criticized the war in Iraq, saying, 'There were no weapons of mass destruction over there.' 'For war, billions more, but no more for the poor,' Lowery added as Bush sat behind him on the speaker's platform.\"Former president Jimmy Carter, who has been critical of Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program, pointed out that King and her husband, the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., were targets of a \"secret government surveillance\" at the height of the civil rights movement.There are no longer any questions about President Bush's beliefs and priorities. Lithonia was yesterday. Now it is back to Washington and business as usual. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/weapons-of-misdirection/","summary":"Another day, another photo opportunity \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president, who during his first term never addressed the NAACP, went to Lithonia, GA, on February 7th to attend the funeral of Mrs. Coretta Scott King.  Reports mentioned that he went to mend fences with the black community.  Whatever the reason, his absence would have been glaring and so he was there and took his place among former presidents, H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. The president's speech was received with polite applause.  \"The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/07/AR2006020701734.html\"\u003eRev. Joseph Lowery\u003c/a\u003e, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, drew a standing ovation when he criticized the war in Iraq, saying, 'There were no weapons of mass destruction over there.' 'For war, billions more, but no more for the poor,' Lowery added as Bush sat behind him on the speaker's platform.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFormer president \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/07/AR2006020701734.html\"\u003eJimmy Carter\u003c/a\u003e, who has been critical of Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program, pointed out that King and her husband, the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., were targets of a \"secret government surveillance\" at the height of the civil rights movement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are no longer any questions about President Bush's beliefs and priorities.  Lithonia was yesterday. Now it is back to Washington and business as usual.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"\"Weapons of misdirection\""},{"content":" *The Newsweek cover story about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran makes interesting reading. One can understand that the UN and super powers are distrustful of his statement that \"he does not want nuclear weapons\". The nations known to possess nuclear weapons are: USA, UK, Russia (former USSR), France, China, India, and Pakistan. Pakistan was actively involved in exporting nuclear technology to rogue nations, including Iran, Libya, and N. Korea, but it is now one of our allies in the war against terror; all past sins forgiven. The US readily accepted Pakistan's explanation that it was Dr. A.Q. Khan, head of the nuclear weapons program, who single-handedly carried out the technology exports ! For some mysterious reasons possession of nuclear weapons by Israel is not mentioned by members of the nuclear club. Israel is, unofficially, a member. Wink wink, nod nod. It is the old \"my enemy's enemy is my friend\" kind of thing. So, can Ahmadinejad be trusted ? Perhaps not but he is not the only fanatic currently in power as head of a state. There are many others. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-nuclear-club-and-iran/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11182457/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek \u003c/a\u003ecover story about \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11182457/site/newsweek/\"\u003eMahmoud Ahmadinejad\u003c/a\u003e of Iran makes interesting reading. One can understand that the UN and super powers are distrustful of his statement that \"he does not want nuclear weapons\".  The nations known to possess nuclear weapons are: USA, UK, Russia (former USSR), France, China, India, and Pakistan.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0202/p25s01-wosc.html\"\u003ePakistan\u003c/a\u003e  was actively involved in  exporting nuclear technology to  rogue nations, including Iran, Libya, and N. Korea,  but it is now one of our allies in the war against terror; all past sins forgiven.  The US readily accepted Pakistan's explanation that it was Dr. A.Q. Khan, head of the nuclear weapons program, who single-handedly carried out the technology exports ! For some mysterious reasons possession of nuclear weapons by \u003ca href=\"http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/\"\u003eIsrael\u003c/a\u003e is not mentioned by members of the nuclear club.  Israel is, unofficially, a member.  Wink wink, nod nod. It is the old \"my enemy's enemy is my friend\" kind of thing.  So, can Ahmadinejad be trusted ?  Perhaps not but he is not the only fanatic  currently in power as head of a state. There are many others.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Nuclear Club and Iran"},{"content":" *Amazing, the turmoil in the Islamic world about the cartoons that first appeared in Jyllands Posten, Denmark, in September 2005. What do we know about the press in predominantly Muslim nations and its treatment of other people's faiths ? How does it deal with Christians, Jews, Hindus ? The Muslims don't have to look at cartoons that depict the prophet; they can stop buying the publications; they can stop advertising in them. But what they are doing and demanding cannot and must not be condoned. Burning of embassies will not advance their cause. European governments should not surrender to frenzied mobs. Censorship, whether mandated or self-imposed, is a slippery slope.Martin Rowson's cartoon in today's Guardian, UK, is very telling. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/cartoons-are-cartoons/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAmazing, the turmoil in the Islamic world about the cartoons that first appeared in \u003ca href=\"http://www.jp.dk/\"\u003eJyllands Posten\u003c/a\u003e, Denmark, in September 2005.  What do we know about the press in predominantly Muslim nations and its treatment of other people's faiths ?  How does it deal with Christians, Jews, Hindus ?  The Muslims don't have to look at cartoons that depict the prophet; they can stop buying the publications; they can stop advertising in them.  But what they are doing and demanding cannot and must not be condoned. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/06/AR2006020600442.html\"\u003eBurning of embassies\u003c/a\u003e will not advance their cause.  European governments should not surrender to frenzied mobs. Censorship, whether mandated or self-imposed, is a slippery slope.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/martinrowson/0,,1703304,00.html\"\u003eMartin Rowson's cartoon\u003c/a\u003e in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/martinrowson/0,,1703304,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e, UK, is very telling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Cartoons Are Cartoons"},{"content":" Where are the film makers ?*\"America's wars do not happen just to Americans.\" The Guardian, UK, published an item that caught my attention. Richard Williams wrote mainly about the film Loin du Viêt-Nam (Far from Vietnam) recently released in London. He mentioned Sam Mendes' film Jarhead (2005), about the first Gulf war and \".....how muted the opposition to the present war in Iraq has been, by comparison with the chorus of anger that eventually helped to undermine the American government's belligerence\". Very true. There is no dearth of talent, and there is strong feeling among millions of people in America and abroad about the unjustified war against Iraq. Yet there has not been any notable film about the war. There is need for movies that depict the horrors, the grief of families who have suffered directly and indirectly from this war both here in the United States and in Iraq. Members of the \"Coalition\" were conned, bullied or paid to support the war. The hoax called \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\" and its costs must be exposed, and movies can have greater impact on people than reports in print media and on television. The numbers as of February 2nd: U.S. Soldiers - dead 2249 Injured 7683; Iraqi civilians - dead 28293 (Min.) 31900 (Max). Financial cost - $440 billion and climbing. The Bush and Blair cabal foisted this war on us in 2003 and are still merrily continuing with the lies.Notable anti war films All available on video although you might not find them in the neighborhood outlet. The list includes foreign films with sub-titles.All Quiet On The Western Front (1930), perhaps the greatest of all anti-war movies.The Road to Glory (1936)La Grande Illusion (1937), FrenchRules of the Game (1939), FrenchGreat Dictator (1940)The Men (1950)The Burmese Harp (1956), JapaneseMash (1970)The Boys in Company \"C\" (1970)Slaughterhouse Five (1972)Go Tell The Spartans (1978)The Deer Hunter (1978)Apocalypse Now (1979)The Killing Fields (1984)Platoon (1986)Full Metal Jacket (1987)Black Rain (1989), Japanese, not the American movie with Michael DouglasLife and Nothing But (1989), FrenchBorn on the Fourth of July (1989)Jacobs Ladder (1990)The Quiet American (2002)*War is not good for children or other living things.---Vietnam era anti-war slogan ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/needed-movies-about-war-in-iraq/","summary":"Where are the film makers ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"America's wars do not happen just to Americans.\" \u003ca href=\"http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1686378,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, UK, published an item that caught my attention. Richard Williams wrote mainly about the film \u003ca href=\"http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1686378,00.html\"\u003eLoin du Viêt-Nam\u003c/a\u003e (Far from Vietnam) recently released in London.  He mentioned Sam Mendes'  film  \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/\"\u003eJarhead \u003c/a\u003e(2005), about the first Gulf war and  \".....how muted the opposition to the present war in Iraq has been, by comparison with the chorus of anger that eventually helped to undermine the American government's belligerence\".  Very true. There is no dearth of talent, and there is strong feeling among millions of people in America and abroad about the unjustified war against Iraq. Yet there has not been any notable film about the war. There is need for movies that depict the horrors, the grief of families who have suffered directly and indirectly from this war both here in the United States and in Iraq. Members of the \"Coalition\" were conned, bullied or paid to support the war. The hoax called \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\" and its costs must be exposed, and movies can have greater impact on people than reports in print media and on television. The numbers as of February 2nd:  U.S. Soldiers - dead 2249 Injured 7683; Iraqi civilians - dead 28293 (Min.) 31900 (Max).  Financial cost - \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/budget_emergency_spending_12\"\u003e$440 billion\u003c/a\u003e and climbing.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1701214,00.html\"\u003eBush and Blair  \u003c/a\u003ecabal foisted this war on us in 2003 and are still merrily continuing with the lies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNotable anti war films \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll available on video although you might not find them in the neighborhood outlet. The list includes foreign films with sub-titles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll Quiet On The Western Front (1930), perhaps the greatest of all anti-war movies.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Road to Glory (1936)\u003cbr/\u003eLa Grande Illusion (1937), French\u003cbr/\u003eRules of the Game (1939), French\u003cbr/\u003eGreat Dictator (1940)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Men (1950)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Burmese Harp (1956), Japanese\u003cbr/\u003eMash (1970)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Boys in Company \"C\" (1970)\u003cbr/\u003eSlaughterhouse Five (1972)\u003cbr/\u003eGo Tell The Spartans (1978)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Deer Hunter (1978)\u003cbr/\u003eApocalypse Now (1979)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Killing Fields (1984)\u003cbr/\u003ePlatoon (1986)\u003cbr/\u003eFull Metal Jacket (1987)\u003cbr/\u003eBlack Rain (1989), Japanese, not the American movie with Michael Douglas\u003cbr/\u003eLife and Nothing But (1989), French\u003cbr/\u003eBorn on the Fourth of July (1989)\u003cbr/\u003eJacobs Ladder (1990)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Quiet American (2002)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWar is not good for children or other living things.\u003cbr/\u003e---Vietnam era anti-war slogan\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Needed, Movies About  War In Iraq"},{"content":" *The Spring solstice is 45 days away. Overcast sky and occasional showers continue to remind us that we are in winter. But there are signs of spring all around us. Daffodils and crocus are blooming in my pocket-size front yard. Freesias have started to bud; sweet pea vines are climbing the frames; nasturtiums are spreading. And cherry trees already bursting out with blossoms all over the neighborhood. So, cloudy sky notwithstanding, nature is doing its thing to tell us about the change ahead.Daffodils ©MusafirCrocus © starfish75, Stock.XchngWhat I'm going to miss are the chanterelles. It has been a very bountiful season. Every time my friends and I went foraging we came back with bags full of them. Delicious in soup, risotto, and just sauteed with chives and eaten with toasted French bread. Even tried my hand at making a custard and it turned out great. A glass of sauvignon blanc and life is sweet. Santé. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-seasons---signs-of-spring/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Spring solstice is 45 days away.  Overcast sky and occasional showers continue to remind us that we are in winter.  But there are signs  of spring all around us.  Daffodils and crocus are blooming in my pocket-size front yard. Freesias  have started to bud; sweet  pea vines are climbing the frames; nasturtiums are spreading.  And cherry trees already bursting out with blossoms all over the neighborhood.  So, cloudy sky notwithstanding, nature is doing its thing to tell us about the change ahead.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/02/Daffodils.0.jpg\"/\u003eDaffodils ©Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/02/Crocus.jpg\"/\u003eCrocus © starfish75, Stock.Xchng\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat I'm going to miss are the chanterelles.  It has been a very bountiful season.  Every time my friends and I went foraging we came back with bags full of them.  Delicious in soup, risotto, and just sauteed with chives and eaten with toasted French bread.  Even tried my hand at making a custard and it turned out great. A glass of sauvignon blanc and life is sweet. Santé.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Seasons - Signs of Spring"},{"content":" *While Muslims all over the world are clamoring for reprisals against the artist and publications that printed cartoons about Prophet Mohammed, one of our own, Tom Toles of the Washington Post, received some flak over a cartoon published on Sunday January 29th. The drawing which depicted a wounded soldier and Secretary Rumsfeld, drew a letter to the Post from the Jt. Chiefs of Staff. Under a dictatorship or a theocracy the consequence could have been dire.WASHINGTON -- Military leaders angrily denounced as \"beyond tasteless\" a Washington Post editorial cartoon featuring a likeness of a severely wounded soldier and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld as an attending doctor who says, \"I'm listing your condition as `battle hardened.'\"The cartoon by Tom Toles.On a lighter vein, check out the Toles' cartoon in today's Post.*More deaths in IraqIn other news, we lost six soldiers in Iraq in the first two days of February and we (our smart bombs) killed a few more innocent Iraqi civilians. BBC:In Sadr City, the father of Ikhlas Abd al-Hussein said his 20-year-old daughter had been killed when the helicopter fired a missile at her house, blasting a hole through the roof.Abd al-Hussein Shanuf said another woman and a two-year-old child had also been injured. One report attributed to a US spokesman said four people had been killed in the air strike. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/cartoonists-under-fire---off-with-their-heads/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile Muslims all over the world are clamoring for reprisals against the artist and publications that printed cartoons about Prophet Mohammed, one of our own, Tom Toles of the Washington Post, received some flak over a cartoon published on Sunday January 29th.  The drawing which depicted a wounded soldier and Secretary Rumsfeld, drew a letter to the Post from the Jt. Chiefs of Staff.  Under a dictatorship or a theocracy the consequence could have been dire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWASHINGTON -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020201814.html\"\u003eMilitary leaders\u003c/a\u003e angrily denounced as \"beyond tasteless\" a Washington Post editorial cartoon featuring a likeness of a severely wounded soldier and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld as an attending doctor who says, \"I'm listing your condition as `battle hardened.'\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe cartoon by Tom Toles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/02/Toles II Sunday.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn a lighter vein, check out the Toles' cartoon in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html\"\u003ePost.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore deaths in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003eIn other news, we lost six soldiers in Iraq in the first two days of February and we (our smart bombs) killed a few more innocent Iraqi civilians. \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/4674172.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn Sadr City, the father of Ikhlas Abd al-Hussein said his 20-year-old daughter had been killed when the helicopter fired a missile at her house, blasting a hole through the roof.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAbd al-Hussein Shanuf said another woman and a two-year-old child had also been injured. \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eOne report attributed to a US spokesman said four people had been killed in the air strike.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Cartoonists Under Fire - Off with their heads"},{"content":" *The management of the Norwegian publication Magazinet had no inkling of the firestorm that would result from twelve cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Currently, Muslims all over the world are issuing threats to all Europeans; European products are being boycotted. It would be a pity if this ends in apology from Norwegians and other European nations. Cartoons are cartoons. That might be beyond the capacity of religious fanatics to comprehend, but giving in to them would be no different than surrendering to demands by hostage taking terrorists.The Guardian, UK, reported: More newspapers across Europe today reprinted the 12 cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that have sparked protests across the Middle East - although most refrained from publishing them on their websites.The fanatics exist not only among Muslims. Here in the United States, Christian fundamentalists probably salivate at the thought of wielding such power over the rest of us. It has not come to that....yet. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/the-islamic-world-up-in-arms-over-cartoons/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe management of the Norwegian publication Magazinet had no inkling of the firestorm that would result from twelve cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.  Currently, Muslims all over the world are issuing threats to all Europeans; European products are being boycotted.  It would be a pity if this ends in apology from Norwegians and other European nations. Cartoons are cartoons.  That might be beyond the capacity of religious fanatics to comprehend, but giving in to them would be no different than surrendering to demands by hostage taking terrorists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,1700733,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, UK, reported: More newspapers across Europe today reprinted the 12 cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that have sparked protests across the Middle East - although most refrained from publishing them on their websites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe fanatics exist not only among Muslims.  Here in the United States, Christian fundamentalists probably salivate at the thought of wielding such power over the rest of us.  It has not come to that....yet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Islamic World Up In Arms Over Cartoons"},{"content":" *Business as usual. \"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil\". That explains the Republican lawmakers now in the process of electing a new majority leader to replace the scandal-plagued Tom DeLay. Roy Blunt (MO), who was DeLay's deputy, is the frontrunner. Blunt's wife and daughter are reported to be lobbyists ! \"Just two weeks after House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) pledged to pass far-reaching changes to the rules of lobbying on Capitol Hill, House Republican members pushed back hard against those proposals yesterday, charging that their leaders are overreacting to a growing corruption scandal. \"*Insanity Fair -\"Poor, Elderly and Students to Feel Pinch (Washington Post).The same lawmakers passed largely symbolic budget cuts without touching the president's tax cuts. \"The House yesterday narrowly approved a contentious budget-cutting package that would save nearly $40 billion over five years by imposing substantial changes on programs including Medicaid, welfare, child support and student lending.\"Let me see: four times five is twelve, and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is -- oh dear! I shall never get to twenty at that rate!\" (Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/house-republicans---second-thoughts-about-reform/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBusiness as usual.  \"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil\".  That explains the Republican lawmakers now in the process of electing a new  majority leader to replace the scandal-plagued Tom DeLay. \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060202/pl_afp/uspoliticscongress_060202154349;_ylt=Al1nVZfyHBKQ2XWVP8x5wsSGbToC;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl\"\u003eRoy Blunt\u003c/a\u003e (MO), who was DeLay's deputy, is the frontrunner. Blunt's wife and daughter are reported to be lobbyists !  \"Just two weeks after House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) pledged to pass far-reaching changes to the rules of lobbying on Capitol Hill, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/01/AR2006020102374.html\"\u003eHouse Republican members\u003c/a\u003e pushed back hard against those proposals yesterday, charging that their leaders are overreacting to a growing corruption scandal. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInsanity Fair -\"Poor, Elderly and Students to Feel Pinch (\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/01/AR2006020100329.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe same lawmakers passed largely symbolic \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/01/AR2006020100329.html\"\u003ebudget cuts\u003c/a\u003e without touching the president's tax cuts. \"The House yesterday narrowly approved a contentious budget-cutting package that would save nearly $40 billion over five years by imposing substantial changes on programs including Medicaid, welfare, child support and student lending.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Let me see: four times five is twelve, and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is -- oh dear! I shall never get to twenty at that rate!\" (Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"House Republicans - Second Thoughts About Reform"},{"content":" What goes up must come down*There is certainly some anxiety, if not panic among those holding GOOG. Those who bought the stock early after it was launched in August 2004 have made enormous gains and have nothing to cry about except that its meteoric rise might not continue. David Vise in the Washington Post: \"Google quarterly profit nearly doubled Tuesday, but fell well below analysts' high expectations, leading to steep losses in its stock price in early after-hours trading, perhaps demonstrating that even Google stock can't defy gravity forever.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/02/panic-in-google-land/","summary":"What goes up must come down\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is certainly some anxiety, if not panic among those holding \u003ca href=\"http://finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=GOOG\u0026amp;a=7\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;b=19\u0026amp;c=2004\u0026amp;d=1\u0026amp;e=1\u0026amp;f=2006\u0026amp;g=d\u0026amp;z=66\u0026amp;y=330\"\u003eGOOG\u003c/a\u003e.  Those who bought the stock early after it was launched in August 2004 have made enormous gains and have nothing to cry about except that its meteoric rise might not continue. David Vise in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/01/31/DI2006013101119.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Google quarterly profit \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/31/AR2006013100987.html\"\u003enearly doubled\u003c/a\u003e Tuesday, but fell well below analysts' high expectations, leading to steep losses in its stock price in early after-hours trading, perhaps demonstrating that even Google stock can't defy gravity forever.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Panic in Google Land"},{"content":" More Bushspeak * Pomp and Circumstances * E-mail from a friend quoted a message received by him: \"This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day. It is an ironic juxtaposition: One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a groundhog.\"62 soldiers have lost their lives in January. The list does not include soldiers whose deaths have not yet been confirmed by the DOD. The number is lower than last month's and last January's. That is a good sign. The dead are only a part of the picture. 39 of them were in their twenties; Private First Class Peter D. Wagler of Partridge, Kansas, was 18 years old when he died on January 23rd ! What a sad list of names. Then there are the injured--7659 reported by Iraq Coalition Casualties.org The President, who managed to stay away from Vietnam, is going to blather this evening about their sacrifice, the smirk never far. As long as the families of the dead and injured soldiers continue to support him he will get away with it. There will be members of Congress bobbing up and down like marionettes to applaud him. The President will not mention 35 year old Douglas A. Barber, a Iraq war veteran who couldn't cope with post traumatic stress disorder and shot himself to death on January 16th. I hope that history will harshly judge those who took us into this senseless war.His poll numbers continue to be low. He says he does not pay attention to polls but few believe that. Privatization of Social Security is down the tube; even some of his staunch supporters are concerned about the mounting budget deficit; the Abramoff scandal is casting a shadow on Republican members of Congress; Patrick Fitzgerald still following the Valerie Plame leak enquiry; and Medicare Part 'D\",the Prescription Drug Plan, is a disaster for those who need it most. State of the Union is far from rosy. So, expect full scale smoke and mirrors. On the plus side, the president's conservative Christian supporters are delighted that Samuel Alito has become the newest member of the Supreme Court.Jason Lee Bishop, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 01, 2006 Christopher J. Vanderhorn, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 01, 2006 William F. Hecker III, 37, Army Major, Jan 05, 2006 Jason Lopezreyes, 29, Army Sergeant, Jan 05, 2006 Robbie M. Mariano, 21, Army Private, Jan 05, 2006 Johnny J. Peralez Jr., 25, Army Sergeant, Jan 05, 2006 Christopher P. Petty, 33, Army Captain, Jan 05, 2006 Ryan D. Walker, 25, Army Specialist, Jan 05, 2006 Stephen J. White, 39, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 05, 2006 Michael E. McLaughlin, 44, Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel, Jan 05, 2006 Adam Leigh Cann, 23, Marine Sergeant, Jan 05, 2006 Albert Pasquale Gettings, 27, Marine Corporal, Jan 05, 2006 Ryan S. McCurdy, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 05, 2006 Radhames Camilomatos, 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 07, 2006 Joseph D. deMoors, 36, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jan 07, 2006 Douglas A. LaBouff, 36, Army Major, Jan 07, 2006 Michael R. Martinez, 43, Army Major, Jan 07, 2006 Clinton R. Upchurch, 31, Army Specialist, Jan 07, 2006 Jaime L. Campbell, 25, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Jan 07, 2006 Michael I. Edwards, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 07, 2006 Jacob E. Melson, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 07, 2006 Chester W. Troxel, 45, Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jan 07, 2006 Stuart M. Anderson, 44, Army Reserve Major, Jan 07, 2006 Nathan R. Field, 23, Army Reserve Sergeant, Jan 07, 2006 Robert T. Johnson, 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Jan 07, 2006 Darren D. Braswell, 36, Dept. of Defense Civilian, Jan 07, 2006 Kyle W. Brown, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 07, 2006 Jeriad P. Jacobs, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 07, 2006 Jason T. Little, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 07, 2006 Brett L. Lundstrom, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 07, 2006 Raul Mercado, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 07, 2006 Michael Joseph McMullen, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 10, 2006 Mitchell K. Carver Jr., 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3, Jan 13, 2006 Kyle E. Jackson, 28, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2, Jan 13, 2006 Jonathan Kyle Price, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 13, 2006 Michael Anthony Jordan, 35, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Jan 13, 2006 Justin J. Watts, 20, Marine Corporal, Jan 14, 2006 Kasper Allen Dudkiewicz, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 15, 2006 Dustin L. Kendall, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 15, 2006 Ruel M. Garcia, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2, Jan 16, 2006 Rex C. Kenyon, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3, Jan 16, 2006 Adam R. Shepherd, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 17, 2006 Dennis J. Flanagan, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 20, 2006 Matthew C. Frantz, 23, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2006 Rickey Scott, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 20, 2006 Katherine Patricia Singleton, 0, Army Not reported yet, Jan 20, 2006 Clifton J. Yazzie, 23, Army Specialist, Jan 20, 2006 Carlos Arrelano Pandura, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 20, 2006 Brandon Christopher Dewey, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 20, 2006 Brian McElroy, 28, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Jan 22, 2006 Jason L. Norton, 32, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Jan 22, 2006 Lance M. Chase, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 23, 2006 Matthew D. Hunter, 31, Army Sergeant, Jan 23, 2006 Peter D. Wagler, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 23, 2006 Lewis T. D. Calapini, 21, Marine Private, Jan 23, 2006 Joshua A. Scott, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 23, 2006 Sean H. Miles, 28, Marine Sergeant, Jan 24, 2006 Jerry M. Durbin Jr., 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 25, 2006 Joshua Allen Johnson, 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 25, 2006 David L. Herrera, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 28, 2006 Brian J. Schoff, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 28, 2006 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/iraq-the-dead-of-january-2006---president-and-punxsutawney-phil/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e More Bushspeak * Pomp and Circumstances\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e E-mail from a friend quoted a message received by him: \"This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on\u003cspan class=\"885204921-30012006\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003ethe same day.  It is an ironic juxtaposition: One involves a meaningless ritual  in\u003cspan class=\"885204921-30012006\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003ewhich we look to a creature of little  intelligence for prognostication,\u003cspan class=\"885204921-30012006\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003eand the  other involves a groundhog.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e62 soldiers have lost their lives in January. The list does not include soldiers whose deaths have not yet been confirmed by the DOD. The number is lower than last month's and last January's. That is a good sign. The dead are only a part of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html\"\u003epicture\u003c/a\u003e. 39 of them were in their twenties; \u003ca href=\"http://www.nbcactionnews.com/kshb/nw_local_news/article/0,1925,KSHB_9424_4417271,00.html\"\u003ePrivate First Class Peter D. Wagler\u003c/a\u003e    of Partridge, Kansas, was 18 years old when he died on January 23rd !  What a sad list of names.  Then there are the injured--7659 reported by \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e The President, who managed to stay away from Vietnam,  is going to blather this evening about their sacrifice, the smirk never far. As long as the families of the dead and injured soldiers continue to support him he will get away with it. There will be members of Congress bobbing up and down like marionettes to applaud him. The President will not mention 35 year old \u003ca href=\"http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/APN/601260967\u0026amp;cachetime=5\"\u003eDouglas A. Barber\u003c/a\u003e, a Iraq war veteran who couldn't cope with post traumatic stress disorder and shot himself to death on January 16th. I hope that history will harshly judge those who took us into this senseless war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHis poll numbers continue to be low. He says he does not pay attention to polls but few believe that. Privatization of Social Security is down the tube; even some of his staunch supporters are concerned about the mounting budget deficit; the Abramoff scandal is casting a shadow on Republican members of Congress; Patrick Fitzgerald still following the Valerie Plame leak enquiry; and Medicare Part 'D\",the Prescription Drug Plan, is a disaster for those who need it most. State of the Union is far from rosy. So, expect full scale smoke and mirrors. On the plus side, the president's conservative Christian supporters are delighted that Samuel Alito has become the newest member of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/31/AR2006013100354.html\"\u003eSupreme Court\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/Helmet.jpg\"/\u003eJason Lee Bishop,  31, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Vanderhorn,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 01, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William F. Hecker III,  37, Army  Major,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason Lopezreyes,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robbie M. Mariano,  21, Army  Private,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Johnny J. Peralez Jr.,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher P. Petty,  33, Army  Captain,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan D. Walker,  25, Army  Specialist,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen J. White,  39, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael E. McLaughlin,  44, Army National Guard  Lieutenant Colonel,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam Leigh Cann,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Albert Pasquale Gettings,  27, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan S. McCurdy,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 05, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Radhames Camilomatos,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph D. deMoors,  36, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Douglas A. LaBouff,  36, Army  Major,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael R. Martinez,  43, Army  Major,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clinton R. Upchurch,  31, Army  Specialist,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jaime L. Campbell,  25, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael I. Edwards,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob E. Melson,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chester W. Troxel,  45, Army National Guard  Chief Warrant Officer 4,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stuart M. Anderson,  44, Army Reserve  Major,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan R. Field,  23, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert T. Johnson,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darren D. Braswell,  36, Dept. of Defense  Civilian,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle W. Brown,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeriad P. Jacobs,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason T. Little,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brett L. Lundstrom,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raul Mercado,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 07, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Joseph McMullen,  25, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 10, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mitchell K. Carver Jr.,  31, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 3,   Jan 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle E. Jackson,  28, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 2,   Jan 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Kyle Price,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Anthony Jordan,  35, Navy  Petty Officer 1st Class,   Jan 13, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin J. Watts,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 14, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kasper Allen Dudkiewicz,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin L. Kendall,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jan 15, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ruel M. Garcia,  34, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 2,   Jan 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rex C. Kenyon,  34, Army  Chief Warrant Officer 3,   Jan 16, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam R. Shepherd,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 17, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis J. Flanagan,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew C. Frantz,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rickey Scott,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Katherine Patricia Singleton,  0, Army  Not reported yet,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clifton J. Yazzie,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carlos Arrelano Pandura,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Christopher Dewey,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 20, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian McElroy,  28, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Norton,  32, Air Force  Technical Sergeant,   Jan 22, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lance M. Chase,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew D. Hunter,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Peter D. Wagler,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lewis T. D. Calapini,  21, Marine  Private,   Jan 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua A. Scott,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 23, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean H. Miles,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jerry M. Durbin Jr.,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                         Joshua Allen Johnson,  24, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 25, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Herrera,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 28, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                         Brian J. Schoff,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 28, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Iraq, The Dead of January 2006 - President and Punxsutawney Phil"},{"content":" Chickens come home to roost*What goes around comes around. Time for Republican lawmakers to answer for what they have been doing since gaining control of both houses of Congress. They acted like they were invincible and could get away with openly pandering to those who contributed to their campaign chests, wined and dined them,offered free trips to play golf and skyboxes at ball games. For them there was no tomorrow, and to heck with constituents. The situation has changed. The Washington Post reports \"In eight concise paragraphs, two moderate and two conservative House Republicans put into writing last week what they say many of their colleagues quietly fear: the GOP's plunging poll numbers, rising public support for a Congress controlled by Democrats and the increasing belief among voters that the Republican Party is corrupt.\"So, there is panic among the Republicans. Serves them right. Lawmakers on the take,however, are not a rarity among Democrats. Let's hope that they will remember what is happening to the members across the aisle. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/corrupt-republicans-what-happened-to-the-champions-of-moral-values/","summary":"Chickens come home to roost\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhat goes around comes around.  Time for Republican lawmakers to answer for what they have been doing since gaining control of both houses of Congress.  They acted like they were invincible and could get away with openly pandering to those who contributed to their campaign chests, wined and dined them,offered free trips to play golf and skyboxes at ball games.  For them there was no tomorrow, and to heck with constituents.  The situation has changed.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/29/AR2006012900779.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reports \"In eight concise paragraphs, two moderate and two conservative House Republicans put into writing last week what they say many of their colleagues quietly fear: the GOP's plunging poll numbers, rising public support for a Congress controlled by Democrats and the increasing belief among voters that the Republican Party is corrupt.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSo, there is panic among the Republicans.  Serves them right.  Lawmakers on the take,however, are not a rarity among Democrats.  Let's hope that they will remember what is happening to the members across the aisle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Corrupt Republicans !  What Happened to the Champions of Moral Values ?"},{"content":" A Classic of our Times*The Ginger Man. I read it when I lived in India, read it again during a vacation in the west of Ireland, and just finished reading the book for the third time. Enjoyed every page. His first novel, Donleavy took years to complete it and had difficulty finding a publisher because of fear of backlash from the Catholic Church. Ribald, poignant, and scathing in its portrayal of the Catholics in Ireland, the book was published in 1955 by Olympia Press in Paris. Later, Donleavy decided to disassociate himself from Olympia Press due to its fame as a publisher of pornography. The book did cause a lot of controversy in and outside Ireland. It is on my list of ten books to take if I am banished to a deserted island.Sebastian Dangerfield, Kenneth O'Keefe, Miss Frost, Percy Clocklan, Macdoon--unforgettable characters, all.*\"Relax, Miss Frost.\"\"I didn't want to do this. I know I didn't want to.\"\"Yes, you did.\"\"I didn't, please, didn't.\"Miss Frost turned away on her side, her body choked and sobbing.\"Miss Frost, God is all merciful.\"\"But it's a mortal sin which I have to confess to the priest and it's adultery as well.\"\"Please now, Miss Frost. Take hold of yourself. This won't do any good.\"\"It's adultery.\"\"One mortal sin is the same as another.\"\"I'm damned. It isn't.\"\"Do you want me to go?\"\"Don't leave me alone.\"\"Don't cry. God's not going to condemn you. You're a good person. God's only after people who are out and out bastards, habitual sinners. You must be sensible.\"\"I'll have to give your name.\"\"You what ?\"\"Your name. I'll have to tell it to the priest.\"\"What makes you think that ? Nonsense.\"\"He'll ask me.\"\"Not at all.\"\"He will. And they'll send the priest to my mother.\"\"Ridiculous. The priest's only there to forgive you your sins.\"\"No.\"\"Miss Frost, you've done this before.\"\"Yes.\"\"And they sent the priest to your mother?\"\"Yes.\"\"And they asked the name of the man?\"\"Yes.\"*Joseph Patrick Donleavy was born in New York in 1926. He went to Dublin to study at Trinity College and currently lives in a mansion called Levington Park, County Westmeath, near Mullingar, about 50 miles from Dublin. His works include A Singular Man, The Destinies of Darcy Dancer, Gentleman; The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B, and Fairy Tales of New York.Upon being old ...\"It's not nice but take comfort that you won't stay that way forever.\"J.P. Donleavy (from The Unexpurgated Code.)..Ireland today is quite different than the one in which Donleavy wrote The Ginger Man. One thing has not changed much though. The Catholic Church in Ireland continues to be the most repressive in Europe. Difficult to understand why the Irish allow the church to intrude so deeply into their personal lives. But there are signs of waning influence of the church.Trivia: According to a recent report, Johnny Depp will play the lead role in a movie based on The Ginger Man. Too bad that Maggie Smith and Deborah Kerr are both past the age to be considered for the part of Miss Frost.\"Lilly, why did you want me to do it this way?\" \"O, Mr. Dangerfield, it's so much less of a sin.\"AndFunToo.---The Ginger Man ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/jp-donleavys-the-ginger-man/","summary":"A Classic of our Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Ginger Man. I read it when I lived in India, read it again during a vacation in the west of Ireland, and just finished reading the book for the third time. Enjoyed every page. His first novel, Donleavy took years to complete it and had difficulty finding a publisher because of fear of backlash from the Catholic Church. Ribald, poignant, and scathing in its portrayal of the Catholics in Ireland, the book was published in 1955 by Olympia Press in Paris. Later, Donleavy decided to disassociate himself from Olympia Press due to its fame as a publisher of pornography. The book did cause a lot of controversy in and outside Ireland. It is on my list of ten books to take if I am banished to a deserted island.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSebastian Dangerfield, Kenneth O'Keefe, Miss Frost, Percy Clocklan, Macdoon--unforgettable characters, all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Relax, Miss Frost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"I didn't want to do this. I know I didn't want to.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes, you did.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"I didn't, please, didn't.\"\u003cbr/\u003eMiss Frost turned away on her side, her body choked and sobbing.\u003cbr/\u003e\"Miss Frost, God is all merciful.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"But it's a mortal sin which I have to confess to the priest and it's adultery as well.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Please now, Miss Frost. Take hold of yourself. This won't do any good.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's adultery.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"One mortal sin is the same as another.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm damned. It isn't.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Do you want me to go?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Don't leave me alone.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Don't cry. God's not going to condemn you. You're a good person. God's only after people who are out and out bastards, habitual sinners. You must be sensible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'll have to give your name.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"You what ?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Your name. I'll have to tell it to the priest.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"What makes you think that ? Nonsense.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"He'll ask me.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Not at all.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"He will. And they'll send the priest to my mother.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Ridiculous. The priest's only there to forgive you your sins.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"No.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Miss Frost, you've done this before.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"And they sent the priest to your mother?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Yes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"And they asked the name of the man?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://home.earthlink.net/%7Edlhartz/donleavy/jpd_bio.html\"\u003eJoseph Patrick Donleavy \u003c/a\u003ewas born in New York in 1926. He went to Dublin to study at Trinity College and currently lives in a mansion called Levington Park, County Westmeath, near Mullingar, about 50 miles from Dublin. His works include A Singular Man, The Destinies of Darcy Dancer, Gentleman; The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B, and Fairy Tales of New York.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUpon being old ...\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's not nice but take comfort that you won't stay that way  forever.\"\u003cbr/\u003eJ.P.  Donleavy (from The Unexpurgated Code.)..\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIreland today is quite different than the one in which Donleavy wrote The Ginger Man. One thing has not changed much though. The Catholic Church in Ireland continues to be the most repressive in Europe. Difficult to understand why the Irish allow the church to intrude so deeply into their personal lives. But there are signs of waning \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-ireland17apr17,0,5254747.story?coll=la-headlines-world\"\u003einfluence\u003c/a\u003e of the church.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrivia:  According to a recent report, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqid=11060-qqqx=1.asp\"\u003eJohnny Depp\u003c/a\u003e will play the lead role in a movie based on The Ginger Man.  Too bad that \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001749/\"\u003eMaggie Smith\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000039/\"\u003eDeborah Kerr\u003c/a\u003e are both past the age to be considered for the part of Miss Frost.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\"Lilly, why did you want me to do it this way?\"\u003c/center\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\"O, Mr. Dangerfield, it's so much less of a sin.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eAnd\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFun\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eToo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e---The Ginger Man\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"J.P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man"},{"content":" *Epliscopalians are considering nomination of the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall as a saint. \"Delegates to the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington will vote today on the proposal, the first step in a long process. If Marshall is added to the church's roster of saints, May 17 -- the date of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that segregated schools are unconstitutional -- would be observed as Marshall Feast Day.\"Don't know about being saintly, but from all accounts Justice Marshall was a good man. Wonder if this would set a trend. Are we going to see Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas nominated for sainthood ? G.W. Bush ? Holy mackerel ! Their supporters might find the idea worth pursuing.*The Lahore MarathonFurther to my post dated January 28th, stringent security measures prevented disruption of the event . The full marathon did not include women. Hundreds of women participated in a 10km (6.2 miles) mixed sex race. Bouquets to the Pakistani women. There was no mention of women runners in high heels or traditional garbs. \"There are ways of following religion and this is not the way to follow religion, by telling women to stay off roads or not be able to participate in what they feel they want to do--Amina Sheikh, a participant\"\"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints: Sinners are much more fun.\"---Billy Joel ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/saints-bigots-and-outright-fakes/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEpliscopalians are considering nomination of the late Supreme Court Justice \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012602084.html\"\u003eThurgood Marshall\u003c/a\u003e as a saint.   \"Delegates to the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington will vote today on the proposal, the first step in a long process. If Marshall is added to the church's roster of saints, May 17 -- the date of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that segregated schools are unconstitutional -- would be observed as Marshall Feast Day.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDon't know about being saintly, but from all accounts Justice Marshall was a good man. Wonder if this would set a trend. Are we going to see Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas nominated for sainthood ? G.W. Bush ? Holy mackerel ! Their supporters might find the idea worth pursuing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Lahore Marathon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFurther to my post dated January 28th, stringent security measures prevented disruption of the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4659332.stm\"\u003eevent\u003c/a\u003e . The full marathon did not include women. Hundreds of women participated in a 10km (6.2 miles) mixed sex race. Bouquets to the Pakistani women. There was no mention of women runners in high heels or traditional garbs. \"There are ways of following religion and this is not the way to follow religion, by telling women to stay off roads or not be able to participate in what they feel they want to do--Amina Sheikh, a participant\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints: Sinners are much more fun.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Billy Joel\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Saints, Bigots, and Outright Fakes"},{"content":" Can The Mullahs Stop the Tide ?*Strange world. The BBC reports that in Lahore, Pakistan, Islamic hardliners are up in arms because women runners are among those who have registered to participate in a marathon on Sunday, January 29th. \"We intend to put up peaceful resistance against the un-Islamic act of organising a mixed race, by making our presence felt all along the route Salman Butt,Protest leader. The six-party alliance of religious parties, the MMA, say they will go ahead with protests. \"It is against our cultural, social and religious norms,\" Liaquat Baluch of the MMA said.This is funny. \"In May women's rights activists defied the ban by holding a symbolic one kilometre 'mini-marathon' in Lahore. Women participants wore traditional dress, the salwar kameez, and some wore high heels rather than running shoes.\"One kilometre--that is 0.62 mile. Not enough to sweat and disturb the coiffures ! If Pakistani women take part dressed in Salwar-Kameez and high-heel shoes then the mullahs have nothing to worry. The women will not go far from the starting line. If they are serious about running a marathon and not taking part in a tamasha (show) then they should put on running gear, the mullahs be damned. As the Iraqi blogger says \"Ya Habeebi\". ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/marathoners-and-mullahs-in-lahore-pakistan/","summary":"Can The Mullahs Stop the Tide ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eStrange world.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4655572.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reports that in Lahore, Pakistan, Islamic hardliners are up in arms because women runners are among those who have registered to participate in a marathon on Sunday, January 29th. \"We intend to put up peaceful resistance against the un-Islamic act of organising a mixed race, by making our presence felt all along the route Salman Butt,Protest leader.  The six-party alliance of religious parties, the MMA, say they will go ahead with protests. \"It is against our cultural, social and religious norms,\" Liaquat Baluch of the MMA said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis is funny. \"In May women's rights activists defied the ban by holding a symbolic one kilometre 'mini-marathon' in Lahore. Women participants wore traditional dress, the salwar kameez, and some wore high heels rather than running shoes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOne kilometre--that is 0.62 mile.  Not enough to sweat and disturb the coiffures ! If Pakistani women take part dressed in Salwar-Kameez and high-heel shoes then the mullahs have nothing to worry.  The women will not go far from the starting line.  If they are serious about running a marathon and not taking part in a tamasha  (show) then they should put on running gear, the mullahs be damned. As the Iraqi blogger says \"Ya Habeebi\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Marathoners and Mullahs in Lahore, Pakistan"},{"content":" Still receiving applicants * Guns, violence and our youth*Read in Craig Unger's article in the December 2005 issue of Vanity Fair that \"According to a Time/CNN poll from 2002, 59 percent of Americans believe the events in the book of Revelation will take place. There are as many as 70 million Evangelicals in the U.S.—about 25 percent of the population—attending more than 200,000 evangelical churches. Most of these churches are run by pastors who belong to conservative political organizations that make sure their flocks vote as a hard-right Republican bloc.\" That means the rest of us (41%) will be \"left behind\".OK, I get the part about hard-right Republicans. The President is said to communicate with the almighty and Republicans have been busy bringing God into politics. It is hard to visualize the vengeful, intolerant God that they worship. Further into the article things become a little weird. One night, if you're awakened by a loud whooshing sound that would not be what the former presidential contender Ross Perot talked about. The sound would be of the Evangelicals being \"caught up\" -- swept up to heaven.Christ is going to appear,\" Frazier continues. \"He is going to call all of his saved, all of his children, home to be with him.\"In other words, \"in the twinkling of an eye,\" as the Rapturists often say, millions of born-again Evangelicals will suddenly vanish from the earth—just as they do in LaHaye's \"Left Behind\" books. They will leave behind their clothes, their material possessions, and all their friends and family members who have not accepted Christ—and they will join Christ in the Kingdom of God.Frazier continues. \"Jesus taught his disciples that he was going to go away to his father's house, but that he was not going to abandon them, because while he was gone he was going to prepare for them a suitable dwelling place.… And when the time was right, he would come back to claim his own.… Jesus is going to come and get his bride, which comprises all of us who are born again.Perhaps Unger's article would persuade some of you to join the rapture movement before it is too late. If you are a Republican you'd get preference. In others the article might produce a yawn. Just think, heaven reserved for evangelical, Born Again Christians only. A few well-known ones: G.W. Bush, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, John Ashcroft.Personally, I would be happy to see the Armageddon followers \"vanish from the earth\". I shall take my chances of being among the \"left behind\". Somehow the thought of spending eternity with a crowd of hard-right Republicans does not seem very appealing.*Boy Killed, Youth Charged,Washington PostMore: Gun Toting Delegate Misfires at Va. CapitolGuns are so lovely. Good for killing and for orgasms, maybe. Comments Brother D \u0026mdash; 2006-01-31 Yea, the bible talks about the members of the \"religious right\"\n2 Peter 2\nFalse Teachers and Their Destruction 1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/rapture---evangelicals-heaven-bound/","summary":"Still receiving applicants * Guns, violence and our youth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRead in Craig Unger's article in the December 2005 issue of \u003ca href=\"http://www.vanityfair.com/commentary/content/articles/051128roco02\"\u003eVanity Fair\u003c/a\u003e that \"According to a Time/CNN poll from 2002, 59 percent of Americans believe the events in the book of Revelation will take place. There are as many as 70 million Evangelicals in the U.S.—about 25 percent of the population—attending more than 200,000 evangelical churches. Most of these churches are run by pastors who belong to conservative political organizations that make sure their flocks vote as a hard-right Republican bloc.\"    That means the rest of us (41%) will be \"left behind\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOK, I get the part about hard-right Republicans. The President is said to communicate with the almighty and Republicans have been busy bringing God into politics.  It is hard to visualize the vengeful, intolerant God that they worship.  Further into the article things become a little weird.  One night, if you're awakened by a loud whooshing sound that would not be what the former presidential contender Ross Perot talked about. The sound would be of the Evangelicals being \"caught up\"  --  swept up to heaven.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eChrist is going to appear,\" Frazier continues. \"He is going to call all of his saved, all of his children, home to be with him.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn other words, \"in the twinkling of an eye,\" as the Rapturists often say, millions of born-again Evangelicals will suddenly vanish from the earth—just as they do in LaHaye's \"Left Behind\" books. They will leave behind their clothes, their material possessions, and all their friends and family members who have not accepted Christ—and they will join Christ in the Kingdom of God.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eFrazier continues. \"Jesus taught his disciples that he was going to go away to his father's house, but that he was not going to abandon them, because while he was gone he was going to prepare for them a suitable dwelling place.… And when the time was right, he would come back to claim his own.… Jesus is going to come and get his bride, which comprises all of us who are born again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePerhaps \u003ca href=\"http://www.vanityfair.com/commentary/content/articles/051128roco02\"\u003eUnger's article\u003c/a\u003e would persuade some of you to join the rapture movement before it is too late. If you are a Republican you'd get preference. In others the article might produce a yawn. Just think, heaven reserved for evangelical, Born Again Christians only.  A few well-known ones:  G.W. Bush, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, John Ashcroft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePersonally, I would be happy to see the Armageddon followers \"vanish from the earth\". I shall take my chances of being among the \"left behind\". Somehow the thought of spending eternity with a crowd of hard-right Republicans does not seem very appealing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBoy Killed, Youth Charged,\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012602187.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore: \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012601129.html\"\u003eGun Toting Delegate\u003c/a\u003e Misfires at Va. Capitol\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuns are so lovely. Good for killing and for orgasms, maybe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrother D\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYea, the bible talks about the members of the \"religious right\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2 Peter 2\u003cbr\u003eFalse Teachers and Their Destruction \u003cbr\u003e 1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Rapture - Evangelicals Heaven Bound"},{"content":" *Light rain is falling. The forecast is for showers the next four days. In recent weeks the forecasts for San Francisco Peninsula have been mostly accurate. I went out for a run last evening and saw clouds gathering over the foothills. For some odd reason, I thought of Victoria, BC. I was visiting British Columbia one summer many years ago. Strolling through downtown Victoria I found an empty bench across from a large department store and decided to spend some time people watching. Soon I had company. A man sat down next to me and said \"Good afternoon\". Looked like a street person but didn't hit me for a quarter. He didn't have a shopping cart full of personal belongings. You don't see them in Canada.....not yet. That might change as Stephen Harper begins Bushification of Canada. There was a coffee shop a few steps away. I bought two cups and offered my neighbor one. He smiled and lifted the paper cup. A few minutes later he stood up and said \"See the clouds over the Malahat ? It is going to rain.\" He disappeared among the crowd of shoppers. That evening the rains came.©Ian Britton http://www.freefoto.com/preview.jsp?id=15-45-10 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/rain-clouds-over-the-malahat/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLight rain is falling.   The forecast is for showers the next four days.  In recent weeks the forecasts for San Francisco Peninsula have been mostly accurate. I went out for a run last evening and saw clouds gathering over the foothills.  For some odd reason, I thought of Victoria, BC.  I was visiting British Columbia one summer many years ago.  Strolling through downtown Victoria I found an empty bench across from a large department store and decided to spend some time people watching.  Soon I had company.  A man sat down next to me and said \"Good afternoon\".  Looked like a street person but didn't hit me for a quarter.  He didn't have a shopping cart full of personal belongings. You don't see them in Canada.....not yet.  That might change as \u003ca href=\"http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2005/11/29/HarperBush/\"\u003eStephen Harper\u003c/a\u003e begins \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012501007.html\"\u003eBushification\u003c/a\u003e  of \u003ca href=\"http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2004-06-03/news_insight.php\"\u003eCanada\u003c/a\u003e.  There was a coffee shop a few steps away.  I bought two cups and offered my neighbor one.  He smiled and lifted the paper cup.  A few minutes later he stood up and said \"See the clouds over the Malahat ? It is going to rain.\"  He disappeared among the crowd of shoppers.  That evening the rains came.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/Clouds.jpg\"/\u003e©Ian Britton http://www.freefoto.com/preview.jsp?id=15-45-10\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Rain Clouds over the Malahat"},{"content":" *From the BBC: \" Agreeing to block access to websites making reference to material which the Chinese government regards as sensitive - such as democratic reform and Taiwanese independence - will speed up the site - currently slowed down by Chinese-imposed filters - and offer Google a greater foothold in the burgeoning Chinese market. \"No to e-mail \"Google has acknowledged that its decision to launch in China will be seen as inconsistent with its mission to make information universally accessible but believes it has little choice. \"We don't want to risk becoming irrelevant or useless due to the way that our content is blocked or filtered currently,\" Google's senior policy adviser Andrew McLaughlin told the BBC Radio Four's Today programme. \"We feel it is a step forward. Not a big step forward but a step forward. We understand that many people will find the decision either puzzling or objectionable,\" he said.\nHogwash, and Google knows it.The Washington Post reported:Within minutes of the launch of the new site bearing China's Web suffix \".cn,\" searches for the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement showed scores of sites omitted and users directed to articles condemning the group posted on Chinese government Web sites.Searches for other sensitive subjects such as exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, Taiwan independence, and terms such as \"democracy\" and \"human rights\" yielded similar results. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/google-rolled-over-or-got-rolled-in-china/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4647468.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e:  \" Agreeing to block access to websites making reference to material which the  Chinese government regards as sensitive - such as democratic reform and  Taiwanese independence - will speed up the site - currently slowed down by  Chinese-imposed filters - and offer Google a greater foothold in the burgeoning  Chinese market. \u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"bo\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"No to e-mail \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"bo\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Google has acknowledged that its decision to launch in China will be seen as  inconsistent with its mission to make information universally accessible but  believes it has little choice. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Google Rolled Over (or Got Rolled) In China"},{"content":" * The decision by a British physician, Anne Turner, to end her life with the help of the Swiss organization Dignitas again highlighted the need for full legalization and availability of assistance in dying for all who voluntarily seek it. Dr. Turner traveled to Zurich and sought Dignitas' help just before her 67th birthday. Yesterday the UK organisation Dignity in Dying, which used to be known as the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, said Dr Turner's story showed British law was shortening lives and called for assisted suicide to be legalised. \"This case is truly heartbreaking,\" said its chief executive, Deborah Annetts. \"The government must make time in parliament for the assisted dying for the terminally ill bill. Only this bill could have prevented Anne Turner from taking her life early. If this bill had been law, Anne would not have been forced to go to Zurich while she was still able to travel, for help to die. She would be alive today.\" Dr Turner, who would have been 67 today, said in an interview shortly before her death that she did not want to reach the point where she could not travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal. \"I think it's dreadful that somebody like myself has to go to Switzerland to do this, which is an awful hassle,\" she said. Why do religious organizations and some physically handicapped people oppose euthanasia ? We, who support the right to have that option, do not want them to elect it. Oregon's law is a good example. In the seven years it has been in existence there has not been a single case of abuse. In fact, the safeguards built into the Death With Dignity Act make it well-nigh impossible to abuse it. Yet the zealots want to bar terminally ill people (some in intense pain and unable to move) from seeking a peaceful, dignified end. If you are not a resident of Oregon and wish to avoid being hooked up to a life support system in case of terminal illness, be sure to execute an Advance Directive. The form can be downloaded, free, from Caring Connections. AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) is another source. Recommended reading: How We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage Paperback On Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co. Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell Publishing Euthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/the-anne-turner-case---death-with-dignity/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe decision by a British physician, \u003ca href=\"http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1694236,00.html\"\u003eAnne Turner\u003c/a\u003e, to end her life with the help of the Swiss organization \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2676837.stm\"\u003eDignitas\u003c/a\u003e again highlighted the need for full legalization and availability of assistance in dying for all who voluntarily seek it.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003eDr. Turner traveled to Zurich and sought Dignitas' help just before her 67th birthday.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eYesterday the UK organisation Dignity in Dying, which used to be known as the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, said Dr Turner's story showed British law was shortening lives and called for assisted suicide to be legalised.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"This case is truly heartbreaking,\" said its chief executive, Deborah Annetts. \"The government must make time in parliament for the assisted dying for the terminally ill bill. Only this bill could have prevented Anne Turner from taking her life early. If this bill had been law, Anne would not have been forced to go to Zurich while she was still able to travel, for help to die. She would be alive today.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eDr Turner, who would have been 67 today, said in an interview shortly before her death that she did not want to reach the point where she could not travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal. \"I think it's dreadful that somebody like myself has to go to Switzerland to do this, which is an awful hassle,\" she said.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhy do religious organizations and some physically handicapped people oppose euthanasia ?  We, who support the right to have that option, do not want them to elect it.   \u003ca href=\"http://www.deathwithdignity.org/historyfacts/\"\u003eOregon's law\u003c/a\u003e is a good example. In the seven years it has been in existence there has not been a single case of  abuse.  In fact, the safeguards built into the Death With Dignity Act make it well-nigh impossible to abuse it.  Yet the zealots  want to bar terminally ill  people  (some in intense pain and unable to move) from seeking a peaceful, dignified end.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIf you are not a resident of Oregon and wish to avoid being hooked up to a life support system in case of terminal illness, be sure to execute an Advance Directive.  The form can be downloaded, free, from \u003ca href=\"http://www.caringinfo.org/stateaddownload\"\u003eCaring Connections\u003c/a\u003e.   \u003ca href=\"http://familydoctor.org/003.xml\"\u003eAAFP\u003c/a\u003e (American Academy of Family Physicians) is another source.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRecommended reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\nHow We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage Paperback\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.\u003cbr/\u003e\nFinal Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell Publishing\u003cbr/\u003e\nEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Anne Turner Case - Death With Dignity"},{"content":" White House blocking release of photographs*Worried about something ? Guilt by association ! The president who never said no to a photo opportunity session to earn some points has become skittish about photographs that show him with Jack Abramoff in the good old days when Abramoff was a welcome visitor. \"Several White House officials have been briefed about pictures of President Bush and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff taken since 2001 but will not release them on grounds that they are not relevant to the ongoing money-for-favors investigation, aides said yesterday.\"*Back to Outsourcing of TortureEuropean Nations were aware and cooperated. The Guardian (UK) reported details of Swiss Senator Dick Marty's presentation of findings to the Council of Europe. The news did not come as a surprise. For some days, bits and pieces have been emerging to indicate that major European countries were aware of CIA's \"rendition\" program and complicit. Shameful. One can understand Poland, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgizstan among other countries being paid and pressured by the United States to set up detention centers. There was no excuse for leading European nations to participate in human rights abuse.\"The entire continent is involved. It is highly unlikely that European governments, or at least their intelligence services, were unaware.\" His report said that \"there is a great deal of coherent, convergent evidence pointing to the existence of a system of 'relocation' or 'outsourcing' of torture\". ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/bush-abramoff-and-photo-opportunities/","summary":"White House blocking release of photographs\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWorried about something ?  Guilt by association !  The president who never said no to a photo opportunity session to earn some points has become skittish about photographs that show him with Jack Abramoff in the good old days when Abramoff was a welcome visitor.  \"Several White House officials have been briefed about pictures of \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/23/AR2006012300333.html\"\u003ePresident Bush and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff\u003c/a\u003e taken since 2001 but will not release them on grounds that they are not relevant to the ongoing money-for-favors investigation, aides said yesterday.\"\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBack to Outsourcing of Torture\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEuropean Nations were aware and cooperated.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1693657,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e (UK) reported details of Swiss Senator Dick Marty's presentation of findings to the Council of Europe. The news did not come as a surprise.  For some days, bits and pieces have been emerging to indicate that major European countries were aware of CIA's \"rendition\" program and complicit.  Shameful.  One can understand \u003ca href=\"http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/329936.html\"\u003ePoland\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11601.htm\"\u003eRomania, Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgizstan\u003c/a\u003e among other countries being paid and pressured by the United States to set up detention centers.  There was no excuse for leading European nations to participate in human rights abuse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The entire continent is involved. It is highly unlikely that European governments, or at least their intelligence services, were unaware.\" \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eHis report said that \"there is a great deal of coherent, convergent evidence pointing to the existence of a system of 'relocation' or 'outsourcing' of torture\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bush, Abramoff, and Photo Opportunities"},{"content":" Time for a break from unpleasant subjects * .Wright * Milward * Brautigan * Simpson * MecklenburgerTO FLOOD STAGE AGAIN In Fargo, North Dakota, a man Warned me that the river might rise To flood stage again, On the bridge, a girl hurries past me alone, Unhappy face. Will she pause in the wet grass somewhere ? Behind my eyes she stands tiptoe, yearning for confused sparrows To fetch a bit of string and dried wheatbeard To line her outstretched hand. I open my eyes and gaze down At the dark water. ---James Wright I WAS DOWN THE FIELD I was down the field finding foxgloves When I returned the front door was banging and this was on the table written in the dust I BROUGHT THE BIG BOSS TO MEET YOU YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT HE THOUGHT I chose the white jar for the flowers ---Pamela Milward OUR BEAUTIFUL WEST COAST THING \"We are a coast people There is nothing but ocean beyond us.\" ---Jack Spicer I sit here dreaming long thoughts of California at the end of a November day below a cloudy twilight near the Pacific listening to Mamas and The Papas THEY'RE GREAT singing a song about breaking somebody's heart and digging it ! I think I'll get up and dance around the room. Here I go ! ---Richard Brautigan BIRCH Birch tree, you remind me Of a room filled with breathing, The sway and whisper of love. She slips off her shoes; Unzips her skirt; arms raised, Unclasps an earring, and the other. Just so the sallow trunk Divides, and the branches Are pale and smooth. ---Louis Simpson STILL-LIFE Bric-a-brac shelf on the pale kitchen wall, Six spaces filled with delicate, lonely things: vases of miniature flowers-- lavender, pale orange and yellow; a bronzed baby-shoe; two jars--cranberry glass and Dutch blue china. Together, carefully dusted they almost breathe. ---Ralph Mecklenburger * The first three are from \"A First Reader of Contemporary American Poetry\" edited by Patrick Gleeson ©1969 by Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co. The last two from \"Since feeling is first\", an anthology compiled by James Mecklenburger and Gary Simmons, Indiana University, 1971. I picked up the volumes years ago at an used book store in Menlo Park, California. Cold, sunny morning. Temp. about 60°F (15° C). ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/poems-on-a-sunday-morning/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003eTime for a break from unpleasant subjects\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cb\u003eWright * Milward * Brautigan * Simpson * Mecklenburger\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTO FLOOD STAGE AGAIN\u003cbr/\u003e\n \u003cbr/\u003e\nIn Fargo, North Dakota, a man\u003cbr/\u003e\nWarned me that the river might rise\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo flood stage again,\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn the bridge, a girl hurries past me alone,\u003cbr/\u003e\nUnhappy face.\u003cbr/\u003e\nWill she pause in the wet grass somewhere ?\u003cbr/\u003e\nBehind my eyes she stands tiptoe, yearning\u003cbr/\u003e\nfor confused sparrows\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo fetch a bit of string and dried wheatbeard\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo line her outstretched hand.\u003cbr/\u003e\nI open my eyes and gaze down\u003cbr/\u003e\nAt the dark water.\u003cbr/\u003e\n---James Wright\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI WAS DOWN THE FIELD\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI was down the field\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003efinding foxgloves\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhen I returned\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe front door was banging\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eand this was on the table\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ewritten in the dust\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI BROUGHT THE BIG BOSS\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTO MEET YOU\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eYOU CAN IMAGINE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWHAT HE THOUGHT\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI chose the white jar\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003efor the flowers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Pamela Milward\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOUR BEAUTIFUL WEST COAST THING\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"We are a coast people\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThere is nothing but ocean beyond us.\"\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Jack Spicer\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI sit here dreaming\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003elong thoughts of California\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eat the end of a November day\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ebelow a cloudy twilight\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003enear the Pacific\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003elistening to Mamas and The Papas\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHEY'RE GREAT\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003esinging a song about breaking\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003esomebody's heart and digging it !\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eI think I'll get up\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eand dance around the room.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHere I go !\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Richard Brautigan\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBIRCH\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBirch tree, you remind me\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOf a room filled with breathing,\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe sway and whisper of love.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eShe slips off her shoes;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnzips her skirt; arms raised,\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnclasps an earring, and the other.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eJust so the sallow trunk\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDivides, and the branches\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAre pale and smooth.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Louis Simpson\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTILL-LIFE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBric-a-brac shelf\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eon the pale kitchen wall,\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSix spaces filled\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ewith delicate, lonely things:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003evases of miniature flowers--\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003elavender, pale orange and yellow;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ea bronzed baby-shoe;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003etwo jars--cranberry glass\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eand Dutch blue china.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTogether, carefully dusted\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ethey almost breathe.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e---Ralph Mecklenburger\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe first three are from \"A First Reader of Contemporary American Poetry\" edited by Patrick Gleeson ©1969 by Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co. The last two from \"Since feeling is first\", an anthology compiled by James Mecklenburger and Gary Simmons, Indiana University, 1971.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nI picked up the volumes years ago at an used book store in Menlo Park, California.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCold, sunny morning. Temp. about 60°F (15° C).\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Poems on a Sunday Morning"},{"content":" The U.S., France and Britain Participated*It happened under Democratic administration and under Republican. In December 1975 the Indonesians invaded the Island of East Timor, a former Portugese colony. The occupation lasted until 1999. We aided a dictator whose forces tortured and killed East Timorese who resisted. The world did not pay much attention to reports about atrocities being committed against the East Timorese by military and para-military Indonesian forces. U.S. and other major powers were fully aware of what was going on and continued to supply the Indonesians with military hardware and equipment. Now Timorese President Xanana Gusmao has submitted a report to the UN. \"The 2,005-page report, which Gusmao delivered to Secretary General Kofi Annan, provided the most detailed account to date of Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of the island nation, a former Portuguese colony.Washington Post:The report, key portions of which were made available to The Washington Post, also charged Indonesia with using napalm against Timorese civilians and using \"starvation as a weapon of war,\" condemning thousands of adults and children to death in camps for displaced Timorese.\"The commission finds that the government of Indonesia and the Indonesian security forces are primarily responsible and accountable for the death of 100,000 to 180,000 East Timorese civilians who died as a result of the Indonesian military invasion and occupation,\" said the report by the East Timor Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, set up by the United Nations and East Timor in 2001.The panel recommended that countries and companies that provided military support to Indonesia during the 24-year occupation, including the United States, Britain and France, pay reparations to those whose rights were violated. It also urged U.N. members to deny travel visas and freeze the assets of senior Indonesian officials, including former Gen. Wiranto, the armed forces commander in chief in 1999.\nA spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations declined to comment, saying the report had not yet been formally presented.*Talk about Saddam Hussein and the Kurds ! ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/atrocities-in-east-timor/","summary":"The U.S., France and Britain Participated\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt happened under Democratic administration and under Republican. In December 1975 the Indonesians invaded the \u003ca href=\"http://www.etan.org/ifet/\"\u003eIsland of East Timor\u003c/a\u003e, a former Portugese colony. The occupation  lasted until 1999. We aided a dictator whose forces tortured and killed East Timorese who resisted. The world did not pay much attention to reports about atrocities being committed against the East Timorese by military and para-military Indonesian forces.  U.S. and other major  powers  were fully aware of what was going on and continued to supply the Indonesians with military hardware and equipment.  Now Timorese \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/20/AR2006012001811.html\"\u003ePresident Xanana Gusmao\u003c/a\u003e has submitted a report to the UN.  \"The 2,005-page report, which Gusmao delivered to Secretary General Kofi Annan, provided the most detailed account to date of Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of the island nation, a former Portuguese colony.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/20/AR2006012001811.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe report, key portions of which were made available to The Washington Post, also charged Indonesia with using napalm against Timorese civilians and using \"starvation as a weapon of war,\" condemning thousands of adults and children to death in camps for displaced Timorese.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The commission finds that the government of Indonesia and the Indonesian security forces are primarily responsible and accountable for the death of 100,000 to 180,000 East Timorese civilians who died as a result of the Indonesian military invasion and occupation,\" said the report by the East Timor Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, set up by the United Nations and East Timor in 2001.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe panel recommended that countries and companies that provided military support to Indonesia during the 24-year occupation, including the United States, Britain and France, pay reparations to those whose rights were violated. It also urged U.N. members to deny travel visas and freeze the assets of senior Indonesian officials, including former Gen. Wiranto, the armed forces commander in chief in 1999.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Atrocities in East Timor"},{"content":" McCarthyism Redux * \"Good Night and Good Luck\"*Follow up to my post dated January 19th. The Guardian reported a number of resignations from the advisory board of the university alumni group responsible for \".......offering students money to police 'liberal' professors at the University of California, Los Angeles.Can this be an isolated case of a few zealous party faithful getting carried away ? Unlikely. An ill wind fanned by right-wing conservatives is blowing across our country. \"Good Night and Good Luck\", the movie about the late Senator Joseph McCarthy and the HUAC, directed by George Clooney, depicts the corrosive effects of such actions. David Strathairn turned in a great performance as television reporter Edward Murrow of CBS. Great article on Murrow and the CBS by Nicholas Lemann in The New Yorker, January 23/30, issue. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/witch-hunting-at-ucla/","summary":"McCarthyism Redux  * \"Good Night and Good Luck\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFollow up to my post dated January 19th.  \u003ca href=\"http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1691266,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e reported a number of resignations from the advisory board of the university alumni group responsible for \".......offering students money to police 'liberal' professors at the University of California, Los Angeles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCan this be an isolated case of a few zealous party faithful getting carried away ? Unlikely.  An ill wind fanned by right-wing conservatives is blowing across our country. \"\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv\u0026amp;cf=info\u0026amp;id=1808702700\"\u003eGood Night and Good Luck\u003c/a\u003e\", the movie about the late \u003ca href=\"http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/60.htm\"\u003eSenator Joseph McCarthy\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAhuac.htm\"\u003eHUAC\u003c/a\u003e, directed by George Clooney, depicts the corrosive effects of such actions.  David Strathairn turned in a great performance as television reporter Edward Murrow of CBS.  Great article on \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060123fa_fact1\"\u003eMurrow and the CBS\u003c/a\u003e by Nicholas Lemann in The New Yorker, January 23/30, issue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Witch Hunting at UCLA"},{"content":" Filibuster ? * And, to add a light touch, a Classic Bushism*At this point it is a foregone conclusion that Judge Alito will soon replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Supreme Court. The Democrats will not be able to block the confirmation. The filibuster option should be considered as a matter of principle. But whether or not they decide on filibuster they should be unified in their opposition.The confirmation hearings amply illustrated that when one party dominates Congress (it does not matter which party) the process becomes a mockery. The nominee dodged and weaved through the hearings. Senator Biden (D-Del),who did his own share of blathering during the hearings, was right in saying that: \" Supreme Court nominees are so mum about the major legal issues at their Senate confirmation hearings that the hearings serve little purpose and should probably be abandoned, Democratic Sen. Joe Biden said Thursday.\"The system's kind of broken,\" said Biden, a member of the Judiciary Committee considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito.\"Nominees now, Democrat and Republican nominees, come before the United States Congress and resolve not to let the people know what they think about the important issues,\" such as a president's authority to go to war, said Biden.From The President's Mouth, A Gem\"Because the — all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those — changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be — or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled.\" --explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005\"....kind of muddled\" ! That was an understatement. No wonder he gave up on his grand plan to privatize Social Security. He wanted Americans to buy a pig in a poke; they saw through him. `I think I should understand that better,' Alice said very politely, `if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it.'--Alice In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-01-20 Musafir, You may agree that public pressure does sometimes work. I hope that enough people will contact their Senators and ask that they filibuster the Alito confirmation. It's true that the filibuster may fail but those that actually take a stand may be recognized as finally leading. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/oppose-samuel-alito----yes-the-democrats-must/","summary":"Filibuster ? * And, to add a light touch, a Classic Bushism\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAt this point it is a foregone conclusion that Judge Alito will soon replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011902907.html\"\u003eSupreme Court\u003c/a\u003e. The Democrats will not be able to block the confirmation.  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3169\"\u003efilibuster\u003c/a\u003e option should be considered as a matter of principle. But whether or not they decide on filibuster they should be unified in their opposition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe confirmation hearings amply illustrated that when one party dominates Congress (it does not matter which party) the process becomes a mockery.  The nominee dodged and weaved through the hearings.  \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060112/ap_on_go_co/alito_biden\"\u003eSenator Biden\u003c/a\u003e (D-Del),who did his own share of blathering during the hearings, was right in saying that:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e \" Supreme Court nominees are so mum about the major legal issues at their Senate confirmation hearings that the hearings serve little purpose and should probably be abandoned, Democratic Sen. Joe Biden said Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"The system's kind of broken,\" said Biden, a member of the Judiciary Committee considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Nominees now, Democrat and Republican nominees, come before the United States Congress and resolve not to let the people know what they think about the important issues,\" such as a president's authority to go to war, said Biden.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eFrom The President's Mouth, A Gem\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Because the — all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those — changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be — or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled.\" --explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"....kind of muddled\" ! That was an understatement. No wonder he gave up on his grand plan to privatize Social Security. He wanted Americans to buy a pig in a poke; they saw through him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e `I think I should understand that better,' Alice said very politely, `if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it.'--Alice In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, You may agree that public pressure does sometimes work. I hope that enough people will contact their Senators and ask that they filibuster the Alito confirmation. It's true that the filibuster may fail but those that actually take a stand may be recognized as finally leading.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Oppose Samuel Alito -- Yes, the Democrats must"},{"content":" The Bush Administration goes after Google*\"In Germany they first came for the Communists,and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.Then they came for the Jews,and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.Then they came for the trade unionists,and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.Then they came for the Catholics,and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.Then they came for me —and by that time no one was left to speak up.\"---Pastor Martin Niemoller (there are slightly different variations of what he said)Now the moral values gang is after Google. An Associated Press report in the Post reads: SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Bush administration, seeking to revive an online pornography law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, has subpoenaed Google Inc. for details on what its users have been looking for through its popular search engine.Orwell's 1984 alive and well. The Guardian, UK, reports that a rightwing students' group in UCLA is offering payment for information about professors. \"It is the sort of invitation any poverty-stricken student would find hard to resist. \"Do you have a professor who just can't stop talking about President Bush, about the war in Iraq, about the Republican party, or any other ideological issue that has nothing to do with the class subject matter? If you help ... expose the professor, we'll pay you for your work.\" Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2006-01-20 Hey Musafir- Just checking in. I heard about this deal with the professors at \"Tiger Tale Journal\" and find the idea to be about as appealling as selling skin grafts. First students can pay for the privilege of taking the class, then be evaluators? wouldn't you think the institution would be responsible for hiring, and retention? What next, paying patients to evaluate doctors on the sly? ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/today-pornography-tomorrow-war-critics-then-liberals/","summary":"The Bush Administration goes after Google\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"In Germany they first came for the Communists,\u003cbr/\u003eand I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen they came for the Jews,\u003cbr/\u003eand I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen they came for the trade unionists,\u003cbr/\u003eand I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen they came for the Catholics,\u003cbr/\u003eand I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen they came for me —\u003cbr/\u003eand by that time no one was left to speak up.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---\u003ca href=\"http://www.serendipity.li/cda/niemoll.html\"\u003ePastor Martin Niemoller\u003c/a\u003e (there are slightly different variations of what he said)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the moral values gang is after \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011901453.html\"\u003eGoogle\u003c/a\u003e. An Associated Press report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011901453.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reads: SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Bush administration, seeking to revive an online pornography law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, has subpoenaed Google Inc. for details on what its users have been looking for through its popular search engine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOrwell's \u003ca href=\"http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/orwell.html\"\u003e1984\u003c/a\u003e alive and well. \u003ca href=\"http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1689654,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, UK, reports that a rightwing students' group in UCLA is offering payment for information about professors.  \"It is the sort of invitation any poverty-stricken student would find hard to resist. \"Do you have a professor who just can't stop talking about President Bush, about the war in Iraq, about the Republican party, or any other ideological issue that has nothing to do with the class subject matter? If you help ... expose the professor, we'll pay you for your work.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHey Musafir- Just checking in. I heard about this deal with the professors at \"Tiger Tale Journal\" and find the idea to be about as appealling as selling skin grafts. First students can pay for the privilege of taking the class, then be evaluators? wouldn't you think the institution would be responsible for hiring, and retention? What next, paying patients to evaluate doctors on the sly?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Today Pornography, Tomorrow War Critics, then \"Liberals\""},{"content":" Cosmetic Changes Will Not Curb Abuses*House Republican leaders scrambling to introduce measures to impose restrictions on the relationships between members and lobbyists. Initial reports indicate that the proposed steps will fall far short of meaningful impact. Their actions are largely part of a PR campaign to make themselves look good before the mid-term elections. \"According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if Hastert's proposal is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.\" Would the American voters be taken in by the farce ? No doubt some will. The Abramoff scandal has mostly tainted Republican members of Congress but it is a well-known fact that not all Democrats remain above the grasp of lobbyists. Real reform will require taking a deep look at campaign finance laws. There isn't much support for that among the elected representative, certainly not among Republicans.Excerpts from Jeffrey Birnbaum's article in the Post:The plans offered by Republican leaders yesterday would change two of the three areas of law or regulation that govern lobbyists' behavior: the congressional rules that limit gifts to lawmakers and the laws that dictate the amount of disclosure that lobbyists must give the public.A third major area -- campaign finance laws -- would go untouched, an omission that amounts to a gaping loophole in efforts to distance lobbyists from the people they are paid to influence.“Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set a rolling it must increase.”---Charles Caleb Colton (English sportsman and writer, 1780-1832) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/speaker-hasterts-game-plan-for-lobbying-reform---wide-loopholes/","summary":"Cosmetic Changes Will Not Curb Abuses\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHouse Republican leaders scrambling to introduce measures to impose restrictions on the relationships between members and lobbyists.  Initial reports indicate that the proposed steps will fall far short of meaningful impact.  Their actions are largely part of a PR campaign to make themselves look good before the mid-term elections.  \"According to lobbyists and ethics experts, even if \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011701311.html\"\u003eHastert's proposal\u003c/a\u003e is enacted, members of Congress and their staffs could still travel the world on an interest group's expense and eat steak on a lobbyist's account at the priciest restaurants in Washington.\" Would the American voters be taken in by the farce ?  No doubt some will. The Abramoff scandal has mostly tainted  Republican members of Congress but it is a well-known fact that not all Democrats remain above the grasp of lobbyists.  Real reform will require taking a deep look at campaign finance laws.  There isn't much support for that among the elected representative,  certainly not among Republicans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from Jeffrey Birnbaum's article in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011701311.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe plans offered by Republican leaders yesterday would change two of the three areas of law or regulation that govern lobbyists' behavior: the congressional rules that limit gifts to lawmakers and the laws that dictate the amount of disclosure that lobbyists must give the public.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA third major area -- campaign finance laws -- would go untouched, an omission that amounts to a gaping loophole in efforts to distance lobbyists from the people they are paid to influence.\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set a rolling it must increase.”\u003cbr/\u003e---Charles Caleb Colton (English sportsman and writer, 1780-1832)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Speaker Hastert's Game Plan for Lobbying Reform - Wide Loopholes"},{"content":" Chief Justice Roberts Shows His Hands - A Sign of Things to Come *A major defeat for the Bush administration. The headline \"Justices Uphold Oregon Assisted Suicide Law\" warmed the cockles of my heart. Didn't take long to to find out where Chief Justice Roberts stands. The good Catholic joined the other conservative stalwarts in the Supreme Court to support the Bush administration's sneak attack--use of Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to prevent physicians in Oregon from prescribing drugs to terminally ill patients. The main reason, opposition of religious groups to such a measure, was not part of Gonzales v. Oregon, 04-623.Washington Post:The ruling struck down one of the administration's signature policies regarding what President Bush calls the \"culture of life\" and lifts the last legal cloud over the state's law, which is unique in the nation. It also frees other states to follow in Oregon's footsteps, unless Congress acts to the contrary.The 6 to 3 vote is significant. It meant that, hypothetically, even if Alito took over the seat held by Justice O'Connor the decision would still have been in favor of the State of Oregon by a 5 to 4 margin.Legislation for allowing physician assistance in dying is being considered in other states, including Vermont and California. The zealots would find it difficult to stop them. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2006-01-18 Thanks, Sun Tripper. \"...better read and much better informed\" ? I'm not too sure about that. Perhaps being older has given me more time to read and gather information. Keep posting in your blog. I think that there has to be a positive impact from our collective output. If not, it helps to vent your feelings.\nRegards. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/oregons-death-with-dignity-act-prevails---viva-oregonians/","summary":"Chief Justice Roberts Shows His Hands - A Sign of Things to Come \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA major defeat for the Bush administration. The headline \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011700435.html\"\u003eJustices Uphold  Oregon Assisted Suicide Law\u003c/a\u003e\" warmed the cockles of my heart. Didn't take long to to find out where Chief Justice Roberts stands.  The good Catholic joined the other conservative stalwarts in the Supreme Court to support the Bush administration's sneak attack--use of Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to prevent physicians in Oregon from prescribing drugs to terminally ill patients.  The main reason, opposition of religious groups to such a measure, was not part of Gonzales v. Oregon, 04-623.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/17/AR2006011700435.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe ruling struck down one of the administration's signature policies regarding what President Bush calls the \"culture of life\" and lifts the last legal cloud over the state's law, which is unique in the nation. It also frees other states to follow in Oregon's footsteps, unless Congress acts to the contrary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe 6 to 3 vote is significant.  It meant that, hypothetically,  even if Alito took over the seat held by Justice  O'Connor the decision would still have been in favor of the State of Oregon by a 5 to 4 margin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLegislation for allowing physician assistance in dying is being considered in other states, including Vermont and California.  The zealots would find it difficult to stop them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks, Sun Tripper.  \"...better read and much better informed\" ? I'm not too sure about that. Perhaps being older has given me more time to read and gather information. Keep posting in your blog. I think that there has to be a positive impact from our collective output.  If not, it helps to vent your feelings.\u003cbr\u003eRegards.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Oregon's Death With Dignity Act Prevails - Viva Oregonians"},{"content":" Ralph Reed * Michelle Bachelet Wins in Chile*Good news this morning. First, about Ralph Reed. The former executive director of Christian Coalition, and currently a contender for Lt. Governor's position in Georgia, is facing troubling questions about his connection with Jack Abramoff and money he received for his work on Indian casinos. Remember Hillary Clinton's \"Woulda, coulda, shoulda\" in defense of her profit in commodities trading ?Reed said he helped close an illegal casino in Texas and prevented casinos from coming to Alabama. \"Many marriages and lives were saved\" and \"many children were spared the consequences of gambling because of the work I did.\"\nBut, he added, \"if I had known then what I know now, I would not have done that work.\"\nReading about Michelle Bachelet's victory in Chile made me rejoice. Chile has come a long way from the days of military juntas (that the U.S. backed and aided). General Pinochet is facing trial. Ms. Bachelet, former political prisoner during Pinochet's regime, elected president. Felicitaciones, Chileans. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-01-16 Thanks! I'm chilean and this is excellent news! Roberto Iza \u0026mdash; 2006-01-16 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/reed-swaying-in-the-wind-and-victory-for-michelle-bachelet/","summary":"Ralph Reed * Michelle Bachelet Wins in Chile\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGood news this morning.  First, about \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/15/AR2006011500915.html\"\u003eRalph Reed\u003c/a\u003e.  The former executive director of Christian Coalition, and currently a contender for Lt. Governor's position in Georgia, is facing troubling questions about his connection with Jack Abramoff and money he received for his work on Indian casinos.  Remember Hillary Clinton's \"Woulda, coulda, shoulda\" in defense of her profit in commodities trading ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eReed said he helped close an illegal casino in Texas and prevented casinos from coming to Alabama. \"Many marriages and lives were saved\" and \"many children were spared the consequences of gambling because of the work I did.\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Reed Swaying in the Wind and Victory for Michelle Bachelet"},{"content":" Between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place'*Can General Musharraf continue to have his cake and eat it too ? He played a master stroke by aligning with the United States immediately after 9/11. Not that he had much of a choice. It was that or risk being treated as a pariah. In view of Pakistan's proven role in the nuclear bazaar, if it did not offer full cooperation in the war against al-Qaeda it,too, would have faced retaliation. The General weighed things over and decided that between the wrath of hardline Islamic fundamentalists and that of the mighty United States he would rather deal with the fundos at home and hitch his star to America.He got amply rewarded. The U.S. decided to accept his version of the A.Q. Khan story, that for years Dr. Khan almost singlehandedly carried out a secret operation to sell and export nuclear technology to rogue nations, including North Korea and Iran. Pakistan received loads of cash and military aid. The aid is still flowing.The fundos, however, were not happy. Their discontent with Musharraf is well-known. There have been attempts on Musharraf's life. There are reports that Pakistan tacitly overlooks al-Qaeda acitvities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It is difficult to maintain such a precarious balancing act but Musharraf has been successful until the recent airstrike at Damadola to kill Ayman al-Zawahri which resulted in the death of 17 civilians. al-Zawahri was not present when the target was hit. It was bad news for Musharraf. All Pakistanis, not only the fundos, were enraged by the botched operation and took to streets to demonstrate against America. Pakistan filed an offcial protest.The wily Musharraf will survive. America needs his help. U.S. aid to Pakistan might be increased to appease Musharraf and the people of Pakistan but the United States will not be deterred from striking at a target if and when intelligence is received about terrorists taking shelter at any location. The neocons in America are fundos in pinstripes. They will not let Musharraf off the hook before extracting their pound of flesh. Musharraf knows it; the Pakistanis ought to take a pragmatic view of the real world. Pakistan lacks a viable alternative to Musharraf. Better Musharraf than a Koran quoting mullah or return of corrupt Bhutto and her husband.\"My enemy's enemy is my friend.\"---A Middle-Eastern maxim ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/mushrraf-in-the-middle/","summary":"Between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCan General Musharraf continue to have his cake and eat it too ?  He played a master stroke by aligning with the United States immediately after 9/11. Not that he had much of a choice.  It was that or risk being treated as a pariah. In view of Pakistan's proven role in the nuclear bazaar, if it did not offer full cooperation in the war against al-Qaeda it,too, would have faced retaliation. The General weighed things over and decided that between the wrath of hardline Islamic fundamentalists and that of the mighty United States he would rather deal with the fundos at home and hitch his star to America.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe got amply rewarded.  The U.S. decided to accept his version of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.dawn.com/2004/02/01/nat5.htm\"\u003eA.Q. Khan\u003c/a\u003e story, that for years  Dr. Khan almost singlehandedly carried out a secret operation to sell and export nuclear technology to rogue nations, including North Korea and Iran. Pakistan received loads of cash and military aid.  The aid is still flowing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe fundos, however, were not happy.  Their discontent with Musharraf is well-known. There have been attempts on Musharraf's life.  There are  reports that Pakistan tacitly overlooks al-Qaeda acitvities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.  It is difficult to maintain such a precarious balancing act but Musharraf has been successful until the recent \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4614486.stm\"\u003eairstrike\u003c/a\u003e at  Damadola to kill \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4614486.stm\"\u003eAyman al-Zawahri \u003c/a\u003ewhich resulted in the death of 17 civilians. al-Zawahri was not present when the target was hit. It was bad news for  Musharraf.  All \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/15/AR2006011500371.html\"\u003ePakistanis\u003c/a\u003e, not only the fundos, were enraged by the botched operation and  took to streets to demonstrate against America.  Pakistan filed an \u003ca href=\"http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/15/top1.htm\"\u003eoffcial protest.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe wily Musharraf will survive.  America needs his help.  U.S. aid to Pakistan might be increased to appease Musharraf and the people of Pakistan but the United States will not be deterred from striking at a target if and when intelligence is received about terrorists taking shelter at any location.  The neocons in America are fundos in pinstripes.  They will not let Musharraf off the hook before extracting their pound of flesh.   Musharraf knows it; the \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-01-15-pakistan-attack_x.htm?csp=24\"\u003ePakistanis\u003c/a\u003e ought to take a pragmatic view of the real world. Pakistan lacks a viable alternative to Musharraf.  Better Musharraf than a Koran quoting mullah or return of corrupt Bhutto and her husband.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"My enemy's enemy is my friend.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---A Middle-Eastern maxim\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Mushrraf in the Middle"},{"content":" The Skeleton in the Closet cannot be kept hidden*The Indian Medical Association disputed the report by BBC,January 10th, that \"....selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girl births a year.\" However, the story has got legs. The Christian Science Monitor is carrying a report datelined New Delhi January 13, 2006 filed by Scott Baldauf. Since Mr. Baldauf's report was published after the Indian Medical Association's argument became known, one assumes that he and the CSM did due diligence before proceeding with it.Excerpts:The practice is common among all religious groups - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, and Christians - but appears to be most common among educated women, a fact that befuddles public health officials and women's rights activists alike.\"More educated women have more access to technology, they are more privileged, and most educated families have the least number of children,\" says Sabu George, a researcher with the Center for Women's Development Studies in New Delhi, who did not participate in the study. \"This is not just India. Everywhere in the world, smaller families come at the expense of girls.\"Like China, India has encouraged smaller families through a mixture of financial incentives and campaigns calling for two children at most. Faced with such pressure, many families, rich and poor alike, are turning to prenatal selection to ensure that they receive a son. It's a problem with many potential causes - from social traditions to the economic burden of dowries - but one that could have strong social repercussions for generations to come.Additional comments: \"A dark side of India - Female Infanticide\" ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/indias-girl-deficit---gender-based-foeticide/","summary":"The Skeleton in the Closet cannot be kept hidden\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4601184.stm\"\u003eIndian Medical Association\u003c/a\u003e disputed the report by \u003ca href=\"http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4592890.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e,January 10th, that \"....selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girl births a year.\"  However, the story has got legs.  \u003ca href=\"http://csmonitor.com/2006/0113/p01s04-wosc.html\"\u003eThe Christian Science Monitor\u003c/a\u003e is carrying a report datelined New Delhi January 13, 2006 filed by Scott Baldauf.  Since Mr. Baldauf's report was published after the Indian Medical Association's argument became known, one assumes that he and the CSM did due diligence before proceeding with it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe practice is common among all religious groups - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, and Christians - but appears to be most common among educated women, a fact that befuddles public health officials and women's rights activists alike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"More educated women have more access to technology, they are more privileged, and most educated families have the least number of children,\" says Sabu George, a researcher with the Center for Women's Development Studies in New Delhi, who did not participate in the study. \"This is not just India. Everywhere in the world, smaller families come at the expense of girls.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLike China, India has encouraged smaller families through a mixture of financial incentives and campaigns calling for two children at most. Faced with such pressure, many families, rich and poor alike, are turning to prenatal selection to ensure that they receive a son. It's a problem with many potential causes - from social traditions to the economic burden of dowries - but one that could have strong social repercussions for generations to come.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eAdditional comments: \u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=113690755243486119\"\u003e\"A dark side of India - Female Infanticide\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"India's Girl Deficit - Gender Based Foeticide"},{"content":" Always available, always ready...to sell us down the river*Fallout from Jack Abramoff's plea bargain continues. Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) is reported to be concerned about chairmanship of the House Administration Committee by Robert Ney (R-Ohio). These are the same jokers who lead the move to change names of french fries and french toast to freedom fries and freedom toast in the House cafetaria to retaliate against the French Government's refusal to support the war against Iraq. Jonathan Weisman in the Post: \"Ney was not named in Abramoff's plea agreement, but his staff has said he is the lawmaker identified in the court documents as \"Representative #1.\" Abramoff acknowledged that he and former partner Michael Scanlon gave the lawmaker gifts including expense-paid trips to the Super Bowl, golf outings in Scotland, concerts and campaign contributions.\"Are Speaker Hastert's hands clean ? He must have had blinkers on not to be aware of what was going on in his shop. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/den-of-thieves/","summary":"Always available, always ready...to sell us down the river\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFallout from Jack Abramoff's plea bargain continues.  Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL)  is reported to be concerned about chairmanship of the House Administration Committee by Robert Ney (R-Ohio). These are the \u003ca href=\"http://www.gannettonline.com/gns/faceoff2/20030312-18100.shtml\"\u003esame jokers\u003c/a\u003e who lead the move to change names of french fries and french toast to freedom fries and freedom toast in the House cafetaria to retaliate against the French Government's refusal to support the war against Iraq.  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/13/AR2006011301443.html\"\u003eJonathan Weisman\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/13/AR2006011301443.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e:  \"Ney was not named in Abramoff's plea agreement, but his staff has said he is the lawmaker identified in the court documents as \"Representative #1.\" Abramoff acknowledged that he and former partner Michael Scanlon gave the lawmaker gifts including expense-paid trips to the Super Bowl, golf outings in Scotland, concerts and campaign contributions.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAre Speaker Hastert's hands clean ?  He must have had blinkers on not to be aware of what was going on in his shop.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Den of Thieves"},{"content":" Mother of all Chanterelles * Los Trancos Trail * Buckeye Creek*Conditions (rains, temperature) must be right. AC and I went foraging for mushrooms a few times and came back with bags full. We usually pick chanterelles and avoid others. I have occasionally found oyster mushrooms on trunks of trees. They,too, are safe and edible. But the yellow chanterelles are what we look for under oak and redwood trees.Part of a day's haul © RSI cook risotto with chanterelles. Chanterelles, with diced potato, onions and thyme, also make excellent soup. You can add cream to give it richness; I use Half and Half. They are great, simply sauteed in butter with chopped chives and put on toasted french bread. And always good with eggs--scrambled or in an omelette.Buckeye Creek among Oak, Madrone, and Bay Laurel Trees © RSJHL at Buckeye Creek, January 2006 © RSLast week JHL and I went hiking up Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park. We stopped for a picnic lunch alongside Buckeye Creek. The sound of running water was soothing. The air smelled fresh, the trees and shrubs full of lushness. On the way back I saw a glimpse of yellow that didn't look like leaves. Went down the bank and it was the mother of all chanterelles ! Huge. Weighed almost 10 oz.Mother of all Chanterelles © JHL*\"Nothing exists; all things are becoming\"---Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to ZenListening to: Billy's Bounce from the CD titled Tokyo '96, ECM Records 1998Keith Jarrett - pianoGary Peacock- bassJack DeJohnette - drums Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-01-15 That is truly one big, exquisite muthah, befitting the king of connoisseurs of the big and the exquisite. :) I wish I could rid myself of the urge to kidnap you and the other half and let you loose in Walmart for an hour or two, or your choice of whatever is the antithesis of the paradise in which you live. :) Perhaps it would be to be stuck in traffic listening to the morning news, but for you people there's always BART and NPR. :)\nthree very devoted bows,\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/a-bumper-year-for-wild-mushrooms/","summary":"Mother of all Chanterelles * Los Trancos Trail * Buckeye Creek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eConditions (rains, temperature) must be right.  AC and I went foraging for mushrooms a few times and came back with bags full.  We usually pick chanterelles and avoid others.  I have occasionally found oyster mushrooms on trunks of trees. They,too, are safe and edible.  But the yellow chanterelles are what we look for under oak and redwood trees.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/Paul and Chanterelles.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003ePart of a day's haul © RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI cook risotto with chanterelles. Chanterelles, with diced potato, onions and thyme, also make excellent soup.  You can add cream to give it richness;  I use Half and Half.  They are great, simply sauteed in butter with chopped chives and put on toasted french bread. And always good with eggs--scrambled or in an omelette.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/Buckeye Creek, January 2006.jpg\"/\u003eBuckeye Creek among Oak, Madrone, and Bay Laurel Trees © RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/JHL at Buckeye Creek.jpg\"/\u003eJHL at Buckeye Creek, January 2006 © RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLast week JHL and I went hiking up Los Trancos Trail in Foothills Park.  We stopped for a picnic lunch alongside Buckeye Creek.  The sound of running water was soothing. The air smelled fresh, the trees and shrubs full of lushness.  On the way back I saw a glimpse of yellow that didn't look like leaves.  Went down the bank and it was the mother of all chanterelles !  Huge. Weighed almost 10 oz.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2006/01/Big Chanterelle II.jpg\"/\u003eMother of all Chanterelles  © JHL\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Nothing exists;  all things are becoming\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to Zen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to: Billy's Bounce from the CD titled Tokyo '96, ECM Records 1998\u003cbr/\u003eKeith Jarrett - piano\u003cbr/\u003eGary Peacock- bass\u003cbr/\u003eJack DeJohnette - drums\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-15\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThat is truly one big, exquisite muthah, befitting the king of connoisseurs of the big and the exquisite. :) I wish I could rid myself of the urge to kidnap you and the other half and let you loose in Walmart for an hour or two, or your choice of whatever is the antithesis of the paradise in which you live. :) Perhaps it would be to be stuck in traffic listening to the morning news, but for you people there's always BART and NPR. :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethree very devoted bows,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Bumper Year for Wild Mushrooms"},{"content":" *There are times when a small item can make one's day. Well, I'm talking about those who have an interest in politics, Bush, the Supreme Court and things of that sort.Andy Borowitz in Newsweek:The judge said that if confirmed as a justice of the United States Supreme Court, \"I will continue my practice of not owning an agenda book and not knowing what I am doing.\"But just as Alito appeared to have satisfied Senate Democrats on the agenda book issue, Sen. Edward Kennedy produced the most dramatic moment of the day by holding up an agenda book allegedly owned by Alito that the senator claimed to have bought on eBay. Reading from it, Sen. Kennedy said, \"It's right here, as plain as day: 'Monday, 9 AM: Pick up dry cleaning. 10 AM: Pass litmus test.'\"Elsewhere, Iran announced plans to enrich uranium, and Vice President Dick Cheney announced plans to enrich himself.And so it goes.\n","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/need-a-laugh---read-alitos-agenda/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are times when a small item can make one's day.  Well, I'm talking about those who have an interest in politics, Bush, the Supreme Court and things of that sort.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10789607/site/newsweek/\"\u003eAndy Borowitz\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10789607/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek:\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe judge said that if confirmed as a justice of the United States Supreme Court, \"I will continue my practice of not owning an agenda book and not knowing what I am doing.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut just as Alito appeared to have satisfied Senate Democrats on the agenda book issue, Sen. Edward Kennedy produced the most dramatic moment of the day by holding up an agenda book allegedly owned by Alito that the senator claimed to have bought on eBay. Reading from it, Sen. Kennedy said, \"It's right here, as plain as day: 'Monday, 9 AM: Pick up dry cleaning. 10 AM: Pass litmus test.'\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eElsewhere, Iran announced plans to enrich uranium, and Vice President Dick Cheney announced plans to enrich himself.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp class=\"textBodyBlack text-justify\"\u003eAnd so it goes.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Need a laugh - read \"Alito's agenda\""},{"content":" Lawmakers with hands out and the pervasive Influence of Lobbyists*From The Washington Post: \"Do I have K Street friends? Yes, I do,\" Boehner said. \"Do I have relationships with them? Yes. And every one of them is an ethical relationship.\" Does he take us for fools ? Read more.In years past, when the House has recessed for its winter break, Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has decamped for warmer climates and a sailing trip to the Caribbean with some of the city's top lobbyists, including Henry Gandy of the well-connected Duberstein Group and Timothy McKone of SBC Communications.Over the summer, they discussed a trip for this year as well, Boehner said yesterday, but last week the lobbyists weighed anchor without him, content to communicate by telephone while the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee rushed to Washington for a high-stakes run to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) as House majority leader.The annual vacation, dubbed a \"boys' trip\" by detractors, points to an issue underlying the current House leadership race: Both Boehner and his rival for majority leader, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), have extensive ties to the same K Street lobbying world that stained DeLay's reputation and spawned the Abramoff corruption scandal.Both camps this week have been pointing to the other's well-documented connections and activities, some of which are the stuff of legends. They include Blunt's failed effort to insert a provision benefiting Philip Morris USA into the massive bill creating the Department of Homeland Security and Boehner's distribution of checks from tobacco concerns in 1995 to lawmakers on the House floor. Also of note are both men's prodigious fundraising activities, some of which involve individuals and clients with ties to Abramoff.The lawmakers are going through contortions to prove that their hands are clean. The records tell us that it is a temporary phase. Once the dust from the Abramoff scandal settles they will be back doing what they do well--accept and grant favors. The only solution is drastic reform of campaign finance laws and that is not likely to happen.Will Lester reported in the Post on January 7th about a recent AP-Ipsos poll which indicated that \"........Americans are leaning toward wanting a change in which political party leads Congress _ preferring that Democrats take control........\" Midterm elections are ten months away. If the wave of dissatisfaction with how Republicans handle the nation's business continues we might see Democrats back in control. That does not assure us of a clean government free from influence of 'K' Street but cleaner in comparison with what the rapacious Republicans have been doing. Drunk sailors ? But that is not a fair analogy. I have known many sailors, drunk and sober. I would prefer their company any day over that of a Republican legislator. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/government-for-the-people---the-k-street-people/","summary":"Lawmakers with hands out and the pervasive Influence of Lobbyists\u003ccenter*\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center*\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFrom The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/10/AR2006011001801.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"Do I have K Street friends? Yes, I do,\" Boehner said. \"Do I have relationships with them? Yes. And every one of them is an ethical relationship.\" Does he take us for fools ?  Read more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn years past, when the House has recessed for its winter break, Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has decamped for warmer climates and a sailing trip to the Caribbean with some of the city's top lobbyists, including Henry Gandy of the well-connected Duberstein Group and Timothy McKone of SBC Communications.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eOver the summer, they discussed a trip for this year as well, Boehner said yesterday, but last week the lobbyists weighed anchor without him, content to communicate by telephone while the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee rushed to Washington for a high-stakes run to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) as House majority leader.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe annual vacation, dubbed a \"boys' trip\" by detractors, points to an issue underlying the current House leadership race: Both Boehner and his rival for majority leader, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), have extensive ties to the same K Street lobbying world that stained DeLay's reputation and spawned the Abramoff corruption scandal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eBoth camps this week have been pointing to the other's well-documented connections and activities, some of which are the stuff of legends. They include Blunt's failed effort to insert a provision benefiting Philip Morris USA into the massive bill creating the Department of Homeland Security and Boehner's distribution of checks from tobacco concerns in 1995 to lawmakers on the House floor. Also of note are both men's prodigious fundraising activities, some of which involve individuals and clients with ties to Abramoff.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe lawmakers are going through contortions to prove that their hands are clean. The records tell us that it is a temporary phase. Once the dust from the Abramoff scandal settles they will be back doing what they do well--accept and grant favors.  The only solution is drastic reform of campaign finance laws and that is not likely to happen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601184.html\"\u003eWill Lester\u003c/a\u003e reported in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601184.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e on January 7th about a recent AP-Ipsos poll which indicated that \"........Americans are leaning toward wanting a change in which political party leads Congress _ preferring that Democrats take control........\"   Midterm elections are ten months away. If the wave of dissatisfaction with how Republicans handle the nation's business continues we might see Democrats back in control.  That does not assure us of a clean government free from influence of 'K' Street but cleaner in comparison with what the rapacious Republicans have been doing.  Drunk sailors ?   But that is not a fair analogy.  I have known many sailors, drunk and sober.  I would prefer their company any day over that of a Republican legislator.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"\"Government For the People\"---the 'K' Street People"},{"content":" \"India Loses 10 Million Female Births\"*A report dated January 9th by the BBC sheds light on a heinous practice prevalent in India. \"More than 10m female births in India may have been lost to abortion and sex selection in the past 20 years, according to medical research. Researchers in India and Canada for the Lancet journal said prenatal selection and selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girls a year. Their research was based on a national survey of 1.1m households in 1998. The researchers said the \"girl deficit\" was more common among educated women but did not vary according to religion.\" \"Sex selective abortions have been banned in India for more than a decade.\" \"Although doctors in India must not tell couples the sex of a foetus, in practice, some just use coded signals instead, our correspondent says. \"\"Last year the well-known religious leader and social activist, Swami Agnivesh, began a campaign across five northern and western states against female foeticide. \" \"There's no other form of violence that's more painful, more abhorrent, more shameful,\" he said.Ten million gender-selective abortions is an atrociously high number. According to CIA's World Factbook, India's population in July 2005 was estimated at 1,080,264,388.While there should be no question about a woman's right to choose--voluntary abortion, women being forced to abort or women resorting to abortion under the social pressure of producing a male child is as despicable as the efforts by zealots to criminalize abortion here in the United States and the barbaric practice of genital mutilation of females (clitoral circumcision) that is followed in some Islamic countries.Paradoxically, the BBC report goes on to say: \"The sex ratio is so skewed in some states, men cannot find brides.\"Indian men who support female foeticide are probably the ones who also insist on virgin brides when they get married. The way things are heading they will face the need to import women--if any are available and willing to marry them. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/a-dark-side-of-india---female-infanticide/","summary":"\"India Loses 10 Million Female Births\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report dated January 9th by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4592890.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e  sheds light on a heinous practice prevalent in India. \"More than 10m female births in India may have been lost to abortion and sex selection in the past 20 years, according to medical research. Researchers in India and Canada for the Lancet journal said prenatal selection and selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girls a year. Their research was based on a national survey of 1.1m households in 1998. The researchers said the \"girl deficit\" was more common among educated women but did not vary according to religion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Sex selective abortions have been banned in India for more than a decade.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Although doctors in India must not tell couples the sex of a foetus, in practice, some just use coded signals instead, our correspondent says. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Last year the well-known religious leader and social activist, Swami Agnivesh, began a campaign across five northern and western states against female foeticide. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"There's no other form of violence that's more painful, more abhorrent, more shameful,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eTen million gender-selective abortions is an atrociously high number. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/in.html#People\"\u003eCIA's World Factbook\u003c/a\u003e, India's population in July 2005 was estimated at 1,080,264,388.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile there should be no question about a woman's right to choose--voluntary abortion, women being forced to abort or women resorting to abortion under the social pressure of producing a male child is as despicable as the efforts by zealots to criminalize abortion here in the United States and the barbaric practice of genital mutilation of females (clitoral circumcision) that is followed in some Islamic countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eParadoxically, the BBC report goes on to say: \"The sex ratio is so skewed in some states, men cannot find brides.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian men who support female foeticide are probably the ones who also insist on virgin brides when they get married. The way things are heading they will face the need to import women--if any are available and willing to marry them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A dark side of India - Female Infanticide"},{"content":" The State of War\" by James Risen * The Guardian,UK: \"George Bush insists that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. So why, six years ago, did the CIA give the Iranians blueprints to build a bomb? In an extract from his explosive new book, New York Times reporter James Risen reveals the bungles and miscalculations that led to a spectacular intelligence fiasco.\"Excerpts:\"In fact, just as President Bush and his aides were making the case in 2004 and 2005 that Iran was moving rapidly to develop nuclear weapons, the American intelligence community found itself unable to provide the evidence to back up the administration's public arguments. On the heels of the CIA's failure to provide accurate pre-war intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, the agency was once again clueless in the Middle East. In the spring of 2005, in the wake of the CIA's Iranian disaster, Porter Goss, its new director, told President Bush in a White House briefing that the CIA really didn't know how close Iran was to becoming a nuclear power.\nBut it's worse than that. Deep in the bowels of the CIA, someone must be nervously, but very privately, wondering: \"Whatever happened to those nuclear blueprints we gave to the Iranians?\"\nState of War, by James RisenAdditional comments by Julian Borger, The Guardian.\"The operation, codenamed Merlin and approved by the Clinton administration, was intended to send Iranian scientists down a technological dead end, according to this account. They would spend years building a warhead which would fail to detonate. Instead, Risen writes, the operation may have helped Iran to \"accelerate its weapons development\" by extracting important information from the blueprints and ignoring the flaws.\"And in Foggy Bottom \"Rice Says Patience With Iran Waning\", the Washington Post ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/iran-and-nuclear-weapons---did-cia-provide-them-blueprints-for-a-bomb/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e The State of War\" by James Risen\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/story/0,,1678218,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e: \"George Bush insists that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. So why, six years ago, did the CIA give the Iranians blueprints to build a bomb? In an extract from his explosive new book, New York Times reporter James Risen reveals the bungles and miscalculations that led to a spectacular intelligence fiasco.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"In fact, just as President Bush and his aides were making the case in 2004 and 2005 that Iran was moving rapidly to develop nuclear weapons, the American intelligence community found itself unable to provide the evidence to back up the administration's public arguments. On the heels of the CIA's failure to provide accurate pre-war intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, the agency was once again clueless in the Middle East. In the spring of 2005, in the wake of the CIA's Iranian disaster, Porter Goss, its new director, told President Bush in a White House briefing that the CIA really didn't know how close Iran was to becoming a nuclear power.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iran and Nuclear Weapons - Did CIA provide them blueprints for a bomb ?"},{"content":" Tom DeLay from Sugar Land,TX, aka the Exterminator, aka the Hammer* Despite his blustering, the snowballing effects of the past weeks--the decision by Jack Abramoff to plead guilty to three felony charges in particular--overwhelmed the former speaker of the House. Tom DeLay resigned his seat. Jonathan Weisman in the Washington Post: \"DeLay ends bid to regain post as GOP leader\". \"Rep. Tom DeLay (Tex.), one of the most powerful and feared Republican leaders in Washington, abandoned his quest to regain his House majority leader post yesterday, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about the growing corruption and campaign finance scandals linked to his office. DeLay's announcement in his home town of Sugar Land ends his decade-long tenure as a legislative juggernaut and conservative ideologue who revolutionized the relationship between power and money in Washington. It also cleared the way for a leadership contest that could further shake up the House GOP team going into an uncertain election year. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.) said Republicans will choose a new majority leader and other officers the week of Jan. 30, when members return for President Bush's State of the Union address.\" Ethics Issues Snared GOP's ChampionWashington Post\"It worked simply. On one side of the machine, a hose vacuumed the pockets of large corporations, wealthy individuals and legions of lobbyists on K Street, all instructed by DeLay to contribute only to Republicans. Out the other side, at some later date, came legislation of interest to many of the donors. Inside the machine, twisting its knobs and pulling its levers, was DeLay -- who was unabashed about his pay-to-play philosophy and relentless in enforcing his political rules.\"Bad news for President Bush but DeLay's successor can be expected to do whatever is needed to please the White House. Tom DeLay will be busy consulting his lawyers and with court dates for some time. We haven't seen the last of him. If the GOP remains in power DeLay will surface as a lobbyist or in a conservative think tank, doing what he has always done--manipulating people and shepherding bills that benefit his backers. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/the-bigger-they-are-the-harder-they-fall/","summary":"Tom DeLay from Sugar Land,TX, aka the Exterminator, aka the Hammer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDespite his blustering, the snowballing effects of the past weeks--the decision by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010300474.html\"\u003eJack Abramoff\u003c/a\u003e to plead guilty to three felony charges in particular--overwhelmed the former speaker of the House. Tom DeLay resigned his seat. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/07/AR2006010700488.html\"\u003eJonathan Weisman\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/07/AR2006010700488.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/07/AR2006010700488.html\"\u003eDeLay ends bid to regain post as GOP leader\u003c/a\u003e\".  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Rep. Tom DeLay (Tex.), one of the most powerful and feared Republican leaders in Washington, abandoned his quest to regain his House majority leader post yesterday, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about the growing corruption and campaign finance scandals linked to his office.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eDeLay's announcement in his home town of Sugar Land ends his decade-long tenure as a legislative juggernaut and conservative ideologue who revolutionized the relationship between power and money in Washington. It also cleared the way for a leadership contest that could further shake up the House GOP team going into an uncertain election year. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.) said Republicans will choose a new majority leader and other officers the week of Jan. 30, when members return for President Bush's State of the Union address.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eEthics Issues Snared GOP's Champion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/07/AR2006010701262.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"It worked simply. On one side of the machine, a hose vacuumed the pockets of large corporations, wealthy individuals and legions of lobbyists on K Street, all instructed by DeLay to contribute only to Republicans. Out the other side, at some later date, came legislation of interest to many of the donors. Inside the machine, twisting its knobs and pulling its levers, was DeLay -- who was unabashed about his pay-to-play philosophy and relentless in enforcing his political rules.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBad news for President Bush but DeLay's successor can be expected to do whatever is needed to please the White House. Tom DeLay will be busy consulting his lawyers and with court dates for some time. We haven't seen the last of him. If the GOP remains in power DeLay will surface as a lobbyist or in a conservative think tank, doing what he has always done--manipulating people and shepherding bills that benefit his backers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"\"The bigger they are, the harder they fall\""},{"content":" *Televangelist Pat Robertson opened his big mouth and uttered another ludicrous opinion. Of course, to his disciples he speaks for God. Reverend Robertson suggested Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for the withdrawal of Israeli settlers in Gaza.\"You read the Bible: This is my land, and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he's going to carve it up and give it away, God says no, this is mine,\" he said.(BBC)Whew....this guy was a contender for the presidency in 1988 ! Those of us who do not think highly of President Bush are lucky that the reverend is not in the White House.But the reverend is in good company...President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (he holds a doctorate in engineering and transportation planning). The Seattle Times \" WASHINGTON — The television evangelist Pat Robertson and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may not agree on much, but both suggested Thursday that the severe illness of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was deserved.\"\"Hopefully, the news that the criminal of Sabra and Chatilla has joined his ancestors is final,\" he was quoted by the Iranian press as saying Thursday.Washington Post: \"White House Denounces Robertson's Remarks on Sharon\"Fundos--Christians, Muslims--have the same mindset. Intolerant, arrogant people with warped visions. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2006-01-08 yessiree bob. Us dissidents, whilst waiting for them to take us away, after they've purchased all our cell records, listened in to all the whispers, read our email and stopped our demonstratin'and howlin', just have to wonder what amazingly sick lunacy they'll come up with next.\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/the-televangelist-and-the-engineer---candidates-for-padded-cells/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTelevangelist Pat Robertson opened his big mouth and uttered another ludicrous opinion.  Of course, to his disciples he speaks for God. \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4589270.stm\"\u003eReverend \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4589270.stm\"\u003eRobertson\u003c/a\u003e suggested Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for the withdrawal of Israeli settlers in Gaza.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You read the Bible: This is my land, and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he's going to carve it up and give it away, God says no, this is mine,\" he said.(\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4589270.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhew....this guy was a contender for the presidency in 1988 !  Those of us who do not think highly of President Bush are lucky that the reverend is not in the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut the reverend is in good company...President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (he holds a doctorate in engineering and transportation planning). \u003ca href=\"http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002723550_pat06.html\"\u003eThe Seattle Times\u003c/a\u003e \"  WASHINGTON — The television evangelist Pat Robertson and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may not agree on much, but both suggested Thursday that the severe illness of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was deserved.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\"Hopefully, the news that the criminal of Sabra and Chatilla has joined his ancestors is final,\" he was quoted by the Iranian press as saying Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601135.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"White House Denounces Robertson's Remarks on Sharon\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFundos--Christians, Muslims--have the same mindset. Intolerant, arrogant people with warped visions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2006-01-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eyessiree bob.  Us dissidents, whilst waiting for them to take us away, after they've purchased all our cell records, listened in to all the whispers, read our email and stopped our demonstratin'and howlin', just have to wonder what amazingly sick lunacy they'll come up with next.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Televangelist and the Engineer - Candidates for Padded Cells"},{"content":" Eleven American soldiers died in the first five days of 2006*Excerpts from the Riverbend blog. The author is a young Iraqi woman who lives in Baghdad.Baghdad BurningWednesday, January 04, 20062006...Here we are in the first days of 2006. What does the ‘6’ symbolize? How about- 6 hours of no electricity for every one hour of electricity? Or… 6 hours of waiting in line for gasoline that is three times as expensive as it was in 2005? Or an average of six explosions per day near our area alone?People buy black market gasoline because for many, waiting in line five, six, seven… ten hours isn’t an option. We’ve worked out a sort of agreement amongst 4 or 5 houses in the neighborhood. According to a schedule (which is somewhat complicated and involves license plate numbers, number of children per family, etc.), one of us spends the day filling up the car and then the gasoline is distributed between the four or five involved neighbors.I know for most of the world, highly priced gasoline is a common concern. For Iraqis, it represents how the situation is deteriorating. Gasoline and kerosene were literally cheaper than bottled water prior to the war. It’s incredibly frustrating that while the price of petrol is at a high, one of the worlds leading oil-producing countries isn’t producing enough to cover its own needs.There is talk of major mismanagement and theft in the Oil Ministry. Chalabi took over several days ago and a friend who works in the ministry says the takeover is a joke. “You know how they used to check our handbags when we first walked into the ministry?” She asked the day after Chalabi crowned himself Oil Emperor, “Now WE check our handbags after we leave the ministry- you know- to see if Chalabi stole anything.”I guess the Iraqis who thought the US was going to turn Iraq into another America weren’t really far from the mark- we too now enjoy inane leaders, shady elections, a shaky economy, large-scale unemployment and soaring gas prices.Goodbye 2005- the year of SCIRI, fraudulent elections, secret torture chambers, car bombs, white phosphorous, assassinations, sectarianism and fundamentalism… you will not be missed.Let us see what 2006 has in store for us. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/how-are-things-in-president-bushs-iraq/","summary":"Eleven American soldiers died in the first five days of 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eExcerpts from the \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRiverbend blog\u003c/a\u003e. The author is a young Iraqi woman who lives in Baghdad.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday, January 04, 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e2006...Here we are in the first days of 2006. What does the ‘6’ symbolize? How about- 6 hours of no electricity for every one hour of electricity? Or… 6 hours of waiting in line for gasoline that is three times as expensive as it was in 2005? Or an average of six explosions per day near our area alone?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003ePeople buy black market gasoline because for many, waiting in line five, six, seven… ten hours isn’t an option. We’ve worked out a sort of agreement amongst 4 or 5 houses in the neighborhood. According to a schedule (which is somewhat complicated and involves license plate numbers, number of children per family, etc.), one of us spends the day filling up the car and then the gasoline is distributed between the four or five involved neighbors.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eI know for most of the world, highly priced gasoline is a common concern. For Iraqis, it represents how the situation is deteriorating. Gasoline and kerosene were literally cheaper than bottled water prior to the war. It’s incredibly frustrating that while the price of petrol is at a high, one of the worlds leading oil-producing countries isn’t producing enough to cover its own needs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere is talk of major mismanagement and theft in the Oil Ministry. Chalabi took over several days ago and a friend who works in the ministry says the takeover is a joke. “You know how they used to check our handbags when we first walked into the ministry?” She asked the day after Chalabi crowned himself Oil Emperor, “Now WE check our handbags after we leave the ministry- you know- to see if Chalabi stole anything.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eI guess the Iraqis who thought the US was going to turn Iraq into another America weren’t really far from the mark- we too now enjoy inane leaders, shady elections, a shaky economy, large-scale unemployment and soaring gas prices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eGoodbye 2005- the year of SCIRI, fraudulent elections, secret torture chambers, car bombs, white phosphorous, assassinations, sectarianism and fundamentalism… you will not be missed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLet us see what 2006 has in store for us.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"How are things in President Bush's Iraq"},{"content":" They are running to return money received from Abramoff*Yes, the past has come back to haunt the elected lawmakers and their aides who were wined and dined by Jack Abramoff. What other tidbits they accepted from him will come out as the investigation moves forward. There is not much of a difference between the Democrat and Republican hogs who swill at the trough of legalized bribery that goes on under the name of campaign financing but Republicans are the primary recipients of favors from PACs simply because they have more clout to do what the lobbyists want. So, the Republicans have more to worry about the Abramoff affair. Under reverse circumstances many Democrats would have done the same. They are all part of the system that breeds corruption and encourages its growth.Definition of bribery (Answers.com):\"Bribery is the practice of offering a professional or an authority person money or other favours in order to circumvent ethics or other rules in a variety of situations. It is a form of corruption and is generally illegal, or at least cause for sanctions from one's employer or professional organisation.\"\nThe headlines are revealing.Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg NewsAbramoff fed Washington's outstretched hands For every sport, Abramoff had a skybox; for every occasion, his very own swank watering hole, where the drinks were on the house. The saga loops from the elegant golf course of St. Andrew's in Scotland to Florida's Gold Coast, where a casino owner who fell out with Abramoff was murdered. With Abramoff having cut his deal with prosecutors, the scandal shifts from the givers to the receivers.\nWashington Post, Jonathan WeismanBush to Give Up $6,000 In Abramoff ContributionsRepublican Party officials said yesterday that President Bush will give up $6,000 in campaign contributions connected to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, joining an expansive list of politicians who have shed more than half a million dollars in tainted campaign cash.Forbes/Associated PressKey Events in the Abramoff InvestigationJan. 3: Abramoff pleads guilty in Washington to mail fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion charges in federal court in connection with his lobbying work. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., announces he will give money received from Abramoff to charity. Jan. 4: President Bush and DeLay announce they will give money they received from Abramoff to charity. Panic is palpable in Washington, DC. The venal politicians are trying to distance themselves from Abramoff. It is a bit late for some of them.“A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass, and soon falls by its own corruption and decay.”---Amos Bronson Alcott (American reformer, Philosopher and Teacher, 1799-1888) ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/the-abramoff-affair---panic-among-the-hogs/","summary":"They are running to return money received from Abramoff\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYes, the past has come back to haunt the elected lawmakers and their aides who  were wined and dined by Jack Abramoff. What other tidbits they accepted from him will come out as the investigation moves forward. There is not much of a difference between the Democrat and Republican hogs who swill at the trough of legalized bribery that goes on under the name of campaign financing but Republicans are the primary recipients of favors from PACs simply because they have more clout to do what the lobbyists want. So, the Republicans have more to worry about the Abramoff affair. Under reverse circumstances many Democrats would have done the same. They are all part of the system that breeds corruption and encourages its growth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDefinition of bribery (Answers.com):\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Bribery is the practice of offering a professional or an authority  person money or other favours in order to circumvent \u003ca class=\"ilnk\" href=\"http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4\u0026amp;dsid=2222\u0026amp;dekey=Ethics\u0026amp;gwp=8\u0026amp;curtab=2222_1\" onclick=\"addLinkTextToHref(this);\" target=\"_top\"\u003eethics\u003c/a\u003e or other rules in a variety of situations. It is a form  of \u003ca class=\"ilnk\" href=\"http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4\u0026amp;dsid=2222\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;dekey=Political+corruption\u0026amp;gwp=8\u0026amp;curtab=2222_1\" onclick=\"addLinkTextToHref(this);\" target=\"_top\"\u003ecorruption\u003c/a\u003e and is generally illegal, or at least cause for  sanctions from one's employer or professional organisation.\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Abramoff Affair - Panic among the Hogs"},{"content":" The Hapless Iraqi Civilians - Min 27707 Max 31232*It is doubtful that we are winning the hearts and minds of Iraqis but we are certainly succeeding in influencing them. And how ! The numbers are for dead Iraqi civilians as of December 26th reported by Iraq Bodycount.net Full details of the background and methodology can be found at the IBC website. The Washington Post reported on December 24th \"US Airstrikes Take Toll on Civilians\" : \"These people died silently, complaining to God of a guilt they did not commit,\" Zahid Mohammed Rawi, a physician, said in the town of Husaybah. Rawi said that roughly one week into Operation Steel Curtain, which began on Nov. 5, medical workers had recorded 97 civilians killed. At least 38 insurgents were also killed in the offensive's early days, Rawi said.\"From a report in BBC, January 3, 2006:\"Fourteen members of one family have been killed in a US air strike that destroyed a house in northern Iraq, an Iraqi official has said.The US military has made no immediate comment on the report.US forces frequently use air strikes in their battle against Iraqi insurgents, in an effort to minimise US casualties.Earlier, Seymour Hersh wrote in the New Yorker on December 5th about the escalating use of air power. \"Up In The Air\".\"A key element of the drawdown plans, not mentioned in the President’s public statements, is that the departing American troops will be replaced by American airpower. Quick, deadly strikes by U.S. warplanes are seen as a way to improve dramatically the combat capability of even the weakest Iraqi combat units. The danger, military experts have told me, is that, while the number of American casualties would decrease as ground troops are withdrawn, the over-all level of violence and the number of Iraqi fatalities would increase unless there are stringent controls over who bombs what.\"Civilian casualties from military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else, do not cause much concern here in the United States. They never have. They receive scant coverage in mainstream media. Politicians remain silent. The innocent civilians are expendable. ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/collateral-damage---death-rains-from-the-sky/","summary":"The Hapless Iraqi Civilians - Min 27707 Max 31232\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is doubtful that we are winning the hearts and minds of Iraqis but we are certainly succeeding in influencing them. And how ! The numbers are for dead Iraqi civilians as of December 26th reported by \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIraq Bodycount.net\u003c/a\u003e  Full details of the background and methodology can be found at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIBC\u003c/a\u003e website. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/23/AR2005122301471.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003ereported on December 24th \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/23/AR2005122301471.html?sub=AR\"\u003eUS Airstrikes Take Toll on Civilians\u003c/a\u003e\" : \"These people died silently, complaining to God of a guilt they did not commit,\" Zahid Mohammed Rawi, a physician, said in the town of Husaybah. Rawi said that roughly one week into Operation Steel Curtain, which began on Nov. 5, medical workers had recorded 97 civilians killed. At least 38 insurgents were also killed in the offensive's early days, Rawi said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom a report in \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4577578.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e, January 3, 2006:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Fourteen members of one family have been killed in a US air strike that destroyed a house in northern Iraq, an Iraqi official has said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe US military has made no immediate comment on the report.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUS forces frequently use air strikes in their battle against Iraqi insurgents, in an effort to minimise US casualties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eEarlier, \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eSeymour Hersh\u003c/a\u003e wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eNew Yorker\u003c/a\u003e on December 5th about the escalating use of air power. \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eUp In The Air\u003c/a\u003e\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"A key element of the drawdown plans, not mentioned in the President’s public statements, is that the departing American troops will be replaced by American airpower. Quick, deadly strikes by U.S. warplanes are seen as a way to improve dramatically the combat capability of even the weakest Iraqi combat units. The danger, military experts have told me, is that, while the number of American casualties would decrease as ground troops are withdrawn, the over-all level of violence and the number of Iraqi fatalities would increase unless there are stringent controls over who bombs what.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCivilian casualties from military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else, do not cause much concern here in the United States. They never have. They receive scant coverage in  mainstream media. Politicians remain silent. The innocent civilians are expendable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Collateral Damage - Death Rains from the Sky"},{"content":" Pop a Viagra, Make Whoopee, then Oppose FDA's Approval of Morning After Pill*Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer came under some criticism for launching an advertisement campaign for Viagra aimed at New Year's celebrations. While advertisements for prescription drugs are irresponsible and their huge costs are a part of the high price of drugs in America, blaming Pfizer for this particular ad is somewhat unfair. The ones who should be targeted are the PAC controlled legislators who turn their heads the other way about the harmful effects of direct-to-consumers advertisements that lure buyers of prescription drugs. Many of the same legislators oppose over-the-counter availability of Plan B®, the Morning After Pill ! The hypocrisy is sickening. See Fact Sheet, The Politicization of Emergency Contraception.Plan B® is available without prescription in Europe, UK, and in Canada.\"Plan B® is an emergency contraceptive that can still prevent a pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected sex.Plan B® should be taken within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex and can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89%. But the sooner you take it the more effective it will be.Plan B® is not RU-486 (the abortion pill); it will not work if you are already pregnant.\"\"People are very inclined to set moral standards for others.\"---Elizabeth Drew, The New Yorker, 16 February 1987 ","permalink":"/posts/2006/01/sex-and-conservative-american-males/","summary":"Pop a Viagra, Make Whoopee, then Oppose  FDA's Approval of Morning After Pill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePharmaceutical giant \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051231/hl_afp/ushealthaids_051231054706\"\u003ePfizer\u003c/a\u003e came under some criticism for launching an advertisement campaign for Viagra aimed at New Year's celebrations.  While advertisements for prescription drugs are irresponsible and  their huge costs are a part of the high price of drugs in America,  blaming Pfizer for this particular ad is somewhat unfair.   The ones who should be targeted are the PAC controlled legislators who turn their heads the other way about the harmful effects of direct-to-consumers advertisements that lure buyers of prescription drugs.  Many of the same legislators oppose over-the-counter availability of \u003ca href=\"http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/Index.aspx\"\u003ePlan B®\u003c/a\u003e, the Morning After Pill ! The hypocrisy is sickening.  See Fact Sheet, \u003ca href=\"http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20051013155450-84328.pdf\"\u003eThe Politicization of Emergency Contraception\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/Index.aspx\"\u003ePlan B® \u003c/a\u003e is available without prescription in Europe, UK, and in \u003ca href=\"http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm/cmi_1096268\"\u003eCanada\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\"Plan B® is an emergency contraceptive that can still prevent a pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected sex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePlan B® should be taken within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex and can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89%. But the sooner you take it the more effective it will be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003ePlan B® is not RU-486 (the abortion pill); it will not work if you are already pregnant.\"\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"People are very inclined to set moral standards for others.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Elizabeth Drew, \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/i\u003e, 16 February 1987\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Sex and  ' Conservative'  American Males"},{"content":" A New Year beginning, on to 2006*There Is Always Hope©friskypics.com/photos/hope.jpg\"Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past.\"T.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton, Four Quartets,1A very wet New Year's eve for us in the San Francisco Bay area. As the saying goes,it is raining cats and dogs. Reports of flooding and mudslides up north in Napa and Sonoma counties. The south is not dry either. Read that rain could fall at Pasadena during the Rose Bowl parade for the first time in 51 years.To all visitors to this site--regulars, occasional, and accidental--good health. I no longer make New Year's resolutions but many people do. I wish them success. While globally there has not been much to rejoice about, individually many of you have had joyful experiences. Births, marriages, new friendships, travels, career achievements. Small things matter. I hope that those who needed support found it.Back in September 2004 when I hesitantly took my first step in the blogosphere I had no clue about where the venture would take me. Began writing about the '04 presidential race and segued on to post-election events. Nowadays I meander all over the map but the main thrust is about conservatives, their policies and practices. It has been a rewarding experience. Not financially--my blog does not carry ads. Neither does it have a vast readership. Rewarding, nevertheless, because it has brought me in touch with people who are kindred spirits. They are from places far and near---USA, UK and Canada, Iraq and India, Singapore, France and Pakistan. I am not likely to meet them in person but feel as though I know them. I find pleasure in what they say, in the photographs they publish, their e-mail messages, and comments.David Broder wrote in the Post about his '05 hits and misses. His praise for the president's response to Katrina was a doozy. But he should take heart. The job of writing a column under pressure of deadline comes with such hazards--it is the nature of the beast. We bloggers have an easier task because we have the advantage of reading others such as Mr. Broder and recycling their comments. As to columnists and bloggers who support Bush, I must admit that I pay no attention to them. Don't read them; don't listen to them. They will survive without me as I shall survive without them. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-31 Thanks for using/crediting my photo. Happy New Year!\n-faisal (friskyPics.com) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/friends-bloggers-other-visitors/","summary":"A New Year beginning, on to 2006\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/hope.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThere Is Always Hope\u003cbr/\u003e©friskypics.com/\u003cwbr\u003ephotos/hope.jpg\u003c/wbr\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\"Time present and time past \u003cbr/\u003eAre both perhaps present in time future, \u003cbr/\u003eAnd time future contained in time past.\"\u003cbr/\u003eT.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton, Four Quartets,1\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA very wet New Year's eve for us in the San Francisco Bay area.  As the saying goes,it is  raining cats and dogs. Reports of flooding and mudslides up north in Napa and Sonoma counties. The south is not dry either. Read that rain could fall at Pasadena during the Rose Bowl parade for the first time in 51 years.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo all visitors to this site--regulars, occasional, and accidental--good health. I no longer make New Year's resolutions but many people do. I wish them success. While globally there has not been much to rejoice about, individually many of you have had joyful experiences. Births, marriages, new friendships, travels, career achievements. Small things matter. I hope that those who needed support found it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBack in September 2004 when I hesitantly took my first step in the blogosphere I had no clue about where the venture would take me. Began writing about the '04 presidential race and segued on to post-election events. Nowadays I meander all over the map but the main thrust is about conservatives, their policies and practices. It has been a rewarding experience. Not financially--my blog does not carry ads. Neither does it have a vast readership. Rewarding, nevertheless, because it has brought me in touch with people who are kindred spirits. They are from places far and near---USA, UK and Canada, Iraq and India, Singapore, France and Pakistan. I am not likely to meet them in person but feel as though I know them. I find pleasure in what they say, in the photographs they publish, their e-mail messages, and comments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801152.html\"\u003eDavid Broder\u003c/a\u003e wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801152.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e about his '05 hits and misses. His praise for the president's response to Katrina was a doozy. But he should take heart. The job of writing a column under pressure of deadline comes with such hazards--it is the nature of the beast. We bloggers have an easier task because we have the advantage of reading others such as Mr. Broder and recycling their comments. As to columnists and bloggers who support Bush, I must admit that I pay no attention to them. Don't read them; don't listen to them. They will survive without me as I shall survive without them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-31\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for using/crediting my photo. Happy New Year!\u003cbr\u003e-faisal (friskyPics.com)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Friends, bloggers, other visitors"},{"content":" Stormy Weather*O Wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind ?\"---P.B. Shelley, Ode to West WindFog:©stock.xchng, phelleBirch Tree: ©stock.xchng, vaultsafeBare tree: ©stock.xchng, irene123December, and the year, coming to an end. For us here in the San Francisco Peninsula, the rains came late but we are getting enough of it not to worry about drought in the summer.The gingko trees on the street lost all their leaves. The blankets of golden leaves no longer cover the ground; the storms blew them away. The bulbs that I planted in October are looking strong and healthy. Not too long before the blooms appear. The sweet peas are beginning to emerge. This is when they are most vulnerable to snails.JHL and I went for our traditional hike on Christmas afternoon. It was drizzly when we began and raining hard by the time we finished but, despite the muddy trail and rain, there were other hardy souls out in Arastradero Preserve.*Winter haikus\"The bottoms of my shoesare cleanfrom walking in the rain.\"---Jack Kerouac, 1964\"The desolation of winterPassing through a small hamlet,a dog barks.\"---Shiki (translated by R.H. Blyth) Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-28 Beautiful photography! Hope you had a great 'holiday season\". I love that Kerouac haiku, its so simple, not sure why it appeals to me so much. Just does. Thank you! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/the-seasons-winter/","summary":"Stormy Weather\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eO Wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind ?\"\u003cbr/\u003e---P.B. Shelley, Ode to West Wind\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Fog.jpg\"/\u003eFog:©stock.xchng, phelle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Birch Tree.jpg\"/\u003eBirch Tree: ©stock.xchng, vaultsafe\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Tree, Winter.0.jpg\"/\u003eBare tree: ©stock.xchng, irene123\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eDecember, and the year, coming to an end. For us here in the San Francisco Peninsula, the rains came late but we are getting enough of it not to worry about drought in the summer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe gingko trees on the street lost all their leaves. The blankets of golden leaves no longer cover the ground; the storms blew them away. The bulbs that I planted in October are looking strong and healthy. Not too long before the blooms appear. The sweet peas are beginning to emerge. This is when they are most vulnerable to snails.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eJHL and I went for our traditional hike on Christmas afternoon.  It was drizzly when we began and raining hard by the time we finished but, despite the muddy trail and rain, there were other hardy souls out in Arastradero Preserve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eWinter haikus\u003cbr/\u003e\"The bottoms of my shoes\u003cbr/\u003eare clean\u003cbr/\u003efrom walking in the rain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Jack Kerouac, 1964\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The desolation of winter\u003cbr/\u003ePassing through a small  hamlet,\u003cbr/\u003ea dog barks.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Shiki (translated by R.H. Blyth)\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eBeautiful photography! Hope you had a great 'holiday season\". \u003cbr\u003e   I love that Kerouac haiku, its so simple, not sure why it appeals to me so much. Just does. Thank you!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Seasons:  Winter"},{"content":" \"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" -- Heraclitus 6th Century BCE*Article VI, Sec.3 of the Constitution reads:\"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures,and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by the oath of affirmation, to support the Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.\"The First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791, is quite unambiguous about this. \"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\"It was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809),who further defined separation between Church and State. In 1802, in a letter to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Jefferson wrote: \"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,thus building a wall of separation between Church and State'. \"\"Every ruler should be an avowed and sincere friend of Christianity. He should know and believe the doctrines of our holy religion, and act in conformity to its precepts.\" So said Ezra Stiles Ely, Presbyterian minister, during a sermon in Philadelphia, July 4, 1827. Ely was a supporter of Andrew Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812, who went on to become our seventh president in 1828. Jackson did not agree with Ely's sermon and wrote to him: \"Amongst the greatest blessings secured to us under our Constitution is the liberty of worshipping Godas our conscience dictates.\"If polls are right, somewhere along the way a large percentage of Americans embraced an arrogant, dogmatic interpretation of Christ and his teachings. G.W. Bush is the ideal ruler envisaged by Ezra Stile Ely. An avowed Born Again Christian, he champions their cause. In their world, there is only one way. From issues as diverse as right to die, women's right to choose, and teaching of evolution, to use of public grounds for display of religious symbols and statues, the zealots want to force the rest of us to accept their position. A fully supportive administration is doing all it can to destroy the barrier between church and state. Christian groups, including Catholics, have become actively involved in the political arena and political leaders are assiduously courting them. There is something very hollow about them. The same people are critical of other nations where the constitution is based on scriptures; where archaic laws and practices prevail; where religious minorites are persecuted. The fundamentalists are reported to be waiting for rapture...the Second coming of Christ when the true believers will ascend to heaven. Hope it happens soon.*S.D. Legislature takes lead in antiabortion measuresEvelyn Nieves in the Washington Post:\"As national leaders on both sides of the abortion debate focus on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination hearings of Samuel A. Alito Jr., they are watching states such as South Dakota pass more and more restrictions that might be upheld by a newly constituted, more conservative Supreme Court.\" No one who supports women's right to choose should have any doubt about the fragility of Roe v. Wade. Attacks against it will continue and a Supreme Court loaded with agenda driven justices will eventually succeed in overturning the momentous decision made in January 1973. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27 Andrew Jackson was a hero of the War of 1812, not the Civil War. DEANBERRY \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27 Thank you, anonymous, for pointing out the error. I have corrected my post. Regards ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/faith-and-bigotry/","summary":"\"Bigotry is the sacred disease\" -- Heraclitus 6th Century BCE\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eArticle VI, Sec.3 of the Constitution reads:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures,and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by the oath of affirmation, to support the Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791, is quite unambiguous about this. \"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809),who further defined separation between Church and State. In 1802, in a letter to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Jefferson wrote: \"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,thus building a wall of separation between Church and State'. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Every ruler should be an avowed and sincere friend of Christianity. He should know and believe the doctrines of our holy religion, and act in conformity to its precepts.\" So said Ezra Stiles Ely, Presbyterian minister, during a sermon in Philadelphia, July 4, 1827. Ely was a supporter of Andrew Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812, who went on to become our seventh president in 1828. Jackson did not agree with Ely's sermon and wrote to him:  \"Amongst the greatest blessings secured to us under our Constitution is the liberty of worshipping Godas our conscience dictates.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf polls are right, somewhere along the way a large percentage of Americans embraced an arrogant, dogmatic interpretation of Christ and his teachings.  G.W. Bush is the  ideal ruler envisaged by Ezra Stile Ely. An avowed Born Again Christian, he champions their  cause. In their world, there is only one way. From issues as diverse as right to die, women's right to choose, and teaching of evolution, to use of public grounds for display of religious symbols and statues, the zealots want to force the rest of us to accept their position. A fully supportive administration is doing all it can to destroy the barrier between church and state. Christian groups, including Catholics,  have become actively involved in the political arena and political leaders are assiduously courting them. There is something very  hollow about them. The same people are critical of other nations where the constitution is based on scriptures; where archaic laws and practices prevail; where religious minorites are persecuted.  The fundamentalists are reported to be waiting for rapture...the Second coming of Christ when the true believers will ascend to heaven.  Hope it happens soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eS.D. Legislature takes lead in antiabortion measures\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600747.html\"\u003eEvelyn Nieves\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600747.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\"As national leaders on both sides of the abortion debate focus on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination hearings of Samuel A. Alito Jr., they are watching states such as South Dakota pass more and more restrictions that might be upheld by a newly constituted, more conservative Supreme Court.\"  No one who supports women's right to choose should have any doubt about the fragility of Roe v. Wade. Attacks against it will continue and a Supreme Court loaded with agenda driven justices will  eventually succeed in overturning the momentous decision made in January 1973.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAndrew Jackson was a hero of the War of 1812, not the Civil War.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDEANBERRY\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-27\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you, anonymous, for pointing out the error.  I have corrected my post. Regards\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Faith and Bigotry"},{"content":" Spying on U.S. Citizens *From USA Today : \"Report: NSA spying broader than Bush acknowledgedNEW YORK (AP) — The National Security Agency has conducted much broader surveillance of e-mails and phone calls — without court orders — than the Bush administration has acknowledged, The New York Times reported on its website. Excerpts:Since the Times disclosed the domestic spying program last week, President Bush has stressed that his executive order allowing the eavesdropping was limited to people with known links to al-Qaeda.But the Times said that NSA technicians have combed through large volumes of phone and Internet traffic in search of patterns that might lead to terrorists.The volume of information harvested from telecommunications data and voice networks, without court-approved warrants, is much larger than the White House has acknowledged, the paper said, quoting an unnamed official.\"Those who give up essential liberties for temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.\"---Benjamin Franklin ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/the-bush-white-house-liedagain/","summary":"Spying on U.S. Citizens \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-12-24-nsa_x.htm\"\u003eUSA Today\u003c/a\u003e : \"Report: NSA spying broader than Bush acknowledged\u003cbr/\u003eNEW YORK (AP) — The National Security Agency has conducted much broader surveillance of e-mails and phone calls — without court orders — than the Bush administration has acknowledged, The New York Times reported on its website. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSince the Times disclosed the domestic spying program last week, President Bush has stressed that his executive order allowing the eavesdropping was limited to people with known links to al-Qaeda.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBut the Times said that NSA technicians have combed through large volumes of phone and Internet traffic in search of patterns that might lead to terrorists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe volume of information harvested from telecommunications data and voice networks, without court-approved warrants, is much larger than the White House has acknowledged, the paper said, quoting an unnamed official.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Those who give up essential liberties for temporary safety deserve neither  liberty nor safety.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Benjamin Franklin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Bush White House Lied......Again"},{"content":" The Face of Peace, Pablo Picasso (1881-1974)Cottage in Snow (Source: unknown)\"This is the field where the battle did not happen, where the unknown soldier did not die. This is the field where grass joined hands, where no monument stands, and the only heroic thing is the sky. Birds fly here without any sound, unfolding their wings across the open. No people killed – or were killed – on this ground hallowed by the neglect of an air so tame that people celebrate it by forgetting its name.---William Stafford, USA (1914-1993)\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/peace-think-peace/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003eThe Face of Peace, Pablo Picasso (1881-1974)\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Picaso.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCottage in Snow (Source: unknown)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Cottage in snow.0.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This                                      is the field where the battle did not happen,                        \u003cbr/\u003e                       where the unknown soldier did not die.\u003cbr/\u003e                       This is the field where grass joined hands,\u003cbr/\u003e                       where no monument stands,\u003cbr/\u003e                       and the only heroic thing is the sky. \u003cp class=\"body1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBirds fly here without                                      any sound,\u003cbr/\u003e                unfolding their wings across the open.\u003cbr/\u003e                No people killed – or were killed –                                      on this ground\u003cbr/\u003e                hallowed by the neglect of an air so tame                 \u003cbr/\u003e                that people celebrate it by forgetting its                                      name.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/em\u003e---William Stafford, USA (1914-1993)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Peace, think Peace"},{"content":" Abe Lincoln's Vision and How the System Really Works * They did it. VP Cheney cast the tie-breaker vote to pass the bill to reduce the budget deficit. Applause, grinning faces in the Republican side of the aisle. They got what they fought for. What their victory means and how they won it.\"......that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\" Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863.The Washington Post: According to budget experts, the bill would barely dent the federal deficit, cutting less than one-half of 1 percent from an estimated $14.3 trillion in federal spending over the next five years. Opponents said the poor would bear the brunt of the cuts -- especially to Medicaid, child support enforcement and foster care -- whereas original targets for belt-tightening, such as pharmaceutical companies and private insurers, largely escaped sanction. From the Los Angeles Times: A sixth defection — by Sen. Norm Coleman of the sugar-beet-producing state of Minnesota — was headed off when Republican leaders restored $30 million in subsidies for sugar producers. \"Sugar farmers will not face any cuts in this important agreement,\" said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), \"and Sen. Coleman will support the … package.\" \"........the whole package would trim about $3 for every $1,000 the government would otherwise spend. In tandem with the spending-cut bill, Congress has prepared legislation to extend some of the temporary tax cuts that it enacted in 2001 and 2003. The spending bill would save $40 billion over the next five years. The tax bill, which Republican congressional leaders hope to bring to a vote early next year, would cost $70 billion. \"Put the two together,\" said Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, the top Budget Committee Democrat, \"and guess what: You have increased the deficit, not reduced it.\" Much of the criticism of the measure came from groups speaking for the poor, the elderly and college students. \"The provisions … would cause considerable hardship among low-income families and people who are elderly or have disabilities,\" said the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Medicaid recipients, particularly those just above the poverty line, would have to pay more for their healthcare or accept fewer medical services. Some could be forced to pay as much as $100 for services that now cost $3, the center said. For elderly and disabled Medicare recipients, the premium that covers visits to the doctor would be increased. A previously enacted reduction of 4.4% in the fees received by doctors for treating Medicare patients would be erased. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/spending-cuts-bill-and-what-it-means---the-bottom-line/","summary":"Abe Lincoln's Vision and How the System Really Works \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey did it. VP Cheney cast the tie-breaker vote to pass the bill to reduce the budget deficit. Applause, grinning faces in the Republican side of the aisle. They got what they fought for. What their victory means and how they won it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"......that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.\" Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/21/AR2005122100748.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e: According to budget experts, the bill would barely dent the federal deficit, cutting less than one-half of 1 percent from an estimated $14.3 trillion in federal spending over the next five years. Opponents said the poor would bear the brunt of the cuts -- especially to Medicaid, child support enforcement and foster care -- whereas original targets for belt-tightening, such as pharmaceutical companies and private insurers, largely escaped sanction.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e From the \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-spend21dec21,1,5942180.story?coll=la-headlines-nation\"\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eA sixth defection — by Sen. Norm Coleman of the sugar-beet-producing state of Minnesota — was headed off when Republican leaders restored $30 million in subsidies for sugar producers. \"Sugar farmers will not face any cuts in this important agreement,\" said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), \"and Sen. Coleman will support the … package.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"........the whole package would trim about $3 for every $1,000 the government would otherwise spend.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn tandem with the spending-cut bill, Congress has prepared legislation to extend some of the temporary tax cuts that it enacted in 2001 and 2003. The spending bill would save $40 billion over the next five years. The tax bill, which Republican congressional leaders hope to bring to a vote early next year, would cost $70 billion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Put the two together,\" said Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, the top Budget Committee Democrat, \"and guess what: You have increased the deficit, not reduced it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e Much of the criticism of the measure came from groups speaking for the poor, the elderly and college students.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"The provisions … would cause considerable hardship among low-income families and people who are elderly or have disabilities,\" said the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMedicaid recipients, particularly those just above the poverty line, would have to pay more for their healthcare or accept fewer medical services. Some could be forced to pay as much as $100 for services that now cost $3, the center said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFor elderly and disabled Medicare recipients, the premium that covers visits to the doctor would be increased.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eA previously enacted reduction of 4.4% in the fees received by doctors for treating Medicare patients would be erased.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Spending Cuts Bill and what it means -  The bottom line"},{"content":" Judge James Robertson Quits Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court*\"A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.\" The Washington Post report by Carole D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer includes: Robertson indicated privately to colleagues in recent conversations that he was concerned that information gained from warrantless NSA surveillance could have then been used to obtain FISA warrants. FISA court Presiding Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who had been briefed on the spying program by the administration, raised the same concern in 2004 and insisted that the Justice Department certify in writing that it was not occurring. \"They just don't know if the product of wiretaps were used for FISA warrants -- to kind of cleanse the information,\" said one source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the FISA warrants. \"What I've heard some of the judges say is they feel they've participated in a Potemkin court.\" The late Arthur Koestler's novel Darkness at Noon (1940) described the trial of a man named Rubashov in Stalin's Russia. Michael Schaub wrote an excellent article about the book. No, we are not anywhere near the conditions in Soviet Russia under Stalin. But there are times when I get the feeling that we are inexorably heading that way. Efforts to politicize our judicial system are indisputable facts. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/kangaroo-courts-in-the-land-of-bush---darkness-at-noon/","summary":"Judge James Robertson Quits Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.\"  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122000685.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122000685.html\"\u003eCarole D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer\u003c/a\u003e includes:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRobertson indicated privately to colleagues in recent conversations that he was concerned that information gained from warrantless NSA surveillance could have then been used to obtain FISA warrants. FISA court Presiding Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who had been briefed on the spying program by the administration, raised the same concern in 2004 and insisted that the Justice Department certify in writing that it was not occurring.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"They just don't know if the product of wiretaps were used for FISA warrants -- to kind of cleanse the information,\" said one source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the FISA warrants. \"What I've heard some of the judges say is they feel they've participated in a Potemkin court.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThe late Arthur Koestler's novel Darkness at Noon  (1940) described the trial of a man named Rubashov in Stalin's Russia. \u003ca href=\"http://www.bookslut.com/hundred_books/2004_04_001879.php\"\u003eMichael Schaub\u003c/a\u003e wrote an excellent article about the book. No, we are not anywhere near the conditions in Soviet Russia under Stalin. But there are times when I get the feeling that we are inexorably heading that way. Efforts to politicize our judicial system are indisputable facts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Kangaroo Courts in the Land of Bush  - \"Darkness at Noon\""},{"content":" They are looking after welfare of the usual suspects*The Washington Post reported: \"House passage early yesterday of major budget-cutting legislation and authority to drill for oil in the Alaskan wilderness touched off fierce resistance in the Senate, where Democrats and moderate Republicans threaten to derail the legislation over concerns about the impact on the poor and the environment.\" Not only the ANWR is in danger but Medicaid recipients and students in need of financial assistance are also targets of proposed cuts in the budget while the Bush tax cuts remain inviolate !Excerpt: In an unusual pre-dawn vote yesterday, the House narrowly passed a broad five-year budget plan to cut spending on Medicaid, student loans and other entitlement programs by $39.7 billion. That 212 to 206 vote, concluded at 6:07 a.m., came one hour and three minutes after the House voted 308 to 106 on a 2006 defense spending bill that included a provision opening Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, a move long sought by President Bush, energy companies and Republican leaders. The Republicans mounted a sneak attack by attaching the drilling provision to the defense spending bill. In a filibuster it would require only a 51-vote majority for passage. If it were a separate legislation then a 60-vote majority would have been needed. Opponents will try to strip the provision from the budget bill during debates which have commenced in the Senate. The VP is expected to emerge from his bunker to be available to cast a tie breaker. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/the-freedom-fries-gang-and-their-budget-bill/","summary":"They are looking after welfare of the usual suspects\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/19/AR2005121900159.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reported: \"House passage early yesterday of major budget-cutting legislation and authority to drill for oil in the Alaskan wilderness touched off fierce resistance in the Senate, where Democrats and moderate Republicans threaten to derail the legislation over concerns about the impact on the poor and the environment.\" Not only the ANWR is in danger but Medicaid recipients and students in need of financial assistance are also targets of proposed cuts in the budget while the Bush tax cuts remain inviolate !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpt:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn an unusual pre-dawn vote yesterday, the House narrowly passed a broad five-year budget plan to cut spending on Medicaid, student loans and other entitlement programs by $39.7 billion. That 212 to 206 vote, concluded at 6:07 a.m., came one hour and three minutes after the House voted 308 to 106 on a 2006 defense spending bill that included a provision opening Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, a move long sought by President Bush, energy companies and Republican leaders.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Republicans mounted a sneak attack by attaching the drilling provision to the defense spending bill. In a filibuster it would require only a 51-vote majority for passage. If it were a separate legislation then a 60-vote majority would have been needed. Opponents will try to strip the provision from the budget bill during debates which have commenced in the Senate. The VP is expected to emerge from his bunker to be available to cast a tie breaker.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The \"Freedom Fries\" Gang and Their Budget Bill"},{"content":" \"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?\"-- Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis (Juvenal) Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)*The President spoke today and strongly defended the recently exposed domestic spying program authorized by him. As usual, the president rehashed a litany of bogies to justify his action. Some Americans will buy that as they have done in the past. Based on what we know of this administration and the war in Iraq, can we trust the president ? Has he earned it ? From an editorial in the NY Times, Dec.18, 2005: Mr. Bush said he would not retract his secret directive or halt the illegal spying, so Congress should find a way to force him to do it. Perhaps the Congressional leaders who were told about the program could get the ball rolling. December 18, 2005Editorial NY Times This Call May Be Monitored On Oct. 17, 2002, the head of the National Security Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden, made an eloquent plea to a joint House-Senate inquiry on intelligence for a sober national discussion about whether the line between liberty and security should be shifted after the 9/11 attacks, and if so, precisely how far. He reminded the lawmakers that the rules against his agency's spying on Americans, carefully written decades earlier, were based on protecting fundamental constitutional rights.If they were to be changed, General Hayden said, \"We need to get it right. We have to find the right balance between protecting our security and protecting our liberty.\" General Hayden spoke of having a \"national dialogue\" and added: \"What I really need you to do is talk to your constituents and find out where the American people want that line between security and liberty to be.\"General Hayden was right. The mass murders of 9/11 revealed deadly gaps in United States intelligence that needed to be closed. Most of those involved failure of performance, not legal barriers. Nevertheless, Americans expected some reasonable and carefully measured trade-offs between security and civil liberties. They trusted their elected leaders to follow long-established democratic and legal principles and to make any changes in the light of day. But President Bush had other ideas. He secretly and recklessly expanded the government's powers in dangerous and unnecessary ways that eroded civil liberties and may also have violated the law.In Friday's Times, James Risen and Eric Lichtblau reported that sometime in 2002, President Bush signed a secret executive order scrapping a painfully reached, 25-year-old national consensus: spying on Americans by their government should generally be prohibited, and when it is allowed, it should be regulated and supervised by the courts. The laws and executive orders governing electronic eavesdropping by the intelligence agency were specifically devised to uphold the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures.But Mr. Bush secretly decided that he was going to allow the agency to spy on American citizens without obtaining a warrant - just as he had earlier decided to scrap the Geneva Conventions, American law and Army regulations when it came to handling prisoners in the war on terror. Indeed, the same Justice Department lawyer, John Yoo, who helped write the twisted memo on legalizing torture, wrote briefs supporting the idea that the president could ignore the law once again when it came to the intelligence agency's eavesdropping on telephone calls and e-mail messages.\"The government may be justified in taking measures which in less troubled conditions could be seen as infringements of individual liberties,\" he wrote.Let's be clear about this: illegal government spying on Americans is a violation of individual liberties, whether conditions are troubled or not. Nobody with a real regard for the rule of law and the Constitution would have difficulty seeing that. The law governing the National Security Agency was written after the Vietnam War because the government had made lists of people it considered national security threats and spied on them. All the same empty points about effective intelligence gathering were offered then, just as they are now, and the Congress, the courts and the American people rejected them.This particular end run around civil liberties is also unnecessary. The intelligence agency already had the capacity to read your mail and your e-mail and listen to your telephone conversations. All it had to do was obtain a warrant from a special court created for this purpose. The burden of proof for obtaining a warrant was relaxed a bit after 9/11, but even before the attacks the court hardly ever rejected requests.The special court can act in hours, but administration officials say that they sometimes need to start monitoring large batches of telephone numbers even faster than that, and that those numbers might include some of American citizens. That is supposed to justify Mr. Bush's order, and that is nonsense. The existing law already recognizes that American citizens' communications may be intercepted by chance. It says that those records may be retained and used if they amount to actual foreign intelligence or counterintelligence material. Otherwise, they must be thrown out.President Bush defended the program yesterday, saying it was saving lives, hotly insisting that he was working within the Constitution and the law, and denouncing The Times for disclosing the program's existence. We don't know if he was right on the first count; this White House has cried wolf so many times on the urgency of national security threats that it has lost all credibility. But we have learned the hard way that Mr. Bush's team cannot be trusted to find the boundaries of the law, much less respect them.Mr. Bush said he would not retract his secret directive or halt the illegal spying, so Congress should find a way to force him to do it. Perhaps the Congressional leaders who were told about the program could get the ball rolling. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/who-will-watch-the-watchers/","summary":"\"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?\"\u003cbr/\u003e--  Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis (Juvenal)  Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe President spoke today and strongly defended the recently exposed domestic spying program authorized by him. As usual, the president rehashed a litany of bogies to justify his action. Some Americans will buy that as they have done in the past. Based on what we know of this administration and the war in Iraq, can we trust the president ? Has he earned it ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003cbr/\u003eFrom an editorial in the NY Times, Dec.18, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMr. Bush said he would not retract his secret directive or halt the illegal spying, so Congress should find a way to force him to do it. Perhaps the Congressional leaders who were told about the program could get the ball rolling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eDecember 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEditorial NY Times\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eThis Call May Be Monitored\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eOn Oct. 17, 2002, the head of the National Security Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden, made an eloquent plea to a joint House-Senate inquiry on intelligence for a sober national discussion about whether the line between liberty and security should be shifted after the 9/11 attacks, and if so, precisely how far. He reminded the lawmakers that the rules against his agency's spying on Americans, carefully written decades earlier, were based on protecting fundamental constitutional rights.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf they were to be changed, General Hayden said, \"We need to get it right. We have to find the right balance between protecting our security and protecting our liberty.\" General Hayden spoke of having a \"national dialogue\" and added: \"What I really need you to do is talk to your constituents and find out where the American people want that line between security and liberty to be.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral Hayden was right. The mass murders of 9/11 revealed deadly gaps in United States intelligence that needed to be closed. Most of those involved failure of performance, not legal barriers. Nevertheless, Americans expected some reasonable and carefully measured trade-offs between security and civil liberties. They trusted their elected leaders to follow long-established democratic and legal principles and to make any changes in the light of day. But President Bush had other ideas. He secretly and recklessly expanded the government's powers in dangerous and unnecessary ways that eroded civil liberties and may also have violated the law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Friday's Times, James Risen and Eric Lichtblau reported that sometime in 2002, President Bush signed a secret executive order scrapping a painfully reached, 25-year-old national consensus: spying on Americans by their government should generally be prohibited, and when it is allowed, it should be regulated and supervised by the courts. The laws and executive orders governing electronic eavesdropping by the intelligence agency were specifically devised to uphold the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut Mr. Bush secretly decided that he was going to allow the agency to spy on American citizens without obtaining a warrant - just as he had earlier decided to scrap the Geneva Conventions, American law and Army regulations when it came to handling prisoners in the war on terror. Indeed, the same Justice Department lawyer, John Yoo, who helped write the twisted memo on legalizing torture, wrote briefs supporting the idea that the president could ignore the law once again when it came to the intelligence agency's eavesdropping on telephone calls and e-mail messages.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The government may be justified in taking measures which in less troubled conditions could be seen as infringements of individual liberties,\" he wrote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet's be clear about this: illegal government spying on Americans is a violation of individual liberties, whether conditions are troubled or not. Nobody with a real regard for the rule of law and the Constitution would have difficulty seeing that. The law governing the National Security Agency was written after the Vietnam War because the government had made lists of people it considered national security threats and spied on them. All the same empty points about effective intelligence gathering were offered then, just as they are now, and the Congress, the courts and the American people rejected them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis particular end run around civil liberties is also unnecessary. The intelligence agency already had the capacity to read your mail and your e-mail and listen to your telephone conversations. All it had to do was obtain a warrant from a special court created for this purpose. The burden of proof for obtaining a warrant was relaxed a bit after 9/11, but even before the attacks the court hardly ever rejected requests.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe special court can act in hours, but administration officials say that they sometimes need to start monitoring large batches of telephone numbers even faster than that, and that those numbers might include some of American citizens. That is supposed to justify Mr. Bush's order, and that is nonsense. The existing law already recognizes that American citizens' communications may be intercepted by chance. It says that those records may be retained and used if they amount to actual foreign intelligence or counterintelligence material. Otherwise, they must be thrown out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush defended the program yesterday, saying it was saving lives, hotly insisting that he was working within the Constitution and the law, and denouncing The Times for disclosing the program's existence. We don't know if he was right on the first count; this White House has cried wolf so many times on the urgency of national security threats that it has lost all credibility. But we have learned the hard way that Mr. Bush's team cannot be trusted to find the boundaries of the law, much less respect them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Bush said he would not retract his secret directive or halt the illegal spying, so Congress should find a way to force him to do it. Perhaps the Congressional leaders who were told about the program could get the ball rolling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"\"Who will watch the watchers ?\""},{"content":" Belfast, Northern Ireland * Scotland * Wales * England*\"Two women today became the first same-sex couple to use the UK's new civil partnership laws to publicly register their commitment at a ceremony. Shannon Sickels, 27, and Grainne Close, 32, recorded the historic union at Belfast city hall this morning.\" The Guardian,UK Like it or not, there is a wave of such unions to follow--almost 700 of them in England and Wales on Wednesday, 21st December. Yes, there were some protesters; the usual sin and damnation crowd. \"The protesters, who gathered outside the city hall, demonstrated against the \"sin\" of homosexuality and the new legislation. They heckled Ms Close as she arrived for the ceremony. She told one protester: \"God bless you ... I'll see you at the gates of heaven.\"\nOne can imagine the wrath of the fundamentalist Christians in this country. Nothing they can do but curse the nations that permit such unions. If a major natural disaster hits the British Isles it will be ascribed to punishment for sinful lifestyle. I have a feeling that marriages between same sex couples will soon be old hat. Life will go on as usual. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/same-sex-weddings---across-the-atlantic-walls-come-tumbling-down/","summary":"Belfast, Northern Ireland * Scotland * Wales * England\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Two women today became the first same-sex couple to use the UK's new civil partnership laws to publicly register their commitment at a ceremony. Shannon Sickels, 27, and Grainne Close, 32, recorded the historic union at Belfast city hall this morning.\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/gayrights/story/0,12592,1670784,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLike it or not, there is a wave of such unions to follow--almost 700 of them in England and Wales on Wednesday, 21st December. Yes, there were some protesters; the usual sin and damnation crowd. \"The protesters, who gathered outside the city hall, demonstrated against the \"sin\" of homosexuality and the new legislation. They heckled Ms Close as she arrived for the ceremony. She told one protester: \"God bless you ... I'll see you at the gates of heaven.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Same Sex Weddings - Across the Atlantic, Walls Come Tumbling Down"},{"content":" Secular Europe's Humane Approach* \"Human life consists in mutual service. No grief, pain, misfortune, or \"broken heart,\" is excuse for cutting off one's life while any power of service remains. But when all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.\"--Charlotte Perkins Gilman, American author (1860-1935) While our government is determined to do all it can to trample over state's rights and override Oregon's Death With Dignity Act of 1997, according to a report in the BBC a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, has announced that \"......it will allow assisted suicide on its premises for terminally ill patients.\" Earlier, doctors and church leaders in Britain dropped their opposition to voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill patients who clearly express their wish for assistance in dying. Now, before the religious right and others who oppose such measures throw a fit they should read the details of what the Swiss plan means. No one is going to be forced to die. There are enough safeguards to satisfy all but those who feel that end of life is an issue left in the hands of higher powers. The disturbing part is that the zealots want to impose their will on the rest of us. The Bush administration's challenge to Oregon's law is based on use of drugs covered by the federal Controlled Substances Act for the purpose of suicide. Ruling on the case Gonzalez v. Oregon and the Right to Die, heard by the Supreme Court in October 2005, is expected to be issued in the summer of 2006. A spokesman for the university hospital in Lausanne said the decision was taken after a long reflection. He added that the conditions for permitted an assisted suicide remained very strict. From the start of next year terminally ill patients in Lausanne's main hospital will be allowed to take their own lives on hospital premises, as long as they are of sound mind, are already too ill to return home, and have expressed a persistent wish to die. Senior doctors at Lausanne's hospital say the decision was taken after almost three years of consideration and reflects the position of the Swiss Medical Association and the National Committee on Ethics. Both bodies say that in order to respect the wishes and independence of patients assisted suicide should be permitted in exceptional cases, but that it should never become a routine procedure. Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-12-19 I feel very strongly about the 'right to die' and have trouble understanding the suspicions about it. I suppose there is the fear that relatives will knock off pesky terminally ill family members? That terminally ill people cannot make these decisions? Death can be a mercifully human decision.\nI recall someone I knew,terminally ill, in pain, anguish, begging to die. I recall being told all was being done to manage the pain, and that little could be done for the intense sadness... it felt cruel to me. She said that watching the pained faces of people at her pillow, hearing the voices of people talking in the house, it was too much to bear. I cannot judge those feelings or be critical of such emotions, terminally ill people often go through stages that include some intense emotional pain and grief. And the physical discomfort, the waiting to die... for what? If it is inevitable, why not give the final gift of dignity and choice? I can't understand the arguments against. if abuse is what you fear, safeguard against that but don;t let people suffer because you cannot control the correct circumstantial application... ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/the-right-to-die---switzerland-takes-the-lead/","summary":"Secular Europe's Humane Approach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Human life consists in mutual service. No grief, pain, misfortune, or \"broken heart,\" is excuse for cutting off one's life while any power of service remains. But when all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Charlotte Perkins Gilman, American author (1860-1935)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhile our government is determined to do all it can to trample over state's rights and override \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/10/keep-oregon-free-gonzales-v-oregon-04.html\"\u003eOregon's Death With Dignity Act\u003c/a\u003e of 1997, according to a  report in the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4539126.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, has announced that \"......it will allow assisted suicide on its premises for terminally ill patients.\"   Earlier, doctors and church leaders in Britain dropped their opposition to voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill patients who clearly express their wish for assistance in dying.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNow, before the religious right and others who oppose such measures throw a fit they should read the details of what the Swiss plan means. No one is going to be forced to die. There are enough safeguards to satisfy all but those who feel that end of life is an issue left in the hands of higher powers. The disturbing part is that the zealots want to impose their will on the rest of us. The Bush administration's challenge to Oregon's law is based on use of drugs covered by the federal Controlled Substances Act for the purpose of suicide. Ruling on the case \u003ca href=\"http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=117\"\u003eGonzalez v. Oregon\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=117\"\u003e and the Right to Die\u003c/a\u003e, heard by the Supreme Court in October 2005,  is expected to be issued in the summer of 2006.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eA spokesman for the university hospital in Lausanne said the decision was taken after a long reflection.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHe added that the conditions for permitted an assisted suicide remained very strict.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eFrom the start of next year terminally ill patients in Lausanne's main hospital will be allowed to take their own lives on hospital premises, as long as they are of sound mind, are already too ill to return home, and have expressed a persistent wish to die.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSenior doctors at Lausanne's hospital say the decision was taken after almost three years of consideration and reflects the position of the Swiss Medical Association and the National Committee on Ethics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul face=\"trebuchet ms\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eBoth bodies say that in order to respect the wishes and independence of patients assisted suicide should be permitted in exceptional cases, but that it should never become a routine procedure.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI feel very strongly about the 'right to die' and have trouble understanding the suspicions about it. I suppose there is the fear that relatives will knock off pesky terminally ill family members? That terminally ill people cannot make these decisions? Death can be a mercifully human decision.\u003cbr\u003e  I recall someone I knew,terminally ill, in pain, anguish, begging to die. I recall being told all was being done to manage the pain, and that little could be done for the intense sadness... it felt cruel to me. She said that watching the pained faces of people at her pillow, hearing the voices of people talking in the house, it was too much to bear. I cannot judge those feelings or be critical of such emotions, terminally ill people often go through stages that include some intense emotional pain and grief. And the physical discomfort, the waiting to die... for what? If it is inevitable, why not give the final gift of dignity and choice? \u003cbr\u003e   I can't understand the arguments against. if abuse is what you fear, safeguard against that but don;t let people suffer because you cannot control the correct circumstantial application...\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Right to Die - Switzerland Takes the Lead"},{"content":" Saturday Morning Charivari * News about authorization of domestic spying by the president still making headlines but the shock wave is receding. To many people it didn't come as a surprise. While full details are not known, the fact that the administration was carrying on a secretive operation against its own citizens failed to provoke the howl that it deserved. We have become inured; revealations of lies, half-truths, deceptions have become routine; they no longer shock us. We have truly become a nation of sheep.Reading \"A Scoop Deferred\" by Paul Farhi in the Post one gets the impression that it is not what he described that is important but what he left unsaid.More interesting was an article by Paul Bloom (of Yale) that I found in The Guardian,UK. Professor Bloom wrote about American authors of yesterday, especially Whitman and Melville in context with the America of today. Reflections in the Evening Land reaches the heart of the sickness. The overwhelming question is why it happened. Perhaps simply because the majority (the god fearing majority ?) has a narrow vision of the world that prevents thoughts and questions about the policies being followed even when they are not for the common good.Excerpts: Huey Long, known as \"the Kingfish,\" dominated the state of Louisiana from 1928 until his assassination in 1935, at the age of 42. Simultaneously governor and a United States senator, the canny Kingfish uttered a prophecy that haunts me in this late summer of 2005, 70 years after his violent end: \"Of course we will have fascism in America but we will call it democracy!\" In 2005, what is self-reliance? I can recognise three prime stigmata of the American religion: spiritual freedom is solitude, while the soul's encounter with the divine (Jesus, the Paraclete, the Father) is direct and personal, and, most crucially, what is best and oldest in the American religionist goes back to a time-before-time, and so is part or particle of God. Every second year, the Gallup pollsters survey religion in the United States, and report that 93% of us believe in God, while 89% are certain that God loves him or her on a personal basis. And 45% of us insist that Earth was created precisely as described in Genesis and is only about 9,000 or fewer years old. The actual figure is 4.5 billion years, and some dinosaur fossils are dated as 190 million years back. Perhaps the intelligent designers, led by George W Bush, will yet give us a dinosaur Gospel, though I doubt it, as they, and he, dwell within a bubble that education cannot invade. Some of my friends and students suggest that Iraq is President Bush's white whale, but our leader is absurdly far from Captain Ahab's aesthetic dignity. The valid analogue is the Pequod; as Lawrence says: \"America! Then such a crew. Renegades, castaways, cannibals, Ishmael, Quakers,\" and South Sea Islanders, Native Americans, Africans, Parsees, Manxmen, what you will. One thinks of our tens of thousands of mercenaries in Iraq, called \"security employees\" or \"contractors\". They mix former American Special Forces, Gurkhas, Boers, Croatians, whoever is qualified and available. What they lack is Captain Ahab, who could give them a metaphysical dimension. What Whitman meant (as Lawrence knew) was that the United States itself was to be the greatest of poems. But with that grand assertion, I find myself so overwhelmed by an uncomfortable sense of irony, that I cease these reflections. Shelley wore a ring, on which was inscribed the motto: \"The good time will come.\" In September, the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was quoted as saying at Zion Church in Whistler, Alabama: \"The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time if we just wait.\" For G.W. Bush and his cohorts the good time has already come. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-17 Glad to see you talking about this- I am amazed by the speed of the 'wave' you refer to, how quickly it recedes and our attention spans move on. I will try to stop by more often. I think that we are just so desensitized to corruption, we can compare things to Clinton and the reactions then to relatively minor matters (in my view at least!)but look at how indifferent we are on this!\n(::shaking head::)\nI'll come back when I am not so fed up and tired... and read more.\nLew will be posting now with us at \"Lose the Noose\" (he often comments at Hydrogen and Stupidity where I think I first made your acquaintance!!!) I like to encourage his angry rantings...they are necessary!!! We all need to speak to truth. Anywhere we can. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/we-the-people-and-george-bushs-america/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e Saturday Morning Charivari\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNews about authorization of domestic spying by the president still making headlines but the shock wave is receding. To many people it didn't come as a surprise. While full details are not known, the fact that the administration was carrying on a secretive operation against its own citizens failed to provoke the howl that it deserved. We have become inured; revealations of lies, half-truths, deceptions have become routine; they no longer shock us. We have truly become a nation of sheep.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601716.html?sub=AR\"\u003eA Scoop Deferred\u003c/a\u003e\" by Paul Farhi in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601716.html?sub=AR\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e one gets the impression that it is not what he described that is important but what he left unsaid.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore interesting was an article by Paul Bloom (of Yale) that I found in The \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/classics/story/0,6000,1669276,00.html\"\u003eGuardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e. Professor Bloom wrote about American authors of yesterday, especially Whitman and Melville in context with the America of today. \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/classics/story/0,6000,1669276,00.html\"\u003eReflections in the Evening Land\u003c/a\u003e reaches the heart of the sickness. The overwhelming question is why it happened. Perhaps simply because the majority (the god fearing majority ?) has a narrow vision of the world that prevents thoughts and questions about the policies being followed even when they are not for the common good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHuey Long, known as \"the Kingfish,\" dominated the state of Louisiana from 1928 until his assassination in 1935, at the age of 42. Simultaneously governor and a United States senator, the canny Kingfish uttered a prophecy that haunts me in this late summer of 2005, 70 years after his violent end: \"Of course we will have fascism in America but we will call it democracy!\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn 2005, what is self-reliance? I can recognise three prime stigmata of the American religion: spiritual freedom is solitude, while the soul's encounter with the divine (Jesus, the Paraclete, the Father) is direct and personal, and, most crucially, what is best and oldest in the American religionist goes back to a time-before-time, and so is part or particle of God. Every second year, the Gallup pollsters survey religion in the United States, and report that 93% of us believe in God, while 89% are certain that God loves him or her on a personal basis. And 45% of us insist that Earth was created precisely as described in Genesis and is only about 9,000 or fewer years old. The actual figure is 4.5 billion years, and some dinosaur fossils are dated as 190 million years back. Perhaps the intelligent designers, led by George W Bush, will yet give us a dinosaur Gospel, though I doubt it, as they, and he, dwell within a bubble that education cannot invade.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSome of my friends and students suggest that Iraq is President Bush's white whale, but our leader is absurdly far from Captain Ahab's aesthetic dignity. The valid analogue is the Pequod; as Lawrence says: \"America! Then such a crew. Renegades, castaways, cannibals, Ishmael, Quakers,\" and South Sea Islanders, Native Americans, Africans, Parsees, Manxmen, what you will. One thinks of our tens of thousands of mercenaries in Iraq, called \"security employees\" or \"contractors\". They mix former American Special Forces, Gurkhas, Boers, Croatians, whoever is qualified and available. What they lack is Captain Ahab, who could give them a metaphysical dimension.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat Whitman meant (as Lawrence knew) was that the United States itself was to be the greatest of poems. But with that grand assertion, I find myself so overwhelmed by an uncomfortable sense of irony, that I cease these reflections. Shelley wore a ring, on which was inscribed the motto: \"The good time will come.\" In September, the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was quoted as saying at Zion Church in Whistler, Alabama: \"The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time if we just wait.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eFor G.W. Bush and his cohorts the good time has already come. \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGlad to see you talking about this- I am amazed by the speed of the 'wave' you refer to, how quickly it recedes and our attention spans move on. I will try to stop by more often. \u003cbr\u003e   I think that we are just so desensitized to corruption, we can compare things to Clinton and the reactions then to relatively minor matters (in my view at least!)but look at how indifferent we are on this!\u003cbr\u003e  (::shaking head::)\u003cbr\u003e  I'll come back when I am not so fed up and tired... and read more.\u003cbr\u003e   Lew will be posting now with us at \"Lose the Noose\" (he often comments at Hydrogen and Stupidity where I think I first made your acquaintance!!!)  I like to encourage his angry rantings...they are necessary!!! We all need to speak to truth. Anywhere we can.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"We the people\" and George Bush's America"},{"content":" Torture - Bush White House bends under pressure * The records speak for themselves. When it comes to torture we yield to none. In the face of rising criticism here and abroad, the White House retreated on its position about torture of prisoners held as terrorists. Republican Senator John McCain took a leading role in making this happen. Let's hope that the retreat was not purely diplomatic and that the terms would be honored. Tom Toles, editorial cartoonist of the Washington Post, won the Pulitzer in 1990. His December 13th cartoon says it all. For full gallery of cartoons by Toles, go to the Post.December 13, 2005 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-17 Interesting cartoon, eh? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/members-of-the-choir---all-together-now/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e Torture - Bush White House bends under pressure\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe records speak for themselves. When it comes to torture we yield to none. In the face of rising criticism here and abroad, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR.html\"\u003eWhite House\u003c/a\u003e retreated on its position about torture of prisoners held as terrorists.  Republican \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR.html\"\u003eSenator John McCain\u003c/a\u003e took a leading role in making this happen. Let's hope that the retreat was not purely diplomatic and that the terms would be honored. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html\"\u003eTom Toles\u003c/a\u003e, editorial cartoonist of the Washington Post, won the Pulitzer in 1990. His December 13th cartoon says it all. For full gallery of cartoons by Toles, go to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDecember 13, 2005\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/ssi/images/Toles/c_12132005_520.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eInteresting cartoon, eh?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Members of the Choir - All Together Now"},{"content":" Author of \"The Arrogance of Power\"* The death of former senator William Proxmire from Wisconsin on December 15th has been widely reported. Adam Bernstein of the Washington Post covered it well. As is the norm on such occasions, there was a rush by politicians to offer eulogies. The event triggered a few of my friends to comment about another senator--the late William Fulbright of Arkansas. This what they said.SG:\"Back in 1987, Senator Fulbright gave the commencement address at my graduation from U of Miami. It was an excellent speech that revealed a level of understanding of world affairs that is rare among the corridors of power in this country. After a 30-year Senate career, he died in 1995 at the age of 89.\"Excerpts from the Arrogance of Power are given below, which has striking relevance in the context of the current Iraq misadventure.\"On American foreign policy: Throughout our history two strands have coexisted uneasily; a dominant strand of democratic humanism and a lesser but durable strand of intolerant Puritanism. There has been a tendency through the years for reason and moderation to prevail as long as things are going tolerably well or as long as our problems seem clear and finite and manageable. But... when some event or leader of opinion has aroused the people to a state of high emotion, our puritan spirit has tended to break through, leading us to look at the world through the distorting prism of a harsh and angry moralism. \"Fulbright also related his opposition to any American tendencies to intervene in the affairs of other nations: Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations — to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image. Power confuses itself with virtue and tends also to take itself for omnipotence. Once imbued with the idea of a mission, a great nation easily assumes that it has the means as well as the duty to do God's work. \"He was a strong believer in international law: Law is the essential foundation of stability and order both within societies and in international relations. As a conservative power, the United States has a vital interest in upholding and expanding the reign of law in international relations. Insofar as international law is observed, it provides us with stability and order and with a means of predicting the behavior of those with whom we have reciprocal legal obligations. When we violate the law ourselves, whatever short-term advantage may be gained, we are obviously encouraging others to violate the law; we thus encourage disorder and instability and thereby do incalculable damage to our own long-term interests.\" Sources: Wikipedia.org CommonDreams.org* K.C.R responded:\"It is a good thing the good senator is no more. Today's powers-that-be would have branded his words above as irresponsible, unpatriotic, unchristian, UN-loving, terrorist-supporting, michael moore-like claptrap. His tax records would have been audited by the IRS and his phones tapped by the FBI. O'Reilly would have called him 'Frenchie', Cheney would have called him 'dangerous', Rice ' a friend of Saddam', Limbaugh 'deliriously left-wing' and Gary Bauer 'gay'. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/a-giant-among-pygmies---william-j-fulbright-1905-1995/","summary":"Author of \"The Arrogance of Power\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e The death of former senator William Proxmire from Wisconsin on December 15th has been widely reported. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121502261.html?sub=AR\"\u003eAdam Bernstein\u003c/a\u003e of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121502261.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003ecovered it well. As is the norm on such occasions, there was a rush by politicians to offer eulogies. The event triggered a few of my friends to comment about another senator--the late William Fulbright of Arkansas. This what they said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSG:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Back in 1987, Senator Fulbright gave the commencement address at my graduation from U of Miami. It was an excellent speech that revealed a level of understanding of world affairs that is rare among the corridors of power in this country. After a 30-year Senate career, he died in 1995 at the age of 89.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Excerpts from the Arrogance of Power are given below, which has striking relevance in the context of the current Iraq misadventure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"On American foreign policy:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThroughout our history two strands have coexisted uneasily; a dominant strand of democratic humanism and a lesser but durable strand of intolerant Puritanism. There has been a tendency through the years for reason and moderation to prevail as long as things are going tolerably well or as long as our problems seem clear and finite and manageable. But... when some event or leader of opinion has aroused the people to a state of high emotion, our puritan spirit has tended to break through, leading us to look at the world through the distorting prism of a harsh and angry moralism. \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Fulbright also related his opposition to any American tendencies to intervene in the affairs of other nations:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations — to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image. Power confuses itself with virtue and tends also to take itself for omnipotence. Once imbued with the idea of a mission, a great nation easily assumes that it has the means as well as the duty to do God's work. \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He was a strong believer in international law:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLaw is the essential foundation of stability and order both within societies and in international relations. As a conservative power, the United States has a vital interest in upholding and expanding the reign of law in international relations. Insofar as international law is observed, it provides us with stability and order and with a means of predicting the behavior of those with whom we have reciprocal legal obligations. When we violate the law ourselves, whatever short-term advantage may be gained, we are obviously encouraging others to violate the law; we thus encourage disorder and instability and thereby do incalculable damage to our own long-term interests.\" \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSources: \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._William_Fulbright\"\u003eWikipedia.or\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._William_Fulbright\"\u003eg\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1129-08.htm\"\u003eCommonDreams.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e K.C.R responded:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is a good thing the good senator is no more. Today's powers-that-be would have branded his words above as irresponsible, unpatriotic, unchristian, UN-loving, terrorist-supporting, michael moore-like claptrap. His tax records would have been audited by the IRS and his phones tapped by the FBI. O'Reilly would have called him 'Frenchie', Cheney would have called him 'dangerous', Rice ' a friend of Saddam', Limbaugh 'deliriously left-wing' and Gary Bauer 'gay'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"A Giant Among Pygmies - William J. Fulbright (1905-1995)"},{"content":" Still paying for the decision to back Bush's War* After their abject surrender to the Bush juggernaut prior to the war it is not easy to regain lost footing. The Democrats are trying. The clarion call from John Murtha certainly helped. Still, there is lack of a coherent, unified position emerging from the leadership. We have the hawkish Joe Lieberman condoning everything that the Bush administration did. No surprise there.E.J. Dionne wrote in the Washington Post: \"The real patriots are not those who fall into line behind everything Bush says. They are the Republican and Democratic doubters who have pressured Bush into realizing that he has limited time in Iraq and an imperative to speak more realistically. In his speech yesterday, Bush actually admitted that \"things did not always go as planned\" in Iraq and that last January's elections \"were not without flaws.\" From an administration that never admits mistakes, that's progress.\"Message to Democrats: Buck up. Message to Republican ad makers: Democracy is about improving government through the uninhibited exchange of ideas. And, yes, our soldiers and enemies are watching.It is not too late; there is hope. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/democrats---lost-in-translation/","summary":"Still paying for the decision to back Bush's War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAfter their abject surrender to the Bush juggernaut prior to the war it is not easy to regain lost footing. The Democrats are trying. The clarion call from \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111700794.html\"\u003eJohn Murtha\u003c/a\u003e certainly helped. Still, there is lack of a coherent, unified position emerging from the leadership. We have the hawkish Joe Lieberman condoning everything that the Bush administration did. No surprise there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/12/AR2005121201264.html\"\u003eE.J. Dionne\u003c/a\u003e wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/12/AR2005121201264.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The real patriots are not those who fall into line behind everything Bush says. They are the Republican and Democratic doubters who have pressured Bush into realizing that he has limited time in Iraq and an imperative to speak more realistically. In his speech yesterday, Bush actually admitted that \"things did not always go as planned\" in Iraq and that last January's elections \"were not without flaws.\" From an administration that never admits mistakes, that's progress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Message to Democrats: Buck up. Message to Republican ad makers: Democracy is about improving government through the uninhibited exchange of ideas. And, yes, our soldiers and enemies are watching.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is not too late; there is hope.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Democrats - Lost in Translation"},{"content":" Who can rightfully be the judge ?*\"The trial at Lewes crown court highlighted the plight of children afflicted with Hunter syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, and the pressures imposed on parents caring for them. The condition progressively denies victims their hearing and speech and renders them incontinent before they enter a vegetative state. Sufferers such as 10-year-old Jacob Wragg, who had a severe form, are normally dead by their mid-teens.\" The item in Guardian,UK, made me think about the painful situation faced by former SAS soldier Andrew Wragg who was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of the charge of murdering his 10 year old son Jacob. A strong supporter of euthanasia for terminally ill people who do not want to continue living, I found myself asking what I would have done faced with a similar situation. Jacob Wragg was not capable of expressing his wish. The decision to end his life was made by Andrew Wragg and his wife, Mary. Would I have been able to smother my son to death ? Frankly, I don't know. Only parents who cope with the daily heartache and hopelessness of caring for a child in vegetative state have the right to comment whether it was right or wrong. I do not condemn Andrew Wragg. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/a-soldier-and-his-son---murder-or-mercy-killing/","summary":"Who can rightfully be the judge ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The trial at Lewes crown court highlighted the plight of children afflicted with Hunter syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, and the pressures imposed on parents caring for them. The condition progressively denies victims their hearing and speech and renders them incontinent before they enter a vegetative state. Sufferers such as 10-year-old Jacob Wragg, who had a severe form, are normally dead by their mid-teens.\"  The item in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1666015,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e,UK, made me think about the painful situation faced by former SAS soldier \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1666015,00.html\"\u003eAndrew Wragg\u003c/a\u003e who was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of the charge of murdering his 10 year old son Jacob. A strong supporter of euthanasia for terminally ill people who do not want to continue living, I found myself asking what I would have done faced with a similar situation. Jacob Wragg was not capable of expressing his wish. The decision to end his life was made by Andrew Wragg and his wife, Mary. Would I have been able to smother my son to death ? Frankly, I don't know. Only parents who cope with the daily heartache and hopelessness of caring for a child in vegetative state have the right to comment whether it was right or wrong. I do not condemn Andrew Wragg.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Soldier and His Son - Murder or Mercy Killing ?"},{"content":" *More than 20 years after the flare up of violence between the Tamils and Sinhalas, there is no sign of a lasting peace. There was a glimmer of hope after last year's tsunami when the different factions in the island worked together in relief efforts. The peace agreement brokered by Norwegians in 2002 was always fragile and is in danger of breaking down. The good news is that the Norwegians have agreed to continue their efforts after announcing that they were going to withdraw. The newly elected president, Mahinda Rajapakse, asked Norway on December 7th to resume its peace mediating role with the Tamil Tigers.The website of University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, contains the best summary that I have found about the history of the strife. Under the title \"History of the Ethnic Divide\", the report covers the issue from the early days of the island to the current sad state of affairs. Extremists among the Tamils and Sinhalas are responsible for continuation of violent acts.Once known as Taprobane, then Ceylon, the island was renamed Sri Lanka after it became free of British rule in 1948.Credit: Jetwing TravelsI have fond memories of the island and the people I came to know during a visit in 1984. I wrote about it in November 2004, A Man named Gunasekhara and a troubled island. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/trouble-in-paradise---taprobane-in-turmoil/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMore than 20 years after the flare up of violence between the Tamils and Sinhalas, there is no sign of a lasting peace.  There was a glimmer of hope after last year's tsunami when the different factions in the  island worked together in relief efforts.    The peace agreement brokered by Norwegians in 2002 was always fragile and is in danger of breaking down.  The good news is that the \u003ca href=\"http://www.peaceinsrilanka.org/\"\u003eNorwegians\u003c/a\u003e have agreed to continue their efforts after announcing that they were going to withdraw.  The newly elected president,  \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4506856.stm\"\u003eMahinda Rajapakse\u003c/a\u003e, asked Norway on December 7th to resume its peace mediating role with the Tamil Tigers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe website of University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, contains the best summary that I have found about the history of the strife.  Under the title \"\u003ca href=\"http://journalism.uts.edu.au/subjects/oj1/oj1_a2001/tamil/history.html\"\u003eHistory of the Ethnic Divide\u003c/a\u003e\", the report covers the issue from  the early days  of the island to the current  sad state of affairs.  Extremists among the Tamils and Sinhalas are responsible for continuation of violent acts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOnce known as \u003ca href=\"http://www.newberry.org/smith/Mapline/93/93feature.html\"\u003eTaprobane\u003c/a\u003e, then Ceylon, the island was renamed Sri Lanka after it became free of British rule in 1948.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Sri Lanka.jpg\"/\u003eCredit: \u003ca href=\"http://www.jetwingtravels.com/srilanka.html\"\u003eJetwing Travels\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have fond memories of the island and the people I came to know during a visit in 1984. I wrote about it in November 2004, \u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2004_11_01_pacetua_archive.html\"\u003eA Man named Gunasekhara and a troubled island\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Trouble in Paradise - Taprobane in Turmoil"},{"content":" A Monster Faces Justice * And Michelle Bachelet could be the Next Presidente *The wheels of justice moved slowly but they moved. General Augusto Pinochet, the former military ruler, is facing human rights charges. He was one of our favorite dictators in Latin America. He was aided and abetted by us, under the guidance of Henry Kissinger, in torturing and killing dissidents. Good news indeed for the Chileans. They can also expect their next elected head of state to be a woman who is refreshingly different. This is from a report in the Washington Post by Monte Reel. \"SANTIAGO, Chile -- Everyone in the audience was dressed in dark blue or black. Some wore clerical collars, and most had heavy silver crosses dangling around their necks. But Michelle Bachelet wore an electric pink jacket that sent a clear message: She was a candidate for president, not sainthood.\n\"I'm agnostic. . . . I believe in the state,\" Bachelet told several groups of evangelical ministers last week. \"I believe the state has an important role in guaranteeing the diversity of men and women in Chile -- their different spiritualities, philosophies and ways of life.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/chile---winds-of-change/","summary":"A Monster Faces Justice * And Michelle Bachelet could be the Next Presidente \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe wheels of justice moved slowly but they moved.  \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4502348.stm\"\u003eGeneral Augusto Pinochet\u003c/a\u003e, the former military ruler, is facing human rights charges. He was one of our favorite dictators in Latin America. He was aided and abetted by us, under the guidance of Henry Kissinger, in torturing and killing dissidents. Good news indeed for the Chileans. They can also expect their next elected head of state to be a woman who is refreshingly different. This is from a report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/09/AR2005120902040.html\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/09/AR2005120902040.html\"\u003eMonte Reel\u003c/a\u003e. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSANTIAGO, Chile -- Everyone in the audience was dressed in dark blue or black. Some wore clerical collars, and most had heavy silver crosses dangling around their necks. But Michelle Bachelet wore an electric pink jacket that sent a clear message: She was a candidate for president, not sainthood.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Chile - Winds of Change"},{"content":" * Harold Pinter, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for literature, was unable to travel to Stockholm due to medical reasons. His publisher went to accept the award. Harold Pinter's acceptance speech was video taped for the Swedish Academy, Stockholm. Pinter spoke for all of us who oppose brutality in the name of justice...and god. The full text of the speech is available at Guardian.co.UK Excerpts: 'God is good. God is great. God is good. My God is good. Bin Laden's God is bad. His is a bad God. Saddam's God was bad, except he didn't have one. He was a barbarian. We are not barbarians. We don't chop people's heads off. We believe in freedom. So does God. I am not a barbarian. I am the democratically elected leader of a freedom-loving democracy. We are a compassionate society. We give compassionate electrocution and compassionate lethal injection. We are a great nation. I am not a dictator. He is. I am not a barbarian. He is. And he is. They all are. I possess moral authority. You see this fist? This is my moral authority. And don't you forget it.' I have referred to death quite a few times this evening. I shall now quote a poem of my own called 'Death'.Where was the dead body found?Who found the dead body?Was the dead body dead when found?How was the dead body found?Who was the dead body?Who was the father or daughter or brotherOr uncle or sister or mother or sonOf the dead and abandoned body?Was the body dead when abandoned?Was the body abandoned?By whom had it been abandoned?Was the dead body naked or dressed for a journey?What made you declare the dead body dead?Did you declare the dead body dead?How well did you know the dead body?How did you know the dead body was dead?Did you wash the dead bodyDid you close both its eyesDid you bury the bodyDid you leave it abandonedDid you kiss the dead body When we look into a mirror we think the image that confronts us is accurate. But move a millimetre and the image changes. We are actually looking at a never-ending range of reflections. But sometimes a writer has to smash the mirror - for it is on the other side of that mirror that the truth stares at us. I believe that despite the enormous odds which exist, unflinching, unswerving, fierce intellectual determination, as citizens, to define the real truth of our lives and our societies is a crucial obligation which devolves upon us all. It is in fact mandatory. If such a determination is not embodied in our political vision we have no hope of restoring what is so nearly lost to us - the dignity of man. © The Nobel Foundation 2005\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/did-you-kiss-the-dead-body---harold-pinters-speech-at-nobel-awards-ceremony/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHarold Pinter, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for literature, was unable to travel to Stockholm due to medical reasons. His publisher went to accept the award. Harold Pinter's acceptance speech was video taped for the Swedish Academy, Stockholm.  Pinter spoke for all of us who oppose brutality in the name of justice...and god.  The full text of the speech is available at \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/nobelprize/story/0,14969,1662007,00.html\"\u003eGuardian.co.UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e'God is good. God is great. God is good. My God is good. Bin Laden's God is bad. His is a bad God. Saddam's God was bad, except he didn't have one. He was a barbarian. We are not barbarians. We don't chop people's heads off. We believe in freedom. So does God. I am not a barbarian. I am the democratically elected leader of a freedom-loving democracy. We are a compassionate society. We give compassionate electrocution and compassionate lethal injection. We are a great nation. I am not a dictator. He is. I am not a barbarian. He is. And he is. They all are. I possess moral authority. You see this fist? This is my moral authority. And don't you forget it.'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI have referred to death quite a few times this evening. I shall now quote a poem of my own called 'Death'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere was the dead body found?\u003cbr/\u003eWho found the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003eWas the dead body dead when found?\u003cbr/\u003eHow was the dead body found?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho was the father or daughter or brother\u003cbr/\u003eOr uncle or sister or mother or son\u003cbr/\u003eOf the dead and abandoned body?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWas the body dead when abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003eWas the body abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003eBy whom had it been abandoned?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWas the dead body naked or dressed for a journey?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat made you declare the dead body dead?\u003cbr/\u003eDid you declare the dead body dead?\u003cbr/\u003eHow well did you know the dead body?\u003cbr/\u003eHow did you know the dead body was dead?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDid you wash the dead body\u003cbr/\u003eDid you close both its eyes\u003cbr/\u003eDid you bury the body\u003cbr/\u003eDid you leave it abandoned\u003cbr/\u003eDid you kiss the dead body\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhen we look into a mirror we think the image that confronts us is accurate. But move a millimetre and the image changes. We are actually looking at a never-ending range of reflections. But sometimes a writer has to smash the mirror - for it is on the other side of that mirror that the truth stares at us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI believe that despite the enormous odds which exist, unflinching, unswerving, fierce intellectual determination, as citizens, to define the real truth of our lives and our societies is a crucial obligation which devolves upon us all. It is in fact mandatory.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIf such a determination is not embodied in our political vision we have no hope of restoring what is so nearly lost to us - the dignity of man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e© The Nobel Foundation  2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Did you kiss the dead body\" - Harold Pinter's Speech at Nobel Awards Ceremony"},{"content":" *Ang Lee's new film, Brokeback Mountain will soon be released in local theaters. This isn't a review of the movie (reviews are available on the web). JHL and I have watched the preview clips screened before other films that we went to see, and it is on our list of \"must see\". We have read the short story by Annie Proulx which was adapted by Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana for the screenplay. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger play the roles of Jack Twist and Ennis del Mar. The story is in the volume titled \"Close Range, Wyoming Stories\", published in 1999.Credit: IMDB Gay cowboys in Wyoming ! It was near Laramie, Wyoming, that 21 year old Matthew Shepard was beaten to death and left hanging on a barbed wire fence in 1998. How would the homophobes in Wyoming and elsewhere react to the movie ? Are they going to watch it and condemn it or stay away from it? I, too, have mixed feelings but not about the subject. Annie Proulx wrote a 'no frills', tender story about very basic relationship between two men. Reading it I thought that a stark B\u0026amp;W film would do it justice, not a color film 2 hrs 14 minutes long. But for a movie to be a commercial success it has to cater to a broad audience and liberties must be taken. It has received high praise from critics. As to gay cowboys, they are out there just like gay soldiers, sailors, ball players and preachers. They have the right to be.*The Singapore CowboysBack in the 80's during a business trip to Singapore, my friends took me out one evening to listen to the Singapore Cowboys. Not sure but I think it was in the Mandarin Hotel where the group appeared on a regular basis. I was not a country western fan then and not one now but I like Willie Nelson's music. The Singapore Cowboys were taking requests. I sent a note and very soon they launched into \"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys\".I checked the web and found that the group (Matthew Tan and the Mandarins) is still active. Good for them.*\"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.Don't let them pick guitars and drive in old trucks,Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboysThey'll never stay home and they're always alone,Even with someone they love.\"--Written by Ed and Patsy Bruce, recorded by Willie Nelson in 1980. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/brokeback-mountain-a-film-about-gay-cowboys/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAng Lee's new film, \u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808403312/details\"\u003eBrokeback Mountain\u003c/a\u003e will soon be released in local theaters. This isn't a review of the movie (reviews are available on the web). JHL and I have watched the preview clips screened before other films that we went to see, and it is on our list of \"must see\". We have read the short story by Annie Proulx which was adapted by Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana for the screenplay. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger play the roles of Jack Twist and Ennis del Mar. The story is in the volume titled \"Close Range, Wyoming Stories\", published in 1999.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Brokeback II.jpg\"/\u003eCredit: \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/\"\u003eIMDB\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGay cowboys in Wyoming ! It was near Laramie, Wyoming, that 21 year old \u003ca href=\"http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/2878/\"\u003eMatthew Shepard\u003c/a\u003e was beaten to death and left hanging on a barbed wire fence in 1998. How would the homophobes in Wyoming and elsewhere react to the movie ? Are they going to watch it and condemn it or stay away from it? I, too, have mixed feelings but not about the subject. Annie Proulx wrote a 'no frills', tender story about very basic relationship between two men. Reading it I thought that a stark B\u0026amp;W film would do it justice, not a color film 2 hrs 14 minutes long. But for a movie to be a commercial success it has to cater to a broad audience and liberties must be taken. It has received high praise from critics. As to gay cowboys, they are out there just like gay soldiers, sailors, ball players and preachers. They have the right to be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Singapore Cowboys\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack in the 80's during a business trip to Singapore, my friends took me out one evening to listen to the Singapore Cowboys. Not sure but I think it was in the Mandarin Hotel where the group appeared on a regular basis. I was not a country western fan then and not one now but I like Willie Nelson's music. The Singapore Cowboys were taking requests. I sent a note and very soon they launched into \"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Singapore Cowboys.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI checked the web and found that the group (Matthew Tan and the Mandarins) is still active.  Good for them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.\u003cbr/\u003eDon't let them pick guitars and drive in old trucks,\u003cbr/\u003eMake 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.\u003cbr/\u003eMamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys\u003cbr/\u003eThey'll never stay home and they're always alone,\u003cbr/\u003eEven with someone they love.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Written by Ed and Patsy Bruce, recorded by Willie Nelson in 1980.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Brokeback Mountain\", A Film About Gay Cowboys"},{"content":" And Elisa Caravaglio's Penne With Tuna \u0026amp; Tomatoes*The Foothills Park, owned and managed by the City of Palo Alto, CA, is a treasure. There are other natural preserves in the San Francisco Peninsula. Through gifts and purchases, the Mid Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) has done a superb job in acquiring large parcels of land and making them accessible to public. There is no entry fee for using the preserves. Entrance to Foothills Park, however, is restricted to residents of Palo Alto.Here are two great photographs taken inside Foothills Park. Thanks to Scott Haefner and Harold Poskanzer who graciously gave permission to reproduce them.©Scott Haefner ©Harold Poskanzer My friend JHL lives in Palo Alto and is an avid walker. We have hiked there many times. Went back there last week and took Los Trancos Trail, our favorite, which climbs toward Skyline. It is a 7.5-mile (apprx. 12 km) loop. Takes us a little over 4 hours, allowing time for a picnic lunch. On that day we had a late start and, after we stopped for lunch, realized that it would be past 5 PM and dark if we made the loop. So we turned around. Now that the rains have begun in earnest, we plan to go back and walk alongside Buckeye Creek running full.*This what we had for lunch.Penne With Tuna \u0026amp; Tomatoes1/3 cup olive oil2 lge garlic cloves, mincedSml pinch of hot red pepper flakes1.5 lb Roma tomatoes, peeled, halved, seeded, diced (canned OK)About 1 tspn fennel seed, ground fine in a mortar or spice grinder (I lightly toast the seeds)2 tblspoon chopped fennel frondsSalt1 can (200 gms) olive oil packed tuna, drained and flaked2 doz green or black olives, pitted, quartered1 lb penneHeat the olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes in a large skillet until the the garlic just starts to color. Add the tomatoes, fennel seed, fennel fronds andsalt to taste.Cook gently until the tomatoes soften but don't allow them to collapse into a sauce. Remove from heat and add the tuna and olives. Keep warm.Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss, add some of the reserved water if needed.Notes:1. Serves 4-62. The fennel is important, substitution will not create the right flavor3. Good quality water-packed tuna can be used but first it will have to be drained, doused liberally with extra virgin olive oil and kept overnight to allow the oil to soak in.We had sweet baguette, home made avocado dip, and a California merlot. Sitting in a small meadow on a cold but sunny day it felt good. All was right with the world. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/back-to-los-trancos-trail/","summary":"And Elisa Caravaglio's Penne With Tuna \u0026amp; Tomatoes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Foothills Park, owned and managed by the City of Palo Alto, CA, is a treasure. There are other natural preserves in the San Francisco Peninsula. Through gifts and purchases, the Mid Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) has done a superb job in acquiring large parcels of land and making them accessible to public. There is no entry fee for using the preserves. Entrance to Foothills Park, however, is restricted to residents of Palo Alto.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere are two great photographs taken inside Foothills Park.   Thanks to \u003ca href=\"http://scotthaefner.com/gallery/\"\u003eScott Haefner\u003c/a\u003e  and \u003ca href=\"http://drzeus.best.vwh.net/Art/Art.html\"\u003eHarold Poskanzer\u003c/a\u003e  who graciously gave permission to reproduce them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/foothillspark2.0.jpg\"/\u003e©Scott Haefner\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Foothill Park II.0.jpg\"/\u003e©Harold Poskanzer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMy friend JHL lives in Palo Alto and is an avid walker. We have hiked there many times. Went back there last week and took Los Trancos Trail, our favorite, which climbs toward Skyline. It is a 7.5-mile (apprx. 12 km) loop. Takes us a little over 4 hours, allowing time for a picnic lunch. On that day we had a late start and, after we stopped for lunch, realized that it would be past 5 PM and dark if we made the loop. So we turned around. Now that the rains have begun in earnest, we plan to go back and walk alongside Buckeye Creek running full.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThis what we had for lunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003ePenne With Tuna \u0026amp; Tomatoes\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1/3 cup olive oil\u003cbr/\u003e2 lge garlic cloves, minced\u003cbr/\u003eSml pinch of hot red pepper flakes\u003cbr/\u003e1.5 lb Roma tomatoes, peeled, halved, seeded, diced (canned OK)\u003cbr/\u003eAbout 1 tspn fennel seed, ground fine in a mortar or spice grinder (I lightly toast the seeds)\u003cbr/\u003e2 tblspoon chopped fennel fronds\u003cbr/\u003eSalt\u003cbr/\u003e1 can (200 gms) olive oil packed tuna, drained and flaked\u003cbr/\u003e2 doz green or black olives, pitted, quartered\u003cbr/\u003e1 lb penne\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHeat the olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes in a large skillet until the the garlic just starts to color. Add the tomatoes, fennel seed, fennel fronds and\u003cbr/\u003esalt to taste.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCook gently until the tomatoes soften but don't allow them to collapse into a sauce. Remove from heat and add the tuna and olives. Keep warm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss, add some of the reserved water if needed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNotes:\u003cbr/\u003e1. Serves 4-6\u003cbr/\u003e2. The fennel is important, substitution will not create the right flavor\u003cbr/\u003e3. Good quality water-packed tuna can be used but first it will have to be drained, doused liberally with extra virgin olive oil and kept overnight to allow the oil to soak in.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe had sweet baguette, home made avocado dip, and a California merlot. Sitting in a small meadow on a cold but sunny day it felt good. All was right with the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Back to Los Trancos Trail"},{"content":" * As the adage goes 'You can't have your cake and eat it too'. The Democratic leadership must face the issue and take a clear position. What the leaders are doing is cowardly and laughable. Jim Vandehei and Shalaigh Murray writes in the Washington Post about Democrats' fear of backlash. It is becoming tiresome; put up or shut up.So far in December 19 more soldiers have died. The total is now at 2132. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties.org ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/democrats-pussyfooting-around-the-iraq-war/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAs the adage goes 'You can't have your cake and eat it too'. The Democratic leadership must face the issue and take a clear position. What the leaders are doing is cowardly and laughable. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601707.html\"\u003eJim Vandehei and Shalaigh Murray \u003c/a\u003ewrites in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601707.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e about Democrats' \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601707.html\"\u003efear of backlash\u003c/a\u003e.  It is becoming tiresome;  put up or shut up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo far in December 19 more soldiers have died.  The total is now at 2132. Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Democrats: Pussyfooting Around The Iraq War"},{"content":" *Reading \"Rice Defends Tactics Used Against Suspects\" by Glen Kessler in the Washington Post reminded me of former President Clinton's statement during his appearance before the grand jury about the Monica Lewinsky affair. \"It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is.\" Then there is always the admirable Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson): \"Alice laughed: \"There's no use trying,\" she said; \"one can't believe impossible things.\" \"I daresay you haven't had much practice,\" said the Queen. \"When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.\"Alice in Wonderland.See\"The defining of torture in a new world warAnalysisBy Paul ReynoldsWorld Affairs correspondent\", BBC News website But as she set off a European visit during which the rendition flights and the ultimate aim of such flights will be a key issue, the Secretary of State stressed several times that the United States did not engage in torture. And it is really the torture issue which is the key. If the flights were simply for the purpose of moving prisoners between open court systems, nobody would complain. It is the idea that they are tortured in secret detention camps that has concerned critics and has forced Ms Rice to issue her statement. Britain's role in war on Terror - The Guardian, UKMs Rice in her furious best; don't miss the cartoon by Martin Rowson (The Guardian). Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-06 Did you write with the psedonyum of Mussafir in Urdu newspapers of Pakistan. Nice blog. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-12-06 Sorry, but no. I understand Urdu and\nget by speaking it but cannot write Urdu. Have found many instances of sites that include \"Musafir\", especially related to a Bollywood film.\nThanks for visiting. Must be cold up there in Montana. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/good-soldier-rice-and-the-tortuous-definition-of-torture/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/05/AR2005120500240.html\"\u003eRice Defends Tactics Used Against Suspects\u003c/a\u003e\" by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/05/AR2005120500240.html\"\u003eGlen Kessler\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/05/AR2005120500240.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e reminded me of former President Clinton's statement during his appearance before the grand jury about the Monica Lewinsky affair. \"It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is.\"   Then there is always the admirable Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson):  \"Alice laughed: \"There's no use trying,\" she said; \"one can't believe impossible things.\" \"I daresay you haven't had much practice,\" said the Queen. \"When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAlice in Wonderland.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee\"The defining of torture in a new world war\u003cbr/\u003eAnalysis\u003cbr/\u003eBy Paul Reynolds\u003cbr/\u003eWorld Affairs correspondent\", \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4499528.stm\"\u003eBBC News website\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut as she set off a European visit during which the rendition flights and the ultimate aim of such flights will be a key issue, the Secretary of State stressed several times that the United States did not engage in torture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnd it is really the torture issue which is the key. If the flights were simply for the purpose of moving prisoners between open court systems, nobody would complain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt is the idea that they are tortured in secret detention camps that has concerned critics and has forced Ms Rice to issue her statement.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1659057,00.html\"\u003eBritain's role in war on Terror - The Guardian, UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/martinrowson/archive/0,,1284262,00.html\"\u003eMs Rice\u003c/a\u003e in her furious best; don't miss the cartoon by \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/martinrowson/archive/0,,1284262,00.html\"\u003eMartin Rowson\u003c/a\u003e (The Guardian).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251852969792399010\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/renditiona.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDid you write with the psedonyum of Mussafir in Urdu newspapers of Pakistan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNice blog.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSorry, but no. I understand Urdu and\u003cbr\u003eget by speaking it but cannot write Urdu. Have found many instances of sites that include \"Musafir\", especially related to a Bollywood film.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for visiting. Must be cold up there in Montana.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Good Soldier Rice and the Tortuous Definition of Torture"},{"content":" *More of them in the closet ?\"Finally, Congress Stands Up\", David Broder's column in the Washington Post is about two Republican senators who defied the president. Lindsay Graham (SC) by raising the issue of torture of prisoners and secret prisons being operated offshore in \"friendly\" countries. Senator John Sununu (NH) is a leading opponent of the excesses embodied in the Patriot Act. Sununu has taken the lead in a group of senators pressing for changes in the Patriot Act, the legislation expanding FBI powers that the administration rushed through Congress after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Many of the changes they wanted were made in the Senate bill, but administration objections have stymied their acceptance in a House-Senate conference. For Graham, the issue is the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and other (still secret) overseas facilities. Like 89 other senators, he supported McCain's legislation barring the use of torture orthe extreme measures publicized at Abu Ghraib. Would other Republicans come out of the closet to follow them ? Possible, unless they decide to remain with those who believe the president whenever he ratchets up the terror threat.* On another issue, corruption--the give and take that exists between special interest groups and our elected representative--Michael Kinsley has a good column \"Corrupt Intentions\" in Slate about Randy Cunningham and his colleagues. Truly a den of thieves and Democrats are part of it. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/republican-mavericks-lindsay-graham-john-sununu/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMore of them in the closet ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201749.html\"\u003eFinally, Congress Stands Up\u003c/a\u003e\", \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201749.html\"\u003eDavid Broder's \u003c/a\u003ecolumn in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201749.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e is about two Republican senators who defied the president. Lindsay Graham (SC) by raising the issue of torture of prisoners and secret prisons being operated offshore in \"friendly\" countries. Senator John Sununu (NH) is a leading opponent of the excesses embodied in the Patriot Act.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eSununu has taken the lead in a group of senators pressing for changes in the Patriot Act, the legislation expanding FBI powers that the administration rushed through Congress after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Many of the changes they wanted were made in the Senate bill, but administration objections have stymied their acceptance in a House-Senate conference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eFor Graham, the issue is the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and other (still secret) overseas facilities. Like 89 other senators, he supported McCain's legislation barring the use of torture orthe extreme measures publicized at Abu Ghraib.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eWould other Republicans come out of the closet to follow them ? Possible, unless they decide to remain with those who believe the president whenever he ratchets up the terror threat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e On another issue, corruption--the give and take that exists between special interest groups and our elected representative--\u003ca href=\"http://www.slate.com/id/2131370?nav=wp\"\u003eMichael Kinsley\u003c/a\u003e has a good column \"Corrupt Intentions\" in \u003ca href=\"http://www.slate.com/id/2131370?nav=wp\"\u003eSlate\u003c/a\u003e about \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-duke29nov29,0,5594670.story?track=mostemailedlink\"\u003eRandy Cunningham\u003c/a\u003e and his colleagues.  Truly a den of thieves and Democrats are part of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Republican Mavericks Lindsay Graham, John Sununu"},{"content":" *Thoughts of a Runner on a Sunday Morning \"Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner\" by the British author Alan Sillitoe was published in 1959. A book of short stories that included the title piece. The story was made into a great B\u0026amp;W film (1962) in which the actor Tom Courtney made his mark. One of the \"angry young men\" in post World War II England, Sillitoe's books reflected the angst of the British working class. I remember the powerful effect of his first book, \"Saturday Night and Sunday Morning\" (1958). That, too, was made into a film.Apart from the title, this post is not about Sillitoe but my own thoughts about distance running. For me, it is not a \"lonely\" experience. Far from it. Of course, there are the occasional hazards and physical problems--aches and pains, pulled hamstrings, and such. Yet, loneliness is not part of my world when I am out on a long run. It is mostly a good feeling, especially when I run on trails in fall, muddy patches notwithstanding. The changing landscape as the foothills turn into a lush green, the smell of bay laurel leaves, the look of the oak, madrone and buckeye trees never fail to give me pleasure. I don't need an electronic device to listen to music or news when I run. I feel close to nature; I feel at peace with the world.I am thinking of taking part in a marathon. Ran my last one more than 20 years ago. Age has taken its toll. I am slower but the aim is not to win a place or a prize....just to be one of the finishers. It is a personal thing. Only a runner would understand why. George Sheehan, the late marathoner, cardiologist, philosopher, said it best. \"We distance runners are meditative men. If we have a religious tradition, it is one of non-conformity and withdrawal, the hermit, the anchorite. At best, we hope for a secluded meadow where we won't be disturbed.\"*Autumn haikus:\"The winds that blow-- ask them which leaf of the tree will be next to go !\"--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\"The falling leaves fall and pile up: the rain beats on the rain.\"--Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson) Listening to Bill Evans on piano. The CD is titled \"Solo Sessions Vol. I\". Recorded at Soundmakers Studio (New York City), January 10, 1963. Produced by Orrin Keepnews. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/loneliness-of-the-long-distance-runner-autumn-haikus/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eThoughts of a Runner on a Sunday Morning\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner\" by the British author \u003ca href=\"http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/sillitoe.htm\"\u003eAlan Sillitoe\u003c/a\u003e was published in 1959. A book of short stories that included the title piece. The story was made into a great B\u0026amp;W film (1962) in which the actor \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1092852.stm\"\u003eTom Courtney\u003c/a\u003e made his mark. One of the \"angry young men\" in post World War II England, Sillitoe's books reflected the angst of the British working class. I remember the powerful effect of his first book, \"Saturday Night and Sunday Morning\" (1958). That, too, was made into a film.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eApart from the title, this post is not about Sillitoe but my own thoughts about distance running. For me, it is not a \"lonely\" experience. Far from it. Of course, there are the occasional hazards and physical problems--aches and pains, pulled hamstrings, and such. Yet, loneliness is not part of my world when I am out on a long run. It is mostly a good feeling, especially when I run on trails in fall, muddy patches notwithstanding. The changing landscape as the foothills turn into a lush green, the smell of bay laurel leaves, the look of the oak, madrone and buckeye trees never fail to give me pleasure. I don't need an electronic device to listen to music or news when I run. I feel close to nature; I feel at peace with the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI am thinking of taking part in a marathon. Ran my last one more than 20 years ago. Age has taken its toll. I am slower but the aim is not to win a place or a prize....just to be one of the finishers. It is a personal thing. Only a runner would understand why. \u003ca href=\"http://www.georgesheehan.com/essays/\"\u003eGeorge Sheehan\u003c/a\u003e, the late marathoner, cardiologist, philosopher, said it best. \"We distance runners are meditative men. If we have a religious tradition, it is one of non-conformity and withdrawal, the hermit, the anchorite. At best, we hope for a secluded meadow where we won't be disturbed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAutumn haikus:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The winds that blow--\u003cbr/\u003e ask them which leaf of the tree\u003cbr/\u003e will be next to go !\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The falling leaves\u003cbr/\u003e fall and pile up: the rain\u003cbr/\u003e beats on the rain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e Listening to Bill Evans on piano. The CD is titled \"Solo Sessions Vol. I\". Recorded at Soundmakers Studio (New York City), January 10, 1963. Produced by Orrin Keepnews.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner\" ?  * Autumn Haikus"},{"content":" The War Was Sold on Lies* Smoke and mirror. Doing what they best. Josh White and Bradley Graham writes in the Washington Post \"Military says it paid Iraq papers for news\". \"In a statement, the command said the program included efforts, \"customary in Iraq,\" to purchase advertising and place clearly labeled opinion pieces in Iraqi newspapers. But the statement suggested that the \"information operations\" program may have veered into a gray area where government contractors paid to have articles placed in Iraqi newspapers without explaining that the material came from the U.S. military and that Iraqi journalists were paid to write positive accounts.\" And pigs have wings. This administration has a record of planting stories and embedding reporters. It has done so here in the U.S. and it is doing so in Iraq and elsewhere; all part of the P.R. on which it exists.*Stop the Slaughter - Democrats, Stand up and be Counted Ten more American soldiers died in Iraq on December 2nd, 11 Iraqi soldiers on December 3rd. Civilian deaths mostly go unreported. The insurgents, whoever they are,keep coming and are relentless in their attacks. The Republicans in Congress are publicly standing behind the president. Some Democrats,too, are dithering about the pullout from Iraq. They let the president pull a snow job before the war began. Today they have no excuse for propping him up. Support John Murtha's suggestion for an early exit. Stop offering the soldiers as sacrifcial goats.In \"Up In The Air\", current online edition of The New Yorker, Seymour Hersh describes plans for increasing use of airpower in an effort to minimize army casualties at the risk of more civilian deaths. Excerpts: One person with whom the Pentagon’s top commanders have shared their private views for decades is Representative John Murtha, of Pennsylvania, the senior Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The President and his key aides were enraged when, on November 17th, Murtha gave a speech in the House calling for a withdrawal of troops within six months. The speech was filled with devastating information. For example, Murtha reported that the number of attacks in Iraq has increased from a hundred and fifty a week to more than seven hundred a week in the past year. He said that an estimated fifty thousand American soldiers will suffer “from what I call battle fatigue” in the war, and he said that the Americans were seen as “the common enemy” in Iraq. He also took issue with one of the White House’s claims—that foreign fighters were playing the major role in the insurgency. Murtha said that American soldiers “haven’t captured any in this latest activity”—the continuing battle in western Anbar province, near the border with Syria. “So this idea that they’re coming in from outside, we still think there’s only seven per cent.” Robert Pape, a political-science professor at the University of Chicago, who has written widely on American airpower, and who taught for three years at the Air Force’s School of Advanced Airpower Studies, in Alabama, predicted that the air war “will get very ugly” if targeting is turned over to the Iraqis. This would be especially true, he said, if the Iraqis continued to operate as the U.S. Army and Marines have done—plowing through Sunni strongholds on search-and-destroy missions. “If we encourage the Iraqis to clear and hold their own areas, and use airpower to stop the insurgents from penetrating the cleared areas, it could be useful,” Pape said. “The risk is that we will encourage the Iraqis to do search-and-destroy, and they would be less judicious about using airpower—and the violence would go up. More civilians will be killed, which means more insurgents will be created.” ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/planted-reports-par-for-the-course/","summary":"The War Was Sold on Lies\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSmoke and mirror.  Doing what they best. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201454.html\"\u003eJosh White and Bradley Graham\u003c/a\u003e writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201454.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e \"Military says it paid Iraq papers for news\".  \"In a statement, the command said the program included efforts, \"customary in Iraq,\" to purchase advertising and place clearly labeled opinion pieces in Iraqi newspapers. But the statement suggested that the \"information operations\" program may have veered into a gray area where government contractors paid to have articles placed in Iraqi newspapers without explaining that the material came from the U.S. military and that Iraqi journalists were paid to write positive accounts.\" And pigs have wings. This administration has a record of planting stories and embedding reporters. It has done so here in the U.S. and it is doing so in Iraq and elsewhere; all part of the P.R. on which it exists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStop the Slaughter - Democrats, Stand up and be Counted\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTen more \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120200633.html\"\u003eAmerican soldiers\u003c/a\u003e  died  in Iraq on December 2nd, 11 Iraqi soldiers on December 3rd. Civilian deaths mostly go unreported. The insurgents, whoever they are,keep coming and are relentless in their attacks. The Republicans in Congress are publicly standing behind the president. Some Democrats,too, are dithering about the pullout from Iraq. They let the president pull a snow job before the war began. Today they have no excuse for propping him up. Support John Murtha's suggestion for an early exit. Stop offering the soldiers as sacrifcial goats.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eUp In The Air\u003c/a\u003e\",  current online edition of \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051205fa_fact\"\u003eSeymour Hersh\u003c/a\u003e describes plans for increasing use of airpower in an effort to minimize army casualties at the risk of more civilian deaths. Excerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOne person with whom the Pentagon’s top commanders have shared their private views for decades is Representative John Murtha, of Pennsylvania, the senior Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The President and his key aides were enraged when, on November 17th, Murtha gave a speech in the House calling for a withdrawal of troops within six months. The speech was filled with devastating information. For example, Murtha reported that the number of attacks in Iraq has increased from a hundred and fifty a week to more than seven hundred a week in the past year. He said that an estimated fifty thousand American soldiers will suffer “from what I call battle fatigue” in the war, and he said that the Americans were seen as “the common enemy” in Iraq. He also took issue with one of the White House’s claims—that foreign fighters were playing the major role in the insurgency. Murtha said that American soldiers “haven’t captured any in this latest activity”—the continuing battle in western Anbar province, near the border with Syria. “So this idea that they’re coming in from outside, we still think there’s only seven per cent.”\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eRobert Pape, a political-science professor at the University of Chicago, who has written widely on American airpower, and who taught for three years at the Air Force’s School of Advanced Airpower Studies, in Alabama, predicted that the air war “will get very ugly” if targeting is turned over to the Iraqis. This would be especially true, he said, if the Iraqis continued to operate as the U.S. Army and Marines have done—plowing through Sunni strongholds on search-and-destroy missions. “If we encourage the Iraqis to clear and hold their own areas, and use airpower to stop the insurgents from penetrating the cleared areas, it could be useful,” Pape said. “The risk is that we will encourage the Iraqis to do search-and-destroy, and they would be less judicious about using airpower—and the violence would go up. More civilians will be killed, which means more insurgents will be created.”\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"\"Planted reports\"  Par for the Course"},{"content":" *\"Older men declare war. But its the youth who must fight and die!\" - Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United StatesThe list below shows that 66 out of 81 were in their 20's. Source: Iraq Casualties.org As of today, names of three soldiers remain to be confirmed by the DOD. Their bravery and sacrifice is admirable, the mission for which they gave their lives is open to questions. While grieving for our own we must not forget the Iraqi civilians--not insurgents--ordinary men, women and children no different than us. Some day history will judge the people who were responsible for the war against Iraq. I wonder how it would treat President Bush and his minions. Would they be portrayed as honorable and just who sacrificed lives of thousands of American and others for a worthy cause or as callous megalomaniacs with narrow visions and a warped sense of their infallibility ?Daniel A. Tsue, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 01, 2005Allan M. Espiritu, 28, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Nov 01, 2005Dennis J. Ferderer Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005Tyler R. MacKenzie, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2005Joshua J. Munger, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005Benjamin A. Smith, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005Mark J. Procopio, 28, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2005Gerald M. Bloomfield II, 38, Marine Major, Nov 02, 2005Michael D. Martino, 32, Marine Captain, Nov 02, 2005Darren D. Howe, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 03, 2005Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, 30, Army Captain, Nov 03, 2005Daniel J. Pratt, 48, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 03, 2005Kyle B. Wehrly, 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 03, 2005Jason A. Fegler, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005James M. Gurbisz, 25, Army Captain, Nov 04, 2005Dustin A. Yancey, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 04, 2005Timothy D. Brown, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 04, 2005Darrell W. Boatman, 38, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005Thomas A. Wren, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Nov 05, 2005Joel E. Cahill, 34, Army Captain, Nov 06, 2005James F. Hayes, 48, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 06, 2005Ryan J. Sorensen, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 06, 2005Brian L. Freeman, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2005Robert C. Pope II, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 07, 2005Mario A. Reyes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 07, 2005Justin S. Smith, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 07, 2005Alwyn C. \"Al\" Cashe, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 08, 2005Jeremy P. Tamburello, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2005Michael C. Parrott, 49, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005Joshua A. Terando, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005Daniel Freeman Swaim, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2005Tyrone L. Chisholm, 27, Army Sergeant, Nov 11, 2005Donald E. Fisher II, 21, Army Corporal, Nov 11, 2005Antonio \"Tony\" Mendez Sanchez, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 11, 2005Stephen J. Sutherland, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 12, 2005David A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005Scott A. Zubowski, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005John M. Longoria, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2005Christopher M. McCrackin, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 14, 2005Ramon J. Mendoza Jr., 37, Marine Major, Nov 14, 2005James E. Estep, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 15, 2005Travis J. Grigg, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2005Matthew J. Holley, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2005Nickolas David Schiavoni, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2005Dylan R. Paytas, 20, Army Private, Nov 16, 2005Alexis Roman-Cruz, 33, Army Specialist, Nov 16, 2005Roger W. Deeds, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005John A. \"JT\" Lucente, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005Donald R. McGlothin, 26, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 16, 2005Jeremy E. Murray, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 16, 2005Jeffry A. Rogers, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005Joshua J. Ware, 20, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005Ivan Vargas Alarcon, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 17, 2005Vernon R. Widner, 34, Army Specialist, Nov 17, 2005Anthony Alexander \"Alex\" Gaunky, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 18, 2005Luis R. Reyes, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 18, 2005Christopher M. Alcozer, 21, Army Private, Nov 19, 2005Jonathan F. Blair, 21, Army Corporal, Nov 19, 2005Dominic Joseph Hinton, 24, Army Specialist, Nov 19, 2005Michael J. Idanan, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 19, 2005Edward Karolasz, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 19, 2005Anthony R. C. Yost, 39, Army Master Sergeant, Nov 19, 2005Dennis W. Zilinski, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 19, 2005Miguel Terrazas, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2005Tyler J. Troyer, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2005Dominic J. Sacco, 32, Army Sergeant, Nov 20, 2005John Wilson \"J.W.\" Dearing, 21, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Nov 21, 2005Denis J. Gallardo, 22, Army Sergeant, Nov 22, 2005Aram J. Bass, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 23, 2005Allen J. Knop, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 23, 2005William B. Meeuwsen, 24, Army Sergeant, Nov 23, 2005Ryan D. Christensen, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005Marc A. Delgado, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005Eric P. Pearrow, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005Steven C. Reynolds, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 24, 2005Javier A. Villanueva, 25, Army Specialist, Nov 24, 2005Gregory L. Tull, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 25, 2005Brett E. Angus, 40, Marine Master Sergeant, Nov 26, 2005Donald J. Hasse, 28, Army Sergeant, Nov 29, 2005Jerry W. Mills Jr., 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 29, 2005Joshua D. Snyder, 20, Marine Corporal, Nov 30, 2005 . ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/a-bloody-november---we-lost-84-soldiers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Older men declare war. But its the youth who must fight and die!\" - Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe list below shows that 66 out of 81 were in their 20's. Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e As of today, names of three soldiers remain to be confirmed by the \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx\"\u003eDOD\u003c/a\u003e. Their bravery and sacrifice is admirable, the mission for which they gave their lives is open to questions. While grieving for our own we must not forget the Iraqi civilians--not insurgents--ordinary men, women and children no different than us. Some day history will judge the people who were responsible for the war against Iraq. I wonder how it would treat President Bush and his minions. Would they be portrayed as honorable and just who sacrificed lives of thousands of American and others for a worthy cause or as callous megalomaniacs with narrow visions and a warped sense of their infallibility ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/12/Helmet.0.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel A. Tsue, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAllan M. Espiritu, 28, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Nov 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDennis J. Ferderer Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTyler R. MacKenzie, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua J. Munger, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBenjamin A. Smith, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMark J. Procopio, 28, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGerald M. Bloomfield II, 38, Marine Major, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael D. Martino, 32, Marine Captain, Nov 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDarren D. Howe, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey P. Toczylowski, 30, Army Captain, Nov 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel J. Pratt, 48, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eKyle B. Wehrly, 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJason A. Fegler, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJames M. Gurbisz, 25, Army Captain, Nov 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDustin A. Yancey, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy D. Brown, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDarrell W. Boatman, 38, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eThomas A. Wren, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Nov 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoel E. Cahill, 34, Army Captain, Nov 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJames F. Hayes, 48, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRyan J. Sorensen, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrian L. Freeman, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRobert C. Pope II, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMario A. Reyes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJustin S. Smith, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAlwyn C. \"Al\" Cashe, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy P. Tamburello, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael C. Parrott, 49, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua A. Terando, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Freeman Swaim, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTyrone L. Chisholm, 27, Army Sergeant, Nov 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDonald E. Fisher II, 21, Army Corporal, Nov 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAntonio \"Tony\" Mendez Sanchez, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eStephen J. Sutherland, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDavid A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eScott A. Zubowski, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJohn M. Longoria, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher M. McCrackin, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRamon J. Mendoza Jr., 37, Marine Major, Nov 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJames E. Estep, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTravis J. Grigg, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew J. Holley, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eNickolas David Schiavoni, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDylan R. Paytas, 20, Army Private, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAlexis Roman-Cruz, 33, Army Specialist, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRoger W. Deeds, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJohn A. \"JT\" Lucente, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDonald R. McGlothin, 26, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy E. Murray, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeffry A. Rogers, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua J. Ware, 20, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eIvan Vargas Alarcon, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eVernon R. Widner, 34, Army Specialist, Nov 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony Alexander \"Alex\" Gaunky, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eLuis R. Reyes, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher M. Alcozer, 21, Army Private, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJonathan F. Blair, 21, Army Corporal, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDominic Joseph Hinton, 24, Army Specialist, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael J. Idanan, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEdward Karolasz, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony R. C. Yost, 39, Army Master Sergeant, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDennis W. Zilinski, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMiguel Terrazas, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTyler J. Troyer, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDominic J. Sacco, 32, Army Sergeant, Nov 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Wilson \"J.W.\" Dearing, 21, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Nov 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDenis J. Gallardo, 22, Army Sergeant, Nov 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAram J. Bass, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAllen J. Knop, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam B. Meeuwsen, 24, Army Sergeant, Nov 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRyan D. Christensen, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMarc A. Delgado, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEric P. Pearrow, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eSteven C. Reynolds, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJavier A. Villanueva, 25, Army Specialist, Nov 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGregory L. Tull, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrett E. Angus, 40, Marine Master Sergeant, Nov 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDonald J. Hasse, 28, Army Sergeant, Nov 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJerry W. Mills Jr., 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua D. Snyder, 20, Marine Corporal, Nov 30, 2005 .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"A Bloody November - We Lost 84 Soldiers"},{"content":" * Reading the column by Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey in Newsweek made me think that the question that we must ask is \"Can we believe what he says?\" There is a wide chasm between reading a speech at Annapolis and past actions, or lack thereof, by President Bush. By now majority of Americans know of the lies and deceptions that went into the misadventure in Iraq. We are paying for it and shall go on paying for it long after the president's second term ends. The rosy picture he drew about conditions in Iraq was far from the truth. And where is VP \"....the insurgents are in their last throes\" Cheney ? Just this morning we read about concerted mortar attacks by insurgents in Ramadi. Then, of course, there is 9/11. That cow has been milked so often and so hard that it must be screaming. The president isn't about to give up tactics that served him so well in the past. But even that is beginning to lose its impact. What is he to do!*\"The Most Foolish War\" So commented Professor Martin Van Creveld of Hebrew University, Jerusalem, in the American Jewish Weekly \"Forward\". Also see Brian Whitaker's article \"Nowhere to run\" in the Guardian. \"There is a remarkable article in the latest issue of the American Jewish weekly, Forward. It calls for President Bush to be impeached and put on trial \"for misleading the American people, and launching the most foolish war since Emperor Augustus in 9 BC sent his legions into Germany and lost them\". Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-01 Yes- I need to get back and read through your links when I am not half asleep. I think the shouts for impeachment need to get louder and louder...great post, Musafir. Figured I'd check in with you! I was looking at the photo section a while back and meant to thank you because vicarious travel is about all I can manage these days!!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/12/a-real-strategy-or-more-of-the-same/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading the column by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10270197/site/newsweek/\"\u003eRichard Wolffe and Holly Bailey\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10270197/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e made me think that the question that we must ask is \"Can we believe what he says?\" There is a wide chasm between reading a speech at Annapolis and past actions, or lack thereof, by President Bush. By now majority of Americans know of the lies and deceptions that went into the misadventure in Iraq. We are paying for it and shall go on paying for it long after the president's second term ends. The rosy picture he drew about conditions in Iraq was far from the truth. And where is VP \"....the insurgents are in their last throes\" Cheney ? Just this morning we read about concerted mortar attacks by insurgents in \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4487862.stm\"\u003eRamadi\u003c/a\u003e. Then, of course, there is 9/11. That cow has been milked so often and so hard that it must be screaming. The president isn't about to give up tactics that served him so well in the past. But even that is beginning to lose its impact. What is he to do!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"The Most Foolish War\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo commented Professor Martin Van Creveld of Hebrew University, Jerusalem, in the American Jewish Weekly \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.forward.com/articles/6936\"\u003eForward\u003c/a\u003e\".  Also see \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1653453,00.html\"\u003eBrian Whitaker's\u003c/a\u003e article \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1653453,00.html\"\u003eNowhere to run\u003c/a\u003e\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://http//www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1653453,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e. \"There is a remarkable article in the latest issue of the American Jewish weekly, \u003ca href=\"http://www.forward.com/articles/6936\"\u003eForward\u003c/a\u003e. It calls for President Bush to be impeached and put on trial \"for misleading the American people, and launching the most foolish war since Emperor Augustus in 9 BC sent his legions into Germany and lost them\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYes- I need to get back and read through your links when I am not half asleep. \u003cbr\u003e   I think the shouts for impeachment need to get louder and louder...great post, Musafir. Figured I'd check in with you! I was looking at the photo section a while back and meant to thank you because vicarious travel is about all I can manage these days!!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"A Real Strategy ?\" Or More of the Same"},{"content":" *\"Crooked Capital\", Howard Kurz writes in the Washington Post about the cozy relationships between lobbyists and legislators: \"Of course, the Democrats don't have totally clean hands. Abramoff was friendly with some D's as well. Ohio's Jim (Beam Me Up) Trafficant is in jail on a 2002 bribery conviction. And Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson is under investigation over a telecommunications deal in Niger. The larger point is that both parties in Washington engage in what critics have called legalized bribery: taking money from special interests while voting on the legislation that affects them; taking golfing and other trips with lobbyists and then doing their bidding on the Hill. The scandal here is what's legal, not the relative few who have run afoul of the law. If Republicans are doing more of it, that may reflect the fact that they run Washington these days.\"Don't expect things to change much. It is mutual--the legislators and special interest groups feed on each other. They will find ways to maintain the status quo.*Two Speeches - A World of Difference The president read a speech at the Naval Academy, Annapolis,MD. See Daniela Deane's report in The Washington Post. About halfway through, when the president was describing how great things have become for the Iraqis, and then brought up the spectre of 9/11 (it has worked for him in the past) I switched him off. To use a cliché, I wouldn't buy an used car from him.It was more interesting to read the speech to be given by Lord May, president of the Royal Society. Excerpts from Ian Sample's article \"Fundamentalists threaten scientific progress\" in the Guardian,UK: \"All ideas should be open to questioning, and the merit of ideas should be assessed on the strength of evidence that supports them and not on the credentials or affiliations of the individuals proposing them. It is not a recipe for a comfortable life, but it is demonstrably a powerful engine for understanding how the world actually works and for applying this understanding,\" he will say. The problem is most prominent in the debate over climate change, Lord May claims, comparing the climate change denial lobby, which is \"funded to the tune of tens of millions of dollars\" by the petroleum industry, with the tobacco lobby, which continues to deny that smoking causes lung cancer. The green groups were not spared criticism.\"We need to recognise that on the one hand there are huge problems with nuclear energy, while on the other hand there are huge problems with putting carbon into the atmosphere.\" It was hard to see renewable energy replacing nuclear power \"on the timescale we need.\" Lord May is particularly critical of the Catholic church and its comments on the use of condoms, which are proven to reduce the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. \"The Vatican in particular promotes abstinence outside marriage, and condemns condom use. This disapproval, for all its putative high-mindedness, simply is not an effective strategy for preventing dissemination of HIV.\" The speech warns of the emerging problem of creationism being taught in school science lessons as a theory on equal footing with evolution. Lord May called on scientists to be more proactive in making their voices heard. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-12-01 Readers interested in nuclear power may want to check out \"Rad Decision\", a techno-thriller novel about the American nuclear power industry. Written by a longtime nuclear engineer, it provides an entertaining and accurate portrait of a nuclear power plant and how an accident might be handled. “Rad Decision” is at RadDecision.blogspot.com, at no cost to readers. James Aach (author) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/hogs-at-the-trough-ii---addicts-and-pushers/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/30/BL2005113000463.html\"\u003eCrooked Capital\u003c/a\u003e\", Howard Kurz writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/30/BL2005113000463.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e about the cozy relationships between lobbyists and legislators: \"Of course, the Democrats don't have totally clean hands. Abramoff was friendly with some D's as well. Ohio's Jim (Beam Me Up) Trafficant is in jail on a 2002 bribery conviction. And Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson is under investigation over a telecommunications deal in Niger. The larger point is that both parties in Washington engage in what critics have called legalized bribery: taking money from special interests while voting on the legislation that affects them; taking golfing and other trips with lobbyists and then doing their bidding on the Hill. The scandal here is what's legal, not the relative few who have run afoul of the law. If Republicans are doing more of it, that may reflect the fact that they run Washington these days.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't expect things to change much. It is mutual--the legislators and special interest groups feed on each other. They will find ways to maintain the status quo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTwo Speeches - A World of Difference \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president read a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/30/AR2005113000667.html\"\u003espeech\u003c/a\u003e at the Naval Academy, Annapolis,MD.  See \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/30/AR2005113000164.html\"\u003eDaniela Deane\u003c/a\u003e's report in The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/30/AR2005113000164.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e. About halfway through, when the president was describing how great things have become for the Iraqis, and then brought up the spectre of 9/11 (it has worked for him in the past) I switched him off. To use a cliché, I wouldn't buy an used car from him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was more interesting to read the speech to be given by Lord May, president of the Royal Society. Excerpts from Ian Sample's article \"\u003ca href=\"http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1653749,00.html\"\u003eFundamentalists threaten scientific progress\u003c/a\u003e\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1653749,00.html\"\u003eGuardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"All ideas should be open to questioning, and the merit of ideas should be assessed on the strength of evidence that supports them and not on the credentials or affiliations of the individuals proposing them. It is not a recipe for a comfortable life, but it is demonstrably a powerful engine for understanding how the world actually works and for applying this understanding,\" he will say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe problem is most prominent in the debate over climate change, Lord May claims, comparing the climate change denial lobby, which is \"funded to the tune of tens of millions of dollars\" by the petroleum industry, with the tobacco lobby, which continues to deny that smoking causes lung cancer. The green groups were not spared criticism.\"We need to recognise that on the one hand there are huge problems with nuclear energy, while on the other hand there are huge problems with putting carbon into the atmosphere.\" It was hard to see renewable energy replacing nuclear power \"on the timescale we need.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLord May is particularly critical of the Catholic church and its comments on the use of condoms, which are proven to reduce the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. \"The Vatican in particular promotes abstinence outside marriage, and condemns condom use. This disapproval, for all its putative high-mindedness, simply is not an effective strategy for preventing dissemination of HIV.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe speech warns of the emerging problem of creationism being taught in school science lessons as a theory on equal footing with evolution. Lord May called on scientists to be more proactive in making their voices heard.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-12-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eReaders interested in nuclear power may want to check out \"Rad Decision\", a techno-thriller novel about the American nuclear power industry.  Written by a longtime nuclear engineer, it provides an entertaining and accurate portrait of a nuclear power plant and how an accident might be handled.  “Rad Decision” is at RadDecision.blogspot.com, at no cost to readers.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJames Aach (author)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Hogs at the Trough (II) - Addicts and Pushers"},{"content":" Washington Post*BBC*In his column today \"More than a Mistake In Iraq\", Richard Cohen , The Washington Post, comments about Democratic presidential aspirants who are now trying to do somersaults to explain their support for the war. A pox on all of them, the gutless opportunistic, unprincipled politicians. Hundreds of thousands of of people all over the world were protesting and marching against the obviously orchestrated efforts to sell the war while they were being briefed by the neo-cons and solemnly falling in line. Why ? The proponents of war were not believable; they had an agenda; they had records. The Democratic leaders' attempts to put a spin on their support for the war is pathetic. They didn't even display a sense of skepticism ! What do they see when they look at themselves in the mirror ? Following from Richard Cohen's column: \"As it turned out, neither did Vice President Cheney or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Cheney said, \"Increasingly, we believe that the United States will become the target\" of an Iraqi nuclear weapon, and Rumsfeld raised a truly horrible specter: \"Imagine a Sept. 11th with weapons of mass destruction\" that would kill \"tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children.\" Imagine a defense secretary who thought he was propaganda minister. I quote this trio of braying exaggerators -- all of them still in the administration -- because they emphasized the purported nuclear weapons threat. Yet by the time the war began, March 20, 2003, it was quite clear that Iraq had no nuclear weapons program. All the evidence for one -- the aluminum tubes, the uranium from Africa -- had been challenged. What's more, U.N. inspectors in Iraq had found nothing. \"We have to date found no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related activities in Iraq,\" said Mohamed ElBaradei of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency. That was on Feb. 14. The next month, the United States went to war anyway.\" Col. Larry Wilkerson Fires Another SalvoNot for the first time, Col. Wilkerson targeted the vice president--his role in abuse of prisoners. In an interview by the BBC, Col. Wilkerson stated:\"I look at the relationship between Mr Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld as being one that produced these two failures in particular, and I see that the president is not holding either of them accountable... so I have to lay some blame at his feet too,\" he went on.In the BBC interview, Col Wilkerson also developed his views on whether or not pre-war intelligence was deliberately misused by the White House.He said that he had previously thought only honest mistakes were made.But recent revelations about doubts in the intelligence community that appear to have been suppressed in the run-up to the war have made him question this view.\" The more I read about Col. Wilkerson's accusations about the Bush administration, the more I think about his former boss. General Powell's failure to speak out or resign from his position has been explained by some as the acts of a 'good soldier' who could not go against the commander in chief. Sorry, but that does not wash. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-lies-about-iraqs-wmd-and-the-democrats-who-swallowed-them/","summary":"Washington Post*BBC\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his column today \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/28/AR2005112801225.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eMore than a Mistake In Iraq\u003c/a\u003e\", \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/28/AR2005112801225.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eRichard Cohen\u003c/a\u003e , \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/28/AR2005112801225.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e, comments about Democratic presidential aspirants who are now trying to do somersaults to explain their support for the war. A pox on all of them, the gutless opportunistic, unprincipled politicians. Hundreds of thousands of of people all over the world were protesting and marching against the obviously orchestrated efforts to sell the war while they were being briefed by the neo-cons and solemnly falling in line. Why ? The proponents of war were not believable; they had an agenda; they had records. The Democratic leaders' attempts to put a spin on their support for the war is pathetic. They didn't even display a sense of skepticism ! What do they see when they look at themselves in the mirror ? Following from Richard Cohen's column:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"As it turned out, neither did Vice President Cheney or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Cheney said, \"Increasingly, we believe that the United States will become the target\" of an Iraqi nuclear weapon, and Rumsfeld raised a truly horrible specter: \"Imagine a Sept. 11th with weapons of mass destruction\" that would kill \"tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children.\" Imagine a defense secretary who thought he was propaganda minister.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eI quote this trio of braying exaggerators -- all of them still in the administration -- because they emphasized the purported nuclear weapons threat. Yet by the time the war began, March 20, 2003, it was quite clear that Iraq had no nuclear weapons program. All the evidence for one -- the aluminum tubes, the uranium from Africa -- had been challenged. What's more, U.N. inspectors in Iraq had found nothing. \"We have to date found no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related activities in Iraq,\" said Mohamed ElBaradei of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency. That was on Feb. 14. The next month, the United States went to war anyway.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Col. Larry Wilkerson Fires Another Salvo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot for the first time, \u003ca href=\"http://www.state.gov/outofdate/bios/w/26731.htm\"\u003eCol. Wilkerson\u003c/a\u003e targeted the vice president--his role in abuse of prisoners. In an interview by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4480638.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e, Col. Wilkerson stated:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I look at the relationship between Mr Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld as being one that produced these two failures in particular, and I see that the president is not holding either of them accountable... so I have to lay some blame at his feet too,\" he went on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the BBC interview, Col Wilkerson also developed his views on whether or not pre-war intelligence was deliberately misused by the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe said that he had previously thought only honest mistakes were made.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut recent revelations about doubts in the intelligence community that appear to have been suppressed in the run-up to the war have made him question this view.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe more I read about Col. Wilkerson's accusations about the Bush administration, the more I think about his former boss. General Powell's failure to speak out or resign from his position has been explained by some as the acts of a 'good soldier' who could not go against the commander in chief. Sorry, but that does not wash.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Lies about Iraq's WMD and The Democrats Who Swallowed Them"},{"content":" Abuse, Torture and Killing of Civilians*G.W. Bush,\"Cowboy Khan\"*Saddam Hussein is no longer in power but abusive fiefdoms are being created by Iraqis with money and influence. In \"Private Security Crews Add to Fear In Baghdad\" Jackie Spinner, Washington Post, covered only part of the deplorable situation. It is not only private security forces under payroll of Iraqis in high positions in the new government but also the government forces that are feared by the people. According to recent reports they have good reason to be afraid of them. Abuse of power is rampant. No less a person than our handpicked former Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi was quoted by the BBC on November 27th\" \"Such abuses are as bad today as they were under Saddam Hussein\", Mr Allawi told Britain's Observer newspaper two weeks after 170 detainees were found at an interior ministry centre, \"some allegedly suffering from abuse and starvation\". The Iraqi blogger Riverbend in her November 25th post wrote about random killing of civilians by government security forces.*\"Cowboy Khan\", A New Moniker for President Bush Oh, to be Genghis Khan. Howard Fineman commented in Newsweek, All Quiet in DC, about the president's stop in Mongolia on his way back from Far East: \"No wonder Bush loved Mongolia. My colleagues in the White House press corps reported that he seemed relieved to be able to spend a few hours there. Nothing like a 36 percent job-approval rating to make you feel fondly towards the vast, empty steppes of the Far East.\"Perhaps Bush was thinking jealously of Genghis Khan, who probably didn’t need to be concerned about the polls and pundits. He just conquered a lot of territory, and that was that.Would that it were that simple. It’s not. Voters are worried, perhaps more than ever, about what the president and Vice President Dick Cheney, and the rest of the Bush Administration now call “Islamo-fascism” or “radical Islamist fundamentalism.”\"But those same voters on this Thanksgiving seem to doubt that Bush’s Cowboy Khan approach is wise, at least in Iraq. They’re becoming more inclined to think that it was, is, folly.\"Cowboy Khan, very appropriate. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/iraq-after-saddam---what-is-the-difference/","summary":"Abuse, Torture and Killing of Civilians*G.W. Bush,\"Cowboy Khan\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSaddam Hussein is no longer in power but abusive fiefdoms are being created by Iraqis with money and influence.   In \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/27/AR2005112700816.html?sub=AR\"\u003ePrivate Security Crews Add to Fear In Baghdad\u003c/a\u003e\" Jackie Spinner, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/27/AR2005112700816.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, covered only part of the deplorable situation. It is not only private security forces under payroll of Iraqis in high positions in the new government but also the government forces that are feared by the people. According to recent reports they have good reason to be afraid of them. Abuse of power is rampant. No less a person than our handpicked former Interim Prime Minister \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4475030.stm\"\u003eIyad Allawi\u003c/a\u003e was quoted by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4475030.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e on November 27th\" \"Such abuses are as bad today as they were under Saddam Hussein\", Mr Allawi told Britain's Observer newspaper two weeks after 170 detainees were found at an interior ministry centre, \"some allegedly suffering from abuse and starvation\". The Iraqi blogger \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRiverbend\u003c/a\u003e in her November 25th post wrote about random killing of civilians by government security forces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\"Cowboy Khan\", A New Moniker for President Bush\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eOh, to be Genghis Khan. \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10177931/site/newsweek/\"\u003eHoward Fineman\u003c/a\u003e commented in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10177931/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e, All Quiet in DC, about the president's stop in Mongolia on his way back from Far East: \"No wonder Bush loved Mongolia. My colleagues in the White House press corps reported that he seemed relieved to be able to spend a few hours there. Nothing like a 36 percent job-approval rating to make you feel fondly towards the vast, empty steppes of the Far East.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Perhaps Bush was thinking jealously of Genghis Khan, who probably didn’t need to be concerned about the polls and pundits. He just conquered a lot of territory, and that was that.Would that it were that simple. It’s not. Voters are worried, perhaps more than ever, about what the president and Vice President Dick Cheney, and the rest of the Bush Administration now call “Islamo-fascism” or “radical Islamist fundamentalism.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But those same voters on this Thanksgiving seem to doubt that Bush’s Cowboy Khan approach is wise, at least in Iraq. They’re becoming more inclined to think that it was, is, folly.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eCowboy Khan, very appropriate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Iraq After Saddam -  What is the Difference ?"},{"content":" An Iraqi Woman Comments * I found and started reading \"Baghdad Burning\", the Riverbend Blog, soon after the beginning of the war in 2003. The author is eloquent, passionate and incisive in her posts from Baghdad. Baghdad Burning is listed among the links under \"Magnets\" on the left-hand side of my page. Her November 25th post is so moving that I decided to copy most of it here. I try to imagine what would happen to me, personally, should this occur. How long would it take for the need for revenge to settle in? How long would it take to be recruited by someone who looks for people who have nothing to lose? People who lost it all to one blow. What I think the world doesn’t understand is that people don’t become suicide bombers because- like the world is told- they get seventy or however many virgins in paradise. People become suicide bombers because it is a vengeful end to a life no longer worth living- a life probably violently stripped of its humanity by a local terrorist- or a foreign soldier. I hate suicide bombers. I hate the way my heart beats chaotically every time I pass by a suspicious-looking car- and every car looks suspicious these days. I hate the way Sunni mosques and Shia mosques are being targeted right and left. I hate seeing the bodies pile up in hospitals, teeth clenched in pain, wailing men and women… But I completely understand how people get there. One victim was holding his daughter. \"The gunmen told the girl to move then shot the father,\" said a relative. Would anyone be surprised if the abovementioned daughter grew up with a hate so vicious and a need for revenge so large, it dominated everything else in her life? Or three days ago when American and Iraqi troops fired at a family traveling from one city to another, killing five members of the family. \"They are all children. They are not terrorists,\" shouted one relative. \"Look at the children,\" he said as a morgue official carried a small dead child into a refrigeration room. Who needs Al-Qaeda to recruit 'terrorists' when you have Da’awa, SCIRI and an American occupation? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-making-of-suicide-bombers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e An Iraqi Woman Comments\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI found and started reading \"\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e\", the \u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eRiverbend Blog\u003c/a\u003e, soon after the beginning of the war in 2003. The author is eloquent, passionate and incisive in her posts from Baghdad. Baghdad Burning is listed among the links under \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.pacetua.blogspot.com/\"\u003eMagnets\u003c/a\u003e\" on the left-hand side of my page. Her November 25th post is so moving that I decided to copy most of it here.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI try to imagine what would happen to me, personally, should this occur. How long would it take for the need for revenge to settle in? How long would it take to be recruited by someone who looks for people who have nothing to lose? People who lost it all to one blow. What I think the world doesn’t understand is that people don’t become suicide bombers because- like the world is told- they get seventy or however many virgins in paradise. People become suicide bombers because it is a vengeful end to a life no longer worth living- a life probably violently stripped of its humanity by a local terrorist- or a foreign soldier.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI hate suicide bombers. I hate the way my heart beats chaotically every time I pass by a suspicious-looking car- and every car looks suspicious these days. I hate the way Sunni mosques and Shia mosques are being targeted right and left. I hate seeing the bodies pile up in hospitals, teeth clenched in pain, wailing men and women…\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut I completely understand how people get there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eOne victim was holding his daughter. \"The gunmen told the girl to move then shot the father,\" said a relative.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWould anyone be surprised if the abovementioned daughter grew up with a hate so vicious and a need for revenge so large, it dominated everything else in her life?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOr three days ago when American and Iraqi troops fired at a family traveling from one city to another, killing five members of the family.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"They are all children. They are not terrorists,\" shouted one relative. \"Look at the children,\" he said as a morgue official carried a small dead child into a refrigeration room.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e  \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWho needs Al-Qaeda to recruit 'terrorists' when you have Da’awa, SCIRI and an American occupation?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Making of Suicide Bombers"},{"content":" Philanderers Want Virgin Brides* Learned from a report in The Telegraph (UK) that an Indian actress, Khusboo is facing the wrath of her countrymen because of her comments that a modern man should not \"expect his bride to be a virgin\". Khushboo, a 35-year-old Tamil film star and television game show host, made her controversial statement in a magazine which surveyed celebrities' views on pre-marital sex. The resulting outcry - which saw Khushboo being served with a gagging order to keep the peace - has ignited fresh debate over the gap between public morality and private attitudes towards sex in India. Yesterday the High Court of Tamil Nadu, the state where the controversy began, ordered its police director general to draw up a plan to prevent the Khushboo protests growing violent. Ah, the insecurity of the males. I applaud Ms Khusboo for publicly stating what needed to be said. As to the men in her home state, Tamil Nadu, they deserve a kick in their goolies (balls). I watched the movie \"Kinsey\" last night on video. The men who are up in arms in India over virgin brides might learn something from it. But probably their minds are closed to the concept of sexual equality. This 2004 film caused an uproar among the conservative Christians here in America too. \"The most mediocre of males feels himself a demigod as compared with women.\"--Simone De Beauvoir ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/sexual-hypocrisy-alive-and-well-in-india/","summary":"Philanderers Want Virgin Brides\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLearned from a report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/26/windia26.xml\"\u003eThe Telegraph\u003c/a\u003e (UK) that an Indian actress, \u003ca href=\"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/26/windia26.xml\"\u003eKhusboo\u003c/a\u003e  is facing the wrath of her countrymen because of her comments  that a modern man should not \"expect his bride to be  a virgin\".\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003ctable hspace=\"0\" width=\"207\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd width=\"199\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/table\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eKhushboo, a 35-year-old Tamil film star and television game show host, made her controversial statement in a magazine which surveyed celebrities' views on pre-marital sex.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe resulting outcry - which saw Khushboo being served with a gagging order to keep the peace - has ignited fresh debate over the gap between public morality and private attitudes towards sex in India. Yesterday the High Court of Tamil Nadu, the state where the controversy began, ordered its police director general to draw up a plan to prevent the Khushboo protests growing violent. \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e Ah, the insecurity of the males. I applaud Ms Khusboo for publicly stating what needed to be said. As to the men in her home state, \u003ca href=\"http://o3.indiatimes.com/politicking/archive/2005/11/17/336788.aspx\"\u003eTamil Nadu\u003c/a\u003e, they deserve a kick in their goolies (balls). I watched the movie \"\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv\u0026amp;cf=info\u0026amp;id=1808468330\"\u003eKinsey\u003c/a\u003e\" last night on video. The men who are up in arms in India over virgin brides might learn something from it. But probably their minds are closed to the concept of sexual equality. This 2004 film caused an uproar among the conservative Christians here in America too.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \"The most mediocre of males feels himself a demigod as compared with women.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Simone De Beauvoir","title":"Sexual Hypocrisy Alive and Well in India"},{"content":" * A report in USA Today , 11/24/05, by Dan Vergano makes dismal reading. Physical violence against women is continuing unabated in many countries. Mr. Vergano's article is based on a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO). \"Wife beating and sexual violence against women are \"common, widespread and far-reaching,\" says a World Health Organization report released Thursday. \"The \"WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence Against Women\" is based on a survey of 24,000 women in 10 nations It says the percentage of women reporting having been physically or sexually assaulted, or both, in their lifetime ranges from 15% in Japan to 71% in rural Ethiopia. The violence has severe health and economic consequences, the report says. \"Domestic violence, in particular, continues to be frighteningly common and to be accepted as 'normal' within too many societies,\" says the report, the first global look at these kinds of assaults. All of the women surveyed had had a male partner at some point. \"In the USA, about 1.5 million women a year are assaulted by a husband or boyfriend; about one in six women have been sexually assaulted at some time in their life, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\"It is a problem here, one that many communities face,\" says Diane Stuart, director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Justice Department. \"This is a crime committed behind closed doors.\" Stuart says the isolation reported by domestic violence victims in the WHO report is also experienced by American women.\" Commenting on the WHO study, Alertnet.org states: \"It paints a harrowing picture of broken bones, bruises, burns, cracked skulls, dislocated jaws, rape and fear. Often the cycle is repeated from one generation to the next. A child that is brought up in an environment where there is domestic violence tends to accept it as the norm and they will then practise it,\" said Phumaphi.\" (Joy Phumaphi is assistant director-general of Family and Community Health at the WHO.)My post dated October 30, 2005, about \"Bride Burning\", based on a Washington Post article, brought me a number of messages from India. The writers (assumed to be men) pointed out the flip side of the Dowry Act (Sec. 498A of the Indian Penal Code)--\"widespread misuse of dowry laws by Indian daughters-in-law\". Many instances of abuse of women in India are related to payment of dowry. When I asked the writer (one of them didn't leave a valid reply-to address) to provide specific instances of husbands being physically abused and tortured to death by their wives, I received no response. I do not dispute that there could be instances of women taking unfair advantage of Sec.498A.Here in the San Francisco Bay area the number of South Asian immigrants has grown exponentially in the past eight years and with it the number of cases of abused women in the community.Maitri is a non-profit organization run by volunteers to assist South Asian women who need help. From legal assistance to medical care, job search, and shelters, the volunteers of Maitri spend long hours to provide much-needed service to rehabilitate abused women who find themselves without money and a roof over their heads. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/violence-against-women-a-worldwide-problem/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-11-24-violence-women-global_x.htm\"\u003eUSA Today\u003c/a\u003e , 11/24/05, by Dan Vergano makes dismal reading. Physical violence against women is continuing unabated in many countries. Mr. Vergano's article is based on a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"intro-copy\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Wife beating and sexual violence against women are \"common, widespread and far-reaching,\" says a World Health Organization report released Thursday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"inside-copy\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The \"WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence Against Women\" is based on a survey of 24,000 women in 10 nations It says the percentage of women reporting having been physically or sexually assaulted, or both, in their lifetime ranges from 15% in Japan to 71% in rural Ethiopia. The violence has severe health and economic consequences, the report says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"inside-copy\"\u003e\"Domestic violence, in particular, continues to be frighteningly common and to be accepted as 'normal' within too many societies,\" says the report, the first global look at these kinds of assaults. All of the women surveyed had had a male partner at some point.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"inside-copy text-justify\"\u003e\"In the USA, about 1.5 million women a year are assaulted by a husband or boyfriend; about one in six women have been sexually assaulted at some time in their life, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\"It is a problem here, one that many communities face,\" says Diane Stuart, director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Justice Department. \"This is a crime committed behind closed doors.\" Stuart says the isolation reported by domestic violence victims in the WHO report is also experienced by American women.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eCommenting on the WHO study,  \u003ca href=\"http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1898435.htm\"\u003eAlertnet.org\u003c/a\u003e states: \"It paints a harrowing picture of broken bones, bruises, burns, cracked skulls, dislocated jaws, rape and fear. Often the cycle is repeated from one generation to the next. A child that is brought up in an environment where there is domestic violence tends to accept it as the norm and they will then practise it,\" said Phumaphi.\"  (Joy Phumaphi is assistant director-general of Family and Community Health at the WHO.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMy post dated October 30, 2005, about \"\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/10/india-dowry-system-and-bride-burning.html\"\u003eBride Burning\u003c/a\u003e\", based on a \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102900729.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e article, brought me a number of messages from India. The writers (assumed to be men) pointed out the flip side of the Dowry Act (Sec. 498A of the Indian Penal Code)--\"widespread \u003ca href=\"http://harassed-husbands.blogspot.com/\"\u003emisuse of dowry laws\u003c/a\u003e by Indian daughters-in-law\". Many instances of abuse of women in India are related to payment of dowry. When I asked the writer (one of them didn't leave a valid reply-to address) to provide specific instances of husbands being physically abused and tortured to death by their wives, I received no response. I do not dispute that there could be instances of women taking unfair advantage of  Sec.498A.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHere in the San Francisco Bay area the number of South Asian immigrants has grown exponentially in the past eight years and with it the number of cases of abused women in the community.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.maitri.org/\"\u003eMaitri\u003c/a\u003e is a non-profit organization run by volunteers to assist South Asian women who need help. From legal assistance to medical care, job search, and shelters, the volunteers of Maitri spend long hours to provide much-needed service to rehabilitate abused women who find themselves without money and a roof over their heads.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Violence Against Women, A Worldwide Problem"},{"content":" *Rainy morning. It feels good. We have had a few light showers earlier this month but today is the real thing. It was time.The street and the cars parked alongside the curb are covered with leaves from gingko trees. More like gold than yellow. Day after Thanksgiving is a holiday except for those who work in stores. Big day for bargain hunters storming the gates early in the morning. Parking lots full of drivers looking for rare empty spots. Fender benders; frayed tempers. I can imagine the cash registers making ka-ching, ka-ching sound. Good for the economy and some people get pleasure out of it.Rain drops on windowPhoto credit: stock.xchng (sciucanessa79@virgilio.it)Gingko LeavesPhoto credit: stock.xchng (typographica@gmail.com)A few more days of rain before AC and I can go walk through groves of oak and redwood trees to look for chanterelles. It is very rewarding when we come across a especially bountiful patch and fill our bags. After a few hours we sit down to have sandwiches and talk of pleasant things or just enjoy the forest around us. I cook risotto with chanterelles and a sprinkling of saffron to add color. For making soup I add diced potato to give it body. Soup tastes especially good on cold evenings. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-first-rains-of-the-season/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRainy morning.  It feels good. We have had a few light showers earlier this month but today is the real thing. It was time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe street and the cars parked alongside the curb are covered with leaves from gingko trees. More like gold than yellow. Day after Thanksgiving is a holiday except for those who work in stores. Big day for bargain hunters storming the gates early in the morning. Parking lots full of drivers looking for rare empty spots. Fender benders; frayed tempers. I can imagine the cash registers making ka-ching, ka-ching sound. Good for the economy and some people get pleasure out of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eRain drops on window\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/11/Rainy Day.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto credit: stock.xchng (\u003ca href=\"mailto:sciucanessa79@virgilio.it\"\u003esciucanessa79@virgilio.it)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eGingko Leaves\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/11/Golden Gingko.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto credit: stock.xchng (\u003ca href=\"mailto:typographica@gmail.com\"\u003etypographica@gmail.com\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA few more days of rain before AC and I can go walk through groves of oak and redwood trees to look for chanterelles. It is very rewarding when we come across a especially bountiful patch and fill our bags. After a few hours we sit down to have sandwiches and talk of pleasant things or just enjoy the forest around us. I cook risotto with chanterelles and a sprinkling of saffron to add color. For making soup I add diced potato to give it body. Soup tastes especially good on cold evenings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"The First Rains of the Season"},{"content":" * On this day as we gather with families and friends, let us spend a few moments to think about the emptiness in the hearts of those who are suffering from losses. We can tilt the balance of being the half who \"love the other half\". In memory of those who died in Iraq. Let us not forget the hapless civilians who became victims of warring factions, the civilians whose deaths are described by some as \"collateral damage\".U.S. Soldiers: 2102 Injured: 15568Iraqi Civilians: Minimum 27094 Maximum 30538*Every Thanksgiving Day, Jon Carroll of The San Francisco Chronicle writes a column that I urge everyone to read. Excerpt: \"And the final bead on the string is for this very Thanksgiving, this particular Thursday, and the people with whom we will be sharing it. Whoever they are and whatever the circumstances that have brought us together, we will today be celebrating with them the gift of life and the persistence of charity in a world that seems bent on ending one and denying the other.\"*Now, to Yehuda Amichai. Half The People In The World Half the people in the world love the other half,half the people hate the other half.Must I because of this half and that half go wanderingand changing ceaselessly like rain in its cycle,must I sleep among rocks, and grow rugged likethe trunks of olive trees,and hear the moon barking at me,and camouflage my love with worries,and sprout like frightened grass between the railroadtracks,and live underground like a mole,and remain with roots and not with branches, and notfeel my cheek against the cheek of angels, andlove in the first cave, and marry my wifebeneath a canopy of beams that support the earth,and act out my death, always till the last breath andthe last words and without ever understanding,and put flagpoles on top of my house and a bob shelterunderneath. And go out on roads made only forreturning and go through all the appallingstations—cat,stick,fire,water,butcher,between the kid and the angel of death?Half the people love,half the people hate.And where is my place between such well-matched halves,and through what crack will I see the white housingprojects of my dreams and the bare foot runnerson the sands or, at least, the waving of a girl'skerchief, beside the mound?---Yehuda AmichaiTranslated by Chana Bloch And Stephen Mitchell* ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/thanksgiving-day-2005---year-3-of-the-war-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e On this day as we gather with families and friends, let us spend a few moments to think about the emptiness in the hearts of those who are suffering from losses. We can tilt the balance of being the half who \"love the other half\". \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn memory of those who died in Iraq. Let us not forget the hapless civilians who became victims of warring factions, the civilians whose deaths are described by some as \"collateral damage\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eU.S. Soldiers\u003c/a\u003e: 2102 \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eInjured\u003c/a\u003e: 15568\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eIraqi Civilians\u003c/a\u003e: Minimum 27094 Maximum 30538\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEvery Thanksgiving Day, \u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/24/DDGRUFS7C31.DTL\"\u003eJon Carroll\u003c/a\u003e of  \u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/24/DDGRUFS7C31.DTL\"\u003eThe San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/a\u003e writes a column that I urge everyone to read.  Excerpt:  \"And the final bead on the string is for this very Thanksgiving, this particular Thursday, and the people with whom we will be sharing it. Whoever they are and whatever the circumstances that have brought us together, we will today be celebrating with them the gift of life and the persistence of charity in a world that seems bent on ending one and denying the other.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eNow, to Yehuda Amichai.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHalf The People In The World\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e                                       Half the people in the world love the other half,\u003cbr/\u003ehalf the people hate the other half.\u003cbr/\u003eMust I because of this half and that half go wandering\u003cbr/\u003eand changing ceaselessly like rain in its cycle,\u003cbr/\u003emust I sleep among rocks, and grow rugged like\u003cbr/\u003ethe trunks of olive trees,\u003cbr/\u003eand hear the moon barking at me,\u003cbr/\u003eand camouflage my love with worries,\u003cbr/\u003eand sprout like frightened grass between the railroad\u003cbr/\u003etracks,\u003cbr/\u003eand live underground like a mole,\u003cbr/\u003eand remain with roots and not with branches, and not\u003cbr/\u003efeel my cheek against the cheek of angels, and\u003cbr/\u003elove in the first cave, and marry my wife\u003cbr/\u003ebeneath a canopy of beams that support the earth,\u003cbr/\u003eand act out my death, always till the last breath and\u003cbr/\u003ethe last words  and without ever understanding,\u003cbr/\u003eand put flagpoles on top of my house and a bob shelter\u003cbr/\u003eunderneath.  And go out on roads made only for\u003cbr/\u003ereturning and go through all the appalling\u003cbr/\u003estations—cat,stick,fire,water,butcher,\u003cbr/\u003ebetween the kid and the angel of death?\u003cbr/\u003eHalf the people love,\u003cbr/\u003ehalf the people hate.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd where is my place between such well-matched halves,\u003cbr/\u003eand through what crack will I see the white housing\u003cbr/\u003eprojects of my dreams and the bare foot runners\u003cbr/\u003eon the sands or, at least, the waving of a girl's\u003cbr/\u003ekerchief, beside the mound?\u003cbr/\u003e---Yehuda Amichai\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTranslated by Chana Bloch And Stephen Mitchell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving Day 2005 - Year 3 of the War In Iraq"},{"content":" It Gets \"Curiouser and Curiouser\"* \"The Queen had one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. “Off with his head!” she said without even looking around.\" (Lewis Carroll ,1832–1898, British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland). Lot of buzz about the existence of a secret memo reported to contain details of a meeting between Prime Minister Blair and President Bush in April 2004 when the president expressed his desire to bomb al Jazeera TV station in Doha, Qatar. The British press has been muzzled by invocation of Official Secrets Act from publishing the details. \"World News Roundup\" by Jefferson Morley in the Washington Post covers the subject well. Additional coverage by John Plunkett in The Guardian and by Rosemary Bennet and Tim Reid in Times Online.Excerpts: Under a front-page headline “Bush plot to bomb his ally” in the Daily Mirror yesterday, a secret minute of the conversation in April 2004 records the President allegedly suggesting that he would like to bomb the channel’s studios in Doha, capital of Qatar. Richard Wallace, the Editor of the Daily Mirror, said last night: “We made No 10 fully aware of the intention to publish and were given ‘no comment’ officially or unofficially. Suddenly 24 hours later we are threatened under Section 5.” (Times onLine Nov.23, 2005) An international journalists group today demanded \"complete disclosure\" from the British and American governments over reports that the US considered attacking the al-Jazeera HQ in the Qatar capital, Doha. The International Federation of Journalists claimed that 16 journalists and other media staff have died at the hands of US forces in Iraq, adding that the deaths had not been properly investigated. (The Guardian, Nov.23, 2005) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/further-misadventures-of-the-bush-blair-team/","summary":"It Gets \"Curiouser and Curiouser\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"The Queen had one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. “Off with his head!” she said without even looking around.\" (Lewis Carroll ,1832–1898, British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland). Lot of buzz about the existence of a secret memo reported to contain details of a meeting between Prime Minister Blair and President Bush in April 2004 when the president expressed his desire to bomb al Jazeera TV station in Doha, Qatar. The British press has been muzzled by invocation of Official Secrets Act from publishing the details. \"World News Roundup\" by \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/worldopinionroundup/2005/11/mirror_gagged.html\"\u003eJefferson Morley\u003c/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/worldopinionroundup/2005/11/mirror_gagged.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e covers the subject well.  Additional coverage by \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1648988,00.html\"\u003eJohn Plunkett\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1648988,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e and by \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,172-1885279,00.html\"\u003eRosemary Bennet and Tim Reid\u003c/a\u003e in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,172-1885279,00.html\"\u003eTimes Online\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"textcopy\"\u003eUnder a front-page headline “Bush plot to bomb his ally” in the \u003ci\u003eDaily Mirror\u003c/i\u003e yesterday, a secret minute of the conversation in April 2004 records the President allegedly suggesting that he would like to bomb the channel’s studios in Doha, capital of Qatar. Richard Wallace, the Editor of the \u003ci\u003eDaily Mirror\u003c/i\u003e, said last night: “We made No 10 fully aware of the intention to publish and were given ‘no comment’ officially or unofficially. Suddenly 24 hours later we are threatened under Section 5.” (Times onLine Nov.23, 2005)\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAn international journalists group today demanded \"complete disclosure\" from the British and American governments over reports that the US considered attacking the al-Jazeera HQ in the Qatar capital, Doha. The International Federation of Journalists claimed that 16 journalists and other media staff have died at the hands of US forces in Iraq, adding that the deaths had not been properly investigated. (The Guardian, Nov.23, 2005) \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Further Misadventures of The Bush \u0026 Blair Team"},{"content":" \"Maligning Murtha\" *President Bush using the Good Cop, Bad Cop strategy ? He is sort of desperate. Learned from The Guardian that he went to Mongolia and praised his hosts for sending 160 troops to \"coalition\" forces in Iraq. In his Media Notes column, Howard Kurtz , Washington Post ,reports about the vicious attacks on Rep. Murtha by Republicans to shore up support for the president. \"Anyway, Schmidt's defenders say she didn't realize Murtha had been a Marine. But her Ohio nickname will probably stick, thanks to this NYT profile: \"She grew up in the rough-and-tumble of a family auto racing business, went through concealed-weapons training, and bears a local nickname seldom applied to shrinking violets: 'Mean Jean.'\"\nAnd the guy she dug up to smear Rep. Murtha ? Col. Danny Bubp, a Marine reservist, a crusader for Christian right. The VP needs no introduction. He was the one who said ''I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\" (CNN, May 30, 2005). Death toll for November: 68. Incidentally, VP Cheney took five (5) draft deferments during the Vietnam War. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-11-22 Schmidt's actions slams Ohio financially. I've followed Jean Schmidt's way to the congress since I started to look into the 2nd district congressional election with Hackett vs Schmidt. Since I'm from Sweden Europe I have no clue of how things are in Ohio but I can say this:\nSchmidt even before the election looked like a very strange person, with strange ways of behaviors and moral values. She already back than said things that left my girlfriend with tongue out and rolling eyes. She is a disgrace to Ohio.\nHackett looked to be a much better choice to represent the second district of Ohio and today I still wonder what actually happened in Ohio during this election.\nHow can I, sitting in Sweden, halfway across the world from Ohio, make the choice of which candidate is the best when you people from Ohio can't. Maybe it is just because of that...my distance to the political history and culture in Ohio that makes this possible. I see the candidates in cold hard facts and can't tie any political history or culture to it.\nThe election of Jean Schmidt to represent the second district of Ohio is a shame and a disgrace to that district. When you elect a person to represent you, your choice will backfire on you if you make the wrong choice. Look here now...I will just take an example of what happened in this distance far from you. I happen to know a speechwriter to a top politician in our government's trade department . He said that this trade politician had seen the video clip on the internet site Daily Kos and he said spontaneously \"what a mean person, that's how a typical American politician act in politics\". See now what consequences that gets when our larger companies are thinking to invest in Ohio. For a company to invest largely in a district need contacts with local politicians. Who in God's name do you think dare or even want to take a contact or planning a long term action that request contact with such a politician that even viciously smears a veteran and than later blames another guy for it and this guy are telling the media that he had nothing to do with it and regret even been named in the process.\nCome on guys, this really sends the wrong signals for the people that decide to invest in Ohio.\nYou people from Ohio that sent this woman Jean Schmidt to the congress look at yourself in the mirror and tell me what you see and tell me now if you made the right choice for Ohio and the people that get their living and feed their family from working.\nMarkus Fors, Sweden, Europe musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-22 Thank you for taking the time to give us background information about Ohio Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. I am not from Ohio. During the 2004 election, there were some questions about vote counts in Ohio. It is up to the Ohioans to do what is right. As long as they elect the likes of Jean Schmidt to represent them, I don't expect things to be different.\nOhio has paid a heavy price in terms of soldiers from the state who died in Iraq. Time will tell whether that will have an impact on the voters of Ohio. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/mean-jean-schmidt-vp-cheney---attack-dogs-doing-their-thing/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html\"\u003eMaligning Murtha\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePresident Bush using the Good Cop, Bad Cop strategy ? He is sort of desperate. Learned from \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1648034,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e that he went to Mongolia and praised his hosts for sending 160 troops to \"coalition\" forces in Iraq. In his Media Notes column, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html\"\u003eHoward Kurtz\u003c/a\u003e , \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e ,reports about the vicious attacks on Rep. Murtha by Republicans to shore up support for the president. \"\u003cnitf\u003eAnyway, Schmidt's defenders say she didn't realize Murtha had been a Marine. But her Ohio nickname will probably stick, thanks to this \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/national/20ohio.html\" target=\"\"\u003eNYT\u003c/a\u003e profile:\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\"She grew up in the rough-and-tumble of a family auto racing business, went through concealed-weapons training, and bears a local nickname seldom applied to shrinking violets: 'Mean Jean.'\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Mean Jean\" Schmidt, VP Cheney - Attack Dogs Doing Their Thing"},{"content":" All of us need a \"Long night for the soul\" *\"Bush at the Tipping Point\",by Howard Finemann in Newsweek \"As friends describe it, Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania had been searching his soul for months, seeking guidance on what to do in Congress about Iraq. \"I think he was going through what we Catholics call a 'long night of the soul',\" said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.\" Jack Murtha's call for immediate withdrawal isn't likely to take shape unless....unless there is a groundswell to force it. Could happen if the attrition rate for our soldiers continues at the current rate (67 so far this month).There is another side of the war which must not be forgotten. It is the use of overt and covert means by us to win at any cost. From torture of prisoners, secret prisons in \"friendly\" countries which have been paid in cash or kind to allow such facilities, to use of white phosphorus, we have lost the right to claim high moral ground. We have become like the enemy.\"Propaganda nightmare of chemical hypocrisy\" by Bronwen Maddox, Timesonline November 17th edition: \"HOW damaged is the US by the row over its use of white phosphorus in Fallujah last year? On the facts available now, it is within the letter of the law, even though it has not signed the most relevant protocol on the use of the weapon.\" Excerpts: But even if it considers itself on firm legal ground, it has created a nightmare of public relations at the point when it is trying to court support in Europe and the Middle East. Allegations of unusual weapons have been around since the assault. The US denied them, until internet bloggers unearthed personal accounts by the US military. On Tuesday Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Venable said that the substance had been used as an “incendiary weapon against enemy combatants”, contradicting earlier statements by the London and Rome ambassadors, and the State Department website. If there was anything that could make perceptions worse, it was the military slang of “shake and bake” attacks, phosphorus being the “bake” part. It will take a lot of work by Karen Hughes, the President’s emissary, to improve the American image abroad, to make up for the incendiary effect on hearts and minds. *Paul Reynolds, BBC, on November 17, 2005: \"White Phosphorus: Weapon On Edge\": The Pentagon's admission - despite earlier denials - that US troops used white phosphorus as a weapon in Falluja last year is more than a public relations issue - it has opened up a debate about the use of this weapon in modern warfare. The admission contradicted a statement this week from the new and clearly under-briefed US ambassador in London Robert Holmes Tuttle that US forces \"do not use napalm or white phosphorus as weapons\". The official line to that point had been that WP, or Willie Pete to use its old name from Vietnam, was used only to illuminate the battlefield and to provide smoke for camouflage. This line however crumbled when bloggers (whose influence must not be under-estimated these days) ferreted out an article published by the US Army's Field Artillery Magazine in its issue of March/April this year. The article, written by a captain, a first lieutenant and a sergeant, was a review of the attack on Falluja in November 2004 and in particular of the use of indirect fire, mainly mortars. It makes quite clear that WP was used as a weapon not just as illumination or camouflage.\"WP proved to be an effective and versatile munition. We used it for screening missions at two breeches and, later in the fight, as a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes where we could not get effects on them with HE [High Explosive]. We fired \"shake and bake\" missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out,\" the article said. * Linda Feldman writes in The Christian Science Monitor, \"Why Iraq War Support Fell So Fast\":\"Why did Americans go sour on the Iraq war so quickly, and what can Bush do about it? John Mueller, an expert on war and public opinion at Ohio State University, links today's lower tolerance of casualties to a weaker public commitment to the cause than was felt during the two previous, cold war-era conflicts. The discounting of the main justifications for the Iraq war - alleged weapons of mass destruction and support for international terrorism - has left many Americans skeptical of the entire enterprise.\"And the November 18th post \"Baghdad Burning\", the Riverbendblog, by a young Iraqi woman living in Baghdad, reads: House of Horrors...The talk of the town is the torture house they recently found in Jadriya.\"The whole world heard about the one in Jadriya, recently raided by the Americans. Jadriya was once one of the best areas in Baghdad. It's an area on the river and is special in that it's greener, and cleaner, than most areas. Baghdads largest university, Baghdad University, is located in Jadriya (with a campus in another area). Jadriya had some of the best shops and restaurants- not to mention some of Baghdad's most elegant homes...…and apparently, now, a torture house.\"*Who will cry for us ? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/shake-and-bake-in-iraq---who-will-cry-for-us/","summary":"All of us need a \"Long night for the soul\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10118733/site/newsweek/\"\u003eBush at the Tipping Point\u003c/a\u003e\",by \u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10118733/site/newsweek/\"\u003eHoward Finemann\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10118733/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e \"As friends describe it, Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania had been searching his soul for months, seeking guidance on what to do in Congress about Iraq. \"I think he was going through what we Catholics call a 'long night of the soul',\" said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.\" Jack Murtha's call for immediate withdrawal isn't likely to take shape unless....unless there is a groundswell to force it. Could happen if the attrition rate for our soldiers continues at the current rate (67 so far this month).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is another side of the war which must not be forgotten. It is the use of overt and covert means by us to win at any cost. From torture of prisoners, secret prisons in \"friendly\" countries which have been paid in cash or kind to allow such facilities, to use of white phosphorus, we have lost the right to claim high moral ground. We have become like the enemy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1875730,00.html\"\u003ePropaganda nightmare of chemical hypocrisy\u003c/a\u003e\" by \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1875730,00.html\"\u003eBronwen Maddox\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1875730,00.html\"\u003eTimesonline\u003c/a\u003e November 17th edition: \"HOW damaged is the US by the row over its use of white phosphorus in Fallujah last year? On the facts available now, it is within the letter of the law, even though it has not signed the most relevant protocol on the use of the weapon.\"  Excerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eBut even if it considers itself on firm legal ground, it has created a nightmare of public relations at the point when it is trying to court support in Europe and the Middle East.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eAllegations of unusual weapons have been around since the assault. The US denied them, until internet bloggers unearthed personal accounts by the US military. On Tuesday Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Venable said that the substance had been used as an “incendiary weapon against enemy combatants”, contradicting earlier statements by the London and Rome ambassadors, and the State Department website.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003eIf there was anything that could make perceptions worse, it was the military slang of “shake and bake” attacks, phosphorus being the “bake” part.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt will take a lot of work by Karen Hughes, the President’s emissary, to improve the American image abroad, to make up for the incendiary effect on hearts and minds.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4442988.stm\"\u003ePaul Reynolds\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4442988.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e, on November 17, 2005: \"White Phosphorus:  Weapon On Edge\":\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Pentagon's admission - despite earlier denials - that US troops used white phosphorus as a weapon in Falluja last year is more than a public relations issue - it has opened up a debate about the use of this weapon in modern warfare. \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Shake and Bake\"  in Iraq - Who Will Cry For Us ?"},{"content":" Yehuda Amichai*Czeslaw Milosz*Joseph Brodsky*Seamus Heaney * Hike with a Woman When after hours of walking You suddenly discover That the body of the woman striding beside you Is not made for A march of war, That her thighs grow heavy And her buttocks move like a tired flock You are filled with great joy For the world Where women are like this.\" ---Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000 ), translated by Harold Schimmel Falling in Love \"Tomber amourex. To fall in love. Does it occur suddenly or gradually ? If gradually, when is the moment \"already\" ? I would fall in love with a monkey made of rags. With a plywood squirrel. With a botanical atlas. With an oriole. With a ferret. With a marten in a picture. With the forest one sees to the right when riding in a cart to Jaszuny. With a poem by a little-known poet. With human beings whose names still move me. And always the object of love was enveloped in erotic fantasy or was submitted, as in Stendhal, to a \"cristallisation\", so it is frightful to think of that object as it was, naked among the naked things, and of the fairy tales about it one invents. Yes, I was often in love with something or someone. Yet falling in love is not the same as being able to love. That is something different.\" ---Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2004), translated from Polish by the author and Robert Haas New Life \"In the new life, a cloud is better than the bright sun. The rain akin to self-knowledge, appears perpetual. On the other hand, an unexpected train You don't wait for alone on a platform arrives on schedule. A sail is passing its judgment on the horizon's lie. The eye tracks the sinking soap, though it's the foam that is famous. And should anyone ask you \"Who are you ?\", you reply \"Who--I ? I am nobody\", as Ulysses once muttered to Polyphemus.\" --Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996) Song \"A rowan like a lipsticked girl. Between the by-road and the main road Alder trees at a wet and dripping distance Stand off among the rushes. There are the mud-flowers of dialect And the immortelles of perfect pitch And that moment when the bird sings very close To the music of what happens.\" ---Seamus Heaney ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/poets-corner-on-a-sunday-morning/","summary":"Yehuda Amichai*Czeslaw Milosz*Joseph Brodsky*Seamus Heaney\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHike with a Woman\u003cbr/\u003e\nWhen after hours of walking\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003c/center\u003e You suddenly discover\u003cbr/\u003e\n That the body of the woman striding beside you\u003cbr/\u003e\n Is not made for\u003cbr/\u003e\n A march of war,\u003cbr/\u003e\n That her thighs grow heavy\u003cbr/\u003e\n And her buttocks move like a tired flock\u003cbr/\u003e\n You are filled with great joy\u003cbr/\u003e\n For the world\u003cbr/\u003e\n Where women are like this.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000    ), translated by Harold Schimmel\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nFalling in Love\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Tomber amourex. To fall in love.  Does it occur suddenly or\u003cbr/\u003e\n  gradually ? If gradually, when is the moment \"already\" ? I would fall\u003cbr/\u003e\n  in love with a monkey made of rags. With a plywood squirrel.\u003cbr/\u003e\n  With a botanical atlas. With an oriole. With a ferret. With a \u003cbr/\u003e\n  marten in a picture. With the forest one sees to the right when\u003cbr/\u003e\n  riding in a cart to Jaszuny. With a poem by a little-known\u003cbr/\u003e\n  poet.  With human beings whose names still move me. And always\u003cbr/\u003e\n  the object of love was enveloped in erotic fantasy or was \u003cbr/\u003e\n  submitted, as in Stendhal, to a \"cristallisation\", so it is frightful to\u003cbr/\u003e\n think of that object as it was, naked among the naked things,\u003cbr/\u003e\n and of the fairy tales about it one invents.  Yes, I was often in\u003cbr/\u003e\n love with something or someone. Yet falling in love is not the \u003cbr/\u003e\n same as being able to love. That is something different.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2004), translated from Polish by the author and Robert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nNew Life\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"In the new life, a cloud is better than the bright sun.  The rain\u003cbr/\u003e\n akin to self-knowledge, appears perpetual.\u003cbr/\u003e\n On the other hand, an unexpected train\u003cbr/\u003e\n You don't wait for alone on a platform arrives on schedule.\u003cbr/\u003e\n A sail is passing its judgment on the horizon's lie.\u003cbr/\u003e\n The eye tracks the sinking soap, though it's the foam that is famous.\u003cbr/\u003e\n And should anyone ask you \"Who are you ?\", you reply \"Who--I ?\u003cbr/\u003e\n I am nobody\", as Ulysses once muttered to Polyphemus.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n--Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nSong\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"A rowan like a lipsticked girl.\u003cbr/\u003e\nBetween the by-road and the main road\u003cbr/\u003e\nAlder trees at a wet and dripping distance\u003cbr/\u003e\nStand off among the rushes.\u003cbr/\u003e\nThere are the mud-flowers of dialect\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd the immortelles of perfect pitch\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd that moment when the bird sings very close\u003cbr/\u003e\nTo the music of what happens.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Seamus Heaney\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Poets' Corner on A Sunday Morning"},{"content":" Fall of a giant and no one to blame but himself*No excuse, none. Reading details of Bob Edward's silence about being told of Valerie Plame gave me a sick feeling. No matter what spin is put on it by the Washington Post and Bob Edward, it stinks. The difference between him and Ms Run Amok of NY Times ? Not much. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/et-tu-bob-woodward/","summary":"Fall of a giant and no one to blame but himself\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo excuse, none. Reading details of Bob Edward's silence about being told of Valerie Plame gave me a sick feeling. No matter what spin is put on it by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2005/11/17/DI2005111700936.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/16/AR2005111601286.html\"\u003eBob Edward\u003c/a\u003e, it stinks.  The difference between him and Ms Run Amok of NY Times ?  Not much.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Et tu, Bob Woodward"},{"content":" *A blogger,Croweagle ,who lives in Ottawa, Canada, wrote about kicking leaves while walking in the woods. Joyful. Just reading about it and looking at his picture made me feel good. It happens. There are times when a simple act, a gesture, a kind word, a smile from a stranger can lifts one's spirits. \"The falling leavesfall and pile up; the rainbeats on the rain.\"---Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/kicking-fallen-leaves-during-walks-in-the-fall/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA blogger,\u003ca href=\"http://croweagle.blogspot.com/\"\u003eCroweagle\u003c/a\u003e ,who lives in Ottawa, Canada, wrote about kicking leaves while walking in the woods. Joyful. Just reading about it and looking at his picture made me feel good. It happens. There are times when a simple act, a gesture, a kind word, a smile from a stranger can lifts one's spirits.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The falling leaves\u003cbr/\u003efall and pile up; the rain\u003cbr/\u003ebeats on the rain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson) \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Kicking Fallen Leaves During Walks in the Fall"},{"content":" *A gem in Newsweek. \"Profound Portraits\" by Malcolm Jones is about the works of a photographer that I never heard of. \"Mike Disfarmer was the local photographer in Heber Springs, Ark. (pop. 3,800), from 1915 until he died in 1959.\" The 18 black and white images (can be viewed as a slide show) are stunning. Don't miss them. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-stark-beauty-and-simplicity-of-black-and-white-photographs/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA gem in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10090418/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e.  \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10090418/site/newsweek/\"\u003eProfound Portraits\u003c/a\u003e\" by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10090418/site/newsweek/\"\u003eMalcolm Jones\u003c/a\u003e is about the works of a photographer that I never heard of.  \"Mike Disfarmer was the local photographer in Heber Springs, Ark. (pop. 3,800), from 1915 until he died in 1959.\"  The 18 black and white images (can be viewed as a slide show) are stunning.  Don't miss them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Stark beauty and simplicity of Black and White Photographs"},{"content":" Consternation in the Bush Camp*November Death Toll*\"Murtha's Moment\", Eleanor Clift's commentary in Newsweek, makes it clear why the president and his cohorts are running scared. \"Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha is a burly ex-Marine with a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts who rarely speaks to the press. But he came out of the shadows Thursday to call for a complete pullout from Iraq within six months. “Our military has done everything that’s been asked of them. It is time to bring them home,” he said. Murtha’s hawkish record on military matters made his announcement all the more surprising. “It’s like George W. Bush saying he wants to raise taxes,” says Lawrence Korb, a defense analyst who served in the Reagan administration.\" Out of 51 deaths in the first sixteen days of November confirmed by DOD 38 were in their 20's (see below). Five names yet to be confirmed. From The Washington Post:\"MURTHA: I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done. MURTHA: I resent the fact, on Veterans Day, he criticized Democrats for criticizing them. This is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public knows it.\" The death toll, November 1/November 16, 2005. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties Daniel A. Tsue, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 01, 2005 Allan M. Espiritu, 28, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Nov 01, 2005 Dennis J. Ferderer Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Tyler R. MacKenzie, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2005 Joshua J. Munger, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Benjamin A. Smith, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Mark J. Procopio, 28, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2005 Gerald M. Bloomfield II, 38, Marine Major, Nov 02, 2005 Michael D. Martino, 32, Marine Captain, Nov 02, 2005 Darren D. Howe, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 03, 2005 Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, 30, Army Captain, Nov 03, 2005 Daniel J. Pratt, 48, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 03, 2005 Kyle B. Wehrly, 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 03, 2005 Jason A. Fegler, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005 James M. Gurbisz, 25, Army Captain, Nov 04, 2005 Dustin A. Yancey, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 04, 2005 Timothy D. Brown, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 04, 2005 Darrell W. Boatman, 38, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005 Thomas A. Wren, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Nov 05, 2005 Joel E. Cahill, 34, Army Captain, Nov 06, 2005 James F. Hayes, 48, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 06, 2005 Ryan J. Sorensen, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 06, 2005 Brian L. Freeman, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2005 Robert C. Pope II, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 07, 2005 Mario A. Reyes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 07, 2005 Justin S. Smith, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 07, 2005 Alwyn C. \"Al\" Cashe, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 08, 2005 Jeremy P. Tamburello, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2005 Michael C. Parrott, 49, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005 Joshua A. Terando, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 10, 2005 Daniel Freeman Swaim, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2005 Tyrone L. Chisholm, 27, Army Sergeant, Nov 11, 2005 Donald E. Fisher II, 21, Army Corporal, Nov 11, 2005 Antonio Mendezsanchez, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 11, 2005 Stephen J. Sutherland, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 12, 2005 David A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005 Scott A. Zubowski, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2005 John M. Longoria, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2005 Christopher M. McCrackin, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 14, 2005 Ramon J. Mendoza Jr., 37, Marine Major, Nov 14, 2005 James E. Estep, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 15, 2005 Travis J. Grigg, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2005 Matthew J. Holley, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2005 Nickolas David Schiavoni, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2005 Dylan R. Paytas, 20, Army Private, Nov 16, 2005 Alexis Roman-Cruz, 33, Army Specialist, Nov 16, 2005 Roger W. Deeds, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005 John A. \"JT\" Lucente, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2005 Donald R. McGlothin, 26, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 16, 2005 Jeffry A. Rogers, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005 Joshua J. Ware, 20, Marine Corporal, Nov 16, 2005 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-11-19 Dems have overplayed their hand, they had the chance to vote last night on withdrawing the troops immediately and they folded. Eleanor is right, they had their moment and their moment passed them by. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-19 It is not that simple. After their craven surrender to fear of being branded as unpatriotic, the Democrats have an opportunity to recover lost ground. But, as most of the reports today point out,it was a Machiavellian move by the Republicans and the Democrats had no choice but to vote against the proposal.\n\"The idea was to force Democrats to go on the record on a proposal that the administration says would be equivalent to surrender. Recognizing a political trap, most Democrats -- including Murtha -- said from the start they would vote no.\" (Washington Post, 11/19/05) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/rep-john-murtha-a-decorated-war-veteran-raises-his-voice-against-the-war/","summary":"Consternation in the Bush Camp*November Death Toll\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10101981/site/newsweek/\"\u003eMurtha's Moment\u003c/a\u003e\", \u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10101981/site/newsweek/\"\u003eEleanor Clift\u003c/a\u003e's commentary in \u003ca href=\"http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10101981/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e, makes it clear why the president and his cohorts are running scared. \"Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha is a burly ex-Marine with a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts who rarely speaks to the press. But he came out of the shadows Thursday to call for a complete pullout from Iraq within six months. “Our military has done everything that’s been asked of them. It is time to bring them home,” he said. Murtha’s hawkish record on military matters made his announcement all the more surprising. “It’s like George W. Bush saying he wants to raise taxes,” says Lawrence Korb, a defense analyst who served in the Reagan administration.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOut of 51 deaths in the first sixteen days of November confirmed by DOD 38 were in their 20's (see below). Five names yet to be confirmed. From The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111700982.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\"MURTHA: I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there. I like that.  \u003c/center\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e \u003cp class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cnitf\u003eI like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done. \u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Rep. John Murtha,  A Decorated War Veteran Raises His Voice Against the War"},{"content":" * When The Supreme Court is no longer inviolate, the FDA is small potato. \"...............it is a captive to the right-wing ideology of the Bush administration\".The Newsweek report by Jennifer Barrett describes not only the chummy relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA but also the FDA's submission to right-wing zealots of the Bush administration. The holding up of approval of Plan \"B\", the morning after pill, for sale over the counter is symptomatic of the abuse of power in practice by various government agencies. We have seen it at work in The Department of the Interior and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The officials don't wear jackboots but they trample on policies that would serve ordinary Americans and blatantly cater to special interest groups. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-plan-b-story-politicization-of-the-fda/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eWhen The Supreme Court is no longer inviolate,  the \u003ca href=\"http://www.fda.gov/\"\u003eFDA\u003c/a\u003e is small potato. \"...............it is  a captive to the right-wing ideology of the Bush administration\".The \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10088939/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10088939/site/newsweek/\"\u003eJennifer Barrett\u003c/a\u003e describes not only the chummy relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.fda.gov/\"\u003eFDA\u003c/a\u003e but also the FDA's submission to right-wing zealots of the Bush administration. The holding up of approval of Plan \"B\", the morning after pill, for sale over the counter is symptomatic of the abuse of power in practice by various government agencies. We have seen it at work in The Department of the Interior and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The officials don't wear jackboots but they trample on policies that would serve ordinary Americans and blatantly cater to special interest groups.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Plan \"B\" Story, Politicization of The FDA"},{"content":" *\"Cheney Unleashed\". Dan Froomkin, in his column White House Briefing,in the Washington Post wrote about the vice president's spirited defense on behalf of the beleaguered president. Just doing his job. After all he had a major role in cooking up the war. Reminded me of his appearance on CNN, May 30, 2005, when he said ''I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\" 415 American soldiers have died after the vice president's statement. Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties. Bear in mind that President Bush, VP Cheney, and Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld all avoided serving in Vietnam. And the president appears to be overwhelmed by the winds of change. Among the many memorable sayings of President Bush, this one is special: \"There's an old...saying in Tennessee...I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says Fool me once...(3 second pause)... Shame on...(4 second pause)...Shame on you....(6 second pause)...Fool me...Can't get fooled again.\"--Nashville, Tennessee, Sept. 17, 2002. This man is our president ! He was right though. We are not going to get fooled again. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-vp-defends-the-war---and-thus-spake-his-boss/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/17/BL2005111700875.html\"\u003eCheney Unleashed\u003c/a\u003e\".  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/17/BL2005111700875.html\"\u003eDan Froomkin\u003c/a\u003e, in his column White House Briefing,in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/17/BL2005111700875.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e wrote about the vice president's spirited defense on behalf of the beleaguered president. Just doing his job. After all he had a major role in cooking up the war. Reminded me of his appearance on CNN, May 30, 2005, when he said ''I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\"   415 American soldiers have died after the vice president's statement.  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e.  Bear in mind that President Bush, VP Cheney, and Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld all avoided serving in Vietnam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd the president appears to be overwhelmed by the winds of change. Among the many memorable sayings of President Bush, this one is special: \"There's an old...saying in Tennessee...I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says Fool me once...(3 second pause)... Shame on...(4 second pause)...Shame on you....(6 second pause)...Fool me...Can't get fooled again.\"--Nashville, Tennessee, Sept. 17, 2002. This man is our president ! He was right though. We are not going to get fooled again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The VP Defends the War -  And Thus Spake His Boss"},{"content":" Candidate for A Job As Supreme Court Justice *Is he or isn't he--seeking confirmation as a justice of the Supreme Court ? Of course, he is. Therefore, his attempts to back away from his outright and clear position on abortion 20 years ago are not credible. Harold Meyerson, in his column \"Alito's Smoking Gun\" in the Washington Post quotes from Judge Alito's memo (application for a job) in 1985 to Regan's attorney general Ed Meese: \"The Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion.\" Leaves no doubt, does it. After the Harriet Miers fiasco, one would be dumb to expect the president to nominate a candidate who would not receive approval of conservative Christians. Judge Alito is not naive but he is acting like one by trying to defend his 1985 statement, that he wrote it because he wanted a job. His declared position on women's right to choose is just one of the issues that raise a red flag but I would have respect for him if he stood up to his principles. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-alito-shuffle---he-is-acting-like-a-politician/","summary":"Candidate for A Job As Supreme Court Justice\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIs he or isn't he--seeking confirmation as a justice of the Supreme Court ? Of course, he is. Therefore, his attempts to back away from his outright and clear position on abortion 20 years ago are not credible. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501309.html\"\u003eHarold Meyerson\u003c/a\u003e, in his column \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501309.html\"\u003eAlito's Smoking Gun\u003c/a\u003e\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501309.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e quotes from Judge Alito's memo (application for a job) in 1985 to Regan's attorney general Ed Meese: \"The Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eLeaves no doubt, does it. After the Harriet Miers fiasco, one would be dumb to expect the president to nominate a candidate who would not receive approval of conservative Christians. Judge Alito is not naive but he is acting like one by trying to defend his 1985 statement, that he wrote it because he wanted a job. His declared position on women's right to choose is just one of the issues that raise a red flag but I would have respect for him if he stood up to his principles.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The Alito Shuffle - He Is Acting Like A  Politician"},{"content":" Down, Down, Down, and Down He Goes *The president's rating in a free fall. Thought my eyes were deceiving me! \"In a specific comparison with President Clinton, those surveyed by 48%-36% say they trust Bush less.\" The president took off for Asia. Expectations are low; he might receive a better reception than he did during his recent jaunt to Latin America but apart from photo ops the trip will produce nothing. On the domestic front, however, it is a discouraging picture for the president. Results of a poll conducted by USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll (taken Friday-Nov.11th through Sunday-Nov.13th) show further erosion in support for G.W. Bush. Apparently, his Veterans' Day speech failed to win many converts. In the poll: Two-thirds of independents and 91% of Democrats disapprove of the job Bush is doing. Even among Republicans, who have solidly backed Bush in the past, 19% express disapproval — a new high. For the first time — albeit by a narrow 49%-48% — a plurality disapprove of the way Bush is handling the issue of terrorism. Six in 10 disapprove of the way he's handling foreign affairs, the economy, Iraq and immigration, and 71% disapprove of him on controlling federal spending. A 53% majority say they trust what Bush says less than they trusted previous presidents while they were in office. In a specific comparison with President Clinton, those surveyed by 48%-36% say they trust Bush less. A record high 60% say going to war in Iraq was \"not worth it.\" In a finding consistent with previous polls, 54% say it was \"a mistake\" to send troops there. * \"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust.\"---Demosthenes\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/simply-a-matter-of-distrust/","summary":"Down, Down, Down, and Down He Goes  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president's rating in a free fall. Thought my eyes were deceiving me!  \"In a specific comparison with President Clinton, those surveyed by 48%-36% say they trust Bush less.\" The president took off for Asia. Expectations are low; he might receive a better reception than he did during his recent jaunt to Latin America but apart from photo ops the trip will produce nothing. On the domestic front, however, it is a discouraging picture for the president. Results of a poll conducted by \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-14-poll_x.htm?csp=24\"\u003eUSA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll\u003c/a\u003e (taken Friday-Nov.11th through Sunday-Nov.13th) show further erosion in support for G.W. Bush. Apparently, his Veterans' Day speech failed to win many converts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the poll:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eTwo-thirds of independents and 91% of Democrats disapprove of the job Bush is doing. Even among Republicans, who have solidly backed Bush in the past, 19% express disapproval — a new high.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e For the first time — albeit by a narrow 49%-48% — a plurality disapprove of the way Bush is handling the issue of terrorism. Six in 10 disapprove of the way he's handling foreign affairs, the economy, Iraq and immigration, and 71% disapprove of him on controlling federal spending.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e A 53% majority say they trust what Bush says less than they trusted previous presidents while they were in office. In a specific comparison with President Clinton, those surveyed by 48%-36% say they trust Bush less.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e A record high 60% say going to war in Iraq was \"not worth it.\" In a finding consistent with previous polls, 54% say it was \"a mistake\" to send troops there.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"title\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Demosthenes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Simply A Matter of Distrust"},{"content":" How they sabotaged the Approval of OTC Morning After Pill*You can depend on them to follow the leader; the Bushies are ever mindful of the need to keep the conservative Christians--the self-appointed guardians of our morals-- happy. The Washington Post report by Marc Kaufman confirms what was previously mentioned in media...that the FDA, without any reasonable grounds, withheld approval for sale of the morning after pill over the counter. \"The Government Accountability Office report said the apparent involvement of McClellan and other top officials was one of four unusual aspects of FDA's handling of the politically sensitive decision. The investigators reported that several key FDA officials told colleagues that the application to allow over-the-counter sales of the emergency contraceptive would be rejected months before the decision was announced.\" Almost like the decision to go to war long before the drum beat was orchestrated. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/fda-officials-and-their-faith-based-dirty-tricks/","summary":"How they sabotaged the Approval  of OTC Morning After Pill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou can depend on them to follow the leader; the Bushies are ever mindful of the need to keep the conservative Christians--the self-appointed guardians of our morals-- happy. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111400724.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111400724.html\"\u003eMarc Kaufman\u003c/a\u003e confirms what was previously mentioned in media...that the FDA, without any reasonable grounds, withheld approval for sale of the morning after pill over the counter. \"The Government Accountability Office report said the apparent involvement of McClellan and other top officials was one of four unusual aspects of FDA's handling of the politically sensitive decision. The investigators reported that several key FDA officials told colleagues that the application to allow over-the-counter sales of the emergency contraceptive would be rejected months before the decision was announced.\" Almost like the decision to go to war long before the drum beat  was orchestrated.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"FDA Officials and their Faith-based Dirty Tricks"},{"content":" The Human Price* Soldiers and their feelings about Iraq is a subject that I often think about. I would have strongly discouraged my children from taking part in this war and I have low opinion of those who took us to Iraq, especially the ones who avoided taking part in battle (Vietnam war). Among them: G.W. Bush, Richard Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld.Jonathan Darman's article in Newsweek, \"The Wages of War\" is mostly about veterans of wars past. He mentioned the current war--in Iraq--in passing but experiences of veterans in other wars could not have been much different. It is interesting that majority of returning veterans do not take part in speaking out against war although they many of them \"quietly hate war\". \"If history is a guide, only a few of these new veterans will join antiwar movements; most will proudly support their country in any future entanglements it may face. But many of those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq will doubtless join a tradition of brave veterans who quietly hate war.\" \"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed—those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending its money alone—it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.\"—Dwight Eisenhower, Speech (1953) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/wars-combatants-and-non-combatants/","summary":"The Human Price\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSoldiers and their feelings about Iraq is a subject that I often think about. I would have strongly discouraged my children from taking part in this war and I have low opinion of those who took us to Iraq, especially the ones who avoided taking part in battle (Vietnam war). Among them: G.W. Bush, Richard Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9936979/site/newsweek/\"\u003eJonathan Darman\u003c/a\u003e's article in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9936979/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e, \"The Wages of War\" is mostly about veterans of wars past. He mentioned the current war--in Iraq--in passing but experiences of veterans in other wars could not have been much different. It is interesting that majority of returning veterans do not take part in speaking out against war although they many of them \"quietly hate war\".  \"If history is a guide, only a few of these new veterans will join antiwar movements; most will proudly support their country in any future entanglements it may face. But many of those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq will doubtless join a tradition of brave veterans who quietly hate war.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed—those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending its money alone—it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.\"\u003cbr/\u003e—Dwight Eisenhower, Speech (1953)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Wars, Combatants and Non-Combatants"},{"content":" \"Two for the road\"*Panic in Bush Land*It was such a pleasure to read the account of the motorcycle trip by Dustin Roasa and his girl friend, \"Vietnam's Easy Rider\" in the Washington Post. After the headlines about the Iraqi conspirator in Jordan and preparations for bioterrorism, Mr. Roasa was like a breath of fresh air. Reminded me that people in some parts of the universe still live normal lives. Yes, I am aware that Vietnam is not idyllic for all. But such journeys help one to get a feel of lands and people quite different than our own. If all of us cannot actually hit the road, reading about the journeys is the next best thing. \"Leaving behind the traffic-clogged, European-scale streets of Hanoi's central districts, we dodged pedestrians and trucks to emerge into the booming exurbs, ground zero for Vietnam's recent economic explosion. Industrial parks, where local workers stitch and assemble the goods that fuel the global consumer economy, lined the road on vast plots that had been scratched out of the dust. The stench of vehicle exhaust gave way to a mixture of burnt brush, overheated metal and soggy rice paddy -- the unmistakable odor of progress in Vietnam.\" Who Will Say 'No More'* The president seemed to be out campaigning during his Veterans' Day appearance at Tobyhanna,PA. The Washington Post report by Linton Weeks and Peter Baker reads \"Bush Spars with Critics of the War\".Shrillness arising, the man is desperate. Fortunes of Republican politicians are tied to him. They loyally fell behind to offer tortuous arguments that there were no lies, no deception leading to the decision to go to war. Too many facts are now available to whitewash the records. Let them try. The truth is out there.Not easy for Democrats who didn't have the courage to take a stand. Back in August, Gary Hart, the former senator from Colarado said this in an op-ed piece \"Who will say 'No more' \" in the Washington Post: \"History will deal with George W. Bush and the neoconservatives who misled a mighty nation into a flawed war that is draining the finest military in the world, diverting Guard and reserve forces that should be on the front line of homeland defense, shredding international alliances that prevailed in two world wars and the Cold War, accumulating staggering deficits, misdirecting revenue from education to rebuilding Iraqi buildings we've blown up, and weakening America's national security. \"But what will history say about an opposition party that stands silent while all this goes on? My generation of Democrats jumped on the hot stove of Vietnam and now, with its members in positions of responsibility, it is afraid of jumping on any political stove. In their leaders, the American people look for strength, determination and self-confidence, but they also look for courage, wisdom, judgment and, in times of moral crisis, the willingness to say: \"I was wrong.\" \"To stay silent during such a crisis, and particularly to harbor the thought that the administration's misfortune is the Democrats' fortune, is cowardly. In 2008 I want a leader who is willing now to say: \"I made a mistake, and for my mistake I am going to Iraq and accompanying the next planeload of flag-draped coffins back to Dover Air Force Base. And I am going to ask forgiveness for my mistake from every parent who will talk to me.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/free-spirits-on-a-motorcycle-in-vietnam/","summary":"\"Two for the road\"*Panic in Bush Land\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was such a pleasure to read the account of the motorcycle trip by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100599.html\"\u003eDustin Roasa\u003c/a\u003e and his girl friend, \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100599.html\"\u003eVietnam's Easy Rider\u003c/a\u003e\"  in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100599.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e.    After the headlines about the Iraqi conspirator in Jordan and preparations for bioterrorism, Mr. Roasa was like a breath of fresh air. Reminded me that people in some parts of the universe still live normal lives. Yes, I am aware that Vietnam is not idyllic for all. But such journeys help one to get a feel of lands and people quite different than our own. If all of us cannot actually hit the road, reading about the journeys is the next best thing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Leaving behind the traffic-clogged, European-scale streets of Hanoi's central districts, we dodged pedestrians and trucks to emerge into the booming exurbs, ground zero for Vietnam's recent economic explosion. Industrial parks, where local workers stitch and assemble the goods that fuel the global consumer economy, lined the road on vast plots that had been scratched out of the dust. The stench of vehicle exhaust gave way to a mixture of burnt brush, overheated metal and soggy rice paddy -- the unmistakable odor of progress in Vietnam.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho Will Say 'No More'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president seemed to be out campaigning during his Veterans' Day appearance at Tobyhanna,PA. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100916.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100916.html\"\u003eLinton Weeks and Peter Baker\u003c/a\u003e reads \"Bush Spars with Critics of the War\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eShrillness arising, the man is desperate. Fortunes of Republican politicians are tied to him. They loyally fell behind to offer tortuous arguments that there were no lies, no deception leading to the decision to go to war. Too many facts are now available to whitewash the records. Let them try. The truth is out there.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot easy for Democrats who didn't have the courage to take a stand. Back in August, Gary Hart, the former senator from Colarado said this in an op-ed piece \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082301178.html\"\u003eWho will say 'No more'\u003c/a\u003e \" in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082301178.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"History will deal with George W. Bush and the neoconservatives who misled a mighty nation into a flawed war that is draining the finest military in the world, diverting Guard and reserve forces that should be on the front line of homeland defense, shredding international alliances that prevailed in two world wars and the Cold War, accumulating staggering deficits, misdirecting revenue from education to rebuilding Iraqi buildings we've blown up, and weakening America's national security.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"But what will history say about an opposition party that stands silent while all this goes on? My generation of Democrats jumped on the hot stove of Vietnam and now, with its members in positions of responsibility, it is afraid of jumping on any political stove. In their leaders, the American people look for strength, determination and self-confidence, but they also look for courage, wisdom, judgment and, in times of moral crisis, the willingness to say: \"I was wrong.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"To stay silent during such a crisis, and particularly to harbor the thought that the administration's misfortune is the Democrats' fortune, is cowardly. In 2008 I want a leader who is willing now to say: \"I made a mistake, and for my mistake I am going to Iraq and accompanying the next planeload of flag-draped coffins back to Dover Air Force Base. And I am going to ask forgiveness for my mistake from every parent who will talk to me.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Free Spirits On A Motorcycle in Vietnam"},{"content":" Newsweek*Torture*John McCain*Naomi Klein*The Disc Jockey*Bright and mild morning. Temp. about 48 degrees F (9 deg.C). The sky is blue. One of those mornings when just looking out of the window makes me feel good.Only a few weeks back the leaves of gingko trees alongside the street were green; almost overnight they turned yellow and now they have started to fall. The bulbs in my pocket size garden are emerging. Need a few rainy days before going out to forage for chanterelles in the foothills. I have done with surfing the net, read the news. There is little to feel cheerful about. The violence and senseless loss of lives in Iraq. It saddens me every time I read about dead soldiers. Majority of them are in their twenties. Dead for what--lies spread by a group of men who stayed away from serving when they were young. And the monstrous budget deficit ! So what did the Republicans in Congress try to do to reduce spendings ? Zeroed in on cutting benefits for Medicaid recipients...people at the lowest end of the ladder ! So typical. But even with the majority they enjoy in both houses, the measure failed to gather enough support. They are back at the drawing board, cooking up plans to push it through by cutting deals with moderate Republican members.It is heartening to know that the president and his men are not having an easy time answering the critics. Chickens come home to roost. They did their share and more of creating miseries for thousands of people here and abroad. It is fitting that they are in the proverbial \"hot seat\" trying to justify their actions. Bill Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinski. G.W. Bush, responsible for deaths of more than 2,000 of our soldiers, and emptying the nation's coffers, continues to bluster. Things might catch up with him some day.The Debate About Torture, by Evan Thomas and Michael Hirsh in Newsweek's online edition covers the \"dark side of intelligence gathering\". \"But at what cost? While many Americans probably don't wish to know too much about the \"dark side\" of intelligence gathering, the horrific images of tortured detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a terrible toll on America's standing in the world. \"It's killing us,\" says Sen. John McCain of Arizona, whose NEWSWEEK essay on the subject follows this article.\" At what cost ? Recommended reading Naomi Klein's \"True Purpose of Torture\", The Guardian,UK.Plan to go out for a run. Like the late runner, author Dr. George Sheehan, my energy flows when the sun is in its azimuth. In the meantime, there is music for company. Bach is good at any time. But this morning I am in the mood for jazz. A mixed bag. Listened to The Very Best of Fats Waller,then John Coltrane's Blue Train; MJQ play \"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise\" I have Arturo Sandoval's Evolution, and a few Cuban jazz CDs lined up for the rest of the morning: Introducing Ruben Gonzalez, piano (it has the classic \"Siboney\" composed by the great Ernesto Lecuona), and the Ry Cooder/Manuel Galban compilation Mambo Sinuendo.*\"Tis a gift to be simpleTis a gift to be freeTis a gift to come downWhere you ought to be...And when we find ourselves in the place just rightWe'll be in the valley of love and delight.\"---A Shaker hymn ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/sunday---softly-as-in-a-morning-sunrise/","summary":"Newsweek*Torture*John McCain*Naomi Klein*The Disc Jockey\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBright and mild morning. Temp. about 48 degrees F (9 deg.C). The sky is blue. One of those mornings when just looking out of the window makes me feel good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eOnly a few weeks back the leaves of gingko trees alongside the street were green; almost overnight they turned yellow and now they have started to fall. The bulbs in my pocket size garden are emerging. Need a few rainy days before going out to forage for chanterelles in the foothills.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI have done with surfing the net, read the news. There is little to feel cheerful about. The violence and senseless loss of lives in Iraq. It saddens me every time I read about dead soldiers. Majority of them are in their twenties. Dead for what--lies spread by a group of men who stayed away from serving when they were young. And the monstrous budget deficit ! So what did the Republicans in Congress try to do to reduce spendings ? Zeroed in on cutting benefits for Medicaid recipients...people at the lowest end of the ladder ! So typical. But even with the majority they enjoy in both houses, the measure failed to gather enough support. They are back at the drawing board, cooking up plans to push it through by cutting deals with moderate Republican members.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is heartening to know that the president and his men are not having an easy time answering the critics. Chickens come home to roost. They did their share and more of creating miseries for thousands of people here and abroad. It is fitting that they are in the proverbial \"hot seat\" trying to justify their actions. Bill Clinton faced impeachment for diddling with Monica Lewinski. G.W. Bush, responsible for deaths of more than 2,000 of our soldiers, and emptying the nation's coffers, continues to bluster. Things might catch up with him some day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10020629/site/newsweek/\"\u003eThe Debate About Torture\u003c/a\u003e,  by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10020629/site/newsweek/\"\u003eEvan Thomas \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10020629/site/newsweek/\"\u003eand Michael Hirsh\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10020629/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e's online edition covers the \"dark side of intelligence gathering\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"But at what cost? While many Americans probably don't wish to know too much about the \"dark side\" of intelligence gathering, the horrific images of tortured detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a terrible toll on America's standing in the world. \"It's killing us,\" says \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10019179/site/newsweek/\"\u003eSen. John McCain\u003c/a\u003e of Arizona, whose NEWSWEEK essay on the subject follows this article.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e At what cost ?  Recommended reading \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1483801,00.html\"\u003eNaomi Klein\u003c/a\u003e's \"True Purpose of Torture\", \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1483801,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePlan to go out for a run. Like the late runner, author Dr. George Sheehan, my energy flows when the sun is in its azimuth. In the meantime, there is music for company. Bach is good at any time. But this morning I am in the mood for jazz. A mixed bag. Listened to The Very Best of Fats Waller,then John Coltrane's Blue Train; MJQ play \"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise\" I have Arturo Sandoval's Evolution, and a few Cuban jazz CDs lined up for the rest of the morning: Introducing Ruben Gonzalez, piano (it has the classic \"Siboney\" composed by the great Ernesto Lecuona), and the Ry Cooder/Manuel Galban compilation Mambo Sinuendo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Tis a gift to be simple\u003cbr/\u003eTis a gift to be free\u003cbr/\u003eTis  a gift to come down\u003cbr/\u003eWhere you ought to be...\u003cbr/\u003eAnd when we find ourselves in the place just right\u003cbr/\u003eWe'll be in the valley of love and delight.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---A Shaker hymn\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Sunday - \"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise\""},{"content":" Their voices beginning to make an impact *Reason to cheer. The Washington Post report by Claudia Deane and Chris Cillizza reads \"In the most recent ABC News poll, 44 percent of GOP moderates said that conservative religious groups have \"too much influence\" in the Bush administration, compared with 17 percent who thought those groups didn't hold enough sway. About a third saw religious conservatives as appropriately influential.\" It took a while but more and more Americans are questioning the Bush administration's outright support of the Christian right. To paraphrase the saying about the Moral Majority, \"it is neither Christian nor right\". G.W. Bush, the Born Again Christian, aligned himself with the zealots because he felt they held the key to the White House. Having let the Genie out of the bottle the president lost control of it. The fundamentalists took over and the president became their pawn. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/there-is-hope-for-moderates/","summary":"Their voices beginning to make an impact  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReason to cheer. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/12/AR2005111200951.html\"\u003eWashington Pos\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/12/AR2005111200951.html\"\u003et\u003c/a\u003e report by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/12/AR2005111200951.html\"\u003eClaudia Deane and Chris Cillizza\u003c/a\u003e reads \"In the most recent ABC News poll, 44 percent of GOP moderates said that conservative religious groups have \"too much influence\" in the Bush administration, compared with 17 percent who thought those groups didn't hold enough sway. About a third saw religious conservatives as appropriately influential.\" It took a while but more and more Americans are questioning the Bush administration's outright support of the Christian right. To paraphrase the saying about the Moral Majority, \"it is neither Christian nor right\". G.W. Bush, the Born Again Christian, aligned himself with the zealots because he felt they held the key to the White House. Having let the Genie out of the bottle the president lost control of it. The fundamentalists took over and the president became their pawn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e","title":"There is hope for Moderates"},{"content":" \"What Goes Up Must Come Down\"*Reading \"The Autumn of Discontent\" by Marcus Mabry in the online edition of Newsweek about the president's falling numbers in recent polls made me happy. Support for him is dwindling across the board. \"Half of all Americans now believe he is not 'honest and ethical' \". He never was. It is amazing--the damage that G.W. Bush has caused during his presidency is unmatched. He is trying to claw his way back, using tactics that worked in the past. This time it might be difficult or unachievable. It took a while but people are finally beginning to see through him. The tragedy of 9/11 allowed him to exploit it to the fullest. He desperately needs an event to latch onto. No doubt he is praying for one. A hollow man. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-11-12 His Veteran's Day speech was a reused pack of the same old lies (cf. October 6?, well early October speech that was very similar). ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/for-gw-bush-a-bleak-winter-ahead/","summary":"\"What Goes Up Must Come Down\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eReading \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10013594/site/newsweek/\"\u003eThe Autumn of Discontent\u003c/a\u003e\" by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032542/site/newsweek/\"\u003eMarcus Mabry\u003c/a\u003e in the online edition of \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032542/site/newsweek/\"\u003eNewsweek\u003c/a\u003e about the president's falling numbers in recent polls made me happy.  Support for him is dwindling across the board. \"Half of all Americans now believe he is not 'honest and ethical' \". He never was. It is amazing--the damage that G.W. Bush has caused during his presidency is unmatched. He is trying to claw his way back, using tactics that worked in the past. This time it might be difficult or unachievable. It took a while but people are finally beginning to see through him. The tragedy of 9/11 allowed him to exploit it to the fullest. He desperately needs an event to latch onto. No doubt he is praying for one. A hollow man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHis Veteran's Day speech was a reused pack of the same old lies (cf. October 6?, well early October speech that was very similar).\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"For G.W. Bush, A Bleak Winter Ahead ?"},{"content":" *Maybe I wouldn't either if I had a direct line to God. But what about Karl Rove ? From what is known about him, Mr. Rove does believe in them. In fact he is a master in spinning the media. Opinions expressed in the polls, like it or not, reflect what people read, hear and see in the media. Kidding aside, the president might not admit it in public but he follows the polls; he cannot escape them.The president gave a Veterans' Day speech (actually he never gives a speech, he reads a teleprompter) at Tobyhanna,PA. and \".....accused critics Friday of trying to rewrite history and charged that they're undercutting America's forces on the front lines.\" The same old refrain, raise the spectre of terrorism. One could detect a note of desperation creeping in. It is doubtful that it would have much of an impact. The president and vice president are losing the trust of Americans. What are things coming to !Most Americans Say Bush Not Honest That is the headline of an Associated Press report in Yahoo.com An AP-Ipsos poll last week asked people to state in their own words why they approve or disapprove of the way Bush was doing his job. Almost six in 10 disapproved, and they most frequently mentioned the war in Iraq — far ahead of the second issue, the economy. While the CIA leak investigation, the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina and high energy costs have all taken their toll, the polling found the Iraq war at the core of Americans' displeasure with the president. Almost six in 10 now say Bush is not honest, and a similar number say his administration does not have high ethical standards. \"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American politics,\" said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman. \"Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance pointed to his Christian beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason given for supporting him — after agreeing with his policies.\" \"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith,\" said Fran Blaney, a Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. \"I've read that he prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is trying to do what he thinks he is supposed to do.\" Read the full report in Yahoo.com*From Ron Fournier's report in the Washington Post :WASHINGTON -- President Bush seems to be turning the clock back to Election Day 2004, parrying with ex-rival John Kerry and harshly questioning his critics' commitment to U.S. troops. *\"War hath no fury like a noncombatant.\"---C.E. MontagueA few noncombatants: G.W. Bush. Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-president-and-polls---he-does-not-believe-in-them/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMaybe I wouldn't either if I had a direct line to God. But what about Karl Rove ? From what is known about him, Mr. Rove does believe in them. In fact he is a master in spinning the media. Opinions expressed in the polls, like it or not, reflect what people read, hear and see in the media. Kidding aside, the president might not admit it in public but he follows the polls; he cannot escape them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe president gave a Veterans' Day \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/;_ylt=AkY5Uqp13WjG3Vuwpycp9QoJWMcF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl\"\u003espeech\u003c/a\u003e (actually he never gives a speech, he reads a teleprompter) at \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/;_ylt=AkY5Uqp13WjG3Vuwpycp9QoJWMcF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl\"\u003eTobyhanna,PA\u003c/a\u003e. and \".....accused critics Friday of trying to rewrite history and charged that they're undercutting America's forces on the front lines.\" The same old refrain, raise the spectre of terrorism. One could detect a note of desperation creeping in. It is doubtful that it would have much of an impact. The president and vice president are losing the trust of Americans. What are things coming to !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMost Americans Say Bush Not Honest   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThat is the headline of an \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051111/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_ap_poll\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e report in Yahoo.com An AP-Ipsos poll last week asked people to state in their own words why they approve or disapprove of the way Bush was doing his job. Almost six in 10 disapproved, and they most frequently mentioned the war in Iraq — far ahead of the second issue, the economy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhile the CIA leak investigation, the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina and high energy costs have all taken their toll, the polling found the Iraq war at the core of Americans' displeasure with the president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAlmost six in 10 now say Bush is not honest, and a similar number say his administration does not have high ethical standards.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American politics,\" said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\"Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance pointed to his Christian beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason given for supporting him — after agreeing with his policies.\" \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith,\" said Fran Blaney, a Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. \"I've read that he prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is trying to do what he thinks he is supposed to do.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRead the full report in \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051111/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_ap_poll\"\u003eYahoo.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101324.html\"\u003eRon \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101324.html\"\u003eFournier\u003c/a\u003e's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101324.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e :WASHINGTON -- President Bush seems to be turning the clock back to Election Day 2004, parrying with ex-rival John Kerry and harshly questioning his critics' commitment to U.S. troops.  \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"War hath no fury like a noncombatant.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---C.E. Montague\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few noncombatants:  G.W. Bush. Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The President and Polls  - He does not believe in them"},{"content":" *Remember them all. The list below names those who died in November. Source: icasualties.org It does not include six soldiers whose names were not confirmed by the Department of Defense (DOD) at time of publication. Daniel A. Tsue, 27, Marine Sergeant, Nov 01, 2005 Allan M. Espiritu, 28, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Nov 01, 2005 Dennis J. Ferderer Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Tyler R. MacKenzie, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2005 Joshua J. Munger, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Benjamin A. Smith, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2005 Mark J. Procopio, 28, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2005 Gerald M. Bloomfield II, 38, Marine Major, Nov 02, 2005 Michael D. Martino, 32, Marine Captain, Nov 02, 2005 Darren D. Howe, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 03, 2005 Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, 30, Army Captain, Nov 03, 2005 Daniel J. Pratt, 48, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 03, 2005 Kyle B. Wehrly, 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 03, 2005 Jason A. Fegler, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005 James M. Gurbisz, 25, Army Captain, Nov 04, 2005 Dustin A. Yancey, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 04, 2005 Timothy D. Brown, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 04, 2005 Darrell W. Boatman, 38, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Nov 04, 2005 Thomas A. Wren, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Nov 05, 2005 Joel E. Cahill, 34, Army Captain, Nov 06, 2005 James F. Hayes, 48, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 06, 2005 Ryan J. Sorensen, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 06, 2005 Brian L. Freeman, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2005 Robert C. Pope II, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 07, 2005 Mario A. Reyes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 07, 2005 Justin S. Smith, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 07, 2005 Jeremy P. Tamburello, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/veterans-day-2005---remember-the-fallen-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRemember them all. The list below names those who died in November.  Source:  \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eicasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e It does not include six soldiers whose names were not confirmed by the Department of Defense (\u003ca href=\"http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/\"\u003eDOD\u003c/a\u003e) at time of publication.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/OWNER/LOCALS%7E1/TEMP/moz-screenshot.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/11/Helmet.0.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel A. Tsue,  27, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 01, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Allan M. Espiritu,  28, Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Nov 01, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis J. Ferderer Jr.,  20, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler R. MacKenzie,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua J. Munger,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin A. Smith,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark J. Procopio,  28, Army National Guard  2nd Lieutenant,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gerald M. Bloomfield II,  38, Marine  Major,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael D. Martino,  32, Marine  Captain,   Nov 02, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darren D. Howe,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 03, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey P. Toczylowski,  30, Army  Captain,   Nov 03, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel J. Pratt,  48, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Nov 03, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle B. Wehrly,  28, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 03, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason A. Fegler,  24, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 04, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James M. Gurbisz,  25, Army  Captain,   Nov 04, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin A. Yancey,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 04, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy D. Brown,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 04, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darrell W. Boatman,  38, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Nov 04, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas A. Wren,  44, Army Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   Nov 05, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joel E. Cahill,  34, Army  Captain,   Nov 06, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James F. Hayes,  48, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Nov 06, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan J. Sorensen,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 06, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian L. Freeman,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 07, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert C. Pope II,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 07, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mario A. Reyes,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 07, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin S. Smith,  28, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 07, 2005     \u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/div\u003e                          Jeremy P. Tamburello,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Veterans' Day 2005 - Remember the fallen in Iraq"},{"content":" If this man is a servant of God then God has a problem* Rev. Pat Robertson's statement about the voters in Dover,PA, was good news for moderates. Following report by Associated Press is from The Seattle Post Intelligencer: \"VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town Thursday that disaster may strike there because they \"voted God out of your city\" by ousting school board members who favored teaching intelligent design.\" The more people learn about this preacher and see his image splashed on the media, the better it is for the nation. Apparently, he cannot control himself from saying outrageous things.Two Ex Presidents Come to the aid of the Current One Emergency Mission - on a lighter vein, don't miss this column by Andy Borowitz in Newsweek. A sampler: \"The two former presidents appeared on television last night to make an appeal to the American people to provide relief, in the form of a legal aid fund, for the White House staff, many of whom are expected to lose their jobs and their offices in the wake of the current catastrophe\"Republicans in CongressGoing through a bad patch or sign of things to come ? The Washington Post: \"Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee broke up in disarray yesterday morning after failing to secure support for a tax package that would have extended the president's 2003 cut to the tax rates on dividends and capital gains. Joining the panel's Democrats, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) declared she could not support a tax cut that primarily benefited the rich as Congress was trying to cut programs for the poor. But when the panel's chairman, Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), tried to win approval of a tax package without the investment tax cuts, panel conservatives refused to go along. And John McCain's sane voice speaks out against the forces of darkness and prisoner interrogation techniques. \"But McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war and a possible 2008 GOP presidential candidate, is couching his effort in moral terms. \"A clear and firm commitment on the part of the United States government that we will not only not torture, but we will not treat people in a cruel or inhumane fashion is absolutely vital,\" McCain said after a speech yesterday at the American Enterprise Institute.\" Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11 BREAKING NEWS\nAP: God Apologizes for Pat Robertson\n(11-11) 9:10 EST (AP) –\nIn an unusual direct communication with believers, Almighty God apologized today for the existence of Pat Robertson. In a written statement, the Christian deity described the 75-year-old televangelist as a “flawed prototype” introduced into the world “without adequate testing.” He said the “quality control problems” reflected in Robertson’s birth have since been fully addressed. God said he “regrets any inconvenience or annoyance” Robertson may have caused humankind and assured residents Dover, PA that he has no imminent plans to wipe the tiny hamlet off the face of the earth.\n### musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11 Thank you, sandiegowilliam ! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/go-pat-go---the-taliban-among-us/","summary":"If this man is a servant of God then God has a problem\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRev. Pat Robertson's statement about the voters in \u003ca href=\"http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=3641\"\u003eDover,PA\u003c/a\u003e, was good news for moderates. Following report by Associated Press is from \u003ca href=\"http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Robertson_Evolution.html\"\u003eThe Seattle Post Intelligencer\u003c/a\u003e: \"VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town Thursday that disaster may strike there because they \"voted God out of your city\" by ousting school board members who favored teaching intelligent design.\" The more people learn about this preacher and see his image splashed on the media, the better it is for the nation. Apparently, he cannot control himself from saying outrageous things.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo Ex Presidents Come to the aid of the Current One\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9969611/site/newsweek/\"\u003eEmergency Mission\u003c/a\u003e - on a lighter vein, don't miss this column by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9969611/site/newsweek/\"\u003eAndy Borowitz\u003c/a\u003e in Newsweek. A sampler: \"The two former presidents appeared on television last night to make an appeal to the American people to provide relief, in the form of a legal aid fund, for the White House staff, many of whom are expected to lose their jobs and their offices in the wake of the current catastrophe\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepublicans in Congress\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoing through a  bad patch or sign of things to come ? \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/10/AR2005111001333_2.html?sub=AR\"\u003eThe  Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e: \"\u003cnitf\u003eMeanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee broke up in disarray yesterday morning after failing to secure support for a tax package that would have extended the president's 2003 cut to the tax rates on dividends and capital gains. Joining the panel's Democrats, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) declared she could not support a tax cut that primarily benefited the rich as Congress was trying to cut programs for the poor. But when the panel's chairman, Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), tried to win approval of a tax package without the investment tax cuts, panel conservatives refused to go along. \u003c/nitf\u003e\u003cnitf\u003eAnd \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/10/AR2005111001333_2.html?sub=AR\"\u003eJohn  McCain\u003c/a\u003e's sane voice speaks out against the forces of darkness and prisoner  interrogation techniques. \"\u003c/nitf\u003eBut McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war and a possible 2008 GOP presidential candidate, is couching his effort in moral terms. \"A clear and firm commitment on the part of the United States government that we will not only not torture, but we will not treat people in a cruel or inhumane fashion is absolutely vital,\" McCain said after a speech yesterday at the American Enterprise Institute.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eBREAKING NEWS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAP:  God Apologizes for Pat Robertson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e(11-11) 9:10 EST (AP) –\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn an unusual direct communication with believers, Almighty God apologized today for the existence of Pat Robertson.  In a written statement, the Christian deity described the 75-year-old televangelist as a “flawed prototype” introduced into the world “without adequate testing.”   He said the “quality control problems” reflected in Robertson’s birth have since been fully addressed.  God said he “regrets any inconvenience or annoyance” Robertson may have caused humankind and assured residents Dover, PA that he has no imminent plans to wipe the tiny hamlet off the face of the earth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e###\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you, sandiegowilliam !\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Go Pat, Go - The Taliban Among Us"},{"content":" Unfortunately, we haven't heard the last from her The NY Times published the usual platitudes and Ms Miller herself did her share of blowing her horn. She is good at it. She certainly put it on thick while being interviewed by Lynne Duke of the Washington Post. \"Miss Run Amok\" is obnoxious. That is the overwhelming impression one is left with. Is there anyone who is going to cry for her ? I think not. Her former source for news about the non-existent WMD, the shyster Ahmed Chalabi is in town. He can hold her hands and commisserate. She is reported to be writing a book. No doubt she would receive job offers from the neocons. She would be perfect as the spokesperson for Donald Rumsfeld or media advisor for the VP. If not then a job with Fox News or Washington Times could be just right for her. Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11 Yes- well said! No tears from me on her demise. She seems as able to parlay scandal into further success as readily as the next boo-hoo girl. She can shack up with Paula Jones.\n((Sob)) Now I've become the news...((sob)) Oh pu-lease. When once I felt for her journalistic integrity, I don't see much reason to celebrate her martyrdom now! Fox can HAVE her. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/judith-miller-retires-from-ny-times---what-took-so-long/","summary":"Unfortunately, we haven't heard the last from her \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe NY Times published the usual platitudes and Ms Miller herself did her share of blowing her horn. She is good at it. She certainly put it on thick while being interviewed by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/09/AR2005110902555.html\"\u003eLynne Duke\u003c/a\u003e of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/09/AR2005110902555.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e. \"Miss Run Amok\" is obnoxious. That is the overwhelming impression one is left with. Is there anyone who is going to cry for her ? I think not. Her former source for news about the non-existent WMD, the shyster Ahmed Chalabi is in town. He can hold her hands and commisserate. She is reported to be writing a book. No doubt she would receive job offers from the neocons. She would be perfect as the spokesperson for Donald Rumsfeld or media advisor for the VP. If not then a job with Fox News or Washington Times could be just right for her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYes- well said! No tears from me on her demise. She seems as able to parlay scandal into further success as readily as the next boo-hoo girl. She can shack up with Paula Jones.\u003cbr\u003e   ((Sob)) Now I've become the news...((sob)) Oh pu-lease. When once I felt for her journalistic integrity, I don't see much reason to celebrate her martyrdom now! Fox can HAVE her.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Judith Miller Retires from NY Times  - What took so long ?"},{"content":" Evolution and Intelligent Design*Interesting that in Dover, Pennsylvania, all eight members of the school board who supported teaching of intelligent design were defeated by challengers who opposed it. In Kansas, it was other way around--The Board of Education voted 6 to 4 in support of teaching standards that strongly favor the concept of intelligent design. \"Schools to teach Doubts About Evolution Theory\" The Post reported \"TOPEKA, Kan., Nov. 8 -- The Kansas Board of Education voted Tuesday that students will be expected to study doubts about modern Darwinian theory, a move that defied the nation's scientific establishment even as it gave voice to religious conservatives and others who question the theory of evolution.\"That is Kansas, the land of Oz. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/pennsylvania-adheres-to-proven-ground-kansas-caters-to-dogmatic-christians/","summary":"Evolution and Intelligent Design\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eInteresting that in Dover, Pennsylvania, all eight members of the school board who supported teaching of intelligent design were defeated by challengers who opposed it. In Kansas, it was other way around--The Board of Education voted 6 to 4 in support of teaching standards that strongly favor the concept of intelligent design. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110801211.html?sub=AR\"\u003e\"Schools to teach Doubts About \u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110801211.html?sub=AR\"\u003eEvolution Theory\"\u003c/a\u003e  The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110801211.html?sub=AR\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reported \"TOPEKA, Kan., Nov. 8 -- The Kansas Board of Education voted Tuesday that students will be expected to study doubts about modern Darwinian theory, a move that defied the nation's scientific establishment even as it gave voice to religious conservatives and others who question the theory of evolution.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat is Kansas, the land of Oz.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Pennsylvania Adheres to Proven Ground, Kansas Caters to Dogmatic Christians"},{"content":" The Bush touch loses its power - Bye bye Kilgore*In Virginia, the appearance by the president for a last minute rally on behalf of the Republican gubernatorial candidate fell with a thud. \"Democrat Kaine Wins In Virginia\" reads the Washington Post report. A sign of things to come ? The voters, in their wisdom, made their decision based on local issues. The president's arrival at Richmond on Airforce One meant nothing to Virginians. In California, the voters trounced Governor Schwarzenegger's costly mid-term ballot measures. All four propositions put forward by him were defeated. The voters saw through him and punished him for deviating from his campaign promises. His chances of being re-elected in 2006 have become doubtful. Not quite \"Happy days are here again\" but it is a good day for many of us. One thing for sure, the president is not in high spirits today.Another hopeful sign for the future is voters' disgust nationwide with negative campaign ads. Both parties took part in doing their share of flinging mud. Didn't do them much good. The Bad News - Yes, there is some How To Make Enemies. The BBC reported that Italian State TV, RAI, broadcasted a documentary \"accusing the US military of using white phosphorus bombs against civilians in the Iraqi city of Falluja.\" It is hard to believe that such actions and the inevitable deaths and injuries of Iraqi civilians can be shrugged off as \"collateral damage\". Meanwhile, the death toll for our soldiers in Iraq has reached 28 in the first seven days of November.The official figure for the wounded is 15477.Latest number for dead Iraqi civilians: Minimum 26,931 Maximum 30,318. This is what Harold Pinter, the eminent British author, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 2005, said when he accepted the Wilfred Owen Award: \"We have brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, innumerable acts of random murder, misery and degradation to the Iraqi people and call it `bringing freedom and democracy to Middle East'. What we have unleashed is a ferocious and unremitting resistance, mayhem and chaos.\"And the JokeFujumori is refused bail in Chile. Whatever it was--bad intelligence from his aides, idiocy, or victim of a con job--Alberto Fujimori's decision to return to Latin America must have caused a lot of people to shake their heads. Did he really expect a red carpet on his arrival ! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/first-the-good-news---hubris-vanquished/","summary":"The Bush touch loses its power - Bye bye Kilgore\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn Virginia, the appearance by the president for a last minute rally on behalf of the Republican gubernatorial candidate fell with a thud. \"\u003ca href=\"http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110800371.html\"\u003eDemocrat Kaine Wins In Virginia\u003c/a\u003e\" reads the \u003ca href=\"http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110800371.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e report. A sign of things to come ? The voters, in their wisdom, made their decision based on local issues. The president's arrival at Richmond on Airforce One meant nothing to Virginians. In California, the voters trounced Governor Schwarzenegger's costly mid-term ballot measures. All four propositions put forward by him were defeated. The voters saw through him and punished him for deviating from his campaign promises. His chances of being re-elected in 2006 have become doubtful. Not quite \"Happy days are here again\" but it is a good day for many of us. One thing for sure, the president is not in high spirits today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother hopeful sign for the future is voters' disgust nationwide with negative campaign ads. Both parties took part in doing their share of flinging mud. Didn't do them much good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bad News - Yes, there is some \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHow To Make Enemies.  The \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4417024.stm\"\u003eBBC \u003c/a\u003ereported that Italian State TV, RAI, broadcasted a documentary \"accusing the US military of using white phosphorus bombs against civilians in the Iraqi city of Falluja.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt is hard to believe that such actions and the inevitable deaths and injuries of Iraqi civilians can be shrugged off as \"collateral damage\". Meanwhile, the death toll for our soldiers in Iraq has reached \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e28\u003c/a\u003e in the first seven days of November.The official figure for the wounded is \u003ca href=\"http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/\"\u003e15477\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003eLatest number for dead Iraqi civilians: \u003ca href=\"http://www2.iraqbodycount.org/\"\u003eMinimum 26,931 Maximum 30,318\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is what Harold Pinter, the eminent British author, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 2005, said when he accepted the Wilfred Owen Award: \"We have brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, innumerable acts of random murder, misery and degradation to the Iraqi people and call it `bringing freedom and democracy to Middle East'. What we have unleashed is a ferocious and unremitting resistance, mayhem and chaos.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cfont\u003eAnd the Joke\u003c/font\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4415740.stm\"\u003eFujumori is refused bail in Chile\u003c/a\u003e. Whatever it was--bad intelligence from his aides, idiocy, or victim of a con job--Alberto Fujimori's decision to return to Latin America must have caused a lot of people to shake their heads. Did he really expect a red carpet on his arrival !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003cfont\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/font\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"First, the Good News - Hubris Vanquished"},{"content":" The burgeoning growth and impact of immigrants*Riots which erupted in France about two weeks ago have caused ripples throughout Europe. The skeleton in the closet has raised its ugly head. Molly Moore's report in today's Washington Post leaves no doubt about the seriousness of the situation. What is happening in France can happen in Germany and other countries in Northern Europe that opened their doors to \"guest workers\" who became permanent residents--permanent residents whose number keeps growing and with it their demands for rights and privileges that are at odds with traditions and customs of the native population.There is no easy solution. In some respects the situation has parallel to our own, especially in the west. Americans who are crowing about Europe's predicament and its inability to cope with Muslim communities have tunnel vision. We are not free from the threat of clashes with rising immigrant communities.Growth of the Hispanic population in the United States, especially in the west, has been exponential. See BBC's report \"Bid to seal off US-Mexico Border\" dated November 4, 2005. The wall, if it can be built, might succeed in reducing entries by illegal immigrants but it is not going to resolve the problem with those who are already here. What we need is foresight and enlightended approach by leaders of all communities to educate the population and promote harmonic assimilation of immigrants, not reacting piecemeal to their needs and demands. Failure to do so could result in conflicts similar to what is happening in Europe. *See data published by UC Berkeley: \" By 2005, more than a third of all Californians are projected to be Latino. The portrait of California Latinos in the California Latino Demographic Databook addresses the characteristics of this growing population, detailing characteristics for Latinos by national origin, nativity, citizenship, and period of entry for the foreign-born, and providing comparative figures for non-Hispanic whites, blacks, and Asians.\"State of California Demographic Research Unit's web site contains a wealth of information on this subject. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/riots-in-france---europe-at-crossroads/","summary":"The burgeoning growth and impact of immigrants\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRiots which erupted in France about two weeks ago have caused ripples throughout Europe. The skeleton in the closet has raised its ugly head. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110800287.html?sub=AR\"\u003eMolly Moore\u003c/a\u003e's report in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110800287.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e leaves no doubt about the seriousness of the situation. What is happening in France can happen in Germany and other countries in Northern Europe that opened their doors to \"guest workers\" who became permanent residents--permanent residents whose number keeps growing and with it their demands for rights and privileges that are at odds with traditions and customs of the native population.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere is no easy solution. In some respects the situation has parallel to our own, especially in the west. Americans who are crowing about Europe's predicament and its inability to cope with Muslim communities have tunnel vision. We are not free from the threat of clashes with rising immigrant communities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eGrowth of the Hispanic population in the United States,  especially in the west, has been exponential.   See \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4407558.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e's report \"Bid to seal off US-Mexico Border\" dated November 4, 2005. The wall, if it can be built, might succeed in reducing entries by illegal immigrants but it is not going to resolve the problem with those who are already here. What we need is foresight and enlightended approach by leaders of all communities to educate the population and promote harmonic assimilation of immigrants, not reacting piecemeal to their needs and demands. Failure to do so could result in conflicts similar to what is happening in Europe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSee data published by \u003ca href=\"http://ucdata.berkeley.edu:7101/new_web/ldb/ldbintro.html\"\u003eUC Berkeley\u003c/a\u003e: \"  By 2005, more than a third of all Californians are projected to be Latino. The portrait of California Latinos in the California Latino Demographic Databook addresses the characteristics of this growing population, detailing characteristics for Latinos by national origin, nativity, citizenship, and period of entry for the foreign-born, and providing comparative figures for non-Hispanic whites, blacks, and Asians.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.dof.ca.gov/html/Demograp/race-eth.htm\"\u003eState of California Demographic Research Unit\u003c/a\u003e's web site contains a wealth of information on this subject.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Riots in France - Europe at Crossroads"},{"content":" Tony Blair Was Not Bush's Poodle* Two and a half years into the Iraq war we are already seeing books appear in print about the reasons for the war--attempts to justify it as well as facts and arguments that knock the proponents down. Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain's former ambassador to the United States, was not a dove then and is not one now. But he criticizes the rush to war, the timing, the planning or lack thereof, and the mistakes for which we are paying a heavy price. The Guardian, UK, has begun to serialise his soon to be published book \"DC Confidential\". Fascinating. \"Tony Blair chose to take his stand against Saddam and alongside Bush from the highest of high moral ground. It is the definitive riposte to the idea that Blair was merely the president's poodle, seduced though he and his team always appeared to be by the proximity and glamour of American power.But the high moral ground, and the pure white flame of unconditional support to an ally in service of an idea, have their disadvantages.\"They place your destiny in the hands of the ally. They fly above the tangled history of Sunni, Shia and Kurd. They discourage descent into the dull detail of tough and necessary bargaining: meat and drink to Margaret Thatcher, but, so it seemed, uncongenial to Tony Blair.\"As the French commander Marshal Bosquet said in 1854 during the Crimean war, on observing the Charge of the Light Brigade towards the Russian cannon at Balaclava: \"C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre.\" (It is magnificent, but it is not war.) Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-11-07 What price do you think Blair and the UK will pay among the members of the EU? We know that those in Poland and other new members have been pressured to ease up on the American ass-kissing. What do you see (as far as dynamics) as a consequence now? musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08 Back in 2003, when Blair received support from the Parliament to be a part of the \"coalition\", majority of British citizens were against the war.\nYet Blair won another term this year. Between the Tories and Labor, the voters supported Labor...even with Blair as the leader. Current racial riots in France could spread to other (Northern European) countries. UK, too, had its share. Blair's popularity has suffered and he might not serve a full term. The \"coalition\" in reality never meant much more than the US and Britain. Poland had 1700 hundred soldiers at the beginning of the year and started reducing the force. Political situation in Poland is not very stable but as long as the current leaders stay in power an outright opposition to US policies is not likely. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/seduced-by-glamour/","summary":"Tony Blair Was Not Bush's Poodle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eTwo and a half years into the Iraq war we are already seeing books appear in print about the reasons for the war--attempts to justify it as well as facts and arguments that knock the proponents down. Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain's former ambassador to the United States, was not a dove then and is not one now. But he criticizes the rush to war, the timing, the planning or lack thereof, and the mistakes for which we are paying a heavy price. The Guardian, UK, has begun to serialise his soon to be published book \"DC Confidential\". Fascinating.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"Tony Blair chose to take his stand against Saddam and alongside Bush from the highest of high moral ground. It is the definitive riposte to the idea that Blair was merely the president's poodle, seduced though he and his team always appeared to be by the proximity and glamour of American power.But the high moral ground, and the pure white flame of unconditional support to an ally in service of an idea, have their disadvantages.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They place your destiny in the hands of the ally. They fly above the tangled history of Sunni, Shia and Kurd. They discourage descent into the dull detail of tough and necessary bargaining: meat and drink to Margaret Thatcher, but, so it seemed, uncongenial to Tony Blair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"As the French commander Marshal Bosquet said in 1854 during the Crimean war, on observing the Charge of the Light Brigade towards the Russian cannon at Balaclava: \"C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre.\" (It is magnificent, but it is not war.)\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWhat price do you think Blair and the UK will pay among the members of the EU? We know that those in Poland and other new members have been pressured to ease up on the American ass-kissing. \u003cbr\u003e  What do you see (as far as dynamics) as a consequence now?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eBack in 2003, when Blair received support from the Parliament to be a part of the \"coalition\", majority of British citizens were against the war.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet Blair won another term this year. Between the Tories and Labor, the voters supported Labor...even with Blair as the leader. Current racial riots in France could spread to other (Northern European) countries. UK, too, had its share. \u003cbr\u003eBlair's popularity has suffered and he might not serve a full term. The \"coalition\" in reality never meant much more than the US and Britain.   \u003cbr\u003ePoland had 1700 hundred soldiers at the beginning of the year and started reducing the force.   Political situation in Poland is not very stable but as long as the current leaders stay in power an outright opposition to US policies is not likely.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Seduced by Glamour ?"},{"content":" Attrition rate continues to be high* Iraq Coalition Casualties, a reliable source, is reporting 20 more deaths since the beginning of November. There is no end in sight. This from an editorial in Seattle Post Intelligencer: \"The invasion of Iraq, with its futile search for weapons of mass destruction or a credible prewar link between Iraq and al-Qaida, and its terrible death toll among U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians, has become a noisy distraction from what Americans believed was the most crucial mission in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Capture and punish those responsible.\" \"For Many In Iraq, Death Is Quick and Capricious\", the Washington Post's Steve Fainaru writes about another facet of the situation faced by our soldiers: \"The growing number of U.S. military deaths, which reached 2,000 last month and has since risen to 2,035, underscores a grim reality: There are countless ways to die in Iraq.\"*Graph - Death in Iraq, Washington Post \"Always there has been some terrible evil at home or some monstrous foreign power that was going to gobble us up if we did not blindly rally behind it.\"---Douglas MacArthur Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-11-07 How timely that groups are pushing to declassify and release documents related to Johnson's intelligence failures pre- Vietnam- the parallels make the White House nervous, kind of an admission that this is in fact a 'quagmire\". musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08 \"Quagmire\", yes the signs certainly point that way. No question that the disenchantment with Bush is growing but the administration is not going to back off--they cannot afford to. Admission of making a mistake will mean admission of lies and deceit. It will cause a firestorm. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/for-soldiers-in-iraq-a-bleak-november/","summary":"Attrition rate continues to be high\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e, a reliable source, is reporting 20 more deaths since the beginning of November.  There is no end in sight.  This from an editorial in \u003ca href=\"http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/247051_terrored.asp\"\u003eSeattle Post Intelligencer\u003c/a\u003e: \"The invasion of Iraq, with its futile search for weapons of mass destruction or a credible prewar link between Iraq and al-Qaida, and its terrible death toll among U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians, has become a noisy distraction from what Americans believed was the most crucial mission in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Capture and punish those responsible.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/06/AR2005110600997.html\"\u003eFor Many In Iraq, Death Is Quick and Capricious\u003c/a\u003e\", the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/06/AR2005110600997.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e's Steve Fainaru writes about another facet of the situation faced by our soldiers: \"The growing number of U.S. military deaths, which reached 2,000 last month and has since risen to 2,035, underscores a grim reality: There are countless ways to die in Iraq.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGraph - \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2005/11/07/GR2005110700053.html\"\u003eDeath in Iraq, Washington Post\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\"Always there has been some terrible evil at home or some monstrous foreign power that was going to gobble us up if we did not blindly rally behind it.\u003c/span\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybold\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e---Douglas MacArthur\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHow timely that groups are pushing to declassify and release documents related to Johnson's intelligence failures pre- Vietnam- the parallels make the White House nervous, kind of an admission that this is in fact a 'quagmire\".\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\"Quagmire\", yes the signs certainly point that way. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo question that the disenchantment with Bush is growing but the administration is not going to back off--they cannot afford to.  Admission of making a mistake will mean admission of lies and deceit. It will cause a firestorm.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"For Soldiers in Iraq, A Bleak November"},{"content":" Invasion of Privacy - Who Will Monitor the Monitors ? *Barton Gellman's report in the Washington Post, \"The FBI's Secret Scrutiny\" exposes the dark side of the Patriot Act. Mr. Gellman specifically covered one disturbing element of the act--National Security Letter--which is fraught with potential for abuse. Excerpts: \"The FBI now issues more than 30,000 national security letters a year, according to government sources, a hundredfold increase over historic norms. The letters -- one of which can be used to sweep up the records of many people -- are extending the bureau's reach as never before into the telephone calls, correspondence and financial lives of ordinary Americans.\" \"Issued by FBI field supervisors, national security letters do not need the imprimatur of a prosecutor, grand jury or judge. They receive no review after the fact by the Justice Department or Congress. The executive branch maintains only statistics, which are incomplete and confined to classified reports. The Bush administration defeated legislation and a lawsuit to require a public accounting, and has offered no example in which the use of a national security letter helped disrupt a terrorist plot.\" Shades of McCarthy era ? Yes. Incidentally, the film \"Good Night and Good Luck\" (currently in local theatres) about the late Edward Murrow of CBS and his brave battle against Senator Joseph McCarthy of the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee ought to be viewed by all who are interested in the abuses that took place under HUAC. Directed by George Clooney (he also acted in the role of Fred Friendly), David Strathairn is superb as Edward Murrow.*President left Mar del Plata with empty hands* No deal on Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). According to the BBC, the president said: \"It's not easy to host all these countries. It's particularly not easy to host - perhaps - me.\" He said that as a joke but put his finger on the reason for the participants' failure to reach accord. He is not widely believed in Latin America, he is not liked in Latin America. Who can blame them. Based on records, how many Americans would buy an used car from him ?See Dan Molinski's report in the Washington Post.*Britain's former ambassador to the U.S. speaks out*November 5th issue of The Guardian,UK, contains an interview with Sir Christopher Meyer who served as Britain's ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003. Sir Christopher is more critical of Tony Blair than of George Bush about their roles in the war against Iraq. \" He takes issue with the prime minister's claim that the war has not exposed Britain to terrorist attacks: \"There is plenty of evidence around at the moment that home-grown terrorism was partly radicalised and fuelled by what is going on in Iraq. There is no way we can credibly get up and say it has nothing to do with it. Don't tell me that being in Iraq has got nothing to do with it. Of course it does.\" Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-11-06 No, indeed it is not easy to host Mr. Bush. What a comedian he is. He is not a capable leader and does not have the skills for diplomacy. SO-This does not surprise us, does it? Thank you so much for posting this bit on the PATRIOT ACT. I need to get more up to speed with this particular area (letters) . The fact that the process is not reviewed leaves it of course way open for abuse but what else is new. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08 On November 7th, Kwame Holman of NewsHour (PBS) did an excellent follow up of the Washington Post article by interviewing Barton Gellman, author of \"The FBI's Secret Scrutiny\". Transcript of the interview has not yet been posted on the web site of PBS, but it is possible to listen to audio of the interview. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/sunday-morning-soliloquies/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eInvasion of Privacy - Who Will Monitor the Monitors ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBarton Gellman's report  in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/05/AR2005110501366.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/05/AR2005110501366.html\"\u003eThe FBI's Secret Scrutiny\u003c/a\u003e\"  exposes the dark side of the Patriot Act. Mr. Gellman specifically covered one disturbing element of the act--National Security Letter--which is fraught with potential for abuse. Excerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\"The FBI now issues more than 30,000 national security letters a year, according to government sources, a hundredfold increase over historic norms. The letters -- one of which can be used to sweep up the records of many people -- are extending the bureau's reach as never before into the telephone calls, correspondence and financial lives of ordinary Americans.\"\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\"Issued by FBI field supervisors, national security letters do not need the imprimatur of a prosecutor, grand jury or judge. They receive no review after the fact by the Justice Department or Congress. The executive branch maintains only statistics, which are incomplete and confined to classified reports. The Bush administration defeated legislation and a lawsuit to require a public accounting, and has offered no example in which the use of a national security letter helped disrupt a terrorist plot.\"\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eShades of McCarthy era ?  Yes.  Incidentally, the film \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433383/\"\u003eGood Night and Good Luck\u003c/a\u003e\" (currently in local theatres) about the late \u003ca href=\"http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/murrowedwar/murrowedwar.htm\"\u003eEdward  Murrow\u003c/a\u003e of CBS and his brave battle against Senator Joseph McCarthy of the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee ought to be viewed by all who are interested in the abuses that took place under \u003ca href=\"http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/huac.htm\"\u003eHUAC\u003c/a\u003e.  Directed by George Clooney (he also acted in the role of Fred Friendly), David Strathairn is superb as Edward Murrow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003ePresident left Mar del Plata with empty hands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eNo deal on Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). According to the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4410190.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e, the president said: \"It's not easy to host all these countries.  It's particularly not easy to host - perhaps - me.\" He said that as a joke but put his finger on the reason for the participants' failure to reach accord. He is not widely believed in Latin America, he is not liked in Latin America. Who can blame them. Based on records, how many Americans would buy an used car from him ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110400201.html\"\u003eDan Molinski\u003c/a\u003e's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110400201.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBritain's former ambassador to the U.S. speaks out\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eNovember 5th issue of \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12956,1635053,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e, contains an interview with Sir Christopher Meyer who served as Britain's ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003. Sir Christopher is more critical of Tony Blair than of George Bush about their roles in the war against Iraq.  \" He takes issue with the prime minister's claim that the war has not exposed Britain to terrorist attacks: \"There is plenty of evidence around at the moment that home-grown terrorism was partly radicalised and fuelled by what is going on in Iraq. There is no way we can credibly get up and say it has nothing to do with it. Don't tell me that being in Iraq has got nothing to do with it. Of course it does.\"\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  \u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNo, indeed it is not easy to host Mr. Bush. What a comedian he is. \u003cbr\u003e  He is not a capable leader and does not have the skills for diplomacy. SO-This does not surprise us, does it? \u003cbr\u003e   Thank you so much for posting this bit on the PATRIOT ACT. I need to get more up to speed with this particular area (letters) . The fact that the process is not reviewed leaves it of course way open for abuse but what else is new.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eOn November 7th, Kwame Holman of NewsHour (PBS) did an excellent follow up of the Washington Post article by interviewing Barton Gellman, author of \"The FBI's Secret Scrutiny\".  Transcript of the interview has not yet been posted on the web site of PBS, but it is possible to listen to audio of the interview.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Sunday Morning Soliloquies"},{"content":" Buyer's remorse !* Shailagh Murray in The Washington Post: \"The highway bill seemed like such a good idea when it sailed through Congress this summer. But now Republicans who assembled the record spending package are suffering buyer's remorse.\" Really ? So the Republican members of the Congress are having second thoughts after ramrodding the \"Bridge to Nowhere\" appropriations bill which the president signed....and probably smirked while doing it. They gleefully ate their cake and are now having problem digesting it. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-11-05 I followed the trail back to here from your post to saynotopombo. There are even Republicans who are revolting. I had a call from retired congressman Pete McCloskey who is seeking a Republican to run against Pombo, note expecting to beat him, but to bruise him a bit so that someone else will deliver the KO. McCloskey feels that DeLay and Young and Pombo are destroying the Republican Party while they are destroying our national heritage and the American economy. BTW, I listen to \"Latin Jazz\" on KCSM FM every Sunday. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-05 Thanks. I remember Pete McCloskey when he served as a congressman representing the San Mateo district.\nHe was a marathoner. Wonder if he still runs; I do, creaking bones and all. Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-11-06 Well maybe they can build a bridge from Capital Hill to REALITY.\nAll we need in the aftermath of Katrina, mounting debt, and war is even more ridiculous spending. But the contractors we pay to do everything rip us off as well, with no accountability. The American people have essentially given the government a credit card with no spending limit.\nHey, talk more about the \"Latin Jazz\". ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/hogs-at-the-trough---the-hypocrites-in-congress/","summary":"Buyer's remorse !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110401840.html\"\u003eShailagh Murray\u003c/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110401840.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e:  \"The highway bill seemed like such a good idea when it sailed through Congress this summer. But now Republicans who assembled the record spending package are suffering buyer's remorse.\" Really ? So the Republican members of the Congress are having second thoughts after ramrodding the \"Bridge to Nowhere\" appropriations bill which the president signed....and probably smirked while doing it. They gleefully ate their cake and are now having problem digesting it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI followed the trail back to here from your post to saynotopombo. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are even Republicans who are revolting.  I had a call from retired congressman Pete McCloskey who is seeking a Republican to run against Pombo, note expecting to beat him, but to bruise him a bit so that someone else will deliver the KO.  McCloskey feels that DeLay and Young and Pombo are destroying the Republican Party while they are destroying our national heritage and the American economy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBTW, I listen to \"Latin Jazz\" on KCSM FM every Sunday.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks. I remember Pete McCloskey when he served as a congressman representing the San Mateo district.\u003cbr\u003eHe was a marathoner. Wonder if he still runs; I do, creaking bones and all.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWell maybe they can build a bridge from Capital Hill to REALITY.\u003cbr\u003e   All we need in the aftermath of Katrina, mounting debt, and war is even more ridiculous spending. \u003cbr\u003e   But the contractors we pay to do everything rip us off as well, with no accountability. The American people have essentially given the government a credit card with no spending limit.\u003cbr\u003e   Hey, talk more about the \"Latin Jazz\".\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Hogs at the trough - The Hypocrites in Congress"},{"content":" *\"PILLAR ROCK, Wash. -- Ocian in view! O! the joy.\" William Clark, who scribbled these words in his field journal on Nov. 7, 1805, was not a man to get carried away with exclamation points. He was a woodsman, a waterman and a sober-minded maker of maps.\" As I read Blaine Hardin's great article \"Lewis \u0026amp; Clark Mapped it - And then the Nation Remade the West\" in the Washington Post, I thought of my own feeling of wonderment when I arrived in San Francisco about 35 years ago. It was not the west that members of Lewis \u0026amp; Clark expedition saw but my travels through the western states created a feeling of love and respect for the land which has not diminished over the years. The vibrancy, the natural splendors--from rugged high desert to lush valleys--make the west incomparable and I am fortunate to be a part of it. *\"Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.\"Thus wrote John B. Soule in the Terre Haute Express in 1851 although the quotation is attributed by some to Horace Greeley. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/the-american-west-and-the-lewis-clark-expedition/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"PILLAR ROCK, Wash. -- Ocian in view! O! the joy.\" William Clark, who scribbled these words in his field journal on Nov. 7, 1805, was not a man to get carried away with exclamation points. He was a woodsman, a waterman and a sober-minded maker of maps.\" As I read \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110401841.html\"\u003eBlaine Hardin\u003c/a\u003e's great article \"Lewis \u0026amp; Clark Mapped it - And then the Nation Remade the West\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110401841.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, I thought of my own feeling of wonderment when I arrived in San Francisco about 35 years ago. It was not the west that members of Lewis \u0026amp; Clark expedition saw but my travels through the western states created a feeling of love and respect for the land which has not diminished over the years. The vibrancy, the natural splendors--from rugged high desert to lush valleys--make the west incomparable and I am fortunate to be a part of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThus wrote John B. Soule in the Terre Haute Express in 1851 although the quotation is attributed by some to Horace Greeley.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The American West and the Lewis \u0026 Clark Expedition"},{"content":" Down with the inavders*Splogs. Aargh. Began noticing them in \"Comments\" section of my blog about a month ago. Yuki Noguchi's report in the Washington Post, \"A New Place for Spam's Same Old Pitches is cause for alarm. Just as spams in e-mail were beginning to be fewer here come sploggers. Damn nuisance. I wonder if anyone actually clicks on the links that the sploggers leave. Let's hope that the search engines act quickly to deal with this threat. Yahoo has done a great job in preventing spams in their web mail. Google's Gmail has room for improvement. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/bloggers-v-sploggers/","summary":"Down with the inavders\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eSplogs.  Aargh. Began noticing them in \"Comments\" section of my blog about a month ago. Yuki Noguchi's report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302162.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302162.html\"\u003eA New Place for Spam's Same Old Pitches\u003c/a\u003e is cause for alarm. Just as spams in e-mail were beginning to be fewer here come sploggers. Damn nuisance. I wonder if anyone actually clicks on the links that the sploggers leave. Let's hope that the search engines act quickly to deal with this threat. \u003ca href=\"http://www.yahoo.com/\"\u003eYahoo\u003c/a\u003e has done a great job in preventing spams in their web mail. \u003ca href=\"http://www.google.com/\"\u003eGoogle\u003c/a\u003e's Gmail has room for improvement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Bloggers v. Sploggers"},{"content":" Not going to be a cakewalk for our unpopular president*He does not care as long as his \"core support groups\" are behind him. That is all that counts. Keep the large corporate donors happy, promote the causes of fundamentalist Christians, start another war. El Jefe is thinking about how to engineer another tax cut for his friends, and protect Dear Karl from the nosy prosecutor . Enough to keep him busy for the rest of his term. But it warmed the cockles of my heart to read in the Washington Post that in a recent poll 58% questioned \"his integrity\". The report by Richard Morin and Dan Balz, under the caption \"Bush's Popularity Reaches New Low\", is based on a Washington Post-ABC Poll. People are waking up. How sweet it is!\"On almost every key measure of presidential character and performance, the survey found that Bush has never been less popular with the American people. Currently 39 percent approve of the job he is doing as president, while 60 percent disapprove of his performance in office -- the highest level of disapproval ever recorded for Bush in Post-ABC polls.\"Amazing, how our president has made himself one of the most despicable persons on earth in five short years. The summit at Mar del Plata is not going to do him much good. \"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again.\"---Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/smirk-goes-to-argentina-to-attend-summit-of-the-americas/","summary":"Not going to be a cakewalk for our unpopular president\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eHe does not care as long as his \"core support groups\" are behind him. That is all that counts. Keep the large corporate donors happy, promote the causes of fundamentalist Christians, start another war. El Jefe is thinking about how to engineer another tax cut for his friends, and protect Dear Karl from the nosy prosecutor . Enough to keep him busy for the rest of his term. But it warmed the cockles of my heart to read in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110301685.html\"\u003eWashington Post \u003c/a\u003ethat in a recent poll 58% questioned \"his integrity\".  The report by Richard Morin and Dan Balz, under the caption \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110301685.html\"\u003eBush's Popularity Reaches New Low\u003c/a\u003e\", is based on a Washington Post-ABC Poll.  People are waking up.  How sweet it is!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"On almost every key measure of presidential character and performance, the survey found that Bush has never been less popular with the American people. Currently 39 percent approve of the job he is doing as president, while 60 percent disapprove of his performance in office -- the highest level of disapproval ever recorded for Bush in Post-ABC polls.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmazing, how our president has made himself one of the most despicable persons on earth in five short years.  The summit at \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302157.html\"\u003eMar del Plata\u003c/a\u003e is not going to do him much good.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ci\u003e         \"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ci\u003e          Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e         All the king's horses and all the king's men\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e         Couldn't put Humpty together again.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---\u003c/i\u003eMother Goose Nursery Rhymes\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110301685.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e","title":"Smirk goes to Argentina to attend Summit of the Americas"},{"content":" Efforts to destroy the parks as we know themYou wouldn't be wrong if you believe that this administration has not met a polluter it does not like. Details about the new rules for off-road vehicles issued by Forest Service Chief Dale N. Bosworth are now available. Report in The Washington Post by Juliet Eilperin reads: \"The Bush administration yesterday gave local managers the authority to decide where visitors can use off-road vehicles in national forests, a move that could reshape how Americans experience the country's 155 forests and 20 grasslands.\" The bottom line is bad news. Bad for the environment, bad for wild life, bad for those who visit the wilderness areas to get away from noise and polluted atomosphere.Privatization of the parks is the ultimate objective. It is working hard to reach the goal. The point man for the administration is Paul Hoffman, Dy. Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of the Interior. Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA), chairman of the House Resources Committee is another who supports destruction of the national parks.Following excerpts are from an editorial in The New York Times on October 21, 2005:The National Parks Under Siege This new policy document doesn't go as far as the earlier version. But it would eliminate the requirement that only motorized equipment with the least impact should be used in national. It would lower air-quality standards and strip away language about preserving the natural soundscape - language that currently makes it hard, for instance, to justify allowing snowmobiles into Yellowstone. It would also refer park superintendents to other management documents that have been revised to weaken fundamental standards and protections for the parks. Mr. Hoffman and National Park Service officials have tried to argue that this new policy revision offers greater clarity. What it really offers is greater flexibility to interpret the rules the way they want to. The thrust of these changes is to diminish the historical, and legally upheld, premise that preservation is the central mission of the park system. One of the most troubling aspects of this revised policy is how it was produced. Instead of being shaped by park service professionals thinking in a timely way about how to do their jobs better, this is a defensive document that was rushed forward to head off the more sweeping damage that Mr. Hoffman's first draft threatened to do. It is a tribute to the National Park Service veterans who worked on it that they were able to mitigate so much of the harm, even though they, too, were working directly under Mr. Hoffman's eye. They risked their jobs to protect the parks from political appointees in the Interior Department. This is a measure of how distorted the department's policies have become. There is more potential damage on the way. At least two deeply worrying new directives have been handed down. One allows the National Park Service to solicit contributions from individuals and corporations instead of merely accepting them when they're offered. This is another way to further the privatization of the national parks and edge toward their commercialization. Privatizing the government's core responsibilities - like the national parks - is unacceptable, and so is the prospect of any greater commercial presence in the parks.\" *Bill Moyers, in his essay \"Welcome Doomsday\" wrote in the Axis of Logic March 23, 2005:\"I read that the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency has declared the election a mandate for President Bush on the environment. This for an administration: that wants to rewrite the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act protecting rare plant and animal species and their habitats, as well as the national Environmental Policy Act that requires the government to judge beforehand if actions might damage natural resources; that wants a new international audit law to allow corporations to keep certain information about environmental problems secret from the public; that wants to drop all its New-Source Review suits against polluting coal-fired power plans and weaken consent decrees reached earlier with coal companies; that wants to open the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to drilling and increase drilling in Padre Island National Seashore, the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world and the last great coastal wild land in America; Comments Matt \u0026mdash; 2005-11-03 We're not going to stop these attacks on the environment until we remove the man leading the charge, Richard Pombo. The bills he's championed recently do a lot more to damage National Parks than simply allow vehicles. For example, he's pushing for a law that would allow mining companies to buy land right next to many National Parks. See this post for more info. Anyway, there are some of us who are committed to ousting Pombo from Congress. Check out my blog if you're interested. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-11-03 Visited the \"nationalparkstraveler\" site as well as your blog \"saynotopombo\". Wish you success in your efforts to stop Pombo. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/bush-administration-and-our-national-parks/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eEfforts to destroy the parks as we know them\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou wouldn't be wrong if you believe that this administration has not met a polluter it does not like. Details about the new rules for off-road vehicles issued by Forest Service Chief Dale N. Bosworth are now available. Report in The \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/02/AR2005110202792.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e by Juliet Eilperin reads: \"The Bush administration yesterday gave local managers the authority to decide where visitors can use off-road vehicles in national forests, a move that could reshape how Americans experience the country's 155 forests and 20 grasslands.\" The bottom line is bad news. Bad for the environment, bad for wild life, bad for those who visit the wilderness areas to get away from noise and polluted atomosphere.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrivatization of the parks is the ultimate objective. It is working hard to reach the goal. The point man for the administration is Paul Hoffman, Dy. Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of the Interior. Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA), chairman of the House Resources Committee is another who supports destruction of the national parks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing excerpts are from an editorial in \u003ca href=\"http://http//www.nytimes.com/\"\u003eThe New York Times\u003c/a\u003e on October 21, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eThe National Parks Under Siege\u003c/center\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThis new policy document doesn't go as far as the earlier version. But it would eliminate the requirement that only motorized equipment with the least impact should be used in national. It would lower air-quality standards and strip away language about preserving the natural soundscape - language that currently makes it hard, for instance, to justify allowing snowmobiles into Yellowstone. It would also refer park superintendents to other management documents that have been revised to weaken fundamental standards and protections for the parks.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eMr. Hoffman and National Park Service officials have tried to argue that this new policy revision offers greater clarity. What it really offers is greater flexibility to interpret the rules the way they want to. The thrust of these changes is to diminish the historical, and legally upheld, premise that preservation is the central mission of the park system.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOne of the most troubling aspects of this revised policy is how it was produced. Instead of being shaped by park service professionals thinking in a timely way about how to do their jobs better, this is a defensive document that was rushed forward to head off the more sweeping damage that Mr. Hoffman's first draft threatened to do. It is a tribute to the National Park Service veterans who worked on it that they were able to mitigate so much of the harm, even though they, too, were working directly under Mr. Hoffman's eye. They risked their jobs to protect the parks from political appointees in the Interior Department. This is a measure of how distorted the department's policies have become.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThere is more potential damage on the way. At least two deeply worrying new directives have been handed down. One allows the National Park Service to solicit contributions from individuals and corporations instead of merely accepting them when they're offered. This is another way to further the privatization of the national parks and edge toward their commercialization. Privatizing the government's core responsibilities - like the national parks - is unacceptable, and so is the prospect of any greater commercial presence in the parks.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBill Moyers, in his essay \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.axisoflogic.com/cgi-bin/exec/view.pl?archive=94\u0026amp;num=16401\"\u003eWelcome Doomsday\u003c/a\u003e\" wrote in the Axis of Logic March 23, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I read that the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency has declared the election a mandate for President Bush on the environment. This for an administration:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e that wants to rewrite the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act protecting rare plant and animal species and their habitats, as well as the national Environmental Policy Act that requires the government to judge beforehand if actions might damage natural resources;\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e that wants a new international audit law to allow corporations to keep certain information about environmental problems secret from the public;\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e that wants to drop all its New-Source Review suits against polluting coal-fired power plans and weaken consent decrees reached earlier with coal companies;\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e that wants to open the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to drilling and increase drilling in Padre Island National Seashore, the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world and the last great coastal wild land in America;\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatt\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWe're not going to stop these attacks on the environment until we remove the man leading the charge, Richard Pombo.  The bills he's championed recently do a lot more to damage National Parks than simply allow vehicles.  For example, he's pushing for a law that would allow mining companies to buy land right next to many National Parks.  See this \u003cA HREF=\"http://nationalparkstraveler.typepad.com/national_parks_traveler/2005/10/pombos_proposal.html\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003epost\u003c/A\u003e for more info.  Anyway, there are some of us who are committed to ousting Pombo from Congress.  Check out \u003cA HREF=\"http://saynotopombo.blogspot.com\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003emy blog\u003c/A\u003e if you're interested.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eVisited the \"nationalparkstraveler\" site as well as your blog \"saynotopombo\".  Wish you success in your efforts to stop Pombo.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Bush Administration and Our National Parks"},{"content":" Jolly good idea provided the candidates are frisked to remove \"mysterious bulges\"*The tongue in cheek article, \"Commander in Disbelief\", by Andy Borowitz in Newsweek made me chuckle. I am all for a debate between the president and Ms Geena Davis. No electronic prompting devices are to be permitted. May the better person win. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/a-debate-between-president-bush-and-geena-davis-of-commander-in-chief/","summary":"Jolly good idea provided the candidates are frisked to remove \"mysterious bulges\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe tongue in cheek article, \"Commander in Disbelief\",  by \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9883851/site/newsweek/\"\u003eAndy Borowitz\u003c/a\u003e in Newsweek made me chuckle. I am all for a debate between the president and Ms Geena Davis. No electronic prompting devices are to be permitted. May the better person win.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"A Debate between President Bush and Geena Davis (of Commander in Chief)"},{"content":" *And a bad beginning for November. A report by William Branigin and Daniela Deane in Washington Post mentions deaths of six servicemen killed in separate attacks in Iraq.Edited 1:48 PM Nov.2, 2005They Were Valiant: Names and dates Joshua J. Kynoch, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 01, 2005 Jens E. Schelbert, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 01, 2005 Marshall A. Westbrook, 43, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 01, 2005 Timothy J. Roark, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 02, 2005 Roberto C. Baez, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 03, 2005 Bryan W. Large, 31, Army Sergeant, Oct 03, 2005 Jacob T. Vanderbosch, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 03, 2005 Sean B. Berry, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 03, 2005 Larry Wayne Pankey Jr., 34, Army Reserve Sergeant, Oct 03, 2005 John R. Stalvey, 22, Marine Corporal, Oct 03, 2005 Andrew D. Bedard, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 04, 2005 Brian K. Joplin, 32, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Oct 04, 2005 Jeremiah W. Robinson, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 06, 2005 Shayne M. Cabino, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2005 Nicholas O. Cherava, 21, Marine Corporal, Oct 06, 2005 Jason L. Frye, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 06, 2005 Patrick Brian Kenny, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2005 Daniel M. McVicker, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2005 Carl L. Raines II, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 06, 2005 Eric A. Fifer, 22, Army Sergeant, Oct 07, 2005 Nicholas J. Greer, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 07, 2005 Sergio H. Escobar, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 08, 2005 Gary R. Harper Jr., 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 09, 2005 Leon G. James II, 46, Army Lieutenant Colonel, Oct 10, 2005 Leon M. Johnson, 28, Army Sergeant, Oct 10, 2005 Brandon K. Sneed, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 10, 2005 Jerry L. Bonifacio Jr., 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 10, 2005 Jeremy M. Hodge, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 10, 2005 Matthew A. Kimmell, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 11, 2005 Donald D. Furman, 30, Army Sergeant, Oct 12, 2005 Lorenzo Ponce Ruiz, 26, Army Sergeant, Oct 12, 2005 James T. Grijalva, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 12, 2005 Kenneth E. Hunt Jr., 40, Marine Master Sergeant, Oct 12, 2005 Robert W. Tucker, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 13, 2005 Samuel M. Boswell, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 14, 2005 Bernard L. Ceo, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 14, 2005 Brian R. Conner, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 14, 2005 Thomas H. Byrd, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 15, 2005 Jeffrey W. Corban, 30, Army Specialist, Oct 15, 2005 Richard Allen Hardy, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 15, 2005 Vincent E. Summers, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 15, 2005 Timothy D. Watkins, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 15, 2005 Mark P. Adams, 24, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Oct 15, 2005 Paul J. Pillen, 28, Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer, Oct 17, 2005 Daniel Scott R. Bubb, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 17, 2005 Chad R. Hildebrandt, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 17, 2005 Christopher M. Poston, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 17, 2005 Lucas A. Frantz, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 18, 2005 Daniel D. Bartels, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 19, 2005 Arthur A. Mora Jr., 23, Army Sergeant, Oct 19, 2005 Russell H. Nahvi, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 19, 2005 Jose E. Rosario, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 19, 2005 Tommy Ike Folks Jr., 31, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 19, 2005 Kendall K. Frederick, 21, Army Reserve Specialist, Oct 19, 2005 Norman W. Anderson III, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 19, 2005 Jacob D. Dones, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 20, 2005 Dennis P. Merck, 38, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 20, 2005 Richard T. Pummill, 27, Marine Staff Sergeant, Oct 20, 2005 Andrew D. Russoli, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 20, 2005 Steven W. Szwydek, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 20, 2005 Kenneth J. Butler, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 21, 2005 Benny Gray Cockerham III, 21, Marine Corporal, Oct 21, 2005 Tyler B. Swisher, 35, Marine Captain, Oct 21, 2005 Seamus M. Davey, 25, Marine Reserve Corporal, Oct 21, 2005 Christopher W. Thompson, 25, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Oct 21, 2005 George T. Alexander Jr., 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 22, 2005 Jonathan R. Spears, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 23, 2005 Michael T. Robertson, 28, Army Sergeant, Oct 25, 2005 Benjamin D. Hoeffner, 21, Army Reserve Corporal, Oct 25, 2005 Christopher T. Monroe, 19, Army Reserve Specialist, Oct 25, 2005 Ramon A. Acevedoaponte, 51, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 26, 2005 Lewis J. Gentry, 48, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 26, 2005 Thomas A. Wallsmith, 38, Army Master Sergeant, Oct 26, 2005 Evan S. Parker, 25, Army Reserve Sergeant, Oct 26, 2005 James Witkowski, 32, Army Reserve Sergeant, Oct 26, 2005 Michael J. Mackinnon, 30, Army Captain, Oct 27, 2005 William W. Wood, 44, Army Colonel, Oct 27, 2005 Daniel R. Lightner Jr., 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 27, 2005 Robert F. Eckfield Jr., 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 27, 2005 Jared J. Kremm, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 27, 2005 Dillon M. Jutras, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 28, 2005 Debra A. Banaszak, 35, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Oct 28, 2005 Kenny D. Rojas, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 29, 2005 Shaker T. Guy, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 29, 2005 Raymond D. Hill II, 39, Army National Guard Captain, Oct 29, 2005 Michael Paul Hodshire, 25, Marine Sergeant, Oct 30, 2005 William J. Byler, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 31, 2005 Jeff Derrence Jack, 0, Army Specialist, Oct 31, 2005 Adam R. \"A.J.\" Johnson, 22, Army Private, Oct 31, 2005 Wilgene Lieto, 0, Army Sergeant, Oct 31, 2005 David J. Martin, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 31, 2005 Jonathan Tessar, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 31, 2005 Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski, 33, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Oct 31, 2005 Matthew R. Kading, 32, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 31, 2005Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2005/11/october-was-a-cruel-month---we-lost-94-soldiers-in-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd a bad beginning for November.  A report by William Branigin and Daniela Deane in  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/02/AR2005110200589.html\"\u003eWashington Pos\u003c/a\u003et mentions deaths of six servicemen killed in separate attacks in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEdited 1:48 PM Nov.2, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey Were Valiant: Names and dates\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua J. Kynoch,  23, Army  Specialist,   Oct 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jens E. Schelbert,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marshall A. Westbrook,  43, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy J. Roark,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roberto C. Baez,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan W. Large,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob T. Vanderbosch,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean B. Berry,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry Wayne Pankey Jr.,  34, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John R. Stalvey,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew D. Bedard,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Joplin,  32, Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Oct 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah W. Robinson,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shayne M. Cabino,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas O. Cherava,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Frye,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick Brian Kenny,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel M. McVicker,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl L. Raines II,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric A. Fifer,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas J. Greer,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sergio H. Escobar,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary R. Harper Jr.,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leon G. James II,  46, Army  Lieutenant Colonel,   Oct 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leon M. Johnson,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon K. Sneed,  33, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Oct 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jerry L. Bonifacio Jr.,  28, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy M. Hodge,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew A. Kimmell,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald D. Furman,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lorenzo Ponce Ruiz,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James T. Grijalva,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth E. Hunt Jr.,  40, Marine  Master Sergeant,   Oct 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert W. Tucker,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Samuel M. Boswell,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bernard L. Ceo,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian R. Conner,  36, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas H. Byrd,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey W. Corban,  30, Army  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Allen Hardy,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Vincent E. Summers,  38, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy D. Watkins,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark P. Adams,  24, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul J. Pillen,  28, Army National Guard  Chief Warrant Officer,   Oct 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Scott R. Bubb,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad R. Hildebrandt,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Poston,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lucas A. Frantz,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel D. Bartels,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arthur A. Mora Jr.,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Russell H. Nahvi,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose E. Rosario,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tommy Ike Folks Jr.,  31, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kendall K. Frederick,  21, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Norman W. Anderson III,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob D. Dones,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis P. Merck,  38, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard T. Pummill,  27, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew D. Russoli,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven W. Szwydek,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth J. Butler,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benny Gray Cockerham III,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler B. Swisher,  35, Marine  Captain,   Oct 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Seamus M. Davey,  25, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Oct 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Thompson,  25, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Oct 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George T. Alexander Jr.,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan R. Spears,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael T. Robertson,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin D. Hoeffner,  21, Army Reserve  Corporal,   Oct 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher T. Monroe,  19, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Oct 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramon A. Acevedoaponte,  51, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Oct 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lewis J. Gentry,  48, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas A. Wallsmith,  38, Army  Master Sergeant,   Oct 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Evan S. Parker,  25, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Oct 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Witkowski,  32, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Oct 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Mackinnon,  30, Army  Captain,   Oct 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William W. Wood,  44, Army  Colonel,   Oct 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel R. Lightner Jr.,  28, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert F. Eckfield Jr.,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jared J. Kremm,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dillon M. Jutras,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Debra A. Banaszak,  35, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Oct 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenny D. Rojas,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shaker T. Guy,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raymond D. Hill II,  39, Army National Guard  Captain,   Oct 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Paul Hodshire,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Oct 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William J. Byler,  23, Army  Specialist,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeff Derrence Jack,  0, Army  Specialist,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam R. \"A.J.\" Johnson,  22, Army  Private,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wilgene Lieto,  0, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Martin,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Tessar,  36, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski,  33, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e                          Matthew R. Kading,  32, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Oct 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.Aspx\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"October was a cruel month - We lost 94 soldiers in Iraq"},{"content":" The hollow man lived up to his record*Dan Froomkin's White House Briefing in the Washington Post, Oct.31, 2005, covered it well. \"All The Prosecutor's Hints\" summarizes the situation for those who have not paid close attention to Patrick Fitzgerald's press conference last Friday, October 28th. It is not going to make the Bushies happy but the bottom line is that for Karl Rove and others there are uneasy days and nights ahead. Fitzgerald is not done with the investigation, not yet. So, the president's move to deflect attention and resurrect his support with his core support group bought him some time but nomination of Alito is not going to protect the White House from issues that Bush and his staff would rather see buried.Casualties in IraqThe October death toll for American soldiers in Iraq reached 94....the highest since January of this year. It was reported by Radio Free Europe that 26 Iraqi civilians were killed during an air attack near the Syrian border. Many American don't give a damn about Iraqi civilians but let us bear in mind that the deaths of innocent civilians (collateral damage according to our non-combatant officials) have an impact on reaction of the Iraqi people. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-11-01 I think we can safely call the first supereme court nominee a red herring at this point. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/texas-dodge-em---bush-played-the-alito-card/","summary":"The hollow man lived up to his record\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDan Froomkin's White House Briefing in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/10/31/BL2005103101009.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e, Oct.31, 2005, covered it well. \"All The Prosecutor's Hints\" summarizes the situation for those who have not paid close attention to Patrick Fitzgerald's press conference last Friday, October 28th. It is not going to make the Bushies happy but the bottom line is that for Karl Rove and others there are uneasy days and nights ahead. Fitzgerald is not done with the investigation, not yet. So, the president's move to deflect attention and resurrect his support with his core support group bought him some time but nomination of Alito is not going to protect the White House from issues that Bush and his staff would rather see buried.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCasualties in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe October death toll for \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eAmerican soldiers\u003c/a\u003e in Iraq reached 94....the highest since January of this year. It was reported by \u003ca href=\"http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/10/2CBB28CD-9570-4645-8E8D-37E639C2931B.html\"\u003eRadio Free Europe\u003c/a\u003e that  26 Iraqi civilians were killed during an air attack near the Syrian border. Many American don't give a damn about Iraqi civilians but let us bear in mind that the deaths of innocent civilians (collateral damage according to our non-combatant officials) have an impact on reaction of the Iraqi people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI think we can safely call the first supereme court nominee a red herring at this point.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Texas Dodge 'em - Bush played the Alito Card"},{"content":" What now, Democrats ? Bush reenergizes the base. Battered by the Harriet Miers fiasco,the indictment against \"Scooter\" Libby, and dwindling support for his war, the president reacted quickly to deflect attention. As expected, his weekend at Camp David resulted in a decision about the nominee to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He could not afford to take any chances and he did not. The report by Fred Barbash and Peter Baker in The Washington Post covers the announcement about Judge Samuel A. Alito,Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.The Democrats must oppose Judge Alito. Unlike Harriet Miers, Judge Alito comes with a paper trail--long, detailed and clear about where he stands. The president deliberately picked a candidate who would cause an uproar. Facing declining support, he badly needed an issue to rally his conservative base. He created one. Divisiveness pays. One can see the smirk. \"What does your duty demand? What does your honor demand? And what does your country demand? It is hard enough to answer the first two questions, but harder still when the nation's elected leaders are silent about the last.\"--Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at U.S. Military Academy,West Point, Oct.20, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/politics-of-divisiveness---the-smirk-is-back/","summary":"What now, Democrats ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eBush reenergizes the base. Battered by the Harriet Miers fiasco,the indictment against \"Scooter\" Libby, and dwindling support for his war, the president reacted quickly to deflect attention. As expected, his weekend at Camp David resulted in a decision about the nominee to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He could not afford to take any chances and he did not. The report by Fred Barbash and Peter Baker in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/31/AR2005103100180.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e covers the announcement about \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/campaignforthecourt/2005/10/alito_bio_from_.html\"\u003eJudge Samuel A. Alito,Jr.\u003c/a\u003e, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Democrats must oppose Judge Alito. Unlike Harriet Miers, Judge Alito comes with a paper trail--long, detailed and clear about where he stands. The president deliberately picked a candidate who would cause an uproar. Facing declining support, he badly needed an issue to rally his conservative base. He created one. Divisiveness pays. One can see the smirk.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What does your duty demand? What does your honor demand? And what does your country demand? It is hard enough to answer the first two questions, but harder still when the nation's elected leaders are silent about the last.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at U.S. Military Academy,West Point, Oct.20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Politics of Divisiveness - The Smirk is Back"},{"content":" The monster in the basementIt has been written about, talked about and condemned but brides are mentally and physically abused, sometimes killed by greedy in-laws in today's India. This barbaric practice continues despite the fact that in many respects India today is a far cry from the India that V.S. Naipaul and others wrote about. \"Indian Middle Class Grows, But Ugly Tradition Persists\", John Lancaster's report in today's Washington Post is about one unfortunate young woman who died at the hands of her husband and father-in-law. \"NEW DELHI--Charanpreet Kaur, 19, had been married less than nine months when her husband and his family decided it was time for her to go. Trapping her in the bathroom, her husband clamped his hand over her mouth while his father doused her with kerosene, according to a police document. The father then lit a match, setting his daughter-in-law on fire. She died five days later. \" In some instances, the crimes do receive publicity and those charged end up being punished. But there seems to be a general lack of concern about the shameful system under which a bride's parents are required make payments, in cash and kind, to the groom. It is illegal to demand dowry but the custom continues unabated among all classes--rich and poor. Many highly educated young men tacitly approve of it. One gets the feeling that if it were not for some women's organizations actively involved in exposing and fighting the abuses related to dowry system the Indians would prefer to ignore it. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-11-01 I saw a woman on television not too long ago that suffered this horrific fate. She was burned when the m.i.l. to be or hubby to be (can't recall) threw acid on her b/c her family wouldn't pay up and up and up...\nShe was positively beautiful before the incident, but even more so with all her bravery and strong spirit after. Bharat \u0026mdash; 2005-11-15 Here's the real picture about wide-spread misuse of dowry laws by today's Indian daughters-in-law:\nMisuse of Dowry Laws ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/india---dowry-system-and-bride-burning/","summary":"The monster in the basement\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt has been written about, talked about and condemned but brides are mentally and physically abused, sometimes killed by greedy in-laws in today's India. This barbaric practice continues despite the fact that in many respects India today is a far cry from the India that V.S. Naipaul and others wrote about. \"Indian Middle Class Grows, But Ugly Tradition Persists\", John Lancaster's report in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102900729.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e  is about one unfortunate young woman who died at the hands of her husband and father-in-law.   \"NEW DELHI--Charanpreet Kaur, 19, had been married less than nine months when her husband and his family decided it was time for her to go. Trapping her in the bathroom, her husband clamped his hand over her mouth while his father doused her with kerosene, according to a police document. The father then lit a match, setting his daughter-in-law on fire. She died five days later. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIn some instances, the crimes do receive publicity and those charged end up being punished. But there seems to be a general lack of concern about the shameful system under which a bride's parents are required make payments, in cash and kind, to the groom. It is illegal to demand dowry but the custom continues unabated among all classes--rich and poor. Many highly educated young men tacitly approve of it. One gets the feeling that if it were not for some women's organizations actively involved in exposing and fighting the abuses related to dowry system the Indians would prefer to ignore it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-01\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI saw a woman on television not too long ago that suffered this horrific fate.  She was burned when the m.i.l. to be or hubby to be (can't recall) threw acid on her b/c her family wouldn't pay up and up and up...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe was positively beautiful before the incident, but even more so with all her bravery and strong spirit after.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBharat\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-11-15\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHere's the real picture about wide-spread misuse of dowry laws by today's Indian daughters-in-law:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cA HREF=\"http://harassed-husbands.blogspot.com/\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cB\u003e\u003cI\u003eMisuse of Dowry Laws\u003c/B\u003e\u003c/I\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"India - Dowry System and Bride Burning"},{"content":" The Lure of Running 26.2 MilesRich Campbell's \"Years ahead of competition\" in the Post this morning took me back to the time when I ran marathons. Ran my first when I was 49 and over the years I have run, and completed, three of them. My times are nothing to brag about but they were good experiences. Reaching the finish line never failed to cause elation and a sense of achievement. Only those who have done it can understand the feeling.Reading about Charles Stalzer, Margaret Hagerty and other older runners who are going to take part in the race tomorrow gives me hope that it is not too late to run another. Slower than I used to be but my knees are holding up; I can go out of the door and run 10 miles. Shall think of the participants in the Marine Corps Marathon tomorrow and wish them well. May the wind be behind your back. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/marine-corps-marathon/","summary":"The Lure of Running 26.2 Miles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRich Campbell's \"Years ahead of competition\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/28/AR2005102802220.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e this morning took me back to the time when I ran marathons. Ran my first when I was 49 and over the years I have run, and completed, three of them. My times are nothing to brag about but they were good experiences. Reaching the finish line never failed to cause elation and a sense of achievement. Only those who have done it can understand the feeling.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading about Charles Stalzer, Margaret Hagerty and other older runners who are going to take part in the race tomorrow gives me hope that it is not too late to run another. Slower than I used to be but my knees are holding up; I can go out of the door and run 10 miles. Shall think of the participants in the Marine Corps Marathon tomorrow and wish them well. May the wind be behind your back.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Marine Corps Marathon"},{"content":" Shed no tears for I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby *A report in The Washington Post reads: \"Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby, was indicted today by a federal grand jury after a nearly two-year investigation into the leak of a CIA agent's identity.\" \"Scooter\" Libby and his boss, VP Cheney, were driven by their obsession. If Karl Rove took pleasure in being a master strategist in exploiting the phobias and anger in the heartlands, Libby and the VP were true belivers; they had been working on the neocon agenda (PNAC) for a long time (letter to President Clinton). When they found themselves in positions to act they went at it with all the ferocity that was bottled up. They worked hard to bring about the war against Iraq. It was Darth Vader land and they were the masters. When they found their scenario crumbling they went ballistic. Mr. Libby will be spending a lot of time in conferences with attorneys. He has been charged with five counts in the CIA/Valerie Plame leak investigation. Win some, lose some.Mr. Libby escaped being charged with the more serious issue of violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982. Reports leave very little doubt that many members of the Bush administration lied during the investigation but they were not under oath when they did so and,thereforce, cannot be charged. (\"PL97-200, 50 U.S. Code Secs. 421–426 is a United States law which makes it a federal crime to knowingly reveal the identity of a covert CIA agent.\" Source: Wikipedia.org)Patrick Fitzgerald, the intrepid special prosecutor was appointed by Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey. Earlier chain of events had lead to force AG John Ashcroft to recuse himself from the investigation because of his close association with Karl Rove. If Ashcroft had a hand in it then things would not be where they are today. Mr. Fitzgerald deserves the nation's gratitude for restoring faith in the justice system.Karl Rove is not completely off the hook. Patrick Fitzgerald could decide to convene another grand jury to continue investigation of Rove and, possibly, others. But Rove and the president must have breathed a sigh of relief that his name was not on the indictment today. He is sometimes described as the \"evil genius\". But if Karl Rove is evil what does that make of his boss ? We know that he is no genius. For the president, self-described \"compassionate conservative\", who became a champion of bigotry and divisive policies, Karl Rove is a tool to be used and Rove has very ably served the president. It would be unfair to blame Rove for all the ills of the Bush administration. For that one must look at Bush and those who put him in the White House. He is their tool just as Karl Rove is his. And, like Karl Rove, he is serving them well.A Steve Bell cartoon from The Guardian,UK. Edited 5:15 PM Oct.28, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/libby-resigns----charged-with-five-counts-in-the-ciavalerie-plame-leak-investiga/","summary":"Shed no tears for I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eA report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/28/AR2005102800153.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eThe Washington Post reads\u003c/a\u003e: \"Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis \"Scooter\" Libby, was indicted today by a federal grand jury after a nearly two-year investigation into the leak of a CIA agent's identity.\" \"Scooter\" Libby and his boss, VP Cheney, were driven by their obsession. If Karl Rove took pleasure in being a master strategist in exploiting the phobias and anger in the heartlands, Libby and the VP were true belivers; they had been working on the neocon agenda (\u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century\"\u003ePNAC\u003c/a\u003e) for a long time (\u003ca href=\"http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm\"\u003eletter to President Clinton\u003c/a\u003e). When they found themselves in positions to act they went at it with all the ferocity that was bottled up. They worked hard to bring about the war against Iraq. It was Darth Vader land and they were the masters. When they found their scenario crumbling they went ballistic. Mr. Libby will be spending a lot of time in conferences with attorneys. He has been charged with five counts in the CIA/Valerie Plame leak investigation. Win some, lose some.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Libby escaped being charged with the more serious issue of violating the  \u003cb\u003eIntelligence Identities Protection Act\u003c/b\u003e of 1982. Reports leave very little doubt that many members of the Bush administration lied during the investigation but they were not under oath when they did so and,thereforce, cannot be charged. (\"PL97-200, 50 \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Code\" title=\"United States Code\"\u003eU.S. Code\u003c/a\u003e Secs. 421–426 is a \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States\" title=\"United States\"\u003eUnited States\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law\" title=\"Law\"\u003elaw\u003c/a\u003e which makes it a federal crime to knowingly reveal the identity of a \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covert_operation\" title=\"Covert operation\"\u003ecovert\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency\" title=\"Central Intelligence Agency\"\u003eCIA\u003c/a\u003e agent.\" Source: Wikipedia.org)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osc/\"\u003ePatrick Fitzgerald\u003c/a\u003e, the intrepid special prosecutor was appointed by Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey. Earlier chain of events had lead to force AG John Ashcroft to recuse himself from the investigation because of his close association with Karl Rove. If Ashcroft had a hand in it then things would not be where they are today. Mr. Fitzgerald deserves the nation's gratitude for restoring faith in the justice system.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eKarl Rove is not completely off the hook. Patrick Fitzgerald could decide to convene another grand jury to continue investigation of Rove and, possibly, others. But Rove and the president must have breathed a sigh of relief that his name was not on the indictment today. He is sometimes described as the \"evil genius\". But if Karl Rove is evil what does that make of his boss ? We know that he is no genius. For the president, self-described \"compassionate conservative\", who became a champion of bigotry and divisive policies, Karl Rove is a tool to be used and Rove has very ably served the president. It would be unfair to blame Rove for all the ills of the Bush administration. For that one must look at Bush and those who put him in the White House. He is their tool just as Karl Rove is his. And, like Karl Rove, he is serving them well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Steve Bell cartoon from \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,7371,1602767,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e,UK.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEdited 5:15 PM Oct.28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Libby resigns -- Charged with five counts in the CIA/Valerie Plame leak investigation"},{"content":" About war, deaths and profits* Mr. Arnold Stieber of Grass Lake, Michigan, writes: \"War is, at best, the failure of leaders to solve problems. At worst, war is a massive money-generating machine with no regard for life. It's all in the numbers.\" The full text of his letter is in The Guardian, Oct.27,2005.And Steve Bell's \"More Sacrifices will be required\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/letter-in-the-guardianuk-from-a-vietnam-veteran/","summary":"About war, deaths and profits\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eMr. Arnold Stieber of Grass Lake, Michigan, writes: \"War is, at best, the failure of leaders to solve problems. At worst, war is a massive money-generating machine with no regard for life. It's all in the numbers.\"  The full text of his letter is in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1601350,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1601350,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e, Oct.27,2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Steve Bell's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,7371,1601562,00.html\"\u003eMore Sacrifices will be required\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Letter in The Guardian,UK, From A Vietnam Veteran"},{"content":" For the Democrats it is a \"Good News, Bad News\" situation* The news about Harriet Miers' decision to fall on the sword to save her boss from further embarrassment didn't cause much surprise. Such an eventuality was mentioned in recent days by a few pundits. Fred Barbash in the Post writes: \"While the decision was a blow to the Bush administration, the move also may defuse a major controversy for the White House as it confronts possible indictments stemming from the disclosure of the identity of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame.\"The Democrats played this one right....mostly. However, they have no cause to rejoice. Yes, the president ended up with a bloody nose but he is not out for the count. It is a given that the next nominee coming down the pike will be of a different breed. He or she will not be one without records and the records will please even the most hard-nosed among the conservative Republicans. It is extremely doubtful that the Democrats will be able to muster enough support to block the confirmation. So, instead of a George Bush groupie who probably would have made decisions to please her former boss, the new member of the Supreme Court will be a strict \"constructionist\" as the president interpretes the word when he praises Justices Scalia and Thomas. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/harriet-miers-fell-on-the-sword-for-her-boss/","summary":"For the Democrats it is a \"Good News, Bad News\" situation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe news about Harriet Miers' decision to fall on the sword to save her boss from further embarrassment didn't cause much surprise. Such an eventuality was mentioned in recent days by a few pundits. Fred Barbash in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/27/AR2005102700547.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e writes: \"While the decision was a blow to the Bush administration, the move also may defuse a major controversy for the White House as it confronts possible indictments stemming from the disclosure of the identity of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe Democrats played this one right....mostly. However, they have no cause to rejoice. Yes, the president ended up with a bloody nose but he is not out for the count. It is a given that the next nominee coming down the pike will be of a different breed. He or she will not be one without records and the records will please even the most hard-nosed among the conservative Republicans. It is extremely doubtful that the Democrats will be able to muster enough support to block the confirmation. So, instead of a George Bush groupie who probably would have made decisions to please her former boss, the new member of the Supreme Court will be a strict \"constructionist\" as the president interpretes the word when he praises Justices Scalia and Thomas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Harriet Miers Fell on the Sword for Her Boss"},{"content":" Mourn for the dead and ask yourself what did they die for*The total has crossed the 2,000 mark. See list (names and dates). \"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\" , wrote C.E. Montague (1867-1928), British soldier, author, journalist. A sad reminder of the tremendous waste of lives in the war that we got into because of lies, deception and the obsession of a few. Known non-combatants: President G.W. Bush, VP Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.Where they lived, where they died. Today's Washington Post contains detailed map and charts. Also see Josh White and Ann Tyson's report \"Military has lost 2,000 in Iraq\". On October 25th the AFP reported that according to a WSJ poll, \"For the first time, a majority of Americans believe the war was \"the wrong thing to do\".The president, of course, is still a champion of the war. The costs have been too high for him to survive the firestorm that will erupt following an admission of a wrong decision.Total injured: 15,220.And the forgotten ones--Iraqi civilians. Minimum 26,690 Maximum 30,051. These figures are from Anti-war.com, much lower than the Britsh medical journal Lancet's report which mentioned more than 100,000 dead. In recent months more civilians have been killed by insurgents than by military actions. Still, the majority of civilian deaths is attributable to military actions. That could change if the insurgents continue their random atrocities.\".....any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.John Donne ( 1572-1631) Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions ,1623 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/casualties-of-war-and-champions-of-war/","summary":"Mourn for the dead  and ask yourself what did they die for\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe total has crossed the 2,000 mark.  See list (\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.Aspx\"\u003enames and dates\u003c/a\u003e). \"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\" , wrote C.E. Montague (1867-1928), British soldier, author, journalist. A sad reminder of the tremendous waste of lives in the war that we got into because of lies, deception and the obsession of a few. Known non-combatants: President G.W. Bush, VP Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere they lived, where they died.  Today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2005/10/26/CU2005102600563.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e contains detailed map and charts. Also see Josh White and Ann Tyson's report \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/25/AR2005102501185.html\"\u003eMilitary has lost 2,000 in Iraq\u003c/a\u003e\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/center\u003eOn October 25th the \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051025/pl_afp/iraquspoll_051025142356\"\u003eAFP \u003c/a\u003ereported that according to a WSJ poll, \"For the first time, a majority of Americans believe the war was \"the wrong thing to do\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president, of course, is still a champion of the war. The costs have been too high for him to survive the firestorm that will erupt following an admission of a wrong decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTotal injured: 15,220.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAnd the forgotten ones--Iraqi civilians.  Minimum 26,690 Maximum 30,051.  These figures are from \u003ca href=\"http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/\"\u003eAnti-war.com\u003c/a\u003e, much lower than the Britsh medical journal Lancet's report which mentioned more than 100,000 dead. In recent months more civilians have been killed by insurgents than by military actions. Still, the majority of civilian deaths is attributable to military actions. That could change if the insurgents continue their random atrocities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\".....any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Donne ( 1572-1631) Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions ,1623\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Casualties of War and Champions of War"},{"content":" It is Blind Ambition, Not Color Blindness *Eugene Robinson\" in his column in the Washington Post \"What Rice Can't See\" asks \"How did she come to a worldview so radically different from that of most black Americans? Is she blind, is she in denial, is she confused -- or what?\". Perhaps there is a more simple explanation--she is driven by ambition and in her world there is no place for anything else. Somewhere along the way she left Titusville and hitched her star to conservative Republicanism. Over the years, as her party turned more and more to the right, she moved lockstep with it and cultivated those who were in positions of power. The strategy paid off for her. She has been well rewarded. She is not going to risk losing it all by getting involved with rights and needs of blacks. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-enigma-of-condoleezza-rice/","summary":"It is Blind Ambition, Not Color Blindness \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/24/AR2005102401370.html\"\u003eEugene  Robinson\"\u003c/a\u003e in his column in the Washington Post \"What Rice Can't See\" asks \"How did she come to a worldview so radically different from that of most black Americans? Is she blind, is she in denial, is she confused -- or what?\". Perhaps there is a more simple explanation--she is driven by ambition and in her world there is no place for anything else. Somewhere along the way she left Titusville and hitched her star to conservative Republicanism. Over the years, as her party turned more and more to the right, she moved lockstep with it and cultivated those who were in positions of power. The strategy paid off for her. She has been well rewarded. She is not going to risk losing it all by getting involved with rights and needs of blacks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Enigma of Condoleezza Rice"},{"content":" Brent Scowcroft speaks out*Fascinating. In the online edition of The New Yorker (10/31/05) Amy Davidson discusses Jeffrey Goldberg's article on the former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft. \"Breaking Ranks - What Brent Scowcroft tried to tell Bush\", Jeffrey Goldberg's piece will be available in the print edition. On October 16th Glen Kessler of the Post wrote of Brent Scowcroft's critical remarks about the Bush administration in London's Financial Times. At that time Mr. Scowcroft \"declined a request for interview\" with the Post. However, a close friend of H.W. Bush, the president's father, Scowcroft spoke openly with Jeffrey Goldberg. He talked about policies of the current administration as well as the personalities who shape them. His comments about ideological difference between \"realists\" and \"transformationalists\" are revealing and apt to cause ripples.First, it was General Colin Powell who finally admitted regret in September about his UN speech to gain support for the war against Iraq. Then last week his former chief of staff, Col. Larry Wilkerson issued a harsh statement, criticizing the administration's Iraq policy. Now it is Brent Scowcroft. But the neocons go merrily marching on. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/a-wise-old-man-who-served-bush-41/","summary":"Brent Scowcroft speaks out\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFascinating. In the online edition of \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/articles/051031on_onlineonly01\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e (10/31/05) Amy Davidson discusses Jeffrey Goldberg's article on the former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft. \"Breaking Ranks - What Brent Scowcroft tried to tell Bush\", Jeffrey Goldberg's piece will be available in the print edition.  On October 16th Glen Kessler of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36644-2004Oct15.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e wrote of Brent Scowcroft's critical remarks about the Bush administration in London's Financial Times. At that time Mr. Scowcroft \"declined a request for interview\" with the Post. However, a close friend of H.W. Bush, the president's father, Scowcroft spoke openly with Jeffrey Goldberg. He talked about policies of the current administration as well as the personalities who shape them. His comments about ideological difference between \"realists\" and \"transformationalists\" are revealing and apt to cause ripples.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFirst, it was \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1773671,00.html\"\u003eGeneral Colin Powell\u003c/a\u003e who finally admitted regret in September about his UN speech to gain support for the war against Iraq. Then last week his former chief of staff, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101902246.html?sub=AR\"\u003eCol. Larry Wilkerson\u003c/a\u003e issued a harsh statement, criticizing the administration's Iraq policy. Now it is Brent Scowcroft. But the neocons go merrily marching on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"A Wise Old Man Who Served Bush 41"},{"content":" \"Millions believe attacks against British troops justified\"*The report in the Post by John Anderson and Steve Fainaru \"Four were slain by mob last month\" gives credibility to the item in The Sunday Telegraph (UK) about a secret poll conducted by the Ministry of Defence. According to the poll majority of Iraqis support insurgents' actions against coalition forces. This makes a hole in all the hyperbole from President Bush and high ranking officials regarding support from Iraqi civilians. How do they feel about attacks against coalition forces as well as claims for improved infrastructure and security in the country ? The answers are revealing but not surprising. Incidentally, 329 American soldiers have died in Iraq since May 31st when VP Cheney declared that the insurgents were \"....in their last throes\". Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties.orgExcerpt from the Sunday Telegraph report:\"The secret poll appears to contradict claims made by Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the Chief of the General Staff, who only days ago congratulated British soldiers for \"supporting the Iraqi people in building a new and better Iraq\".\nAndrew Robathan, a former member of the SAS and the Tory shadow defence minister, said last night that the poll clearly showed a complete failure of Government policy.\"\nWhen coalition (mainly US) forces continue to kill innocent Iraqis during military operations against insurgents, we cannot expect support from Iraqis. It is easy to to describe such casualties as \"collateral damage\" but that does not heal the wounds of surviving family members. There is bitterness and hatred. We are a long way from winning their hearts and minds. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/iraqis-and-the-ministry-of-defence-poll/","summary":"\"Millions believe attacks against British troops justified\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/22/AR2005102201192.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e by John Anderson and Steve Fainaru \"Four were slain by mob last month\" gives credibility to the item in The \u003ca href=\"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/23/wirq23.xml\u0026amp;sSheet=/news/2005/10/23/ixworld.html\"\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c/a\u003e (UK) about a secret poll conducted by the Ministry of Defence. According to the poll majority of Iraqis support insurgents' actions against coalition forces. This makes a hole in all the hyperbole from President Bush and high ranking officials regarding support from Iraqi civilians. How do they feel about attacks against coalition forces as well as claims for improved infrastructure and security in the country ? The answers are revealing but not surprising. Incidentally, 329 American soldiers have died in Iraq since May 31st when VP Cheney declared that the insurgents were \"....in their last throes\". Source: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpt from the Sunday Telegraph report:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp class=\"story\"\u003e\"The secret poll appears to contradict claims made by Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the Chief of the General Staff, who only days ago congratulated British soldiers for \"supporting the Iraqi people in building a new and better Iraq\".\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iraqis and The Ministry of Defence Poll"},{"content":" If Wishes Were HorsesAnd Death Toll Mounts for U.S. Soldiers*At the end the president could turn out to be right. \"There's some background noise here, a lot of chatter, a lot of speculation and opining,\" Bush said. \"But the American people expect me to do my job, and I'm going to.\" Jim VandeHei and Peter Baker write in the Post of \"A Palpable Silence in the White House\". Hard to think of Bush without Karl Rove. Could happen but let's not rush into counting the chickens before they are hatched.The BBC web site has a report (Bush plagued by domestic issues) on the same subject by Matt Frei of its Washington bureau.In other news, death toll in Iraq is nearing the 2ooo mark. Latest count: 1992. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/prince-george-without-his-machiavelli/","summary":"If Wishes Were Horses\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Death Toll Mounts for U.S. Soldiers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt the end the president could turn out to be right. \"There's some background noise here, a lot of chatter, a lot of speculation and opining,\" Bush said. \"But the American people expect me to do my job, and I'm going to.\" Jim VandeHei and Peter Baker write in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/20/AR2005102002321.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e of \"A Palpable Silence in the White House\". Hard to think of Bush without Karl Rove. Could happen but let's not rush into counting the chickens before they are hatched.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4362658.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e web site has a report (Bush plagued by domestic issues)  on the same subject by Matt Frei of its Washington bureau.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn other news, death toll in Iraq is nearing the 2ooo mark. Latest count: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e1992.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Prince \"George\" Without His Machiavelli"},{"content":" A walk on Pindos Mountain with a gentle giant. Yassiou Kostas. *Most travelers to Greece visit the islands and stay near the coast. I wanted to see the real Greece, not tourist resorts overrun with people on holiday. Found a British company that offered walking tours through Zagoria Villages in the Pindos Mountain range up north.I flew from SFO to Heathrow. Had lunch in the City with a friend, spent the night in a hotel near Gatwick Aiport and the next day boarded a flight from Gatwick to Preveza. At Preveza I met Kostas Vaseleiou, the guide, and other members of the group--all from England. Preveza is located at the tip of an inlet of the Aegian Sea. Bay at Preveza ©RSWe crossed the inlet on a ferry and a small bus took us up to the picturesque village of Monodendri at the mouth of Vikos Gorge, the starting point of our walk. Monodendri is well known for the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi which stands on the edge of the gorge. Hotel at Monodendri ©RS At the monastery on the edge of Vikos gorge ©RSTina Averoff (extreme left) joined the group to take photographs for the Epirus Foundation of Greece. She walked with us all the way to Tsepelovo.Monodendri to Vikos (through Vikos Gorge) The Vikos Gorge is over 3,000 ft deep at certain points. It was not difficult to go down when we began our walk at Monodendri but a different story at the other end when we had to climb out to the village of Vikos. The first glass of beer felt good. I needed it.The accommodation was rustic and the food nothing to rave about. Going down Vikos Gorge ©RS At Vikos ©RSVikos to PapingoWe had to return to the gorge and then climb back to reach Papingo. Back to the Gorge ©RS Goats lined up on the ridge. They caused a lot of pebbles to shower down to the trail. Vikos River ©RS Crystal clear but didn't see any fish. Rest stop on the uphill trail to Papingo ©RS Arrival at Papingo ©RSAt Papingo the food was more authentic and better than the other places where we spent our nights. The local goat cheese and olive oil were excellent. The rooms,too, were comfortable. Dinner time at Papingo ©RS It was the feast day of Saint Constantine, Costas' patron saint. Kostas' wife, Madelon and one of her friends (a Spanish woman) who worked as an interpreter in the EU Secretariat,Brussels,drove up from Kipi to join us for dinner.At that time I was considering walking the Pilgrim's Route established by the Crusaders, 480 miles from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. She told me about the Spanish author Paulo Coelho and his writings about the route and gave me other useful information. I still think of doing the walk but time is running out. Thousands of people from all over ther world walk the route for various reasons. Shirley MacLaine did it and wrote a book about her experience. My interest has nothing to do with pilgrimage. The mother of all long distance walks is the 2175 miles Appalachian Trail. Most of the through hikers do it northbound, from Georgia to Maine. I'm digressing; back to Zagoria Villages in Greece.Madelon and Kostas ©RSPapingo to Astraka (Mountain Hut)Rulla ©RS Rulla, wife of the inn keeper at Papingo, and her dog walked with us to Astraka. On the uphill trail Rulla and I were ahead of the pack. She chattered in Greek and pointed to various landmarks. Didn't understand the words but we got along well with sign language. After we reached Astraka, her dog started limping. Kostas said it was probably bitten by an adder. Rulla and the dog left to return to Papingo before it got dark. Astraka Mountain Hut ©RS The hut remains closed during winter and spring. We were the first group to arrive there that summer. The place was damp and cold. We put the mattresses from bunk beds out to air them but didn't do much good. There was no electricity. The toilet facilities were primitive. Some of us elected to use the outdoors. The hikes we took during the day were good but the two nights we spent there were far from pleasant. The caretaker and his wife showed up and fixed dinner. Fried chicken. Drank a lot of ouzo and retsina to make the evenings bearable.During our stay we walked to Dragon Lake and Astraka Peak. Dragon Lake at foot of Gamilla Peak ©RS On Astraka Peak ©RS Astraka to TsepelevoEnroute Tsepelovo ©RS Trudging through snow ©RS Had to walk a couple of miles through snow. It was slow and tiring. Beyond the snow, the trail was rocky. Kostas and Tina during stop for lunch ©RS Tsepelovo ©RS Largest of the Zagoria villages. Our group was accommodated in two separate houses. We gathered in the only restaurant in the village. Food was sort of blah...fried chicken, again, but met an interesting British couple, Effie and Roy Hounsell, permanent residents of Koukoúli, a village nearby. Roy was writing a book about their experiences. Their plans included setting up a bed and breakfast place. (\"The Hamlet\" is now open for business and offers four rooms.) Village restaurant, Tspelovo ©RSMadelon, Effie \u0026amp; Roy Hounsell in foreground.Tsepelovo to IoanninaWe were driven by bus to Ioannina. Took a boat to the island in the middle of Lake Pamvotis and checked into a lovely bungalow for our last night's stay. In the evening we took the boat back to Ioannina for dinner. Great mezzes. Island in Lake Pamvotis ©RS Breakfast, last morning ©RS After breakfast we went to Ioannina by boat and then by bus to Preveza to catch our flight. Final drink at Preveza Airport ©RS It was cold and drizzly when we landed at Gatwick. Quite a change from the warm, sunlit place we left behind a few hours ago.Next day I caught a flight for SFO from Heathrow. \"Baghdad by the Bay\", as the late Herb Caen described San Francisco, was a welcome sight from the window of the plane. I was home. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/greece-off-the-beaten-path/","summary":"A walk on Pindos Mountain with a gentle giant.   Yassiou Kostas.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMost travelers to Greece visit the islands and stay near the coast. I wanted to see the real Greece, not tourist resorts overrun with people on holiday. Found a British company that offered walking tours through Zagoria Villages in the Pindos Mountain range up north.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI flew from SFO to Heathrow. Had lunch in the City with a friend, spent the night in a hotel near Gatwick Aiport and the next day boarded a flight from Gatwick to Preveza. At Preveza I met Kostas Vaseleiou, the guide, and other members of the group--all from England. Preveza is located at the tip of an inlet of the Aegian Sea.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Bay at Preveza (1).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e Bay at Preveza  ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe crossed the inlet on a ferry and a small bus took us up to the picturesque village of Monodendri at the mouth of Vikos Gorge, the starting point of our walk. Monodendri is well known for the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi which stands on the edge of the gorge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Hotel Vikos, Monodendri (2).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Hotel at Monodendri   ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Monastery of St. Paraskevi (3)1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAt the monastery on the edge of Vikos gorge  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTina Averoff (extreme left) joined the group to take photographs for the Epirus Foundation of Greece. She walked with us all the way to Tsepelovo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMonodendri to Vikos (through Vikos Gorge)\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e The Vikos Gorge is over 3,000 ft deep at certain points. It was not difficult to go down when we began our walk at Monodendri but a different story at the other end when we had to climb out to the village of Vikos. The first glass of beer felt good. I needed it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe accommodation was rustic and the food nothing to rave about.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e  \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Going down Vikos Gorge (4).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoing down Vikos Gorge  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/With a glass of ouzo at Vikos (6)1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAt Vikos ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVikos to Papingo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe had to return to the gorge and then climb back to reach Papingo.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Back to the gorge, goats (8)1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Back to the Gorge  ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e Goats lined up on the ridge.  They caused a lot of  pebbles to shower down to the trail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Water was crystal clear, no fish (9).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Vikos River   ©RS\u003c/div\u003e Crystal clear but didn't see any fish.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Rest stop on the upward trail to Papingo (10)1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRest stop on the uphill trail to Papingo  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Arrival at Papingo (11).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Arrival at Papingo  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt Papingo the food was more authentic and better than the other places where we spent our nights. The local goat cheese and olive oil were excellent. The rooms,too, were comfortable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Dinner time at Papingo (12).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Dinner time at Papingo ©RS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eIt was the feast day of Saint Constantine, Costas' patron saint. Kostas' wife, Madelon and one of her friends (a Spanish woman) who worked as an interpreter in the EU Secretariat,Brussels,drove up from Kipi to join us for dinner.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAt that time I was considering walking the Pilgrim's Route established by the Crusaders, 480 miles from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. She told me about the Spanish author Paulo Coelho and his writings about the route and gave me other useful information. I still think of doing the walk but time is running out. Thousands of people from all over ther world walk the route for various reasons. Shirley MacLaine did it and wrote a book about her experience. My interest has nothing to do with pilgrimage. The mother of all long distance walks is the 2175 miles Appalachian Trail. Most of the through hikers do it northbound, from Georgia to Maine. I'm digressing; back to Zagoria Villages in Greece.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Madelon and Kostas Vasilieou.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMadelon and Kostas ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePapingo to Astraka (Mountain Hut)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Rulla (13).jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eRulla  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eRulla, wife of the inn keeper at Papingo, and her dog walked with us to Astraka. On the uphill trail Rulla and I were ahead of the pack. She chattered in Greek and pointed to various landmarks. Didn't understand the words but we got along well with sign language. After we reached Astraka, her dog started limping. Kostas said it was probably bitten by an adder. Rulla and the dog left to return to Papingo before it got dark.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Mountain Hut, damp, dark, moldy (14).jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eAstraka Mountain Hut ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e The hut remains closed during winter and spring. We were the first group to arrive there that summer. The place was damp and cold. We put the mattresses from bunk beds out to air them but didn't do much good. There was no electricity. The toilet facilities were primitive. Some of us elected to use the outdoors. The hikes we took during the day were good but the two nights we spent there were far from pleasant. The caretaker and his wife showed up and fixed dinner. Fried chicken. Drank a lot of ouzo and retsina to make the evenings bearable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuring our stay we walked to Dragon Lake and Astraka Peak.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Dragon Lake at foot of Gamilla Peak (15).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Dragon Lake at foot of Gamilla Peak ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/With Kostas on top of Astraka Peak (17).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e  On Astraka Peak ©RS\u003c/div\u003e  Astraka to Tsepelevo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Enroute to Tsepelovo(17).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnroute Tsepelovo ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Trudging through snow  (18).jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTrudging through snow ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e Had to walk a couple of miles through snow.  It was slow and tiring.  Beyond the snow, the trail was rocky.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Lunch break - Tina Averoff and Kostas (20).jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e Kostas and Tina during stop for lunch ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/At Tsepelovo.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eTsepelovo ©RS\u003c/div\u003e Largest of the Zagoria villages. Our group was accommodated in two separate houses. We gathered in the only restaurant in the village. Food was sort of blah...fried chicken, again, but met an interesting British couple, Effie and Roy Hounsell, permanent residents of Koukoúli, a village nearby. Roy was writing a book about their experiences. Their plans included setting up a bed and breakfast place. (\"The Hamlet\" is now open for business and offers four rooms.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e \u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Village restaurant, Tspelovo.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eVillage restaurant, Tspelovo  ©RS\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMadelon, Effie \u0026amp; Roy Hounsell in foreground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTsepelovo to Ioannina\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe were driven by bus to Ioannina. Took a boat to the island in the middle of Lake Pamvotis and checked into a lovely bungalow for our last night's stay. In the evening we took the boat back to Ioannina for dinner. Great mezzes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Island, Lake Pamvotis.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eIsland in Lake Pamvotis ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Breakfast, last morning.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eBreakfast, last morning ©RS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eAfter breakfast we went to Ioannina by boat and then by bus to Preveza to catch our flight.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg class=\"phostImg\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/10/Final drink at Preveza Airport.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eFinal drink at Preveza Airport ©RS\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  It was cold and drizzly when we landed at Gatwick. Quite a change from the warm, sunlit place we left behind a few hours ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNext day I caught a flight for SFO from Heathrow. \"Baghdad by the Bay\", as the late Herb Caen described San Francisco, was a welcome sight from the window of the plane. I was home.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Greece, Off the Beaten Path"},{"content":" Miss Run Amok and \"All The News That's Fit to Print\", Not*Tina Brown's comments in the Post, \"Seeing Right Through The Times's Transparency\", cannot be disputed. The failure of NYT to exercise control over a rogue reporter (self-described Miss Run Amok!) is a mystery. Why was she allowed to continue as a loose cannon after her reports about Saddam Hussein's WMD were proven to be false ? Those in charge of running the NYT are still behind her. Perhaps they have good reason for doing so; perhaps their hands are tied. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-tragic-fall-of-an-once-proud-newspaper/","summary":"Miss Run Amok and \"All The News That's Fit to Print\", Not\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTina Brown's comments in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101901963.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e, \"Seeing Right Through The Times's Transparency\", cannot be disputed.  The failure of \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/\"\u003eNYT\u003c/a\u003e to exercise control over a rogue reporter (self-described Miss Run Amok!) is a mystery. Why was she allowed to continue as a loose cannon after her reports about Saddam Hussein's WMD were proven to be false ? Those in charge of running the NYT are still behind her. Perhaps they have good reason for doing so; perhaps their hands are tied.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Tragic Fall of an once Proud Newspaper"},{"content":" uHe had it coming * It couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. Warmed the cockles of my heart to read that a warrant has been issued for arch bully Tom Delay, aka the Hammer, aka the Exterminator. The report in Washington Post by Susan Gamboa of Associated Press reads: \"AUSTIN, Texas -- A state court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for Rep. Tom DeLay, requiring him to appear in Texas for booking on state conspiracy and money laundering charges\". He might froth at the mouth about vengeful prosecution but he will have to go through the motions required under our legal system. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/a-bully-squirming---the-table-has-turned-on-tom-delay/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003euHe had it coming\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. Warmed the cockles of my heart to read that a warrant has been issued for arch bully Tom Delay, aka the Hammer, aka the Exterminator. The report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101901804.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e by Susan Gamboa of Associated Press reads: \"AUSTIN, Texas -- A state court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for Rep. Tom DeLay, requiring him to appear in Texas for booking on state conspiracy and money laundering charges\". He might froth at the mouth about vengeful prosecution but he will have to go through the motions required under our legal system.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Bully Squirming - The Table has Turned On Tom DeLay"},{"content":" Anti-abortion Position Comes to Light*What will be her argument as she tries to wiggle through this? The Washington Post report by Charles Babington and Fred Barbash \"Miers backed abortion ban in 1989\" leaves no doubt about her position. \"Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers agreed in 1989 that she would \"actively support\" a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban abortion except when necessary to prevent the death of the mother.\" It is doubtful that her views have changed since 1989. But one really didn't need a paper trail. It became clear some time back (after publication of the treacly letters and notes that she sent over the years to G.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush that this Bush groupie could never do anything to displease her hero. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/harriet-miers---finally-a-paper-trail-surfaces/","summary":"Anti-abortion Position Comes to Light\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat will be her argument as she tries to wiggle through this?  \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/18/AR2005101800715.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e report by Charles Babington and Fred Barbash  \"Miers backed abortion ban in 1989\" leaves no doubt about her position.  \"Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers agreed in 1989 that she would \"actively support\" a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban abortion except when necessary to prevent the death of the mother.\" It is doubtful that her views have changed since 1989. But one really didn't need a paper trail. It became clear some time back (after publication of the treacly letters and notes that she sent over the years to G.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush that this Bush groupie could never do anything to displease her hero.","title":"Harriet Miers - Finally a Paper Trail Surfaces"},{"content":" Authors Past and an Author Present*The first time I read \"Brideshead Revisited\" I couldn't put it down. Got caught in this novel about people and places that had nothing in common with my bacground. Perhaps that was what made it so interesting. Of course, Evelyn Waugh's wonderful prose was part of the magic. I returned to it in the eighties after watching Granada Television's adaptation (1982) of the novel. Superb production, as most of them are. Recently, I went back to the book--for the third time. Don't think I'll be around to read it again. I went through it in a leisurely manner and savoured it as much as I did when I read it the first time.Chapter I\" 'I have been here before', I said; I had been there before, first with Sebastian more than twenty years ago on a cloudless day in June, when the ditches were creamy with meadowflower and the air heavy with all the scents of summer; it was a day of peculiar splendour, and though I had been there so often, in so many moods, it was to that first visit that my heart returned on this, my latest.\"*\"I am not I: thou are not he or sheThey are not they\"Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966)The Raj Quartet, Paul Scott's saga about India in the final years of British rule is in a different league. Mr. Scott came from a humble background and it took him a long time to gain recognition. He went to India in 1943 as an air supplies offer and served in India and Malaya. The first volume of The Raj Quartet appeared in print in 1966. The final volume was published in 1974. The book brought him fame. It was made into a serial by Granada Television. The production did full justice to the book. For me, it revived the sights, smells and sounds of India I knew.Some, including the author Salmon Rushdie, criticized Mr. Scott's depiction of India and Indians. I thought that the book came quite close to accurately describing the conditions that existed. That Paul Scott was able to capture the nuances during his brief stay in India and able to write about them with such clarity speak a lot about his talent. It was not an easy thing to do.Paul Scott died in 1978 from cirrhosis of the liver. He was 58. His last years were plagued by his drinking problem. Shortly before his death he received the Booker Prize for \"Staying On\", a novel about an English couple who decided to remain in India after the end of the British rule.*\"This is a story of a rape, of the events that led up to it and followed it and of the place in which it happened. There are action, the people, and the place; all of which are interrelated but in their totality incommunicable in isolation from the moral continuum of human affairs.\"--The Jewel in the Crown, 1966; part one of The Raj QuartetA fellow blogger, fogdux, wrote on October 9th about Henning Mankell, the Swedish author of mysteries. Her tribute to this gifted writer leaves nothing to add. I discovered Mankell a few years back and voraciously went through all the Kurt Wallander books that the library had. There was one that I didn't like--\"The Dogs of Riga\". Mankell's latest book, \"Before the Frost\" features Linda Wallander, Kurt's daughter, as a detective. I am looking forward to reading it.\"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/evelyn-waugh-paul-scott-henning-mankell/","summary":"Authors Past and an Author Present\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe first time I read \"Brideshead Revisited\" I couldn't put it down. Got caught in this novel about people and places that had nothing in common with my bacground. Perhaps that was what made it so interesting. Of course, Evelyn Waugh's wonderful prose was part of the magic. I returned to it in the eighties after watching Granada Television's adaptation (1982) of the novel. Superb production, as most of them are. Recently, I went back to the book--for the third time. Don't think I'll be around to read it again. I went through it in a leisurely manner and savoured it as much as I did when I read it the first time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChapter I\u003cbr/\u003e\" 'I have been here before', I said; I had been there before, first with Sebastian more than twenty years ago on a cloudless day in June, when the ditches were creamy with meadowflower and the air heavy with all the scents of summer; it was a day of peculiar splendour, and though I had been there so often, in so many moods, it was to that first visit that my heart returned on this, my latest.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I am not I: thou are not he or she\u003cbr/\u003eThey are not they\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEvelyn Waugh (1903-1966)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Raj Quartet, Paul Scott's saga about India in the final years of British rule is in a different league. Mr. Scott came from a humble background and it took him a long time to gain recognition. He went to India in 1943 as an air supplies offer and served in India and Malaya. The first volume of The Raj Quartet appeared in print in 1966. The final volume was published in 1974. The book brought him fame. It was made into a serial by Granada Television. The production did full justice to the book. For me, it revived the sights, smells and sounds of India I knew.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome, including the author Salmon Rushdie, criticized Mr. Scott's depiction of India and Indians. I thought that the book came quite close to accurately describing the conditions that existed. That Paul Scott was able to capture the nuances during his brief stay in India and able to write about them with such clarity speak a lot about his talent. It was not an easy thing to do.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Scott died in 1978 from cirrhosis of the liver. He was 58. His last years were plagued by his drinking problem. Shortly before his death he received the Booker Prize for \"Staying On\", a novel about an English couple who decided to remain in India after the end of the British rule.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is a story of a rape, of the events that led up to it and followed it and of the place in which it happened. There are action, the people, and the place; all of which are interrelated but in their totality incommunicable in isolation from the moral continuum of human affairs.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--The Jewel in the Crown, 1966; part one of The Raj Quartet\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA fellow blogger, \u003ca href=\"http://hruskova.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_hruskova_archive.html\"\u003efogdux\u003c/a\u003e, wrote on October 9th about Henning Mankell, the Swedish author of mysteries. Her tribute to this gifted writer leaves nothing to add. I discovered Mankell a few years back and voraciously went through all the Kurt Wallander books that the library had. There was one that I didn't like--\"The Dogs of Riga\". Mankell's latest book, \"Before the Frost\" features Linda Wallander, Kurt's daughter, as a detective. I am looking forward to reading it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a  little as if you have lost a friend.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Evelyn Waugh* Paul Scott* Henning Mankell"},{"content":" The White House on Tenterhooks*Online edition of the NY Times,which made a mockery of its motto \"All the news that's fit to print\",is carrying an Associated Press report about the ongoing investigation of CIA/Valerie Plame leak by Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald. \"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's CIA-leak inquiry is focusing attention on what long has been a Bush White House tactic: slash-and-burn assaults on its critics, particularly those opposed to the president's Iraq war policies.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/slash-and-burn-cut-and-run/","summary":"The White House on Tenterhooks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOnline edition of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e,which made a mockery of its motto \"All the news that's fit to print\",is carrying an \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-CIA-Leak-Analysis.html\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e report about the ongoing investigation of CIA/Valerie Plame leak by Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald.  \"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's CIA-leak inquiry is focusing attention on what long has been a Bush White House tactic: slash-and-burn assaults on its critics, particularly those opposed to the president's Iraq war policies.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Slash and Burn, Cut and Run"},{"content":" More collateral damage - Kill them, kiss them*A few ragheads here, a few ragheads there. The AP report in the Post reads:BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. warplanes and helicopters bombed two western villages, killing an estimated 70 militants near a site where five American soldiers died in a weekend roadside blast, the military said Monday. Residents said at least 39 of the dead were civilians .\"More than 50% of the total casualties reported to be civilians who happened to be in the area where the military action took place. As in the past, we can expect the deaths of civilians to be confirmed with the usual expressions of regret. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/how-we-are-winning-hearts-and-minds-in-iraq/","summary":"More collateral damage - Kill them, kiss them\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few ragheads here, a few ragheads there. The AP report in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/17/AR2005101700150.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e reads:BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. warplanes and helicopters bombed two western villages, killing an estimated 70 militants near a site where five American soldiers died in a weekend roadside blast, the military said Monday. Residents said at least 39 of the dead were civilians .\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore than 50% of the total casualties reported to be civilians who happened to be in the area where the military action took place. As in the past, we can expect the deaths of civilians to be confirmed with the usual expressions of regret.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"How We Are Winning Hearts and Minds in Iraq"},{"content":" Politics Prevails Over Aid to Earthquake Victims*Makes one weep. A stark example of man's inhumanity to man. It is the decades old enemity between India and Pakistan over territorial rights in Kashmir that is preventing medical and other forms of assistance from reaching villages on the Pakistani side of the border. More than 38,000 dead according to latest reports. From Dan McDougall's report in The Observer \"'We are desperate for heavy machinery: drills, backhoes, anything that can help remove the debris and perhaps save lives,' said Abdul Qayyum, a Bagh schoolteacher. 'The government should send heavy machinery so we can get bodies or save those who are still alive. If they can't help us, then let the Indian army over the border. They are only kilometres away. What is more important - politics or lives? We can hear the call to prayer from their mosques floating across the line of control. Their buildings are standing - they can help us.' ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/kashmir---tragedy-in-the-disputed-territory/","summary":"Politics Prevails Over Aid to Earthquake Victims\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMakes one weep. A stark example of man's inhumanity to man. It is the decades old enemity between India and Pakistan over territorial rights in Kashmir that is preventing medical and other forms of assistance from reaching villages on the Pakistani side of the border. More than 38,000 dead according to latest reports. From Dan McDougall's report in \u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1593230,00.html\"\u003eThe Observer\u003c/a\u003e \"'We are desperate for heavy machinery: drills, backhoes, anything that can help remove the debris and perhaps save lives,' said Abdul Qayyum, a Bagh schoolteacher. 'The government should send heavy machinery so we can get bodies or save those who are still alive. If they can't help us, then let the Indian army over the border. They are only kilometres away. What is more important - politics or lives? We can hear the call to prayer from their mosques floating across the line of control. Their buildings are standing - they can help us.'\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Kashmir - Tragedy in the Disputed Territory"},{"content":" Is the noose closing in ?*The grand jury for the CIA/Valerie Plame leak investigation by Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald is due to expire on October 28th. Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to announce his decision by that date whether or not to prosecute any of the people involved. For some of the players it must be an agonizing time. The special prosecutor and his office succeeded in preventing the investigation from turning into a circus. For that alone Mr. Fitzgerald and his staff are worthy of praise. What a difference when compared with Ken Starr who was in charge of the Clinton investigation ! His office leaked like a sieve and he revelled in appearing before TV cameras. The Washington Post is carrying an excellent summation of the background by Howard Kurtz.All The News That's Fit to Print ! The NY Times One of the journalists involved is Judith Miller of the NY Times. David Corn's column in The Nation includes the following:\"So much for without fear or favor. This is an awful acknowledgment for the nation's leading paper. Taubman and Jill Abramson, a managing editor, called the situation \"Excruciatingly difficult.\" It was worse. As I've written before, Jayson Blair bamboozled his editors; Judy Miller handcuffed hers. If a deal could have been reached a year earlier, the Times would not be as embarrassed as it is today. No wonder, as the paper reports, when Miller made a post-release speech in the newsroom, claiming a victory for press freedoms, her colleagues \"responded with restrained applause.\" \"When the Times reporters interviewed Abramson and asked her what she regretted about the paper's handling of the Miller case, she replied, \"The entire thing.\" That was a refreshing shot of candor. But Miller's account and the paper's extensive take-out do not totally clear the air. They leave the impression that we're still not getting all the news that ought to be fit to print.\"\n\" I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see.\"---Alice In Wonderland ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/deadline-oct28th---all-eyes-on-special-prosecutor-fitzgerald/","summary":"Is the noose closing in ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe grand jury for the CIA/Valerie Plame leak investigation by Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald is due to expire on October 28th. Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to announce his decision by that date whether or not to prosecute any of the people involved. For some of the players it must be an agonizing time. The special prosecutor and his office succeeded in preventing the investigation from turning into a circus. For that alone Mr. Fitzgerald and his staff are worthy of praise. What a difference when compared with Ken Starr who was in charge of the Clinton investigation ! His office leaked like a sieve and he revelled in appearing before TV cameras. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101501465_3.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e is carrying an excellent summation of the background by Howard Kurtz.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll The News That's Fit to Print !  The NY Times \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne of the journalists involved is Judith Miller of the NY Times.   David Corn's column  in \u003ca href=\"http://www.davidcorn.com/archives/2005/10/the_new_york_ti.php\"\u003eThe Nation \u003c/a\u003eincludes the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eSo much for without fear or favor. This is an awful acknowledgment for the nation's leading paper. Taubman and Jill Abramson, a managing editor, called the situation \"Excruciatingly difficult.\" It was worse. As I've written before, Jayson Blair bamboozled his editors; Judy Miller handcuffed hers. If a deal could have been reached a year earlier, the Times\u003c/i\u003e would not be as embarrassed as it is today. No wonder, as the paper reports, when Miller made a post-release speech in the newsroom, claiming a victory for press freedoms, her colleagues \"responded with restrained applause.\" \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Deadline Oct.28th - All Eyes on Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald"},{"content":" Choice between the proverbial \"A Rock and a Hard Place\" *Charles Babington writes in the Washington Post that : \"While the turmoil on the right offers Democrats a tantalizing opportunity, party strategists said, it also will confront them with a difficult choice: Confirm a conservative with close ties to President Bush, or oppose her and join ranks with hard-right activists who historically are their arch enemies.\" Yes, a difficult decision to make. Anywho nurses the thought that Ms Miers, Bush Groupie No.1, is going to disappoint him is out of touch with reality. No, if confirmed, Harriet Miers will enable the president to include her, along with Scalia and Thomas, as a \"strict constructionist\". We know what that means. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/for-or-against-harriet-miers---democrats-in-a-no-win-situation/","summary":"Choice between the proverbial \"A Rock and a Hard Place\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCharles Babington writes in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101500910.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e that : \"While the turmoil on the right offers Democrats a tantalizing opportunity, party strategists said, it also will confront them with a difficult choice: Confirm a conservative with close ties to President Bush, or oppose her and join ranks with hard-right activists who historically are their arch enemies.\" Yes, a difficult decision to make. Anywho nurses the thought that Ms Miers, Bush Groupie No.1, is going to disappoint him is out of touch with reality. No, if confirmed, Harriet Miers will enable the president to include her, along with Scalia and Thomas, as a \"strict constructionist\". We know what that means.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101500910.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"For or Against Harriet Miers - Democrats In A No Win Situation"},{"content":" Earth's bounties during the cold weather*Rutabaga as gourmet fare in expensive restaurants in Washington DC ! The Washington Post article by Walter Nicholls has a link to interesting recipes. Don't know about gussified rutabaga but some of us who dabble in cooking have always recognized the merits of this and other root vegetables. Simply roasting root vegetables mixed with olive oil, a dash of Herbes de Provence or cumin powder will produce a hearty, healthy, flavorful dish. Enjoy it with a soup made from roasted Acorn squash or orange-flesh sweet potatoes (yams), accompanied by rustic bread and a light red (Rhone style) wine. A great supper on a chilly evening. If a vegetarian meal is not your thing, broil some sausages, slice them in 1\" pieces and serve on a platter to accompany the vegetables.This is how I do it. About 1/2 lb. of each would be enough for four plus leftover.RutabagaParsnipCeleriac (Celery Root)Fennel bulbTurnipBeet rootDaikonYamRed OnionGarlicSalt and black pepperHerbes De Provence or Cumin powderPeel, cut into bite size pieces. Dice the onion, mince the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, Herbes De Provence, a dash of cumin powder, salt and coarse ground black pepper. Mix well. Bake in 375 deg. oven for 30/35 minutes (until soft, not mushy). If desired, drizzle extra virgin olive oil before serving.Herbes De Provence1 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoon summer savory1/2 teaspoon lavender1/4 teaspoon rosemary1/2 teaspoon oregano or basil1/4 teaspoon sageI exclude bay leaf. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-10-17 Dear Mister Perfect,\nSay it ain't so -- you can't possibly be a vegan along with all your other talents, can you??? I'm scraping the floor with my bows. :)\nMy breakfast: multigrain total, tofu powder, fresh peach, mixed nuts and ground flax. Yummmmmmers.\nBest regards,\nf musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-10-19 No, a 'vegan' I'm not but on most days I have vegetarian meals because I like them and they suit my lifestyle.\nYour breakfast: exotic! I have oatmeal...every day. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/rutabaga-and-other-root-vegetables/","summary":"Earth's bounties during the cold weather\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRutabaga as gourmet fare in expensive restaurants in Washington DC !\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101100306.html\"\u003e The Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e article by Walter Nicholls has a link to interesting recipes. Don't know about gussified rutabaga but some of us who dabble in cooking have always recognized the merits of this and other root vegetables. Simply roasting root vegetables mixed with olive oil, a dash of Herbes de Provence or cumin powder will produce a hearty, healthy, flavorful dish. Enjoy it with a soup made from roasted Acorn squash or orange-flesh sweet potatoes (yams), accompanied by rustic bread and a light red (Rhone style) wine. A great supper on a chilly evening. If a vegetarian meal is not your thing, broil some sausages, slice them in 1\" pieces and serve on a platter to accompany the vegetables.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is how I do it.  About 1/2 lb. of each would be enough for four plus leftover.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRutabaga\u003cbr/\u003eParsnip\u003cbr/\u003eCeleriac (Celery Root)\u003cbr/\u003eFennel bulb\u003cbr/\u003eTurnip\u003cbr/\u003eBeet root\u003cbr/\u003eDaikon\u003cbr/\u003eYam\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRed Onion\u003cbr/\u003eGarlic\u003cbr/\u003eSalt and black pepper\u003cbr/\u003eHerbes De Provence or Cumin powder\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePeel, cut into bite size pieces. Dice the onion, mince the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, Herbes De Provence, a dash of cumin powder, salt and coarse ground black pepper. Mix well. Bake in 375 deg. oven for 30/35 minutes (until soft, not mushy). If desired, drizzle extra virgin olive oil before serving.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHerbes De Provence\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1 teaspoon thyme\u003cbr/\u003e1 teaspoon summer savory\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 teaspoon lavender\u003cbr/\u003e1/4 teaspoon rosemary\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 teaspoon oregano or basil\u003cbr/\u003e1/4 teaspoon sage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI exclude bay leaf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDear Mister Perfect,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSay it ain't so -- you can't possibly be a vegan along with all your other talents, can you???  I'm scraping the floor with my bows. :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy breakfast:  multigrain total, tofu powder, fresh peach, mixed nuts and ground flax. Yummmmmmers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBest regards,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-19\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNo, a 'vegan' I'm not but on most days I have vegetarian meals because I like \u003cbr\u003ethem and they suit my lifestyle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYour breakfast:  exotic!  I have oatmeal...every day.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Rutabaga and Other Root Vegetables"},{"content":" The Cowboy Against The Evil Empire*Robin Wright in the Post wrote about the ongoing efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program. \"The second is what punitive action Iran's international critics could take if the country fails to comply. U.S. officials have been tight-lipped about the specifics of Rice's talks.\" Nothing new. It was,however, an item in The Guardian that made me gasp. The evil empire scenario with all its arrogant declarations. The surprise was that Saudi Arabia, a close ally (the rulers if not the people) of the Bush administration was a target! And Pakistan, despite its proven role in export of nuclear technology to the evil ones, is no longer so-- there can be no better example of \"My enemy's enemy is my friend\". The Empire Strikes Bush, Dan Froomkin's May 16th column in the Post is a good one to visit.One wonders if the scenario is part of the Born Again Christians' Rapture (Second Coming) thing. Maybe they are tired of waiting and want to resort to a catalyst. I'm being facetious but one can never tell what they are thinking of. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/bush-and-a-vision-of-apocalypse/","summary":"The Cowboy Against The Evil Empire\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobin Wright in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101401938.html\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e wrote about the ongoing efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program.  \"The second is what punitive action Iran's international critics could take if the country fails to comply. U.S. officials have been tight-lipped about the specifics of Rice's talks.\"          Nothing new. It was,however, an item in \u003ca href=\"http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,11538,1592808,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e that made me gasp. The evil empire scenario with all its arrogant declarations. The surprise was that Saudi Arabia, a close ally (the rulers if not the people) of the Bush administration was a target! And Pakistan, despite its proven role in export of nuclear technology to the evil ones, is no longer so-- there can be no better example of \"My enemy's enemy is my friend\". \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/05/16/BL2005051600615.html\"\u003eThe Empire Strikes Bush\u003c/a\u003e, Dan Froomkin's May 16th column in the Post is a good one to visit.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne wonders if the scenario is part of the Born Again Christians' Rapture (Second Coming) thing. Maybe they are tired of waiting and want to resort to a catalyst. I'm being facetious but one can never tell what they are thinking of.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Bush And A Vision of  Apocalypse"},{"content":" *A pleasure to read that Harold Pinter won the Nobel for literature. Peter Marks' article in The Post : \"In its announcement, the Swedish Academy said it was recognizing a dramatist \"who in his plays uncovers the precipice under the everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms.\" Well said.Harold Pinter was born in 1930 and is married to Lady Antonia Fraser, the renowned author of historical fiction. The home page of Harold Pinter.org contains the following:\"Pinter's interest in politics is a very public one. Over the years he has spoken out forcefully about the abuse of state power around the world, ........................\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/harold-pinter-gets-his-due/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA pleasure to read that Harold Pinter won the Nobel for literature. Peter Marks' article in \u003ca href=\"http://http//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101300341.html\"\u003eThe Post\u003c/a\u003e : \"In its announcement, the Swedish Academy said it was recognizing a dramatist \"who in his plays uncovers the precipice under the everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms.\" Well said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHarold Pinter was born in 1930 and is married to Lady Antonia Fraser, the renowned author of historical fiction. The home page of \u003ca href=\"http://www.haroldpinter.org/biography/index.shtml\"\u003eHarold Pinter.org\u003c/a\u003e contains the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Pinter's interest in politics is a very public one. Over the years he has spoken out forcefully about the abuse of state power around the world, ........................\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Harold Pinter Gets His Due"},{"content":" They deserve better*I read The Post article For Injured U.S. Troops, 'Financial Friendly Fire' with a sense of bewilderment. On top of the pain and, in some cases, physical limitations, injured soldiers are facing financial hardship due to arbitrary bureaucratic procedures. Excerpt from Donna St. George's report: \"But nine months after Loria was wounded, the Army garnished his wages and then, as he prepared to leave the service, hit him with a $6,200 debt. That was just before last Christmas, and several lawmakers scrambled to help. This spring, a collection agency started calling. He owed another $646 for military housing.\"Where are the officials who sent them to Iraq? Do something.The Death TollAccording to icasualties.org, the total for U.S. soldiers is now at 1966.\"For me war has become a flat, black depression without highlights, a revulsion of the mind and an exhaustion of the spirit.---Ernie Pyle (1900-1945), American journalist who covered World War II.Ernie Pyle died from sniper's bullets in Ie Shima, Japan, 18th April 1945. Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-10-14 Have you seen \"Beyond Treason\"yet? Its terrible what we do to our vets, and the way we \"love em then leave em\" is disgraceful. I am going to link to this in my sections this week on Depleted Uranium - here We have to get the messages on this out there. Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-10-16 Musafir,\nI started posting on DU issues and welcome your resources and feedback. (http://greenlilypad.blogspot.com/) I also added some of your quotes with link to you. We have to get this information out there. Its tragic. Speaking of tragic, I watched (again) \"Hijacking Catastrophe\". Have you seen it? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/injured-us-soldiers/","summary":"They deserve better\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eI read The Post article \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101302166.html\"\u003eFor Injured U.S. Troops, 'Financial Friendly Fire\u003c/a\u003e' with a sense of bewilderment. On top of the pain and, in some cases, physical limitations, injured soldiers are facing financial hardship due to arbitrary bureaucratic procedures. Excerpt from Donna St. George's report: \"But nine months after Loria was wounded, the Army garnished his wages and then, as he prepared to leave the service, hit him with a $6,200 debt. That was just before last Christmas, and several lawmakers scrambled to help. This spring, a collection agency started calling. He owed another $646 for military housing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere are the officials who sent them to Iraq?  Do something.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Death Toll\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eicasualties.org, \u003c/a\u003ethe total for U.S. soldiers is now at 1966.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"For me war has become a flat, black depression without highlights, a revulsion of the mind and an exhaustion of the spirit.\u003cbr/\u003e---Ernie Pyle (1900-1945), American journalist who covered World War II.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eErnie Pyle died from  sniper's bullets in Ie Shima, Japan, 18th April 1945.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHave you seen \"Beyond Treason\"yet? Its terrible what we do to our vets, and the way we \"love em then leave em\" is disgraceful. I am going to link to this in my sections this week on Depleted Uranium - \u003cbr\u003e\u003cA HREF=\"http://greenlilypad.blogspot.com/\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003e here \u003c/A\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  We have to get the messages on this out there.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir,\u003cbr\u003e  I started posting on DU issues and welcome your resources and feedback. (http://greenlilypad.blogspot.com/) I also added some of your quotes with link to you. We have to get this information out there. Its tragic. \u003cbr\u003e   Speaking of tragic, I watched (again) \"Hijacking Catastrophe\". Have you seen it?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Injured U.S. Soldiers"},{"content":" A Staged, orchestrated event*The deception continues. Deb Riechmann's report in The Washington Post stated: \" It was billed as a conversation with U.S. troops, but the questions President Bush asked on a teleconference call Thursday were choreographed to match his goals for the war in Iraq and Saturday's vote on a new Iraqi constitution.\" No wonder. Watching the news clip on CBS' web site it felt as though El Jefe was wearing a prompting device (remember the mysterious bulge). In the absence of proof let us assume that he managed without such aid. However, there were reports that the event was \"choreographed\". Jim VandeHei wrote in the Post that: \"Before the president spoke via a video link, his event planners handpicked 10 soldiers from the Army's 42nd Infantry and one Iraqi soldier, told them what topics the president would ask about, and watched them briefly rehearse their presentations before going live.\" \" ISN SECURTIY WATCH (13/10/2005) - President George Bush in a carefully orchestrated event on Thursday was told by handpicked US troops in Iraq that Iraqis were eager to vote in Saturday's referendum on a draft constitution.\"Note: Originally published 4:35 PM Oct.13,2005, edited and republished 7:59 PM Oct.13,2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-presidents-video-conference-with-troops-in-iraq/","summary":"A Staged, orchestrated event\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe deception continues. Deb Riechmann's report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101301361.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e stated: \" It was billed as a conversation with U.S. troops, but the questions President Bush asked on a teleconference call Thursday were choreographed to match his goals for the war in Iraq and Saturday's vote on a new Iraqi constitution.\" No wonder. Watching the news clip on CBS' web site it felt as though El Jefe was wearing a prompting device (remember the \u003ca href=\"http://http//www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/10/08/bulge/index_np.html\"\u003emysterious bulge\u003c/a\u003e). In the absence of proof let us assume that he managed without such aid. However, there were reports that the event was \"choreographed\". Jim VandeHei wrote in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101300693.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e that: \"Before the president spoke via a video link, his event planners handpicked 10 soldiers from the Army's 42nd Infantry and one Iraqi soldier, told them what topics the president would ask about, and watched them briefly rehearse their presentations before going live.\" \" \u003ca href=\"http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=13141\"\u003eISN SECURTIY WATCH (13/10/2005)\u003c/a\u003e - President George Bush in a carefully orchestrated event on Thursday was told by handpicked US troops in Iraq that Iraqis were eager to vote in Saturday's referendum on a draft constitution.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: Originally published 4:35 PM Oct.13,2005, edited and republished 7:59 PM Oct.13,2005\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"The President's Video Conference with Troops in Iraq"},{"content":"\nThis post deleted by author.  Edited version under \"President's Video Conference with Troops in Iraq\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-president-makes-a-scripted-orchestrated-appearance/","summary":"This post deleted by author.  Edited version under \"President's Video Conference with Troops in Iraq\"","title":"The President Makes A Scripted, Orchestrated Appearance"},{"content":" Violent Pornography? Certainly not*Knut Ahnlund, a member of the Swedish Academy, resigned in protest over last year's award for literature to Elfriede Jelinek ! Luke Harding in The Guardian wrote: \" It was not clear last night why Ahnlund waited a year before delivering his tirade against Jelinek, who failed to turn up to collect her prize at last year's ceremony. But there was suspicion that the academy member is also unhappy about the latest choice for the 2005 Nobel prize for literature, who will be named tomorrow.\" Note: British playwright Harold Pinter has been named the winner of this year's award.Knut Ahnlund described Ms Jelinek's works as \"whingeing, unenjoyable, violent pornography\". That there is an element of violence in pornography, enjoyable or otherwise, is indisputable but Ms Jelinek's works are not pornographic. I did not know of Elfriede Jelinek until I read about her about a year ago when she won the Nobel for 2004. I watched video of the film \"The Piano Teacher\", based on Jelinek's novel. Thought that it was great and I blogged about it on November 8, 2004. The books, however, were disappointing. I read \"The Piano Teacher\" translated by Joachim Neugroschel, and \"Lust\" , translated by Michael Hulse. Found them boring. It was like reading police reports. Michael Haneke, director, and Isabelle Huppert in the leading role made \"The Piano Teacher\" a fascinating movie. The book failed to come close. Perhaps it was the translation.I respect Elfriede Jelinek for speaking out about sexual violence against women and for her position on Bush's war. Her play \"Bambiland\" is a scathing indictment of the war against Iraq. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/elfriede-jelinek---controversial-author-back-in-the-news/","summary":"Violent Pornography?  Certainly not\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eKnut Ahnlund, a member of the Swedish Academy, resigned in protest over last year's award for literature to Elfriede Jelinek ! Luke Harding in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1589846,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c/a\u003e wrote: \" It was not clear last night why Ahnlund waited a year before delivering his tirade against Jelinek, who failed to turn up to collect her prize at last year's ceremony. But there was suspicion that the academy member is also unhappy about the latest choice for the 2005 Nobel prize for literature, who will be named tomorrow.\"  Note: British playwright Harold Pinter has been named the winner of this year's award.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKnut Ahnlund described Ms Jelinek's works as \"whingeing, unenjoyable, violent pornography\". That there is an element of violence in pornography, enjoyable or otherwise, is indisputable but Ms Jelinek's works are not pornographic. I did not know of Elfriede Jelinek until I read about her about a year ago when she won the Nobel for 2004. I watched video of the film \"The Piano Teacher\", based on Jelinek's novel. Thought that it was great and I blogged about it on November 8, 2004. The books, however, were disappointing. I read \"The Piano Teacher\" translated by Joachim Neugroschel, and \"Lust\" , translated by Michael Hulse. Found them boring. It was like reading police reports. Michael Haneke, director, and Isabelle Huppert in the leading role made \"The Piano Teacher\" a fascinating movie. The book failed to come close. Perhaps it was the translation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI respect \u003ca href=\"http://nobelprize.org/literature/laureates/2004/jelinek-bibl.html\"\u003eElfriede Jelinek\u003c/a\u003e for speaking out about sexual violence against women and for her position on Bush's war. Her play \"\u003ca href=\"http://http//www.a-e-m-gmbh.com/wessely/fbambie.htm\"\u003eBambiland\u003c/a\u003e\" is a scathing indictment of the war against Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Elfriede Jelinek - Controversial author back in the news"},{"content":" Become Republican \"Light\" ?*Not a \"Deaniac\" or adherent of \"take no prisoners\" policy, but the thought that Democrats can return to power only by adopting strategies that brought success to Republicans makes me feel like throwing up. David Broder in the Post wrote about the \"Politics of Polarization\", a study produced by, Elaine Karmack and Bill Galston, two former staff members of the Clinton White House. The 64-page report is full \"polling data and political advice\". The path recommended is the political center. So far so good. Then comes the argument for \"moral values\" and that raises a red flag. There is so much hypocrisy about what the Republicans and conservative Christians say and what they practice that one should think twice before taking that tack. It is a slippery slope. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-third-way---the-path-back-for-democrats/","summary":"Become Republican \"Light\" ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eNot a \"Deaniac\" or adherent of \"take no prisoners\" policy, but the thought that Democrats can return to power only by adopting strategies that brought success to Republicans makes me feel like throwing up. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/12/AR2005101202000.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eDavid Broder \u003c/a\u003ein the Post wrote about the \"Politics of Polarization\", a study produced by, Elaine Karmack and Bill Galston, two former staff members of the Clinton White House. The 64-page report is full \"polling data and political advice\". The path recommended is the political center. So far so good. Then comes the argument for \"moral values\" and that raises a red flag. There is so much hypocrisy about what the Republicans and conservative Christians say and what they practice that one should think twice before taking that tack. It is a slippery slope.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Third Way - The Path Back for Democrats"},{"content":" Blinks, Wiggles, Shrugs and Shifts*Where are you Smirking Chimp ? The Post article by Dana Milbank cries out for your pithy comments. For a while it seemed as though we, Bush critics were pissing against the wind. The wind has shifted. More and more such items are beginning to appear in mainstream media. The NY Times can run with Judy Miller. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/reading-the-presidents-body-language/","summary":"Blinks, Wiggles, Shrugs and Shifts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere are you \u003ca href=\"http://www.smirkingchimp.com/\"\u003eSmirking Chimp\u003c/a\u003e ? The Post article by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101101577.html\"\u003eDana Milbank\u003c/a\u003e cries out for your pithy comments. For a while it seemed as though we, Bush critics were pissing against the wind. The wind has shifted. More and more such items are beginning to appear in mainstream media. The NY Times can run with Judy Miller.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Reading the President's Body Language"},{"content":" *Yuki Noguchi's article, \"Blogs as Cyber-Catharsis\" in the Post made me think of the people I know who have been using blogs to reveal their innermost thoughts and experiences. I, of course, do not have the data collected by Ms Noguchi. She has been writing about the blogosphere and related subjects for some time. Based on my personal experience of being a somewhat discriminating reader of blogs I am inclined to be on the side of those \"who consider it a form of therapy\" . Ms. Noguchi wrote that \".....although some psychologists question the use of the Internet for therapy, many now use it to chronicle intensely personal experiences, venting confessions in front of millions of strangers who can write back.\"Psychologists, even with good intentions, cannot be fair and impartial on this issue. While there is the risk of attracting weirdos--they are out there--one can easily prevent comments from readers in the blogs. The downside of that is it would block not only slimy people but those whose comments might actually have a positive effect....for both.While I myself have not posted intensely personal details in my blog, I admire those who do. It takes courage and confidence. If they find release and satisfaction from posting their thoughts, may the force be with them. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/blogging-as-therapy---if-it-works-why-not/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eYuki Noguchi's article, \"Blogs as Cyber-Catharsis\" in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101101781.html?sub=AR\"\u003ePost\u003c/a\u003e made me think of the people I know who have been using blogs to reveal their innermost thoughts and experiences. I, of course, do not have the data collected by Ms Noguchi. She has been writing about the blogosphere and related subjects for some time. Based on my personal experience of being a somewhat discriminating reader of blogs I am inclined to be on the side of those \"who consider it a form of therapy\" . Ms. Noguchi wrote that \".....although some psychologists question the use of the Internet for therapy, many now use it to chronicle intensely personal experiences, venting confessions in front of millions of strangers who can write back.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePsychologists, even with good intentions, cannot be fair and impartial on this issue. While there is the risk of attracting weirdos--they are out there--one can easily prevent comments from readers in the blogs. The downside of that is it would block not only slimy people but those whose comments might actually have a positive effect....for both.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile I myself have not posted intensely personal details in my blog, I admire those who do. It takes courage and confidence. If they find release and satisfaction from posting their thoughts, may the force be with them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Blogging as Therapy - If it works, why not ?"},{"content":" Photo Opportunities Are No Longer Fun*Good for a laugh. Dan Froomkin's White House Briefing in the Post (Photo Op Bites Back) described an exchange between El Jefe and Matt Lauer. How the situation has changed! This would have been unthinkable a year ago when most of the journalists covering the president did not dare challenge the strict management of news under the iron hands of the president's minions. Talk about control. They were the masters. That was then. Now the reporters no longer feel cowed by the president. They have found chinks in his armor. More power to them. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-pesky-reporters---the-president-got-hot-under-the-collar/","summary":"Photo Opportunities Are No Longer Fun\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGood for a laugh. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html\"\u003eDan Froomkin's White House Briefing  in the Post\u003c/a\u003e (Photo Op Bites Back) described an exchange between El Jefe and Matt Lauer.  How the situation has changed!  This would have been unthinkable a year ago when most of the journalists covering the president did not dare challenge the strict management of news under the iron hands of the president's minions. Talk about control.  They were the masters.  That was then.  Now the reporters no longer feel cowed by the president. They have found chinks in his armor.  More power to them.","title":"The Pesky Reporters - The President Got Hot Under the Collar"},{"content":" Tsunami, Katrina, and now Earthquake in South Asia, Flooding and Landslide in GuatemalaReports about the earthquake that devastated parts of northern Pakistan mention more than 20,000 dead and countless who are homeless. Indian territories escaped major loss. The number of dead greatly exceeds Katrina's toll. In Guatemala, many victims will never be found and accounted for. There is something that jumps out of the reports and photographs---most of the victims belong to the lower end of the income scale....the \"have nots\".John Lancaster, The Washington Post wrote: \"The damage was said to be heaviest in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, where the area's communications minister, Tariq Mohammed, told the Associated Press that \"more than 30,000 people have died.\" That figure was considerably higher than other official estimates and could not be independently confirmed.\"Krissah Williams' report about Guatemala in the Post mentioned \"At least 640 dead, many missing\"\"Guatemalan officials said they would abandon communities buried by landslides and declare them mass graveyards, according to the Associated Press. Many of the missing apparently will simply be declared dead, and the ground they rest in declared hallowed.\"Bigots see the hand of God in natural disasters. They talked about retribution for sinful New Orleians. Now the holy rollers might see the earthquake as punishment for atrocities committed by Islamic Jihadis. Give them time, they will come up with cause for the suffering of the Guatemalans.The earth's restlessness is easier to understand. There are explanations for earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding. Nevertheless, it seems that the burden of suffering falls disproportionately on the poor. It is because of the areas where they live, the kind of housing which they can afford, and what they do for livelihood.The San Francisco Bay area, of which I am a resident, is considered high risk because of close proximity to earthquake faults. Minor temblors are common and the seismologists talk about the \"big one\" that is going to hit. If and when a major earthquake takes place in this area the profile of victims will be markedly different. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/victims-of-natural-disasters---largely-the-poor/","summary":"Tsunami, Katrina, and now Earthquake in South Asia, Flooding and Landslide in Guatemala\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReports about the earthquake that devastated parts of northern Pakistan mention more than 20,000 dead and countless who are homeless. Indian territories escaped major loss. The number of dead greatly exceeds Katrina's toll. In Guatemala, many victims will never be found and accounted for. There is something that jumps out of the reports and photographs---most of the victims belong to the lower end of the income scale....the \"have nots\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100900368.html\"\u003eJohn Lancaster\u003c/a\u003e,  The Washington Post wrote: \"The damage was said to be heaviest in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, where the area's communications minister, Tariq Mohammed, told the Associated Press that \"more than 30,000 people have died.\" That figure was considerably higher than other official estimates and could not be independently confirmed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://http//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100901201.html\"\u003eKrissah Williams'\u003c/a\u003e report about Guatemala in the Post mentioned \"At least 640 dead, many missing\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Guatemalan officials said they would abandon communities buried by landslides and declare them mass graveyards, according to the Associated Press. Many of the missing apparently will simply be declared dead, and the ground they rest in declared hallowed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBigots see the hand of God in natural disasters. They talked about retribution for sinful New Orleians. Now the holy rollers might see the earthquake as punishment for atrocities committed by Islamic Jihadis. Give them time, they will come up with cause for the suffering of the Guatemalans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe earth's restlessness is easier to understand. There are explanations for earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding. Nevertheless, it seems that the burden of suffering falls disproportionately on the poor. It is because of the areas where they live, the kind of housing which they can afford, and what they do for livelihood.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe San Francisco Bay area, of which I am a resident, is considered high risk because of close proximity to earthquake faults. Minor temblors are common and the seismologists talk about the \"big one\" that is going to hit. If and when a major earthquake takes place in this area the profile of victims will be markedly different.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Victims of Natural Disasters - Largely the Poor"},{"content":" Personal bankruptcies rise 11% in one quarter*First there was data about the disparity between the rich and poor. The wealthy became wealthier, thank you Mr. President. The number of people at poverty level went up. One cannot blame the president for not being honest. He did say before he was elected \"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\" (Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria 10/19/2000). The Census Bureau reported in August that overall there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003. Now we learn from Michele Singletary's column \"When bankruptcy becomes personal\" in The Washington Post that:\"The overall quarterly increase was fueled by consumer Chapter 7 filings, which rose 17.7 percent, to 362,481 from 308,028, for the second quarter of 2004. Under Chapter 7, a person's assets are liquidated, except those exempted by law, and debts are wiped away. Such cases are usually simple. The average filer doesn't even appear before a judge.\"This recent surge in bankruptcy petitions is largely attributable to consumers scrambling to file before the new, tougher Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 takes effect Oct. 17.\"The new act was tailor made to benefit corporate America. There is no doubt that it will do so. Those facing bankruptcy can pound salt. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/bush-administration-chalks-up-another-achievement/","summary":"Personal bankruptcies rise 11% in one quarter\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eFirst there was data about the disparity between the rich and poor. The wealthy became wealthier, thank you Mr. President. The number of people at poverty level went up. One cannot blame the president for not being honest. He did say before he was elected \"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\" (Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria 10/19/2000). The Census Bureau reported in August that overall there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow we learn from \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100900062.html\"\u003eMichele Singletary's \u003c/a\u003ecolumn \"When bankruptcy becomes personal\" in The Washington Post that:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The overall quarterly increase was fueled by consumer Chapter 7 filings, which rose 17.7 percent, to 362,481 from 308,028, for the second quarter of 2004. Under Chapter 7, a person's assets are liquidated, except those exempted by law, and debts are wiped away. Such cases are usually simple. The average filer doesn't even appear before a judge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This recent surge in bankruptcy petitions is largely attributable to consumers scrambling to file before the new, tougher Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 takes effect Oct. 17.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe new act was tailor made to benefit corporate America. There is no doubt that it will do so. Those facing bankruptcy can pound salt.","title":"Bush administration chalks up another achievement"},{"content":" Ah, the hubris - Frist and DeLay are not alone*\"Hubris on the Hill\", Ruth Marcus' column in The Washington Post makes good reading. She wrote about the ethical problems facing Bill Frist and Tom DeLay. They invited trouble, especially DeLay whose arrogance greatly exceeded that of Dr. Frist's. They have no one to blame but themselves. There are others on both sides of the aisle in Congress who suffer from monumental egos. The White House and Cabinet offices do not lack them either. It is the nature of the beast. Politics and humility do not mix.The death toll of American soldiers nearing the 2000 mark. The hubris of a handful of people created the mess that is Iraq. They continue to offer platitudes and keep the spectre of terrorism alive to justify their miscalculation.Then there is the controversial nominee for the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Despite the brouhaha the president is confident that Harriet Miers would be confirmed. Don't see the Republicans going to the extent of voting against her. There is too much at stake. After all the president has delivered on most of the issues close to the heart of the conservatives. The president is hurting on several fronts. David Broder in The Washington Post wrote about \"Bush's Fraying Presidency\". If his support continues to drop then Republican members in the House and Senate will suffer from the domino effect. Last thing they want. So, they might have doubts about her fitness but they will vote to confirm Harriet Miers. I strongly suspect that Ms. Miers will follow the playbook of Justices Scalia and Thomas....the president's favorites. Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09 Hi, wanted to check out your musings but have been so busy... I am not sure what to make of good ol' Harriet, but the coverage is interesting in a revealing sort of way.... ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/a-turbulent-autumn-in-foggy-bottom/","summary":"Ah, the hubris - Frist and DeLay are not alone\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Hubris on the Hill\", \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/07/AR2005100701661.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eRuth Marcus' column in The Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e makes good reading. She wrote about the ethical problems facing Bill Frist and Tom DeLay. They invited trouble, especially DeLay whose arrogance greatly exceeded that of Dr. Frist's. They have no one to blame but themselves. There are others on both sides of the aisle in Congress who suffer from monumental egos. The White House and Cabinet offices do not lack them either. It is the nature of the beast. Politics and humility do not mix.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe death toll of American soldiers nearing the 2000 mark. The hubris of a handful of people created the mess that is Iraq. They continue to offer platitudes and keep the spectre of terrorism alive to justify their miscalculation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen there is the controversial nominee for the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Despite the brouhaha the president is confident that Harriet Miers would be confirmed. Don't see the Republicans going to the extent of voting against her. There is too much at stake. After all the president has delivered on most of the issues close to the heart of the conservatives. The president is hurting on several fronts. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/07/AR2005100701700.html?sub=AR\"\u003eDavid Broder\u003c/a\u003e in The Washington Post wrote about \"Bush's Fraying Presidency\". If his support continues to drop then Republican members in the House and Senate will suffer from the domino effect. Last thing they want. So, they might have doubts about her fitness but they will vote to confirm Harriet Miers. I strongly suspect that Ms. Miers will follow the playbook of Justices Scalia and Thomas....the president's favorites.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi, wanted to check out your musings but have been so busy... I am not sure what to make of good ol' Harriet, but the coverage is interesting in a revealing sort of way....\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Turbulent Autumn in Foggy Bottom"},{"content":" Terrorists here, terrorists there, terrorists lurking everywhere*The president read a long speech on October 6th. He needs to boost the sagging polls and the speech writers went all out to assist him. The cold war was mentioned in context with Islamic terrorism. We have a new cold warrior fighting the good battle, defending us from the evil doers.In a report titled \"Bush Says 10 Plots by Al Qaeda Were Foiled\" The Washington Post's Peter Baker and Susan B. Glaser commented about the vagueness of the threats mentioned in the speech.\"Most of the plots were previously reported in some form; a few were revealed yesterday. The White House had never before placed a number or compiled a public list of the foiled attempts to follow up the Sept. 11 attacks, but it offered scant information beyond the location and general date of each reported plot -- making it difficult to assess last night how serious or advanced they were or what role the government played in preventing them.\"\"Faulty Logic\"Editorial in today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune reads in part:\"Myers' view, which Bush immediately quashed, overflowed with common sense and practical wisdom. Bush's Cold War construction overflows with faulty logic; it tries to make Islamic radicalism fit a familiar -- and therefore comforting war-justifying -- mold that doesn't work.\"\"The great error of nearly all studies of war... has been to consider war as an episode in foreign policies, when it is an act of interior politics...\"---Simone Weil Comments Nick Mercer \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09 the simone weil quote was apt. In england i and many others are rendered almost inarticulate with rage at the collective denial of the labour party and their readiness to abandon their principles for cash and comfortable positions. tony blair mincing into the arms of george bush clearly intoxicated with the prospect of some rough trade i expected. his willingness to forfeit reason and sobriety for the heady rush of vicarious power is a salutary lesson to us all, if indeed one were needed, of the instability of politicians, whatever their political hue, everywhere. We should pull out of iraq and own our folly whatever the consequences. forgive the hyperbole but i've been loathe previously to show up in the debate lest i fuelled the fire. violence, militiary action, is a betrayal of all of us (and the memories of the millions of my fellow countrymen who died while the politicians who condemned them sat on their arses in comfort and died rich and old). and this isn't hindsight - i along with millions of others, in fact everybody i know spanning the whole spectrum of opinion, unequivocally rejected the weapons of mass destruction nonsense (whatever the fuck they are) then watched in disbelief as the tragedy unfolded. No-one seemed capable of or willing to ask specific sober questions to arrest and dispel this obvious collective delusion. in a therapeutic situation the most healing contribution i can make is usually around establishing specificity - it immediately grounds the fear that fuels amnesia and panic; everybody breathes easier including the therapist as soon as the questions are asked - whatever the answers. A weapon of mass destruction is anything from a trebuchet to an atomic bomb.Without clarification its meaningless. yet this emotive and banal phrase became the foundation stone for an inverse pyramid of justification that sought to establish itself as real through self reference and emphatic repetition (and a reliance on general intellectual laziness and a 'family illness' theory of politics - that its easier to collude than to challenge). whilst accepting that there is a political motivation around oil etc in bush and blairs foreign adventures i still believe the real drive comes from both politicians readiness to default to infantile behavioural patterns however well or poorly camoulflaged by the language of jurisprudence in blairs case (and, of course, the readiness of the scoundrel 'patriots' that surround them to collude with their phantasies for self interest - like michael jackson's plastic surgeons). Enough for now, i just wanted to declare myself. I've heard it said that anyone who even hints of a desire to enter politics to 'represent' others or 'help' their fellows without being asked should be bundled into 12 step treatment without ceremony and robustly encouraged to examine their motives and their history. can't say fairer than that. keep posting musafir and thank you. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/gw-bush---new-cold-warrior-or-creator-of-red-herring/","summary":"Terrorists here, terrorists there, terrorists lurking everywhere\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe president read a long speech on October 6th. He needs to boost the sagging polls and the speech writers went all out to assist him. The cold war was mentioned in context with Islamic terrorism. We have a new cold warrior fighting the good battle, defending us from the evil doers.In a report titled \"Bush Says 10 Plots by Al Qaeda Were Foiled\" \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/06/AR2005100600455.htm\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e's Peter Baker and Susan B. Glaser commented about the vagueness of the threats mentioned in the speech.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Most of the plots were previously reported in some form; a few were revealed yesterday. The White House had never before placed a number or compiled a public list of the foiled attempts to follow up the Sept. 11 attacks, but it offered scant information beyond the location and general date of each reported plot -- making it difficult to assess last night how serious or advanced they were or what role the government played in preventing them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Faulty Logic\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEditorial in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/5655878.html\"\u003eMinneapolis Star-Tribune\u003c/a\u003e reads in part:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Myers' view, which Bush immediately quashed, overflowed with common sense and practical wisdom. Bush's Cold War construction overflows with faulty logic; it tries to make Islamic radicalism fit a familiar -- and therefore comforting war-justifying -- mold that doesn't work.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sg\"\u003e\"The great error of nearly all studies of war... has been to consider war as an episode in foreign policies, when it is an act of interior politics...\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sg\"\u003e---Simone Weil\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNick Mercer\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ethe simone weil quote was apt. In england i and many others are rendered almost inarticulate with rage at the collective denial of the labour party and their readiness to abandon their principles for cash and comfortable positions. tony blair mincing into the arms of george bush clearly intoxicated with the prospect of some rough trade i expected. his willingness to forfeit reason and sobriety for the heady rush of vicarious power is a salutary lesson to us all, if indeed one were needed, of the instability of politicians, whatever their political hue, everywhere. We should pull out of iraq and own our folly whatever the consequences. forgive the hyperbole but i've been loathe previously to show up in the debate lest i fuelled the fire. violence, militiary action, is a betrayal of all of us (and the memories of the millions of my fellow countrymen who died while the politicians who condemned them sat on their arses in comfort and died rich and old). and this isn't hindsight - i along with millions of others, in fact everybody i know spanning the whole spectrum of opinion, unequivocally rejected the weapons of mass destruction nonsense (whatever the fuck they are) then watched in disbelief as the tragedy unfolded. No-one seemed capable of or willing to ask specific sober questions to arrest and dispel this obvious collective delusion. in a therapeutic situation the most healing contribution i can make is usually around establishing specificity - it immediately grounds the fear that fuels amnesia and panic; everybody breathes easier including the therapist as soon as the questions are asked - whatever the answers. A weapon of mass destruction is anything from a trebuchet to an atomic bomb.Without clarification its meaningless. yet this emotive and banal phrase became the foundation stone for an inverse pyramid of justification that sought to establish itself as real through self reference and emphatic repetition (and a reliance on general intellectual laziness and a 'family illness' theory of politics - that its easier to collude than to challenge). whilst accepting that there is a political motivation around oil etc in bush and blairs foreign adventures i still believe the real drive comes from both politicians readiness to default to infantile behavioural patterns however well or poorly camoulflaged by the language of jurisprudence in blairs case (and, of course, the readiness of the scoundrel 'patriots' that surround them to collude with their phantasies for self interest - like michael jackson's plastic surgeons). Enough for now, i just wanted to declare myself. I've heard it said that anyone who even hints of a desire to enter politics to 'represent' others or 'help' their fellows without being asked should be bundled into 12 step treatment without ceremony and robustly encouraged to examine their motives and their history. can't say fairer than that. keep posting musafir and thank you.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"G.W. Bush - New Cold Warrior or Creator of Red Herring?"},{"content":" The Same Old Refrain *The speech writers gave it their best shot. No easy task but 40 minutes can cover a lot of ground. It did. There were some good one liners. But how did the speech play in Peoria? The President and his staff say that they do not pay attention to the polls. Some people believe them. The drop in support indicated by the polls, however, cannot be poo-poohed away. They know it and we know it.So they resurrected the old standbys. 9/11 and the threat of terrorism lurking around the corner Great things are happening in Iraq Soldiers are dying for a noble cause Other evil doers --Iran, Syria Threat of terrorism was the focal point. The fact is that Iraq became a hot bed of Islamic terrorists only after we went there to destroy the non-existent WMD. After that fizzled out the stated reason for our presence became establishment of a free democratic society. Plans to set up a hand-picked Iraqi government failed; the factional disputes among Shias, Sunnis and others make it clear that a stable government in Iraq is a long way off.Saddam Hussein was an indisputable tyrant but Iraqis lived in a secular society in which women were not required to wear hijab and were free to work alongside men. The new Iraqi constitution reflects the influence of Islamic scriptures. Women's rights are in danger.Two and half years after the war began, in Baghdad the residents do not have regular supply of power and water.The speech might temporarily succeed in shielding the president from criticism about the mess created in Iraq and problems at home--the mounting deficit due largely to his lopsided tax cuts and the war in Iraq, the rising energy costs, and funding for reconstruction of New Orleans--but they are not going to go away. Comments Lily \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09 The other evil doers- yes, it always helps to mention them whenever he can!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/el-jefe-read-a-speech---a-long-one/","summary":"The Same Old Refrain \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe speech writers gave it their best shot. No easy task but 40 minutes can cover a lot of ground. It did. There were some good one liners. But how did the speech play in Peoria? The President and his staff say that they do not pay attention to the polls. Some people believe them. The drop in support indicated by the polls, however, cannot be poo-poohed away. They know it and we know it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo they resurrected the old standbys.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e9/11 and the threat of terrorism lurking around the corner\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eGreat things are happening in Iraq\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSoldiers are dying for a noble cause\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eOther evil doers --Iran, Syria\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThreat of terrorism was the focal point. The fact is that Iraq became a hot bed of Islamic terrorists only after we went there to destroy the non-existent WMD. After that fizzled out the stated reason for our presence became establishment of a free democratic society. Plans to set up a hand-picked Iraqi government failed; the factional disputes among Shias, Sunnis and others make it clear that a stable government in Iraq is a long way off.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSaddam Hussein was an indisputable tyrant but Iraqis lived in a secular society in which women were not required to wear hijab and were free to work alongside men. The new Iraqi constitution reflects the influence of Islamic scriptures.  Women's rights are in danger.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo and half years after the war began, in Baghdad  the residents do not have regular supply of power and water.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe speech might temporarily succeed in shielding the president from criticism about the mess created in Iraq and problems at home--the mounting deficit due largely to his lopsided tax cuts and the war in Iraq, the rising energy costs, and funding for reconstruction of New Orleans--but they are not going to go away.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThe other evil doers- yes, it always helps to mention them whenever he can!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"El Jefe read a speech---a long one"},{"content":" General Musharraf - Classic case of Foot in the MouthIf it were not for the cruel facts President Musharraf's PR efforts to put a lid on increasing number of reports about rape victims and lack of rights of Pakistani women would have been funny. Yasmeen Hassan's open letter to President Musharraf in today's Washington Post will only make things more unpleasant for General Musharraf. He is still reeling from his infamous statement during an interview on September 12th.\"You must understand the environment in Pakistan. This has become a money-making concern. A lot of people say if you want to go abroad and get a visa for Canada or citizenship and be a millionaire, get yourself raped.\"The General tried to deny saying it but he was being recorded. The audio transcript can be heard on the Post's web site.Yaa Habibi ! Comments Shahzada Sher Saddozai \u0026mdash; 2005-10-08 Women are TARGET of THE WORLD WAR AGAINST POVERTY which is the most prominent funding at World Level. This funding walks in with packages of loose string UNO Community Policy a kind of humnour when you cannot correct your Speech and Comprehension of English as Social Language. Over the time our politically socially diverse Newpapers have created a Equity at time when with US Pak Industrialism Western Advertisers moved in loud but dissapointedly most could not hit target creativity or performance in social scene. It is the Human Right Groups which have no authentic moral connection with IHR and newspaper media and photojournalism that is using this for publivc provocation too while the photojournalism betrays and pampers many press scientists who are involved in The Detraction . The recentest occasions have incredible picture performance of victim ladies and the writeuops have been 'soft porn'and on covers of major urdu press. JUST AS TERRORIST BOMBS ARE SERVING PROXIES TO INCOMPREHENSION AND INTERNATIONAL ERRORS. THE SEX VICTIMISATION IS SERVING PROXIES TO WAR AGAINST POVERTY.\nHopefully Musharaf's going to tear through the Media Dictatorship of Masses to reach real credit before his 2007 announcement of General Elections in midst of a growlingly of new confidence in Judiciary .The credits Pakistan has gotten from Democratisation is already requiring answers for neigbouring economies. Shahzada Sher Saddozai.\nGraphicCommunicationTechnologist .World Statesmen. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-10-08 Thank you for taking the time to express your view. Not quite sure of\nyour position but it seems that you\nare in disagreement with recent reports in the world press about Pakistani women and that you support\nGeneral Musharraf. I don't believe that the creator intended women to be second class citizens without the rights and privileges enjoyed by men. Women all over the world are demanding equal rights. They deserve it and will eventually gain them. In Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan it might take a while but the handwriting is on the wall---women on the march cannot be stopped. In today's world, the hudood laws have no place in a civilized society. They are disgraceful. Shahzada Sher Saddozai \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09 Remember Musafir Hudood means 'limits' and is Women's birth right on the modren planet.How will you put women together withoyut them having thier own puzzle of privacy . In the west women are no example for Modrenity as West is hardly in position to present a real bloodline which has been allowed Great Koranic Virtue to improve themselves . You taught them wrongly the lessons of competeing with man to be an equal but they cannot rule man without bringing his soul lower to them .But at Cocktail Parties where Western Man have no dignity for them but the secuarists havent been there.The dictatiorship of Masses is clearly a Secular Conspiracy with Europeans [Canadian]and French Republicans and Crass Funding requested by Asian African leaders and International Press is carrying it on. My former lodge at 23 Guldin Colony is right now being used by a maittre who would clean a servant latrine and her daughter was adopted to a job at Canadian embassy .Her son who lives there and has poorer skin than his shiny black grandmother who would be born in any 23 GC [Genetic Coded] families including my own maternal uncle .In England 'Face'is Faith or picture virtue of fate 'Din' .In Islam our names have order of Din. But the Press needs a show! It the Human race to realise that Empowerment of Women 'is not Westernising them which it will turn out to be after Third World secular interpreters who like can all out shout 'Huddod must not be allowed'? It was 'Huddood' and Koranic Virtuos Knowledge that recreated woman from the Meccan women who wandered wanton for sex in outskirts of cities .\nShahzada Sher Saddozai.\nGraphicCommunicationTechnologist .World Statesmen. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09 I am not an Islamic scholar and not qualified to argue about the finer points of Koranic laws. Suggest that you read my June 15th post \"The Shame of Pakistan\" which was about Hudood and included the following:\nQuote Proof of zina or zina-bil-jabr liable to hadd shall be in one of the following forms, namely:--\n* (a) the accused makes before a Court of competent jurisdiction a confession of the commission of the offence; or\n* (b) at least four Muslim adult male witnesses, about whom the Court is satisfied, having regard to the requirements of tazkiyah al-shuhood [credibility of witnesses], that they are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kaba’ir), give evidence as eye-witnesses of the act of penetration necessary to the offence (P.L.D. 1979, 53; Bokhary 1979, 182; Major Acts 1992, 12).3\nTalk about a classic Catch 22---this is the mother of them all! Hard to believe that such barbaric laws and practices exist in the 21st century but they are real.\nEnd of quote\nIf majority of Muslim women accept\nthe laws then they will remain in force. But if they don't then the\nlaws will not stand regardless of how the scripture was interpreted by those who framed the laws. Shahzada Sher Saddozai \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10 Same people who won travel abroad to richer urbanias and work or jobs with International Organisations read a newspaper story to create a 'contradiction' amongst Third World Elites ! Im amused your not a Islamic Scholar but youve talked as far a Ruler and a full Society where is Islam is taught/ Scholared tutored free with other subjects at School and affairs at Home too,but hardly interpreted to Ethincally US/EU White media and Government which do not accept religion as dictation because they are masses who will first aquire prosperity of one world The Nord West . Infact I repeat that in half a century of Isreal/PLO confrontation which overtly divided Muslims allover the World and Arabs in particular from Jews and USA ,but not one socially politically interconversant 1st class talkshow or a Journalist reached into from Asian African Arabian side and Ghazi Yasser Arafat could not score 'one Prime Time easy interview!. Pseodo Secularists! Feminists! Same people who come and shout in front of Courts of Law when Courts reward a Capital punishment to diverse offenders . Asian offenders must ask inquire women if Rape/Murder are a Capital crime? But they must tell the world how far are they with all the pedophiles in Pakistan who are thrown into acid and infact WHY?. As there are Shariat Courts {regulatory law} confession or 'the four witnesses' is only a convenience! why feel awkward. This is a scientifically advanced and very modren world ,a world with Kashi a Forsenic Evidence Pshycologists ,and photofinsh is available with such crimes as Rape . It is the media that buxom submissive village girls who improved socially economically but still live below the remote Punjabi 'small land tenents [muzairas] and are being flanked Internationally by NGO's of HRC's and Rape of minors and pedos goes unoticed the next day! musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10 You and I hold different positions on this issue. We can go on exchanging comments for ever without reaching an agreement. If you give your e-mail address I shall be glad to seek your learned opinion about future posts related to Pakistan and women's role in Islamic nations.\nIn the meantime, I express my sorrow for the victims of the earthquake. No doubt you are involved in the relief efforts in some form or other. Stay well. Shahzada Sher Saddozai \u0026mdash; 2005-10-11 How do we hold difference of Opinion of News in a Day to Day government with Developming Economics and Transcedental Science. Sex apeal? Low confidence? running ahead to keep up with Breaking News? why was the quake? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/the-women-of-pakistan-cannot-be-silenced/","summary":"General Musharraf - Classic case of Foot in the Mouth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf it were not for the cruel facts President Musharraf's PR efforts to put a lid on increasing number of reports about rape victims and lack of rights of Pakistani women would have been funny. Yasmeen Hassan's open letter to President Musharraf in today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100502507.html?nav=hcmodule\"\u003eWashington Pos\u003c/a\u003et will only make things more unpleasant for General Musharraf. He is still reeling from his infamous statement during an interview on September 12th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You must understand the environment in Pakistan. This has become a money-making concern. A lot of people say if you want to go abroad and get a visa for Canada or citizenship and be a millionaire, get yourself raped.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe General tried to deny saying it but he was being recorded. The audio transcript can be heard on the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2005/09/23/AU2005092301253.html\"\u003ePost's web site\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYaa Habibi !\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWomen are TARGET of THE WORLD WAR AGAINST POVERTY which is the most prominent funding at World Level. This funding walks in with packages of loose string UNO Community Policy a kind of humnour when you cannot correct your Speech and Comprehension of English as Social Language. \u003cbr\u003eOver the time our politically socially diverse Newpapers have created a Equity at time when with US Pak Industrialism Western  Advertisers moved in loud but dissapointedly most could not hit target creativity or  performance in social scene. It is the Human Right Groups which have no authentic moral connection with IHR and newspaper media and photojournalism that is using this for publivc provocation too while the photojournalism betrays and pampers many press scientists who are involved in The  Detraction . The recentest occasions have incredible picture performance of victim ladies and the writeuops have been 'soft porn'and on covers of major urdu press.  JUST AS TERRORIST BOMBS ARE SERVING PROXIES TO INCOMPREHENSION AND INTERNATIONAL ERRORS. THE SEX VICTIMISATION IS SERVING  PROXIES TO WAR AGAINST POVERTY.\u003cbr\u003eHopefully Musharaf's going to tear through the Media Dictatorship of Masses to reach real credit before his 2007 announcement of General Elections in midst of a growlingly of new confidence in Judiciary .The credits Pakistan has gotten from Democratisation is already requiring answers for neigbouring economies. \u003cbr\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai.\u003cbr\u003eGraphicCommunicationTechnologist .World Statesmen.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you for taking the time to express your view. Not quite sure of\u003cbr\u003eyour position but it seems that you\u003cbr\u003eare in disagreement with recent reports in the world press about Pakistani women and that you support\u003cbr\u003eGeneral Musharraf. I don't believe that the creator intended women to be second class citizens without the rights and privileges enjoyed by men. Women all over the world are demanding equal rights. They deserve it and will eventually gain them.  In Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan it might take a while but the handwriting is on the wall---women on the march \u003cbr\u003ecannot be stopped. In today's world, the hudood laws have no place in a civilized society. They are disgraceful.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eRemember Musafir Hudood means 'limits' and is Women's birth right on the modren planet.How will you put women together withoyut them having thier own puzzle of privacy  . In the west women are no example for Modrenity as West is hardly in position to present a real bloodline which has been allowed Great Koranic Virtue to improve themselves . You taught them wrongly the  lessons of competeing with man to be an equal but they cannot rule man without bringing his soul lower to them .But at  Cocktail Parties where Western Man  have no dignity for them but the secuarists havent been there.The dictatiorship of Masses is clearly a Secular Conspiracy with Europeans  [Canadian]and French Republicans  and Crass Funding requested by Asian African leaders and International Press is carrying it on. My former lodge at 23 Guldin Colony is right now being used by a maittre who would clean a servant latrine and her daughter was adopted to a job at Canadian embassy .Her son who lives there and has poorer skin than his shiny black grandmother who would be born in any 23 GC [Genetic Coded] families including my own maternal uncle .In England 'Face'is Faith or  picture virtue of fate 'Din'   .In Islam our names have order of Din.  But the Press needs a show! It the Human race to realise that Empowerment of Women 'is not Westernising them which it will turn out to be after Third World  secular interpreters who like can all out shout 'Huddod must not be allowed'?  It was 'Huddood'  and Koranic Virtuos Knowledge that recreated woman from the Meccan  women who wandered wanton for sex in outskirts of cities .\u003cbr\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai.\u003cbr\u003eGraphicCommunicationTechnologist .World Statesmen.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-09\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI am not an Islamic scholar and not qualified to argue about the finer points of Koranic laws. Suggest that you read my June 15th post \"The Shame of Pakistan\" which was about Hudood and included the following:\u003cbr\u003eQuote Proof of zina or zina-bil-jabr liable to hadd shall be in one of the following forms, namely:--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    * (a) the accused makes before a Court of competent jurisdiction a confession of the commission of the offence; or\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    * (b) at least four Muslim adult male witnesses, about whom the Court is satisfied, having regard to the requirements of tazkiyah al-shuhood [credibility of witnesses], that they are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kaba’ir), give evidence as eye-witnesses of the act of penetration necessary to the offence (P.L.D. 1979, 53; Bokhary 1979, 182; Major Acts 1992, 12).3\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTalk about a classic Catch 22---this is the mother of them all! Hard to believe that such barbaric laws and practices exist in the 21st century but they are real.\u003cbr\u003eEnd of quote\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf majority of Muslim women accept\u003cbr\u003ethe laws then they will remain in force. But if they don't then the\u003cbr\u003elaws will not stand regardless of how the scripture was interpreted by those who framed the laws.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSame people who won travel abroad to richer urbanias and work or jobs with International Organisations read a newspaper story to create a 'contradiction' amongst Third World Elites ! Im amused your not a Islamic Scholar but youve talked as far a Ruler and a full Society where is Islam is taught/ Scholared tutored free with other subjects at School and affairs at Home too,but hardly interpreted to Ethincally US/EU White media and Government which do not accept religion as dictation because they are masses who will first aquire prosperity of one world The Nord West . Infact I repeat that in half a century of Isreal/PLO  confrontation which overtly divided Muslims allover the World and Arabs in particular from Jews and USA ,but  not one socially politically interconversant  1st class talkshow  or a Journalist reached into from Asian African Arabian side and Ghazi Yasser Arafat could not score 'one Prime Time easy interview!. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePseodo Secularists! Feminists! Same people who come and shout in front of Courts of Law when Courts reward a  Capital punishment to diverse  offenders . Asian offenders must ask inquire women if Rape/Murder are  a Capital crime? But they must tell the world how far are they with all the pedophiles in Pakistan who are thrown into acid and infact WHY?. \u003cbr\u003eAs there are Shariat Courts {regulatory law} confession or 'the four witnesses' is only a convenience! why feel awkward. This is a scientifically advanced and very modren world ,a world with Kashi a   Forsenic Evidence Pshycologists ,and photofinsh is available with such crimes as  Rape . It is the media that buxom submissive village girls who improved  socially economically but still live below the remote Punjabi 'small land tenents [muzairas] and are being flanked Internationally by NGO's of  HRC's and Rape of minors and pedos goes unoticed the next day!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYou and I hold different positions on this issue. We can go on exchanging \u003cbr\u003ecomments for ever without reaching an agreement.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you give your e-mail address I shall be glad to seek your learned opinion about future posts related to Pakistan and women's role in Islamic nations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the meantime, I express my sorrow for the victims of the earthquake. No doubt you are involved in the relief efforts in some form or other.  Stay well.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShahzada Sher Saddozai\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHow do we hold difference of Opinion of News in a Day to Day government with Developming Economics and Transcedental Science. Sex apeal? Low confidence? running ahead to keep up with Breaking News?\u003cB\u003e why was the quake?\u003c/B\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Women of Pakistan Cannot Be Silenced"},{"content":" Bush Administration Against State's Rights*They tried but failed in the Terri Schiavo case. Now the zealots in Washington are at it again. The conservatives who championed State's Rights in the past have turned about-face and are now arguing before the Supreme Court to overrule Oregon's Death With Dignity Act. Their case rests on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), that it was being violated by physicians prescribing drugs to terminally ill patients who requested such assistance in dying.The Washington Post is carrying a report by Charles Lane, \"Supreme Court Holds Hearing On Assisted Suicide Case\" that includes questions raised by the justices.This case will exemplify the importance of the crucial \"swing vote\" in the current Supreme Court. Unfortunately, Justice O'Connor is not likely to be there when the case is decided. It was she who raised a very pertinent question.\"O'Connor immediately challenged Solicitor General Paul Clement, asking if federal drug laws also prevented doctors from participating in the execution of murderers.\" (Reported by Gina Holland of the Associated Press).From what is known about Harriet Miers and her affiliation with a fundamentalist Christian church, if she wins confirmation to the Court her vote would most probably be against Oregon.Summary of the background.OREGON'S LAW Patients must be in final six months of terminal illness Patients must make two oral requests and one written request to die, separated by a two-week period Patients must be mentally competent to make decision Two doctors must confirm diagnosis Lethal prescription of drugs prescribed by doctor and administered by patients themselves The Death With Dignity Act was passed by voters in Oregon in 1994, and three years later they voted against repeal. Since then 208 terminally ill patients (mostly suffering from cancer) have elected the option.The Bush administration has been after Oregon's Death With Dignity Act for a long time. The former Attorney general Ashcroft took a personal interest in it. Religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, vehemently opposed the act. Ashcroft tried to annul the law in 2002 because \"it depended on an improper use of medication by doctors and violated federal drug laws\". His order was overruled by an appeals court. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is continuing the battle, State's Rights be damned.An editorial in today's NY Times ended with the following:\"The impact of today's case will be felt beyond Oregon. The Bush administration's position has discouraged other states from enacting assisted suicide laws. But the Supreme Court should make clear that Oregon, and all states, have the right to allow terminally ill people to end their lives with a maximum of dignity and a minimum of pain.\"\nThe prospects for such a decision emerging from the Court are very slim.The Brits take an enlightened position on EuthanasiaWhile faced with increasing intrusion of religious beliefs in all aspects of our life we are surrendering to bigotry, across the Atlantic in England things are moving the other way. Rights of citizens to have more control over end of life decisions are being liberalized.The Guardian,UK, \"Church Ends Taboo on Mercy Killings\" January 16, 2005.The Guardian,UK, Doctors' Leaders drop opposition to euthanasia, June 30, 2005 Comments KR \u0026mdash; 2005-10-06 My father rarely talked much about Viet Nam. But I used to listen to him and some of his friend talk about it. And one day, one of his friends talked about being a medic, and how they sorted the injured: those who would live, those who would live if they got immediate care, and those who were dying. He said they injected the dying with overdoses of morphine and moved on to care for the living. I wonder, if prescribing patients lethal doses of drugs that patients administer to themselves is wrong... what changes are going to be enacted in military policies with regards to treating the mortally wounded. I guess they will just let them sudder and scream and bleed out.... like the good old days. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/keep-oregon-free---gonzales-v-oregon-04-623/","summary":"Bush Administration Against State's Rights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThey tried but failed in the Terri Schiavo case. Now the zealots in Washington are at it again. The conservatives who championed State's Rights in the past have turned about-face and are now arguing before the Supreme Court to overrule Oregon's Death With Dignity Act. Their case rests on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), that it was being violated by physicians prescribing drugs to terminally ill patients who requested such assistance in dying.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100500122.html\"\u003eThe  Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e is carrying a report by Charles Lane, \"Supreme Court Holds Hearing On Assisted Suicide Case\" that includes questions raised by the justices.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis case will exemplify the importance of the crucial \"swing vote\" in the current Supreme Court. Unfortunately, Justice O'Connor is not likely to be there when the case is decided. It was she who raised a very pertinent question.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"O'Connor immediately challenged Solicitor General Paul Clement, asking if federal drug laws also prevented doctors from participating in the execution of murderers.\" (Reported by Gina Holland of the Associated Press).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom what is known about Harriet Miers and her affiliation with a fundamentalist Christian church, if she wins confirmation to the Court her vote would most probably be against Oregon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSummary of the background.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOREGON'S LAW\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePatients must be in final six months of terminal illness\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePatients must make two oral requests and one written request to die, separated by a two-week period\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePatients must be mentally competent to make decision\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eTwo doctors must confirm diagnosis\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLethal prescription of drugs prescribed by doctor and administered by patients themselves\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThe Death With Dignity Act was passed by voters in Oregon in 1994, and three years later they voted against repeal. Since then 208 terminally ill patients (mostly suffering from cancer) have elected the option.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration has been after Oregon's Death With Dignity Act for a long time. The former Attorney general Ashcroft took a personal interest in it. Religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, vehemently opposed the act. Ashcroft tried to annul the law in 2002 because \"it depended on an improper use of medication by doctors and violated federal drug laws\". His order was overruled by an appeals court. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is continuing the battle, State's Rights be damned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn editorial in today's NY Times ended with the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The impact of today's case will be felt beyond Oregon. The Bush administration's position has discouraged other states from enacting assisted suicide laws. But the Supreme Court should make clear that Oregon, and all states, have the right to allow terminally ill people to end their lives with a maximum of dignity and a minimum of pain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Keep Oregon Free - Gonzales v. Oregon 04-623"},{"content":" The Dark Labyrinth of Her Mind*There were doubts about her motives and hints that reasons other than \"protecting her source\" made her decide to remain silent and go to prison. Today's Washington Post carries a report \"Lawyer Casts Blame on Reporter for Time in Jail\" by Carol D. Leonnig that sheds some light but does not fully explain the circumstances. Perhaps Ms. Miller went to prison to benefit from the \"tell all\" book that is supposedly in the works. As the reporter who contributed a series of stories about Saddan Hussein's non-existent WMD which the NY Times management was guilty of publishing without checking facts, Ms. Miller will undoubtedly create a partly fictional account of her role in the Plame affair. Comments Yorkshire Pudding \u0026mdash; 2005-10-04 Visited today.Never even heard of Judith Miller before. Keep on blogging brother. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/judith-millers-85-days-in-prison/","summary":"The Dark Labyrinth of Her Mind\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere were doubts about her motives and hints that reasons other than \"protecting her source\" made her decide to remain silent and go to prison. Today's \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301770.html\"\u003eWashington Post\u003c/a\u003e carries a report \"Lawyer Casts Blame on Reporter for Time in Jail\" by Carol D. Leonnig that sheds some light but does not fully explain the circumstances. Perhaps Ms. Miller went to prison to benefit from the \"tell all\" book that is supposedly in the works. As the reporter who contributed a series of stories about Saddan Hussein's non-existent WMD which the NY Times management was guilty of publishing without checking facts, Ms. Miller will undoubtedly create a partly fictional account of her role in the Plame affair.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYorkshire Pudding\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eVisited today.Never even heard of Judith Miller before. Keep on blogging brother.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Judith Miller's 85 Days in Prison"},{"content":" Will She Maintain or Destroy The Supreme Court's Delicate Balance ?*El Jefe pulled a rabbit out of the hat. Harriet Miers was a possibility but not at the top of the list of most of the pundits who ventured to express their opinions about a possible nominee. Initial reactions indicate that Conservatives are more unhappy than the Democrats. That, however, is not enough to feel good about the nominee. The Conservatives' ire could be part of the plan. Remember El Jefe's stated admiration for Scalia and Thomas ? It is hard to believe that he changed his position and risked displeasure of his core constitutency, especially the Christian right, by picking a person who would be radically different. A tiger does not change his stripes. G.W. Bush remains an opportunistic, hypocrite. Either he has reason to be assured that Ms. Miers will deliver by siding with Justices Scalia and Thomas or he decided to avoid a brutal, long drawn-out confirmation process by nominating one who could sneak by without causing a fire storm. He has enough problems on his desk to discourage him from adding another.As he always does in such unrehearsed settings, during the press conference this morning the president butchered the English language but spoke strongly about the nominee. He also disparaged polls. That must be taken with a grain of salt. The White House does pay attention to polls.The problem with the nomination is that Ms. Miers' positions on various issues remain unknown. She never held a judicial position--there is no public record of her beliefs and opinions. Details of her work in the White House will be protected under \"executive privilege\". The perfect stealth candidate. Scenario I: The president is confident of Ms. Miers' position on issues that are important to his core support groups and they will soften their criticism. Scenario II: Ms. Miers comes with an open mind and, if confirmed, will follow the path of retiring Justice O'Connor. It is only after she takes her seat on the court that we shall really find out what makes Harriet Miers tick. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/what-makes-harriet-miers-tick/","summary":"Will She Maintain or Destroy The Supreme Court's Delicate Balance ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEl Jefe pulled a rabbit out of the hat. Harriet Miers was a possibility but not at the top of the list of most of the pundits who ventured to express their opinions about a possible nominee. Initial reactions indicate that Conservatives are more unhappy than the Democrats. That, however, is not enough to feel good about the nominee. The Conservatives' ire could be part of the plan. Remember El Jefe's stated admiration for Scalia and Thomas ? It is hard to believe that he changed his position and risked displeasure of his core constitutency, especially the Christian right, by picking a person who would be radically different. A tiger does not change his stripes. G.W. Bush remains an opportunistic, hypocrite. Either he has reason to be assured that Ms. Miers will deliver by siding with Justices Scalia and Thomas or he decided to avoid a brutal, long drawn-out confirmation process by nominating one who could sneak by without causing a fire storm. He has enough problems on his desk to discourage him from adding another.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs he always does in such unrehearsed settings, during the press conference this morning the president butchered the English language but spoke strongly about the nominee. He also disparaged polls. That must be taken with a grain of salt. The White House does pay attention to polls.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe problem with the nomination is that Ms. Miers' positions on various issues remain unknown. She never held a judicial position--there is no public record of her beliefs and opinions. Details of her work in the White House will be protected under \"executive privilege\". The perfect stealth candidate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eScenario I: The president is confident of Ms. Miers' position on issues that are important to his core support groups and they will soften their criticism.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eScenario II: Ms. Miers comes with an open mind and, if confirmed, will  follow the path of retiring Justice O'Connor.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e It is only after she takes her seat on the court that we shall really find out what makes Harriet Miers tick.","title":"What Makes Harriet Miers Tick"},{"content":" October In Wales *The first day of October. Thought of the poem by the late Dylan Thomas. \"Especially when the October windWith frosty fingers punishes my hair,......\"Great poem. For us in the San Francisco Peninsula frosty fingers are unheard of in October. October means sunny, bracingly cold days and blue skies. After unseasonably cool days during most of the second-half of September, we had our Indian summer. During the last few days the daytime temperature climbed over 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). JHL and I hiked the 7.5 mile Los Trancos trail a few days back and felt the heat. We were tired and sweaty but it felt good. Buckeye Creek was almost dry but that will soon change. Today is noticeably cooler.Back to Dylan Thomas and October in Wales that he described so powerfully. There is beauty and there is harshness. The Welsh must be hardy people to cope with such stark autumn. \"Especially when the October wind With frosty fingers punishes my hair, Caught by the crabbing sun I walk on fire And cast a shadow crab upon the land, By the sea's side, hearing the noise of birds, Hearing the raven cough in winter sticks, My busy heart who shudders as she talks Sheds the syllabic blood and drains her words.Shut, too, in a tower of words, I markOn the horizon walking like the treesThe wordy shapes of women, and the rowsOf the star-gestured children in the park.Some let me make you of the vowelled beeches,Some of the oaken voices, from the rootsOf many a thorny shire tell you notes,Some let me make you of the water's speeches.Behind a post of ferns the wagging clockTells me the hour's word, the neural meaningFlies on the shafted disk, declaims the morningAnd tells the windy weather in the cock.Some let me make you of the meadow's signs;The signal grass that tells me all I knowBreaks with the wormy winter through the eye.Some let me tell you of the raven's sins.Especially when the October wind(Some let me make you of autumnal spells,The spider-tongued, and the loud hill of Wales)With fists of turnips punishes the land,Some let me make of you the heartless words.The heart is drained that, spelling in the scurryOf chemic blood, warned of the coming fury.By the sea's side hear the dark-vowelled birds.\"Dylan Thomas died young, at 39. Among his works, the magical \"A Child's Christmas in Wales\" and the unforgettable \"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night\" .\"I first saw the light ofday in a Glamorgan villa,and,amid the terrors of theWelsh accent and the smokeof the tinplate stacks, grewup to be a sweet baby, aprecocious child, a rebelliousboy, and a morbid youth\"---Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914-1953)For those who are interested in learning more about Dylan Thomas, the BBC's web site is a treasure trove. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-10-02 aww, come on. Tell me that somewhere in your heart there lurks one with an occasional deviation toward bad taste, far and away from the sublime and the beautiful and the perfect. Tell me your collars do not have buttons-down; that your tongue once entwined around stale Nesselrode pie; that your eyes made contact with a \"Family Guy\" tv screen just a tad. Oh, please. :)\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2005/10/october---dylan-thomas-wales-and-the-san-francisco-peninsula/","summary":"October In Wales  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first day of October.  Thought of the poem by the late Dylan Thomas. \"Especially when the October wind\u003cbr/\u003eWith frosty fingers punishes my hair,......\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat poem. For us in the San Francisco Peninsula frosty fingers are unheard of in October. October means sunny, bracingly cold days and blue skies. After unseasonably cool days during most of the second-half of September, we had our Indian summer. During the last few days the daytime temperature climbed over 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). JHL and I hiked the 7.5 mile Los Trancos trail a few days back and felt the heat. We were tired and sweaty but it felt good. Buckeye Creek was almost dry but that will soon change. Today is noticeably cooler.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack to Dylan Thomas and October in Wales that he described so powerfully. There is beauty and there is harshness. The Welsh must be hardy people to cope with such stark autumn.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e                                         \"Especially when the October wind\u003cbr/\u003e                                           With frosty fingers punishes my hair,\u003cbr/\u003e                                           Caught by the crabbing sun I walk on fire\u003cbr/\u003e                                           And cast a shadow crab upon the land,\u003cbr/\u003e                                           By the sea's side, hearing the noise of birds,\u003cbr/\u003e                                           Hearing the raven cough in winter sticks,\u003cbr/\u003e                                           My busy heart who shudders as she talks\u003cbr/\u003e                                           Sheds the syllabic blood and drains her words.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShut, too, in a tower of words, I mark\u003cbr/\u003eOn the horizon walking like the trees\u003cbr/\u003eThe wordy shapes of women, and the rows\u003cbr/\u003eOf the star-gestured children in the park.\u003cbr/\u003eSome let me make you of the vowelled beeches,\u003cbr/\u003eSome of the oaken voices, from the roots\u003cbr/\u003eOf many a thorny shire tell you notes,\u003cbr/\u003eSome let me make you of the water's speeches.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBehind a post of ferns the wagging clock\u003cbr/\u003eTells me the hour's word, the neural meaning\u003cbr/\u003eFlies on the shafted disk, declaims the morning\u003cbr/\u003eAnd tells the windy weather in the cock.\u003cbr/\u003eSome let me make you of the meadow's signs;\u003cbr/\u003eThe signal grass that tells me all I know\u003cbr/\u003eBreaks with the wormy winter through the eye.\u003cbr/\u003eSome let me tell you of the raven's sins.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEspecially when the October wind\u003cbr/\u003e(Some let me make you of autumnal spells,\u003cbr/\u003eThe spider-tongued, and the loud hill of Wales)\u003cbr/\u003eWith fists of turnips punishes the land,\u003cbr/\u003eSome let me make of you the heartless words.\u003cbr/\u003eThe heart is drained that, spelling in the scurry\u003cbr/\u003eOf chemic blood, warned of the coming fury.\u003cbr/\u003eBy the sea's side hear the dark-vowelled birds.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eDylan Thomas died young, at 39. Among his works, the magical \"A Child's Christmas in Wales\" and the unforgettable \"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night\" .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I first saw the light of\u003cbr/\u003eday in a Glamorgan villa,\u003cbr/\u003eand,amid the terrors of the\u003cbr/\u003eWelsh accent and the smoke\u003cbr/\u003eof the  tinplate stacks, grew\u003cbr/\u003eup to be a sweet  baby, a\u003cbr/\u003eprecocious child, a rebellious\u003cbr/\u003eboy, and a morbid youth\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914-1953)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor those who are interested in learning more about Dylan Thomas, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/dylanthomas/\"\u003eBBC's web site\u003c/a\u003e is a treasure trove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-02\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eaww, come on.  Tell me that somewhere in your heart there lurks one with an occasional deviation toward bad taste, far and away from the sublime and the beautiful and the perfect.  Tell me your collars do not have buttons-down; that your tongue once entwined around stale Nesselrode pie; that your eyes made contact with a \"Family Guy\" tv screen just a tad. Oh, please. :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"October -  Dylan Thomas, Wales and the San Francisco Peninsula"},{"content":" Silence of the World's Muslim Community*More than 200 dead in the last five days! At this rate the number of Iraqis killed in factional violence will soon exceed the number killed directly or indirectly in actions of the Coalition (mainly U.S.) forces. In the absence of an outcry one has to come to the conclusion that the Muslims don't care. The Islamic world has failed miserably to condemn the violence in Iraq. Every day Iraqis, mostly ordinary citizens, are dying horrible deaths at the hands of extremists---Sunnis, Shias, al Qaeda members. Mercifully, \"collateral damage\" from military actions is no longer a daily occurrence.We don't hear about Mullahs speaking out; we don't know of any leader in the Middle East who has taken a position to do something about the butchery that is going on. The silence is deafening. It is shameful and cowardly.Iraqis killing Iraqis, in the name of God or in the battle to gain power. Do we have a hand in it? Yes, inasmuch as we went there to establish a handpicked government that would be a lackey. The plan misfired. Now we are stuck in another quagmire. True, it has not reached the size of Vietnam but two and half years have passed since the first pair of boots hit the ground. More than 1900 of our men and women in uniform have died there. What have we achieved ? Saddam and his goons are no longer there. Others have taken their place. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/iraq-the-slaughterhouse/","summary":"Silence of the World's Muslim Community\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMore than 200 dead in the last five days! At this rate the number of Iraqis killed in factional violence will soon exceed the number killed directly or indirectly in actions of the Coalition (mainly U.S.) forces. In the absence of an outcry one has to come to the conclusion that the Muslims don't care. The Islamic world has failed miserably to condemn the violence in Iraq. Every day Iraqis, mostly ordinary citizens, are dying horrible deaths at the hands of extremists---Sunnis, Shias, al Qaeda members. Mercifully, \"collateral damage\" from military actions is no longer a daily occurrence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe don't hear about Mullahs speaking out; we don't know of any leader in the Middle East who has taken a position to do something about the butchery that is going on. The silence is deafening. It is shameful and cowardly.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraqis killing Iraqis, in the name of God or in the battle to gain power. Do we have a hand in it? Yes, inasmuch as we went there to establish a handpicked government that would be a lackey. The plan misfired. Now we are stuck in another quagmire. True, it has not reached the size of Vietnam but two and half years have passed since the first pair of boots hit the ground. More than 1900 of our men and women in uniform have died there. What have we achieved ? Saddam and his goons are no longer there. Others have taken their place.","title":"Iraq, The Slaughterhouse"},{"content":" Gag me with a spoon*Ms Miller emerged from behind prison doors after serving 85 days for her refusal to name her source in the Valerie Plame affair and uttered claptrap about her principled position. No doubt she will be back at the NY Times spreading falsehood which she so aptly did to promote the war against Iraq. All the stories about the non-existent WMD! Sickening.Judy Miller's Statement ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/the-phony-judith-miller/","summary":"Gag me with a spoon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs Miller emerged from behind prison doors after serving 85 days for her refusal to name her source in the Valerie Plame affair and uttered claptrap about her principled position. No doubt she will be back at the NY Times spreading falsehood which she so aptly did to promote the war against Iraq. All the stories about the non-existent WMD! Sickening.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/30/politics/30transcript-miller.html\"\u003eJudy Miller's Statement\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Phony Judith Miller"},{"content":" *It took time but his transgressions finally caught up with The Hammer aka The Exterminator. The Republicans issued the expected vituperations against Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle for indicting Mr. DeLay. Regardless of how it ends, the former speaker of the House will be paddling in the legal swamp for some time. No one deserves it more.In the Senate, Bill Frist, the majority leader, has problems of his own. Frist, who made no secret of his intentions to be a contender in 2008 presidential race, has to clear his name from being involved in questionable stock transactions.Bad news for El Jefe ? Yes and no. While Republicans in Congress, weakened by the scandals, might not be very effective in backing the president's agenda, the scandals divert attention from his own failures and dwindling support on the war. Headlines that move the spotlight from the lack of response when Katrina struck, reconstruction projects with the usual suspects raking money hands down, the mounting death toll in Iraq, and the rising energy costs, are probably received with a sigh of relief by the White House. They provide distraction, albeit for a short duration. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/fall-of-tom-delay---how-sweet-it-is/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eIt took time but his transgressions finally caught up with The Hammer aka The Exterminator. The Republicans issued the expected vituperations against Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earle for indicting Mr. DeLay. Regardless of how it ends, the former speaker of the House will be paddling in the legal swamp for some time. No one deserves it more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the Senate, Bill Frist, the majority leader, has problems of his own. Frist, who made no secret of his intentions to be a contender in 2008 presidential race, has to clear his name from being involved in questionable stock transactions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBad news for El Jefe ? Yes and no. While Republicans in Congress, weakened by the scandals, might not be very effective in backing the president's agenda, the scandals divert attention from his own failures and dwindling support on the war. Headlines that move the spotlight from the lack of response when Katrina struck, reconstruction projects with the usual suspects raking money hands down, the mounting death toll in Iraq, and the rising energy costs, are probably received with a sigh of relief by the White House. They provide distraction, albeit for a short duration.","title":"Fall of Tom DeLay - How Sweet It Is !"},{"content":" Is she right ? You be the judge.*Karen Hughes is the former White House Counsellor and long-time confidante of G.W. Bush. Their association goes back to the days when he was governor of Texas. In July 2005 she was appointed as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. She is currently on a tour to promote the United States' position on various issues.Hughes Defends Women's Status in IraqBy SUZAN FRASERAssociated Press WriterSeptember 28, 2005, 11:00 AM EDTANKARA, Turkey -- The United States' new public relations chief, Karen Hughes, responded to Turkish criticism over the Iraq war by telling women's rights advocates Wednesday that Iraqi women were being treated better now than they were under Saddam Hussein. That was what she said. The following articles paint a quite different picture.Iraqi women fear for their rightsBy Caroline HawleyBBC News, Baghdad July 25,2005 \"Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq had some of the most secular legislation in the region. But all that could change, with hardline Shia members of the national assembly pushing for the country to be named the Islamic Republic of Iraq.\" New dark age for Iraqi womenPeter Beaumont, foreign affairs editorSunday August 14, 2005The Observer\"Earlier this year I was in Iraq's second city, Basra, lunching with a group of Iraqi women professionals. It was the time of the elections, and the conversation turned to women's rights. Since the fall of Saddam, the women complained, their freedoms had gradually been eroded, not by official diktat but by groups of Shia radicals who had invaded hospitals, universities and schools, insisting that women wore headscarves and behaved as men saw fit.\"Chewing on meaningless wordsHaifa ZanganaWednesday August 17, 2005The Guardian \"The battle over the constitution is regarded by most Iraqi women, confined to their homes bythe occupation, as an irrelevance.\"Iraqi women were long the most liberated in the Middle East. Occupation has largely confined them to their homes. A typical Iraqi woman's day begins with the struggle to get the basics: electricity, petrol or a cylinder of gas, water, food and medication. It ends with a sigh of relief at surviving death threats and violent attacks. For most women, simply to venture on to the street is to risk being attacked or kidnapped for profit or revenge. Young girls are sold to neighbouring countries for prostitution.\"The author of Baghdad Burning (Riverbend blog) has been writing about Iraq since the beginning of the war. Reported to be a young university student, her posts have received a lot of praise in mainstream media both in the USA and abroad.Baghdad Burning Sept.17, 2005\"Women's rights won't be apparent until the Personal Status Law is defined clearly. Former Iraqi Personal Status Law was the most advanced in the region. It secured advanced rights for Iraqi women.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/iraqi-women-better-off-now-according-to-karen-hughes/","summary":"Is she right ?  You be the judge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eKaren Hughes is the former White House Counsellor and long-time confidante of G.W. Bush. Their association goes back to the days when he was governor of Texas. In July 2005 she was appointed as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. She is currently on a tour to promote the United States' position on various issues.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHughes Defends Women's Status in Iraq\u003cbr/\u003eBy SUZAN FRASER\u003cbr/\u003eAssociated Press Writer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSeptember 28, 2005, 11:00 AM EDT\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eANKARA, Turkey -- The United States' new public relations chief, Karen Hughes, responded to Turkish criticism over the Iraq war by telling women's rights advocates Wednesday that Iraqi women were being treated better now than they were under Saddam Hussein. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was what she said.  The following articles paint a quite different picture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4715051.stm\"\u003eIraqi women fear for their rights\u003cbr/\u003eBy Caroline Hawley\u003cbr/\u003eBBC News, Baghdad July 25,2005\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq had some of the most secular legislation in the region.    \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Iraqi Women better off now according to Karen Hughes"},{"content":" Props galore - Photo opportunities and more photo opportunities*The President must be tired, flying back and forth from the areas affected by Katrina and Rita. After dawdling in Crawford he is bending over backward to repair the damage.....the damage to his popularity rating. And we were told once that he never paid attention to polls. Perhaps he is doing it at the insistence of his handlers.Will he succeed? The former FEMA director's testimony today before the House of Representatives isn't going to help much. While Michael Brown strongly criticized officials in New Orleans, he also pointed his finger at DHS. This is the Michael Brown who was appointed as head of FEMA by President Bush and received high praise on September 9th during the president's first visit to the Gulf Coast after Katrina. (\"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job\")The President's attempts to keep under his control investigation of what went wrong might not succeed either. Remember, he tried it with the 9/11 enquiry and failed. This time,too, there is skepticism about his efforts to block an independent commission. Time for another long vacation.A Reuters news agency report included the following:Republicans have so far rejected calls for a bipartisan commission similar to the panel that investigated the September 11, 2001, attacks, even though polls show an overwhelming majority of the public supports such a probe.\nA Gallup Poll last week found 81 percent of respondents in favor of an independent investigation with only 18 percent backing a congressional investigation.\n\"I don't know why they are resisting so hard,\" said pollster John Zogby. \"The public is angry and they want answers. The Republicans may have picked a fight they can't win.\"\nBush may find it hard to resist Katrina commission (Reuters 9/27/05) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/can-the-president-escape-the-ghost-of-katrina/","summary":"Props galore - Photo opportunities and more photo opportunities\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President must be tired, flying back and forth from the areas affected by Katrina and Rita. After dawdling in Crawford he is bending over backward to repair the damage.....the damage to his popularity rating. And we were told once that he never paid attention to polls. Perhaps he is doing it at the insistence of his handlers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWill he succeed? The former FEMA director's testimony today before the House of Representatives isn't going to help much. While Michael Brown strongly criticized officials in New Orleans, he also pointed his finger at DHS. This is the Michael Brown who was appointed as head of FEMA by President Bush and received high praise on September 9th during the president's first visit to the Gulf Coast after Katrina. (\"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job\")\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe President's attempts to keep under his control investigation of what went wrong might not succeed either. Remember, he tried it with the 9/11 enquiry and failed. This time,too, there is skepticism about his efforts to block an independent commission. Time for another long vacation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Reuters news agency report included the following:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003eRepublicans have so far rejected calls for a bipartisan commission similar to the panel that investigated the September 11, 2001, attacks, even though polls show an overwhelming majority of the public supports such a probe.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Can the President escape the ghost of Katrina?"},{"content":" The hurricanes have exposed the bureaucratic messKatrina and the failure of the officials involved with FEMA and The Dept. of Homeland Security made the nation aware of the problems with management. More examples of their ineptness are being reported on a daily basis. And Hurricane Rita is about to hit the Texas Gulf.Today's Chicago Tribune (online edition) carries a report by Andrew Martin and Andrew Zajac that describes the situation in respect to providing buses to transport people from the affected areas.Offer of buses fell between the cracks ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/fema-and-dhs---portraits-of-abysmal-incompetence/","summary":"The hurricanes have exposed the bureaucratic mess\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKatrina and the failure of the officials involved with FEMA and The Dept. of Homeland Security made the nation aware of the problems with management. More examples of their ineptness are being reported on a daily basis. And Hurricane Rita is about to hit the Texas Gulf.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday's Chicago Tribune (online edition) carries a report by Andrew Martin and Andrew Zajac that describes the situation in respect to providing buses to transport people from the affected areas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/chitribts/20050923/ts_chicagotrib/offerofbusesfellbetweenthecracks\"\u003eOffer of buses fell between the cracks\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"FEMA and DHS - Portraits of Abysmal Incompetence"},{"content":" Still too early to be sure*There is no question,however, that more and more people are voicing doubt about the decision to go to war against Iraq and the president's handling of the war. Recent polls conducted by various organizations clearly point to a change and the change is not confined to the so called \"blue\" states. Heartening sign.From Petula Dvorak's report in The Washington Post \"Antiwar Rally Will Be A First For Many\":\"The seasoned protesters who organized tomorrow's antiwar demonstration are well-versed in many other causes. They have marched and rallied against police brutality, racism, colonialism and the policies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.But their message on the Mall tomorrow will be singular: \"End the war in Iraq.\"More power to them. Let's hope for a groundswell. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/anti-war-movement-spreading-to-grass-roots/","summary":"Still too early to be sure\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThere is no question,however, that more and more people are voicing doubt about the decision to go to war against Iraq and the president's handling of the war. Recent polls conducted by various organizations clearly point to a change and the change is not confined to the so called \"blue\" states. Heartening sign.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Petula Dvorak's report in The Washington Post \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/22/AR2005092202186.html?sub=AR\"\u003eAntiwar Rally Will Be A First For Many\u003c/a\u003e\":\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The seasoned protesters who organized tomorrow's antiwar demonstration are well-versed in many other causes. They have marched and rallied against police brutality, racism, colonialism and the policies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut their message on the Mall tomorrow will be singular: \"End the war in Iraq.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore power to them.  Let's hope for a groundswell.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Anti-War Movement Spreading to Grass Roots ?"},{"content":" *The holy rollers at Repent America, an organization based in Philadelphia,PA, claimed that New Orleans was the target of God's wrath because of its sinful ways, especially the Southern Decadence Parade--\"an annual homosexual celebration\" according to their press release--which was scheduled to begin on August 31st.Now that Hurricane Rita (designated as Category 4) is heading for Texas Gulf, time for another press release from Repent America. What sins have the residents of Port Arthur, Galveston, Houston and other coastal towns in Rita's path committed to be chosen for your God's wrath? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/question-for-the-good-christians-at-repent-america---why-texas/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThe holy rollers at Repent America, an organization based in Philadelphia,PA, claimed that New Orleans was the target of God's wrath because of its sinful ways, especially the Southern Decadence Parade--\"an annual homosexual celebration\" according to their press release--which was scheduled to begin on August 31st.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow that Hurricane Rita (designated as Category 4) is heading for Texas Gulf, time for another press release from \u003ca href=\"http://www.repentamerica.com/pr_hurricanekatrina.html\"\u003eRepent America\u003c/a\u003e. What sins have the residents of Port Arthur, Galveston, Houston and other coastal towns in Rita's path committed to be chosen for your God's wrath?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Question for the good Christians at  \"Repent America\" - Why Texas ?"},{"content":" Odds and Ends on Autumn SolsticeGore Vidal, Peter Jennings, Sidney Bechet*Welcome autumn. Yesterday, JHL and I walked at Coal Mine Creek. Trails still damp from the rain on Tuesday; the air smelled fresh and sweet of bay laurel and eucalyptus leaves on the ground. We sat near the hammock between two eucalyptus trees to have our sandwiches. Shared a bottle of Mission St. Pale Ale and watched a red-tailed hawk circling overhead. I don't know a read-tailed hawk from any other raptor but JHL has recently joined a bird watching group and she was equipped with binoculars. The hawk kept circling over the area for a while as if it knew it was being watched. Then the circles widened and we could no longer follow it. Gore Vidal Speaks It was a pleasure to read Emma Brockes' interview with Gore Vidal in The Guardian. Nearing 80, he pulled no punches in talking about G.W. Bush and his administration.Excerpts:\"............was he surprised by Bush's inadequacy in dealing with the floods in Louisiana?\"No.\" He musters a little smirk. \"It's a corrupt administration\" - Vidal's voice begins to rise magesterially, and his whole body to inflate like a hovercraft - \"as they have proven to the whole world. I was just watching television; Bush has for the first time admitted that he might be culpable.\"Was he convincing?\"No-o-o. What was convincing was that his handlers said you get out there and apologise.\"\"Age Cannot Wither Him\" - Emma Brockes, The Guardian,UK *Tributes to Peter Jennings (1938-2005)Friends and admirers of the late Peter Jennings assembled at Carnegie Hall on September 20th to pay homage. In addition to being a great journalist, Jennings was a lover of jazz and \"......attracted to women\".David Bauder, AP,who had covered Jennings in the past, wrote a great piece about him and the gathering at Carnegie Hall.\"Jennings, ABC's chief news anchor for more than 20 years, was also \"famously attracted to women,\" Koppel said. \"Even so, he only married four of them.\"\nA handful of homeless people were also in the hall. Jennings' widow, Kayce, was startled recently when a homeless man approached to express sympathy for her loss; Jennings had befriended him during walks in Central Park.\nJennings frequently served meals to the homeless after leaving the ABC News studio and that night's broadcast of \"World News Tonight,\" said Mary Brosnahan Sullivan of the Coalition for the Homeless.\n\"The Peter I knew was somebody of concrete action,\" she said.\"\"Peter Jennings Honored at Carnegie Hall\", David Bauder AP\n*The late, great Sidney BechetListening to Sidney Bechet on a CD. He breezed through the melancholic \"Summertime\"; jumped into \"Muskrat Ramble\", and is now playing \"Way Down Yonder in New Orleans\". He was described as a \"clarinet virtuoso\" but was equally good with soprano saxophone. It is his clarinet that is making the sweet sound that is evocative of the French Quarter, jazz and all that New Orleans stood for.Bechet is accompanied by superb artists:Art Hodes - pianoWild Bill Davison - cornetPops Foster - bassFred Moore - drumsSidney Bechet (1897-1959)Blue Note CDP 7243 8 28991 20 @1994 (Originally recorded 1953). ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/a-red-tailed-hawk-at-coal-mine-creek/","summary":"Odds and Ends on Autumn Solstice\u003cbr/\u003eGore Vidal, Peter Jennings, Sidney Bechet\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eWelcome autumn. Yesterday, JHL and I walked at Coal Mine Creek. Trails still damp from the rain on Tuesday; the air smelled fresh and sweet of bay laurel and eucalyptus leaves on the ground. We sat near the hammock between two eucalyptus trees to have our sandwiches. Shared a bottle of Mission St. Pale Ale and watched a red-tailed hawk circling overhead. I don't know a read-tailed hawk from any other raptor but JHL has recently joined a bird watching group and she was equipped with binoculars. The hawk kept circling over the area for a while as if it knew it was being watched. Then the circles widened and we could no longer follow it.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eGore Vidal Speaks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e It was a pleasure to read Emma Brockes' interview with Gore Vidal in The Guardian. Nearing 80, he pulled no punches in talking about G.W. Bush and his administration.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"............was he surprised by Bush's inadequacy in dealing with the floods in Louisiana?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No.\" He musters a little smirk. \"It's a corrupt administration\" - Vidal's voice begins to rise magesterially, and his whole body to inflate like a hovercraft - \"as they have proven to the whole world. I was just watching television; Bush has for the first time admitted that he might be culpable.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWas he convincing?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No-o-o. What was convincing was that his handlers said you get out there and apologise.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/biography/story/0,6000,1574752,00.html\"\u003e\"Age Cannot Wither Him\" - Emma Brockes, The Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/biography/story/0,6000,1574752,00.html\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTributes to Peter Jennings (1938-2005)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFriends and admirers of the late Peter Jennings assembled at Carnegie Hall on September 20th to pay homage. In addition to being a great journalist, Jennings was a lover of jazz and \"......attracted to women\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Bauder, AP,who had covered Jennings in the past, wrote a great piece about him and the  gathering at Carnegie Hall.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Jennings, ABC's chief news anchor for more than 20 years, was also \"famously attracted to women,\" Koppel said. \"Even so, he only married four of them.\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Red-tailed Hawk at Coal Mine Creek"},{"content":" Yesterday 1900, today 1906 *\"How many times must the cannonballs fly, before they're forever banned?...How many deaths will it takes till he knows that too many people have died?\" -Bob Dylan, \"Blowin' In The Wind\". The names below represent casualties between August 3 and September 20. It supplements the list published on Aug.3, 2005.* Nils George Thompson, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2005Chad J. Simon, 32, Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 04, 2005Brett Eugene Walden, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 05, 2005Robert V. Derenda, 42, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 05, 2005Terry W. Ball Jr., 36, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Aug 05, 2005Brahim J. Jeffcoat, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 06, 2005Kurt E. Krout, 43, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 06, 2005Chase Johnson Comley, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 06, 2005Seferino J. Reyna, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 07, 2005Anthony N. Kalladeen, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 08, 2005Hernando Rios, 29, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 08, 2005Ramon E. Gonzales Cordova, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Aug 08, 2005Miguel Carrasquillo, 25, Army Specialist, Aug 09, 2005Nathaniel E. \"Nate\" Detample, 19, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 09, 2005John Kulick, 35, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 09, 2005Ryan S. Ostrom, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 09, 2005Gennaro Pellegrini Jr., 31, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 09, 2005Francis J. Straub Jr., 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 09, 2005Michael A. Benson, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 10, 2005Evenor C. Herrera, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 10, 2005Rusty W. Bell, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 12, 2005David L. Giaimo, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Aug 12, 2005Brian K. Derks, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 13, 2005Toccara R. Green, 23, Army Specialist, Aug 14, 2005Asbury F. Hawn II, 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 14, 2005Gary L. Reese Jr., 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 14, 2005Shannon D. Taylor, 30, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 14, 2005Jose L. Ruiz, 28, Army Specialist, Aug 15, 2005Joshua P. Dingler, 19, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 15, 2005Paul A. Saylor, 21, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 15, 2005Thomas J. Strickland, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 15, 2005Michael J. Stokely, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 16, 2005Nathan K. Bouchard, 24, Army Sergeant, Aug 18, 2005Jeremy W. Doyle, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 18, 2005Ray M. Fuhrmann II, 28, Army Specialist, Aug 18, 2005Timothy J. Seamans, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 18, 2005Willard Todd Partridge, 35, Army Sergeant, Aug 20, 2005Elden D. Arcand, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 21, 2005Brian Lee Morris, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 21, 2005Joseph C. Nurre, 22, Army Reserve Specialist, Aug 21, 2005James J. Cathey, 24, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 21, 2005Hatim S. Kathiria, 23, Army Specialist, Aug 22, 2005Joseph Daniel Hunt, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 22, 2005Victoir P. Lieurance, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 22, 2005Ramon Romero, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 22, 2005Carlos J. Diaz, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Aug 23, 2005Chris S. Chapin, 39, Army National Guard Master Sergeant, Aug 23, 2005Trevor J. Diesing, 30, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 25, 2005Ivica Jerak, 42, Army Master Sergeant, Aug 25, 2005Timothy M. Shea, 22, Army Corporal, Aug 25, 2005Joseph L. Martinez, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 27, 2005Obediah J. Kolath, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 28, 2005Dennis P. Hay, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Aug 29, 2005Charles R. Rubado, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 29, 2005Gregory J. Fester, 41, Army Reserve Major, Aug 30, 2005Jason E. Ames, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 31, 2005Monta S. Ruth, 26, Army Sergeant, Aug 31, 2005Lowell T. Miller II, 35, Army National Guard Captain, Aug 31, 2005George Ray Draughn Jr., 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 01, 2005Robert Lee Hollar Jr., 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2005Lonnie J. Parson, 39, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 02, 2005Matthew Charles Bohling, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 05, 2005Jeffrey A. Williams, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 05, 2005Luke C. Williams, 35, Army Specialist, Sep 05, 2005Jude R. Jonaus, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 06, 2005Franklin R. Vilorio, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 06, 2005Robert N. Martens, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Sep 06, 2005Christopher L. Everett, 23, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 07, 2005Kurtis Dean K. Arcala, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 11, 2005Jeremy M. Campbell, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 11, 2005David Ford, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 15, 2005Alfredo B. Silva, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 15, 2005Shane C. Swanberg, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 15, 2005Matthew L. Deckard, 29, Army Sergeant, Sep 16, 2005Mark Dooley, 27, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Sep 19, 2005\"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed—those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending its money alone—it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children\"-—Dwight Eisenhower, Speech (1953) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/us-casualties-in-iraq---deaths-in-an-unjustified-war/","summary":"Yesterday 1900, today \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e1906\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"How many times must the cannonballs fly, before they're forever banned?...How many deaths will it takes till he knows that too many people have died?\" -Bob Dylan, \"Blowin' In The Wind\".  The names below represent casualties between August 3 and September 20.  It supplements the list published on Aug.3, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e Nils George Thompson, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChad J. Simon, 32, Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrett Eugene Walden, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRobert V. Derenda, 42, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTerry W. Ball Jr., 36, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Aug 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrahim J. Jeffcoat, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eKurt E. Krout, 43, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChase Johnson Comley, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eSeferino J. Reyna, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony N. Kalladeen, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eHernando Rios, 29, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRamon E. Gonzales Cordova, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Aug 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMiguel Carrasquillo, 25, Army Specialist, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eNathaniel E. \"Nate\" Detample, 19, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Kulick, 35, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRyan S. Ostrom, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGennaro Pellegrini Jr., 31, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eFrancis J. Straub Jr., 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael A. Benson, 40, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEvenor C. Herrera, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRusty W. Bell, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDavid L. Giaimo, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Aug 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrian K. Derks, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eToccara R. Green, 23, Army Specialist, Aug 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAsbury F. Hawn II, 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGary L. Reese Jr., 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eShannon D. Taylor, 30, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJose L. Ruiz, 28, Army Specialist, Aug 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoshua P. Dingler, 19, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003ePaul A. Saylor, 21, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eThomas J. Strickland, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael J. Stokely, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eNathan K. Bouchard, 24, Army Sergeant, Aug 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy W. Doyle, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRay M. Fuhrmann II, 28, Army Specialist, Aug 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy J. Seamans, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eWillard Todd Partridge, 35, Army Sergeant, Aug 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eElden D. Arcand, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBrian Lee Morris, 38, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph C. Nurre, 22, Army Reserve Specialist, Aug 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJames J. Cathey, 24, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eHatim S. Kathiria, 23, Army Specialist, Aug 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph Daniel Hunt, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eVictoir P. Lieurance, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRamon Romero, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eCarlos J. Diaz, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Aug 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChris S. Chapin, 39, Army National Guard Master Sergeant, Aug 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTrevor J. Diesing, 30, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eIvica Jerak, 42, Army Master Sergeant, Aug 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy M. Shea, 22, Army Corporal, Aug 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJoseph L. Martinez, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eObediah J. Kolath, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Aug 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDennis P. Hay, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Aug 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eCharles R. Rubado, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGregory J. Fester, 41, Army Reserve Major, Aug 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJason E. Ames, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMonta S. Ruth, 26, Army Sergeant, Aug 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eLowell T. Miller II, 35, Army National Guard Captain, Aug 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Ray Draughn Jr., 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRobert Lee Hollar Jr., 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eLonnie J. Parson, 39, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew Charles Bohling, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeffrey A. Williams, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eLuke C. Williams, 35, Army Specialist, Sep 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJude R. Jonaus, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eFranklin R. Vilorio, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eRobert N. Martens, 20, Navy Hospitalman, Sep 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher L. Everett, 23, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eKurtis Dean K. Arcala, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJeremy M. Campbell, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Ford, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAlfredo B. Silva, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eShane C. Swanberg, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMatthew L. Deckard, 29, Army Sergeant, Sep 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMark Dooley, 27, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Sep 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed—those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending its money alone—it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children\"\u003cbr/\u003e-—Dwight Eisenhower, Speech (1953)","title":"U.S. Casualties in Iraq - Deaths in an Unjustified War"},{"content":" The Big Piece of Granite is like a Magnet to Hikers*\"Half Dome stands at the elevation of 8,842 feet. It is made up from a type of granite, plutonic rock. Yosemite National Park's Half Dome's missing half is presumed to have fallen off when the Ice Age glaciers passed through.\"Half Dome, Sheer Side from Glacier PointPhoto © Arundhati Bhowmick,Aug.2004Ascended Half Dome on Sept.10th. My friend Sarbajit Ghosal and I had done it in 2001. When Sarbajit mentioned a month ago that he was planning another trip I readily decided to join him. While painfully hanging on to the cable going up the Dome I asked myself, \"why am I doing this; what am I trying to prove?\". There must be many others who felt the same way I did. There is something about Half Dome that is hard to explain. You see the big piece of granite from various points in the Yosemite Valley and you think the hike (there is no other way of reaching it) would be worth trying. You do it and say \"never again\". It demands a lot, as a marathon does. But just as a few days after running a marathon, many runners begin to think of the next one, Half Dome hikers are of the same breed. Met a guy who said he had climbed it when he was 25 and was back to do it during his 50th year.The round trip hike is approximately 17 miles. It can take anywhere from 10 to more than 14 hours depending on weather conditions and fitness of the hiker.During the season, hundreds of men, women and kids hike the 17-mile round trip from Yosemite Valley. Not an easy trek. The elevation gain is about 4800 ft (almost a mile) in 8.5 miles. On September 10th, when we were on the trail, almost 50% of the hikers were women.View from the trail-Photo © MusafirOn the trail with friends - Photo © Sarbajit GhosalWith Sarbajit - Photo © GauravIn ideal conditions, some hikers do it under 10 hours. It took us 13, out of which we spent more than 1 hour going up the cable (300 yds) to the top. There were bottlenecks on the cable due to number of people ascending and descending at the same time. The unusual volume could have been due to the fact that for repair work the trail is closed this season Monday-Thursday upto 4 PM. That limited most of the hikers to the 3-day window---Friday, Saturday and Sunday.If we go back it would be to hike up on a weekday. Although the Mist Trail alongside Vernal Falls is shorter by a mile than the John Muir Trail to reach Nevada Falls enroute to Half Dome, we took John Muir. Easier on the knees and we reached Nevada Falls in much better shape than we did four years ago going up the Mist Trail.The Stairs (Quarter Dome) and the CablesSarbajit (2nd from left) on the StairsPhoto© MusafirJust when you begin to think that you will be at the base of the Dome, the Quarter Dome looms up. The trail builders have done a great job in creating a switchback to climb the Quarter Dome. Still, it is almost a half mile hike; the stone steps are rather high and take a toll. You descend from Quarter Dome and find youself facing the daunting cables.Going up the Stairs - Photo © Sarbajit GhosalFrom the Stairs looking down - Photo © MusafirFrom distance climbers look like ants crawling up - Photo © Sarbajit GhosalTraffic congestion at the base - Photo © Sarbajit GhosalFrom the base looking up - Photo © MusafirThe degree of slope at the base is 35-36 degrees and at points higher up the Dome more than 45 degrees.Close up of the cables - Photo © Kenton LeeThe typical or target dates for the cables are to have them up for Memorial Weekend.\"\"They usually remain in place through Columbus Day weekend.\"\"The cables, extending approximately 300 yards up the steep shoulder of the 8,842 foot dome, allow visitor access to the summit and unparalleled views of Yosemite Valley and the Park's highcountry.In 1919, the Sierra Club donated funds to install the first cables on Half Dome. The Civilian Conservation Corps replaced the original cables in the 1930's.\"Hikers on top - Photo © MusafirSarbajit playing Tarzan - Photo © MusafirSarbajit at the precipice - Photo © MusafirSarbajit descending, backward (recommended). Quarter Dome lower backgroundPhoto © MusafirIt is getting late for climbing Half Dome this season. However, those who are thinking of doing it will greatly benefit from Kenton Lee's excellent post \"Climbing Half Dome The Easy Way\". It contains a wealth of information about the trail as well as conditioning, gear,etc. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/half-dome---second-time-up-the-rock/","summary":"The Big Piece of Granite is like a Magnet to Hikers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Half Dome stands at the elevation of 8,842 feet. It is made up from a type of granite, plutonic rock. Yosemite National Park's Half Dome's missing half is presumed to have fallen off when the Ice Age glaciers passed through.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/Half Dome from Glacier Point.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eHalf Dome, Sheer Side from Glacier Point\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto © Arundhati Bhowmick,Aug.2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAscended Half Dome on Sept.10th. My friend Sarbajit Ghosal and I had done it in 2001. When Sarbajit mentioned a month ago that he was planning another trip I readily decided to join him. While painfully hanging on to the cable going up the Dome I asked myself, \"why am I doing this; what am I trying to prove?\". There must be many others who felt the same way I did. There is something about Half Dome that is hard to explain. You see the big piece of granite from various points in the Yosemite Valley and you think the hike (there is no other way of reaching it) would be worth trying. You do it and say \"never again\". It demands a lot, as a marathon does. But just as a few days after running a marathon, many runners begin to think of the next one, Half Dome hikers are of the same breed. Met a guy who said he had climbed it when he was 25 and was back to do it during his 50th year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe round trip hike is approximately 17 miles. It can take anywhere from 10 to more than 14 hours depending on weather conditions and fitness of the hiker.During the season, hundreds of men, women and kids hike the 17-mile round trip from Yosemite Valley. Not an easy trek. The elevation gain is about 4800 ft (almost a mile) in 8.5 miles. On September 10th, when we were on the trail, almost 50% of the hikers were women.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P9100003.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eView from the trail-Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/PICT0110.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eOn the trail with friends - Photo © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P9100005.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eWith Sarbajit - Photo © Gaurav\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn ideal conditions, some hikers do it under 10 hours. It took us 13, out of which we spent more than 1 hour going up the cable (300 yds) to the top. There were bottlenecks on the cable due to number of people ascending and descending at the same time. The unusual volume could have been due to the fact that for repair work the trail is closed this season Monday-Thursday upto 4 PM. That limited most of the hikers to the 3-day window---Friday, Saturday and Sunday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf we go back it would be to hike up on a weekday. Although the Mist Trail alongside Vernal Falls is shorter by a mile than the John Muir Trail to reach Nevada Falls enroute to Half Dome, we took John Muir. Easier on the knees and we reached Nevada Falls in much better shape than we did four years ago going up the Mist Trail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Stairs (Quarter Dome) and the Cables\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P91000091.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSarbajit (2nd from left) on the Stairs\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto©  Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust when you begin to think that you will be at the base of the Dome, the Quarter Dome looms up. The trail builders have done a great job in creating a switchback to climb the Quarter Dome. Still, it is almost a half mile hike; the stone steps are rather high and take a toll. You descend from Quarter Dome and find youself facing the daunting cables.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/On the Stairs.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eGoing up the Stairs - Photo © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/Stairs, looking down.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eFrom the Stairs looking down - Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/PICT0127.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eFrom distance climbers look like ants crawling up - Photo © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/Traffic congestion.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eTraffic congestion at the base - Photo © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P9100011.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eFrom the base looking up - Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe degree of slope at the base is 35-36 degrees and at points higher up the Dome more than 45 degrees.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/cables1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eClose up of the cables - Photo © \u003ca href=\"http://www.rahul.net/kenton/fun/yosemite/\"\u003eKenton Lee\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe typical or target dates for the cables are to have them up for Memorial Weekend.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"They usually remain in place through Columbus Day weekend.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The cables, extending approximately 300 yards up the steep shoulder of the 8,842 foot dome, allow visitor access to the summit and unparalleled views of Yosemite Valley and the Park's highcountry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1919, the Sierra Club donated funds to install the first cables on Half Dome. The Civilian Conservation Corps replaced the original cables in the 1930's.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P9100016.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eHikers on top - Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/Sarbajit, Half Dome.jpg\"/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eSarbajit playing Tarzan - Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/Sarbajit on Half Dome.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eSarbajit at the precipice - Photo © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/09/P9100018.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eSarbajit descending, backward (recommended). Quarter Dome lower background\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto © Musafir\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is getting late for climbing Half Dome this season. However, those who are thinking of doing it will greatly benefit from Kenton Lee's excellent post \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.rahul.net/kenton/fun/yosemite/\"\u003eClimbing Half Dome The Easy Way\u003c/a\u003e\". It contains a wealth of information about the trail as well as conditioning, gear,etc.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Half Dome -  Second Time up the Rock"},{"content":" Another day, another snow jobWhen you gotta go you gotta go (President at the UN)*National Prayer Day, September 17th. Props in place---survivors in the front rows; VIPs sitting with suitably somber faces, looking pious. They have had a lot of practice with putting on faces. Scratch the surface you won't find an ounce of humility in the lot. The president has a built-in smirk that cannot be hidden.Then there was the president's post 9/11 speech from Baton Rouge on September 15th . The surprise was that his speechwriters did not add the usual verbiage about terrorism, patriotism, and national security. Perhaps they realized that the refrain was beginning to sound like a damaged phonograph record with needle caught in a groove.So the president spoke of grand reconstruction plans, aids to the displaced, and promised to work with the people of the area ravaged by Katrina. What all that will boil down to is something else. The usual suspects will get richer; the new New Orleans will bear no resemblance to the fabled old city. The black residents? In the rebuilt city there will be fewer of them.And how are going to pay for the cost? The Republicans have already stated their support for the Bush tax cuts for the people at the very high end to be made permanent.Expect cuts in services and domestic programs. The prescription drug plan for Medicare recipients is already one of the targets. Going by records of this rapacious administration and the members of Congress, the burden will fall on those who can least afford it.Perhaps they will recommend piety, more prayers by all to compensate for lack of necessities?Excerpts from an article by Clifford J. Levy, NY Times 9/18/05. \"New Orleans has this incredible potential that the pundits are missing, in that the regular people of New Orleans love their city and get a life satisfaction out of it more than people in Denver or New York or Boston,\" he said. One challenge, then, would seem to be to harness this affection to energize and guide the recovery. But residents have been flung across the region. Who knows how many will return, and when. It will not be clear for months how embittered they have become from the evacuation and relief effort. It is widely held that for urban redevelopment to succeed, people must be actively involved at the neighborhood level. Can they trust in a reconstruction campaign mounted by the same officials who were supposed to have helped them in the days before and after Katrina? After all, New Orleans has a history of political corruption, so the people may already have had a jaded view of officialdom before the storm. NY Times - Post Katrina Bricks and MortalsWhen You Gotta GoIf you missed the telephoto shot of the president's note during his attendance at UN's Summit Meeting on September 15th, go to:Bush 'caught short' at UN summit (BBC) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/the-sanctimonious-president/","summary":"Another day, another snow job\u003cbr/\u003eWhen you gotta go you gotta go (President at the UN)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eNational Prayer Day, September 17th. Props in place---survivors in the front rows; VIPs sitting with suitably somber faces, looking pious. They have had a lot of practice with putting on faces. Scratch the surface you won't find an ounce of humility in the lot. The president has a built-in smirk that cannot be hidden.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen there was the president's post 9/11 speech from Baton Rouge on September 15th . The surprise was that his speechwriters did not add the usual verbiage about terrorism, patriotism, and national security. Perhaps they realized that the refrain was beginning to sound like a damaged phonograph record with needle caught in a groove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo the president spoke of grand reconstruction plans, aids to the displaced, and promised to work with the people of the area ravaged by Katrina. What all that will boil down to is something else. The usual suspects will get richer; the new New Orleans will bear no resemblance to the fabled old city. The black residents? In the rebuilt city there will be fewer of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd how are going to pay for the cost? The Republicans have already stated their support for the Bush tax cuts for the people at the very high end to be made permanent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExpect cuts in services and domestic programs. The prescription drug plan for Medicare recipients is already one of the targets. Going by records of this rapacious administration and the members of Congress, the burden will fall on those who can least afford it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps they will recommend piety, more prayers by all to compensate for lack of necessities?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from an article by Clifford J. Levy, NY Times 9/18/05.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"New Orleans has this incredible potential that the pundits are missing, in that the regular people of New Orleans love their city and get a life satisfaction out of it more than people in Denver or New York or Boston,\" he said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e One challenge, then, would seem to be to harness this affection to energize and guide the recovery. But residents have been flung across the region. Who knows how many will return, and when. It will not be clear for months how embittered they have become from the evacuation and relief effort.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt is widely held that for urban redevelopment to succeed, people must be actively involved at the neighborhood level. Can they trust in a reconstruction campaign mounted by the same officials who were supposed to have helped them in the days before and after Katrina? After all, New Orleans has a history of political corruption, so the people may already have had a jaded view of officialdom before the storm.  \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003col\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/weekinreview/18levy.html\"\u003eNY Times - Post Katrina Bricks and Mortals\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eWhen You Gotta Go\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf you missed the telephoto shot of the president's note during his attendance at UN's Summit Meeting on September 15th, go to:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4249646.stm\"\u003eBush 'caught short' at UN summit (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Sanctimonious President"},{"content":" *Some people had written Gerhard Schröeder off as pre-election polls showed Angela Merkel of the conservative Christian Democrat Party leading by a substantial margin. Merkel, who has been compared to Britain's former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, is reported to enjoy support of Bush administration. It was no secret that Gerhard Schröeder's position on Iraq had soured relationship between the two countries. Tony Blair, too, does not get along well with Schröeder.The election was held on September 18th. When votes were counted, the results showed that Mrs. Merkel received far fewer votes than the polls had indicated.What lies ahead for Schröeder and his Social Democratic Party? Mrs. Merkel received 35.3% of votes against Schröeder's 34.2%. Without a clear majority, both are scrambling to form a coalition government with other parties. A coalition between the two is said to be out of consideration. Coalition of SDU, Left Party (Die Linkspartei.) and the Green Party led by Joschka Fischer would provide a quick fix for Schröeder. Mrs. Merkel could be expected to make overtures to the Greens. However, the match is unlikely to take shape.If the CDU and SDU both fail to muster enough support for a coalition government then fresh elections will be held later this year or early in 2006. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/germany-is-there-a-future-for-gerhard-schr%C3%B6eder-and-the-social-democrats/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSome people had written Gerhard Schröeder off as pre-election polls showed Angela Merkel of the conservative Christian Democrat Party leading by a substantial margin. Merkel, who has been compared to Britain's former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, is reported to enjoy support of Bush administration. It was no secret that Gerhard Schröeder's position on Iraq had soured relationship between the two countries. Tony Blair, too, does not get along well with Schröeder.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe election was held on September 18th. When votes were counted, the results showed that Mrs. Merkel received far fewer votes than the polls had indicated.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat lies ahead for Schröeder and his Social Democratic Party? Mrs. Merkel received 35.3% of votes against Schröeder's 34.2%. Without a clear majority, both are scrambling to form a coalition government with other parties. A coalition between the two is said to be out of consideration. Coalition of SDU, Left Party (\u003ci\u003eDie Linkspartei.)\u003c/i\u003e and the Green Party led by Joschka Fischer would provide a quick fix for Schröeder. Mrs. Merkel could be expected to make overtures to the Greens. However, the match is unlikely to take shape.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf the CDU and SDU both fail to muster enough support for a coalition government then fresh elections will be held later this year or early in 2006.","title":"Germany: Is there a future for Gerhard Schröeder and the Social Democrats?"},{"content":" They made the Supreme Sacrifice....for what?*According to data published by Iraq Casualties.org, on September 17th the number of dead American soldiers reached 1900. Small number if you compare it to Vietnam . One cannot, however, think that way---not if one has compassion for the bereaved families. To them every one of the dead meant more, much more than a name. They felt the pain, shed tears and continue to grieve. 09/18/05 SEATTLEPOST: Kirkland Marine dies in attack in Iraq When he was home on leave in August, 24-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Shane C. Swanberg told his family he dreamed of one day living by a beach...His dreams died in the sands of Iraq on Thursday...Those of us who have not personally suffered a loss but oppose the war ask what are they dying for? Not to find and destroy WMD. That myth was exposed a long time ago but those who used it to start the war did not miss a beat. Establishing democrcy in Iraq. Balderdash. Just look at what is happening there. The internecine battle between the Shias and Sunnis shows no sign of ending anytime soon.Hardline Mullahs have gained prominence. Women's rights are in danger.The Kurds are likely to demand autonomy. Corruption is rampant. Our favored contractors are making money hands down. Known liars like Ahmed Chalabi (who had a role in selling the WMD story to our leaders) are in positions of power. Why not--remember George Tenet was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom! Of course, our leaders who swallowed the WMD story would have created it if the Iraqis did not give it to them for money and favors. Preventing growth of al Qaeda and terrorism in the Middle East? All accounts indicate that terrorist acts have increased since the beginning of the war. Before we get out of the mess many more of our men and women in uniform will die. If not their families, history will judge those who sent them to their death. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/iraq-casualties-1900-and-counting---marine-lance-cpl-shane-c-swanberg-among-them/","summary":"They made the Supreme Sacrifice....for what?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAccording to data published by \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e, on September 17th the number of dead American soldiers reached 1900. Small number if you compare it to Vietnam . One cannot, however, think that way---not if one has compassion for the bereaved families. To them every one of the dead meant more, much more than a name. They felt the pain, shed tears and continue to grieve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"NewsItems\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"Newsdate\"\u003e09/18/05\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"NewsSource\"\u003e \u003cspan id=\"dlNews__ctl2_Label2\"\u003eSEATTLEPOST: Kirkland Marine dies in attack in Iraq\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Storylink\"\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/241129_wardead17.html\" id=\"dlNews__ctl2_Hyperlink12\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWhen he was home on leave in August, 24-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Shane C. Swanberg told his family he dreamed of one day living by a beach...His dreams died in the sands of Iraq on Thursday...\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose of us who have not personally suffered a loss but oppose the war ask what are they dying for?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNot to find and destroy WMD.  That myth was exposed a long time ago but those who used it to start the war did not miss a beat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eEstablishing democrcy in Iraq. Balderdash. Just look at what is happening there. The internecine battle between the Shias and Sunnis shows no sign of ending anytime soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003eHardline Mullahs have gained prominence. Women's rights are in danger.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe Kurds are likely to demand autonomy. Corruption is rampant. Our favored contractors are making money hands down. Known liars like Ahmed Chalabi (who had a role in selling the WMD story to our leaders) are in positions of power. Why not--remember George Tenet was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom! Of course, our leaders who swallowed the WMD story would have created it if the Iraqis did not give it to them for money and favors.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePreventing growth of al Qaeda and terrorism in the Middle East? All accounts indicate that terrorist acts have increased since the beginning of the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Before we get out of the mess many more of our men and women in uniform will die. If not their families, history will judge those who sent them to their death.","title":"Iraq Casualties 1900 and Counting  - Marine Lance Cpl Shane C. Swanberg among them"},{"content":" The Issue Has Resurfaced*I did a double take on reading an AP report that U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton in San Francisco ruled :\"that the pledge's reference to one nation \"under God\" violates school children's right to be \"free from a coercive requirement to affirm God.\" Bully for him but not the end of the story.It is noteworthy that addition of the words \"under God\" after \"one nation.\" did not take place until Flag Day 1954. The original pledge made no mention of God.On June 14, 2004, in a 8-0 decision the Supreme Court had reversed a lower court ruling that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance led by teachers in public schools was unconstitutional.The Court ruled that Michael Newdow, who brought the case before the court had no legal right to file the lawsuit. The Court, however, stayed away from the broader question of separation of church and state.Now the issue is certain to land back before the justices. The make up of the Supreme Court, when it opens in October, will be different---not radically different until a replacement for Justice O'Connor is confirmed but different. Assuming that Judge Roberts will fill the late Chief Justice Rehnquist's place, one can sense the direction the court will take.When Americans look back on our born again Christian president's legacy, his influence in politicization of the Supreme Court and appointment of agenda driven justices throughout the judicial system are likely to stand out. I shall not be surprised if the president's handlers add a reference to this in the speech he is going to give tomorrow. He needs some polarizing issues to latch onto in an effort to recover lost ground.Our country is going through religious fervor of the worst kind; bigotry has become respectable. We can expect the San Francisco District Court's decision to be overruled.Edited Sept.15,2005 6:24 PM ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/pledge-of-allegiance-ruled-unconstitutional/","summary":"The Issue Has Resurfaced\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI did a double take on reading an AP report that U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton in San Francisco ruled :\"that the pledge's reference to one nation \"under God\" violates school children's right to be \"free from a coercive requirement to affirm God.\" Bully for him but not the end of the story.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is noteworthy that addition of the words \"under God\" after \"one nation.\" did not take place until Flag Day 1954. The original pledge made no mention of God.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn June 14, 2004, in a 8-0 decision the Supreme Court had reversed a lower court ruling that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance led by teachers in public schools was unconstitutional.The Court ruled that Michael Newdow, who brought the case before the court had no legal right to file the lawsuit. The Court, however, stayed away from the broader question of separation of church and state.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the issue is certain to land back before the justices. The make up of the Supreme Court, when it opens in October, will be different---not radically different until a replacement for Justice O'Connor is confirmed but different. Assuming that Judge Roberts will fill the late Chief Justice Rehnquist's place, one can sense the direction the court will take.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Americans look back on our born again Christian president's legacy, his influence in politicization of the Supreme Court and appointment of agenda driven justices throughout the judicial system are likely to stand out. I shall not be surprised if the president's handlers add a reference to this in the speech he is going to give tomorrow. He needs some polarizing issues to latch onto in an effort to recover lost ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur country is going through religious fervor of the worst kind; bigotry has become respectable. We can expect the San Francisco District Court's decision to be overruled.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEdited Sept.15,2005 6:24 PM\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Pledge of Allegiance Ruled Unconstitutional"},{"content":" Sweetheart deals for favored contractors but President felt Minimum Wage too High*The Compassionate Conservative taking care of his own. The President has readily waived minimum wage requirements for reconstruction work related to Hurricane Katrina. Who are the beneficiaries? The same group of firms that are making money hands down in Iraq; companies to whom contracts are awarded without bidding process.What happened ? Has there been a single act of this president, any legislation promoted by this president that remotely helped ordinary Americans ? I cannot think of one but I never bought the \"compassionate conservative\" spiel back in 2000. Of course, there could be a simple explanation---he didn't have a clue what he was talking about. He just uttered something made up by the handlers who coached him for the debate.CNN - 9/10/05: Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Reuters - 9/9/05 The Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges. Bush's executive order suspends the requirements of the Davis-Bacon law for designated areas hit by the storm. The Observer/Guardian (UK) - 9/11/05: Companies winning work include US contracting giants Bechtel and Halliburton. Halliburton, formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, is facing questions for allegedly overcharging on work done in Iraq. The Department of Defense was criticised for awarding Iraq reconstruction contracts to these two companies without competition. Other groups include Fluor and Shaw Group, a Louisiana engineer. The move comes as leading congressional figures express concern over the contracting process. Congress probes hurricane clean-up contracts (Observer/Guardian)Bush allows contractors to pay lower wages(Reuters)Sweetheart deals for Halliburton, KBR and others(CNN) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/the-fix-is-in-for-katrina-reconstruction-work/","summary":"Sweetheart deals for favored contractors but President felt Minimum Wage too High\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Compassionate Conservative taking care of his own. The President has readily waived minimum wage requirements for reconstruction work related to Hurricane Katrina. Who are the beneficiaries? The same group of firms that are making money hands down in Iraq; companies to whom contracts are awarded without bidding process.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat happened ? Has there been a single act of this president, any legislation promoted by this president that remotely helped ordinary Americans ? I cannot think of one but I never bought the \"compassionate conservative\" spiel back in 2000. Of course, there could be a simple explanation---he didn't have a clue what he was talking about. He just uttered something made up by the handlers who coached him for the debate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCNN - 9/10/05:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eCompanies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Reuters - 9/9/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBush's executive order suspends the requirements of the Davis-Bacon law for designated areas hit by the storm.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eThe Observer/Guardian (UK) - 9/11/05:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eCompanies winning work include US contracting giants Bechtel and Halliburton. Halliburton, formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, is facing questions for allegedly overcharging on work done in Iraq. The Department of Defense was criticised for awarding Iraq reconstruction contracts to these two companies without competition. Other groups include Fluor and Shaw Group, a Louisiana engineer. The move comes as leading congressional figures express concern over the contracting process.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,1567081,00.html\"\u003eCongress probes hurricane clean-up contracts (Observer/Guardian)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/print/0,1478,3405350a12,00.html\"\u003eBush allows contractors to pay lower wages(Reuters)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/10/katrina.contracts.reut/\"\u003eSweetheart deals for Halliburton, KBR and others(CNN)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Fix Is In for Katrina Reconstruction Work"},{"content":" The Insidious impact of Tax Dodging*The fact that large corporations, especially multi-national ones, enjoy special privileges (loop holes) that allow them to avoid paying taxes is no secret. The situation is a common one. It exists in most of the rich nations. In the United States, many law firms are engaged full time in advising their clients how to take advantage of the opportunities created by friendly legislators. Hedrick Smith did a great exposé of American companies in Frontline (see below). Today's issue of the Guardian,UK, carrries an article captioned Tax avoidance 'keeps developing countries poor' that outlines the scope and magnitude of the damage done by the tax dogders. The figures were based on a report issued by Christian Aid and covers UK companies. By not paying the taxes, rich businesses are depriving developing countries of much needed revenue, according to a report by Christian Aid. Andrew Pendleton, a senior policy advisor for the charity, said the scale of the lost revenue \"beggars belief\". It argues that the shortfall means the developed world will never achieve its stated aim of reducing world poverty. The report coincides with the UN's review of its Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which is taking place in New York. \"Tax is the forgotten issue in the debate about how to tackle poverty, and must be added to trade, debt and aid if the world is serious about meeting the MDGs,\" Mr Pendleton said. The Guardian,UK 9/12/05Tax Me If You Can - Hedrick Smith in Frontline 2/19/2003\"A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass, and soon falls by its own CORRUPTION and decay.\"---Amos Bronson Alcott 1799-1888, American Educator, Social Reformer ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/all-the-presidents-friends/","summary":"The Insidious impact of Tax Dodging\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe fact that large corporations, especially multi-national ones, enjoy special privileges (loop holes) that allow them to avoid paying taxes is no secret. The situation is a common one. It exists in most of the rich nations. In the United States, many law firms are engaged full time in advising their clients how to take advantage of the opportunities created by friendly legislators. Hedrick Smith did a great exposé of American companies in Frontline (see below). Today's issue of the Guardian,UK, carrries an article captioned Tax avoidance 'keeps developing countries poor' that outlines the scope and magnitude of the damage done by the tax dogders. The figures were based on a report issued by Christian Aid and covers UK companies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e By not paying the taxes, rich businesses are depriving developing countries of much needed revenue, according to a report by Christian Aid.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e Andrew Pendleton, a senior policy advisor for the charity, said the scale of the lost revenue \"beggars belief\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e It argues that the shortfall means the developed world will never achieve its stated aim of reducing world poverty. The report coincides with the UN's review of its Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which is taking place in New York.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \"Tax is the forgotten issue in the debate about how to tackle poverty, and must be added to trade, debt and aid if the world is serious about meeting the MDGs,\" Mr Pendleton said.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5283717-103503,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK 9/12/05\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tax/etc/synopsis.html\"\u003eTax Me If You Can - Hedrick Smith in Frontline 2/19/2003\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"A \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003egovernment, \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003efor \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eprotecting \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003ebusiness \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eonly, \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eis \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003ebut \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003ea \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003ecarcass, \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eand \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003esoon \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003efalls \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eby \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eits \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eown \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eCORRUPTION \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003eand \u003cjnwn\u003e\u003c/jnwn\u003edecay.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Amos Bronson Alcott 1799-1888, American Educator, Social Reformer","title":"All the President's Friends"},{"content":" \"Brideshead Revisited\" and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park*Perhaps it was the movie, \"The Constant Gardener\" that JHL and I watched on Labor Day. Perhaps the ongoing clamour about Hurricane Katrina in which I,too, added my two cents that made me seek shelter in a book about another country in another time. I am one among the millions who were not directly affected but felt the suffering, the inequities of our system that nurtured the miserable conditions in which a large percentage of New Orleans' blacks lived, and a sense of outrage at the failure to provide timely aid to the people in the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.I felt that I had enough. Easier said than done. Katrina and its ghosts will continue to be with us for a long time. Politicians will do what they are good at doing, talk....a lot. Committees and sub-committees will be formed. Tons of reports will be generated. The uprooted will eventually find a new place. For them, the memories will remain alive.It was Evelyn Waugh's \"Brideshead Revisited\" , a book that I first read many years ago and went back to a few times that I picked out from the book shelf. And, for good measure, I decided to join a group of friends and go to Yosemite to climb Half Dome on Saturday, September 10th. I ascended it in 2001. I was younger and my muscles were stronger then. It would give me personal satisfaction to be able to do it again.But first a few words about \"The Constant Gardener\". Based on John LeCarre's novel of the same name, most of the story takes place in Africa. Fernando Meirrlles has done a great job as director; the movie is better than the book. Jeffrey Caine deserves applause for the screen play. Meirelles was complemented by the superb acting of Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz in the leading roles. The greed of multi-national corporations, complicity of politicians in their unethical ventures, and the exploitation of the poor comes through loud and clear. So, there are common elements between the people of New Orleans and the Africans in the movie, and I am not taking about color of their skin.Evelyn Waugh was discharged from the army in 1943 on medical grounds. \"Brideshead Revisited\" was published in 1945.The following is from a review of the book in The New York Times by the incomparable John K. Hutchins (1905-1995).\"But even those to whom Mr. Waugh and his work were only slightly familiar must have wondered what direction his talent would take during the climactic war years since \"Put Out More Flags.\" \"Brideshead Revisited\" tells them, in a fashion more mature and ultimately more satisfying than even his admirers could confidently have predicted.Here, again, is the post-World War I England, but in very different focus; the story seen not through the eyes of Paul Pennyfeather or a William Boot, comical character devices of earlier Waugh books, but told in the first person by a sensitive and intelligent observer, one Charles Ryder, architectural painter, captain in the British Army, looking back from middle-age at his youth. In the scheme of \"Brideshead Revisited\" that change in focus is all-important, the frame in which the story is set between prologue and epilogue lending it perspective and narrative flexibility, the enchantment of experience recalled and sifted. The emotional tone and content of \"Brideshead Revisited\" are accordingly heightened beyond any Mr. Waugh has achieved before. He has elsewhere conveyed a muted poignance--the death of the boy in \"A Handful of Dust\" and the ingenious, nightmarish conclusion of the same book. In \"Brideshead Revisited\" the emotion is unwrapped, so to speak, and sent from the heart.In the beginning it is gay enough--an affectionately ironic picture of Oxford in 1923, the sunflower estheticism, plovers eggs and getting drunk at luncheon, the lively, small banter, the happy irresponsibility, \"Antic Hay.\" It is there that Ryder meets Lord Sebastian Flyte and forms a romantic friendship with him; Sebastian, the brilliant, charming \"half-heathen\" second son of an old Catholic family that is verging on dissolution which, Mr. Waugh seems to suggest, parallels England's change from the old order to the new. Then, the story's arrival at Brideshead and its baroque castle, the tone changes to a somber hue as the themes develop: the love story of Ryder and Sebastian's sister Julia, of which Ryder's and Sebastian's friendship had been a spiritual forerunner; the Church giving haven to the soul-torn, drunken Sebastian and reclaiming Julia and even the Byronic father who comes home at last from Italy to die.\"Now, time for a brief hiatus.\"Hast thou named all the birds without a gun ?Loved the wood-rose , and left it on its stalk ?\"---Emerson \"Forebearance\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/escape---to-the-pages-of-an-old-favorite-and-to-a-big-piece-of-rock/","summary":"\"Brideshead Revisited\" and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps it was the movie, \"The Constant Gardener\" that JHL and I watched on Labor Day. Perhaps the ongoing clamour about Hurricane Katrina in which I,too, added my two cents that made me seek shelter in a book about another country in another time. I am one among the millions who were not directly affected but felt the suffering, the inequities of our system that nurtured the miserable conditions in which a large percentage of New Orleans' blacks lived, and a sense of outrage at the failure to provide timely aid to the people in the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI felt that I had enough. Easier said than done. Katrina and its ghosts will continue to be with us for a long time. Politicians will do what they are good at doing, talk....a lot. Committees and sub-committees will be formed. Tons of reports will be generated. The uprooted will eventually find a new place. For them, the memories will remain alive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was Evelyn Waugh's \"Brideshead Revisited\" , a book that I first read many years ago and went back to a few times that I picked out from the book shelf. And, for good measure, I decided to join a group of friends and go to Yosemite to climb Half Dome on Saturday, September 10th. I ascended it in 2001. I was younger and my muscles were stronger then. It would give me personal satisfaction to be able to do it again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut first a few words about \"The Constant Gardener\". Based on John LeCarre's novel of the same name, most of the story takes place in Africa. Fernando Meirrlles has done a great job as director; the movie is better than the book. Jeffrey Caine deserves applause for the screen play. Meirelles was complemented by the superb acting of Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz in the leading roles. The greed of multi-national corporations, complicity of politicians in their unethical ventures, and the exploitation of the poor comes through loud and clear. So, there are common elements between the people of New Orleans and the Africans in the movie, and I am not taking about color of their skin.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEvelyn Waugh was discharged from the army in 1943 on medical grounds. \"Brideshead Revisited\" was published in 1945.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe following is from a review of the book in The New York Times by the incomparable John K. Hutchins (1905-1995).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But even those to whom Mr. Waugh and his work were only slightly familiar must have wondered what direction his talent would take during the climactic war years since \"Put Out More Flags.\" \"Brideshead Revisited\" tells them, in a fashion more mature and ultimately more satisfying than even his admirers could confidently have predicted.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere, again, is the post-World War I England, but in very different focus; the story seen not through the eyes of Paul Pennyfeather or a William Boot, comical character devices of earlier Waugh books, but told in the first person by a sensitive and intelligent observer, one Charles Ryder, architectural painter, captain in the British Army, looking back from middle-age at his youth. In the scheme of \"Brideshead Revisited\" that change in focus is all-important, the frame in which the story is set between prologue and epilogue lending it perspective and narrative flexibility, the enchantment of experience recalled and sifted. The emotional tone and content of \"Brideshead Revisited\" are accordingly heightened beyond any Mr. Waugh has achieved before. He has elsewhere conveyed a muted poignance--the death of the boy in \"A Handful of Dust\" and the ingenious, nightmarish conclusion of the same book. In \"Brideshead Revisited\" the emotion is unwrapped, so to speak, and sent from the heart.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the beginning it is gay enough--an affectionately ironic picture of Oxford in 1923, the sunflower estheticism, plovers eggs and getting drunk at luncheon, the lively, small banter, the happy irresponsibility, \"Antic Hay.\" It is there that Ryder meets Lord Sebastian Flyte and forms a romantic friendship with him; Sebastian, the brilliant, charming \"half-heathen\" second son of an old Catholic family that is verging on dissolution which, Mr. Waugh seems to suggest, parallels England's change from the old order to the new. Then, the story's arrival at Brideshead and its baroque castle, the tone changes to a somber hue as the themes develop: the love story of Ryder and Sebastian's sister Julia, of which Ryder's and Sebastian's friendship had been a spiritual forerunner; the Church giving haven to the soul-torn, drunken Sebastian and reclaiming Julia and even the Byronic father who comes home at last from Italy to die.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eNow, time for a brief hiatus.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Hast thou named all the birds without a gun ?\u003cbr/\u003eLoved the wood-rose , and left it on its stalk ?\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Emerson \"Forebearance\"","title":"Escape - To the pages of an old favorite and to a Big Piece of Rock"},{"content":" It was God's punishment!*I had never heard of a festival called \"Southern Decadance\"---apparently an yearly event that took place in New Orleans. According to \"Repent America\", an organization based in Philadelphia, PA, this years \"homosexual celebration\" was due to be held on August 31st. \"However, Hurricane Katrina has put an end to the annual celebration of sin.\"Repent America's press release reads, in part:Although the loss of lives is deeply saddening, this act of God destroyed a wicked city,\" stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage. \"From 'Girls Gone Wild' to 'Southern Decadence,' New Orleans was a city that had its doors wide open to the public celebration of sin. From the devastation may a city full of righteousness emerge,\" he continued.\"Deeply saddening\"? I could feel their glee oozing from the press release.For the complete text of the press release, go to Hurricane Katrina destroys New Orleans Days Before \"Southern Decadance\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/some-christians-feel-that-citizens-of-new-orleans-had-it-coming/","summary":"It was God's punishment!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eI had never heard of a festival called \"Southern Decadance\"---apparently an yearly event that took place in New Orleans. According to \"Repent America\", an organization based in Philadelphia, PA, this years \"homosexual celebration\" was due to be held on August 31st. \"However, Hurricane Katrina has put an end to the annual celebration of sin.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepent America's press release reads, in part:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough the loss of lives is deeply saddening, this act of God destroyed a wicked city,\" stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage. \"From 'Girls Gone Wild' to 'Southern Decadence,' New Orleans was a city that had its doors wide open to the public celebration of sin. From the devastation may a city full of righteousness emerge,\" he continued.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Deeply saddening\"?  I could feel their glee oozing from the press release.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the complete text of the press release, go to \u003ca href=\"http://www.repentamerica.com/pr_hurricanekatrina.html\"\u003eHurricane Katrina destroys New Orleans Days Before \"Southern Decadance\"\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Some Christians feel that citizens of New Orleans had it coming"},{"content":" Too few, or too many*Time will tell. In the meantime, The Washington Post reported today that FEMA is against allowing journalists to accompany rescue boats as they go out looking for storm victims. The reason given (see below) is suspect.\"Echoing a Defense Department policy banning the photographing of flag-draped coffins of American troops, representatives from the much-maligned Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Tuesday that it didn't want journalists to accompany rescue boats as they went out to search for storm victims, because \"the recovery of the victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect.\" An agency spokeswoman told Reuters, \"We have requested that no photographs of the deceased be made by the media.\"\"Hiding Bodies Won't Hide the Truth\",Terry M. Neal, Washington Post 9/8/05Someone is getting things done, \"The John Wayne dude\"See story in in The Guardian,UK. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/25000-body-bags-for-katrina-victims/","summary":"Too few, or too many\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eTime will tell. In the meantime, The Washington Post reported today that FEMA is against allowing journalists to accompany rescue boats as they go out looking for storm victims. The reason given (see below) is suspect.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Echoing a Defense Department policy banning the photographing of flag-draped coffins of American troops, representatives from the much-maligned Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Tuesday that it didn't want journalists to accompany rescue boats as they went out to search for storm victims, because \"the recovery of the victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect.\" An agency spokeswoman told Reuters, \"We have requested that no photographs of the deceased be made by the media.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090800354.html\"\u003eHiding Bodies Won't Hide the Truth\u003c/a\u003e\",Terry M. Neal, Washington Post 9/8/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSomeone is getting things done, \"The John Wayne dude\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee story in in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,16441,1564914,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e.","title":"25,000 Body Bags for Katrina Victims"},{"content":" The Sham Continues*Paraphrasing William Shakespeare, for members of the Bush Administration \"The world is a stage and they are all its actors\".Disgust was what I felt as I read Josh Marshall's blog about use of volunteer fire fighters as stage props for photo opportunity during the president's visit to Louisiana. The Bush administration's cynical manipulation of the media and use of props are well-known facts. But this is a bit too much. You feel like exclaiming \"have you no shame\"?\" Of course, they don't. The full power of the administration is focused on image control. They are good at it.See Talking Points Memo - Josh Marshall Sept.4, 2005Following is from an article in The Guardian,UK:\"Look at him: he's lost. He can't rail at Katrina for opposing \"freedom\" and \"democracy,\" even if the bloody storm does have a girl's name. He can't decry the \"axis of evil\" comprising Iran and North Korea and then throw in a hurricane without somebody piping up, \"What doesn't belong in this picture?\" Since it's a stretch to blame Osama bin Laden for the weather, his speechwriters are stymied.\"Lionel Shriver, The Guardian,UK, Sept.6, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/masters-of-deceit/","summary":"The Sham Continues\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eParaphrasing  William Shakespeare, for members of the Bush Administration \"The world is a stage and they are all its actors\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDisgust was what I felt as I read Josh Marshall's blog about use of volunteer fire fighters as stage props for photo opportunity during the president's visit to Louisiana. The Bush administration's cynical manipulation of the media and use of props are well-known facts. But this is a bit too much. You feel like exclaiming \"have you no shame\"?\" Of course, they don't. The full power of the administration is focused on image control. They are good at it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSee \u003ca href=\"http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_09_04.php#006430\"\u003eTalking Points Memo - Josh Marshall Sept.4, 2005\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing is from an article in The Guardian,UK:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Look at him: he's lost. He can't rail at Katrina for opposing \"freedom\" and \"democracy,\" even if the bloody storm does have a girl's name. He can't decry the \"axis of evil\" comprising Iran and North Korea and then throw in a hurricane without somebody piping up, \"What doesn't belong in this picture?\" Since it's a stretch to blame Osama bin Laden for the weather, his speechwriters are stymied.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5278426-117540,00.html\"\u003eLionel Shriver, The Guardian,UK, Sept.6, 2005\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Masters of Deceit"},{"content":" Memorable StatementsFirst prize goes to President Bush\"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job.\"G.W. Bush to FEMA director Michael Brown, White House Press Release Sept.2, 2005Second Prize: Again, the winner is President Bush\"The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch.\"(Laughter.)White House Press Release Sept.2, 2005Third Prize: Mrs. Barbara BushBarbara Bush said today, referring to the poor who had lost everything back home and evacuated, \"This is working very well for them.\" What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.\"Editor \u0026amp; Publisher, Sept.5, 2005Consolation Prize goes to Ms. Condoleezza Rice\"The Lord is going to come on time — if we just wait,\" she said.San Francisco Chronicle Sept.6, 2005The irrepressible sense of humor\"Here's what I believe. I believe that the great city of New Orleans will rise again and be a greater city of New Orleans. (Applause.) I believe the town where I used to come from, Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself -- occasionally too much -- (laughter) -- will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to. \"President G.W. Bush, White House Press Release Sept.2, 2005Think Cover-Up - President to lead an investigation\"What I intend to do is lead an investigation to find out what went right and what went wrong,'' Bush said. ``We still live in an unsettled world. We want to make sure we can respond properly if there is a WMD (weapons of mass destruction) attack or another major storm.\"San Francisco Chronicle Sept.6, 2005 Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-09-07 fucking out of touch elitist morons.\nMusafir. Where is the tenderness? It's in the people. The average everyday people. The government regime? It's full lies, priviledge and complete lack of care and/or understanding.\nI hope the LEFT will USE this the way Monica Lewinsky was used to take down a good President. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/after-katrina---the-wise-one-and-other-sensitive-souls/","summary":"Memorable Statements\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFirst prize goes to President Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eBrownie\u003c/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eyou\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ere\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003edoing\u003c/b\u003e a heck of a \u003cb\u003ejob\u003c/b\u003e.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eG.W. Bush to FEMA director Michael Brown,  White House Press Release Sept.2, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSecond Prize:  Again, the winner is President Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch.\"(Laughter.)\u003cbr/\u003eWhite House Press Release Sept.2, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThird Prize:  Mrs. Barbara Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBarbara Bush said today, referring to the poor who had lost everything back home and evacuated, \"This is working very well for them.\"  What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.\"\u003cbr/\u003eEditor \u0026amp; Publisher, Sept.5, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eConsolation Prize goes to Ms. Condoleezza Rice\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Lord is going to come on time — if we just wait,\" she said.\u003cbr/\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle Sept.6, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe irrepressible sense of humor\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Here's what I believe. I believe that the great city of New Orleans will rise again and be a greater city of New Orleans. (Applause.) I believe the town where I used to come from, Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself -- occasionally too much -- (laughter) -- will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to. \"\u003cbr/\u003ePresident G.W. Bush, White House Press Release Sept.2, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThink  Cover-Up - President to lead an investigation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What I intend to do is lead an investigation to find out what went right and what went wrong,'' Bush said. ``We still live in an unsettled world. We want to make sure we can respond properly if there is a WMD (weapons of mass destruction) attack or another major storm.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle Sept.6, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-09-07\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003efucking out of touch elitist morons.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusafir.  Where is the tenderness?  It's in the people.  The average everyday people.  The government regime? It's full lies, priviledge and  complete lack of care and/or understanding.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI hope the LEFT will USE this the way Monica Lewinsky was used to take down a good President.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"After Katrina - The Wise One and Other Sensitive Souls"},{"content":" A cartoon from The Guardian,UK*Martin Rowson Sept.5,2005 on Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/president-crossing-canal-street/","summary":"A cartoon from The Guardian,UK\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/0,7371,337484,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/martinrowson/0,7371,1562914,00.html\"\u003eMartin Rowson Sept.5,2005 on Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina\u003c/a\u003e","title":"President Crossing Canal Street"},{"content":" The shameful failure to offer aid to Katrina victimsIraq's WMD - The Mother of All LiesIf 9/11 gave President Bush an opportunity to follow his agenda, Hurricane Katrina has made the country take a look at the hollowness of the Bush Administration--its failures, lapses, and its skewed priorities. Katrina could not have been prevented but there is no question that authorities at all levels failed to respond to the emergency and offer timely assistance to those who needed it. Their failure greatly exacerbated the suffering of the people in the affected area, especially the residents of New Orleans.In another part of the world, the death toll for U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq has reached 1887 (as of Sept.5 - Icasualties.org) . Many more will lose their lives before we bring them home. The nation will again hear about their sacrifices for a cause although it is no longer clear what the cause is.\"Piecing together the story of the weapons that weren't\"Charles J. Hanley's brilliant exposé in USA Today, September 2, 2005, covers the Bush Administrations orchestrated efforts to sell the war to the American people. It succeeded in the deception mainly because the country was reeling from the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Now the administration is scrambling to control the backlash from Katrina. What goes around comes around. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/six-days-before-the-4th-anniversary-of-911/","summary":"The shameful failure to offer aid to Katrina victims\u003cbr/\u003eIraq's WMD - The Mother of All Lies\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf 9/11 gave President Bush an opportunity to follow his agenda, Hurricane Katrina has made the country take a look at the hollowness of the Bush Administration--its failures, lapses, and its skewed priorities. Katrina could not have been prevented but there is no question that authorities at all levels failed to respond to the emergency and offer timely assistance to those who needed it. Their failure greatly exacerbated the suffering of the people in the affected area, especially the residents of New Orleans.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn another part of the world, the death toll for U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq has reached 1887 (as of Sept.5 - \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIcasualties.org\u003c/a\u003e) . Many more will lose their lives before we bring them home. The nation will again hear about their sacrifices for a cause although it is no longer clear what the cause is.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inside-head\"\u003e\"Piecing together the story of the weapons that weren't\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003eCharles J. Hanley's brilliant exposé in \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-09-02-WMD-indepth_x.htm\"\u003eUSA Today\u003c/a\u003e, September 2, 2005, covers the Bush Administrations orchestrated efforts to sell the war to the American people. It succeeded in the deception mainly because the country was reeling from the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Now the administration is scrambling to control the backlash from Katrina. What goes around comes around.","title":"Six days before the 4th Anniversary of 9/11"},{"content":" *On Sept.2nd I quoted excerpts from Mr. Robinson's post about cannibalism in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A link to the original post was included. Further investigations on the subject have made me doubt the veracity of Mr. Robinson's comments.I thought of deleting my September 2nd entry but decided to let it stay. However, until Mr. Robinson presents facts in support of his comments I take the position that his post contained untruth. Perhaps he got carried away by his emotions. Very simply, human beings do not reach the stage of starvation to resort to cannibalism in the few days since the onslaught of Katrina that Mr. Robinson wrote about. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/randall-robinson-in-huffington-post-sept2-2005/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eOn Sept.2nd I quoted excerpts from Mr. Robinson's post about cannibalism in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A link to the original post was included. Further investigations on the subject have made me doubt the veracity of Mr. Robinson's comments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI thought of deleting my September 2nd entry but decided to let it stay. However, until Mr. Robinson presents facts in support of his comments I take the position that his post contained untruth. Perhaps he got carried away by his emotions. Very simply, human beings do not reach the stage of starvation to resort to cannibalism in the few days since the onslaught of Katrina that Mr. Robinson wrote about.","title":"Randall Robinson in Huffington Post Sept.2, 2005"},{"content":" And who can blame him*\"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.” Who said that? G.W. Bush October 19, 2000Where did he say it? Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria, New YorkThere you have it. The answer to what makes our president tick. To his credit, he never made a secret of his fondness for the rich and famous.Things were going well (oh, relatively well) in the second term. Lost some points in public opinion polls but the president says he never pays attention to them. With Republican majority in the House and Senate, the president was sitting pretty. Iraq has become a thorny issue but speeches about patriotism and national security usually keeps the kettle from boiling over. The Christian right happy with his nominee for the Supreme Court and position on other moral values issues---intelligent design, stem cell, morning after pill, abortion, sex education, gay rights. Anniversary of 9/11 coming up; the president was getting ready to give another speech about the great progress made in Iraq and the need to remain vigilant. In addition to riding his bike, clearing brushes, and fishing, he was doing some heavy reading to exercise his mind during vacation. He was like the cat's whiskers.Then comes Hurricane Katrina and the president finds himself, literally, in troubled waters. He is beyond his depth. He has no explanation for the mismanagement of relief efforts and admits lapses. More and more facts surfacing about lack of funds to maintain the levees due to diversion of money to war efforts and tax cuts; lack of equipment and personnel (National Guard members) because of deployment in Iraq. He makes a quick trip to the devastated area, praises FEMA's Michael Brown (more about him follows) for his work and then flies back to Washington.What a bummer. First, that busybody Cindy Sheehan and the peaceniks put a crimp in his vacation. Then the damn hurricane forced him to cut his vacation short---by two days. Drat, now the 9/11 speech needs to be revised. More time needed to rehearse. The job is no longer fun.Who is Michael Brown and what did he do before appointment to FEMAMichael Brown was an executive (Judges and Stewards Commissioner, whatever that means) of the International Arabian Horse Association. The organization is no longer in existence. Prior to that he served as manager of G.W. Bush's first campaign for presidency.\"Steps we're taking will help address the problem of availability, but it's not going to solve it. Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it.---President G.W. Bush,Washington, D.C., Sep. 1, 2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/president-of-the-haves-and-have-mores-is-peeved-about-katrina/","summary":"And who can blame him\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.” Who said that? G.W. Bush October 19, 2000\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere did he say it?  Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf Astoria, New York\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere you have it. The answer to what makes our president tick. To his credit, he never made a secret of his fondness for the rich and famous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThings were going well (oh, relatively well) in the second term. Lost some points in public opinion polls but the president says he never pays attention to them. With Republican majority in the House and Senate, the president was sitting pretty. Iraq has become a thorny issue but speeches about patriotism and national security usually keeps the kettle from boiling over. The Christian right happy with his nominee for the Supreme Court and position on other moral values issues---intelligent design, stem cell, morning after pill, abortion, sex education, gay rights. Anniversary of 9/11 coming up; the president was getting ready to give another speech about the great progress made in Iraq and the need to remain vigilant. In addition to riding his bike, clearing brushes, and fishing, he was doing some heavy reading to exercise his mind during vacation. He was like the cat's whiskers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen comes Hurricane Katrina and the president finds himself, literally, in troubled waters. He is beyond his depth. He has no explanation for the mismanagement of relief efforts and admits lapses. More and more facts surfacing about lack of funds to maintain the levees due to diversion of money to war efforts and tax cuts; lack of equipment and personnel (National Guard members) because of deployment in Iraq. He makes a quick trip to the devastated area, praises FEMA's Michael Brown (more about him follows) for his work and then flies back to Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat a bummer. First, that busybody Cindy Sheehan and the peaceniks put a crimp in his vacation. Then the damn hurricane forced him to cut his vacation short---by two days. Drat, now the 9/11 speech needs to be revised. More time needed to rehearse. The job is no longer fun.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho is Michael Brown and what did he do before appointment to FEMA\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMichael Brown was an executive (Judges and Stewards Commissioner, whatever that means) of the International Arabian Horse Association. The organization is no longer in existence. Prior to that he served as manager of G.W. Bush's first campaign for presidency.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Steps we're taking will help address the problem of availability, but it's not going to solve it. Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it.\u003cbr/\u003e---President G.W. Bush,Washington, D.C., Sep. 1, 2005","title":"President of the \"Haves and Have Mores\" is peeved about Katrina"},{"content":" *Stage props lined up by his handlers or a spontaneous act? The president hugged two black girls today during his brief stop for a first-hand look at devastation wrought by Katrina. The event was widely photographed. This time, however, the photo opportunity failed to earn him much capital.Lack of Money for Hurricane and Flood Control, the Ugly TruthExcerpts from an article in Editor \u0026amp; Publisher Aug.31, 2005: Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA (SouthEast Lousiana Urban Flood Control Project) dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars. Newhouse News Service, in an article posted late Tuesday night at The Times-Picayune Web site, reported: \"No one can say they didn't see it coming. ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of preparation.\" In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness. On June 8, 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; told the Times-Picayune: \"It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/photo-opportunity-for-the-president-at-new-orleans/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eStage props lined up by his handlers or a spontaneous act? The president hugged two black girls today during his brief stop for a first-hand look at devastation wrought by Katrina. The event was widely photographed. This time, however, the photo opportunity failed to earn him much capital.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLack of Money for Hurricane and Flood Control, the Ugly Truth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from an article in \u003ca href=\"http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001051313\"\u003eEditor \u0026amp; Publisher\u003c/a\u003e Aug.31, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eYet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA (SouthEast Lousiana Urban Flood Control Project) dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNewhouse News Service, in an article posted late Tuesday night at The Times-Picayune Web site, reported: \"No one can say they didn't see it coming. ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of preparation.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eOn June 8, 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; told the Times-Picayune: \"It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e","title":"Photo Opportunity for the President at New Orleans"},{"content":" He Cannot Help It *I did not watch him on TV when President Bush spoke on August 31st about disaster relief for Katrina victims but I'll take The New York Times editorial to be factual. He grinned. He has been grinning (smirking) long before he became president. It is hard to give up a habit. After all, most of the victims are poor and black. He has more important things on his calendar.From The New York Times, Sept.1, 2005: Waiting For A Leader\"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/the-president-grinned/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e He Cannot Help It\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eI did not watch him on TV when President Bush spoke on August 31st about disaster relief for Katrina victims but I'll take The New York Times editorial to be factual. He grinned. He has been grinning (smirking) long before he became president. It is hard to give up a habit. After all, most of the victims are poor and black. He has more important things on his calendar.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The New York Times, Sept.1, 2005: \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/opinion/01thu1.html?ei=5070\u0026amp;en=6256fd8a7aed7811\u0026amp;ex=1125806400\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\"\u003eWaiting For A Leader\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end.\"","title":"The President Grinned !"},{"content":" *From The Huffington Post: \"It is reported that black hurricane victims in New Orleans have begun eating corpses to survive. Four days after the storm, thousands of blacks in New Orleans are dying like dogs. No-one has come to help them.I am a sixty-four year old African-American.\"Randall RobinsonPostscript: Readers, please note that on September 3rd I published an entry stating \"I doubt the veracity of Mr. Robinson's comments\".What if it were the San Francisco Bay AreaA friend e-mailed \"Just think what the Christian right leaders would have said if Katrina had swept through the San Francisco Bay area! Punishment for decadent, immoral life style.\"Yes, I can imagine Falwell, Robertson and others having a grand time on the pulpits. Comments lumberjack \u0026mdash; 2005-09-03 Nothing strikes you as a little off in this story? After 4 days of hunger people would stoop to eating rotting human flesh?\nIt's silly. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-09-03 You make a good point. I admit to second thoughts about the link to\nHuffington Post. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/cannibalism-in-new-orleans/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The Huffington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is reported that black hurricane victims in New Orleans have begun eating corpses to survive. Four days after the storm, thousands of blacks in New Orleans are dying like dogs. No-one has come to help them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am a sixty-four year old African-American.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randall-robinson/new-orleans_b_6643.html\"\u003eRandall Robinson\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePostscript: Readers, please note that on September 3rd I published an entry stating \"I doubt the veracity of Mr. Robinson's comments\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat if  it were the San Francisco Bay Area\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA friend e-mailed \"Just think what the Christian right leaders would have said if Katrina had swept through the San Francisco Bay area! Punishment for decadent, immoral life style.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYes, I can imagine Falwell, Robertson and others having a grand time on the pulpits.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elumberjack\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-09-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNothing strikes you as a little off in this story? After 4 days of hunger people would stoop to eating rotting human flesh?\u003cbr\u003eIt's silly.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-09-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eYou make a good point. I admit to second thoughts about the link to\u003cbr\u003eHuffington Post.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Cannibalism in New Orleans"},{"content":" New Orleans lies griveously wounded *Now is the time for the president to put his money where his mouth is. How President Bush and his team handle the crisis in Louisiana will either help him regain broad support of the American people or shed a harsh light on the reasons for failure. The beginning has not been praiseworthy. FEMA has come under some criticism for being disorganized. But there is no question that the havoc caused by Katrina is unprecedented in scale. Infrastructures collapsed; communications sytems completely broke down. The fact that most of New Orleans lies below sea level made it especially vulnerable. All resources of the Federal Government have now been unleashed to provide aid.President Bush, who stays away from funerals of dead soldiers and does not permit publication of photographs of caskets arriving from Iraq, will now have to appear among the displaced. He will smell the stench and see the detritus at close quarters---at least that is the impression given by statement from the White House. The atrocities of 9/11 gave him the opportunity to obtain a carte blanche from the legislature to pursue the neo-conservative agenda both at home and abroad. Now the nation will give the president complete support to deal with the aftermath of Katrina. This, however, is an entirely different scenario---one in which the president's handlers cannot even think of staging a \"mission accompished\" appearance. News about relief efforts and rehabilitation of the displaced people will remain in focus of the media for a long, long time. Time for rhetorics is over. Successes will be noted; failures will not be allowed to be covered up.Most of New Orleans, including the Desire area, is under waters. The French Quarter has escaped major flooding. Number of dead cannot even be estimated. There are doubts that the city can be rebuilt. The human spirit, however, has tremendous capacity for survival. The people of Mississippi Delta will eventually emerge from this nightmarish situation to begin a new chapter. They deserve all the help that our country can provide; they must not be let down.Note: Edited Sept.3,2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/desire-submerged-but-hope-must-be-kept-alive-in-the-aftermath-of-katrina/","summary":"New Orleans lies griveously wounded \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eNow is the time for the president to put his money where his mouth is. How President Bush and his team handle the crisis in Louisiana will either help him regain broad support of the American people or shed a harsh light on the reasons for failure. The beginning has not been praiseworthy. FEMA has come under some criticism for being disorganized. But there is no question that the havoc caused by Katrina is unprecedented in scale. Infrastructures collapsed; communications sytems completely broke down. The fact that most of New Orleans lies below sea level made it especially vulnerable. All resources of the Federal Government have now been unleashed to provide aid.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush, who stays away from funerals of dead soldiers and does not permit publication of photographs of caskets arriving from Iraq, will now have to appear among the displaced. He will smell the stench and see the detritus at close quarters---at least that is the impression given by statement from the White House. The atrocities of 9/11 gave him the opportunity to obtain a carte blanche from the legislature to pursue the neo-conservative agenda both at home and abroad. Now the nation will give the president complete support to deal with the aftermath of Katrina. This, however, is an entirely different scenario---one in which the president's handlers cannot even think of staging a \"mission accompished\" appearance. News about relief efforts and rehabilitation of the displaced people will remain in focus of the media for a long, long time. Time for rhetorics is over. Successes will be noted; failures will not be allowed to be covered up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMost of New Orleans, including the Desire area, is under waters. The French Quarter has escaped major flooding. Number of dead cannot even be estimated. There are doubts that the city can be rebuilt. The human spirit, however, has tremendous capacity for survival. The people of Mississippi Delta will eventually emerge from this nightmarish situation to begin a new chapter. They deserve all the help that our country can provide; they must not be let down.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: Edited Sept.3,2005","title":"Desire submerged but Hope must be kept alive in the aftermath of Katrina"},{"content":" Shape of things to come - Anti-abortion legislations at State Levels*The FDA's announcement to delay the decision about over-the-counter access to Plan B (Morning After Pill) should not have come as a surprise. The Bush Administration is always supportive of the religious right on issues related to sexual habits of Americans. The zealots do not see it as a protective measure against unwanted pregnancy but as a drug that will encourage casual sex. So, Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health \u0026amp; Human Services, stalwartly rose to defend the FDA.Plan B might eventually clear the bureacratic and political hurdles but is likely to carry restrictions that would make it dffficult for women to obtain the pills in an emergency....the very situation for which they are intended.On August 31st, Susan Wood, Assistant FDA Commissioner for Women's Health and Director of the Office of Women's Health, resigned in protest against the agency's decision to delay the ruling on Plan B.Judge John Roberts and Roe v. WadeIt does not matter what questions he is asked, answers or declines to answer during the confirmation hearings, at this time it appears unlikely that Judge Roberts' appointment to the Supreme Court can be blocked. Judge Roberts is not going to be a surprise like Justice Souter. He has been vetted and the conservatives know that they can depend on him not to be the balancing force that Justice O'Connor was. His opinion on privacy rights is on record.Marie Cocco wrote in Newsday: In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court threw out a law that prohibited the use of contraception. In the intimate realm of marriage, Justice William O. Douglas wrote for the majority, \"we deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights - older than our political parties, older than our school system.\" It is this right - and this very case - for which Roberts has shown disdain. In a 1981 memo he disparaged it as the \"so-called right to privacy.\" In a draft article he apparently authored for then-Attorney General William French Smith, Roberts praised Justice Hugo Black's dissent in the landmark birth control case. At his later confirmation hearing to become a circuit court judge, Roberts said he would respect precedent with regard to privacy rights. What would he do as a Supreme Court justice who can set precedent? The fundamentalist Christians, however, are not idly waiting for the demise of Roe v. Wade. They are busy enacting legislation at state levels to curtail women's reproductive rights. Ceci Connolly's report in The Washington Post, Aug.29,2005, reveals that their record is impressive. \"Since January, governors have signed several dozen antiabortion measures ranging from parental consent requirements to an outright ban looming in South Dakota. Not since 1999, when a wave of laws banning late-term abortions swept the legislatures, have states imposed so many and so varied a menu of regulations on reproductive health care. Three states have passed bills requiring that women seeking an abortion be warned that the fetus will feel pain, despite inconclusive scientific data on the question. West Virginia and Florida approved legislation recognizing a pre-viable fetus, or embryo, as an independent victim of homicide. And in Missouri, Gov. Matt Blunt (R) has summoned lawmakers into special session Sept. 6 to consider three anti-abortion proposals.\" One wonders about the women of the states where anti-abortion legislations are being enacted. Do majority of them support what is happening? Are all of them chaste, strong in their belief that they and their sisters, daughters, friends will never be faced with an unwanted pregnancy?Or are they unaware of the implications?Links:Newsday: Marie Cocco - Pill Politics and RobertsWashington Post: Ceci Connolly - Access to abortion pared at State Level ","permalink":"/posts/2005/09/attacks-against-womens-reproductive-rights-continue/","summary":"Shape of things to come - Anti-abortion legislations at State Levels\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050827/ap_on_he_me/morning_after_pill\"\u003eFDA's announcement\u003c/a\u003e to delay the decision about over-the-counter access to Plan B (Morning After Pill) should not have come as a surprise. The Bush Administration is always supportive of the religious right on issues related to sexual habits of Americans. The zealots do not see it as a protective measure against unwanted pregnancy but as a drug that will encourage casual sex. So, Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health \u0026amp; Human Services, stalwartly rose to defend the FDA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePlan B might eventually clear the bureacratic and political hurdles but is likely to carry restrictions that would make it dffficult for women to obtain the pills in an emergency....the very situation for which they are intended.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn August 31st, Susan Wood, Assistant FDA Commissioner for Women's Health and Director of the Office of Women's Health,\u003ca href=\"http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3333932\"\u003e resigned\u003c/a\u003e in protest against the agency's decision to delay the ruling on Plan B.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJudge John Roberts and Roe v. Wade\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt does not matter what questions he is asked, answers or declines to answer during the confirmation hearings, at this time it appears unlikely that Judge Roberts' appointment to the Supreme Court can be blocked. Judge Roberts is not going to be a surprise like Justice Souter. He has been vetted and the conservatives know that they can depend on him not to be the balancing force that Justice O'Connor was. His opinion on privacy rights is on record.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarie Cocco wrote in Newsday:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court threw out a law that prohibited the use of contraception. In the intimate realm of marriage, Justice William O. Douglas wrote for the majority, \"we deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights - older than our political parties, older than our school system.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e It is this right - and this very case - for which Roberts has shown disdain. In a 1981 memo he disparaged it as the \"so-called right to privacy.\" In a draft article he apparently authored for then-Attorney General William French Smith, Roberts praised Justice Hugo Black's dissent in the landmark birth control case. At his later confirmation hearing to become a circuit court judge, Roberts said he would respect precedent with regard to privacy rights. What would he do as a Supreme Court justice who can set precedent?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e The fundamentalist Christians, however, are not idly waiting for the demise of Roe v. Wade. They are busy enacting legislation at state levels to curtail women's reproductive rights. Ceci Connolly's report in The Washington Post, Aug.29,2005, reveals that their record is impressive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Since January, governors have signed several dozen antiabortion measures ranging from parental consent requirements to an outright ban looming in South Dakota.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNot since 1999, when a wave of laws banning late-term abortions swept the legislatures, have states imposed so many and so varied a menu of regulations on reproductive health care.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThree states have passed bills requiring that women seeking an abortion be warned that the fetus will feel pain, despite inconclusive scientific data on the question.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWest Virginia and Florida approved legislation recognizing a pre-viable fetus, or embryo, as an independent victim of homicide.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAnd in Missouri, Gov. Matt Blunt (R) has summoned lawmakers into special session Sept. 6 to consider three anti-abortion proposals.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eOne wonders about the women of the states where anti-abortion legislations are being enacted. Do majority of them support what is happening? Are all of them chaste, strong in their belief that they and their sisters, daughters, friends will never be faced with an unwanted pregnancy?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOr are they unaware of the implications?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-opcoc294403533aug30,0,1286607.column?coll=ny-news-columnists\"\u003eNewsday: Marie Cocco - Pill Politics and Roberts\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/28/AR2005082800981.html?sub=AR\"\u003eWashington Post: Ceci Connolly - Access  to abortion pared at State Level\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Attacks against Women's Reproductive Rights Continue"},{"content":" *Increase in Poverty Rate\"U.S. Poverty rate rises\" reads the headline of a report filed by Reuters on 8/30/05. \"The percentage of the U.S. population living in poverty rose to 12.7 percent from 12.5 percent in 2003, as 1.1 million more people slipped into poverty last year\".The figures are based on data released by the Census Bureau, and reflect fourth consecutive annual increase.Overall, there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003.ReutersThe Wealth DivideOn the other side of the picture is the tremendous disparity between the rich and poor. In the Unites States the richest 1% of households own 38% of all wealth.The interview with Edward Woff that appeared in the Multinational Monitor (see below) clearly describes the inequality. \"MM: What portion of the wealth is owned by the upper groups? Wolff: The top 5 percent own more than half of all wealth. In 1998, they owned 59 percent of all wealth. Or to put it another way, the top 5 percent had more wealth than the remaining 95 percent of the population, collectively. The top 20 percent owns over 80 percent of all wealth. In 1998, it owned 83 percent of all wealth. This is a very concentrated distribution. MM: Where does that leave the bottom tiers?Wolff: The bottom 20 percent basically have zero wealth. They either have no assets, or their debt equals or exceeds their assets. The bottom 20 percent has typically accumulated no savings. A household in the middle — the median household — has wealth of about $62,000. $62,000 is not insignificant, but if you consider that the top 1 percent of households’ average wealth is $12.5 million, you can see what a difference there is in the distribution.\"\nThe Growing Gap between the Rich and the Rest ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/poverty-rate-and-wealth-divide-in-the-united-states/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eIncrease in Poverty Rate\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"U.S. Poverty rate rises\" reads the headline of a report filed by Reuters on 8/30/05. \"The percentage of the U.S. population living in poverty rose to 12.7 percent from 12.5 percent in 2003, as 1.1 million more people slipped into poverty last year\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe figures are based on data released by the Census Bureau, and reflect fourth consecutive annual increase.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOverall, there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=governmentFilingsNews\u0026amp;storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050830:MTFH91986_2005-08-30_17-36-13_N30277975:1\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Wealth Divide\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the other side of the picture is the tremendous disparity between the rich and poor. In the Unites States the richest 1% of households own 38% of all wealth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe interview with Edward Woff that appeared in the Multinational Monitor (see below) clearly describes the inequality. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eMM: What portion of the wealth is owned by the upper groups? \u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e         Wolff: The top 5 percent own more than half of all wealth.        \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Poverty Rate and Wealth Divide in the United States"},{"content":" The Bush-Cheney Team's Work In Progress*The editorial, \"Destroying The National Parks\", in today's NY Times is a must read for all who enjoy the natural splendors of our country and feel that they should be protected. Plan for basic management policy drafted by Paul Hoffman (who has \"no park service experience\" and was \"a Congressional aide to VP Cheney\") includes opening every park in the nation to off-road vehicles, snowmobiles and jet skis. \"According to his revision, the use of such vehicles would become one of the parks' purposes.\" In line with the administration's close ties to fundamentalist Christians, the plan provides for \"sale of religious merchandise\" in the parks and exclusion from the policy document \"any references to evolution or evolutionary processes\".Excerpts: \"Recently, a secret draft revision of the national park system's basic management policy document has been circulating within the Interior Department. It was prepared, without consultation within the National Park Service, by Paul Hoffman, a deputy assistant secretary at Interior who once ran the Chamber of Commerce in Cody, Wyo., was a Congressional aide to Dick Cheney and has no park service experience.\" \"Some of Mr. Hoffman's changes are trivial, although even apparently subtle changes in wording - from \"protect\" to \"conserve,\" for instance - soften the standard used to judge the environmental effects of park policy.\" \"But there is nothing subtle about the main thrust of this rewrite. It is a frontal attack on the idea of \"impairment.\" According to the act that established the national parks, preventing impairment of park resources - including the landscape, wildlife and such intangibles as the soundscape of Yellowstone, for instance - is the \"fundamental purpose.\" In Mr. Hoffman's world, it is now merely one of the purposes.\" \"There are other issues too. Mr. Hoffman would explicitly allow the sale of religious merchandise, and he removes from the policy document any reference to evolution or evolutionary processes. He does everything possible to strip away a scientific basis for park management. His rules would essentially require park superintendents to subordinate the management of their parks to local and state agendas. He also envisions a much wider range of commercial activity within the parks.\" \"In short, this is not a policy for protecting the parks. It is a policy for destroying them.\" \"It is clear by now that Mr. Bush has no real intention of living up to his campaign promise to fully finance the national parks. This document offers a vivid picture of the divide between the National Park Service, whose career employees remain committed to the fundamental purpose of leaving the parks unimpaired, and an Interior Department whose political appointees seem willing to alter them beyond recognition, partly in the service of commercial objectives.\" \"Suddenly, many things - like the administration's efforts to force snowmobiles back into Yellowstone - seem very easy to explain.\" Destroying The National Parks ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/welcome-polluters---this-land-is-your-land/","summary":"The Bush-Cheney Team's Work In Progress\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThe editorial, \"Destroying The National Parks\", in today's NY Times is a must read for all who enjoy the natural splendors of our country and feel that they should be protected. Plan for basic management policy drafted by Paul Hoffman (who has \"no park service experience\" and was \"a Congressional aide to VP Cheney\") includes opening every park in the nation to off-road vehicles, snowmobiles and jet skis. \"According to his revision, the use of such vehicles would become one of the parks' purposes.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn line with the administration's close ties to fundamentalist Christians, the plan provides for \"sale of religious merchandise\" in the parks and exclusion from the policy document \"any references to evolution or evolutionary processes\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Recently, a secret draft revision of the national park system's basic management policy document has been circulating within the Interior Department. It was prepared, without consultation within the National Park Service, by Paul Hoffman, a deputy assistant secretary at Interior who once ran the Chamber of Commerce in Cody, Wyo., was a Congressional aide to Dick Cheney and has no park service experience.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Some of Mr. Hoffman's changes are trivial, although even apparently subtle changes in wording - from \"protect\" to \"conserve,\" for instance - soften the standard used to judge the environmental effects of park policy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"But there is nothing subtle about the main thrust of this rewrite. It is a frontal attack on the idea of \"impairment.\" According to the act that established the national parks, preventing impairment of park resources - including the landscape, wildlife and such intangibles as the soundscape of Yellowstone, for instance - is the \"fundamental purpose.\" In Mr. Hoffman's world, it is now merely one of the purposes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"There are other issues too. Mr. Hoffman would explicitly allow the sale of religious merchandise, and he removes from the policy document any reference to evolution or evolutionary processes. He does everything possible to strip away a scientific basis for park management. His rules would essentially require park superintendents to subordinate the management of their parks to local and state agendas. He also envisions a much wider range of commercial activity within the parks.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"In short, this is not a policy for protecting the parks. It is a policy for destroying them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"It is clear by now that Mr. Bush has no real intention of living up to his campaign promise to fully finance the national parks. This document offers a vivid picture of the divide between the National Park Service, whose career employees remain committed to the fundamental purpose of leaving the parks unimpaired, and an Interior Department whose political appointees seem willing to alter them beyond recognition, partly in the service of commercial objectives.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Suddenly, many things - like the administration's efforts to force snowmobiles back into Yellowstone - seem very easy to explain.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/29/opinion/29mon1.html?ex=1125547200\u0026amp;en=74546dde2b885059\u0026amp;ei=5070\"\u003eDestroying The National Parks\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Welcome  Polluters - This Land is Your Land"},{"content":" Great animated strip by Mark Morford. The President, his men, and Ms. Rice. The Vice President looks especially true to life.*Mark MorfordAnd two by Tom Toles, The Washington Post:Intelephant DesignIraqi Women under the new Constitution ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/iraq---the-valiant-non-combatants-doing-what-they-do-best/","summary":"Great animated strip by Mark Morford.  The President, his men, and Ms. Rice. The Vice President looks especially true to life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/08/17/fiorevictory.DTL\"\u003eMark Morford\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd two by Tom Toles, The Washington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/toles.html?name=Toles\u0026amp;date=20050823\"\u003eIntelephant Design\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinion/toles.html\"\u003eIraqi Women under the new Constitution\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Iraq - The Valiant Non-Combatants doing what they do best"},{"content":" This guy was a presidential candidate in 1988! *Founder of the Christian Coalition and one-time presidential candidate Pat Robertson called for assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and, in the face of a firestorm that followed, issued an apology a day later. The fundamentalists, regardless of the faith they practise, are somewhat akin to rabid dogs.Reverend Terminator,Editorial, Chicago Tribune Aug.24, 2005 In an appearance on CBS' back in May, Pat Robertson expressed the view that the threat from liberal judges is more serious than Islamist terrorism:\"\"It depends on how you look at culture. If you look over the course of a hundred years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings. I think we're going to control al Qaeda. I think we're going to get Osama bin Laden. We won in Afghanistan. We won in Iraq, and we can contain that. But if there's an erosion at home, you know, Thomas Jefferson warned about a tyranny of an oligarchy and if we surrender our democracy to the tyranny of an oligarchy, we've made a terrible mistake.\"Whew. His image in the CBS report (see below) looks scary; literally frothing at the mouth. One would think that he ought to be in a padded cell.CBS News, Dick Meyer ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/a-fatwa-for-killing-issued-by-a-reverend-named-pat-robertson/","summary":"This guy was a presidential candidate in 1988! \u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eFounder of the Christian Coalition and one-time presidential candidate Pat Robertson called for assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and, in the face of a firestorm that followed, issued an apology a day later. The fundamentalists, regardless of the faith they practise, are somewhat akin to rabid dogs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508240127aug24,1,5853120.story?coll=chi-news-hed\"\u003eReverend Terminator,\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEditorial, Chicago Tribune Aug.24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508240127aug24,1,5853120.story?coll=chi-news-hed\"\u003e \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an appearance on CBS' back in May, Pat Robertson expressed the view that the threat from liberal judges is more serious than Islamist terrorism:\u003cbr/\u003e\"\"It depends on how you look at culture. If you look over the course of a hundred years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings. I think we're going to control al Qaeda. I think we're going to get Osama bin Laden. We won in Afghanistan. We won in Iraq, and we can contain that. But if there's an erosion at home, you know, Thomas Jefferson warned about a tyranny of an oligarchy and if we surrender our democracy to the tyranny of an oligarchy, we've made a terrible mistake.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhew. His image in the CBS report (see below) looks scary; literally frothing at the mouth. One would think that he ought to be in a padded cell.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/03/opinion/meyer/main692668.shtml\"\u003eCBS News, Dick Meyer\u003c/a\u003e","title":"A Fatwa for killing issued by a Reverend named Pat Robertson"},{"content":" * Naked Ladies, botanical name \"Amaryllis belladonna\", also known as Belladonna Lillies. They grow from bulbs and lie dormant until late summer. Then you see them emerge in gardens as well as by the side of roads, highways, and trails. The plants are hardy and the blooms fragrant. The stalks and blooms are both said to be toxic. The common name, Naked Ladies, derived from their looks. A 2' high leafless stalk topped by pink clusters of flowers. Think of tall, willowy women with pink hair. Lovely--I mean both the Naked Ladies and real ladies, naked or clothed and not only tall, willowy ones. I have read that the foliage appears in spring before the plants bloom. However, no one pays attention to them until the flowers appear. Light pink is the color commonly seen in the San Francisco Bay area. They come also in red, mauve and white but I have not seen them. Naked Ladies, I © musafir A group of them © musafir Less than four weeks before the end of summer of 2005. With the shadow of war hanging over us it has been a joyless summer for families that lost their near and dear ones as well as for those who grieve for casualties of all nationalities. Such a waste of human lives. So utterly senseless. The seasons have their place. Here is an item by the late Philip Hamburger that appeared in The New Yorker some years back. \"A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.\" Magnificent. He said so much in so few words. Philip Hamburger was a resident of Wellfleet,Massachusetts, and wrote lovingly about the Cape. He died in April 2004.Having just returned from a vacation on the coast, for me the \"ache of summer\" is real. But I take the seasons as they come. Not hard to do here in Northern California; the seasons are not harsh. Comments Nabanita \u0026mdash; 2014-08-17 Enjoyed your beautiful blog on the changing seasons. Philip Hamburger\u0026#39;s words are tinged with such a profound understanding of life. After losing my mother last year, I have seen more rainbows, watched countless tiny, colorful birds in our backyard and heard my neighbor\u0026#39;s garden bells chime more than ever before. These must be mother nature\u0026#39;s gentle reminders of how beautiful life is and how fleeting at the same time; that change is inevitable, just as the \u0026quot;ache\u0026quot; of summer is. I take these signals as constant reminders of Ma\u0026#39;s presence. Memories sustain me. That is all I have. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/naked-ladies-are-out-strutting-their-stuff-and-the-ache-of-summer/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n*\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNaked Ladies, botanical name \"Amaryllis belladonna\", also known as Belladonna Lillies. They grow from bulbs and lie dormant until late summer. Then you see them emerge in gardens as well as by the side of roads, highways, and trails. The plants are hardy and the blooms fragrant. The stalks and blooms are both said to be toxic. The common name, Naked Ladies, derived from their looks. A 2' high leafless stalk topped by pink clusters of flowers. Think of tall, willowy women with pink hair. Lovely--I mean both the Naked Ladies and real ladies, naked or clothed and not only tall, willowy ones. I have read that the foliage appears in spring before the plants bloom. However, no one pays attention to them until the flowers appear. Light pink is the color commonly seen in the San Francisco Bay area. They come also in red, mauve and white but I have not seen them. \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/08/Naked Ladies I.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNaked Ladies, I © musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/08/Naked Ladies II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA group of them © musafir\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\nLess than four weeks before the end of summer of 2005. With the shadow of war hanging over us it has been a joyless summer for families that lost their near and dear ones as well as for those who grieve for casualties of all nationalities. Such a waste of human lives. So utterly senseless.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe seasons have their place.  Here is an item by the late Philip Hamburger that appeared in The New Yorker some years back.  \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called \"the ache of summer\" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nMagnificent. He said so much in so few words. Philip Hamburger was a resident of Wellfleet,Massachusetts, and wrote lovingly about the Cape. He died in April 2004.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHaving just returned from a vacation on the coast, for me the \"ache of summer\" is real. But I take the seasons as they come. Not hard to do here in Northern California; the seasons are not harsh.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNabanita\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2014-08-17\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eEnjoyed your beautiful blog on the changing seasons. Philip Hamburger\u0026#39;s words are tinged with such a profound understanding of life. After losing my mother last year, I have seen more rainbows, watched countless tiny, colorful birds in our backyard and heard my neighbor\u0026#39;s garden bells chime more than ever before. These must be mother nature\u0026#39;s gentle reminders of how beautiful life is and how fleeting at the same time; that change is inevitable, just as the \u0026quot;ache\u0026quot; of summer is. I take these signals as constant reminders of Ma\u0026#39;s presence. Memories sustain me. That is all I have.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Naked Ladies are out strutting their stuff, and the \"ache of summer\""},{"content":" You could have knocked me down with a feather*OK, maybe he took the books (see list) to Crawford. One of the aides selected them. Maybe they are on the bedside table. But reading them! Slay me with a dragon; \"Comfort me with apples\".From The Guardian,UK:\"As well as brush cutting, mountain biking and fishing, the president will also be tucking into Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky during his five-week summer sojourn on his Texas ranch. The other tomes are reported to be Alexander II: the Last Great Tsar by Edvard Radzinsky and The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M Barry.\"There's nothing on that list that is a beach read, or even a busman's holiday,\" Peter Osnos, of the PublicAffairs publishing house, told the Los Angeles Times. \"It's a fair bet that George Bush is the only person in the entire US who chose those three books to read on vacation.\"Bookworm Bush's holiday readingI have my foot out of the door for a trip to the coast. What I am carrying with me to read is much less weighty. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, I don't think he has finished \"My Pet Goat \" yet.\nMaybe I am \"reading\" into Bush's choices , but why would he want to read up on the deadliest plague in history?Does he know something? Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, I hope you enjoy your time away . Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-25 Isn't it clear he fancies himself a sort of modern day Alexander the Great? Ick. The fantasies of a deluded, deranged, and all too powerful old man.\nBe afraid. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/what-the-president-is-reading-during-his-vacation/","summary":"You could have knocked me down with a feather\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eOK, maybe he took the books (see list) to Crawford.  One of the aides selected them.  Maybe they are on the bedside table.  But reading them!  Slay me with a dragon;  \"Comfort me with apples\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The Guardian,UK:\u003cbr/\u003e\"As well as brush cutting, mountain biking and fishing, the president will also be tucking into Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky during his five-week summer sojourn on his Texas ranch. The other tomes are reported to be Alexander II: the Last Great Tsar by Edvard Radzinsky and The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M Barry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There's nothing on that list that is a beach read, or even a busman's holiday,\" Peter Osnos, of the PublicAffairs publishing house, told the Los Angeles Times. \"It's a fair bet that George Bush is the only person in the entire US who chose those three books to read on vacation.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5264214-99819,00.html\"\u003eBookworm Bush's holiday reading\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have my foot out of the door for a trip to the coast.  What I am carrying with me to read is much less weighty.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, I  don't think he has finished \"My Pet Goat \" yet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaybe I am \"reading\" into Bush's choices  , but why would he want to read up on the deadliest plague in history?Does he know something?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, I hope you enjoy your time away .\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIsn't it clear he fancies himself a sort of modern day Alexander the Great?  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIck.  The fantasies of a deluded, deranged, and all too powerful old man.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBe afraid.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"What the President is \"Reading\" during his Vacation"},{"content":" \"The Kratos Criteria\" and \"Unusual tactics\"*Now that all details, including video tapes, have been made available there are no doubts. Charles de Menezes, shot to death on July 22nd in London, was an innocent victim. He was not running away from the police; he did not jump over a barrier; he was not wearing a heavy, bulky jacket; he was not carrying a backpack; he did not disobey orders to stop. He was shot at close range while he was sitting down in a train. He was murdered.Leaks raise sharp questions about police tacticsInquiry into the killing of De Menezes shows he was sitting down when shotDuncan Campbell, Rosie Cowan, Vikram Dodd and Mark HonigsbaumWednesday August 17, 2005The Guardian Fatal mistakes that led to innocent man being killed in Stockwell TubeBy Richard Alleyne(Filed: 17/08/2005)The Telegraph Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, when this killing first happened , something told me that it would somehow end up having nothing to do with terrorism. This was such a very sad and unfortunate event. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/killing-of-jean-charles-de-menezes/","summary":"\"The Kratos Criteria\" and \"Unusual tactics\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow that all details, including video tapes, have been made available there are no doubts. Charles de Menezes, shot to death on July 22nd in London, was an innocent victim. He was not running away from the police; he did not jump over a barrier; he was not wearing a heavy, bulky jacket; he was not carrying a backpack; he did not disobey orders to stop. He was shot at close range while he was sitting down in a train. He was murdered.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeaks raise sharp questions about police tactics\u003cbr/\u003eInquiry into the killing of De Menezes shows he was sitting down when shot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuncan Campbell, Rosie Cowan, Vikram Dodd and Mark Honigsbaum\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday August 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1550669,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian \u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFatal mistakes that led to innocent man being killed in Stockwell Tube\u003cbr/\u003eBy Richard Alleyne\u003cbr/\u003e(Filed: 17/08/2005)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/17/nmenez117.xml\"\u003eThe Telegraph\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, when this killing first happened , something told me that it would somehow end up having nothing to do with terrorism. This was such a very sad and unfortunate event.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Killing of Jean Charles de Menezes"},{"content":" Not really but I am off to the coast to spend a few days with friends.*There will not be much of a change in my daily routine except that instead of watching traffic through my window I shall be looking at the ocean. Shall walk on the beach, run, read, do some cooking, drink wine and watch the ocean---the Pacific is only about 50 yards from the living room. But I shall stay away from the blog. There might be a few laptops around but I do not intend to surf the 'net. There is a TV but it remains switched off. Print edition of the San Francisco Chronicle will do fine. The New Yorker magazine has been piling up, and I just began reading Jeff Greenwald's \"The Size of the World\", recommended by a friend. Greenwald traveled around the globe using surface transportation---land and sea. The blogosphere will survive without me.The weather at Pajaro Beach is unpredictable. I remember one blistering summer when I was packing to leave for the coast the weather report mentioned that there would be more of the same the next few days. So I decided not to take sweats and jackets. Big mistake. Less than 60 miles away but the sun never showed during my stay and it was cold enough to freeze \"your buns off\". I learned my lesson.There will be about twelve of us, including children and teenagers. One lone Republican in the whole crowd. Iraq and Bush could come up. The discussions, however, would not be rancorous.To my regular visitors: Stay well. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, where you are going sounds like a perfect spot to fish. I am not a big fisherman, but I find myself instinctively looking for a hook and some line whenever I am near a body of water.I hope you have a great time.Take care. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/gone-fishing/","summary":"Not really but I am off to the coast to spend a few days with friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere will not be much of a change in my daily routine except that instead of watching traffic through my window I shall be looking at the ocean. Shall walk on the beach, run, read, do some cooking, drink wine and watch the ocean---the Pacific is only about 50 yards from the living room. But I shall stay away from the blog. There might be a few laptops around but I do not intend to surf the 'net. There is a TV but it remains switched off. Print edition of the San Francisco Chronicle will do fine. The New Yorker magazine has been piling up, and I just began reading Jeff Greenwald's \"The Size of the World\", recommended by a friend. Greenwald traveled around the globe using surface transportation---land and sea. The blogosphere will survive without me.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe weather at Pajaro Beach is unpredictable. I remember one blistering summer when I was packing to leave for the coast the weather report mentioned that there would be more of the same the next few days. So I decided not to take sweats and jackets. Big mistake. Less than 60 miles away but the sun never showed during my stay and it was cold enough to freeze \"your buns off\". I learned my lesson.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere will be about twelve of us, including children and teenagers. One lone Republican in the whole crowd. Iraq and Bush could come up. The discussions, however, would not be rancorous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo my regular visitors:  Stay well.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, where you are going sounds like a perfect spot to fish. I am not a big fisherman, but I find myself instinctively looking for a hook and some line whenever I am near a body of water.I hope you have a great time.Take care.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Gone Fishing"},{"content":" *\"But this president does not know what death is. He hasn't the mind for it.\" This essay originally appeared in The Easthampton Star, Long Island, on September 9, 2004. The acclaimed author (Welcome to Hard Times, Ragtime, Loon Lake and other works of fiction) passionately expressed his views about the callousness of G.W. Bush. Almost a year later, nothing has changed. In fact casualties have mounted. The president still blathers about Iraq and 9/11 like a record with needle stuck in a groove.The Unfeeling President\"I fault this president for not knowing what death is. He does not suffer the death of our 21-year-olds who wanted to be what they could be. On the eve of D-Day in 1944 General Eisenhower prayed to God for the lives of the young soldiers he knew were going to die. He knew what death was. Even in a justifiable war, a war not of choice but of necessity, a war of survival, the cost was almost more than Eisenhower could bear.But this president does not know what death is. He hasn't the mind for it. You see him joking with the press, peering under the table for the weapons of mass destruction he can't seem to find, you see him at rallies strutting up to the stage in shirt sleeves to the roar of the carefully screened crowd, smiling and waving, triumphal, a he-man.\"He does not mourn. He doesn't understand why he should mourn. He is satisfied during the course of a speech written for him to look solemn for a moment and speak of the brave young Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.\"But you study him, you look into his eyes and know he dissembles an emotion which he does not feel in the depths of his being because he has no capacity for it. He does not feel a personal responsibility for the 1,000 dead young men and women who wanted to be what they could be.\"They come to his desk not as youngsters with mothers and fathers or wives and children who will suffer to the end of their days a terribly torn fabric of familial relationships and the inconsolable remembrance of aborted life . . . they come to his desk as a political liability, which is why the press is not permitted to photograph the arrival of their coffins from Iraq.\"How then can he mourn? To mourn is to express regret and he regrets nothing. He does not regret that his reason for going to war was, as he knew, unsubstantiated by the facts. He does not regret that his bungled plan for the war's aftermath has made of his mission-accomplished a disaster. He does not regret that, rather than controlling terrorism, his war in Iraq has licensed it. So he never mourns for the dead and crippled youngsters who have fought this war of his choice.\"He wanted to go to war and he did. He had not the mind to perceive the costs of war, or to listen to those who knew those costs. He did not understand that you do not go to war when it is one of the options but when it is the only option; you go not because you want to but because you have to.\"Yet this president knew it would be difficult for Americans not to cheer the overthrow of a foreign dictator. He knew that much. This president and his supporters would seem to have a mind for only one thing -- to take power, to remain in power, and to use that power for the sake of themselves and their friends.\"A war will do that as well as anything. You become a wartime leader. The country gets behind you. Dissent becomes inappropriate. And so he does not drop to his knees, he is not contrite, he does not sit in the church with the grieving parents and wives and children. He is the president who does not feel. He does not feel for the families of the dead, he does not feel for the 35 million of us who live in poverty, he does not feel for the 40 percent who cannot afford health insurance, he does not feel for the miners whose lungs are turning black or for the working people he has deprived of the chance to work overtime at time-and-a-half to pay their bills - it is amazing for how many people in this country this president does not feel.\"But he will dissemble feeling. He will say in all sincerity he is relieving the wealthiest 1 percent of the population of their tax burden for the sake of the rest of us, and that he is polluting the air we breathe for the sake of our economy, and that he is decreasing the quality of air in coal mines to save the coal miners' jobs, and that he is depriving workers of their time-and-a-half benefits for overtime because this is actually a way to honor them by raising them into the professional class.\"And this litany of lies he will versify with reverences for God and the flag and democracy, when just what he and his party are doing to our democracy is choking the life out of it.\"But there is one more terribly sad thing about all of this. I remember the millions of people here and around the world who marched against the war. It was extraordinary, that spontaneous aroused oversoul of alarm and protest that transcended national borders. Why did it happen? After all, this was not the only war anyone had ever seen coming. There are little wars all over the world most of the time.\"But the cry of protest was the appalled understanding of millions of people that America was ceding its role as the last best hope of mankind. It was their perception that the classic archetype of democracy was morphing into a rogue nation. The greatest democratic republic in history was turning its back on the future, using its extraordinary power and standing not to advance the ideal of a concordance of civilizations but to endorse the kind of tribal combat that originated with the Neanderthals, a people, now extinct, who could imagine ensuring their survival by no other means than pre-emptive war.\"The president we get is the country we get. With each president the nation is conformed spiritually. He is the artificer of our malleable national soul. He proposes not only the laws but the kinds of lawlessness that govern our lives and invoke our responses. The people he appoints are cast in his image. The trouble they get into and get us into, is his characteristic trouble.\"Finally, the media amplify his character into our moral weather report. He becomes the face of our sky, the conditions that prevail. How can we sustain ourselves as the United States of America given the stupid and ineffective warmaking, the constitutionally insensitive lawgiving, and the monarchal economics of this president? He cannot mourn but is a figure of such moral vacancy as to make us mourn for ourselves.Source: Common Dreams.orgE. L. Doctorow is an American novelist. His works are noted for their mingling of American history and literary imagination through the interaction of fictional and real-life characters. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, I know that this president doesn't care about the dead.It is merely a necessary inconvenience for him to meet with the relatives of the fallen. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/the-unfeeling-president---el-doctorows-scathing-indictment/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But this president does not know what death is. He hasn't the mind for it.\" This essay originally appeared in The Easthampton Star, Long Island, on September 9, 2004. The acclaimed author (Welcome to Hard Times, Ragtime, Loon Lake and other works of fiction) passionately expressed his views about the callousness of G.W. Bush. Almost a year later, nothing has changed. In fact casualties have mounted. The president still blathers about Iraq and 9/11 like a record with needle stuck in a groove.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eThe Unfeeling President\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I fault this president for not knowing what death is. He does not suffer the death of our 21-year-olds who wanted to be what they could be. On the eve of D-Day in 1944 General Eisenhower prayed to God for the lives of the young soldiers he knew were going to die. He knew what death was. Even in a justifiable war, a war not of choice but of necessity, a war of survival, the cost was almost more than Eisenhower could bear.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut this president does not know what death is. He hasn't the mind for it. You see him joking with the press, peering under the table for the weapons of mass destruction he can't seem to find, you see him at rallies strutting up to the stage in shirt sleeves to the roar of the carefully screened crowd, smiling and waving, triumphal, a he-man.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He does not mourn. He doesn't understand why he should mourn. He is satisfied during the course of a speech written for him to look solemn for a moment and speak of the brave young Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But you study him, you look into his eyes and know he dissembles an emotion which he does not feel in the depths of his being because he has no capacity for it. He does not feel a personal responsibility for the 1,000 dead young men and women who wanted to be what they could be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They come to his desk not as youngsters with mothers and fathers or wives and children who will suffer to the end of their days a terribly torn fabric of familial relationships and the inconsolable remembrance of aborted life . . . they come to his desk as a political liability, which is why the press is not permitted to photograph the arrival of their coffins from Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"How then can he mourn? To mourn is to express regret and he regrets nothing. He does not regret that his reason for going to war was, as he knew, unsubstantiated by the facts. He does not regret that his bungled plan for the war's aftermath has made of his mission-accomplished a disaster. He does not regret that, rather than controlling terrorism, his war in Iraq has licensed it. So he never mourns for the dead and crippled youngsters who have fought this war of his choice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He wanted to go to war and he did. He had not the mind to perceive the costs of war, or to listen to those who knew those costs. He did not understand that you do not go to war when it is one of the options but when it is the only option; you go not because you want to but because you have to.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yet this president knew it would be difficult for Americans not to cheer the overthrow of a foreign dictator. He knew that much. This president and his supporters would seem to have a mind for only one thing -- to take power, to remain in power, and to use that power for the sake of themselves and their friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A war will do that as well as anything. You become a wartime leader. The country gets behind you. Dissent becomes inappropriate. And so he does not drop to his knees, he is not contrite, he does not sit in the church with the grieving parents and wives and children. He is the president who does not feel. He does not feel for the families of the dead, he does not feel for the 35 million of us who live in poverty, he does not feel for the 40 percent who cannot afford health insurance, he does not feel for the miners whose lungs are turning black or for the working people he has deprived of the chance to work overtime at time-and-a-half to pay their bills - it is amazing for how many people in this country this president does not feel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But he will dissemble feeling. He will say in all sincerity he is relieving the wealthiest 1 percent of the population of their tax burden for the sake of the rest of us, and that he is polluting the air we breathe for the sake of our economy, and that he is decreasing the quality of air in coal mines to save the coal miners' jobs, and that he is depriving workers of their time-and-a-half benefits for overtime because this is actually a way to honor them by raising them into the professional class.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"And this litany of lies he will versify with reverences for God and the flag and democracy, when just what he and his party are doing to our democracy is choking the life out of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But there is one more terribly sad thing about all of this. I remember the millions of people here and around the world who marched against the war. It was extraordinary, that spontaneous aroused oversoul of alarm and protest that transcended national borders. Why did it happen? After all, this was not the only war anyone had ever seen coming. There are little wars all over the world most of the time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But the cry of protest was the appalled understanding of millions of people that America was ceding its role as the last best hope of mankind. It was their perception that the classic archetype of democracy was morphing into a rogue nation. The greatest democratic republic in history was turning its back on the future, using its extraordinary power and standing not to advance the ideal of a concordance of civilizations but to endorse the kind of tribal combat that originated with the Neanderthals, a people, now extinct, who could imagine ensuring their survival by no other means than pre-emptive war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The president we get is the country we get. With each president the nation is conformed spiritually. He is the artificer of our malleable national soul. He proposes not only the laws but the kinds of lawlessness that govern our lives and invoke our responses. The people he appoints are cast in his image. The trouble they get into and get us into, is his characteristic trouble.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Finally, the media amplify his character into our moral weather report. He becomes the face of our sky, the conditions that prevail. How can we sustain ourselves as the United States of America given the stupid and ineffective warmaking, the constitutionally insensitive lawgiving, and the monarchal economics of this president? He cannot mourn but is a figure of such moral vacancy as to make us mourn for ourselves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0920-13.htm\"\u003eCommon Dreams.org\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eE. L. Doctorow is an American novelist. His works are noted for their mingling of American history and literary imagination through the interaction of fictional and real-life characters.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, I know that this president doesn't care about the dead.It is merely a necessary inconvenience for him to meet with the relatives of the fallen.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"The Unfeeling President\" - E.L. Doctorow's Scathing Indictment"},{"content":" Another face of the war*It was a matter of time. Some become inured to the horrors of war; some find recourse in prayers; others in drugs and/or alcohol. For Sgt. Daniel Cotnoir, Marine Reservist in Mortuary Affairs Unit, the memories became unbearable. He reacted.....violently. There are other soldiers who are struggling with their personal demons after returning from Iraq. They need psychiatric care to help them cope. The incident in Lawrence is an urgent reminder to reach out to them before they,too, go over the edge.Daniel Cotnoir was responsible for collecting remains of fellow marines killed in action. He was selected for this duty because in civilian life he was director of a funeral home in Lawrence, MA.On August 15th Daniel Cotnoir shot into a crowd from his apartment and injured two persons. He said he feared for his family's safety. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18 Musafir, I have been warning people since the start of this regrettable, so called war that the soldiers that are coming home are going to be affected by the stress of combat!!But wait...these same people are becoming our police officers, neighbors, etc. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/lawrence-massachusetts-experiences-a-soldiers-trauma/","summary":"Another face of the war\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was a matter of time. Some become inured to the horrors of war; some find recourse in prayers; others in drugs and/or alcohol. For Sgt. Daniel Cotnoir, Marine Reservist in Mortuary Affairs Unit, the memories became unbearable. He reacted.....violently. There are other soldiers who are struggling with their personal demons after returning from Iraq. They need psychiatric care to help them cope. The incident in Lawrence is an urgent reminder to reach out to them before they,too, go over the edge.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Cotnoir was responsible for collecting remains of fellow marines killed in action. He was selected for this duty because in civilian life he was director of a funeral home in Lawrence, MA.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn August 15th Daniel Cotnoir shot into a crowd from his apartment and injured two persons. He said he feared for his family's safety.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-18\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, I have been warning people since the start of this regrettable, so called war that the soldiers that are coming home are going to be affected by the stress of combat!!But wait...these same people are becoming our police officers, neighbors, etc.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Lawrence, Massachusetts experiences a soldier's trauma"},{"content":" Millions of dollars to spread the word. The Lord will take care of the hungry and homeless...if they are Christians.*According to a New York Times report by Shaila Dewan, evangelical Christians have taken a page out of AOL's direct mail campaign. Christian organizations plan to mail a DVD of the 1979 movie \"Jesus\" to every household in certain target States.Excerpts:\"However dated its production values, \"Jesus\" has come to be viewed by many evangelical Christians as a singularly modern tool for spreading the Gospel. It speaks, though without special effects or quick editing, to a populace fluent in Hollywood. It comes in multiple languages on one disc. It concludes with a \"salvation prayer\" the viewer can recite with the narrator. Its local distributors consider it so effective that millions of dollars have already been spent toward the goal of delivering a copy to every household in the United States, as if it were free trial software from America Online.\"\"..................Over the years, the effort, which began using direct mail after Alabama, has been criticized by people who objected to Jesus' being played by a white actor, or who said the money could be better spent on the poor, or who felt that the mailings were unwelcome proselytizing. Perhaps the most vigorous objections came in 2000, when a mailing was done in Palm Beach County, Fla. Thousands of videos in heavily Jewish West Palm Beach were returned, some taped to bricks in hopes that the sender would have to pay the postage, according to news reports.\"While some viewers might be persuaded to embrace Jesus, other recipients of the DVDwould do what I do with the AOL software---toss it into the trash container. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-16 If I get a Jeezus tape, I'm mailing them back a tape of Caligula. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-08-16 Probably would do them some good. On the other hand it could cause apoplectic fits! Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-24 or some kind of fits anyway ;) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/jesus-the-movie-coming-to-your-mailbox/","summary":"Millions of dollars to spread the word. The Lord will take care of the hungry and homeless...if they are Christians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eAccording to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/16/national/16video.html?8hpib\"\u003eNew York Times\u003c/a\u003e report by Shaila Dewan, evangelical Christians have taken a page out of AOL's direct mail campaign. Christian organizations plan to mail a DVD of the 1979 movie \"Jesus\" to every household in certain target States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\"However dated its production values, \"Jesus\" has come to be viewed by many evangelical Christians as a singularly modern tool for spreading the Gospel. It speaks, though without special effects or quick editing, to a populace fluent in Hollywood. It comes in multiple languages on one disc. It concludes with a \"salvation prayer\" the viewer can recite with the narrator. Its local distributors consider it so effective that millions of dollars have already been spent toward the goal of delivering a copy to every household in the United States, as if it were free trial software from America Online.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"..................Over the years, the effort, which began using direct mail after Alabama, has been criticized by people who objected to Jesus' being played by a white actor, or who said the money could be better spent on the poor, or who felt that the mailings were unwelcome proselytizing. Perhaps the most vigorous objections came in 2000, when a mailing was done in Palm Beach County, Fla. Thousands of videos in heavily Jewish West Palm Beach were returned, some taped to bricks in hopes that the sender would have to pay the postage, according to news reports.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhile some viewers might be persuaded to embrace Jesus, other recipients of the DVD\u003cbr/\u003ewould do what I do with the AOL software---toss it into the trash container.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIf I get a Jeezus tape, I'm mailing them back a tape of Caligula.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eProbably would do them some good.  On the other hand it could cause apoplectic fits!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eor some kind of fits anyway ;)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Jesus\", the Movie, Coming to your Mailbox"},{"content":" Resistance growing against \"Pay, pray and obey\"*Interesting developments in Boston, a city with strong tradition of faithful Catholics unquestioninly obedient to the church. A sign of the times.\"We've learned to say 'No' to bishops here in Boston,\" said Jim Post, a Boston University business school professor and president of Voice of the Faithful, a group of lay people who united because of their anger at bishops who attempted to cover up allegations of sexual abuse against priests.Boston Catholics, David Fahrenthold in The Washington Post Aug.15, 2005 Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-15 Well, hallelujah and AMEN! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/unrest-among-us-catholics/","summary":"Resistance growing against \"Pay, pray and obey\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eInteresting developments in Boston, a city with strong tradition of faithful Catholics unquestioninly obedient to the church. A sign of the times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We've learned to say 'No' to bishops here in Boston,\" said Jim Post, a Boston University business school professor and president of Voice of the Faithful, a group of lay people who united because of their anger at bishops who attempted to cover up allegations of sexual abuse against priests.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/14/AR2005081401140.html\"\u003eBoston Catholics\u003c/a\u003e, David Fahrenthold in The Washington Post Aug.15, 2005\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-15\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWell, hallelujah and AMEN!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Unrest among U.S. Catholics"},{"content":" *There is nothing new about mothers questioning authority about wrongful deaths of their children. They demonstrated in Argentina, they marched in Israel, they protested in Northern Ireland. Now, here in America more and more parents and family members of dead soldiers are raising their voices. They are doing it because they feel driven by the need for answers. Platitudes from on high no longer suffice.Mrs. Sheehan is not alone. All of them are not standing at her side in Crawford,TX, but there are hundreds of women who support what she is doing. Some remain silent. Do they continue to believe that their loved ones died for a just cause or are there other reasons that prevent them from speaking out?This is one instance when the media has brought the spotlight on an issue that needed it. Bloggers too have played a major role in keeping Cindy Sheehan's campaign alive. Yes, there are detractors and Mrs. Sheehan is not going to achieve her objective of another face-to-face meeting with the president---the ground rules have changed and the settings are different than when she met him in the White House as part of a group.Nevertheless, what she has accomplished is nothing to be sneered at. She has made others rethink their position about Iraq. Cindy Sheehan and other mothers of dead soldiers in Iraq are part of a tradition. Whether you support them or not, they do not deserve disparagement.Why mothers push for peace BBC Aug.13, 2005Six more soldiers died in Iraq. The total: 1853Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties\"Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace trainOh peace train take this country, come take me home again\"---Cat Stevens, Peace Train ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/mother-power-rocks-fortress-bush/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThere is nothing new about mothers questioning authority about wrongful deaths of their children. They demonstrated in Argentina, they marched in Israel, they protested in Northern Ireland. Now, here in America more and more parents and family members of dead soldiers are raising their voices. They are doing it because they feel driven by the need for answers. Platitudes from on high no longer suffice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMrs. Sheehan is not alone. All of them are not standing at her side in Crawford,TX, but there are hundreds of women who support what she is doing. Some remain silent. Do they continue to believe that their loved ones died for a just cause or are there other reasons that prevent them from speaking out?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is one instance when the media has brought the spotlight on an issue that needed it. Bloggers too have played a major role in keeping Cindy Sheehan's campaign alive. Yes, there are detractors and Mrs. Sheehan is not going to achieve her objective of another face-to-face meeting with the president---the ground rules have changed and the settings are different than when she met him in the White House as part of a group.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, what she has accomplished is nothing to be sneered at. She has made others rethink their position about Iraq. Cindy Sheehan and other mothers of dead soldiers in Iraq are part of a tradition. Whether you support them or not, they do not deserve disparagement.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4144532.stm\"\u003eWhy mothers push for peace BBC Aug.13, 2005\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSix more soldiers died in Iraq. The total: 1853\u003cbr/\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"d-r\"\u003e\"Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train\u003cbr/\u003eOh peace train take this country, come take me home again\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Cat Stevens, Peace Train\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e","title":"Mother Power rocks Fortress Bush"},{"content":" *Look at the picture. Young, innocent, happy. This kid should have been home thinking of girls, baseball, school and a career. He ended as cannon fodder. I know that some will say \"he volunteered\". But did he have the necessary training before he was sent to the war zone in Iraq? In this undated photo released by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, shown is Nathaniel DeTample. DeTample, 19, of Bucks County,Pa., was killed in action Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, in Iraq. (AP Photo/Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs)Casualties in Iraq: Total as of Aug.12, 2005: 1847 Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-13 Very sad and upsetting. These people need to have their photos shown!!!I know for me, when I see the actual photos of the fallen, it makes me realize even more that these people were real, ordinary, every day people!!!It could have been me, or anyone else that I have served with!!\nI can't understand how the military could vote for .....or support Bush if they knew that it meant that they would have to serve in combat. Charles \u0026mdash; 2005-09-12 For 20 Ohio Marines [A Tribute from Butler, Pa.]\nDid you feel the wave of sympathy surging across the Pennsylvania line\nand out to you, the families left behind?\nWe know.\nFor we saw your boys here among ours, in our streets jogging,\nin cars, in shopping malls,\nin our churches, at picnics,\nand High School proms,\nand not too long ago\non the Fourth\nas lads on Main Street\nwatching soldiers pass,\nand even then they straightened\nwhen the flag unfurled.\nWe saw them at gates\nembracing parents wives and families,\ngrandparents too\nand friends who couldn't let go—\nturning then to leave\nwith head held high,\nyet looking back at the ramp,\none last time.\nTwenty, they reported, had fallen—\nsnatched from us, from us now so far.\nWe weep with you.\nFor yours are ours. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/weep-for-private-1st-class-nathaniel-detample-and-others-like-him/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLook at the picture. Young, innocent, happy. This kid should have been home thinking of girls, baseball, school and a career. He ended as cannon fodder. I know that some will say \"he volunteered\". But did he have the necessary training before he was sent to the war zone in Iraq? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"text-center\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/08/DeTample.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn this undated photo released by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, shown is Nathaniel DeTample. DeTample, 19, of Bucks County,Pa., was killed in action Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, in Iraq. (AP Photo/Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eCasualties in Iraq\u003c/a\u003e:  Total as of Aug.12, 2005: 1847\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-13\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eVery sad and upsetting. These people need to have their photos shown!!!I know for me, when I see the actual photos of the fallen, it makes me realize even more that these people were real, ordinary, every day people!!!It could have been me, or anyone else that I have served with!!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI can't understand how the military could vote for .....or support Bush if they knew that it meant that they would have to serve in combat.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharles\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-09-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\u003cB\u003eFor 20 Ohio Marines  \u003c/B\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[A Tribute from Butler, Pa.]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDid you feel the wave of sympathy \u003cbr\u003esurging across the Pennsylvania line\u003cbr\u003eand out to you, \u003cbr\u003ethe families left behind?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe know.\u003cbr\u003eFor we saw your boys \u003cbr\u003ehere among ours, \u003cbr\u003ein our streets jogging,\u003cbr\u003ein cars, in shopping malls,\u003cbr\u003ein our churches, at picnics,\u003cbr\u003eand High School proms,\u003cbr\u003eand not too long ago\u003cbr\u003eon the Fourth\u003cbr\u003eas lads on Main Street\u003cbr\u003ewatching soldiers pass,\u003cbr\u003eand even then they straightened\u003cbr\u003ewhen the flag unfurled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe saw them at gates\u003cbr\u003eembracing parents \u003cbr\u003ewives and families,\u003cbr\u003egrandparents too\u003cbr\u003eand friends who couldn't let go—\u003cbr\u003eturning then to leave\u003cbr\u003ewith head held high,\u003cbr\u003eyet looking back \u003cbr\u003eat the ramp,\u003cbr\u003eone last time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwenty, they reported, had fallen—\u003cbr\u003esnatched from us, from us now so far.\u003cbr\u003eWe weep with you.\u003cbr\u003eFor yours are ours.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Weep for Private 1st Class Nathaniel DeTample and others like him"},{"content":" An injured soldier and a bereaved mother talk about the president and his war\n* \"One day a nurse came in to ask Rodgers if he wanted to meet President Bush, who was visiting the hospital. Rodgers declined.\"\n\"I don't want anything to do with him,\" he explains. \"My belief is that his ego is getting people killed and mutilated for no reason -- just his ego and his reputation. If we really wanted to, we could pull out of Iraq. Maybe not completely but enough that we wouldn't be losing people -- at least not at this rate. So I think he himself is responsible for quite a few American deaths.\"\nFrom \"Talking Wounded\" by Peter Carlson, The Washington Post Aug.10,2005. \"Terry Rodgers Came Back From Iraq a Changed Man, and Not Just Because of the Bomb\"A Mother Questions why her son died“We need to get our troops out of Iraq. The only reason Bush wants to stay there is because his buddies are getting rich and feasting off the blood of our children.”Thus spoke Cindy Sheehan during an interview with Timesonline of London.Contrary to some critics, Ms Sheehan is not an exception. The soldier from Gaithersburg, who returned from Iraq with debilitating injuries, and the mother from Vacaville whose son died there, are on the same wave length. More and more parents and returning soldiers are voicing their doubts and asking \"Why did we go to Iraq\". I'm not budging, says soldier's mother camped at Bush's doorTom Baldwin in Crawford, Texas, Timesonline Aug.12, 2005\"To a surprising extent the war-lords in shining armour, the apostles of martial virtues, tend not to die fighting when the time comes.\"George Orwell (1903-1950) Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-13 Good for them!!I hope more and more mothers and fathers start speaking out!!I cannot imagine the pain and hurt they must feel! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/terry-rodgers-of-gaithersburgmd-and-cindy-sheehan-of-vacavilleca/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cnitf\u003eAn injured soldier and a bereaved mother talk about the president and his war\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \"One day a nurse came in to ask Rodgers if he wanted to meet President Bush, who was visiting the hospital. Rodgers declined.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cnitf\u003e\"I don't want anything to do with him,\" he explains. \"My belief is that his ego is getting people killed and mutilated for no reason -- just his ego and his reputation. If we really wanted to, we could pull out of Iraq. Maybe not completely but enough that we wouldn't be losing people -- at least not at this rate. So I think he himself is responsible for quite a few American deaths.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Terry Rodgers of Gaithersburg,MD and Cindy Sheehan of Vacaville,CA."},{"content":" *I thought of the saying \"If the shoe fits, wear it\".\"It is not really aimed at anyone,\" Jagger said on the entertainment-news show's Wednesday edition. \"It's not aimed, personally aimed, at President Bush. It wouldn't be called 'Sweet Neo Con' if it was.\".\"How come you're so wrong? My sweet neo-con, where's the money gone, in the Pentagon,\" goes one refrain. The song also includes the line: \"It's liberty for all, democracy's our style, unless you are against us, then it's prison without trial.\"\"It is certainly very critical of certain policies of the administration, but so what! Lots of people are critical,\" Jagger told \"Extra.\"Thank you, Mick Jagger but be on your best behaviour during the forthcoming U.S. tour. The authorities will look for half a chance to put you in the slammer. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11 Goddess, I love the Stones. Mick, you'll NEVER be my beast of burden. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10 I have to say this but you are being a little rough on poor old George B.\nYou should realize that he isn't playing with a full deck and is doing the best he can to accumulate all the possible wealth for himself and his friends before he get booted out.\nYes he comes first.\nWith all this to do in such a short time how do you expect him to run a country the size of the US.\nJust think about it. You first have to get rid of all the pollution standards that were in place. These just cost his friends too much money.\nThen you have to change the laws so that his friends can export all the jobs they want to third world nations. You can really lower your labor cost doing that.\nThen you have to make it possible for all the Mexicans that want to come to the US to be able to just walk across the border. Another great cost cutting effort for his friends.\nYou just can’t take the time for all that red tape.\nThen you have to start a war that will cause oil prices to go through the roof.\nAgain so that his friends can make more money.\nI know they say that their profit margin has stayed the same but we aren’t that stupid.\nYou see the problem is that most people that are slow in the upstairs dept. really can’t think much above their own level and he only has 8 years to accomplish all this.\nIf he would get some decent help and keep it he might get it done.\nBut you can’t get good people and then fire them just because they won’t say everything you tell them to say/\nS you see you are being much too hard on the poor old guy.\nPlease take it easy, OK ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/sir-mick-jagger-of-rolling-stones-says-new-album-not-aimed-at-president-bush/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI thought of the saying \"If the shoe fits, wear it\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is not really aimed at anyone,\" Jagger said on the entertainment-news show's Wednesday edition. \"It's not aimed, personally aimed, at President Bush. It wouldn't be called 'Sweet Neo Con' if it was.\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"How come you're so wrong? My sweet neo-con, where's the money gone, in the Pentagon,\" goes one refrain. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe song also includes the line: \"It's liberty for all, democracy's our style, unless you are against us, then it's prison without trial.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is certainly very critical of certain policies of the administration, but so what! Lots of people are critical,\" Jagger told \"Extra.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThank you, \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050810/ap_en_mu/music_rolling_stones\"\u003eMick Jagger\u003c/a\u003e but be on your best behaviour during the forthcoming U.S. tour. The authorities  will look for half a chance to put you in the slammer.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGoddess, I love the Stones.  Mick, you'll NEVER be my beast of burden.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI have to say this but you are being a little rough on poor old George B.\u003cbr\u003eYou should realize that he isn't playing with a full deck and is doing the best he can to accumulate all the possible wealth for himself and his friends before he get booted out.\u003cbr\u003eYes he comes first.\u003cbr\u003eWith all this to do in such a short time how do you expect him to run a country the size of the US.\u003cbr\u003eJust think about it. You first have to get rid of all the pollution standards that were in place. These just cost his friends too much money.\u003cbr\u003eThen you have to change the laws so that his friends can export all the jobs they want to third world nations. You can really lower your labor cost doing that.\u003cbr\u003eThen you have to make it possible for all the Mexicans that want to come to the US to be able to just walk across the border. Another great cost cutting effort for his friends.\u003cbr\u003eYou just can’t take the time for all that red tape.\u003cbr\u003eThen you have to start a war that will cause oil prices to go through the roof.\u003cbr\u003eAgain so that his friends can make more money.\u003cbr\u003eI know they say that their profit margin has stayed the same but we aren’t that stupid.\u003cbr\u003eYou see the problem is that most people that are slow in the upstairs dept. really can’t think much above their own level and he only has 8 years to accomplish all this.\u003cbr\u003eIf he would get some decent help and keep it he might get it done.\u003cbr\u003eBut you can’t get good people and then fire them just because they won’t say everything you tell them to say/\u003cbr\u003eS you see you are being much too hard on the poor old guy.\u003cbr\u003ePlease take it easy, OK\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Sir Mick Jagger of Rolling Stones says \"new album not aimed at President Bush\""},{"content":" *There they go again---the champions of sex only between married couples, the missionary position, and Russian Roulette with pregnancy. Now the women of Wisconsin have become their target. Ever think how obsessed the Mandarins of Morality are with sex. They worry not only about unmarried people having sex, but also about married people having sex for pleasure. Makes you wonder about their colossal hang ups. Cannot be easy to cope. On the other hand, it could be just their public face. In private they probably whoopee just like normal people.\"College campuses have emerged as the latest battlefield in the nation’s war on women’s reproductive rights. Wisconsin has passed a bill entitled UW Birth Control Ban-AB 343. This bill prohibits University of Wisconsin campuses from prescribing, dispensing and advertising all forms of birth control and emergency contraceptives. Wisconsin State Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, introduced this bill based on the belief that “dispensing birth control and emergency contraceptives leads to promiscuity.” In reality, full access to all birth control options — including emergency contraceptives — has no effect on the level of women’s promiscuity. Instead, birth control and emergency contraceptives help prevent more than 35,000 unintended births and 800,000 abortions each year\"From: mndaily.comSource: You Will Anyway Comments KR \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11 One of my best friends was at grad school at University of Wisconsin--and was raped. If emergency contraception had been available, she would not have had to have an abortion. In an imperfect world, we cannot police the morality of others, we can only try to find ways to minimize the detrimental effects. And the effects of such unenlightened policies will be reaped by the welfare system of Wisconsin. Good luck to them. Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11 Perverse and disgusting and completely backward. What is it??? the 1950's???\nYeah, go tell those newly free, hormonally charged, young men and women on WI to forget about sex on campus and gnaw on a hunk of cheddar instead. Yeah. That'll do it.\nIdiots. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/the-gop-sex-police-in-actionto-protect-the-morals-of-women-in-wisconsin/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere they go again---the champions of sex only between married couples, the missionary position, and Russian Roulette with pregnancy. Now the women of Wisconsin have become their target. Ever think how obsessed the Mandarins of Morality are with sex. They worry not only about unmarried people having sex, but also about married people having sex for pleasure. Makes you wonder about their colossal hang ups. Cannot be easy to cope. On the other hand, it could be just their public face. In private they probably whoopee just like normal people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"College campuses have emerged as the latest battlefield in the nation’s war on women’s reproductive rights. Wisconsin has passed a bill entitled UW Birth Control Ban-AB 343. This bill prohibits University of Wisconsin campuses from prescribing, dispensing and advertising all forms of birth control and emergency contraceptives. Wisconsin State Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, introduced this bill based on the belief that “dispensing birth control and emergency contraceptives leads to promiscuity.” In reality, full access to all birth control options — including emergency contraceptives — has no effect on the level of women’s promiscuity. Instead, birth control and emergency contraceptives help prevent more than 35,000 unintended births and 800,000 abortions each year\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/07/27/64850\"\u003eFrom: mndaily.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://youwillanyway.blogspot.com/\"\u003eSource: You Will Anyway\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKR\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eOne of my best friends was at grad school at University of Wisconsin--and was raped.  If emergency contraception had been available, she would not have had to have an abortion. In an imperfect world, we cannot police the morality of others, we can only try to find ways to minimize the detrimental effects. And the effects of such unenlightened policies will be reaped by the welfare system of Wisconsin. Good luck to them.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ePerverse and disgusting and completely backward.  What is it??? the 1950's???\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYeah, go tell those newly free, hormonally charged, young men and women on WI to forget about sex on campus and gnaw on a hunk of cheddar instead.  Yeah.  That'll do it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIdiots.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The GOP Sex Police in action.....to protect the morals of women in Wisconsin"},{"content":" Rosemary Palmer and David Schroeder voice their feelings*Parents of Lance Corporal Edward August Schroeder II were interviewed by Chris Matthews on Hardball. As I read the transcript I thought that if I were in their shoes my reaction would have been no different. I understand grieving parents who are finding solace in patriotism but I would have railed against those who conned the nation into this war. None of them ever faced enemy in battle and they don't have their own children in the war zone. Now they brazenly offer platitudes about deaths of soldiers.Lance Corporal Schroeder died in Iraq on August 3, 2005. He was 23 years old. What a waste; an utterly senseless death for the hubris of a few. The views expressed by Rosemary Palmer and David Schroeder are not representative of other families who have lost their sons or daughters. In fact, as far as going public with their doubts about the war, they are among the minority.The full transcript can be accessed at : M. Kane Jeeves (Ed Naha)Anthem for Doomed YouthWhat passing-bells for these who die as cattle?- Only the monstruous anger of the guns.Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattleCan patter out their hasty orisons.No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;And bugles calling for them from sad shires.What candles may be held to speed them all?Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyesShall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918) \"While is is true that the guns will effect a little useful weeding, I am furious with chagrin to think that the Minds which were to have excelled the civilization of ten thousand years are being annihilated - and bodies, the product of aeons of Natural Selection, melted down to pay for political statues.\"Wilfred Owen died on the Western Front on November 4,1918..... seven days before the end of World War I. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/lance-corporal-edward-august-schroeder-ii-died-with-his-boots-on-for-what/","summary":"Rosemary Palmer and David Schroeder voice their feelings\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eParents of Lance Corporal Edward August Schroeder II were interviewed by Chris Matthews on Hardball. As I read the transcript I thought that if I were in their shoes my reaction would have been no different. I understand grieving parents who are finding solace in patriotism but I would have railed against those who conned the nation into this war. None of them ever faced enemy in battle and they don't have their own children in the war zone. Now they brazenly offer platitudes about deaths of soldiers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLance Corporal Schroeder died in Iraq on August 3, 2005. He was 23 years old. What a waste; an utterly senseless death for the hubris of a few. The views expressed by Rosemary Palmer and David Schroeder are not representative of other families who have lost their sons or daughters. In fact, as far as going public with their doubts about the war, they are among the minority.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full transcript can be accessed at : \u003ca href=\"http://mkanejeeves.com/\"\u003eM. Kane Jeeves (Ed Naha)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnthem for Doomed Youth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat passing-bells for these who die as cattle?\u003cbr/\u003e- Only the monstruous anger of the guns.\u003cbr/\u003eOnly the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle\u003cbr/\u003eCan patter out their hasty orisons.\u003cbr/\u003eNo mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;\u003cbr/\u003eNor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -\u003cbr/\u003eThe shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;\u003cbr/\u003eAnd bugles calling for them from sad shires.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat candles may be held to speed them all?\u003cbr/\u003eNot in the hands of boys, but in their eyes\u003cbr/\u003eShall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.\u003cbr/\u003eThe pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;\u003cbr/\u003eTheir flowers the tenderness of patient minds,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \"While is is true that the guns will effect a little useful weeding, I am furious with chagrin to think that the Minds which were to have excelled the civilization of ten thousand years are being annihilated - and bodies, the product of aeons of Natural Selection, melted down to pay for political statues.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWilfred  Owen died on the Western Front on November 4,1918..... seven days before the end of World War I.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Lance Corporal Edward August Schroeder II died with his boots on.  For what?"},{"content":" The shameful, deafening silence about civilian deaths in military action *In Iraq, insurgents are killing soldiers and civilians. Their actions are described as atrocities. Dead soldiers are lauded by us as patriots who gave their lives in a noble cause. When coalition soldiers kill insurgents they are fighting to establish democracy and root out terrorism, and when hapless civilians die during military action, they are shrugged off as \"collateral damage\".If they don't look like us, if they don't speak the same language, live far away some place that we have difficulty spotting on a map, and don't follow our faith then they are expendable. It is true that there are many who remain unaffected by deaths and injuries suffered by civilians in Iraq and elsewhere.\"When the victims are commuters in London, English-speakers carrying briefcases, we pay attention. When they're tourists in Egypt, maybe it rings a bell -- \"Sharm el-Sheikh, isn't that where they have the marvelous scuba diving?\" When they're Iraqis, we register the body count the way we note the record-high temperatures in the Midwest, and then we move on. Ninety-five in Chicago, imagine that. A hundred just south of Baghdad.\"The above is from Eugene Robinson's \"Learning to Live with the Boom\", The Washington Post July 26, 2005.Demonization of the UN by conservatives and claims by fundamentalist Christians that their God is the one to lead you to heaven encourage and promote such mean-spirited, insular attitude. Some politicians and preachers keep fanning the fire. Interesting that the Muslims' call to prayer include: \"There is no God but Allah\" and some Muslims in Islamic countries gleefully took to the streets to express support for what the terrorists did on 9/11. A common thread runs between the fundamentalists of all faiths.Latest numbers from the London-based Iraq Body Count: Minimum 23456 Maximum 26559Actions by insurgents have caused many deaths since 2004, but military actions by coalition forces account for a large part. IBC's site states: \"As many as 10,000 non-combatant civilian deaths during 2003 have been reliably reported so far as a result of the US/UK-led invasion and occupation of Iraq . These reports provide figures which range between a minimum of 8,235 and a maximum of 10,079 as of Saturday 7th February 2004.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/there-are-victims-and-there-are-victims/","summary":"The shameful, deafening silence about civilian deaths in military action \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIn Iraq, insurgents are killing soldiers and civilians. Their actions are described as atrocities. Dead soldiers are lauded by us as patriots who gave their lives in a noble cause. When coalition soldiers kill insurgents they are fighting to establish democracy and root out terrorism, and when hapless civilians die during military action, they are shrugged off as \"collateral damage\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf they don't look like us, if they don't speak the same language, live far away some place that we have difficulty spotting on a map, and don't follow our faith then they are expendable. It is true that there are many who remain unaffected by deaths and injuries suffered by civilians in Iraq and elsewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When the victims are commuters in London, English-speakers carrying briefcases, we pay attention. When they're tourists in Egypt, maybe it rings a bell -- \"Sharm el-Sheikh, isn't that where they have the marvelous scuba diving?\" When they're Iraqis, we register the body count the way we note the record-high temperatures in the Midwest, and then we move on. Ninety-five in Chicago, imagine that. A hundred just south of Baghdad.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe above is from Eugene Robinson's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501338.html\"\u003eLearning to Live with the Boom\u003c/a\u003e\", The Washington Post July 26, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDemonization of the UN by conservatives and claims by fundamentalist Christians that their God is the one to lead you to heaven encourage and promote such mean-spirited, insular attitude. Some politicians and preachers keep fanning the fire. Interesting that the Muslims' call to prayer include: \"There is no God but Allah\" and some Muslims in Islamic countries gleefully took to the streets to express support for what the terrorists did on 9/11. A common thread runs between the fundamentalists of all faiths.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLatest numbers from the London-based \u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e Minimum 23456  Maximum 26559\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eActions by insurgents have caused many deaths since 2004, but military actions by coalition forces account for a large part. IBC's site states: \"As many as 10,000 non-combatant civilian deaths during 2003 have been reliably reported so far as a result of the US/UK-led invasion and occupation of Iraq . These reports provide figures which range between a minimum of 8,235 and a maximum of 10,079 as of Saturday 7th February 2004.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1543118,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"There are Victims, and there are Victims"},{"content":" *Rather than expressing my own thoughts about the dropping of atom bombs, I felt that it would be better to include what others think. The items below represent opinions that some of you would not agree with. I make no apologies; I am an unabashed liberal. To me \"collateral damage\" is an obscenity coined by cold, heartless people.First, letters to the editor in The San Francisco Chronicle, Aug.6, 2005.\"Hiroshima troubling even 60 years later Editor -- Sixty years ago, our country dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. We remain the only country that has ever used such weapons on humans. Now we have the world's largest stockpile of nuclear bombs. We are building more, weaponizing space, spending more on our military than the rest of the world combined and using \"depleted\" uranium munitions that poison the environment -- and humans -- for millennia. We invaded Iraq based on fixed intelligence (confirmed by the Downing Street memo of 2002). This illegal war has already killed more than 1,800 Americans and wounded tens of thousands, not to mention Iraqi casualties. It has increased terrorism and disgraced our country. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but we have thousands of such weapons. Let us stop this carnage now. Bring our troops home. Impeach the liars who brought on this nightmare. Observe international treaties. Dismantle our nukes. MADGE STRONG Willits (Mendocino County) -- -- -- Editor -- Charles Burress understands that it is time to let the people of Japan speak for themselves (\"Wrestling with ghosts of war,\" Aug. 3). Rather than interpret today's Japan through \"conservatives tired of apologies\" or by opinion polls indicating mutual Chinese-Japanese disdain, Japan should be judged by the actions of its people. Japan expert John Nathan in his 2004 book, \"Japan Unbound: A Nation's Volatile Quest for Pride and Purpose,\" cites a newspaper poll indicating that amending Article 9 was not the most pressing concern among Japanese for possible revisions to the 1947 \"Peace Constitution.\" (The article renounces war and prohibits a rebuilt military force.) Rather, the majority wanted an amendment to allow citizens to vote directly for prime minister in a national election. A political head voted into office by the direct will of the people would have the potential to buck the power of the engrained bureaucracy and allow Japan to exhibit a new patriotism, proud of its accomplishments, aware of past mistakes, finding strength within Asia's oldest democracy. Any revisions to Article 9 would be seen as the right of a sovereign nation to take steps considered necessary for self-protection. Japan run by the will of the people: This idea has come of age and must be one China truly fears. RICHARD LAMBERT Sonoma -- -- -- Editor -- Sixty years ago, America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This is a time for reflection. You recently ran commentary about whether it was right to drop the bomb. Those who believe it was right have various reasons, but it comes down to one thing: The ends justify the means. This did lead to the Japanese surrender. It is not morally right to bomb cities made up of mostly women and children. Would we do the same under similar conditions? Would it be right for other nations to use nuclear weapons if threatened? The ends justify the means: This is a morality used by nations and empires throughout history. If we go further down this path, we will truly be lost. RON WOLTER Berkeley -- -- -- Editor -- Your commentary on the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Insight section, July 31) made the point that Japan, a resource-poor, largely defeated island nation, was on the verge of surrender prior to our dropping atom bombs on two of its cities. Once again, however, a key question was not addressed: If it actually was necessary to quickly demonstrate our new powerful weapon (as a message to the Soviet Union as well as to Japan), why did we not drop the bomb on the most sparsely populated outer island of Japan? No one would have missed the huge mushroom cloud and subsequent devastation. CHARLENE SPRETNAK Half Moon Bay\"The birth of 'mere terror' - The Guardian,UKChildren of Hiroshima - The Guardian,UKThe mushroom clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki threw a terrible shadow over the 20th century. David Smith went to Japan to meet the survivors of the bright and horrifying dawn of the atomic age.\"Black rain falling\"Surviving Hiroshima: Keiko Ogura - BBCHiroshima Mon AmourEmanuelle Riva and Eiji Okada Then there is Alain Resnais' 1959 film \"Hiroshima Mon Amour\". Based on Marguerite Duras' short novel, the story is about a French actress working in Japan and a Japanese architect with whom she has an affair. Their conversations, mostly about the bombing of Hiroshima and his memories of the horrible experiences were recreated in stark black white in Resnais' film. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/hiroshima---sixty-years-later/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRather than expressing my own thoughts about the dropping of atom bombs, I felt that it would be better to include what others think. The items below represent opinions that some of you would not agree with. I make no apologies; I am an unabashed liberal. To me \"collateral damage\" is an obscenity coined by cold, heartless people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFirst, letters to the editor in The San Francisco Chronicle, Aug.6, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Hiroshima troubling even 60 years later \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Hiroshima - Sixty Years Later"},{"content":" Where is Vice President (Last Throes) Cheney? *How many more must die to democratize Iraq and defeat the terrorists? Those are the reasons now given by the President to justify the war.There is a lot of sadness in Columbus, Ohio. Twenty members of Ohio's 3rd Battalion of the 25th Marine Regiment, a reserve unit, died in Iraq in the past two days. A devastating loss not only for residents of the Buckeye State but also for the rest of the nation.That partly accounts for the falling numbers in president's approval rating in the AP-Ipsos PollExcerpts from a report by Will Lester of Associated Press\"The portion of people who consider Bush honest has dropped slightly from January, when 53 percent described him that way while 45 percent did not. Now, people are just about evenly split on that issue — with 48 percent saying he's honest and 50 percent saying he's not.\"\"But the portion of people who view his confidence as arrogance has increased from 49 percent in January to 56 percent now.\"\"Almost two-thirds in the poll described Bush as strong and likable.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/as-ohio-mourns-its-loss-presidents-support-drops/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e Where is Vice President (Last Throes) Cheney?\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eHow many more must die to democratize Iraq and defeat the terrorists? Those are the reasons now given by the President to justify the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a lot of sadness in Columbus, Ohio. Twenty members of Ohio's 3rd Battalion of the 25th Marine Regiment, a reserve unit, died in Iraq in the past two days. A devastating loss not only for residents of the Buckeye State but also for the rest of the nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat partly accounts for the falling numbers in president's approval rating in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ap-ipsosresults.com%20/\"\u003eAP-Ipsos Poll\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/ap/20050805/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_ap_ipsos_poll_5\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eExcerpts from a report by \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/ap/20050805/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_ap_ipsos_poll_5\"\u003eWill Lester of Associated Press\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The portion of people who consider Bush honest has dropped slightly from January, when 53 percent described him that way while 45 percent did not. Now, people are just about evenly split on that issue — with 48 percent saying he's honest and 50 percent saying he's not.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But the portion of people who view his confidence as arrogance has increased from 49 percent in January to 56 percent now.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Almost two-thirds in the poll described Bush as strong and likable.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"As Ohio mourns its loss, President's support drops"},{"content":" *As of August 3, 2005, 1826 of our men and women in uniform have fallen in Iraq. \"Sorrowing Lies My Land*\"(*Title of a book by the Goan author Lambert Mascarenhas)The names (Source:Iraq Casualties.org)Aubin, Jay Thomas 36, Marine Major, Mar 21, 2003 Ryan Anthony Beaupre, 30, Marine Captain, Mar 21, 2003 Therrel Shane Childers, 30, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Mar 21, 2003 Jose Antonio Gutierrez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 21, 2003 Brian Matthew Kennedy, 25, Marine Corporal, Mar 21, 2003 Kendall Damon Waters-Bey, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Mar 21, 2003 Brandon Scott Tobler, 19, Army Reserve Specialist, Mar 22, 2003 Eric James Orlowski, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 22, 2003 Thomas Mullen Adams, 27, Navy Lieutenant, Mar 22, 2003 Jamaal Rashard Addison, 22, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2003 Edward John Anguiano, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2003 George Edward Buggs, 31, Army Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Robert John Dowdy, 38, Army Master Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, Army Private, Mar 23, 2003 Howard Johnson II, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 23, 2003 James Michael Kiehl, 22, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2003 Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Mar 23, 2003 Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 23, 2003 Christopher Scott Seifert, 27, Army Captain, Mar 23, 2003 Brandon Ulysses Sloan, 19, Army Private, Mar 23, 2003 Donald Ralph Walters, 33, Army Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Michael Edward Bitz, 31, Marine Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Brian Rory Buesing, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Tamario Demetrice Burkett, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 23, 2003 Kemaphoom \"Ahn\" Chanawongse, 22, Marine Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Donald John Cline Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 David Keith Fribley, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Jose Angel Garibay, 21, Marine Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Jonathan Lee Gifford, 30, Marine Private, Mar 23, 2003 Jorge Alonso Gonzalez, 20, Marine Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Nicolas Michael Hodson, 22, Marine Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Nolen Ryan Hutchings, 19, Marine Private, Mar 23, 2003 Phillip Andrew Jordan, 42, Marine Staff Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Patrick Ray Nixon, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Frederick Eben Pokorney Jr., 31, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Mar 23, 2003 Brendon Curtis Reiss, 23, Marine Sergeant, Mar 23, 2003 Randal Kent Rosacker, 21, Marine Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Thomas Jonathan Slocum, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Michael Jason Williams, 31, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 23, 2003 Gregory Paul Sanders, 19, Army Specialist, Mar 24, 2003 Thomas Alan Blair, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 24, 2003 Evan Tyler James, 20, Marine Corporal, Mar 24, 2003 Bradley Steven Korthaus, 28, Marine Sergeant, Mar 24, 2003 Gregory Lewis Stone, 40, Air National Guard Major, Mar 25, 2003 Michael Vann Johnson Jr., 25, Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Cl., Mar 25, 2003 Kevin Gerard Nave, 36, Marine Major, Mar 26, 2003 Francisco Abraham Martinez-Flores, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 27, 2003 Donald Charles May Jr., 31, Marine Staff Sergeant, Mar 27, 2003 Joseph Menusa, 33, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Mar 27, 2003 Patrick Terence O'Day, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 27, 2003 Robert Marcus Rodriguez, 21, Marine Corporal, Mar 27, 2003 Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 27, 2003 Roderic Antoine Solomon, 32, Army Sergeant, Mar 28, 2003 Fernando Padilla-Ramirez, 26, Marine Sergeant, Mar 28, 2003 Michael Russell Creighton-Weldon, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 29, 2003 Michael Edward Curtin, 23, Army Corporal, Mar 29, 2003 Diego Fernando Rincon, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 29, 2003 Eugene Williams, 24, Army Sergeant, Mar 29, 2003 James Wilford Cawley, 41, Marine Staff Sergeant, Mar 29, 2003 William Wayne White, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 29, 2003 Aaron Joseph Contreras, 31, Marine Captain, Mar 30, 2003 Michael Vernon Lalush, 23, Marine Sergeant, Mar 30, 2003 Brian Daniel McGinnis, 23, Marine Sergeant, Mar 30, 2003 Brandon Jacob Rowe, 20, Army Specialist, Mar 31, 2003 William Andrew Jeffries, 39, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 31, 2003 Jacob Lee Butler, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2003 Joseph Basil Maglione III, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 01, 2003 James Francis Adamouski, 29, Army Captain, Apr 02, 2003 Matthew George Boule, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2003 George Andrew Fernandez, 36, Army Master Sergeant, Apr 02, 2003 Erik Anders Halvorsen, 40, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW4), Apr 02, 2003 Scott Jamar, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Apr 02, 2003 Michael Francis Pedersen, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 02, 2003 Eric Allen Smith, 41, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Apr 02, 2003 Brian Edward Anderson, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2003 Christian Daniel Gurtner, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2003 Nathan Dennis White, 30, Navy Lieutenant, Apr 02, 2003 Wilbert Davis, 40, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2003 Edward Jason Korn, 31, Army Captain, Apr 03, 2003 Nino Dugue Livaudais, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2003 Ryan Patrick Long, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 03, 2003 Donald Samuel Oaks Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Apr 03, 2003 Randall Scott Rehn, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 03, 2003 Russell Brian Rippetoe, 27, Army Captain, Apr 03, 2003 Todd James Robbins, 33, Army Sergeant, Apr 03, 2003 Chad Eric Bales, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2003 Mark Asher Evnin, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 03, 2003 Erik Hernandez Silva, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 03, 2003 Tristan Neil Aitken, 31, Army Captain, Apr 04, 2003 Wilfred Davyrussell Bellard, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2003 Daniel Francis Cunningham Jr., 33, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2003 Devon Demilo Jones, 19, Army Private, Apr 04, 2003 Paul Ray Smith, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 04, 2003 Travis Allen Ford, 30, Marine Captain, Apr 04, 2003 Bernard George Gooden, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 04, 2003 Brian Michael McPhillips, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 04, 2003 Duane Roy Rios, 25, Marine Sergeant, Apr 04, 2003 Benjamin Wilson Sammis, 29, Marine Captain, Apr 04, 2003 Stevon Alexander Booker, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 05, 2003 Larry Kenyatta Brown, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2003 Edward Smith, 38, Marine 1st Sergeant, Apr 05, 2003 Gregory Paul Huxley Jr., 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2003 Kelley Stephen Prewitt, 24, Army Private, Apr 06, 2003 Eric Bruce Das, 30, Air Force Captain, Apr 07, 2003 William Randolph Watkins III, 37, Air Force Major, Apr 07, 2003 Lincoln Daniel Hollinsaid, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 07, 2003 Jeffrey Joseph Kaylor, 24, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Apr 07, 2003 Anthony Scott Miller, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2003 George Arthur Mitchell Jr., 35, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2003 Andrew Julian Aviles, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 07, 2003 Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 07, 2003 Scott Douglas Sather, 29, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2003 Henry Levon Brown, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 08, 2003 John Winston Marshall, 50, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 08, 2003 Jason Michael Meyer, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 08, 2003 Robert Anthony Stever, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2003 Juan Guadalupe Garza Jr., 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 08, 2003 Terry Wayne Hemingway, 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 10, 2003 Jeffrey Edward Bohr Jr., 39, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Apr 10, 2003 Riayan Augusto Tejeda, 26, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 11, 2003 Jesus Angel Gonzalez, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 12, 2003 David Edward Owens Jr., 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2003 Joseph Acevedo, 46, Navy Commander, Apr 13, 2003 Gil Mercado, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 13, 2003 John Eli Brown, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 14, 2003 Thomas Arthur Foley III, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2003 Joseph Patrick Mayek, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 14, 2003 Richard Allen Goward, 32, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 14, 2003 Armando Ariel Gonzalez, 25, Marine Corporal, Apr 14, 2003 Jason David Mileo, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 14, 2003 John Travis Rivero, 23, Army Corporal, Apr 17, 2003 Roy Russell Buckley, 24, Army Reserve Specialist, Apr 22, 2003 Andrew Todd Arnold, 30, Marine Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Apr 22, 2003 Robert William Channell Jr., 36, Marine Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Apr 22, 2003 Alan Dinh Lam, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 22, 2003 Troy David Jenkins, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 24, 2003 Osbaldo Orozco, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 25, 2003 Narson Bertil Sullivan, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 25, 2003 Joe Jesus Garza, 43, Army 1st Sergeant, Apr 28, 2003 Jesse Alan Givens, 34, Army Private 1st Class, May 01, 2003 Sean C. Reynolds, 25, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2003 Jason L. Deibler, 20, Army Private, May 04, 2003 Marlin T. Rockhold, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 08, 2003 Richard P. Carl, 26, Army Corporal, May 09, 2003 Hans N. Gukeisen, 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer, May 09, 2003 Brian K. Van Dusen, 39, Army Chief Warrant Officer, May 09, 2003 Cedric E. Bruns, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 09, 2003 Matthew R. Smith, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 10, 2003 Jakub Henryk Kowalik, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 12, 2003 Jose F. Gonzalez Rodriguez, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, May 12, 2003 Patrick Lee Griffin Jr., 31, Air Force Staff Sergeant, May 13, 2003 Nicholas Brian Kleiboeker, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, May 13, 2003 David T. Nutt, 22, Army Specialist, May 14, 2003 William L. Payne, 46, Army Master Sergeant, May 16, 2003 Rasheed Sahib, 22, Army Specialist, May 18, 2003 Douglas Jose Marencoreyes, 28, Marine Corporal, May 18, 2003 Dominic Rocco Baragona, 42, Army Lieutenant Colonel, May 19, 2003 Andrew David LaMont, 31, Marine Captain, May 19, 2003 Jason William Moore, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 19, 2003 Timothy Louis Ryan, 30, Marine 1st Lieutenant, May 19, 2003 Kirk Allen Straseskie, 23, Marine Sergeant, May 19, 2003 Aaron Dean White, 27, Marine Staff Sergeant, May 19, 2003 Nathaniel A. Caldwell, 27, Army Specialist, May 21, 2003 David Evans Jr., 18, Army Private, May 25, 2003 Keman L. Mitchell, 24, Army Sergeant, May 26, 2003 Kenneth A. Nalley, 19, Army Private, May 26, 2003 Brett J. Petriken, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, May 26, 2003 Matthew E. Schram, 36, Army Major, May 26, 2003 Jeremiah D. Smith, 25, Army Private 1st Class, May 26, 2003 Thomas F. Broomhead, 34, Army Sergeant, May 27, 2003 Michael B. Quinn, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, May 27, 2003 Kenneth R. Bradley, 39, Army Staff Sergeant, May 28, 2003 Jose A. Perez III, 22, Army Specialist, May 28, 2003 Michael T. Gleason, 25, Army Specialist, May 30, 2003 Kyle A. Griffin, 20, Army Specialist, May 30, 2003 Zachariah W. Long, 20, Army Specialist, May 30, 2003 Jonathan W. Lambert, 28, Marine Sergeant, Jun 01, 2003 Atanasio Haro Marin Jr., 27, Army Sergeant, Jun 03, 2003 Branden F. Oberleitner, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 05, 2003 Travis L. Burkhardt, 26, Army Sergeant, Jun 06, 2003 Doyle W. Bollinger Jr., 21, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jun 06, 2003 David Sisung, 21, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jun 06, 2003 Jesse M. Halling, 19, Army Private, Jun 07, 2003 Michael E. Dooley, 23, Army Sergeant, Jun 08, 2003 Gavin L. Neighbor, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 10, 2003 John K. Klinesmith Jr., 25, Army Specialist, Jun 12, 2003 Andrew R. Pokorny, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Jun 13, 2003 Ryan R. Cox, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Jun 15, 2003 Shawn D. Pahnke, 25, Army Private, Jun 16, 2003 Joseph D. Suell, 24, Army Specialist, Jun 16, 2003 Robert L. Frantz, 19, Army Private, Jun 17, 2003 Michael L. Tosto, 24, Army Sergeant, Jun 17, 2003 Michael R. Deuel, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 18, 2003 William T. Latham, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Jun 18, 2003 Paul T. Nakamura, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 19, 2003 Orenthial Javon Smith, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 22, 2003 Cedric Lamont Lennon, 32, Army Specialist, Jun 24, 2003 Andrew F. Chris, 25, Army Specialist, Jun 25, 2003 Kevin C. Ott, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 25, 2003 Gladimir Philippe, 32, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jun 25, 2003 Gregory E. MacDonald, 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 25, 2003 Corey A. Hubbell, 20, Army Specialist, Jun 26, 2003 Richard P. Orengo, 32, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 26, 2003 Joshua McIntosh, 22, Navy Hospitalman, Jun 26, 2003 Tomas Sotelo Jr., 20, Army Corporal, Jun 27, 2003 Timothy M. Conneway, 22, Army Sergeant, Jun 28, 2003 Christopher D. Coffin, 51, Army Reserve 1st Sergeant, Jul 01, 2003 Travis J. Bradachnall, 21, Marine Corporal, Jul 02, 2003 Edward J. Herrgott, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 03, 2003 Corey L. Small, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 03, 2003 James Curtis Coons, 35, Army Master Sergeant, Jul 04, 2003 David B. Parson, 30, Army Sergeant, Jul 06, 2003 Jeffrey M. Wershow, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 06, 2003 Chad L. Keith, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 07, 2003 Barry Sanford Sr., 46, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 07, 2003 Robert L. McKinley, 23, Army Private, Jul 08, 2003 Craig A. Boling, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 08, 2003 Melissa Valles, 26, Army Sergeant, Jul 09, 2003 Roger Dale Rowe, 54, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 09, 2003 Dan H. Gabrielson, 39, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 09, 2003 Jason Tetrault, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 09, 2003 Christian C. Schultz, 20, Army Specialist, Jul 11, 2003 Joshua M. Neusche, 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Jul 12, 2003 Jaror C. Puello-Coronado, 36, Army Sergeant, Jul 13, 2003 Paul J. Cassidy, 36, Army Reserve Captain, Jul 13, 2003 Michael T. Crockett, 27, Army Sergeant, Jul 14, 2003 Cory Ryan Geurin, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 15, 2003 Ramon Reyes Torres, 29, Army Reserve Specialist, Jul 16, 2003 Mason Douglas Whetstone, 30, Army Sergeant, Jul 17, 2003 David J. Moreno, 26, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jul 17, 2003 Joel L. Bertoldie, 20, Army Specialist, Jul 18, 2003 Jonathan D. Rozier, 25, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jul 19, 2003 David A. Scott, 51, Air Force Master Sergeant, Jul 20, 2003 Justin W. Garvey, 23, Army Sergeant, Jul 20, 2003 Jason D. Jordan, 24, Army Sergeant, Jul 20, 2003 Christopher R. Willoughby, 29, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 20, 2003 Mark Anthony Bibby, 25, Army Reserve Corporal, Jul 21, 2003 Jon P. Fettig, 30, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 22, 2003 Joshua T. Byers, 29, Army Captain, Jul 23, 2003 Brett T. Christian, 27, Army Specialist, Jul 23, 2003 Evan Asa Ashcraft, 24, Army Corporal, Jul 24, 2003 Raheen Tyson Heighter, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 24, 2003 Hector R. Perez, 40, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 24, 2003 Juan M. Serrano, 31, Army Sergeant, Jul 24, 2003 Jonathan P. Barnes, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 26, 2003 Daniel K. Methvin, 22, Army Sergeant, Jul 26, 2003 Wilfredo Perez Jr., 24, Army Specialist, Jul 26, 2003 Jonathan M. Cheatham, 19, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Jul 26, 2003 Heath A. McMillin, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 27, 2003 Nathaniel Hart Jr., 29, Army Sergeant, Jul 28, 2003 William J. Maher III, 35, Army Specialist, Jul 28, 2003 Leif E. Nott, 24, Army Captain, Jul 30, 2003 Michael J. Deutsch, 21, Army Private, Jul 31, 2003 James I. Lambert III, 22, Army Specialist, Jul 31, 2003 Justin W. Hebert, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 01, 2003 Farao K. Letufuga, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 05, 2003 David L. Loyd, 44, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 05, 2003 Zeferino E. Colunga, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2003 Kyle C. Gilbert, 20, Army Private, Aug 06, 2003 Brian R. Hellerman, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 06, 2003 Leonard D. Simmons, 33, Army Sergeant, Aug 06, 2003 Duane E. Longstreth, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 07, 2003 Matthew D. Bush, 20, Army Private, Aug 08, 2003 Brandon Ramsey, 21, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 08, 2003 Levi B. Kinchen, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 09, 2003 Floyd G. Knighten Jr., 55, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 09, 2003 David S. Perry, 36, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 10, 2003 Timmy R. Brown Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 12, 2003 Daniel R. Parker, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 12, 2003 Taft V. Williams, 29, Army Sergeant, Aug 12, 2003 Richard S. Eaton Jr., 37, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 12, 2003 Steven W. White, 29, Army Sergeant, Aug 13, 2003 David M. Kirchhoff, 31, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 14, 2003 Craig S. Ivory, 26, Army Specialist, Aug 17, 2003 Eric R. Hull, 23, Army Reserve Specialist, Aug 18, 2003 Bobby C. Franklin, 38, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 20, 2003 Kenneth W. Harris Jr., 23, Army Reserve Specialist, Aug 20, 2003 Michael S. Adams, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 21, 2003 Kylan A. Jones-Huffman, 31, Naval Reserve Lieutenant, Aug 21, 2003 Vorn J. Mack, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 23, 2003 Stephen M. Scott, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 23, 2003 Ronald D. Allen Jr., 22, Army Specialist, Aug 25, 2003 Pablo Manzano, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 25, 2003 Darryl T. Dent, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 26, 2003 Rafael L. Navea, 34, Army Specialist, Aug 27, 2003 Gregory A. Belanger, 24, Army Reserve Sergeant, Aug 27, 2003 Anthony L. Sherman, 43, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Aug 27, 2003 Mark A. Lawton, 41, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 29, 2003 Sean K. Cataudella, 28, Army Sergeant, Aug 30, 2003 Charles Todd Caldwell, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 01, 2003 Joseph Camara, 40, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2003 Cameron B. Sarno, 43, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Sep 01, 2003 Christopher A. Sisson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 02, 2003 Bruce E. Brown, 32, Air Force Technical Sergeant, Sep 04, 2003 Jarrett B. Thompson, 27, Army Reserve Specialist, Sep 07, 2003 Ryan G. Carlock, 25, Army Specialist, Sep 09, 2003 Joseph E. Robsky Jr., 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 10, 2003 Henry Ybarra III, 32, Army Sergeant, Sep 11, 2003 William M. Bennett, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 12, 2003 Kevin N. Morehead, 33, Army Master Sergeant, Sep 12, 2003 Trevor A. Blumberg, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2003 Kevin C. Kimmerly, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 15, 2003 Alyssa R. Peterson, 27, Army Specialist, Sep 15, 2003 Foster Pinkston, 47, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 16, 2003 Richard Arriaga, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 18, 2003 Brian R. Faunce, 28, Army Captain, Sep 18, 2003 Anthony O. Thompson, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 18, 2003 James C Wright, 27, Army Specialist, Sep 18, 2003 Lunsford B. Brown II, 27, Army Specialist, Sep 20, 2003 Frederick L. Miller Jr., 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 20, 2003 David Travis Friedrich, 26, Army Reserve Sergeant, Sep 20, 2003 Paul J. Sturino, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 22, 2003 Michael Andrade, 28, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 24, 2003 Kyle G. Thomas, 23, Army Specialist, Sep 25, 2003 Robert L. Lucero, 34, Army National Guard Captain, Sep 25, 2003 Robert E. Rooney, 43, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 25, 2003 Andrew Joseph Baddick, 26, Army Sergeant, Sep 29, 2003 Christopher E. Cutchall, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 29, 2003 Darrin K. Potter, 24, Army Sergeant, Sep 29, 2003 Dustin K. McGaugh, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 30, 2003 James D. Blankenbecler, 40, Army Command Sergeant, Oct 01, 2003 Analaura Esparza Gutierrez, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 01, 2003 Simeon Hunte, 23, Army Specialist, Oct 01, 2003 Tamarra J. Ramos, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 01, 2003 James H. Pirtle, 27, Army Specialist, Oct 03, 2003 Charles M. Sims, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 03, 2003 Spencer Timothy Karol, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 06, 2003 Kerry D. Scott, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 06, 2003 Richard Torres, 25, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 06, 2003 Joseph C. Norquist, 26, Army Specialist, Oct 09, 2003 Sean A. Silva, 23, Army Private, Oct 09, 2003 Christopher W. Swisher, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 09, 2003 James E. Powell, 26, Army Specialist, Oct 12, 2003 Jose Casanova, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2003 Benjamin L. Freeman, 19, Army Private, Oct 13, 2003 Douglas J. Weismantle, 28, Army Specialist, Oct 13, 2003 Donald L. Wheeler, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 13, 2003 Stephen E. Wyatt, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 13, 2003 Joseph P. Bellavia, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 16, 2003 Sean R. Grilley, 24, Army Corporal, Oct 16, 2003 Kim S. Orlando, 43, Army Lieutenant Colonel, Oct 16, 2003 Michael L. Williams, 46, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 17, 2003 David R. Bernstein, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Oct 18, 2003 John D. Hart, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 18, 2003 Paul J. Johnson, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 20, 2003 Paul J. Bueche, 19, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Oct 21, 2003 John P. Johnson, 24, Army Specialist, Oct 22, 2003 Jason M. Ward, 25, Army Private, Oct 22, 2003 John R. Teal, 31, Army Captain, Oct 23, 2003 Artimus D. Brassfield, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 24, 2003 Michael S. Hancock, 29, Army Sergeant, Oct 24, 2003 Jose L. Mora, 26, Army Specialist, Oct 24, 2003 Jakia Sheree Cannon, 20, Navy Seaman, Oct 25, 2003 Steven Acosta, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 26, 2003 Rachel K. Bosveld, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 26, 2003 Charles H. Buehring, 40, Army Lieutenant Colonel, Oct 26, 2003 Joseph R. Guerrera, 20, Army Private, Oct 26, 2003 Jamie L. Huggins, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 26, 2003 Jonathan I. Falaniko, 20, Army Private, Oct 27, 2003 Aubrey D. Bell, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 27, 2003 Michael Paul Barrera, 26, Army Sergeant, Oct 28, 2003 Isaac Campoy, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 28, 2003 Algernon Adams, 36, Army National Guard Private, Oct 28, 2003 Todd J. Bryant, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 31, 2003 Joshua C. Hurley, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 01, 2003 Maurice J. Johnson, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 01, 2003 Daniel A. Bader, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Ernest G. Bucklew, 33, Army Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Benjamin J. Colgan, 30, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2003 Steven Daniel Conover, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2003 Anthony D. Dagostino, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2003 Darius T. Jennings, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2003 Karina S. Lau, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 02, 2003 Keelan L. Moss, 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Brian H. Penisten, 28, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2003 Ross A. Pennanen, 36, Army Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Joel Perez, 25, Army Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Frances M. Vega, 20, Army Specialist, Nov 02, 2003 Paul A. Velasquez, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Joe Nathan Wilson, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 02, 2003 Brian D. Slavenas, 30, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Nov 02, 2003 Bruce A. Smith, 41, Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer, Nov 02, 2003 Rayshawn S. Johnson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 03, 2003 Robert T. Benson, 20, Army Specialist, Nov 04, 2003 Francisco Martinez, 28, Army Sergeant, Nov 04, 2003 Jose A. Rivera, 34, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 05, 2003 James R. Wolf, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 06, 2003 James A. Chance III, 25, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 06, 2003 Paul F. Fisher, 39, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 06, 2003 Cornell W. Gilmore I, 45, Army Command Sergeant Major, Nov 07, 2003 Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), Nov 07, 2003 Morgan DeShawn Kennon, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2003 Paul M. Neff II, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 07, 2003 Scott C. Rose, 30, Army Sergeant, Nov 07, 2003 Benedict J. Smith, 29, Army Captain, Nov 07, 2003 Sharon T. Swartworth, 43, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW5), Nov 07, 2003 Gary L. Collins, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 08, 2003 Kurt R. Frosheiser, 22, Army Private, Nov 08, 2003 Linda C. Jimenez, 39, Army Sergeant, Nov 08, 2003 Mark D. Vasquez, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 08, 2003 Nicholas A. Tomko, 24, Army Reserve Sergeant, Nov 09, 2003 Genaro Acosta, 26, Army Specialist, Nov 11, 2003 Marlon P. Jackson, 25, Army Specialist, Nov 11, 2003 Nathan J. Bailey, 46, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 12, 2003 Robert A. Wise, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 12, 2003 Jacob S. Fletcher, 28, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 13, 2003 Joseph Minucci II, 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 13, 2003 Irving Medina, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 14, 2003 Michael D. Acklin II, 25, Army Sergeant, Nov 15, 2003 Ryan T. Baker, 24, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2003 Jeremiah J. DiGiovanni, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2003 William D. Dusenbery, 30, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2003 Richard W. Hafer, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2003 Warren S. Hansen, 36, Army Sergeant, Nov 15, 2003 Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2003 Timothy L. Hayslett, 26, Army Sergeant, Nov 15, 2003 Damian L. Heidelberg, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2003 Erik C. Kesterson, 29, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Nov 15, 2003 Pierre E. Piche, 29, Army Captain, Nov 15, 2003 John W. Russell, 26, Army Sergeant, Nov 15, 2003 Scott A. Saboe, 33, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Nov 15, 2003 John R. Sullivan, 26, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2003 Eugene A. Uhl III, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 15, 2003 Joey D. Whitener, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2003 Jeremy L. Wolfe, 27, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 15, 2003 Kelly Bolor, 37, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 15, 2003 Alexander S. Coulter, 35, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Nov 17, 2003 Nathan S. Dalley, 27, Army Captain, Nov 17, 2003 Dale A. Panchot, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 17, 2003 James A. Shull, 32, Army Captain, Nov 17, 2003 Joseph L. Lister, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 20, 2003 Scott Matthew Tyrrell, 21, Army Private, Nov 20, 2003 George A. Wood, 33, Army Captain, Nov 20, 2003 Gary B. Coleman, 24, Army Corporal, Nov 21, 2003 Damian S. Bushart, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 22, 2003 Robert D. Roberts, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 22, 2003 Eddie E. Menyweather, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 23, 2003 Christopher G. Nason, 39, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Nov 23, 2003 Rel A. Ravago IV, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 23, 2003 Jerry L. Wilson, 45, Army Command Sergeant Major, Nov 23, 2003 Darrell L. Smith, 28, Army National Guard Corporal, Nov 23, 2003 David J. Goldberg, 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Nov 26, 2003 Thomas J. Sweet II, 23, Army Specialist, Nov 27, 2003 Ariel Rico, 25, Army Sergeant, Nov 28, 2003 Stephen A. Bertolino, 40, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 29, 2003 Aaron J. Sissel, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 29, 2003 Uday Singh, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 01, 2003 Clarence E. Boone, 50, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Dec 02, 2003 Ryan C. Young, 21, Army Sergeant, Dec 02, 2003 Raphael S. Davis, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 02, 2003 Arron R. Clark, 20, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2003 Ray J. Hutchinson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 07, 2003 Joseph M. Blickenstaff, 23, Army Specialist, Dec 08, 2003 Steven H. Bridges, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 08, 2003 Christopher Jude Rivera Wesley, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 08, 2003 Jason G. Wright, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 08, 2003 Richard A. Burdick, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 10, 2003 Jerrick M. Petty, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 10, 2003 Todd M. Bates, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 10, 2003 Aaron T. Reese, 31, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 10, 2003 Marshall L. Edgerton, 27, Army Specialist, Dec 11, 2003 Jarrod W. Black, 26, Army Sergeant, Dec 12, 2003 Jeffrey F. Braun, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 12, 2003 Rian C. Ferguson, 22, Army Specialist, Dec 14, 2003 Kimberly A. Voelz, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 14, 2003 Kenneth C. Souslin, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 15, 2003 Nathan W. Nakis, 19, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 15, 2003 Christopher J. Holland, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 17, 2003 Glenn R. Allison, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 18, 2003 Charles E. Bush Jr., 43, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Dec 19, 2003 Stuart W. Moore, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 22, 2003 Edward M. Saltz, 27, Army Reserve 1st Lieutenant, Dec 22, 2003 Benjamin W. Biskie, 27, Army Sergeant, Dec 24, 2003 Eric F. Cooke, 43, Army Command Sergeant Major, Dec 24, 2003 Christopher F. Soelzer, 26, Army Captain, Dec 24, 2003 Christopher J. Splinter, 43, Army Major, Dec 24, 2003 Michael E. Yashinski, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 24, 2003 Thomas W. Christensen, 42, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Dec 25, 2003 Stephen C. Hattamer, 43, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Dec 25, 2003 Charles G. Haight, 23, Army Specialist, Dec 26, 2003 Michael G. Mihalakis, 18, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 26, 2003 Michael J. Sutter, 28, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 26, 2003 Ernesto M. Blanco, 28, Army Captain, Dec 28, 2003 Rey D. Cuervo, 24, Army Private, Dec 28, 2003 Curt E. Jordan Jr., 25, Army Sergeant, Dec 28, 2003 Justin W. Pollard, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 30, 2003 Solomon C. \"Kelly\" Bangayan, 24, Army Specialist, Jan 02, 2004 Dennis A. Corral, 33, Army Sergeant, Jan 02, 2004 Kimberly N. Hampton, 27, Army Captain, Jan 02, 2004 Eric Thomas Paliwoda, 28, Army Captain, Jan 02, 2004 Marc S. Seiden, 26, Army Specialist, Jan 02, 2004 Luke P. Frist, 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Jan 05, 2004 Jesse D. Mizener, 24, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 07, 2004 Craig Davis, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 08, 2004 Michael A. Diraimondo, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 08, 2004 Christopher A. Golby, 26, Army Specialist, Jan 08, 2004 Gregory B. Hicks, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 08, 2004 Philip A. Johnson Jr., 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 08, 2004 Nathaniel H. Johnson, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 08, 2004 Ian D. Manuel, 23, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 08, 2004 Jeffrey C. Walker, 33, Army Sergeant, Jan 08, 2004 Aaron A. Weaver, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 08, 2004 Ricky L. Crockett, 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 12, 2004 Keicia M. Hines, 27, Army Sergeant, Jan 13, 2004 Roland L. Castro, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 16, 2004 Cody J. Orr, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 17, 2004 Larry E. Polley Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Jan 17, 2004 Edmond Lee Randle Jr., 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 17, 2004 Kelly L. Hornbeck, 36, Army Master Sergeant, Jan 18, 2004 Gabriel T. Palacios, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 21, 2004 James D. Parker, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 21, 2004 Michael T. Blaise, 29, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Jan 23, 2004 Brian D. Hazelgrove, 29, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), Jan 23, 2004 Jason K. Chappell, 22, Army Specialist, Jan 24, 2004 Randy S. Rosenberg, 23, Army Sergeant, Jan 24, 2004 William R. Sturges Jr., 24, Army Specialist, Jan 24, 2004 Kenneth W. Hendrickson, 41, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 24, 2004 Keith L. Smette, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 24, 2004 Christopher Bunda, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 25, 2004 Ervin Dervishi, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 25, 2004 Patrick D. Dorff, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 25, 2004 Adam G. Mooney, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jan 25, 2004 Matthew J. August, 28, Army Captain, Jan 27, 2004 James T. Hoffman, 41, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 27, 2004 Luke S. James, 24, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jan 27, 2004 Lester O. Kinney II, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 27, 2004 Travis A. Moothart, 23, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2004 Cory R. Mracek, 26, Army Sergeant, Jan 27, 2004 Sean G. Landrus, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 29, 2004 Luis A. Moreno, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 29, 2004 Juan C. Cabralbanuelos, 25, Army Corporal, Jan 31, 2004 Holly J. McGeogh, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 31, 2004 Eliu A. Miersandoval, 27, Army Sergeant, Jan 31, 2004 Armando Soriano, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 01, 2004 Roger C. Turner Jr., 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 01, 2004 Seth J. Dvorin, 24, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Feb 03, 2004 Joshua L. Knowles, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 05, 2004 Richard P. Ramey, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 08, 2004 Thomas D. Robbins, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 09, 2004 Elijah Tai Wah Wong, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 09, 2004 Jude C. Mariano, 39, Air Force Master Sergeant, Feb 10, 2004 William C. Ramirez, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 11, 2004 Patrick S. Tainsh, 33, Army Sergeant, Feb 11, 2004 Eric U. Ramirez, 31, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 12, 2004 Bryan N. Spry, 19, Army Private, Feb 14, 2004 Michael M. Merila, 23, Army Specialist, Feb 16, 2004 Christopher M. Taylor, 25, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 16, 2004 Nichole M. Frye, 19, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Feb 16, 2004 Jeffrey C. Graham, 24, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Feb 19, 2004 Roger G. Ling, 20, Army Specialist, Feb 19, 2004 Henry A. Bacon, 45, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 20, 2004 Matthew C. Laskowski, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 25, 2004 Stephen M. Wells, 29, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Feb 25, 2004 Michael R. Woodliff, 22, Army Specialist, Mar 02, 2004 Michael J. Gray, 32, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Mar 05, 2004 Gussie M. Jones, 41, Army Captain, Mar 07, 2004 Matthew G. Milczark, 18, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 08, 2004 Edward W. Brabazon, 20, Army Specialist, Mar 09, 2004 Richard S. Gottfried, 42, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 09, 2004 Fern L. Holland, 33, Dept. of the Army Civilian, Mar 09, 2004 Robert J. Zangas, 44, Dept. of the Army Civilian, Mar 09, 2004 Bert Edward Hoyer, 23, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Mar 10, 2004 Joe L. Dunigan Jr., 37, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 11, 2004 Christopher K. Hill, 26, Army Specialist, Mar 11, 2004 Joel K. Brattain, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 13, 2004 Clint D. Ferrin, 31, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 13, 2004 Jason C. Ford, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 13, 2004 John F. \"Hans\" Kurth, 31, Army Captain, Mar 13, 2004 Daniel J. Londono, 22, Army Sergeant, Mar 13, 2004 Jocelyn \"Joce\" L. Carrasquillo, 28, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 14, 2004 William J. Normandy, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 14, 2004 Michael R. Adams, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Mar 16, 2004 Thomas R. Thigpen Sr., 52, Army National Guard Master Sergeant, Mar 16, 2004 Tracy L. Laramore, 30, Army Specialist, Mar 17, 2004 Ivory L. Phipps, 44, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 17, 2004 Ernest Harold Sutphin, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 18, 2004 Doron Chan, 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Mar 18, 2004 Andrew D. Brownfield, 24, Marine Corporal, Mar 18, 2004 Ricky A. Morris Jr., 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 18, 2004 Brandon C. Smith, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 18, 2004 Jason C. Ludlam, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 19, 2004 Clint Richard \"Bones\" Matthews, 31, Army Specialist, Mar 19, 2004 David M. Vicente, 25, Marine Corporal, Mar 19, 2004 Matthew J. Sandri, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 20, 2004 Mark D. Taylor, 41, Army Major, Mar 20, 2004 Michael W. Vega, 41, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Mar 20, 2004 Christopher E. Hudson, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 21, 2004 Dustin L. Kreider, 19, Army Private, Mar 21, 2004 Bruce Miller Jr., 23, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 22, 2004 Andrew S. Dang, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 22, 2004 Wentz Jerome Henry Shanaberger III, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 24, 2004 Adam D. Froehlich, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 25, 2004 Jeffrey C. Burgess, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 25, 2004 James A. Casper, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 25, 2004 Leroy Sandoval Jr., 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Mar 26, 2004 Timothy Toney, 37, Marine Master Sergeant, Mar 27, 2004 Sean M. Schneider, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 29, 2004 Jeremiah J. Holmes, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 29, 2004 Richard L. Ferguson, 45, Army Master Sergeant, Mar 30, 2004 William J. Wiscowiche, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 30, 2004 Brandon L. Davis, 20, Army Private, Mar 31, 2004 Doyle M. Hufstedler, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Mar 31, 2004 Michael G. Karr Jr., 23, Army Specialist, Mar 31, 2004 Sean R. Mitchell, 24, Army Specialist, Mar 31, 2004 Cleston C. Raney, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 31, 2004 Dustin M. Sekula, 18, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2004 William R. Strange, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 02, 2004 Geoffrey S. Morris, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2004 John D. Amos II, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2004 Robert R. Arsiaga, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Ahmed Akil \"Mel\" Cason, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Yihiyh L. Chen, 31, Army Sergeant, Apr 04, 2004 Israel Garza, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Stephen D. \"Dusty\" Hiller, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Forest Joseph Jostes, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 04, 2004 Michael W. Mitchell, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 04, 2004 Philip G. Rogers, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Casey Sheehan, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 04, 2004 Aric J. Barr, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 04, 2004 Tyler R. Fey, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 04, 2004 Scott Quentin Larson Jr., 22, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2004 David M. McKeever, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 05, 2004 Shane Lee Goldman, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 05, 2004 Deryk L. Hallal, 24, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 05, 2004 Moises A. Langhorst, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 05, 2004 Christopher Ramos, 26, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 05, 2004 Matthew K. Serio, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 05, 2004 Jesse L. Thiry, 23, Marine Corporal, Apr 05, 2004 Gerardo Moreno, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 06, 2004 Lee Duane Todacheene, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 06, 2004 Benjamin R. Carman, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2004 Marcus M. Cherry, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2004 Christopher R. Cobb, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2004 Kyle D. Crowley, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2004 Ryan M. Jerabek, 18, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2004 Travis J. Layfield, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2004 Christopher D. Mabry, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2004 Anthony P. Roberts, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 06, 2004 Allan K. Walker, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 06, 2004 Fernando A. Mendez-Aceves, 27, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Apr 06, 2004 Tyanna S. Felder, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2004 Marvin Lee Miller, 38, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 07, 2004 George S. Rentschler, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 07, 2004 William W. Labadie Jr., 45, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 07, 2004 Brent L. Morel, 27, Marine Captain, Apr 07, 2004 John Thomas \"J.T.\" Wroblewski, 25, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Apr 07, 2004 Isaac Michael Nieves, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 08, 2004 Levi T. Angell, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2004 Nicholas J. Dieruf, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 08, 2004 Phillip E. Frank, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2004 William M. Harrell, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2004 Joshua M. Palmer, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 08, 2004 Michael B. Wafford, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2004 Christopher B. Wasser, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 08, 2004 Peter G. Enos, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2004 Raymond Edison Jones Jr., 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 09, 2004 Jonathan Roy Kephart, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2004 Toby W. Mallet, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 09, 2004 Don Steven McMahan, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 09, 2004 Allen Jeffrey \"A.J.\" Vandayburg, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2004 Felix M. Delgreco, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 09, 2004 Michelle M. Witmer, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 09, 2004 Gregory R. Goodrich, 37, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2004 Elmer C. Krause, 40, Army Reserve Sergeant, Apr 09, 2004 Eric A. Ayon, 26, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2004 Matthew E. Matula, 20, Marine Corporal, Apr 09, 2004 Chance R. Phelps, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2004 Michael Raymond Speer, 24, Marine Corporal, Apr 09, 2004 Elias Torrez III, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 09, 2004 Antoine J. Holt, 20, Air Force Airman 1st Class, Apr 10, 2004 Adolf C. Carballo, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 10, 2004 William C. Eckhart, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 10, 2004 John T. Sims Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 10, 2004 Lawrence S. Colton, 32, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 11, 2004 Wesley C. Fortenberry, 38, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 11, 2004 Justin W. Johnson, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 11, 2004 Michael Boyd Stack, 48, Army Sergeant Major, Apr 11, 2004 Nathan P. Brown, 21, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2004 Daniel R. Amaya, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 11, 2004 Torrey L. Gray, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 11, 2004 Oscar Jimenez, 34, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 11, 2004 George D. Torres, 23, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 11, 2004 Brad S. Shuder, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2004 Robert Paul Zurheide Jr., 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 12, 2004 Victor A. Rosaleslomeli, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 13, 2004 Noah L. Boye, 21, Marine Private, Apr 13, 2004 Kevin T. Kolm, 23, Marine Corporal, Apr 13, 2004 Christopher Ramirez, 34, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2004 Frank K. Rivers Jr., 23, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2004 Richard K. Trevithick, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2004 Jimmy J. Arroyave, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Apr 15, 2004 Brian M. Wood, 21, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2004 Marvin A. Camposiles, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 17, 2004 Edward W. Carman, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 17, 2004 Jonathan N. Hartman, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 17, 2004 Clayton Welch Henson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 17, 2004 Michael A. McGlothin, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 17, 2004 Robert L. Henderson II, 33, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Apr 17, 2004 Dennis B. Morgan, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 17, 2004 Richard J. Gannon II, 31, Marine Captain, Apr 17, 2004 Christopher A. Gibson, 23, Marine Corporal, Apr 17, 2004 Michael J. Smith Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 17, 2004 Ruben Valdez Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 17, 2004 Gary F. Van Leuven, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 17, 2004 Bradley C. Fox, 34, Army 1st Sergeant, Apr 20, 2004 Leroy Harris-Kelly, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 20, 2004 Christopher D. Gelineau, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 20, 2004 Jason L. Dunham, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 22, 2004 Shawn C. Edwards, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2004 Stacey C. Brandon, 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2004 Cory W. Brooks, 32, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2004 Arthur L. \"Bo\" Felder, 36, Army National Guard Captain, Apr 24, 2004 Patrick W. Kordsmeier, 49, Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 24, 2004 Billy J. Orton, 41, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 24, 2004 Michael J. Pernaselli, 27, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 24, 2004 Christopher E. Watts, 28, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 24, 2004 Kenneth A. Melton, 30, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 25, 2004 Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class, Apr 25, 2004 Sherwood R. Baker, 30, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 26, 2004 Lawrence A. Roukey, 33, Army Reserve Sergeant, Apr 26, 2004 Aaron C. Austin, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 26, 2004 Abraham D. Penamedina, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 27, 2004 Marquis A. Whitaker, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 27, 2004 Jacob R. Herring, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 28, 2004 Kendall Thomas, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 28, 2004 James L. Beckstrand, 27, Army Specialist, Apr 29, 2004 Ryan M. Campbell, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 29, 2004 Norman Darling, 29, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 29, 2004 Jeffrey F. Dayton, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2004 Adam W. Estep, 23, Army Sergeant, Apr 29, 2004 Jeremy Ricardo Ewing, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 29, 2004 Martin W. Kondor, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 29, 2004 Esau G. Patterson Jr., 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 29, 2004 Ryan E. Reed, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 29, 2004 Justin B. Schmidt, 23, Army Specialist, Apr 29, 2004 Landis W. Garrison, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 29, 2004 Scott M. Vincent, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 30, 2004 Joshua S. Wilfong, 22, Marine Corporal, Apr 30, 2004 Christopher M. Dickerson, 33, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 3rd Class, Apr 30, 2004 Jason B. Dwelley, 31, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 30, 2004 Ramon C. Ojeda, 22, Army Specialist, May 01, 2004 Oscar D. Vargas-Medina, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, May 01, 2004 Trevor A. Wine, 22, Army Specialist, May 01, 2004 Joshua S. Ladd, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 01, 2004 Ervin Caradine Jr., 33, Army Specialist, May 02, 2004 Jeremy L. Drexler, 23, Army Private, May 02, 2004 Todd E. Nunes, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, May 02, 2004 John E. Tipton, 32, Army Captain, May 02, 2004 Michael C. Anderson, 36, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, May 02, 2004 Trace W. Dossett, 37, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, May 02, 2004 Ronald A. Ginther, 37, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 3rd Class, May 02, 2004 Robert B. Jenkins, 35, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, May 02, 2004 Scott R. Mchugh, 33, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class, May 02, 2004 Christopher J. Kenny, 32, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 03, 2004 Lyndon A. Marcus Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 03, 2004 Erickson H. Petty, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, May 03, 2004 Marvin R. Sprayberry III, 24, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2004 Gregory L. Wahl, 30, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2004 Ronald E. Baum, 38, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, May 03, 2004 Jesse R. Buryj, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 05, 2004 Bradley G. Kritzer, 18, Army Private 1st Class, May 05, 2004 James E. Marshall, 19, Army Specialist, May 05, 2004 Jeffrey G. Green, 20, Marine Corporal, May 05, 2004 Hesley Box Jr., 24, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 06, 2004 Dustin H. Schrage, 20, Marine Corporal, May 06, 2004 Isela Rubalcava, 25, Army Specialist, May 08, 2004 Chase R. Whitman, 21, Army Specialist, May 08, 2004 Philip D. Brown, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, May 08, 2004 James J. Holmes, 28, Army National Guard Specialist, May 08, 2004 Rodney A. Murray, 28, Army Reserve Sergeant, May 09, 2004 Andrew L. Tuazon, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 10, 2004 Kyle A. Brinlee, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, May 11, 2004 Jeffrey R. Shaver, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, May 12, 2004 Jeremiah E. Savage, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 12, 2004 Brian K. Cutter, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, May 13, 2004 Brandon C. Sturdy, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, May 13, 2004 Brud J. Cronkrite, 22, Army Sergeant, May 14, 2004 Michael A. Mora, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 14, 2004 Philip I. Spakosky, 25, Army Specialist, May 14, 2004 Edward C. Barnhill, 50, Army Reserve Command Sergeant Major, May 14, 2004 James William Harlan, 44, Army Reserve Sergeant, May 14, 2004 Pedro I. Espaillat Jr., 20, Air Force Senior Airman, May 15, 2004 Rene Ledesma, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, May 15, 2004 Leonard M. Cowherd Jr., 22, Army 2nd Lieutenant, May 16, 2004 Carl F. Curran, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, May 17, 2004 Mark Joseph Kasecky, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, May 17, 2004 Bob W. Roberts, 30, Marine Lance Corporal, May 17, 2004 Joseph P. Garyantes, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, May 18, 2004 Marcos O. Nolasco, 34, Army Specialist, May 18, 2004 William D. Chaney, 59, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 18, 2004 Michael M. Carey, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, May 18, 2004 Michael C. Campbell, 34, Army Specialist, May 19, 2004 Leslie D. Jackson, 18, Army Private 1st Class, May 20, 2004 Troy \"Leon\" Miranda, 44, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, May 20, 2004 Rudy Salas, 20, Marine Corporal, May 20, 2004 Jeremy R. Horton, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, May 21, 2004 Andrew J. Zabierek, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, May 21, 2004 Jeremy L. Ridlen, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, May 23, 2004 Jorge A. Molina Bautista, 37, Marine Staff Sergeant, May 23, 2004 Beau R. Beaulieu, 20, Army Specialist, May 24, 2004 Owen D. Witt, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2004 James P. Lambert, 23, Army Private 1st Class, May 25, 2004 Richard H. Rosas, 21, Army Private 1st Class, May 25, 2004 Alan N. Bean Jr., 22, Army National Guard Specialist, May 25, 2004 Kevin F. Sheehan, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 25, 2004 Daniel Paul Unger, 19, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, May 25, 2004 Kyle W. Codner, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, May 26, 2004 Matthew C. Henderson, 25, Marine Corporal, May 26, 2004 Dominique J. Nicolas, 25, Marine Corporal, May 26, 2004 Michael J. Wiesemann, 20, Army Specialist, May 28, 2004 Cody S. Calavan, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, May 29, 2004 Benjamin R. Gonzalez, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, May 29, 2004 Rafael Reynosasuarez, 28, Marine Lance Corporal, May 29, 2004 Kenneth Michael Ballard, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 30, 2004 Bradli N. Coleman, 19, Army Private, May 30, 2004 Aaron C. Elandt, 23, Army Sergeant, May 30, 2004 Charles E. Odums II, 22, Army Specialist, May 30, 2004 Nicholaus E. Zimmer, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 30, 2004 Robert C. Scheetz Jr., 31, Army Captain, May 31, 2004 Dustin L. Sides, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 31, 2004 Markus J. Johnson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 01, 2004 Bumrok Lee, 21, Marine Corporal, Jun 02, 2004 Todd J. Bolding, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 03, 2004 Frank T. Carvill, 51, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 04, 2004 Christopher M. Duffy, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 04, 2004 Justin L. Eyerly, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 04, 2004 Justin W. Linden, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 04, 2004 Erik S. McCrae, 25, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Jun 04, 2004 Ryan E. Doltz, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 05, 2004 Humberto F. Timoteo, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 05, 2004 Melissa J. Hobart, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 06, 2004 Melvin Y. Mora Lopez, 27, Army Reserve Sergeant, Jun 06, 2004 Jamie A. Gray, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 07, 2004 Jeremy L. Bohlman, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 07, 2004 Humayun S. M. Khan, 27, Army Captain, Jun 08, 2004 Thomas D. Caughman, 20, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Jun 09, 2004 Eric S. McKinley, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 13, 2004 Shawn M. Atkins, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 14, 2004 Paul R. Syverson III, 32, Army Major, Jun 16, 2004 Jeremy M. Dimaranan, 29, Army Reserve Specialist, Jun 16, 2004 Arthur S. (Stacey) Mastrapa, 35, Army Reserve Sergeant, Jun 16, 2004 Jason N. Lynch, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 18, 2004 Thai Vue, 22, Army Specialist, Jun 18, 2004 Sean Horn, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Jun 19, 2004 Marvin Best, 33, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jun 20, 2004 Gregory V. Pennington, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Jun 21, 2004 Pedro Contreras, 27, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 21, 2004 Juan Lopez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 21, 2004 Deshon E. Otey, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 21, 2004 Tommy L. Parker Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Jun 21, 2004 Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr., 34, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 22, 2004 Andre D. Tyson, 33, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Jun 22, 2004 Christopher S. Cash, 36, Army National Guard Captain, Jun 24, 2004 Daniel A. Desens, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 24, 2004 Charles A. Kiser, 37, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Jun 24, 2004 Jeremy M. Heines, 25, Army Specialist, Jun 26, 2004 Manuel A. Ceniceros, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 26, 2004 Ernest E. Utt, 38, Army 1st Sergeant, Jun 27, 2004 Patrick R. Adle, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jun 29, 2004 Alan David Sherman, 36, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Jun 29, 2004 John H. Todd III, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jun 29, 2004 Robert L. DuSang, 24, Army Specialist, Jun 30, 2004 Christopher A. Wagener, 24, Army Sergeant, Jul 01, 2004 Kenneth Conde Jr., 23, Marine Sergeant, Jul 01, 2004 Timothy R. Creager, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 01, 2004 Brian D. Smith, 30, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jul 02, 2004 Stephen G. Martin, 39, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Jul 02, 2004 James B. Huston Jr., 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 02, 2004 Dallas L. Kerns, 21, Marine Corporal, Jul 05, 2004 Michael S. Torres, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 05, 2004 John J. Vangyzen IV, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 05, 2004 Scott Eugene Dougherty, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 06, 2004 Justin T. Hunt, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 06, 2004 Jeffrey D. Lawrence, 22, Marine Corporal, Jul 06, 2004 Rodricka Antwan Youmans, 22, Marine Private 1st Class, Jul 06, 2004 Michael C. Barkey, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 07, 2004 Samuel R. Bowen, 38, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Jul 07, 2004 Collier Edwin Barcus, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 08, 2004 Robert E. Colvill Jr., 31, Army Sergeant, Jul 08, 2004 Shawn M. Davies, 22, Army Specialist, Jul 08, 2004 William River Emanuel IV, 19, Army Specialist, Jul 08, 2004 Joseph M. Garmback Jr., 24, Army Specialist, Jul 08, 2004 Sonny Gene Sampler, 23, Army Specialist, Jul 08, 2004 Jeremiah W. Schmunk, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 08, 2004 Terry Holmes Ordóñez, 22, Marine Corporal, Jul 10, 2004 Krisna Nachampassak, 27, Marine Sergeant, Jul 10, 2004 Christopher J. Reed, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Jul 10, 2004 Trevor Spink, 36, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jul 10, 2004 Dustin W. Peters, 25, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Jul 11, 2004 James G. West, 34, Army Sergeant, Jul 11, 2004 Dana N. Wilson, 26, Army Specialist, Jul 11, 2004 Jeremy J. Fischer, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 11, 2004 Linda Ann Tarango-Griess, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 11, 2004 Torry D. Harris, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 13, 2004 Jesse J. Martinez, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 14, 2004 Demetrius Lamont Rice, 24, Army Corporal, Jul 14, 2004 Paul C. Mardis Jr., 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 15, 2004 Bryan P. Kelly, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 16, 2004 Craig S. Frank, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 17, 2004 David A. Hartman, 41, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 17, 2004 Dale Thomas Lloyd, 22, Army Sergeant, Jul 19, 2004 Charles C. \"C.C.\" Persing, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 19, 2004 Danny B. Daniels II, 23, Army Specialist, Jul 20, 2004 Michael J. Clark, 29, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jul 20, 2004 Todd J. Godwin, 21, Marine Corporal, Jul 20, 2004 Nicholas H. Blodgett, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 21, 2004 Mark E. Engel, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 21, 2004 Torey J. Dantzler, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 22, 2004 Tatjana Reed, 34, Army Sergeant, Jul 22, 2004 Nicholas J. Zangara, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 24, 2004 Vincent M. Sullivan, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 24, 2004 DeForest L. \"Dee\" Talbert, 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 27, 2004 Ken W. Leisten, 20, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Jul 28, 2004 Shawn A. Lane, 33, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Jul 28, 2004 David S. Greene, 39, Marine Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Jul 28, 2004 Joseph F. Herndon II, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 29, 2004 Anthony J. Dixon, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 01, 2004 Armando Hernandez, 22, Army Specialist, Aug 01, 2004 Justin B. Onwordi, 28, Army Specialist, Aug 02, 2004 Juan Calderon Jr., 26, Marine Sergeant, Aug 02, 2004 Dean P. Pratt, 22, Marine Corporal, Aug 02, 2004 Tommy L. Gray, 34, Army Sergeant, Aug 03, 2004 Harry N. Shondee Jr., 19, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 03, 2004 Gregory A. Ratzlaff, 36, Marine Captain, Aug 03, 2004 Elia P. Fontecchio, 30, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Aug 04, 2004 Joseph L. Nice, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 04, 2004 Raymond J. Faulstich Jr., 24, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 05, 2004 Donald R. McCune, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Aug 05, 2004 Yadir G. Reynoso, 27, Marine Sergeant, Aug 05, 2004 Moses Daniel Rocha, 33, Marine Sergeant, Aug 05, 2004 Joshua I. Bunch, 23, Army Specialist, Aug 06, 2004 Roberto Abad, 22, Marine Corporal, Aug 06, 2004 Larry L. Wells, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 06, 2004 David L. Potter, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 07, 2004 Rick A. Ulbright, 49, Dept. of the Air Force Civilian, Aug 08, 2004 Jonathan W. Collins, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 08, 2004 Andrew R. Houghton, 25, Army Captain, Aug 09, 2004 John R. Howard, 26, Marine Staff Sergeant, Aug 11, 2004 Tavon L. Hubbard, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 11, 2004 Michael Yury Tarlavsky, 30, Army Captain, Aug 12, 2004 Neil Anthony Santoriello, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Aug 13, 2004 Kane M. Funke, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 13, 2004 Nicholas B. Morrison, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 13, 2004 James Michael Goins, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 15, 2004 Brandon R. Sapp, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 15, 2004 Daniel Michael Shepherd, 23, Army Sergeant, Aug 15, 2004 Mark Anthony Zapata, 27, Army Specialist, Aug 15, 2004 Fernando B. Hannon, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 15, 2004 Geoffrey Perez, 24, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 15, 2004 David M. Heath, 30, Army Sergeant, Aug 16, 2004 Brandon T. Titus, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 17, 2004 Caleb J. Powers, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 17, 2004 Jacob D. Martir, 21, Army Specialist, Aug 18, 2004 Henry C. Risner, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 18, 2004 Dustin R. Fitzgerald, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 18, 2004 Richard M. Lord, 24, Marine Sergeant, Aug 18, 2004 Harvey Emmett Parkerson III, 27, Marine Sergeant, Aug 18, 2004 Brad Preston McCormick, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 19, 2004 Ryan A. Martin, 22, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Aug 20, 2004 Charles L. Wilkins III, 38, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Aug 20, 2004 Kevin A. Cuming, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Aug 21, 2004 Nicanor Alvarez, 22, Marine Corporal, Aug 21, 2004 Jason Cook, 25, Marine Sergeant, Aug 21, 2004 Seth Huston, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 21, 2004 Edward T. Reeder, 32, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Aug 21, 2004 Nachez Washalanta, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 21, 2004 Matthew R. Stovall, 25, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Aug 22, 2004 Christopher Belchik, 30, Marine Corporal, Aug 22, 2004 Robert C. Thornton Jr., 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 23, 2004 Donald N. Davis, 42, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 24, 2004 Jacob R. Lugo, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 24, 2004 Marco D. Ross, 20, Army Specialist, Aug 25, 2004 Charles L. Neeley, 19, Army Reserve Specialist, Aug 25, 2004 Alexander S. Arredondo, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 25, 2004 Barton R. Humlhanz, 23, Marine Corporal, Aug 26, 2004 Nicholas M. Skinner, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Aug 26, 2004 Omead H. Razani, 19, Army Specialist, Aug 27, 2004 Luis A. Perez, 19, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Aug 27, 2004 Nickalous N. Aldrich, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 27, 2004 Edgar E. Lopez, 27, Marine Sergeant, Aug 28, 2004 Carl L. Anderson Jr., 21, Air Force Airman 1st Class, Aug 29, 2004 Aaron N. Holleyman, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Aug 30, 2004 Joseph C. Thibodeaux III, 24, Army Specialist, Sep 01, 2004 Nicholas Perez, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2004 Alan Rowe, 35, Marine Captain, Sep 03, 2004 Nicholas Wilt, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 03, 2004 Ronald Winchester, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Sep 03, 2004 Eric L. Knott, 21, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Sep 04, 2004 Ryan Michael McCauley, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 05, 2004 Gary A. Vaillant, 41, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 05, 2004 Charles R. Lamb, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 05, 2004 Shawna M. Morrison, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Sep 05, 2004 John J. Boria, 29, Air Force Captain, Sep 06, 2004 Elvis Bourdon, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 06, 2004 Tomas Garces, 19, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 06, 2004 Devin J. Grella, 21, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Sep 06, 2004 Brandon Michael Read, 21, Army Reserve Specialist, Sep 06, 2004 Michael J. Allred, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 David Paul Burridge, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Sep 06, 2004 Derek L. Gardner, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 Quinn A. Keith, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 Joseph C. McCarthy, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 Mick R. Nygardbekowsky, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 Lamont N. Wilson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 06, 2004 Clarence Adams III, 28, Army Specialist, Sep 07, 2004 Yoe M. Aneiros, 20, Army Specialist, Sep 07, 2004 Chad H. Drake, 23, Army Specialist, Sep 07, 2004 Timothy E. Price, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Sep 07, 2004 James Daniel Faulkner, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 08, 2004 Michael A. Martinez, 29, Army Specialist, Sep 08, 2004 Jason L. Sparks, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 08, 2004 Lauro G. DeLeon Jr., 20, Army Reserve Specialist, Sep 08, 2004 Edgar P. Daclan Jr., 24, Army Specialist, Sep 10, 2004 David A. Cedergren, 25, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Sep 11, 2004 Jason T. Poindexter, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Sep 12, 2004 Alexander E. Wetherbee, 27, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Sep 12, 2004 Guy Stanley Hagy Jr., 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 13, 2004 Carl Thomas, 29, Army Sergeant, Sep 13, 2004 Benjamin W. Isenberg, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 13, 2004 David J. Weisenburg, 26, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 13, 2004 Dominic C. Brown, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Michael J. Halal, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Cesar F. Machado-Olmos, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Jaygee Ngirmidol Meluat, 24, Marine Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Mathew D. Puckett, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Adrian V. Soltau, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 13, 2004 Tyler Hall Brown, 26, Army 1st Lieutenant, Sep 14, 2004 Jacob H. Demand, 29, Army Sergeant, Sep 14, 2004 Kevin M. Shea, 38, Marine Major, Sep 14, 2004 Gregory C. Howman, 28, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 15, 2004 Drew M. Uhles, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 15, 2004 Steven A. Rintamaki, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 16, 2004 Andrew K. Stern, 24, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Sep 16, 2004 Christopher S. Ebert, 21, Marine Corporal, Sep 17, 2004 James W. Price, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 18, 2004 Thomas Chad Rosenbaum, 25, Army Sergeant, Sep 18, 2004 Brandon E. Adams, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 19, 2004 Joshua J. Henry, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 20, 2004 Steven C. T. Cates, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 20, 2004 Foster L. Harrington, 31, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Sep 20, 2004 Nathan E. Stahl, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 21, 2004 Adam J. Harris, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 22, 2004 Skipper Soram, 23, Army Sergeant, Sep 22, 2004 Lance J. Koenig, 33, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Sep 22, 2004 Benjamin K. Smith, 24, Marine Sergeant, Sep 22, 2004 Aaron Boyles, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2004 Timothy Folmar, 21, Marine Sergeant, Sep 24, 2004 Ryan Leduc, 28, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Sep 24, 2004 Ramon Mateo, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Sep 24, 2004 Robert Oliver Unruh, 25, Army Specialist, Sep 25, 2004 David W. Johnson, 37, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 25, 2004 Clifford L. Moxley Jr., 51, Army National Guard Specialist, Sep 25, 2004 Eric L. Allton, 34, Army Captain, Sep 26, 2004 Gregory A. Cox, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 27, 2004 Joselito O. Villanueva, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Sep 27, 2004 Kenneth L. Sickels, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Sep 27, 2004 Tyler D. Prewitt, 22, Army Sergeant, Sep 28, 2004 Mike A. Dennie, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 29, 2004 Joshua K. Titcomb, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Sep 29, 2004 Darren J. Cunningham, 40, Army Staff Sergeant, Sep 30, 2004 Rodney A. Jones, 21, Army Specialist, Sep 30, 2004 Allen Nolan, 38, Army Reserve Specialist, Sep 30, 2004 Jack Taft Hennessy, 21, Army Sergeant, Oct 01, 2004 Michael A. Uvanni, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 01, 2004 Russell L. Collier, 48, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 03, 2004 Christopher S. Potts, 38, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 03, 2004 James L. Pettaway Jr., 37, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Oct 03, 2004 Richard L. Morgan Jr., 38, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Oct 05, 2004 Jeungjin Na \"Nikky\" Kim, 23, Army Private, Oct 06, 2004 Jessica L. Cawvey, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 06, 2004 Morgen N. Jacobs, 20, Army Specialist, Oct 07, 2004 Andrew W. Brown, 22, Army Sergeant, Oct 08, 2004 Michael S. Voss, 35, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 08, 2004 Andrew Halverson, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 09, 2004 James E. Prevete, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 10, 2004 Carson J. Ramsey, 22, Army Private, Oct 10, 2004 Michael Lee Burbank, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 11, 2004 Anthony W. Monroe, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 11, 2004 Pamela G. Osbourne, 38, Army Sergeant, Oct 11, 2004 Aaron J. Rusin, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 11, 2004 Christopher A. Merville, 26, Army Specialist, Oct 12, 2004 Dennis L. Pintor, 30, Army Captain, Oct 12, 2004 Michael S. Weger, 30, Army Specialist, Oct 12, 2004 Oscar A. Martinez, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 12, 2004 Ian T. Zook, 24, Marine Corporal, Oct 12, 2004 Daniel R. Wyatt, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Oct 12, 2004 Jaime Moreno, 28, Army Specialist, Oct 13, 2004 Jeremy F. Regnier, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 13, 2004 Ronald W. Baker, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 13, 2004 Mark P. Phelan, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Oct 13, 2004 Charles R. Soltes Jr., 36, Army Reserve Major, Oct 13, 2004 Paul M. Felsberg, 27, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Oct 13, 2004 Victor A. Gonzalez, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 13, 2004 Mark A. Barbret, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 14, 2004 Bradley S. Beard, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 14, 2004 Omer T. Hawkins II, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Oct 14, 2004 Josiah H. Vandertulip, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 14, 2004 David L. Waters, 19, Army Private, Oct 14, 2004 Michael G. Owen, 31, Army Sergeant, Oct 15, 2004 Jonathan J. Santos, 22, Army Specialist, Oct 15, 2004 Alan J. Burgess, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 15, 2004 William I. Salazar, 26, Marine Corporal, Oct 15, 2004 Brian K. Schramm, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 15, 2004 William I. Brennan, 36, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Oct 16, 2004 Christopher B. Johnson, 29, Army Captain, Oct 16, 2004 Andrew C. Ehrlich, 21, Army Specialist, Oct 18, 2004 Douglas E. Bascom, 25, Marine (IRR) Sergeant, Oct 20, 2004 Jonathan E. Gadsden, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 22, 2004 Dennis J. Boles, 46, Army National Guard Sergeant, Oct 24, 2004 Richard Patrick Slocum, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 24, 2004 Brian Oliveira, 22, Marine Corporal, Oct 25, 2004 Jerome Lemon, 42, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Oct 27, 2004 Michael Battles Sr., 38, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Oct 28, 2004 Stephen P. Downing II, 30, Army Private 1st Class, Oct 28, 2004 Segun Frederick Akintade, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Oct 28, 2004 Maurice Keith Fortune, 25, Army Sergeant, Oct 29, 2004 Jeremy D. Bow, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 30, 2004 John T. Byrd II, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 30, 2004 Kelley L. Courtney, 28, Marine Sergeant, Oct 30, 2004 Travis A. Fox, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 30, 2004 Christopher J. Lapka, 22, Marine Corporal, Oct 30, 2004 John Lukac, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 30, 2004 Andrew G. Riedel, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Oct 30, 2004 Michael P. Scarborough, 28, Marine Lance Corporal, Oct 30, 2004 Matthew D. Lynch, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Oct 31, 2004 Charles Joseph Webb, 22, Army Sergeant, Nov 03, 2004 Cody L. Wentz, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 04, 2004 Jeremiah A. Baro, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 04, 2004 Jared P. Hubbard, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 04, 2004 Carlos M. Camacho-Rivera, 24, Army Sergeant, Nov 05, 2004 Justin R. Yoemans, 20, Army Private, Nov 06, 2004 Brian K. Baker, 27, Army Specialist, Nov 07, 2004 Quoc Binh Tran, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 07, 2004 Otie Joseph McVey, 53, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Nov 07, 2004 Sean M. Langley, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 07, 2004 Don Allen Clary, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 08, 2004 Clinton Lee Wisdom, 39, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 08, 2004 Bryan L. Freeman, 31, Army Reserve Specialist, Nov 08, 2004 Thomas J. Zapp, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Nathaniel T. Hammond, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Jeffrey Lam, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Shane K. O'Donnell, 24, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Joshua D. Palmer, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Branden P. Ramey, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 David G. Ries, 29, Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant, Nov 08, 2004 Robert P. Warns II, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 08, 2004 Steven E. Auchman, 37, Air Force Master Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 Travis A. Babbitt, 24, Army Specialist, Nov 09, 2004 Steven W. Faulkenburg, 45, Army Command Sergeant Major, Nov 09, 2004 Horst Gerhard \"Gary\" Moore, 38, Army Major, Nov 09, 2004 John Byron Trotter, 25, Army Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 Todd R. Cornell, 38, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 David M. Caruso, 25, Marine Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 William C. James, 24, Marine Corporal, Nov 09, 2004 Nicholas D. Larson, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 09, 2004 Juan E. Segura, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 09, 2004 Abraham Simpson, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 09, 2004 Russell L. Slay, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 Lonny D. Wells, 29, Marine Sergeant, Nov 09, 2004 Nathan R. Wood, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 09, 2004 Dennis J. Miller Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 10, 2004 Michael C. Ottolini, 45, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Nov 10, 2004 Wesley J. Canning, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2004 Erick J. Hodges, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2004 Romulo J. Jimenez II, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 10, 2004 Dan T. Malcom Jr., 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Nov 10, 2004 Aaron C. Pickering, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 10, 2004 Gene Ramirez, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, Nov 10, 2004 Julian Woods, 22, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Nov 10, 2004 Thomas K. Doerflinger, 20, Army Specialist, Nov 11, 2004 Sean P. Huey, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 11, 2004 James P. \"JP\" Blecksmith, 24, Marine 2nd Lieutenant, Nov 11, 2004 Theodore A. Bowling, 25, Marine Corporal, Nov 11, 2004 Kyle W. Burns, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 11, 2004 Theodore S. \"Sam\" Holder II, 27, Marine Staff Sergeant, Nov 11, 2004 Justin D. Reppuhn, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 11, 2004 Peter J. Giannopoulos, 22, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 11, 2004 Edward D. Iwan, 28, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 12, 2004 James C. \"J.C.\" Matteson, 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 12, 2004 Jonathan B. Shields, 25, Army Sergeant, Nov 12, 2004 Raymond L. White, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 12, 2004 Nathan R. Anderson, 22, Marine Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 Nicholas H. Anderson, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 David M. Branning, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 Jarrod L. Maher, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 Brian A. Medina, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 Morgan W. Strader, 23, Marine Sergeant, Nov 12, 2004 Brian P. Prening, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 12, 2004 Cole W. Larsen, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 13, 2004 Sean P. Sims, 32, Army Captain, Nov 13, 2004 Jose A. Velez, 23, Army Specialist, Nov 13, 2004 Catalin D. Dima, 36, Army Reserve Sergeant, Nov 13, 2004 Benjamin S. Bryan, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 13, 2004 Kevin J. Dempsey, 23, Marine Corporal, Nov 13, 2004 Justin M. Ellsworth, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 13, 2004 Victor R. Lu, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 13, 2004 Justin D. McLeese, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 13, 2004 Byron W. Norwood, 25, Marine Sergeant, Nov 13, 2004 Dale A. Burger Jr., 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2004 George J. Payton, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 14, 2004 Andres H. Perez, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2004 Nicholas L. Ziolkowski, 22, Marine Corporal, Nov 14, 2004 Isaiah R. Hunt, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 15, 2004 Jeramy A. Ailes, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Travis R. Desiato, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Shane E. Kielion, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 William L. Miller, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Bradley L. Parker, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Rafael Peralta, 25, Marine Sergeant, Nov 15, 2004 Patrick Marc M. Rapicault, 34, Marine Captain, Nov 15, 2004 Marc T. Ryan, 25, Marine Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Antoine D. Smith, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 James E. Swain, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Lance M. Thompson, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 15, 2004 Marshall H. Caddy, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 16, 2004 Jose Ricardo Flores-Mejia, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 16, 2004 Daniel James McConnell, 27, Army Specialist, Nov 16, 2004 Luke C. Wullenwaber, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Nov 16, 2004 Christopher T. Heflin, 26, Marine Sergeant, Nov 16, 2004 Louis W. Qualls, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Nov 16, 2004 Michael Wayne Hanks, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 17, 2004 Joseph M. Nolan, 27, Army Sergeant, Nov 18, 2004 Luis A. Figueroa, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 18, 2004 Demarkus D. Brown, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2004 Michael A. Downey, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2004 Dimitrios Gavriel, 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2004 Phillip G. West, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 19, 2004 Bradley Thomas Arms, 20, Marine Reserve Corporal, Nov 19, 2004 Jack Bryant Jr., 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 20, 2004 David L. Roustum, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 20, 2004 Joseph J. Heredia, 22, Marine Corporal, Nov 20, 2004 Joseph T. Welke, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 20, 2004 Blain M. Ebert, 22, Army Specialist, Nov 22, 2004 Michael R. Cohen, 23, Marine Corporal, Nov 22, 2004 Benjamin C. Edinger, 24, Marine Sergeant, Nov 23, 2004 Sergio R. Diaz Varela, 21, Army Specialist, Nov 24, 2004 Nicholas S. Nolte, 25, Marine Sergeant, Nov 24, 2004 Jeffery Scott Holmes, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 25, 2004 Gentian Marku, 22, Marine Corporal, Nov 25, 2004 Ryan J. Cantafio, 22, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Nov 25, 2004 Brian K. Grant, 31, Army Private, Nov 26, 2004 Harrison J. Meyer, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 26, 2004 Bradley M. Faircloth, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 26, 2004 David B. Houck, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 26, 2004 Jordan D. Winkler, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 26, 2004 Jeremy E. Christensen, 27, Army Specialist, Nov 27, 2004 Michael A. Smith, 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 27, 2004 Kirk J. Bosselmann, 21, Marine Corporal, Nov 27, 2004 Joshua E. Lucero, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 27, 2004 Stephen C. Benish, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Nov 28, 2004 Carl W. Lee, 23, Army Sergeant, Nov 28, 2004 Trinidad R. Martinezluis, 22, Army Sergeant, Nov 28, 2004 Michael B. Shackelford, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Nov 28, 2004 Adam R. Brooks, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 28, 2004 Charles A. Hanson Jr., 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 28, 2004 Erik W. Hayes, 24, Army Specialist, Nov 29, 2004 Daryl A. Davis, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Nov 29, 2004 Christian P. Engeldrum, 39, Army National Guard Sergeant, Nov 29, 2004 Wilfredo F. Urbina, 29, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Nov 29, 2004 Blake A. Magaoay, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Nov 29, 2004 Pablo A. Calderon, 26, Army Sergeant, Nov 30, 2004 Jose Guereca Jr., 24, Army Sergeant, Nov 30, 2004 David M. Fisher, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 01, 2004 Javier Obleas-Prado Pena, 36, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Dec 01, 2004 Bryan S. Wilson, 22, Marine Corporal, Dec 01, 2004 Zachary A. Kolda, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Dec 01, 2004 George Daniel Harrison, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 02, 2004 David P. Mahlenbrock, 20, Army Specialist, Dec 03, 2004 Henry E. Irizarry, 38, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 03, 2004 Binh N. Le, 20, Marine Corporal, Dec 03, 2004 Matthew A. Wyatt, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 03, 2004 Michael L. Boatright, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 04, 2004 Cari Anne Gasiewicz, 28, Army Sergeant, Dec 04, 2004 David A. Mitts, 24, Army Sergeant, Dec 04, 2004 Salamo J. Tuialuuluu, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 04, 2004 Joseph O. Behnke, 45, Army National Guard Corporal, Dec 04, 2004 Kyle A. Eggers, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 05, 2004 Edwin William Roodhouse, 36, Army Specialist, Dec 05, 2004 Marvin Lee Trost III, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 05, 2004 Andrew M. Ward, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 05, 2004 Todd Clayton Gibbs, 37, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Dec 07, 2004 Mark N. Stubenhofer, 30, Army Captain, Dec 07, 2004 In C. Kim, 23, Marine Corporal, Dec 07, 2004 Arthur C. Williams IV, 31, Army Sergeant, Dec 08, 2004 Patrick D. Leach, 39, Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer, Dec 09, 2004 Andrew C. Shields, 25, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Dec 09, 2004 Christopher S. Adlesperger, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Dec 09, 2004 Kyle J. Renehan, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 09, 2004 Robert W. Hoyt, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 11, 2004 Gregory P. Rund, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 11, 2004 Joshua A. Ramsey, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 12, 2004 Jeffery S. Blanton, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 12, 2004 Melvin L. Blazer, 38, Marine Staff Sergeant, Dec 12, 2004 Jason S. Clairday, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 12, 2004 Joshua W. Dickinson, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 12, 2004 Jeffrey L. Kirk, 24, Marine Sergeant, Dec 12, 2004 Hilario F. Lopez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 12, 2004 Ian W. Stewart, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 12, 2004 Tina Safaira Time, 22, Army Reserve Sergeant, Dec 13, 2004 Brent T. Vroman, 21, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, Dec 13, 2004 Richard D. Warner, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Dec 13, 2004 Victor A. Martinez, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 14, 2004 Michael D. Anderson, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 14, 2004 Franklin A. Sweger, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 16, 2004 Donald B. Farmer, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 19, 2004 Barry K. Meza, 23, Army Sergeant, Dec 19, 2004 Joel Egan Baldwin, 37, Navy Chief Petty Officer, Dec 21, 2004 Lionel Ayro, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 21, 2004 Jonathan Castro, 21, Army Specialist, Dec 21, 2004 Cory Michael Hewitt, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 21, 2004 William W. Jacobsen Jr., 31, Army Captain, Dec 21, 2004 Robert S. Johnson, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 21, 2004 Julian S. Melo, 47, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 21, 2004 Robert D. ODell, 38, Army Sergeant Major, Dec 21, 2004 Darren D. VanKomen, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 21, 2004 Thomas John Dostie, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 21, 2004 Nicholas C. \"Nick\" Mason, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 21, 2004 Lynn Robert Poulin Sr., 47, Army National Guard Sergeant, Dec 21, 2004 David A. Ruhren, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, Dec 21, 2004 Paul D. Karpowich, 30, Army Reserve Sergeant 1st Class, Dec 21, 2004 Neil D. Petsche, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 21, 2004 Christopher W. Barnett, 32, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Dec 23, 2004 Eric Hillenburg, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 23, 2004 James R. Phillips, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 23, 2004 Raleigh C. Smith, 21, Marine Corporal, Dec 23, 2004 Jose A. Rivera-Serrano, 26, Army Specialist, Dec 27, 2004 Todd D. Olson, 36, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Dec 27, 2004 Nathaniel J. Nyren, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Dec 28, 2004 Jason A. Lehto, 31, Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant, Dec 28, 2004 Pablito Pena Briones Jr., 22, Navy Seaman, Dec 28, 2004 Oscar Sanchez, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Dec 29, 2004 Craig L. Nelson, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Dec 29, 2004 Damien T. Ficek, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Dec 30, 2004 Jason E. Smith, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Dec 31, 2004 Jeff LeBrun, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 01, 2005 Brian P. Parrello, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 01, 2005 Thomas E. Houser, 22, Marine Sergeant, Jan 03, 2005 Cory R. Depew, 21, Army Private, Jan 04, 2005 Bennie J. Washington, 25, Army Sergeant, Jan 04, 2005 Curtis L. Wooten III, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 04, 2005 Jimmy D. Buie, 44, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 04, 2005 Joshua S. Marcum, 33, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 04, 2005 Jeremy W. McHalffey, 28, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 04, 2005 Christopher J. Babin, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 06, 2005 Bradley J. Bergeron, 25, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 06, 2005 Kurt J. Comeaux, 34, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 06, 2005 Huey P. L. Fassbender, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 06, 2005 Armand L. Frickey, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 06, 2005 Warren A. Murphy, 29, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 06, 2005 Kenneth G. Vonronn, 20, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Jan 06, 2005 Julio C. Cisneros-Alvarez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 06, 2005 Zachariah Scott Davis, 25, Marine Sergeant, Jan 06, 2005 Daniel F. Guastaferro, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 07, 2005 Dwayne James McFarlane Jr., 20, Army Specialist, Jan 09, 2005 Joseph E. Fite, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 09, 2005 William F. Manuel, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 10, 2005 Robert Wesley Sweeney III, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 10, 2005 Michael J. Smith, 24, Army Specialist, Jan 11, 2005 Gunnar D. Becker, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 13, 2005 Brian A. Mack, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 13, 2005 Matthew W. Holloway, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 13, 2005 Juan Rodrigo Rodriguez Velasco, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 13, 2005 Paul C. Holter III, 21, Marine Corporal, Jan 14, 2005 Nathaniel T. Swindell, 24, Army Sergeant, Jan 15, 2005 Jayton D. Patterson, 26, Marine Sergeant, Jan 15, 2005 Alain L. Kamolvathin, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 16, 2005 Jesus Fonseca, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 17, 2005 George R. Geer, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 17, 2005 Thomas E. Vitagliano, 33, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 17, 2005 Francis C. Obaji, 21, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Jan 17, 2005 Christopher J. Sullivan, 29, Army Captain, Jan 18, 2005 Kyle William Childress, 29, Army Sergeant, Jan 21, 2005 Joe Fenton Lusk II, 25, Army Captain, Jan 21, 2005 Nainoa K. Hoe, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jan 22, 2005 Jose C. Rangel, 43, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 23, 2005 Michael C. Carlson, 22, Army Sergeant, Jan 24, 2005 Jesus A. Leon-Perez, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 24, 2005 Javier Marin Jr., 29, Army Sergeant, Jan 24, 2005 Joseph W. Stevens, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 24, 2005 Brett D. Swank, 21, Army Sergeant, Jan 24, 2005 Viktar V. Yolkin, 24, Army Specialist, Jan 24, 2005 Leonard W. Adams, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jan 24, 2005 John Daniel House, 28, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jan 26, 2005 Taylor J. Burk, 21, Army Specialist, Jan 26, 2005 William S. Kinzer Jr., 27, Army Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Paul C. Alaniz, 32, Marine Captain, Jan 26, 2005 Brian D. Bland, 26, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Jonathan Edward Etterling, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Michael W. Finke Jr., 28, Marine Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Travis J. Fuller, 26, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Jan 26, 2005 Timothy M. Gibson, 23, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Richard A, Gilbert Jr., 26, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Lyle L. Gordon, 30, Marine Captain, Jan 26, 2005 Kyle J. Grimes, 21, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Tony L. Hernandez, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Brian C. Hopper, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Saeed Jafarkhani-Torshizi Jr., 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Stephen P. Johnson, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Sean P. Kelly, 23, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Dexter S. Kimble, 30, Marine Staff Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Allan Klein, 34, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Timothy A. Knight, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Fred L. Maciel, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 James Lee Moore, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Nathaniel K. Moore, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Mourad Ragimov, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Rhonald Dain Rairdan, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Hector Ramos, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Gael Saintvil, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Nathan A. Schubert, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Darrell J. Schumann, 25, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Dustin M. Shumney, 30, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Jan 26, 2005 Matthew R. Smith, 24, Marine Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Joseph B. Spence, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Michael L. Starr Jr., 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Jonathan W. Bowling, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Karl R. Linn, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Jesse W. Strong, 24, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Jan 26, 2005 Christopher L. Weaver, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jan 26, 2005 Kevin M. Luna, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 27, 2005 Jonathan S. Beatty, 22, Marine Corporal, Jan 27, 2005 Orlando A. Bonilla, 27, Army Captain, Jan 28, 2005 Stephen A. Castellano, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 28, 2005 Charles S. Jones, 34, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jan 28, 2005 Joseph E. Rodriguez, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Mickey E. Zaun, 27, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 28, 2005 Michael S. Evans II, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 28, 2005 Christopher J. Ramsey, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 28, 2005 Jonathan Ray Reed, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Lyle W. Rymer II, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, Jan 28, 2005 Andrew K. Farrar Jr., 31, Marine Sergeant, Jan 28, 2005 Edward E. Jack, 51, Navy Lieutenant Commander, Jan 29, 2005 Lindsey T. James, 23, Army Sergeant, Jan 29, 2005 Barbara Heald, 60, Dept. of the Army Civilian, Jan 29, 2005 Keith Edward Taylor, 47, Navy Lieutenant Commander, Jan 29, 2005 James H. Miller IV, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Jan 30, 2005 Nazario Serrano, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 30, 2005 Mark C. Warren, 44, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jan 31, 2005 Jason C. Redifer, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 31, 2005 Harry R. Swain IV, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jan 31, 2005 Christopher E. Zimny, 27, Marine Corporal, Jan 31, 2005 Robert T. Hendrickson, 24, Army Specialist, Feb 01, 2005 Sean Lee Brock, 29, Marine Captain, Feb 02, 2005 Sean P. Maher, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 02, 2005 Stephen R. Sherman, 27, Army Sergeant, Feb 03, 2005 Sean Michael Cooley, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 03, 2005 Richard C. Clifton, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Feb 03, 2005 Steven G. Bayow, 42, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 04, 2005 Daniel Torres, 23, Army Sergeant, Feb 04, 2005 Travis M. Wichlacz, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 05, 2005 Jeremy O. Allmon, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 06, 2005 Zachary Ryan Wobler, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 06, 2005 Jeffrey S. Henthorn, 25, Army Specialist, Feb 08, 2005 Jessica M. Housby, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 09, 2005 William T. Robbins, 31, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Feb 10, 2005 Richard A. Perez Jr., 19, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 10, 2005 Kristopher L. Shepherd, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 11, 2005 Robert A. McNail, 30, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 11, 2005 Ray Rangel, 29, Air Force Staff Sergeant, Feb 13, 2005 David J. Brangman, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 13, 2005 Dakotah L. Gooding, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 13, 2005 Rene Knox Jr., 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 13, 2005 Chad W. Lake, 26, Army Sergeant, Feb 13, 2005 David J. Salie, 34, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Feb 14, 2005 Michael A. Arciola, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 15, 2005 Katrina Lani Bell-Johnson, 32, Army Specialist, Feb 16, 2005 Justin B. Carter, 21, Army Specialist, Feb 16, 2005 Jason R. Hendrix, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 16, 2005 Adam J. Plumondore, 22, Army Sergeant, Feb 16, 2005 Christopher M. Pusateri, 21, Army Sergeant, Feb 16, 2005 Timothy R. Osbey, 34, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 16, 2005 Joseph A. Rahaim, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 16, 2005 Frank B. Hernandez, 21, Army Sergeant, Feb 17, 2005 Carlos J. Gil, 30, Army Sergeant, Feb 18, 2005 Clinton R. Gertson, 26, Army Specialist, Feb 19, 2005 Adam Malson, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Feb 19, 2005 Seth R. Trahan, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Feb 19, 2005 Kevin Michael Clarke, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 19, 2005 David F. Day, 25, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Feb 21, 2005 Jesse M. Lhotka, 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 21, 2005 Jason G. Timmerman, 24, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Feb 21, 2005 John T. Olson, 21, Marine Corporal, Feb 21, 2005 Trevor D. Aston, 32, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 22, 2005 Eric M. Steffeney, 28, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 23, 2005 Nicholas J. Olivier, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Feb 23, 2005 Alexander B. Crackel, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 24, 2005 Michael S. Deem, 35, Army Specialist, Feb 24, 2005 Daniel G. Gresham, 23, Army Staff Sergeant, Feb 24, 2005 Jacob C. Palmatier, 29, Army Specialist, Feb 24, 2005 Adam Noel Brewer, 22, Army Specialist, Feb 25, 2005 Colby M. Farnan, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 25, 2005 Chassan S. Henry, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 25, 2005 Jason L. Moski, 24, Army Specialist, Feb 25, 2005 Min-su Choi, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 26, 2005 Landon S. Giles, 19, Army Private, Feb 26, 2005 Andrew W. Nowacki, 24, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Feb 26, 2005 Danny L. Anderson, 29, Army Private 1st Class, Feb 27, 2005 Richard Brian Gienau, 29, Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant, Feb 27, 2005 Julio E. Negron, 28, Army Sergeant, Feb 28, 2005 Lizbeth Robles, 31, Army Specialist, Mar 01, 2005 Azhar Ali, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 02, 2005 Wai Pyoe Lwin, 27, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 02, 2005 Robert Shane Pugh, 25, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 02, 2005 Michael D. Jones, 43, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 03, 2005 Donald W. Eacho, 38, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 04, 2005 Sean Grimes, 31, Army Captain, Mar 04, 2005 Stephen M. McGowan, 26, Army Corporal, Mar 04, 2005 Adriana N. Salem, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 04, 2005 Juan M. Solorio, 32, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 04, 2005 Wade Michael Twyman, 27, Army Specialist, Mar 04, 2005 Seth K. Garceau, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 04, 2005 Andrew L. Bossert, 24, Army Sergeant, Mar 07, 2005 Michael W. Franklin, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 07, 2005 Matthew A. Koch, 23, Army Specialist, Mar 09, 2005 Donald D. Griffith Jr., 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Mar 11, 2005 Nicholas E. Wilson, 21, Army Specialist, Mar 11, 2005 Joshua L. Torrence, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 14, 2005 Paul M. Heltzel, 39, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 15, 2005 Ricky A. Kieffer, 36, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Mar 15, 2005 Rocky D. Payne, 26, Army Specialist, Mar 16, 2005 Lee A. Lewis Jr., 28, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 18, 2005 Jonathan A. Hughes, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 19, 2005 Francisco G. Martinez, 20, Army Specialist, Mar 20, 2005 Paul W. Thomason III, 37, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 20, 2005 Kevin S. Smith, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Mar 21, 2005 Travis R. Bruce, 22, Army Specialist, Mar 23, 2005 Bryan J. Richardson, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Mar 25, 2005 Lee M. Godbolt, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 26, 2005 Isiah J. Sinclair, 31, Army National Guard Sergeant, Mar 26, 2005 Samuel S. Lee, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Mar 28, 2005 Kelly S. Morris, 24, Army Sergeant, Mar 30, 2005 Kenneth L. Ridgley, 30, Army Sergeant, Mar 30, 2005 Eric L. Toth, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Mar 30, 2005 Charles G. Wells Jr., 32, Marine Reserve Warrant Officer, Mar 30, 2005 Robbie D. McNary, 42, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Mar 31, 2005 Garrywesley Tan Rimes, 30, Marine Corporal, Apr 01, 2005 Ioasa F. Tavae Jr., 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 02, 2005 Tenzin Dengkhim, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2005 William D. Richardson, 23, Army Corporal, Apr 03, 2005 James Alexander Sherrill, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 03, 2005 Stephen C. Kennedy, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Apr 04, 2005 Christopher W. Dill, 32, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2005 Jeremiah C. Kinchen, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Apr 04, 2005 Javier J. Garcia, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 05, 2005 Glenn J. Watkins, 42, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 05, 2005 Juan C. Venegas, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 07, 2005 Kevin Dewayne Davis, 41, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2005 Casey M. LaWare, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2005 Tyler J. Dickens, 20, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2005 Manuel Lopez III, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2005 John W. Miller, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Apr 12, 2005 Michael B. Lindemuth, 27, Marine Reserve Corporal, Apr 13, 2005 James C. Edge, 31, Marine Captain, Apr 14, 2005 Aleina Ramirezgonzalez, 33, Army Specialist, Apr 15, 2005 Aaron M. Hudson, 20, Army Private, Apr 16, 2005 Angelo L. Lozada Jr., 36, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2005 Randy Lee Stevens, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 16, 2005 Tromaine K. Toy Sr., 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2005 Joseph L. Knott, 21, Army Private, Apr 17, 2005 Steven F. Sirko, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 17, 2005 Sam W. Huff, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 18, 2005 Steven W. Thornton, 46, Army Major, Apr 18, 2005 Jacob M. Pfister, 27, Army Specialist, Apr 19, 2005 Kevin S. K. Wessel, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 19, 2005 Kelly M. Cannan, 21, Marine Corporal, Apr 20, 2005 Marty G. Mortenson, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 20, 2005 Robert A. \"Bobby\" Guy, 26, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 21, 2005 Gavin J. Colburn, 20, Army Reserve Private 1st Class, Apr 22, 2005 Aaron A. Kent, 28, Navy Seaman, Apr 23, 2005 Anthony J. Davis Jr., 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 23, 2005 Kevin William Prince, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 23, 2005 Gary W. Walters Jr., 31, Army Specialist, Apr 24, 2005 Timmy J. Millsap, 39, Army 1st Sergeant, Apr 25, 2005 David L. Rice, 22, Army Specialist, Apr 26, 2005 Joseph S. Tremblay, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Apr 27, 2005 William A. Edens, 29, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 28, 2005 Eric Wayne Morris, 31, Army Sergeant, Apr 28, 2005 Robert W. Murray Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 28, 2005 Ricky W. Rockholt Jr., 28, Army Specialist, Apr 28, 2005 Timothy Craig Kiser, 37, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 28, 2005 Charles S. Cooper Jr., 19, Army Private, Apr 29, 2005 Darren A. Deblanc, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 29, 2005 Stephen W. Frank, 29, Army Captain, Apr 29, 2005 Clifford V. \"CC\" Gadsden, 25, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Apr 29, 2005 Ralph J. \"Jay\" Harting III, 28, Army Captain, Apr 29, 2005 Juan de Dios Garcia-Arana, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 30, 2005 Kenya A. Parker, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 30, 2005 Derrick Joseph Lutters, 24, Army National Guard Specialist, May 01, 2005 Tommy S. Little, 47, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 02, 2005 John E. McGee, 36, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 02, 2005 Kelly C. Hinz, 30, Marine Captain, May 02, 2005 John C. Spahr, 42, Marine Major, May 02, 2005 William J. Brooks, 30, Army Staff Sergeant, May 03, 2005 Stephen P. Saxton, 24, Army Sergeant, May 03, 2005 Michael V. Postal, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 07, 2005 Aaron N. Cepeda Sr., 22, Marine Reserve Sergeant, May 07, 2005 Lance Tanner Graham, 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, May 07, 2005 Michael A. Marzano, 28, Marine Reserve Sergeant, May 07, 2005 Jeffery L. Wiener, 32, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, May 07, 2005 Steven Ray Givens, 26, Army Specialist, May 08, 2005 Thor H. Ingraham, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, May 08, 2005 Nicolas E. Messmer, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 08, 2005 Gary A. \"Andy\" Eckert Jr., 24, Army Reserve Sergeant, May 08, 2005 Lawrence R. Philippon, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, May 08, 2005 Dustin A. Derga, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, May 08, 2005 Stephen P. Baldwyn, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, May 09, 2005 Anthony L. Goodwin, 33, Marine Staff Sergeant, May 09, 2005 Marcus Mahdee, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 09, 2005 Taylor B. Prazynski, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, May 09, 2005 Michael J. Bordelon, 37, Army 1st Sergeant, May 10, 2005 Samuel Tyrone Castle, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, May 11, 2005 Kendall H. Ivy II, 28, Marine Staff Sergeant, May 11, 2005 John T. Schmidt III, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, May 11, 2005 Wesley G. Davids, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, May 11, 2005 Christopher R. Dixon, 18, Marine Reserve Private 1st Class, May 11, 2005 Nicholas B. Erdy, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, May 11, 2005 Jonathan Walter Grant, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, May 11, 2005 Jourdan L. Grez, 24, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, May 11, 2005 Andrew R. Jodon, 27, Army Sergeant, May 12, 2005 John M. Smith, 22, Army Sergeant, May 12, 2005 Kenneth E. Zeigler II, 22, Army Private 1st Class, May 12, 2005 Travis W. Anderson, 28, Army Private 1st Class, May 13, 2005 Charles C. Gillican III, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 14, 2005 Jacob M. Simpson, 24, Army Sergeant, May 16, 2005 Wesley R. Riggs, 19, Army Private 1st Class, May 17, 2005 Antwan L. \"Twan\" Walker, 22, Army Sergeant, May 18, 2005 Wyatt D. Eisenhauer, 26, Army Private 1st Class, May 19, 2005 Robin V. Fell, 22, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 19, 2005 Bernard L. Sembly, 25, Army National Guard Specialist, May 19, 2005 Kurt D. Schamberg, 26, Army Sergeant, May 20, 2005 Brad A. Wentz, 21, Army Reserve Sergeant, May 20, 2005 Tyler L. Creamean, 21, Army Specialist, May 22, 2005 Benjamin C. Morton, 24, Army Sergeant, May 22, 2005 Kenneth J. Schall, 22, Army Sergeant, May 22, 2005 Aaron N. Seesan, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, May 22, 2005 Charles T. Wilkerson, 30, Army Sergeant, May 22, 2005 Carl J. Morgain, 40, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 22, 2005 John B. Ogburn III, 45, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 22, 2005 Joshua T. Brazee, 25, Army Specialist, May 23, 2005 Russell J. Verdugo, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, May 23, 2005 Bryan Edward Barron, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, May 23, 2005 Audrey Daron Lunsford, 29, Army National Guard Specialist, May 23, 2005 Saburant \"Sabe\" Parker, 43, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, May 23, 2005 Daniel Ryan Varnado, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 23, 2005 Christopher S. Perez, 30, Marine Sergeant, May 23, 2005 Randy D. Collins, 36, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 24, 2005 Charles A. \"Chuck\" Drier, 28, Army Sergeant, May 24, 2005 Dustin C. Fisher, 22, Army Specialist, May 24, 2005 Jeffrey R. Wallace, 20, Army Private 1st Class, May 24, 2005 Peter J. Hahn, 31, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, May 24, 2005 Alfred Barton Siler, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant, May 25, 2005 David Neil Wimberg, 24, Marine Reserve Sergeant, May 25, 2005 Ricardo A. Crocker, 39, Marine Reserve Major, May 26, 2005 Matthew Scott Lourey, 40, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW4), May 27, 2005 Mark A. Maida, 22, Army Sergeant, May 27, 2005 Joshua Michael Scott, 28, Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW2), May 27, 2005 Phillip N. Sayles, 26, Army Specialist, May 28, 2005 Albert E. Smart, 41, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, May 28, 2005 Michael S. Barnhill, 39, Marine Reserve 1st Sergeant, May 28, 2005 Victor M. Cortes III, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, May 29, 2005 Derek Argel, 28, Air Force Captain, May 30, 2005 Casey Crate, 26, Air Force Staff Sergeant, May 30, 2005 William Downs, 40, Air Force Major, May 30, 2005 Jeremy Fresques, 26, Air Force Captain, May 30, 2005 Jeffrey B. Starr, 22, Marine Corporal, May 30, 2005 Steven M. Langmack, 33, Army Sergeant 1st Class, May 31, 2005 Miguel A. Ramos, 39, Army Reserve Sergeant, May 31, 2005 Phillip C. Edmundson, 22, Army Specialist, Jun 01, 2005 Louis E. Niedermeier, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 01, 2005 Virgil R. Case, 37, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jun 01, 2005 Linda J. Villar, 41, Dept. of the Army Civilian, Jun 03, 2005 Antonio Mendoza, 21, Marine Corporal, Jun 03, 2005 Eric J. Poelman, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 05, 2005 Brian Scott \"Scotty\" Ulbrich, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 05, 2005 Justin L. Vasquez, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jun 05, 2005 Theodore S. Westhusing, 44, Army Colonel, Jun 05, 2005 Carrie L. French, 19, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 05, 2005 Brian M. Romines, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 06, 2005 Robert T. Mininger, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 06, 2005 Jonathan L. Smith, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 06, 2005 Eric T. Burri, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 07, 2005 Terrence K. Crowe, 44, Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Jun 07, 2005 Roberto Arizola Jr., 31, Army Sergeant, Jun 08, 2005 Michael J. Fasnacht, 25, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jun 08, 2005 Douglas E. Kashmer, 27, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 08, 2005 Louis E. Allen, 34, Army National Guard 1st Lieutenant, Jun 08, 2005 Phillip T. Esposito, 30, Army National Guard Captain, Jun 08, 2005 Marc Lucas Tucker, 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 08, 2005 Mark O. Edwards, 40, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jun 09, 2005 David Joseph Murray, 23, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 09, 2005 Daniel Chavez, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 09, 2005 Dustin V. Birch, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jun 09, 2005 Thomas O. Keeling, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jun 09, 2005 Devon Paul Seymour, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jun 09, 2005 Brad D. Squires, 26, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jun 09, 2005 Mario Alberto Castillo, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 10, 2005 Andrew J. Kilpela, 22, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 10, 2005 Stanley J. Lapinski, 35, Army Corporal, Jun 11, 2005 Neil A. Prince, 35, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jun 11, 2005 Larry R. Arnold Sr., 46, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 11, 2005 Casey Byers, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 11, 2005 Terrance D. Lee Sr., 25, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 11, 2005 Anthony D. Kinslow, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 13, 2005 Larry R. Kuhns Jr., 24, Army Sergeant, Jun 13, 2005 John J. Mattek Jr., 24, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 13, 2005 Anthony G. Jones, 25, Army Sergeant, Jun 14, 2005 Michael Ray Hayes, 29, Army National Guard Private 1st Class, Jun 14, 2005 Nathan B. Clemons, 20, Marine Private 1st Class, Jun 14, 2005 Joshua P. Klinger, 21, Marine Private 1st Class, Jun 14, 2005 Jonathan R. Flores, 18, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 15, 2005 Jesse Jaime, 22, Marine Corporal, Jun 15, 2005 Chad B. Maynard, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 15, 2005 Tyler S. Trovillion, 23, Marine Corporal, Jun 15, 2005 Dion M. Whitley, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 15, 2005 Cesar O. Baez, 37, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Jun 15, 2005 Anthony S. Cometa, 21, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 16, 2005 Erik R. Heldt, 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 16, 2005 John W. Maloney, 36, Marine Captain, Jun 16, 2005 Robert M. Horrigan, 40, Army Master Sergeant, Jun 17, 2005 Michael L. McNulty, 36, Army Master Sergeant, Jun 17, 2005 Noah Harris, 23, Army 1st Lieutenant, Jun 18, 2005 William A. Long, 26, Army Corporal, Jun 18, 2005 Adam J. Crumpler, 19, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 18, 2005 Christopher R. Kilpatrick, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Jun 20, 2005 Christopher L. Hoskins, 21, Army Specialist, Jun 21, 2005 Nicholas R. Idalski, 23, Army Specialist, Jun 21, 2005 James D. Stewart, 29, Army Sergeant, Jun 21, 2005 Brian A. Vaughn, 23, Army Specialist, Jun 21, 2005 Arnold Duplantier II, 26, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 22, 2005 Christopher W. Phelps, 39, Army Sergeant 1st Class, Jun 23, 2005 Joseph M. Tackett, 22, Army Sergeant, Jun 23, 2005 Holly A. Charette, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 23, 2005 Veashna Muy, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Jun 23, 2005 Chad W. Powell, 22, Marine Corporal, Jun 23, 2005 Ramona M. Valdez, 20, Marine Corporal, Jun 23, 2005 Regina R. Clark, 43, Naval Reserve Petty Officer 1st Class, Jun 23, 2005 Carlos Pineda, 23, Marine Corporal, Jun 24, 2005 Charles A. Kaufman, 20, Army National Guard Specialist, Jun 26, 2005 Matthew S. Coutu, 23, Army 2nd Lieutenant, Jun 27, 2005 Keith R. Mariotti, 39, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jun 27, 2005 Steven E. Shepard, 30, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Jun 27, 2005 Rafael A. \"T. J.\" Carrillo Jr., 21, Army Specialist, Jun 28, 2005 Manny Hornedo, 27, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 28, 2005 Robert E. Hall Jr., 30, Army Reserve Specialist, Jun 28, 2005 Chad M. Mercer, 25, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jun 30, 2005 Jeremy A. Brown, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 03, 2005 Ryan J. Montgomery, 22, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 03, 2005 Scottie L. Bright, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 05, 2005 Lyle J. Cambridge, 23, Army Corporal, Jul 05, 2005 Christopher W. Dickison, 26, Army Specialist, Jul 05, 2005 Anthony M. Mazzarella, 22, Army Private, Jul 05, 2005 Deyson K. Cariaga, 20, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 08, 2005 Hoby F. Bradfield Jr., 22, Army Specialist, Jul 09, 2005 Eric Paul Woods, 26, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 09, 2005 Joseph P. Goodrich, 32, Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant, Jul 10, 2005 Ryan J. Kovacicek, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jul 10, 2005 Timothy J. Sutton, 22, Army Sergeant, Jul 11, 2005 Benyahmin B. Yahudah, 24, Army Specialist, Jul 13, 2005 Timothy J. Hines Jr., 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 14, 2005 Tricia L. Jameson, 34, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jul 14, 2005 Clifton Blake Mounce, 22, Marine Corporal, Jul 14, 2005 Christopher D. Winchester, 23, Marine Corporal, Jul 14, 2005 Jared D. Hartley, 22, Army Specialist, Jul 15, 2005 Jorge Luis Pena-Romero, 29, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 16, 2005 Travis S. Cooper, 24, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 16, 2005 Ronald T. Wood, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 16, 2005 Ronnie D. Williams, 26, Army Specialist, Jul 17, 2005 Frank F. Tiai, 45, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Jul 17, 2005 Efrain Sanchez Jr., 26, Marine Lance Corporal, Jul 17, 2005 Lavena L. Johnson, 19, Army Private, Jul 19, 2005 Arthur R. McGill, 25, Army Sergeant, Jul 19, 2005 Jefferey J. Farrow, 28, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Jul 19, 2005 Steven P. Gill, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jul 21, 2005 Travis L. Youngblood, 26, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Jul 21, 2005 Bryan James Opskar, 32, Marine Sergeant, Jul 23, 2005 Ernest W. Dallas Jr., 21, Army Specialist, Jul 24, 2005 Jason W. Montefering, 27, Army Staff Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 Milton M. Monzon Jr., 21, Army Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 Christopher J. Taylor, 22, Army Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 Ramon A. Villatoro Jr., 19, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 24, 2005 Jacques Earl \"Gus\" Brunson, 30, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 24, 2005 Carl Ray Fuller, 44, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 James Ondra Kinlow, 35, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 John Frank Thomas, 33, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 24, 2005 Adam J. Harting, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 25, 2005 Adrian J. Butler, 28, Army Specialist, Jul 27, 2005 Edward L. Myers, 21, Army Specialist, Jul 27, 2005 John O. Tollefson, 22, Army Specialist, Jul 27, 2005 Benjamin D. Jansky, 28, Army Reserve Captain, Jul 27, 2005 Christopher P. Lyons, 24, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Jul 28, 2005 Andre L. Williams, 23, Marine Reserve Corporal, Jul 28, 2005 Ernesto R. Guerra, 20, Army Private, Jul 29, 2005 Jason D. Scheuerman, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 30, 2005 Robert A. Swaney, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Jul 30, 2005 Victor Anderson, 39, Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class, Jul 30, 2005 Jonathon Haggin, 26, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 30, 2005 David R. Jones, 45, Army National Guard Sergeant, Jul 30, 2005 Ronnie \"Rod\" Shelley, 34, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 30, 2005 James D. Carroll, 23, Army National Guard Specialist, Jul 31, 2005 Jeffrey A. Boskovitch, 25, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 01, 2005 Roger D. Castleberry Jr., 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 01, 2005 David J. Coullard, 32, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 01, 2005 Daniel Nathan Deyarmin Jr., 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 01, 2005 James R. Graham III, 25, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 01, 2005 Brian P. Montgomery, 26, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 01, 2005 Nathaniel S. Rock, 26, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 01, 2005 James D. McNaughton, 27, Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Aug 02, 2005Huey Lewis Ganey, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005Charles Houghton Warren, 36, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005Adam J. Strain, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Timothy Michael Bell Jr., 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Eric J. Bernholtz, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Nicholas William B. Bloem, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Michael J. Cifuentes, 25, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Christopher Jenkins Dyer, 19, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Grant B. Fraser, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Bradley J. Harper, 25, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005Justin F. Hoffman, 27, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005David Kenneth J. Kreuter, 26, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Aaron H. Reed, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Edward August Schroeder II, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005David S. Stewart, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 03, 2005Kevin G. Waruinge, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005William Brett Wightman, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005 Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-08-04 Thank you sir.\n3 bows.\nyrs f Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-04 Very moving post!!Thank you Musafir. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/us-casualties-in-iraq---names-by-date/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs of August 3, 2005, 1826 of our men and women in uniform have fallen in Iraq. \"Sorrowing Lies My Land*\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(*Title of a book by the Goan author Lambert Mascarenhas)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe names   (Source:\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Casualties.org\u003c/a\u003e)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003eAubin,           Jay Thomas 36, Marine  Major,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan Anthony Beaupre,  30, Marine  Captain,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Therrel Shane Childers,  30, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose Antonio Gutierrez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Matthew Kennedy,  25, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kendall Damon Waters-Bey,  29, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Scott Tobler,  19, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Mar 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric James Orlowski,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas Mullen Adams,  27, Navy  Lieutenant,   Mar 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jamaal Rashard Addison,  22, Army  Specialist,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward John Anguiano,  24, Army  Specialist,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George Edward Buggs,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert John Dowdy,  38, Army  Master Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ruben Estrella-Soto,  18, Army  Private,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Howard Johnson II,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Michael Kiehl,  22, Army  Specialist,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Johnny Villareal Mata,  35, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lori Ann Piestewa,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Scott Seifert,  27, Army  Captain,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Ulysses Sloan,  19, Army  Private,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald Ralph Walters,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Edward Bitz,  31, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Rory Buesing,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tamario Demetrice Burkett,  21, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kemaphoom \"Ahn\" Chanawongse,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald John Cline Jr.,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Keith Fribley,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose Angel Garibay,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Lee Gifford,  30, Marine  Private,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jorge Alonso Gonzalez,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicolas Michael Hodson,  22, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nolen Ryan Hutchings,  19, Marine  Private,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip Andrew Jordan,  42, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick Ray Nixon,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frederick Eben Pokorney Jr.,  31, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brendon Curtis Reiss,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Randal Kent Rosacker,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas Jonathan Slocum,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Jason Williams,  31, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory Paul Sanders,  19, Army  Specialist,   Mar 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas Alan Blair,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Evan Tyler James,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley Steven Korthaus,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory Lewis Stone,  40, Air National Guard  Major,   Mar 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Vann Johnson Jr.,  25, Navy  Hospital Corpsman 3rd Cl.,   Mar 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin Gerard Nave,  36, Marine  Major,   Mar 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Francisco Abraham Martinez-Flores,  21, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald Charles May Jr.,  31, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Menusa,  33, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick Terence O'Day,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Marcus Rodriguez,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roderic Antoine Solomon,  32, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Fernando Padilla-Ramirez,  26, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Russell  Creighton-Weldon,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Edward Curtin,  23, Army  Corporal,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Diego Fernando Rincon,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eugene Williams,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Wilford Cawley,  41, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William Wayne White,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron Joseph Contreras,  31, Marine  Captain,   Mar 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Vernon Lalush,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Daniel McGinnis,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Mar 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Jacob Rowe,  20, Army  Specialist,   Mar 31, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William Andrew Jeffries,  39, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 31, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob Lee Butler,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Basil Maglione III,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Francis Adamouski,  29, Army  Captain,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew George Boule,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George Andrew Fernandez,  36, Army  Master Sergeant,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik Anders Halvorsen,  40, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW4),   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott Jamar,  32, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Francis Pedersen,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Allen Smith,  41, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW3),   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Edward Anderson,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christian Daniel Gurtner,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan Dennis White,  30, Navy  Lieutenant,   Apr 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wilbert Davis,  40, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward Jason Korn,  31, Army  Captain,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nino Dugue Livaudais,  23, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan Patrick Long,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald Samuel Oaks Jr.,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Randall Scott Rehn,  36, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Russell Brian Rippetoe,  27, Army  Captain,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd James Robbins,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad Eric Bales,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark Asher Evnin,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik Hernandez Silva,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tristan Neil Aitken,  31, Army  Captain,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wilfred Davyrussell Bellard,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Francis Cunningham Jr.,  33, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Devon Demilo Jones,  19, Army  Private,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul Ray Smith,  33, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis Allen Ford,  30, Marine  Captain,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bernard George Gooden,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Michael McPhillips,  25, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Duane Roy Rios,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin Wilson Sammis,  29, Marine  Captain,   Apr 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stevon Alexander Booker,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry Kenyatta Brown,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward Smith,  38, Marine  1st Sergeant,   Apr 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory Paul Huxley Jr.,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelley Stephen Prewitt,  24, Army  Private,   Apr 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Bruce Das,  30, Air Force  Captain,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William Randolph Watkins III,  37, Air Force  Major,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lincoln Daniel Hollinsaid,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey Joseph Kaylor,  24, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony Scott Miller,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George Arthur Mitchell Jr.,  35, Army  Specialist,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew Julian Aviles,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott Douglas Sather,  29, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Henry Levon Brown,  22, Army  Corporal,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Winston Marshall,  50, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason Michael Meyer,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Anthony Stever,  36, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan Guadalupe Garza Jr.,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Terry Wayne Hemingway,  39, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey Edward Bohr Jr.,  39, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Apr 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Riayan Augusto Tejeda,  26, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesus Angel Gonzalez,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Edward Owens Jr.,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Acevedo,  46,  Navy  Commander,   Apr 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gil Mercado,  25, Army  Specialist,   Apr 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Eli Brown,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas Arthur Foley III,  23, Army  Specialist,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Patrick Mayek,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Allen Goward,  32, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Armando Ariel Gonzalez,  25, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason David Mileo,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Travis Rivero,  23, Army  Corporal,   Apr 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roy Russell Buckley,  24, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Apr 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew Todd Arnold,  30, Marine  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Apr 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert William Channell Jr.,  36, Marine  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Apr 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alan Dinh Lam,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Troy David Jenkins,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Osbaldo Orozco,  26, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Narson Bertil Sullivan,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joe Jesus Garza,  43, Army  1st Sergeant,   Apr 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse Alan Givens,  34, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean C. Reynolds,  25, Army  Sergeant,   May 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Deibler,  20, Army  Private,   May 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marlin T. Rockhold,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard P. Carl,  26, Army  Corporal,   May 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hans N. Gukeisen,  31, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   May 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Van Dusen,  39, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   May 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cedric E. Bruns,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew R. Smith,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jakub Henryk Kowalik,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose F. Gonzalez Rodriguez,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick Lee Griffin Jr.,  31, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   May 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas Brian Kleiboeker,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David T. Nutt,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William L. Payne,  46, Army  Master Sergeant,   May 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rasheed Sahib,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Douglas Jose Marencoreyes,  28, Marine  Corporal,   May 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dominic Rocco Baragona,  42, Army  Lieutenant Colonel,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew David LaMont,  31, Marine  Captain,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason William Moore,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy Louis Ryan,  30, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kirk Allen Straseskie,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron Dean White,  27, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   May 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel A. Caldwell,  27, Army  Specialist,   May 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Evans Jr.,  18, Army  Private,   May 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keman L. Mitchell,  24, Army  Sergeant,   May 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth A. Nalley,  19, Army  Private,   May 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brett J. Petriken,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew E. Schram,  36, Army  Major,   May 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah D. Smith,  25, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas F. Broomhead,  34, Army  Sergeant,   May 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael B. Quinn,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth R. Bradley,  39, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose A. Perez III,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael T. Gleason,  25, Army  Specialist,   May 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle A. Griffin,  20, Army  Specialist,   May 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Zachariah W. Long,  20, Army  Specialist,   May 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan W. Lambert,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   Jun 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Atanasio Haro Marin Jr.,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Branden F. Oberleitner,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis L. Burkhardt,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Doyle W. Bollinger Jr.,  21, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Jun 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Sisung,  21, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Jun 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse M. Halling,  19, Army  Private,   Jun 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael E. Dooley,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gavin L. Neighbor,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John K. Klinesmith Jr.,  25, Army  Specialist,   Jun 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew R. Pokorny,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan R. Cox,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jun 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawn D. Pahnke,  25, Army  Private,   Jun 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph D. Suell,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jun 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. Frantz,  19, Army  Private,   Jun 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L. Tosto,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael R. Deuel,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William T. Latham,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul T. Nakamura,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Orenthial Javon Smith,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cedric Lamont Lennon,  32, Army  Specialist,   Jun 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew F. Chris,  25, Army  Specialist,   Jun 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin C. Ott,  27, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gladimir Philippe,  32, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jun 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory E. MacDonald,  29, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Corey A. Hubbell,  20, Army  Specialist,   Jun 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard P. Orengo,  32, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua McIntosh,  22, Navy  Hospitalman,   Jun 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tomas Sotelo Jr.,  20, Army  Corporal,   Jun 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy M. Conneway,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher D. Coffin,  51, Army Reserve  1st Sergeant,   Jul 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis J. Bradachnall,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward J. Herrgott,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Corey L. Small,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Curtis Coons,  35, Army  Master Sergeant,   Jul 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David B. Parson,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey M. Wershow,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad L. Keith,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Barry Sanford Sr.,  46, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. McKinley,  23, Army  Private,   Jul 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Craig A. Boling,  38, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Melissa Valles,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roger Dale Rowe,  54, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dan H. Gabrielson,  39, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason Tetrault,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christian C. Schultz,  20, Army  Specialist,   Jul 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua M. Neusche,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jul 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jaror C. Puello-Coronado,  36, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul J. Cassidy,  36, Army Reserve  Captain,   Jul 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael T. Crockett,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory Ryan Geurin,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramon Reyes Torres,  29, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jul 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mason Douglas Whetstone,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Moreno,  26, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Jul 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joel L. Bertoldie,  20, Army  Specialist,   Jul 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan D. Rozier,  25, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Jul 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David A. Scott,  51, Air Force  Master Sergeant,   Jul 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin W. Garvey,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason D. Jordan,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher R. Willoughby,  29, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark Anthony Bibby,  25, Army Reserve  Corporal,   Jul 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jon P. Fettig,  30, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua T. Byers,  29, Army  Captain,   Jul 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brett T. Christian,  27, Army  Specialist,   Jul 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Evan Asa Ashcraft,  24, Army  Corporal,   Jul 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raheen Tyson Heighter,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hector R. Perez,  40, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan M. Serrano,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan P. Barnes,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel K. Methvin,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wilfredo Perez Jr.,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jul 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan M. Cheatham,  19, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Jul 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Heath A. McMillin,  29, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel Hart Jr.,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William J. Maher III,  35, Army  Specialist,   Jul 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leif E. Nott,  24, Army  Captain,   Jul 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Deutsch,  21, Army  Private,   Jul 31, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James I. Lambert III,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jul 31, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin W. Hebert,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Farao K. Letufuga,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Loyd,  44, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Zeferino E. Colunga,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle C. Gilbert,  20, Army  Private,   Aug 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian R. Hellerman,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leonard D. Simmons,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Duane E. Longstreth,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew D. Bush,  20, Army  Private,   Aug 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Ramsey,  21, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Aug 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Levi B. Kinchen,  21, Army  Specialist,   Aug 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Floyd G. Knighten Jr.,  55, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Aug 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David S. Perry,  36, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timmy R. Brown Jr.,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel R. Parker,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Taft V. Williams,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard S. Eaton Jr.,  37, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven W. White,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Kirchhoff,  31, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Aug 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Craig S. Ivory,  26, Army  Specialist,   Aug 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric R. Hull,  23, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Aug 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bobby C. Franklin,  38, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth W. Harris Jr.,  23, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Aug 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Adams,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kylan A. Jones-Huffman,  31, Naval Reserve  Lieutenant,   Aug 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Vorn J. Mack,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen M. Scott,  21, Army  Specialist,   Aug 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald D. Allen Jr.,  22, Army  Specialist,   Aug 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pablo Manzano,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darryl T. Dent,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Aug 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rafael L. Navea,  34, Army  Specialist,   Aug 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory A. Belanger,  24, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Aug 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony L. Sherman,  43, Army Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   Aug 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark A. Lawton,  41, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean K. Cataudella,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles Todd Caldwell,  38, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Sep 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Camara,  40, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cameron B. Sarno,  43, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher A. Sisson,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bruce E. Brown,  32, Air Force  Technical Sergeant,   Sep 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jarrett B. Thompson,  27, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Sep 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan G. Carlock,  25, Army  Specialist,   Sep 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph E. Robsky Jr.,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Henry Ybarra III,  32, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William M. Bennett,  35, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Sep 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin N. Morehead,  33, Army  Master Sergeant,   Sep 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trevor A. Blumberg,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin C. Kimmerly,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alyssa R. Peterson,  27, Army  Specialist,   Sep 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Foster Pinkston,  47, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Sep 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Arriaga,  20, Army  Specialist,   Sep 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian R. Faunce,  28, Army  Captain,   Sep 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony O. Thompson,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James C Wright,  27, Army  Specialist,   Sep 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lunsford B. Brown II,  27, Army  Specialist,   Sep 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frederick L. Miller Jr.,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Travis Friedrich,  26, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Sep 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul J. Sturino,  21, Army  Specialist,   Sep 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Andrade,  28, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle G. Thomas,  23, Army  Specialist,   Sep 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. Lucero,  34, Army National Guard  Captain,   Sep 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert E. Rooney,  43, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Sep 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew Joseph Baddick,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher E. Cutchall,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darrin K. Potter,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin K.  McGaugh,  20, Army  Specialist,   Sep 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D.  Blankenbecler,  40, Army  Command Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Analaura Esparza Gutierrez,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Simeon Hunte,  23, Army  Specialist,   Oct 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tamarra J. Ramos,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James H. Pirtle,  27, Army  Specialist,   Oct 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles M.  Sims,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Spencer Timothy Karol,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kerry D. Scott,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Torres,  25, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Oct 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph C. Norquist,  26, Army  Specialist,   Oct 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean A. Silva,  23, Army  Private,   Oct 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Swisher,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James E. Powell,  26, Army  Specialist,   Oct 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose Casanova,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin L. Freeman,  19, Army  Private,   Oct 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Douglas J. Weismantle,  28, Army  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald L. Wheeler,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen E. Wyatt,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph P. Bellavia,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean R. Grilley,  24, Army  Corporal,   Oct 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kim S. Orlando,  43, Army  Lieutenant Colonel,   Oct 16, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L. Williams,  46, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David R. Bernstein,  24, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Oct 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John D. Hart,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul J. Johnson,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul J. Bueche,  19, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Oct 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John P. Johnson,  24, Army  Specialist,   Oct 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason M. Ward,  25, Army  Private,   Oct 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John R. Teal,  31, Army  Captain,   Oct 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Artimus D. Brassfield,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Hancock,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose L. Mora,  26, Army  Specialist,   Oct 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jakia Sheree Cannon,  20,  Navy  Seaman,   Oct 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven Acosta,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rachel K. Bosveld,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles H. Buehring,  40, Army  Lieutenant Colonel,   Oct 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph R. Guerrera,  20, Army  Private,   Oct 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jamie L. Huggins,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan I. Falaniko,  20, Army  Private,   Oct 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aubrey D. Bell,  33, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Paul Barrera,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Isaac Campoy,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Algernon Adams,  36, Army National Guard  Private,   Oct 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd J. Bryant,  23, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Oct 31, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua C. Hurley,  24, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Maurice J. Johnson,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel A. Bader,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernest G. Bucklew,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin J. Colgan,  30, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven Daniel Conover,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony D. Dagostino,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darius T. Jennings,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Karina S. Lau,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keelan L. Moss,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian H. Penisten,  28, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ross A. Pennanen,  36, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joel Perez,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frances M. Vega,  20, Army  Specialist,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul A. Velasquez,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joe Nathan Wilson,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian D. Slavenas,  30, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bruce A. Smith,  41, Army National Guard  Chief Warrant Officer,   Nov 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rayshawn S. Johnson,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 03, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert T. Benson,  20, Army  Specialist,   Nov 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Francisco Martinez,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 04, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose A. Rivera,  34, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Nov 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James R. Wolf,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James A. Chance III,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul F. Fisher,  39, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Nov 06, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cornell W. Gilmore I,  45, Army  Command Sergeant Major,   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyran E. Kennedy,  43, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW3),   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Morgan DeShawn Kennon,  23, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul M. Neff II,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott C. Rose,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benedict J. Smith,  29, Army  Captain,   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sharon T. Swartworth,  43, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW5),   Nov 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary L. Collins,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kurt R. Frosheiser,  22, Army  Private,   Nov 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Linda C. Jimenez,  39, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark D. Vasquez,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas A. Tomko,  24, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Genaro Acosta,  26, Army  Specialist,   Nov 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marlon P. Jackson,  25, Army  Specialist,   Nov 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan J. Bailey,  46, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert A. Wise,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob S. Fletcher,  28, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph Minucci II,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 13, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Irving Medina,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael D. Acklin II,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan T. Baker,  24, Army  Specialist,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah J. DiGiovanni,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William D. Dusenbery,  30, Army  Specialist,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard W. Hafer,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Warren S. Hansen,  36, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy L. Hayslett,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Damian L. Heidelberg,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik C. Kesterson,  29, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pierre E. Piche,  29, Army  Captain,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John W. Russell,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott A. Saboe,  33, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John R. Sullivan,  26, Army  Specialist,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eugene A. Uhl III,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joey D. Whitener,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy L. Wolfe,  27, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelly Bolor,  37, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alexander S. Coulter,  35, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Nov 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan S. Dalley,  27, Army  Captain,   Nov 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dale A. Panchot,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James A. Shull,  32, Army  Captain,   Nov 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph L. Lister,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott Matthew Tyrrell,  21, Army  Private,   Nov 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George A. Wood,  33, Army  Captain,   Nov 20, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary B. Coleman,  24, Army  Corporal,   Nov 21, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Damian S. Bushart,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert D. Roberts,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eddie E. Menyweather,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher G. Nason,  39, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Nov 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rel A. Ravago IV,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jerry L. Wilson,  45, Army  Command Sergeant Major,   Nov 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darrell L. Smith,  28, Army National Guard  Corporal,   Nov 23, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Goldberg,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Nov 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas J. Sweet II,  23, Army  Specialist,   Nov 27, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ariel Rico,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen A. Bertolino,  40, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron J. Sissel,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 29, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Uday Singh,  21, Army  Specialist,   Dec 01, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clarence E. Boone,  50, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Dec 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan C. Young,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raphael S. Davis,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 02, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arron R. Clark,  20, Army  Specialist,   Dec 05, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ray J. Hutchinson,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 07, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph M. Blickenstaff,  23, Army  Specialist,   Dec 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven H. Bridges,  33, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Jude Rivera Wesley,  26, Army  Specialist,   Dec 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason G. Wright,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 08, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard A. Burdick,  24, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jerrick M. Petty,  25, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd M. Bates,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron T. Reese,  31, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 10, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marshall L. Edgerton,  27, Army  Specialist,   Dec 11, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jarrod W. Black,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey F. Braun,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 12, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rian C. Ferguson,  22, Army  Specialist,   Dec 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kimberly A. Voelz,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 14, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth C. Souslin,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan W. Nakis,  19, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 15, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Holland,  26, Army  Specialist,   Dec 17, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Glenn R. Allison,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 18, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles E. Bush Jr.,  43, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Dec 19, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stuart W. Moore,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward M. Saltz,  27, Army Reserve  1st Lieutenant,   Dec 22, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin W. Biskie,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric F. Cooke,  43, Army  Command Sergeant Major,   Dec 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher F. Soelzer,  26, Army  Captain,   Dec 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Splinter,  43, Army  Major,   Dec 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael E. Yashinski,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 24, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas W. Christensen,  42, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen C. Hattamer,  43, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 25, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles G. Haight,  23, Army  Specialist,   Dec 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael G. Mihalakis,  18, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Sutter,  28, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 26, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernesto M. Blanco,  28, Army  Captain,   Dec 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rey D. Cuervo,  24, Army  Private,   Dec 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Curt E. Jordan Jr.,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 28, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin W. Pollard,  21, Army  Specialist,   Dec 30, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Solomon C. \"Kelly\" Bangayan,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jan 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis A. Corral,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kimberly N. Hampton,  27, Army  Captain,   Jan 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Thomas Paliwoda,  28, Army  Captain,   Jan 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marc S. Seiden,  26, Army  Specialist,   Jan 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luke P. Frist,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jan 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse D. Mizener,  24, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Craig Davis,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Diraimondo,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher A. Golby,  26, Army  Specialist,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory B. Hicks,  35, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Philip A. Johnson Jr.,  31, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel H. Johnson,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ian D. Manuel,  23, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey C. Walker,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron A. Weaver,  32, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jan 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ricky L. Crockett,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keicia M. Hines,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roland L. Castro,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cody J. Orr,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry E. Polley Jr.,  20, Army  Specialist,   Jan 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edmond Lee Randle Jr.,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelly L. Hornbeck,  36, Army  Master Sergeant,   Jan 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gabriel T. Palacios,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jan 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D. Parker,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael T. Blaise,  29, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Jan 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian D. Hazelgrove,  29, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   Jan 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason K. Chappell,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jan 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Randy S. Rosenberg,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William R. Sturges Jr.,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jan 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth W. Hendrickson,  41, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keith L. Smette,  25, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Bunda,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ervin Dervishi,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick D. Dorff,  32, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jan 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam G. Mooney,  28, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew J. August,  28, Army  Captain,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James T. Hoffman,  41, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luke S. James,  24, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lester O. Kinney II,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis A. Moothart,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory R. Mracek,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean G. Landrus,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luis A. Moreno,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan C. Cabralbanuelos,  25, Army  Corporal,   Jan 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Holly J. McGeogh,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eliu A. Miersandoval,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Armando Soriano,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roger C. Turner Jr.,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Seth J. Dvorin,  24, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Feb 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua L. Knowles,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard P. Ramey,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas D. Robbins,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elijah Tai Wah Wong,  42, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Feb 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jude C. Mariano,  39, Air Force  Master Sergeant,   Feb 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William C. Ramirez,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick S. Tainsh,  33, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric U. Ramirez,  31, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan N. Spry,  19, Army  Private,   Feb 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael M. Merila,  23, Army  Specialist,   Feb 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Taylor,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nichole M. Frye,  19, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Feb 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey C. Graham,  24, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Feb 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roger G. Ling,  20, Army  Specialist,   Feb 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Henry A. Bacon,  45, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Feb 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew C. Laskowski,  32, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Feb 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen M. Wells,  29, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Feb 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael R. Woodliff,  22, Army  Specialist,   Mar 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Gray,  32, Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Mar 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gussie M. Jones,  41, Army  Captain,   Mar 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew G. Milczark,  18, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward W. Brabazon,  20, Army  Specialist,   Mar 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard S. Gottfried,  42, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Mar 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Fern L. Holland,  33, Dept. of the Army  Civilian,   Mar 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert J. Zangas,  44, Dept. of the Army  Civilian,   Mar 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bert Edward Hoyer,  23, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Mar 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joe L. Dunigan Jr.,  37, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher K. Hill,  26, Army  Specialist,   Mar 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joel K. Brattain,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clint D. Ferrin,  31, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Mar 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason C. Ford,  21, Army  Specialist,   Mar 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John F. \"Hans\" Kurth,  31, Army  Captain,   Mar 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel J. Londono,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jocelyn \"Joce\" L. Carrasquillo,  28, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William J. Normandy,  42, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael R. Adams,  24, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Mar 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas R. Thigpen Sr.,  52, Army National Guard  Master Sergeant,   Mar 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tracy L. Laramore,  30, Army  Specialist,   Mar 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ivory L. Phipps,  44, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernest Harold Sutphin,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Doron Chan,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Mar 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew D. Brownfield,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ricky A. Morris Jr.,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon C. Smith,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason C. Ludlam,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clint Richard \"Bones\" Matthews,  31, Army  Specialist,   Mar 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Vicente,  25, Marine  Corporal,   Mar 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew J. Sandri,  24, Army  Specialist,   Mar 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark D. Taylor,  41, Army  Major,   Mar 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael W. Vega,  41, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Mar 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher E. Hudson,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin L. Kreider,  19, Army  Private,   Mar 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bruce Miller Jr.,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew S. Dang,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wentz Jerome Henry Shanaberger III,  33, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam D. Froehlich,  21, Army  Specialist,   Mar 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey C. Burgess,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James A. Casper,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leroy Sandoval Jr.,  21, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Mar 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy Toney,  37, Marine  Master Sergeant,   Mar 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean M. Schneider,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah J. Holmes,  27, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard L. Ferguson,  45, Army  Master Sergeant,   Mar 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William J. Wiscowiche,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon L. Davis,  20, Army  Private,   Mar 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Doyle M. Hufstedler,  25, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Mar 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael G. Karr Jr.,  23, Army  Specialist,   Mar 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean R. Mitchell,  24, Army  Specialist,   Mar 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cleston C. Raney,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin M. Sekula,  18, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William R. Strange,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Geoffrey S. Morris,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John D. Amos II,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert R. Arsiaga,  25, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ahmed Akil \"Mel\" Cason,  24, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Yihiyh L. Chen,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Israel Garza,  25, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen D. \"Dusty\" Hiller,  25, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Forest Joseph Jostes,  22, Army  Corporal,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael W. Mitchell,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Philip G. Rogers,  23, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Casey Sheehan,  24, Army  Specialist,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aric J. Barr,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler R. Fey,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott Quentin Larson Jr.,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. McKeever,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane Lee Goldman,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Deryk L. Hallal,  24, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Moises A. Langhorst,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Ramos,  26, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew K. Serio,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse L. Thiry,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gerardo Moreno,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lee Duane Todacheene,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin R. Carman,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marcus M. Cherry,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher R. Cobb,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle D. Crowley,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan M. Jerabek,  18, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis J. Layfield,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher D. Mabry,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony P. Roberts,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Allan K. Walker,  28, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Fernando A. Mendez-Aceves,  27, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Apr 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyanna S. Felder,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marvin Lee Miller,  38, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George S. Rentschler,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William W. Labadie Jr.,  45, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brent L. Morel,  27, Marine  Captain,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Thomas \"J.T.\" Wroblewski,  25, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Apr 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Isaac Michael Nieves,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Levi T. Angell,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas J. Dieruf,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip E. Frank,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William M. Harrell,  30, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua M. Palmer,  25, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael B. Wafford,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher B. Wasser,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Peter G. Enos,  24, Army  Specialist,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raymond Edison Jones Jr.,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Roy Kephart,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Toby W. Mallet,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Don Steven McMahan,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Allen Jeffrey \"A.J.\" Vandayburg,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Felix M. Delgreco,  22, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michelle M. Witmer,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory R. Goodrich,  37, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elmer C. Krause,  40, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric A. Ayon,  26, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew E. Matula,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chance R. Phelps,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Raymond Speer,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elias Torrez III,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Antoine J. Holt,  20, Air Force  Airman 1st Class,   Apr 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adolf C. Carballo,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William C. Eckhart,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John T. Sims Jr.,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lawrence S. Colton,  32, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wesley C. Fortenberry,  38, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin W. Johnson,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Boyd Stack,  48, Army  Sergeant Major,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan P. Brown,  21, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel R. Amaya,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Torrey L. Gray,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Oscar Jimenez,  34, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George D. Torres,  23, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brad S. Shuder,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Paul Zurheide Jr.,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor A. Rosaleslomeli,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Noah L. Boye,  21, Marine  Private,   Apr 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin T. Kolm,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Ramirez,  34, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frank K. Rivers Jr.,  23, Army  Specialist,   Apr 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard K. Trevithick,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jimmy J. Arroyave,  30, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian M. Wood,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marvin A. Camposiles,  25, Army  Specialist,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward W. Carman,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan N. Hartman,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clayton Welch Henson,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. McGlothin,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. Henderson II,  33, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis B. Morgan,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard J. Gannon II,  31, Marine  Captain,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher A. Gibson,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Smith Jr.,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ruben Valdez Jr.,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary F. Van Leuven,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley C. Fox,  34, Army  1st Sergeant,   Apr 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leroy Harris-Kelly,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher D. Gelineau,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Dunham,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawn C. Edwards,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stacey C. Brandon,  35, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory W. Brooks,  32, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arthur L. \"Bo\" Felder,  36, Army National Guard  Captain,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick W. Kordsmeier,  49, Army National Guard  Chief Warrant Officer,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Billy J. Orton,  41, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Pernaselli,  27, Navy  Petty Officer 1st Class,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher E. Watts,  28, Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Apr 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth A. Melton,  30, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan B. Bruckenthal,  24, Coast Guard  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Apr 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sherwood R. Baker,  30, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Apr 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lawrence A. Roukey,  33, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Apr 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron C. Austin,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Abraham D. Penamedina,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marquis A. Whitaker,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob R. Herring,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kendall Thomas,  36, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James L. Beckstrand,  27, Army  Specialist,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan M. Campbell,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Norman Darling,  29, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey F. Dayton,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam W. Estep,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy Ricardo Ewing,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Martin W. Kondor,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Esau G. Patterson Jr.,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan E. Reed,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin B. Schmidt,  23, Army  Specialist,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Landis W. Garrison,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Apr 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott M. Vincent,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua S. Wilfong,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Dickerson,  33, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Apr 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason B. Dwelley,  31, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Apr 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramon C. Ojeda,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Oscar D. Vargas-Medina,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trevor A. Wine,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua S. Ladd,  20, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ervin Caradine Jr.,  33, Army  Specialist,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy L. Drexler,  23, Army  Private,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd E. Nunes,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John E. Tipton,  32, Army  Captain,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael C. Anderson,  36, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trace W. Dossett,  37, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald A. Ginther,  37, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert B. Jenkins,  35, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott R. Mchugh,  33, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   May 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Kenny,  32, Army  1st Lieutenant,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lyndon A. Marcus Jr.,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erickson H. Petty,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marvin R. Sprayberry III,  24, Army  Sergeant,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory L. Wahl,  30, Army  Sergeant,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald E. Baum,  38, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   May 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse R. Buryj,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley G. Kritzer,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James E. Marshall,  19, Army  Specialist,   May 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey G. Green,  20, Marine  Corporal,   May 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hesley Box Jr.,  24, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin H. Schrage,  20, Marine  Corporal,   May 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Isela Rubalcava,  25, Army  Specialist,   May 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chase R. Whitman,  21, Army  Specialist,   May 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Philip D. Brown,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James J. Holmes,  28, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rodney A. Murray,  28, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   May 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew L. Tuazon,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle A. Brinlee,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey R. Shaver,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah E. Savage,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Cutter,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon C. Sturdy,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brud J. Cronkrite,  22, Army  Sergeant,   May 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Mora,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Philip I. Spakosky,  25, Army  Specialist,   May 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward C. Barnhill,  50, Army Reserve  Command Sergeant Major,   May 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James William Harlan,  44, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   May 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pedro I. Espaillat Jr.,  20, Air Force  Senior Airman,   May 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rene Ledesma,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leonard M. Cowherd Jr.,  22, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   May 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl F. Curran,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark Joseph Kasecky,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bob W. Roberts,  30, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph P. Garyantes,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marcos O. Nolasco,  34, Army  Specialist,   May 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William D. Chaney,  59, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael M. Carey,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael C. Campbell,  34, Army  Specialist,   May 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leslie D. Jackson,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Troy \"Leon\" Miranda,  44, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   May 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rudy Salas,  20, Marine  Corporal,   May 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy R. Horton,  24, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew J. Zabierek,  25, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy L. Ridlen,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jorge A. Molina Bautista,  37, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   May 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Beau R. Beaulieu,  20, Army  Specialist,   May 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Owen D. Witt,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James P. Lambert,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard H. Rosas,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alan N. Bean Jr.,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin F. Sheehan,  36, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Paul Unger,  19, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   May 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle W. Codner,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew C. Henderson,  25, Marine  Corporal,   May 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dominique J. Nicolas,  25, Marine  Corporal,   May 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Wiesemann,  20, Army  Specialist,   May 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cody S. Calavan,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin R. Gonzalez,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rafael Reynosasuarez,  28, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth Michael Ballard,  26, Army  1st Lieutenant,   May 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradli N. Coleman,  19, Army  Private,   May 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron C. Elandt,  23, Army  Sergeant,   May 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles E. Odums II,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholaus E. Zimmer,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert C. Scheetz Jr.,  31, Army  Captain,   May 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin L. Sides,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Markus J. Johnson,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bumrok  Lee,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd J. Bolding,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frank T. Carvill,  51, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Duffy,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin L. Eyerly,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin W. Linden,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik S. McCrae,  25, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Jun 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan E. Doltz,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Humberto F. Timoteo,  25, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Melissa J. Hobart,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Melvin Y. Mora Lopez,  27, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Jun 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jamie A. Gray,  29, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy L. Bohlman,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Humayun S. M. Khan,  27, Army  Captain,   Jun 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas D. Caughman,  20, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Jun 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric S. McKinley,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawn M. Atkins,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul R. Syverson III,  32, Army  Major,   Jun 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy M. Dimaranan,  29, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jun 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arthur S. (Stacey) Mastrapa,  35, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Jun 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason N. Lynch,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thai Vue,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jun 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean Horn,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jun 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marvin Best,  33, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory V. Pennington,  36, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pedro Contreras,  27, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan Lopez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Deshon E. Otey,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tommy L. Parker Jr.,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.,  34, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andre D. Tyson,  33, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Jun 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher S. Cash,  36, Army National Guard  Captain,   Jun 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel A. Desens,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles A. Kiser,  37, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy M. Heines,  25, Army  Specialist,   Jun 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Manuel A. Ceniceros,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernest E. Utt,  38, Army  1st Sergeant,   Jun 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick R. Adle,  21, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jun 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alan David Sherman,  36, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Jun 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John H. Todd III,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jun 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert L. DuSang,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jun 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher A. Wagener,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth Conde Jr.,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Jul 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy R. Creager,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian D. Smith,  30, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Jul 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen G. Martin,  39, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James B. Huston Jr.,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dallas L. Kerns,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Torres,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John J. Vangyzen IV,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scott Eugene Dougherty,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin T. Hunt,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey D. Lawrence,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rodricka Antwan Youmans,  22, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jul 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael C. Barkey,  22, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Samuel R. Bowen,  38, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Jul 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Collier Edwin Barcus,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert E. Colvill Jr.,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawn M. Davies,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William River Emanuel IV,  19, Army  Specialist,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph M. Garmback Jr.,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sonny Gene Sampler,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah W. Schmunk,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Terry Holmes Ordóñez,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Krisna Nachampassak,  27, Marine  Sergeant,   Jul 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Reed,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jul 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trevor Spink,  36, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin W. Peters,  25, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James G. West,  34, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dana N. Wilson,  26, Army  Specialist,   Jul 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy J. Fischer,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Linda Ann Tarango-Griess,  33, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Torry D. Harris,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse J. Martinez,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Demetrius Lamont Rice,  24, Army  Corporal,   Jul 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul C. Mardis Jr.,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan P. Kelly,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Craig S. Frank,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David A. Hartman,  41, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dale Thomas Lloyd,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles C. \"C.C.\" Persing,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Danny B. Daniels II,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jul 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Clark,  29, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd J. Godwin,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas H. Blodgett,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark E. Engel,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Torey J. Dantzler,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tatjana Reed,  34, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas J. Zangara,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Vincent M. Sullivan,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          DeForest L. \"Dee\" Talbert,  24, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ken W. Leisten,  20, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Jul 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawn A. Lane,  33, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Jul 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David S. Greene,  39, Marine Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   Jul 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph F. Herndon II,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony J. Dixon,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Armando Hernandez,  22, Army  Specialist,   Aug 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin B. Onwordi,  28, Army  Specialist,   Aug 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan Calderon Jr.,  26, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dean P. Pratt,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Aug 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tommy L. Gray,  34, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Harry N. Shondee Jr.,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory A. Ratzlaff,  36, Marine  Captain,   Aug 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elia P. Fontecchio,  30, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Aug 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph L. Nice,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raymond J. Faulstich Jr.,  24, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald R. McCune,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Aug 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Yadir G. Reynoso,  27, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Moses Daniel Rocha,  33, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua I. Bunch,  23, Army  Specialist,   Aug 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roberto Abad,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Aug 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry L. Wells,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Potter,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rick A. Ulbright,  49, Dept. of the Air Force  Civilian,   Aug 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan W. Collins,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew R. Houghton,  25, Army  Captain,   Aug 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John R. Howard,  26, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tavon L. Hubbard,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Yury Tarlavsky,  30, Army  Captain,   Aug 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Neil Anthony Santoriello,  24, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Aug 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kane M. Funke,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas B. Morrison,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Michael Goins,  23, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon R. Sapp,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Michael Shepherd,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark Anthony Zapata,  27, Army  Specialist,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Fernando B. Hannon,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Geoffrey Perez,  24, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Aug 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Heath,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Aug 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon T. Titus,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Caleb J. Powers,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob D. Martir,  21, Army  Specialist,   Aug 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Henry C. Risner,  26, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin R. Fitzgerald,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard M. Lord,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Harvey Emmett Parkerson III,  27, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brad Preston McCormick,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Aug 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan A. Martin,  22, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Aug 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles L. Wilkins III,  38, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Aug 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin A. Cuming,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicanor Alvarez,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason Cook,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Seth Huston,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward T. Reeder,  32, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nachez Washalanta,  21, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Aug 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew R. Stovall,  25, Army National Guard  2nd Lieutenant,   Aug 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher Belchik,  30, Marine  Corporal,   Aug 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert C. Thornton Jr.,  35, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald N. Davis,  42, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob R. Lugo,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marco D. Ross,  20, Army  Specialist,   Aug 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles L. Neeley,  19, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Aug 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alexander S. Arredondo,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Barton R. Humlhanz,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Aug 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas M. Skinner,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Aug 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Omead H. Razani,  19, Army  Specialist,   Aug 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luis A. Perez,  19, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Aug 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nickalous N. Aldrich,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Aug 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edgar E. Lopez,  27, Marine  Sergeant,   Aug 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl L. Anderson Jr.,  21, Air Force  Airman 1st Class,   Aug 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron N. Holleyman,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph C. Thibodeaux III,  24, Army  Specialist,   Sep 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas Perez,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alan Rowe,  35, Marine  Captain,   Sep 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas Wilt,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald Winchester,  25, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Sep 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric L. Knott,  21, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Sep 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan Michael McCauley,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary A. Vaillant,  41, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles R. Lamb,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shawna M. Morrison,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Sep 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John J. Boria,  29, Air Force  Captain,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Elvis Bourdon,  36, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tomas Garces,  19, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Devin J. Grella,  21, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon Michael Read,  21, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Allred,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Paul Burridge,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Derek L. Gardner,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Quinn A. Keith,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph C. McCarthy,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mick R. Nygardbekowsky,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lamont N. Wilson,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clarence Adams III,  28, Army  Specialist,   Sep 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Yoe M. Aneiros,  20, Army  Specialist,   Sep 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad H. Drake,  23, Army  Specialist,   Sep 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy E. Price,  25, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Sep 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Daniel Faulkner,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Martinez,  29, Army  Specialist,   Sep 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Sparks,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lauro G. DeLeon Jr.,  20, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Sep 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edgar P. Daclan Jr.,  24, Army  Specialist,   Sep 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David A. Cedergren,  25, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Sep 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason T. Poindexter,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Sep 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alexander E. Wetherbee,  27, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Sep 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Guy Stanley Hagy Jr.,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl Thomas,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin W. Isenberg,  27, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Weisenburg,  26, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dominic C. Brown,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Halal,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cesar F. Machado-Olmos,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jaygee Ngirmidol Meluat,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mathew D. Puckett,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adrian V. Soltau,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Sep 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler Hall Brown,  26, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Sep 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob H. Demand,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin M. Shea,  38, Marine  Major,   Sep 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory C. Howman,  28, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Drew M. Uhles,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven A. Rintamaki,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Sep 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew K. Stern,  24, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Sep 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher S. Ebert,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Sep 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James W. Price,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas Chad Rosenbaum,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brandon E. Adams,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua J. Henry,  21, Army  Specialist,   Sep 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven C. T. Cates,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Foster L. Harrington,  31, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Sep 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan E. Stahl,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam J. Harris,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Skipper Soram,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lance J. Koenig,  33, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin K. Smith,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   Sep 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron Boyles,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy Folmar,  21, Marine  Sergeant,   Sep 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan Leduc,  28, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Sep 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramon Mateo,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Sep 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Oliver Unruh,  25, Army  Specialist,   Sep 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David W. Johnson,  37, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clifford L. Moxley Jr.,  51, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Sep 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric L. Allton,  34, Army  Captain,   Sep 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory A. Cox,  21, Army  Specialist,   Sep 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joselito O. Villanueva,  36, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Sep 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth L. Sickels,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Sep 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler D. Prewitt,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Sep 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mike A. Dennie,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua K. Titcomb,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Sep 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darren J. Cunningham,  40, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Sep 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rodney A. Jones,  21, Army  Specialist,   Sep 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Allen Nolan,  38, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Sep 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jack Taft Hennessy,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Uvanni,  27, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Russell L. Collier,  48, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher S. Potts,  38, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James L. Pettaway Jr.,  37, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard L. Morgan Jr.,  38, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeungjin Na \"Nikky\" Kim,  23, Army  Private,   Oct 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jessica L. Cawvey,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Morgen N. Jacobs,  20, Army  Specialist,   Oct 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew W. Brown,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Voss,  35, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew Halverson,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James E. Prevete,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carson J. Ramsey,  22, Army  Private,   Oct 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Lee Burbank,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony W. Monroe,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pamela G. Osbourne,  38, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron J. Rusin,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher A. Merville,  26, Army  Specialist,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis L. Pintor,  30, Army  Captain,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Weger,  30, Army  Specialist,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Oscar A. Martinez,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ian T. Zook,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel R. Wyatt,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Oct 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jaime Moreno,  28, Army  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy F. Regnier,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald W. Baker,  34, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark P. Phelan,  44, Army Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles R. Soltes Jr.,  36, Army Reserve  Major,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul M. Felsberg,  27, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor A. Gonzalez,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark A. Barbret,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley S. Beard,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Omer T. Hawkins II,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Josiah H. Vandertulip,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Waters,  19, Army  Private,   Oct 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael G. Owen,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan J. Santos,  22, Army  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alan J. Burgess,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William I. Salazar,  26, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Schramm,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William I. Brennan,  36, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Oct 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher B. Johnson,  29, Army  Captain,   Oct 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew C. Ehrlich,  21, Army  Specialist,   Oct 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Douglas E. Bascom,  25, Marine (IRR)  Sergeant,   Oct 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan E. Gadsden,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis J. Boles,  46, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Oct 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Patrick Slocum,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Oliveira,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jerome Lemon,  42, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Oct 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Battles Sr.,  38, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Oct 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen P. Downing II,  30, Army  Private 1st Class,   Oct 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Segun Frederick Akintade,  34, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Oct 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Maurice Keith Fortune,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Oct 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy D. Bow,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John T. Byrd II,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelley L. Courtney,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis A. Fox,  25, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Lapka,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Lukac,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew G. Riedel,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael P. Scarborough,  28, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Oct 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew D. Lynch,  25, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Oct 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles Joseph Webb,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cody L. Wentz,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah A. Baro,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jared P. Hubbard,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carlos M. Camacho-Rivera,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin R. Yoemans,  20, Army  Private,   Nov 06, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Baker,  27, Army  Specialist,   Nov 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Quoc Binh Tran,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Otie Joseph McVey,  53, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Nov 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean M. Langley,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Don Allen Clary,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clinton Lee Wisdom,  39, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan L. Freeman,  31, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas J. Zapp,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel T. Hammond,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey Lam,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane K. O'Donnell,  24, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua D. Palmer,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Branden P. Ramey,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David G. Ries,  29, Marine Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert P. Warns II,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven E. Auchman,  37, Air Force  Master Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis A. Babbitt,  24, Army  Specialist,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven W. Faulkenburg,  45, Army  Command Sergeant Major,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Horst Gerhard \"Gary\" Moore,  38, Army  Major,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Byron Trotter,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd R. Cornell,  38, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Caruso,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William C. James,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas D. Larson,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan E. Segura,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Abraham Simpson,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Russell L. Slay,  28, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lonny D. Wells,  29, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan R. Wood,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dennis J. Miller Jr.,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael C. Ottolini,  45, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wesley J. Canning,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erick J. Hodges,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Romulo J. Jimenez II,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dan T. Malcom Jr.,  25, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron C. Pickering,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gene Ramirez,  28, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Julian Woods,  22, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Nov 10, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas K. Doerflinger,  20, Army  Specialist,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean P. Huey,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James P. \"JP\" Blecksmith,  24, Marine  2nd Lieutenant,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Theodore A. Bowling,  25, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle W. Burns,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Theodore S. \"Sam\" Holder II,  27, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin D. Reppuhn,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Peter J. Giannopoulos,  22, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward D. Iwan,  28, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James C. \"J.C.\" Matteson,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan B. Shields,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raymond L. White,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan R. Anderson,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas H. Anderson,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Branning,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jarrod L. Maher,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian A. Medina,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Morgan W. Strader,  23, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian P. Prening,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cole W. Larsen,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean P. Sims,  32, Army  Captain,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose A. Velez,  23, Army  Specialist,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Catalin D. Dima,  36, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin S. Bryan,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin J. Dempsey,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin M. Ellsworth,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor R. Lu,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin D. McLeese,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Byron W. Norwood,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dale A. Burger Jr.,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George J. Payton,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andres H. Perez,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas L. Ziolkowski,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Isaiah R. Hunt,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeramy A. Ailes,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis R. Desiato,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Shane E. Kielion,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William L. Miller,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley L. Parker,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rafael Peralta,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick Marc M. Rapicault,  34, Marine  Captain,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marc T. Ryan,  25, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Antoine D. Smith,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James E. Swain,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lance M. Thompson,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 15, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marshall H. Caddy,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose Ricardo Flores-Mejia,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel James McConnell,  27, Army  Specialist,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luke C. Wullenwaber,  24, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher T. Heflin,  26, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Louis W. Qualls,  20, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Nov 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Wayne Hanks,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 17, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph M. Nolan,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Luis A. Figueroa,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 18, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Demarkus D. Brown,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Downey,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dimitrios  Gavriel,  29, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip G.  West,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley Thomas Arms,  20, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Nov 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jack Bryant Jr.,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Roustum,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph J. Heredia,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph T. Welke,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 20, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Blain M. Ebert,  22, Army  Specialist,   Nov 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael R. Cohen,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 22, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin C. Edinger,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sergio R. Diaz Varela,  21, Army  Specialist,   Nov 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas S. Nolte,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Nov 24, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffery Scott Holmes,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gentian Marku,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan J. Cantafio,  22, Marine Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Nov 25, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian K. Grant,  31, Army  Private,   Nov 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Harrison J. Meyer,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley M. Faircloth,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David B. Houck,  25, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jordan D. Winkler,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 26, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy E. Christensen,  27, Army  Specialist,   Nov 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Smith,  24, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Nov 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kirk J. Bosselmann,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Nov 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua E. Lucero,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen C. Benish,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl W. Lee,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trinidad R. Martinezluis,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael B. Shackelford,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam R. Brooks,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles A. Hanson Jr.,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik W. Hayes,  24, Army  Specialist,   Nov 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daryl A. Davis,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Nov 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christian P. Engeldrum,  39, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Nov 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wilfredo F. Urbina,  29, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Nov 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Blake A. Magaoay,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Nov 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pablo A. Calderon,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose Guereca Jr.,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Nov 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David M. Fisher,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Javier Obleas-Prado Pena,  36, Marine  Gunnery Sergeant,   Dec 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan S. Wilson,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Zachary A. Kolda,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Dec 01, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George Daniel Harrison,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 02, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David P. Mahlenbrock,  20, Army  Specialist,   Dec 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Henry E. Irizarry,  38, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Binh N. Le,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew A. Wyatt,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 03, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L. Boatright,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cari Anne Gasiewicz,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David A. Mitts,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Salamo J. Tuialuuluu,  23, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph O. Behnke,  45, Army National Guard  Corporal,   Dec 04, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle A. Eggers,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edwin William Roodhouse,  36, Army  Specialist,   Dec 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marvin Lee Trost III,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew M. Ward,  25, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 05, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd Clayton Gibbs,  37, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Dec 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark N. Stubenhofer,  30, Army  Captain,   Dec 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          In C. Kim,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 07, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arthur C. Williams IV,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 08, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Patrick D. Leach,  39, Army National Guard  Chief Warrant Officer,   Dec 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew C. Shields,  25, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Dec 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher S. Adlesperger,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Dec 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle J. Renehan,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 09, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert W. Hoyt,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gregory P. Rund,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 11, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua A. Ramsey,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffery S. Blanton,  23, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Melvin L. Blazer,  38, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason S. Clairday,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua W. Dickinson,  25, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey L. Kirk,  24, Marine  Sergeant,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hilario F. Lopez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ian W. Stewart,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 12, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tina Safaira Time,  22, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   Dec 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brent T. Vroman,  21, Marine Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Dec 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard D. Warner,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Dec 13, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor A. Martinez,  21, Army  Specialist,   Dec 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael D. Anderson,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 14, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Franklin A. Sweger,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 16, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald B. Farmer,  33, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Barry K. Meza,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Dec 19, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joel Egan Baldwin,  37,  Navy  Chief Petty Officer,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lionel Ayro,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Castro,  21, Army  Specialist,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory Michael Hewitt,  26, Army  Specialist,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William W. Jacobsen Jr.,  31, Army  Captain,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert S. Johnson,  23, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Julian S. Melo,  47, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert D. ODell,  38, Army  Sergeant Major,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darren D. VanKomen,  33, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas John Dostie,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas C. \"Nick\" Mason,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lynn Robert Poulin Sr.,  47, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David A. Ruhren,  20, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul D. Karpowich,  30, Army Reserve  Sergeant 1st Class,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Neil D. Petsche,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 21, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Barnett,  32, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Dec 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Hillenburg,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James R. Phillips,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Raleigh C. Smith,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Dec 23, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose A. Rivera-Serrano,  26, Army  Specialist,   Dec 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Todd D. Olson,  36, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 27, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel J. Nyren,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason A. Lehto,  31, Marine Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Dec 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Pablito Pena Briones Jr.,  22, Navy  Seaman,   Dec 28, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Oscar Sanchez,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Dec 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Craig L. Nelson,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Dec 29, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Damien T. Ficek,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Dec 30, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason E. Smith,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Dec 31, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeff LeBrun,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jan 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian P. Parrello,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas E. Houser,  22, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cory R. Depew,  21, Army  Private,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bennie J. Washington,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Curtis L. Wooten III,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jimmy D. Buie,  44, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua S. Marcum,  33, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy W. McHalffey,  28, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Babin,  27, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bradley J. Bergeron,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kurt J. Comeaux,  34, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Huey P. L. Fassbender,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Armand L. Frickey,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Warren A. Murphy,  29, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth G. Vonronn,  20, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Julio C. Cisneros-Alvarez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Zachariah Scott Davis,  25, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel F. Guastaferro,  27, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dwayne James McFarlane Jr.,  20, Army  Specialist,   Jan 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph E. Fite,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jan 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William F. Manuel,  34, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Wesley Sweeney III,  22, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Smith,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jan 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gunnar D. Becker,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian A. Mack,  36, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew W. Holloway,  21, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jan 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan Rodrigo Rodriguez Velasco,  23, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jan 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul C. Holter III,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel T. Swindell,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jayton D. Patterson,  26, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alain L. Kamolvathin,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesus Fonseca,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          George R. Geer,  27, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas E. Vitagliano,  33, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Francis C. Obaji,  21, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Jan 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Sullivan,  29, Army  Captain,   Jan 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle William Childress,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joe Fenton Lusk II,  25, Army  Captain,   Jan 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nainoa K. Hoe,  27, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jose C. Rangel,  43, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael C. Carlson,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesus A. Leon-Perez,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Javier Marin Jr.,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph W. Stevens,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brett D. Swank,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Viktar V. Yolkin,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Leonard W. Adams,  42, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jan 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Daniel House,  28,  Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Taylor J. Burk,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William S. Kinzer Jr.,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul C. Alaniz,  32, Marine  Captain,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian D. Bland,  26, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Edward Etterling,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael W. Finke Jr.,  28, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis J. Fuller,  26, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy M. Gibson,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard A, Gilbert Jr.,  26, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lyle L. Gordon,  30, Marine  Captain,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kyle J. Grimes,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tony L. Hernandez,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian C. Hopper,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Saeed Jafarkhani-Torshizi Jr.,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen P. Johnson,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean P. Kelly,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dexter S. Kimble,  30, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Allan Klein,  34, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy A. Knight,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Fred L. Maciel,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Lee Moore,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel K. Moore,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mourad Ragimov,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rhonald Dain Rairdan,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hector Ramos,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gael Saintvil,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan A. Schubert,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darrell J. Schumann,  25, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin M. Shumney,  30, Marine  1st Lieutenant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew R. Smith,  24, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph B. Spence,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L. Starr Jr.,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan W. Bowling,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Karl R. Linn,  20, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse W. Strong,  24, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher L. Weaver,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jan 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin M. Luna,  26, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan S. Beatty,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Orlando A. Bonilla,  27, Army  Captain,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen A. Castellano,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles S. Jones,  34, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph E. Rodriguez,  25, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mickey E. Zaun,  27, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Evans II,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Ramsey,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Ray Reed,  25, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lyle W. Rymer II,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew K. Farrar Jr.,  31, Marine  Sergeant,   Jan 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward E. Jack,  51,  Navy  Lieutenant Commander,   Jan 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lindsey T. James,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Jan 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Barbara Heald,  60, Dept. of the Army  Civilian,   Jan 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keith Edward Taylor,  47, Navy  Lieutenant Commander,   Jan 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James H. Miller IV,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jan 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nazario Serrano,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark C. Warren,  44, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jan 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason C. Redifer,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Harry R. Swain IV,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jan 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher E. Zimny,  27, Marine  Corporal,   Jan 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert T. Hendrickson,  24, Army  Specialist,   Feb 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean Lee Brock,  29, Marine  Captain,   Feb 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean P. Maher,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Feb 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen R. Sherman,  27, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean Michael Cooley,  35, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Feb 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard C. Clifton,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Feb 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven G. Bayow,  42, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Torres,  23, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis M. Wichlacz,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Feb 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy O. Allmon,  22, Army  Specialist,   Feb 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Zachary Ryan Wobler,  24, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey S. Henthorn,  25, Army  Specialist,   Feb 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jessica M. Housby,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Feb 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William T. Robbins,  31, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard A. Perez Jr.,  19, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Feb 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kristopher L. Shepherd,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert A. McNail,  30, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ray Rangel,  29, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Brangman,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dakotah L. Gooding,  21, Army  Specialist,   Feb 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rene Knox Jr.,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad W. Lake,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Salie,  34, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Feb 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Arciola,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Katrina Lani Bell-Johnson,  32, Army  Specialist,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin B. Carter,  21, Army  Specialist,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason R. Hendrix,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam J. Plumondore,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher M. Pusateri,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy R. Osbey,  34, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph A. Rahaim,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frank B. Hernandez,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carlos J. Gil,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clinton R. Gertson,  26, Army  Specialist,   Feb 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam Malson,  23, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Feb 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Seth R. Trahan,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Feb 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin Michael Clarke,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Feb 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David F. Day,  25, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse M. Lhotka,  24, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Feb 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason G. Timmerman,  24, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Feb 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John T. Olson,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Feb 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Trevor D. Aston,  32, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Feb 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric M. Steffeney,  28, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas J. Olivier,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Feb 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alexander B. Crackel,  31, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Deem,  35, Army  Specialist,   Feb 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel G. Gresham,  23, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Feb 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob C. Palmatier,  29, Army  Specialist,   Feb 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam Noel Brewer,  22, Army  Specialist,   Feb 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Colby M. Farnan,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chassan S. Henry,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason L. Moski,  24, Army  Specialist,   Feb 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Min-su Choi,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Landon S. Giles,  19, Army  Private,   Feb 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew W. Nowacki,  24, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Feb 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Danny L. Anderson,  29, Army  Private 1st Class,   Feb 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Richard Brian Gienau,  29, Army National Guard  2nd Lieutenant,   Feb 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Julio E. Negron,  28, Army  Sergeant,   Feb 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lizbeth Robles,  31, Army  Specialist,   Mar 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Azhar Ali,  27, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wai Pyoe Lwin,  27, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert Shane Pugh,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael D. Jones,  43, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Mar 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald W. Eacho,  38, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sean Grimes,  31, Army  Captain,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen M. McGowan,  26, Army  Corporal,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adriana N. Salem,  21, Army  Specialist,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan M. Solorio,  32, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wade Michael Twyman,  27, Army  Specialist,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Seth K. Garceau,  27, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew L. Bossert,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael W. Franklin,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew A. Koch,  23, Army  Specialist,   Mar 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Donald D. Griffith Jr.,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas E. Wilson,  21, Army  Specialist,   Mar 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua L. Torrence,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul M. Heltzel,  39, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ricky A. Kieffer,  36, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Mar 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rocky D. Payne,  26, Army  Specialist,   Mar 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lee A. Lewis Jr.,  28, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan A. Hughes,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Francisco G. Martinez,  20, Army  Specialist,   Mar 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Paul W. Thomason III,  37, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin S. Smith,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Mar 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis R. Bruce,  22, Army  Specialist,   Mar 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan J. Richardson,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Mar 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lee M. Godbolt,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Isiah J. Sinclair,  31, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Mar 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Samuel S. Lee,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Mar 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelly S. Morris,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth L. Ridgley,  30, Army  Sergeant,   Mar 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric L. Toth,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Mar 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles G. Wells Jr.,  32, Marine Reserve  Warrant Officer,   Mar 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robbie D. McNary,  42, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Mar 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Garrywesley Tan Rimes,  30, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ioasa F. Tavae Jr.,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tenzin Dengkhim,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William D. Richardson,  23, Army  Corporal,   Apr 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Alexander Sherrill,  27, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Apr 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen C. Kennedy,  35, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Apr 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Dill,  32, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremiah C. Kinchen,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Apr 04, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Javier J. Garcia,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Glenn J. Watkins,  42, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan C. Venegas,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin Dewayne Davis,  41, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Casey M. LaWare,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler J. Dickens,  20, Army  Corporal,   Apr 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Manuel Lopez III,  20, Army  Specialist,   Apr 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John W. Miller,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Apr 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael B. Lindemuth,  27, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Apr 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James C. Edge,  31, Marine  Captain,   Apr 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aleina Ramirezgonzalez,  33, Army  Specialist,   Apr 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron M. Hudson,  20, Army  Private,   Apr 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Angelo L. Lozada Jr.,  36, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Randy Lee Stevens,  21, Army  Specialist,   Apr 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tromaine K. Toy Sr.,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph L. Knott,  21, Army  Private,   Apr 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven F. Sirko,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Sam W. Huff,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven W. Thornton,  46, Army  Major,   Apr 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob M. Pfister,  27, Army  Specialist,   Apr 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin S. K. Wessel,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelly M. Cannan,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Apr 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marty G. Mortenson,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Apr 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert A. \"Bobby\" Guy,  26, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Apr 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gavin J. Colburn,  20, Army Reserve  Private 1st Class,   Apr 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron A. Kent,  28,  Navy  Seaman,   Apr 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony J. Davis Jr.,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kevin William Prince,  22, Army  Corporal,   Apr 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary W. Walters Jr.,  31, Army  Specialist,   Apr 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timmy J. Millsap,  39, Army  1st Sergeant,   Apr 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David L. Rice,  22, Army  Specialist,   Apr 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph S. Tremblay,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Apr 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William A. Edens,  29, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Apr 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Wayne Morris,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert W. Murray Jr.,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ricky W. Rockholt Jr.,  28, Army  Specialist,   Apr 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy Craig Kiser,  37, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Apr 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles S. Cooper Jr.,  19, Army  Private,   Apr 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Darren A. Deblanc,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Apr 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen W. Frank,  29, Army  Captain,   Apr 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clifford V. \"CC\" Gadsden,  25, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Apr 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ralph J. \"Jay\" Harting III,  28, Army  Captain,   Apr 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Juan de Dios Garcia-Arana,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Apr 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenya A. Parker,  26, Army  Sergeant,   Apr 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Derrick Joseph Lutters,  24, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tommy S. Little,  47, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John E. McGee,  36, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kelly C. Hinz,  30, Marine  Captain,   May 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John C. Spahr,  42, Marine  Major,   May 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William J. Brooks,  30, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen P. Saxton,  24, Army  Sergeant,   May 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael V. Postal,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron N. Cepeda Sr.,  22, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   May 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lance Tanner Graham,  26, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   May 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael A. Marzano,  28, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   May 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffery L. Wiener,  32, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   May 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven Ray Givens,  26, Army  Specialist,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thor H. Ingraham,  24, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicolas E. Messmer,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Gary A. \"Andy\" Eckert Jr.,  24, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lawrence R. Philippon,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin A. Derga,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   May 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stephen P. Baldwyn,  19, Marine  Private 1st Class,   May 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony L. Goodwin,  33, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   May 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marcus Mahdee,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Taylor B. Prazynski,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Bordelon,  37, Army  1st Sergeant,   May 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Samuel Tyrone Castle,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kendall H. Ivy II,  28, Marine  Staff Sergeant,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John T. Schmidt III,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wesley G. Davids,  20, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher R. Dixon,  18, Marine Reserve  Private 1st Class,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas B. Erdy,  21, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan Walter Grant,  23, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jourdan L. Grez,  24, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   May 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew R. Jodon,  27, Army  Sergeant,   May 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John M. Smith,  22, Army  Sergeant,   May 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth E. Zeigler II,  22, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 12, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis W. Anderson,  28, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles C. Gillican III,  35, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacob M. Simpson,  24, Army  Sergeant,   May 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wesley R. Riggs,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Antwan L. \"Twan\" Walker,  22, Army  Sergeant,   May 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Wyatt D. Eisenhauer,  26, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robin V. Fell,  22, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bernard L. Sembly,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kurt D. Schamberg,  26, Army  Sergeant,   May 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brad A. Wentz,  21, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   May 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler L. Creamean,  21, Army  Specialist,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin C. Morton,  24, Army  Sergeant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Kenneth J. Schall,  22, Army  Sergeant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Aaron N. Seesan,  25, Army  1st Lieutenant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles T. Wilkerson,  30, Army  Sergeant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl J. Morgain,  40, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John B. Ogburn III,  45, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua T. Brazee,  25, Army  Specialist,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Russell J. Verdugo,  34, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan Edward Barron,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Audrey Daron Lunsford,  29, Army National Guard  Specialist,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Saburant \"Sabe\" Parker,  43, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Ryan Varnado,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher S. Perez,  30, Marine  Sergeant,   May 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Randy D. Collins,  36, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   May 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles A. \"Chuck\" Drier,  28, Army  Sergeant,   May 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin C. Fisher,  22, Army  Specialist,   May 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey R. Wallace,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   May 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Peter J. Hahn,  31, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   May 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Alfred Barton Siler,  33, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   May 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Neil Wimberg,  24, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   May 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ricardo A. Crocker,  39, Marine Reserve  Major,   May 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew Scott Lourey,  40, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW4),   May 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark A. Maida,  22, Army  Sergeant,   May 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua Michael Scott,  28, Army  Chief Warrant Officer (CW2),   May 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip N. Sayles,  26, Army  Specialist,   May 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Albert E. Smart,  41, Army Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   May 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael S. Barnhill,  39, Marine Reserve  1st Sergeant,   May 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor M. Cortes III,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   May 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Derek Argel,  28, Air Force  Captain,   May 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Casey Crate,  26, Air Force  Staff Sergeant,   May 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William Downs,  40, Air Force  Major,   May 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy Fresques,  26, Air Force  Captain,   May 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey B. Starr,  22, Marine  Corporal,   May 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven M. Langmack,  33, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   May 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Miguel A. Ramos,  39, Army Reserve  Sergeant,   May 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip C. Edmundson,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jun 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Louis E. Niedermeier,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Virgil R. Case,  37, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Linda J. Villar,  41, Dept. of the Army  Civilian,   Jun 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Antonio Mendoza,  21, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric J. Poelman,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian Scott \"Scotty\" Ulbrich,  23, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Justin L. Vasquez,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Theodore S. Westhusing,  44, Army  Colonel,   Jun 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carrie L. French,  19, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian M. Romines,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert T. Mininger,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan L. Smith,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 06, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric T. Burri,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Terrence K. Crowe,  44, Army Reserve  Lieutenant Colonel,   Jun 07, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roberto Arizola Jr.,  31, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael J. Fasnacht,  25, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Douglas E. Kashmer,  27, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Louis E. Allen,  34, Army National Guard  1st Lieutenant,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Phillip T. Esposito,  30, Army National Guard  Captain,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Marc Lucas Tucker,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mark O. Edwards,  40, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David Joseph Murray,  23, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Chavez,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dustin V. Birch,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Thomas O. Keeling,  23, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Devon Paul Seymour,  21, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brad D. Squires,  26, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jun 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Mario Alberto Castillo,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andrew J. Kilpela,  22, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Stanley J. Lapinski,  35, Army  Corporal,   Jun 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Neil A. Prince,  35, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jun 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry R. Arnold Sr.,  46, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Casey Byers,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Terrance D. Lee Sr.,  25, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony D. Kinslow,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Larry R. Kuhns Jr.,  24, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John J. Mattek Jr.,  24, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony G. Jones,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael Ray Hayes,  29, Army National Guard  Private 1st Class,   Jun 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathan B. Clemons,  20, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jun 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joshua P. Klinger,  21, Marine  Private 1st Class,   Jun 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathan R. Flores,  18, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jesse Jaime,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad B. Maynard,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tyler S. Trovillion,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Dion M. Whitley,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Cesar O. Baez,  37, Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class,   Jun 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony S. Cometa,  21, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Erik R. Heldt,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John W. Maloney,  36, Marine  Captain,   Jun 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert M. Horrigan,  40, Army  Master Sergeant,   Jun 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Michael L. McNulty,  36, Army  Master Sergeant,   Jun 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Noah Harris,  23, Army  1st Lieutenant,   Jun 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          William A. Long,  26, Army  Corporal,   Jun 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam J. Crumpler,  19, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 18, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher R. Kilpatrick,  18, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jun 20, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher L. Hoskins,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nicholas R. Idalski,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jun 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D. Stewart,  29, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian A. Vaughn,  23, Army  Specialist,   Jun 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arnold Duplantier II,  26, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 22, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Phelps,  39, Army  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph M. Tackett,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Holly A. Charette,  21, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Veashna Muy,  20, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad W. Powell,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramona M. Valdez,  20, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Regina R. Clark,  43, Naval Reserve  Petty Officer 1st Class,   Jun 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carlos Pineda,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Jun 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Charles A. Kaufman,  20, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jun 26, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Matthew S. Coutu,  23, Army  2nd Lieutenant,   Jun 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Keith R. Mariotti,  39, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jun 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven E. Shepard,  30, Army  Chief Warrant Officer,   Jun 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Rafael A. \"T. J.\" Carrillo Jr.,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jun 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Manny Hornedo,  27, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert E. Hall Jr.,  30, Army Reserve  Specialist,   Jun 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Chad M. Mercer,  25, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jun 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeremy A. Brown,  26, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan J. Montgomery,  22, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Scottie L. Bright,  36, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lyle J. Cambridge,  23, Army  Corporal,   Jul 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher W. Dickison,  26, Army  Specialist,   Jul 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Anthony M. Mazzarella,  22, Army  Private,   Jul 05, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Deyson K. Cariaga,  20, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 08, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Hoby F. Bradfield Jr.,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jul 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Eric Paul Woods,  26, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 09, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Joseph P. Goodrich,  32, Marine Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ryan J. Kovacicek,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jul 10, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy J. Sutton,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benyahmin B. Yahudah,  24, Army  Specialist,   Jul 13, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Timothy J. Hines Jr.,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Tricia L. Jameson,  34, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Clifton Blake Mounce,  22, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher D. Winchester,  23, Marine  Corporal,   Jul 14, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jared D. Hartley,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jul 15, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jorge Luis Pena-Romero,  29, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis S. Cooper,  24, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronald T. Wood,  28, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 16, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronnie D. Williams,  26, Army  Specialist,   Jul 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Frank F. Tiai,  45, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Efrain Sanchez Jr.,  26, Marine  Lance Corporal,   Jul 17, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Lavena L. Johnson,  19, Army  Private,   Jul 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Arthur R. McGill,  25, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jefferey J. Farrow,  28, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 19, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Steven P. Gill,  24, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jul 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Travis L. Youngblood,  26, Navy  Petty Officer 3rd Class,   Jul 21, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Bryan James Opskar,  32, Marine  Sergeant,   Jul 23, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernest W. Dallas Jr.,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason W. Montefering,  27, Army  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Milton M. Monzon Jr.,  21, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher J. Taylor,  22, Army  Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ramon A. Villatoro Jr.,  19, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jacques Earl \"Gus\" Brunson,  30, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Carl Ray Fuller,  44, Army National Guard  Staff Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James Ondra Kinlow,  35, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John Frank Thomas,  33, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adam J. Harting,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Adrian J. Butler,  28, Army  Specialist,   Jul 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Edward L. Myers,  21, Army  Specialist,   Jul 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          John O. Tollefson,  22, Army  Specialist,   Jul 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Benjamin D. Jansky,  28, Army Reserve  Captain,   Jul 27, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Christopher P. Lyons,  24, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Jul 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Andre L. Williams,  23, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Jul 28, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ernesto R. Guerra,  20, Army  Private,   Jul 29, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jason D. Scheuerman,  20, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Robert A. Swaney,  21, Army  Private 1st Class,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Victor Anderson,  39, Army National Guard  Sergeant 1st Class,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jonathon Haggin,  26, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David R. Jones,  45, Army National Guard  Sergeant,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Ronnie \"Rod\" Shelley,  34, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 30, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D. Carroll,  23, Army National Guard  Specialist,   Jul 31, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Jeffrey A. Boskovitch,  25, Marine Reserve  Corporal,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Roger D. Castleberry Jr.,  26, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          David J. Coullard,  32, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Daniel Nathan Deyarmin Jr.,  22, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James R. Graham III,  25, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Brian P. Montgomery,  26, Marine Reserve  Lance Corporal,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          Nathaniel S. Rock,  26, Marine Reserve  Sergeant,   Aug 01, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003e          James D. McNaughton,  27, Army Reserve  Staff Sergeant,   Aug 02, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"nameRank\" id=\"names\"\u003eHuey Lewis Ganey, 29, Army National Guard Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eCharles Houghton Warren, 36, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAdam J. Strain, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eTimothy Michael Bell Jr., 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEric J. Bernholtz, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas William B. Bloem, 20, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eMichael J. Cifuentes, 25, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eChristopher Jenkins Dyer, 19, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eGrant B. Fraser, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eBradley J. Harper, 25, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eJustin F. Hoffman, 27, Marine Reserve Sergeant, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDavid Kenneth J. Kreuter, 26, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eAaron H. Reed, 21, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eEdward August Schroeder II, 23, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eDavid S. Stewart, 24, Marine Reserve Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eKevin G. Waruinge, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam Brett Wightman, 22, Marine Reserve Lance Corporal, Aug 03, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThank you sir.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3 bows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eyrs f\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eVery moving post!!Thank you Musafir.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"U.S. Casualties in Iraq - Names (by date)"},{"content":" God in the classsroom, God in the bedroom.....and what it has achieved for Texas*It is Texas where the Christian Right has succeeded in including bible studies to high school curriculum. Looking at the statistics about this state one gets the impression that it does not have a record of being a shining example to others. Perhaps bible studies would improve the situation. One thing for sure there is a lot of room for improvements.\" HOUSTON, July 31 - When the school board in Odessa, the West Texas oil town, voted unanimously in April to add an elective Bible study course to the 2006 high school curriculum, some parents dropped to their knees in prayerful thanks that God would be returned to the classroom, while others assailed it as an effort to instill religious training in the public schools.Hundreds of miles away, leaders of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools notched another victory. A religious advocacy group based in Greensboro, N.C., the council has been pressing a 12-year campaign to get school boards across the country to accept its Bible curriculum.\" (NY Times Aug.1, 2005).Facts about the State of Texas (rank in the nation): Teenage pregnancy rate: Texas ranks 5th nationally (Nevada has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation and ranks 1st). Of the 80,050 teen pregnancies each year in Texas, 68% result in live births and 17% result in abortions. Source: Alan Guttmacher InstituteHow Often Does a Teenager in Texas Get Pregnant? Every 10 hours, a 14-year-old teen gets pregnant. Every 3 hours, a 15-year-old teen gets pregnant. Every 1.5 hours, a 16-year-old teen gets pregnant. Every 52 minutes, a 17-year-old-teen gets pregnant. Every 35 minutes, an 18-year-old teen gets pregnant. Every 28 minutes, a 19-year-old teen gets pregnant. What are the Outcomes? Every 10 minutes a teen gives birth. Every 48 minutes a teen has an abortion. Source: Texas, Dept. of State Health Services Between January and July 2005, ten death sentences have been carried out in Texas, the highest in the nation. Source: Texas Dept of Criminal Justice High School graduation rate: 50th SAT scores: 48th State aid per pupil: 39th Spending on child protection: 48th Amount of monthly women, infant and children (WIC) benefits paid: 49th Source: Shapleigh.org Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-08-03 These are very interesting figures Musafir.I did see something about this on a news program.I think that this is a perfect example why there must be separation of church and state!!!\nThanks for the information. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/texas---onward-christian-soldiers/","summary":"God in the classsroom, God in the bedroom.....and what it has achieved for Texas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eIt is Texas where the Christian Right has succeeded in including bible studies to high school curriculum. Looking at the statistics about this state one gets the impression that it does not have a record of being a shining example to others. Perhaps bible studies would improve the situation. One thing for sure there is a lot of room for improvements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\" HOUSTON, July 31 - When the school board in Odessa, the West Texas oil town, voted unanimously in April to add an elective Bible study course to the 2006 high school curriculum, some parents dropped to their knees in prayerful thanks that God would be returned to the classroom, while others assailed it as an effort to instill religious training in the public schools.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHundreds of miles away, leaders of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools notched another victory. A religious advocacy group based in Greensboro, N.C., the council has been pressing a 12-year campaign to get school boards across the country to accept its Bible curriculum.\" (NY Times Aug.1, 2005).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFacts about the State of Texas (rank in the nation):\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eTeenage pregnancy rate: Texas ranks 5th nationally (Nevada has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation and ranks 1st). Of the 80,050 teen pregnancies each year in Texas, 68% result in live births and 17% result in abortions.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_data/states/texas.html\"\u003eAlan Guttmacher Institute\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow Often Does a Teenager in Texas Get Pregnant?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e     Every 10 hours, a 14-year-old teen gets pregnant.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 3 hours, a 15-year-old teen gets pregnant.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 1.5 hours, a 16-year-old teen gets pregnant.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 52 minutes, a 17-year-old-teen gets pregnant.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 35 minutes, an 18-year-old teen gets pregnant.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 28 minutes, a 19-year-old teen gets pregnant.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e What are the Outcomes?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 10 minutes a teen gives birth.\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e     Every 48 minutes a teen has an abortion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/famplan/tpp.shtm\"\u003eTexas, Dept. of State Health Services\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBetween January and July 2005, ten death sentences have been carried out in Texas, the highest in the nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/executedoffenders.htm\"\u003eTexas Dept of Criminal Justice\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHigh School graduation rate:  50th \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSAT scores: 48th\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eState aid per pupil: 39th\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSpending on child protection: 48th\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eAmount of monthly women, infant and children (WIC) benefits paid: 49th\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.shapleigh.org/files/focus_documents88.pdf\"\u003eShapleigh.org\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-03\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThese are very interesting figures Musafir.I did see something about this on a news program.I think that this is a perfect example why there must be separation of church and state!!!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for the information.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Texas - \"Onward Christian Soldiers\""},{"content":" And Dusti Rhodes in a Red Jacket *It is the 68th year of Stern Grove Festival. An unique, admission-free program in a wonderful setting.After a gap of about 20 years I joined a few friends to attend the concert on Sunday, July 31st. Before the program we went to Greens at Fort Mason for brunch. The restaurant offers a great view of the San Francisco Bay; the Golden Gate Bridge was partly obscured by fog but we watched sail boats in the bay, and then drove to the Presidio for a short walk near the bridge. Not a very clear day but it was not too windy and cold.When we got to the amphitheater around 1:00 PM it was already full of people who had arrived early and were happily enjoying food and wine or sprawled on blankets. We found a spot which did not allow a clear view of the stage but that was not important. We settled down, opened a bottle of wine, and nibbled on cheese and bread.Soon the performance began with the polonaise from Chaikovosky's Eugene Onegin. Sunday's program was mostly operatic. I am not an opera buff but the company of friends, the setting, the infectious spirit of the people all around us, made it an enjoyable experience. The two hours went by very quickly and then it was time to pack up and leave the park.Stern Grove went through extensive renovation and the result is impressive. A new, larger stage, expansion of the lawn area, and additional rest rooms have greatly enhanced the ambience.Next Sunday (Aug.7th), the program will feature Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Portugese and Spanish songs by Waldemar Bastos and Maria BarrosThe concerts will run through August 21.Who is Dusti Rhodes? Not someone I personally know. She is one of the DJs in the local classical music station KDFC (102.1 FM). I often listen to her on radio and was happy to see her appear on stage to make some announcements.Stern GrovePhoto credit: Alan Geller For details about the concerts, link to: Stern Grove ","permalink":"/posts/2005/08/opera-in-the-park-on-a-sunday-afternoon/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e And Dusti Rhodes in a Red Jacket\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is the 68th year of Stern Grove Festival.  An unique, admission-free program in a wonderful setting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter a gap of about 20 years I joined a few friends to attend the concert on Sunday, July 31st. Before the program we went to Greens at Fort Mason for brunch. The restaurant offers a great view of the San Francisco Bay; the Golden Gate Bridge was partly obscured by fog but we watched sail boats in the bay, and then drove to the Presidio for a short walk near the bridge. Not a very clear day but it was not too windy and cold.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen we got to the amphitheater around 1:00 PM it was already full of people who had arrived early and were happily enjoying food and wine or sprawled on blankets. We found a spot which did not allow a clear view of the stage but that was not important. We settled down, opened a bottle of wine, and nibbled on cheese and bread.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSoon the performance began with the polonaise from Chaikovosky's Eugene Onegin. Sunday's program was mostly operatic. I am not an opera buff but the company of friends, the setting, the infectious spirit of the people all around us, made it an enjoyable experience. The two hours went by very quickly and then it was time to pack up and leave the park.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStern Grove went through extensive renovation and the result is impressive. A new, larger stage, expansion of the lawn area, and additional rest rooms have greatly enhanced the ambience.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNext Sunday (Aug.7th), the program will feature Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Portugese and Spanish songs by Waldemar Bastos and Maria Barros\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe concerts will run through August 21.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho is Dusti Rhodes? Not someone I personally know. She is one of the DJs in the local classical music station KDFC (102.1 FM). I often listen to her on radio and was happy to see her appear on stage to make some announcements.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStern Grove\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/08/Stern Grove.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto credit:  Alan Geller \u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/08/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor details about the concerts, link to: \u003ca href=\"http://www.sterngrove.org/index.php?template=2\u0026amp;page=index\"\u003eStern Grove\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Opera in the Park on a Sunday afternoon"},{"content":" *Turbulent waters aheadThe Republicans are licking their chops. They might, just might, get the opportunity to break unions as we know them.On July 25th, at the labor federation's 50th annual convention in Chicago, The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Brotherhood of Teamsters submitted letters of disaffiliation. Then, on July 29th The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) announced their decision to leave the AFL-CIO.The actions mean a loss of almost 4 million members and $28 million (annually) for the AFL-CIO. It is not about to lose its dominant presence but certainly emerged as a much weaker organization.It would be interesting to see the impact on the Democratic Party. Traditionally, the unions have backed the Democrats and Democrats have repaid them whenever possible by legislative actions---to block unfriendly bills and to pass labor-friendly bills.The union members have to be blind and deaf not to recognize the alliance between the Republicans and Corporate America. The attacks against unions first began in force during late President Reagan's administration. It gained impetus in the Bush administration. Labor can expect no quarters.The unions have not remained free of abuses by their leaders. They are guilty of negotiating contracts that permit featherbedding. Yet, compared to abuses in the corporate suites theirs are minor violations of work ethics.Globalization, outsourcing, and increasing use of high technology in industries across the nation call for new outlook by labor to protect their wages, rights and benefits. Service economy is rapidly replacing manufacturing industries that were once the stronghold of unions. The rank and file union members must weigh that against their positions on social and moral issues. At the end, the majority will prevail. There is a lot at stake. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/americas-labor-unions/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eTurbulent waters ahead\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Republicans are licking their chops. They might, just might, get the opportunity to break unions as we know them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn July 25th, at the labor federation's 50th annual convention in Chicago, The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Brotherhood of Teamsters submitted letters of disaffiliation. Then, on July 29th The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) announced their decision to leave the AFL-CIO.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe actions mean a loss of almost 4 million members and $28 million (annually) for the AFL-CIO. It is not about to lose its dominant presence but certainly emerged as a much weaker organization.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt would be interesting to see the impact on the Democratic Party. Traditionally, the unions have backed the Democrats and Democrats have repaid them whenever possible by legislative actions---to block unfriendly bills and to pass labor-friendly bills.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe union members have to be blind and deaf not to recognize the alliance between the Republicans and Corporate America. The attacks against unions first began in force during late President Reagan's administration. It gained impetus in the Bush administration. Labor can expect no quarters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe unions have not remained free of abuses by their leaders. They are guilty of negotiating contracts that permit featherbedding. Yet, compared to abuses in the corporate suites theirs are minor violations of work ethics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGlobalization, outsourcing, and increasing use of high technology in industries across the nation call for new outlook by labor to protect their wages, rights and benefits. Service economy is rapidly replacing manufacturing industries that were once the stronghold of unions. The rank and file union members must weigh that against their positions on social and moral issues. At the end, the majority will prevail. There is a lot at stake.","title":"America's Labor Unions"},{"content":" \"When it rains it pours\"......and pours*According to reports, parts of the Indian sub-continent are feeling the full brunt of the onslaught of monsoon. The south-west monsoon is an yearly occurrence. There are years when it does not bring enough rain and then there are years when there is too much of it. People depend on it (need it for agricultural crops); anxiously wait for it and dread its fury. From all accounts, this year the monsoon is breaking previous records and bringing misery to people who fall within its range.E-mail from a friend mentioned that her brother in Bombay (Mumbai) was unable to go home and spent a night in the office; not an isolated case. Bombay received more than 37 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. For comparison, here in the San Francisco Bay Area we had 47 inches in the entire 1997-98 season, the wettest on record.When I worked in Calcutta, there were days during the monsoon when streets became water-logged (it does not take much rain to cause that in Calcutta) and public transportation came to a standstill. People took off their shoes, rolled up their trousers and slogged through streets full of floating garbage. It was more difficult for women. In those days most of the women wore saris. The only other option was to find a rickshaw and pay the rickshaw puller whatever he demanded. It was entirely a \"sellers' market\".I have done both--walked through flooded streets carrying my shoes, and rode a rickshaw.Rickshaw Puller, CalcuttaPhoto credit: www.liberaassociazioneilpopolo.it/Cherrapunji (Lat/Lon: 25.2° N 91.7° E) in North-eastern India has the distinction of being the wettest place on earth. The Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India, reports the average rainfall as 434 inches per year while the Wikipedia site shows 450 inches! Think about it.\"It's ironic that locals in the wettest place on earth have more to worry about than which gumboots to wear that day. Cherrapunji deals with monsoons. Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring torrential rains for up to six months, then the wind changes direction and for the next six months hardly any rain falls at all. Cherrapunji sees most of its rain during the monsoon season which last for four months. For the rest of the year villagers deal with drought and have to collect water from a pipeline - it's the only place they can get fresh water. \" Source: kidzworld.comAnyone interested in learning about the monsoon but not getting bogged down in scientific treatise would enjoy Alexander Frater's \"Chasing the Monsoon\" . Former travel editor of the London Observer, Mr. Frater did what the title of his book says--chased the monsoon. In 1987 he followed the monsoon from the beginning to end. Cherrapunji was the final stop for Mr. Frater. Whether describing his experiences with bureaucrats in charge of permits or writing about ordinary people that he met, Mr. Frater vividly brought back the India I knew.To top it off, he wrote about a man that I personally knew from my association with the steamship company for which his employers served as agents! Mr. Frater met Manjoo Menon during his visit to the Malabar Coast. Small world.Chasing the Monsoon Mr. Frater's book is available both in print and audio editions. Immensely enjoyable. Bernard Mays did a superb job reading for the audio version. A friend to whom I recommended it said he felt sad when it came to an end. So did I.Record rainfall brings chaos in India (The Guardian,UK)Map: South West Monsoon in IndiaTechnical data about South West Monsoon. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28 upon reading this I realized that it's time for you to write your memoirs. All that lyricism can't go to waste.\nNow I have another book to find. :)\nthe usual 3 reverential bows,\nyrs ever,\nf Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28 Wonderful! I look forward to reading this. (as soon as I finish with Barak Obama) Thanks for the beautiful words and thoughts.\ncheers! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/monsoon---the-rains-have-arrived-in-india/","summary":"\"When it rains it pours\"......and pours\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to reports, parts of the Indian sub-continent are feeling the full brunt of the onslaught of monsoon. The south-west monsoon is an yearly occurrence. There are years when it does not bring enough rain and then there are years when there is too much of it. People depend on it (need it for agricultural crops); anxiously wait for it and dread its fury. From all accounts, this year the monsoon is breaking previous records and bringing misery to people who fall within its range.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eE-mail from a friend mentioned that her brother in Bombay (Mumbai) was unable to go home and spent a night in the office; not an isolated case. Bombay received more than 37 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.  For comparison, here in the San Francisco Bay Area we had 47 inches in the entire 1997-98 season, the wettest on record.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I worked in Calcutta, there were days during the monsoon when streets became water-logged (it does not take much rain to cause that in Calcutta) and public transportation came to a standstill. People took off their shoes, rolled up their trousers and slogged through streets full of floating garbage. It was more difficult for women. In those days most of the women wore saris. The only other option was to find a rickshaw and pay the rickshaw puller whatever he demanded. It was entirely a \"sellers' market\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have done both--walked through flooded streets carrying my shoes, and rode a rickshaw.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/calcutta.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRickshaw Puller, Calcutta\u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePhoto credit: www.liberaassociazioneilpopolo.it/\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCherrapunji (Lat/Lon: 25.2° N 91.7° E) in North-eastern India has the distinction of being the wettest place on earth. The Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India, reports the average rainfall as 434 inches per year while the Wikipedia site shows 450 inches! Think about it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's ironic that locals in the wettest place on earth have more to worry about than which gumboots to wear that day. Cherrapunji deals with monsoons. Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring torrential rains for up to six months, then the wind changes direction and for the next six months hardly any rain falls at all. Cherrapunji sees most of its rain during the monsoon season which last for four months. For the rest of the year villagers deal with drought and have to collect water from a pipeline - it's the only place they can get fresh water. \"  Source: \u003ca href=\"http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1141.htm\"\u003ekidzworld.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnyone interested in learning about the monsoon but not getting bogged down in scientific treatise would enjoy Alexander Frater's \"Chasing the Monsoon\" . Former travel editor of the London Observer, Mr. Frater did what the title of his book says--chased the monsoon. In 1987 he followed the monsoon from the beginning to end. Cherrapunji was the final stop for Mr. Frater. Whether describing his experiences with bureaucrats in charge of permits or writing about ordinary people that he met, Mr. Frater vividly brought back the India I knew.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo top it off, he wrote about a man that I personally knew from my association with the steamship company for which his employers served as agents! Mr. Frater met Manjoo Menon during his visit to the Malabar Coast. Small world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/Chasing the Monsoon.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChasing the Monsoon \u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eMr. Frater's book is available both in print and audio editions. Immensely enjoyable. Bernard Mays did a superb job reading for the audio version. A friend to whom I recommended it said he felt sad when it came to an end. So did I.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,12559,1537599,00.html\"\u003eRecord rainfall\u003c/a\u003e brings chaos in India (The Guardian,UK)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/southwestmonsoon.htm\"\u003eMap: South West Monsoon in India\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://http//images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/jawf/profiles/specials/monsoon/mon4.gif\u0026amp;imgrefurl=http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/jawf/profiles/specials/monsoon/monsoon.htm\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;h=562\u0026amp;w=628\u0026amp;sz=10\u0026amp;tbnid=Gfyr-aVaSWsJ:\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;tbnh=119\u0026amp;tbnw=134\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;start=8\u0026amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3DMonsoon%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official_s%26sa%3DG\"\u003eTechnical data \u003c/a\u003eabout South West Monsoon.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eupon reading this I realized that it's time for you to write your memoirs.  All that lyricism can't go to waste.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow I have another book to find. :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe usual 3 reverential bows,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eyrs ever,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWonderful!  I look forward to reading this.  (as soon as I finish with Barak Obama)  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for the beautiful words and thoughts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003echeers!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Monsoon - The rains have arrived in India"},{"content":" Sign of Things to Come\"Although Roberts called the Roe decision \"settled law\" during hearings on his nomination as an appellate court judge in 2003, Gonzales said in an interview with the Associated Press that a Supreme Court justice 'is not obliged to follow precedent if you believe it's wrong'.\" Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28 oh barf. i'm getting ill just hearing about this. please GOD make it stop!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/roe-v-wade---the-attorney-general-speaketh/","summary":"Sign of Things to Come\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Although Roberts called the Roe decision \"settled law\" during hearings on his nomination as an appellate court judge in 2003, \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/26/AR2005072601656.html?sub=AR\"\u003eGonzales\u003c/a\u003e said in an interview with the Associated Press that a Supreme Court justice 'is not obliged to follow precedent if you believe it's wrong'.\"\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eoh barf.  i'm getting ill just hearing about this.  please GOD make it stop!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Roe v. Wade - The Attorney General Speaketh"},{"content":" An Unwinnable War ? * Bits and pieces of news about attempts to manipulate votes in Iraq's election held in January indicated that it was not the shining example of democratic process that President Bush often mentions.Now the whole sordid affair has been exposed. Seymour Hersh's article \"Get Out The Vote\" (Did Washington try to manipulate Iraq's election?) in The New Yorker, July 25th issue, goes deep into the heart of the matter. In an effort to put Iyad Allawi and other favored candidates responsive to our needs and commands in place, we covertly funded them. The money, however, failed to achieve the desired result. While the Iraqis did not end up with a good government they certainly thwarted the CPA's plans for one headed completely by puppets. Not difficult to imagine the chagrin of the plotters.Mr. Hersh mentioned Larry Diamond's recent book \"Squandered Victory\". Mr. Diamond served as a senior adviser in Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority under Paul Bremmer.SQUANDERED VICTORYThe American Occupationand the Bungled Effort toBring Democracy to Iraq.By Larry Diamond.369 pp. Times Books. $25.\"As the number of suicide bombings in Iraq has risen dramatically, and as insurgents return to areas from which they had been driven by coalition forces in previous months, more terrorism and security experts are asking if Iraq has become an \"unwinnable war\" for the US and its coalition partners.\"The Christian Science Monitor, \"Can U.S. Britain 'Win' In Iraq?\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/election-fraud---iraq-january-2005/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e An Unwinnable War ?\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  Bits and pieces of news about attempts to manipulate votes in Iraq's election held in January indicated that it was not the shining example of democratic process that President Bush often mentions.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the whole sordid affair has been exposed. Seymour Hersh's article \"Get Out The Vote\" (Did Washington try to manipulate Iraq's election?) in \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050725fa_fact\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c/a\u003e, July 25th issue, goes deep into the heart of the matter. In an effort to put Iyad Allawi and other favored candidates responsive to our needs and commands in place, we covertly funded them. The money, however, failed to achieve the desired result. While the Iraqis did not end up with a good government they certainly thwarted the CPA's plans for one headed completely by puppets. Not difficult to imagine the chagrin of the plotters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Hersh mentioned Larry Diamond's recent book \"Squandered Victory\". Mr. Diamond served as a senior adviser in Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority under Paul Bremmer.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSQUANDERED VICTORY\u003cbr/\u003eThe American Occupation\u003cbr/\u003eand the Bungled Effort to\u003cbr/\u003eBring Democracy to Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003eBy Larry Diamond.\u003cbr/\u003e369 pp. Times Books. $25.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"As the number of suicide bombings in Iraq has risen dramatically, and as insurgents return to areas from which they had been driven by coalition forces in previous months, more terrorism and security experts are asking if Iraq has become an \"unwinnable war\" for the US and its coalition partners.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Christian Science Monitor, \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0725/dailyUpdate.html\"\u003eCan U.S. Britain 'Win' In Iraq\u003c/a\u003e?\"","title":"Election Fraud - Iraq January 2005"},{"content":" *An article by Edward M. Gomez in The San Francisco Chronicle summarizes comments from British print and broadcast media.Excerpts:\"Blasting Tony Blair's government for having been \"poorly focused,\" Portillo also remarked that maybe Britons had \"take[n] things almost too calmly.\" Such nonchalance, he suggested, had helped allow the \"Londonistan\" phenomenon, which he called \"the concentration of Muslim political activists in the capital,\" to gather steam over the years. So, too, he noted, had the U.K.'s asylum rules. They had \"made no distinction between the innocent victims of persecution\" who should have been permitted to enter Britain, he observed, and \"others,\" like angry militants, who were \"intent on bringing down states.\" (The Times)\"\"In the usually more left-of-center Guardian, without explicitly citing the Muslim affiliation of the perpetrators of the July 7 London attacks, commentator Polly Toynbee assailed \"the deranged religious mania\" of \"demented killers lining up to murder in the name of God.\" Toynbee was referring to Islamist fanatics; she also emphatically criticized religious extremists of all stripes. She took Blair's Labor government to task for pandering to religious groups in Britain, as in its support for Anglican, Muslim and even Hindu schools. She suggested that, under Blair, a too-cozy relationship between the state and churches in the U.K. has helped foster a mind-set that assumes \"that religion is always or mainly beneficent.\"\"History suggests otherwise,\" she wrote. \"So do events on the streets of London.\" Toynbee argued that \"[i]t is time now to get serious about religion -- all religion -- and draw a firm line between the real world and the world of dreams.\" In a call to action that would inevitably fall on the deaf ears of politicians were she to issue it in the United States, Toynbee urged: \"[N]ever was it more important to separate the state from all faiths and relegate all religion to the private -- but well-regulated -- sphere.\"\"Rosevaldo Reis, a 40-year-old school teacher, said the Menezes killing had shocked many residents of the large Latin American community south of London in which he lives. Reis said: \"Latin people are all dark-skinned, but I don't think we should be judged by that and get stopped.\" (BBC)\"WorldViews, San Francisco Chronicle Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28 Well that's just stoopid. Latin folks are NOT all dark skinned. My child is not and his father only gets dark in the summer when he wants a tan.\nsilly.\nI do understand the greater point, however. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/deranged-religious-mania---muslims-at-the-forefront/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eAn article by Edward M. Gomez in The San Francisco Chronicle summarizes comments from British print and broadcast media.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Blasting Tony Blair's government for having been \"poorly focused,\" Portillo also remarked that maybe Britons had \"take[n] things almost too calmly.\" Such nonchalance, he suggested, had helped allow the \"Londonistan\" phenomenon, which he called \"the concentration of Muslim political activists in the capital,\" to gather steam over the years. So, too, he noted, had the U.K.'s asylum rules. They had \"made no distinction between the innocent victims of persecution\" who should have been permitted to enter Britain, he observed, and \"others,\" like angry militants, who were \"intent on bringing down states.\" (The Times)\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In the usually more left-of-center Guardian, without explicitly citing the Muslim affiliation of the perpetrators of the July 7 London attacks, commentator Polly Toynbee assailed \"the deranged religious mania\" of \"demented killers lining up to murder in the name of God.\" Toynbee was referring to Islamist fanatics; she also emphatically criticized religious extremists of all stripes. She took Blair's Labor government to task for pandering to religious groups in Britain, as in its support for Anglican, Muslim and even Hindu schools. She suggested that, under Blair, a too-cozy relationship between the state and churches in the U.K. has helped foster a mind-set that assumes \"that religion is always or mainly beneficent.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"History suggests otherwise,\" she wrote. \"So do events on the streets of London.\" Toynbee argued that \"[i]t is time now to get serious about religion -- all religion -- and draw a firm line between the real world and the world of dreams.\" In a call to action that would inevitably fall on the deaf ears of politicians were she to issue it in the United States, Toynbee urged: \"[N]ever was it more important to separate the state from all faiths and relegate all religion to the private -- but well-regulated -- sphere.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Rosevaldo Reis, a 40-year-old school teacher, said the Menezes killing had shocked many residents of the large Latin American community south of London in which he lives. Reis said: \"Latin people are all dark-skinned, but I don't think we should be judged by that and get stopped.\" (BBC)\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/columnists/worldviews/\"\u003eWorldViews, San Francisco Chronicle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWell that's just stoopid.  Latin folks are NOT all dark skinned.  My child is not and his father only gets dark in the summer when he wants a tan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esilly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI do understand the greater point, however.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Deranged religious mania\" - Muslims at the Forefront"},{"content":" Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI and Harry PotterInteresting development. The rebellious action by a few women is not going to cause a chink in the massive fortress called The Vatican. Even among the faithful who do not always agree with the church this will not mean much.Nevertheless, there is always a first time. In that sense it was a bold move. Nine women defy Vatican.I found Peter Grafton's \"Reading Ratzinger\" (The New Yorker July 25,2005) heavy going. Mr. Grafton analyzed the pope's background and positions from various documents and wrote about the direction the pope might take.It confirmed what I had previously read about the new pope. Catholics should not expect any liberalization of the doctrines. If anything, Pope Benedict will remain intractable on issues that affect those Catholics who find it difficult to adhere faithfully to the teachings of the church.I was startled to read that a few years back Cardinal Ratzinger \"..........endorsed a German critic's attack on the Harry Potter books.....\"Mr. Grafton commented:\"A prelate who fears that the 'subtle seductions' of J.K. Rowling will stunt the spiritual growth of young Christians may find it harder than he thinks to take on modernity in all its sprawling strangeness.\"Pope Benedict will have plenty of company among the Pentecostal Christians who always find satanic symbols in books and other artistic creations.You wonder about people who spend time worrying about the evil influence of Harry Potter stories. They claim to represent God and interpret God's views. Really ? Weird. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-catholic-church-and-women-priests/","summary":"Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI and Harry Potter\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInteresting development. The rebellious action by a few women is not going to cause a chink in the massive fortress called The Vatican. Even among the faithful who do not always agree with the church this will not mean much.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, there is always a first time.  In that sense it was a bold move.  \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050726/lf_afp/canadavaticanreligion\"\u003eNine women defy Vatican\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI found Peter Grafton's \"Reading Ratzinger\" (The New Yorker July 25,2005) heavy going. Mr. Grafton analyzed the pope's background and positions from various documents and wrote about the direction the pope might take.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt confirmed what I had previously read about the new pope. Catholics should not expect any liberalization of the doctrines. If anything, Pope Benedict will remain intractable on issues that affect those Catholics who find it difficult to adhere faithfully to the teachings of the church.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI was startled to read that a few years back Cardinal Ratzinger \"..........endorsed a German critic's attack on the Harry Potter books.....\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Grafton commented:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A prelate who fears that the 'subtle seductions' of J.K. Rowling will stunt the spiritual growth of young Christians may find it harder than he thinks to take on modernity in all its sprawling strangeness.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePope Benedict will have plenty of company among the Pentecostal Christians who always find satanic symbols in books and other artistic creations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou wonder about people who spend time worrying about the evil influence of Harry Potter stories. They claim to represent God and interpret God's views. Really ? Weird.","title":"The Catholic Church and Women Priests"},{"content":" A nightingale did not sing in Berkeley SquareInitial reports stated that the Brazilian man, Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was escaping from the police (did not stop when ordered) and was connected to the explosions that morning.On July 23rd the authorities in London admitted that he had no connection with the terrorists.BBC \"Shot man not connected to bombing\"There will be an inquiry to find out what went wrong. Why did Mr. Menezes ignore commands to stop; why did he try to outtrun the police; what was he escaping from? Perhaps answers will emerge. Perhaps not. From published accounts it seems that Mr. Menezes was followed because he came out of a building which was suppposedly being used by suspected terrorists and was under surveillance. His appearance (swarthy complexion) could have been a factor.Under the present conditions--of fear and distrust--that exist in London such incidents are predictable. Could happen again. So, the late Mr. Menezes was indirectly another victim of the terrorists. Collateral damage. But then in a terrorist attack that is usually the case. The attacks are rarely directed at specific individuals. Their goal is to kill as many as possible, destroy whatever that comes within the range of their weapons. The victims happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.The silence of Islamic clergy to take a position and condemn such acts is utterly reprehensible.On the flip side, there is killing and destruction in the unjust war now in effect. Long before the insurgents in Iraq became a force to contend with our attacks resulted in large scale loss of civilian lives. Now we are battling the insurgents.....and they keep coming. Hapless Iraqi civilians continue to suffer death, injuries, and destruction of property. It has been established that not all of it can be attributed to the insurgents. So, we too have blood of innocent victims on our hands. No wonder that in 2002 we refused to be a signatory to the International Criminal Court treaty.From Chaz Bufe, The Devil's Dictionaries (\"American Heretic's Dictionary\" section:\"REGRETTABLE NECESSITY, n. An avoidable atrocity. The term is often employed by presidents and prime ministers when announcing bombings of civilian targets and invasions of small countries.\" \"FREEDOM FIGHTER, n. A State Department term referring to: 1) A mercenary attempting to install an authoritarian regime friendly to U.S. business interests; 2) A heavily armed islamic fanatic who wishes to impose his religious views upon others through the use of violence.\" Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-25 Musafir, the whole thing is just so sad!!I cannot believe that humanity is getting sucked into this downward spiral!!Where are all of the intellects and critical thinkers of our time? Why are they so silent? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/jean-charles-de-menezes-shot-dead-in-london-july-21-2005/","summary":"A nightingale did not sing in Berkeley Square\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInitial reports stated that the Brazilian man, Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was escaping from the police (did not stop when ordered) and was connected to the explosions that morning.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn July 23rd the authorities in London admitted that he had no connection with the terrorists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4711021.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e \"Shot man not connected to bombing\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere will be an inquiry to find out what went wrong. Why did Mr. Menezes ignore commands to stop; why did he try to outtrun the police; what was he escaping from? Perhaps answers will emerge. Perhaps not. From published accounts it seems that Mr. Menezes was followed because he came out of a building which was suppposedly being used by suspected terrorists and was under surveillance. His appearance (swarthy complexion) could have been a factor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder the present conditions--of fear and distrust--that exist in London such incidents are predictable. Could happen again. So, the late Mr. Menezes was indirectly another victim of the terrorists. Collateral damage. But then in a terrorist attack that is usually the case. The attacks are rarely directed at specific individuals. Their goal is to kill as many as possible, destroy whatever that comes within the range of their weapons. The victims happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe silence of Islamic clergy to take a position and condemn such acts is utterly reprehensible.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the flip side, there is killing and destruction in the unjust war now in effect. Long before the insurgents in Iraq became a force to contend with our attacks resulted in large scale loss of civilian lives. Now we are battling the insurgents.....and they keep coming. Hapless Iraqi civilians continue to suffer death, injuries, and destruction of property. It has been established that not all of it can be attributed to the insurgents. So, we too have blood of innocent victims on our hands. No wonder that in 2002 we refused to be a signatory to the International Criminal Court treaty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFrom Chaz Bufe, The Devil's Dictionaries (\"American Heretic's Dictionary\" section:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"REGRETTABLE NECESSITY, n. An avoidable atrocity. The term is often employed by presidents and prime ministers when announcing bombings of civilian targets and invasions of small countries.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"FREEDOM FIGHTER, n. A State Department term referring to: 1) A mercenary attempting to install an authoritarian regime friendly to U.S. business interests; 2) A heavily armed islamic fanatic who wishes to impose his religious views upon others through the use of violence.\"\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, the whole thing is just so sad!!I cannot believe that humanity is getting sucked into this downward spiral!!Where are all of the intellects and critical thinkers of our time? Why are they so silent?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Jean Charles de Menezes shot dead in London July 21, 2005"},{"content":" Joel Achenbach's nostalgia for summer*There are days when I write about the season(s). Just think out loud; what I like, what I don't like. Frankly, I love them all. That could very well be due to where I live. Here in the San Francisco Bay area the seasons are milder compared to some other parts of the country. I detest humid weather. We are fortunate to experience low humidity. Except for change in gear there is hardly a break in my routine of outdoor activities. I have heard remarks about the monotony of sunny, blue sky day after day. Well, I'll take that over hot muggy days or wake up to snow and rain few months a year.A great column by Joel Achenbach appeared in The Washington Post on July 17th. Achenbach's \"A Man For One Season\" touched on all seasons but ended with nostalgia for summer. \"Summer makes him so happy he could just grunt\"The autumnal equinox is two months away but there are signs---almsost imperceptible signs that each passing day is bringing it closer. For some, especially parents with children, the reopening of schools means the end of summer. A few days back a friend and I went for a hike and stopped to have a picnic on the grass. She mentioned noticing when she goes on her early morning walks that lightness in the sky takes longer to appear. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-25 Musafir, it sounds as if your location matches your personality exactly!The weather in your area is conducive to your lifestyle!!!You must be in heaven!!Are there any drawbacks? musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-08-05 Any drawbacks? The answer has to be the high cost of living. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-seasons/","summary":"Joel Achenbach's nostalgia for summer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThere are days when I write about the season(s). Just think out loud; what I like, what I don't like. Frankly, I love them all. That could very well be due to where I live. Here in the San Francisco Bay area the seasons are milder compared to some other parts of the country. I detest humid weather. We are fortunate to experience low humidity. Except for change in gear there is hardly a break in my routine of outdoor activities. I have heard remarks about the monotony of sunny, blue sky day after day. Well, I'll take that over hot muggy days or wake up to snow and rain few months a year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA great column by \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/12/AR2005071201104.html\"\u003eJoel Achenbach\u003c/a\u003e appeared in The Washington Post on July 17th. Achenbach's \"A Man For One Season\" touched on all seasons but ended with nostalgia for summer. \"Summer makes him so happy he could just grunt\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe autumnal equinox is two months away but there are signs---almsost imperceptible signs that each passing day is bringing it closer. For some, especially parents with children, the reopening of schools means the end of summer. A few days back a friend and I went for a hike and stopped to have a picnic on the grass. She mentioned noticing when she goes on her early morning walks that lightness in the sky takes longer to appear.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-25\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, it sounds as if your location matches your personality exactly!The weather in your area is conducive to your lifestyle!!!You must be in heaven!!Are there any drawbacks?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-08-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eAny drawbacks?  The answer has to be the high cost of living.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Seasons"},{"content":" \"The rise of the Christian right in American politics has added impetus to an already huge and growing market in evangelical fiction, .........\"(The Guardian,UK)*The Christian right! Reminds me of the saying about the Moral Majority, that it was neither moral nor a majority. Not only are the authors financially well-rewarded for their efforts, but they are taken very seriously. Imagine millions of people waiting for the Second Coming when they will ascend to heaven. Good for them, you think. However, what the authors have in store for the rest of us is far from pleasant. All sorts of dreadful things are going to happen to those who do not belong to the fold. If you don't want to be left behind it is not too late to join them.The following excerpt is from an article published in The Guardian,UK, on July 9th about the boom in Rapture fiction. Interesting. I don't write the adherents off; their fanatical devotion is not a laughing matter. I find them repulsive.\"None of those cited above is a \"literary\" author, but to merely write them off -with a sardonic metropolitan titter - as pulp fiction for the born-again brigade is to underestimate their growing influence. Market forces shape so much of contemporary publishing - and in an America gripped by a new Great Awakening, the realisation has hit home within the business that this stuff sells.\" \"Selling Rapture\" by Douglas Kennedy, The Guardian,UK.. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-22 My list has the same books but a new title. \"What Not To Read, Ever.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/rapture-fiction-books-that-the-born-again-christians-love/","summary":"\"The rise of the Christian right in American politics has added impetus to an already huge and growing market in evangelical fiction, .........\"(The Guardian,UK)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eThe Christian right!   Reminds me of the saying about the Moral Majority, that it was neither moral nor a majority.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003eNot only are the authors financially well-rewarded for their efforts, but they are taken very seriously. Imagine millions of people waiting for the Second Coming when they will ascend to heaven. Good for them, you think. However, what the authors have in store for the rest of us is far from pleasant. All sorts of dreadful things are going to happen to those who do not belong to the fold. If you don't want to be left behind it is not too late to join them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe following excerpt is from an article published in The Guardian,UK, on July 9th about the boom in Rapture fiction. Interesting. I don't write the adherents off; their fanatical devotion is not a laughing matter. I find them repulsive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"None of those cited above is a \"literary\" author, but to merely write them off -with a sardonic metropolitan titter - as pulp fiction for the born-again brigade is to underestimate their growing influence. Market forces shape so much of contemporary publishing - and in an America gripped by a new Great Awakening, the realisation has hit home within the business that this stuff sells.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Selling Rapture\" by \u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1524121,00.html\"\u003eDouglas Kennedy, The Guardian,UK.\u003c/a\u003e.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMy list has the same books but a new title.  \"What Not To Read, Ever.\"\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Rapture Fiction: Books that the Born Again Christians love"},{"content":" *Insurgents are not the only ones responsible The spinmeisters do their thing; stand in front of a board with pointers in their hands and rattle off numbers. It is their job and some of them even believe what they say.We are now almost two and half years into Operation Iraqi Freedom. What a name! I wonder if the people responsible for creating the name feel good about it. The mounting civilian death toll, however, cannot be hidden under the rug, cannot be disputed. cannot be served with frills. No matter what euphemism (cost of war, collateral damage,etc.) is used to describe it, the number speaks out loud and clear---nearing 25,000 according to IBC report quoted by the BBC.The lies about Iraq's WMD have long been disproved. Now we are in Iraq to liberate the Iraqis and introduce democratic government. But first we had to use \"shock and awe\" tactics to soften the insurgents. In the process we killed thousands of civilians. The insurgents seem to come from an endless pool.We claim that most of the civilian deaths are caused by the insurgents. Not so according to a report on BBC's web site:\"Shock and awe invasions using massive air power and overwhelming force caused a far higher concentration of deaths, injuries and child fatalities than even the intense insurgency we are experiencing now,\" he said.\"This is a fact which must be taken on board if hearts and minds are ever to be won back.\"Iraq's catalogue of death By Robert GreenallDossier of Civilian Casualties in Iraq 2003-2005, dated July 18, 2005. The UK-based Iraq Body Count (IBC) includes academics and peace activists. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-07-21 Not only that, in 2002 the Bush administration withdrew from ratification of the ICC treaty (International Criminal Court).\n\"The US has vehemently opposed the setting up of the ICC, fearing its soldiers and diplomats could be brought before the court which will hear cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity.\" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1970312.stm ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/civilian-casualties-in-iraq---the-toll-going-up-and-up/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eInsurgents are not the only ones responsible\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003eThe spinmeisters do their thing; stand in front of a board with pointers in their hands and rattle off numbers. It is their job and some of them even believe what they say.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe are now almost two and half years into Operation Iraqi Freedom. What a name! I wonder if the people responsible for creating the name feel good about it. The mounting civilian death toll, however, cannot be hidden under the rug, cannot be disputed. cannot be served with frills. No matter what euphemism (cost of war, collateral damage,etc.) is used to describe it, the number speaks out loud and clear---nearing 25,000 according to IBC report quoted by the BBC.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe lies about Iraq's WMD have long been disproved. Now we are in Iraq to liberate the Iraqis and introduce democratic government. But first we had to use \"shock and awe\" tactics to soften the insurgents. In the process we killed thousands of civilians. The insurgents seem to come from an endless pool.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe claim that most of the civilian deaths are caused by the insurgents.  Not so  according to a report on BBC's web site:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Shock and awe invasions using massive air power and overwhelming force caused a far higher concentration of deaths, injuries and child fatalities than even the intense insurgency we are experiencing now,\" he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is a fact which must be taken on board if hearts and minds are ever to be won back.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4692589.stm\"\u003eIraq's catalogue of death By Robert Greenall\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/press/pr12.php\"\u003eDossier of Civilian Casualties in Iraq 2003-2005\u003c/a\u003e, dated July 18, 2005.  The UK-based Iraq Body Count (IBC) includes academics and peace activists.   \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNot only that, in 2002 the Bush administration withdrew from ratification of the ICC treaty (International Criminal Court).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The US has vehemently opposed the setting up of the ICC, fearing its soldiers and diplomats could be brought before the court which will hear cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity.\" \u003cbr\u003ehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1970312.stm\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Civilian casualties in Iraq - the toll going up and up"},{"content":" *\"Iraq's descent into bombing quagmire\"\"The US and British governments saw the invasion of Iraq as a liberation, a way of getting rid of a particularly nasty regime. Instead, things are getting much worse.The casualty figures mean that on average as many people are now dying here every day as were killed in the London bombings nearly two weeks ago.It has become a civil war, fought out with car bombs and shots to the head, while the foreign forces, US and British and the rest, look on, incapable of stopping it. This isn't how things were supposed to turn out here.\"The above is from a firsthand report filed on July 19th by the BBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-07-20 Hope you are right. Blair,too, is reported to be a religious zealot like our Born Again Christian president although in Bush's case it was perhaps just a matter of political expediency.\nI don't see much of a difference between the Jihadi Moslems and some of the fire and brimstone Christians.\nBut majority of the Brits are not supportive of Blair and his policies. Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-21 \u003eBut majority of the Brits are not supportive of Blair and his policies.\nI might be wrong, but I also think it's the same in the US with Bush! So, how do they keep getting re-elected? Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-22 yeah...how do these creeps keep getting elected...could it be the money and the conservative corporations running the whole damn planet? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/this-cannot-be-the-iraq-that-president-bush-brags-about/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Iraq's descent into bombing quagmire\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The US and British governments saw the invasion of Iraq as a liberation, a way of getting rid of a particularly nasty regime. Instead, things are getting much worse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe casualty figures mean that on average as many people are now dying here every day as were killed in the London bombings nearly two weeks ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has become a civil war, fought out with car bombs and shots to the head, while the foreign forces, US and British and the rest, look on, incapable of stopping it. This isn't how things were supposed to turn out here.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe above is from a firsthand report filed on July 19th by the \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4692881.stm\"\u003eBBC's world affairs editor, John Simpson.\u003c/a\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-20\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHope you are right.  Blair,too, is reported to be a religious zealot like our Born Again Christian president although in Bush's case it was perhaps just a matter of political expediency.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI don't see much of a difference between the Jihadi Moslems and some of the fire and brimstone Christians.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut majority of the Brits are not supportive of Blair and his policies.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-21\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e\u003eBut majority of the Brits are not supportive of Blair and his policies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI might be wrong, but I also think it's the same in the US with Bush! So, how do they keep getting re-elected?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eyeah...how do these creeps keep getting elected...could it be the money and the conservative corporations running the whole damn planet?\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"This cannot be the Iraq that  President Bush brags about"},{"content":" *Tony Blair fails to convince Britons\"Two-thirds of Britons believe there is a link between Tony Blair's decision to invade Iraq and the London bombings despite government claims to the contrary, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today.\"Guardian/ICM pollUneasy Rider, a cartoon by Steve Bell, The Guardian,UK. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/bombs-blair-and-the-british-public/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTony Blair fails to convince Britons\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Two-thirds of Britons believe there is a link between Tony Blair's decision to invade Iraq and the London bombings despite government claims to the contrary, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1531387,00.html\"\u003eGuardian/ICM poll\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,7371,1531550,00.html\"\u003eUneasy Rider\u003c/a\u003e, a cartoon by Steve Bell, The Guardian,UK.","title":"Bombs, Blair, and the British Public"},{"content":" *Ban on Imports from CanadaThe reasons given by the Canadian government for taking action to stop the flow of prescription drugs to North American consumers are suspect. More likely the measures resulted from pressure at high level; the Bush administration went to bat to protect the obscene profits made by U.S. pharmaceutical giants.However, American consumers are not going to suffer in the near future. Supplies have already begun from other countries and some Canadian suppliers are involved in making the arrangements. Instead of the drugs being shipped from Canada they are being routed through other countries. The Internet marketplace is full of opportunities for the unscrupulous as well as legitimate entrepreneurs.The High Cost of AdvertisementsOne area where high costs for drugs could be reduced is direct advertisements to consumers. Apart from costs the advertisements mostly reward the pharmaceutical industry and not the consumers. The administration is adept at paying lip service to Americans who cannot afford prescription drugs while taking care of those who provide funding for the party. Simple matter of quid pro quo. The big-money corporations win over sick Americans who need prescription drugs. Nothing new.\"But a major question is to what extent the drug industry itself adds to the demand by aggressively promoting drugs to consumers and doctors. In 2000 the industry spent close to $16 billion doing that.\"A bulletin issued by AARP contains full details.Not too long ago, AARP's board took flack for supporting the president's prescription drug plan which provided very little relief for the majority of the sick and elderly. It deserved the ire of its members. However, on advertisements for prescription drugs its position is laudable.The legislators know that they have a proverbial hot potato on their hands; the runaway costs of drugs is an issue that is not likely to fade into the background. The fact that the Republicans, after years of supporting the pharmaceutical industry's every demand, are talking about the need for controlling advertisements about prescription drugs, is a sign of unease among them. On July 1st, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist issued a statement calling for \"............drug companies to voluntarily restrict direct-to-consumer advertising efforts during new drugs' first two years on the market.The key words are \"voluntarily restrict\". If it is left to the industry, we can forget about any meaningful steps being taken. One can imagine the pressure, not only from the drug manufacturers but also from broadcast and print media that benefit from huge amounts spent on advertisements. So, how far the politicians will go remains to be seen. Frist is reported to be a contender for the White House in 2008. He will need money---a lot of it. Can he afford to alienate the pharmaceutical and advertisement industries or is he just making some noise? ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/prescription-drugs-and-profiteers/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eBan on Imports from Canada\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe reasons given by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/01/AR2005070100611.html\"\u003eCanadian government\u003c/a\u003e for taking action to stop the flow of prescription drugs to North American consumers are suspect. More likely the measures resulted from pressure at high level; the Bush administration went to bat to protect the obscene profits made by U.S. pharmaceutical giants.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, American consumers are not going to suffer in the near future. Supplies have already begun from other countries and some Canadian suppliers are involved in making the arrangements. Instead of the drugs being shipped from Canada they are being routed through other countries. The Internet marketplace is full of opportunities for the unscrupulous as well as legitimate entrepreneurs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe High Cost of Advertisements\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne area where high costs for drugs could be reduced is direct advertisements to consumers. Apart from costs the advertisements mostly reward the \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/takedrugadsofftheair;_ylt=Ar0aIc1ftY30VGHEjQCuFSqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2bm5xNHVjBHNlYwNtcA--\"\u003epharmaceutical industry\u003c/a\u003e and not the consumers. The administration is adept at paying lip service to Americans who cannot afford prescription drugs while taking care of those who provide funding for the party. Simple matter of quid pro quo.     The big-money corporations win over sick Americans who need prescription drugs.  Nothing new.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But a major question is to what extent the drug industry itself adds to the demand by aggressively promoting drugs to consumers and doctors. In 2000 the industry spent close to $16 billion doing that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA bulletin issued by \u003ca href=\"http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/medicare/Articles/a2003-06-23-adspromotions.html\"\u003eAARP\u003c/a\u003e contains full details.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot too long ago, AARP's board took flack for supporting the president's prescription drug plan which provided very little relief for the majority of the sick and elderly. It deserved the ire of its members. However, on advertisements for prescription drugs its position is laudable.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe legislators know that they have a proverbial hot potato on their hands; the runaway costs of drugs is an issue that is not likely to fade into the background. The fact that the Republicans, after years of supporting the pharmaceutical industry's every demand, are talking about the need for controlling advertisements about prescription drugs, is a sign of unease among them. On July 1st, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist issued a statement calling for \"............drug companies to voluntarily restrict direct-to-consumer advertising efforts during new drugs' first two years on the market.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe key words are \"voluntarily restrict\". If it is left to the industry, we can forget about any meaningful steps being taken. One can imagine the pressure, not only from the drug manufacturers but also from broadcast and print media that benefit from huge amounts spent on advertisements. So, how far the politicians will go remains to be seen. Frist is reported to be a contender for the White House in 2008. He will need money---a lot of it. Can he afford to alienate the pharmaceutical and advertisement industries or is he just making some noise?","title":"Prescription Drugs and Profiteers"},{"content":" *Definition of profanity\"The Supreme Court of the United States upheld this act of censorship in 438 U.S. 726 (1978). The words occurring in Carlin's monologue were: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits. Carlin's routine using these words has since been broadcast, however. In the early 1960s, Lenny Bruce had been taken to court for using some of these same words in his own comedy routines.\" (Souce: Wikipedia)That was then. We have come a long way since the justices of the Supreme Court ruled on this issue. Their ruling has not been able to prevent the widening use of profanity in the media. Let's face it--the Genie cannot be put back into the bottle.Eve Ensler deserves credit for the stage production of The Vagina Monologues. Her approach to the word \"cunt\" (described by some as the worst of them all) was bold, novel, and amusing.One can spend days reading about the so called \"taboo\" words without learning exactly when they were declared unsuitable; why they were classified as vulgar and who decided on doing so.Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) used the word frequently albeit with a different spelling, \"queint\" or \"quaint\". This is what I found in \"The Street Names of England\" by Adrian Room:\"York's Grape Lane was thus Grapecuntlane in the 14th century, while a hundred years earlier the City of London had its Gropecontelane and Oxford its Gropecuntelane. The 'four-letter word' that lies at the heart of the name is given its earliest citation by the Oxford English Dictionary (which admitted it to its pages only in 1972) from its occurrence in the Oxford street name, which dates from about 1230.\"There is no good reason why vagina is acceptable but cunt is not. Ditto for penis and cock. Can you imagine a man or woman telling a friend \"last night I had a great intercourse\"? It just does not sound right. At one time all of them were in use in England and there was no stigma attached to them. Somewhere between the 12th and 16th centuries, influence of Puritans began to manifest itself. Probably some gray beards got together and classified certain words about body parts and/or with sexual connotations as vulgar, not suitable for use by the gentry. They went looking for dirt and found it; it was in their minds.British author Peter Fryer's \"Mrs Grundy: Studies In English Prudery \" contains an anecdote. To the best of my recollection, it went something like this. A young woman from a wealthy family went horseback riding. On her return to the stable, the groom came forward to take charge of the horse. While dismounting, the young lady lost her footing and fell on her back. Her skirt flew up. She quickly got up and settled her attire. She was flustered and said \"John, did you see my agility?\". The groom replied, \"Yes maa'm but in the kitchen we call it cunt.\" A good, succint word; it has a bite to it.The following verse by the late Ogden Nash is a bit outdated but still fun to read. When I came across it I thought the Republican hypocrites were at it in the thirties and still carrying on blathering about our morals in 2005!\"Senator Smoot (Republican, Ut.)Is planning a ban on smutOh rooti-ti-toot for Smoot of Ut.And his reverent occiput.Smite. Smoot, smite for Ut.,Grit your molars and do your dut.,Gird up your l--ns,Smite h-p and th-gh,We'll all be KansasBy and By.\" -- Ogden Nash, \"Invocation,\" 1931\nTo learn more, check out \"Cunt: a Cultural History\", an admirable discourse by Ashseti (pharoahashseti).\nComments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-17 Musifar, I agree that the \"C\" word is one of, if not, the worst usage of profanity!!However, I sometimes find it equally amusing!!Thanks for that informative link!!!\nOh, by the way, Do you know the difference between the man on the flying trapeze and the lady that gets shot from a cannon?.....Well, one is a very cunning stunt......:) musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-07-18 No, I did not know about \"the lady that gets shot from a cannon\". Thanks. Unknown \u0026mdash; 2005-07-18 I agree with you. There are no such thing as bad words, merely bad intentions. Matthew Hunt \u0026mdash; 2006-05-13 Cunt: A Cultural History wasn't actually written by the guy you cite - he cut and pasted it from me!\nMat. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/taboo-words---before-and-after-the-vagina-monologues/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eDefinition of profanity\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Supreme Court of the United States upheld this act of censorship in 438 U.S. 726 (1978). The words occurring in Carlin's monologue were: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits. Carlin's routine using these words has since been broadcast, however. In the early 1960s, Lenny Bruce had been taken to court for using some of these same words in his own comedy routines.\" (Souce: Wikipedia)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat was then. We have come a long way since the justices of the Supreme Court ruled on this issue. Their ruling has not been able to prevent the widening use of profanity in the media. Let's face it--the Genie cannot be put back into the bottle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEve Ensler deserves credit for the stage production of The Vagina Monologues. Her approach to the word \"cunt\" (described by some as the worst of them all) was bold, novel, and amusing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne can spend days reading about the so called \"taboo\" words without learning exactly when they were declared unsuitable; why they were classified as vulgar and who decided on doing so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) used the word frequently albeit with a different spelling, \"queint\" or \"quaint\". This is what I found in \"The Street Names of England\" by Adrian Room:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"York's \u003ci\u003eGrape Lane\u003c/i\u003e was thus \u003ci\u003eGrapecuntlane\u003c/i\u003e in the 14th century, while a hundred years earlier the City of London had its \u003ci\u003eGropecontelane\u003c/i\u003e and Oxford its \u003ci\u003eGropecuntelane\u003c/i\u003e. The 'four-letter word' that lies at the heart of the name is given its earliest citation by the \u003ci\u003eOxford English Dictionary\u003c/i\u003e (which admitted it to its pages only in 1972) from its occurrence in the Oxford street name, which dates from about 1230.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is no good reason why vagina is acceptable but cunt is not. Ditto for penis and cock. Can you imagine a man or woman telling a friend \"last night I had a great intercourse\"? It just does not sound right. At one time all of them were in use in England and there was no stigma attached to them. Somewhere between the 12th and 16th centuries, influence of Puritans began to manifest itself. Probably some gray beards got together and classified certain words about body parts and/or with sexual connotations as vulgar, not suitable for use by the gentry. They went looking for dirt and found it; it was in their minds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBritish author Peter Fryer's \"Mrs Grundy: Studies In English Prudery \" contains an anecdote. To the best of my recollection, it went something like this.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eA young woman from a wealthy family went horseback riding. On her return to the stable, the groom came forward to take charge of the horse. While dismounting, the young lady lost her footing and fell on her back. Her skirt flew up. She quickly got up and settled her attire. She was flustered and said \"John, did you see my agility?\". The groom replied, \"Yes maa'm but in the kitchen we call it cunt.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eA good, succint word; it has a bite to it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe following verse by the late Ogden Nash is a bit outdated but still fun to read. When I came across it I thought the Republican hypocrites were at it in the thirties and still carrying on blathering about our morals in 2005!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cspan class=\"details\"\u003e\"Senator Smoot (Republican, Ut.)\u003cbr/\u003eIs planning  a ban on smut\u003cbr/\u003eOh rooti-ti-toot for Smoot of Ut.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd his reverent  occiput.\u003cbr/\u003eSmite. Smoot, smite for Ut.,\u003cbr/\u003eGrit your molars and do your  dut.,\u003cbr/\u003eGird up your l--ns,\u003cbr/\u003eSmite h-p and th-gh,\u003cbr/\u003eWe'll all be  Kansas\u003cbr/\u003eBy and By.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e \u003cp\u003e-- Ogden Nash, \"Invocation,\" 1931\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Taboo Words - Before and after The Vagina Monologues"},{"content":" *There are jokes galore about the president's gaffes with syntax. Nothing new about that. He continues to butcher the English language for a simple reason. He is not able to recognize his errors. Eugene Robinson's column in The Washington Post is an amusing look at this topic.Shed no tears for Judith Miller of the NY TimesJudith Miller serving time for staying mum about her source(s) related to the outing of Valerie Plame. Yes--in comfort.I am among those who have no sympathy for Ms. Miller because of the damage done by her series of reports about Iraq's non-existent WMD. Reports for which her source was the Iraqi con man Ahmed Chalabi. The San Francisco Chronicle carried a report by Rosa Brooks on July 12, 2005, that described the impact of the basless reports. The NY Times is not blameless for publishing them. It did eventually offer a sort of mea culpa but it was more of a face saving gesture.More on Judith Miller in the Asia Times online edition July 15, 2005. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/gibberish-from-the-president---and-judith-miller-deserves-neither-accolade-nor-s/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThere are jokes galore about the president's gaffes with syntax. Nothing new about that. He continues to butcher the English language for a simple reason. He is not able to recognize his errors. \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/11/AR2005071101410.html\"\u003eEugene Robinson\u003c/a\u003e's column in The Washington Post is an amusing look at this topic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShed no tears for Judith Miller of the NY Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJudith Miller serving time for staying mum about her source(s) related to the outing of Valerie Plame. Yes--in comfort.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am among those who have no sympathy for Ms. Miller because of the damage done by her series of reports about Iraq's non-existent WMD. Reports for which her source was the Iraqi con man Ahmed Chalabi. The San Francisco Chronicle carried a report by \u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/12/EDG8NDMB451.DTL\"\u003eRosa Brooks\u003c/a\u003e on July 12, 2005, that described the impact of the basless reports. The NY Times is not blameless for publishing them. It did eventually offer a sort of mea culpa but it was more of a face saving gesture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore on Judith Miller in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GG15Aa01.html\"\u003eAsia Times\u003c/a\u003e online edition July 15, 2005.","title":"Gibberish from the President  -  And Judith Miller deserves neither accolade nor sympathy"},{"content":" (Don't let the bastards wear you down)* Item: The Karl Rove/Valerie Plame Story. Double standard in all its glory. What do you think the champions of law and order, high moral values Republicans would have done if this happened during the Clinton presidency! Item: Battle for the Supreme Court. Announcement of Chief Justice Rehnquist's retirement cannot be far off. The Senate Democrats must not let their guard down after meeting with the president on July 12th. The president's wishes are known (in 1999, he publicly stated his admiration for Justices Scalia and Thomas) and he has his conservative base to appease. It would be naive to expect him to announce nominees who do not fit the mold. Overturning Roe v Wade is on the agenda. Among other targets: Family and Medical Leave Act. Item: Iraq - Death toll and platitudes. So far in July, 13 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives. Total since beginning of the war - Dead 1758 Injured 13190 \"Washington is electrified with the abundant energy of buzz from a scandal -- speculation about Rove, about Bush, about Cheney's aide, Scooter Libby. Who leaked? Who may have lied? How did Novak slip the noose? But the real scandal is the ongoing mess in Iraq, the murder just the other day of innocent children (is there any other kind?) and the false notion that, somehow, taking out Hussein would make us all safer. London gives the lie to that.\" Richard Cohen in The Washington Post July 14, 2005. Comments Unknown \u0026mdash; 2010-01-12 So I see your blog, I always thought it was \u0026quot;Nos Bastardos Carborundum,\u0026quot; Not being knowledgable I am depending on others. So have you researched this further? or perhaps someone else sent you more info?\nThis looks good too...\n\u0026quot;Nolo Bastardo Carborundum\u0026quot;\n(Don\u0026#39;t let the bastards wear you down)\nNathan\nCarpeDiemUSA@gmail.com ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/nolo-bastardo-carborundum/","summary":"(Don't let the bastards wear you down)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eItem: The Karl Rove/Valerie Plame Story. Double standard in all its glory. What do you think the champions of law and order, high moral values Republicans would have done if this happened during the Clinton presidency!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eItem: Battle for the Supreme Court. Announcement of Chief Justice Rehnquist's retirement cannot be far off. The Senate Democrats must not let their guard down after meeting with the president on July 12th. The president's wishes are known (in 1999, he publicly stated his admiration for Justices Scalia and Thomas) and he has his conservative base to appease. It would be naive to expect him to announce nominees who do not fit the mold. Overturning Roe v Wade is on the agenda. Among other targets: Family and Medical Leave Act.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eItem: Iraq - \u003ca href=\"http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/\"\u003eDeath toll \u003c/a\u003eand platitudes. So far in July, 13 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives. Total since beginning of the war - Dead 1758 Injured 13190\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Washington is electrified with the abundant energy of buzz from a scandal -- speculation about Rove, about Bush, about Cheney's aide, Scooter Libby. Who leaked? Who may have lied? How did Novak slip the noose? But the real scandal is the ongoing mess in Iraq, the murder just the other day of innocent children (is there any other kind?) and the false notion that, somehow, taking out Hussein would make us all safer. London gives the lie to that.\"  Richard Cohen in \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/13/AR2005071301989.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e July 14, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnknown\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-01-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSo I see your blog, I always thought it was \u0026quot;Nos Bastardos Carborundum,\u0026quot; Not being knowledgable I am depending on others. So have you researched this further? or perhaps someone else sent you more info?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis looks good too...\u003cbr\u003e\u0026quot;Nolo Bastardo Carborundum\u0026quot;\u003cbr\u003e(Don\u0026#39;t let the bastards wear you down)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNathan\u003cbr\u003eCarpeDiemUSA@gmail.com\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Nolo Bastardo Carborundum\""},{"content":" *Red Hibiscus It began with a large ceramic planter which I received as a gift from my kind apartment owners.The planter was meant for indoor use; it had no drainage hole. So, the first thing I did was to have a large hole drilled at the bottom. I wanted to place it outside in my front yard. Then came the hard part--what to plant in it. I decided on a flowering plant and went looking at local nurseries.The choice was not hard to make. As soon as I walked in to the aisle where they were, a red hibiscus grabbed my attention. Mind plays strange tricks. Standing in the middle of plants of different kinds I was transported to my childhood, and could clearly visualize aboriginal women who came to town on market days with baskets of produce and, often, a red hibiscus stuck in the hair. The effect of their jet black skin, shiny black hair, often rolled up in a bun, and the red flower was striking.I bought the hibiscus and planted it. It is blooming. I did not know that the flowers begin to wilt by the second day. It would not have made the slightest difference if I did.A few days later I went to a dinner given by friends. There I mentioned my new acquisition to a woman who likes to potter with flowering plants. She said \"Why did you pick red; they are so common\". Perhaps I should have but thought that it was not the time and place to tell her why I picked the red hibiscus.Here is a passage that might partly explain it.\"The places we have known before belong now only to the the little world of space on which we map them for our own convenience. None of them was ever more than a thin slice, held between the contiguous impressions that composed our life at that time; remembrance of a particular form is but regret for a particular moment; and houses, road, avenues are as fugitive, alas, as the years.\"---Remembrance of Things Past, Part I \"Swann's Way\" by Marcel Proust (1877-1922) Comments KR \u0026mdash; 2005-07-14 Not easy reading, Proust... but always rewarding. Thank you for sharing. Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-16 Musafir, it is always fascinating to me when a smell , or a color, or something of little significance to others, can bring me back to a place and time in my life!!!It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it really takes me to another moment in space and time . ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/a-red-hibiscus-and-remembrance-of-things-past/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/Red Hibiscus1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRed Hibiscus \u003ca href=\"http://picasa.google.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Posted by Picasa\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/pbp.gif\"/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt began with a large ceramic planter which I received as a gift from my kind apartment owners.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe planter was meant for indoor use; it had no drainage hole. So, the first thing I did was to have a large hole drilled at the bottom. I wanted to place it outside in my front yard. Then came the hard part--what to plant in it. I decided on a flowering plant and went looking at local nurseries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe choice was not hard to make. As soon as I walked in to the aisle where they were, a red hibiscus grabbed my attention. Mind plays strange tricks. Standing in the middle of plants of different kinds I was transported to my childhood, and could clearly visualize aboriginal women who came to town on market days with baskets of produce and, often, a red hibiscus stuck in the hair. The effect of their jet black skin, shiny black hair, often rolled up in a bun, and the red flower was striking.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI bought the hibiscus and planted it. It is blooming. I did not know that the flowers begin to wilt by the second day. It would not have made the slightest difference if I did.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few days later I went to a dinner given by friends. There I mentioned my new acquisition to a woman who likes to potter with flowering plants. She said \"Why did you pick red; they are so common\". Perhaps I should have but thought that it was not the time and place to tell her why I picked the red hibiscus.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere is a passage that might partly explain it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The places we have known before belong now only to the the little world of space on which we map them for our own convenience. None of them was ever more than a thin slice, held between the contiguous impressions that composed our life at that time; remembrance of a particular form is but regret for a particular moment; and houses, road, avenues are as fugitive, alas, as the years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Remembrance of Things Past, Part I \"Swann's Way\" by Marcel Proust (1877-1922)\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKR\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eNot easy reading, Proust... but always rewarding. Thank you for sharing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-16\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, it is always fascinating to me when a smell , or a color, or something of little significance to others, can bring me back to a place and time in my life!!!It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it really takes me to another moment in space and time .\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Red Hibiscus and \"Remembrance of Things Past\""},{"content":" *Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could be the dragon slayerIt would not be far from truth to say that some high level officials in the Bush White House are tossing and turning at night. Despite their efforts to stonewall and dodge it, the outing of Valerie Plame remains alive as an issue. In fact it has got legs. That is cause for concern--and fear--for some high level functionaries. Perhaps El Jefe himself has not escaped the vibrations. The specter of indictments being issued not only for breaking law (The Classified Information Protection Act of 2001) but also perjury has become real.It is to be seen what action Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald will decide to take. This guy is not like the buffoon Kenneth Starr. Kenneth Starr and his team delved into garbage cans and gleefully dished out their findings. The Starr investigation cost us more than $30 million and produced nothing beyond what the checkout counter rags had been printing for years about Bill Clinton's private life. There has not been a single leak from Mr. Fitzgerald's office after he assumed responsibility for the investigation.Are we going to see Karl Rove frogmarched in cuffs? A few days back I would have said \"no way\". Now the scenario has changed. That would be a good sight. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12 Musafir, one can only wish for such an outcome!!!However, I have seen these crafty Republicans deal with crisis before, and they just always seem to get away with everything!!!!\nLet's hope this is different!!!!It would be very nice to see Rove cuffed up and put under arrest!!!!I think that would signal to the American people that justice still exists in this country, and NO ONE is above it!!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/sleepless-in-washingtondc---fear-of-indictments/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSpecial Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could be the dragon slayer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt would not be far from truth to say that some high level officials in the Bush White House are tossing and turning at night. Despite their efforts to stonewall and dodge it, the outing of Valerie Plame remains alive as an issue. In fact it has got legs. That is cause for concern--and fear--for some high level functionaries. Perhaps El Jefe himself has not escaped the vibrations. The specter of indictments being issued not only for breaking law (The Classified Information Protection Act of 2001) but also perjury has become real.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is to be seen what action Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald will decide to take. This guy is not like the buffoon Kenneth Starr. Kenneth Starr and his team delved into garbage cans and gleefully dished out their findings. The Starr investigation cost us more than $30 million and produced nothing beyond what the checkout counter rags had been printing for years about Bill Clinton's private life. There has not been a single leak from Mr. Fitzgerald's office after he assumed responsibility for the investigation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAre we going to see Karl Rove frogmarched in cuffs? A few days back I would have said \"no way\".  Now the scenario has changed. That would be a good sight.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, one can only wish for such an outcome!!!However, I have seen these crafty Republicans deal with crisis before, and they just always seem to get away with everything!!!!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLet's hope this is different!!!!It would be very nice to see Rove cuffed up and put under arrest!!!!I think that would signal to the American people that justice still exists in this country, and NO ONE is above it!!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Sleepless in Washington,DC - Fear of Indictments"},{"content":" *As Pakistan tries to put the Mukhtar Mai episode behind, there is news that an orthodox Muslim organization in India has issued a Fatwa (religious edict) against a woman who was raped by her father-in-law.\"In its ruling the Darul-Uloom Deoband did not endorse the village council's order that the victim had to marry her father-in-law but said she could no longer live with her husband.\"She had a physical relationship with her father-in-law. It does not matter if it was consensual or forced,\" Mohammad Masood Madani, a cleric at Deoband, told Reuters.\"Where do these people emerge from--some dark holes in the ground ? What is clear is that they wield power and abuse it.The Indian Government should stop making allowances for Sharia laws. There is no justification for its position. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12 Musafir, this is one issue I do understand that needs change in other countries!!!People should be treated fairly and equally !!! However, I don't agree with the way our administration is going about trying to change these things !!! Putting pressure on a government is O.K. in my opinion!!Invading a country and causing unnecessary casualties is not a rational way , in my opinion.\nAt some point, human beings need to free themselves from the bondage of religion. I believe it does some good, but the negative effects sometimes outweigh the positive ones!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/india---a-fatwa-against-a-raped-muslim-woman/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs Pakistan tries to put the Mukhtar Mai episode behind, there is news that an orthodox \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4640905.stm\"\u003eMuslim organization in India\u003c/a\u003e has issued a Fatwa (religious edict) against a woman who was raped by her father-in-law.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In its ruling the Darul-Uloom Deoband did not endorse the village council's order that the victim had to marry her father-in-law but said she could no longer live with her husband.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"She had a physical relationship with her father-in-law. It does not matter if it was consensual or forced,\" Mohammad Masood Madani, a cleric at Deoband, told Reuters.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere do these people emerge from--some dark holes in the ground ? What is clear is that they wield power and abuse it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Indian Government should stop making allowances for Sharia laws.  There is no justification for its position.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, this is one issue I do understand that needs change in other countries!!!People should be treated fairly and equally !!! However, I don't agree with the way our administration is going about trying to change these things !!! Putting pressure on a government is O.K. in my opinion!!Invading a country and causing unnecessary casualties is not a rational way , in my opinion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt some point, human beings need to free themselves from the bondage of religion. I believe it does some good, but the negative effects sometimes outweigh the positive ones!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"India - A Fatwa against a raped Muslim woman"},{"content":" *We are not in August but at last it is beginning to feel like summer. The days have turned warmer although the drop in temperature is quite noticeable in the evening. Walks through the woods show signs of change. The buckeyes have turned brown; wild flowers mostly gone; grassy meadows no longer look cool and green. Fire danger signs are up.I love this poem; very \"Californian\", if a poem could be described that way.\"Tahoe in August\" by Robert Haas\"What summer proposes is simply happiness:heat early in the morning, jaysraucuous in the pines. Frank and Ellen have a tennis gameat nine, Bill and Cheryl sleep on the deckto watch a shower of summer stars. Nick and Sharonstayed in, sat and talked the dark on,drinking tea, and Jeanne walked into the meadowin a white smock to write in her journalby a grazing horse who seemed to want her company.Some of them will swim in the afternoon.Someone will drive to the hardware store to fetchnew latches for the kitchen door. Four o'clock;the joggers jogging--it is one of them who seesdown the flowering slope the woman with her notebookin her hand beside the white horse, gesturing, her hairfrom a distance the copper color of hummingbirdsthe slant light catches on the slope: the hikersswitchback down the canyon from the waterfall;the readers are reading, Anna is about to meet Vronsky,that nice M. Swann is dining in Cambraywith the aunts, and Carrie has come to Chicago.What they want is happiness; someone to love them,children, a summer by the lake. The woman who sets asideher book blinks against the fuzzy dark,re-entering the house. Her daughter drifts downstairs;out late the night before, she has been napping,and she's cross. Her mother tells her David telephoned.\"He's such a dear,\" the mother says, \"I thinkI make him nervous.\" The girl tosses her head as the horsehad done in the meadow while Jeanne read it in her dream.\"You can call him now, if you want,\" the mother says,\"I've got to get the chicken started,I won't listen.\" \"Did I say you would?\"the girl says quickly. The mother who has been slappedthis way before and done the same herself another summeron a different lake says, \"Ouch.\" The girl shrugssulkily. \"I'm sorry.\" Looking down: \"Somethingabout the way you said that pissed me off.\"\"Hannibal has wandered off,\" the mother says,wryness in her voice, she is thinking it is August,\"why don't you see if he's at the Finley's houseagain.\" The girl says, \"God.\" The mother: \"He lovessmall children. It's livelier for him there.\"The daughter, awake now, flounces out the door,which slams. It is for all of them the sound of summer.The mother she looks like stands at the counter snapping beans.\"From: Human Wishes, published by Ecco Press (1989)In 1995 Robert Haas was selected by the Library of Congress as Poet Laureate of the United States, the first poet from the west to be so honored. He is a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10 Thanks for the poem Musafir. Summer is definitely in effect!Although, I was confused when the daughter slapped the mother!!!I was even more confused when the mother remembers doing the same thing to her mother!!!I think I will try and slap my mother this summer ....just to see what happens!!:) Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10 Oh, I am so happy that your blog is back up and running!!I started to get nervous when I didn't see your blog !! You are appreciated!!! musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-07-11 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-07-11 Thanks. Yes, blogger has been erratic of late. Perhaps something I did wrong. The template changes for no reason that I can figure out and I see a group of meaningless (to me) codes on the screen. My knowledge of HTML is extremely limited. Not sure that I have it under control but I have learned how to retrieve. A new template might do the trick but I am\nreluctant to move from the one I have.\nWhen I read the poem the first time, I could think of occasions when I had been on the receiving end of such slaps. I,too, have sometimes verbally slapped people. Perhaps not always intentionally, but we do use words that hurt. Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12 Musafir, NOW you tell me that it was a verbal slap!!!!I am in the hospital with multiple fractures :)!!I thought it meant to literally slap your mom. Oh well....the doctors say that I should recover quite nicely in the coming months!!!!!:)!! Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-13 Doctors now say I should be 100% by NEXT summer!!!What a wonderful time of year!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-seasons-summer---a-poem-by-robert-haas/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe are not in August but at last it is beginning to feel like summer. The days have turned warmer although the drop in temperature is quite noticeable in the evening. Walks through the woods show signs of change. The buckeyes have turned brown; wild flowers mostly gone; grassy meadows no longer look cool and green. Fire danger signs are up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI love this poem; very \"Californian\",  if a poem could be described that way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Tahoe in August\"  by Robert Haas\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What summer proposes is simply happiness:\u003cbr/\u003eheat early in the morning, jays\u003cbr/\u003eraucuous in the pines. Frank and Ellen have a tennis game\u003cbr/\u003eat nine, Bill and Cheryl sleep on the deck\u003cbr/\u003eto watch a shower of summer stars. Nick and Sharon\u003cbr/\u003estayed in, sat and talked the dark on,\u003cbr/\u003edrinking tea, and Jeanne walked into the meadow\u003cbr/\u003ein a white smock to write in her journal\u003cbr/\u003eby a grazing horse who seemed to want her company.\u003cbr/\u003eSome of them will swim in the afternoon.\u003cbr/\u003eSomeone will drive to the hardware store to fetch\u003cbr/\u003enew latches for the kitchen door.  Four o'clock;\u003cbr/\u003ethe joggers jogging--it is one of them who sees\u003cbr/\u003edown the flowering slope the woman with her notebook\u003cbr/\u003ein her hand beside the white horse, gesturing, her hair\u003cbr/\u003efrom a distance the copper color of hummingbirds\u003cbr/\u003ethe slant light catches on the slope: the hikers\u003cbr/\u003eswitchback down the canyon from the waterfall;\u003cbr/\u003ethe readers are reading, Anna is about to meet Vronsky,\u003cbr/\u003ethat nice M. Swann is dining in Cambray\u003cbr/\u003ewith the aunts, and Carrie has come to Chicago.\u003cbr/\u003eWhat they want is happiness; someone to love them,\u003cbr/\u003echildren, a summer by the lake. The woman who sets aside\u003cbr/\u003eher book blinks against the fuzzy dark,\u003cbr/\u003ere-entering the house.  Her daughter drifts downstairs;\u003cbr/\u003eout late the night before, she has been napping,\u003cbr/\u003eand she's cross. Her mother tells her David telephoned.\u003cbr/\u003e\"He's such a dear,\" the mother says, \"I think\u003cbr/\u003eI make him nervous.\" The girl tosses her head as the horse\u003cbr/\u003ehad done in the meadow while Jeanne read it in her dream.\u003cbr/\u003e\"You can call him now, if you want,\" the mother says,\u003cbr/\u003e\"I've got to get the chicken started,\u003cbr/\u003eI won't listen.\" \"Did I say you would?\"\u003cbr/\u003ethe girl says quickly. The mother who has been slapped\u003cbr/\u003ethis way before and done the same herself another summer\u003cbr/\u003eon a different lake says, \"Ouch.\" The girl shrugs\u003cbr/\u003esulkily. \"I'm sorry.\" Looking down: \"Something\u003cbr/\u003eabout the way you said that pissed me off.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Hannibal has wandered off,\" the mother says,\u003cbr/\u003ewryness in her voice, she is thinking it is August,\u003cbr/\u003e\"why don't you see if he's at the Finley's house\u003cbr/\u003eagain.\" The girl says, \"God.\" The mother: \"He loves\u003cbr/\u003esmall children. It's livelier for him there.\"\u003cbr/\u003eThe daughter, awake now, flounces out the door,\u003cbr/\u003ewhich slams. It is for all of them the sound of summer.\u003cbr/\u003eThe mother she looks like stands at the counter snapping beans.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFrom:  Human Wishes, published by Ecco Press (1989)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1995 Robert Haas was selected by the Library of Congress as Poet Laureate of the United States, the first poet from the west to be so honored. He is a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks for the poem Musafir. Summer is definitely in effect!Although, I was confused when the daughter slapped the mother!!!I was even more confused when the mother remembers doing the same thing to her mother!!!I think I will try and slap my mother this summer ....just to see what happens!!:)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eOh, I am so happy that your blog is back up and running!!I started to get nervous when I didn't see your blog !! You are appreciated!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-11\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThanks. Yes, blogger has been erratic of late. Perhaps something I did wrong. The template changes for no reason that I can figure out and I see a group of meaningless (to me) codes on the screen. My knowledge of HTML is extremely limited. Not sure that I have it under control but I have learned how to retrieve. A new template might do the trick but I am\u003cbr\u003ereluctant to move from the one I have.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen I read the poem the first time, I could think of occasions when I had been on the receiving end of such slaps. I,too, have sometimes verbally slapped people. Perhaps not always intentionally, but we do use words that hurt.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-12\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, NOW you tell me that it was a verbal slap!!!!I am in the hospital with multiple fractures :)!!I thought it meant to literally slap your mom. Oh well....the doctors say that I should recover quite nicely in the coming months!!!!!:)!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-13\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eDoctors now say I should be 100% by NEXT summer!!!What a wonderful time of year!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Seasons: Summer - A poem by Robert Haas"},{"content":" America's Public and Private Faces *This excerpt is from an essay by Anne Taylor Fleming who appears as a guest comentator on the NewsHour (PBS).\"This is one weird country. You can't help but think that sometimes. We tolerate our own contradictions, our own, if you will, hypocrisies, certainly when it comes to sex. Adamantly churchgoing and God-believing, we can talk family values in public while watching porn in private. There are, in fact, programs just to help preachers who are self-confessed pornography addicts -- sick, sad, troubling, laughable, and I guess hopeful all at the same time.\"Reflections by Anne Taylor Fleming. Comments Wayne World \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10 Musafir, thanks once again for the link. The author makes a very valid point when she states that our fascination with sex reaches to ALL people and no group can claim any moral high ground!!\nEven the first lady admits to watching Desperate Housewives! Although, I think it is more reality for her than she would like it to be!!! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-new-puritans-and-porn---one-weird-country/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e America's Public and Private Faces\u003cbr/\u003e *\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThis excerpt is from an essay by Anne Taylor Fleming who appears as a guest comentator on the NewsHour (PBS).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is one weird country. You can't help but think that sometimes. We tolerate our own contradictions, our own, if you will, hypocrisies, certainly when it comes to sex. Adamantly churchgoing and God-believing, we can talk family values in public while watching porn in private. There are, in fact, programs just to help preachers who are self-confessed pornography addicts -- sick, sad, troubling, laughable, and I guess hopeful all at the same time.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReflections by \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/jan-june05/fleming_2-1.html\"\u003eAnne Taylor Fleming\u003c/a\u003e.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWayne World\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-07-10\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eMusafir, thanks once again for the link. The author makes a very valid point when she states that our fascination with sex reaches to ALL people and no group can claim any moral high ground!!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Even the first lady admits to watching Desperate Housewives! Although, I think it is more reality for her than she would like it to be!!!\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The New Puritans and Porn - \"One Weird Country\""},{"content":" *Among the winners is Halliburton Co. of Texas. From The Washington Post 5/7/05: \"The Army has ordered nearly $5 billion in work from Halliburton Co. to provide logistics support to U.S. troops in Iraq over the next year, $1 billion above what the Army paid for similar services the previous year.The new order, which comes despite lingering questions about the company's past billing, replaces an earlier agreement that expired last June but had been extended through this spring to ensure a continuous supply of food, sanitation, laundry and other logistical services for the troops, according to Linda K. Theis, an Army spokeswoman.\"Vice President Cheney was CEO of Halliburton before becoming George Bush's running mate. It helps to have friends in high places.And what happened during Paul Bremer's watch?The Guardian,UK, reported that during the eight months when J. Paul Bremer was de facto ruler (head of the provisional authority) of Iraq, 8.8 billion dollars disappeared--cannot be accounted for! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-sinkhole-for-our-money-that-is-iraq---a-few-billions-here-a-few-billions-the/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the winners is Halliburton Co. of Texas.\u003cbr/\u003e  From The Washington Post 5/7/05:\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Army has ordered nearly $5 billion in work from \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/05/AR2005070501655.html?nav=most_emailed\"\u003eHalliburton Co\u003c/a\u003e. to provide logistics support to U.S. troops in Iraq over the next year, $1 billion above what the Army paid for similar services the previous year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe new order, which comes despite lingering questions about the company's past billing, replaces an earlier agreement that expired last June but had been extended through this spring to ensure a continuous supply of food, sanitation, laundry and other logistical services for the troops, according to Linda K. Theis, an Army spokeswoman.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVice President Cheney was CEO of Halliburton before becoming George Bush's running mate. It helps to have friends in high places.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what happened during Paul Bremer's watch?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1522983,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e, reported that during the eight months when J. Paul Bremer was de facto ruler (head of the provisional authority) of Iraq, 8.8 billion dollars disappeared--cannot be accounted for!","title":"The Sinkhole (for our money) that is Iraq - A few billions here, a few billions there"},{"content":" The explosions in London July 7, 2005\"There'll always be an England,And England shall be freeIf England means as much to youAs England means to me.\"---Parker and CharlesI have friends in London and other cities in England. I have walked the streets where the atrocities took place. My thoughts are with the people of England. After years of tranquility following the IRA attacks, they suffered death and destruction at the hands of a radical Islamic group.The news revived the horrors of what fanatics can do and how difficult it is to stop them.The leaders are fulfilling their roles. Giving speeches, assuring their people and vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.What lies ahead? We don't know. But I have no doubt that the England and the British people will survive. Survive without destroying what is good about the great and vibrant nation. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/therell-always-be-an-england/","summary":"The explosions in London July 7, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There'll always be an England,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd England shall be free\u003cbr/\u003eIf England means as much to you\u003cbr/\u003eAs England means to me.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Parker and Charles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have friends in London and other cities in England. I have walked the streets where the atrocities took place. My thoughts are with the people of England. After years of tranquility following the IRA attacks, they suffered death and destruction at the hands of a radical Islamic group.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe news revived the horrors of what fanatics can do and how difficult it is to stop them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe leaders are fulfilling their roles. Giving speeches, assuring their people and vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat lies ahead? We don't know. But I have no doubt that the England and the British people will survive. Survive without destroying what is good about the great and vibrant nation.","title":"\"There'll always be an England\""},{"content":" Unflattering image of President Bush*The 3-day summit (July 6th to 8th) of G8 nations opened at the historic Gleneagle Hotel, Gleneagles, Perthshire (Scotland).From a report in The Guardian,UK:\"Demonstrators, led by a woman with a megaphone, chanted \"George Bush, we know you, daddy was a killer too,\" and \"Can you hear us in Gleneagles?\".A cartoon by Steve Bell, The Guardian,UK, 7/5/05. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/g8-summit-at-gleneagle-hotel/","summary":"Unflattering image of President Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eThe 3-day summit (July 6th to 8th) of G8 nations opened at the historic Gleneagle Hotel, Gleneagles, Perthshire (Scotland).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom a report in \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/g8/story/0,13365,1522315,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Demonstrators, led by a woman with a megaphone, chanted \"George Bush, we know you, daddy was a killer too,\" and \"Can you hear us in Gleneagles?\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,7371,1521635,00.html\"\u003eA cartoon by Steve Bell\u003c/a\u003e, The Guardian,UK, 7/5/05.","title":"G8 Summit at Gleneagle Hotel"},{"content":" Teen Pregnancy - Just Say \"No\", To Sex*Vice President Cheney, the Juggler\n\"And be these juggling fiends no more believ'd,That palter with us in a double sense:That keep the word of promise to our earAnd break it to our hope.\"---William Shakespeare (1564-1616), MacbethThe vice president emerged from his hideout to speak about gay marriage ban.The BBC reported on 7/5/05 that: \"He said the issue of legalising gay unions should be settled by individual states rather than by Washington.\"Did I read it wrong? The next paragraph made it clear:\"However, Mr Cheney said he accepted the views of Mr Bush, whose opposition to gay marriage is well publicised.\"So, where does the wise vice president stand on this issue? Go figure.\nAmerican Academy of Pediatrics disagrees with \"abstinence only\" position championed by President Bush and Religious GroupsOstriches with heads buried in the sand, no. They are following a holy agenda and cannot admit that the policy was flawed from the beginning.\n\"The recommendations are part of the American Academy of Pediatrics' updated teen pregnancy policy.\n\"Even though there is great enthusiasm in some circles for abstinence-only interventions, the evidence does not support abstinence-only interventions as the best way to keep young people from unintended pregnancy,\" said Dr. Jonathan Klein, chairman of the academy committee that wrote the new recommendations.\nTeaching abstinence but not birth control makes it more likely that once teenagers initiate sexual activity they will have unsafe sex and contract sexually transmitted diseases, said Dr. S. Paige Hertweck, a pediatric obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Louisville who provided advice for the report.\"\n","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-veep-dances-around-gay-marriage-ban/","summary":"Teen Pregnancy - Just Say \"No\", To Sex\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVice President Cheney, the Juggler\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"And be these juggling fiends no more believ'd,\u003cbr/\u003eThat palter with us in a double sense:\u003cbr/\u003eThat keep the word of promise to our ear\u003cbr/\u003eAnd break it to our hope.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Macbeth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe vice president emerged from his hideout to speak about gay marriage ban.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3596732.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e reported on 7/5/05 that: \"He said the issue of legalising gay unions should be settled by individual states rather than by Washington.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDid I read it wrong?  The next paragraph made it clear:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"However, Mr Cheney said he accepted the views of Mr Bush, whose opposition to gay marriage is well publicised.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo, where does the wise vice president stand on this issue? Go figure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Veep dances around Gay Marriage Ban"},{"content":" *Bush to Blair: Go Pound SaltNo, that is not exactly what he said. He was presidential.\"I really don't view our relationship as one of quid pro quo,\" Bush told Britain's ITV1 television in an interview. \"Tony Blair made decisions on what he thought was best for keeping the peace and winning the war on terror, as I did.\"The prime minister will try to put the best face on it but it must hurt.The Washington Post 7/5/05 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/tony-blair-gets-his-comeuppance-at-g8-summit/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush to Blair:  Go Pound Salt\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, that is not exactly what he said.  He was presidential.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I really don't view our relationship as one of quid pro quo,\" Bush told Britain's ITV1 television in an interview. \"Tony Blair made decisions on what he thought was best for keeping the peace and winning the war on terror, as I did.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe prime minister will try to put the best face on it but it must hurt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/04/AR2005070401054.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post 7/5/05\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Tony Blair gets his Comeuppance at G8 Summit"},{"content":" *Another July 4thDon't hear the sound of fire crackers....yet but it will begin soon.Just got back from a long hike and a picnic in the foothills. Thought I'd share the e-mail that I received today from friends traveling through N.Dakota:\"Hope you are doing something you enjoy, being with someone you love, eating something you \"love\" and are content with life in general.We will use this as a travel day, but not far. About 145 miles South to Menoken, which is close to Bismarck. We will miss these beautiful rolling hills, wonderful roads almost empty of traffic and volatile weather. A young waiter we talked to in St Cloud, MN told us he was going to move to Seattle next year to finish school. Elizabeth told me she bet he would be sorry he made that move. \"How could one go from having skies of blue, clouds of white, gray, black, rain and hot weather, all in the space of a few hours to mostly gray skies day in and day out?\" She has a point. We never know what the weather will do here, except that it WILL have lots of thunder storms, but it is fun to watch the sky change and not know for sure if the storm will pass by on the North or South, if the wind will get fierce or not, or if it will get you wet or not. Sure is interesting.Also interesting is that we 'Amuricuns' celebrate our independence and defend it so vigorously and yet we seem to have a reluctance to let other countries do the same. Hmm. Must be something wrong with this picture.Elizabeth told me that something she read yesterday, \"Historically,when the needs and desires of a smaller group-any group-are different from the needs of the majority, our individual and collective fears are often times projected on those in the minority.\" This could true of a nation, a City, even a family. Wonder what fears we are projecting on whom today?Enjoy your independence. Think about allowing others to enjoy theirs. Be all you can be; but don't join the army.\"That says it all. Stay well, my visitors in cyber space.Let's not forget Bruce Catton (1899-1978) Death of the eminent Civil War historian Shelby Foote has received a lot of coverage in the media. He deserved it.It was Ken Burns' documentary about the Civil War that made Mr. Foote familiar to a broad segment of the American public. There are more people who watch TV than there are readers who have interest in books about the Civil War. I remember the pleasure I experienced pulling out the volumes of Mr. Foote's three volume set and following the series on the local PBS station. Ken Burns and Shelby Foote produced masterpieces for generations.Reading about Shelby Foote reminded me of the late Bruce Catton, another great chronicler of that important part of our nation's history. His name is not well known except among Civil War history buffs. In 1954 he was awarded the Pulitzer for \"A Stillness at Appomattox\". Superb piece of writing.It was at Appomattox that General Lee surrendered to General Grant. That meant the end of the Confederate army although the war didn't officially end until May 26, 1865, when General Kirby Smith surrendered Confederate forces west of the Mississippi. \"From U.S. Grant To R.E. LeeAppomattox Court-House, Virginia April 9, 1865.General:In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.\"U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General\"\"From R.E. Lee To U.S. GrantHead-Quarters, Army of Northern Virginia April 9, 1865.General:I received your letter of this date containing the terms of the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia, as proposed by you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.R. E. Lee, General\"Source: Harvard Classics series, 1909.Note: This post edited and corrected on July 10,2005. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/independence-day-2005-and-a-stillness-at-appomattox/","summary":"\u003cspan class=\"blVT\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003c/span\u003eAnother July 4th\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't hear the sound of fire crackers....yet but it will begin soon.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJust got back from a long hike and a picnic in the foothills. Thought I'd share the e-mail that I received today from friends traveling through N.Dakota:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Hope you are doing something you enjoy, being with someone you love, eating something you \"love\" and are content with life in general.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe will use this as a travel day, but not far. About 145 miles South to Menoken, which is close to Bismarck. We will miss these beautiful rolling hills, wonderful roads almost empty of traffic and volatile weather. A young waiter we talked to in St Cloud, MN told us he was going to move to Seattle next year to finish school. Elizabeth told me she bet he would be sorry he made that move. \"How could one go from having skies of blue, clouds of white, gray, black, rain and hot weather, all in the space of a few hours to mostly gray skies day in and day out?\" She has a point. We never know what the weather will do here, except that it WILL have lots of thunder storms, but it is fun to watch the sky change and not know for sure if the storm will pass by on the North or South, if the wind will get fierce or not, or if it will get you wet or not. Sure is interesting.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso interesting is that we 'Amuricuns' celebrate our independence and defend it so vigorously and yet we seem to have a reluctance to let other countries do the same. Hmm. Must be something wrong with this picture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eElizabeth told me that something she read yesterday, \"Historically,when the needs and desires of a smaller group-any group-are different from the needs of the majority, our individual and collective fears are often times projected on those in the minority.\" This could true of a nation, a City, even a family. Wonder what fears we are projecting on whom today?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEnjoy your independence.  Think about allowing others to enjoy theirs.  Be all you can be; but don't join the army.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat says it all.  Stay well, my visitors in cyber space.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet's not forget Bruce Catton (1899-1978)\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cspan class=\"blVT\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"blVT\"\u003eDeath of the eminent Civil War historian Shelby Foote has received a lot of coverage in the media.  He deserved it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"blVT\"\u003eIt was Ken Burns' documentary about the Civil War that made Mr. Foote familiar to a broad segment of the American public. There are more people who watch TV than there are readers who have interest in books about the Civil War. I remember the pleasure I experienced pulling out the volumes of Mr. Foote's three volume set and following the series on the local PBS station. Ken Burns and Shelby Foote produced masterpieces for generations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading about Shelby Foote reminded me of the late Bruce Catton, another great chronicler of that important part of our nation's history. His name is not well known except among Civil War history buffs. In 1954 he was awarded the Pulitzer for \"A Stillness at Appomattox\". Superb piece of writing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was at Appomattox that General Lee surrendered to General Grant. That meant the end of the Confederate army although the war didn't officially end \u003c/span\u003euntil  May 26, 1865, when General Kirby Smith surrendered Confederate forces west of the Mississippi.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \"From U.S. Grant To R.E. Lee\u003cbr/\u003eAppomattox Court-House, Virginia April 9, 1865.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral:\u003cbr/\u003eIn accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"From R.E. Lee To U.S. Grant\u003cbr/\u003eHead-Quarters, Army of Northern Virginia April 9, 1865.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral:\u003cbr/\u003eI received your letter of this date containing the terms of the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia, as proposed by you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eR. E. Lee, General\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: Harvard Classics series, 1909.\u003cbr/\u003eNote: This post edited and corrected on July 10,2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Independence Day 2005 and  \"A Stillness at Appomattox\""},{"content":" George W. Bush at Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf-Astoria,10/19/2000\"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\"The Sad and Unpleasant TruthTo whom the country really belongs? Primarily to the lobbyists of \"K\" Street, Washington,DC (also known as Gucci Gulch) and the organizations that pay their salaries. Now that it has become fashionable to use the name of God and wear lapel pins displaying Old Glory, perhaps they have switched from Guccis to union made footwear. I would not be too sure about that.They are the movers and shakers who represent special interest groups. We didn't elect them but they have a say in every legislation that is enacted. And they block many from being enacted. Most of the elected representatives are under their insidious influence. The masters of the lobbyists fund their campaigns; lavishly entertains them; provide tickets to events. Golfing in Scotland is certainly more pleasant than sweating over the nation's problems, especially when a friendly lobbyist picks up the tab.Like Goethe's Faust, the legislators have sold themselves and, as part of the bargain, sold you and me down the river. The Washington Post published a report by Jeffrey Birnbaum on June 22nd titled The Road to Riches is called K Street.\"The lobbying boom has been caused by three factors, experts say: rapid growth in government, Republican control of both the White House and Congress, and wide acceptance among corporations that they need to hire professional lobbyists to secure their share of federal benefits.\"Tax Shelters to Make the Rich RicherThere are many books and articles that cover this subject. The Pulitzer prize winning journalist Hedrick Smith produced an excellent documentary \"Tax Me, If you Can\" which was aired on Frontline (PBS) Feb.19, 2004. It is still available for watching online. If you don't have the time, I recommend The Washington Post's transcript of Mr. Smith's appearance at a question and answer session about the documentary. \"The tax shelter was one of corporate America?s biggest hidden profit centers in recent years. Shelters have become so lucrative that some experts estimate as much as $50 billion is lost to the U.S. Treasury each year. And ordinary taxpayers wind up footing the bill. Frontline correspondent Hedrick Smith provides an inside look at how big corporations and wealthy individuals cut their taxes with intricate, hidden, and abusive tax shelters and investigates the role of blue chip accounting firms in these secret deals.\" While influence peddling has reached new heights under Republicans, Democrats cannot claim to be free of lobbyists' control. It is the system; it breeds corruption, nurtures it. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/abe-lincolnthe-denizens-of-k-street-and-tax-shelters-that-stink-of-corruption/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/07/Gettysburg Address.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eGeorge W. Bush at Al Smith Dinner, Waldorf-Astoria,10/19/2000\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Sad and Unpleasant Truth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo whom the country really belongs? Primarily to the lobbyists of \"K\" Street, Washington,DC (also known as Gucci Gulch) and the organizations that pay their salaries. Now that it has become fashionable to use the name of God and wear lapel pins displaying Old Glory, perhaps they have switched from Guccis to union made footwear. I would not be too sure about that.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey are the movers and shakers who represent special interest groups. We didn't elect them but they have a say in every legislation that is enacted. And they block many from being enacted. Most of the elected representatives are under their insidious influence. The masters of the lobbyists fund their campaigns; lavishly entertains them; provide tickets to events. Golfing in Scotland is certainly more pleasant than sweating over the nation's problems, especially when a friendly lobbyist picks up the tab.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike Goethe's Faust, the legislators have sold themselves and, as part of the bargain, sold you and me down the river. The Washington Post published a report by Jeffrey Birnbaum on June 22nd titled \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101632.html\"\u003eThe Road to Riches is called K Street\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The lobbying boom has been caused by three factors, experts say: rapid growth in government, Republican control of both the White House and Congress, and wide acceptance among corporations that they need to hire professional lobbyists to secure their share of federal benefits.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTax Shelters to Make the Rich Richer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are many books and articles that cover this subject. The Pulitzer prize winning journalist Hedrick Smith produced an excellent documentary \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tax/\"\u003eTax Me, If you Can\u003c/a\u003e\" which was aired on Frontline (PBS) Feb.19, 2004. It is still available for watching online. If you don't have the time, I recommend \u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38516-2003Dec29.html\"\u003eThe Washington Post's \u003c/a\u003e transcript of Mr. Smith's  appearance at a question and answer session about the documentary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cnitf\u003e\"The tax shelter was one of corporate America?s biggest hidden profit centers in recent years. Shelters have become so lucrative that some experts estimate as much as $50 billion is lost to the U.S. Treasury each year. And ordinary taxpayers wind up footing the bill. Frontline correspondent Hedrick Smith provides an inside look at how big corporations and wealthy individuals cut their taxes with intricate, hidden, and abusive tax shelters and investigates the role of blue chip accounting firms in these secret deals.\"\u003c/nitf\u003e \u003cnitf\u003e\u003c/nitf\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Abe Lincoln,the Denizens of K Street and Tax Shelters that Stink of Corruption"},{"content":" *Justice Sandra Day O'Connor decided to hang up her hatThis came as somewhat of a surprise. The age and state of health of Chief Justice Rehnquist made people believe that he would be the first to leave the Court. But Justice O'Connor beat him to the punch. The announcement from the Chief Justice cannot be too far off.Now that Justice O'Connor has announced her retirement, the Bush administration must be delighted. This is what the conservatives were waiting for--the opportunity to fill two vacancies in the Court and make sure that the fine balance becomes a thing of the past. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/the-supreme-court---dark-clouds-gathering/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJustice Sandra Day O'Connor decided to hang up her hat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis came as somewhat of a surprise. The age and state of health of Chief Justice Rehnquist made people believe that he would be the first to leave the Court. But Justice O'Connor beat him to the punch. The announcement from the Chief Justice cannot be too far off.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow that \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4628391.stm\"\u003eJustice O'Connor\u003c/a\u003e has announced her retirement, the Bush administration must be delighted. This is what the conservatives were waiting for--the opportunity to fill two vacancies in the Court and make sure that the fine balance becomes a thing of the past.","title":"The Supreme Court - Dark Clouds Gathering"},{"content":" *The Outing of Valerie Plame - Perhaps the Guilty Party/Parties are too High to TackleNovak: 'I will reveal all'When I read the headline I thought \"well, finally, Robert Novak has decided to come clean\". Nope. The headline was deceptive--like some of the ads by car dealers. Novak continues to stonewall. The mystery about the special prosecutor remains alive. Why is Novak being treated with kid gloves?Judith Miller of The NY TimesTimesonline.UK reports that Judith Miller of The NY Times is facing time in prison because of her refusal to divulge sources who provided material for reports about Valerie Plame.\"Ms Miller insisted that she was ready to go to prison. She said: “Journalists simply cannot do their jobs without being able to commit to sources that they won’t be identified.”On the face of it, Ms. Miller's willingness to defend the Fourth Amendment appears praiseworthy. Ms. Miller's background, however, makes me question her position. This reporter, with access to Ahmed Chalabi during his stay in the US, authored many reports about Iraq's WMD program. Although they later turned out to be without any basis, the reports helped to spread fear about the non-existent weapons and garnered support for the unjustified war against Iraq. Whether she was a dupe or willing partner of Chalabi is not known.Chalabi and his group received a lot of money from our government. He was later appointed Oil Minister in the new Iraqi government!Governor Bush persecuting Michael SchiavoDead, autopsied, buried but the holy rollers won't let her rest. Governor Jeb Bush asked the state attorney of Pinellas-Pasco County to dig into records about Michael Schiavo's call to 911 after Terri Schiavo collapsed on Feb.25, 1990.The fact that the details have been looked at, checked, double-checked, analyzed under a microscope means nothing to the governor. With an eye on the White House, he is out to earn brownie points from his conservative supporters. Jeb Bush believes he can get some traction out of it. A recent poll showed that a large majority of Florida residents were against the governor's action.It might backfire as it did on Senator Frist and Congressman DeLay who had postured in front of cameras about the late Ms. Schiavo's condition--that she was alive and aware when there was conclusive medical evidence to the contrary. Once the contents of the autopsy report became public, President Bush made a strategic retreat; there was no more political capital to made from the hapless woman. Apparently, his valiant brother does not agree.Selling of American workers' rightsThe Administration that says one thing and does another - U.S. Blocked Release of CAFTA Reports by Larry Margasak, Associated Press Writer\"In practice, labor laws on the books in Central America are not sufficient to deter employers from violations, as actual sanctions for violations of the law are weak or nonexistent,\" the contractor, the International Labor Rights Fund, wrote in one of the reports.Corrected July 14,2005 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/07/fractious-friday-morning/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Outing of Valerie Plame - Perhaps the Guilty Party/Parties are too High to Tackle\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/30/novak.reporters/\"\u003eNovak: 'I will reveal all'\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen I read the headline I thought \"well, finally, Robert Novak has decided to come clean\". Nope. The headline was deceptive--like some of the ads by car dealers. Novak continues to stonewall. The mystery about the special prosecutor remains alive. Why is Novak being treated with kid gloves?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJudith Miller of The NY Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1675983,00.html\"\u003eTimesonline.UK\u003c/a\u003e reports that Judith Miller of The NY Times is facing time in prison because of her refusal to divulge sources who provided material for reports about Valerie Plame.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Ms Miller insisted that she was ready to go to prison. She said: “Journalists simply cannot do their jobs without being able to commit to sources that they won’t be identified.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the face of it, Ms. Miller's willingness to defend the Fourth Amendment appears praiseworthy. Ms. Miller's background, however, makes me question her position. This reporter, with access to Ahmed Chalabi during his stay in the US, authored many reports about Iraq's WMD program. Although they later turned out to be without any basis, the reports helped to spread fear about the non-existent weapons and garnered support for the unjustified war against Iraq. Whether she was a dupe or willing partner of Chalabi is not known.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChalabi and his group received a lot of money from our government. He was later appointed Oil Minister in the new Iraqi government!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGovernor Bush persecuting Michael Schiavo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDead, autopsied, buried but the holy rollers won't let her rest. Governor Jeb Bush asked the state attorney of Pinellas-Pasco County to dig into records about Michael Schiavo's call to 911 after Terri Schiavo collapsed on Feb.25, 1990.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fact that the details have been looked at, checked, double-checked, analyzed under a microscope means nothing to the governor. With an eye on the White House, he is out to earn brownie points from his conservative supporters. Jeb Bush believes he can get some traction out of it. A recent poll showed that a large majority of \u003ca href=\"http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-florida-poll,0,4276454.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines\"\u003eFlorida residents\u003c/a\u003e were against the governor's action.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt might backfire as it did on Senator Frist and Congressman DeLay who had postured in front of cameras about the late Ms. Schiavo's condition--that she was alive and aware when there was conclusive medical evidence to the contrary. Once the contents of the autopsy report became public, President Bush made a strategic retreat; there was no more political capital to made from the hapless woman. Apparently, his valiant brother does not agree.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSelling of American workers' rights\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Administration that says one thing and does another - \u003ca href=\"http://ap.lancasteronline.com/4/free_trade_studies\"\u003eU.S. Blocked Release of CAFTA Reports\u003c/a\u003e by Larry Margasak, Associated Press Writer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In practice, labor laws on the books in Central America are not sufficient to deter employers from violations, as actual sanctions for violations of the law are weak or nonexistent,\" the contractor, the International Labor Rights Fund, wrote in one of the reports.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCorrected July 14,2005\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e","title":"Fractious Friday Morning"},{"content":" *Potential Nominees Jan Crawford Greenberg's article in The Chicago Tribune summarizes what we could expect. If Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is not considered suitable by the conservatives, imagine what could be coming down the pike.It will be interesting to see whether the opposition would be able to muster enough support to have a voice in the confirmation proceedings . A Bouquet for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor - A Sane Voice\"At a time when we see around the world the violent consequences of the assumption of religious authority by government, Americans may count themselves fortunate: Our regard for constitutional boundaries has protected us from similar travails, while allowing private religious exercise to flourish. … Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: Why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly.\"Thus wrote Justice O'Connor on 6/27/05 in her opinion about the display of Ten Commandments.I do not expect the zealots,who want to ram their beliefs down our throats,to pause even for a moment to think about the opinion expressed by Justice O'Connor. They wish her gone from the Court; sooner the better.In the private property seizure (so called \"eminent domain\") case, Justice O'Connor was on the losing side of the 5-4 decision.\"She argued that cities should not have unlimited authority to uproot families, even if they are provided compensation, simply to accommodate wealthy developers.\" (AP, 6/23/05)I am with those who feel that this ruling would open a floodgate for unscrupulous municipal officials and greedy developers (there is no other kind).For Justice O'Connor, applause and a bouquet. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-supreme-court---who-will-replace-chief-justice-rehnquist/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePotential Nominees\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Jan Crawford Greenberg's article in \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/chitribts/20050629/ts_chicagotrib/bushaidesreadytoactontopcourt\"\u003eThe Chicago Tribune\u003c/a\u003e summarizes what we could expect. If Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is not considered suitable by the conservatives, imagine what could be coming down the pike.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt will be interesting to see whether the opposition would be able to muster enough support to have a voice in the confirmation proceedings .\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA Bouquet for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor - A Sane Voice\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"At a time when we see around the world the violent consequences of the assumption of religious authority by government, Americans may count themselves fortunate: Our regard for constitutional boundaries has protected us from similar travails, while allowing private religious exercise to flourish. … Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: Why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThus wrote Justice O'Connor on 6/27/05 in her opinion about the display of Ten Commandments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI do not expect the zealots,who want to ram their beliefs down our throats,to pause even for a moment to think about the opinion expressed by Justice O'Connor. They wish her gone from the Court; sooner the better.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the private property seizure (so called \"eminent domain\") case, Justice O'Connor was on the losing side of the 5-4 decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"She argued that cities should not have unlimited authority to uproot families, even if they are provided compensation, simply to accommodate wealthy developers.\" \u003cbr/\u003e(AP, 6/23/05)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am with those who feel that this ruling would open a floodgate for unscrupulous municipal officials and greedy developers (there is no other kind).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/OConnor.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Justice O'Connor, applause and a bouquet.","title":"The Supreme Court - Who will replace Chief Justice Rehnquist?"},{"content":" *Exploitation of a national tragedyIf you sat through the president's speech last evening, my question is did you hear anything new?I did not. However, during approximately 25 minutes, the president mentioned 9/11 five times!We know now: There were no Iraqis among the terrorists who carried out the attacks Saddam Hussein had no link with the plotters (al Qaeda) Iraq was not a hot bed of terrorists before we began the war. It certainly has become one. For the Bush administration, 9/11 is like a cash cow that keeps on giving. Mention of 9/11 is a proven aid in getting support. It touches a chord. It will be milked for ever and ever.The New York Times - excerpt from editorial 6/29/05:\"We did not expect Mr. Bush would apologize for the misinformation that helped lead us into this war, or for the catastrophic mistakes his team made in running the military operation. But we had hoped he would resist the temptation to raise the bloody flag of 9/11 over and over again to justify a war in a country that had nothing whatsoever to do with the terrorist attacks. We had hoped that he would seize the moment to tell the nation how he will define victory, and to give Americans a specific sense of how he intends to reach that goal - beyond repeating the same wishful scenario that he has been describing since the invasion.\"To find out about the background of president's plans for war, read the Downing Street Memo(s). ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-milking-of-911---again/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExploitation of a national tragedy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf you sat through the president's speech last evening, my question is did you hear anything new?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI did not.  However, during approximately 25 minutes, the president mentioned 9/11 five times!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe know now:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e There were no Iraqis among the terrorists who carried out the attacks\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSaddam Hussein had no link with the plotters (al Qaeda)\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eIraq was not a hot bed of terrorists before we began the war. It certainly has become one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eFor the Bush administration, 9/11 is like a cash cow that keeps on giving. Mention of 9/11 is a proven aid in getting support. It touches a chord. It will be milked for ever and ever.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe New York Times - excerpt from editorial 6/29/05:\u003cbr/\u003e\"We did not expect Mr. Bush would apologize for the misinformation that helped lead us into this war, or for the catastrophic mistakes his team made in running the military operation. But we had hoped he would resist the temptation to raise the bloody flag of 9/11 over and over again to justify a war in a country that had nothing whatsoever to do with the terrorist attacks. We had hoped that he would seize the moment to tell the nation how he will define victory, and to give Americans a specific sense of how he intends to reach that goal - beyond repeating the same wishful scenario that he has been describing since the invasion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo find out about the background of president's plans for war, read the \u003ca href=\"http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/\"\u003eDowning Street Memo(s).\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Milking of 9/11 - Again"},{"content":" *Robert Novak remains free of prosecution!The Associated Press report dated June 28th summarizes the mysterious case about former CIA officer Valerie Plame. Two journalists facing possible jail time for being \"in contempt of court\". They are refusing to divulge their source(s). But the burning question is why Robert Novak, who originally disclosed that Valerie Plame was a CIA operative, remains beyond the special prosecutor's reach. Perhaps we shall never know.\"Plame's name was first made public in 2003 by columnist Robert Novak, who cited unidentified senior Bush administration officials for the information. There has been no public explanation for why prosecutors are not pursuing Novak.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/who-leaked-who-really-leaked-valerie-plames-identity/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eRobert Novak remains free of prosecution!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050628/REPOSITORY/506280353/1013/NEWS03\"\u003eAssociated Press\u003c/a\u003e report dated June 28th summarizes the mysterious case about former CIA officer Valerie Plame. Two journalists facing possible jail time for being \"in contempt of court\". They are refusing to divulge their source(s). But the burning question is why Robert Novak, who originally disclosed that Valerie Plame was a CIA operative, remains beyond the special prosecutor's reach. Perhaps we shall never know.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Plame's name was first made public in 2003 by columnist Robert Novak, who cited unidentified senior Bush administration officials for the information. There has been no public explanation for why prosecutors are not pursuing Novak.\"","title":"Who leaked (who really leaked) Valerie Plame's Identity?"},{"content":" * Yes. The partially nude statues of \"Spirit of Justice\" (known as Minnie Lou) and the \"Majesty of Justice\", at the Department of Justice, which former Attorney General Ashcroft had ordered covered with drapes at a cost of $8,000.00, are again visible to the public. Minnie Lou's boob is now exposed as it was for decades before it offended the delicate sensibilities of the former attorney general.According to BBC, \"...... the decision to remove the curtains which covered the two statues was taken by an assistant attorney general, and not Mr Gonzales himself, the spokesman added. Mr Gonzales \"agreed with the recommendation\", Kevin Madden said. A defeat for the prudes. However, there are more serious issues looming before the women of America.The Fine Balance in the Supreme CourtGood news this morning.In a 5-4 decision, the justices of the Supreme Court ruled that: \"......two exhibits in Kentucky cross the line between separation of church and state because they promote a religious message.\"Later, the Court, in a second case about the constitutionality of displays of Ten Commandments on government property filed by the attorney general of Texas, ruled (again by 5-4 decision) that :\".....it was permissible for a monument based on the revered text to be exhibited at the Texas state legislature\".The conservatives have made no secret of their goal to destroy the fine balance in the Supreme Court. When vacancies occur, two appointments by President Bush would very likely achieve that end.Note: This post edited/revised at 7:05 PM following the ruling in the second case. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/liberation-of-minnie-lou-and-display-of-ten-commandments/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  Yes. The partially nude statues of \"Spirit of Justice\" (known as Minnie Lou) and the \"Majesty of Justice\", at the Department of Justice, which former Attorney General Ashcroft had ordered covered with drapes at a cost of $8,000.00, are again visible to the public. Minnie Lou's boob is now exposed as it was for decades before it offended the delicate sensibilities of the former attorney general.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to \u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4623239.stm\"\u003eBBC\u003c/a\u003e, \"...... the decision to remove the curtains which covered the two statues was taken by an assistant attorney general, and not Mr Gonzales himself, the spokesman added.  \u003cp\u003e Mr Gonzales \"agreed with the recommendation\", Kevin Madden said. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Liberation of Minnie Lou and Display of Ten Commandments"},{"content":" Six more American soldiers died in Falluja,Iraq, June 24, 2005Banner behind President Bush, USS LincolnMay 2, 2003From transcript of \"Meet the Press with Tim Russert\" Feb.8, 2004\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policymatters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. ...\"Vice President Cheney on Larry King (CNN) May 30, 2005:\"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\"Excerpts from Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Iraq war: Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.: \"General Abizaid, can you give us your assessment of the strength of the insurgency? Is it less strong, more strong, about the same strength as it was six months ago?\" Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Persian Gulf: \"In terms of comparison from six months ago, in terms of foreign fighters, I believe there are more foreign fighters coming into Iraq than there were six months ago. \"In terms of the overall strength of the insurgency, I'd say it's about the same as it was.\" Levin: \"So you wouldn't agree with the statement that it's in its last throes?\" Abizaid: \"I don't know that I would make any comment about that other than to say there's a lot of work to be done against the insurgency.\" Levin: \"Well, the vice president has said it's in its last throes, that's the statement the vice president _ it doesn't sound to me from your testimony or any other testimony here this morning that it is in its last throes.\" Abizaid: \"I'm sure you'll forgive me from criticizing the vice president.\" Levin: \"I just want an honest assessment from you as to whether you agree with a particular statement of his _ it's not personal. ... Abizaid: \"I gave you my opinion of where we are.\" The President will speak to the American people on Tuesday, June 28th, at 8 PM. He will again emphasize that we are on right track and the need to stay there. There is no question that getting out of the mess in Iraq is not a simple matter of withdrawing our troops. But what the president will not touch upon is how we got there---the deceptions, the half truths, and the fact that plans were made to attack Iraq long before a cooked up scenario was presented to the nation.The now famous Downing Street Memo published by the London Times on May 1, 2005, fully disclosed the secret plans for war that were made as early as July 2002.Where is our money going?There is a deep sinkhole in Iraq for our tax dollars. Newsweek (April 4th issue) covers the subject in detail in an article titled \"Follow the Money\". Corruption is rampant; our money is lining up pockets of unethical officials and contractors. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/mission-accomplished/","summary":"\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSix more American soldiers died in Falluja,Iraq, June 24, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Mission Accomplished.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBanner behind President Bush, USS Lincoln\u003cbr/\u003eMay 2, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom transcript of \"Meet the Press with Tim Russert\" Feb.8, 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy\u003cbr/\u003ematters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true. ...\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVice President Cheney on Larry King (CNN) May 30, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts from Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Iraq war:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.: \"General Abizaid, can you give us your assessment of the strength of the insurgency? Is it less strong, more strong, about the same strength as it was six months ago?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eGen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Persian Gulf: \"In terms of comparison from six months ago, in terms of foreign fighters, I believe there are more foreign fighters coming into Iraq than there were six months ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"In terms of the overall strength of the insurgency, I'd say it's about the same as it was.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLevin: \"So you wouldn't agree with the statement that it's in its last throes?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAbizaid: \"I don't know that I would make any comment about that other than to say there's a lot of work to be done against the insurgency.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLevin: \"Well, the vice president has said it's in its last throes, that's the statement the vice president _ it doesn't sound to me from your testimony or any other testimony here this morning that it is in its last throes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAbizaid: \"I'm sure you'll forgive me from criticizing the vice president.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLevin: \"I just want an honest assessment from you as to whether you agree with a particular statement of his _ it's not personal. ...\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eAbizaid: \"I gave you my opinion of where we are.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe President will speak to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1514954,00.html\"\u003eAmerican people\u003c/a\u003e on Tuesday, June 28th, at 8 PM. He will again emphasize that we are on right track and the need to stay there. There is no question that getting out of the mess in Iraq is not a simple matter of withdrawing our troops. But what the president will not touch upon is how we got there---the deceptions, the half truths, and the fact that plans were made to attack Iraq long before a cooked up scenario was presented to the nation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe now famous \u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html\"\u003eDowning Street Memo\u003c/a\u003e published by the London Times on May 1, 2005, fully disclosed the secret plans for war that were made as early as July 2002.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhere is our money going?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a deep sinkhole in Iraq for our tax dollars. Newsweek (April 4th issue) covers the subject in detail in an article titled \"\u003ca href=\"http://whww.msnbc.msn.com/id/7306162/site/newsweek/\"\u003eFollow  the Money\u003c/a\u003e\". Corruption is rampant; our money is lining up pockets of unethical officials and contractors.","title":"\"Mission Accomplished\"  ?"},{"content":" Gaining ground or losing it?There are days when I come across unexpected treasures in the world wide web. Had never heard of \"The Edmond Sun\". A small city chartered in 1925, Edmond,Oklahoma, has a population in the low 30,000, predominantly white. Daily circulation of The Edmond Sun is below 11,000.Under the byline of Leaman Harris, on June 21st The Edmond Sun published a column on religious intolerance that is worthy of national newspapers. Mr. Leaman is serving a one-year assignment that is \"nearing its end\".I quote from the article: \"You can check these statistics by searching on the web for \"Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004-2005.\" These statistics are in Section 1, Population, Table 67. The Abstract is a publication of the U.S. Census Bureau. The government is not allowed to ask questions about religion on the census taken every 10 years, but the Abstract references the study done by the City University of New York as a reliable source. \"The most significant fact about this study is that 14 million more people claimed to be atheists in 2001 than in 1990, a more than 100 percent increase. It is a larger gain than that experienced by the Catholic Church and non-denominational churches combined. Meanwhile, non-Christian faiths are making significant gains. If the goal of fundamentalist evangelicals is to convert Americans into followers of Jesus Christ, then they are failing. I am convinced that the reason for this failure is the bigotry and intolerance displayed by a relatively small but very loud and arrogant group of fundamentalist evangelicals.\" A naturalized citizen, I love America---the beauty of the land and the diversity of the people. America of Thomas Jefferson and Walt Whitman; the America where a Christian book store, Vietnamese restaurant and Indian grocery store thrive in the same shopping center; the America where students of different colors and ethnic origins happily chatter on their way to school. I find recent developments in political and social arenas distasteful and bothersome. Bigotry has raised its ugly head. The country is being hijacked from those of us who are not part of the \"religious right\" and did not vote for G.W. Bush. The bigots here remind me of the Taleban mullahs in Afghanistan and the jackbooted thugs of Nazi Germany.Reading Mr. Leaman's column gave me hope. Mr. Leaman did his home work and produced a column full of facts and figures on this important topic. Very timely. Perhaps all is not lost.I wish him well.\"I say to mankind, Be not curious about God. For I, who am curious about each, am not curious about God - I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least.\"---Walt Whitman (1819-1892) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/a-gem-in-the-edmond-sun---leaman-harris-on-religious-intolerance/","summary":"Gaining ground or losing it?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are days when I come across unexpected treasures in the world wide web. Had never heard of \"The Edmond Sun\". A small city chartered in 1925, Edmond,Oklahoma, has a population in the low 30,000, predominantly white. Daily circulation of The Edmond Sun is below 11,000.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder the byline of\u003ca href=\"http://www.edmondsun.com/articles/2005/06/21/news/opinions/opinion01.txt\"\u003e Leaman Harris\u003c/a\u003e, on June 21st The Edmond Sun published a column on religious intolerance that is worthy of national newspapers. Mr. Leaman is serving a one-year assignment that is \"nearing its end\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI quote from the article:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"You can check these statistics by searching on the web for \"Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004-2005.\" These statistics are in Section 1, Population, Table 67. The Abstract is a publication of the U.S. Census Bureau. The government is not allowed to ask questions about religion on the census taken every 10 years, but the Abstract references the study done by the City University of New York as a reliable source.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"The most significant fact about this study is that 14 million more people claimed to be atheists in 2001 than in 1990, a more than 100 percent increase. It is a larger gain than that experienced by the Catholic Church and non-denominational churches combined. Meanwhile, non-Christian faiths are making significant gains. If the goal of fundamentalist evangelicals is to convert Americans into followers of Jesus Christ, then they are failing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eI am convinced that the reason for this failure is the bigotry and intolerance displayed by a relatively small but very loud and arrogant group of fundamentalist evangelicals.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003eA naturalized citizen, I love America---the beauty of the land and the diversity of the people. America of Thomas Jefferson and Walt Whitman; the America where a Christian book store, Vietnamese restaurant and Indian grocery store thrive in the same shopping center; the America where students of different colors and ethnic origins happily chatter on their way to school. I find recent developments in political and social arenas distasteful and bothersome. Bigotry has raised its ugly head. The country is being hijacked from those of us who are not part of the \"religious right\" and did not vote for G.W. Bush. The bigots here remind me of the Taleban mullahs in Afghanistan and the jackbooted thugs of Nazi Germany.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReading Mr. Leaman's column gave me hope. Mr. Leaman did his home work and produced a column full of facts and figures on this important topic. Very timely. Perhaps all is not lost.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wish him well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"body\"\u003e\"I say to mankind, Be not curious about God. For I, who am curious about each, am not curious about God - I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Walt Whitman (1819-1892)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e","title":"A Gem in The Edmond Sun - Leaman Harris on Religious Intolerance"},{"content":" *Do the students have impure thoughts; do they masturbate? One wonders.Hanna Rosin's \"God and Country\" in The New Yorker about a college that was established to groom homeschooled students for political positions made me cringe. No, nothing wrong with homeschooled kids. But this particular college was founded with objective and principles that are disturbing. \"Patrick Henry is a Christian college, though it is not affiliated with any denomination, and it gives students guidelines on \"glorifying God\" with their appearance. During class hours, the college enforces a \"business casual\" dress code designed to prepare the students for office life---especially for offices in Washington,D.C., fifty miles to the east where almost all the students have internships with Republican politicians, or in conservative think tanks.\" Read on: \"The boys in the cafetaria all had nearly trimmed hair, and wore suits or khakis and button-down shirts; girls wore slacks or skirts just below the knee, and sweaters or blouses.\" Whew. Think about brigades of sterile, deodorized, Bible quoting graduates bent on creating a white bread America!Watched Pot. The great Hendrik Hertzberg writes in The New Yorker about the Supreme Court and Medical Marijuana. \"Someday the cruelty of the 'drug war' will give way to laws and policies based on reason and justice. But that day is painfully slow in coming, and no drug, legal or not, can take the pain away.\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/a-college-for-grooming-stepford-wivesand-husbands/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDo the students have impure thoughts; do they masturbate?  One wonders.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHanna Rosin's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050627fa_fact\"\u003eGod and Country\u003c/a\u003e\" in The New Yorker about a college that was established to groom homeschooled students for political positions made me cringe. No, nothing wrong with homeschooled kids. But this particular college was founded with objective and principles that are disturbing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Patrick Henry is a Christian college, though it is not affiliated with any denomination, and it gives students guidelines on \"glorifying God\" with their appearance. During class hours, the college enforces a \"business casual\" dress code designed to prepare the students for office life---especially for offices in Washington,D.C., fifty miles to the east where almost all the students have internships with Republican politicians, or in conservative think tanks.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Read on:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"The boys in the cafetaria all had nearly trimmed hair, and wore suits or khakis and button-down shirts; girls wore slacks or skirts just below the knee, and sweaters or blouses.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e Whew.  Think about brigades of sterile, deodorized, Bible quoting graduates bent on creating a white bread America!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/050627ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eWatched Pot\u003c/a\u003e. The great Hendrik Hertzberg writes in The New Yorker about the Supreme Court and Medical Marijuana.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\"Someday the cruelty of the 'drug war' will give way to laws and policies based on reason and justice. But that day is painfully slow in coming, and no drug, legal or not, can take the pain away.\"\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e","title":"A College for grooming Stepford Wives...and Husbands"},{"content":" True or FalseTrue, according to some library officials. Justice Department denies it. Knowing what we do now about our government who would you believe?A report filed on 6/21/05 by Barbara Zabarenko of Reuters stated that:\"U.S. librarians say they have been asked at least 268 times since 2001 to give law officers data about readers, despite repeated Justice Department denials that it is interested in patrons' reading habits.A survey released this week by the American Library Association found the inquiries from law enforcement came formally and informally -- that is, without a formal legal order -- to public and academic libraries. That is despite laws in 48 states and prevailing opinion in the other two that library information is private.\"Now we have solid information that no matter what the Justice Department is saying, they are interested in libraries because they are coming, and not once or twice, but in appreciable numbers,\" Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the library association's Washington office, said on Tuesday.\" \"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?\"---Decimus Junius Juvenalis (Juvenal),Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/library-records-being-scrutinized-by-big-brother/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrue or False\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTrue, according to some library officials. Justice Department denies it. Knowing what we do now about our government who would you believe?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA report filed on 6/21/05 by Barbara Zabarenko of \u003ca href=\"http://http//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050621/ts_nm/security_libraries_dc_5\"\u003eReuters\u003c/a\u003e stated that:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"U.S. librarians say they have been asked at least 268 times since 2001 to give law officers data about readers, despite repeated Justice Department denials that it is interested in patrons' reading habits.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA survey released this week by the American Library Association found the inquiries from law enforcement came formally and informally -- that is, without a formal legal order -- to public and academic libraries. That is despite laws in 48 states and prevailing opinion in the other two that library information is private.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now we have solid information that no matter what the Justice Department is saying, they are interested in libraries because they are coming, and not once or twice, but in appreciable numbers,\" Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the library association's Washington office, said on Tuesday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  \"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Decimus Junius Juvenalis (Juvenal),Roman rhetorician and satirical poet (1st to 2nd cent. A.D.)","title":"Library Records Being Scrutinized by Big Brother"},{"content":" *Their grand standing about banning French fries and French toasts bombed.Now the super patriots are into another jingoistic act. They are going to retry passing the Flag Burning Amendment. I must be living on another planet. Don't recall flags being burned at random. But their minds work in strange ways. One would think that if they are seriously concerned about honoring the national flag they would act to enforce the etiquette described in U.S.History.org.I quote: Is it okay to have a flag t-shirt with words written on it? No, the flag should never be worn and no, the flag should never have marks or words written upon it. Section 8d (see below): \"The flag should never be used as wearing apparel.\" Section 8g: \"The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.\" Is it okay to use flag napkins or flag paper plates?No. Section 8i (see below) reads: \"It should not be ... printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard.\" Is it okay for an advertisement to use the flag?Capital One credit card promotionNo. Section 8i (see below) reads, \"The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. What does the Flag Code say about displaying the flag horizontally, as before a football game? Section 8c. reads, \"The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free. \" Isn't the American flag stamp in violation of the flag rules? 37¢ stamp This question has been asked by dozens of visitors to this page. The answer appears to be yes. Section 8e. (see below) reads, \"The flag should never be ... used ... in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.\" Section 8g. reads, \"The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark ... of any nature.\" 8i. reads, \"[The flag] should not be printed or otherwise impressed on ... anything that is designed for temporary use and discard.\"Should keep them busy for a while---if they really want to preserve the sanctity of our national flag. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/another-photo-opportunity-for-the-buffoons-in-congress/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTheir grand standing about banning French fries and French toasts bombed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the super patriots are into another jingoistic act. They are going to retry passing the \u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/ap/2005-622/ap_on_go_co/flag_desecration\"\u003eFlag Burning Amendment\u003c/a\u003e. I must be living on another planet. Don't recall flags being burned at random. But their minds work in strange ways. One would think that if they are seriously concerned about honoring the national flag they would act to enforce the etiquette described in \u003ca href=\"http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html\"\u003eU.S.History.org.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI quote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs it okay to have a flag t-shirt with words written on it?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e No, the flag should never be worn and no, the flag should never have marks or words written upon it. Section 8d (see below): \"The flag should never be used as wearing apparel.\" Section 8g: \"The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cli\u003e \u003cb\u003eIs it okay to use flag napkins or flag paper plates?\u003c/b\u003e\u003cul\u003eNo. Section 8i (see below) reads: \"It should not be ... printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard.\"\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Another Photo Opportunity for The Buffoons in Congress"},{"content":" *Bush Descendent?Despite the boastful claim about \"mandate\" in the second term,there are signs that cracks are appearing in the image. The Bolton case highlights the fact that even with the Republican majority the president is unable to get his nominee confirmed by the Senate. He can, of course, use \"recess appointment\" and the signs are pointing that way. That, however, would emphasize weakness of his position. The House passed Patriot Act (II) but a watered-down version; the president didn't get what he pushed for. His much vaunted plans for partial privatization of Social Security landed with a thud. Majority of Americans remain unconvinced by his pitch. They are distrustful of the implications and lack of details. Rightly so. While he has not given up, Republican members of Congress are seeking a quiet way out. Finally, the mess in Iraq is making its impact at home. News about deaths and injuries are beginning to raise questions,especially in view of the barrage of new reports about plans for the war and the ploys used to deceive the nation. Apart from the lack of justification, the plans turned out to be hopelessly inept. The cost in dollars is one thing, the cost in lives and limbs is a more serious issue. \"See No Evil, Hear No Evil\"The Republicans would have been screaming for impeachment if this happened under a Democratic president. Now they are like the wise monkeys : \"See no evil, hear no evil\". While the politicians are following their usual path of expediency by remaining silent, the people are not. There are signs that disenchantment with the president is spreading across the land.\"All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight and who therefore induce the young manhood of the whole world to do the fighting for them.\"---Emma Goldman(1869-1940) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/fissures-in-the-facade---all-hat-and-no-cattle/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003eBush Descendent?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDespite the boastful claim about \"mandate\" in the second term,there are signs that cracks are appearing in the image.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Bolton case highlights the fact that even with the Republican majority the president is unable to get his nominee confirmed by the Senate. He can, of course, use \"recess appointment\" and the signs are pointing that way. That, however, would emphasize weakness of his position.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe House passed Patriot Act (II) but a watered-down version;  the president didn't get what he pushed for.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHis much vaunted plans for partial privatization of Social Security landed with a thud. Majority of Americans remain unconvinced by his pitch. They are distrustful of the implications and lack of details. Rightly so. While he has not given up, Republican members of Congress are seeking a quiet way out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eFinally, the mess in Iraq is making its impact at home. News about deaths and injuries are beginning to raise questions,especially in view of the barrage of new reports about plans for the war and the ploys used to deceive the nation. Apart from the lack of justification, the plans turned out to be hopelessly inept. The cost in dollars is one thing, the cost in lives and limbs is a more serious issue.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\"See No Evil, Hear No Evil\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Republicans would have been screaming for impeachment if this happened under a Democratic president. Now they are like the wise monkeys : \"See no evil, hear no evil\". While the politicians are following their usual path of expediency by remaining silent, the people are not. There are signs that disenchantment with the president is spreading across the land.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight and who therefore induce the young manhood of the whole world to do the fighting for them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Emma Goldman(1869-1940)","title":"Fissures in the Facade  - \"All Hat and No Cattle\""},{"content":" *Little ThingsMost of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer. The Nobel. Oscars. Tonys. Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures. A pat on the back. A kiss behind the ear. A four-pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset Hot soup. Cold beer. Don't fret about copping life's grand awards. Enjoy its tiny delights. There are plenty for all of us.Note: A friend sent me this item many years ago. I have no idea who the author is or where it appeared. And I like to fish for trout, not bass. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/first-day-of-summer/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003eLittle Things\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMost of us\u003cbr/\u003e miss out\u003cbr/\u003e                                                      on life's\u003cbr/\u003e                                                      big prizes.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      The Pulitzer.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      The Nobel.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Oscars.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Tonys.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Emmys.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      But we're\u003cbr/\u003e                                      all eligible\u003cbr/\u003e                                      for life's\u003cbr/\u003e                                      small pleasures.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A pat\u003cbr/\u003e                                      on the back.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A kiss\u003cbr/\u003e                                      behind the ear.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A four-pound bass.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A full moon.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      An empty\u003cbr/\u003e                                      parking space.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A crackling fire.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A great meal.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      A glorious sunset\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Hot soup.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Cold beer.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Don't fret\u003cbr/\u003e                                      about\u003cbr/\u003e                                      copping life's\u003cbr/\u003e                                      grand awards.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      Enjoy its\u003cbr/\u003e                                      tiny delights.\u003cbr/\u003e                                      There are plenty\u003cbr/\u003e                                      for all of us.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: A friend sent me this item many years ago. I have no idea who the author is or where it appeared. And I like to fish for trout, not bass.","title":"First Day of Summer"},{"content":" *The Politics of PotA favorite target of the conservatives, our self-appointed moral guardians--marijuana. Think of the resources, time and money being used to combat what they call the \"evil\" of marijuana.Why drinking alcohol is OK but smoking a joint a criminal offense? Alcohol can cause health and mental problems and so can marijuana. Heck, a gallon of milk a day can cause health problems for many of us. While moderate consumption of alcohol is good for health (according to current medical opinion) too much alcohol is harmful for body and mind. I have not found any source of information that cites evidence to prove that smoking a joint or two does any harm. In fact, in some cases patients suffering from pain are said to benefit from smoking marijuana. Yes, I am aware of the recent Supreme Court decision but the court didn't go into benefits or harmful effects of marijuana; it upheld the Federal law under which the regulation of illicit drugs is a matter of interstate commerce, reserved exclusively to the Federal Government by the Constitution. Imara's June 16th post in \"Where Two or More Are Gathered\" covers the 6-3 ruling by the Court.But many members of the moral values crowd drink alcohol, and the mighty alcohol industry contributes significantly to campaign chests of politicians. Some of them undoubtedly indulged in smoking joints during their younger days but don't talk about it. During his first presidential campaign G.W. Bush admitted to \"youthful indiscretions\". You figure out what that meant. As president he is gung ho about imprisonment for youths caught possessing small amounts of marijuana. Another president said that he smoked but didn't inhale! Too bad, if that was indeed his experience. Why is politics so crowded with hypocrites?The fact remains that despite our government's draconian position on marijuana smoking, the practice is alive and well. Unfortunately, law abiding citizens do not have access to marijuana. See link about consumption of marijuana.One thing for sure. If it is legalized large corporations would jump into the act before you can say Jack Robinson. They probably have business plans and advertisement campaigns ready to launch. \"A joint a day will keep the blues away\".In the meantime, the two-faced puritans rule.From a report by Kevin Freking,Associated Press:\"Both college towns, Boston and Boulder, Colo., share another distinction: They lead the nation in marijuana use. Northwestern Iowa and southern Texas have the lowest use.\"Wouldn't like to live in Boston but Boulder is attractive. Texas, no thanks.Links:Marijuana Use in The U.S.Imara ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/hypocrisy-about-hash/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Politics of Pot\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA favorite target of the conservatives, our self-appointed moral guardians--marijuana. Think of the resources, time and money being used to combat what they call the \"evil\" of marijuana.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy drinking alcohol is OK but smoking a joint a criminal offense? Alcohol can cause health and mental problems and so can marijuana. Heck, a gallon of milk a day can cause health problems for many of us. While moderate consumption of alcohol is good for health (according to current medical opinion) too much alcohol is harmful for body and mind. I have not found any source of information that cites evidence to prove that smoking a joint or two does any harm. In fact, in some cases patients suffering from pain are said to benefit from smoking marijuana. Yes, I am aware of the recent Supreme Court decision but the court didn't go into benefits or harmful effects of marijuana; it upheld the Federal law under which the regulation of illicit drugs is a matter of interstate commerce, reserved exclusively to the Federal Government by the Constitution. Imara's June 16th post in \"Where Two or More Are Gathered\" covers the 6-3 ruling by the Court.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut many members of the moral values crowd drink alcohol, and the mighty alcohol industry contributes significantly to campaign chests of politicians. Some of them undoubtedly indulged in smoking joints during their younger days but don't talk about it. During his first presidential campaign G.W. Bush admitted to \"youthful indiscretions\". You figure out what that meant. As president he is gung ho about imprisonment for youths caught possessing small amounts of marijuana. Another president said that he smoked but didn't inhale! Too bad, if that was indeed his experience. Why is politics so crowded with hypocrites?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fact remains that despite our government's draconian position on marijuana smoking, the practice is alive and well. Unfortunately, law abiding citizens do not have access to marijuana. See link about consumption of marijuana.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne thing for sure. If it is legalized large corporations would jump into the act before you can say Jack Robinson. They probably have business plans and advertisement campaigns ready to launch. \"A joint a day will keep the blues away\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn the meantime, the two-faced puritans rule.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom a report by Kevin Freking,Associated Press:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Both college towns, Boston and Boulder, Colo., share another distinction: They lead the nation in marijuana use. Northwestern Iowa and southern Texas have the lowest use.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWouldn't like to live in Boston but Boulder is attractive. Texas, no thanks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_on_he_me/marijuana_use\"\u003eMarijuana Use in The U.S.\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://wheretwoormorearegathered.blogspot.com/\"\u003eImara\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Hypocrisy about Hash"},{"content":" *\" The great error of nearly all studies of war... has been to consider war as an episode in foreign policies, when it is an act of interior politics...\"---Simone Weil, French philosopher, writer, activist (1909-1943)The tide is turning - Parents oppose aggressive recruitment in schoolsIf you had a teenager finishing high school, would you like him or her to join the army and sent to a place like Iraq? More and more parents are saying \"No\".Latest numbers (as of June 17th) from Iraq Body Count.U.S. Soldiers - Dead: 1,720 Injured: 12,855Iraqi Civilians: Dead: Min 22,353 Max 25,341Common Dreams reproduced an article originally published by the Knight-Ridder Group on June 15,2005. It is a deeply touching narrative by Sgt.Zachary Scott-Singley who grew up in Washington State. \"From Iraq, A Soldier/Father's Perspective On the War by Joseph L. Galloway\"Links:Iraq-A Soldier/Father's Perspective on WarAP - Military Recruitment in SchoolsIraq Body Count ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/fathers-day---the-mess-that-is-iraq/","summary":"\u003ccenter\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\" The great error of nearly all studies of war... has been to consider war as an episode in foreign policies, when it is an act of interior politics...\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Simone Weil, French philosopher, writer, activist (1909-1943)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe tide is turning - Parents oppose aggressive recruitment in schools\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf you had a teenager finishing high school, would you like him or her to join the army and sent to a place like Iraq? More and more parents are saying \"No\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLatest numbers (as of June 17th) from Iraq Body Count.\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Soldiers - Dead: 1,720 Injured:  12,855\u003cbr/\u003eIraqi Civilians: Dead: Min 22,353 Max 25,341\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCommon Dreams reproduced an article originally published by the Knight-Ridder Group on June 15,2005. It is a deeply touching narrative by Sgt.Zachary Scott-Singley who grew up in Washington State. \"From Iraq, A Soldier/Father's Perspective On the War by Joseph L. Galloway\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0615-08.htm\"\u003eIraq-A Soldier/Father's Perspective on War\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_on_re_us/military_in_schools\"\u003eAP - Military Recruitment in Schools\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/database/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Father's Day - The Mess That Is Iraq"},{"content":" Two more convicted but many remain freeFrom Associated Press:\"NEW YORK - Former Tyco International CEO Dennis Kozlowski and a subordinate were convicted Friday of looting more than $600 million from their company to pay for lavish parties, fancy art and an opulent Manhattan apartment that featured a $6,000 shower curtain.\"Kozlowski could face 30 years in prison. He certainly deserves it. Incidentally, the shower curtain was reported to be for the maid's quarters. Phillip Purcell, CEO of the tainted financial giant Morgan Stanley has been forced into retiring---with a compensation of 62.3 million dollars. J.P. Morgan Chase, a Wall Street giant, agreed to pay a fine of (hold on to your seat) $2.2 billion dollars--yes billions-- for its complicity in helping Enron cook up fictitious deals. Citigroup (another great American financial institution) paid a penalty of $2 billions for the same reason. Link:Kozlowski ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/crooks-in-the-corporate-world---larceny-at-grand-level/","summary":"Two more convicted but many remain free\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Associated Press:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"NEW YORK - Former Tyco International CEO Dennis Kozlowski and a subordinate were convicted Friday of looting more than $600 million from their company to pay for lavish parties, fancy art and an opulent Manhattan apartment that featured a $6,000 shower curtain.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKozlowski could face 30 years in prison. He certainly deserves it. Incidentally, the shower curtain was reported to be for the maid's quarters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003ePhillip Purcell, CEO of the tainted financial giant Morgan Stanley has been forced into retiring---with a compensation of 62.3 million dollars.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eJ.P. Morgan Chase, a Wall Street giant, agreed to pay a fine of (hold on to your seat) $2.2 billion dollars--yes billions-- for its complicity in helping Enron cook up fictitious deals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eCitigroup (another great American financial institution) paid a penalty of $2 billions for the same reason.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_on_bi_ge/tyco_trial\"\u003eKozlowski\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Crooks in the Corporate World - Larceny at Grand Level"},{"content":" Fame for author of \"The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl\"There are other bloggers who have received a lot of attention from mainstream media, among them Riverbend of Baghdad Burning and Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos. This, however, is a different kettle of fish.In an article dated March 27,2005, The Sunday Times (of London) named her as Lisa Hilton, \"a British author based in America\". When contacted by The Times, Ms. Hilton declined to confirm it.Her book (The Intimate Adventures of a London Call-Girl by Belle de Jour, Weidenfeld \u0026amp; Nicholson £12.99, pp288) did not receive much praise from critics but did well in sales. I got a few chuckles just from reading the list of links in her blog. A few are listed below but those who wish to check them out will have to access them from the source.Amorous PropensitiesJet Set LaraProfessor Dollar FiftyMistress MatissePostmodern CourtesanChloe RaptureI wonder what \"Professor Dollar Fifty\" is about. It is such a piddling amount. Should be interesting to read about Chloe's rapture. Ah, well. So much to read and so little time.Links:TimesOnLineUKBelle de Jour ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/there-are-blogs-and-then-there-is-belle-de-jour/","summary":"Fame for author of \"The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are other bloggers who have received a lot of attention from mainstream media, among them Riverbend of Baghdad Burning and Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos. This, however, is a different kettle of fish.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an article dated March 27,2005, The Sunday Times (of London) named her as Lisa Hilton, \"a British author based in America\". When contacted by The Times, Ms. Hilton declined to confirm it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHer book (The Intimate Adventures of a London Call-Girl by Belle de Jour, Weidenfeld \u0026amp; Nicholson £12.99, pp288) did not receive much praise from critics but did well in sales. I got a few chuckles just from reading the list of links in her blog. A few are listed below but those who wish to check them out will have to access them from the source.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmorous Propensities\u003cbr/\u003eJet Set Lara\u003cbr/\u003eProfessor Dollar Fifty\u003cbr/\u003eMistress Matisse\u003cbr/\u003ePostmodern Courtesan\u003cbr/\u003eChloe Rapture\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI wonder what \"Professor Dollar Fifty\" is about.  It is such a piddling amount. Should be interesting to read about Chloe's rapture.  Ah, well.  So much to read and so little time.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1543466_2,00.html\"\u003eTimesOnLineUK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBelle de Jour\u003c/a\u003e","title":"There are blogs and then there is \"Belle de Jour\""},{"content":" After the autopsy report - Terri who ?\"The report generally supported the contention of Ms. Schiavo's husband, Michael, accepted by judges in six courts over the years, that she was unaware and incapable of recovering. And it countered arguments by her family, who badly wanted to win custody of Ms. Schiavo, that she was responsive and could improve with therapy.\"Tom DeLay, House Majority LeaderOn 6/15/05: A spokesman for Mr. DeLay declined to answer any questions about the autopsy, except to say that his \"thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Terri Schiavo.\"What he said on 3/20/05: \"Ms. Schiavo's condition, I believe, has been misrepresented by the media,\"...... \"Terri Schiavo is not brain dead; she talks and she laughs, and she expresses happiness and discomfort. Terri Schiavo is not on life support.\"Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader (he is a transplant surgeon)3/17/05: Dr. Frist, in his floor statement said that after viewing videotape of Ms. Schiavo, it was clear she was responsive. \"To be able to make a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state - which is not brain dead; it is not coma; it is a specific diagnosis and typically takes multiple examinations over a period of time because you are looking for responsiveness - I have looked at the video footage,\" Dr. Frist said. \"Based on the footage provided to me, which was part of the facts of the case, she does respond.\"6/15/05: Dr. Frist did not respond to questions about the autopsy findings, saying he had not had time to review them. His spokeswoman, Amy Call, sought out reporters who asked about the case to assert that Dr. Frist \"never made a diagnosis.\"And the response from the White House\"It doesn't change the position that the president took,\" said its spokesman, Scott McClellan. \"The president believes we should stand on the side of defending and protecting life.\"Source: New York Times\"This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer. \" ---Will Rogers, American humorist (1879-1935) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/delay-frist-et-al---dodgers-and-weavers/","summary":"After the autopsy report - Terri who ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The report generally supported the contention of Ms. Schiavo's husband, Michael, accepted by judges in six courts over the years, that she was unaware and incapable of recovering. And it countered arguments by her family, who badly wanted to win custody of Ms. Schiavo, that she was responsive and could improve with therapy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTom DeLay, House Majority Leader\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn 6/15/05: A spokesman for Mr. DeLay declined to answer any questions about the autopsy, except to say that his \"thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Terri Schiavo.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat he said on 3/20/05: \"Ms. Schiavo's condition, I believe, has been misrepresented by the media,\"...... \"Terri Schiavo is not brain dead; she talks and she laughs, and she expresses happiness and discomfort. Terri Schiavo is not on life support.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBill Frist, Senate Majority Leader (he is a transplant surgeon)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e3/17/05: Dr. Frist, in his floor statement said that after viewing videotape of Ms. Schiavo, it was clear she was responsive. \"To be able to make a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state - which is not brain dead; it is not coma; it is a specific diagnosis and typically takes multiple examinations over a period of time because you are looking for responsiveness - I have looked at the video footage,\" Dr. Frist said. \"Based on the footage provided to me, which was part of the facts of the case, she does respond.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e6/15/05: Dr. Frist did not respond to questions about the autopsy findings, saying he had not had time to review them. His spokeswoman, Amy Call, sought out reporters who asked about the case to assert that Dr. Frist \"never made a diagnosis.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the response from the White House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It doesn't change the position that the president took,\" said its spokesman, Scott McClellan. \"The president believes we should stand on the side of defending and protecting life.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSource: New York Times\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer. \" \u003cbr/\u003e---Will Rogers, American humorist (1879-1935)","title":"DeLay, Frist, et al - Dodgers  and Weavers"},{"content":" Victory for The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo (also known as Mothers of \"Disappeared\"The Supreme Court of Argentina has ruled that the infamous \"Amnesty Law\" is unconstitutional. \"The court upheld a decision by the Argentine Congress in August 2003 to scrap the amnesty laws.\" The Supreme Court ruling came in the case of former police officer Julio Simon, accused in the disappearance of a couple and of having taken their daughter as his own.The law was put in place in 1986 by the military junta involved in murder and torture during the Dirty War against left-wing opponents. Civil liberties groups claim that as many as 30,000 were killed or went \"missing\" during the years when the country was under dictatorship.\"The ruling clears the way for prosecutions of officials suspected of human rights abuses during military rule between 1976 and 1983.\"Under Argentine law, the decision will act as a precedent in other cases involving the Dirty War.\"Mothers of Plaza de Mayo \"A group of women who became a symbol of human rights activism and courage. Dressed in black, they have been demonstrating for years every Thursday at 3:30 in the afternoon, in the famous Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, demanding to know the fates of their loved ones. Marching around the statue of liberty, in front of the presidential palace, they used to tie white hadkerchiefs imprinted with names of disappeared sons and daughters, around their heads, and carry signs emblazoned with photographs of those about whose destinies they sought information. The Mothers' use of the imagery of Christian motherhood made them particularly effective against the professedly Catholic military regime.The mothers are a symbol of courage; leading the struggle for justice, they started their demonstrations while the junta was still in power. Several of them, including their founder, Azucena Villaflor de Vicenti, disappeared themselves as a result.\"The United States Government was involved in aiding and abetting the Argentinian military junta. Dr. Henry Kissinger was the architect of our foreign policy during those years. The 1982 movie, \"Missing\" by Costa-Gavras, starring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, is a realistic depiction of the atrocities that took place in Argentina, Chile, and other Latin American countries.Link:Madres de Plaza de MayoMissingBBC-Argentina ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/wheel-of-justice-moves-in-argentina/","summary":"Victory for The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo (also known as Mothers of \"Disappeared\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Supreme Court of Argentina has ruled that the infamous \"Amnesty Law\" is unconstitutional. \"The court upheld a decision by the Argentine Congress in August 2003 to scrap the amnesty laws.\" The Supreme Court ruling came in the case of former police officer Julio Simon, accused in the disappearance of a couple and of having taken their daughter as his own.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe law was put in place in 1986 by the military junta involved in murder and torture during the Dirty War against left-wing opponents. Civil liberties groups claim that as many as 30,000 were killed or went \"missing\" during the years when the country was under dictatorship.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The ruling clears the way for prosecutions of officials suspected of human rights abuses during military rule between 1976 and 1983.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUnder Argentine law, the decision will act as a precedent in other cases involving the Dirty War.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Mothers of Disapeared.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMothers of Plaza de Mayo  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A group of women who became a symbol of human rights activism and courage. Dressed in black, they have been demonstrating for years every Thursday at 3:30 in the afternoon, in the famous Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, demanding to know the fates of their loved ones. Marching around the statue of liberty, in front of the presidential palace, they used to tie white hadkerchiefs imprinted with names of disappeared sons and daughters, around their heads, and carry signs emblazoned with photographs of those about whose destinies they sought information. The Mothers' use of the imagery of Christian motherhood made them particularly effective against the professedly Catholic military regime.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe mothers are a symbol of courage; leading the struggle for justice, they started their demonstrations while the junta was still in power. Several of them, including their founder, Azucena Villaflor de Vicenti, disappeared themselves as a result.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe United States Government was involved in aiding and abetting the Argentinian military junta. Dr. Henry Kissinger was the architect of our foreign policy during those years. The 1982 movie, \"Missing\" by Costa-Gavras, starring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, is a realistic depiction of the atrocities that took place in Argentina, Chile, and other Latin American countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.yendor.com/vanished/madres.html\"\u003eMadres de Plaza de Mayo\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv\u0026amp;cf=info\u0026amp;id=1800096009\"\u003eMissing\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4093018.stm\"\u003eBBC-Argentina\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Wheel of Justice moves in Argentina"},{"content":" First, the good newsThis is a follow up to my post earlier today. According to a press release from Voice of America:\"The Bush administration says it has intervened with Pakistan at senior levels in the case of Mukhtaran Mai, and that the Pakistani woman is now free to travel abroad, including to the United States.\"Applause. Our government acted. Thanks to Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times and others who took up the cause of Mukhtar Mai.Sharia Laws and Indian MuslimsDon't know where they crawl out from but some Muslims in India do not want to be behind their brethren in Pakistan.\" An Indian woman who was allegedly raped by her father-in-law is now being ordered by a Muslim council of community elders to marry him. The council says under Islamic law the rape has nullified her marriage, according to media reports. But a top Muslim body in India has rejected the argument saying it is not valid under Sharia (Islamic) law.\"\nIncredible. India does not recognize Sharia laws. There should be no hesitation about prosecution of the case.VOA-PakistanBBC-Woman ordered to marry rapist ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/pakistan-india-muslims-and-treatment-of-women/","summary":"First, the good news\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is a follow up to my post earlier today. According to a press release from Voice of America:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Bush administration says it has intervened with Pakistan at senior levels in the case of Mukhtaran Mai, and that the Pakistani woman is now free to travel abroad, including to the United States.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApplause. Our government acted. Thanks to Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times and others who took up the cause of Mukhtar Mai.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSharia Laws and Indian Muslims\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't know where they crawl out from but some Muslims in India do not want to be behind their brethren in Pakistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cb\u003e An Indian woman who was allegedly raped by her father-in-law is now being ordered by a Muslim council of community elders to marry him. \u003c/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e The council says under Islamic law the rape has nullified her marriage, according to media reports. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"Pakistan, India, Muslims and treatment of women"},{"content":" Hudood (Rape) Laws and What they Mean - Catch 22Back in March I wrote about Mukhtar Mai of Pakistan who was gang raped. Unlike others in her situation, she fought back---sought legal recourse. The four men charged with rape were at first freed but the intense publicity generated by the case and outcry from women's organizations forced the court to put them in prison.Now they are being released. The Government of Pakistan placed Mukhtar Mai in house arrest (supposedly \"for her own safety\") and banned her from traveling. The criticism in foreign press was quick and scathing. The authorities caved in. According to latest news, she will be allowed to travel. The government was concerned that her appearance before international organizations would damage the \"image of Pakistan\".Mukhtar Mai Pakistan's antiquated Hudood laws are shameful. While educated and wealthy Pakistanis remain largely immune from them, in some areas of the country the enforcement of Hudood is very much in evidence. More and more Pakistani women are speaking out against the laws and customs which relegate women to little more than slaves.This is from the web site of LHRA (Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid), Pakistan.The Zina Hudood Ordinance(1979)Defined The Hudood Ordinance criminalizes Zina, which is defined as extra-marital sex including adultery or fornication. It also criminalizes Zina-bil-jabr, which is defined as rape outside of a valid marriage. The Hudood Ordinance further defines Zina and Zina-bil-jabr on the basis of the assigned criminal punishment. Hence there is Zina and Zina-bil-jabr liable to Hadd (punishment ordained by the Holy Quran or Sunnah), and there is Zina and Zina-bil-jabr liable to tazir that is, any punishment other then Hadd. The Hadd punishment is stoning to death, and the tazir punishment for Zina is up to ten years of imprisonment and whipping - up to 30 lashes and/or a fine. The tazir punishment for Zina-bil-jabr is up to 25 years of imprisonment and whipping up to 30 lashes.Now, here is the icing on the cake. To press charges against the perpetrator(s), the victim must provide proof as described below. Proof of zina or zina-bil-jabr liable to hadd shall be in one of the following forms, namely:-- (a) the accused makes before a Court of competent jurisdiction a confession of the commission of the offence; or (b) at least four Muslim adult male witnesses, about whom the Court is satisfied, having regard to the requirements of tazkiyah al-shuhood [credibility of witnesses], that they are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kaba’ir), give evidence as eye-witnesses of the act of penetration necessary to the offence (P.L.D. 1979, 53; Bokhary 1979, 182; Major Acts 1992, 12).3 Talk about a classic Catch 22---this is the mother of them all! Hard to believe that such barbaric laws and practices exist in the 21st century but they are real.As avowed champion of human rights the Bush administration ought to raise the plight of Mukhtar Mai and others with the Government of Pakistan. Don't hold your breath; not going to happen. President Musharraf of Pakistan is our ally in the fight against terrorists. So our government looks the other way. The hypocrites continue to utter platitudes.Links:LHRA PakistanRape Laws-Pakistan ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-shame-of-pakistan---the-case-of-mukhtar-mai/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eHudood (Rape) Laws and What they Mean - Catch 22\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack in March I wrote about Mukhtar Mai of Pakistan who was gang raped. Unlike others in her situation, she fought back---sought legal recourse. The four men charged with rape were at first freed but the intense publicity generated by the case and outcry from women's organizations forced the court to put them in prison.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow they are being released. The Government of Pakistan placed Mukhtar Mai in house arrest (supposedly \"for her own safety\") and banned her from traveling. The criticism in foreign press was quick and scathing. The authorities caved in. According to latest news, she will be allowed to travel. The government was concerned that her appearance before international organizations would damage the \"image of Pakistan\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Mukhtar Mai.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMukhtar Mai \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePakistan's antiquated Hudood laws are shameful. While educated and wealthy Pakistanis remain largely immune from them, in some areas of the country the enforcement of Hudood is very much in evidence. More and more Pakistani women are speaking out against the laws and customs which relegate women to little more than slaves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is from the web site of  LHRA (Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid), Pakistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Zina Hudood Ordinance(1979)Defined\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Hudood Ordinance criminalizes Zina, which is defined as extra-marital sex including adultery or fornication.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIt also criminalizes Zina-bil-jabr, which is defined as rape outside of a valid marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Hudood Ordinance further defines Zina and Zina-bil-jabr on the basis of the assigned criminal punishment. Hence there is Zina and Zina-bil-jabr liable to Hadd (punishment ordained by the Holy Quran or Sunnah), and there is Zina and Zina-bil-jabr liable to tazir that is, any punishment other then Hadd.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe Hadd punishment is stoning to death, and the tazir punishment for Zina is up to ten years of imprisonment and whipping - up to 30 lashes and/or a fine. The tazir punishment for Zina-bil-jabr is up to 25 years of imprisonment and whipping up to 30 lashes.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eNow, here is the icing on the cake. To press charges against the perpetrator(s), the victim must provide proof as described below. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cul\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eProof of zina or zina-bil-jabr liable to hadd shall be in one of the following forms, namely:--\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) the accused makes before a Court of competent jurisdiction a confession of the commission of the offence; or\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(b) at least four Muslim adult male witnesses, about whom the Court is satisfied, having regard to the requirements of tazkiyah al-shuhood [credibility of witnesses], that they are truthful persons and abstain from major sins (kaba’ir), give evidence as eye-witnesses of the act of penetration necessary to the offence (P.L.D. 1979, 53; Bokhary 1979, 182; Major Acts 1992, 12).3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTalk about a classic Catch 22---this is the mother of them all!   \u003c/strong\u003eHard to believe that such barbaric laws and practices exist in the 21st century but they are real.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs avowed champion of human rights the Bush administration ought to raise the plight of Mukhtar Mai and others with the Government of Pakistan. Don't hold your breath; not going to happen. President Musharraf of Pakistan is our ally in the fight against terrorists. So our government looks the other way. The hypocrites continue to utter platitudes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.lhrla.sdnpk.org/hudood.html\"\u003eLHRA Pakistan\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.crescentlife.com/articles/social%20issues/rape_laws.htm\"\u003eRape Laws-Pakistan\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Shame of Pakistan - The Case of Mukhtar Mai"},{"content":" Praise the Lord and sign the LegislationFrom The Associated Press 6/12/05\"Texas Governor Mobilizes Evangelicals\"Now some wonder whether Gov. Rick Perry overplayed his hand last week trying to stick to the playbook used by old friend George W. Bush and political whiz Karl Rove, mobilizing evangelicals for last year's presidential race.\"Governor Perry and his people are just not as good as Bush and Rove,\" Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson said. \"Governor Perry knows the steps, but he's got no rhythm.\"There is more. \"Dishonoring Texas\" is the title of an editorial in The Washington Post.\"THE DAY TEXAS Gov. Rick Perry (R) ceremonially signed a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as an exclusively heterosexual matter, he may not have been intending to spit in the faces of countless men and women fighting for their country in Iraq. But that is what he did. Mr. Perry was asked by a reporter what he had to say \"to gays and lesbians who are serving in the military right now in Iraq who are going to come back to Texas and may not be entitled to the same rights as the rest of us?\" Mr. Perry responded that 'Texans have made a decision about marriage, and if there is some other state that has a more lenient view than Texas, then maybe that's a better place for them to live.'\"Zealots at the Air Force AcademyIn Colorado, some officials of the Air Force Academy are encouraging proselytizing. Cadets are \"being pressured to adopt Christian beliefs and practices\". Religious intolerance is alive and well.Editorial in The New York Times\"June 11, 2005Zealots at the Air Force AcademyIn an overdue burst of candor, the superintendent of the Air Force Academy has acknowledged that his campus is so permeated with evangelical proselytizing that it will take years to rid the institution of religious intolerance. Lt. Gen. John Rosa Jr. said he finds the problem of cadets unfairly pressured to adopt Christian beliefs and practices occurring throughout \"my whole organization,\" with offenders among faculty, staff and students.\"Perception is reality,\" the general apologetically declared of numerous complaints that cadets' constitutional rights have been violated by militant evangelists wielding peer pressure with the blessing of authority figures in the chain of command.In a meeting with concerned Jewish civilians, General Rosa said recently that the problem is \"something that keeps me awake at nights,\" and that he even had to reprimand his second in command, a born-again Christian, for fervidly pressuring cadets. One campus chaplain went so far as to warn hundreds of cadets that those \"not born again\" would \"burn in the fires of hell,\" according to campus interviews by the Yale Divinity School. In an authorized study, Yale investigators concluded the problem was rife.Yet the superintendent's admission was the Air Force's most honest acknowledgment of how bedeviled the campus is. \"If everything goes well, it's probably going to take six years to fix it,\" General Rosa estimated. The problem, however, is that all is not going well. Reforms were promised last year, but were compromised by heavy-handed editing from the Air Force's chief chaplain. When Capt. MeLinda Morton, a Lutheran chaplain, dared to complain of cadets being abused by \"systemic and pervasive\" proselytizing, the Air Force transferred her to Asia. General Rosa should bring the major back if he is serious about the cleanup.An inspector general's report is promised soon from the Air Force. But it will take much more prodding, especially civilian pressure from President Bush, Congress and taxpayers, to undo the damage and restore the separation of church and state as a showcase principle at the academy.\"\"President Bush, Congress and taxpayers, to undo the damage.......\"! That would be the day when the president and Congress act to prevent the attacks against separation of church and state.Links:AP-Matt Curry-Texas GovernorWashington Post-Dishonoring Texas ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/holy-rollers-and-politicians-in-texas/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePraise the Lord and sign the Legislation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The Associated Press 6/12/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Texas Governor Mobilizes Evangelicals\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now some wonder whether Gov. Rick Perry overplayed his hand last week trying to stick to the playbook used by old friend George W. Bush and political whiz Karl Rove, mobilizing evangelicals for last year's presidential race.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Governor Perry and his people are just not as good as Bush and Rove,\" Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson said. \"Governor Perry knows the steps, but he's got no rhythm.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is more.  \"Dishonoring Texas\" is the title of an editorial in The Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"THE DAY TEXAS Gov. Rick Perry (R) ceremonially signed a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as an exclusively heterosexual matter, he may not have been intending to spit in the faces of countless men and women fighting for their country in Iraq. But that is what he did. Mr. Perry was asked by a reporter what he had to say \"to gays and lesbians who are serving in the military right now in Iraq who are going to come back to Texas and may not be entitled to the same rights as the rest of us?\" Mr. Perry responded that 'Texans have made a decision about marriage, and if there is some other state that has a more lenient view than Texas, then maybe that's a better place for them to live.'\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eZealots at the Air Force Academy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Colorado, some officials of the Air Force Academy are encouraging proselytizing. Cadets are \"being pressured to adopt Christian beliefs and practices\". Religious intolerance is alive and well.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEditorial in The New York Times\u003cbr/\u003e\"June 11, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eZealots at the Air Force Academy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an overdue burst of candor, the superintendent of the Air Force Academy has acknowledged that his campus is so permeated with evangelical proselytizing that it will take years to rid the institution of religious intolerance. Lt. Gen. John Rosa Jr. said he finds the problem of cadets unfairly pressured to adopt Christian beliefs and practices occurring throughout \"my whole organization,\" with offenders among faculty, staff and students.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Perception is reality,\" the general apologetically declared of numerous complaints that cadets' constitutional rights have been violated by militant evangelists wielding peer pressure with the blessing of authority figures in the chain of command.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a meeting with concerned Jewish civilians, General Rosa said recently that the problem is \"something that keeps me awake at nights,\" and that he even had to reprimand his second in command, a born-again Christian, for fervidly pressuring cadets. One campus chaplain went so far as to warn hundreds of cadets that those \"not born again\" would \"burn in the fires of hell,\" according to campus interviews by the Yale Divinity School. In an authorized study, Yale investigators concluded the problem was rife.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet the superintendent's admission was the Air Force's most honest acknowledgment of how bedeviled the campus is. \"If everything goes well, it's probably going to take six years to fix it,\" General Rosa estimated. The problem, however, is that all is not going well. Reforms were promised last year, but were compromised by heavy-handed editing from the Air Force's chief chaplain. When Capt. MeLinda Morton, a Lutheran chaplain, dared to complain of cadets being abused by \"systemic and pervasive\" proselytizing, the Air Force transferred her to Asia. General Rosa should bring the major back if he is serious about the cleanup.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn inspector general's report is promised soon from the Air Force. But it will take much more prodding, especially civilian pressure from President Bush, Congress and taxpayers, to undo the damage and restore the separation of church and state as a showcase principle at the academy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"President Bush, Congress and taxpayers, to undo the damage.......\"! That would be the day when the president and Congress act to prevent the attacks against separation of church and state.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050612/ap_on_el_gu/texas_governor_religion\"\u003eAP-Matt Curry-Texas Governor\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/12/AR2005061201433.html?\"\u003eWashington Post-Dishonoring Texas\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Holy Rollers and Politicians in Texas"},{"content":" \"The Quiet Master\"Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) The films he made were way ahead of their time. The sub-titles, of course, cannot be overlooked but the stories and the characters cast a spell that transcends the location and language. Those who like Satyajit Ray's films will find similarities.My favorites:Late Spring(1949) \"Yasujiro Ozu creates a poignant and exquisitely realized portrait of devotion, separation, and familial love in Late Spring. By providing minimal plot and eliminating external catalysts, Ozu portrays an honest reflection of contemporary Japanese middle and lower class family life, the shomin-geki. Stripped of a manipulative and artificial storyline, Late Spring reveals a sincere concern for the plight of the common man, an affectionate celebration for the subtle beauty of everyday life, and a profound sympathy for the inevitable passage of time.\"An Autumn Afternoon (1962) \"In his final film Yasujiro Ozu returns to the story of a widowed father giving up his favorite daughter in marriage, only to be left alone. The setting is the industrialized Japan of the 1960s, with small but intense traces of traditional Japanese culture and morals present in each of the characters and their struggles. The melancholy of the widowed father as he drinks away his sorrows at a favorite bar is portrayed in a sweet and gentle treatment, and the aesthetic beauty of the film's heightened color and peaceful pacing make this one of Ozu’s most beautiful and touching films.\"Tokyo Story (1953)\"Yasujiro Ozu’s most widely distributed and best-known film presents the story of an elderly couple in post World War II Japan who come to Tokyo to visit their various children and realize that the family has essentially fallen apart. The couple is received coldly by their two modernized children and only their widowed daughter-in-law seems glad to see them. The children shuttle their aging parents off to a health spa in an attempt to get them out of the way. They learn later that the mother has fallen ill upon her return and arrive too late to say their good-byes.\"Chisu Ryu (think of Gregory Peck) stars in all of them.Film buffs might like to read Peter Bradshaw's tribute to Ozu in The Guardian, June 10, 2005.\"Debates over the best film of all time tend to go no further than Hollywood classics such as Citizen Kane. But the influential Halliwell's Film Guide now says the title belongs to Tokyo Story, a little-known Japanese film in which nothing much happens.\"Link:Guardian-Peter Bradshaw-The Quiet Master ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/three-films-by-yasujiro-ozu/","summary":"\"The Quiet Master\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Ozu.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe films he made were way ahead of their time. The sub-titles, of course, cannot be overlooked but the stories and the characters cast a spell that transcends the location and language. Those who like Satyajit Ray's films will find similarities.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy favorites:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/late_spring5.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLate Spring(1949) \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yasujiro Ozu creates a poignant and exquisitely realized portrait of devotion, separation, and familial love in Late Spring. By providing minimal plot and eliminating external catalysts, Ozu portrays an honest reflection of contemporary Japanese middle and lower class family life, the shomin-geki. Stripped of a manipulative and artificial storyline, Late Spring reveals a sincere concern for the plight of the common man, an affectionate celebration for the subtle beauty of everyday life, and a profound sympathy for the inevitable passage of time.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Autumn Afternoon.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn Autumn Afternoon (1962) \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In his final film Yasujiro Ozu returns to the story of a widowed father giving up his favorite daughter in marriage, only to be left alone. The setting is the industrialized Japan of the 1960s, with small but intense traces of traditional Japanese culture and morals present in each of the characters and their struggles. The melancholy of the widowed father as he drinks away his sorrows at a favorite bar is portrayed in a sweet and gentle treatment, and the aesthetic beauty of the film's heightened color and peaceful pacing make this one of Ozu’s most beautiful and touching films.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/Tokyo StoryII.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTokyo Story (1953)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yasujiro Ozu’s most widely distributed and best-known film presents the story of an elderly couple in post World War II Japan who come to Tokyo to visit their various children and realize that the family has essentially fallen apart. The couple is received coldly by their two modernized children and only their widowed daughter-in-law seems glad to see them. The children shuttle their aging parents off to a health spa in an attempt to get them out of the way. They learn later that the mother has fallen ill upon her return and arrive too late to say their good-byes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChisu Ryu (think of Gregory Peck) stars in all of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFilm buffs might like to read Peter Bradshaw's tribute to Ozu in The Guardian, June 10, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\"Debates over the best film of all time tend to go no further than Hollywood classics such as Citizen Kane. But the influential Halliwell's Film Guide now says the title belongs to Tokyo Story, a little-known Japanese film in which nothing much happens.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://film.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5212479-3181,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Peter Bradshaw-The Quiet Master\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Three films by Yasujiro Ozu"},{"content":" Clear evidence of Lack of faith in the PresidentIs readership of the venerable Christian Science Monitor confined to anti-war liberals? Not likely.Yet, an internal poll conducted by the newspaper reflects surprising lack of support for the president's call for renewal of the Patriot Act. This is what I found when I went to the CSM web site at 1:15 PM Sunday, June 12,2005.\"Should the Patriot Act be beefed up?No. The act goes too far in restricting civil liberties as it is. 93.95 % (1009)Yes. Agents need broader authority in order to increase the number of key terror-related arrests. 6.05 % (65)Total votes: 1074\"Apparently, this one slipped past the spin meisters in the White House before they could line up party faithful to distort the poll.Perhaps people are waking up. Be prepared to see a flurry of terrorist alerts.Link:Related story: Patriot Act, Part II: The political tug of war intensifies by LindaFeldman.CSM-Linda Feldman ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-patriot-actpart-ii/","summary":"Clear evidence of Lack of faith in the President\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs readership of the venerable Christian Science Monitor confined to anti-war liberals? Not likely.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet, an internal poll conducted by the newspaper reflects surprising lack of support for the president's call for renewal of the Patriot Act. This is what I found when I went to the CSM web site at 1:15 PM Sunday, June 12,2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Should the Patriot Act be beefed up?\u003cbr/\u003eNo. The act goes too far in restricting civil liberties as it is.  93.95 % (1009)\u003cbr/\u003eYes. Agents need broader authority in order to increase the number of key terror-related arrests.  6.05 % (65)\u003cbr/\u003eTotal votes: 1074\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eApparently, this one slipped past the spin meisters in the White House before they could line up party faithful to distort the poll.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps people are waking up. Be prepared to see a flurry of terrorist alerts.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003eRelated story: Patriot Act, Part II: The political tug of war intensifies by Linda\u003cbr/\u003eFeldman.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0610/p03s01-uspo.html\"\u003eCSM-Linda Feldman\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Patriot Act,Part II"},{"content":" The Secret Downing Street MemoGutless DemocratsOn May 1,2005, The London Times published a highly classified document which has come to be known as The Downing Street Memo (see link). The date of the memo--July 23, 2002.If there were any doubts about President Bush's plans, in which Prime Minister Tony Blair fully colluded, to launch an attack against Iraq long before the lies to the nation and to the world, including the charade before the United Nations Security Council, the publication of this document dispelled them. This was the \"smoking gun\". And what happened? Nothing. It is business as usual.The death toll of men and women wearing the uniform of the United States has exceeded 1,700. The number of severely injured is nearing 13,000. Where is the outrage?Is it apathy, ignorance, denial or a sense of patriotism (that the loss of lives and limbs are for a just cause) that explains the silence of those to whom the losses are personal?Then there is the 9/11 syndrome. We have become so cowed by the propaganda machine that for many it has become a conditional reflex. We do not question, we do not think. We follow.The gutless Democrats who supported the call for war are contemptible for their cowardice. While millions of people were marching in protest, they meekly fell in line. Some went out of their way to display their hawkishness. Because of their shameful role they remain subservient. Sickening.But there is one sign that American families are backing off---falling recruitment. Don Edwards in The Washington Post 6/11/05.\" Nearly every day, anywhere from one to several U.S. soldiers or Marines die in Iraq, and even more are wounded. The news doesn't always make the front pages anymore, but the casualty rate has apparently registered deeply in the consciousness of young Americans and their families. The result is a dangerous decline in new enlistments that is depleting U.S. military resources and weakening our capacity to face additional conflicts or threats from abroad.\"Links:TimesonLine-Downing Street MemoWashingtonPost-DonEdwards-Ten HutIraq Coalition Casualties ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-silence-is-deafening---where-is-the-outrage/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eThe Secret Downing Street Memo\u003cbr/\u003eGutless Democrats\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn May 1,2005, The London Times published a highly classified document which has come to be known as The Downing Street Memo (see link). The date of the memo--July 23, 2002.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf there were any doubts about President Bush's plans, in which Prime Minister Tony Blair fully colluded, to launch an attack against Iraq long before the lies to the nation and to the world, including the charade before the United Nations Security Council, the publication of this document dispelled them. This was the \"smoking gun\". And what happened? Nothing. It is business as usual.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe death toll of men and women wearing the uniform of the United States has exceeded 1,700. The number of severely injured is nearing 13,000. Where is the outrage?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs it apathy, ignorance, denial or a sense of patriotism (that the loss of lives and limbs are for a just cause) that explains the silence of those to whom the losses are personal?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThen there is the 9/11 syndrome. We have become so cowed by the propaganda machine that for many it has become a conditional reflex. We do not question, we do not think. We follow.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe gutless Democrats who supported the call for war are contemptible for their cowardice. While millions of people were marching in protest, they meekly fell in line. Some went out of their way to display their hawkishness. Because of their shameful role they remain subservient. Sickening.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut there is one sign that American families are backing off---falling recruitment. Don Edwards in The Washington Post 6/11/05.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\" Nearly every day, anywhere from one to several U.S. soldiers or Marines die in Iraq, and even more are wounded. The news doesn't always make the front pages anymore, but the casualty rate has apparently registered deeply in the consciousness of young Americans and their families. The result is a dangerous decline in new enlistments that is depleting U.S. military resources and weakening our capacity to face additional conflicts or threats from abroad.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html\"\u003eTimesonLine-Downing Street Memo\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/11/AR2005061100174.html\"\u003eWashingtonPost-DonEdwards-Ten Hut\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://icasualties.org/oif/\"\u003eIraq Coalition Casualties\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Silence is Deafening - Where is the Outrage?"},{"content":" \"Some day historians will look back at America in the decade bracketing the turn of the 21st century and identify the era's major themes: Religious fundamentalism. Terrorism. War in Iraq. Economic dislocation. Bioengineering. Information technology. Nuclear proliferation. Globalization. The rise of superpower China.And, of course, Damsels in Distress.\"Eugene Robinson's article in today's Washington Post, \"(White ) Women We Love\", is going to ruffle some feathers. He said what needed to be said.There is no question that the public's interest in such news is largely fueled by the media. The media nurtures the reports, embellishes them, does all it can to keep the stories alive simply because there is a market for them. Media goes where the money is, and there is a lot of money to be made from unhealthy fascination in reports about \"damsels in distress\", especially when the damsels are white.Link: Washington Post-Eugene Robinson(White) Women We Love ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/damsels-in-distress---the-medium-is-the-message/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Some day historians will look back at America in the decade bracketing the turn of the 21st century and identify the era's major themes: Religious fundamentalism. Terrorism. War in Iraq. Economic dislocation. Bioengineering. Information technology. Nuclear proliferation. Globalization. The rise of superpower China.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd, of course, Damsels in Distress.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEugene Robinson's article in today's Washington Post, \"(White ) Women We Love\", is going to ruffle some feathers. He said what needed to be said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is no question that the public's interest in such news is largely fueled by the media. The media nurtures the reports, embellishes them, does all it can to keep the stories alive simply because there is a market for them. Media goes where the money is, and there is a lot of money to be made from unhealthy fascination in reports about \"damsels in distress\", especially when the damsels are white.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink: \u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post-Eugene Robinson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/09/AR2005060901729.html\"\u003e(White) Women We Love\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Damsels in Distress - \"The Medium is The Message\""},{"content":" Death toll goes up and up and up.\"Sorrowing Lies My Land\" is the title of a book written by the late Goan author, Lambert Mascarenhas. The book is not about our misadventure in Iraq. There are many families in America for whom the deaths and injuries have personal meaning. Then there are others who grieve over the waste of lives (of all nationalities) in this unjustified war.From USA Today:\"As of Wednesday, at least 1,682 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,289 died as a result of hostile action, according to the Defense Department. The figures include four military civilians.\"From Agence France-Presse/Yahoo (6/8/05):\"Three US soldiers were killed in two separate attacks late Tuesday north of Baghdad, the military said.\n\"Two soldiers were killed in \"an indirect fire\" attack on their base in Tikrit, while another was killed in a roadside bomb explosion during a patrol in the restive town of Balad.\"\n\"The US casualties capped a bloody day that saw at least 33 Iraqis killed, making it one of the most violent days since May, during which about 700 Iraqis died in a frenzy of car bombs.\"\nFollowing from Reuters news agency:\"WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - In fresh signs of the strain the Iraq war has put on the U.S. military, the Army missed its fourth straight monthly recruiting goal in May, while divorce rates for officers have surged, officials said on Wednesday.\"Links:USATodayAFPReuters ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/sorrowing-lies-my-land/","summary":"Death toll goes up and up and up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Sorrowing Lies My Land\" is the title of a book written by the late Goan author, Lambert Mascarenhas. The book is not about our misadventure in Iraq. There are many families in America for whom the deaths and injuries have personal meaning. Then there are others who grieve over the waste of lives (of all nationalities) in this unjustified war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom USA Today:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"As of Wednesday, at least 1,682 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,289 died as a result of hostile action, according to the Defense Department. The figures include four military civilians.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Agence France-Presse/Yahoo (6/8/05):\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Three US soldiers were killed in two separate attacks late Tuesday north of Baghdad, the military said.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Sorrowing Lies My Land\""},{"content":" \"The King of Spain\"Jordi SavallIt was the 1991 film \"Tous les matins du monde\" (All the Mornings in the World) that introduced me to the music of this extraordinary artist from Catalonia, Spain. Jordi Savall was the music director. Gerard Depardieu played the role of Sainte Colombe, the French viol player.Bought the CD of the sound track as soon as it became available.Label: AUDIVISCatalog#K 4640Another good one is \"Ostinato\" - Jordi Savall with Hesperion XXILabel: Alia VoxCatalog # AV 9820In 1974, with his wife (soprano Montserrat Figueras) and other musicians from different countries, Jordi Savall created the ensemble Hesperion XX. It is now known as Hesperion XXI.Following his appearance at the Metropolitan Museum in April 2005 (the series of three concerts was called \"Celebrating Jordi Savall\") The New Yorker published an article by Alex Ross titled \"The King of Spain\". Those interested in learning more about this superb musician can link to:NewYorker-Alex Ross-The King of SpainAnother King I am listening to a different breed of cat---the blues man B.B. King. Great accompanists, especially Duke Jethro.B.B. King live at the Regal Theatre, Chicago, November 21, 1964B.B. King-vocal/guitarKenneth Sands-trumpetJohnny Board, Bobby Forte-tenor saxDuke Jethro-pianoLeo Lauche-bassSonny Freeman-drumsMCA Records @ 1964, 1997\"Put some music in your life and some life in your music\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/jordi-savall-virtuoso-of-viola-da-gamba/","summary":"\"The King of Spain\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/J.Savall.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJordi Savall\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt was the 1991 film \"Tous les matins du monde\" (All the Mornings in the World) that introduced me to the music of this extraordinary artist from Catalonia, Spain. Jordi Savall was the music director. Gerard Depardieu played the role of Sainte Colombe, the French viol player.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBought the CD of the sound track as soon as it became available.\u003cbr/\u003eLabel: AUDIVIS\u003cbr/\u003eCatalog#K 4640\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother good one is \"Ostinato\" - Jordi Savall with Hesperion XXI\u003cbr/\u003eLabel: Alia Vox\u003cbr/\u003eCatalog # AV 9820\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1974, with his wife (soprano Montserrat Figueras) and other musicians from different countries, Jordi Savall created the ensemble Hesperion XX. It is now known as Hesperion XXI.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing his appearance at the Metropolitan Museum in April 2005 (the series of three concerts was called \"Celebrating Jordi Savall\") The New Yorker published an article by Alex Ross titled \"The King of Spain\". Those interested in learning more about this superb musician can link to:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/critics/music/articles/050502crmu_music\"\u003eNewYorker-Alex Ross-The King of Spain\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother King\u003cbr/\u003e  \u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/06/bb_king.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e  \u003c/center\u003eI am listening to a different breed of cat---the blues man B.B. King. Great accompanists, especially Duke Jethro.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eB.B. King live at the Regal Theatre, Chicago, November 21, 1964\u003cbr/\u003eB.B. King-vocal/guitar\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth Sands-trumpet\u003cbr/\u003eJohnny Board, Bobby Forte-tenor sax\u003cbr/\u003eDuke Jethro-piano\u003cbr/\u003eLeo Lauche-bass\u003cbr/\u003eSonny Freeman-drums\u003cbr/\u003eMCA Records @ 1964, 1997\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Put some music in your life and some life in your music\"","title":"Jordi Savall, Virtuoso of Viola da Gamba"},{"content":" .In a pre-election appearance last March, Prime Minister Tony Blair said to an audience of evangelical Christians at Lambeth:\"................it would be “unhealthy” if religion got too mixed up with politics.\"Mr. Blair has been described as the most devout Christian Prime Minister since Stanley Baldwin. He attends Catholic service with his family (Mrs. Blair is a Roman Catholic) although he declares himself as Anglican.Yet, despite his personal belief he recognizes the British public's distrust of politicians who wear their religion on their sleeves. An article in TimesonLine (3/25/05 - see link) reported that when the prime minister wanted to add \"God bless\" at the end of his speech to the nation announcing the war against Iraq, he was dissuaded by Alastair Campbell, his the then chief of communications. Campbell said \"We don't do God\".\"One answer may be found in the increasingly secular and multi-ethnic character of British society. Figures published in the UK Christian Handbook suggested that at the current rate of decline, total church membership across Britain would have fallen to 5,598,000 by this year, down by more than a million people in 15 years.\"According to the Timesonline article, Prime Minister Blair's cabinet (before the election) included members who declared themselves as atheists or agnostics.Can we imagine an atheist cabinet secretary or an elected representative here in the United States! Strange. Is it fear of God or love of God that drives the zealots in our country? Is America a more moral nation? Is the divorce rate here lower than in England? What about crime rate? Teenage pregnancy?Few clicks through Google provided answers. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe but below that of the United States. Divorce rate is much lower in the UK So is crime rate although gun-related violence is on the increase. Not signs of a country in moral decay. The Brits are doing fine without being obsessed with hell and damnation.The Evangelical Christians in America blame all ills of our society to godlessness, lack of faith in Jesus. Based on what we see, read, and hear about them that is a stretch.Currently, they are in the driver's seat. The president is on their side. Whether we like it or not, their beliefs are being rammed down our throats. From banning the teaching of the theory of evolution in schools, display of Ten Commandments in public buildings, efforts to deny women the right to obtain \"Morning After Pills\" and access to abortion, the puritans are riding rough shod over those who disagree. The wall between Church and State is under siege. As more and more judicial vacancies at all levels are filled with justices who side with the religious conservatives, the wall will crumble.Link:Timesonline ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/religion-and-politics-in-the-usa-and-uk/","summary":".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a pre-election appearance last March,  Prime Minister Tony Blair said to an audience of evangelical Christians at Lambeth:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"................it would be “unhealthy” if religion got too mixed up with politics.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Blair has been described as the most devout Christian Prime Minister since Stanley Baldwin. He attends Catholic service with his family (Mrs. Blair is a Roman Catholic) although he declares himself as Anglican.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet, despite his personal belief he recognizes the British public's distrust of politicians who wear their religion on their sleeves. An article in TimesonLine (3/25/05 - see link) reported that when the prime minister wanted to add \"God bless\" at the end of his speech to the nation announcing the war against Iraq, he was dissuaded by Alastair Campbell, his the then chief of communications. Campbell said \"We don't do God\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"One answer may be found in the increasingly secular and multi-ethnic character of British society. Figures published in the UK Christian Handbook suggested that at the current rate of decline, total church membership across Britain would have fallen to 5,598,000 by this year, down by more than a million people in 15 years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to the Timesonline article, Prime Minister Blair's cabinet (before the election) included members who declared themselves as atheists or agnostics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCan we imagine an atheist cabinet secretary or an elected representative here in the United States! Strange. Is it fear of God or love of God that drives the zealots in our country? Is America a more moral nation? Is the divorce rate here lower than in England? What about crime rate? Teenage pregnancy?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFew clicks through Google provided answers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eBritain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe but below that of the  United   States.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eDivorce rate is much lower in the UK\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSo is crime rate although gun-related violence is on the increase.\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot signs of a country in moral decay. The Brits are doing fine without being obsessed with hell and damnation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Evangelical Christians in America blame all ills of our society to godlessness, lack of faith in Jesus. Based on what we see, read, and hear about them that is a stretch.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrently, they are in the driver's seat. The president is on their side. Whether we like it or not, their beliefs are being rammed down our throats. From banning the teaching of the theory of evolution in schools, display of Ten Commandments in public buildings, efforts to deny women the right to obtain \"Morning After Pills\" and access to abortion, the puritans are riding rough shod over those who disagree. The wall between Church and State is under siege. As more and more judicial vacancies at all levels are filled with justices who side with the religious conservatives, the wall will crumble.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://business.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,2020-2-1541034-8307,00.html\"\u003eTimesonline\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://business.timesonline.co.uk/0,,2020-2-1541034-8307,00.html\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Religion and Politics in the USA and UK"},{"content":" Straight from the Horse's Mouth (VOA is the official news agency of the U.S. Government)\"US Military Gives Details of Mishandling of Koran at GuantanamoBy VOA News04 June 2005The U.S. military Friday released the details of five incidents in which guards mishandled the Koran at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.An investigation by the base commander, Brigadier General Jay Hood, said the incidents included a prison guard splashing a Koran inadvertently with urine, an interrogator stepping on the holy book, and an obscenity written on the inside cover of a Koran.The U.S. military noted that more than 1,600 Korans have been given to detainees, and guards are told to avoid touching the holy books if possible. General Hood says the investigation found that mishandling the Koran was rare, and never condoned.The military said again Friday that there is no evidence that U.S. guards or interrogators ever flushed a Koran down the toilet, as Newsweek reported in a story that the magazine has since retracted. The report sparked anti-American protests in several Islamic countries.\"Amnesty International has come under fire for comparing Guantanamo to Gulag, the infamous slave labor camp in Soviet Russia. It is fair to question the choice of the term used. Amnesty's Secretary General, Irene Khan, after first attempting to defend the comparison with Gulag is now backing off. There is nothing wrong with humility when one makes an error.President Bush forcefully said \"absurd\" no less than 4 times to refute Amnesty International's report during his press conference on June 2nd. Is the president going to modify his position in view of the press release by VOA? Don't bank on it.Why should this be of concern to us, ordinary Americans?E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post said it well in his comments on the report by Amnesty International, and about the president's press conference.\"But I hope the group learns a lesson that all of Bush's opponents should also take to heart. That lesson is not to pull back from criticism or to cower before administration attacks. It's outrageous that Bush tried to dismiss all questions about practices in Guantanamo as the work of \"people who hate America.\"\"On the contrary, it's people who love America and the liberties it espouses who are most vehement in insisting that we live up to our creed. Those who care about the fate of our men and women in uniform worry how the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib might affect what happens to Americans taken prisoner in current and future wars.\"Links:VOA - Mishandling of KoranE.J.Dionne-Washington Post ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/voice-of-america-confirms-mishandling-of-koran-at-guantanamo/","summary":"Straight from the Horse's Mouth (VOA is the official news agency of the U.S. Government)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"US Military Gives Details of Mishandling of Koran at Guantanamo\u003cbr/\u003eBy VOA News\u003cbr/\u003e04 June 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe U.S. military Friday released the details of five incidents in which guards mishandled the Koran at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn investigation by the base commander, Brigadier General Jay Hood, said the incidents included a prison guard splashing a Koran inadvertently with urine, an interrogator stepping on the holy book, and an obscenity written on the inside cover of a Koran.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe U.S. military noted that more than 1,600 Korans have been given to detainees, and guards are told to avoid touching the holy books if possible. General Hood says the investigation found that mishandling the Koran was rare, and never condoned.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe military said again Friday that there is no evidence that U.S. guards or interrogators ever flushed a Koran down the toilet, as Newsweek reported in a story that the magazine has since retracted. The report sparked anti-American protests in several Islamic countries.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmnesty International has come under fire for comparing Guantanamo to Gulag, the infamous slave labor camp in Soviet Russia. It is fair to question the choice of the term used. Amnesty's Secretary General, Irene Khan, after first attempting to defend the comparison with Gulag is now backing off. There is nothing wrong with humility when one makes an error.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush forcefully said \"absurd\" no less than 4 times to refute Amnesty International's report during his press conference on June 2nd. Is the president going to modify his position in view of the press release by VOA? Don't bank on it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy should this be of concern to us, ordinary Americans?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eE.J. Dionne of the Washington Post said it well in his comments on the report by Amnesty International, and about the president's press conference.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But I hope the group learns a lesson that all of Bush's opponents should also take to heart. That lesson is not to pull back from criticism or to cower before administration attacks. It's outrageous that Bush tried to dismiss all questions about practices in Guantanamo as the work of \"people who hate America.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"On the contrary, it's people who love America and the liberties it espouses who are most vehement in insisting that we live up to our creed. Those who care about the fate of our men and women in uniform worry how the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib might affect what happens to Americans taken prisoner in current and future wars.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-06-04-voa1.cfm\"\u003eVOA - Mishandling of Koran\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060201749.html\"\u003eE.J.Dionne-Washington Post\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Voice of America confirms mishandling of Koran at Guantanamo"},{"content":" The Catholic ChurchThere is an adage about \"Ostriches with heads buried in the sand\". Nicholas Kristof's column in NY Times (5/10/05) described a good example--the Catholic Church in Latin America. No surprise that preachings against birth control and use of condoms are not being heeded by the faithful.\"I resent them,\" said Alessandra Katiane da Silva, a 21-year-old who goes to Mass and was wearing a necklace with images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. She said she could better judge her contraceptive needs than elderly cardinals, then added, \"We have to take care of ourselves, because they're not looking out for us.\"Mr. Kristof mentioned that Latin Americans were embracing Pentecostal movement because of the failure of the Catholic Church to understand and help them. The Pentecostals saw an opening and took advantage of it. While the Pentecostals are not against condoms, they too do not advocate sex for pleasure. A prayer before and after the act? The Latin Americans must be desperate to seek such an alternative. Somewhat akin to jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.Here in the United States Catholic priests railed from pulpits against supporting politicians who were pro-choice but remained conspicuously silent about their brethren in the Church who were sexually abusing children. The Archdiocese of Spokane, faced with lawsuits for $76 million, sought bankruptcy protection. What were the lawsuits about? Pedophilia.And what is happening in the Pope's own backyard? \"We are not soldiers that blindly obey.\" Barbara McMahon wrote in The Guardian about the church's \"waning influence in Italy\".Prayer BreakfastsScrambled eggs and \"Our Father who art in Heaven\"\"Joseph Conn, a spokesman for the Washington advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the prayer breakfasts are thinly disguised lobbying efforts. 'These events give politicians a chance to cater to their political base, and they give religious groups a chance to curry favor with elected officials and advance their political agenda,' he said.\"In recent years the nation's capital has become full of devout politicians. Prayer breakfasts are an ubiquitous feature of the Washington scene. According to The Washington Post (Alan Cooperman, 5/21/05), the budget for the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is more than $100,000. There are fringe benefits for those involved in organizing them and those who provide service---the parking attendants, wait persons, security staff, janitors, and others. Trickle down effect in action; not being recipients of largesse from the Bush tax cuts, they deserve it.For the participants, lapel pins of the national flag de rigueur. In today's America, such public display of devotion and patriotism pays dividends. President Bush recently spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.\"The keynote speaker was Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, who said during the presidential campaign that voting for a candidate who supports abortion rights would be a sin that must be confessed before receiving Holy Communion.'When a public official claims to be Catholic but then says he can't offer his beliefs about the sanctity of the human person as the basis of law, it always means one of two things: That person is either very confused or he's very evasive,\" Chaput told the prayer breakfast. \"All law is the imposition of somebody's beliefs on somebody else.' \"Duh! So it goesLinks:Washington Post- Bush lauds CatholicsGuardian-Barbara McMahon ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/condoms-and-cant/","summary":"The Catholic Church\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is an adage about \"Ostriches with heads buried in the sand\". Nicholas Kristof's column in NY Times (5/10/05) described a good example--the Catholic Church in Latin America. No surprise that preachings against birth control and use of condoms are not being heeded by the faithful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I resent them,\" said Alessandra Katiane da Silva, a 21-year-old who goes to Mass and was wearing a necklace with images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. She said she could better judge her contraceptive needs than elderly cardinals, then added, \"We have to take care of ourselves, because they're not looking out for us.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Kristof mentioned that Latin Americans were embracing Pentecostal movement because of the failure of the Catholic Church to understand and help them. The Pentecostals saw an opening and took advantage of it. While the Pentecostals are not against condoms, they too do not advocate sex for pleasure. A prayer before and after the act? The Latin Americans must be desperate to seek such an alternative. Somewhat akin to jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere in the United States Catholic priests railed from pulpits against supporting politicians who were pro-choice but remained conspicuously silent about their brethren in the Church who were sexually abusing children. The Archdiocese of Spokane, faced with lawsuits for $76 million, sought bankruptcy protection. What were the lawsuits about? Pedophilia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what is happening in the Pope's own backyard? \"We are not soldiers that blindly obey.\" Barbara McMahon wrote in The Guardian about the church's \"waning influence in Italy\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrayer Breakfasts\u003cbr/\u003eScrambled eggs and \"Our Father who art in Heaven\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Joseph Conn, a spokesman for the Washington advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the prayer breakfasts are thinly disguised lobbying efforts. 'These events give politicians a chance to cater to their political base, and they give religious groups a chance to curry favor with elected officials and advance their political agenda,' he said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn recent years the nation's capital has become full of devout politicians. Prayer breakfasts are an ubiquitous feature of the Washington scene. According to The Washington Post (Alan Cooperman, 5/21/05), the budget for the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is more than $100,000. There are fringe benefits for those involved in organizing them and those who provide service---the parking attendants, wait persons, security staff, janitors, and others. Trickle down effect in action; not being recipients of largesse from the Bush tax cuts, they deserve it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the participants,  lapel pins of the national flag de rigueur. In today's America, such public display of devotion and patriotism pays dividends. President Bush recently spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The keynote speaker was Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, who said during the presidential campaign that voting for a candidate who supports abortion rights would be a sin that must be confessed before receiving Holy Communion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e'When a public official claims to be Catholic but then says he can't offer his beliefs about the sanctity of the human person as the basis of law, it always means one of two things: That person is either very confused or he's very evasive,\" Chaput told the prayer breakfast. \"All law is the imposition of somebody's beliefs on somebody else.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDuh! So it goes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052001367_pf.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWashington Post- Bush lauds Catholics\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5197236-105806,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Barbara McMahon\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Condoms and Cant"},{"content":" Which nation can claim clean hands?Torture takes different forms---physical and psychological. Retraction by Newsweek of the report about desecration of the Koran notwithstanding, torture happens.Torture of prisoners not new and it is not going to go away. The Catholic Church used it during the Spanish Inquisition; the Nazis took it to new heights during Hitler's Third Reich; the North Vietnamese tortured their prisoners and so did the South Vietnamese with our full knowledge. Prisoners have been tortured at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. The \"rendition\" program is the icing on the cake. Under this program we clandestinely ship prisoners to other countries where the Geneva Convention is a joke. It has been aptly described by some as outsourcing of torture.Naomi Klein's report in The Guardian (5/14/05) sheds light on one particularly horrendous case involving a prisoner who was \"renditioned\".It is interesting to note that our own School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Georgia, graduated many officers of the armed forces from Latin American countries who were later found to be directly involved in torturing and killing political dissidents. The school offcially closed on Dec.15, 2000, and now operates under the name of Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC).George Monbiot of The Guardian wrote a fascinating report about the School of the Americas way back in 2001.Links:Naomi Klein-The Guardian,UKGeorge Monbiot-The Guardian - Backyard Terrorism ","permalink":"/posts/2005/06/the-art-and-craft-of-torture/","summary":"Which nation can claim clean hands?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTorture takes different forms---physical and psychological. Retraction by Newsweek of the report about desecration of the Koran notwithstanding, torture happens.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTorture of prisoners not new and it is not going to go away. The Catholic Church used it during the Spanish Inquisition; the Nazis took it to new heights during Hitler's Third Reich; the North Vietnamese tortured their prisoners and so did the South Vietnamese with our full knowledge. Prisoners have been tortured at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. The \"rendition\" program is the icing on the cake. Under this program we clandestinely ship prisoners to other countries where the Geneva Convention is a joke. It has been aptly described by some as outsourcing of torture.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNaomi Klein's report in The Guardian (5/14/05) sheds light on one particularly horrendous case involving a prisoner who was \"renditioned\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is interesting to note that our own School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Georgia, graduated many officers of the armed forces from Latin American countries who were later found to be directly involved in torturing and killing political dissidents. The school offcially closed on Dec.15, 2000, and now operates under the name of Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge Monbiot of The Guardian wrote a fascinating report about the School of the Americas way back in 2001.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,51935/14/2005682-111575,00.html\"\u003eNaomi Klein-The Guardian,UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,583254,00.html\"\u003eGeorge Monbiot-The Guardian - Backyard Terrorism\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Art and Craft of Torture"},{"content":" Loss, grief and the need for compassionI was nearing the end of my run, a few blocks from my place when I heard the man say \"My dad died\". I had seen him before, sitting on the stoop smoking, on some days with a can of beer in his hand. But we never spoke to each other. He watched me running past and I saw him from the corner of my eyes.The words \"My dad died\" made me stop. He came off the stoop and said \"My dad died today\". He named the hospital a few miles away. I asked him how old was his father and he said \"He was old. 81.\" I said the usual things. That I was sorry and hoped that the end was peaceful. The man said that his father was suffering for a long time; it was time for him to go. He wiped his tears. I took his hands, stood there for a few minutes, said \"take care\" and resumed my run.After coming home I thought of the man who lost his father and felt the need to talk to a stranger. I was glad that I stopped and wondered whether it helped him in a small way to be able to share his grief. I hoped that it did.These days when I run past the house he waves at me and says \"Hi\". Still don't know his name but we have a connection.....sort of.\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\" --- John Donne(1573-1631), \"Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/no-man-is-an-island-entire-of-itself/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eLoss, grief and the need for compassion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI was nearing the end of my run, a few blocks from my place when I heard the man say \"My dad died\". I had seen him before, sitting on the stoop smoking, on some days with a can of beer in his hand. But we never spoke to each other. He watched me running past and I saw him from the corner of my eyes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe words \"My dad died\" made me stop. He came off the stoop and said \"My dad died today\". He named the hospital a few miles away. I asked him how old was his father and he said \"He was old. 81.\" I said the usual things. That I was sorry and hoped that the end was peaceful. The man said that his father was suffering for a long time; it was time for him to go. He wiped his tears. I took his hands, stood there for a few minutes, said \"take care\" and resumed my run.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter coming home I thought of the man who lost his father and felt the need to talk to a stranger. I was glad that I stopped and wondered whether it helped him in a small way to be able to share his grief. I hoped that it did.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThese days when I run past the house he waves at me and says \"Hi\". Still don't know his name but we have a connection.....sort of.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\"\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cspan class=\"text\"\u003e--- \u003cb\u003eJohn Donne(1573-1631),  \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\"\u003ccite\u003eDevotions Upon Emergent Occasions\"\u003c/cite\u003e","title":"\"No man is an island, entire of itself\""},{"content":" \"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"You who are lengthening your liveswith the best doctors and best medicinesremember those who are shortening their liveswith the warthat you in your long lives are notpreventing.You who are again screwingthe younger generationsand winking at each otherthe winking of your eyelidsis like chill of the swinging shuttersin an empty house.---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)So far in May,Sixtysix (66) American soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq...and there are 4 more days before the month ends. Patriots or cannon fodder? You decide. My mind was made up long before the first pair of boots hit the ground.Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000) Yehuda Amichai was born in Germany. He moved to Israel at the age of 12 and lived there until his death.\"In Amichai one almost always encounters a delight in figurative language; yet his poems are never pretentious or tedious, since they speak out of the everyday and towards concerns we encounter every day. His great themes are love and loss: he celebrates life with vibrancy and energy and a relish for feeling, yet at the same time he is intensely aware of what is lost as history, both personal and social, shears away from each individual things he or she holds dear.\"Link:UVM-Amichai ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/an-anti-war-poem-by-yehuda-amichai/","summary":"\"A POEM THAT I WROTE IN A HIGH FEVER\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are lengthening your lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the best doctors and best medicines\u003cbr/\u003eremember those who are shortening their lives\u003cbr/\u003ewith the war\u003cbr/\u003ethat you in your long lives are not\u003cbr/\u003epreventing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou who are again screwing\u003cbr/\u003ethe younger generations\u003cbr/\u003eand winking at each other\u003cbr/\u003ethe winking of your eyelids\u003cbr/\u003eis like chill of the swinging shutters\u003cbr/\u003ein an empty house.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---Yehuda Amichai (translated from Hebrew by Leon Wieseltier)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSo far in May,Sixtysix (66) American soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq...and there are 4 more days before the month ends. Patriots or cannon fodder? You decide. My mind was made up long before the first pair of boots hit the ground.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/amichai.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYehuda Amichai (1924-2000) \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYehuda Amichai was born in Germany.  He moved to Israel at the age of 12 and lived there until his death.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In Amichai one almost always encounters a delight in figurative language; yet his poems are never pretentious or tedious, since they speak out of the everyday and towards concerns we encounter every day. His great themes are love and loss: he celebrates life with vibrancy and energy and a relish for feeling, yet at the same time he is intensely aware of what is lost as history, both personal and social, shears away from each individual things he or she holds dear.\"\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.uvm.edu/%7Esgutman/Amichai.htm\"\u003eUVM-Amichai\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"An Anti-War Poem by Yehuda Amichai"},{"content":" Volte face by Congressman Walter Jones (NC)\"Although he voted for the war, he has since become one of its most vociferous opponents on Capitol Hill, where the hallway outside his office is lined with photographs of the 'faces of the fallen'.\"The Guardian,UK, reported that Republican Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina now regrets initiating the ban against the word \"French\" from menus in Capitol Hill restaurants. He has become a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq. Good for him.What about Speaker Hastert? I remember hearing him speak passionately in support of the change in names. The politicians never say \"No\" to an opportunity to appear before cameras.Link:Guardian-Freedom Fries ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/freedom-fries-freedom-toasts-and-the-clowns-of-capitol-hill/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eVolte face by Congressman Walter Jones (NC)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Although he voted for the war, he has since become one of its most vociferous opponents on Capitol Hill, where the hallway outside his office is lined with photographs of the 'faces of the fallen'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian,UK, reported that Republican Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina now regrets initiating the ban against the word \"French\" from menus in Capitol Hill restaurants. He has become a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq. Good for him.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat about Speaker Hastert? I remember hearing him speak passionately in support of the change in names. The politicians never say \"No\" to an opportunity to appear before cameras.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1491567,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Freedom Fries\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Freedom Fries, Freedom Toasts and The Clowns of Capitol Hill"},{"content":" And the Lure of Half DomeThe falls at Yosemite are in their grandest at this time of the year. The unusual amount of snow on the peaks and the heavy melting process means water flowing down in force rarely seen. To add to it, the valley is green and not yet overrun with summer visitors although the Memorial Day weeknd would bring a lot of them to the park. It is a treasure to enjoy.Distant view of Bridal Veil ©Arundhati BhowmickMerced River ©Arundhati BhowmickA great view © Arundhati BhowmickBridal Veil © Arundhati BhowmickYosemite Falls, Upper and Middle © Arundhati BhowmickFifth tallest in the world. Height: 2425 ft.Closer view of Yosemite Falls © Arundhati BhowmickMeadow, Horsetail Falls in the background © Arundhati BhowmickAlso known as El Capitan Falls. Height 1500 ft.Small Church (Non-denominational) in the Valley © Arundhati BhowmickLooking at the peaks from Yosemite Valley © Arundhati BhowmickLower Yosemite Falls © Arundhati BhowmickVernal Falls from Mist Trail ©@Tim HentzelNevada Falls © Arundhati BhowmickHalf Dome, A Piece of Rock that is like a magnet to hikersHalf Dome, Sheer Side © Arundhati BhowmickRock climbers, brave souls, go up the sheer face of the rock. We,hikers, ascend the other side. The last 200 yards require pulling yourself up cables attached to posts embedded on the rock. Not as hairy as it looks but strenuous. Thousands of hikers do it during the season. For those who are interested, full details available in the excellent post by Kenton Lee(see link).Climbers going up the cable (like ants) © MusafirHalf Dome cables, last 200 yds, 55 degree incline © Kenton LeeOn Half Dome © Sarbajit GhosalClimbing buddy,SG, showing off © MusafirSG on the precipice © MusafirPhoto credit: Arundhati Bhowmick used a Nikon Coolpix 5700 to take most of the photographs, including the sheer side of Half Dome. Exceptions were the ones going up Half Dome and of Vernal and Nevada Falls.Link:Kenton Lee ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-magnificent-water-falls-at-yosemite-national-park/","summary":"And the Lure of Half Dome\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThe falls at Yosemite are in their grandest at this time of the year. The unusual amount of snow on the peaks and the heavy melting process means water flowing down in force rarely seen. To add to it, the valley is green and not yet overrun with summer visitors although the Memorial Day weeknd would bring a lot of them to the park. It is a treasure to enjoy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Distant view of Bridal Veil.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003eDistant view of Bridal Veil ©Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Merced River and Bridal Veil.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMerced River ©Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/yosemite-valley.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA great view © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Bridal Veil III1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBridal Veil © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Arundhati IV Yosemite Falls1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYosemite Falls, Upper and Middle © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003eFifth tallest in the world. Height: 2425 ft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Close up, Upper and Middle level of Yosemite Falls.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCloser view of Yosemite Falls © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Arundhati II2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMeadow, Horsetail Falls in the background © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003eAlso known as El Capitan Falls. Height 1500 ft.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Arundhati V Church Non-denom.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSmall Church (Non-denominational) in the Valley © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/View of the peaks.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLooking at the peaks from Yosemite Valley © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Arundhati VII Lower Yosemite Falls.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLower Yosemite Falls © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/vernal_falls_from_trail_480x640.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVernal Falls from Mist Trail ©@Tim Hentzel\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Nevada Falls II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevada Falls © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003eHalf Dome, A Piece of Rock that is like a magnet to hikers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Arundhati VI Half Dome2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHalf Dome, Sheer Side © Arundhati Bhowmick\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eRock climbers, brave souls, go up the sheer face of the rock. We,hikers, ascend the other side. The last 200 yards require pulling yourself up cables attached to posts embedded on the rock. Not as hairy as it looks but strenuous. Thousands of hikers do it during the season. For those who are interested, full details available in the excellent post by Kenton Lee(see link).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Half Dome, Last 200 Yds2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClimbers going up the cable (like ants) © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Half Dome Cables.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHalf Dome cables, last 200 yds, 55 degree incline © Kenton Lee\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/On Half Dome1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Half Dome\u003ca href=\"http://www.hello.com/\" target=\"ext\"\u003e © Sarbajit Ghosal\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Sarbajit, Half Dome1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eClimbing buddy,SG, showing off © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Sarbajit on Half Dome.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSG on the precipice © Musafir\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003ePhoto credit: Arundhati Bhowmick used a Nikon Coolpix 5700 to take most of the photographs, including the sheer side of Half Dome. Exceptions were the ones going up Half Dome and of Vernal and Nevada Falls.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.rahul.net/kenton/fun/yosemite/\"\u003eKenton Lee\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"The Magnificent Water Falls at Yosemite National Park"},{"content":" Lies and distortions, smoke and mirrorsAs the zero hour approaches for the so called \"Nuclear\" option over President Bush's judicial nominees, we know about the major players in this battle.What do we know of the facts--the history of judicial appointments?And what do we really know of how the American people feel?For the answer to the first question all one needs to do is to look at the chart below (published in NY Times May 18, 2005). These are historical facts, not numbers cooked up by reporters of the Times. May 18, 2005 As to the second question, the Republican senators pushing the nuclear option feel that they have the backing of their constituents. How many of their constituents are aware of the facts and the significance of this unprecedented political muscle flexing is another matter. Editorials in newspapers as diverse as The Chattanoogan, Salt Lake Tribune, and Roanoke Times have come out against the tactics being used by Majority Leader Bill Frist and the senators who are supporting the nuclear option. While refraining from public statements, The White House is deeply involved...and is in full suppoort of what is going on in the senate.This is an example of \"power corrupts\" at its worst. It is almost as if the Republicans are sure that they will enjoy majority for ever. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-showdown-in-us-senate---judicial-nominees-and-appointments/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eLies and distortions, smoke and mirrors\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the zero hour approaches for the so called \"Nuclear\" option over President Bush's judicial nominees, we know about the major players in this battle.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat do we know of the facts--the history of judicial appointments?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what do we really know of how the American people feel?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor the answer to the first question all one needs to do is to look at the chart below (published in NY Times May 18, 2005). These are historical facts, not numbers cooked up by reporters of the Times.\u003ctable width=\"793\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/spacer.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ctable width=\"793\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodytext\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay 18,  2005\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/spacer.gif\"/\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/20050519_opchart.gif\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs to the second question, the Republican senators pushing the nuclear option feel that they have the backing of their constituents. How many of their constituents are aware of the facts and the significance of this unprecedented political muscle flexing is another matter. Editorials in newspapers as diverse as The Chattanoogan, Salt Lake Tribune, and Roanoke Times have come out against the tactics being used by Majority Leader Bill Frist and the senators who are supporting the nuclear option. While refraining from public statements, The White House is deeply involved...and is in full suppoort of what is going on in the senate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is an example of \"power corrupts\" at its worst. It is almost as if the Republicans are sure that they will enjoy majority for ever.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Showdown in U.S. Senate - Judicial Nominees and Appointments"},{"content":" Parents speak out about lies and exploitation of the death of their sonAccording to a report in today's Washington Post, the army created a myth. Nothing new. Before the tragic death of Corporal Tillman in freindly fire, there was Private Jessica Lynch. There are numerous reports about \"fictionalized\" accounts of her rescue.Excerpts:\"Patrick Tillman Sr., a San Jose lawyer, said he is furious about what he found in the volumes of witness statements and investigative documents the Army has given to the family. \"\"After it happened, all the people in positions of authority went out of their way to script this,\" Patrick Tillman said. \"They purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up. I think they thought they could control it, and they realized that their recruiting efforts were going to go to hell in a handbasket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy.\"\" Mary Tillman says the government used her son for weeks after his death, perpetuating an untrue story to capitalize on his altruism -- just as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal was erupting publicly. She said she was particularly offended when President Bush offered a taped memorial message to Tillman at a Cardinals football game shortly before the presidential election last fall. She again felt as though her son was being used, something he never would have wanted.\"Link:Washington Post-Pat Tillman ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/remember-corporal-pat-tillman/","summary":"Parents speak out about lies and exploitation of the death of their son\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to a report in today's Washington Post, the army created a myth. Nothing new. Before the tragic death of Corporal Tillman in freindly fire, there was Private Jessica Lynch. There are numerous reports about \"fictionalized\" accounts of her rescue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExcerpts:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Patrick Tillman Sr., a San Jose lawyer, said he is furious about what he found in the volumes of witness statements and investigative documents the Army has given to the family. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"After it happened, all the people in positions of authority went out of their way to script this,\" Patrick Tillman said. \"They purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up. I think they thought they could control it, and they realized that their recruiting efforts were going to go to hell in a handbasket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\" Mary Tillman says the government used her son for weeks after his death, perpetuating an untrue story to capitalize on his altruism -- just as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal was erupting publicly. She said she was particularly offended when President Bush offered a taped memorial message to Tillman at a Cardinals football game shortly before the presidential election last fall. She again felt as though her son was being used, something he never would have wanted.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/22/AR2005052200865_2.html\"\u003eWashington Post-Pat Tillman\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Remember Corporal Pat Tillman?"},{"content":" Seymour Hersh writes: \"The 10 inquiries into prisoner abuse have let Bush and Co off the hook\"Link:The Guardian,UK - Seymour Hersh ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/back-to-abu-ghraib---the-cover-up/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eSeymour Hersh writes: \"The 10 inquiries into prisoner abuse have let Bush and Co off the hook\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1489199,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian,UK - Seymour Hersh\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Back to Abu Ghraib - The Cover Up"},{"content":" Out to save souls but oblivious of people with empty bellies\"In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction is that all thought is divinely classified into two kinds-that which is their own and that which is false and dangerous.\"---Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), Associate Justice of U.S. Supreme Court, 1941-1954You have seen them. The well-dressed, well-fed men and women (sometimes accompanied by children) carrying pamphlets and cards who appear on neighborhood streets on weekends and knock on doors. They alight from a van and spread out. Very methodical. Perhaps you have been approached by them and you have talked to them.They are on a mission--to save the souls of all who do not belong to the particular Christian sects which they represent. They have been taught that the rest of us are doomed and they hit the streets, charged up with zeal to convert us. Like car sales people promoting their brand, these soldiers of god say that theirs is the true way, they have the key. They are dedicated; their arrogance is colossal.Do they go to the inner cities? Anyone seen them in the Tenderloin, or Hunters Point (San Francisco)?I politely tell them that \"I'm not interested\". Once someone tried to begin an argument and said \"You don't believe in Jesus?\". I told her that what I believed in was my personal affair.There are exceptions. Not all Christian organizations happen to follow that line. In every city across America there are people who are homeless; who are hungry and sick. Once a week I serve as a volunteer at a food kitchen run by a local church (I am not a member). Every week, Monday through Saturday, it serves freshly prepared lunch to all who come through the door. The number of meals served each day ranges between 400 to 600. In addition, donated food items (vegetables, bread, canned goods) are placed on counters for those who need them. The church also operates a center which distributes clothes once a week.What is noteworthy is that no one from the church ever speaks to them about Jesus Christ and religion. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-door-to-door-brigades-of-proselytizers/","summary":"Out to save souls but oblivious of people with empty bellies\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\"In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction is that all thought is divinely classified into two kinds-that which is their own and that which is false and dangerous.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e---Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), Associate Justice of U.S. Supreme Court, 1941-1954\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eYou have seen them. The well-dressed, well-fed men and women (sometimes accompanied by children) carrying pamphlets and cards who appear on neighborhood streets on weekends and knock on doors. They alight from a van and spread out. Very methodical. Perhaps you have been approached by them and you have talked to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThey are on a mission--to save the souls of all who do not belong to the particular Christian sects which they represent. They have been taught that the rest of us are doomed and they hit the streets, charged up with zeal to convert us. Like car sales people promoting their brand, these soldiers of god say that theirs is the true way, they have the key. They are dedicated; their arrogance is colossal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eDo they go to the inner cities? Anyone seen them in the Tenderloin, or Hunters Point (San Francisco)?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI politely tell them that \"I'm not interested\". Once someone tried to begin an argument and said \"You don't believe in Jesus?\". I told her that what I believed in was my personal affair.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThere are exceptions. Not all Christian organizations happen to follow that line. In every city across America there are people who are homeless; who are hungry and sick. Once a week I serve as a volunteer at a food kitchen run by a local church (I am not a member). Every week, Monday through Saturday, it serves freshly prepared lunch to all who come through the door. The number of meals served each day ranges between 400 to 600. In addition, donated food items (vegetables, bread, canned goods) are placed on counters for those who need them. The church also operates a center which distributes clothes once a week.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is noteworthy is that no one from the church ever speaks to them about Jesus Christ and religion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"The  Door to Door Brigades of Proselytizers"},{"content":" \"Some film critics suggest it could be the biggest anti-Bush blockbuster since 'Fahrenheit 9/11.' \"\"The Emperor Strikes Bush\" is the title of an article by Dan Froomkin of The Washington Post. Mr. Froomkin quoted comments by film critics and George Lucas, the producer of the Star Wars epic.\" 'When I wrote it, Iraq didn't exist,' Lucas said, laughing.\n\" 'We were just funding Saddam Hussein and giving him weapons of mass destruction. We didn't think of him as an enemy at that time. We were going after Iran and using him as our surrogate, just as we were doing in Vietnam . . . The parallels between what we did in Vietnam and what we're doing in Iraq now are unbelievable.' \"\nMore:Bruce Kirkland writes in the Toronto Sun: \"Star Wars is a wakeup call to Americans about the erosion of democratic freedoms under George W. Bush, filmmaker George Lucas said yesterday. \"Lucas, responding to a question from the Sun at a Cannes Film Festival press conference, said he first wrote the framework of Star Wars in 1971 when reacting to then U.S. President Richard Nixon and the on-going events of the Vietnam War. But the story still has relevance today, he said, and is part of a pattern he has noticed in his readings of history.\n\" 'I didn't think it was going to get quite this close,' he said of the parallels between the Nixon era and the current Bush presidency, which has been sacrificing freedoms in the interests of national security. 'It is just one of those re-occurring things. I hope this doesn't come true in our country. Maybe the film will awaken people to the situation of how dangerous it is.' \"\nDavid Germain writes for the Associated Press: \"Lucas never mentioned the president by name but was eager to speak his mind on U.S. policy in Iraq, careful again to note that he created the story long before the Bush-led occupation there.\nLucas said he has long been interested in the transition from democracy to dictatorship.\n\"In ancient Rome, 'why did the senate, after killing Caesar, turn around and give the government to his nephew?' Lucas said. 'Why did France, after they got rid of the king and that whole system, turn around and give it to Napoleon? It's the same thing with Germany and Hitler.'\n\" 'You sort of see these recurring themes where a democracy turns itself into a dictatorship, and it always seems to happen kind of in the same way, with the same kinds of issues, and threats from the outside, needing more control. A democratic body, a senate, not being able to function properly because everybody's squabbling, there's corruption.' \"\nLink:Washington Post-Dan Froomkin ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/revenge-of-the-sith/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Some film critics suggest it could be the biggest anti-Bush blockbuster since 'Fahrenheit 9/11.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Emperor Strikes Bush\" is the title of an article by Dan Froomkin of The Washington Post. Mr. Froomkin quoted comments by film critics and George Lucas, the producer of the Star Wars epic.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\" 'When I wrote it, Iraq didn't exist,' Lucas said, laughing.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\" 'We were just funding Saddam Hussein and giving him weapons of mass destruction. We didn't think of him as an enemy at that time. We were going after Iran and using him as our surrogate, just as we were doing in Vietnam . . . The parallels between what we did in Vietnam and what we're doing in Iraq now are unbelievable.' \"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Revenge of the Sith\""},{"content":" George Galloway hits back....hard at Senator Norm Coleman\"Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies. \"Members of the U.S. Senate learned the meaning of oratory today when George Galloway, the former MP from Scotland, appeared before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesotta, and lashed back against unfounded charges for profiteering from the Oil for Food Program.The full transcript can be accessed from Times On Line (see link). Also, the audio version from MSNBC is worth listening to. George Galloway's speech today will be part of history and rate a place alongside those of the late Winston Churchill. Here is an excerpt. \"Now, Senator, I gave my heart and soul to oppose the policy that you promoted. I gave my political life's blood to try to stop the mass killing of Iraqis by the sanctions on Iraq which killed one million Iraqis, most of them children, most of them died before they even knew that they were Iraqis, but they died for no other reason other than that they were Iraqis with the misfortune to born at that time. I gave my heart and soul to stop you committing the disaster that you did commit in invading Iraq. And I told the world that your case for the war was a pack of lies.\n“I told the world that Iraq, contrary to your claims did not have weapons of mass destruction. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to al-Qaeda. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to the atrocity on 9/11 2001. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that the Iraqi people would resist a British and American invasion of their country and that the fall of Baghdad would not be the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.\n\"Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies. If the world had listened to Kofi Annan, whose dismissal you demanded, if the world had listened to President Chirac who you want to paint as some kind of corrupt traitor, if the world had listened to me and the anti-war movement in Britain, we would not be in the disaster that we are in today. Senator, this is the mother of all smokescreens. You are trying to divert attention from the crimes that you supported, from the theft of billions of dollars of Iraq's wealth.\nTimes on Line-George Galloway ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/war-against-iraq-the-mother-of-all-smokescreens/","summary":"George Galloway hits back....hard at Senator Norm Coleman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eSenator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies. \"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMembers of the U.S. Senate learned the meaning of oratory today when George Galloway, the former MP from Scotland, appeared before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesotta, and lashed back against unfounded charges for profiteering from the Oil for Food Program.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full transcript can be accessed from Times On Line (see link). Also, the audio version from MSNBC is worth listening to. George Galloway's speech today will be part of history and rate a place alongside those of the late Winston Churchill. Here is an excerpt. \u003cp\u003e\"Now, Senator, I gave my heart and soul to oppose the policy that you promoted. I gave my political life's blood to try to stop the mass killing of Iraqis by the sanctions on Iraq which killed one million Iraqis, most of them children, most of them died before they even knew that they were Iraqis, but they died for no other reason other than that they were Iraqis with the misfortune to born at that time. I gave my heart and soul to stop you committing the disaster that you did commit in invading Iraq. And I told the world that your case for the war was a pack of lies.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"War against Iraq,  \"The Mother of All Smokescreens\""},{"content":" The United Kingdom takes an Enlightened Approach Being from one of its former colonies, I'm pleasantly surprised by how the people of England have changed over the years. From straight-laced, stolid approach to religion, morality and politics the Islanders have become tolerant, liberal and rational. Demographic trend--influx of immigrants--is a factor. But it is more than that. We,too, have seen number of immigrants increase exponentially in the past three decades. The explanation for this lies perhaps in the acceptance of privacy rights and lack of demagogues. Politicians and the clergy do not mouth off fiery statements about a society in decay, moral values, sin and such claptrap. The Brits would boo them or pay no attention.The article by Geraldine Bedell (The Observer) on Morning After Pill is a good example of how they look at things. There are no extreme views from one side or the other. It is primarily a women's issue and women talk about it without bringing in god and morality. Strident voices of men are missing in the argument. Rightly so.Footnote: Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) has been in the forefront to protect women's right to contraception.\"California is one of four states considering laws requiring that all prescriptions be filled. Four states permit pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions that violate their personal beliefs, and 22 other states are considering similar laws.\"Links:The Observer-Geraldine BedellSFChronicle-Edward Epstein ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-morning-after-pill/","summary":"The United Kingdom takes an Enlightened Approach \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBeing from one of its former colonies, I'm pleasantly surprised by how the people of England have changed over the years. From straight-laced, stolid approach to religion, morality and politics the Islanders have become tolerant, liberal and rational. Demographic trend--influx of immigrants--is a factor. But it is more than that. We,too, have seen number of immigrants increase exponentially in the past three decades. The explanation for this lies perhaps in the acceptance of privacy rights and lack of demagogues. Politicians and the clergy do not mouth off fiery statements about a society in decay, moral values, sin and such claptrap. The Brits would boo them or pay no attention.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe article by Geraldine Bedell (The Observer) on Morning After Pill is a good example of how they look at things. There are no extreme views from one side or the other. It is primarily a women's issue and women talk about it without bringing in god and morality. Strident voices of men are missing in the argument. Rightly so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eFootnote:  Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) has been in the forefront to protect women's right to contraception.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"California is one of four states considering laws requiring that all prescriptions be filled. Four states permit pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions that violate their personal beliefs, and 22 other states are considering similar laws.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1482669,00.html\"\u003eThe Observer-Geraldine Bedell\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/04/19/MNGO4CB6UJ1.DTL\"\u003eSFChronicle-Edward Epstein\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Morning After Pill"},{"content":" And you don't have to dig for itDid I hear someone say \"What about the dead and wounded?\" Nah. Don't pay attention to the bleeding heart liberals.Matt Miller in The New York Times: [Infomercial director: \" 'The Republican Guide to Wartime Tax Cuts' ... Take One ... Action!\"] ANNOUNCER: In the old days, war profiteering was a grueling round-the-clock job. You actually had to make something, like planes or guns, and then overcharge the government obscenely. Now, thanks to the Republicans, countless Americans are becoming \"war profiteers\" in their spare time - and you can, too. Riches once thought to be the exclusive preserve of a few unsavory arms merchants have been made available to thousands of successful Americans, many of whom pull in the cash literally as they sleep!\"\nLink:NYTimes-Matt Miller ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/there-is-gold-in-them-ther-hills-in-iraq-hoo-boy/","summary":"And you don't have to dig for it\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDid I hear someone say \"What about the dead and wounded?\"  Nah. Don't pay attention to the bleeding heart liberals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMatt Miller in The New York Times:\u003cdiv id=\"articleInline\"\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"inlineBox\"\u003e \u003cnyt_text\u003e \u003c/nyt_text\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e[Infomercial director: \" 'The Republican Guide to Wartime Tax Cuts' ... Take One ... Action!\"] \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eANNOUNCER:\u003c/strong\u003e In the old days, war profiteering was a grueling round-the-clock job. You actually had to make something, like planes or guns, and then overcharge the government obscenely. Now, thanks to the Republicans, countless Americans are becoming \"war profiteers\" in their spare time - and you can, too. Riches once thought to be the exclusive preserve of a few unsavory arms merchants have been made available to thousands of successful Americans, many of whom pull in the cash literally as they sleep!\"\u003c/p\u003e","title":"There is Gold in Them Ther' Hills (In Iraq), Hoo Boy"},{"content":" Six Weeks before Summer \"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.You know how it is with an April day.When the sun is out and the wind is still,You're one month on in the middle of May.But if you so much as dare to speak,a cloud come over the sunlit arch,And wind comes off a frozen peak,And you're two months back in the middle of March.---Robert Frost (1874-1963)It has been an unusual Spring for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Temperature continues to be much cooler than the norm for this time of the year. Frequent showers, rains, even a hailstorm a few days back! Yesterday was summery. Today the sky is overcast and there is forecast of showers on Monday.Overall, it feels good. Have always enjoyed running in drizzly weather. Great display of wild flowers in the foothills; the meadows look lush and green. Rows of gingko trees on the street are so full of new leaves that you can hardly see the branches. My small garden is doing well. The nasturtiums a riot of colors, and sweet peas in bloom.Schools preparing for graduation ceremonies just about a month away. Summer Solstice is on June 21st. The seasons come....and go.JHL and I went back to Russian Ridge to look at wild flowers. Here are a few pictures.California Poppies Poppies, Owls Clover, Sky Lupine Indian Paintbrush Red Maids Tidy Tip Owls Clover,Checker MallowJohnny Jump Up ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/an-unusual-spring/","summary":"Six Weeks before Summer\u003cbr/\u003e  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbig\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The sun was warm but the wind was  chill.\u003cbr/\u003eYou know how it is with an April day.\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the sun is out and the  wind is still,\u003cbr/\u003eYou're one month on in the middle of May.\u003cbr/\u003eBut if you so  much as dare to speak,\u003cbr/\u003ea cloud come over the sunlit arch,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd wind comes  off a frozen peak,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd you're two months back in the middle of  March.\u003c/big\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e---Robert Frost (1874-1963)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has been an unusual Spring for us in the San Francisco Bay area. Temperature continues to be much cooler than the norm for this time of the year. Frequent showers, rains, even a hailstorm a few days back! Yesterday was summery. Today the sky is overcast and there is forecast of showers on Monday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOverall, it feels good. Have always enjoyed running in drizzly weather. Great display of wild flowers in the foothills; the meadows look lush and green. Rows of gingko trees on the street are so full of new leaves that you can hardly see the branches. My small garden is doing well. The nasturtiums a riot of colors, and sweet peas in bloom.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSchools preparing for graduation ceremonies just about a month away. Summer Solstice is on June 21st. The seasons come....and go.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJHL and I went back to Russian Ridge to look at wild flowers. Here are a few pictures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/California Poppy.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Poppies \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Flowers 1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePoppies, Owls Clover, Sky Lupine \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Indian Paintbrush.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIndian Paintbrush \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Red Maids.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRed Maids \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Tidy Tip.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTidy Tip \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Owls Clover, Checker Mallow.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOwls Clover,Checker Mallow\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Johnny Jump Up1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJohnny Jump Up","title":"An Unusual Spring"},{"content":" The Conservative Way or No WayOn May 3rd I wrote about the takeover of Public Broadcasting Service by conservatives. Mark Fiore's animated strip in today's San Francisco Chronicle does it much better. Check it out.Link:Mark Fiore\"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.\"---Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Third President of the United States,1801-1809. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/pbs---going-going-gone/","summary":"The Conservative Way or No Way\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn May 3rd I wrote about the takeover of Public Broadcasting Service by conservatives. Mark Fiore's animated strip in today's San Francisco Chronicle does it much better. Check it out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/columnists/fiore/\"\u003eMark Fiore\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Third President of the United States,1801-1809.","title":"PBS - Going, Going, Gone"},{"content":" Milking the Threat of TerrorismFor some of us this did not come as a surprise--the report in USA Today what the former Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge stated at a conference:\"Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or \"high\" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.\"Mr. Ridge went to say that:\"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it,\" Ridge told reporters. \"Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' \"The threat of terrorism was milked at every opportunity and it paid handsome dividends. It is like a cash cow that keeps on giving.Link:USA Today ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/masters-of-the-craft-of-crying-wolf/","summary":"Milking the Threat of Terrorism\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor some of us this did not come as a surprise--the report in USA Today what the former Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge stated at a conference:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or \"high\" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Ridge went to say that:\u003cbr/\u003e\"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it,\" Ridge told reporters. \"Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe threat of terrorism was milked at every opportunity and it paid handsome dividends.  It is like a cash cow that keeps on giving.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-10-ridge-alerts_x.htm\"\u003eUSA Today\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Masters of the Craft of \"Crying Wolf\""},{"content":" Slimy creaturesYou have read about them, seen them on TV and wondered about them---the central characters in the prison scandal whose faces first became familiar from the images that they themselves created. Images that shook the world and made us feel ashamed and revolted. Who are they? What made them do what they did?As the facts come out and more is known about them it becomes evident that there is little explanation. We just have to accept the fact that there are such people in the army and elsewhere. Given the opportunity the sadistic tendencies, the dormant brutality lurking in them, come out and Abu Ghraib happens. Other facts,too, become obvious. Failure of higher ranks to maintain discipline and permitting a climate of \"anything goes\". There was tacit support; they looked the other way. Conditions in Abu Ghraib Prison gave the slimy creatures the opportunity and they had a blast. One detects not the slightest display of remorse from any of them. They gloated in the images from Abu Ghraib; you see them gloating now. Scary, these sons and daughters of our society.Guantanamo was different. There the abusive interrogation practices were in accordance with official policy! Those involved followed orders.LinkNY Times-Kate Zernike ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-abusers-at-abu-ghraib/","summary":"Slimy creatures\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou have read about them, seen them on TV and wondered about them---the central characters in the prison scandal whose faces first became familiar from the images that they themselves created. Images that shook the world and made us feel ashamed and revolted. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWho are they? What made them do what they did?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs the facts come out and more is known about them it becomes evident that there is little explanation. We just have to accept the fact that there are such people in the army and elsewhere. Given the opportunity the sadistic tendencies, the dormant brutality lurking in them, come out and Abu Ghraib happens. Other facts,too, become obvious. Failure of higher ranks to maintain discipline and permitting a climate of \"anything goes\". There was tacit support; they looked the other way. Conditions in Abu Ghraib Prison gave the slimy creatures the opportunity and they had a blast. One detects not the slightest display of remorse from any of them. They gloated in the images from Abu Ghraib; you see them gloating now. Scary, these sons and daughters of our society.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGuantanamo was different. There the abusive interrogation practices were in accordance with official policy! Those involved followed orders.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/10/national/10graner.html?oref=login\"\u003eNY Times-Kate Zernike\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Abusers at Abu Ghraib"},{"content":" The Media and Credbility GapAre we going to see an end to reports that ascribe \"unidentified source\", \"unnamed official\"? Reading them one gets an image of a person whispering to an enterprising journalist, a bureaucrat making a call from a pay phone, or surreptitiously passing a note. Don't bet on it. The practice has developed legs of its own and is not going to disappear any time soon although The NY Times and other newspapers are taking a hard look at it.Readers who follow the major dailies take position on both sides of the argument--those who would like to see the end of the practice and those who feel that without such protection the sources would \"dry up\" and important news stories would never appear in print.Daniel Okrent of the Public Editor column in NY times (5/8/05) wrote under the heading \"Briefers and Leakers and the Newspapers Who Enable Them\".Credibility is also why many reporters will now acknowledge that the profession's worst habits must be broken - the vague descriptions of phantom sources, the readiness to disregard their motivations, the willingness to let them say what they wish without public accountability. White House correspondent David E. Sanger, much of whose recent work has been in the extremely sensitive area of nuclear proliferation, told me, \"In the post-Iraq world\" - the world in which artful leakers convinced reporters and their readers that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction - \"using identifiers like 'intelligence officials' or 'officials with access to intelligence' just doesn't hack it.\"On a somewhat related issue, a blogger (Dilettante's Diary) wrote on April 10th about the broadcast media. She made cogent points about the lack of honesty that prevails in the industry, the unavoidable influence of the connection between corporate owners, advertisers and the government.The bottom line is that free press isn't really \"free\". The Washington Times and Fox News Channel are like propaganda arms of the White House. Other venerable institutions such as The NY Times, Washington Post, CBS,NBC,ABC and CNN try to present \"balanced\" news and often end up serving pap. They have great reporters who are hamstrung. It is the system.Links:NY TimesDilettante's DiaryNY Times-Daniel OkrentDilettante's Diary ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/artful-leakers-and-phantom-sources/","summary":"The Media and Credbility Gap\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAre we going to see an end to reports that ascribe \"unidentified source\", \"unnamed official\"? Reading them one gets an image of a person whispering to an enterprising journalist, a bureaucrat making a call from a pay phone, or surreptitiously passing a note. Don't bet on it. The practice has developed legs of its own and is not going to disappear any time soon although The NY Times and other newspapers are taking a hard look at it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReaders who follow the major dailies take position on both sides of the argument--those who would like to see the end of the practice and those who feel that without such protection the sources would \"dry up\" and important news stories would never appear in print.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaniel Okrent of the Public Editor column in NY times (5/8/05) wrote under the heading \"Briefers and Leakers and the Newspapers Who Enable Them\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCredibility is also why many reporters will now acknowledge that the profession's worst habits must be broken - the vague descriptions of phantom sources, the readiness to disregard their motivations, the willingness to let them say what they wish without public accountability. White House correspondent David E. Sanger, much of whose recent work has been in the extremely sensitive area of nuclear proliferation, told me, \"In the post-Iraq world\" - the world in which artful leakers convinced reporters and their readers that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction - \"using identifiers like 'intelligence officials' or 'officials with access to intelligence' just doesn't hack it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn a somewhat related issue, a blogger (Dilettante's Diary) wrote on April 10th about the broadcast media. She made cogent points about the lack of honesty that prevails in the industry, the unavoidable influence of the connection between corporate owners, advertisers and the government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bottom line is that free press isn't really \"free\". The Washington Times and Fox News Channel are like propaganda arms of the White House. Other venerable institutions such as The NY Times, Washington Post, CBS,NBC,ABC and CNN try to present \"balanced\" news and often end up serving pap. They have great reporters who are hamstrung. It is the system.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003eNY Times\u003cbr/\u003eDilettante's Diary\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/weekinreview/08okrent.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fThe%20Public%20Editor\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\"\u003eNY Times-Daniel Okrent\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kellyrae.blogspot.com/2005_04_01_kellyrae_archive.html\"\u003eDilettante's Diary\u003c/a\u003e","title":"\"Artful Leakers\" and \"Phantom Sources\""},{"content":" \"Insanity Fair\"?One could see it coming.Pastor Chan Chandler of East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville,NC, expelled nine members of his congregation because they \"didn't support President Bush\". The pastor's action received support from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. An official informed the Ashville-Citizen Times that \"a pastor had every right to disallow memberships if a church's bylaws allow for the pastor to establish criteria for membership\"!This is a step beyond the position taken by the Catholic church before the election of 2004 to deny sacrament to those who supported abortion rights for women.What next?You could lose your job because of politicial affiliationYou could be refused admission in schoolYou could be refused tenancyRepent, all you sinners and show your support for the holy rollers. Change your voter registration otherwise you'll be punished by the vengeful Republican God. There is additional incentive. You'll not be \"left beind\"; the countdown to Armageddon has started.It is a bit early but think I'll pour myself a glass of the house plonk.Link: Guardian-Democrats Voted out of Church ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/god-is-a-republican/","summary":"\"Insanity Fair\"?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne could see it coming.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePastor Chan Chandler of East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville,NC, expelled nine members of his congregation because they \"didn't support President Bush\". The pastor's action received support from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. An official informed the Ashville-Citizen Times that \"a pastor had every right to disallow memberships if a church's bylaws allow for the pastor to establish criteria for membership\"!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is a step beyond the position taken by the Catholic church before the election of 2004 to deny sacrament to those who supported abortion rights for women.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat next?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYou could lose your job because of politicial affiliation\u003cbr/\u003eYou could  be refused admission in school\u003cbr/\u003eYou could be refused tenancy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRepent, all you sinners and show your support for the holy rollers. Change your voter registration otherwise you'll be punished by the vengeful Republican God. There is additional incentive. You'll not be \"left beind\"; the countdown to Armageddon has started.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a bit early but think I'll pour myself a glass of the house plonk.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4989937,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Democrats Voted out of Church\u003c/a\u003e","title":"God is a Republican"},{"content":" And to members of the opposite sexMother's Day is around the corner. This is an expression of my admiration, affection and respect for women. Where would we be without you and the X Chromosome!Here are a few that I have known (my pleasure, privilege, and good fortune). I'm thankful. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/a-tribute-to-mothers-especially/","summary":"And to members of the opposite sex\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMother's Day is around the corner. This is an expression of my admiration, affection and respect for women. Where would we be without you and the X Chromosome!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere are a few that I have known (my pleasure, privilege, and good fortune). I'm thankful.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Mashi.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Lucille.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Joya.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Srila.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/With Joanne.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Karen.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/AnjanaII.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Janie1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Babla II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/ArundhatiII.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Gila.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Dikla.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Roma.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Pat.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Malabika.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Mashal1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Sweet Peas.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"A Tribute to Mothers, especially"},{"content":" And Blair vs. the ToriesA fellow blogger AmericanOL raised the following question:\"the conflict here for many is that Blair was wrong on Iraq, but as a world leader he is much closer to the likes of clinton than bush anyday. would you rather have a conservative thatcher or a labour blair? or, do you agree that blair should pay for his illegal war regardless by losing his PM spot?\"If I were a British citizen I would have consideredvoting for the Liberal Democrats but most certainly not if that meant the remotest chance of a victory for the Tories.Four and half years after the 2000 election it still rankles that an old has been, driven by ego, made it possible for the ultraconservative Bush administration to come into power.There were other factors: (1) voters who were disenfranchised; (2) voting systems and procedures that \"malfunctioned\"; (3) the party-line United States Supreme Court vote declaring George W. Bush the winner.Nevertheless, The Nader votes were one of the key factors in Florida, and Florida would have given Al Gore the electoral college votes needed to win. Do the Naderites think about it? Ralph Nader's abject performance in the 2004 election showed that he had lost his core supporters but he still went through the motions. And this is a man that I one time held in high esteem. How he fell! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/the-havoc-that-nader-wrought/","summary":"And Blair vs. the Tories\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA fellow blogger \u003ca href=\"http://americanol.blogspot.com/\"\u003eAmericanOL\u003c/a\u003e raised the following question:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"the conflict here for many is that Blair was wrong on Iraq, but as a world leader he is much closer to the likes of clinton than bush anyday. would you rather have a conservative thatcher or a labour blair? or, do you agree that blair should pay for his illegal war regardless by losing his PM spot?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf I were a British citizen I would have consideredvoting for the Liberal Democrats but most certainly not if that meant the remotest chance of a victory for the Tories.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFour and half years after the 2000 election it still rankles that an old has been, driven by ego, made it possible for the ultraconservative Bush administration to come into power.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere were other factors: (1) voters who were disenfranchised; (2) voting systems and procedures that \"malfunctioned\"; (3) the party-line United States Supreme Court vote declaring George W. Bush the winner.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, The Nader votes were one of the key factors in Florida, and Florida would have given Al Gore the electoral college votes needed to win. Do the Naderites think about it? Ralph Nader's abject performance in the 2004 election showed that he had lost his core supporters but he still went through the motions. And this is a man that I one time held in high esteem. How he fell!","title":"The havoc that Nader wrought"},{"content":" The other side of the AtlanticElections in the British Isles are going to take place tomorrow, May 5.Many of you are aware of the \"Daily Kos\", the admirable blog by Markos Moulitsas. He appeared in The Guardian,UK, as a guest blogger and wrote about the difference in style of political campaigns in Britain.\"In the US, candidates for any political office prove their loyalty to their nation by putting flags on stage. Lots of them. Sometimes dozens of flags, other times just a couple of REALLY big ones. Every campaign sign sports an American flag while hundreds of people in the audience wave little American flags. Each candidate also wears a lapel pin with a little American flag on it. Because the more they accessorise in red, white and blue, the more, er, they love America. Or something.\"Makes you wonder why do we feel the need to make campaigns into circuses ? Why do the citizens of the United Kingdom and Europe feel comfortable without such props ?Link:Guardian-Moulitsas ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/about-patriotismpolitics-and-flags/","summary":"The other side of the Atlantic\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eElections in the British Isles are going to take place tomorrow,  May 5.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMany of you are aware of the \"Daily Kos\", the admirable blog by Markos Moulitsas. He appeared in The Guardian,UK, as a guest blogger and wrote about the difference in style of political campaigns in Britain.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In the US, candidates for any political office prove their loyalty to their nation by putting flags on stage. Lots of them. Sometimes dozens of flags, other times just a couple of REALLY big ones. Every campaign sign sports an American flag while hundreds of people in the audience wave little American flags. Each candidate also wears a lapel pin with a little American flag on it. Because the more they accessorise in red, white and blue, the more, er, they love America. Or something.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMakes you wonder why do we feel the need to make campaigns into circuses ? Why do the citizens of the United Kingdom and Europe feel comfortable without such props ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/election2005/archives/2005/05/02/flags_and_politics.html\"\u003eGuardian-Moulitsas\u003c/a\u003e","title":"About Patriotism,Politics and Flags"},{"content":" Victim of being considered \"Liberal\" It is a matter of time. Now the mandarins of morality are making sure that PBS (a refreshing alternative in the clamorous jungle of commercial broadcast media) offers only what they want us to watch and hear. The attacks against PBS are not new. Conservatives had always been unhappy with the contents of programs in PBS. They considered them to be \"biased\" (too liberal). In today's America, what the conservatives want the conservatives get. The Pharisees are going to put their grubby hands on it and turn PBS into another god and country oriented media outlet.A comparison between the BBC (an entity fully funded and owned by the British government) and PBS says a lot about the difference between the two countries. The BBC has, so far, remained free of any interference by government.We got rid of the Taliban mullahs in Afghanistan but adopting Taliban-like policies here in the United States.The NY Times 5/2/05\"WASHINGTON, May 1 - The Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is aggressively pressing public television to correct what he and other conservatives consider liberal bias, prompting some public broadcasting leaders - including the chief executive of PBS - to object that his actions pose a threat to editorial independence.\"Without the knowledge of his board, the chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, contracted last year with an outside consultant to keep track of the guests' political leanings on one program, \"Now With Bill Moyers.\"Link:NY Times-PBS ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/end-of-pbs-as-we-knew-it---grubby-hands-grasping-control/","summary":"Victim of being considered \"Liberal\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a matter of time. Now the mandarins of morality are making sure that PBS (a refreshing alternative in the clamorous jungle of commercial broadcast media) offers only what they want us to watch and hear. The attacks against PBS are not new. Conservatives had always been unhappy with the contents of programs in PBS. They considered them to be \"biased\" (too liberal). In today's America, what the conservatives want the conservatives get. The Pharisees are going to put their grubby hands on it and turn PBS into another god and country oriented media outlet.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA comparison between the BBC (an entity fully funded and owned by the British government) and PBS says a lot about the difference between the two countries. The BBC has, so far, remained free of any interference by government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe got rid of the Taliban mullahs in Afghanistan but adopting Taliban-like policies here in the United States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe NY Times 5/2/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"WASHINGTON, May 1 - The Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is aggressively pressing public television to correct what he and other conservatives consider liberal bias, prompting some public broadcasting leaders - including the chief executive of PBS - to object that his actions pose a threat to editorial independence.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWithout the knowledge of his board, the chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, contracted last year with an outside consultant to keep track of the guests' political leanings on one program, \"Now With Bill Moyers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://nytimes.com/2005/05/02/arts/television/02public.html?ei=5094\u0026amp;en=1085de148e09623c\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;hp=\u0026amp;ex=1115092800\u0026amp;partner=homepage\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;position=\"\u003eNY Times-PBS\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#ffffff\" width=\"601\"\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e","title":"End of PBS as we knew it - Grubby Hands Grasping Control"},{"content":" \"Mission Accomplished\" - President George W. Bush, May 2, 2003And more.\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind. And again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true.\"---President Bush on NBC's 'Meet the Press' - Sunday, February 8, 2004; 12:03 PMNow the latest available numbers. The cost in human terms two years later:U.S. SoldiersDead 1571Injured 17184Civilians Killed in Military Intervention 21239 (Minimum) 24106 (Maximum) On a related issue, the Associated Press reported that \"Terror attacks worldwide more than tripled last year reaching a record high, according to government figures released by a senior House Democrat.Based on a briefing federal officials gave congressional aides, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said Tuesday there were about 650 significant terror attacks last year. He said that was more than three times the record 175 tallied by the government in 2003.\" Return of the Con ManAhmed Chalabi, con man, bosom buddy of the war mongers, who had a major role in our misadventure in Iraq but temporarily fell from grace, is back in favor. He won the grand prize! Meet the new oil minister.Links:Terror AttacksNY Times-ChalabiIraq Body CountGlobal Security\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\"---Charles Edward Montague, British soldier,author(1867-1928) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/iraq-and-the-war-against-terrorism/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mission Accomplished\" - President George W. Bush, May 2, 2003\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind. And again, I wish it wasn't true, but it is true.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e---President Bush on NBC's 'Meet the Press' - Sunday, February 8, 2004; 12:03 PM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow the latest available numbers.  The cost in human terms two years later:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eU.S. Soldiers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eDead 1571\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eInjured 17184\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eCivilians Killed in Military Intervention\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e 21239 (Minimum) 24106 (Maximum)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e On a related issue, the Associated Press reported that \"Terror attacks worldwide more than tripled last year reaching a record high, according to government figures released by a senior House Democrat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBased on a briefing federal officials gave congressional aides, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said Tuesday there were about 650 significant terror attacks last year. He said that was more than three times the record 175 tallied by the government in 2003.\"\u003cbr/\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReturn of the Con Man\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAhmed Chalabi, con man, bosom buddy of the war mongers, who had a major role in our misadventure in Iraq but temporarily fell from grace, is back in favor. He won the grand prize! Meet the new oil minister.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/%20http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2005/04/27/national/w005235D50.DTL%20\"\u003eTerror Attacks\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/30/opinion/30dowd.html?ei=5070\u0026amp;en=3608d941eeb160a6\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;ex=1115092800\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;amp;position=\"\u003eNY Times-Chalabi\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIraq Body Count\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties_apr05.htm\"\u003eGlobal Security\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Charles Edward Montague, British soldier,author(1867-1928)","title":"Iraq and the War Against Terrorism"},{"content":" Great article by Frank Gray (The Guardian,UK) on Bix Beiderbecke and other jazz musicians who lived and performed in New York City.Bix was a rarity--a White cat in a field dominated by Blacks. I have a CD which includes such classics as \"Riverboat Shuffle\", \"Singin' the Blues\", and \"Way Down Yonder in New Orleans\". All of them originally recorded in 1927. Bix was accompanied by saxophonist Frankie Trambauer and guitarist Eddie Lang.\"He was completely self-taught and could not read music.\" Amazing.A marble plaque on the wall of the building where he died reads:In Memory of Leon \"Bix\" Beiderbecke Pioneer Jazz Cornetist, Pianist \u0026amp; Composer The Original Young Man With A Horn Born - March 10th, 1903 Davenport, Iowa Died - August 6th 1931 43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, New York Paul Maringelli and The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial CommitteeGuardian-BeiderbeckeSingin' The BluesCharley Records Ltd, London,UKCD 2013 (1993) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/05/bix-beiderbecke/","summary":"\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/05/Bix.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat article by Frank Gray (The Guardian,UK) on Bix Beiderbecke and other jazz musicians who lived and performed in New York City.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBix was a rarity--a White cat in a field dominated by Blacks. I have a CD which includes such classics as \"Riverboat Shuffle\", \"Singin' the Blues\", and \"Way Down Yonder in New Orleans\". All of them originally recorded in 1927. Bix was accompanied by saxophonist Frankie Trambauer and guitarist Eddie Lang.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"He was completely self-taught and could not read music.\" Amazing.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA marble plaque on the wall of the building where he died reads:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn Memory of Leon \"Bix\" Beiderbecke\u003cbr/\u003e   Pioneer Jazz Cornetist, Pianist \u0026amp; Composer\u003cbr/\u003e   The Original Young Man With A Horn\u003cbr/\u003e   Born - March 10th, 1903\u003cbr/\u003e   Davenport, Iowa\u003cbr/\u003e   Died - August 6th 1931\u003cbr/\u003e   43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, New York\u003cbr/\u003e   Paul Maringelli and The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Committee\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1472523,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Beiderbecke\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSingin' The Blues\u003cbr/\u003eCharley Records Ltd, London,UK\u003cbr/\u003eCD 2013 (1993)","title":"Bix Beiderbecke"},{"content":" More about The B \u0026amp; B Team - The Coalition for WarAccording to polls Tony Blair and his Labour Party will emerge victorious on May 5th.G.W. Bush won last November due to the wave of religiosity sweeping over our land and the consequent backlash over gay rights, same sex union,etc. And there was the fear factor. The terrifying events of 9/11 were milked at every opportunity. The voters paid no attention to other issues facing the country. The lack of justification for the war failed to make an impact.For Blair it is a different story. Recent leaks of documents related to his role in the war are damaging. But Britain has done well under his leadership. The economy is robust and unemployment low. The voters are not going to rock the boat by making a change although a large majority feels that it was wrong to get involved in the war.Following last Sundays revelations in The Guardian, the Independent has gained access to additional documents which clearly establish that Tony Blair too had made up his mind long ago in favor of attacking Iraq. Perhaps during his visit to Crawford the president and prime minister knelt down to pray and had an epiphany. We shall never know.This is from Sunday edition of the Independent.\"Tony Blair had resolved to send British troops into action alongside US forces eight months before the Iraq War began, despite a clear warning from the Foreign Office that the conflict could be illegal.A damning minute leaked to a Sunday newspaper reveals that in July 2002, a few weeks after meeting George Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr Blair summoned his closest aides for what amounted to a council of war. The minute reveals the head of British intelligence reported that President Bush had firmly made up his mind to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein, adding that 'the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy'.\"Link: Independent,UK Tony Blair's War ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-elections-in-britain/","summary":"More about The B \u0026amp; B Team - The Coalition for War\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to polls Tony Blair and his Labour Party will emerge victorious on May 5th.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eG.W. Bush won last November due to the wave of religiosity sweeping over our land and the consequent backlash over gay rights, same sex union,etc. And there was the fear factor. The terrifying events of 9/11 were milked at every opportunity. The voters paid no attention to other issues facing the country. The lack of justification for the war failed to make an impact.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor Blair it is a different story. Recent leaks of documents related to his role in the war are damaging. But Britain has done well under his leadership. The economy is robust and unemployment low. The voters are not going to rock the boat by making a change although a large majority feels that it was wrong to get involved in the war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing last Sundays revelations in The Guardian, the Independent has gained access to additional documents which clearly establish that Tony Blair too had made up his mind long ago in favor of attacking Iraq. Perhaps during his visit to Crawford the president and prime minister knelt down to pray and had an epiphany. We shall never know.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is from Sunday edition of the Independent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Tony Blair had resolved to send British troops into action alongside US forces eight months before the Iraq War began, despite a clear warning from the Foreign Office that the conflict could be illegal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA damning minute leaked to a Sunday newspaper reveals that in July 2002, a few weeks after meeting George Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr Blair summoned his closest aides for what amounted to a council of war. The minute reveals the head of British intelligence reported that President Bush had firmly made up his mind to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein, adding that 'the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy'.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink: Independent,UK\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=634699\u0026amp;host=3\u0026amp;dir=62\"\u003e Tony Blair's War\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Elections in Britain"},{"content":" The President and his Constituency of Evangelical Christians - \"A big wet kiss to the far right\"?The new attack dog of Christian zealots, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee (eyeing the White House in 2008) offered a \"compromise\" on the impasse about judicial appointments.What was his offer? Limit debates to 100 hours before a straight up and down vote. Big deal. Instead of continuing with direct attempts to kill filibuster rights he just took a different tack to achieve the same end.\"But in a surprise to no one, Democrats rejected Frist's proposal within minutes. \"There's no way we're going to give up our right to extended debate,\" Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters. He repeated the colorful description he had used in his floor remarks a bit earlier: Frist's offer, he said, was \"a big wet kiss to the far right.\" Lost in the clamour of the conservatives are facts about judicial appointments by Bill Clinton and G.W. Bush (who has another 3.5 years ahead of him). A report titled \"The Decision Making Ideology of George W. Bush's Judicial Appointees\" is a must-read for those who are interested in learning more.The authors:Kenneth L. ManningAssociate Professor of Political ScienceUniversity of Massachusetts-DartmouthandRobert A. CarpProfessor of Political ScienceUniversity of HoustonLinks to Washington Post and Univ. of MassachusettsA big wet kissG.W. Bush's Judicial Appointments\"Across the ages, clergy have been interested [according to Jefferson] not in truth but only in wealth and power; when rational people have had difficulty swallowing \"their impious heresies,\" then the clergy have, with the help of the state, forced \"them down their throats.\" Five years later, he [Jefferson] wrote of \"this loathsome combination of church and state\" that for so many centuries reduced human beings to \"dupes and drudges.\" Attribution: Edwin S. Gaustad, Faith of Our Fathers: Religion and the New Nation, San Francisco: Harper \u0026amp; Row, 1987, p. 47. According to Gaustad, the first quotes are from a letter from Jefferson to William Baldwin, January 19, 1810; the second source is a letter from Jefferson to Charles Clay, January 29, 1815. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/judicial-appointments-and-the-right-to-filibuster/","summary":"The President and his Constituency of Evangelical Christians - \"A big wet kiss to the far right\"?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe new attack dog of Christian zealots, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee (eyeing the White House in 2008) offered a \"compromise\" on the impasse about judicial appointments.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat was his offer? Limit debates to 100 hours before a straight up and down vote. Big deal. Instead of continuing with direct attempts to kill filibuster rights he just took a different tack to achieve the same end.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But in a surprise to no one, Democrats rejected Frist's proposal within minutes. \"There's no way we're going to give up our right to extended debate,\" Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters. He repeated the colorful description he had used in his floor remarks a bit earlier: Frist's offer, he said, was \"a big wet kiss to the far right.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLost in the clamour of the conservatives are facts about judicial appointments by Bill Clinton and G.W. Bush (who has another 3.5 years ahead of him). A report titled \"The Decision Making Ideology of George W. Bush's Judicial Appointees\" is a must-read for those who are interested in learning more.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe authors:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKenneth L. Manning\u003cbr/\u003eAssociate Professor of Political Science\u003cbr/\u003eUniversity of Massachusetts-Dartmouth\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eand\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRobert A. Carp\u003cbr/\u003eProfessor of Political Science\u003cbr/\u003eUniversity of Houston\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks to Washington Post and Univ. of Massachusetts\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/04/29/MNGUECHFPB1.DTL\u0026amp;type=printable\"\u003eA big wet kiss\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.umassd.edu/cas/polisci/apsa2004.pdf\"\u003eG.W. Bush's Judicial Appointments\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Across the ages, clergy have been interested [according to Jefferson] not in truth but only in wealth and power; when rational people have had difficulty swallowing \"their impious heresies,\" then the clergy have, with the help of the state, forced \"them down their throats.\" Five years later, he [Jefferson] wrote of \"this loathsome combination of church and state\" that for so many centuries reduced human beings to \"dupes and drudges.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAttribution: Edwin S. Gaustad, Faith of Our Fathers: Religion and the New Nation, San Francisco: Harper \u0026amp; Row, 1987, p. 47. According to Gaustad, the first quotes are from a letter from Jefferson to William Baldwin, January 19, 1810; the second source is a letter from Jefferson to Charles Clay, January 29, 1815.","title":"Judicial appointments and the right to Filibuster"},{"content":" Slogan used by the National Rifle Association: \"Guns don't kill people, people do\"Well, one cannot argue with the fact that someone has to pull the trigger. It is also indisputable that people can be stabbed to death, beaten to death, strangled to death,poisoned to death, pushed to death, drowned to death and so on.One cannot also argue with the fact that guns make killing very easy. The following is from data base of the Center for Disease Control (CDC): \"The rate of firearm deaths among children under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. American children are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die in a firearm accident than children in these other countries.\"My respect for the Constitution is high and I have contempt for those who urge amendments for political expediency or for the sake of their own narrow beliefs.The Second Amendment\"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. \"There are legal arguments about the \"absoluteness\" of Second Amendment. No authority on the Constitution, I, but the words \"a well regulated militia\" jump out at me. Currently, availability of lethal firearms is not limited to such bodies; any adult without a criminal record can procure them.High powered semi-automatic weapons and ammunition for them were non-existent when the framers of the Constitution added Second Amendment. It was a different world then.Here are some numbers about the tolls they take. Source: Injury Facts of the National Safety Council's report, 2002 edition.______________________ In 1999, 3,385 kids ages 0-19 years were killed with a gun. This includes homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries. This is equivalent to about 9 deaths per day, a figure commonly used by journalists. The 3,385 firearms-related deaths for age group 0-19 years breaks down to: 214 unintentional 1,078 suicides 1,990 homicides 83 for which the intent could not be determined 20 due to legal intervention Of the total firearms-related deaths: 73 were of children under five years old 416 were children 5-14 years old 2,896 were 15-19 years old In addition to firearm deaths, we need to look at how many children and young people are hurt by guns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 1997, 2,514 children aged 0-14 were non-fatally injured by guns. In the same year, 30,225 young people aged 15-24 sustained nonfatal firearm injuries. These statistics include suicide attempts and both intentional and accidental shootings.\nWho needs them and why ? They are not toys. There is clear evidence about the connection between abundance of guns and firearm related deaths and injuries in the United States. Is it because many gun owners in our country are careless about handling and storage of their weapons? The NRA publicizes that there are many women among its members. True. On the other side of the picture is the fact that among those who favor gun control are the following organizations:American Medical Women's Ass'nGeneral Federation of Women's ClubsInt'l Ladies' Garment Workers' UnionLeague of Women Voters of the United StatesNat'l Council of Jewish WomenNat'l Council of Negro WomenNat'l Organization for WomenWomen's Nat'l Democratic ClubWomen Strike for PeaceWomen's Action for New Directions (WAND)Women's Int'l League for Peace and FreedomYWCA of the U.S.North of the border, in Canada the number of gun owners is high yet firearm related deaths and injuries are comparatively much lower. Canada's restritctive requirements for purchase of guns are under attack from the conservatives.Links:Your Child-National Safety CouncilCDC-ChildrenJeffrey A. Roth-Firearms and ViolenceCanada \"Support the right to arm bears\". Can't make the situation any worse. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/support-the-right-to-arm-bears-bumper-sticker-seen-in-palo-alto-california/","summary":"Slogan used by the National Rifle Association:  \"Guns don't kill people, people do\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWell, one cannot argue with the fact that someone has to pull the trigger. It is also indisputable that people can be stabbed to death, beaten to death, strangled to death,poisoned to death, pushed to death, drowned to death and so on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOne cannot also argue with the fact that guns make killing very easy. The following is from data base of the Center for Disease Control (CDC): \"The rate of firearm deaths among children under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. American children are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die in a firearm accident than children in these other countries.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMy respect for the Constitution is high and I have contempt for those who urge amendments for political expediency or for the sake of their own narrow beliefs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Second Amendment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are legal arguments about the \"absoluteness\" of Second Amendment. No authority on the Constitution, I, but the words \"a well regulated militia\" jump out at me. Currently, availability of lethal firearms is not limited to such bodies; any adult without a criminal record can procure them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHigh powered semi-automatic weapons and ammunition for them were non-existent when the framers of the Constitution added Second Amendment. It was a different world then.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere are some numbers about the tolls they take. Source:   Injury Facts of  the National Safety Council's report, 2002 edition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e______________________\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIn 1999, 3,385 kids ages 0-19 years were killed with a gun. This includes homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries. \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThis is equivalent to about 9 deaths per day, a figure commonly used by journalists.               \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe 3,385 firearms-related deaths for age group 0-19 years breaks down to:                   \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e214 unintentional                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e1,078 suicides                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e1,990 homicides                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e83 for which the intent could not be determined                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e20 due to legal intervention \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eOf the total firearms-related deaths:                   \u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e73 were of children under five years old                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e416 were children 5-14 years old                     \u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e2,896 were 15-19 years old \u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn addition to firearm deaths, we need to look at how many children and young people are hurt by guns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 1997, 2,514 children aged 0-14 were non-fatally injured by guns. In the same year, 30,225 young people aged 15-24 sustained nonfatal firearm injuries. These statistics include suicide attempts and both intentional and accidental shootings.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"\"Support the Right to Arm Bears\" (Bumper sticker seen in Palo Alto, California)"},{"content":" Blinded by Faith and Ego - Leading us down a chute “I couldn’t afford to learn it,” said the Mock Turtle with a sigh. “I only took the regular course.”“What was that?” inquired Alice.“Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with,” the Mock Turtle replied; “and then the different branches of Arithmetic—Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.”“I never heard of ‘Uglification,’” Alice ventured to say.\"---Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898), British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, ch. IX, Macmillan (1865).Paul Krugman of MIT hits the nail on the head with his biting commentary about the Bush administration. Although an economist by training, Professor Krugman's observations about politics and society have earned his columns in The NY Times a large following.Link:The Oblivious Right# posted by musafir @ 9:10 AM Comments (7) | Trackback (0) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-new-ruling-class/","summary":"\u003ca name=\"111444403515723891\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBlinded by Faith and Ego - Leading us down a chute\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e“I couldn’t afford to learn it,” said the Mock Turtle with a sigh. “I only took the regular course.”\u003cbr/\u003e“What was that?” inquired Alice.\u003cbr/\u003e“Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with,” the Mock Turtle replied; “and then the different branches of Arithmetic—Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.”\u003cbr/\u003e“I never heard of ‘Uglification,’” Alice ventured to say.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898), British author, mathematician, clergyman. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, ch. IX, Macmillan (1865).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman of MIT hits the nail on the head with his biting commentary about the Bush administration. Although an economist by training, Professor Krugman's observations about politics and society have earned his columns in The NY Times a large following.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/25/opinion/25krugman.html?ei=5070\u0026amp;en=8b6d6747850cbe04\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;ex=1115092800\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;position=\"\u003eThe Oblivious Right\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pacetua.blogspot.com/2005/04/new-ruling-class.html\" title=\"permanent link\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e posted by musafir @ 9:10 AM \u003ca alt=\"Comment\" class=\"comment-link\" href=\"http://www.haloscan.com/comments/probashi/111444403515723891/\" onclick=\"HaloScan('111444403515723891'); return false;\" target=\"_self\"\u003e Comments (7)\u003c/a\u003e | \u003ca alt=\"Trackback\" class=\"comment-link\" href=\"http://www.haloscan.com/tb/probashi/111444403515723891/\" onclick=\"HaloScanTB('111444403515723891'); return false;\" target=\"_self\"\u003e Trackback (0)\u003c/a\u003e \u003cspan class=\"item-action\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=111444403515723891\" title=\"Email Post\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"email-post-icon\"\u003e \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e","title":"The New Ruling Class"},{"content":" Oracle of the Fed? No, Just Another Politicized BureaucratFour years after shedding his neutrality to endorse President Bush's massive tax cuts (targeted primarily to benefit the top 1% of wealthy Americans) the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank is having \"second thoughts\"! The fact that even Alan Greenspan failed to remain apolitical, as his position required, is a sad commentary on our system of government.\"Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday that his support for tax cuts in early 2001 unintentionally encouraged policies that helped swing the federal budget from surplus to record deficits. In addition, he explicitly said for the first time that he expects tax increases to be part of any bipartisan agreement on deficit reduction.\" Link:Greenspan ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-greenspan-tango-or-shuffle/","summary":"Oracle of the Fed?  No, Just Another Politicized Bureaucrat\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFour years after shedding his neutrality to endorse President Bush's massive tax cuts (targeted primarily to benefit the top 1% of wealthy Americans) the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank is having \"second thoughts\"! The fact that even Alan Greenspan failed to remain apolitical, as his position required, is a sad commentary on our system of government.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday that his support for tax cuts in early 2001 unintentionally encouraged policies that helped swing the federal budget from surplus to record deficits. \u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Greenspan Tango (or Shuffle)"},{"content":" A damaging document surfaces 11 days before the pollsEver since Tony Blair involved Britain in the war against Iraq, there has been numerous questions raised in and outside the British Parliament about the legality of the decision. It was legal opinion by Attorney General Oliver Goldsmith that Prime Minister Blair used to support his position. However, the full report was never released despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of British citizens felt that it should be.Now, 11 days before the polls open in England, the 13-page legal opinion submitted by Justice Goldsmith has leaked out.The war, named \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\", began 9:34 PM EST on March 19, 2003 (5:34 AM local time in Baghdad on March 20). According to the leaked document, Justice Goldsmith issued his report on March 7, 2003. It expressed \"serious reservations about the legality of the conflict\" and spelled out six reasons why Blair could be in violation of international law. \"Ten days later, he apparently changed his mind, delivering a summary to Blair declaring the war was legal - the cue for the invasion.\"The timing of the leak couldn't have been worse for the prime minister. But he is an eloquent speaker, fast on his feet. He is going to survive. One question that the Goldsmith document will not answer is why did the prime minister feel the need so strongly to align himself and his nation in the unjustified war.The Observer,UK:\"An ICM poll carried out for Vote for Peace, which campaigns for anti-war MPs in marginal constituencies, found this weekend that only seven per cent of Britons would support a US-led war on Iran without UN agreement. More than a third would not support it in any circumstances.\"Blair and Iraq War ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/tony-blair-and-the-war-against-iraq/","summary":"A damaging document surfaces 11 days before the polls\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEver since Tony Blair involved Britain in the war against Iraq, there has been numerous questions raised in and outside the British Parliament about the legality of the decision. It was legal opinion by Attorney General Oliver Goldsmith that Prime Minister Blair used to support his position. However, the full report was never released despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of British citizens felt that it should be.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow, 11 days before the polls open in England, the 13-page legal opinion submitted by Justice Goldsmith has leaked out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe war, named \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\", began 9:34 PM EST on March 19, 2003 (5:34 AM local time in Baghdad on March 20). According to the leaked document, Justice Goldsmith issued his report on March 7, 2003. It expressed \"serious reservations about the legality of the conflict\" and spelled out six reasons why Blair could be in violation of international law. \"Ten days later, he apparently changed his mind, delivering a summary to Blair declaring the war was legal - the cue for the invasion.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe timing of the leak couldn't have been worse for the prime minister. But he is an eloquent speaker, fast on his feet. He is going to survive. One question that the Goldsmith document will not answer is why did the prime minister feel the need so strongly to align himself and his nation in the unjustified war.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Observer,UK:\u003cbr/\u003e\"An ICM poll carried out for Vote for Peace, which campaigns for anti-war MPs in marginal constituencies, found this weekend that only seven per cent of Britons would support a US-led war on Iran without UN agreement. More than a third would not support it in any circumstances.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1469235,00.html\"\u003eBlair and Iraq War\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Tony Blair and the War against Iraq"},{"content":" Ratzinger blocked release of allegations - A follow up to my post dated April 23, 2005.A report by Jamie Doward, religious affairs correspondent of The Observer reveals that Cardinal Ratzinger ordered Catholic bishops to keep the investigations confidential \"for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood\"secret \".A copy of the confidential letter sent in May 2001 has been obtained by The Observer. Cardinal Ratzinger made it quite clear where he stood on this issue.\"It spells out to bishops the church's position on a number of matters ranging from celebrating the eucharist with a non-Catholic to sexual abuse by a cleric 'with a minor below the age of 18 years'. Ratzinger's letter states that the church can claim jurisdiction in cases where abuse has been 'perpetrated with a minor by a cleric'.Link:Ratzinger and Sex Abuse EnquiryNote: The Observer is a sister paper (published on Sundays) of The Guardian. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/pope-benedict-xvis-role-in-sex-abuse-enquiry/","summary":"Ratzinger blocked  release of allegations - A follow up to my post dated April 23, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA report by Jamie Doward, religious affairs correspondent of The Observer reveals that Cardinal Ratzinger ordered Catholic bishops to keep the investigations confidential \"for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood\"secret \".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA copy of the confidential letter sent in May 2001 has been obtained by The Observer. Cardinal Ratzinger made it quite clear where he stood on this issue.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It spells out to bishops the church's position on a number of matters ranging from celebrating the eucharist with a non-Catholic to sexual abuse by a cleric 'with a minor below the age of 18 years'. Ratzinger's letter states that the church can claim jurisdiction in cases where abuse has been 'perpetrated with a minor by a cleric'.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5178330-102275,00.html\"\u003eRatzinger and Sex Abuse Enquiry\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: The Observer is a sister paper (published on Sundays)  of The Guardian.\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Pope Benedict XVI's role in Sex Abuse Enquiry"},{"content":" Concern for fetuses but does not acknowledge hungry and sick childrenThe Bush Administration, always ready to side the with the pro-lifers, has issued a directive specifically formulated to appease them and to make it more difficult for women seeking abortion as well as the physicians involved in the procedure. There is a strange disconnect between the Department of Health \u0026amp; Human Services' concern for fetuses and its callousness about children who need food, medicine and clothing to survive.\"David Grimes, a licensed obstetrician/gynecologist who previously worked for the abortion surveillance division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the act and Friday's instructions were medically unnecessary.\"I don't see this as a big issue. Physicians are going to do what's appropriate,\" said Grimes, who now practices in North Carolina. \"It's all rhetoric from persons with political views they want to advance.\"He said the act's definition of alive is \"silly,\" given that it implies a fetus miscarried at 14 or 16 weeks \"with no chance of survival\" would be legally identified as a living person. Most medical experts agree that a fetus delivered prior to 23 weeks has little chance of survival, he said.\"Link:Politics of Fetuses ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/faith-based-politics-in-action/","summary":"Concern for fetuses  but does not acknowledge hungry and sick children\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush Administration, always ready to side the with the pro-lifers, has issued a directive specifically formulated to appease them and to make it more difficult for women seeking abortion as well as the physicians involved in the procedure. There is a strange disconnect between the Department of Health \u0026amp; Human Services' concern for fetuses and its callousness about children who need food, medicine and clothing to survive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"David Grimes, a licensed obstetrician/gynecologist who previously worked for the abortion surveillance division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the act and Friday's instructions were medically unnecessary.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I don't see this as a big issue. Physicians are going to do what's appropriate,\" said Grimes, who now practices in North Carolina. \"It's all rhetoric from persons with political views they want to advance.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHe said the act's definition of alive is \"silly,\" given that it implies a fetus miscarried at 14 or 16 weeks \"with no chance of survival\" would be legally identified as a living person. Most medical experts agree that a fetus delivered prior to 23 weeks has little chance of survival, he said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/04/23/MNGBQCDTKH1.DTL\u0026amp;amp;amp;type=printable\"\u003ePolitics of Fetuses\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Faith Based Politics in Action"},{"content":" Beginning of a New Era at the VaticanNew does not mean different. In his first sermon after being appointed, Benedict XVI promised \"open and sincere\" dialogue with other religions. What that means remains to be seen. A good example is the current occupant of the White House who declared himself as a \"compassionate conservative\". And I am an alien from outer space.There has been some negative comments about Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as Pope Benedict was known, including his role during Hitler's Third Reich. That allegation lacks documentary evidence. The records, however, include some disturbing facts. Among his responsibilities as Cardinal was the leadership of the Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also known as the Holy Office, the body that promulgated the infamous Spanish Inquisition.For those who are not aware of the background, in 1478 Pope Sixtus IV issued a Bull empowering the Spanish sovereigns to set up tribunals to extirpate heresy within their realms. From then until it was abolished in 1834, the Inquisition pursued the goal of destruction of every person who was not a sincere Roman Catholic Christian. \"First and foremost this meant Jews, but the Holy Office later expanded its range of victims to include Protestants, mystics, and non-conformist of every sort.\" (The Spanish Inquisition by Cecil Roth, published by W.W. Norton \u0026amp; Co.)\"Death sentence usually meant being publicly burned at a stake. It was known as Auto da Fe, Act of Purification.We can rejoice that the murderous tribunal is no longer active although one gets the feeling that there are Christians who salivate at the thought of heretics being burned at stake.In his own words:On holy communion and the voteA Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia.· Ratzinger memo to US Catholic bishops conference in Denver, June 2004On Aids and condomsTo see a solution to the problem of infection by promoting the use of prophylactics would be to embark on a way not only insufficiently reliable from the technical point of view, but also and above all, unacceptable from the moral aspect. Such a proposal for \"safe\" or at least \"safer\" sex - as they say - ignores the real cause of the problem, namely, the permissiveness which, in the area of sex, as in that related to other causes, corrodes the moral fibre of the people.· Ratzinger quoting, in a 1978 interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, from an Osservatore Romano article on Aids believed to have originated with himOn celibacyNot a dogma of the faith, but something that has grown in a human way and clearly contains the dangers for those who undertake it of a headlong fall.· Salz der Erde, 1997On women and AnglicanismA new situation has been brought about by two circumstances: the extending of the majority principle to questions of doctrine and the entrusting of doctrinal decisions to national churches ... Both of these are in themselves nonsensical; because doctrine is either true or not true.· 1976, quoted in Cardinal RatzingerOn lawsThe church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorise or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a \"grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection ... In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it\".· Memo to US Catholic bishops conference in Denver, June 2004On liberation theologyIn the crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, many missionaries came to the conclusion that missionary work, that is, the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was no longer appropriate today. They thought the only thing that still made sense was to offer help in social development. But how can positive social development be carried out if we become illiterate with regard to God?Gospel and social advancement go together.· Lecture to Campania bishops, Benveneto, June 2002I did not find any statement in which Pope Benedict condemned or mentioned the numerous cases of sexual abuse of children by members of clergy of the Catholic Church.Postscript: After publication of this post I learned from Laurie Goldstein's report in The NY Times that Cardinal Ratzinger was involved in investigating cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests but the hearings were \"secret\".\"It is impossible to assess Cardinal Ratzinger's record in disciplining the priests accused over the years. The hearings were secret, and under longstanding rules, the Congregation and its staff do not release any information about specific cases, the number of cases considered, or how the cases have been handled.\"Link:Ratzinger on Sexual Abuse ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/pope-benedict-xvi/","summary":"Beginning of a New Era at the Vatican\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNew does not mean different. In his first sermon after being appointed, Benedict XVI promised \"open and sincere\" dialogue with other religions. What that means remains to be seen. A good example is the current occupant of the White House who declared himself as a \"compassionate conservative\". And I am an alien from outer space.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere has been some negative comments about Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as Pope Benedict was known, including his role during Hitler's Third Reich. That allegation lacks documentary evidence. The records, however, include some disturbing facts. Among his responsibilities as Cardinal was the leadership of the Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also known as the Holy Office, the body that promulgated the infamous Spanish Inquisition.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor those who are not aware of the background, in 1478 Pope Sixtus IV issued a Bull empowering the Spanish sovereigns to set up tribunals to extirpate heresy within their realms. From then until it was abolished in 1834, the Inquisition pursued the goal of destruction of every person who was not a sincere Roman Catholic Christian. \"First and foremost this meant Jews, but the Holy Office later expanded its range of victims to include Protestants, mystics, and non-conformist of every sort.\" (The Spanish Inquisition by Cecil Roth, published by W.W. Norton \u0026amp; Co.)\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeath sentence usually meant being publicly burned at a stake. It was known as Auto da Fe, Act of Purification.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe can rejoice that the murderous tribunal is no longer active although one gets the feeling that there are Christians who salivate at the thought of heretics being burned at stake.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn his own words:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn holy communion and the vote\u003cbr/\u003eA Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e· Ratzinger memo to US Catholic bishops conference in Denver, June 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Aids and condoms\u003cbr/\u003eTo see a solution to the problem of infection by promoting the use of prophylactics would be to embark on a way not only insufficiently reliable from the technical point of view, but also and above all, unacceptable from the moral aspect. Such a proposal for \"safe\" or at least \"safer\" sex - as they say - ignores the real cause of the problem, namely, the permissiveness which, in the area of sex, as in that related to other causes, corrodes the moral fibre of the people.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e· Ratzinger quoting, in a 1978 interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, from an Osservatore Romano article on Aids believed to have originated with him\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn celibacy\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot a dogma of the faith, but something that has grown in a human way and clearly contains the dangers for those who undertake it of a headlong fall.\u003cbr/\u003e· Salz der Erde, 1997\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn women and Anglicanism\u003cbr/\u003eA new situation has been brought about by two circumstances: the extending of the majority principle to questions of doctrine and the entrusting of doctrinal decisions to national churches ... Both of these are in themselves nonsensical; because doctrine is either true or not true.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e· 1976, quoted in Cardinal Ratzinger\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn laws\u003cbr/\u003eThe church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorise or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a \"grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection ... In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e· Memo to US Catholic bishops conference in Denver, June 2004\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn liberation theology\u003cbr/\u003eIn the crisis of the 1960s and 1970s, many missionaries came to the conclusion that missionary work, that is, the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was no longer appropriate today. They thought the only thing that still made sense was to offer help in social development. But how can positive social development be carried out if we become illiterate with regard to God?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGospel and social advancement go together.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e· Lecture to Campania bishops, Benveneto, June 2002\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI did not find any statement in which Pope Benedict condemned or mentioned the numerous cases of sexual abuse of children by members of clergy of the Catholic Church.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePostscript: After publication of this post I learned from Laurie Goldstein's report in The NY Times that Cardinal Ratzinger was involved in investigating cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests but the hearings were \"secret\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is impossible to assess Cardinal Ratzinger's record in disciplining the priests accused over the years. The hearings were secret, and under longstanding rules, the Congregation and its staff do not release any information about specific cases, the number of cases considered, or how the cases have been handled.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://nytimes.com/2005/04/23/international/worldspecial2/23priest.html?ei=5094\u0026amp;en=5ee66ac83f5be2ee\u0026amp;amp;hp=\u0026amp;ex=1114315200\u0026amp;partner=homepage\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;position=\"\u003eRatzinger on Sexual Abuse\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Pope Benedict XVI"},{"content":" Are we nearing the \"peak\" of production ?The Guardian,UK, (4/21/05) contains a fascinating article by John Vidal. It is based on a report prepared by Colin Campbell of the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Center. Lucid and factual, Campbell describes a scenario that is causing waves. It is a wake up call from somone who knows all that is worth knowing about the business of oil .No, we are not going to run out of oil tomorrow or the next year. But, in Campbell's opinion we are nearing the \"peak\" of production.We can forget about oil prices going back to where they were a year ago or even six months ago. Are the industrialized nations (the U.S. at the top) going to change direction and make serious attempts about conservation instead of looking for new sources of production ? Fat chance. Politicians rarely take positions that are likely to be unpopular and they need to cater to the interests of their friends in the industries that benefit from high consumption. This time, however, even the movers and shakers in the oil industry are cautious about the ability to keep pace with the exponential growth in consumption, and the dwindling oil reserves.\"But the business of estimating oil reserves is contentious and political. According to Campbell, companies seldom report their true findings for commercial reasons, and governments - which own 90% of the reserves - often lie. Most official figures, he says, are grossly unreliable: 'Estimating reserves is a scientific business. There is a range of uncertainty but it is not impossible to get a good idea of what a field contains. Reporting [reserves], however, is a political act.' \"Guardian,UK-The end of oil is closer than you think ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/oil---lifeblood-of-the-industrialized-world/","summary":"Are we nearing the \"peak\" of production ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Guardian,UK, (4/21/05) contains a fascinating article by John Vidal. It is based on a report prepared by Colin Campbell of the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Center. Lucid and factual, Campbell describes a scenario that is causing waves. It is a wake up call from somone who knows all that is worth knowing about the business of oil .\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, we are not going to run out of oil tomorrow or the next year. But, in Campbell's opinion we are nearing the \"peak\" of production.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe can forget about oil prices going back to where they were a year ago or even six months ago. Are the industrialized nations (the U.S. at the top) going to change direction and make serious attempts about conservation instead of looking for new sources of production ? Fat chance. Politicians rarely take positions that are likely to be unpopular and they need to cater to the interests of their friends in the industries that benefit from high consumption. This time, however, even the movers and shakers in the oil industry are cautious about the ability to keep pace with the exponential growth in consumption, and the dwindling oil reserves.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"But the business of estimating oil reserves is contentious and political. According to Campbell, companies seldom report their true findings for commercial reasons, and governments - which own 90% of the reserves - often lie. Most official figures, he says, are grossly unreliable: 'Estimating reserves is a scientific business. There is a range of uncertainty but it is not impossible to get a good idea of what a field contains. Reporting [reserves], however, is a political act.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,13026,1464050,00.html\"\u003eGuardian,UK-The end of oil is closer than you think\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Oil - Lifeblood of the Industrialized World"},{"content":" And What They Tell About UsThe brutish, extra-wide Hummers make me think of the owners being mean, selfish and arrogant---typical Bush Republicans. This article from The NY Times confirms that I am not far from the truth. Too bad that some Democrats like the ugly, gas hogging monstrosity on wheels.\"Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.\"The NY Times April 1, 2005Your Car: Politics on WheelsBy JOHN TIERNEYIT has always been tempting to think you can figure out who a person is and what he thinks by what he drives. That subject was raised recently by Chely Wright in her country and western hit, ''Bumper of My S.U.V.,'' in which she tells of a ''lady in a minivan'' giving her a vulgar hand gesture for driving a car with a Marines bumper sticker:''Does she think she knows what I stand for/Or the things that I believe/Just by looking at a sticker for the U.S. Marines/On the bumper of my S.U.V.?''The lady in the minivan might not know, but some of the finest minds in market research think they do. By analyzing new-car sales, surveying car owners and keeping count of political bumper stickers, they are identifying the differences between Democratic cars and Republican ones.Among their findings: buyers of American cars tend to be Republican -- except, for some reason, those who buy Pontiacs, who tend to be Democrats. Foreign-brand compact cars are usually bought by Democrats -- but not Mini Coopers, which are bought by almost equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. And Volvos may not actually represent quite what you think.How valuable is this information? ''I think it's fun to talk about,'' the political analyst James Carville said, ''but I mean, you see a guy in a pickup truck with a rifle and a Confederate flag, and you know how he's going to vote anyway.'' But upon further reflection Mr. Carville acknowledged the value of the surveys. ''It actually does have some merit, especially when used in conjunction with other information about consumer habits. It can be a very accurate predictor.''Last year, the Republican National Committee applied data supplied by Scarborough Research, a New York market research firm, to a range of leisure-time and consumer activities to find where it could reach potential voters with advertising. Part of Scarborough's effort was to survey 200,000 car owners about their political affiliations.Scarborough found that Porsche owners identified themselves as Republican more often than owners of any other cars, with 59 percent calling themselves Republicans, 27 percent Democrats and the rest either calling themselves independents or declining to answer. Jaguars and Land Rovers also registered as very ''Republican'' vehicles.Scarborough also determined that Volvos were the most ''Democratic'' cars, by 44 to 32 percent, followed by Subarus and Hyundais. But although a lot of old Volvos on the road are driven by Democrats, the customers in Volvo showrooms no longer fit the old stereotype, according to a survey of 163,000 new-car buyers last year that was conducted by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore.As Volvo's advertising has stressed performance in addition to safety, more and more Republicans are buying Volvos. The CNW survey last year showed that Democratic buyers of Volvo cars outnumbered Republicans by only 32 percent to 27 percent.''Volvos have become more plush and bourgeois, which is a Republican thing to be,'' said Mickey Kaus, a dual expert in politics and cars as the author of the Kausfiles and Gearbox columns for Slate. ''Subaru is the new Volvo -- that is, it is what Volvos used to be: trusty, rugged, inexpensive, unpretentious, performs well, maybe a bit ugly. You don't buy it because you want to show you have money; you buy it because you have college-professor values.''The CNW survey, which measured political affiliation not just by make but also by model, found that a Jeep Grand Cherokee S.U.V. was more than half again as likely to be bought by a Republican than by a Democrat, at 46 percent to 28. Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.According to CNW's figures, staunch Democrats drive S.U.V.'s too, but they tend to prefer smaller, foreign-made ones. Republicans generally like them bigger and American-made, or at least bearing the name of an American company, even if they were built elsewhere.The survey also found that minivans skewed blue, just as Chely Wright surmised in her song. At first glance, this might seem odd, because Republican car buyers tended to have more children -- 3.5 on average, versus 1.7 for the Democratic buyers. Explaining this apparent contradiction offers a look into the increasing exactitude marketers seem to be applying to the question of who drives what.''You might think with all the kids, they'd want the practicality of a minivan,'' said Art Spinella, the president of CNW. But practicality was not the Republican customer's highest priority, as Mr. Spinella's company discovered by tracking the customers throughout the buying process.''There is a certain resistance that male new-car buyers have to minivans even in a household with two or three kids,'' Mr. Spinella explained. ''For the most part, red-state households are more male-dominated when it comes to decision-making for a vehicle. In blue states, it's more of a joint decision-making process.'' Because the Democratic women get more of a say in the decision, their families end up with more minivans than S.U.V.'s.The Democrats also tend to consider a wider range of cars before buying. ''In red states, there's more affinity to specific brands or loyalty to the same brand they had before,'' Mr. Spinella said. ''A person in a red state will start with an average of 2.5 vehicles on the shopping list. In the blue states the average is 6.''The blue-staters, not surprisingly, are a lot more likely to put hybrid cars on their list: buyers of the Toyota Prius hybrid were Democrats by a 35 to 22 percent. Democrats in general are more fond of smaller cars (the Ford Escort and Dodge Neon both skewed blue by about 34 to 20), although energy efficiency is hardly the only reason. Besides having fewer children, Democrats tend to be younger, less affluent and more likely to live in cities where small cars are easier to park.Some of these differences have more to do with geography than personal politics. Democrats are concentrated in port cities with more links to Europe and Asia, making them more open to foreign car companies. Republicans are more likely to be living in the heartland, where there's room for bigger cars and a tradition of loyalty to the American cars built in nearby factories.But car buyers are also responding to the political images that come with some cars. Some foreign car companies have marketed cars as environmentally friendly, and some have at times focused on parts of the Democratic base. Saab and Subaru were the first and most visible to aim advertising at gay drivers.Midsize and large American cars skew Republican, and so, of course, do big American pickup trucks. That may have something to do with American car companies marketing themselves through one of the great symbols of Republicanism, Nascar, which is enormously popular in the red states.''Nascar has an American-made-only requirement for cars and a variety of other rules that discourage foreign makers from competing,'' said Steve Sailer, a conservative journalist who has analyzed the red-blue divide. ''Toyota has dipped its toe into Nascar's truck-racing series with its American-made trucks, but there isn't a lot of demand for Japanese participation.''In truth, a lot of fans would be sore about ending the all-American monopoly. Nascar has become a covert ethnic-pride celebration for red-state whites of Northern European descent.''All surveys found that nothing is more Republican than a big pickup. ''The No. 1 vehicle bought by millionaires is the Ford F-Series pickup truck,'' Mr. Spinella said. ''They're farmers, ranchers, contractors, independent businesspeople. They basically work for themselves and they have substantial assets.''The Saab is a Democratic car, according to both CNW and Scarborough, which found that Saab owners were about twice as likely to be Democrats. It's an upscale car an affluent Democrat can drive without feeling guiltily ostentatious while also reveling in a different sort of status symbol, said the president of Scarborough, Bob Cohen.''The Saab owner is not going after the obvious status symbol like a BMW,'' Mr. Cohen said. ''He wants to make a statement that he's in a small group with specialized knowledge who don't go for a safe choice like BMW, because he can get a better deal with a Saab.''A less affluent version of that car buyer might go for a Saturn, the offbeat brand of choice for aficionados who skew heavily Democratic, by 39 to 11 among last year's car buyers. Mr. Kaus says they appeal to Democrats because they are ''clunky, Earth Shoe-like cars.''SATURN owners were also prone to put their Democratic loyalties on display, at least according to a count undertaken by Political Bumpers, which was billed as ''an extremely unscientific'' project undertaken near the end of the presidential campaign last year.Volunteers counted more than 1,300 bumper stickers in a half dozen states from Sept. 20 to Oct. 31 and came up with results (www.laze.net/bumpers) that roughly jibed with the much larger market-research surveys. Like the larger surveys, the Political Bumpers totals added up to within a couple of percentage points of the 51-percent-to-48 result of the 2004 presidential election.The Political Bumpers spotters, who recorded bumper stickers in favor of or against any of the candidates in the 2004 election, found that the drivers of pickup trucks and large S.U.V.'s were overwhelmingly right-leaning. But the leader of the project, Ryan MacMichael, of Leesburg, Va., said his biggest surprise was the pronounced Democratic skew of bumper stickers on economy cars (71 percent were left-leaning) and station wagons (67 percent).The most left-leaning models with at least a dozen sightings in Mr. MacMichael's project were the Honda Civic (80-20 left-leaning), Toyota Corolla (78-19) and Toyota Camry (74-26). The list of most right-leaning was led by another Toyota, but a midsize S.U.V., the Toyota 4Runner (86-14), followed by the Ford Expedition (76-24) and Ford F-150 (75-25).To Mr. Spinella, those bumper stickers merely provided further proof of the most fundamental difference between the two parties.''Democrats buy cars,'' he said. ''Republicans buy trucks.'' ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-cars-we-drive/","summary":"And What They Tell About Us\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe brutish, extra-wide Hummers make me think of the owners being mean, selfish and arrogant---typical Bush Republicans. This article from The NY Times confirms that I am not far from the truth. Too bad that some Democrats like the ugly, gas hogging monstrosity on wheels.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe NY Times April 1, 2005\u003cbr/\u003eYour Car: Politics on Wheels\u003cbr/\u003eBy JOHN TIERNEY\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIT has always been tempting to think you can figure out who a person is and what he thinks by what he drives. That subject was raised recently by Chely Wright in her country and western hit, ''Bumper of My S.U.V.,'' in which she tells of a ''lady in a minivan'' giving her a vulgar hand gesture for driving a car with a Marines bumper sticker:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''Does she think she knows what I stand for/Or the things that I believe/Just by looking at a sticker for the U.S. Marines/On the bumper of my S.U.V.?''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe lady in the minivan might not know, but some of the finest minds in market research think they do. By analyzing new-car sales, surveying car owners and keeping count of political bumper stickers, they are identifying the differences between Democratic cars and Republican ones.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong their findings: buyers of American cars tend to be Republican -- except, for some reason, those who buy Pontiacs, who tend to be Democrats. Foreign-brand compact cars are usually bought by Democrats -- but not Mini Coopers, which are bought by almost equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. And Volvos may not actually represent quite what you think.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow valuable is this information? ''I think it's fun to talk about,'' the political analyst James Carville said, ''but I mean, you see a guy in a pickup truck with a rifle and a Confederate flag, and you know how he's going to vote anyway.'' But upon further reflection Mr. Carville acknowledged the value of the surveys. ''It actually does have some merit, especially when used in conjunction with other information about consumer habits. It can be a very accurate predictor.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLast year, the Republican National Committee applied data supplied by Scarborough Research, a New York market research firm, to a range of leisure-time and consumer activities to find where it could reach potential voters with advertising. Part of Scarborough's effort was to survey 200,000 car owners about their political affiliations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eScarborough found that Porsche owners identified themselves as Republican more often than owners of any other cars, with 59 percent calling themselves Republicans, 27 percent Democrats and the rest either calling themselves independents or declining to answer. Jaguars and Land Rovers also registered as very ''Republican'' vehicles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eScarborough also determined that Volvos were the most ''Democratic'' cars, by 44 to 32 percent, followed by Subarus and Hyundais. But although a lot of old Volvos on the road are driven by Democrats, the customers in Volvo showrooms no longer fit the old stereotype, according to a survey of 163,000 new-car buyers last year that was conducted by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs Volvo's advertising has stressed performance in addition to safety, more and more Republicans are buying Volvos. The CNW survey last year showed that Democratic buyers of Volvo cars outnumbered Republicans by only 32 percent to 27 percent.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''Volvos have become more plush and bourgeois, which is a Republican thing to be,'' said Mickey Kaus, a dual expert in politics and cars as the author of the Kausfiles and Gearbox columns for Slate. ''Subaru is the new Volvo -- that is, it is what Volvos used to be: trusty, rugged, inexpensive, unpretentious, performs well, maybe a bit ugly. You don't buy it because you want to show you have money; you buy it because you have college-professor values.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe CNW survey, which measured political affiliation not just by make but also by model, found that a Jeep Grand Cherokee S.U.V. was more than half again as likely to be bought by a Republican than by a Democrat, at 46 percent to 28. Among Hummer buyers, the Republican-to-Democrat ratio was a whopping 52 to 23.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to CNW's figures, staunch Democrats drive S.U.V.'s too, but they tend to prefer smaller, foreign-made ones. Republicans generally like them bigger and American-made, or at least bearing the name of an American company, even if they were built elsewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe survey also found that minivans skewed blue, just as Chely Wright surmised in her song. At first glance, this might seem odd, because Republican car buyers tended to have more children -- 3.5 on average, versus 1.7 for the Democratic buyers. Explaining this apparent contradiction offers a look into the increasing exactitude marketers seem to be applying to the question of who drives what.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''You might think with all the kids, they'd want the practicality of a minivan,'' said Art Spinella, the president of CNW. But practicality was not the Republican customer's highest priority, as Mr. Spinella's company discovered by tracking the customers throughout the buying process.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''There is a certain resistance that male new-car buyers have to minivans even in a household with two or three kids,'' Mr. Spinella explained. ''For the most part, red-state households are more male-dominated when it comes to decision-making for a vehicle. In blue states, it's more of a joint decision-making process.'' Because the Democratic women get more of a say in the decision, their families end up with more minivans than S.U.V.'s.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Democrats also tend to consider a wider range of cars before buying. ''In red states, there's more affinity to specific brands or loyalty to the same brand they had before,'' Mr. Spinella said. ''A person in a red state will start with an average of 2.5 vehicles on the shopping list. In the blue states the average is 6.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe blue-staters, not surprisingly, are a lot more likely to put hybrid cars on their list: buyers of the Toyota Prius hybrid were Democrats by a 35 to 22 percent. Democrats in general are more fond of smaller cars (the Ford Escort and Dodge Neon both skewed blue by about 34 to 20), although energy efficiency is hardly the only reason. Besides having fewer children, Democrats tend to be younger, less affluent and more likely to live in cities where small cars are easier to park.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome of these differences have more to do with geography than personal politics. Democrats are concentrated in port cities with more links to Europe and Asia, making them more open to foreign car companies. Republicans are more likely to be living in the heartland, where there's room for bigger cars and a tradition of loyalty to the American cars built in nearby factories.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut car buyers are also responding to the political images that come with some cars. Some foreign car companies have marketed cars as environmentally friendly, and some have at times focused on parts of the Democratic base. Saab and Subaru were the first and most visible to aim advertising at gay drivers.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMidsize and large American cars skew Republican, and so, of course, do big American pickup trucks. That may have something to do with American car companies marketing themselves through one of the great symbols of Republicanism, Nascar, which is enormously popular in the red states.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''Nascar has an American-made-only requirement for cars and a variety of other rules that discourage foreign makers from competing,'' said Steve Sailer, a conservative journalist who has analyzed the red-blue divide. ''Toyota has dipped its toe into Nascar's truck-racing series with its American-made trucks, but there isn't a lot of demand for Japanese participation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''In truth, a lot of fans would be sore about ending the all-American monopoly. Nascar has become a covert ethnic-pride celebration for red-state whites of Northern European descent.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll surveys found that nothing is more Republican than a big pickup. ''The No. 1 vehicle bought by millionaires is the Ford F-Series pickup truck,'' Mr. Spinella said. ''They're farmers, ranchers, contractors, independent businesspeople. They basically work for themselves and they have substantial assets.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Saab is a Democratic car, according to both CNW and Scarborough, which found that Saab owners were about twice as likely to be Democrats. It's an upscale car an affluent Democrat can drive without feeling guiltily ostentatious while also reveling in a different sort of status symbol, said the president of Scarborough, Bob Cohen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''The Saab owner is not going after the obvious status symbol like a BMW,'' Mr. Cohen said. ''He wants to make a statement that he's in a small group with specialized knowledge who don't go for a safe choice like BMW, because he can get a better deal with a Saab.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA less affluent version of that car buyer might go for a Saturn, the offbeat brand of choice for aficionados who skew heavily Democratic, by 39 to 11 among last year's car buyers. Mr. Kaus says they appeal to Democrats because they are ''clunky, Earth Shoe-like cars.''\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSATURN owners were also prone to put their Democratic loyalties on display, at least according to a count undertaken by Political Bumpers, which was billed as ''an extremely unscientific'' project undertaken near the end of the presidential campaign last year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVolunteers counted more than 1,300 bumper stickers in a half dozen states from Sept. 20 to Oct. 31 and came up with results (www.laze.net/bumpers) that roughly jibed with the much larger market-research surveys. Like the larger surveys, the Political Bumpers totals added up to within a couple of percentage points of the 51-percent-to-48 result of the 2004 presidential election.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Political Bumpers spotters, who recorded bumper stickers in favor of or against any of the candidates in the 2004 election, found that the drivers of pickup trucks and large S.U.V.'s were overwhelmingly right-leaning. But the leader of the project, Ryan MacMichael, of Leesburg, Va., said his biggest surprise was the pronounced Democratic skew of bumper stickers on economy cars (71 percent were left-leaning) and station wagons (67 percent).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe most left-leaning models with at least a dozen sightings in Mr. MacMichael's project were the Honda Civic (80-20 left-leaning), Toyota Corolla (78-19) and Toyota Camry (74-26). The list of most right-leaning was led by another Toyota, but a midsize S.U.V., the Toyota 4Runner (86-14), followed by the Ford Expedition (76-24) and Ford F-150 (75-25).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTo Mr. Spinella, those bumper stickers merely provided further proof of the most fundamental difference between the two parties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e''Democrats buy cars,'' he said. ''Republicans buy trucks.''","title":"The Cars We Drive"},{"content":" Promote Viagra and ban Morning After PillThe moral values gang merrily marching backward. The problem is that they want to force others to join them. \"Conscience clause\" ! Ya, Habibi.From The NY Times:\"Pharmacies Balk on After-Sex Pill and Widen Fight in Many States\" By MONICA DAVEY and PAM BELLUCK \" 4/19/05I quote:Around the country, in at least 12 states, including Indiana, Texas and Tennessee, so-called conscience clause bills have been introduced, which would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense contraceptives if they have moral or religious objections. Four states already have such laws applying specifically to pharmacists: Arkansas, South Dakota, Mississippi and Georgia.The full article: Morning after Pill\"There's a new medical crisis. Doctors are reporting that many men are having allergic reactions to latex condoms. They say they cause severe swelling. So what's the problem?\"--Dustin Hoffman ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/me-tarzan-you-jane/","summary":"Promote Viagra and ban Morning After Pill\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe moral values gang merrily marching backward.  The problem is that  they want to force  others to join them.   \"Conscience clause\" !  Ya, Habibi.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom The NY Times:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch2\u003e\"Pharmacies Balk on After-Sex Pill and Widen Fight in Many States\"\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e By \u003ca href=\"http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=bylL\u0026amp;v1=MONICA%20DAVEY\u0026amp;fdq=19960101\u0026amp;td=sysdate\u0026amp;sort=newest\u0026amp;ac=MONICA%20DAVEY\u0026amp;inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More Articles by Monica Davey\"\u003eMONICA DAVEY\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=bylL\u0026amp;v1=PAM%20BELLUCK\u0026amp;fdq=19960101\u0026amp;td=sysdate\u0026amp;sort=newest\u0026amp;ac=PAM%20BELLUCK\u0026amp;inline=nyt-per\" title=\"More Articles by Pam Belluck\"\u003ePAM BELLUCK\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\" 4/19/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI quote:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAround the country, in at least 12 states, including Indiana, Texas and Tennessee, so-called conscience clause bills have been introduced, which would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense contraceptives if they have moral or religious objections. Four states already have such laws applying specifically to pharmacists: Arkansas, South Dakota, Mississippi and Georgia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full article: \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/19/national/19pill.html?pagewanted=print\u0026amp;position=\"\u003eMorning after Pill\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There's a new medical crisis. Doctors are reporting that many men are having allergic reactions to latex condoms. They say they cause severe swelling. So what's the problem?\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Dustin Hoffman","title":"Me Tarzan, You Jane"},{"content":" This is what a friend wrote on April 17th:\"As of ten minutes ago, Iraq took on a whole different dimension for me and Brinda. The wonderful and compassionate progressive activist Marla Ruzicka was killed by a car-bomb in Iraq today. She was working to help Iraqi families put their lives back together after the carnage of the last two years. Perhaps Robert Fisk will write a fittingly eloquent tribute to Marla, if their paths had crossed in Iraq.Brinda and I met Marla 4 years ago at the annual Green Party convention in Burlingame. Brinda wanted to campaign for Medea Benjamin's SF city-council run. Marla invited us to an all-hands party at her home. Sadly, we couldn't make it and we lost the chance to work closely with her.She came across as a very positive, energetic and charming person. I remember she played with little Nikhil while Brinda and I ate lunch. We had several email exchanges after that and a year or two ago I met her again at a talk in Palo Alto. I remember reading an article about her and her work in Iraq in the SF Chronicle, and feeling really proud of her dedication.Medea has written a short note about Marla on the globalexchange.org website that you can check out.The dead and dying in Iraq are not numbers or photos to us any more. now we have a living face, a living voice, a vibrant and compassionate soul attached to this disaster. People like Marla help us believe that love and idealism still mean something here, now.What more can I say? We are in total shock.--BG\"Iraq Car Bomb Kills American Activisthttp://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/ap/20050418/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iaq_activist_killedAP Iraq Car Bomb Kills American ActivistBy BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press WriterSAN FRANCISCO - A woman who led an effort to help those ravaged by violence in Iraq fell victim to the war herself when a car bomb killed her and two other people, officials said Sunday.Marla Ruzicka, founder of Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, died Saturday in the blast, which also killed an Iraqi and another foreigner, officials said. She had been in Iraq conducting door-to-door surveys trying to determine the number of civilian casualties in the country.A skinny, ever-smiling woman with curly blond tresses, Ruzicka was untiring and undaunted as she went up against military and political bureaucracies in her effort to win help for Iraqi civilian victims of the war, and to make sure those who died were not forgotten.\"Everyone who met Marla was struck by her incredible effervescence and commitment,\" Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. \"She was courageous and relentless in pursuit of accurate information about civilians caught up in war.\"Ruzicka, 28, of Lakeport, founded CIVIC in 2003 and was instrumental in securing millions of dollars in aid money from the federal government for distribution in Iraq.U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., said it was Ruzicka's idea to put a special fund in last year's multibillion-dollar foreign aid bill to help Iraqis whose businesses had been bombed by mistake or as collateral damage.\"She was constantly calling us to say (lawmakers were) moving too slowly,\" he said by telephone on Sunday. \"Just from the force of her personality, we decided to take a chance on it.\"Ruzicka's parents said they were notified of her death just hours after the explosion. U.S. Embassy officials publicly released Ruzicka's nameSunday.\"We've been very worried about her but we know better than to tell our children not to do anything. We were supportive and just reminded her to be careful,\" said her mother, Nancy Ruzicka.She said her daughter had left her a telephone message the night before her death that said, \"Mom and dad, I love you. I'm OK.\"\"She cared about people and gave people her love and help,\" Nancy Ruzicka said. \"I'll remember the love she spread around the world and the good ambassador that she was for her country.\"Leahy remembered Ruzicka as a fiery young woman who came into his office about two years ago seeking federal money to aid civilians.Leahy said $10 million was added to the foreign aid bill last year for that purpose and another $10 million has been set aside for next year. The money was being distributed by government aid workers with Ruzicka's help, he said.Leahy said he would speak about Ruzicka on the Senate floor Monday, and possibly help plan a memorial service for the woman in Washington.\"I said to her father this morning, 'A lot of people spend their whole lives and do not begin to accomplish what she's done,'\" Leahy said.Human Rights Watch said Ruzicka had been set to leave Iraq within a week when she was killed.In an essay she sent to the New York-based group a few days before her death, she explained the significance of her work counting Iraqi casualties.\"A number is important not only to quantify the cost of the war, but to me each number is also a story of someone whose hopes, dreams and potential will never be realized, and who left behind a family,\" Ruzicka wrote.Ruzicka got her start working for non-governmental organizations 10 years ago at the San Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange.Medea Benjamin, the group's director, said Ruzicka was a \"pretty, peppy, vivacious young woman who wanted to learn about the world.\" Ruzicka worked on projects ranging from AIDS in Africa to the travel embargo against Cuba, she said.\"It's a terrible tragedy and a tragic irony that somebody who devoted her life to helping the victims of war would herself become a victim of war,\" Benjamin said.Ruzicka campaigned for civilian victims in Afghanistan in 2002. That work helped produce precedent-setting legislation in Washington, sponsored by Leahy, authorizing aid to Afghans who suffered losses in U.S. military operations.When the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began in March 2003, Ruzicka was already in Baghdad with Code Pink, said Jodi Evans, co-founder of the women's anti-war group.Other activists decided to return to the United States to talk about how the Iraqi people were affected by the invasion, but Ruzicka made a commitment to stay, Evans said. She founded the group CIVIC that year.\"Marla thought she would be more effective staying, because once the bombs started falling, people would be hurt and she needed to help them get their lives back together,\" Evans said.Even as fighting continued to rage in sections of Baghdad in mid-April 2003, Ruzicka arrived back in the Iraqi capital, set up office in an unprotected hotel and soon was a regular visitor to the city's makeshift newsrooms, encouraging media interest in the civilian-casualty story.\"Spread the word - it will be what we make of it,\" she e-mailed friends as she began her Iraq work.Ruzicka is among several foreign aid workers killed in Iraq. Others included Margaret Hassan, a British aid worker who was abducted in Baghdad in October and later shown on video pleading for her life, and four workers for a Southern Baptist missionary group who were trying tofind a way to provide clean water to people in the northern city of Mosul.___Associated Press Special Correspondent Charles J. Hanley contributed tothis story from New York. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/marla-ruzicka---a-death-in-iraq-hits-close-to-home/","summary":"This is what a friend wrote on April 17th:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"As of ten minutes ago, Iraq took on a whole different dimension for me and Brinda. The wonderful and compassionate progressive activist Marla Ruzicka was killed by a car-bomb in Iraq today. She was working to help Iraqi families put their lives back together after the carnage of the last two years. Perhaps Robert Fisk will write a fittingly eloquent tribute to Marla, if their paths had crossed in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBrinda and I met Marla 4 years ago at the annual Green Party convention in Burlingame. Brinda wanted to campaign for Medea Benjamin's SF city-council run. Marla invited us to an all-hands party at her home. Sadly, we couldn't make it and we lost the chance to work closely with her.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe came across as a very positive, energetic and charming person. I remember she played with little Nikhil while Brinda and I ate lunch. We had several email exchanges after that and a year or two ago I met her again at a talk in Palo Alto. I remember reading an article about her and her work in Iraq in the SF Chronicle, and feeling really proud of her dedication.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMedea has written a short note about Marla on the globalexchange.org website that you can check out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe dead and dying in Iraq are not numbers or photos to us any more. now we have a living face, a living voice, a vibrant and compassionate soul attached to this disaster. People like Marla help us believe that love and idealism still mean something here, now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat more can I say? We are in total shock.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e--BG\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraq Car Bomb Kills American Activist\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/ap/20050418/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_i\u003cbr/\u003eaq_activist_killed\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAP Iraq Car Bomb Kills American Activist\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSAN FRANCISCO - A woman who led an effort to help those ravaged by violence in Iraq fell victim to the war herself when a car bomb killed her and two other people, officials said Sunday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarla Ruzicka, founder of Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, died Saturday in the blast, which also killed an Iraqi and another foreigner, officials said. She had been in Iraq conducting door-to-door surveys trying to determine the number of civilian casualties in the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA skinny, ever-smiling woman with curly blond tresses, Ruzicka was untiring and undaunted as she went up against military and political bureaucracies in her effort to win help for Iraqi civilian victims of the war, and to make sure those who died were not forgotten.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Everyone who met Marla was struck by her incredible effervescence and commitment,\" Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. \"She was courageous and relentless in pursuit of accurate information about civilians caught up in war.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuzicka, 28, of Lakeport, founded CIVIC in 2003 and was instrumental in securing millions of dollars in aid money from the federal government for distribution in Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., said it was Ruzicka's idea to put a special fund in last year's multibillion-dollar foreign aid bill to help Iraqis whose businesses had been bombed by mistake or as collateral damage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"She was constantly calling us to say (lawmakers were) moving too slowly,\" he said by telephone on Sunday. \"Just from the force of her personality, we decided to take a chance on it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuzicka's parents said they were notified of her death just hours after the explosion. U.S. Embassy officials publicly released Ruzicka's name\u003cbr/\u003eSunday.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We've been very worried about her but we know better than to tell our children not to do anything. We were supportive and just reminded her to be careful,\" said her mother, Nancy Ruzicka.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eShe said her daughter had left her a telephone message the night before her death that said, \"Mom and dad, I love you. I'm OK.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"She cared about people and gave people her love and help,\" Nancy Ruzicka said. \"I'll remember the love she spread around the world and the good ambassador that she was for her country.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeahy remembered Ruzicka as a fiery young woman who came into his office about two years ago seeking federal money to aid civilians.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeahy said $10 million was added to the foreign aid bill last year for that purpose and another $10 million has been set aside for next year. The money was being distributed by government aid workers with Ruzicka's help, he said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLeahy said he would speak about Ruzicka on the Senate floor Monday, and possibly help plan a memorial service for the woman in Washington.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I said to her father this morning, 'A lot of people spend their whole lives and do not begin to accomplish what she's done,'\" Leahy said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHuman Rights Watch said Ruzicka had been set to leave Iraq within a week when she was killed.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an essay she sent to the New York-based group a few days before her death, she explained the significance of her work counting Iraqi casualties.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A number is important not only to quantify the cost of the war, but to me each number is also a story of someone whose hopes, dreams and potential will never be realized, and who left behind a family,\" Ruzicka wrote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuzicka got her start working for non-governmental organizations 10 years ago at the San Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMedea Benjamin, the group's director, said Ruzicka was a \"pretty, peppy, vivacious young woman who wanted to learn about the world.\" Ruzicka worked on projects ranging from AIDS in Africa to the travel embargo against Cuba, she said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's a terrible tragedy and a tragic irony that somebody who devoted her life to helping the victims of war would herself become a victim of war,\" Benjamin said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuzicka campaigned for civilian victims in Afghanistan in 2002. That work helped produce precedent-setting legislation in Washington, sponsored by Leahy, authorizing aid to Afghans who suffered losses in U.S. military operations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began in March 2003, Ruzicka was already in Baghdad with Code Pink, said Jodi Evans, co-founder of the women's anti-war group.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOther activists decided to return to the United States to talk about how the Iraqi people were affected by the invasion, but Ruzicka made a commitment to stay, Evans said. She founded the group CIVIC that year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Marla thought she would be more effective staying, because once the bombs started falling, people would be hurt and she needed to help them get their lives back together,\" Evans said.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEven as fighting continued to rage in sections of Baghdad in mid-April 2003, Ruzicka arrived back in the Iraqi capital, set up office in an unprotected hotel and soon was a regular visitor to the city's makeshift newsrooms, encouraging media interest in the civilian-casualty story.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Spread the word - it will be what we make of it,\" she e-mailed friends as she began her Iraq work.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRuzicka is among several foreign aid workers killed in Iraq. Others included Margaret Hassan, a British aid worker who was abducted in Baghdad in October and later shown on video pleading for her life, and four workers for a Southern Baptist missionary group who were trying to\u003cbr/\u003efind a way to provide clean water to people in the northern city of Mosul.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e___\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAssociated Press Special Correspondent Charles J. Hanley contributed to\u003cbr/\u003ethis story from New York.","title":"Marla Ruzicka - A death in Iraq hits close to home"},{"content":" Taking down the barrier between Church and State, one brick at a timeAnd doing so with glee. There are two articles in The NY Times about the cynical shenanigans of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Texas) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. While Tom DeLay's efforts to seek cover under religion come as no surprise (he is the epitome of the proverbial \"snake oil salesman\"), one would have expected better from Dr. Frist.Part of the editorial in the NY Times (4/16/05)reads:\"We fully understand that a powerful branch of the Republican Party believes that the last election was won on \"moral values.\" Even if that were true, that's a far cry from voting for one religion to dominate the entire country. President Bush owes it to Americans to stand up and say so.\"From what we know about our president, it would be futile to expect him to take a rightful position. He, too, is quite adept at playing the God card.Links to NY Times:Bill Frist's Religious WarGet Tom DeLay to Church on Time ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/mandarins-of-morality-and-the-god-card/","summary":"Taking down the barrier between Church and State, one brick at a time\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd doing so with glee. There are two articles in The NY Times about the cynical shenanigans of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Texas) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. While Tom DeLay's efforts to seek cover under religion come as no surprise (he is the epitome of the proverbial \"snake oil salesman\"), one would have expected better from Dr. Frist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePart of the editorial in the NY Times (4/16/05)reads:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We fully understand that a powerful branch of the Republican Party believes that the last election was won on \"moral values.\" Even if that were true, that's a far cry from voting for one religion to dominate the entire country. President Bush owes it to Americans to stand up and say so.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom what we know about our president, it would be futile to expect him to take a rightful position. He, too, is quite adept at playing the God card.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks to NY Times:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/16/opinion/16sat1.html?incamp=article_popular_3\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;amp;amp;position=\"\u003eBill Frist's Religious War\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/opinion/17rich.html?hp=\u0026amp;pagewanted=print\u0026amp;amp;amp;position=\"\u003eGet Tom DeLay to Church on Time\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Mandarins of Morality and the \"God\" Card"},{"content":" A few classics and some that are of more recent vintage\"Great\" is a matter of opinion. I think they are great. You might not agree.Warning: These films do not contain scenes of mindless violence; you will not see cars going over cliffs and bursting into flames; buildings being blown apart, and people being killed at random.All The Kings Men (1949)Based on Robert Penn-Warren's Pulitzer Prize winning novel (1946) about the rise and fall of a politician in the Deep South. Broderick Crawford gave an outstanding performance as Willie Stark and won an Oscar. John Ireland made an impression in a secondary role.Starring: Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland, John Derek, Joanne DruDirected by: Robert RossenProduced by: Robert RossenCleo from 5 to 7 (1962)French - Cleo de 5 a 7 (with sub-titles)Corrine Marchand as Cleo A typical Agnes Varda film. Portrait of two hours in the life of pop singer Cleo Victoire (Corrine Marchand) as she restlessly awaits the results of a cancer test. \"With a distinctly feminist take on the French New Wave films of the early 1960s, Varda's film examines Cleo's banal yet extraordinary afternoon as she traverses Paris, bouncing back and forth between various men, intercepting and avoiding friends, enemies, superstitions, chance, and eventually love. The camera follows at breakneck speed as Cleo's existential ennui pulls her through Paris. Lively characters populate Cleo's journey, ranging from a tough female cabdriver, Cleo's mothering assistant, her blasé boyfriend, and finally a talkative and intriguing stranger, a young soldier (Antoine Bourseiller) spending his last hours in Paris before shipping off to war. As Cleo's perspectives are completely rearranged by the specter of possible illness, Varda describes a world of life, possibilities, and love.\"\"Private Confessions\" (English Version, 1999)Pernilla August When Ingmar Bergman stopped directing movies his favorite actress Liv Ullmann took over. They were lovers and lived together for some years. Based on an autobiographical book (about his parents) by Bergman, this is a movie that powerfully depicts a woman's search for love, her battle with her religious convictions, and the weakness of the man who failed to provide the support that she needed to escape a loveless marriage.The story unfolds over a period of decades and begins in 1925 \"as the 36-year-old Anna Bergman (Pernilla August) confesses to an elderly priest (von Sydow), that she is having an affair. He advises her to break it off and tell her husband the truth. Each scene is essentially an encounter: between Anna and her husband, her lover, best friend, or the priest. As the story moves forward in time and then, dramatically, backwards to when Anna was 18, we come to understand the ways in which honesty, love, loyalty, and sexual passion play different roles at each stage of one's life. Bergman seems to be suggesting that \"the truth\" is not only relative, it is constantly changing. \"Starring: Max Von Sydow, Pernilla August, Samuel FrolerDirected by: Liv UllmannProduced by: Ingrid DahlbergLantana (2001)Anthony LaPaglia and Kerry Armstrong A gem from Australia.\"Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) suspects that her husband John (Geoffrey Rush) is being unfaithful to her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges-drawing in four related couples whose various partners are distrustful and suspicious about each other's involvement. With its myriad, entangled affairs LANTANA deftly suggests an atmosphere of doubt and deception and shows the ruinous effects these dispositions can have on people and their relationships.\"Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, Kerry Armstrong, Rachael BlakeDirected by: Ray LawrenceProduced by: Jan ChapmanInsomnia (Norwegian, with sub-titles, 1999)Stellan Skarsgard The American version (2002) with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank is very good but I give the edge to the Norwegian one.\"Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard (BREAKING THE WAVES, GOOD WILL HUNTING) gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When he makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, however, his own conscience, coupled with the insomnia caused by the 24-hour summer sunlight of northernmost Norway, sets Engstrom on the path to insanity. Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg creates palpable tension in this strong, subtle film.\"Starring: Stellan Skarsgard, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Maria Bonnevie, Frode Rasmussen, Gisken ArmandDirected by: Erik SkjoldbjaergProduced by: Petter J. Borgli, Tomas Backstrom, Tom Remlov ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/great-movies-on-video/","summary":"A few classics and some that are of more recent vintage\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Great\" is a matter of opinion.  I think they are great.  You might not agree.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWarning: These films do not contain scenes of mindless violence; you will not see cars going over cliffs and bursting into flames; buildings being blown apart, and people being killed at random.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAll The Kings Men (1949)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/All The Kings Men.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBased on Robert Penn-Warren's Pulitzer Prize winning novel (1946) about the rise and fall of a politician in the Deep South. Broderick Crawford gave an outstanding performance as Willie Stark and won an Oscar. John Ireland made an impression in a secondary role.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStarring:     Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland, John Derek, Joanne Dru\u003cbr/\u003eDirected by:     Robert Rossen\u003cbr/\u003eProduced by:     Robert Rossen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCleo from 5 to 7 (1962)\u003cbr/\u003eFrench - Cleo de 5 a 7 (with sub-titles)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Corrine Marchand as Cleo.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCorrine Marchand as Cleo \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA typical Agnes Varda film. Portrait of two hours in the life of pop singer Cleo Victoire (Corrine Marchand) as she restlessly awaits the results of a cancer test. \"With a distinctly feminist take on the French New Wave films of the early 1960s, Varda's film examines Cleo's banal yet extraordinary afternoon as she traverses Paris, bouncing back and forth between various men, intercepting and avoiding friends, enemies, superstitions, chance, and eventually love. The camera follows at breakneck speed as Cleo's existential ennui pulls her through Paris. Lively characters populate Cleo's journey, ranging from a tough female cabdriver, Cleo's mothering assistant, her blasé boyfriend, and finally a talkative and intriguing stranger, a young soldier (Antoine Bourseiller) spending his last hours in Paris before shipping off to war. As Cleo's perspectives are completely rearranged by the specter of possible illness, Varda describes a world of life, possibilities, and love.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Private Confessions\" (English Version, 1999)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Pernilla August.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePernilla August \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhen Ingmar Bergman stopped directing movies his favorite actress Liv Ullmann took over. They were lovers and lived together for some years. Based on an autobiographical book (about his parents) by Bergman, this is a movie that powerfully depicts a woman's search for love, her battle with her religious convictions, and the weakness of the man who failed to provide the support that she needed to escape a loveless marriage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe story unfolds over a period of decades and begins in 1925 \"as the 36-year-old Anna Bergman (Pernilla August) confesses to an elderly priest (von Sydow), that she is having an affair. He advises her to break it off and tell her husband the truth. Each scene is essentially an encounter: between Anna and her husband, her lover, best friend, or the priest. As the story moves forward in time and then, dramatically, backwards to when Anna was 18, we come to understand the ways in which honesty, love, loyalty, and sexual passion play different roles at each stage of one's life. Bergman seems to be suggesting that \"the truth\" is not only relative, it is constantly changing. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStarring:     Max Von Sydow, Pernilla August, Samuel Froler\u003cbr/\u003eDirected by:     Liv Ullmann\u003cbr/\u003eProduced by:     Ingrid Dahlberg\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLantana (2001)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Anthony_lapaglia and Kerry Armstrong.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnthony LaPaglia and Kerry Armstrong \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA gem from Australia.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) suspects that her husband John (Geoffrey Rush) is being unfaithful to her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges-drawing in four related couples whose various partners are distrustful and suspicious about each other's involvement. With its myriad, entangled affairs LANTANA deftly suggests an atmosphere of doubt and deception and shows the ruinous effects these dispositions can have on people and their relationships.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStarring:     Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, Kerry Armstrong, Rachael Blake\u003cbr/\u003eDirected by:     Ray Lawrence\u003cbr/\u003eProduced by:     Jan Chapman\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInsomnia (Norwegian, with sub-titles, 1999)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Stellan Skarsgard.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStellan Skarsgard \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe American version (2002) with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank is very good but I give the edge to the Norwegian one.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard (BREAKING THE WAVES, GOOD WILL HUNTING) gives a compelling performance as Jonas Engstrom, an exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway who travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When he makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, however, his own conscience, coupled with the insomnia caused by the 24-hour summer sunlight of northernmost Norway, sets Engstrom on the path to insanity. Director Erik Skjoldbjaerg creates palpable tension in this strong, subtle film.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStarring:     Stellan Skarsgard, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Maria Bonnevie, Frode Rasmussen, Gisken Armand\u003cbr/\u003eDirected by:     Erik Skjoldbjaerg\u003cbr/\u003eProduced by:     Petter J. Borgli, Tomas Backstrom, Tom Remlov","title":"Great Movies on Video"},{"content":" Agathidium bushi, Agathidium cheneyi, and Agathidium rumsfeldiGreat honor; quite appropriate.\"They are synonymous with American power, conservatism and the projection of military might. Now the names of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld have gained a second, somewhat less formidable connotation: two scientists have named a species of beetle after America's paramount triumvirate.\"The Guardian-Axis of Weevils ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/axis-of-weevils---beetles-and-our-leaders/","summary":"Agathidium bushi, Agathidium cheneyi, and Agathidium rumsfeldi\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat honor; quite appropriate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They are synonymous with American power, conservatism and the projection of military might. Now the names of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld have gained a second, somewhat less formidable connotation: two scientists have named a species of beetle after America's paramount triumvirate.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1460027,00.html\"\u003eThe Guardian-Axis of Weevils\u003c/a\u003e","title":"\"Axis of Weevils\" - Beetles and Our Leaders"},{"content":" \"........a rose by any other name would smell as sweet\"Asparagus Gratin This is the season when asparagus is plentiful and the price is right. We, in the San Francisco Bay area, are fortunate to get fresh, succulent asparagus from the San Joaquin Delta. The following recipes are simple, take very little time and taste delicious.The bottom (tough) ends of asparagus spears should be trimmed, discarded.The recipes call for preparing the asparagus by parboiling or steaming (preferred). To retain the flavor, texture and color, avoid overcooking. Add salt to the water. I steam them for about 4-5 minutes then put them in an ice bath to prevent softening further. If you are boiling them, about 3-4 minutes should be enough...and be sure to drop them in the ice bath (a large enough container with cold water and ice cubes). The stalks should be tender and crisp, not limp.Asparagus Gratin with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese(From Lidia's Italian Kitchen)24 medium-size asparagus spears (about 1.5 pounds) steamed or parboiled -- see above1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese2 tablespoon plain dry bread crumbs1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (the yellow part of the skin only)3 tablespoon unsalted butter, meltedSalt and pepper, to tasteIn a bowl, toss the cheese, bread crumbs and lemon zest until blendedPreheat the broilerArrange the asparagus stalks in a single layer in a baking dishDrizzle the asparagus with melted butterSprinkle an even layer of the bread crumb mixture over itBroil about 4 inches from the heat until the top is golden brown--about 3 minutesAsparagus stir fried with Five Spice Powder, Hoisin Sauce and Soy Sauce(Musafir's kitchen)1 lbs Asparagus stalks steamed (or parboiled) - see above - cut in 1\" pieces1 small onion diced in 1/2\" piecesA few stalks of scallion cut in 1/2\" pieces1 dried red chili pepper2 tablespoon canola or peanut oil1/2 teaspoon Five Spice Powder1-1/2 tablespoon Hoisin sauce2 tablespoon Soy Sauce1 teaspoon Sesame Oil (optional)Heat the oil in a non stick panAdd red chili pepperAdd diced onion and stir for a few minutes until onions turn soft and goldenAdd Five spice PowderAdd Hoisin Sauce and stir until all ingredients are coatedAdd scallionAdd Soya Sauce and mixReduce heat and cook for a few minutesRemove from stove, add Sesame Oil and mixServe with rice or noodlesNote: Five Spice Powder, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce and Sesame oil available in Oriental grocery stores.East-West Asparagus Salad(Narsai David's KCBS Kitchen)1 lb pasta (penne or ziti)1-1/2 lb Asparagus, previously steamed or parboiled (see above), cut into 2\" pieces4 scallions chopped with green tops1 red onion sliced into thin half-moons4 tablespoon pickled red ginger (cut into thin strips)1 cup Narsai's Hoisin dressing (see below)Cook pasta until \"al dente\".Drain and chill immediately under cold water and then drain againIn a large bowl toss pasta and asparagus with remaining ingredientsThe dressing1/3 cup Hoisin sauce1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1/4 cup soy sauce1 tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice2 teaspoon Dijon style mustard2/3rd cup salad oilMix all except the oil and sir until blended (blender could be used at low speed). Then add oil and blend again.Note: I do it manually and it works.Pickled red ginger available in Oriental grocery storesListening to:Waltz For DebbieBill Evans--PianoScott LaFaro--BassPaul Motian--DrumsRiverside Records ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/asparagus-asperges-asparagi/","summary":"\"........a rose by any other name would smell as sweet\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/ASPAUGRT.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAsparagus Gratin \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is the season when asparagus is plentiful and the price is right. We, in the San Francisco Bay area, are fortunate to get fresh, succulent asparagus from the San Joaquin Delta. The following recipes are simple, take very little time and taste delicious.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bottom (tough) ends of asparagus spears should be trimmed, discarded.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe recipes call for preparing the asparagus by parboiling or steaming (preferred). To retain the flavor, texture and color, avoid overcooking. Add salt to the water. I steam them for about 4-5 minutes then put them in an ice bath to prevent softening further. If you are boiling them, about 3-4 minutes should be enough...and be sure to drop them in the ice bath (a large enough container with cold water and ice cubes). The stalks should be tender and crisp, not limp.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAsparagus Gratin with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese\u003cbr/\u003e(From Lidia's Italian Kitchen)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e24 medium-size asparagus spears (about 1.5 pounds) steamed or parboiled -- see above\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese\u003cbr/\u003e2 tablespoon plain dry bread crumbs\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (the yellow part of the skin only)\u003cbr/\u003e3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted\u003cbr/\u003eSalt and pepper, to taste\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a bowl, toss the cheese, bread crumbs and lemon zest until blended\u003cbr/\u003ePreheat the broiler\u003cbr/\u003eArrange the asparagus stalks in a single layer in a baking dish\u003cbr/\u003eDrizzle the asparagus with melted butter\u003cbr/\u003eSprinkle an even layer of the bread crumb mixture over it\u003cbr/\u003eBroil about 4 inches from the heat until the top is golden brown--about 3 minutes\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAsparagus stir fried with Five Spice Powder, Hoisin Sauce and Soy Sauce\u003cbr/\u003e(Musafir's  kitchen)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1 lbs Asparagus stalks steamed (or parboiled) - see above - cut in 1\" pieces\u003cbr/\u003e1 small onion diced in 1/2\" pieces\u003cbr/\u003eA few stalks of scallion cut in 1/2\" pieces\u003cbr/\u003e1 dried red chili pepper\u003cbr/\u003e2 tablespoon canola or peanut oil\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 teaspoon Five Spice Powder\u003cbr/\u003e1-1/2 tablespoon Hoisin sauce\u003cbr/\u003e2 tablespoon Soy Sauce\u003cbr/\u003e1 teaspoon Sesame Oil (optional)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHeat the oil in a non stick pan\u003cbr/\u003eAdd red chili pepper\u003cbr/\u003eAdd diced onion and stir for a few minutes until onions turn soft and golden\u003cbr/\u003eAdd  Five spice Powder\u003cbr/\u003eAdd Hoisin Sauce and stir until all ingredients are coated\u003cbr/\u003eAdd scallion\u003cbr/\u003eAdd Soya Sauce and mix\u003cbr/\u003eReduce heat and cook for a few minutes\u003cbr/\u003eRemove from stove, add Sesame Oil and mix\u003cbr/\u003eServe with rice or noodles\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: Five Spice Powder, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce  and Sesame oil available in Oriental grocery stores.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eEast-West Asparagus Salad\u003cbr/\u003e(Narsai David's KCBS Kitchen)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1 lb pasta (penne or ziti)\u003cbr/\u003e1-1/2  lb  Asparagus, previously steamed or parboiled (see above), cut into 2\" pieces\u003cbr/\u003e4 scallions chopped with green tops\u003cbr/\u003e1 red onion sliced into thin half-moons\u003cbr/\u003e4 tablespoon pickled red ginger (cut into thin strips)\u003cbr/\u003e1 cup Narsai's Hoisin dressing (see below)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCook pasta until \"al dente\".\u003cbr/\u003eDrain and chill immediately under cold water and then drain again\u003cbr/\u003eIn a large bowl toss pasta and  asparagus with remaining ingredients\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe dressing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1/3 cup Hoisin sauce\u003cbr/\u003e1/4 cup balsamic vinegar\u003cbr/\u003e1/4 cup soy sauce\u003cbr/\u003e1 tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice\u003cbr/\u003e2 teaspoon Dijon style mustard\u003cbr/\u003e2/3rd cup salad oil\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMix all except the oil and sir until blended (blender could be used at low speed).  Then add oil and blend again.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: I do it manually and it works.\u003cbr/\u003ePickled red ginger available in Oriental grocery stores\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eListening to:\u003cbr/\u003eWaltz For Debbie\u003cbr/\u003eBill Evans--Piano\u003cbr/\u003eScott LaFaro--Bass\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Motian--Drums\u003cbr/\u003eRiverside Records","title":"Asparagus,  Asperges, Asparagi"},{"content":" And the deafening silence of the German NationA few weeks ago I saw the movie \"Downfall\" which depicted the final days of Adolf Hitler and his inner circle in the bunker as the Russians were closing in on Berlin. Bruno Ganz has received a lot of praise for his performance as Hitler. Deservedly so. But this is not a review of the movie. It is about my reaction to it.History of the Third Reich, Hitler and his key aides has been well documented. We know that they were murderous thugs blinded by hatred for the Jews and obsessed with establishing reign of a master race. While the film does not try to completely hide their role, it treats them kindly. Hitler and members of his inner circle appear to be decent human beings!Questions continue to be raised about the silence and complicity of the German people. An article by Luke Harding in The Guardian (UK) about the concentration camp in Belsen made me think that while the scale might be different atrocities against hapless people continue in different parts of the world; unjust wars still take place. There is apathy, there is ignorance, and there is an overwhelming tendency to look the other way---just as the Germans did during the Third Reich.\"Yesterday Maj Williams said the local German population must have been aware of the camp's existence. 'The nearest railway was 5km away in the town of Bergen. Prisoners then had to walk [to the camp]. The people of Bergen must have known,' he said.\"Guardian-Belsen ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-third-reich-the-atrocities/","summary":"And the deafening silence of the German Nation\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few weeks ago I saw the movie \"Downfall\" which depicted the final days of Adolf Hitler and his inner circle in the bunker as the Russians were closing in on Berlin. Bruno Ganz has received a lot of praise for his performance as Hitler. Deservedly so. But this is not a review of the movie. It is about my reaction to it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHistory of the Third Reich, Hitler and his key aides has been well documented. We know that they were murderous thugs blinded by hatred for the Jews and obsessed with establishing reign of a master race. While the film does not try to completely hide their role, it treats them kindly. Hitler and members of his inner circle appear to be decent human beings!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eQuestions continue to be raised about the silence and complicity of the German people. An article by Luke Harding in The Guardian (UK) about the concentration camp in Belsen made me think that while the scale might be different atrocities against hapless people continue in different parts of the world; unjust wars still take place. There is apathy, there is ignorance, and there is an overwhelming tendency to look the other way---just as the Germans did during the Third Reich.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yesterday Maj Williams said the local German population must have been aware of the camp's existence. 'The nearest railway was 5km away in the town of Bergen. Prisoners then had to walk [to the camp]. The people of Bergen must have known,' he said.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,2763,1458977,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Belsen\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The Third Reich, the atrocities"},{"content":" Raves, rants, musings, erudite opinions, or just blowing off steamThis post is about fellow bloggers whose sites I visit, some more frequently than others. A few are not very active--haven't posted in recent weeks. Nevertheless, I think their sites are interesting. They are what I call \"Kindred Spirits\". The list is somewhat eclectic and includes members of academe, students and housewives. Among them a blithe spirit from Lahore,Pakistan (currently attending college in Minnesota); an Iraqi who just completed his dissertation for an architectual degree and writes passionately about what is happening in his country; and a young Iraqi woman, author of Baghdad Burning who has been mentioned in The NY Times and The Guardian,UK.Prof. Juan Cole is another well-known personality. There is a photographer who publishes fascinating digital images from Bangalore,India, and another who does so from a place near Austin,TX. A young man in Norway who writes about himself, his friends and his family. The subjects cover the gamut from politics to pasta, sexuality to struggle with mental depression. There are retirees and job hunters.Most of them are in the United States. The common thread that runs between us is perhaps our distaste for the Bush Republicans, the \"red state\" bigots and what they are doing to our country. There is the blogger from Ft.Lauderdale,FL, without whose encouragement I wouldn't have dared to write about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.In my list, women outnumber men. That is fine. \"A woman has given me strength and endurance, admitted.\" (D.H. Lawrence)In some way or other the authors of these blogs made an impact. I say to them: Stay well and keep publishing. Whether you think so or not,the contents are meaningful. Time is a factor but I hope to find other kindred spirits in my journeys through cyber space.americanonlineA World of ChaosBaghdad Burning becker-posnerBLEHbetenuitFogduxDilettante's DiaryDutched PinaygogoshireJeans VoiceJesus' GeneralJuan ColeknobboyMindful Thingspudentillaraed in the middleRonnie LoBelloryanmcreynolds3dcafeTony HatfieldWhere two or more are gatheredwhyshouldiliveZezrie's Ponderings\"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.\"---Elie Wiesel ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-wonderful-fascinating-world-of-bloggers---kindred-spirits/","summary":"Raves, rants, musings, erudite opinions, or just blowing off steam\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis post is about fellow bloggers whose sites I visit, some more frequently than others. A few are not very active--haven't posted in recent weeks. Nevertheless, I think their sites are interesting. They are what I call \"Kindred Spirits\". The list is somewhat eclectic and includes members of academe, students and housewives. Among them a blithe spirit from Lahore,Pakistan (currently attending college in Minnesota); an Iraqi who just completed his dissertation for an architectual degree and writes passionately about what is happening in his country; and a young Iraqi woman, author of Baghdad Burning who has been mentioned in The NY Times and The Guardian,UK.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eProf. Juan Cole is another well-known personality. There is a photographer who publishes fascinating digital images from Bangalore,India, and another who does so from a place near Austin,TX. A young man in Norway who writes about himself, his friends and his family. The subjects cover the gamut from politics to pasta, sexuality to struggle with mental depression. There are retirees and job hunters.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMost of them are in the United States. The common thread that runs between us is perhaps our distaste for the Bush Republicans, the \"red state\" bigots and what they are doing to our country. There is the blogger from Ft.Lauderdale,FL, without whose encouragement I wouldn't have dared to write about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn my list, women outnumber men. That is fine. \"A woman has given me strength and endurance, admitted.\" (D.H. Lawrence)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn some way or other the authors of these blogs made an impact. I say to them: Stay well and keep publishing. Whether you think so or not,the contents are meaningful. Time is a factor but I hope to find other kindred spirits in my journeys through cyber space.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://americanol.blogspot.com/\"\u003eamericanonline\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://indemnification.blogspot.com/\"\u003eA World of Chaos\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBaghdad Burning\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/\"\u003e becker-posner\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://mashster.blogspot.com/\"\u003eBLEH\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://betenuit.blogspot.com/\"\u003ebetenuit\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://hruskova.blogspot.com/\"\u003eFogdux\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kellyrae.blogspot.com/\"\u003eDilettante's Diary\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://misst2000ph.blogspot.com/\"\u003eDutched Pinay\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://gogoshire.blogspot.com/\"\u003egogoshire\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://jeansvoice.blogspot.com/\"\u003eJeans Voice\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.patriotboy.blogspot.com/\"\u003eJesus' General\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Ejrcole\"\u003eJuan Cole\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://knobboy.blogspot.com/\"\u003eknobboy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.laurenbove.blogspot.com/\"\u003eMindful Things\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://pudentilla.blogspot.com/\"\u003epudentilla\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/\"\u003eraed in the middle\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/www.rinkadinkproductions.com/newslinks.html\"\u003eRonnie LoBello\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://ryanmcreynolds.blogspot.com/\"\u003eryanmcreynolds\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://3dcafe.blogspot.com/\"\u003e3dcafe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://tonyhatfield.blogspot.com/\"\u003eTony Hatfield\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://wheretwoormorearegathered.blogspot.com/\"\u003eWhere two or more are gathered\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://whyshouldilive.blogspot.com/\"\u003ewhyshouldilive\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://zezrie.blogspot.com/\"\u003eZezrie's Ponderings\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Elie Wiesel","title":"The wonderful, fascinating world of bloggers - Kindred Spirits"},{"content":" Independent ? Not by any acceptable standardFellow blogger has a great post (On Why I don't watch TV, April 10th) about the media in the United States.Dilettante's Diary ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/myths-about-media/","summary":"Independent ?  Not by any acceptable standard\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFellow blogger has a great post (On Why I don't watch TV, April 10th) about the media in the United States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://kellyrae.blogspot.com/200...t-watch-%20tv.html\"\u003eDilettante's Diary\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Myths about Media"},{"content":" \"A Culture of Death, Not Life\" Frank Rich in The NY Times 4/10/05)\"When those leaders, led by the Bush brothers, wallow in this culture, they do a bait-and-switch and claim to be upholding John Paul's vision of a \"culture of life.\" This has to be one of the biggest shams of all time. Yes, these politicians oppose abortion, but the number of abortions has in fact been going down steadily in America under both Republican and Democratic presidents since 1990 - some 40 percent in all. The same cannot be said of American infant fatalities, AIDS cases and war casualties - all up in the George W. Bush years. Meanwhile, potentially lifesaving phenomena like condom-conscious sex education and federally run stem-cell research are in shackles.This agenda is synergistic with the entertainment culture of Mr. Bush's base: No one does the culture of death with more of a vengeance - literally so - than the doomsday right. The \"Left Behind\" novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins all but pant for the bloody demise of nonbelievers at Armageddon. And now, as Eric J. Greenberg has reported in The Forward, there's even a children's auxiliary: a 40-title series, \"Left Behind: The Kids,\" that warns Jewish children of the hell that awaits them if they don't convert before it's too late. Eleven million copies have been sold on top of the original series' 60 million. \"Link:Culture of Death ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/champions-of-doomsday-worshippers/","summary":"\"A Culture of Death, Not Life\" Frank Rich in The NY Times 4/10/05)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"When those leaders, led by the Bush brothers, wallow in this culture, they do a bait-and-switch and claim to be upholding John Paul's vision of a \"culture of life.\" This has to be one of the biggest shams of all time. Yes, these politicians oppose abortion, but the number of abortions has in fact been going down steadily in America under both Republican and Democratic presidents since 1990 - some 40 percent in all. The same cannot be said of American infant fatalities, AIDS cases and war casualties - all up in the George W. Bush years. Meanwhile, potentially lifesaving phenomena like condom-conscious sex education and federally run stem-cell research are in shackles.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis agenda is synergistic with the entertainment culture of Mr. Bush's base: No one does the culture of death with more of a vengeance - literally so - than the doomsday right. The \"Left Behind\" novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins all but pant for the bloody demise of nonbelievers at Armageddon. And now, as Eric J. Greenberg has reported in The Forward, there's even a children's auxiliary: a 40-title series, \"Left Behind: The Kids,\" that warns Jewish children of the hell that awaits them if they don't convert before it's too late. Eleven million copies have been sold on top of the original series' 60 million. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/opinion/10rich.html\"\u003eCulture of Death\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Champions of  Doomsday Worshippers"},{"content":" Conservative Republicans doing what they do bestJustice Kennedy under attackEthics Impasse - Tom DeLay From today's Washington Post:\"Not to be outdone, lawyer-author Edwin Vieira told the gathering that Kennedy should be impeached because his philosophy, evidenced in his opinion striking down an anti-sodomy statute, \"upholds Marxist, Leninist, satanic principles drawn from foreign law.\"Justice Kennedy\"NOW THAT Congress is back in town, it's time to fix the impasse that has turned the House of Representatives into an ethics-free zone. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) has said he wants to meet with the ethics committee to rebut what he calls \"fiction and innuendo\" about his travel and other activities. But, thanks in large part to Mr. DeLay, the ethics committee isn't functioning. It's frozen because the five Democrats on the evenly divided panel have, understandably, balked at operating under rules dictated by the House GOP majority, contrary to the panel's bipartisan tradition.\"Tom DeLay\"As falls Wichita, so falls Wichita Falls\"---Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/rabble-rousers---where-are-the-moderate-republicans/","summary":"Conservative Republicans doing what they do best\u003cbr/\u003eJustice Kennedy under attack\u003cbr/\u003eEthics Impasse - Tom DeLay \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom today's Washington Post:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Not to be outdone, lawyer-author Edwin Vieira told the gathering that Kennedy should be impeached because his philosophy, evidenced in his opinion striking down an anti-sodomy statute, \"upholds Marxist, Leninist, satanic principles drawn from foreign law.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38308-2005Apr8.html\"\u003eJustice Kennedy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"NOW THAT Congress is back in town, it's time to fix the impasse that has turned the House of Representatives into an ethics-free zone. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) has said he wants to meet with the ethics committee to rebut what he calls \"fiction and innuendo\" about his travel and other activities. But, thanks in large part to Mr. DeLay, the ethics committee isn't functioning. It's frozen because the five Democrats on the evenly divided panel have, understandably, balked at operating under rules dictated by the House GOP majority, contrary to the panel's bipartisan tradition.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38727-2005Apr8.html\"\u003eTom DeLay\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"As falls Wichita, so falls Wichita Falls\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays","title":"Rabble Rousers - Where are the  \"Moderate\" Republicans ?"},{"content":" Not a regular viewer, almost by chance I caught this excellent program last night on KQED, San Francisco---the local PBS station. The documentary film leaves viewers with the certain feeling that the bigots and fanatics are in the minority; they will not prevail.Those who do not live in Northern California, can access KQED.com to watch clips of the film. Will Durst hosted it, supported by a very able team.Following from KQED.com, San Francisco.Sylvia Guerrero mother of Gwen Araujo\"What would you do if hate hit your town? All too frequently we hear stories of hate violence from vandalism to harassment to murder. Most of us would like to do something. And the good news is — we do. Not In Our Town, Northern California, looks at five communities over a five year period as they take action when their neighbors are targets of bigotry.Intolerance and hate come in many forms, but the models of response and prevention share a common theme. This urgent and hopeful documentary not only chronicles the pain of the victims of hate violence, but offers new ways for community leaders and ordinary citizens to band together when hate happens here.\"\"THE PROGRAMNot In Our Town, Northern California: When Hate Happens Here looks at five communities dealing with deadly hate violence over a five-year period. Together, the stories reveal that whether the motivation is racism, anti-Semitism, or crimes motivated by gender or sexual orientation, hate is the same. But Californians are finding innovative ways to respond when hate happens here.From the state capital to the center of San Francisco, from the shadow of Mt. Shasta to the suburbs of Silicon Valley, community leaders and ordinary citizens have found new ways to see through controversy and difference to create a safe place for all residents.After a transgender teen is killed by local youth in the Silicon Valley suburb of Newark, high school students, residents and civic leaders struggle to deal with a brutal and preventable crime; Sacramento mobilizes after the worst anti-Semitic arson attacks in the California capital's history; Redding citizens find new strength in diversity after a prominent gay couple is murdered; the Shasta County town of Anderson joins forces to make their values clear when a cross is burned on an African-American family's lawn; and the San Francisco Public Library turns the mutilation of gay-themed books into an opportunity for creative community action. \"KVIE-6, Sacramento -- Thu, April 21, 2005, 10pmKTEH-54, San Jose -- Thu, April 28, 2005, 10pmKRCB-22, Rohnert Park -- Tue, April 12, 2005, 9pmKIXE-9, Chico -- Tue, April 12, 2005, 8pm\" ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/hate-crimes-in-northern-california/","summary":"Not a regular viewer, almost by chance I caught this excellent program last night on KQED, San Francisco---the local PBS station. The documentary film leaves viewers with the certain feeling that the bigots and fanatics are in the minority; they will not prevail.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose who do not live in Northern California, can access KQED.com to watch clips of the film. Will Durst hosted it, supported by a very able team.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFollowing from KQED.com, San Francisco.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSylvia Guerrero mother of Gwen Araujo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Hate Crimes.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What would you do if hate hit your town? All too frequently we hear stories of hate violence from vandalism to harassment to murder. Most of us would like to do something. And the good news is — we do. Not In Our Town, Northern California, looks at five communities over a five year period as they take action when their neighbors are targets of bigotry.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIntolerance and hate come in many forms, but the models of response and prevention share a common theme. This urgent and hopeful documentary not only chronicles the pain of the victims of hate violence, but offers new ways for community leaders and ordinary citizens to band together when hate happens here.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"THE PROGRAM\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNot In Our Town, Northern California: When Hate Happens Here looks at five communities dealing with deadly hate violence over a five-year period. Together, the stories reveal that whether the motivation is racism, anti-Semitism, or crimes motivated by gender or sexual orientation, hate is the same. But Californians are finding innovative ways to respond when hate happens here.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom the state capital to the center of San Francisco, from the shadow of Mt. Shasta to the suburbs of Silicon Valley, community leaders and ordinary citizens have found new ways to see through controversy and difference to create a safe place for all residents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter a transgender teen is killed by local youth in the Silicon Valley suburb of Newark, high school students, residents and civic leaders struggle to deal with a brutal and preventable crime; Sacramento mobilizes after the worst anti-Semitic arson attacks in the California capital's history; Redding citizens find new strength in diversity after a prominent gay couple is murdered; the Shasta County town of Anderson joins forces to make their values clear when a cross is burned on an African-American family's lawn; and the San Francisco Public Library turns the mutilation of gay-themed books into an opportunity for creative community action. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eKVIE-6, Sacramento -- Thu, April 21, 2005, 10pm\u003cbr/\u003eKTEH-54, San Jose -- Thu, April 28, 2005, 10pm\u003cbr/\u003eKRCB-22, Rohnert Park -- Tue, April 12, 2005, 9pm\u003cbr/\u003eKIXE-9, Chico -- Tue, April 12, 2005, 8pm\"","title":"Hate Crimes in Northern California"},{"content":" The Dalesway - Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere (James Herriot Country) They have right of way I took UAL flight from San Francisco to Heathrow, transferred to a Manchester flight, caught a train (right at the airport) for Ilkley--the town where I began my walk on Dalesway. At Ilkley, I spent the night at Riverside Hotel on the bank of River Wharfe, a few hundred yards from the Old Bridge--the starting point. The weather was kind. It rained the week before my walk and the week after I completed it. But during the six days when I walked on the trail there were just a few sprinkles. For a major part of the distance, The Dalesway follows rivers--River Wharfe and then Lune, Kent, and Dee. Day 1: Ilkley to Burnsall (Coniston) Old Bridge at Ilkley The signpost at the Old Bridge reads \"Bowness 73 miles\" (at Bowness the sign reads \"Ilkley 81 miles\"!). With detours I estimated that I walked about 90 miles. Left Ilkley soon after a hearty breakfast. The breakfasts at B\u0026amp;B's were always good; I cannot say the same about dinners. For lunch I carried sandwiches prepared by the B\u0026amp;B or stopped at one of the local pubs. A few miles down the trail, near Bolton Pritory, I met two guys (Ken and Ivan) from Sheffield who were doing the walk to raise funds for a local charity. We walked most of the Dalesway together the next five days although, except at Bowston, we did not stay at the same B\u0026amp;B. Ruins of Bolton Priory The history of Bolton Priory, goes back to the 12th century. The Black Canons of the Order of St. Augustine sheltered here at Bolton, where they pursued a life of service and worship. Today, the Priory Church still serves the local community as a place of worship. Ken and Ivan near Bolton Priory Field of wild garlic After reaching Burnsall we stopped for a few pints and then parted company. Ivan and Ken went on to Grassington, about four miles further, while I checked in at the B\u0026amp;B where I was booked. Day 2: Burnsall to Low Raisegill (15.5 miles, more like 18) Near Kettlewell The plan was to rendevouz with Ken and Ivan at Grassington next morning at 10:00. However, I overslept and missed the deadline. By keeping a fast pace I was able to catch up with them near Kettlewell. Ken had ankle problem and that slowed them down. Lunch break at Kettlewell With Ken near Buckden Stopped for lunch and a few pints at Kettlewell and then on to the trail. On the way to Buckden we met Tom and Sheila Morris from Nottingham and walked together. A year later Tom and Sheila visited San Francisco. JHL and I took them for a walk through the Marina to Fort Point. Ken and Ivan were booked at an inn in Buckden while my lodging was at Low Raisegill, five miles further. We planned to meet on the trail next morning but I didn't see them until I got to Dentdale. The travel company's instructions were incorrect about the location of the B\u0026amp;B. So, instead of a left turn I turned right, crossed the bridge at Hubberholme and walked for almost a mile and a half before I found someone to ask about my destination. Turned around and went all the way back past Hubberholme to Low Raisegill Farm. I was pretty beat up by the time I got there and had no energy to walk back to the well-known George Inn for drinks after I had my shower. Day 3: Low Raisesgill to Dentdale via Pennine Watershed (13 miles) Low Raisegill Farm B\u0026amp;B Dent Head Viaduct The most demanding day of the walk as I traversed the High Moor, past Langstrothdale, Yockenthwaite and Oughtershaw Hall. I would not like to do it on an overcast, rainy day. Very bleak landscape. The Cam House was a welcome sight because I knew that the hard part was coming to an end. Didn't see Ken and Ivan although there were other walkers following the route. A tough day. There was not that much of an altitude gain but there were numerous patches of boggy peat which required considerable extra walking. Could not be completely avoided. All the walkers had mud up to their knees when we reached Dentdale. On top of the moor the Pennine Way crosses Dalesway at Cam High Road built by the Romans in 1st Century AD. The view of massive Dent Head Viaduct appeared soon. The popular scenic train ride between Settle and Carlisle passes over the Dent Head Viaduct. Met Ivan and Ken in the evening at the Sportsman's Inn. Ken was limping; his ankle problem had gotten worse. The Sportsman's Inn served good food and beer. We were there until closing time and then staggered to bed. Day 4: Dentdale to Sedbergh (11 miles) Patches of heather on the hills Narrow footbridge over River Dee A pleasant day. We stopped for lunch alongside River Lune and continued on to Sedbergh. Sedbergh School is attended by children of well-to-do families. Not quite Eaton or Harrow, it has a reputation of being one of the top public schools. Saw students playing cricket which reminded me of the time when I was an active participant in the game. Again, at Sedbergh we got together in the evening for drinks. I had dinner with the owners of the B\u0026amp;B. Day 5: Sedbergh to Bowston (16 miles) Holme Croft B\u0026amp;B, Sedbergh Near Crook of Lune Bridge Long day. Scenic, mostly flat. All of us were booked at Kent Dene B\u0026amp;B, managed by Joan and Russell Jamieson. It was the best among the B\u0026amp;B's. Great pasta; unlimited red wine; and wonderful hosts. After dinner, Russell Jamieson drove us to town to try the local brews. Day 6: Bowston to Bowness-on-Windermere Joan Jamieson,Ivan,Ken,Russell Jamieson After a delicious breakfast we left Bowston with heavy hearts. Felt as though we were leaving friends we had known for a long time. Joan Jamieson bidding us goodbye Russell and Joan now live on the island of Crete (Greece). They bought a farm house and fixed it up. Happy--gardening, learning Greek and folk-dancing. Last leg, nearing Bowness-on-Windermere Ken's ankle problem had gotten worse. I carried his pack to Bowness. Arrived at Bowness before noon. My hotel was just a couple of hundred yards from the end of the trail. I invited Ken and Ivan for a pint before they left for city center to meet Ivan's son who was going to drive them back to Sheffield. End of Dalesway Fairfield Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere After spending the night at Bowness-on-Windermere I took a train to Newcastle to meet relatives who lived in Sunderland. After a few days it was time to head for home. Train from Newcastle to Manchester; flight from Manchester to Heathrow; and then Heathrow to San Francisco. It was a good trip. As it always does, the view of San Francisco Bay warmed the cockles of my heart as the plane prepared to make the final approach for landing. Footnotes: The trip was booked through a British company that specializes in walking tours. It provided maps, guide book, route instructions, and made arrangements at B\u0026amp;Bs for overnight stay during the walk. I found The Dalesway Companion by Paul Hannon to be much better, easier to follow, than the guide book (The Dalesway by Anthony Burton) provided by the travel company. Why? \".....the universal desire to see a little bit further, before the surrender to old age and the blank certitude of death.\" ---Graham Greene (1904-1991) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/a-walk-through-yorkshire-dales/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\nThe Dalesway - Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere (James Herriot Country)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/They have right of wayh.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nThey have right of way \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI took UAL flight from San Francisco to Heathrow, transferred to a Manchester flight, caught a train (right at the airport) for Ilkley--the town where I began my walk on Dalesway.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAt Ilkley, I spent the night at Riverside Hotel on the bank of River Wharfe, a few hundred yards from the Old Bridge--the starting point.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe weather was kind. It rained the week before my walk and the week after I completed it. But during the six days when I walked on the trail there were just a few sprinkles.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nFor a major part of the distance, The Dalesway follows rivers--River Wharfe and then  Lune, Kent, and Dee.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDay 1: Ilkley to Burnsall (Coniston)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Old Bridge at Ilkley.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nOld Bridge at Ilkley \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe signpost at the Old Bridge reads \"Bowness 73 miles\" (at Bowness the sign reads \"Ilkley 81 miles\"!). With detours I estimated that I walked about 90 miles.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLeft Ilkley soon after a hearty breakfast. The breakfasts at B\u0026amp;B's were always good; I cannot say the same about dinners. For lunch I carried sandwiches prepared by the B\u0026amp;B or stopped at one of the local pubs.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA few miles down the trail, near Bolton Pritory, I met two guys (Ken and Ivan) from Sheffield who were doing the walk to raise funds for a local charity. We walked most of the Dalesway together the next five days although, except at Bowston, we did not stay at the same B\u0026amp;B.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Bolton Priory.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nRuins of Bolton Priory \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe history of Bolton Priory, goes back to the 12th century. The Black Canons of the Order of St. Augustine sheltered here at Bolton, where they pursued a life of service and worship. Today, the Priory Church still serves the local community as a place of worship.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Ken and Ivan near Bolton Priory.jpg\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nKen and Ivan near Bolton Priory \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Field of Wild Garlic.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nField of wild garlic \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAfter reaching Burnsall we stopped for a few pints and then parted company.  Ivan and Ken went on to Grassington, about four miles further, while I checked in at the B\u0026amp;B where I was booked.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nDay 2: Burnsall to Low Raisegill (15.5 miles, more like 18)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Near Kettlewell.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nNear Kettlewell \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe plan was to rendevouz with Ken and Ivan at Grassington next morning at 10:00. However, I overslept and missed the deadline. By keeping a fast pace I was able to catch up with them near Kettlewell. Ken had ankle problem and that slowed them down.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Lunch break at Kettlewell.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nLunch break at Kettlewell \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Ken Martin 1997.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nWith Ken near Buckden \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nStopped for lunch and a few pints at Kettlewell and then on to the trail. On the way to Buckden we met Tom and Sheila Morris from Nottingham and walked together. A year later Tom and Sheila visited San Francisco. JHL and I took them for a walk through the Marina to Fort Point.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nKen and Ivan were booked at an inn in Buckden while my lodging was at Low Raisegill, five miles further. We planned to meet on the trail next morning but I didn't see them until I got to Dentdale.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe travel company's instructions were incorrect about the location of the B\u0026amp;B. So, instead of a left turn I turned right, crossed the bridge at Hubberholme and walked for almost a mile and a half before I found someone to ask about my destination. Turned around and went all the way back past Hubberholme to Low Raisegill Farm. I was pretty beat up by the time I got there and had no energy to walk back to the well-known George Inn for drinks after I had my shower.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nDay 3: Low Raisesgill to Dentdale via Pennine Watershed (13 miles)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Low Raisegill Farm.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nLow Raisegill Farm B\u0026amp;B \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Dent Head Viaduct.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nDent Head Viaduct \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThe most demanding day of the walk as I traversed the High Moor, past Langstrothdale, Yockenthwaite and Oughtershaw Hall. I would not like to do it on an overcast, rainy day. Very bleak landscape. The Cam House was a welcome sight because I knew that the hard part was coming to an end. Didn't see Ken and Ivan although there were other walkers following the route. A tough day. There was not that much of an altitude gain but there were numerous patches of boggy peat which required considerable extra walking. Could not be completely avoided. All the walkers had mud up to their knees when we reached Dentdale.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nOn top of the moor the Pennine Way crosses Dalesway at Cam High Road built by the Romans in 1st Century AD. The view of massive Dent Head Viaduct appeared soon. The popular scenic train ride between Settle and Carlisle passes over the Dent Head Viaduct.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nMet Ivan and Ken in the evening at the Sportsman's Inn. Ken was limping; his ankle problem had gotten worse. The Sportsman's Inn served good food and beer. We were there until closing time and then staggered to bed.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDay 4: Dentdale to Sedbergh  (11 miles)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Patches of heather on the hills.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nPatches of heather on the hills \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Narrow footbridge over River Dee1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nNarrow footbridge over River Dee \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nA  pleasant day.  We stopped for lunch alongside River Lune and continued on to Sedbergh. Sedbergh School is attended by children of well-to-do families.  Not quite Eaton or Harrow, it has a reputation of being one of the top public schools. Saw students playing cricket which reminded me of the time when I was an active participant in the game.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAgain, at Sedbergh we got together in the evening for drinks.  I had dinner with the owners of the B\u0026amp;B.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nDay 5: Sedbergh to Bowston (16 miles)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Holme Croft B\u0026amp;B, Sedbergh.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nHolme Croft B\u0026amp;B, Sedbergh \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Lunch break near Crook of Lune Bridge.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nNear Crook of Lune Bridge \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLong day. Scenic, mostly flat.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAll of us were booked at Kent Dene B\u0026amp;B, managed by Joan and Russell Jamieson. It was the best among the B\u0026amp;B's. Great pasta; unlimited red wine; and wonderful hosts. After dinner, Russell Jamieson drove us to town to try the local brews.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nDay 6: Bowston to Bowness-on-Windermere\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Ivan and Ken with Joan \u0026amp; Russel Jamieson.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nJoan Jamieson,Ivan,Ken,Russell Jamieson \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAfter a delicious breakfast we left Bowston with heavy hearts. Felt as though we were leaving friends we had known for a long time.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Joan Jamieson bidding us goodbye.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nJoan Jamieson bidding us goodbye \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRussell and Joan now live on the island of Crete (Greece). They bought a farm house and fixed it up. Happy--gardening, learning Greek and folk-dancing.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/The last leg---nearing Bowness.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nLast leg, nearing Bowness-on-Windermere \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nKen's ankle problem had gotten worse. I carried his pack to Bowness. Arrived at Bowness before noon. My hotel was just a couple of hundred yards from the end of the trail. I invited Ken and Ivan for a pint before they left for city center to meet Ivan's son who was going to drive them back to Sheffield.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/At the end of Dalesway.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nEnd of Dalesway \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/The Fairfield Hotel, Bowness1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nFairfield Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere \u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nAfter spending the night at Bowness-on-Windermere I took a train to Newcastle to meet relatives who lived in Sunderland. After a few days it was time to head for home. Train from Newcastle to Manchester; flight from Manchester to Heathrow; and then Heathrow to San Francisco. It was a good trip. As it always does, the view of San Francisco Bay warmed the cockles of my heart as the plane prepared to make the final approach for landing.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\nFootnotes:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe trip was booked through a British company that specializes in walking tours. It provided maps, guide book, route instructions, and made arrangements at B\u0026amp;Bs for overnight stay during the walk.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI found The Dalesway Companion by Paul Hannon to be much better, easier to follow, than the guide book (The Dalesway by Anthony Burton) provided by the travel company.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/center\u003e\nWhy?\u003cbr/\u003e\n\".....the universal desire to see a little bit further,\u003cbr/\u003e\nbefore the surrender to old age and the blank certitude\u003cbr/\u003e\nof death.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n---Graham Greene (1904-1991)\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Walk through Yorkshire Dales"},{"content":" Movie theaters being targeted by creationistsA report on adolescents and oral sexFrom The New York Times, 3/19/04:A New Screen Test for Imax: It's the Bible vs. the VolcanoBy CORNELIA DEANThe fight over evolution has reached the big, big screen.Several Imax theaters, including some in science museums, are refusing to show movies that mention the subject - or the Big Bang or the geology of the earth - fearing protests from people who object to films that contradict biblical descriptions of the origin of Earth and its creatures.The number of theaters rejecting such films is small, people in the industry say - perhaps a dozen or fewer, most in the South. But because only a few dozen Imax theaters routinely show science documentaries, the decisions of a few can have a big impact on a film's bottom line - or a producer's decision to make a documentary in the first place.People who follow trends at commercial and institutional Imax theaters say that in recent years, religious controversy has adversely affected the distribution of a number of films, including \"Cosmic Voyage,\" which depicts the universe in dimensions running from the scale of subatomic particles to clusters of galaxies; \"Galápagos,\" about the islands where Darwin theorized about evolution; and \"Volcanoes of the Deep Sea,\" an underwater epic about the bizarre creatures that flourish in the hot, sulfurous emanations from vents in the ocean floor.Oral Sex and AdolescentsInteresting findings announced by the University of California, San Francisco.\"[Health News] Washington, April 4: Adolescents think that oral sex is safer for their health and emotions than vaginal sex and they are also more likely to try oral sex in future, according to a UCSF study published in the April 2005 issue of Pediatrics.“These findings suggest that adults should discuss more than one type of sexual practice when they counsel teens,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, associate professor of adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).A survey of 580 ethnically diverse Northern California ninth-graders showed that these young teens considered oral sex to be significantly less risky to their health than vaginal sex. The adolescents believed that oral sex also was less likely to have negative social and emotional aftermaths such as getting into trouble, guilt, or having a fight with the partner.Teens also considered oral sex less of a threat to their values and beliefs. They found oral sex more acceptable than vaginal sex for people their own age, when the partners are dating each other.Around one-fifth of the ninth graders being studied reported that they had tried oral sex, compared to 13.5 per cent who said they had vaginal sex. Almost one-third said they intended to begin with oral sex within the next six months, compared to 26.2 percent who intended to stick to vaginal sex.“The fact that young adolescents around age 14 are having or considering oral sex and consider it safer and more acceptable than vaginal sex is important information for parents, health care providers and others who work with youth. When we counsel adolescents about the risks and benefits associated with sex, we need to understand how they perceive it among themselves. Guidelines for adolescent health care call for physicians and other health providers to discuss sex and other risky behaviors during regular medical checkups. Those sessions are one opportunity to work with adolescents on the topic of risks and preventive measures with oral sex as well as vaginal and anal sex.” Halpern-Felsher said . \"The mandarins of morality are sure to to come out with guns blazing but that is not likely to deter the adolescents. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/bible-vs-the-volcano-adolescents-and-oral-sex/","summary":"Movie theaters being targeted by creationists\u003cbr/\u003eA report on adolescents and oral sex\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom  The New York Times, 3/19/04:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA New Screen Test for Imax: It's the Bible vs. the Volcano\u003cbr/\u003eBy CORNELIA DEAN\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe fight over evolution has reached the big, big screen.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSeveral Imax theaters, including some in science museums, are refusing to show movies that mention the subject - or the Big Bang or the geology of the earth - fearing protests from people who object to films that contradict biblical descriptions of the origin of Earth and its creatures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of theaters rejecting such films is small, people in the industry say - perhaps a dozen or fewer, most in the South. But because only a few dozen Imax theaters routinely show science documentaries, the decisions of a few can have a big impact on a film's bottom line - or a producer's decision to make a documentary in the first place.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePeople who follow trends at commercial and institutional Imax theaters say that in recent years, religious controversy has adversely affected the distribution of a number of films, including \"Cosmic Voyage,\" which depicts the universe in dimensions running from the scale of subatomic particles to clusters of galaxies; \"Galápagos,\" about the islands where Darwin theorized about evolution; and \"Volcanoes of the Deep Sea,\" an underwater epic about the bizarre creatures that flourish in the hot, sulfurous emanations from vents in the ocean floor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOral Sex and Adolescents\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInteresting findings announced by the University of California, San Francisco.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"[Health News] Washington, April 4: Adolescents think that oral sex is safer for their health and emotions than vaginal sex and they are also more likely to try oral sex in future, according to a UCSF study published in the April 2005 issue of Pediatrics.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“These findings suggest that adults should discuss more than one type of sexual practice when they counsel teens,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, associate professor of adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA survey of 580 ethnically diverse Northern California ninth-graders showed that these young teens considered oral sex to be significantly less risky to their health than vaginal sex. The adolescents believed that oral sex also was less likely to have negative social and emotional aftermaths such as getting into trouble, guilt, or having a fight with the partner.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTeens also considered oral sex less of a threat to their values and beliefs. They found oral sex more acceptable than vaginal sex for people their own age, when the partners are dating each other.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAround one-fifth of the ninth graders being studied reported that they had tried oral sex, compared to 13.5 per cent who said they had vaginal sex. Almost one-third said they intended to begin with oral sex within the next six months, compared to 26.2 percent who intended to stick to vaginal sex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“The fact that young adolescents around age 14 are having or considering oral sex and consider it safer and more acceptable than vaginal sex is important information for parents, health care providers and others who work with youth. When we counsel adolescents about the risks and benefits associated with sex, we need to understand how they perceive it among themselves. Guidelines for adolescent health care call for physicians and other health providers to discuss sex and other risky behaviors during regular medical checkups. Those sessions are one opportunity to work with adolescents on the topic of risks and preventive measures with oral sex as well as vaginal and anal sex.” Halpern-Felsher said . \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe mandarins of morality are sure to to come out with guns blazing but that is not likely to deter the adolescents.","title":"\"Bible vs. the Volcano\", Adolescents and Oral Sex"},{"content":" End of the Story?No, not by a long shot. Despite the polls,that were overwhelmingly against them, the zealots are continuing with their campaign to keep the issue alive and do whatever they can to prevent people from having a choice about making an end of life decision.\"Matters of Life\"Hendrik Hertzberg's comments in The New Yorker (4/4/05) were written a few days before the death of Terri Schiavo. Here is an excerpt.\"..................Without them, there would have been no show--and, more likely, no televised vigils outside her hospice, no cries of 'murder' from Tom DeLay, the egregious House Majority Leader, no midnight special session of the House and Senate; no calling Dr. Frist for a snap video diagnosis; no visuals of President Bush returning from Texas to land on the White House south lawn, striding dramatically across the grass as if it were the deck of an aircraft carrier.\"Hertzberg-Matters of LifeRemember the president on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (\"Mission accomplished\", May 1,2003) ? Always good at milking photo opportunities. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/terri-schiavo-is-dead-and-cremated/","summary":"End of  the Story?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, not by a long shot. Despite the polls,that were overwhelmingly against them, the zealots are continuing with their campaign to keep the issue alive and do whatever they can to prevent people from having a choice about making an end of life decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Matters of Life\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHendrik Hertzberg's comments in The New Yorker (4/4/05) were written a few days before the death of Terri Schiavo. Here is an excerpt.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"..................Without them, there would have been no show--and, more likely, no televised vigils outside her hospice, no cries of 'murder' from Tom DeLay, the egregious House Majority Leader, no midnight special session of the House and Senate; no calling Dr. Frist for a snap video diagnosis; no visuals of President Bush returning from Texas to land on the White House south lawn, striding dramatically across the grass as if it were the deck of an aircraft carrier.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/050404ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003eHertzberg-Matters of Life\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember the president on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (\"Mission accomplished\", May 1,2003) ? Always good at milking photo opportunities.","title":"Terri Schiavo is dead and cremated"},{"content":" An accidental findI knew of Ann Patchet. Her \"Bel Canto\" was selected for reading by the book group to which my friend JHL belongs. She liked it but I never got around to reading it.Ann Patchet was not on my mind when I came across \"Truth \u0026amp; Beauty\" (published by Harper-Collins) while browsing the non-fiction shelves of new books in the local libary. Perhaps it is a book that would appeal more to women readers than to men. I thought it was great. The synopsis from the book jacket is copied below.\"What happens when the person who is your family is someone you aren't bound to by blood? What happens when the person you promise to love and to honor for the rest of your life is not your lover, but your best friend? In Truth \u0026amp; Beauty, her frank and startlingly intimate first work of non- fiction, Ann Patchett shines a fresh, revealing light on the world of women's friendships and shows us what it means to stand together. Ann Patchett and Lucy Grealy met in college in 1981, and, after enrolling in the Iowa Writers' Workshop, began a friendship that would be as defining to both of their lives as their work was. In her critically acclaimed and hugely successful memoir, Autobiography of a Face , Lucy Grealy wrote about losing part of her jaw to childhood cancer, the years of chemotherapy and radiation, and then the endless reconstructive surgeries. In Truth \u0026amp; Beauty, the story isn't Lucy's life or Ann's life, but the parts of their lives they shared. This is a portrait of unwavering commitment that spans twenty years, from the long, cold winters of the Midwest, to surgical wards, to book parties in New York. Through love, fame, drugs, and despair, this book shows us what it means to be part of two lives that are intertwined.This is a tender, brutal book about loving a person we cannot save. It is about loyalty, and about being lifted up by the sheer effervescence of someone who knew how to live life to the fullest. \"\"Nothing lasts, and yet nothing passes, eitherAnd nothing passes just because nothing lasts.\"---Philip Roth, The Human Stain (quoted by Ann Patchet in Truth \u0026amp; Beauty) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/ann-patchets-truth-beauty-a-friendship/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn accidental find\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Truth \u0026amp; Beauty.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI knew of Ann Patchet. Her \"Bel Canto\" was selected for reading by the book group to which my friend JHL belongs. She liked it but I never got around to reading it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnn Patchet was not on my mind when I came across \"Truth \u0026amp; Beauty\" (published by Harper-Collins) while browsing the non-fiction shelves of new books in the local libary. Perhaps it is a book that would appeal more to women readers than to men. I thought it was great. The synopsis from the book jacket is copied below.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What happens when the person who is your family is someone you aren't bound to by blood? What happens when the person you promise to love and to honor for the rest of your life is not your lover, but your best friend? In Truth  \u0026amp; Beauty, her frank and startlingly intimate first work of non- fiction, Ann Patchett shines a fresh, revealing light on the world of women's friendships and shows us what it means to stand together.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e Ann Patchett and Lucy Grealy met in college in 1981, and, after enrolling in the Iowa Writers' Workshop, began a friendship that would be as defining to both of their lives as their work was. In her critically acclaimed and hugely successful memoir, Autobiography of a Face , Lucy Grealy wrote about losing part of her jaw to childhood cancer, the years of chemotherapy and radiation, and then the endless reconstructive surgeries. In Truth \u0026amp; Beauty, the story isn't Lucy's life or Ann's life, but the parts of their lives they shared. This is a portrait of unwavering commitment that spans twenty years, from the long, cold winters of the Midwest, to surgical wards, to book parties in New York. Through love, fame, drugs, and despair, this book shows us what it means to be part of two lives that are intertwined.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is a tender, brutal book about loving a person we cannot save. It is about loyalty, and about being lifted up by the sheer effervescence of someone who knew how to live life to the fullest. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Nothing lasts, and yet nothing passes, either\u003cbr/\u003eAnd nothing passes just because nothing lasts.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Philip Roth, The Human Stain (quoted by Ann Patchet in Truth \u0026amp; Beauty)","title":"Ann Patchet's \"Truth \u0026 Beauty\" (a friendship)"},{"content":" Judiciary under attack\"We will look at an arrogant, out-of-control, unaccountable judiciary that thumbed their nose at Congress and the president.Thus thundered the honest, straight arrow, unblemished House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R), AKA the Exterminator.The full story in The Washington Post.Tom DeLay ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/the-exterminator-on-bully-pulpit/","summary":"Judiciary under attack\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We will look at an arrogant, out-of-control, unaccountable judiciary that thumbed their nose at Congress and the president.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThus thundered the honest, straight arrow, unblemished House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R), AKA the Exterminator.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full story in The Washington Post.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17378-2005Mar31.html\"\u003eTom DeLay\u003c/a\u003e","title":"The \"exterminator\" on Bully Pulpit"},{"content":" A Bach cantata, lost for decades, discovered in Japan by Joshua RifkinThe Wedding Cantata, BWV216, was composed by Bach in 1728. Not the original but the copied version found by Rifkin has been has been authenticated by a team of experts. \"The eight rediscovered pages consist almost uniquely of vocal pieces in German for soprano and alto, with the seven movements lasting for a total of between 20 and 25 minutes.\"And more BachLorraine Hunt LiebersonThere is a superb recording of Bach's BWV82 (Ich habe geung) by the great American mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson who has been compared to the late Maria Callas. The CD also includes BWV199 (Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut).Label:NonesuchThe Orchestra of Emmanuel Music, conducted by Craig SmithThe Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ)Blues on Bach, The MJQJohn Lewis, Piano \u0026amp; HarpsichordMilt Jackson. VibraharpPercy Heath, BassConnie Kay, Drums \u0026amp; PercussionIn one of their rare forays into classical music the MJQ adapted Bach's music and produced a gem. Originally recorded in 1974, the album was reporduced in CD format by Atlantic Records in 1990.Great artists, all of them. I remember an evening when I had the pleasure of watching and listening to Milt (Bags) Jackson in a small jazz club. A friend and I drove up to the now defunct Keystone Corner in San Francisco. A handsome man with acquiline face, in Milt Jackson's hands the mallets seemed to move almost effortlessly over the keys. Austere in style, he was not a showman; he didn't need to be.It was during the period when the group (formed in 1952) had disbanded. They came together a few years later but the magic was gone. He played \"I'll Remember April\" and \"Delauney's Dilemma\", among others.If I am not mistaken, Percy Heath (born 1923) is the only surviving member of MJQ.Jacques Loussier TrioThe French pianist Jacques Loussier also recorded great interpretation of Bach in jazz.Telarc CD:The Best of Play BachJacques Loussier,PianoVincent Charbonnier, BassAndre Arpino, DrumsThe first day of April. Stay away from cruel jokes. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/04/good-news-for-bach-lovers/","summary":"A Bach cantata, lost for decades, discovered in Japan by Joshua Rifkin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Wedding Cantata, BWV216, was composed by Bach in 1728. Not the original but the copied version found by Rifkin has been has been authenticated by a team of experts. \"The eight rediscovered pages consist almost uniquely of vocal pieces in German for soprano and alto, with the seven movements lasting for a total of between 20 and 25 minutes.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnd more Bach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLorraine Hunt Lieberson\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Lieberson.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a superb recording of Bach's BWV82 (Ich habe geung) by the great American mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson who has been compared to the late Maria Callas. The CD also includes BWV199 (Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLabel:Nonesuch\u003cbr/\u003eThe Orchestra of Emmanuel Music, conducted by Craig Smith\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/04/Blues Bach.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBlues on Bach, The MJQ\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Lewis, Piano \u0026amp; Harpsichord\u003cbr/\u003eMilt Jackson. Vibraharp\u003cbr/\u003ePercy Heath, Bass\u003cbr/\u003eConnie Kay, Drums \u0026amp; Percussion\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn one of their rare forays into classical music the MJQ adapted Bach's music and produced a gem. Originally recorded in 1974, the album was reporduced in CD format by Atlantic Records in 1990.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGreat artists, all of them. I remember an evening when I had the pleasure of watching and listening to Milt (Bags) Jackson in a small jazz club. A friend and I drove up to the now defunct Keystone Corner in San Francisco. A handsome man with acquiline face, in Milt Jackson's hands the mallets seemed to move almost effortlessly over the keys. Austere in style, he was not a showman; he didn't need to be.It was during the period when the group (formed in 1952) had disbanded. They came together a few years later but the magic was gone. He played \"I'll Remember April\" and \"Delauney's Dilemma\", among others.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf I am not mistaken, Percy Heath (born 1923) is the only surviving member of MJQ.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJacques Loussier Trio\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThe French pianist Jacques Loussier also recorded great interpretation of Bach in jazz.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTelarc CD:The Best of Play Bach\u003cbr/\u003eJacques Loussier,Piano\u003cbr/\u003eVincent Charbonnier, Bass\u003cbr/\u003eAndre Arpino, Drums\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe first day of April. Stay away from cruel jokes.","title":"Good news for Bach lovers"},{"content":" From The Guardian,UK, 3/31/05:\"US spy agencies were \"dead wrong\" in \"almost all\" of their pre-war judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capability, a commission appointed by the US president said in a final report today.The damning report described the failures as \"major\" and also revealed that US intelligence still knew \"disturbingly little\" about the weapons programmes in other potentially dangerous nations. \"Iraqi Children dying of malnutrition (BBC) \"Malnutrition rates in children under five have almost doubled since the US-led invasion - to nearly 8% by the end of last year, it says.\"The silent daily massacre by hunger is a form of murder,\" Mr Ziegler said. \"It must be battled and eliminated.\"Links:Iraq-WMDBBC-Iraqi Children ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/iraq---selling-of-the-war-the-myth-of-the-wmd/","summary":"From The Guardian,UK, 3/31/05:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"US spy agencies were \"dead wrong\" in \"almost all\" of their pre-war judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capability, a commission appointed by the US president said in a final report today.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe damning report described the failures as \"major\" and also revealed that US intelligence still knew \"disturbingly little\" about the weapons programmes in other potentially dangerous nations. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIraqi Children dying of malnutrition (BBC)\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Malnutrition rates in children under five have almost doubled since the US-led invasion - to nearly 8% by the end of last year, it says.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The silent daily massacre by hunger is a form of murder,\" Mr Ziegler said. \"It must be battled and eliminated.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1449363,00.html\"\u003eIraq-WMD\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4395525.stm\"\u003eBBC-Iraqi Children\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Iraq - Selling of the War.  The myth of the WMD"},{"content":" Spirit of John Ashcroft thriving in IndianaCounty officials in Bartholomew County, Indiana, have ordered removal of cement statues, including copies of Venus de Milo and Michelangelo's David, from the yard of a local business because they are \"obscene under Indiana law\".Like our former attorney general, the officials in Bartholomew County seem to suffer from monumental hang-up about the human body without clothes on.Obscene Statues\"Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity- these are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them.\"---Mark Twain(American humorist, writer and lecturer. 1835-1910) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/obscene-statues-or-morbid-officials/","summary":"Spirit of John Ashcroft thriving in Indiana\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCounty officials in Bartholomew County, Indiana, have ordered removal of cement statues, including copies of Venus de Milo and Michelangelo's David, from the yard of a local business because they are \"obscene under Indiana law\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike our former attorney general, the officials in Bartholomew County seem to suffer from monumental hang-up about the human body without clothes on.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/03/30/national/a135035S55.DTL\"\u003eObscene Statues\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity- these are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Mark Twain(American humorist, writer and lecturer. 1835-1910)","title":"Obscene Statues or Morbid Officials"},{"content":" Physician assisted suicide takes a step forwardAccording to an article in today's New York Times, it is Vermont which could possibly be the next state to offer its people the choice of physician assisted suicide.Extracts:\"Supporters of assisted-suicide laws around the country say that legislation is necessary as a matter of justice, said Nancy Dubler, a professor of bioethics at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Without a law, she said, \"people of a certain education and class and profession will have access to it when others will not.\" Oregon, she said, \"has demonstrated that it's socially and morally responsible, socially and morally possible to have a physician-assisted suicide program.\"\"Dr. Diana Barnard, 40, who was the last member to join the core group, said she wanted to give terminally ill patients an alternative to \"going out in the barn with a gun.\"Link:In Vermont, a Bid to Legalize Physician-Assisted SuicideBy JOHN SCHWARTZ and JAMES ESTRINNY Times ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/vermont-an-enlightened-state/","summary":"Physician assisted suicide takes a step forward\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to an article in today's New York Times, it is Vermont which could possibly be the next state to offer its people the choice of physician assisted suicide.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExtracts:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Supporters of assisted-suicide laws around the country say that legislation is necessary as a matter of justice, said Nancy Dubler, a professor of bioethics at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Without a law, she said, \"people of a certain education and class and profession will have access to it when others will not.\" Oregon, she said, \"has demonstrated that it's socially and morally responsible, socially and morally possible to have a physician-assisted suicide program.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dr. Diana Barnard, 40, who was the last member to join the core group, said she wanted to give terminally ill patients an alternative to \"going out in the barn with a gun.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003eIn Vermont, a Bid to Legalize Physician-Assisted Suicide\u003cbr/\u003eBy JOHN SCHWARTZ and JAMES ESTRIN\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/national/30dying.html\"\u003eNY Times\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Vermont : An Enlightened State"},{"content":" Suppressing our rights in the name of GodPaul KrugmanBill Moyers (Welcome Doomsday) Right to Die - A few booksPaul Krugman's column (What's Going On) in The NY Times describes what we are likely to encounter from the so called \"Christian Right\" and their friends in Congress. The extremists are not going to be deterred by public opinion about their meddling in the Schiavo case.Extract from the column:\"Yesterday The Washington Post reported on the growing number of pharmacists who, on religious grounds, refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control or morning-after pills. These pharmacists talk of personal belief; but the effect is to undermine laws that make these drugs available. And let me make a prediction: soon, wherever the religious right is strong, many pharmacists will be pressured into denying women legal drugs. And it won't stop there. There is a nationwide trend toward \"conscience\" or 'refusal' legislation. Laws in Illinois and Mississippi already allow doctors and other health providers to deny virtually any procedure to any patient. Again, think of how such laws expose doctors to pressure and intimidation.They have an unseemly obsession with morning-after pills. They want women to pay for their sins, is that it ?A news bulltein from Associated Press about groups representing the disabled reads \"Activists make point in Schiavo case\".What point ? The supporters of \"Right to Die\" and \"Death with Dignity\" movements certainly do not want to force people to do anything. We want terminally ill people to have the right to make the decision whether to be kept alive on life support or not. It is a private matter between the individuals, their families, physicians, and their spiritual advisors. The politicians should have no role in this.Bill MoyersA respected voice in broadcast journalism, over the years Bill Moyers covered many subjects --from 9/11 to The Power of Myth, his acclaimed series of interviews with the late Joseph Campbell--during his appearances on PBS.Programs hosted by Bill Moyers are no longer a part of the new PBS.Moyers' essay \"Welcome Doomsday\" which appeared in the web site of Axis of Logic on March 23rd is timely and incisive.\"The result is what the Italian scholar Emilio Gentile, quoted in Silk's newsletter, calls \"political religion\"—religion as an instrument of political combat. On gay marriage and abortion— the most conspicuous of the \"non-negotiable\" items in a widely distributed Catholic voter's guide—no one should be surprised what this political religion portends. The agenda has been foreshadowed for years, ever since Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and other right-wing Protestants set out to turn white evangelicals into a solid Republican voting bloc and reached out to make allies of their former antagonists, conservative Catholics.\"Books about end of life choices The books listed below contain a wealth of information about the inevitability of death and the choices in facing it. The subject has gained considerable interest in recent weeks. It is one thing to feel indignant about the government's intervention in your life but taking a step to protect yourself from a similar situation is something else. The extremists would probably look for ways to totally block choice for terminally ill patients. Signing an Advance Directive to Physician (Living Will) would be one way to protect yourself. Also, make your position known to your family and friends.If you believe in it, execute the document. You will not need an attorney; just two witnesses. The form is available from various sources. The World Wide Web contains a vast list of organizations that provide information about this. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is one of them.Do not lose control over this very important decision.Recommended reading:How We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage PaperbackOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell PublishingEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, LondonLinks:NYTimes-KrugmanMoyers-DoomsdayAAFP ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/extremists-vs-the-rest-of-us---tyranny-of-the-bigots/","summary":"Suppressing our rights in the name of God\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman\u003cbr/\u003eBill Moyers (Welcome Doomsday) \u003cbr/\u003eRight to Die - A few books\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman's column (What's Going On) in The NY Times describes what we are likely to encounter from the so called \"Christian Right\" and their friends in Congress. The extremists are not going to be deterred by public opinion about their meddling in the Schiavo case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExtract from the column:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yesterday The Washington Post reported on the growing number of pharmacists who, on religious grounds, refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control or morning-after pills. These pharmacists talk of personal belief; but the effect is to undermine laws that make these drugs available. And let me make a prediction: soon, wherever the religious right is strong, many pharmacists will be pressured into denying women legal drugs. And it won't stop there. There is a nationwide trend toward \"conscience\" or 'refusal' legislation. Laws in Illinois and Mississippi already allow doctors and other health providers to deny virtually any procedure to any patient. Again, think of how such laws expose doctors to pressure and intimidation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey have an unseemly obsession with morning-after pills.  They want women to pay for their sins, is that it ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA news bulltein from Associated Press about groups representing the disabled reads \"Activists make point in Schiavo case\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat point ? The supporters of \"Right to Die\" and \"Death with Dignity\" movements certainly do not want to force people to do anything. We want terminally ill people to have the right to make the decision whether to be kept alive on life support or not. It is a private matter between the individuals, their families, physicians, and their spiritual advisors. The politicians should have no role in this.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eBill Moyers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA respected voice in broadcast journalism, over the years Bill Moyers covered many subjects --from 9/11 to The Power of Myth, his acclaimed series of interviews with the late Joseph Campbell--during his appearances on PBS.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrograms hosted by Bill Moyers are no longer a part of the new PBS.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMoyers' essay \"Welcome Doomsday\" which appeared in the web site of Axis of Logic on March 23rd is timely and incisive.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The result is what the Italian scholar Emilio Gentile, quoted in Silk's newsletter, calls \"political religion\"—religion as an instrument of political combat. On gay marriage and abortion— the most conspicuous of the \"non-negotiable\" items in a widely distributed Catholic voter's guide—no one should be surprised what this political religion portends. The agenda has been foreshadowed for years, ever since Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and other right-wing Protestants set out to turn white evangelicals into a solid Republican voting bloc and reached out to make allies of their former antagonists, conservative Catholics.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBooks about end of life choices\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \u003c/center\u003eThe books listed below contain a wealth of information about the inevitability of death and the choices in facing it. The subject has gained considerable interest in recent weeks. It is one thing to feel indignant about the government's intervention in your life but taking a step to protect yourself from a similar situation is something else. The extremists would probably look for ways to totally block choice for terminally ill patients. Signing an Advance Directive to Physician (Living Will) would be one way to protect yourself. Also, make your position known to your family and friends.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIf you believe in it, execute the document. You will not need an attorney; just two witnesses. The form is available from various sources. The World Wide Web contains a vast list of organizations that provide information about this. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is one of them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDo not lose control over this very important decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRecommended reading:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow We Die : Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland,MD, Vintage Paperback\u003cbr/\u003eOn Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, The MacMillan Co.\u003cbr/\u003eFinal Exit by Derek Humphrey, Dell Publishing\u003cbr/\u003eEuthanasia and the Right to Die edited by A.B. Dowling, Peter Owen, London\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/29/opinion/29krugman.html\"\u003eNYTimes-Krugman\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_16401.shtml\"\u003eMoyers-Doomsday\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.aafp.org/afp/990201ap/617.html\"\u003eAAFP\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Extremists vs. the Rest of Us - Tyranny of the Bigots"},{"content":" Befuddled politicians seeking a quiet exit?There must be a lot of head scratching going on in the Florida State House, Congress, and the White House.They thought they had a sure thing when they took on the role of knights valiantly fighting to save Terri Schiavo. However, it didn't quite pan out the way they thought it would. One poll after another reflect that close to 80% of Americans feel that they had no business to intervene.How to wiggle out of it ? Not very easy, especially since many of them claim to receive their orders from a higher being. But as politicians they will do what they do best---resort to expediency--and hope that people will soon forget the affair. Majority Leader Tom DeLay will jump on to another issue to divert attention from his problems, and it will be business as usual for members of the 109th Congress. \"I am not a politician, and my other habits are good.\"Fourth of July Oration, Artemus (Charles Farrar Browne) Ward (1834-1867) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/the-gang-that-lost-its-way/","summary":"Befuddled politicians seeking a  quiet exit?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere must be a lot of head scratching going on in the Florida State House, Congress, and the White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey thought they had a sure thing when they took on the role of knights valiantly fighting to save Terri Schiavo. However, it didn't quite pan out the way they thought it would. One poll after another reflect that close to 80% of Americans feel that they had no business to intervene.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow to wiggle out of it ? Not very easy, especially since many of them claim to receive their orders from a higher being. But as politicians they will do what they do best---resort to expediency--and hope that people will soon forget the affair. Majority Leader Tom DeLay will jump on to another issue to divert attention from his problems, and it will be business as usual for members of the 109th Congress.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e  \"I am not a politician, and my other habits are good.\"\u003cbr/\u003eFourth of July Oration, Artemus (Charles Farrar Browne) Ward (1834-1867)","title":"The Gang That Lost Its Way"},{"content":" Iraq - What have we achieved ? The cost in human termsSome Americans don't give a hoot about Iraqis but what about our own? My February 26th post cited figures of the dead and injured in Iraq. One month later the numbers show that there is no cause to rejoice. The tolls continue to mount.U.S. SoldiersAs of March 25, 2005Dead: 1,539Injured: 11,442Iraqi civiliansDead: Minimum 16,121Maximum 18,393Links:IBCGlobal+++++++\"Mission accomplished\", President George W. Bush, May 2, 2003 ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/mission-accomplished---693-days-later/","summary":"Iraq - What have we achieved ? The cost in human terms\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSome Americans don't give a hoot about Iraqis but what about our own? My February 26th post cited figures of the dead and injured in Iraq. One month later the numbers show that there is no cause to rejoice. The tolls continue to mount.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eU.S. Soldiers\u003c/center\u003eAs of March 25, 2005\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eDead: 1,539\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eInjured: 11,442\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eIraqi civilians\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eDead: Minimum 16,121\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eMaximum 18,393\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm\"\u003eGlobal\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e+++++++\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mission accomplished\", President George W. Bush, May 2, 2003","title":"\"Mission Accomplished\" -  693 Days Later"},{"content":" Why We Run\"For every runner who tours the world running marathons, there are thousands who run to hear the leaves and listen to rain and look to the day when it all is suddenly as easy as a bird in flight. For them, sport is not a test but a therapy, not a trial but a reward, not a question but an answer.\"---Dr. George Sheehan (1918-1993) Runner, Author, Philosopher, CardiologistThat says it all for those of us who do not run to lose weight or because it is good for health. We run because we found something that would be difficult, almost impossible,for a non-runner to understand. As the late, great Fats Waller said about jazz: \"if you hafta ask, you ain't never gonna know!\"Never much of a sprinter I got into distance running almost by accident--while giving the family dog his work out. It felt good and I got hooked. That was almost 30 years ago.In a Marathon from SFO Ferry Building to Larkspur Ferry TerminalI have run marathons, the Dipsea (Over Mount Tamalpais from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach), the Double Dipsea (from Stinson Beach to Mill Valley and back), and countless miles over local roads and trails in the foothills. Always carried my running gear on business trips. Have run in HongKong and Bangkok; Singapore and Taipei; Bombay, Madras and Colombo; London and Paris. I run in summer and in the cold and wet winter months. On some days it takes an effort to gear up and go out but I always return from a run feeling better in body and spirits than when I went out. Perhaps it is the release of endorphin. The reason why it feels good is not important.The town where I live is not very attractive for runners but the quiet, tree-lined streets of Los Altos are only a few miles away. And there are great trails in Rancho San Antonio and Stevens Creek Canyon. After close encounter with a rattle snake some years back I avoid running on narrow trails during the warm weather; it is more a state of mind than a real threat.Age takes its toll. I am aware that one of these days the knees will give up or something else will happen and I shall have to stop running. In the meantime, I'm going to make the most of it.Ultra MarathonsGayla Johnson, who lives nearby, is an ultra marathoner. She has run the Western States 100 (see below) not once or twice, but four times! Amazing feat. For those who are not aware what the terms mean, distance for a marathon is 26.2 miles; ultra marathons are races of 50 miles and over. To some it is lunacy. I know why she does it--for the agony and the ecstasy.The bare facts:\"The Western States Endurance Run is one of the oldest ultra trail events in the world and certainly one of the most challenging.The Run is conducted along the Western States Trail starting at Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California, a total of 100 miles. The trail ascends from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn.\"Another tough one is the 135-mile race from Bad Water to Whitney Portal. It begins in Badwater, Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, crosses the desert, continues through the town of Lone Pine (3700 feet) and finishes at Whitney Portal, 8,360 feet above sea level.Link:WSER ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/about-runners-and-running/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eWhy We Run\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"For every runner who tours the world running marathons, there are thousands who run to hear the leaves and listen to rain and look to the day when it all is suddenly as easy as a bird in flight. For them, sport is not a test but a therapy, not a trial but a reward, not a question but an answer.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Dr. George Sheehan (1918-1993)  Runner, Author, Philosopher, Cardiologist\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat says it all for those of us who do not run to lose weight or because it is good for health. We run because we found something that would be difficult, almost impossible,for a non-runner to understand. As the late, great Fats Waller said about jazz: \"if you hafta ask, you ain't never gonna know!\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNever much of a sprinter I got into distance running almost by accident--while giving the family dog his work out. It felt good and I got hooked. That was almost 30 years ago.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/GG Marathon 82.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a Marathon from SFO Ferry Building to Larkspur Ferry Terminal\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have run marathons, the Dipsea (Over Mount Tamalpais from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach), the Double Dipsea (from Stinson Beach to Mill Valley and back), and countless miles over local roads and trails in the foothills. Always carried my running gear on business trips. Have run in HongKong and Bangkok; Singapore and Taipei; Bombay, Madras and Colombo; London and Paris. I run in summer and in the cold and wet winter months. On some days it takes an effort to gear up and go out but I always return from a run feeling better in body and spirits than when I went out. Perhaps it is the release of endorphin. The reason why it feels good is not important.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe town where I live is not very attractive for runners but the quiet, tree-lined streets of Los Altos are only a few miles away. And there are great trails in Rancho San Antonio and Stevens Creek Canyon. After close encounter with a rattle snake some years back I avoid running on narrow trails during the warm weather; it is more a state of mind than a real threat.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAge takes its toll. I am aware that one of these days the knees will give up or something else will happen and I shall have to stop running. In the meantime, I'm going to make the most of it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eUltra Marathons\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGayla Johnson, who lives nearby, is an ultra marathoner. She has run the Western States 100 (see below) not once or twice, but four times! Amazing feat. For those who are not aware what the terms mean, distance for a marathon is 26.2 miles; ultra marathons are races of 50 miles and over. To some it is lunacy. I know why she does it--for the agony and the ecstasy.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bare facts:\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Western States Endurance Run is one of the oldest ultra trail events in the world and certainly one of the most challenging.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Run is conducted along the Western States Trail starting at Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California, a total of 100 miles. The trail ascends from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother tough one is the 135-mile race from Bad Water to Whitney Portal. It begins in Badwater, Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, crosses the desert, continues through the town of Lone Pine (3700 feet) and finishes at Whitney Portal, 8,360 feet above sea level.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003ca href=\"http://www.ws100.com/home.html\"\u003eWSER\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"About Runners and Running"},{"content":" Bring me the barf bagLink:DeLay ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/god-and-tom-delay/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBring me the barf bag\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;u=/nm/20050323/pl_nm/rights_schiavo_politics_dc\"\u003eDeLay\u003c/a\u003e","title":"God and Tom DeLay"},{"content":" \"Good Judges\"\"And Dr. Frist, after discussing Congressional intervention in Ms. Schiavo's case in a telephone call to Christian conservative activists last week, moved directly to the need for 'good judges' and his plans to end the ability of Democrats to filibuster.\" (Carl Hulse and David D. Kirkpatrick,NY Times 3/23/05)Senator (and doctor) Frist didn't leave any doubt about what he meant. What about you--when you think about it, what is your interpretation of a good judge?Public opinion polls in the past few days reflected that between 60 to 80 percent of Americans were against the government's intervention in the Schiavo case. One would think that it would make the legislators pause, at least for a while, to think. Nope. Now their ire is against bad judges. Judge James Whittemore of the Florida District Court, who ruled to let the decision by the Circuit Court (to remove Schiavo's feeding tube) stand, is reported to be a registered Republican. When I ran a search in Google most of the articles lauded his rercord. Perhaps he incurred wrath of the extremists because he was appointed during the Clinton era.The conservatives have become rabble rousers. It is the \"winner take all\", \"my way or no way\" position that is ominous. But right now the wind is blowing their way. They have a friend in the White House and they will trample over the rest of us. Whether it is targeted tax cuts, display of the Ten Commandments in public places, women's right to choose, or teaching of creationism, the extremists are determined to push their beliefs down our throat and stand ever-ready to amend the Constitution to do it.NY Times-Judicial Appointments ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/agenda-driven-judicial-appointments/","summary":"\"Good Judges\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"And Dr. Frist, after discussing Congressional intervention in Ms. Schiavo's case in a telephone call to Christian conservative activists last week, moved directly to the need for 'good judges' and his plans to end the ability of Democrats to filibuster.\" (Carl Hulse and David D. Kirkpatrick,NY Times 3/23/05)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSenator (and doctor) Frist didn't leave any doubt about what he meant. What about you--when you think about it, what is your interpretation of a good judge?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePublic opinion polls in the past few days reflected that between 60 to 80 percent of Americans were against the government's intervention in the Schiavo case. One would think that it would make the legislators pause, at least for a while, to think. Nope. Now their ire is against bad judges. Judge James Whittemore of the Florida District Court, who ruled to let the decision by the Circuit Court (to remove Schiavo's feeding tube) stand, is reported to be a registered Republican. When I ran a search in Google most of the articles lauded his rercord. Perhaps he incurred wrath of the extremists because he was appointed during the Clinton era.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe conservatives have become rabble rousers. It is the \"winner take all\", \"my way or no way\" position that is ominous. But right now the wind is blowing their way. They have a friend in the White House and they will trample over the rest of us. Whether it is targeted tax cuts, display of the Ten Commandments in public places, women's right to choose, or teaching of creationism, the extremists are determined to push their beliefs down our throat and stand ever-ready to amend the Constitution to do it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/23/politics/23cong.html\"\u003eNY Times-Judicial Appointments\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Agenda-driven Judicial Appointments"},{"content":" \"Letter from Illinois\" by Calvin Trillin, The New Yorker (OnLine edition 3/7/05) A kind visitor to my blog informed me that Calvin Trillin's article about First Lieutenant Brian Slavenas, mentioned in my March 12th post, was available online in The New Yorker, and provided the link. Thank you,Algis. I urge those who have the time to read the article. Trillin is a sensitive author. His portrayal of the dead soldier and his family is compassionate and thoughtful. Link: Brian Slavenas ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/first-lieutenant-brian-slavenas-a-sequel/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\"Letter from Illinois\" by Calvin Trillin, The New Yorker (OnLine edition 3/7/05)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA kind visitor to my blog informed me that Calvin Trillin's article about First Lieutenant Brian Slavenas, mentioned in my March 12th post, was available online in The New Yorker, and provided the link. Thank you,Algis.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI urge those who have the time to read the article. Trillin is a sensitive author. His portrayal of the dead soldier and his family is compassionate and thoughtful.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLink: \u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/03/14/050314fa_fact3\"\u003eBrian Slavenas\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"First Lieutenant Brian Slavenas, A Sequel"},{"content":" Don't bet on it. The zealots may have some tricks hidden up their sleeves\"Schiavo Judge Refuses Request to Connect Feeding Tube \"Bloomberg News 3/22/05\"A federal judge in Florida today refused to order doctors to reinsert the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman whose right-to-die case has touched off a national debate.\"\"In Schiavo case, Congress trespasses on private tragedy\"\"When the Founders wrote the Constitution, they devoted the largest section to spelling out the powers of Congress. Nowhere did they include the right to play doctor. Terri Schiavo's story is tragic enough without political malpractice.\"USA Today ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/the-last-words-on-terri-schiavo/","summary":"Don't bet on it.  The zealots may have some tricks hidden up their sleeves\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"style9\"\u003e\"Schiavo Judge Refuses Request to Connect Feeding Tube \u003c/span\u003e\"\u003cbr/\u003eBloomberg News 3/22/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"\u003cspan class=\"style5\"\u003eA federal judge in Florida today refused to order doctors to reinsert the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman whose right-to-die case has touched off a national debate.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inside-head\"\u003e\"In Schiavo case, Congress trespasses on private tragedy\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"style5\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\"When the Founders wrote the Constitution, they devoted the largest section to spelling out the powers of Congress. Nowhere did they include the right to play doctor. Terri Schiavo's story is tragic enough without political malpractice.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"style5\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-03-21-our-view_x.htm\"\u003eUSA  Today\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e","title":"The Last Words on Terri Schiavo ?"},{"content":" Virginity pledges don't reduce rates of STDs, study finds\"The study, by Yale and Columbia University researchers after examining sexual behaviors of 11,400 adolescents found virginity pledges encouraging STD risks.They found that many pledgers who claimed to be virgins were having premarital sex. Although a large number of adolescents avoided vaginal intercourse, they were more likely to have oral and anal sex without the use of condoms.The team found the male pledgers 4 times more likely to engage in anal sex and both male and female pledgers 6 times more likely to have oral sex.The study steered by Dr. Hannah Bruckner was published in Journal of Adolescent Health. \"Virginity ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/virginity-celibacy-and-all-that-hype/","summary":"Virginity pledges don't reduce rates of STDs, study finds\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The study, by Yale and Columbia University researchers after examining sexual behaviors of 11,400 adolescents found virginity pledges encouraging STD risks.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThey found that many pledgers who claimed to be virgins were having premarital sex. Although a large number of adolescents avoided vaginal intercourse, they were more likely to have oral and anal sex without the use of condoms.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe team found the male pledgers 4 times more likely to engage in anal sex and both male and female pledgers 6 times more likely to have oral sex.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe study steered by Dr. Hannah Bruckner was published in Journal of Adolescent Health. \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050319/SEX19/TPHealth/\"\u003eVirginity\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Virginity, Celibacy and All That Hype"},{"content":" Mukhtar Mai and the women of Pakistan win a roundAs more and more women in Pakistan raised their voices in protest against the lopsided judgment by the high court in Lahore, on March 18th the prime minister ordered the men accused of raping Mukhtar Mai to be re-arrested. This act by Premier Shaukat Ali was a recognition not only of the growing strength of the women of Pakistan but also the strong condemnation around the world.Let's hope that justice will prevail for Mukhtar Mai and the women of Pakistan. More power to them.BBC-Mukhtar MaiFootnote: This post is for MS of Lahore (Pakistan)--bright, exuberant, and passionate in her views--currently a student in the United States. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/pakistan---antiquated-laws-and-tribal-customs/","summary":"Mukhtar Mai and the women of Pakistan win a round\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs more and more women in Pakistan raised their voices in protest against the lopsided judgment by the high court in Lahore, on March 18th the prime minister ordered the men accused of raping Mukhtar Mai to be re-arrested. This act by Premier Shaukat Ali was a recognition not only of the growing strength of the women of Pakistan but also the strong condemnation around the world.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLet's hope that justice will prevail for Mukhtar Mai and the women of Pakistan.  More power to them.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4361289.stm\"\u003eBBC-Mukhtar Mai\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFootnote: This post is for MS of Lahore (Pakistan)--bright, exuberant, and passionate in her views--currently a student in the United States.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e","title":"Pakistan - Antiquated Laws and Tribal Customs"},{"content":" Glorious Spring\"What is all this juice and all this joy ?A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning...\"---Gerard Manley Hopkins, \"Spring\"Dogwood Blossoms, Sequoia Natl Park,CA. Mount Timpanogos, Utah California Poppies and Lupines Freesias, lovely and fragrant More Freesias Go to:First day of Spring ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/first-day-of-spring/","summary":"Glorious Spring\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"What is all this juice and all this joy ?\u003cbr/\u003eA strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning...\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Gerard Manley Hopkins, \"Spring\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Dogwood Blossoms1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDogwood Blossoms, Sequoia Natl Park,CA. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Mount Timpanogos, Utah.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMount Timpanogos, Utah \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Wild Flowers1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCalifornia Poppies and Lupines \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Freesias II.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFreesias, lovely and fragrant \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Freesias in my yard.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMore Freesias \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGo to:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/images/spring_anim2000.gif\"\u003eFirst day of Spring\u003c/a\u003e","title":"First day of Spring"},{"content":" They squawk about increase in the minimum hourly wage!Captains of Piracy, Nicholas D. Kristof's column in The NY Times 3/19/05 will make you gasp. The numbers are staggering and bear no relation to performance.\"A study for The Wall Street Journal by Mercer Human Resource Consulting found that at 100 major U.S. corporations, bonuses for C.E.O.'s last year rose more than 46 percent, to a median of $1.14 million. Both the amount and the percentage increase were the highest since comparable studies began five years ago.\"The full article is accessible at:NY Times-Piracy ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/ceo-compensation-in-america/","summary":"They squawk about increase in the minimum hourly wage!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCaptains of Piracy, Nicholas D. Kristof's column in The NY Times 3/19/05 will make you gasp.  The numbers are staggering and bear no relation to performance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A study for The Wall Street Journal by Mercer Human Resource Consulting found that at 100 major U.S. corporations, bonuses for C.E.O.'s last year rose more than 46 percent, to a median of $1.14 million. Both the amount and the percentage increase were the highest since comparable studies began five years ago.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full article is accessible at:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/19/opinion/19kristof.html\"\u003eNY Times-Piracy\u003c/a\u003e","title":"CEO Compensation in America"},{"content":" Zen thoughts and HaikusMatt Conigliaro - Legal facts about the Schiavo CaseNon-attachment\"Do not permit the events of your daily life to bind you, but never withdraw yourselves from them. Only by acting thus can you earn the title of A Liberated One.\"---Wan Ling Record of The Zen Master Huang Po (translated by John Blofeld)\"Not even a hat--And cold rain falling on me?Tut-tut! Think of that!---Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)Is-Ness\"The wild geese do not intend to cast their reflectionThe water has no mind to receive their image.\"---Zenrin KushuNow-ness\"Nothing exists; all things are becoming\"--- Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to ZenThe Zen Eye\"And do not change. Do not divert your love from visible things. But go on loving what is good, simple and ordinary; animals and things and flowers, and keep the balance true.\"---Rainer Maria RilkeAttribution: All quotations are from The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson RossMatt Conigliaro's Abstract AppealFor those who are interested in a balanced, dispassionate summary of the Terri Schiavo case, Matt Conigliaro's \"Abstract Appeal-Web Log Devoted to Florida Law and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals\" is the best I have found on the world wide web. Mr. Conigliaro, a Florida attorney, has done a masterful job.Abstract Appeal ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/another-wet-march-morning/","summary":"Zen thoughts and Haikus\u003cbr/\u003eMatt Conigliaro - Legal facts about the Schiavo Case\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNon-attachment\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Do not permit the events of your daily life to bind you, but never withdraw yourselves from them. Only by acting thus can you earn the title of A Liberated One.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Wan Ling Record of The Zen Master Huang Po (translated by John Blofeld)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Not even a hat--\u003cbr/\u003eAnd cold rain falling on me?\u003cbr/\u003eTut-tut! Think of that!\u003cbr/\u003e---Basho (translated by Harold Henderson)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIs-Ness\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The wild geese do not intend to cast their reflection\u003cbr/\u003eThe water has no mind to receive their image.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Zenrin Kushu\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNow-ness\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Nothing exists; all things are becoming\"\u003cbr/\u003e--- Reiho Masunaga, The Soto Approach to Zen\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Zen Eye\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"And do not change. Do not divert your love from visible things. But go on loving what is good, simple and ordinary; animals and things and flowers, and keep the balance true.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Rainer Maria Rilke\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAttribution: All quotations are from The World of Zen by Nancy Wilson Ross\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMatt Conigliaro's Abstract Appeal\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFor those who are interested in a balanced, dispassionate summary of the Terri Schiavo case, Matt Conigliaro's \"Abstract Appeal-Web Log Devoted to Florida Law and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals\" is the best I have found on the world wide web. Mr. Conigliaro, a Florida attorney, has done a masterful job.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html\"\u003eAbstract Appeal\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Another Wet March Morning"},{"content":" Republican Senators to use woman in coma as prop for a dog and pony showI had decided not to write any more about hapless Terri Schiavo. But the news about the cynical move by Republican zealots in the Senate to force the brain-damaged woman and her husband to appear before them to testify broke my resolve. Testify!!! It is obvious that they have no shame.\"The Senate Health Committee has requested that Terri and her husband Michael appear at an official committee hearing on March 28. A statement from the office of House Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., on Friday said the purpose of the hearing was to review health care policies and practices relevant to the care of non-ambulatory people.\"Really? You could have knocked me down with a feather. This might, just might, be the last straw for Terri Schiavo. The stress of traveling from Florida could be too much for her frail body. In that case the ploy of the Senators would turn out to be an act of kindness, although kindness is far from their minds as they prepare for a despicable act of grandstanding. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/faith-based-politics/","summary":"Republican Senators to use woman in coma as prop for a dog and pony show\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI had decided not to write any more about hapless Terri Schiavo. But the news about the cynical move by Republican zealots in the Senate to force the brain-damaged woman and her husband to appear before them to testify broke my resolve. Testify!!! It is obvious that they have no shame.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Senate Health Committee has  requested that Terri and her husband Michael appear at an official committee  hearing on March 28. A statement from the office of House Majority Leader Bill  Frist, R-Tenn., on Friday said the purpose of the hearing was to review health  care policies and practices relevant to the care of non-ambulatory people.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eReally?  You could have knocked me down with a feather. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis might, just might, be the last straw for Terri Schiavo. The stress of traveling from Florida could be too much for her frail body. In that case the ploy of the Senators would turn out to be an act of kindness, although kindness is far from their minds as they prepare for a despicable act of grandstanding.","title":"Faith Based Politics"},{"content":" \"Jury finds Ebbers guilty on all counts\"How sweet it is. The former CEO of Worldcom is facing jail time. The jury found him guilty on all charges. He certainly deserved it. I don't believe in hell but I hope that Mr. Ebbers rots--slowly rots--in prison. Let's not forget that for every Bernie Ebbers there are many more who laughed their way to bank and are sitting pretty.Dan Ackman in Forbes 3/16/05:\"In fact, the Ebbers case is a freak by any measure. Start with the simple fact that he went to trial. Of the 82,910 defendants accused in federal courts in 2004, just 3,393, or 4%, stood trial at all, according to the U.S. Office of Court Administration. Securities fraud cases are also extremely rare: In 2004, there were just 116 defendants whose cases were disposed of in the entire U.S., a remarkably small number considering the number of financial restatements, corporate blowups and dream-state analyst reports in recent years. If you are a CEO among the 116, that's cold comfort, but it's not something you really need to worry about.\"General Augusto Pinochet, one of our former pet dictators A report in The Guardian,UK, reads: \"Pinochet's web of bank accounts exposed\"Deaths of Prisoners in American Custody (NY Times 3/17/05)\"Now the White House has its own gulag: C.I.A. agents snatch suspects and fly them to places like Egypt and Syria to be strung up in chains and tortured. And The Times reported yesterday that at least 26 deaths of prisoners in American custody in Iraq and Afghanistan may be criminal homicides. So it also has its own Soviet-style propaganda campaign.\" Links:Guardian-PinochetNYTimes-Dowd ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/bernie-ebbers-gets-his-just-desserts-and-there-is-pinochet/","summary":"\"Jury finds Ebbers guilty on all counts\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow sweet it is. The former CEO of Worldcom is facing jail time. The jury found him guilty on all charges. He certainly deserved it. I don't believe in hell but I hope that Mr. Ebbers rots--slowly rots--in prison. Let's not forget that for every Bernie Ebbers there are many more who laughed their way to bank and are sitting pretty.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDan Ackman in Forbes 3/16/05:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In fact, the Ebbers case is a freak by any measure. Start with the simple fact that he went to trial. Of the 82,910 defendants accused in federal courts in 2004, just 3,393, or 4%, stood trial at all, according to the U.S. Office of Court Administration. Securities fraud cases are also extremely rare: In 2004, there were just 116 defendants whose cases were disposed of in the entire U.S., a remarkably small number considering the number of financial restatements, corporate blowups and dream-state analyst reports in recent years. If you are a CEO among the 116, that's cold comfort, but it's not something you really need to worry about.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGeneral Augusto Pinochet, one of our former pet dictators\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eA report in The Guardian,UK, reads:  \"Pinochet's web of bank accounts exposed\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDeaths of Prisoners in American Custody (NY Times 3/17/05)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now the White House has its own gulag: C.I.A. agents snatch suspects and fly them to places like Egypt and Syria to be strung up in chains and tortured. And The Times reported yesterday that at least 26 deaths of prisoners in American custody in Iraq and Afghanistan may be criminal homicides. So it also has its own Soviet-style propaganda campaign.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e \u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e Links:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/chile/story/0,13755,1439032,00.html\"\u003eGuardian-Pinochet\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/opinion/17dowd.html\"\u003eNYTimes-Dowd\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Bernie Ebbers Gets His Just Desserts, And There is Pinochet"},{"content":" A Walk in the midst of Wild Flowers\"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, A flask of Wine, a Book of Verse--and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness-- And Wildnerness is Paradise enow.\"---Omar Khayýam, Persian Poet, Astronomer (1048-1123*) Translated by Edward Fitzgerald*1131, according to some sources.Bush Lupine at Russian Ridge Picnic on the Grass Russian Ridge, Wild Flowers I Russian Ridge, Wild Flowers II Russian Ridge, Wild Flowers III JHL and I went to look at wild flowers at Russian Ridge, high up in the peninsula, near the crossing of Skyline Boulevard and Page mill Road. It was a lovely day, unusually warm. But the breeze blowing from the Pacific about 6 miles away made our hike quite enjoyable. It was clear enough to look to the east and see Hoover Tower in the Stanford Campus and, further on, the outline of the Dumbarton Bridge. To the west we could catch glimpses of the ocean near Half Moon Bay.The display of flowers was not spectacular. Perhaps it would take another week or two for them to appear in force. We looked at some. The photographs are limited in what they depict because I did not carry a telephoto/macro lens.There was no singing, and the book was \"California Spring Wild Flowers\" by Philip A. Munz but we had bread (Foccacia), wine--a German Riesling, risotto with shrimps; butternut squash sauteed with pine nuts and fresh sage (learned to make this flavorful dish from my friend Arani Sinha); fruits....and dark chocolate. One could ask for nothing more. For a few hours all was well with the world. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/omar-khay%C3%BDam-at-russian-ridge/","summary":"A Walk in the midst of Wild Flowers\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,\u003cbr/\u003e  A flask of Wine, a Book of Verse--and Thou\u003cbr/\u003e Beside me singing in the Wilderness--\u003cbr/\u003e And Wildnerness is Paradise enow.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Omar Khayýam, Persian Poet, Astronomer (1048-1123*) Translated by Edward Fitzgerald\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e*1131, according to some sources.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Bush Lupines1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBush Lupine at Russian Ridge \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Picnic on the Grass1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePicnic on the Grass \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Wild Flowers I.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRussian Ridge, Wild Flowers I \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Russian Ridge, Wild Flowers III1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRussian Ridge, Wild Flowers II \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Russian Ridge, Wild Flowers II1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRussian Ridge, Wild Flowers III \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJHL and I went to look at wild flowers at Russian Ridge, high up in the peninsula, near the crossing of Skyline Boulevard and Page mill Road. It was a lovely day, unusually warm. But the breeze blowing from the Pacific about 6 miles away made our hike quite enjoyable. It was clear enough to look to the east and see Hoover Tower in the Stanford Campus and, further on, the outline of the Dumbarton Bridge. To the west we could catch glimpses of the ocean near Half Moon Bay.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe display of flowers was not spectacular. Perhaps it would take another week or two for them to appear in force. We looked at some. The photographs are limited in what they depict because I did not carry a telephoto/macro lens.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere was no singing, and the book was \"California Spring Wild Flowers\" by Philip A. Munz but we had bread (Foccacia), wine--a German Riesling, risotto with shrimps; butternut squash sauteed with pine nuts and fresh sage (learned to make this flavorful dish from my friend Arani Sinha); fruits....and dark chocolate. One could ask for nothing more. For a few hours all was well with the world.","title":"Omar Khayýam at Russian Ridge"},{"content":" A Democratic Senator ? Always thought that Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was one of the typical, gutless Washington politicians. He tried to please all sides. Paul Krugman's column in The NY Times, March 15,2005, about Senator Lieberman's position on the Social Security debate and his vote on the Bankruptcy legislation clearly outlines how the senator straddles the fence.Christians in Action Against the BBC The BBC is facing a law suit for broadcasting \"Jerry Springer, The Opera\". Interestingly, part of the complaint by the Christian Institute of Newcastle,UK, is based on violation of \"human rights act\". No fan of Jerry Springer, I fully support the BBC's right to select programs aired by its stations.Crime fighters brought to book in MexicoFrom Jo Tuckman's report in The Guardian,UK, 3/8/05\"The leftwing mayor of Nezahualcoyotl, Luis Sanchez, has ordered all 1,100 members of the municipal police to read at least one book a month or forfeit their chance of promotion.\"We believe reading will improve their vocabulary and their writing skills, help them express themselves, order their ideas and communicate with the public,\" Mr Sanchez said. \"Reading will make them better police officers and better people.\"The list of books includes: \"The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz, weighty classics such as Don Quixote, simpler gems such as The Little Prince.\"Three cheers for Mayor Luis Sanchez.Abortion not a Poll Issue -- in EnglandThe Catholic Church in England has taken a stand to support Tory leader Michael Howard because of his position on legal limits for abortion. Unlike in the United States, this is not going to be a substantive factor with majority of British voters. Yet the fact that the issue has surfaced portends ill for women in the United Kingdom. Maybe not in the near future but they could find themselves facing the same kind of restrictions on reproductive rights that the Bush administration is determined to impose on American women.Links$600 Billion ManJerry SpringerBooks and Police OfficersAbortion rights, UK ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/bits-and-pieces-from-here-and-there/","summary":"A Democratic Senator ? \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlways thought that Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was one of the typical, gutless Washington politicians. He tried to please all sides. Paul Krugman's column in The NY Times, March 15,2005, about Senator Lieberman's position on the Social Security debate and his vote on the Bankruptcy legislation clearly outlines how the senator straddles the fence.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChristians in Action Against the BBC \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe BBC is facing a law suit for broadcasting \"Jerry Springer, The Opera\". Interestingly, part of the complaint by the Christian Institute of Newcastle,UK, is based on violation of \"human rights act\". No fan of Jerry Springer, I fully support the BBC's right to select programs aired by its stations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCrime fighters brought to book in Mexico\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Jo Tuckman's report in The Guardian,UK, 3/8/05\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The leftwing mayor of Nezahualcoyotl, Luis Sanchez, has ordered all 1,100 members of the municipal police to read at least one book a month or forfeit their chance of promotion.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"We believe reading will improve their vocabulary and their writing skills, help them express themselves, order their ideas and communicate with the public,\" Mr Sanchez said. \"Reading will make them better police officers and better people.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe list of books includes: \"The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz, weighty classics such as Don Quixote, simpler gems such as The Little Prince.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThree cheers for Mayor Luis Sanchez.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAbortion not a Poll Issue -- in England\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Catholic Church in England has taken a stand to support Tory leader Michael Howard because of his position on legal limits for abortion. Unlike in the United States, this is not going to be a substantive factor with majority of British voters. Yet the fact that the issue has surfaced portends ill for women in the United Kingdom. Maybe not in the near future but they could find themselves facing the same kind of restrictions on reproductive rights that the Bush administration is determined to impose on American women.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eLinks\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/15/opinion/15krugman.html\"\u003e$600 Billion Man\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1437286,00.html\"\u003eJerry Springer\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1432477,00.html\"\u003eBooks and Police Officers\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4349581.stm\"\u003eAbortion rights, UK\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Bits and Pieces from Here and There"},{"content":" First Lieutenant Brian Slavenas (1972-2003) An extraordinary young man--pianist, weight lifter, skier, chess player, helicopter pilot Hero who died for a cause or a victim caught in geopolitical machinations ? To those who knew and loved him, he was a son, a brother, a friend. A gentle human being who \"wouldn't hurt a fly\". Calvin Trillin's \"Lost Son\" in the March 14th issue of The New Yorker is not available on-line. However, Mr. Trillin's interview with Matt Delinger is. Here is an extract. \"Brian’s parents have very different takes on his death. His father, who is supportive of the war, wanted a military funeral, and his mother, who has protested the war, did not. The family seems to be a microcosm of the nation.\" Go to: Lost Son (added June 18, 2011) All-American Boy ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/a-soldier-who-died-young/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003eFirst Lieutenant Brian Slavenas (1972-2003)\u003cbr/\u003e\nAn extraordinary young man--pianist, weight lifter, skier, chess player, helicopter pilot\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHero who died for a cause or a victim caught in geopolitical machinations ? To those who knew and loved him, he was a son, a brother, a friend. A gentle human being who \"wouldn't hurt a fly\".\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCalvin Trillin's \"Lost Son\" in the March 14th issue of The New Yorker is not available on-line. However, Mr. Trillin's interview with Matt Delinger is. Here is an extract.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Brian’s parents have very different takes on his death. His father, who is supportive of the war, wanted a military funeral, and his mother, who has protested the war, did not. The family seems to be a microcosm of the nation.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nGo to:\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/03/14/050314fa_fact3\"\u003eLost Son\u003c/a\u003e   (added June 18, 2011)\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/index.ssf?050314on_onlineonly01\"\u003eAll-American Boy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A Soldier Who Died Young"},{"content":" The \"Compassionate Conservatives\" taking care of their own\"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts to soften the effect of tougher bankruptcy rules on families with children and close a loophole for the wealthy were rejected by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as the legislation moved toward expected passage.\"That is what it boils down to. The report by Susan Cornwell of Reuters is under the headline \"The Senate Nixes Efforts to Soften Bankruptcy Bill\".The shameless, double-talking legislators in Washington, DC, passed another bill custom-crafted for their friends in high places.bankruptcy\"A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass. and soon falls by its own corruption and decay.\"---Amos Bronson Alcott, American Educator, Social Reformer (1799-1888) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/screw-the-middle-class-pamper-the-wealthy/","summary":"The \"Compassionate Conservatives\" taking care of their own\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts to soften the effect of tougher bankruptcy rules on families with children and close a loophole for the wealthy were rejected by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as the legislation moved toward expected passage.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThat is what it boils down to. The report by Susan Cornwell of Reuters is under the headline \"The Senate Nixes Efforts to Soften Bankruptcy Bill\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe shameless, double-talking legislators in Washington, DC, passed another bill custom-crafted for their friends in high places.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story\u0026amp;cid=1896\u0026amp;u=/nm/20050310/us_nm/financial_bankruptcy_dc\"\u003ebankruptcy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\"A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass. and soon falls by its own corruption and decay.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Amos Bronson Alcott, American Educator, Social Reformer (1799-1888)","title":"Screw the Middle Class, Pamper the Wealthy"},{"content":" White Supremacists in America\"Mr. Hale said attacks on race-betrayers and 'mud people' were understandable but a waste of time. 'Suppose someone goes out and kills 10 blacks tonight,' he said, shrugging. 'Well, there are millions more.' \"Anyone who finds it hard to believe that the above is from an article in today's New York Times, can look up Nicholas Kristof's \"Home Grown Osamas\" with a few clicks of the mouse.Perhaps there is hope for Mr. Hale. According to some proponents of the Second Coming, all but fundamentalist Christians are doomed to disappear from the face of the earth. That should take care of most of the \"mud people\". If there are some dark-skinned Born Again Christians left on this good earth their number should be small enough for Mr. Hale and his followers to deal with.Home Grown Osamas\"At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when He brought some people into being.\"---Friedrich Otto Hertz (1878-1964) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/nazism-is-dead-long-live-nazism/","summary":"White Supremacists in America\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Mr. Hale said attacks on race-betrayers and 'mud people' were understandable but a waste of time. 'Suppose someone goes out and kills 10 blacks tonight,' he said, shrugging. 'Well, there are millions more.' \"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnyone who finds it hard to believe that the above is from an article in today's New York Times, can look up Nicholas Kristof's \"Home Grown Osamas\" with a few clicks of the mouse.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePerhaps there is hope for Mr. Hale. According to some proponents of the Second Coming, all but fundamentalist Christians are doomed to disappear from the face of the earth. That should take care of most of the \"mud people\". If there are some dark-skinned Born Again Christians left on this good earth their number should be small enough for Mr. Hale and his followers to deal with.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/09/opinion/09kristof.html\"\u003eHome Grown Osamas\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sqq\"\u003e\"At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when He brought some people into being.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Friedrich Otto Hertz (1878-1964)\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Nazism is Dead, Long Live Nazism"},{"content":" The President and his backers merrily continue dancingExtracts from Stephan Labatan's report in The New York Times, March 9, 2005.\"The main lobbying forces for the bill - a coalition that included Visa, MasterCard, the American Bankers Association, MBNA America,Capital One, Citicorp, the Ford Motor Credit Company and the General Motors Acceptance Corporation - spent more than $40 million in political fund-raising efforts\"\"Final passage of the measure is now an inevitable formality.\"\"The White House applauded the votes on Tuesday.\"Our legislators never fail to take care of those who pay into their campaign chests while the interests of the majority of their constitutents get drowned in the pork barrel.Remember Abe Lincoln's address in Gettysburg, Nov.19, 1863 ?\"......government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.\" That is what he said. What we have become is a government of lobbyists, by the lobbyists, for the lobbyists.The full report can be read at BankruptcyAlso see my post : Wednesday, January 26, 2005 , \"You've got to dance with them what brung you\".Note: The NY Times articles can be accessed free for 7 days from date of publication. Registration procedure is simple. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/pigs-at-the-trough---the-bankruptcy-bill/","summary":"The President and his backers merrily continue dancing\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExtracts from Stephan Labatan's report in The New York Times, March 9, 2005.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The main lobbying forces for the bill - a coalition that included Visa, MasterCard, the American Bankers Association, MBNA America,Capital One, Citicorp, the Ford Motor Credit Company and the General Motors Acceptance Corporation - spent more than $40 million in political fund-raising efforts\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Final passage of the measure is now an inevitable formality.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The White House applauded the votes on Tuesday.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur legislators never fail to take care of those who pay into their campaign chests while the interests of the majority of their constitutents get drowned in the pork barrel.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember Abe Lincoln's address in Gettysburg, Nov.19, 1863 ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"......government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.\"   That is what he said.  What we have become is a government of lobbyists, by the lobbyists, for the lobbyists.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe full report can be read at \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/09/business/09bankruptcy.html\"\u003eBankruptcy\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAlso see my post : Wednesday, January 26, 2005 , \"You've got to dance with them what brung you\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNote: The NY Times articles can be accessed free for 7 days from date of publication. Registration procedure is simple.","title":"Pigs at the Trough - The Bankruptcy Bill"},{"content":" What is next--mandatory clitoral circumcision?Mark Morford of The San Francisco Chronicle, wrote on March 4, 2005:\"I cannot, in other words, imagine living in Alabama. Or Texas. Or Louisiana. Or Georgia. Or Tennessee. Or in any of the handful of terrified and morally convulsive states where they prohibit such activities, where the selling of \"genital stimulating devices\" is outright illegal and deeply dreaded.\"The full article can be accessed at the link below.How many children, men and women have been killed by dildos ? An easy one. None,nada, nil, zero, zilch. But there they go tirelessly seeking dirt that exists only in their minds. It is the Taliban mentality. Viagra is OK but \"morning after pill\" for women (to prevent unwanted pregnancy) is not! These are the same people who promote abstinence and are against teaching of the use of condoms in sex education. The hypocrisy is monumental.chronicle-morfordSee Paul Johnson's essay, \"Witch Hunts and Special Prosecutions\"in The Spectator.American Fanatacism\"Oh, for a forty-parson power to chantThy praise, Hypocrisy! Oh, for a hymnLoud as the virtues thou dost loudly vaunt,Not practise!\"---Lord Byron (George Gordon Noel Byron), Don Juan (canto X, st. 34) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/dildos-and-dogmatists/","summary":"What is next--mandatory clitoral circumcision?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMark Morford of The San Francisco Chronicle, wrote on March 4, 2005:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I cannot, in other words, imagine living in Alabama. Or Texas. Or Louisiana. Or Georgia. Or Tennessee. Or in any of the handful of terrified and morally convulsive states where they prohibit such activities, where the selling of \"genital stimulating devices\" is outright illegal and deeply dreaded.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe  full article can be accessed at the link below.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHow many children, men and women have been killed by dildos ? An easy one. None,nada, nil, zero, zilch. But there they go tirelessly seeking dirt that exists only in their minds. It is the Taliban mentality. Viagra is OK but \"morning after pill\" for women (to prevent unwanted pregnancy) is not! These are the same people who promote abstinence and are against teaching of the use of condoms in sex education. The hypocrisy is monumental.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/columnists/morford/\"\u003e\u003cchronicle-morford\u003e\u003c/chronicle-morford\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://sfgate.com/columnists/morford/\"\u003echronicle-morford\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eSee Paul Johnson's essay, \"Witch Hunts and Special Prosecutions\"in The Spectator.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/puritan/salem.jpg\u0026amp;imgrefurl=http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/puritan/puritan.html\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;h=350\u0026amp;w=525\u0026amp;sz=23\u0026amp;tbnid=2PIj20NDY9QJ:\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;tbnh=86\u0026amp;tbnw=129\u0026amp;start=9\u0026amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3DPuritan%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG\"\u003eAmerican Fanatacism\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Oh, for a forty-parson power to chant\u003cbr/\u003eThy praise, Hypocrisy! Oh, for a hymn\u003cbr/\u003eLoud as the virtues thou dost loudly vaunt,\u003cbr/\u003eNot practise!\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Lord Byron (George Gordon Noel Byron), Don Juan (canto X, st. 34)","title":"Dildos and Dogmatists"},{"content":" Born Into Brothels (2004)Winner of Oscar for the best documentary film.The sights, sounds, and lives of the inhabitants of Sonagachi, the red light district of Calcutta (Kolkata), brought unfiltered before the world. Zana Briski and Ross Kauffmann's film demonstrates what a few dedicated artists with limited funds and resources can achieve.As a former Calcuttan I was affected by the scenes of the city. The images reflected an overwhelming sense of decay and failing infrastructure. But the children were the stars. Their exuberance in the midst of the squalor was infective. They projected hope.kids with cameras ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/children-of-the-brothels/","summary":"Born Into Brothels (2004)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWinner of Oscar for the best documentary film.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe sights, sounds, and lives of the inhabitants of Sonagachi, the red light district of Calcutta (Kolkata), brought unfiltered before the world. Zana Briski and Ross Kauffmann's film demonstrates what a few dedicated artists with limited funds and resources can achieve.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs a former Calcuttan I was affected by the scenes of the city. The images reflected an overwhelming sense of decay and failing infrastructure. But the children were the stars. Their exuberance in the midst of the squalor was infective. They projected hope.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/oscar/\"\u003ekids with cameras\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Children of the Brothels"},{"content":" Women under tribal lawsMukhtar Mai BBC's report about the hapless Mukhtar Mai and her experience (first in the hands of rapists and then before a High Court in Punjab Province) makes it clear how little progress has been made for women's rights in some countries, especially those where Sharia laws and tribal councils are in effect.\"Women often suffer 'honour punishments' to pay for crimes attributed to relatives.\"---BBC (March 4,2005)bbc.pakistan ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/pakistan-still-in-stone-age/","summary":"Women under tribal laws\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/MukhtarMai5.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMukhtar Mai \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBBC's report about the hapless Mukhtar Mai and her experience (first in the hands of rapists and then before a High Court in Punjab Province) makes it clear how little progress has been made for women's rights in some countries, especially those where Sharia laws and tribal councils are in effect.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Women often suffer 'honour punishments' to pay for crimes attributed to relatives.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---BBC (March 4,2005)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4318247.stm\"\u003ebbc.pakistan\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Pakistan, Still In Stone Age"},{"content":" Ramblings of a man with time on his handsFreesias Here we are in March, less than three weeks away from Spring but the rains continue. We have had more rain than we normally get. Up in the Pacific Northwest there is fear of drought! Have been using the gym more frequently. I would rather be out on a trail. The daffodils and freesias (mostly yellow) are looking gorgeous. The foothills will remain green until May, and that is certainly a good thing. In the produce section of the local food stores, asparagus and grape fruits are plentiful and affordable. Just a matter of days before sunny days become the norm......I hope.The Oscars and EuthanasiaThe much anticipated Oscar awards show came and went. I was glad that Eastwood's movie got the recognition it deserved. I and my movie going friend thought that \"The Aviator\" was too long and boring. Don't pay much attention to clothes and coiffurs but noticed that Penelope Cruz looked stunning in the yellow gown.Interestingly, euthanasia figured in both winners in the feature film category, \"Million Dollar Baby\" and \"The Sea Inside\" (Spanish). Don't think that they would change anyone's mind about the subject. I was a believer in euthanasia before the films were released and I shall continue to be one. I respect those who have strong conviction about the end of life being in God's hands. It is a very personal issue. They should not try to prevent those who hold a different opinion from making the decision to call it quits when the circumstances convince them to do so.Nanni Moretti in \"The Son's Room\" (Le Stanza del Figlio), 2002An extraordinary film by Nanni Moretti.Starring: Laura Morante, Nanni Moretti, Guiseppe Sanfelice, Claudi Della Seta, Stefano AccorsiDirected by: Nanni MorettiProduced by: Nanni Moretti, Angelo BarbagalloI had missed this film when it went through local theaters. Caught it on video. A gem. Check it out.Paul Theroux, Alexander FraterCurrently reading Paul Theroux' \"Dark Star Safari - Overland from Cairo to Cape Town\" (Houghton Mifflin, 2003)In a recent post, a fellow blogger (in London,UK) mentioned the heavy rainfall in the Hebrides. That reminded me of Alexander Frater's delightful book \"Chasing the Monsoon\". A friend to whom I recommended the book said that he didn't want the book to end. That is how I felt when I read it.Then there is BachOn the CD player: Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor. Kennedy (Nigel) with The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI Classic) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/a-rainy-day-in-march/","summary":"Ramblings of a man with time on his hands\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Yellow-Freesias.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFreesias \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHere we are in March, less than three weeks away from Spring but the rains continue. We have had more rain than we normally get. Up in the Pacific Northwest there is fear of drought! Have been using the gym more frequently. I would rather be out on a trail. The daffodils and freesias (mostly yellow) are looking gorgeous. The foothills will remain green until May, and that is certainly a good thing. In the produce section of the local food stores, asparagus and grape fruits are plentiful and affordable. Just a matter of days before sunny days become the norm......I hope.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Oscars and Euthanasia\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe much anticipated Oscar awards show came and went. I was glad that Eastwood's movie got the recognition it deserved. I and my movie going friend thought that \"The Aviator\" was too long and boring. Don't pay much attention to clothes and coiffurs but noticed that Penelope Cruz looked stunning in the yellow gown.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eInterestingly, euthanasia figured in both winners in the feature film category, \"Million Dollar Baby\" and \"The Sea Inside\" (Spanish). Don't think that they would change anyone's mind about the subject. I was a believer in euthanasia before the films were released and I shall continue to be one. I respect those who have strong conviction about the end of life being in God's hands. It is a very personal issue. They should not try to prevent those who hold a different opinion from making the decision to call it quits when the circumstances convince them to do so.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eNanni Moretti in \"The Son's Room\" (Le Stanza del Figlio), 2002\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/03/Sons Room.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn extraordinary film by Nanni Moretti.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eStarring:    Laura Morante,  Nanni Moretti,  Guiseppe Sanfelice,  Claudi Della Seta,  Stefano Accorsi\u003cbr/\u003eDirected by:  Nanni Moretti\u003cbr/\u003eProduced by:  Nanni Moretti, Angelo Barbagallo\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI had missed this film when it went through local theaters.  Caught it on video.  A gem.  Check it out.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003ePaul Theroux, Alexander Frater\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCurrently reading  Paul Theroux' \"Dark Star Safari - Overland from Cairo to Cape Town\" (Houghton Mifflin, 2003)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn a recent post, a fellow blogger (in London,UK) mentioned the heavy rainfall in the Hebrides. That reminded me of Alexander Frater's delightful book \"Chasing the Monsoon\". A friend to whom I recommended the book said that he didn't want the book to end. That is how I felt when I read it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003eThen there is Bach\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn the CD player: Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor.  Kennedy (Nigel) with The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI Classic)","title":"A rainy day in March"},{"content":" Pope Urban II and doctrine of \"Positive Violence\"Years ago I attended a seminar in which the time management guru Alan Lakein expounded on \"postive procrastination\". Not easy to practise but I could see the merits of Professor Lakein's theory. \"Positive violence\", however, is another matter. Two recent books contain fascinating details about the crusades and \"positive violence\".The First Crusade: A New History by Thomas Asbridge (Oxford University Press, 2004)The Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinopole by Jonathan Phillips (Viking Books, 2004)The authors teach medieval history at the University of London.In her review of the books, Joan Acocella wrote in The New Yorker: \"Whenever a war needed to be viewed as a sacred enterprise, the word (Crusade) came up. George W. Bush used it to describe his war on terrorism.\"We know that President Bush backed off from continuing with the theme because of its connotations; it was not considered politically correct. For his war, he needed support of Islamic countries.I learned that it was Pope Urban II (1035-1099) who preached about \"positive violence\" to motivate the knights of the First Crusade who were facing pangs of conscience and doubts about what they were doing and what they were taught about heaven, hell and sins. Later, when the Fourth Crusade came around, Crusaders were assured of absolution of all \"confessed transgressions\". I quote Ms. Acocella: \"So it was two in one: the knights could go on slaughtering people and get to Heaven thereby. That was 'positive violence', and according to Asbridge and Phillips, it was the motor of the Crusades.\"Ms. Acocella's review mentioned that the beginning of the First Crusade might have had something to do with faith but it didn't take long to turn into looting and pillaging expeditions. She cited another British historian Steven Runciman and his \"History of The Crusades\". Mr. Runciman wrote that \"....the Holy War itself was nothing more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God.\" For instance, on their way to Constantinopole, the People's Crusade (a rabble army organized by a French monk, Peter the Hermit) killed a large number of Rhineland Jews.Today we are told that we are waging war to fight terrorism and to spread democracy. The other sides tell their followers of a holy war against infidels! While the Muslims don't shy away from using the term \"Jihad\", our policy makers painstakingly avoid \"Crusade\" in their speeches and exhortations. There are similarities in what they believe and zealously pursue--that the end justifies the means; violence is necessary....and positive. There seems to be very little concern about the innocent civilians caught in the middle. We have coined a term for them--\"collateral damage\". Perhaps the Muslims say \"mekhtub\" (It was written).Positive procrastination is worth thinking about. Pursuit of the policy of positive violence ought to be shunned by all. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/03/crusaders-and-jihadis----killing-in-the-name-of-god-then-and-now/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003ePope Urban II and doctrine of \"Positive Violence\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYears ago I attended a seminar in which the time management guru Alan Lakein expounded on \"postive procrastination\". Not easy to practise but I could see the merits of Professor Lakein's theory. \"Positive violence\", however, is another matter. Two recent books contain fascinating details about the crusades and \"positive violence\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe First Crusade: A New History by Thomas Asbridge (Oxford University Press, 2004)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinopole by Jonathan Phillips (Viking Books, 2004)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe authors teach medieval history at the University of London.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn her review of the books, Joan Acocella wrote in The New Yorker: \"Whenever a war needed to be viewed as a sacred enterprise, the word (Crusade) came up. George W. Bush used it to describe his war on terrorism.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe know that President Bush backed off from continuing with the theme because of its connotations; it was not considered politically correct. For his war, he needed support of Islamic countries.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI learned that it was Pope Urban II (1035-1099) who preached about \"positive violence\" to motivate the knights of the First Crusade who were facing pangs of conscience and doubts about what they were doing and what they were taught about heaven, hell and sins. Later, when the Fourth Crusade came around, Crusaders were assured of absolution of all \"confessed transgressions\". I quote Ms. Acocella: \"So it was two in one: the knights could go on slaughtering people and get to Heaven thereby. That was 'positive violence', and according to Asbridge and Phillips, it was the motor of the Crusades.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMs. Acocella's review mentioned that the beginning of the First Crusade might have had something to do with faith but it didn't take long to turn into looting and pillaging expeditions. She cited another British historian Steven Runciman and his \"History of The Crusades\". Mr. Runciman wrote that \"....the Holy War itself was nothing more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God.\" For instance, on their way to Constantinopole, the People's Crusade (a rabble army organized by a French monk, Peter the Hermit) killed a large number of Rhineland Jews.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eToday we are told that we are waging war to fight terrorism and to spread democracy. The other sides tell their followers of a holy war against infidels! While the Muslims don't shy away from using the term \"Jihad\", our policy makers painstakingly avoid \"Crusade\" in their speeches and exhortations. There are similarities in what they believe and zealously pursue--that the end justifies the means; violence is necessary....and positive. There seems to be very little concern about the innocent civilians caught in the middle. We have coined a term for them--\"collateral damage\". Perhaps the Muslims say \"mekhtub\" (It was written).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePositive procrastination is worth thinking about. Pursuit of the policy of positive violence ought to be shunned by all.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Crusaders and Jihadis -- Killing In The Name Of God, Then and Now"},{"content":" \"Go ahead, Jeff\" - Manipulation, Crude and ArrogantBy now the details of Jeff Gannon and his role as a planted (embedded) member of the White House press corps are known to all who have an interest in the goings on in the Bush White House.Nevertheless, Hendrik Hertzberg's \"Newshounds\", in the Talk of the Town section of The New Yorker magazine (Feb.28, 2005) is worth reading. Mr. Hertzberg's elegant and understated prose is always a pleasure to read. He outlined the sordid facts and their implications in a masterly way.hertzberg\"Successful politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies.\"---Walter Lippman (1888-1974) Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-10-22 Great blog you have. I have a site about banjo bluegrass music. You can check it out at banjo bluegrass music ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/softball---the-white-house-press-corps/","summary":"\"Go ahead, Jeff\" -  Manipulation, Crude and Arrogant\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy now the details of Jeff Gannon and his role as a planted (embedded) member of the White House press corps are known to all who have an interest in the goings on in the Bush White House.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNevertheless, Hendrik Hertzberg's \"Newshounds\", in the Talk of the Town section of The New Yorker magazine (Feb.28, 2005) is worth reading. Mr. Hertzberg's elegant and understated prose is always a pleasure to read. He outlined the sordid facts and their implications in a masterly way.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/index.ssf?050228ta_talk_hertzberg\"\u003ehertzberg\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Successful politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Walter Lippman (1888-1974)\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-10-22\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eGreat blog you have.  I have a site about banjo bluegrass music.  You can check it out at \u003cA HREF=\"http://www.banjos-1.info\" REL=\"nofollow\"\u003ebanjo bluegrass music\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"Softball\" - The White House Press Corps"},{"content":" Our Soldiers and Iraqi CiviliansThe Associated Press reported that as of Friday, Feb.25,2005, 1491 members of the U.S. Military had lost their lives in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.+++++The number of severely wounded soldiers is many times higher. The current figure reported by Global Security.org is: 10871+++++Latest count of dead Iraqi civilians published in the web site of Iraq Body Count.org is:Minimum 16121Maximum 18393The web site includes details of the data base and the methodology.It also contains full explanation of IBC's position in respect to Lancet Magazine's report about \"100,000 deaths\".IBCGlobalBBC-Lancet\"I'm a war president\"---G.W. Bush, Feb.8,2004 (NBC, Meet The Press) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/iraq---death-tolls/","summary":"Our Soldiers and Iraqi Civilians\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Associated Press reported that as of Friday, Feb.25,2005, 1491 members of the U.S. Military had lost their lives in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e+++++\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe number of severely wounded soldiers is many times higher. The current figure reported by Global Security.org is: 10871\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e+++++\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLatest count of dead Iraqi civilians published in the web site of Iraq Body Count.org is:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eMinimum 16121\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003eMaximum 18393\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe web site includes details of the data base and the methodology.It also contains full explanation of IBC's position in respect to Lancet Magazine's report about \"100,000 deaths\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.iraqbodycount.net/\"\u003eIBC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm\"\u003eGlobal\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm\"\u003eBBC-Lancet\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm a war president\"\u003cbr/\u003e---G.W. Bush, Feb.8,2004 (NBC, Meet The Press)","title":"Iraq - Death Tolls"},{"content":" \"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?\"Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), Ode to the West WindCherrry Tree Daffodils Spring is not far behind, less than four weeks away. Yet, here in the San Francisco Bay area, we have had unusual amount of rain in February. A few sunny, warm days but mostly cold and cloudy. Today is very wintry. Forecast is for chances of showers during the weekend. The reservoirs are full and the Sierra snow pack is high. There is no need to worry about drought in the summer months.It is time for the days to turn warmer ; the sun to come out and stay out. Signs of the advent of Spring have become visible. The flowering cherries are in bloom. Daffodils have appeared all over the town; some in my own front yard. The sweet peas have started to climb the frames. For a few more weeks we shall need the blankets. On the minus side, the chanterelles have become scarce. AC and I went foraging on Tuesday and found just a few. But we had a bountiful season. We are ready to welcome Spring. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/the-seasons/","summary":"\"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?\"\u003cbr/\u003ePercy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), Ode to the West Wind\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/02/cherry-tree-blossom.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCherrry Tree \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/02/Daffodils.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDaffodils  \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSpring is not far behind, less than four weeks away. Yet, here in the San Francisco Bay area, we have had unusual amount of rain in February. A few sunny, warm days but mostly cold and cloudy. Today is very wintry. Forecast is for chances of showers during the weekend. The reservoirs are full and the Sierra snow pack is high. There is no need to worry about drought in the summer months.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is time for the days to turn warmer ; the sun to come out and stay out. Signs of the advent of Spring have become visible. The flowering cherries are in bloom. Daffodils have appeared all over the town; some in my own front yard. The sweet peas have started to climb the frames. For a few more weeks we shall need the blankets. On the minus side, the chanterelles have become scarce. AC and I went foraging on Tuesday and found just a few. But we had a bountiful season. We are ready to welcome Spring.","title":"The Seasons"},{"content":" A Brief HoneymoonThe AARP's governing body should have seen it coming. During last year's campaign to promote President Bush's prescription drug plan, AARP members were assiduously courted for support. While the rank and file had misgivings about the benefits,the governing body of AARP swallowed the bait hook,line and sinker. The revenue derived by AARP from insurance companies and others also played a role. So, for a while the AARP basked in the sunshine.The honeymoon didn't last long. Now that AARP is critical of the president's plan to privatize Social Security,it has fallen from grace. AARP members are being castigated by the Republicans. According to Charlie Jarvis, president of the conservative lobbying group, USA Next, \"They are the boulder in the middle of the highway to personal savings accounts.\" It would be interesting to see if AARP could be bamboozled into toeing the line.Link to Maureen Dowd's column in The NY Times.maureen dowd ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/aarp-and-republicans/","summary":"A Brief Honeymoon\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe AARP's governing body should have seen it coming.   During last year's campaign to promote President Bush's prescription drug plan, AARP members were assiduously courted for support. While the rank and file had misgivings about the benefits,the governing body of AARP swallowed the bait hook,line and sinker. The revenue derived by AARP from insurance companies and others also played a role. So, for a while the AARP basked in the sunshine.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe honeymoon didn't last long. Now that AARP is critical of the president's plan to privatize Social Security,it has fallen from grace. AARP members are being castigated by the Republicans. According to Charlie Jarvis, president of the conservative lobbying group, USA Next, \"They are the boulder in the middle of the highway to personal savings accounts.\" \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt would be interesting to see if AARP could be bamboozled into toeing the line.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLink to Maureen Dowd's column in The NY Times.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/24/opinion/24dowd.html\"\u003emaureen dowd\u003c/a\u003e","title":"AARP and Republicans"},{"content":" State's right under attack by zealotsOregon voters' enlightened measure to allow terminally ill patients the right to seek medical assistance in executing end of life decision has been under attack from various conservative groups ever since it was enacted in 1997.The Bush administration took special interest in it and former Attorney Genral Ashcroft zealously pursued steps to nullify the act. The Justice Department took the tack that use of Federally controlled drugs by physicians to comply with the desire of patients seeking assistance under the Death With Dignity Act violated Controlled Substances Act.The appeal against lower court ruling in support of the act was filed by the attorney general in November 2004--on the day his resignation was announced by the White House. Now, the case (Gonzales vs. Oregon 04-623) will be heard by the Supreme Court. It would be interesting to see how the justices deal with it.In issuing ruling against the original suit filed by the Justice Department, Judge Richard Tallman of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals stated: \"The federal drug control law \"was enacted to combat drug abuse,..........\" \"The attorney general's unilateral attempt to regulate general medical practices historically entrusted to state lawmakers interferes with the democratic debate about physician-assisted suicide and far exceeds the scope of his authority.\" Judge Tallman further stated that the attorney general was seeking to \"alter the usual constitutional balance between the states and the federal government.\"The Supreme Court will decide whether Congress could override a State's right to allow assisted suicide. Based on the current make up of the court, at least three justices (Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas) are almost certain to be on the side of the Bush administration. This is a case where the so called \"swing vote\" would be a crucial factor in a 5:4 decision.\"A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist.\"---Stewart Alsop ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/the-supreme-court-to-hear-challenge-to-oregons-death-with-dignity-act/","summary":"State's right under attack by zealots\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOregon voters' enlightened measure to allow terminally ill patients the right to seek medical assistance in executing end of life decision has been under attack from various conservative groups ever since it was enacted in 1997.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush administration took special interest in it and former Attorney Genral Ashcroft zealously pursued steps to nullify the act. The Justice Department took the tack that use of Federally controlled drugs by physicians to comply with the desire of patients seeking assistance under the Death With Dignity Act violated Controlled Substances Act.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe appeal against lower court ruling in support of the act was filed by the attorney general in November 2004--on the day his resignation was announced by the White House. Now, the case (Gonzales vs. Oregon 04-623) will be heard by the Supreme Court. It would be interesting to see how the justices deal with it.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn issuing ruling against the original suit filed by the Justice Department, Judge Richard Tallman of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals stated:  \"The federal drug control law \"was enacted to combat drug abuse,..........\" \"The attorney general's unilateral attempt to regulate general medical practices historically entrusted to state lawmakers interferes with the democratic debate about physician-assisted suicide and far exceeds the scope of his authority.\" Judge Tallman further stated that the attorney general was seeking to  \"alter the usual constitutional balance between the states and the federal government.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Supreme Court will decide whether Congress could override a State's right to allow assisted suicide. Based on the current make up of the court, at least three justices (Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas) are almost certain to be on the side of the Bush administration. This is a case where the so called \"swing vote\" would be a crucial factor in a 5:4 decision.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Stewart Alsop","title":"The Supreme Court to hear challenge to Oregon's Death With Dignity Act"},{"content":" Democracy according to President G.W. Bush\"Baghdad Burning\", The Riverbend Blogriverbend ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/post-election-iraq---comments-from-a-woman-in-baghdad/","summary":"Democracy according to President G.W. Bush\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Baghdad Burning\", The Riverbend Blog\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003eriverbend\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Post-election Iraq - Comments from  a  woman in Baghdad"},{"content":" What does our opposition to it tell about us?An article by Robin Cook in The Guardian(UK) on February 11th reads \"If not in Darfur then where ?\"Mr. Cook (former Foreign Secretary, who resigned his seat in the Parliament in protest against Britain's participation in the war against Iraq) wrote: \"Now Condoleezza Rice has been using her contacts in Europe to lobby privately for the Darfur atrocities to be referred anywhere but the international criminal court. Apparently she has suggested that Darfur could be brought under the remit of the existing UN tribunal for the genocide in Rwanda. This is desperation. The only common feature between Darfur and Rwanda is that they are both in Africa. It is also irresponsible. The Rwanda tribunal is still struggling under an impossible workload and is in no position to provide an expeditious remedy to Darfur's continuing violence.\"Torture of prisoners in the news, againThis time it is Bagram, Afghanistan.Links:Guardian ICCGuardian Bagram ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/darfur-international-criminal-court-and-the-united-states/","summary":"What does our opposition to it tell about us?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn article by Robin Cook  in The Guardian(UK) on February 11th reads \"If not in Darfur then where ?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Cook (former Foreign Secretary, who resigned his seat in the Parliament in protest against Britain's participation in the war against Iraq) wrote: \"Now Condoleezza Rice has been using her contacts in Europe to lobby privately for the Darfur atrocities to be referred anywhere but the international criminal court. Apparently she has suggested that Darfur could be brought under the remit of the existing UN tribunal for the genocide in Rwanda. This is desperation. The only common feature between Darfur and Rwanda is that they are both in Africa. It is also irresponsible. The Rwanda tribunal is still struggling under an impossible workload and is in no position to provide an expeditious remedy to Darfur's continuing violence.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTorture of prisoners in the news, again\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis time it is Bagram, Afghanistan.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLinks:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1410584,00.html\"\u003eGuardian ICC\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,1417396,00.html\"\u003eGuardian Bagram\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Darfur, International Criminal Court and the United States"},{"content":" The Blues and a few who gave it meaningB.B. KingLeadbellyJohn Lee HookerMuddy Waters\"Son\" HouseI am not a blues man in a strict sense. Spend more time listening to the music of Bach and cool sounds made by jazz greats like Thelonius Monk, Art Tatum, Bill Evans. Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster. But there are times when the blues feel just right and I dig into my small collection of CDs by legends of the blues. Even have a classic vinyl LP, \"Memphis Harmonica Kings 1929-30, the complete recordings of Noah Lewis and Jed Davenport. I can close my eyes and see black men singing their hearts out, the cotton fields of Mississippi, the road gangs, and tar paper shacks. They made great music, and the conditions under which they made them! Awesome.Chicago blues are faster, louder and often include more than banjo. Banjo was the right instrument for the Delta blues singers and their haunting songs.There are others who came later. I like Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite and Buddy Guy--different but good. Soundtrack of the The Blues Brothers is a great CD to have.I am listening to Rainy Highway, Charlie Musselwhite in \"Rough News\" (Virgin Records). The weather is wet here in the San Francisco Bay area. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/got-my-mojo-working-muddy-waters-1915-1983/","summary":"The Blues and a few who gave it meaning\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eB.B. King\u003cbr/\u003eLeadbelly\u003cbr/\u003eJohn Lee Hooker\u003cbr/\u003eMuddy Waters\u003cbr/\u003e\"Son\" House\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am not a blues man in a strict sense. Spend more time listening to the music of Bach and cool sounds made by jazz greats like Thelonius Monk, Art Tatum, Bill Evans. Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster. But there are times when the blues feel just right and I dig into my small collection of CDs by legends of the blues. Even have a classic vinyl LP, \"Memphis Harmonica Kings 1929-30, the complete recordings of Noah Lewis and Jed Davenport. I can close my eyes and see black men singing their hearts out, the cotton fields of Mississippi, the road gangs, and tar paper shacks. They made great music, and the conditions under which they made them! Awesome.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChicago blues are faster, louder and often include more than banjo. Banjo was the right instrument for the Delta blues singers and their haunting songs.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are others who came later. I like Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite and Buddy Guy--different but good. Soundtrack of the The Blues Brothers is a great CD to have.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am listening to Rainy Highway, Charlie Musselwhite in \"Rough News\" (Virgin Records). The weather is wet here in the San Francisco Bay area.","title":"\"Got My Mojo Working\" (Muddy Waters, 1915-1983)"},{"content":" Women were excludedItem: Only men were allowed to participate. However, there is hope for the women of Saudi Arabia; they might be allowed to vote in the next election four years from now.(Currently, women do not have the right to drive a car in Saudi Arabia.)Item: BBC reported that in the first round (of three) of elections at municipal level held on Feb.10th in Riyadh, 148,000 out of 400,000 eligible men registered to vote.Item: Islamist candidates claimed victory and the opposition complained about fraud.February 12th issue of The Asia Times contains an interesting report on Saudi Arabia. AsiaTimes ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/saudi-arabia-held-its-first-election/","summary":"Women were excluded\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItem:  Only men were allowed to participate.  However, there is hope for the women of Saudi Arabia; they might be allowed to vote in the next election four years from now.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Currently, women do not have the right to drive a car in Saudi Arabia.)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItem: BBC reported that in the first round (of three) of elections at municipal level held on Feb.10th in Riyadh, 148,000 out of 400,000 eligible men registered to vote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eItem:  Islamist candidates claimed victory and the opposition complained about fraud.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFebruary 12th issue of The Asia Times contains an interesting report on Saudi Arabia. \u003ca href=\"http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GB12Ak04.html\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAsiaTimes\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Saudi Arabia Held Its First Election"},{"content":" March of the Hypocrites\"Bush's Sex Scandal\" is the title of a column in today's NY Times by Nicholas D. Kristof. Amidst the draconian cuts in social programs in the president's budget, there is one that has been allocated almost three times the funding it received in 2001--- \"abstinence only\" sex education!This is another payoff to his conservative base by the president. No surprise there. But Kristof's article makes holes in the argument that the abstinence program has been a success.Abstinence(Before sex)\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.Odette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?Dennis: What?Odette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.Dennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"From Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\") ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/sex-and-the-prudes-just-say-no/","summary":"March of the Hypocrites\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bush's Sex Scandal\" is the title of a column in today's NY Times by Nicholas D. Kristof. Amidst the draconian cuts in social programs in the president's budget, there is one that has been allocated almost three times the funding it received in 2001--- \"abstinence only\" sex education!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is another payoff to his conservative base by the president. No surprise there. But Kristof's article makes holes in the argument that the abstinence program has been a success.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/16/opinion/16kristof.html\"\u003eAbstinence\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e(Before sex)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Dennis: Look, even if you did get pregnant, I'd marry you.\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: Do you believe in centralized government or states' rights ?\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: What?\u003cbr/\u003eOdette: I just want to know the kind of guy I'm marrying.\u003cbr/\u003eDennis: I'm starting to get the distinct impression you don't want to do this anymore.\"\u003cbr/\u003eFrom Sarah Kernochan's 1998 film \"Strike\"(also released as \"All I Wanna Do\")","title":"Sex And The Prudes, Just Say \"No\""},{"content":" Sub-contracting TortureIn recent weeks we have seen reports in the media about aircrafts that fly in the night to ferry prisoners (suspected terrorists) to countries which pay no attention to Geneva Convention.The most comprehensive article I have read appeared in the Feb.14-21 issue of The New Yorker magazine. Jane Mayer's \"Outsourcing Torture\" contains fascinating details of this clandestine operation run by our government. The program is called \"extraordinary rendition\".Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Morocco are reported to be among those taking part in doing our dirty work for money and/or favors. Strange bedfellows! They sure are.What happens to those who do not survive the torture during interrogation ? Are their bodies dumped in the ocean as done in Argentina during the \"Dirty War\" ? See footnote.As a point of interest, the executive order under which the Bush administration authorized the rendition program was established during President Clinton's term. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and now this. Can we continue to claim moral superiority over our enemies ?Footnote: In 1981, Jacobo ben Nathan Timmerman, who published a newspaper exposing human rights violations by the Argentinian military junta, wrote \"Prisoner Without A Name, Cell Without A Number\" describing his experience in the hands of goons of the junta. Quite a few high ranking officers of the junta were graduates of U.S. Army's School of The Americas.Between 1976 and 1983, 20 to 30,000 Argentinians \"disappeared\".Vanished ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/dummy-corporations-and-airplanes-with-untraceable-owners/","summary":"Sub-contracting Torture\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn recent weeks we have seen reports in the media about aircrafts that fly in the night to ferry prisoners (suspected terrorists) to countries which pay no attention to Geneva Convention.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe most comprehensive article I have read appeared in the Feb.14-21 issue of The New Yorker magazine. Jane Mayer's \"Outsourcing Torture\" contains fascinating details of this clandestine operation run by our government. The program is called \"extraordinary rendition\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eEgypt, Syria, Jordan and Morocco are reported to be among those taking part in doing our dirty  work for money and/or favors. Strange bedfellows! They sure are.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhat happens to those who do not survive the torture during interrogation ? Are their bodies dumped in the ocean as done in Argentina during the \"Dirty War\" ? See footnote.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs a point of interest, the executive order under which the Bush administration authorized the rendition program was established during President Clinton's term. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and now this. Can we continue to claim moral superiority over our enemies ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eFootnote: In 1981, Jacobo ben Nathan Timmerman, who published a newspaper exposing human rights violations by the Argentinian military junta, wrote \"Prisoner Without A Name, Cell Without A Number\" describing his experience in the hands of goons of the junta. Quite a few high ranking officers of the junta were graduates of U.S. Army's School of The Americas.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBetween 1976 and 1983, 20 to 30,000 Argentinians \"disappeared\".\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.yendor.com/vanished/junta.html\"\u003eVanished\u003c/a\u003e","title":"\"Dummy\" Corporations and Airplanes with Untraceable Owners"},{"content":" Another vindication for the late Dr. Charles Darwin!I had thought of taking a break from blogging today but this was too good to pass up.\"Monkeys go ape for a little allure\" is the title of a tongue-in-cheek article by Robin McKie, Science Editor of The Observer (Guardian),UK. In a nutshell,the article is about findings by researchers at Duke University,NC, that male rhesus monkeys are prepared to 'pay' to view pictures of female monkey bottoms. Not a surprise, is it, to those who are on the side of Darwin's evolution ? We inherited the trait.Monkeys ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/of-monkeys-and-men/","summary":"Another vindication for the late Dr. Charles Darwin!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI had thought of taking a break from blogging today but this was too good to pass up.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Monkeys go ape for a little allure\" is the title of a tongue-in-cheek article by Robin McKie, Science Editor of The Observer (Guardian),UK. In a nutshell,the article is about findings by researchers at Duke University,NC, that male rhesus monkeys are prepared to 'pay' to view pictures of female monkey bottoms. Not a surprise, is it, to those who are on the side of Darwin's evolution ? We inherited the trait.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5125876-102285,00.html\"\u003eMonkeys\u003c/a\u003e","title":"Of Monkeys and Men"},{"content":" Only in America ?No, I could think of it happening elsewhere--Saudi Arabia for example. It made me laugh but it also made me wonder about the quality of people who represent us. And this guy is a Democrat !The story in The Guardian,UK, and widely reported elsewhere stated that a bill put forward by Mr. Algie Howell (D), a member of the lower house of Virginia State Legislature, to ban undergarments from being visible over the waist line, was rejected.The bill would have imposed a $50.00 fine for behaving in a \"lewd and indecent manner\". We should be glad that good sense prevailed in the Virginia State Legislature. I felt like exclaiming \"Ya Habeebi\" (not a dirty word,see footnote) as an Iraqi blogger often does.GuardianYa Habeebi: Oh my dear! My beloved!\"Of all the strange 'crimes' that human beings have legislated of nothing, 'blasphemy' is the most amazing - with 'obscenity' and 'indecent exposure' fighting it out for the second and third place.\"---Robert A. Heinlein (US science-fiction writer, 1907-1988) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/senators-reject-visible-pants-fine-guardianuk/","summary":"Only in America ?\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNo, I could think of it happening elsewhere--Saudi Arabia for example. It made me laugh but it also made me wonder about the quality of people who represent us. And this guy is a Democrat !\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe story in The Guardian,UK, and widely reported elsewhere stated that a bill put forward by Mr. Algie Howell (D), a member of the lower house of Virginia State Legislature, to ban undergarments from being visible over the waist line, was rejected.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe bill would have imposed a $50.00 fine for behaving in a \"lewd and indecent manner\". We should be glad that good sense prevailed in the Virginia State Legislature. I felt like exclaiming \"Ya Habeebi\" (not a dirty word,see footnote) as an Iraqi blogger often does.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5125435-110878,00.html\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYa Habeebi: Oh my dear! My beloved!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Of all the strange 'crimes' that human beings have legislated of nothing, 'blasphemy' is the most amazing - with 'obscenity' and 'indecent exposure' fighting it out for the second and third place.\"\u003cbr/\u003e---Robert A. Heinlein (US science-fiction writer, 1907-1988)","title":"\"Senators reject visible pants fine\" (Guardian,UK)"},{"content":" \"There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man.\"----Alan Paton (1903-1988)Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina There are movies that leave you feeling good, others that make you feel sad and contemplative. \"Hotel Rwanda\" caused numbness. JHL and I left the theater feeling overwhelmed and it took a few minutes for us to begin talking about the film.Briefly, the movie depicted what happened in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda during the massacre of Tutsis by Hutus. In other parts of Rwanda the Tutsis killed Hutus. Altogether, the death toll exceeded more than one million.\"Hotel Rwanda\" is based on a real-life character, Paul Rusesabagina who found himself running the upscale Hotel Mille Collines, owned by the Belgian conglomerate Sabena, when the European management staff left at the outbreak of violence. A fixer with connections, Paul was initially concerned with protecting his Tutsi wife and their children. But he soon found himself providing shelter to hundreds of Tutsis as well as Hutus. To his credit he managed to save most of the men, women and children by bribing, cajoling the army general in charge of the Hutu forces (it was para-military gangs that committed most of the atrocities) and with help from a sympathetic UN official.The director, Terry George, deliberately avoided detailed shots of the slaughtered. Close up views of people hacked to death with machetes would have been too gruesome. They were not necessary for the message to reach the audience.Don Cheadle very ably portrayed the smooth-talking, unflappable Paul Rusesabagina whose conscience would not let him escape when an opportunity came up. The innate decency of the man came through under the most horrific cirecumstances.Nick Nolte was his usual gruff self as Colonel Oliver, a Canadian in charge of the UN Peacekeeping Forces.Joaquin Phoneix left an imprerssion in a cameo role as a war photographer, as did the French actor Jean Reno as the director of Sabena. Cara Seymour stood out in her role as a member of UN's humanitarian aid staff.There was a scene in which Nick Nolte informed Rusesabagina of the super powers' decision not to intervene. “You’re not even a nigger”.“You’re an African.”There is some truth to that. It is a fact that in 1994 the Clinton administration decided not to get involved in Rwanda. The European Union and the Bush administration took a \"hands off\" position during the ethnic cleansing that began in Darfur (Sudan) in 2003. And so it goes.Back to \"Million Dollar Baby\"In my post (January 22nd) I wrote that:\"Not all viewers would like the decision made by Maggie and Frankie at the end. Eastwood did it right. Anything else would have trivialized it.\"Well, I read in Maureen Dowd's column in The NY Times on January 6th that it didn't take long for Rush Limbaugh (yes, the Rush Limbaugh who faced criminal charges for illegally buying and using oxy-contin), Michael Medved and others to claim that Eastwood's film sends a \"positive message about euthanasia\". Duh ! ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/hotel-rwanda-the-movie/","summary":"\"There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Alan Paton (1903-1988)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/02/Hotel Rwanda.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere are movies that leave you feeling good, others that make you feel sad and contemplative. \"Hotel Rwanda\" caused numbness. JHL and I left the theater feeling overwhelmed and it took a few minutes for us to begin talking about the film.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBriefly, the movie depicted what happened in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda during the massacre of Tutsis by Hutus. In other parts of Rwanda the Tutsis killed Hutus. Altogether, the death toll exceeded more than one million.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Hotel Rwanda\" is based on a real-life character, Paul Rusesabagina who found himself running the upscale Hotel Mille Collines, owned by the Belgian conglomerate Sabena, when the European management staff left at the outbreak of violence. A fixer with connections, Paul was initially concerned with protecting his Tutsi wife and their children. But he soon found himself providing shelter to hundreds of Tutsis as well as Hutus. To his credit he managed to save most of the men, women and children by bribing, cajoling the army general in charge of the Hutu forces (it was para-military gangs that committed most of the atrocities) and with help from a sympathetic UN official.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe director, Terry George, deliberately avoided detailed shots of the slaughtered. Close up views of people hacked to death with machetes would have been too gruesome. They were not necessary for the message to reach the audience.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon Cheadle very ably portrayed the smooth-talking, unflappable Paul Rusesabagina whose conscience would not let him escape when an opportunity came up. The innate decency of the man came through under the most horrific cirecumstances.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNick Nolte was his usual gruff self as Colonel Oliver, a Canadian in charge of the UN Peacekeeping Forces.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eJoaquin Phoneix left an imprerssion in a cameo role as a war photographer, as did the French actor Jean Reno as the director of Sabena. Cara Seymour stood out in her role as a member of UN's humanitarian aid staff.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere was a scene in which Nick Nolte informed Rusesabagina of the super powers' decision not to intervene. “You’re not even a nigger”.“You’re an African.”\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere is some truth to that. It is a fact that in 1994 the Clinton administration decided not to get involved in Rwanda. The European Union and the Bush administration took a \"hands off\" position during the ethnic cleansing that began in Darfur (Sudan) in 2003. And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBack to \"Million Dollar Baby\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn my post (January 22nd) I wrote that:\"Not all viewers would like the decision made by Maggie and Frankie at the end. Eastwood did it right. Anything else would have trivialized it.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWell, I read in Maureen Dowd's column in The NY Times on January 6th that it didn't take long for Rush Limbaugh (yes, the Rush Limbaugh who faced criminal charges for illegally buying and using oxy-contin), Michael Medved and others to claim that Eastwood's film sends a \"positive message about euthanasia\". Duh !","title":"\"Hotel Rwanda\", The Movie"},{"content":" Annie Proulx Richard Ford William Trevor Alice Munro The old masters of the craft (O. Henry, Bret Harte, Sherwood Anderson, Edgar Allan Poe, Somerset Maugham, Balzac, Maupassant, Anatole France) are long gone. But short story writers today are no less powerful. The authors listed above include two Americans, one from Ireland, and a Canadian, Alice Munro. Here are a few snippets to whet your appetite. “’You know,' said Plato Bucklew, ‘I don’t care for them new V-Rods. If I was to get a motorsickle it would be one a the old Buffalos. You ever hear a them?’ ‘Heard a them but never seen one. Heard they never got it off the drawin board,‘ said Creel Zmundzinski. ‘That might just be the best part of it’, said his friend enigmatically. ‘Take a horse, myself.’\" “The Contest” (Bad Dirt, Wyoming Stories 2) by Annie Proulx, Scribner 2004. “’Did this give you anything?’ Wales, said. ‘Did I give you anything you cared about? It seemed like you wanted there to be an outcome. ‘What an odd thing to ask’, Jena said, her eyes shining, growing large again. She seemed about to laugh, but then suddenly moved to him, stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth, hard, put her cold cheek to his cheek and said, ‘Yes. You gave me so much. You gave me all there was. Didn’t you? That’s what I wanted.’ ‘Yes,’ Wales said. ‘I did. That’s right’. He smiled at her.” “Quality Time” (A Multitude of Sins) by Richard Ford, Alfred Knopf 2002. ‘What children of a marriage rarely witness is the nature of the love that brought the whole thing--themselves included--into being in the first place. The marriage of parents is almost always mysterious; the sensual elements scarcely bear thinking about, the romantic past can only be guessed at, and all such curiosity invariably comes too late.’ “Field of Battle” (part of a series titled “Personal History”) by William Trevor. The New Yorker. \"They think women are bound to be nicer.' 'But he just wanted somebody to talk to,' she said, shifting sides a little. 'He wanted somebody worse than I didn’t want somebody. I realize that now. And I don't look mean. I don't look cruel. But I was.'\" \"Chance\" by Alice Munro. The New Yorker, 2004. Give them a try. Books are such great companions. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/great-short-story-writers/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnnie Proulx\n\u003cbr/\u003eRichard Ford\n\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam Trevor\n\u003cbr/\u003eAlice  Munro\n\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe old masters of the craft (O. Henry, Bret Harte, Sherwood Anderson, Edgar Allan Poe, Somerset Maugham, Balzac, Maupassant, Anatole France) are long gone. But short story writers today are no less powerful. The authors listed above include two Americans, one from Ireland, and a Canadian, Alice Munro.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nHere are a few snippets to whet your appetite.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“’You know,' said Plato Bucklew, ‘I don’t care for them new V-Rods. If I was to get a motorsickle it would be one a the old Buffalos. You ever hear a them?’\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘Heard a them but never seen one. Heard they never got it off the drawin board,‘ said Creel Zmundzinski.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘That might just be the best part of it’, said his friend enigmatically.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘Take a horse, myself.’\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“The Contest” (Bad Dirt, Wyoming Stories 2) by Annie Proulx, Scribner 2004.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“’Did this give you anything?’ Wales, said. ‘Did I give you anything you cared about? It seemed like you wanted there to be an outcome.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘What an odd thing to ask’, Jena said, her eyes shining, growing large again. She seemed about to laugh, but then suddenly moved to him, stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth, hard, put her cold cheek to his cheek and said, ‘Yes. You gave me so much. You gave me all there was. Didn’t you? That’s what I wanted.’\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘Yes,’ Wales said. ‘I did. That’s right’. He smiled at her.”\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“Quality Time” (A Multitude of Sins) by Richard Ford, Alfred Knopf 2002.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n‘What children of a marriage rarely witness is the nature of the love that brought the whole thing--themselves included--into being in the first place. The marriage of parents is almost always mysterious; the sensual elements scarcely bear thinking about, the romantic past can only be guessed at, and all such curiosity invariably comes too late.’\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n“Field of Battle” (part of a series titled “Personal History”) by William Trevor.  The New Yorker.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\"They think women are bound to be nicer.'\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n'But he just wanted somebody to talk to,' she said, shifting sides a little. 'He wanted somebody worse than I  didn’t  want somebody. I realize that now. And I don't look mean. I don't look cruel. But I was.'\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Chance\" by Alice Munro. The New Yorker, 2004.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nGive them a try. Books are such great companions.\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Great Short Story Writers"},{"content":" Cost(s) of War It was Ross Perot, the quirky Texan two-time contender for the presidency who talked about \"a giant sucking sound\" in outlining the threat of NAFTA to U.S. jobs. Regular visitors to this blog will notice the addition of a counter that displays the cost (in dollars) of our war in Iraq. Cost of War.com contains full details about the calculations and modulated examples of various programs that could benefit from the money. It is maintained by National Priorities Project, a non-partisan education and advocacy foundation. Whether you believe that the money is being spent for a just cause or you feel that it is going down a drain to satisfy the hubris of a few, the numbers are revealing. You don't hear a \"giant sucking sound\" when you look at the counter ? Well, it is your money. Then there are other costs. npp The leaders who sold the war to our nation never participated in combat; not a single one of them. Some, like Vice-President Cheney, sought and received deferment during the Vietnam War. Neither do they have sons and daughters in the armed forces. Think about it. \"War hath no fury like a non-combatant.\" ----Charles Edward Montague, British author, journalist, soldier (1867-1928) \"The cry has been that when war is declared, all opposition should be hushed. A sentiment more unworthy of a free country could hardly be propagated.\" ----William Ellery Channing, American Unitarian Minister and Author (1780-1842) Comments Sam \u0026mdash; 2005-02-05 Hi, I read your comment on my blog just now, and thought I'd see what you were up to over here.\nLooking at the \"cost of war\" is meaningless unless it's done in the context of the benefits we get for incurring that cost.\nIf our efforts to transform the Middle East, starting with Afghanistan and Iraq, end up creating a region where terrorists do not plot and scheme to detonate a nuke in a major American city, then we will have saved untold billions of dollars, plus an incalculable emotional cost in lives spared.\nYou may not believe that the War on Terror is wise, or is working. But, in evaluating it as foreign policy, it's only fair to assess the goals it seeks to acheive, and their value. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-02-05 Is that what we are doing, conducting \"war on terror\" ?\nIf memory serves me right the reason for the war against Iraq has gone through a number of changes. First that Saddam had a hand in the attacks on 9/11; then the WMD angle which was milked to the last drop. The latest is that we are there to \"democratize\" the Iraqis. Does not look as though the recent election would result in formation of a democratic government. But let us hope for the sake of the Iraqi people, and for our soldiers out there, that the bloodshed would stop. If one's source of news is not limited to the Fox channel, it becomes obvious that the war has created more terrorists instead of curbing their growth. Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06 here is a movie you may find interesting Sam \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06 It is not the case that everyone who disagrees with you watches nothing but Fox News.\nI don't watch any TV news, actually.\nI am curious: Why is it \"obvious\" to you that we have created more terrorists? Do you have some data to back up that claim, or is it just your personal belief?\nI have some data, and here it is: Before the War on Terror, the U.S. was the vicitm of many, many terror attacks: our hostages in Iran, the attack on our Marine barracks in Beirut, the U.S. embassy bombings in Saudi Arabia, the attack on the USS Cole, the first (failed) attempt on the World Trade Center, and finally 9-11, just to name the most notable ones.\nSince the war on terror, there have been no major attacks on the U.S. that I can think of (not counting attacks on our troops in Iraq, who are, after all, at war there).\nIt seems to me our strategy is working pretty well.\nOur rationale for being in Iraq hasn't shifted; there have been multiple reasons all along.\nIf you are troubled by the fact that there is more than one reason for us to be in Iraq, don't be. We are doing the right thing.\nSaying we are going into Iraq for this or that reason is much less important than the result of a democratically-governed Middle East. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06 To Anonymous\nThanks for the link to the movie. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06 “Democratically governed Middle-East” is a worthy goal. In the recently held elections about 50% of Iraqis (mostly Sunnis) stayed away. Facts: Iyad Allawi was on the CIA’s payroll, as was Ahmed Chalabi who, after falling from grace, is making a come back. And then there is Grand Ayatollah Sistani, the Shia leader, calling the shots from behind. So I’m skeptical about the “democratic government” that would emerge. It would seem that we want to see democracy established only when we are assured of a government that works at our bidding. Look at our ally Pakistan. Would you say that Pakistan under General Musharraf has a \"government of the people\" ? Step back a little. In 1953 British and American Governments joined hands to topple Mohammed Mossadeq, the elected premier in Iran, and installed the Shah to protect oil companies from being nationalised. The records about the brutal regime of the Shah and subsequent capture of power by religious zealots in Iran are available to all who are interested in checking the facts.\nGood that you don’t watch news programs. Neither do I. But I follow BBC’s reports on the Internet. Last October, an article in the respected medical journal \"Lancet\" mentioned that more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians died since the war began. When it comes to suffering in such scale, does the end justify the means; to me it does not. You can find the item in BBC's archive.\nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm\nAs to rise in terrorism, I take a global view.\nThe weekend is over in Tokyo. Stay well. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/a-giant-sucking-sound/","summary":"Cost(s) of War\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt was Ross Perot, the quirky Texan two-time contender for the presidency who talked about \"a giant sucking sound\" in outlining the threat of NAFTA to U.S. jobs.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eRegular visitors to this blog will notice the addition of a counter that displays the cost (in dollars) of our war in Iraq. Cost of War.com contains full details about the calculations and modulated examples of various programs that could benefit from the money. It is maintained by National Priorities Project, a non-partisan education and advocacy foundation.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhether you believe that the money is being spent for a just cause or you feel that it is going down a drain to satisfy the hubris of a few, the numbers are revealing.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eYou don't hear a \"giant sucking sound\" when you look at the counter ? Well, it is your money.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThen there are other costs.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://nationalpriorities.org/issues/military/iraq/highcost/index.html\"\u003enpp\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe leaders who sold the war to our nation never participated in combat; not a single one of them.  Some, like Vice-President Cheney, sought and received deferment during the Vietnam War. Neither do they have sons and daughters in the armed forces. Think about it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Charles Edward Montague, British author, journalist, soldier (1867-1928)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"The cry has been that when war is declared, all opposition should be hushed. A sentiment more unworthy of a free country could hardly be propagated.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----William Ellery Channing, American Unitarian Minister and Author (1780-1842)\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSam\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eHi, I read your comment on my blog just now, and thought I'd see what you were up to over here.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLooking at the \"cost of war\" is meaningless unless it's done in the context of the benefits we get for incurring that cost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf our efforts to transform the Middle East, starting with Afghanistan and Iraq, end up creating a region where terrorists do not plot and scheme to detonate a nuke in a major American city, then we will have saved untold billions of dollars, plus an incalculable emotional cost in lives spared.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYou may not believe that the War on Terror is wise, or is working.  But, in evaluating it as foreign policy, it's only fair to assess the goals it seeks to acheive, and their value.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIs that what we are doing, conducting \"war on terror\" ?\u003cbr\u003eIf memory serves me right the reason for the war against Iraq has gone through a number of changes.  First that Saddam had a hand in the attacks on 9/11; then the WMD angle which was milked to the last drop. The latest is that we are there to \"democratize\" the Iraqis. Does not look as though the recent election would result in formation of a democratic government.  But let us hope for the sake of the Iraqi people, and for our soldiers out there, that the bloodshed would stop.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf one's source of news is not limited to the Fox channel, it becomes obvious that the war has created more terrorists instead of curbing their growth.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ehere is a \u003cA HREF=\"http://www.blogger.com/r?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.archive.org%2Fmovies%2Fdetails-db.php%3Fcollection%3Dindependent_news%26collectionid%3D911theRoadtoTyranny\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003emovie\u003c/A\u003e you may find interesting\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSam\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIt is not the case that everyone who disagrees with you watches nothing but Fox News.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI don't watch any TV news, actually.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI am curious:  Why is it \"obvious\" to you that we have created more terrorists?  Do you have some data to back up that claim, or is it just your personal belief?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI have some data, and here it is:  Before the War on Terror, the U.S. was the vicitm of many, many terror attacks:  our hostages in Iran, the attack on our Marine barracks in Beirut, the U.S. embassy bombings in Saudi Arabia, the attack on the USS Cole, the first (failed) attempt on the World Trade Center, and finally 9-11, just to name the most notable ones.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince the war on terror, there have been no major attacks on the U.S. that I can think of (not counting attacks on our troops in Iraq, who are, after all, at war there).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt seems to me our strategy is working pretty well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOur rationale for being in Iraq hasn't shifted; there have been multiple reasons all along.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you are troubled by the fact that there is more than one reason for us to be in Iraq, don't be.  We are doing the right thing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSaying we are going into Iraq for this or that reason is much less important than the result of a democratically-governed Middle East.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eTo Anonymous\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks for the link to the movie.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-06\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003e“Democratically governed Middle-East” is a worthy goal. In the recently held elections about 50% of Iraqis (mostly Sunnis) stayed away. Facts: Iyad Allawi was on the CIA’s payroll, as was Ahmed Chalabi who, after falling from grace, is making a come back. And then there is Grand Ayatollah Sistani, the Shia leader, calling the shots from behind. So I’m skeptical about the “democratic government” that would emerge. It would seem that we want to see democracy established only when we are assured of a government that works at our bidding. Look at our ally Pakistan. Would you say that Pakistan under General Musharraf has a \"government of the people\" ? Step back a little. In 1953 British and American Governments joined hands to topple Mohammed Mossadeq, the elected premier in Iran, and installed the Shah to protect oil companies from being nationalised. The records about the brutal regime of the Shah and subsequent capture of power by religious zealots in Iran are available to all who are interested in checking the facts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGood that you don’t watch news programs. Neither do I. But I follow BBC’s reports on the Internet. Last October, an article in the respected medical journal \"Lancet\" mentioned that more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians died since the war began. When it comes to suffering in such scale, does the end justify the means; to me it does not. You can find the item in BBC's archive.\u003cbr\u003ehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs to rise in terrorism, I take a global view.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe weekend is over in Tokyo. Stay well.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"\"A Giant Sucking Sound\""},{"content":" The State of The Union, 6:00 PM (PST) Those who are going to watch the president deliver his fifth State of the Union message will again see something that has become familiar...the Republican members of the House bobbing up and down like marionettes to applaud the president at every second sentence. They would be better off staying up on their feet but they enjoy much more comprehensive medical insurance coverage than the rest of us. And they will burn some calories. I can think of other things to do than watching the charade on TV. We know what he is going to talk about. First the Iraqi election. The president will claim it was a great success. There was less violence than was anticipated; that was the good part. Final numbers are yet to be announced but according to initial reports more than 50% of Iraqis, mostly Shias participated. The Kurds, too, voted in large numbers. Sunni Arabs stayed away. That portends ill about the future. Grand Ayatollah Sistani, religious leader of the Shias, has already indicated his desire for Islamic laws to replace civil laws. That would be a drastic shift. Iraq, under the Baathists, was a secular nation. There are many doubts and questions about the future. Could be a long time before things fall in place and peace prevails between the different factions. Iraq ruled by conservative Islamic legislators would not be the democratic country that we wanted to see. He will laud the great sacrifice made by members of the armed forces but stay away from the costs of the war. Restructuring Social Security, the lynch pin in the president's agenda for the second term. He will try to sell it to the American people without giving details of the costs and risks. He will just accentuate the \"pie in the sky\" scenario. He would probably touch upon the health care issue, again without stating that Medicare recipients had their largest ever increase in premium while facing cuts in coverage in the form of higher deductibles, and lower limits on availability of prescription drugs. He will boast of the success of his tax cuts without mentioning the widening gap between incomes at the upper and lower ends. He will talk about his forthcoming visit to Europe and his goal for increased cooperation. A recent global poll reflected that only two countries---Poland and India---were supportive of the president and his policies. \"Then you should say what you mean,\" the March Hare went on. \"I do, \" Alice hastily replied; \"at least I mean what I say, that's the same thing, you know.\" \"Not the same thing a bit!\" said the Hatter. \"Why, you might just as well say that \"I see what I eat\" is the same thing as \"I eat what I see!\" ----Lewis Carroll ( Alice in Wonderland) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/02/bad-for-their-knees-not-to-speak-of-sore-palms/","summary":"The State of The Union, 6:00 PM (PST)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThose who are going to watch the president deliver his fifth State of the Union message will again see something that has become familiar...the Republican members of the House bobbing up and down like marionettes to applaud the president at every second sentence. They would be better off staying up on their feet but they enjoy much more comprehensive medical insurance coverage than the rest of us. And they will burn some calories.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI can think of other things to do than watching the charade on TV.  We know what he is going to talk about.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFirst the Iraqi election. The president will claim it was a great success. There was less violence than was anticipated; that was the good part. Final numbers are yet to be announced but according to initial reports more than 50% of Iraqis, mostly Shias participated. The Kurds, too, voted in large numbers. Sunni Arabs stayed away. That portends ill about the future. Grand Ayatollah Sistani, religious leader of the Shias, has already indicated his desire for Islamic laws to replace civil laws. That would be a drastic shift. Iraq, under the Baathists, was a secular nation. There are many doubts and questions about the future. Could be a long time before things fall in place and peace prevails between the different factions. Iraq ruled by conservative Islamic legislators would not be the democratic country that we wanted  to see.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHe will laud the great sacrifice made by members of the armed forces but stay away from the costs of the war.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eRestructuring Social Security, the lynch pin in the president's agenda for the second term. He will try to sell it to the American people without giving details of the costs and risks. He will just accentuate the \"pie in the sky\" scenario.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHe would probably touch upon the health care issue, again without stating that Medicare recipients had their largest ever increase in premium while facing cuts in coverage in the form of higher deductibles, and lower limits on availability of prescription drugs.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHe will boast of  the success of his tax cuts without mentioning the widening gap between incomes at the upper and lower ends.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHe will talk about his forthcoming visit to Europe and his goal for increased cooperation. A recent global poll reflected that only two countries---Poland and India---were supportive of the president and his policies.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Then you should say what you mean,\" the March Hare went on.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"I do, \" Alice hastily replied; \"at least I mean what I say, that's the same thing, you know.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Not the same thing a bit!\" said the Hatter. \"Why, you might just as well say that \"I see what I eat\" is the same thing as \"I eat what I see!\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Lewis Carroll ( Alice in Wonderland)\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Bad for their knees, not to speak of sore palms"},{"content":" Anything goes Maureen Dowd's column, \"Torture Chicks Gone Wild\", in The NY Times on January 30th, is about a report by AP that Eric R. Saar, a former sergeant, who served as an Arabic interpreter at Guantanamo, is the author of a forthcoming book about interrogation and abuse of prisoners. Among the methods: sexual arousal by women wearing provocative clothes and other means. Perhaps the most despicable was to defile the water tap in a Muslim prisoner's cell by use of faked menstrual blood ! Some prisoners, after their release from Guantanamo, alleged that prostitutes were used. What did we do...fly them out to Guantanamo on contract or are such women regular members of interrogation teams? I have not seen any report about denial by the Pentagon. Makes you wonder what else is going on and how little we know. Apologists would say that it is necessary to take whatever means possible to stop terrorism. Really ? Can we put the genie back into the bottle ? Once we started on that slippery slope we lost control of the forces that we let loose. Appearing just after the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz,as it did, Ms. Dowd's column caused revulsion when I read it. It made me feel ashamed. dowd \"Only one enemy is worse than despair: INDIFFERENCE. In every area of human creativity, INDIFFERENCE is the enemy; INDIFFERENCE of evil is worse than evil, because it is also sterile.\" ----Elie Wiesel ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/dirty-hands-us/","summary":"Anything goes\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMaureen Dowd's column, \"Torture Chicks Gone Wild\", in The NY Times on January 30th, is about a report by AP that Eric R. Saar, a former sergeant, who served as an Arabic interpreter at Guantanamo, is the author of a forthcoming book about interrogation and abuse of prisoners.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the methods: sexual arousal by women wearing provocative clothes and other means. Perhaps the most despicable was to defile the water tap in a Muslim prisoner's cell by use of faked menstrual blood ! Some prisoners, after their release from Guantanamo, alleged that prostitutes were used.  What did we do...fly them out to Guantanamo on contract or are such women regular members of interrogation teams?  I have not seen any report about denial by the Pentagon.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMakes you wonder what else is going on and how little we know. Apologists would say that it is necessary to take whatever means possible to stop terrorism. Really ? Can we put the genie back into the bottle ? Once we started on that slippery slope we lost control of the forces that we let loose. Appearing just after the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz,as it did, Ms. Dowd's column caused revulsion when I read it.  It made me feel ashamed.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/opinion/30dowd.html\"\u003edowd\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Only one enemy is worse than despair: INDIFFERENCE. In every area of human creativity, INDIFFERENCE is the enemy; INDIFFERENCE of evil is worse than evil, because it is also sterile.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Elie Wiesel","title":"Dirty hands, us ?"},{"content":" President Bush and Europeans Iran, Syria, North Korea, Pakistan SpongeBob Square Pants and Rev. Dobson Thomas Friedman, in his column in The NY Times (1/27/05) recommends that during his forthcoming trip to Europe, instead of giving speeches President Bush gives the Europeans his ears. friedman We would see pictures of the president sitting at tables with heads of European nations. But would he hear them ? Colin Powell understood Europe and the Middle East. He got rolled over by the hardliners. One gets the impression that Ms. Rice and the President are probably guided by the same higher authority. The Iranians (Ayranians according to some) better watch out. Now that we have arranged to provide the Iraqi people with an elected government, there are rumblings that it is their turn to feel the wrath of the United States. Perhaps Syria next. North Korea ? Nah, we don’t want to tackle the North Koreans, they already have the bomb. What about Pakistan ? They provided bomb making know how and material to Libya, Iran and North Korea ? Pakistan is a friendly country, helping us fight al Qaeda, and it was just one man, Dr. A.Q. Khan, who said he was sorry. The Pakistani Government was completely unaware of what was happening. And pigs have wings. The ever vigilant mandarins of morality have found another threat--the cartoon character SpongeBob Square Pants. A video which includes SpongeBob has been mentioned as \"pro-homosexual\" by Rev. James Dobson, founder of \"Focus on the Family\". We can rest assured that our children will be protected from evil influences. “Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.” ----Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 4 (1865). ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/he-might-listen-but-would-he-hear-them/","summary":"President Bush and Europeans\n\u003cbr/\u003eIran, Syria, North Korea, Pakistan\n\u003cbr/\u003eSpongeBob Square Pants and Rev. Dobson\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThomas Friedman, in his column in The NY Times (1/27/05) recommends that during his forthcoming trip to Europe, instead of giving speeches President Bush gives the Europeans his ears.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/opinion/27fried.html\"\u003efriedman\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWe would see pictures of the president sitting at tables with heads of European nations. But would he hear them ? Colin Powell understood Europe and the Middle East. He got rolled over by the hardliners. One gets the impression that Ms. Rice and the President are probably guided by the same higher authority.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Iranians (Ayranians according to some) better watch out. Now that we have arranged to provide the Iraqi people with an elected government, there are rumblings that it is their turn to feel the wrath of the United States. Perhaps Syria next. North Korea ? Nah, we don’t want to tackle the North Koreans, they already have the bomb. What about Pakistan ? They provided bomb making know how and material to Libya, Iran and North Korea ? Pakistan is a friendly country, helping us fight al Qaeda, and it was just one man, Dr. A.Q. Khan, who said he was sorry. The Pakistani Government was completely unaware of what was happening. And pigs have wings.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe ever vigilant mandarins of morality have found another threat--the cartoon character SpongeBob Square Pants. A video which includes SpongeBob has been mentioned as \"pro-homosexual\" by Rev. James Dobson, founder of \"Focus on the Family\". We can rest assured that our children will be protected from evil influences.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.”\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, chapter 4 (1865).","title":"He might listen but would he hear them ?"},{"content":" And BelzecBergen-BelsenBuchenwaldChelmnoDachauDoraJanowMaidanekMauthausenNeuengammePonaryPustkowSkarzyskoSobiborStutthofTheresienstadtTreblinkaVilnaWarsaw Am I, who is not Jewish, fit to write, or do I have the right to comment, about the Holocaust and suffering of the Jewish people ? I do so with humility.I can say that what took place was terrible and that I understand their pain. But only Jews know what it really meant. It goes too deep, way beyond our comprehension of the enormity of the atrocities during the years when a large number of people in Europe ceased to act like members of the human race and insanity prevailed. The number of survivors of the pogrom is small and getting smaller. Soon there would be none. But a generation of Jews, scattered all over the world, grew up under the shadow of the horrendous fate suffered by their parents and grand parents. To us it is fact; to them it is intensely personal.As leaders of the world gather at Auschwitz on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous concentration camp, where Nazis killed 1.5 million people, mostly Jews (out of of a total six million plus who died horrible deaths during Adolf Hitler‘s Third Reich), we should all take a few moments to ponder about the Holocaust.Why did it happen and why did the Germans and others who were aware of what was going on remained quiet and looked the other way ? Not all of them were Nazis. There are many explanations but they do not provide answers. At long last the Germans faced the issue and accepted their responsibility. The Vatican waffled about the failure of Pope Pius XII to speak out. Whether his voice would have done any good is beside the point.There would be lofty speeches at Auschwitz. The sad fact is that the world remained aloof during the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. According to a 1999 report by Frontline “.....the Clinton administration's failure to intervene in Rwanda 'wasn't a failure to act'. The decision was 'not to act'.” More recently, the European Union refrained from intervening in Sudan because the Darfur massacres were not considered “genocidal”! Again, our government stood by the sidelines. One only heard platitudes. Our leaders talk about moral high ground but there is often a tendency to find pretexts to avoid taking action.Racial prejudices still exist. Bigots come in all colors and races. Demagogues continue to spew hatred in different languages. There will always be such people. As long as they do not receive support of the broader society in which they live they would remain powerless to persecute and oppress others.We cannot be absolutely sure that it will not happen again; we can only hope that it does not and do whatever we can toward that goal. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-01-28 i really like it. and i think that it is the most\nlogical and reasonable response one can have about it.\nit sometimes seem that jews say 'never again' only\nwhen it relates to them, and not to others. and this\nis really sad. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/auschwitz---sixty-years-later/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eAnd Belzec\u003cbr/\u003eBergen-Belsen\u003cbr/\u003eBuchenwald\u003cbr/\u003eChelmno\u003cbr/\u003eDachau\u003cbr/\u003eDora\u003cbr/\u003eJanow\u003cbr/\u003eMaidanek\u003cbr/\u003eMauthausen\u003cbr/\u003eNeuengamme\u003cbr/\u003ePonary\u003cbr/\u003ePustkow\u003cbr/\u003eSkarzysko\u003cbr/\u003eSobibor\u003cbr/\u003eStutthof\u003cbr/\u003eTheresienstadt\u003cbr/\u003eTreblinka\u003cbr/\u003eVilna\u003cbr/\u003eWarsaw     \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAm I, who is not Jewish, fit to write, or do I have the right to comment, about the Holocaust and suffering of the Jewish people ? I do so with humility.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI can say that what took place was terrible and that I understand their pain. But only Jews know what it really meant. It goes too deep, way beyond our comprehension of the enormity of the atrocities during the years when a large number of people in Europe ceased to act like members of the human race and insanity prevailed. The number of survivors of the pogrom is small and getting smaller. Soon there would be none. But a generation of Jews, scattered all over the world, grew up under the shadow of the horrendous fate suffered by their parents and grand parents. To us it is fact; to them it is intensely personal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAs leaders of the world gather at Auschwitz on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous concentration camp, where Nazis killed 1.5 million people, mostly Jews (out of of a total six million plus who died horrible deaths during Adolf Hitler‘s Third Reich), we should all take a few moments to ponder about the Holocaust.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWhy did it happen and why did the Germans and others who were aware of what was going on remained quiet and looked the other way ? Not all of them were Nazis. There are many explanations but they do not provide answers. At long last the Germans faced the issue and accepted their responsibility. The Vatican waffled about the failure of Pope Pius XII to speak out. Whether his voice would have done any good is beside the point.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThere would be lofty speeches at Auschwitz. The sad fact is that the world remained aloof during the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. According to a 1999 report by Frontline “.....the Clinton administration's failure to intervene in Rwanda 'wasn't a failure to act'. The decision was 'not to act'.” More recently, the European Union refrained from intervening in Sudan because the Darfur massacres were not considered “genocidal”! Again, our government stood by the sidelines. One only heard platitudes. Our leaders talk about moral high ground but there is often a tendency to find pretexts to avoid taking action.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRacial prejudices still exist. Bigots come in all colors and races. Demagogues continue to spew hatred in different languages. There will always be such people. As long as they do not receive support of the broader society in which they live they would remain powerless to persecute and oppress others.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWe cannot be absolutely sure that it will not happen again; we can only hope that it does not and do whatever we can toward that goal.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-01-28\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003ei really like it. and i think that it is the most\u003cbr\u003elogical and reasonable response one can have about it.\u003cbr\u003eit sometimes seem that jews say 'never again' only\u003cbr\u003ewhen it relates to them, and not to others. and this\u003cbr\u003eis really sad.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Auschwitz  - Sixty Years Later"},{"content":" An old saying in politics that the intrepid Texan author and journalist Molly Ivins used as the title of her 1998 book about politicians (of both parties) and the pervasive influence of those who fund them. Very appropriate. Last week was party-time in Washington,D.C, but the dances began long before the big hoopla. The president’s dance card is full. There would be a lot of them. Lined up for their turn: The pharmaceutical industry. It is going to get its wish for banning importation of prescription drugs from Canada by consumers. Why ? They are unsafe ! A Jig. The financial sector. There is going to be a humdinger of a dance as the so called “privatization” of Social Secutity Program begins to take shape. Rock and Roll. Heads of the timber industry as well as chemical and automobile industries. They are grinning from ear to ear. The money they contributed for the parties will come back to them with handsome dividends. Texas Two Step. The pushers of tax cuts for the top income bracket already got their dance. They want more, and the president is a firm believer in cutting taxes for those who have the most. Paso Doble ? There are many others. The vice president has been helping out by dancing with representatives of military contractors, energy and aerospace industries. Ever wonder why some people talk about “entitlements” and “welfare queens”, and see nothing wrong with creation of tax loop holes for the corporations that contribute large sums to campaigns of politicians ? Watch out every time they talk about \"simplifying\" the tax code. In the documentary film “Fahrenheit 9/11” there is a segment which shows President Bush at a formal dinner. He walks to the microphone, turns to the guests at the head table and says: \"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.” There you have it. Straight from the horse's mouth. Michael Moore didn't write the words; he did not force the president to say them. No one can accuse the president of not taking care of his base. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/youve-got-to-dance-with-them-whut-brung-you/","summary":"An old saying in politics that the intrepid Texan author and journalist Molly Ivins used as the title of her 1998 book about politicians (of both parties) and the pervasive influence of those who fund them.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eVery appropriate. Last week was party-time in Washington,D.C, but the dances began long before the big hoopla. The president’s dance card is full. There would be a lot of them.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLined up for their turn:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe pharmaceutical industry. It is going to get its wish for banning importation of prescription drugs from Canada by consumers. Why ? They are unsafe ! A Jig.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe financial sector. There is going to be a humdinger of a dance as the so called “privatization” of Social Secutity Program begins to take shape. Rock and Roll.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHeads of the timber industry as well as chemical and automobile industries. They are grinning from ear to ear. The money they contributed for the parties will come back to them with handsome dividends. Texas Two Step.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe pushers of tax cuts for the top income bracket already got their dance. They want more, and the president is a firm believer in cutting taxes for those who have the most. Paso Doble ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere are many others. The vice president has been helping out by dancing with representatives of military contractors, energy and aerospace industries.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eEver wonder why some people talk about “entitlements” and “welfare queens”, and see nothing wrong with creation of tax loop holes for the corporations that contribute large sums to campaigns of politicians ? Watch out every time they talk about \"simplifying\" the tax code.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn the documentary film “Fahrenheit 9/11” there is a segment which shows President Bush at a formal dinner. He walks to the microphone, turns to the guests at the head table and says: \"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.”\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere you have it. Straight from the horse's mouth. Michael Moore didn't write the words; he did not force the president to say them. No one can accuse the president of not taking care of his base.","title":"\"You've got to dance with them whut brung you\""},{"content":" Risotto with fresh mushrooms (my version) AC with a large Chanterelle It is the season when foraging for wild mushrooms is rewarding to those of us who like to walk in the foothills among the redwood and oak trees. I like chanterelles. Not easy to find but fresh chanterelles have such nice coloring and earthy flavor. They are delicious, simply sauteed in butter and olive oil with a sprinkling of chives (or green onions), salt and pepper, and eaten with lightly toasted french bread. Have been cooking risotto with fresh chanterelles (other mushrooms can be used). This is how I do it. For two 1/2 lb. Fresh Mushrooms, cut in large chunks 2 Shallots (can use onion) finely sliced 3 Tblspoon Olive Oil 2 Tblspoon Unsalted Butter Splash (about 2 Oz.) of dry sherry or wine, not cooking sherry 4 Oz Rice (see note below) 4 Cups Chicken Broth Freshly ground pepper (I use Black, find White Pepper insipid) Pinch or two of Saffron (optional). It adds a lovely color. Saute mushrooms, using 1 tblspoon olive oil/1 tblsoon butter. Add a little salt and few grinds of pepper. Chanterelles release a lot of moisture. I save the liquid. Set aside. Have the broth ready (and keep it hot) In a non-stick pot, heat the remaining olive oil and butter Add the sliced shallots After the shallots have softened, add the rice and stir for a few minutes to coat well Add the sherry or wine, mix Increase temperature, add about 1 cup of the broth and stir When it comes to a boil, reduce temperature to simmer Add the saffron As the liquid reduces keep adding about 1/2 cup of broth at a time and keep stirring Between 20/25 minutes the rice would begin to near the right softness. Use your judgment Add the sauteed mushrooms and the reserved liquid (optional) Add few grinds of pepper, mix well Serve I prefer a light red (Rhone style wine). A dry rosé would be fine. Drink whatever pleases you. Note: 1) Risotto needs attention, one must not allow the broth to evaporate. Stirring is essential. 2) There are recipes that call for adding cream and/or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving. I don't find the need for them. 3) Some foodies insist on Carnaroli or Vialone Nano (the latter is rather pricey) rice. I use Carnaroli but found nothing wrong with the taste of Arborio. The fatter grains of Carnaroli take a little longer to cook but they absorb more of the flavor. Grains of risotto rice have a pearly, opalescent look. Long grain rice (Basmati, Jasmine,etc.) will not work. 4) I have made risotto with vegetable broth. Tastes noticeably inferior. Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-02-04 Sounds like a lovely recipe, Ranamama, I'll have to try it. Now, how does one go about finding chanterelles in the snow...?\n- Kaju ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/risotto-con-funghi/","summary":"Risotto with fresh mushrooms (my version)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Arild with a Chanterelle.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAC with a large Chanterelle \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt is the season when foraging for wild mushrooms is rewarding to those of us who like to walk in the foothills among the redwood and oak trees.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI like chanterelles. Not easy to find but fresh chanterelles have such nice coloring and earthy flavor. They are delicious, simply sauteed in butter and olive oil with a sprinkling of chives (or green onions), salt and pepper, and eaten with lightly toasted french bread.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHave been cooking risotto with fresh chanterelles (other mushrooms can be used). This is how I do it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFor two\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e1/2 lb. Fresh Mushrooms, cut in large chunks\n\u003cbr/\u003e2 Shallots (can use onion) finely sliced\n\u003cbr/\u003e3 Tblspoon Olive Oil\n\u003cbr/\u003e2  Tblspoon Unsalted Butter\n\u003cbr/\u003eSplash (about 2 Oz.) of dry sherry or wine, not cooking sherry\n\u003cbr/\u003e4 Oz Rice (see note below)\n\u003cbr/\u003e4  Cups Chicken Broth\n\u003cbr/\u003eFreshly ground pepper (I use Black, find White Pepper insipid)\n\u003cbr/\u003ePinch or two of Saffron (optional).  It adds a lovely color.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eSaute mushrooms, using 1 tblspoon olive oil/1 tblsoon butter. Add a little salt and few grinds of pepper. Chanterelles release a lot of moisture. I save the liquid. Set aside.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHave the broth ready (and keep it hot)\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn a non-stick pot, heat the remaining olive oil and butter\n\u003cbr/\u003eAdd the sliced shallots\n\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the shallots have softened, add the rice and stir for a few minutes to coat well\n\u003cbr/\u003eAdd the sherry or wine, mix\n\u003cbr/\u003eIncrease temperature, add about 1 cup of the broth and stir\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhen it comes to a boil, reduce temperature to simmer\n\u003cbr/\u003eAdd the saffron\n\u003cbr/\u003eAs the liquid reduces keep adding about 1/2 cup of broth at a time and keep stirring\n\u003cbr/\u003eBetween 20/25  minutes the rice would begin to near the right softness.  Use your judgment\n\u003cbr/\u003eAdd the sauteed mushrooms and the reserved liquid (optional)\n\u003cbr/\u003eAdd few grinds of pepper, mix well\n\u003cbr/\u003eServe\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI prefer a light red (Rhone style wine).  A dry rosé would be fine. Drink whatever pleases you.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNote:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e1) Risotto needs attention, one must not allow the broth to evaporate. Stirring is essential.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e2) There are recipes that call for adding cream and/or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving. I don't find the need for them.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e3) Some foodies insist on Carnaroli or Vialone Nano (the latter is rather pricey) rice. I use Carnaroli but found nothing wrong with the taste of Arborio. The fatter grains of Carnaroli take a little longer to cook but they absorb more of the flavor. Grains of risotto rice have a pearly, opalescent look. Long grain rice (Basmati, Jasmine,etc.) will not work.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e4) I have made risotto with vegetable broth. Tastes noticeably inferior.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-02-04\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSounds like a lovely recipe, Ranamama, I'll have to try it.  Now, how does one go about finding chanterelles in the snow...?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- Kaju\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Risotto con Funghi"},{"content":" Terri's Law Oregon's Death with Dignity Act According to this morning's reports, the Supreme Court declined to reinstate Terri's Law which was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2003 to prevent withdrawal of feeding tubes from brain damaged Terri Schiavo who has been in a \"persistent vegetative state\" since 1990. A defeat for Jeb Bush and the rabid opponents of death with dignity who went to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court of Florida on September 23, 2004, that Terri's Law was unconstitutional. In February, the justices will decide whether to accept the Bush administration's case to repeal the Death With Dignity Act, 1998, which was passed in Oregon after the voters supported the measure 60:40. For full details, please go to: http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/chs/pas/pas.cfm What happened to State's rights ? This is a glaring example of how far the current administration would go to appease the conservative religious groups and special interest lobbies that stand to gain from keeping terminally ill patients alive---even when they do not wish to live hooked up to tubes. Here in the United States, when the time comes, compassionate men and women put their pets \"to sleep\". They cry, yet they do it because it is the right thing to do. The denial of a peaceful end to people who are in pain, with no chance of a meaningful life (I don't mean being clinically alive) and, especially, to those who have expressed their wish to seek euthanasia, is cruel and selfish. Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-01-24 To the visitor from San Diego (?). Thanks. Lost my book marks in switching from one browser to another; did something dumb. If you happen to read this, please e-mail your URL.\nRegards\nmusafir ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/the-supreme-court---life-and-death-decisions-by-individuals/","summary":"\u003cbr/\u003eTerri's Law\n\u003cbr/\u003eOregon's Death with Dignity Act\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to this morning's reports, the Supreme Court declined to reinstate Terri's Law which was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2003 to prevent withdrawal of feeding tubes from brain damaged Terri Schiavo who has been in a \"persistent vegetative state\" since 1990. A defeat for Jeb Bush and the rabid opponents of death with dignity who went to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court of Florida on September 23, 2004, that Terri's Law was unconstitutional.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn February, the justices will decide whether to accept the Bush administration's case to repeal the Death With Dignity Act, 1998, which was passed in Oregon after the voters supported the measure 60:40.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFor full details, please go to:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/chs/pas/pas.cfm\"\u003ehttp://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/chs/pas/pas.cfm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhat happened to State's rights ? This is a glaring example of how far the current administration would go to appease the conservative religious groups and special interest lobbies that stand to gain from keeping terminally ill patients alive---even when they do not wish to live hooked up to tubes.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHere in the United States, when the time comes, compassionate men and women put their pets \"to sleep\". They cry, yet they do it because it is the right thing to do. The denial of a peaceful end to people who are in pain, with no chance of a meaningful life (I don't mean being clinically alive) and, especially, to those who have expressed their wish to seek euthanasia, is cruel and selfish.\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-01-24\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eTo the visitor from San Diego (?).  Thanks.  Lost my book marks in switching from one browser to another;  did something dumb.  If you happen to read this, please \u003cbr\u003ee-mail your URL.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRegards\u003cbr\u003emusafir\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Supreme Court  - Life And Death Decisions By Individuals "},{"content":" JHL and I went to see Eastwood’s new movie and both of us thought that it was superb. Tall, lean and craggily handsome, Eastwood has aged well. He was born in San Francisco on May 31, 1930. Some of you reading this might remember him as the young cowpoke Rawdy Yates in “Rawhide”, the TV Series. It was Italian director Sergio Leone and his “spaghetti westerns” in the sixties that put Clint Eastwood on the map. Actor, director, producer, he has come a long way since then and rightfully earned his niche in the annals of American films. Eastwood won the Best Director award (Oscar) in 1992 for “Unforgiven”. “Mystic River” (2003) earned nominations for Best Picture as well as Best Director. Would he win another ? He deserves it. Million Dollar Baby Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank Maggie Fitzgerald: Hilary Swank Frankie Dunn: Clint Eastwood Eddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris: Morgan Freeman Director: Clint Eastwood Cinematographer: Tom Stern Production Designer: Henry Bumstead Screenplay: Paul Haggis, F.X. O'Toole A movie about a female boxer, yes, but that is only a part of it. It is about forces that drive one to take on tasks that seem formidable; dysfunctional families; and about the agonies of a father because of something that went wrong in the past. Cannot think of anyone who could have performed better than Hilary Swank as Maggie. Great acting. Morgan Freeman’s role as “Scrap” fully complimented Eastwood, and his deep voice was perfect for the background narration. The hard, gritty look of the boxing club was brought to life by Tom Stern and Henry Bumstead. One could almost smell the sweat---and the piss (from the dingy john in the back). Even the wardrobe looked as if picked from discount bin of a Goodwill store. The screenplay, taut and without frills. Not all viewers would like the decision made by Maggie and Frankie at the end. Eastwood did it right. Anything else would have trivialized it. Foggy Saturday morning. I am listening to the late pianist Thelonious Monk play \"(I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You\". It is the 1957 recording produced by Orrin Keepnews,Riverside Records. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/clint-eastwoods-million-dollar-baby/","summary":"JHL and I went to see Eastwood’s new movie and both of us thought that it was superb.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTall, lean and craggily handsome, Eastwood has aged well. He was born in San Francisco on May 31, 1930. Some of you reading this might remember him as the young cowpoke Rawdy Yates in “Rawhide”, the TV Series. It was Italian director Sergio Leone and his “spaghetti westerns” in the sixties that put Clint Eastwood on the map. Actor, director, producer, he has come a long way since then and rightfully earned his niche in the annals of American films.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eEastwood won the Best Director award (Oscar) in 1992 for “Unforgiven”. “Mystic River” (2003) earned nominations for Best Picture as well as Best Director. Would he win another ? He deserves it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMillion Dollar Baby\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/clint_eastwood10.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eClint Eastwood and Hilary Swank \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMaggie Fitzgerald: Hilary Swank\n\u003cbr/\u003eFrankie Dunn: Clint Eastwood\n\u003cbr/\u003eEddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris: Morgan Freeman\n\u003cbr/\u003eDirector: Clint Eastwood\n\u003cbr/\u003eCinematographer: Tom Stern\n\u003cbr/\u003eProduction Designer: Henry Bumstead\n\u003cbr/\u003eScreenplay: Paul Haggis, F.X. O'Toole\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA movie about a female boxer, yes, but that is only a part of it. It is about forces that drive one to take on tasks that seem formidable; dysfunctional families; and about the agonies of a father because of something that went wrong in the past.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eCannot think of anyone who could have performed better than Hilary Swank as Maggie.  Great acting.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMorgan Freeman’s role as “Scrap” fully complimented Eastwood,  and his deep voice was perfect for the background narration.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe hard, gritty look of the boxing club was brought to life by Tom Stern and Henry Bumstead. One could almost smell the sweat---and the piss (from the dingy john in the back). Even the wardrobe looked as if picked from discount bin of a Goodwill store. The screenplay, taut and without frills.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNot all viewers would like the decision made by Maggie and Frankie at the end. Eastwood did it right. Anything else would have trivialized it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFoggy Saturday morning. I am listening to the late pianist Thelonious Monk play \"(I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You\". It is the 1957 recording produced by Orrin Keepnews,Riverside Records.","title":"Clint Eastwood's \"Million Dollar Baby\""},{"content":" Old Testament : \"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.\" ---Attribution: Isaiah ii. 4; Micah iv. 3 Hear any leaders, religious or political, talk about this ? Fat chance. According to Maps of the World, we are No.2 in the world in weapons exports; Russia is ahead of us. It is the most profitable business sector and responsible for pouring huge sums of money into campaign chests of political candidates.(Source:Federation of American Scientists) http://www.fas.org/main/home.jsp There is a $40,000,000 (Forty million) celebration going on in Washington, DC. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/swords-into-ploughshares/","summary":"Old Testament :\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e---Attribution: Isaiah ii. 4; Micah iv. 3\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHear any leaders, religious or political, talk about this ? Fat chance.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to Maps of the World, we are No.2 in the world in weapons exports; Russia is ahead of us. It is the most profitable business sector and responsible for pouring huge sums of money into campaign chests of political candidates.(Source:Federation of American Scientists)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.fas.org/main/home.jsp\"\u003ehttp://www.fas.org/main/home.jsp\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a $40,000,000 (Forty million) celebration going on in Washington, DC.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"\"Swords into ploughshares\""},{"content":" http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/ A woman in Baghdad (reported to be a computer science student in her mid-twenties) has been blogging under the name \"riverbend\" since the early days of the war. Her latest posting (dated January 15th) describes the situation two weeks before the elections being forced upon the people of the war-ravaged country. If you have interest in what is happening there, take a few minutes to visit her blog. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/iraqi-elections---baghdad-burning/","summary":"\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\"\u003ehttp://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA woman in Baghdad (reported to be a computer science student in her mid-twenties) has been blogging under the name \"riverbend\" since the early days of the war. Her latest posting (dated January 15th) describes the situation two weeks before the elections being forced upon the people of the war-ravaged country.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIf you have interest in what is happening there, take a few minutes to visit her blog.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Iraqi Elections - \"Baghdad Burning\""},{"content":" “Moth Smoke” by Mohsin Hamid “Kartography” by Kamila Shamsie Pastor Martin Niemöller It was Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid's “Moth Smoke” (2001) in which I first came across the term “Fundos“ for radical Muslim groups in Pakistan. Succint; it has a bite to it. Educated, young Pakistanis used it in a derogatory fashion. The locale is Lahore, and the novel is about a young man, Daru Shezad, as he spirals down from being a banker to prison, caught between addiction to hash, his love for his friend's wife, and his dwindling finances. Everpresent, the political situation and pervasive shadow of the Mullahs. The author was living in the United States when it was published. I am not aware whether the book caused an outcry in Pakistan. Four years later the \"Fundos\" are still very much in evidence in Pakistan as well as other Islamic nations. In India, radical Hindu groups are far from being a spent force. Despite failure of government authorities in some parts of the country to protect Muslims during communal riots, India’s Constitution is an example of secularism at its best. It is not in imminent danger. Bangladesh, on the east, is another country where the Mullahs hold sway. Western Europe has so far remained largely above the mess. As the demographics change it might not be able to stay inviolate. Signs of trouble have surfaced there and in the United Kingdom. Here, in America, Christian Fundamentalists have gained political muscle. The framers of our Constitution created a magnificent charter. Organized efforts are currently underway to destroy the barrier between Church and State. Regardless of the religion they follow, the Fundamentalists have common traits. Intolerance for others and in the infallibility of the scriptures. Footnote: Jan 17,2005 An inquiry commission appointed by the Indian Government has declared that the infamous train fire at Godhra, Gujarat, in which 59 Hindu passengers died in 2002, was accidental, not set by Muslims. There were reports of Muslims fire bombing the train, and that caused a deadly wave of communal violence. More than a thousand Muslims were killed. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4180885.stm “Kartography” (2002) by Kamila Shamsie Another book by an author who hailed from Pakistan. It, too, has a political background----one cannot write about modern Pakistan without touching on politics---the lawlessness and much more. The city is Karachi. Kamila Shamsie masterfully spun a story about a nation that split in two after a bloody civil war and a family secret that loomed over two young lovers. Eloquent, evocative, Ms. Shamsie’s book (not her first) is extraordinary and deserves much more attention than it has received. A great novel. “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.“ ----Pastor Martin Niemöller There are different variations but my research about Pastor Niemöller lead me to this as the original one. Also, some sources mistakenly attribute the quotation to the prominent Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was hanged by the Nazis in 1945. Martin Niemöller was a Protestant pastor. He survived Hitler‘s concentration camps and was released by Allied Forces at the end of WW II. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/fundos-arising-the-taliban-amongst-us/","summary":"“Moth Smoke” by Mohsin Hamid\n\u003cbr/\u003e“Kartography” by Kamila Shamsie\n\u003cbr/\u003ePastor Martin Niemöller\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt was Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid's “Moth Smoke” (2001) in which I first came across the term “Fundos“ for radical Muslim groups in Pakistan. Succint; it has a bite to it. Educated, young Pakistanis used it in a derogatory fashion. The locale is Lahore, and the novel is about a young man, Daru Shezad, as he spirals down from being a banker to prison, caught between addiction to hash, his love for his friend's wife, and his dwindling finances. Everpresent, the political situation and pervasive shadow of the Mullahs. The author was living in the United States when it was published. I am not aware whether the book caused an outcry in Pakistan.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFour years later the \"Fundos\" are still very much in evidence in Pakistan as well as other Islamic nations. In India, radical Hindu groups are far from being a spent force. Despite failure of government authorities in some parts of the country to protect Muslims during communal riots, India’s Constitution is an example of secularism at its best. It is not in imminent danger. Bangladesh, on the east, is another country where the Mullahs hold sway.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWestern Europe has so far remained largely above the mess. As the demographics change it might not be able to stay inviolate. Signs of trouble have surfaced there and in the United Kingdom.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHere, in America, Christian Fundamentalists have gained political muscle. The framers of our Constitution created a magnificent charter. Organized efforts are currently underway to destroy the barrier between Church and State.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eRegardless of the religion they follow, the Fundamentalists have common traits. Intolerance for others and in the infallibility of the scriptures.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFootnote: Jan 17,2005 An inquiry commission appointed by the Indian Government has declared that the infamous train fire at Godhra, Gujarat, in which 59 Hindu passengers died in 2002, was accidental, not set by Muslims. There were reports of Muslims fire bombing the train, and that caused a deadly wave of communal violence. More than a thousand Muslims were killed.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4180885.stm\"\u003ehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4180885.stm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“Kartography” (2002) by Kamila Shamsie\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnother book by an author who hailed from Pakistan. It, too, has a political background----one cannot write about modern Pakistan without touching on politics---the lawlessness and much more. The city is Karachi. Kamila Shamsie masterfully spun a story about a nation that split in two after a bloody civil war and a family secret that loomed over two young lovers. Eloquent, evocative, Ms. Shamsie’s book (not her first) is extraordinary and deserves much more attention than it has received. A great novel.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.“\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Pastor Martin Niemöller\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere are different variations but my research about Pastor Niemöller lead me to this as the original one. Also, some sources mistakenly attribute the quotation to the prominent Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was hanged by the Nazis in 1945. Martin Niemöller was a Protestant pastor. He survived Hitler‘s concentration camps and was released by Allied Forces at the end of WW II.","title":"\"Fundos\"  Arising ? (The Taliban Amongst  Us)"},{"content":" \"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.\" Chinese proverb (Lao-tzu) I am one of those who find pleasure in trudging through the woods. I have worn out quite a few pairs of boots walking on trails in my beloved California and in Southern France, Greece, and the United Kingdom. Last Wednesday JHL and I did the Los Trancos loop (7.5 miles) in Foothills Park. Noted warning about mountain lion sightings as we entered the park but that did not deter us.It was a great experience. The trail was in surprisingly good condition considering the recent rains; just a few muddy patches. Everything looked a lush green and the sound of running water in Buckeye Creek added to our pleasure. In the distance, the bay looked sparkling and East Bay cities clearly visible. We stopped for a picnic about halfway through the loop and then hiked back. AC and I walked at Saratoga Gap on Friday (the 14th) and found the trail unusually dry. We went all the way to Travertine Spring (Skyline to the Sea Trail). That is one area where patches of reed grass are found in abundance. This trail is not used by too many hikers, especially during winter. In the past we had found chanterelles but did not come across a single one during the walk. A few photographs. On GR-4 heading for Point Sublime,Provence, France Old foot bridge near Kipi, Greece Much needed stop at Burnsall, Yorkshire,UK Going up Mount Shasta, California \"The wide world is all about you; you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.\" ----J.R.R. Tolkien Comments musafir \u0026mdash; 2005-01-15 We, bloggers, write for different reasons. As you mentioned in one of your posts, there are times when one feels driven. The rewards are the occasional bouquets like this. They mean a lot. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/the-joy-of-walking/","summary":"\"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\tChinese proverb (Lao-tzu)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI am one of those who find pleasure in trudging through the woods. I have worn out quite a few pairs of boots walking on trails in my beloved California and in Southern France, Greece, and the United Kingdom.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLast Wednesday JHL and I did the Los Trancos loop (7.5 miles) in Foothills Park. Noted warning about mountain lion sightings as we entered the park but that did not deter us.It was a great experience. The trail was in surprisingly good condition considering the recent rains; just a few muddy patches. Everything looked a lush green and the sound of running water in Buckeye Creek added to our pleasure. In the distance, the bay looked sparkling and East Bay cities clearly visible. We stopped for a picnic about halfway through the loop and then hiked back.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAC and I walked at Saratoga Gap on Friday (the 14th) and found the trail unusually dry. We went all the way to Travertine Spring (Skyline to the Sea Trail). That is one area where patches of reed grass are found in abundance. This trail is not used by too many hikers, especially during winter. In the past we had found chanterelles but did not come across a single one during the walk.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA few photographs.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Provence 2001 C.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOn GR-4 heading for Point Sublime,Provence, France \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Bridge near Kipi,GR.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOld foot bridge near Kipi, Greece \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/At Burnsall.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMuch needed stop at Burnsall, Yorkshire,UK \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Going up Shasta.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eGoing up Mount Shasta, California \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The wide world is all about you; you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----J.R.R. Tolkien\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-01-15\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eWe, bloggers, write for different reasons.  As you mentioned in one of your posts, there are times when one feels driven.  The rewards are the occasional bouquets like this.  They mean a lot.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"The Joy of Walking"},{"content":" \"Hypocrisy: The feigning of beliefs, feelings or virtues that one does hold or possess\" The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. The hearings for Alberto Gonzales are proceeding as expected. Despite putting his stamp of approval on methods of interrogating (torturing) prisoners in total disregard of Geneva Convention he would soon be confirmed as the next Attorney General, replacing John Ashcroft, a Neanderthal who stood out among a crowd of them. Should we expect to see policies not driven by political expediency ? Don’t bet on it. On a lighter vein, I wonder what would Mr. Gonzales do about the curtains covering the statue , Spirit of Justice (also called Minnie Lou), in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice. The statue had been there for more than 70 years before its one exposed boob offended the sensitive Attorney General Ashcroft. Before the draping of Minnie Lou Don’t see him getting involved. Not now when the Supreme Court has the displaying of Ten Commandments issue on its docket. Removing the curtains (which cost $8,000) would displease his boss . The President would not want to upset the self-appointed guardians of morality who are outraged by display of boobs whether they are on the statue of Venus de Milo or the Spirit of Justice.…… publicly, that is. In private ? That is a different matter. Hypocritical politicians, we have them by the bushelful. \"City of Ghosts\" It is the title of an article in The Guardian, UK, 1/11/05, about the assault on Falluja in November. Follow this link to access the complete report and inter-active video footage by Ali Fadhil. http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1387316,00.html The Horrors of War Picasso's Guernica ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/alberto-gonzales-and-the-statue-of-minnie-lou/","summary":"\"Hypocrisy: The feigning of beliefs, feelings or virtues that one does hold or possess\"\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe hearings for Alberto Gonzales are proceeding as expected. Despite putting his stamp of approval on methods of interrogating (torturing) prisoners in total disregard of Geneva Convention he would soon be confirmed as the next Attorney General, replacing John Ashcroft, a Neanderthal who stood out among a crowd of them. Should we expect to see policies not driven by political expediency ? Don’t bet on it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOn a lighter vein, I wonder what would Mr. Gonzales do about the curtains covering the statue , Spirit of Justice (also called Minnie Lou), in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice. The statue had been there for more than 70 years before its one exposed boob offended the sensitive Attorney General Ashcroft.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Minnie Lou.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBefore the draping of Minnie Lou \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDon’t see him getting involved. Not now when the Supreme Court has the displaying of Ten Commandments issue on its docket. Removing the curtains (which cost $8,000) would displease his boss . The President would not want to upset the self-appointed guardians of morality who are outraged by display of boobs whether they are on the statue of Venus de Milo or the Spirit of Justice.…… publicly, that is. In private ? That is a different matter. Hypocritical politicians, we have them by the bushelful.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"City of Ghosts\"\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt is the title of an article in The Guardian, UK, 1/11/05, about the assault on Falluja in November. Follow this link to access the complete report and inter-active video footage by Ali Fadhil.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1387316,00.html\"\u003ehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1387316,00.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Horrors of War\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Guernica.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePicasso's Guernica \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Alberto Gonzales and the Statue of  Minnie Lou"},{"content":" “In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature.” ----Edna O'Brien “Spring too, very soon ! They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon” (Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume) ----Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold Henderson An Irish author now living in Britain and a haiku written by a Japanese man a few centuries ago; not too far apart in thoughts. A lot of rain the past week and, if the weather man is right, we have not seen the end of it. There is snow on the foothills. Water levels in the reservoirs are above normal, as is the snowpack in the Sierra. Good news for skiers. They can think of shushing downhill until May. Spring is ten weeks away, yet there are signs of its advent. Shoots are forming on the bare branches of ginko trees on my street; the California Poppies in my yard are beginning to re-emerge. Last week I planted sweet peas. In another week or so they will begin to sprout and I’ll have to protect them from snails. And then will come time for the trellis for them to climb. The oxalis are spreading. It is a losing battle to try to keep them in control. A view of my front yard (Spring 2004) It has a somewhat wild look. I have neither the desire, nor the skill to create a dressed up, manicured garden. Saturday, January 8th. A great day---one good thing after another. AC and I went for a long walk in the rain, not heavy rain but it drizzled intermittently. The trails at Rancho San Antonio were muddy and full of puddles. There were quite a few runners out there braving the elements like us. The Bay Laurels smelled good; the air felt clean. Came home pleasantly tired, with muddy boots and soaked pants (Goretex rain gear kept our upper bodies dry). A stranger called and introduced himself as Paul Henri, an 82-year old Hungarian living in the U.S. for 45 years. Said he was going through a file of old clippings and found a letter that I wrote to the local paper in April 2003. He decided to look up my number and talk to me ! We talked about Iraq and domestic policies of the Bush administration. A kindred soul. Then came e-mail from a blogger in Austin,TX, who commented about my post dated December 29th on Johann Sebastian Bach. Her blog contains interesting photographs and observations. http://www.hruskova.blogspot.com Another \"smart bomb\" went awry The Washington Post reported that a satellite-guided bomb hit an unintended target and killed some Iraqis in Aaytha on January 8th. Five, according to a military spokesman; 14 according to Iraqi witnesses. Does anyone care ? Just part of the cost of the grand plan to establish freedom for Iraqis. A few more dead Iraqis are far from the minds of the policy makers in Washington. They have more important things to think about---what to wear to the inaugural parties. With a cost of $40 million there is going to be a lot of extravagant bashes. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/the-seasons/","summary":"“In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature.”\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Edna O'Brien\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“Spring too, very soon !\n\u003cbr/\u003eThey are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon”\n\u003cbr/\u003e(Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume)\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold Henderson\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAn Irish author now living in Britain and a haiku written by a Japanese man a few centuries ago; not too far apart in thoughts.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA lot of rain the past week and, if the weather man is right, we have not seen the end of it. There is snow on the foothills. Water levels in the reservoirs are above normal, as is the snowpack in the Sierra. Good news for skiers. They can think of shushing downhill until May. Spring is ten weeks away, yet there are signs of its advent. Shoots are forming on the bare branches of ginko trees on my street; the California Poppies in my yard are beginning to re-emerge.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLast week I planted sweet peas. In another week or so they will begin to sprout and I’ll have to protect them from snails. And then will come time for the trellis for them to climb. The oxalis are spreading. It is a losing battle to try to keep them in control.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA view of my front yard (Spring 2004)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Front Door.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt has a somewhat wild look.    I have neither the desire, nor the skill to create a dressed up, manicured garden.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eSaturday, January 8th.  A great day---one good thing after another.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAC and I went for a long walk in the rain, not heavy rain but it drizzled intermittently. The trails at Rancho San Antonio were muddy and full of puddles. There were quite a few runners out there braving the elements like us. The Bay Laurels smelled good; the air felt clean. Came home pleasantly tired, with muddy boots and soaked pants (Goretex rain gear kept our upper bodies dry).\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA stranger called and introduced himself as Paul Henri, an 82-year old Hungarian living in the U.S. for 45 years. Said he was going through a file of old clippings and found a letter that I wrote to the local paper in April 2003. He decided to look up my number and talk to me ! We talked about Iraq and domestic policies of the Bush administration. A kindred soul.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThen came e-mail from a blogger in Austin,TX, who commented about my post dated December 29th on Johann Sebastian Bach. Her blog contains interesting photographs and observations. \u003ca\u003ehttp://www.hruskova.blogspot.com\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnother \"smart bomb\" went awry\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Washington Post reported that a satellite-guided bomb hit an unintended target and killed some Iraqis in Aaytha on January 8th. Five, according to a military spokesman; 14 according to Iraqi witnesses.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDoes anyone care ? Just part of the cost of the grand plan to establish freedom for Iraqis.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA few more dead Iraqis are far from the minds of the policy makers in Washington. They have more important things to think about---what to wear to the inaugural parties. With a cost of $40 million there is going to be a lot of extravagant bashes.","title":"The Seasons"},{"content":" Heaven, hell, and other more mundane mattersLike most people who like to read, I select books (fiction and non-fiction) that I think I would enjoy or learn from. The best sellers’ lists are helpful but I rarely use them as guide, especially for fiction.I have not read “Glorious Appearing”, or any of the “Left Behind” series of books co-authored by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. I gather that the books are about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and paint a gory scenario about the day when all but Born-again Christians would disappear into a chasm or their bodies torn asunder and they would die painful deaths. After that the Born-Again Christians would ascend to heaven.Nicholas D. Kristof, the NewYork Times, columnist wrote about this on July 17, 2004. Subsequently,he challenged the authors that if the outlined events happen in the next 10 years he would donate $500.00 to an organization favored by the authors provided that they agree to donate the same amount to a charity of his choice if the events did not take place. His offer was not accepted. (A thought: Easy for Mr. Kristoff to make the offer-----wouldn't he be one of those in the chasm or lying dead with ripped up body ?)I am not likely to be around but it would be interesting to hear the explanations when the promised day comes and passes just like any other. In the meantime, I am going to pour myself a glass of red and look out of the window at people as they go through the day.....this day.Going back into history one finds instances of persecution of “heretics”, the most notable being the killing of Jews, Protestants and other non-believers by the Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition began in 1478. Its official end was said to be 1834. More than 300,000 people (mostly Jews) were burned to death. The trials were held by the Catholic Church but executions took place under Spanish sovereigns. And so it goes. \"The Spanish Inquisition\" by Cecil Roth is a well-researched, informative book on this subject.\"The Jane Austen Book Club\" by Karen Joy FowlerDelightful. I think that women readers would enjoy it more than men.\"Lust\" by Elfriede JelinekGave up after struggling through half of the book. It was like reading a clinical report. Perhaps it was the translation. Hope that Jelinek's “The Piano Teacher” would be better. I am still on the waiting list.It is a wet, blustery morning. The forecast for next few days shows more of the same.AC and I went foraging for chanterelles yesterday afternoon and struck gold. Our timing was right. We collected more than 5 lbs (2.27 kgs). I am going to make risotto.A few photographs:Village in West Bengal,India On Dales Way, Yorkshire, UK Athabasca Falls, Alberta,Canada \"Some keep the Sabbath going to Church,I keep it staying at Home -With a bobolink for a Chorister,And an Orchard, for a Dome.\"----Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/books-armageddon-etc/","summary":"Heaven, hell,  and other  more mundane matters\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eLike most people who like to read, I select books (fiction and non-fiction) that I think I would enjoy or learn from. The best sellers’ lists are helpful but I rarely use them as guide, especially for fiction.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have not read “Glorious Appearing”, or any of the “Left Behind” series of books co-authored by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. I gather that the books are about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and paint a gory scenario about the day when all but Born-again Christians would disappear into a chasm or their bodies torn asunder and they would die painful deaths. After that the Born-Again Christians would ascend to heaven.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eNicholas D. Kristof, the NewYork Times, columnist wrote about this on July 17, 2004. Subsequently,he challenged the authors that if the outlined events happen in the next 10 years he would donate $500.00 to an organization favored by the authors provided that they agree to donate the same amount to a charity of his choice if the events did not take place. His offer was not accepted. (A thought: Easy for Mr. Kristoff to make the offer-----wouldn't he be one of those in the chasm or lying dead with ripped up body ?)\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am not likely to be around but it would be interesting to hear the explanations when the promised day comes and passes just like any other. In the meantime, I am going to pour myself a glass of red and look out of the window at people as they go through the day.....this day.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGoing back into history one finds instances of persecution of “heretics”, the most notable being the killing of Jews, Protestants and other non-believers by the Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition began in 1478. Its official end was said to be 1834. More than 300,000 people (mostly Jews) were burned to death. The trials were held by the Catholic Church but executions took place under Spanish sovereigns. And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e \"The Spanish Inquisition\" by Cecil Roth is a well-researched, informative book on this subject.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Jane Austen Book Club\"  by Karen Joy Fowler\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDelightful.  I think that women readers would enjoy it more than men.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Lust\"  by Elfriede Jelinek\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGave up after struggling through half of the book. It was like reading a clinical report. Perhaps it was the translation. Hope that Jelinek's “The Piano Teacher” would be better. I am still on the waiting list.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt is a wet, blustery morning.  The forecast for next few days shows more of the same.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAC and I went foraging for chanterelles yesterday afternoon and struck gold. Our timing was right. We collected more than 5 lbs (2.27 kgs). I am going to make risotto.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few photographs:\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Bengal village.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eVillage in West Bengal,India \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Dalesway.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOn Dales Way, Yorkshire, UK \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Athabasca Falls, Canada.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAthabasca Falls, Alberta,Canada \u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Some keep the Sabbath going to Church,\u003cbr/\u003eI keep it staying at Home -\u003cbr/\u003eWith a bobolink for a Chorister,\u003cbr/\u003eAnd an Orchard, for a Dome.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)","title":"Books:  Armageddon, etc."},{"content":" \"How can you believe in a God who permits suffering on this scale?\"Dr.Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury The Observer (London) reported that Dr. Williams voiced this question in a statement on January 2, 2005. Probably many devouts are struggling with the issue but feel diffident about speaking out aloud. Dr. Williams' eminent position allowed him to do so. On the flip side, there is Koenig's International News, an organ of \"Christian News\". The masthead on the web site shows images of President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon. Two champions of God and justice. Jose Antonio Vargas in an article in The Washington Post on on 12/31/04, mentioned that Mr. Koenig wrote about \"miraculous survival\" by Christians. Mr. Koenig was not the only one to think about the tsunami being God's retribution. Shlomo Amar, Israel's Sephardi chief rabbi, mentioned \"God's great ire with the world\",and some Hindu organizations in India associated the tsunami with arrest (on charge of murder) of a popular Hindu leader! IslamonLine.net also raised enquiries along the same lines. Talk about strange bedfellows. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1382249,00.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37677-2004Dec30.html http://watch.org/ http://islamoneline.net/english/index.shtml According to reports in the BBC, more than 3,000 European tourists died while vacationing in the affected areas. I suppose they were considered \"collateral damage\" by Mr. Koenig's God or they were not true believers and thus did not qualify for miraculous protection. How could they....their nations have high taxation and cradle to grave health care. Socialists ! \"In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction is that all thought is divinely classified into two kinds-that which is their own and that which is false and dangerous.\" --- Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954) The Summer of '42 In my post dated December 6, 2004, I listed a few books that I thought were great \"coming of age\" stories. I had missed one that certainly belonged to that group. Herman Raucher's poignant \"Summer of '42\". For all book lovers, those who are young as well as those who were young once. ","permalink":"/posts/2005/01/the-tsunami-wrath-of-god/","summary":"\u003ch3\u003e\"How can you believe in a God who permits suffering on this scale?\"\u003c/h3\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDr.Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/h3\u003eThe Observer (London) reported that Dr. Williams voiced this question in a statement on January 2, 2005. Probably many devouts are struggling with the issue but feel diffident about speaking out aloud. Dr. Williams' eminent position allowed him to do so.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOn the flip side, there is Koenig's International News, an organ of \"Christian News\". The masthead on the web site shows images of President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon. Two champions of God and justice.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eJose Antonio Vargas in an article in The Washington Post on on 12/31/04, mentioned that Mr. Koenig wrote about \"miraculous survival\" by Christians. Mr. Koenig was not the only one to think about the tsunami being God's retribution. Shlomo Amar, Israel's Sephardi chief rabbi, mentioned \"God's great ire with the world\",and some Hindu organizations in India associated the tsunami with arrest (on charge of murder) of a popular Hindu leader! IslamonLine.net also raised enquiries along the same lines. Talk about strange bedfellows.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/app/post.pyra?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=110480678720073019\" html=\"\"\u003ehttp://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1382249,00.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/app/post.pyra?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=110480678720073019\" html=\"\"\u003ehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37677-2004Dec30.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/app/post.pyra?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=110480678720073019\" org=\"\"\u003ehttp://watch.org/\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.blogger.com/app/post.pyra?blogID=8448386\u0026amp;postID=110480678720073019\" shtml=\"\"\u003ehttp://islamoneline.net/english/index.shtml\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to reports in the BBC, more than 3,000 European tourists died while vacationing in the affected areas. I suppose they were considered \"collateral damage\" by Mr. Koenig's God or they were not true believers and thus did not qualify for miraculous protection. How could they....their nations have high taxation and cradle to grave health care. Socialists !\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"In our country are evangelists and zealots of many different political, economic and religious persuasions whose fanatical conviction is that all thought is divinely classified into two kinds-that which is their own and that which is false and dangerous.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e--- Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Summer of '42\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/h3\u003eIn my post dated December 6, 2004, I listed a few books that I thought were great \"coming of age\" stories. I had missed one that certainly belonged to that group. Herman Raucher's poignant \"Summer of '42\".\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2005/01/Summer of 42.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFor all book lovers,  those who are young as well as those who were young once.","title":"The Tsunami, Wrath of God ?"},{"content":" The end of one year, the beginning of another Dirty words that I have come across often in 2004: Collateral damage Friendly fire Suicide bomber And what about \"smart bombs\" ? Smart bombs! Just think of the people who come up with these terms. Let us hope that there is an end to them. A few photographs taken by me during travels far and near. Chapelle St. Jean between Castellane and La Palud, Provence, France Pajaro Dunes, California Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin State Park, California To all visitors to my musings---the regulars, occasional, and the accidental: Stay well. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/war-and-a-devastating-natural-calamity/","summary":"The end of one year, the beginning of another\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDirty words that I have come across often in 2004:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eCollateral damage\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eFriendly fire\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eSuicide bomber\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnd what about \"smart bombs\" ? Smart bombs! Just think of the people who come up with these terms. Let us hope that there is an end to them.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA few photographs taken by me during travels far and near.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/Chapelle St. Jean.jpg\"/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eChapelle St. Jean between Castellane and La Palud, Provence, France \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/The Beach House at Pajaro Dunes.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePajaro Dunes, California \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/Big Basin I.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBerry Creek Falls, Big Basin State Park, California \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTo all visitors to my musings---the regulars, occasional, and the accidental: Stay well.\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"War And A Devastating Natural Calamity"},{"content":" Music for reflection in a world full of pain and suffering Bach The year is winding down. What do we think of when we look back ? Personally, some of us have had good, joyful experiences---births, marriages, success in careers but, on a global perspective, there is the other side. The havoc of the tsunami in South Asia Massacre in Darfur President Bush's war in Iraq (\"I am a war president\", \"Bring 'em on\") Atrocities in Beslan, Madrid, Moscow, Abu Ghraib The march of AIDS Millions of people died horrible deaths, lost their homes, and are facing starvation and disease. Bach composed Cantata No.131 (said to be his first cantata) in 1707 in memory of the victims of the devastating fire in Arnstadt. He was 22 years old. I think it is especially appropriate for these times as it was then. “Aus der Tiefe rufe Ich, Herr, zu dir” (Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord). The CD that I like is by Virgin Classics, Collegium Vocale Ghent conducted by Philippe Herreweghe. Great voices and music. I am not religious; I do not pray. Hard to explain my attachment to Bach’s music. A major part of his compositions consists of choral music, sacred and secular. The sound of Bach soothes my spirits, makes me look at the world in a hopeful way. Some of the songs written by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel laureate 1913) also give me a peaceful feeling. However, for me Bach is No.1 A few other CDs I would recommend: The Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) by the late, great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould The Well Tempered Clavier. I have Book I performed by the pianist Andras Schiff,and Book II performed by Glenn Gould. Both excellent Die Kunst der Fuge BWV 1080(The Art of the Fugue), Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel. Archiv Produktion Toccatas, BWV 910-916, played by Glenn Gould The Complete Cello Suites (BWV 1007-1012) by Yo Yo Ma. The recording by Mstislav Rostropovich is said to be superior. The CD of Pablo Casal‘s performance is also great. And two oddities (bits of pop): Percussion transcriptions of Bach’s English \u0026amp; French Suites by the Safri Duo (Chandos Records) New transcriptions for guitar by Philip Hi (1995 GSP Recordings) “You are the music while the music lasts.” ----T.S. Eliot Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2005-01-08 BAch has nothing to do with religion. He's beyond religion. I had a tape of \"Jesu\" for my wedding and I'm a Buddhist. :)\nNo bettah stuff.\nhugs, f ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/back-to-bach-johann-sebastian-bach-1685-1750/","summary":"Music for reflection in a world full of pain and suffering \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/Bach II.1.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBach \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe year is winding down.  What do we think of when we look back ?  Personally, some of us have had good, joyful experiences---births, marriages, success in careers but, on a global perspective, there is the other side.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe havoc of the tsunami in South Asia\n\u003cbr/\u003eMassacre in Darfur\n\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Bush's war in Iraq (\"I am a war president\", \"Bring 'em on\")\n\u003cbr/\u003eAtrocities in Beslan, Madrid, Moscow, Abu Ghraib\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe march of AIDS      \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMillions of people died horrible deaths, lost their homes, and are facing starvation and disease.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBach composed Cantata No.131 (said to be his first cantata) in 1707 in memory of the victims of the  devastating fire in Arnstadt. He was 22 years old.  I think it is especially appropriate for these times as it was then.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“Aus der Tiefe rufe Ich, Herr, zu dir” (Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord). The CD that I like is by Virgin Classics, Collegium Vocale Ghent conducted by Philippe Herreweghe.  Great voices and music.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI am not religious;  I do not pray.  Hard to explain my attachment to Bach’s music.  A major part of his compositions consists of choral music, sacred and secular. The sound of Bach soothes my spirits, makes me look at the world in a hopeful way.  Some of the songs written by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel laureate 1913) also give me a peaceful feeling. However, for me Bach is No.1\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA few other CDs I would recommend:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) by the late, great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Well Tempered Clavier.  I have Book I performed by the pianist Andras Schiff,and Book II performed by Glenn Gould.  Both excellent\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDie Kunst der Fuge BWV 1080(The Art of the Fugue), Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel.  Archiv Produktion\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eToccatas, BWV 910-916, played by Glenn Gould\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Complete Cello Suites (BWV 1007-1012) by Yo Yo Ma.  The  recording by Mstislav Rostropovich is said to be superior.  The CD of Pablo Casal‘s performance is also great.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnd two oddities (bits of pop):\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePercussion transcriptions of Bach’s English \u0026amp; French Suites by the Safri Duo (Chandos Records)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNew transcriptions for guitar by Philip Hi (1995 GSP Recordings)  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e“You are the music while the music lasts.”\n\u003cbr/\u003e----T.S. Eliot\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2005-01-08\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eBAch has nothing to do with religion.  He's beyond religion.  I had a tape of \"Jesu\" for my wedding and I'm a Buddhist. :)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo bettah stuff.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehugs, f\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Back to Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)"},{"content":" Our money, our children,brothers,sisters, parents,and friends Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr’s investigation of President Clinton’s peccadilloes cost us $33,555,000 William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd president of the United States, survived the impeachment proceedings but the records of his two-term presidency will forever be overshadowed by his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. Costs of “Operation Iraqi Freedom” (make me gag every time I come across the words): In human terms, as of December 22, 2004 U.S. Soldiers dead: 1329 Injured: 10,041 The numbers are from global security.org http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq/casualties.htm Now look at the dollar figures. NPR Morning Edition “December 16, 2004: The Congressional Budget Office projects that the cost of the war in Iraq could surpass $80 billion in fiscal 2005. That would send total expenditures for the war past $200 billion. The estimated price tag for the conflict has steadily escalated” $200,000,000,000 and the end is not in sight George W. Bush, who took the nation to war, was reelected to serve a second term ! \"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.\" ----Albert Camus (1913-1960, Winner of 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature) Comments The Pedgehog \u0026mdash; 2004-12-30 I found it strange that you did not include the estimated number of Iraqis dead. That would have made your poitn even stronger. musafir \u0026mdash; 2009-10-14 I have published numerous posts about Iraqi casualties, especially about deaths of innocent civilians.\nBut nothing changes. Now it is Afghanistan where the civilian population -- regardless of where\ntheir allegiance lies -- is paying a price. According to reports, drones have been successful in the war against terror. Perhaps so. The civilian casualties are described by us as \u0026#39;collateral damage\u0026#39;. On the other side of the coin are the surviving civilians who have lost family members and friends. One wonders how many of them turn out to be suicide bombers. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/a-stained-blue-dress-from-gap-and-operation-iraqi-freedom/","summary":"Our money, our children,brothers,sisters, parents,and friends  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIndependent Counsel Kenneth Starr’s investigation of President Clinton’s peccadilloes cost us $33,555,000  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWilliam Jefferson Clinton, 42nd president of the United States, survived the impeachment proceedings but the records of his two-term presidency will forever be overshadowed by his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eCosts of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”  (make me gag every time I come across the words):\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn human terms, as of December 22, 2004\n\u003cbr/\u003eU.S. Soldiers dead:  1329           \n\u003cbr/\u003eInjured: 10,041\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe numbers are from global security.org\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm\"\u003ehttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq/casualties.htm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNow look at the dollar figures. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4230935\"\u003eNPR Morning Edition\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“December 16, 2004: The Congressional Budget Office projects that the cost of the war in Iraq could surpass $80 billion in fiscal 2005. That would send total expenditures for the war past $200 billion. The estimated price tag for the conflict has steadily escalated”  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ch3\u003e$200,000,000,000 and the end is not in sight\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eGeorge W. Bush, who took the nation to war, was reelected to serve a second term ! \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.\"  \n\u003cbr/\u003e----Albert Camus (1913-1960, Winner of 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature)\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Pedgehog\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2004-12-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI found it strange that you did not include the estimated number of Iraqis dead. That would have made your poitn even stronger.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2009-10-14\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI have published numerous posts about Iraqi casualties, especially about deaths of innocent civilians.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut nothing changes. Now it is Afghanistan where the civilian population -- regardless of where\u003cbr\u003etheir allegiance lies -- is paying a price.  According to reports, drones have been successful in the war against terror.  Perhaps so.  The civilian casualties are described by us as \u0026#39;collateral damage\u0026#39;. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the other side of the coin are the surviving civilians who have lost family members and friends. One wonders how many of them turn out to be suicide bombers.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"A Stained, Blue Dress from Gap and \"Operation Iraqi Freedom\""},{"content":" Innocence Lost: The Hidden Casualties of the Iraq War http://shns.com/shns/warkids.html Much has been written about the war in Iraq. This item from the Scripps-Howard News Service covers a part that we don't see or hear much about. Whether you are for or against the war, spend some time reading it. Outstanding report by Lisa Hoffman and Annette Rainville of SHNS. The link (above) will take you to the article and photographs. \"War is not good for children and other little things\" ----Vietnam era anti-war slogan. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/children-of-the-fallen-shns-121504/","summary":"Innocence Lost: The Hidden Casualties of the Iraq War\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.shns.com/shns/warkids\"\u003ehttp://shns.com/shns/warkids.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMuch has been written about the war in Iraq.  This item from the Scripps-Howard News Service covers a part that we don't see or hear much about.  Whether you are for or against the war, spend some time reading it.  Outstanding report by Lisa Hoffman and Annette Rainville of SHNS.  The link (above) will take you to the article and photographs.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"War is not good for children and other little things\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Vietnam era anti-war slogan.","title":"Children of the Fallen (SHNS 12/15/04)"},{"content":" \"GOP Corporate Donors Cash In on Smut\" Is the title of an article by Terry M. Neal in today's Washington Post. This link will take you to it. Read about the morality crusaders and their appetite for X-rated videos and shows on prime time TV that depict a world completely different than what they profess to believe in. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15644-2004Dec21.html A friend, KCR, has coined a good phrase to describe the hypocrites: Mandarins of Morality (MOM). \"The Moral Majority is neither moral nor a majority\" ----Mike Clark, Reporter, Memphis,TN (1981) Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2004-12-23 Splendid work, sir, even if it did leave me quite nauseated. :) The Bin Laden piece further down belongs in a threesome with Safire's and Ms. Dowd's recent fantasies.\nCarry on regardless,\ndeep bow,\nf ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/hypocrisy-of-the-champions-of-moral-values/","summary":"\"GOP Corporate Donors Cash In on Smut\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIs the title of an article by Terry M. Neal in today's Washington Post.  This link will take you to it.  Read about the morality crusaders and their appetite for X-rated videos and shows on prime time TV that depict a world completely different than what they profess to believe in.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15644-2004Dec21.html\"\u003ehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15644-2004Dec21.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA friend, KCR, has coined a good phrase to describe the hypocrites:  Mandarins of Morality (MOM).\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Moral Majority is neither moral nor a majority\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Mike Clark, Reporter, Memphis,TN (1981)\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2004-12-23\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eSplendid work, sir, even if it did leave me quite nauseated. :)  The Bin Laden piece further down belongs in a threesome with Safire's and Ms. Dowd's recent fantasies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCarry on regardless,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003edeep bow,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ef\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Hypocrisy Of The Champions of Moral Values"},{"content":" The tragedy continues The death toll keeps rising. Our soldiers are dying in battles and killing Iraqis. Iraqi insurgents (they just keep coming) are killing all who are within range of their bombs and guns. Strangely, the high number of Iraqi civilian casualties (see the link below to a BBC report) does not receive much attention from our mainstream media. \"Collateral damage\"? I am aware that there are people who believe that our soldiers are dying for a just cause. At first, the reason given for attacking Iraq was that Saddam Hussein was stock piling WMD for use against us. Now we are there,ostensibly,to ensure freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people. Count me among the skeptics. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm Many observers feel that the current situation in Iraq is not one under which fair elections can be held yet President Bush insists on a January 30th deadline. \"Baghdad Burning\" is the title of a blog by a young Iraqi woman. Worth taking a look. http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com \"Any man's death diminishes me\" (John Donne). In this holiday season let us think of peace.....lasting peace for all people. \"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.\" ----Bertrand Russell \"Nations have recently been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education. Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both.\" ----Abraham Flexner, American Educator(1866-1959) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/iraq---death-toll-mounts/","summary":"The tragedy continues\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe death toll keeps rising. Our soldiers are dying in battles and killing Iraqis. Iraqi insurgents (they just keep coming) are killing all who are within range of their bombs and guns. Strangely, the high number of Iraqi civilian casualties (see the link below to a BBC report) does not receive much attention from our mainstream media.  \"Collateral damage\"? I am aware that there are people who believe that our soldiers are dying for a just cause.  At first, the reason given for attacking Iraq was that Saddam Hussein was stock piling WMD for use against us. Now we are there,ostensibly,to ensure freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people. Count me among the skeptics. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm\"\u003ehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1hi/world/middle_east/3962969.stm\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMany observers feel that the current situation in Iraq is not one under which fair elections can be held yet President Bush insists on a January 30th deadline.  \"Baghdad Burning\" is the title of a blog by a young Iraqi woman.  Worth taking a look.   \n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com\"\u003ehttp://riverbendblog.blogspot.com\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Any man's death diminishes me\" (John Donne).  In this holiday season let us think of peace.....lasting peace for all people.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Bertrand Russell\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Nations have recently been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education. Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Abraham Flexner, American Educator(1866-1959)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Iraq -  Death Toll Mounts"},{"content":" A Close Look at Bombay's Underbelly Suketu Mehta's Maximum City Suketu Mehta’s book grabbed me from page one. I went through the 540 pages in three days. Powerful writing. Mr. Mehta succeeded in bringing Bombay---the Bombay that tourists and occasional visitors are completely unaware of---to life. The gang leaders,bar girls,politicians, and the people who have made Bollywood famous,all parade through the book and tell their stories. Mr. Mehta was fortunate to have the right connections to reach them but he described the meetings in an unique manner and succeeded in making the sights, smells, and sounds come alive. Think of paintings by William Hogarth and Hieronymus Bosch. Mr. Mehta made it clear that he disliked the trend in India of changing names of cities and streets. It was not Mumbai but Bombay that he wrote about. To him it would always be Bombay. The graphic descriptions of violence and the squalor were repelling. As were the narratives of hit men who talked with cold detachment about their victims. The pervasive influence of leaders of the underworld and corruption among all levels of law enforcement personnel left me with a sick feeling. Between bar girls who made more money (and did so without taking off their saris) than strippers in New York City; their patrons who literally threw money at them; and the idols of the screen who were controlled by gang leaders, the city seemed to be a jungle inhabited by people without any compunction, all bent on pursuit of money, power, violence, and sex. Mr. Mehta was born in Calcutta but lived in Bombay until the age of 14 when he became a resident of Jackson Heights,New York City. His love for Bombay comes through despite the ugliness that he portrayed. There could be other cities (perhaps in the former Soviet Republic) where the same kind of “law of the jungle” prevails. Calcutta, where I once lived, is another city with a dirty underbelly. Corrupt politicians,not gang leaders, call the shots there. V.S. Naipaul's “An Area of Darkness”, written after his first visit to India in 1962, received a lot of flak from critics in India. Among other comments, Naipaul wrote “Indians defecate everywhere”. It is interesting that more than 35 years later Mehta, too, couldn’t escape the fact and wrote that each day about 2.5 million kilos (5,511,556 lbs!) of shit was left by residents of Bombay who used outdoor locations due to lack of access to toilet facilities. He remarked that while the flats in his building were kept spotlessly clean, the public spaces (halls, stairways) were filthy and strewn with garbage. Some things never change in India. I remember spending three weeks in Bombay in the summer of 1989. I geared up for a run on my first morning and stepped out of the hotel on Marine Drive. The oily, slate-grey water of the Arabian Sea, the stench and the garbage pushed me in the opposite direction and that is what I did during the rest of my stay----ran through business district and residential areas, away from the promenade. Yet, thousands of people gather there every morning and, I guess, find pleasure in walking along the promenade. India has made gigantic strides in the field of software engineering and is becoming a power house in Asia. China's burgeoning economy has made it the top dog but India is not too far behind. One wonders though about the very visible open drains and slums that are like suppurating wounds. Few Indians seem to be bothered by such conditions. Most have become inured; others are in denial; some are aware,feel ashamed, enraged, and suffer without venting their feelings. \"The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.\" ----Desmond Morris ”The Jane Austen Book Club” by Karen Joy Fowler This is what I am reading now. Still on the library's waiting list for Elfriede Jelinek's \"The Piano Teacher\". Anouar Brahem Le pas du chat noir, ECM Records Anouar Brahem, oud Francois Couturier, piano Jean-Louis Matinier, accordion A few years ago MD (a friend of a friend) introduced me to Anouar Brahem's \"Conte de l'incroyable amour\". Brahem, a 47-year old Tunisian is creating wonderful music. He began as an oud (African version of lute) player and performed mostly for the Arab world. Over the years he has collaborated with well-known performers of jazz as well as Indian musicians. It is a pleasure to listen to Brahem and his accompanists. MD was doing doctoral work at Stanford when I met her. Now she is teaching at Swarthmore in Pennsylvania as part of a post-doctoral program. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/maximum-city---bombay-lost-and-found-by-suketu-mehta/","summary":"A Close Look at Bombay's Underbelly\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/Suketu Mehtas Bombay.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSuketu Mehta's Maximum City \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eSuketu Mehta’s book grabbed me from page one. I went through the 540 pages in three days.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePowerful writing. Mr. Mehta succeeded in bringing Bombay---the Bombay that tourists and occasional visitors are completely unaware of---to life. The gang leaders,bar girls,politicians, and the people who have made Bollywood famous,all parade through the book and tell their stories. Mr. Mehta was fortunate to have the right connections to reach them but he described the meetings in an unique manner and succeeded in making the sights, smells, and sounds come alive. Think of paintings by William Hogarth and Hieronymus Bosch.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Mehta made it clear that he disliked the trend in India of changing names of cities and streets. It was not Mumbai but Bombay that he wrote about. To him it would always be Bombay.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe graphic descriptions of violence and the squalor were repelling. As were the narratives of hit men who talked with cold detachment about their victims. The pervasive influence of leaders of the underworld and corruption among all levels of law enforcement personnel left me with a sick feeling. Between bar girls who made more money (and did so without taking off their saris) than strippers in New York City; their patrons who literally threw money at them; and the idols of the screen who were controlled by gang leaders, the city seemed to be a jungle inhabited by people without any compunction, all bent on pursuit of money, power, violence, and sex.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMr. Mehta was born in Calcutta but lived in Bombay until the age of 14 when he became a resident of Jackson Heights,New York City. His love for Bombay comes through despite the ugliness that he portrayed. There could be other cities (perhaps in the former Soviet Republic) where the same kind of “law of the jungle” prevails. Calcutta, where I once lived, is another city with a dirty underbelly. Corrupt politicians,not gang leaders, call the shots there.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eV.S. Naipaul's  “An Area of Darkness”, written after his first visit to India in 1962, received a lot of flak from critics in India. Among other comments, Naipaul wrote “Indians defecate everywhere”. It is interesting that more than 35 years later Mehta, too, couldn’t escape the fact and wrote that each day about 2.5 million kilos (5,511,556 lbs!) of shit was left by residents of Bombay who used outdoor locations due to lack of access to toilet facilities. He remarked that while the flats in his building were kept spotlessly clean, the public spaces (halls, stairways) were filthy and strewn with garbage. Some things never change in India.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI remember spending three weeks in Bombay in the summer of 1989. I geared up for a run on my first morning and stepped out of the hotel on Marine Drive.  The oily, slate-grey water of the Arabian Sea, the stench and the garbage pushed me in the opposite direction and that is what I did during the rest of my stay----ran through business district and residential areas, away from the promenade. Yet, thousands of people gather there every morning and, I guess, find pleasure in walking along the promenade.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIndia has made gigantic strides in the field of software engineering and is becoming a power house in Asia. China's burgeoning economy has made it the top dog but India is not too far behind. One wonders though about the very visible open drains and slums that are like suppurating wounds. Few Indians seem to be bothered by such conditions. Most have become inured; others are in denial; some are aware,feel ashamed, enraged, and suffer without venting their feelings.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Desmond Morris\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e”The Jane Austen Book Club” by Karen Joy Fowler\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThis is what I am reading now.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eStill on the library's waiting list for Elfriede Jelinek's \"The Piano Teacher\".\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAnouar Brahem\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLe pas du chat noir, ECM Records\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnouar Brahem, oud\n\u003cbr/\u003eFrancois Couturier, piano\n\u003cbr/\u003eJean-Louis Matinier, accordion\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA few years ago MD (a friend of a friend) introduced me to Anouar Brahem's \"Conte de l'incroyable amour\". Brahem, a 47-year old Tunisian is creating wonderful music. He began as an oud (African version of lute) player and performed mostly for the Arab world. Over the years he has collaborated with well-known performers of jazz as well as Indian musicians. It is a pleasure to listen to Brahem and his accompanists.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMD was doing doctoral work at Stanford when I met her.  Now she is teaching at Swarthmore in Pennsylvania as part of a post-doctoral program.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e","title":"Maximum City - Bombay Lost And Found by Suketu Mehta "},{"content":" Perhaps partial \"closure\" at last for families of his victims To those of us who followed the rise and fall of General Pinochet, it is a good day…sort of. A Chilean judge ordered house arrest of General Pinochet on human rights charges. The Pinochet regime was accused of torturing some 28,000 people. An official report issued after the restoration of democracy in 1990 in Chile found 3,197 people had died or disappeared during the 17 years beginning in 1973 when General Pinochet assumed power after a bloody coup. Let us not forget that the United States,under the guidance of Dr. Henry Kissinger, aided and abetted the Chilean armed forces to topple the legitimately elected government of President Salvador Allende. Subsequently,the reign of terror----torture and killing of dissidents and those suspected of being dissidents----continued with full knowledge of our government. A shameful chapter in our history. \"History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.\" ----Voltaire ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/augusto-pinochet-a-monster-for-all-seasons/","summary":"Perhaps partial \"closure\" at last for families of his victims\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTo those of us who followed the rise and fall of General Pinochet, it is a good day…sort of.  A Chilean judge ordered house arrest of General Pinochet on human rights charges.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Pinochet regime was accused of torturing some 28,000 people. An official report issued after the restoration of democracy in 1990 in Chile found 3,197 people had died or disappeared during the 17 years beginning in 1973 when General Pinochet assumed power after a bloody coup. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLet us not forget that the United States,under the guidance of Dr. Henry Kissinger, aided and abetted the Chilean armed forces to topple the legitimately elected government of President Salvador Allende. Subsequently,the reign of terror----torture and killing of dissidents and those suspected of being dissidents----continued with full knowledge of our government.  A shameful chapter in our history.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Voltaire","title":"Augusto Pinochet, A Monster for All Seasons"},{"content":" \"Plot against sex in America\" is the title of an article by Frank Rich in today's NY Times. He says it much better than I did in my previous postings. Worth checking out the link below. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/arts/12rich.html The sex patrol is becoming more and more visible. Prudes on a crusade battling a demon that exists only in their sick minds. \"The peculiarity of prudery is to multiply sentinels, in proportion as the fortress is less threatened\" ----Victor Hugo (1802-1885) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/more-on-kinsey-and-neurotic-puritanical-americans/","summary":"\"Plot against sex in America\" is the title of an article by Frank Rich in today's NY Times.  He says it much better than I did in my previous postings.  Worth checking out the link below.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/arts/12rich.html\"\u003ehttp://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/arts/12rich.html\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe sex patrol is becoming more and more visible.  Prudes on a crusade battling a demon that exists only in their sick minds. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The peculiarity of prudery is to multiply sentinels, in proportion as the fortress is less threatened\"  \n\u003cbr/\u003e----Victor Hugo (1802-1885)\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"More on \"Kinsey\" and neurotic, puritanical Americans"},{"content":" A Great Movie Gael Garcia Bernal Rodrigo de la Serna Director: Walter Salles In Spanish with English Sub-Titles Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna Unless you get pleasure from watching high speed car chases, buildings being blown up, and people being killed, this is a film that you will enjoy. After the end of the movie JHL and I remained in our seats for a few minutes, reluctant to leave. The screen play was based on notes and diaries kept by Ernesto \"Che\" Guevara and his friend Alberto Granada during a trip across the South American continent in 1951-52. They began the journey on a 1939 Norton motor cycle. The motor cycle did not last long but they continued and finished their trip using any means of transportation that became available. Director Walter Salles did a superb job in bringing the story to screen. It was a treat to see the Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal as Che Guevara. Bernal has come a long way from his role as a college kid enamored with an older woman in \"Y Tu Mama Tambien\" (2001). Handsome, and can he act! Rodrigo de la Serna was perfect as the prankish, extrovert friend Alberto. Don't miss it. \"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight of the soul.\" ----Ingrid Bergman ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/the-motorcycle-diaries/","summary":"A Great Movie\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eGael Garcia Bernal \n\u003cbr/\u003eRodrigo de la Serna\n\u003cbr/\u003eDirector:  Walter Salles\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn Spanish with English Sub-Titles\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/12/gael_garcia_bernal7.2.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eUnless you get pleasure from watching high speed car chases, buildings being blown up, and people being killed, this is a film that you will enjoy. After the end of the movie JHL and I remained in our seats for a few minutes, reluctant to leave.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe screen play was based on notes and diaries kept by Ernesto \"Che\" Guevara and his friend Alberto Granada during a trip across the South American continent in 1951-52. They began the journey on a 1939 Norton motor cycle.  The motor cycle did not last long but they continued and finished their trip using any means of  transportation that became available.  Director Walter Salles did a superb job in bringing the story to screen. It was a treat to see the Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal as Che Guevara.  Bernal has come a long way from his role as a college kid enamored with an older woman in \"Y Tu Mama Tambien\" (2001).  Handsome, and can he act!   Rodrigo de la Serna was perfect as the prankish, extrovert friend Alberto. Don't miss it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight of the soul.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Ingrid Bergman","title":"The Motorcycle Diaries"},{"content":" Vying for a place in history An article in a recent issue of a well-known magazine mentioned that according to an organization of abstinence-education group called Why Know, the impact from publication of The Kinsey Report in 1948 was in a way equal to what the terrorists did on 9/11. Well, slay me with a dragon. Fast forward to a cave somewhere in South Asia. Aides busily preparing for a meeting. A tall, benign looking bearded man arrives and is greeted with bowed heads and murmured salutations: great leader, the wise one, mastermind of attacks against America,etc.,etc. The meeting comes to order. The tall, bearded man begins without preamble by slapping down a glossy magazine on the table and demanding to know who was Dr. Kinsey and how dare an organization in America claim that Dr. Kinsey caused as much damage as his carefully planned attacks on 9/11. He wanted a fatwa declared on the head of Kinsey. The aides had done their homework or thought they did. They tried to explain that the whole thing was blown grossly out of proportion and the great leader had nothing to worry. There was no one who came close to what he and his martyrs achieved on 9/11. Dr. Kinsey was no longer alive and the findings of his research about sexual habits and practices of American males appeared in print more than 50 years ago. The tall man with flowing beard was incredulous. He thundered “Are you trying to deceive me, you imbeciles? How could a book about sinful habits of the infidels be compared to my jihad? I observe fast and abstinence on holy days; keep myself pure, carry a weapon and am prepared to give my life for the cause of the all powerful. Get the facts,the real facts about this Kinsey and his book. Report back to me in a week. If you fail in your task then you can forget about the virgins in paradise. Instead, your punishment will be 10 lashes every day. I have spoken. Praise be to the almighty.” He walks away. The chief of staff was feverishly working the keys of his laptop. He announced that he had a strategy. He said that “We are going to do what the Brits did”. Everyone looked puzzled. He elaborated, “You know, they sexed up the dossier to justify the war in Iraq; we are going to prepare a sexed down dossier to convince our great leader that Dr. Kinsey was not successful in helping the Americans get rid of their sexual hang ups. Claims about the influence of his book were greatly exaggerated by a few puritanical ladies. Get to work. The first draft must be on my desk in 48 hours.\" The meeting concludes. Dr. Kinsey’s ghost shook its head and thought that if only the tall, bearded man had paid attention to his treatise he would have been a sexually fulfilled and happier person, and the same applied to members of the abstinence-education group. The world would have been so much better off. He sighed, turned around and went back to sleep. \"Some things are better than sex, and some are worse, but there's nothing exactly like it.\" ----W. C. Fields (1880-1946) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/the-ghost-of-alfred-kinsey-and-osama-bin-laden/","summary":"Vying for a place in history\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAn article in a recent issue of a well-known magazine mentioned that according to an organization of abstinence-education group called Why Know, the impact from publication of The Kinsey Report in 1948 was in a way equal to what the terrorists did on 9/11. Well, slay me with a dragon.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFast forward to a cave somewhere in South Asia.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAides busily preparing for a meeting. A tall, benign looking bearded man arrives and is greeted with bowed heads and murmured salutations: great leader, the wise one, mastermind of attacks against America,etc.,etc. The meeting comes to order. The tall, bearded man begins without preamble by slapping down a glossy magazine on the table and demanding to know who was Dr. Kinsey and how dare an organization in America claim that Dr. Kinsey caused as much damage as his carefully planned attacks on 9/11. He wanted a fatwa declared on the head of Kinsey.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe aides had done their homework or thought they did. They tried to explain that the whole thing was blown grossly out of proportion and the great leader had nothing to worry. There was no one who came close to what he and his martyrs achieved on 9/11. Dr. Kinsey was no longer alive and the findings of his research about sexual habits and practices of American males appeared in print more than 50 years ago. The tall man with flowing beard was incredulous. He thundered “Are you trying to deceive me, you imbeciles? How could a book about sinful habits of the infidels be compared to my jihad? I observe fast and abstinence on holy days; keep myself pure, carry a weapon and am prepared to give my life for the cause of the all powerful. Get the facts,the real facts about this Kinsey and his book. Report back to me in a week. If you fail in your task then you can forget about the virgins in paradise. Instead, your punishment will be 10 lashes every day. I have spoken. Praise be to the almighty.” He walks away.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe chief of staff was feverishly working the keys of his laptop. He announced that he had a strategy. He said that “We are going to do what the Brits did”. Everyone looked puzzled. He elaborated, “You know, they sexed up the dossier to justify the war in Iraq; we are going to prepare a sexed down dossier to convince our great leader that Dr. Kinsey was not successful in helping the Americans get rid of their sexual hang ups. Claims about the influence of his book were greatly exaggerated by a few puritanical ladies. Get to work. The first draft must be on my desk in 48 hours.\" The meeting concludes.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDr. Kinsey’s ghost shook its head and thought that if only the tall, bearded man had paid attention to his treatise he would have been a sexually fulfilled and happier person, and the same applied to members of the abstinence-education group. The world would have been so much better off. He sighed, turned around and went back to sleep.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Some things are better than sex, and some are worse, but there's nothing exactly like it.\"    \n\u003cbr/\u003e----W. C. Fields (1880-1946)\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Ghost of Alfred Kinsey and Osama bin Laden"},{"content":" Sideways JHL and I watched \"Sideways\" a week ago and loved it. Perhaps not going to be remembered as a classic but it made us laugh and commiserate with the central characters, especially Miles Faymond (Paul Giamatti). Most of the film was shot in the Santa Ynez Valley between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Familiar territory, which added a special meaning to us. Almost like a French movie,light-hearted,except that the French would have gone easier in the scene where Jack got walloped by Stephanie. Wine drinking is an important part of the story but the director, Alexander Payne, did not let that stop him from developing the differences in characters and outlooks of Miles and his friend Jack. Towards the end of the movie there was a scene where a student in Miles' class read a passage from a book. That rang a bell. The next day I checked my meager library and found what I was looking for. A Separate Peace by John Knowles The dog-eared copy of the book belonged to my daughters. Both of them read it in their high school years. Known as a great \"coming of age\" story, I remembered how much pleasure it gave me although I was a middle-aged man when I read the book. I flipped through some pages,found the passage that was read by the student in the movie and thought about Gene and Phineas as they went through high school and on into World War II. It was a different world then. A bitter sweet novel. Certainly a classic. Other great \"coming of age\" fiction: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque \"The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.\" ----Elizabeth Hardwick ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/a-movie-about-the-insecurities-of-men-at-crossroads-also-a-book-about-teen-age-a/","summary":"Sideways\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eJHL and I watched \"Sideways\" a week ago and loved it. Perhaps not going to be remembered as a classic but it made us laugh and commiserate with the central characters, especially Miles Faymond (Paul Giamatti). Most of the film was shot in the Santa Ynez Valley between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Familiar territory, which added a special meaning to us. Almost like a French movie,light-hearted,except that the French would have gone easier in the scene where Jack got walloped by Stephanie. Wine drinking is an important part of the story but the director, Alexander Payne, did not let that stop him from developing the differences in characters and outlooks of Miles and his friend Jack.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTowards the end of the movie there was a scene where a student in Miles' class read a passage from a book. That rang a bell. The next day I checked my meager library and found what I was looking for.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA Separate Peace by John Knowles\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe dog-eared copy of the book belonged to my daughters. Both of them read it in their high school years. Known as a great \"coming of age\" story, I remembered how much pleasure it gave me although I was a middle-aged man when I read the book.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI flipped through some pages,found the passage that was read by the student in the movie and thought about Gene and Phineas as they went through high school and on into World War II. It was a different world then. A bitter sweet novel. Certainly a classic.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOther great \"coming of age\" fiction:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eCatcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger\n\u003cbr/\u003eRed Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford\n\u003cbr/\u003eAll Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"The greatest gift is a passion for reading.  It is cheap, it consoles,\n\u003cbr/\u003eit  distracts, it excites, it gives you the knowledge of the world and\n\u003cbr/\u003eexperience of a wide kind.  It is a moral illumination.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Elizabeth Hardwick","title":"A movie about the insecurities of men at crossroads.  Also, a book about teen-age angst"},{"content":" \"Kinsey\", Dr. Jocelyn Elder, etc.I have not seen \"Kinsey\" (the new movie about the late Dr. Alfred Kinsey) yet. I intend to. SoI was taken aback when a friend said \"see it before it is banned\". Banned....in America! Can't happen. Then I read an article in the December 6th issue of The New Yorker and her comments didn't seem so preposterous. Two women, Judith Reisman and Eunice Van Winkle Ray, are on the war path in a campaign to discredit Dr. Kinsey.The New Yorker article mentioned that a recent newsletter of the abstinence-education group Why kNOw, compared the damage from publication in 1948 of \"The Kinsey Report\" on the same level as the attacks on 9/11! Wow. Isn't that stretching it ? Not according to the group. The members are dead serious. The bearded one would be most unhappy; he has probably never heard of Dr. Kinsey. No question that these people don't believe in enjoying sex. Perhaps they have holy congress or union at certain times only to procreate.The hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Here we have a generation of Americans, most of who never said \"No\" to an opportunity to fuck (have intercourse, if you will) when they were growing up, telling the youth to abstain. Guess it makes sense with Commandante, El Jefe in the White House who admitted to \"youthful indiscretions\" but then saw the light as a Born Again Christian. Comprehensive sex education---teaching of pleasures as well as the pitfalls, respect for the opposite sex, and use of protective measures against diseases and unwanted pregnancies----is being completely re-written to emphasize abstinence. As the Iraqi blogger says: \"Ya Habeebi\" (not a dirty word).Those who are interested can access Ceci Connolly's well-researched report \"Some Abstinence Programs Mislead Teens\" in The Washington Post 12/2/04http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26623-2004Dec1.html?sub=ARRemember what happened to Dr. Jocelyn Elder, President Clinton's Surgeon General? She was guilty of breaking a taboo---publicly stating that masturbation \"is something that is part of human sexuality and it is part of something that perhaps should be taught.\" Medical opinion isquite clear about the beneficial effects of masturbation. But the puritans were up in arms. Poor Dr. Elder didn't know what hit her. Bill Clinton cravenly accepted her resignation.The History of PruderyI came across Peter Fryer's \"Mrs.Grundy: Studies in English Prudery\" while living in Calcutta. A delightful book. Mr. Fryer dealt with the subject thoroughly but with humor.Mrs. Grundy was not a real person but appeared in 1798 as a character in a play \"Speed the Plough\" by Peter Morton, and \"Grundyism\" became a part of English vocabulary. I learned from Mr. Fryer's book that the so called \"dirty words\" (four-letter words) were in common usage until they were attacked as being vulgar. Why? There is no hard fact available. Perhaps they didn't sound right to some ears.But it was Wesleyans,not the Orthodox Church in England,that lead the movement for reform which included behaviour, marriage, and prostitution. Attack against prostitution was later enlarged to cover extra-marital sex. The Evangelists were against all activities that gave pleasure.Don't let the prissy prudes teach you morality.The Catholic ChurchIn other news today, the Catholic Church in Southern California settled 87 claims exceeding $100 million for charges of child sexual abuse. The Catholic Church was pro-active in the 2004 presidential election, exhorting the faithful not to vote for any candidate who supported the right of choice for women. And so it goes.Prude. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ...concerned with being or appearing to be proper, modest, or righteous.\"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.\"----Jane Austen (1775-1817) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/12/re-emergence-of-the-sex-police-grundyism-ascendent/","summary":"\"Kinsey\", Dr. Jocelyn Elder, etc.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI have not seen \"Kinsey\" (the new movie about the late Dr. Alfred Kinsey) yet. I intend to. So\u003cbr/\u003eI was taken aback when a friend said \"see it before it is banned\". Banned....in America! Can't happen. Then I read an article in the December 6th issue of The New Yorker and her comments didn't seem so preposterous. Two women, Judith Reisman and Eunice Van Winkle Ray, are on the war path in a campaign to discredit Dr. Kinsey.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe New Yorker article mentioned that a recent newsletter of the abstinence-education group Why kNOw, compared the damage from publication in 1948 of \"The Kinsey Report\" on the same level as the attacks on 9/11! Wow. Isn't that stretching it ? Not according to the group. The members are dead serious. The bearded one would be most unhappy; he has probably never heard of Dr. Kinsey. No question that these people don't believe in enjoying sex. Perhaps they have holy congress or union at certain times only to procreate.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe hypocrisy is mind-boggling. Here we have a generation of Americans, most of who never said \"No\" to an opportunity to fuck (have intercourse, if you will) when they were growing up, telling the youth to abstain. Guess it makes sense with Commandante, El Jefe in the White House who admitted to \"youthful indiscretions\" but then saw the light as a Born Again Christian. Comprehensive sex education---teaching of pleasures as well as the pitfalls, respect for the opposite sex, and use of protective measures against diseases and unwanted pregnancies----is being completely re-written to emphasize abstinence. As the Iraqi blogger says: \"Ya Habeebi\" (not a dirty word).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThose who are interested can access Ceci Connolly's well-researched report \"Some Abstinence Programs Mislead Teens\" in The Washington Post 12/2/04\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26623-2004Dec1.html?sub=AR\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRemember what happened to Dr. Jocelyn Elder, President Clinton's Surgeon General? She was guilty of breaking a taboo---publicly stating that masturbation \"is something that is part of human sexuality and it is part of something that perhaps should be taught.\"  Medical opinion is\u003cbr/\u003equite clear about the beneficial effects of masturbation. But the puritans were up in arms. Poor Dr. Elder didn't know what hit her. Bill Clinton cravenly accepted her resignation.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe History of Prudery\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI came across Peter Fryer's \"Mrs.Grundy: Studies in English Prudery\" while living in Calcutta. A delightful book. Mr. Fryer dealt with the subject thoroughly but with humor.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMrs. Grundy was not a real person but appeared in 1798 as a character in a play \"Speed the Plough\" by Peter Morton, and \"Grundyism\" became a part of English vocabulary. I learned from Mr. Fryer's book that the so called \"dirty words\" (four-letter words) were in common usage until they were attacked as being vulgar. Why? There is no hard fact available. Perhaps they didn't sound right to some ears.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBut it was Wesleyans,not the Orthodox Church in England,that lead the movement for reform which included behaviour, marriage, and prostitution. Attack against prostitution was later enlarged to cover extra-marital sex. The Evangelists were against all activities that gave pleasure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eDon't let the prissy prudes teach you morality.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Catholic Church\u003cbr/\u003eIn other news today, the Catholic Church in Southern California settled 87 claims exceeding $100 million for charges of child sexual abuse. The Catholic Church was pro-active in the 2004 presidential election, exhorting the faithful not to vote for any candidate who supported the right of choice for women. And so it goes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrude. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ...concerned with being or appearing to be proper, modest, or righteous.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Jane Austen (1775-1817)","title":"Re-emergence of the Sex Police,  Grundyism Ascendent ?"},{"content":" Known once as the mythical Taprobane, later as Ceylon, and now Sri Lanka Coconut Palms,Colombo Read today about the possibility of strife and turmoil beginning anew in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka after a relatively calm period of two years during which negotiations for an agreement about the Tamil Tigers' demand for self government went on under Norwegian mediators. Leader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, has issued an ominous warning that he has reached the \"limits of patience\". A BBC report mentioned that 60,000 people have died during the conflict between the Tamils and Sri Lankans. What is certain is that the outlook for civilians, Tamils and Sri Lankans, is grim. They can again expect to be innocent victims, caught in suicide bombings and harsh retaliatory measures. It is a situation that has parallels in various corners of the world---people who look alike, dress alike, in some countries even speak the same language---are killing each other in senseless hatred. The cycle of violence was just beginning to raise its head in 1984 when I spent a few days in Colombo,the capital of Sri Lanka. As the aircraft descended and began its approach to Bandaranaika Airport all I could see were coconut palms, miles and miles of them. Colombo was refreshingly different after Karachi,Pakistan, which was my previous stop. I found it full of charms. Names of streets and neat bungalows with gardens in front were reminders that the island was under British rule from 1796 to 1948 when it became a Dominion. Small, compared to Bombay and Madras, it was much cleaner than them. The downtown buildings looked well maintained. The promenade along the waterfront far more attractive than Marine Drive in Bombay. Restaurants served good meals. As in Thailand, coconut (in various forms) figures prominently in the cuisine of Sri Lanka. Fresh seafood was plentiful. Today when I think of my brief sojourn in that beautiful island it is Gunasekhara, the young Sri Lankan assigned to be my liaision with the venerable agency house (once British but then under local management) that I went to negotiate a contract with for husbanding ships of my employers in California, who comes to mind. Gunasekhara and I spent many hours talking about the business of shipping, taking meals together, and drinking beer after work. We used to spend the evenings at the somewhat decrepit Taprobane Hotel. It was then that Gunasekhara voiced his concern about the dark clouds of violence looming in the horizon. He felt that there could not be a peaceful settlement. The Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka would not agree to a separate homeland for Tamils in the northern and eastern parts of the island. He was apprehensive about what would happen. For him, there was a personal issue involved; he was in love with a woman from an orthodox Tamil family. A Capulets and Montagues situation. After I returned to California we exchanged some messages by telex (that was long before the advent of the Internet) about business. Gunasekhara was right. The escalation of attacks and counterattacks in Sri Lanka was receiving attention of the world press. Tamil Tigers had become more active and so were government forces in trying to quash them. Once, during a telephone call to Colombo, I asked Gunasekhara about his personal situation. He remained quiet for a while and then said \"not good\". Events forced me to move on to another job. I lost track of Gunasekhara. I hope that he and his love survived. \"Anil's Ghost\", a novel by the Canadian author Michael Ondaatje touches a part...a small part of the atrocities that have taken place during the two decades of conflict between the Tamils and Sri Lankans. Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka. \"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.\" ----Mahatma Gandhi ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/a-man-called-gunasekhara-and-a-troubled-island/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\nKnown once as the mythical Taprobane, later as Ceylon, and now Sri Lanka\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/11/Coconut Palms.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCoconut Palms,Colombo \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nRead today about the possibility of strife and turmoil beginning anew in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka after a relatively calm period of two years during which negotiations for an agreement about the Tamil Tigers' demand for self government went on under Norwegian mediators.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nLeader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, has issued an ominous warning that he has reached the \"limits of patience\".\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nA BBC report mentioned that 60,000 people have died during the conflict between the Tamils and Sri Lankans.  What is certain is that the outlook for civilians, Tamils and Sri Lankans,  is grim.  They can again expect to be innocent victims, caught in suicide bombings and harsh retaliatory measures.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nIt is a situation that has parallels in various corners of the world---people who look alike, dress alike, in some countries even speak the same language---are killing each other in senseless hatred.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe cycle of violence was just beginning to raise its head in 1984 when I spent a few days in Colombo,the capital of Sri Lanka. As the aircraft descended and began its approach to Bandaranaika Airport all I could see were coconut palms, miles and miles of them.  Colombo was refreshingly different after Karachi,Pakistan, which was my previous stop.  I found it full of charms.  Names of streets and neat bungalows with gardens in front were reminders that the island was under British rule from 1796 to 1948 when it became a Dominion. Small, compared to Bombay and Madras, it was much cleaner than them.  The downtown buildings looked well maintained.  The promenade along the waterfront far more attractive than Marine Drive in Bombay.  Restaurants served good meals.  As in Thailand, coconut (in various forms) figures prominently in the cuisine of Sri Lanka.  Fresh seafood was plentiful.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nToday when I think of my brief sojourn in that beautiful island it is Gunasekhara, the young Sri Lankan assigned to be my liaision with the venerable agency house (once British but then under local management) that I went to negotiate a contract with for husbanding ships of my employers in California, who comes to mind.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nGunasekhara and I spent many hours talking about the business of shipping, taking meals together, and drinking beer after work.  We used to spend the evenings at the somewhat decrepit Taprobane Hotel. It was then that Gunasekhara voiced his concern about the dark clouds of violence looming in the horizon.  He felt that there could not be a peaceful settlement.  The Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka would not agree to a separate homeland for Tamils in the northern  and eastern parts of the island.  He was apprehensive about what would happen.  For him, there was a personal issue involved;  he was in love with a woman from an orthodox Tamil family.  A Capulets and Montagues situation.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nAfter I returned to California we exchanged some messages by telex (that was long before the advent of the Internet) about business.  Gunasekhara was right. The escalation of attacks and counterattacks in Sri Lanka was receiving attention of the world press.  Tamil Tigers had become more active and so were government forces in trying to quash them.  Once, during a telephone call to Colombo, I asked Gunasekhara about his personal situation.  He remained quiet for a while and then said \"not good\".\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nEvents forced me to move on to another job.  I lost track of Gunasekhara.  I hope that he and his love survived.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"Anil's Ghost\", a novel by the Canadian author Michael Ondaatje touches a part...a small part of the atrocities that have taken place during the two decades of conflict between the Tamils and Sri Lankans.  Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.\"     \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n----Mahatma Gandhi \u003c/div\u003e","title":"A  man called Gunasekhara and a troubled island"},{"content":" Getting down to serious business ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/untitled/","summary":"\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/11/Johnny Curving the Turkey.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGetting down to serious business","title":""},{"content":" A great American tradition Tomorrow I am going to celebrate my 35th Thanksgiving in America. The weather forecast does not promise a sunny day but it should stay dry. I am going to spend it at a friend's house in Palo Alto as I have done for the last eleven years. It is a holiday that I have come to love. It gives people an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family members, and it generates a feeling of warmth of the spirit. The abundance of good food and wine are certainly part of it but the day means much more than that. We usually gather on the deck in the backyard and spend a couple of hours in pleasantries before going in for dinner around 3:00 PM. A long, lazy dinner is followed by a walk to the park nearby. Then back for coffee and pies---always two kinds---pumpkin and pecan. Later,in the evening when I return home replete with food and drinks, there is energy only to curl up with a book until drowsiness hits and it is time to turn off the light. A lot has been written about celebration of Thanksgiving. My favorite is the column by Jon Carroll of the San Francisco Chronicle that is published with slight variations each year on Thanksgiving Day. I highly recommend it. The column can be read in tomorrow's Chronicle. It can also be accessed on line at: http://sfgate.com/columnists/carroll/ Now about roast turkey. I am one of those who enjoy turkey sandwiches with leftover meat more than turkey at dinner. However, I cannot imagine Thanksgiving without a big, juicy bird. It is tradition. I build my sandwich with white bread (not the mushy Wonder Bread though). Challah, lightly toasted is excellent. Spread a little mayo, slather with Dijon mustard (Maille is good). Aah, blissful. One can always have stuffing on the side; I don't need it. And the day after ? While hordes of shoppers lay siege at the doors of their favorite stores, and the cash registers hum (good for the economy), I shall go for a long run at peace with the world and with myself. In a few weeks the Chanterelles would begin to emerge. I and AC will go foraging for them in the foothills. He has a much better eye and feel for finding them. It is fun moving between groves of oak trees, searching for a glimpse of the orangey-yellow caps often covered by fallen leaves. Life is good. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/thanksgiving-day/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003eA great American tradition\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTomorrow I am going to celebrate my 35th Thanksgiving in America. The weather forecast does not promise a sunny day but it should stay dry.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI am going to spend it at a friend's house in Palo Alto as I have done for the last eleven years.  It is a holiday that I have come to love.  It gives people an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family members, and it generates a feeling of warmth of the spirit.  The abundance of good food and wine are certainly part of it but the day means much more than that.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWe usually gather on the deck in the backyard and spend a couple of hours in pleasantries before going in for dinner around 3:00 PM.  A long, lazy dinner is followed by a walk to the park nearby. Then back for coffee and pies---always two kinds---pumpkin and pecan. Later,in the evening when I return home replete with food and drinks, there is energy only to curl up with a book until drowsiness hits and it is time to turn off the light.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA lot has been written about celebration of Thanksgiving.  My favorite is the column by Jon Carroll of the San Francisco Chronicle that is published with slight variations each year on Thanksgiving Day.  I highly recommend it.  The column can be read in tomorrow's Chronicle.  It can also be accessed on line at:\n\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://sfgate.com/columnists/carroll/\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNow about roast turkey.  I am one of those who enjoy turkey sandwiches with leftover meat more than turkey at dinner.  However, I cannot imagine Thanksgiving without a big, juicy bird.  It is tradition.  I build my sandwich with white bread (not the mushy Wonder Bread though). Challah, lightly toasted is excellent.  Spread a little mayo, slather with Dijon mustard (Maille is good).  Aah, blissful.  One can always have stuffing on the side;  I don't need it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the day after ?  While hordes of shoppers lay siege at the doors of their favorite stores, and the cash registers hum (good for the economy), I shall go for a long run at peace with the world and with myself.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn a few weeks the Chanterelles would begin to emerge. I and AC will go foraging for them in the foothills.  He has a much better eye and feel for finding them. It is fun moving between groves of oak trees, searching for a glimpse of the orangey-yellow\n\u003cbr/\u003ecaps often covered by fallen leaves.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLife is good.\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Thanksgiving Day"},{"content":" Bigot: A person of strong conviction or prejudice, especially in matters of religion, race, or politics, who is intolerant of those who differ with him. (The American Century Dictionary) There are disturbing trends in today's America that point to a rise in bigotry. Our Constitution, which clearly stated the need for separation of church and state, is facing amendments to weaken that charter. Article VI, Sec.3 of the Constitution reads: \"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures,and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by the oath of affirmation, to support the Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.\" The First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791, is quite unambiguous about this. \"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\" It was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809),who further defined \"separation between Church and State\". In 1802, in a letter to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Jefferson wrote: \"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof', thus building a wall of separation between Church and State'.\" The late Gustavus Myers' \"History of Bigotry in The United States\" was a seminal work. Published in 1943 (a year after his death), the book is out of print. If Mr. Myers were alive he would have found a plethora of new material; enough for a completely revised edition. He would have probably added: HATRED FOR PRO-CHOICE SUPPORTERS HATRED FOR HOMOSEXUALS HATRED FOR MUSLIMS HATRED FOR MEN WEARING TURBANS HATRED FOR WOMEN WEARING VEILS HATRED FOR IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR HATRED FOR THOSE AGAINST WAR Whither America ? Mon Nov 22,1:02 PM ET Top Stories - Reuters FBI Reports 14 murders among 7,489 hate crimes Washington (Reuters) - Nearly 7,500 hate crimes,including 14 murders based on sexual orientation,race or ethnicity,were reported in the United States last year, the FBI (news - web sites) said on Monday. \"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\" ---Heraclitus (544-483 BC) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/bigotry-in-america---abrogation-of-thomas-jeffersons-principles/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003eBigot:  A person of strong conviction or prejudice, especially in matters of religion, race, or politics, who is intolerant of those who differ with him.\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e(The American Century Dictionary)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere are disturbing trends in today's America that point to a rise in bigotry.  Our Constitution, which clearly stated the need for separation of church and state, is facing amendments to weaken that charter.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eArticle VI, Sec.3 of the Constitution reads:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures,and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by the oath of affirmation, to support the Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.\" \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791, is quite unambiguous about this. \"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809),who further defined \"separation between Church and State\". In 1802, in a letter to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Jefferson wrote: \"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof', thus building a wall of separation between Church and State'.\" \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe late Gustavus Myers' \"History of Bigotry in The United States\" was a seminal work.  Published in 1943 (a year after his death), the book is out of print. If Mr. Myers were alive he would have found a plethora of new material; enough for a completely revised edition.  He would have probably added:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR PRO-CHOICE SUPPORTERS\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR HOMOSEXUALS\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR MUSLIMS\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR MEN WEARING TURBANS\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR WOMEN WEARING VEILS\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR\n\u003cbr/\u003eHATRED FOR THOSE AGAINST WAR\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhither America ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMon Nov 22,1:02 PM ET Top Stories - Reuters\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFBI Reports 14 murders among 7,489 hate crimes\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWashington (Reuters) - Nearly 7,500 hate crimes,including 14 murders based on sexual orientation,race or ethnicity,were reported in the United States last year, the FBI (news - web sites) said on Monday.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e---Heraclitus (544-483 BC)","title":"Bigotry in America - Abrogation of Thomas Jefferson's Principles"},{"content":" A journey to the past Every week The New Yorker Magazine arrives in my mail box as it has since 1978. Despite the changes in management in recent years, The New Yorker continues to contain a wealth of well-written articles, short stories and poems. The cartoons remain classy. The stable of writers like James Thurber,S.J. Perelman, Ludwig Bemelman, and the drawings of Hirschfield are gone. They could make one laugh out loud. But it is still a darn good magazine. The other day, while leafing through a recent issue of the magazine I thought of Charlie O'Connor. It was he who started a gift subscription for me back in 1978 and keeps renewing it every year. I met Capt. O'Connor 45 years ago when he arrived in Calcutta in the summer of 1959 to begin an assignment as head of the Operations Department of an American Flag steamship company based in New York City. He was my boss. What made us click was our interest in reading -- newspapers, magazines,books. He subscribed to many periodicals, including The New Yorker and Saturday Review. They arrived by surface mail,3 to 4 months behind the publication date. That didn't matter. He passed them on to me after he was done. How I enjoyed them! Between them and the British Council Library my needs were well taken care of. But Charlie did more than that. He was a mentor. A great deal of what I learned about cargo ships and the world of ocean transportation was from working under him and asking questions that he patiently answered. Charlie was born in Brooklyn,NY, and went to sea at an early age. He became a Master Mariner the hard way, by working his way up the ladder and passing the stringent U.S. Coast Guard examinations. Charlie had a taste for spicy food. There were days when he would send out for kathi rolls (kababs rolled in parathas) from Nizam, and we would feast on them at lunch. I left India in 1969 and began a career in the steamship industry in San Francisco. It was after Charlie retired in the mid-seventies and settled down in a high-rise apartment on the edge of the Hudson River in Hoboken that we met again. Charlie became a regular visitor. I showed him my favorite places in California. We talked about changes in the industry. By that time the era of containerization had begun its march to replace the break-bulk ships. As an \"Old Salt\", Charlie decried the passage of the romance of shipping associated with crates of whip snake skins, bags of coffee beans and cashew nuts,chests of tea,bales of jute,and rolls of carpet. They were still being shipped but no longer visible. One could only see the large steel containers which carried them. No question that containers are far superior in terms of efficiency, safety, and handling costs than the centuries old break-bulk method. That is progress. Charlie's last trip to California was in 1994. Age related problems stopped him from traveling. At 87, and with a bad knee, he can no longer do much walking. About a month ago, in October,I decided to go and see him. I flew to Newark on a red-eye flight from San Francisco. It was a short, 20-minute cab ride to his apartment. Except for a day trip to New York I spent 4 days with Charlie in his apartment crammed with books. He was into history of World War II. We talked of the people we knew and about the forthcoming presidential election. We were on the same wave length about George Bush. His apartment on the 24th floor offered a good view of New York (the Hudson is less than a mile wide). He reminisced about growing up in the City; his favorite bars there and in other ports that he called at as a merchant seaman. Those days the break-bulk ships spent days loading and unloading cargo; a container ship's port stay is counted in hours. We wondered about the madams of the whore houses at ports of call around the world. They used to keep track of the schedule of liner ships which brought patrons who were \"regulars\". Nowadays a seaman seeking pleasure of the flesh would find it hard to get time for that. At the most a quick \"slam, bam, thank you ma'am\" in a joint near the water front. On the morning when I left to return to California, Charlie stood at the door of his apartment while I waited down the corridor for the elevator. We waved as I entered the elevator. We both knew that we would not see each other again. \"The past, with its pleasures, its rewards, its foolishness, its punishments, is there for each of us forever, and it should be.\" ----Lillian Hellman Comments Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-02-05 I so enjoyed reading this piece about \u0026quot;Doc O\u0026#39;Connor,\u0026quot; my late father\u0026#39;s closest friend. You captured him perfectly. I recall writing to him as a child, imagining his exotic location, and carefully addressing the special blue airmail stationery to CAPTAIN O\u0026#39;Comnnor. Thank you for this lovely tribute to your friendship and to him.\nDr.Mary Margaret Kerr\nUniversity of Pittsburgh Anonymous \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30 It is with great sadness that I report the death of Captain Charles George O\u0026#39;Connor Jr. in the wee hours of the morning today, December 30, 2010.\nA truly wonderful man, \u0026quot;Uncle Bud\u0026quot; as he was known to most of his family and those of us who were fortunate enough to be accepted into the O\u0026#39;Connor sphere, was a unique individual who made the world a richer place.\nCharlie was my wife\u0026#39;s uncle and like a grandfather to my daughters. We will dearly miss him.\nPaul Blizzard\nHuntington, NY (formerly of Jericho, NY) musafir \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30 I had a note on my desk to call him this morning.\nCharlie never failed to call before the holidays to offer his good wishes and to ask about my daughters and their families. He had come to know them during his visits to the west coast until age and ill health put a stop to his travels. This year, he did not call. I knew about the stroke he suffered few months ago and was worried about his silence.\nI wept after reading your message in the \u0026quot;comments\u0026quot; section of my blog. But glad that you took the trouble to find my website and do so. Thank you.\nRana Sircar dimpleresta \u0026mdash; 2011-09-29 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/capt-charles-g-oconnor-calcutta-india-1959-hobokennj-2004/","summary":"A journey to the past\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nEvery week The New Yorker Magazine arrives in my mail box as it has since 1978. Despite the changes in management in recent years, The New Yorker continues to contain a wealth of well-written articles, short stories and poems.  The cartoons remain classy.  The stable of writers like James Thurber,S.J. Perelman, Ludwig Bemelman, and the drawings of Hirschfield are gone.  They could make one laugh out loud.  But it is still a darn good magazine.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe other day, while leafing through a recent issue of the magazine I thought of Charlie O'Connor. It was he who started a gift subscription for me back in 1978 and keeps renewing it every year.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eI met Capt. O'Connor 45 years ago when he arrived in Calcutta in the summer of 1959 to begin an assignment as head of the Operations Department of an American Flag steamship company based in New York City. He was my boss. What made us click was our interest in reading -- newspapers, magazines,books. He subscribed to many periodicals, including The New Yorker and Saturday Review.  They arrived by surface mail,3 to 4 months behind the publication date. That didn't matter. He passed them on to me after he was done. How I enjoyed them! Between them and the British Council Library my needs were well taken care of.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nBut Charlie did more than that. He was a mentor. A great deal of what I learned about cargo ships and the world of ocean transportation was from working under him and asking questions that he patiently answered. Charlie was born in Brooklyn,NY, and went to sea at an early age. He became a Master Mariner the hard way, by working his way up the ladder and passing the stringent U.S. Coast Guard examinations.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nCharlie had a taste for spicy food. There were days when he would send out for kathi rolls (kababs rolled in parathas) from Nizam, and we would feast on them at lunch.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nI left India in 1969 and began a career in the steamship industry in San Francisco.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eIt was after Charlie retired in the mid-seventies and settled down in a high-rise apartment on the edge of the Hudson River in Hoboken that we met again.  Charlie became a regular visitor. I showed him my favorite places in California. We talked about changes in the industry.  By that time the era of containerization had begun its march to replace the break-bulk ships.  As an \"Old Salt\", Charlie decried the passage of the romance of shipping associated with crates of whip snake skins, bags of coffee beans and cashew nuts,chests of tea,bales of jute,and rolls of carpet. They were still being shipped but no longer visible. One could only see the large steel containers which carried them. No question that containers are far superior in terms of efficiency, safety, and handling costs than the centuries old break-bulk method. That is progress.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nCharlie's last trip to California was in 1994.  Age related problems stopped him from traveling.  At 87, and with a bad knee, he can no longer do much walking.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003eAbout a month ago, in October,I decided to go and see him. I flew to Newark on a red-eye flight from San Francisco. It was a short, 20-minute cab ride to his apartment.  Except for a day trip to New York I spent 4 days with Charlie in his apartment crammed with books. He was into history of World War II.  We talked of the people we knew and about the forthcoming presidential election. We were on the same wave length about George Bush.  His apartment on the 24th floor offered a good view of New York (the Hudson is less than a mile wide). He reminisced about growing up in the City; his favorite bars there and in other ports that he called at as a merchant seaman.  Those days the break-bulk ships spent days loading and unloading cargo; a container ship's port stay is counted in hours. We wondered about the madams of the whore houses at ports of call around the world. They used to keep track of the schedule of liner ships which brought patrons who were \"regulars\". Nowadays a seaman seeking pleasure of the flesh would find it hard to get time for that. At the most a quick \"slam, bam, thank you ma'am\" in a joint near the water front.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\nOn the morning when I left to return to California, Charlie stood at the door of his apartment while I waited down the corridor for the elevator. We waved as I entered the elevator.  We both knew that we would not see each other again.\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\"The past, with its pleasures, its rewards, its foolishness, its punishments, is there for each of us forever, and it should be.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n----Lillian Hellman\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003csection class=\"post-comments\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-02-05\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI so enjoyed reading this piece about \u0026quot;Doc O\u0026#39;Connor,\u0026quot; my late father\u0026#39;s closest friend.  You captured him perfectly.  I recall writing to him as a child, imagining his exotic location, and carefully addressing the special blue airmail stationery to CAPTAIN O\u0026#39;Comnnor.  Thank you for this lovely tribute to your friendship and to him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr.Mary Margaret Kerr\u003cbr\u003eUniversity of Pittsburgh\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnonymous\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eIt is with great sadness that I report the death of Captain Charles George O\u0026#39;Connor Jr. in the wee hours of the morning today, December 30, 2010.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA truly wonderful man, \u0026quot;Uncle Bud\u0026quot; as he was known to most of his family and those of us who were fortunate enough to be accepted into the O\u0026#39;Connor sphere, was a unique individual who made the world a richer place.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCharlie was my wife\u0026#39;s uncle and like a grandfather to my daughters.  We will dearly miss him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaul Blizzard\u003cbr\u003eHuntington, NY (formerly of Jericho, NY)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emusafir\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2010-12-30\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eI had a note on my desk to call him this morning.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCharlie never failed to call before the holidays to offer his good wishes and to ask about my daughters and their families.  He had come to know them during his visits to the west coast until age and ill health put a stop to his travels.  This year, he did not call. I knew about the stroke he suffered few months ago and was worried about his silence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI wept after reading your message in the \u0026quot;comments\u0026quot; section of my blog. But glad that you took the trouble to find my website and do so. Thank you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRana Sircar\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"comment\"\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-meta\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edimpleresta\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026mdash; 2011-09-29\u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"comment-body\"\u003eThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/section\u003e","title":"Capt. Charles G. O'Connor ( Calcutta, India, 1959-Hoboken,NJ, 2004)"},{"content":" Margaret Hassan Extremists in Iraq killed Margaret Hassan who tirelessly served for three decades to lessen the plight of refugees in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. Nothing justified the killing. It was an atrocious act by violent people, and they are to be found not only in Iraq. \"Toward the accomplishment of an aim, which in wantonness of atrocity would seem to partake of the insane, he will direct a cool judgement, sagacious and sound. These men are madmen, and of the most dangerous sort.\" ----Herman Melville (1819 - 1891), Billy Budd, Sailor ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/margaret-hassan-a-beacon-of-light-snuffed-out/","summary":"\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/11/Hassan.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMargaret Hassan \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eExtremists in Iraq killed Margaret Hassan who tirelessly served for three decades to lessen the plight of refugees in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNothing justified the killing. It was an atrocious act by violent people, and they are to be found not only in Iraq.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Toward the accomplishment of an aim, which in wantonness of atrocity would seem to partake of the insane, he will direct a cool judgement, sagacious and sound. These men are madmen, and of the most dangerous sort.\"   \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Herman Melville (1819 - 1891), Billy Budd, Sailor","title":"Margaret Hassan, \"A Beacon of Light\" snuffed out"},{"content":" One thing leads to another Helmuth Rilling Foggy morning. Listened to Bach's Organ Works performed by Helmuth Rilling. It was the December 1974 recording made at the Gedachtniskirche, Stuttgart. The album includes: Toccata and Fugue BWV565 Fugue BWV578 Prelude and Fugue BWV544 Fantasie and Fugue BWV542 Passacaglia BWV582. Bach's choral music creates a sense of joy,sadness, and peace. Rilling is a virtuoso of the large pipe organs and the majestic sound they produce. On a whim I tried to learn details of the organ played by Rilling. No luck but I found that here in the SF Peninsula the Stanford Memorial Church is one of the few churches that has three different pipe organs, including the Katherine Potter-Brinegar Organ built by Paul Fritts in 1995 during restoration of the building following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. I have listened many times to the recording of Helmuth Rilling's performance. I went only once to a performance of the Katherine Potter-Brinegar organ at the Memorial Church. Cannot recall either the organist or the composers of the music! In 1957 Helmuth Rilling became music director at the Gedächtniskirche in Stuttgart, a position he still holds today. He is also a co-founder of the Oregon Bach Festival. \"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.\" ----Red Auerbach ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/bach-on-a-tuesday-morning/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003eOne thing leads to another\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/images/2004/11/Rilling-Helmuth-4.jpg\"/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHelmuth Rilling \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFoggy morning.  Listened to Bach's Organ Works performed by Helmuth Rilling.  It was the December 1974 recording made at the Gedachtniskirche, Stuttgart.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe album includes:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Toccata and Fugue BWV565\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Fugue BWV578\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Prelude and Fugue BWV544\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Fantasie and Fugue BWV542\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Passacaglia BWV582.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBach's choral music creates a sense of joy,sadness, and peace.  Rilling is a virtuoso of the large pipe organs and the majestic sound they produce.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOn a whim I tried to learn details of the organ played by Rilling.  No luck but I found that here in the SF Peninsula the Stanford Memorial Church is one of the few churches that has three different pipe organs, including the Katherine Potter-Brinegar Organ built by Paul Fritts in 1995 during restoration of the building following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI have listened many times to the recording of Helmuth Rilling's performance.  I went only once to a performance of the Katherine Potter-Brinegar organ at the Memorial Church.  Cannot recall either the organist or the composers of the music!  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn 1957 Helmuth Rilling became music director at the Gedächtniskirche in Stuttgart, a position he still holds today. He is also a co-founder of the Oregon Bach Festival.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Red Auerbach","title":"Bach on a Tuesday morning"},{"content":" The human cost of Operation Iraqi Freedom Death toll for U.S. soldiers nearing 1200. The number of wounded reported to be many times that figure. For some the wounds would mean living with pain and disability for the rest of their lives. A military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, is where injured American soldiers are being taken for treatment. Heard a soldier say during a CNN broadcast from Landstuhl that some of the insurgents fighting against them were as young as 14-15. Why are 14 year old Iraqis fighting against the U.S.? Why do they hate the presence of American soldiers ? Could it be possible that they are fighting because we destroyed their homes and killed their family members who were ordinary civilians? The civilian death toll is said to exceed 100,000! Why did we go there ? What is our objective ? Eventually,do we really want a \"free\" Iraq or Iraq under a puppet regime to ensure continued supply of oil and strengthen U.S. hegemony in the region ? Those who wish to learn more about what is going on and how the Iraqis feel, following blogs (posted from Baghdad by two students) would provide some answers: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/ http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/ Collateral damage (a cold and cruel phrase) A report dated 11/14/04 by Tini Tran of The Associated Press reads: \"........Marines continuing to search door-to-door, blowing the gates off houses with explosives. A bit of bright color stood out on one of the city's ubiquitous gray, rubble-ridden streets---a pink dress on the body of a small child crumpled next to the curb.\" The BBC reported body of a white woman being found wrapped in a blanket. Two women were known to be held as hostages by terrorists: Margaret Hassan, chief of CARE International in Iraq, and Teresa Borcz Khalifa, a Polish born journalist. The body cannot be identified without forensic tests. Another report on 11/13/04 from BBC reads: \"Aid agencies are increasingly concerned about Iraqi civilians trapped in the besieged rebel city of Falluja. \"There are more and more dead bodies on the streets and the stench is unbearable.\" \"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take Till he knows that too many people have died.\" ----Bob Dylan ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/falluja-mosul-ramadi-baquba-samarra-baghdad-and-so-on/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe human cost of Operation Iraqi Freedom\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eDeath toll for U.S. soldiers nearing 1200.  The number of wounded reported to be many times that figure. For some the wounds would mean living with pain and disability for the rest of their lives.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, is where injured American soldiers are being taken for treatment. Heard a soldier say during a CNN broadcast from Landstuhl that some of the insurgents fighting against them were as young as 14-15.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhy are 14 year old Iraqis fighting against the U.S.?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhy do they hate the presence of American soldiers ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eCould it be possible that they are fighting because we destroyed their homes and killed their family members who were ordinary civilians? The civilian death toll is said to exceed 100,000!\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhy did we go there ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhat is our objective ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eEventually,do we really want a \"free\" Iraq or Iraq under a puppet regime to ensure continued supply of oil and strengthen U.S. hegemony in the region ?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThose who wish to learn more about what is going on and how the Iraqis feel, following blogs (posted from Baghdad by two students) would provide some answers:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ehttp://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollateral damage (a cold and cruel phrase)\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA report dated 11/14/04 by Tini Tran of The Associated Press reads:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"........Marines continuing to search door-to-door, blowing the gates off houses with explosives. A bit of bright color stood out on one of the city's ubiquitous gray, rubble-ridden streets---a pink dress on the body of a small child crumpled next to the curb.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe BBC reported body of a white woman being found wrapped in a blanket. Two women were known to be held as hostages by terrorists: Margaret Hassan, chief of CARE International in Iraq, and Teresa Borcz Khalifa, a Polish born journalist. The body cannot be identified without forensic tests.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnother report on 11/13/04 from BBC reads: \"Aid agencies are increasingly concerned about Iraqi civilians trapped in the besieged rebel city of Falluja.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"There are more and more dead bodies on the streets and the stench is unbearable.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take \n\u003cbr/\u003eTill he knows that too many people have died.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Bob Dylan\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Falluja, Mosul, Ramadi, Baquba, Samarra, Baghdad, and so on"},{"content":" A friend from north of the border (St. Albert, Alberta) transmitted an image of the Northern Lights over their town. An amazing display. It revived memories of a trip north a few years ago when I went there to attend a wedding. A bright, young, vivacious Bengali woman married a bright, somewhat quiet, young man whose parents hailed from Croatia. After the ceremonies (in the local Catholic church, followed by Hindu rites with all the formalities and pagentry) and the dinner, the guests were cutting loose on the dance floor when someone announced that the Northern Lights were out. We rushed out for a look. For me it was the first time. We stood out in the cold to wonder at the show in the sky put up by mother nature. An aside: the bride's hands were decorated with mehendi too! The Fall colors in the San Francisco Peninsula have been much more vivid than in the past. The right attributes---temperature, rains, sun---clicked together to produce an unusual display. In my neighborhood we don't have too many maple trees. They can be found along the Foothill Expressway in Los Altos. Selby Lane, further north in Atherton, has some pretty Maple Trees. One has to travel to higher altitudes to find aspens, but the gingko and pistache trees are in their glory. The leaves of the gingko trees on my street have turned from yellow to gold, almost like aspen! The hues of the pistache leaves run the gamut from bright yellow and red to umber. Not going to last much longer but now the colors and the leaves are sights to admire. We are lucky. \"Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. Look at the flowers - for no reason. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.\" ---Osho ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/the-northern-lights-and-fall-colors---natures-phenomena/","summary":"A friend from north of the border (St. Albert, Alberta) transmitted an image of the Northern Lights over their town. An amazing display.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt revived memories of a trip north a few years ago when I went there to attend a wedding. A bright, young, vivacious Bengali woman married a bright, somewhat quiet, young man whose parents hailed from Croatia. After the ceremonies (in the local Catholic church, followed by Hindu rites with all the formalities and pagentry) and the dinner, the guests were cutting loose on the dance floor when someone announced that the Northern Lights were out. We rushed out for a look. For me it was the first time. We stood out in the cold to wonder at the show in the sky put up by mother nature.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAn aside:  the bride's hands were decorated with mehendi too!\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Fall colors in the San Francisco Peninsula have been much more vivid than in the past. The right attributes---temperature, rains, sun---clicked together to produce an unusual display. In my neighborhood we don't have too many maple trees. They can be found along the Foothill Expressway in Los Altos. Selby Lane, further north in Atherton, has some pretty Maple Trees. One has to travel to higher altitudes to find aspens, but the gingko and pistache trees are in their glory. The leaves of the gingko trees on my street have turned from yellow to gold, almost like aspen! The hues of the pistache leaves run the gamut from bright yellow and red to umber. Not going to last much longer but now the colors and the leaves are sights to admire. We are lucky.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. Look at the flowers - for no reason. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e---Osho\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"The Northern Lights and Fall Colors - Nature's Phenomena"},{"content":" I must admit that when I first read about this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature,the name Elfriede Jelinek---a 58 year old Austrian woman---meant nothing. I had not read any of her books. So many books, so little time; I have not read a lot of books that deserve attention.Among her works is \"Bambiland\" (2003), a play described as a denouncement of America's war against Iraq.Caught up in the pre-election blizzard of news, following the items about the presidential candidates and their positions took a lot of time. Elfriede Jelinek retired to a corner in the back of my mind. Then I happened to come across a video of the film \"The Piano Teacher\" (French, with sub-titles) by Michael Haneke. Watching Isabelle Huppert in the role of Erika Kohut, a sexually repressed, neurotic woman in her 30's,sharing an apartment with her domineering mother,on the verge of a precipice was a hard to forget experience. A fascinating film. I was revolted by some of the scenes, watching Erika in sado-masochistic rituals as she descended to the point of no return, yet, Huppert, by her superb acting, made me feel compassionate for Erika.After November 3rd, when I thought about books to read, Ms. Jelinek surfaced. My world had suffered a blow. Majority of Americans showed their preference for a reactionary president and his policies. Thought it was time to take a break from politics and enter the pitiless world created by Elfriede Jelinek. First on my list: Die Klavierspielerin (1983)---The Piano Teacher, translated by Joachim Neugroschel, is said to be a partly autobiographical novel. Might not feel the same way about the book as I did about the film but think that Jelinek is worth exploring.The Second Term of George W. Bush Many of us seem to be in denial, offering arguments that Bush does not have a \"mandate\". Face it. He has, he has. Backed by a Congress with larger majorities in both houses, he will continue to move the nation to the right. His core support groups expect it of him, and he has proven beyond any doubt his tenacity to stick to his positions. Be prepared for social and environmental issues to suffer set backs on the domestic front. On foreign policy matters he might be forced to give some ground in an effort for rapprochement with Europe.\"You ain't seen nothin' yet B-B-B-Baby, you just ain't seen nothin' yet\"----Bachman-Turner Overdrive ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/elfriede-jelineks-complex-world/","summary":"I must admit that when I first read about this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature,the name Elfriede Jelinek---a 58 year old Austrian woman---meant nothing.  I had not read any of her books. So many books, so little time; I have not read a lot of books that deserve attention.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAmong her works is \"Bambiland\" (2003), a play described as a denouncement of America's war against Iraq.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eCaught up in the pre-election blizzard of news, following the items about the presidential candidates and their positions took a lot of time.  Elfriede Jelinek retired to a corner in the back of my mind. Then I happened to come across a video of the film \"The Piano Teacher\" (French, with sub-titles) by Michael Haneke. Watching Isabelle Huppert in the role of Erika Kohut, a sexually repressed, neurotic woman in her 30's,sharing an apartment with her domineering mother,on the verge of a precipice was a hard to forget experience.  A fascinating film.  I was revolted by some of the scenes, watching Erika in sado-masochistic rituals as she descended to the point of no return, yet, Huppert, by her superb acting, made me feel compassionate for Erika.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAfter November 3rd, when I thought about books to read, Ms. Jelinek surfaced. My world had suffered a blow.  Majority of Americans showed their preference for a reactionary president and his policies.  Thought it was time to take a break from politics and enter the pitiless world created by Elfriede Jelinek. First on my list: Die Klavierspielerin (1983)---The Piano Teacher, translated by Joachim Neugroschel, is said to be a partly autobiographical novel.  Might not feel the same way about the book as I did about the film but think that Jelinek is worth exploring.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Second Term of George W. Bush\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eMany of us seem to be in denial, offering arguments that Bush does not have a \"mandate\".  Face it.  He has, he has.  Backed by a Congress with larger majorities in both houses, he will continue to move the nation to the right.  His core support groups expect it of him, and he has proven beyond any doubt his tenacity to stick to his positions.  Be prepared for social and environmental issues to suffer set backs on the domestic front.  On foreign policy matters he might be forced to give some ground in an effort for rapprochement with Europe.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"You ain't seen nothin' yet\u003cbr/\u003e B-B-B-Baby, you just ain't seen nothin' yet\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Bachman-Turner Overdrive","title":"Elfriede Jelinek's Complex World"},{"content":" Slouching towards fundamentalism. The message from voters could not be more clear. The majority did not give a hoot about real issues. They elected a hollow man to lead the nation for another four years. They remained blissfully oblivious of his lies and embraced him for his religious position. How could John Kerry, a Catholic, compete against that, especially when Catholic priests were exhorting their parishioners not to vote for any candidate who supports women's right to choose? And then there was fear of terrorism in the home land. Again, it was George Bush and his talk about god and America that resonated. In my October 30th post I wrote that Bush would win on electoal college votes. He was ahead on popular votes too. Although I expected a Bush victory, in the back of my mind there was a glimmer of hope that it would not be so. Late afternoon reports based on exit polls indicated that Kerry was in the lead in most of the states. I, like many others, felt optimistic. That feeling was soon overshadowed as my copy of the electoral map began to be dominated by the color red. Thought of the Sikh leader Ranjit Singh's comments when he looked at a map of the world during the hey-day of Rule Britannia: \"Saab laal ho jayega\"---All would become red. What do we do now ? Read about people who are talking about moving to Canada. I always thought highly of Canadians and today Canada looks even more attractive. But for most of us that is not a viable option. I am glad that I live in California, not in one of those \"red\" states. We are not going to roll over. The extremists are going to overplay their hand and there would be a backlash. Perhaps not in 2008 but it will happen. As people in progressive, vibrant societies move forward, Americans will wake up and question the direction taken by their regressive leaders. In the meantime, the glass of red wine in the evening still tastes good. There are trails to run and hike on; books, films, music, and good food to enjoy. I am not going to let the hypocrite in the White House and his supporters influence my mood. It was in Calcutta in the 1960's that I heard Pete Seeger sing \"We shall overcome\". A good song. Yes,we shall overcome. ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/post-election-ruminations-in-a-judeo-christian-land/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003eSlouching towards fundamentalism.\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe message from voters could not be more clear.  The majority did not give a hoot about real issues.  They elected a hollow man to lead the nation for another four years.  They remained blissfully oblivious of his lies and embraced him for his religious position.  How could John Kerry, a Catholic, compete against that, especially when Catholic priests were exhorting their parishioners not to vote for any candidate who supports women's right to choose?  And then there was fear of terrorism in the home land.  Again, it was George Bush and his talk about god and America that resonated.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn my October 30th post I wrote that Bush would win on electoal college votes.  He was ahead on popular votes too.  Although I expected a Bush victory, in the back of my mind there was a glimmer of hope that it would not be so.  Late afternoon reports based on exit polls indicated that Kerry was in the lead in most of the states. I, like many others, felt optimistic.  That feeling was soon overshadowed as my copy of the electoral map began to be dominated by the color red.  Thought of the Sikh leader Ranjit Singh's comments when he looked at a map of the world during the hey-day of Rule Britannia:  \"Saab laal ho jayega\"---All would become red. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhat do we do now ? Read about people who are talking about moving to Canada. I always thought highly of Canadians and today Canada looks even more attractive.  But for most of us that is not a viable option.  I am glad that I live in California, not in one of those \"red\" states.  We are not going to roll over.  The extremists are going to overplay their hand and there would be a backlash.  Perhaps not in 2008 but it will happen.  As people in progressive, vibrant societies move forward, Americans will wake up and question the direction taken by their regressive leaders.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIn the meantime, the glass of red wine in the evening still tastes good.  There are trails to run and hike on;  books, films, music, and good food to enjoy.  I am not going to let the hypocrite in the White House and his supporters influence my mood.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt was in Calcutta in the 1960's that I heard Pete Seeger sing \"We shall overcome\".\n\u003cbr/\u003eA good song. Yes,we shall overcome.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Post election ruminations in a Judeo-Christian Land"},{"content":" It is mid-afternoon on the Pacific Coast. Too early to arrive at any conclusion but after being up most of the morning there were significant drops in both the Dow and Nasdaq before the stock markets closed. The reason? Reports on the Internet that Kerry was ahead in key swing states! Reuters News Agency reported just past 3:40 EST that exit polls pointed to strong support for Kerry in Ohio and Florida. Good news indeed if the reports are true. In recent days we have been reading about the newly registered, first-time voters and the uncertainty about their positions. Apparently, the deluge of polls leading to November 2nd never really got a handle on this large block of voters. The pundits were flummoxed, or so it appears. I'm refraining from thinking about a Kerry Victory, but this is what I wrote in my October 7th post: \"Maybe, just maybe, the president is taking the gullibility of the voting public a bit too much for granted.\" We shall see. 4:40 PM Pacific Coast Polls in some states have closed and many others are approaching the deadline. The numbers are encouraging. Unexpectedly so. How I would love to see the swaggering, smirking hypocrite from Texas and his mean, rapacious gang depart from Washington. 9:05 PM Eastern Reports indicate Florida going to Bush. Bad for Kerry. He must win Pennsylvania,Wisconsin and Ohio. The polls closed in Ohio hours ago but results have not yet been announced. Pennsylvania voters split between supporters of gun rights and \"moral values\" (Bush) and those concerned with the war in Iraq and health care (Kerry). Although New Hampshire means only 4 electoral college votes, they are important if Bush and Kerry end up closely splitting the rest of the total. CNN's numbers based on exit polls show that more women voted for Kerry than for the president. This is contrary to recent polls which indicated strong support for Bush among women voters! 9:44 PM Eastern NBC reported problems with counting of absentee ballots in Florida. Repeat of 2000? It must not be allowed to happen. The talking heads are discussing Bush's support in the heartland. Former senator Bob Kerrey (Nebraska) commented about what the Democrats had to do to win in those states: Come out against abortion (women's right to choose). He said that the issue was too important for majority of Democrats to compromise on. 1:30 AM Eastern November 3, 2004 There is a saying \"It is not over till the Fat Lady sings\". Well, the Fat Lady has not sang yet but the announcement that Ohio has gone to Bush means that it is over. Postscript November 3, 2004 Shortly after 11:00 AM Eastern, John Kerry called President Bush to concede. Final count of Electoral College votes: Bush 254 Kerry 252. \"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\" ----Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne ","permalink":"/posts/2004/11/election-2004-am-november-2nd-am-november-3rd/","summary":"It is mid-afternoon on the Pacific Coast.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eToo early to arrive at any conclusion but after being up most of the morning there were significant drops in both the Dow and Nasdaq before the stock markets closed. The reason?  Reports on the Internet that Kerry was ahead in key swing states!  Reuters News Agency reported just past 3:40 EST that exit polls pointed to strong support for Kerry in Ohio and Florida. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eGood news indeed if the reports are true. In recent days we have been reading about the newly registered, first-time voters and the uncertainty about their positions.  Apparently, the deluge of polls leading to November 2nd never really got a handle on this large block of voters. The pundits were flummoxed, or so it appears.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI'm refraining from thinking about a Kerry Victory, but this is what I wrote in my October 7th post:  \u003cstrong\u003e\"Maybe, just maybe, the president is taking the gullibility of the voting public a bit too much for granted.\"\u003c/strong\u003e  We shall see.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4:40 PM Pacific Coast\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePolls in some states have closed and many others are approaching the deadline.  The numbers are encouraging. Unexpectedly so.  How I would love to see the swaggering, smirking hypocrite from Texas and his mean, rapacious gang depart from Washington.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e9:05 PM Eastern\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eReports indicate Florida going to Bush. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBad for Kerry. He must win Pennsylvania,Wisconsin and Ohio. The polls closed in Ohio hours ago but results have not yet been announced. Pennsylvania voters split between supporters of gun rights and \"moral values\" (Bush) and those concerned with the war in Iraq and health care (Kerry). Although New Hampshire means only 4 electoral college votes, they are important if Bush and Kerry end up closely splitting the rest of the total.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eCNN's numbers based on exit polls show that more women voted for Kerry than for the president.  This is contrary to recent polls which indicated strong support for Bush among women voters! \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e9:44 PM Eastern\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNBC reported problems with counting of absentee ballots in Florida. Repeat of 2000? It must not be allowed to happen.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe talking heads are discussing Bush's support in the heartland.  Former senator Bob Kerrey (Nebraska) commented about what the Democrats had to do to win in those states:  Come out against abortion (women's right to choose). He said that the issue was too important for majority of Democrats to compromise on. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1:30 AM Eastern November 3, 2004\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a saying \"It is not over till the Fat Lady sings\".  Well, the Fat Lady has not sang yet but the announcement that Ohio has gone to Bush means that it is over.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePostscript November 3, 2004\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eShortly after 11:00 AM Eastern, John Kerry called President Bush to concede.  Final count of Electoral College votes: Bush 254 Kerry 252. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"The will of the mass of the people must prevail.\" \n\u003cbr/\u003e----Alcuin (735-804),in a letter to Charlemagne","title":"Election 2004, AM November 2nd-AM November 3rd"},{"content":" Although some polls continue to show the race as a \"tie\", indications are that George W. Bush, pseudo cowboy from Crawford,TX, would win a second term on electoral college votes. The \"Compassion\" went out of the window soon after inaugration. His \"core support groups\" would be delighted at the prospect of receiving the bounties of his administration for four more years. They consist mainly of: The fearful. He has assiduously courted them since 9/11; they see terrorists lurking around corners and Bush as the protector. The jingoists. We are No.1 and we are always right. The patriots. Not all but some of them can be called \"jingoists\". Others might have some doubts but, in general, feel unable to believe that the president took the nation to war on lies. The Religious Right (includes pro-lifers and homophoebes): Have found a champion in the incumbent and, of course, wish to see him continue in his merry way to destroy the barrier between church and state. The high tax bracket crowd: They have been laughing their way to the bank and know that they will benefit in the second term regardless of the state of the economy. And, then, there is Mr. Nader. What the rest of us can look forward to from Bush's second term? More of what took place in the past four years but with added ferocity that will drive the agenda to deprive the Democrats of a voice and to lay the foundation of one-party rule. \"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.\" ----Bertrand Russell Fall and its rewards On a lighter vein, it was a gorgeous autumn day. The sky not quite crystal clear but it was blue; the sun shone brightly. Noticed that on one side of the street the leaves of the gingko trees have turned yellow, but on the other side they are still mostly green! Hiked at Saratoga Gap for four hours. A good, scenic trail. Would have been better without the mountain bikers but they have the right to be out on the trails just as we do. Most of them are considerate and careful about hikers. I was late with planting of bulbs (daffodil and iris). Hope they will emerge and bloom. \"I don't have to be anyone but me. I am blooming as I am in my life, just as a peony blooms on a peony tree. Further, a beautiful peony flower does not worry about when it will wilt and fall to the ground. It does not compete with the flower next to it; rather it blooms with its whole self. ----Sensie Ogui from \"Zen Shin Talks\" ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/halloween-2004---eek-return-of-the-compassionate-conservative/","summary":"Although some polls continue to show the race as a \"tie\", indications are that George W. Bush, pseudo cowboy from Crawford,TX, would win a second term on electoral college votes.  The \"Compassion\" went out of the window soon after inaugration.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHis \"core support groups\" would be delighted at the prospect of receiving the bounties of his administration for four more years. They consist mainly of:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe fearful. He has assiduously courted them since 9/11;  they see terrorists lurking around corners and Bush as the protector.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe jingoists. We are No.1 and we are always right. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe patriots. Not all but some of them can be called \"jingoists\". Others might have some doubts but, in general, feel unable to believe that the president took the nation to war on lies.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Religious Right (includes pro-lifers and homophoebes):  Have found a champion in the incumbent and, of course, wish to see him continue in his merry way to destroy the barrier between church and state.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe high tax bracket crowd:  They have been laughing their way to the bank and know that they will benefit in the second term regardless of the state of the economy.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAnd, then, there is Mr. Nader. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWhat the rest of us can look forward to from Bush's second term? More of what took\n\u003cbr/\u003eplace in the past four years but with added ferocity that will drive the agenda to deprive the Democrats of a voice and to lay the foundation of one-party rule.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Bertrand Russell  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFall and its rewards\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOn a lighter vein, it was a gorgeous autumn day.  The sky not quite crystal clear but\n\u003cbr/\u003eit was blue; the sun shone brightly.  Noticed that on one side of the street the leaves of the gingko trees have turned yellow, but on the other side they are still mostly green!  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHiked at Saratoga Gap for four hours.  A good, scenic trail.  Would have been better\n\u003cbr/\u003ewithout the mountain bikers but they have the right to be out on the trails just as we do.  Most of them are considerate and careful about hikers.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eI was late with planting of bulbs (daffodil and iris).  Hope they will emerge and bloom.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"I don't have to be anyone but me.\n\u003cbr/\u003eI am blooming as I am in my life, just as\n\u003cbr/\u003ea peony blooms on a peony tree.\n\u003cbr/\u003eFurther, a beautiful peony flower does not\n\u003cbr/\u003eworry about when it will wilt and fall to the ground.\n\u003cbr/\u003eIt does not compete with the flower next to it;\n\u003cbr/\u003erather it blooms with its whole self.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Sensie Ogui\n\u003cbr/\u003efrom \"Zen Shin Talks\"","title":"Halloween 2004 - Eek!  Return of the Compassionate Conservative"},{"content":" It is a military operation, but freedom and Iraqis have very little to do with it. The respected British medical journal, \"Lancet\" has published results of a study according to which the toll from coalition forces' actions in Iraq have led to more than 100,000 deaths. The number dwarfs previous estimates which ranged between 10,000 and 37,000. The Lancet claims that the findings are convincing. Furthermore, a high number of individuals killed were women and children. \"Air strikes from coalition forces accounted for most of the violent deaths.\" BBC's report about the Lancet study can be read at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3962969.stm How do we justify this, and what is the difference between what happened during Saddam Hussein's regime and what has taken place in George Bush's war? Majority of Americans remain strangely unaffected by this. They go about as if the deaths of Iraqi civilians do not matter. Many of them continue to believe George Bush's lie that Iraq was involved in the attacks on 9/11 and, perhaps, in their minds that justifies the killing of civilians in Iraq. One person and his cabal of neo-conservatives have dragged us down a slippery slope to infamy; brought dishonor to our great country and are making it bankrupt in the process. \"Democratic imperalism has led to more deaths not fewer.\" ----Richard Horton, Editor of The Lancet Election 2004 (November 2nd) Four days before the presidential election. A momentous event in our nation's history because so much depends on the outcome----whether we continue to be under George Bush's divisive,narrowly focused, agenda-driven policies on all fronts, domestic and foreign, or change direction and pursue a more balanced path. Emotions on both sides are at a high pitch and legitimate issues facing us often getting lost in the avalanche of accusations by the candidates and misleading advertisements dominating the air waves. If one pauses to consider the records of the past four years the choice becomes clear cut. John Kerry might not make a great president but he cannot be worse than the incumbent even if he tries. \"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.\" ----Elizabeth Kubler Ross ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/casualties-of-war---operation-iraqi-freedom/","summary":"It is a military operation, but freedom and Iraqis have very little to do with it.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe respected British medical journal, \"Lancet\" has published results of a study according to which the toll from coalition forces' actions in Iraq have led to more than 100,000 deaths.  The number dwarfs previous estimates which ranged between 10,000 and 37,000.  The Lancet claims that the findings are convincing.  Furthermore, a high number of individuals killed were women and children.  \"Air strikes from coalition forces accounted for most of the violent deaths.\"  BBC's report about the Lancet study can be read at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3962969.stm\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHow do we justify this, and what is the difference between what happened during Saddam Hussein's regime and what has taken place in George Bush's war?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMajority of Americans remain strangely unaffected by this.  They go about as if the deaths of Iraqi civilians do not matter.  Many of them continue to believe George Bush's lie that Iraq was involved in the attacks on 9/11 and, perhaps, in their minds that justifies the killing of civilians in Iraq.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eOne person and his cabal of neo-conservatives have dragged us down a slippery slope to infamy; brought dishonor to our great country and are making it bankrupt in the process.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Democratic imperalism has led to more deaths not fewer.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Richard Horton, Editor of The Lancet\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElection 2004 (November 2nd)\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFour days before the presidential election. A momentous event in our nation's history because so much depends on the outcome----whether we continue to be under George Bush's divisive,narrowly focused, agenda-driven policies on all fronts, domestic and foreign, or change direction and pursue a more balanced path. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eEmotions on both sides are at a high pitch and legitimate issues facing us often\n\u003cbr/\u003egetting lost in the avalanche of accusations by the candidates and misleading advertisements dominating the air waves.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIf one pauses to consider the records of the past four years the choice becomes clear cut. John Kerry might not make a great president but he cannot be worse than the incumbent even if he tries.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Elizabeth Kubler Ross\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Casualties of War - Operation Iraqi Freedom"},{"content":" One wonders about the terrorists who are holding Margaret Hassan as a pawn against their demands which are not likely to be or cannot be met. Are they dumb or just plain fanatics, blinded by hatred? Margaret Hassan served Iraq and the Iraqis long before President Bush launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. What a name for an unjustified war based on lies and deceptions! Talk about fanatics. Mrs. Hassan, the chief of Care International's operations in Iraq, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and has lived in Iraq for 30 years. Considering what the terrorists did to other hostages, we must face the possibility that she would meet the same gruesome fate. Would that bring the terrorists more support or earn them respect? Perhaps only in a very limited circle...among their own. The Schiavo case continues. On October 21st the Florida Supreme Court declined to hear Governor Jeb Bush's request to reconsider its decision against a state law created solely to prevent withdrawal of life support from a brain-damaged women described by medical authorities as being in a \"permanent vegetative state for 14 years\". The right to lifers have not given up. The next act could very well be played out in the nation's Supreme Court. Two women in completely different situations. Yet there are similarities. The mind sets of the terrorists in Iraq and the opponents of Right-to-Die in America who want to keep a brain-dead Terri Schiavo hooked up to tubes are not that far apart. \"A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts of the case.\" ----Finley Peter Dunne (1867-1936) Election 2000 (November 2nd) Just 10 more days to go but the announcement of the winner could conceivably take many more days.Legal battles, as in 2000, are possible. While the candidates are doing their thing, the media continue to report instances of wide-scale fraud in the electoral process. It is not a new phenomenon but the degree of it is alarming in its scope. In the past,Democrats have done their share of manipulating lists of voters. However, the feral intensity with which the Republicans are engaged in disenfranchising large blocks of voters is unprecedented. It is a brutal display of \"win at any cost\" policy that cannot be matched by the Democrats. When it comes to dirty tricks, the Republicans wrote the book on it. \"Fraud is the ready minister of injustice.\" ----Edmund Burke (1729-1797) A new book by John Updike The Washington Post's magazine section(October 24) contains a review of Updike's \"Villages\",his 21st book. Should be worth reading. Few can describe the nuances of interactions between men and women against a backdrop of small town America as Updike can. \"We are most alive when we are in love.\" ----John Updike (1932) ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/two-women----margaret-hassan-and-terri-schiavo/","summary":"One wonders about the terrorists who are holding Margaret Hassan as a pawn against their demands which are not likely to be or cannot be met. Are they dumb or just plain fanatics, blinded by hatred?  Margaret Hassan served Iraq and the Iraqis long before President Bush launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. What a name for an unjustified war based on lies and deceptions! Talk about fanatics.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMrs. Hassan, the chief of Care International's operations in Iraq, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and has lived in Iraq for 30 years. Considering what the terrorists did to other hostages, we must face the possibility that she would meet the same gruesome fate.  Would that bring the terrorists more support or earn them respect?  Perhaps only in a very limited circle...among their own.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Schiavo case continues.  On October 21st the Florida Supreme Court declined to hear Governor Jeb Bush's request to reconsider its decision against a state law created solely to prevent withdrawal of life support from a brain-damaged women described by medical authorities as being in a \"permanent vegetative state for 14 years\".  The right to lifers have not given up.  The next act could very well be played out in the nation's Supreme Court. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTwo women in completely different situations.  Yet there are similarities.  The mind sets of the terrorists in Iraq and the opponents of Right-to-Die in America who want to keep a brain-dead Terri Schiavo hooked up to tubes are not that far apart. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts of the case.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Finley Peter Dunne (1867-1936)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElection 2000 (November 2nd)\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eJust 10 more days to go but the announcement of the winner could conceivably take many more days.Legal battles, as in 2000, are possible.  While the candidates are doing their thing, the media continue to report instances of wide-scale fraud in \n\u003cbr/\u003ethe electoral process. It is not a new phenomenon but the degree of it is alarming \n\u003cbr/\u003ein its scope. In the past,Democrats have done their share of manipulating lists of voters.  However, the feral intensity with which the Republicans are engaged in disenfranchising large blocks of voters is unprecedented.  It is a brutal display of \"win at any cost\" policy that cannot be matched by the Democrats.  When it comes to dirty tricks, the Republicans wrote the book on it. \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"Fraud is the ready minister of injustice.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Edmund Burke (1729-1797)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA new book by John Updike\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Washington Post's magazine section(October 24) contains a review of Updike's \"Villages\",his 21st book. Should be worth reading. Few can describe the nuances of interactions between men and women against a backdrop of small town America as Updike can.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"We are most alive when we are in love.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----John Updike (1932)","title":"Two Women -- Margaret Hassan and Terri Schiavo"},{"content":" Re: Odds and Ends, the original title of my blog Liked the title but I found more than 200,000 \"Odds and Ends\" in Yahoo's list of blogs! So,to avoid being lost in the vast ocean of \"Odds and Ends\", I decided to change the title. I hope that those of you who had been reading my posts in \"Odds and Ends\" would continue to follow my musings. Musafir means pilgirm or traveler. A pilgrim I am not, but I have seen quite a bit of the world. Used \"musafir\" as one of my e-mail IDs for many years. As a traveler I found more pleasure in people, customs, and foods of the countries I visited than in monuments and such. In other words, a glorious past and its relics had their place but I did not consider them to be more interesting, or important, than the present age. The following explains my feelings. \"To see the world. To meet people other than my own.\" ----Gavin Young,Slow Boats to China The rains The first major storm of the season arrived last night.The weather forecasters were right about this one. Woke up to the sound of howling wind and heavy rain.The gingko trees on my street lost some leaves. It would not be long before the foothills begin to look green. The fire season is over. \"The winds that blow-- ask them,which leaf of the tree will be next to go!\" ----Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson) Election 2004 (November 2nd) Fourteen more days to go. So many different polls and comments by pundits. Bush ahead by 4% Bush and Kerry in dead heat Too close to all The polling procedures and systems are not uniform, and are vulnerable to manipulations. The reports about the possibility of frauds are especially disturbing. One scenario mentioned a tie in Electoral College count and the winner being nominated by the Speaker and Majority Leader of the House----Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Tom DeLay of Texas!!! Just the thought of it makes me want to puke. When the framers of our magnificent Constitution included this provision they couldn't foresee the situation that exists today. A perfect example of 'ad absurdum' (to the point of absurdity). Are we going to re-live the experience of the 2000 Presidential Election, or worse? \"When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken.\" ----Benjamin Disraeli ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/musafirs-musings/","summary":"\u003cstrong\u003eRe: Odds and Ends, the original title of my blog\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLiked the title but I found more than 200,000 \"Odds and Ends\" in Yahoo's list of blogs! So,to avoid being lost in the vast ocean of \"Odds and Ends\", I decided to change the title. I hope that those of you who had been reading my posts in \"Odds and Ends\" would continue to follow my musings.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMusafir means pilgirm or traveler. A pilgrim I am not, but I have seen quite a bit of the world.  Used \"musafir\" as one of my e-mail IDs for many years. As a traveler I found more pleasure in people, customs, and foods of the countries I visited than in monuments and such.  In other words, a glorious past and its relics had their place but I did not consider them to be more interesting, or important, than the present age.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe following explains my feelings.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"To see the world.  To meet people other than my own.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Gavin Young,Slow Boats to China \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe rains\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe first major storm of the season arrived last night.The weather forecasters were right about this one. Woke up to the sound of howling wind and heavy rain.The gingko trees on my street lost some leaves. It would not be long before the foothills begin to look green.  The fire season is over.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"The winds that blow-- \n\u003cbr/\u003e ask them,which leaf of the tree\n\u003cbr/\u003e will be next to go!\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElection 2004 (November 2nd)\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eFourteen more days to go.  So many different polls and comments by pundits.  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Bush ahead by 4%\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Bush and Kerry in dead heat\n\u003cbr/\u003e    Too close to all  \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe polling procedures and systems are not uniform, and are vulnerable to manipulations. The reports about the possibility of frauds are especially disturbing. One scenario mentioned a tie in Electoral College count and the winner being nominated by the Speaker and Majority Leader of the House----Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Tom DeLay of Texas!!! Just the thought of it makes me want to puke. When the framers of our magnificent Constitution included this provision they couldn't foresee the situation that exists today.  A perfect example of 'ad absurdum' (to the point of absurdity). Are we going to re-live the experience of the 2000 Presidential Election, or worse?   \n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Benjamin Disraeli\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Musafir's Musings"},{"content":" Again, the consensus was that Kerry was the winner of the third (and final) debate on October 13th. No surprise. After scowling, sighing, and displaying petulance in the first debate, Bush appeared with what seemed like a grin (smirk) frozen on his face. According to reports, he was coached to appear affable no matter what.Yet, most of the polls continue to show Bush in the lead in the presidential race.One reason for Bush's lead is support from women voters! I don't personally know any woman who is going to vote for Bush but they must be out there somewhere. The reason for their pro-Bush position----he is perceived as the more strong leader in protecting them (and the country) from terrorism! Following the tragic events of 9/11, Team Bush recognized this fear in a large segment of Americans and did all they could to keep fanning the fire.It has paid off for George Bush. Despite the exposure of lies; lies for which almost 1,100 American soldiers have paid with their lives; and high cost ($120 billion and mounting), President Bush is considered to be dependable!\"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security.\"----Benjamin FranklinBill Clinton's \"My Life\"I am about halfway through the book.Cannot help thinking about the difference between Bill Clinton and the elected politicians now in power in Washington. The book gives a fascinating look at how the political process works.President Clinton's Achilles' Heel was his failure to control his libido. He displayed bad taste and judgment in diddling with Ms. Lewinsky. And, his administration was far from squeaky clean. Quid pro quo is built into our system of government. Ideally, government should be attentive to their needs but not influenced by corporations. Unfortunately, in the real world, that kind of government is unattainable. Campaign contribution and its insidious effect is a fact of life. An intellectual giant, Bill Clinton possessed the knowledge and ability to negotiate the labyrinths of legislative process; absolutely essential for a president to succeed. His cabinet was staffed by bright men and women who believed in his vision of an America in which it was not only the rich got richer. Unlike George Bush, he did not pay lip service to the \"have nots\"; he spent time and efforts to help them move up. This, of course, is anathema to the rabid promoters of free market economy who see nothing wrong with creating tax loopholes for the very wealthy but cry \"foul\" every time there is a move afoot to raise the minimum wage.Historians will not forgive (or should I say not be allowed to forgive) the Lewinski episode when reviewing the presidency of William Jefferson Clinton. But those eight years were full of hope, promise, and quite a few accomplishments. \"Hypocrisy is the homage which vice renders to virtue\"----Francois Duc de la RochefoucaldIraq TodayHorrendous incidents are still taking place on a daily basis. We are losing soldiers caught in an unjust war. Many more Iraqi civilians, including women and children, are dying and possibly providing the incentive for others to become \"insurgents\". Our media give prominence to discovery of mass graves of Kurds killed during Saddam Hussein's regime, but news about Iraqi civilian casualties in our war against the insurgents is hard to find. It is a vicious circle. The leaders, as usual, are doing what they do best---issuing platitudes.\"VIOLENCE can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by VIOLENCE. Any man who has once proclaimed VIOLENCE as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle.\"----Alexander Solzhenitsyn ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/election-2004-november-2nd---the-third-debate-and-women-voters/","summary":"Again, the consensus was that Kerry was the winner of the third (and final) debate on October 13th.  No surprise.  After scowling, sighing, and displaying petulance in the first debate, Bush appeared with what seemed like a grin (smirk) frozen on his face.  According to reports, he was coached to appear affable no matter what.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eYet, most of the polls continue to show Bush in the lead in the presidential race.One reason for Bush's lead is support from women voters!  I don't personally know any woman who is going to vote for Bush but they must be out there somewhere.  The reason for their pro-Bush position----he is perceived as the more strong leader in protecting them (and the country) from terrorism!  Following the tragic events of 9/11, Team Bush recognized this fear in a large segment of Americans and did all they could to keep fanning the fire.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIt has paid off for George Bush.  Despite the exposure of lies; lies for which almost 1,100 American soldiers have paid with their lives; and high cost ($120 billion and mounting), President Bush is considered to be dependable!\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Benjamin Franklin\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBill Clinton's \"My Life\"\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eI am about halfway through the book.Cannot help thinking about the difference between Bill Clinton and the elected politicians now in power in Washington. The book gives a fascinating look at how the political process works.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Clinton's Achilles' Heel was his failure to control his libido. He displayed bad taste and judgment in diddling with Ms. Lewinsky.  And, his administration was far from squeaky clean.  Quid pro quo is built into our system of government.  Ideally, government should be attentive to their needs but not influenced by corporations.  Unfortunately, in the real world, that kind of government is unattainable.  Campaign contribution and its insidious effect is a fact of life. An intellectual giant, Bill Clinton possessed the knowledge and ability to negotiate the labyrinths of legislative process;  absolutely essential for a president to succeed.  His cabinet was staffed by bright men and women who believed in his vision of an America in which it was not only the rich got richer.  Unlike George Bush, he did not pay lip service to the \"have nots\"; he spent time and efforts to help them move up.  This, of course, is anathema to the rabid promoters of free market economy who see nothing wrong with creating tax loopholes for the very wealthy but cry \"foul\" every time there is a move afoot to raise the minimum wage.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHistorians will not forgive (or should I say not be allowed to forgive) the Lewinski episode when reviewing the presidency of William Jefferson Clinton.  But those eight years were full of hope, promise, and quite a few accomplishments.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e\"Hypocrisy is the homage which vice renders to virtue\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Francois Duc de la Rochefoucald\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIraq Today\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHorrendous incidents are still taking place on a daily basis.  We are losing soldiers caught in an unjust war.  Many more Iraqi civilians, including women and children, are dying and possibly providing the incentive for others to become \"insurgents\". Our media give prominence to discovery of mass graves of Kurds killed during Saddam Hussein's regime, but news about Iraqi civilian casualties in our war against the insurgents is hard to find. It is a vicious circle.  The leaders, as usual, are doing what they do best---issuing platitudes.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"VIOLENCE can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by VIOLENCE. Any man who has once proclaimed VIOLENCE as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle.\"\u003cbr/\u003e----Alexander Solzhenitsyn \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e","title":"Election 2004 (November 2nd) - The Third Debate and Women Voters"},{"content":" Before the rains begin in earnest is a good time in the year for those who like to run and hike on trails. We, in the San Francisco Bay area, are fortunate to have access to many such trails within a short drive or, for some lucky ones, easy walking distance. Trails abound in North, South and East bay. My experience is primarily limited to South Bay and Mid-Peninsula. These are some that I like: Wűnderlich Huddert Park Phleger Estate Coal Mine Creek Windy Hill Purisima Creek Redwoods Black Mountain Montebello Russian Ridge Montara Mountain Stevens Creek Canyon Saratoga Gap Rancho San Antonio Foothills Park (restricted access, open only to Palo Alto residents) Quite a few of the preserves are managed by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). This organization has done an outstanding job in protecting vast areas from developers and making them accessible, without charging entrance fee, to lovers of nature and outdoor activities. Parks that fall under the jurisdiction of county authorities (Santa Clara and San Mateo) require payment of entrance fee for those who drive in. The preserves have trails that are fairly easy to follow and do not require too much effort, as well as those that are demanding. The views are great; good picnic spots are plentiful. Take advantage of them. Good for one's body---and spirits. The MROSD web site http://www.openspace.org/ contains details about the preserves managed by the organization, including maps and docent-led walks. \"The falling leaves fall and pile up; the rain beats on the rain.\" ----Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson) Election 2004 (November 2nd) 23 days before the election. A few months back it looked as though John Kerry had a chance of beating President Bush. Then in September, following the Republican Convention, the polls reflected a spurt in the rating for Bush. Kerry's prospects appeared dismal. Now,after the two debates, there is again a glimmer....a faint glimmer of hope. Although the Republicans are trying to put a spin on it, the Duelfer report was bad news for the president. On October 6th his handpicked head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer, released the report of his findings. In a nutshell, there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD, and there were no active facilities in Iraq to manufacture WMD. The Bush administration's lies came home to roost. The exposure of the lies and Bush's weakness in the debates reversed the tide against John Kerry. Without a teleprompter the president gets tense and it shows. That brings up the matter of the \"mysterious bulge\". In the first debate, TV cameras (Fox News) caught Bush from the back when he was standing hunched over the podium. The presence of a square object under his suit jacket was quite noticeable. What was it---some kind of electronic device that was prompting him? The White House is staying mum. Indications are that John Kerry could win more popular votes than Bush as Al Gore did in 2000. The Electoral college is something else. There, too, the projections are tightening. The president must be sweating for news of Osama bin Laden's capture. Would Musharraf be able to deliver before November 2nd? \"Three Witches: Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air. Macbeth: False face must hide what false heart doth know.\" ----Wm. Shakespeare ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/fall-is-here-and-the-trails-are-beckoning/","summary":"Before the rains begin in earnest is a good time in the year for those who like to run and hike on trails.  We, in the San Francisco Bay area, are fortunate to have access to many such trails within a short drive or, for some lucky ones, easy walking distance.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTrails abound in North, South and East bay.  My experience is primarily limited to South Bay and Mid-Peninsula.  These are some that I like:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eWűnderlich\n\u003cbr/\u003eHuddert Park\n\u003cbr/\u003ePhleger Estate\n\u003cbr/\u003eCoal Mine Creek\n\u003cbr/\u003eWindy Hill\n\u003cbr/\u003ePurisima Creek Redwoods\n\u003cbr/\u003eBlack Mountain\n\u003cbr/\u003eMontebello\n\u003cbr/\u003eRussian Ridge\n\u003cbr/\u003eMontara Mountain\n\u003cbr/\u003eStevens Creek Canyon\n\u003cbr/\u003eSaratoga Gap\n\u003cbr/\u003eRancho San Antonio\n\u003cbr/\u003eFoothills Park (restricted access, open only to Palo Alto residents)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eQuite a few of the preserves are managed by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD).  This organization has done an outstanding job in protecting vast areas from developers and making them accessible, without charging entrance fee, to lovers of nature and outdoor activities.  Parks that fall under the jurisdiction of county authorities (Santa Clara and San Mateo) require payment of entrance fee for those who drive in.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe preserves have trails that are fairly easy to follow and do not require too much effort, as well as those that are demanding.  The views are great; good picnic spots are plentiful.  Take advantage of them.  Good for one's body---and spirits.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe MROSD web site http://www.openspace.org/ contains details about the preserves\n\u003cbr/\u003emanaged by the organization, including maps and docent-led walks.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"The falling leaves fall and pile up;\n\u003cbr/\u003e the rain beats on the rain.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson)\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElection 2004 (November 2nd)\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e23 days before the election.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA few months back it looked as though John Kerry had a chance of beating President Bush.  Then in September, following the Republican Convention, the polls reflected a spurt in the rating for Bush.  Kerry's prospects appeared dismal. Now,after   the two debates, there is again a glimmer....a faint glimmer of hope.  Although the Republicans are trying to put a spin on it, the Duelfer report was bad news for the president.  On October 6th his handpicked head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer, released the report of his findings.  In a nutshell, there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed\n\u003cbr/\u003eWMD, and there were no active facilities in Iraq to manufacture WMD.  The Bush administration's lies came home to roost.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe exposure of the lies and Bush's weakness in the debates reversed the tide against John Kerry. Without a teleprompter the president gets tense and it shows.  That brings up the matter of the \"mysterious bulge\".  In the first debate, TV cameras (Fox News) caught Bush from the back when he was standing hunched over the podium.  The presence of a square object under his suit jacket was quite noticeable.  What was it---some kind of electronic device that was prompting him?  The White House is staying mum.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eIndications are that John Kerry could win more popular votes than Bush as Al Gore did in 2000. The Electoral college is something else. There, too, the projections are tightening.\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe president must be sweating for news of Osama bin Laden's\n\u003cbr/\u003ecapture. Would Musharraf be able to deliver before November 2nd?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Three Witches:  Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.\n\u003cbr/\u003eMacbeth: False face must hide what false heart doth know.\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Wm. Shakespeare\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Fall is here and the trails are beckoning"},{"content":" Amazing, now that the truth is out about the case for taking the nation to war, the president and his aides have almost seamlesslessly switched to another tack. Among the reasons given to justify the war: ***Saddam Hussein was involved in the attacks of 9/11 ***Saddam and Osama bin Laden were in cahoots with each other ***Iraq tried to buy high-strength aluminium tubes for developing nuclear weapons ***Possession of documents that showed that Iraq tried to import uranium from Niger ***Two trailers found in Iraq were mobile biological laboratories ***Iraq possessed enough dangerous material to kill the entire population of the world All of the above have been exposed as lies. What is the latest rationale for war being offered by Bush and his cohorts? Abuses in Iraq's Oil-for-Food program! Now I have heard it all, or have I. Team Bush is so adept at lying that it will continue to float balloons to divert attention and make the most of the \"fear factor\". Are the voters, especially those who have family members serving in Iraq and those who have lost loved ones in Bush's war, going to swallow the lies. No doubt some would. The facts that close to 1,100 soldiers have given their lives,billions of dollars lost, and thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians have been killed, mean nothing to them. Apathy, ignorance, or just denial? Maybe, just maybe, the president is taking the gullibility of the voting public a bit too much for granted. Re-election of George Bush would be the biggest con job pulled on the American people in the history of our republic. God, Stars \u0026amp; Stripes and Politicians Last week was a busy one for the Republican led House and Senate. The 108th Congress is winding down. How did the elected legislators spend their time? They were engaged in protecting the Pledge of Allegiance and repealing gun ban in Washington,DC. And what is the Senate, under Bill Frist, pursuing this week? A ban on flag desecration. We must be asleep not to be aware of the danger being faced by our national flag. “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.” ----Alice In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/president-bush-iraq-and-the-fine-art-of-lying/","summary":"Amazing, now that the truth is out about the case for taking the nation to war, the president and his aides have almost seamlesslessly switched to another tack.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the reasons given to justify the war:\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Saddam Hussein was involved in the attacks of 9/11\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Saddam and Osama bin Laden were in cahoots with each other\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Iraq tried to buy high-strength aluminium tubes for developing nuclear weapons\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Possession of documents that showed that Iraq tried to import uranium from Niger\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Two trailers found in Iraq were mobile biological laboratories\n\u003cbr/\u003e***Iraq possessed enough dangerous material to kill the entire population of the world\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAll of the above have been exposed as lies. What is the latest rationale for war being offered by Bush and his cohorts? Abuses in Iraq's Oil-for-Food program!\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eNow I have heard it all, or have I.  Team Bush is so adept at lying that it will continue to float balloons to divert attention and make the most of the \"fear factor\". Are the voters, especially those who have family members serving in Iraq and those who have lost loved ones in Bush's war, going to swallow the lies.  No doubt some would. The facts that close to 1,100 soldiers have given their lives,billions of dollars lost, and thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians have been killed, mean nothing to them. Apathy, ignorance, or just denial?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eMaybe, just maybe, the president is taking the gullibility of the voting public a bit too much for granted.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eRe-election of George Bush would be the biggest con job pulled on the American people in the history of our republic.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGod, Stars \u0026amp; Stripes and Politicians\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eLast week was a busy one for the Republican led House and Senate. The 108th Congress is winding down.  How did the elected legislators spend their time?  They were engaged in protecting the Pledge of Allegiance and repealing gun ban in Washington,DC.  And what is the Senate, under Bill Frist, pursuing this week?  A ban on flag desecration.  We must be asleep not to be aware of the danger being faced by our national flag.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.” \n\u003cbr/\u003e----Alice In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"President  Bush, Iraq,  and the fine art of lying"},{"content":" I wrote in my first post (September 24th) about the Terri Schiavo case and the decision by the Florida Supreme Court to permit withdrawal of her life support system.Schiavo has been in a \"persistent vegetative state\" after suffering brain damage 14 years ago. Her doctors recommended withdrawl of life support system and her husband, Michael Schiavo, agreed. Her parents went to court to prevent her husband to act, and Governor Jeb Bush of Florida pushed through legislation (Terri's Law or, perhaps more appropriately, Bush's Law) in support of Schiavo's parents.In an unanimous decision, on September 29th the Florida Supreme Court ruled Terri's Law invalid. Today Governor Jeb Bush filed a motion for rehearing of the case.Governor Bush certainly has the right to his opinion,but his overzealous intervention in what is essentially a private matter makes one wonder if this, too, is part of election year politics----that his action is intended to garner support from the \"religious right\". The Bush Administration's view on this issue has been clearly demonstrated by the efforts to nullify Oregon's Death with Dignity Act which became law in 1997 after Oregonians voted in favor of the legislation by a margin of 60:40, an overwhelming majority. Attorney General Ashcroft failed in his first attempt but he is not done yet. This issue is bound to resurface if George Bush is re-elected.With all the strife and turmoils in different parts of the universe, I am glad to be here. I savour what I find in my daily life. Small things---the blooming of flowers in my pocket-size garden, good books, wine, simple but flavorful food, music, movies, running and hiking on trails, the company of my family and friends---give me pleasure.However, if and when I find myself in a state Terri Schiavo is in I would not wish to live for even one minute hooked up to tubes. I have executed a living will and my children are aware of my position. I do not want a doddering old man in Rome or Jeb Bush and John Ashcroft to have any control whatsoever over the end of my life.\"And should anyone ask you \"Who are you?\",you reply \"Who---I? I am nobody\", as Ulysses once muttered to Polyphemus\".----Joseph Brodsky ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/the-terri-schiavo-case-and-thoughts-about-life---and-death/","summary":"I wrote in my first post (September 24th) about the Terri Schiavo case and the decision by the Florida Supreme Court to permit withdrawal of her life support system.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSchiavo has been in a \"persistent vegetative state\" after suffering brain damage 14 years ago. Her doctors recommended withdrawl of life support system and her husband, Michael Schiavo, agreed. Her parents went to court to prevent her husband to act, and Governor Jeb Bush of Florida pushed through legislation (Terri's Law or, perhaps more appropriately, Bush's Law) in support of Schiavo's parents.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn an unanimous decision, on September 29th the Florida Supreme Court ruled Terri's Law invalid. Today Governor Jeb Bush filed a motion for rehearing of the case.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGovernor Bush certainly has the right to his opinion,but his overzealous intervention in what is essentially a private matter makes one wonder if this, too, is part of election year politics----that his action is intended to garner support from the \"religious right\". The Bush Administration's view on this issue has been clearly demonstrated by the efforts to nullify Oregon's Death with Dignity Act which became law in 1997 after Oregonians voted in favor of the legislation by a margin of 60:40, an overwhelming majority. Attorney General Ashcroft failed in his first attempt but he is not done yet. This issue is bound to resurface if George Bush is re-elected.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eWith all the strife and turmoils in different parts of the universe, I am glad to be here. I savour what I find in my daily life. Small things---the blooming of flowers in my pocket-size garden, good books, wine, simple but flavorful food, music, movies, running and hiking on trails, the company of my family and friends---give me pleasure.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, if and when I find myself in a state Terri Schiavo is in I would not wish to live for even one minute hooked up to tubes. I have executed a living will and my children are aware of my position. I do not want a doddering old man in Rome or Jeb Bush and John Ashcroft to have any control whatsoever over the end of my life.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"And should anyone ask you \"Who are you?\",you reply \"Who---I? I am nobody\", as Ulysses once muttered to Polyphemus\".\u003cbr/\u003e----Joseph Brodsky","title":"The Terri  Schiavo case and thoughts about life---and death"},{"content":" French film makers have a knack of producing low budget movies (just a few characters; no expensive sets, car chases and explosions) that are gems. Patrice Leconte's 2004 film \"Intimate Strangers\" is one of them. It is still being shown in a few local theaters and should be available in video later this year.Chalmers Johnson's \"Blowback\", The Costs and Consequences of American Empire, was timely when it appeared in print in 2000. Mr. Johnson, president of the Japan Policy Institute, narrated the impact of our arrogant, shortsighted foreign policy and its effects. The situation has worsened in the past two years due to Bush's war in Iraq and the apparent lack of interest in taking a proactive role in negotiating a settlement between Israel and Palestine. Incidents of terrorism have gone up exponentially; the resentment toward the United States is no longer confined to the Middle East and followers of Islam.Quotations from the book.1) The term \"Blowback\" which officials of the Central Intelligence Agency first invented for their own internal use, is starting to circulate among students of international relations. It refers to the unintended consequences of policies that were kept secret from the American people. What the daily press reports as the malign acts of \"terrorists\" or \"drug lords\" or \"rogue states\" or \"illegal arms merchants\" often turn out to be blowback from earlier American operations.2) We Americans deeply believe that our role in the world is virtuous -- that our actions are almost invariably for the good of others as well as ourselves. Even when our country's actions have led to disaster, we assume that the motives behind them were honorable. But the evidence is building up that in the decade following the end of the Cold War, the United States largely abandoned a reliance on diplomacy, economic aid, international law, and multilateral institutions in carrying out its foreign policies and resorted much of the time to bluster, military force, and financial manipulations.Two books about the Arab world, written long before the current conflicts, are worthy of attention. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence, and The Letters of Gertrude Bell. T.E. Lawrence's book was published in 1926 and the Letters of Gertrude Bell in 1927.Extraordinary books by extraordinary individuals. Both of them were actively involved in Britain's empire building and consolidation of power in Arabia. Col. Lawrence fought against the Turks with the rag tag army of Emir Feisal (or Faisal) who was throned as king after the war, and resigned from the British Army, disenchanted by the duplicity of his government and its betrayal of the Arab cause.Gertrude Bell was a trailblazer. Not a feminist, she ventured into areas that were then open only to men. She traveled around the world----twice, 1897/99 and 1902/03, and climbed mountains. Like T.E. Lawrence she, too, worked for the British Government and served variously as a diplomat, archaeologist, spy, and became Oriental Secretary in Baghdad where she lived from 1917 until her death in 1926. Some (including T.E. Lawrence) criticized Gertrude Bell for her conceit and lack of conviction. She championed the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and King Faisal, largely a creation of the British. Iraq was a puppet state. After her death, King Faisal named one of the principal rooms in Baghdad Museum as \"Gertrude Bell Room\". The collection of letters, mostly to her family in England, are fascinating.*Almost noon. The sun is beginning to show after a cold, overcast morning. Time to go and watch two of my grand daughters in action in a soccer tournament.\"Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.\"--Bertrand Russell ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/a-movie-and-a-few-books/","summary":"French film makers have a knack of producing low budget movies (just a few characters; no expensive sets, car chases and explosions) that are gems. Patrice Leconte's 2004 film \"Intimate Strangers\" is one of them. It is still being shown in a few local theaters and should be available in video later this year.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eChalmers Johnson's \"Blowback\", The Costs and Consequences of American Empire, was timely when it appeared in print in 2000. Mr. Johnson, president of the Japan Policy Institute, narrated the impact of our arrogant, shortsighted foreign policy and its effects. The situation has worsened in the past two years due to Bush's war in Iraq and the apparent lack of interest in taking a proactive role in negotiating a settlement between Israel and Palestine. Incidents of terrorism have gone up exponentially; the resentment toward the United States is no longer confined to the Middle East and followers of Islam.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eQuotations from the book.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1) The term \"Blowback\" which officials of the Central Intelligence Agency first invented for their own internal use, is starting to circulate among students of international relations. It refers to the unintended consequences of policies that were kept secret from the American people. What the daily press reports as the malign acts of \"terrorists\" or \"drug lords\" or \"rogue states\" or \"illegal arms merchants\" often turn out to be blowback from earlier American operations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e2) We Americans deeply believe that our role in the world is virtuous -- that our actions are almost invariably for the good of others as well as ourselves. Even when our country's actions have led to disaster, we assume that the motives behind them were honorable. But the evidence is building up that in the decade following the end of the Cold War, the United States largely abandoned a reliance on diplomacy, economic aid, international law, and multilateral institutions in carrying out its foreign policies and resorted much of the time to bluster, military force, and financial manipulations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo books about the Arab world, written long before the current conflicts, are worthy of attention. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence, and The Letters of Gertrude Bell. T.E. Lawrence's book was published in 1926 and the Letters of Gertrude Bell in 1927.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eExtraordinary books by extraordinary individuals. Both of them were actively involved in Britain's empire building and consolidation of power in Arabia. Col. Lawrence fought against the Turks with the rag tag army of Emir Feisal (or Faisal) who was throned as king after the war, and resigned from the British Army, disenchanted by the duplicity of his government and its betrayal of the Arab cause.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eGertrude Bell was a trailblazer. Not a feminist, she ventured into areas that were then open only to men. She traveled around the world----twice, 1897/99 and 1902/03, and climbed mountains. Like T.E. Lawrence she, too, worked for the British Government and served variously as a diplomat, archaeologist, spy, and became Oriental Secretary in Baghdad where she lived from 1917 until her death in 1926. Some (including T.E. Lawrence) criticized Gertrude Bell for her conceit and lack of conviction. She championed the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and King Faisal, largely a creation of the British. Iraq was a puppet state. After her death, King Faisal named one of the principal rooms in Baghdad Museum as \"Gertrude Bell Room\". The collection of letters, mostly to her family in England, are fascinating.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e*\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003eAlmost noon. The sun is beginning to show after a cold, overcast morning. Time to go and watch two of my grand daughters in action in a soccer tournament.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-center\"\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.\"\u003cbr/\u003e--Bertrand Russell\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"text-right\"\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e","title":"A movie and a few books"},{"content":" The U.S. Presidential Election (November 2nd). What a pleasant surprise! Three national polls, following the first debate on September 30th, reflected the consensus that Kerry was the winner. While Kerry's appearance and delivery was clearly superior I didn't expect the American voters to agree with his position. Bush seemed to be nervous and fidgety at the beginmning but settled down as the debate progressed. But he hemmed and hawed-----and sighed a few times. Bush played the terrorist threat card more than once. It has worked for him and he will continue to use it. At the end, it was the body language that tipped the scale in Kerry's favor. The second debate on October 8th at St. Louis, MO, should give Kerry another chance to gain on Bush. The \"town hall\" format of the debate would mean questions from the audience. The President is known to be uncomfortable without a teleprompter. Dealing with hard questions on policy matters is not his forte. There seems to be no end to the violence in Iraq. The massacre of children (reported to be 34) on September 30th was especially tragic. The children went to the opening of a new water treatment plant in Baghdad because it was announced that American soldiers were giving away sweets. According to BBC, a group under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was responsible for setting off the bombs. How do they sleep at night? As of September 26th the official toll of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq: 1,046 Estimates (unofficial) of Iraqi civilian deaths range from 10,000 to as high as 37,000. \"we don't do body counts\". U.S. General Tommy Franks Here, in the Silicon Valley, it is an overcast morning. Temperature 69 degrees F (21 C). Gasoline prices rising at the pumps as the per barrel price for crude getting close to $50.00. Still, we pay much less than motorists in many other countries. Bach's Goldberg Variations on the CD player. It is the 1955 recording of Glenn Gould's performance. A soothing sound. \"War, Your Grace, is watching the dice roll. Lucky today; tomorrow---a black hole\" ----The Song of the Siege of La Rochelle ","permalink":"/posts/2004/10/thoughts-about-people-places-and-events/","summary":"The U.S. Presidential Election (November 2nd). What a pleasant surprise! Three national polls, following the first debate on September 30th, reflected the consensus that Kerry was the winner. While Kerry's appearance and delivery was clearly superior I didn't expect the American voters to agree with his position. Bush seemed to be nervous and fidgety at the beginmning but settled down as the debate progressed. But he hemmed and hawed-----and sighed a few times. Bush played the terrorist threat card more than once. It has worked for\n\u003cbr/\u003ehim and he will continue to use it. At the end, it was the body language that tipped the scale in Kerry's favor.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe second debate on October 8th at St. Louis, MO, should give Kerry another chance to gain\n\u003cbr/\u003eon Bush. The \"town hall\" format of the debate would mean questions from the audience. The President is known to be uncomfortable without a teleprompter. Dealing with hard questions on\n\u003cbr/\u003epolicy matters is not his forte.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThere seems to be no end to the violence in Iraq.  The massacre of children (reported to be 34)\n\u003cbr/\u003eon September 30th was especially tragic. The children went to the opening of a new water treatment plant in Baghdad because it was announced that American soldiers were giving away\n\u003cbr/\u003esweets.  According to BBC, a group under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi  was responsible for setting off\n\u003cbr/\u003ethe bombs.  How do they sleep at night?\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eAs of September 26th the official toll of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq:  1,046\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eEstimates (unofficial) of Iraqi civilian deaths range from 10,000 to as high as 37,000.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"we don't do body counts\".  U.S. General Tommy Franks\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eHere, in the Silicon Valley, it is an overcast morning.  Temperature 69 degrees F (21 C).\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eGasoline prices rising at the pumps as the per barrel price for crude getting close to $50.00. Still, we pay much less than motorists in many other countries.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eBach's Goldberg Variations on the CD player.  It is the 1955 recording of Glenn Gould's performance. A soothing sound.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"War, Your Grace, is watching the dice roll.\n\u003cbr/\u003e Lucky today; tomorrow---a black hole\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----The Song of the Siege of La Rochelle\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Thoughts about people, places and events"},{"content":" Thoughts about people, places and events The 2004 U.S. presidential election (November 2). The first of the three 90-minute debates between President Bush and the Democratic contender John Kerry is scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 30 at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Moderator: Jim Lehrer, PBS Issues: Foreign policy and homeland security Trivia: Teams representing Bush and Kerry negotiated details of the debates, including the heighth of the podium. Bush's negotiators insisted that the podiums remained apart at a certain distance and that the debaters not move about, away from the podium. Reportedly, this was to prevent viewers from seeing the taller Kerry towering over Bush! The second debate will be held on October 8th at the University of St. Louis, Missouri Moderator: Charles Gibson, ABC Town Hall meeting format, no specific topic. The Bush Team objected to inclusion of \"undecided\" voters, so there would be between 100-150 likely voters who are either \"soft\" Bush supporters or \"soft\" Kerry supporters. The third debate is scheduled for October 13th at the University of Arizona, Tempe, Arizona Moderator: Bob Schieffer, CBS Issue: The economy A debate between Vice President Cheney and Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards will be held on October 5th at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Moderator: Gwen Ifill, PBS Paul Krugman had a very timely article in The NY Times, Sept.28, 2004 (Swagger Vs. Substance) about the media's failure for in-depth analysis of the Gore/Bush debates in 2000. For those who are interested, here is the link. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/28/opinion/28krugman.html \"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\" ----Charles Edward Montague ","permalink":"/posts/2004/09/odds-and-ends/","summary":"Thoughts about people, places and events\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe 2004 U.S. presidential election (November 2).\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe first of the three 90-minute debates between President Bush and the Democratic contender John Kerry is scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 30 at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eModerator: Jim Lehrer, PBS\n\u003cbr/\u003eIssues:  Foreign policy and homeland security\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eTrivia: Teams representing Bush and Kerry negotiated details of the debates, including the heighth of the podium. Bush's negotiators insisted that the podiums remained apart at a certain distance and that the debaters not move about, away from the podium. Reportedly, this was to prevent viewers from seeing the taller Kerry towering over Bush!\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe second debate will be held on October 8th at the University of St. Louis, Missouri\n\u003cbr/\u003eModerator: Charles Gibson, ABC\n\u003cbr/\u003eTown Hall meeting format, no specific topic.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe Bush Team objected to inclusion of \"undecided\" voters, so there would be between 100-150\n\u003cbr/\u003elikely voters who are either \"soft\" Bush supporters or \"soft\" Kerry supporters.\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eThe third debate is scheduled for October 13th at the University of Arizona, Tempe, Arizona\n\u003cbr/\u003eModerator:  Bob Schieffer, CBS\n\u003cbr/\u003eIssue: The economy\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003eA debate between Vice President Cheney and Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards will be held on October 5th at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.\n\u003cbr/\u003eModerator: Gwen Ifill, PBS\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003ePaul Krugman had a very timely article in The NY Times, Sept.28, 2004 (Swagger Vs. Substance) about the media's failure for in-depth analysis of the Gore/Bush debates in 2000.\n\u003cbr/\u003eFor those who are interested, here is the link.  http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/28/opinion/28krugman.html\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\"War hath no fury like a non-combatant\"\n\u003cbr/\u003e----Charles Edward Montague\n\u003cbr/\u003e","title":"Odds and Ends"},{"content":" The seasons. The signs of fall are everywhere. Although the daytime temperature still climbs above 80 degrees F (27 C), there is a feeling that soon such days would be behind us. The mornings are taking longer to show lightness and the darkness arriving earlier and earlier in the evening. Looking out of the window I can see that the leaves of the gingko trees along the street are beginning to turn; tinges of yellow becoming visible in the midst of the green. Time soon to forget about the air conditioner and think of relighting the pilot of the gas furnace to prepare for the onset of cold weather. Then there are other things. It is time for hearty foods on the table-----stews; roasted winter vegetables; soups that warm the belly. The occasional gimlet or a shandy in the afternoon replaced by a cognac at night. Running shorts and tee shirt giving way to tights and long-sleeve jerseys. Foraging for wild mushrooms instead of sitting on a bank watching the bobber of the fishing line or wading in a stream and casting flies. The crispness in the air and clear blue skies, more often seen than in the summer months, make hiking in the foothills very enjoyable. There is the ritual of planting bulbs and sweet pea seeds. Hindi (the official language of India) is not my mother tongue. It lacks the sweetness and cadence of Bengali and Urdu. But the Hindi for fall is \"patjhar\". It means falling leaves. A lovely word. Correction 11/2/07: Although used by many Hindi-speaking Indians, patjhar is an Urdu word. \"When it is autumn do we get spring weather, Or gather may of harsh northwindish time?\" ----Ezra Pound, \"Silet\" Weapons of war. The images of tanks and grenade launchers are so ugly and brutish. Modern technology has created products that make our life better, as well as highly efficient instruments of death. When it comes to killing of innocent civilians is there a difference between suicide bombers and laser guided bombs? Yes, the laser guided bombs are much more destructive. The reports about dead and injured have a numbing effect. Some people cease to care; others are in denial. So much violence in parts of our planet. Just a few megalomaniacs responsible for much of it. The lies they use to justify their actions are sickening. \"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. ----John Donne \"There never was a good war, or a bad peace\" ----Benjamin Franklin ","permalink":"/posts/2004/09/thoughts-about-people-places-and-events/","summary":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\nThe seasons. The signs of fall are everywhere. Although the daytime temperature still climbs above 80 degrees F (27 C), there is a feeling that soon such days would be behind us. The mornings are taking longer to show lightness and the darkness arriving earlier and earlier in the evening.  Looking out of the window I can see that the leaves of the gingko trees along the street are beginning to turn; tinges of yellow becoming visible in the midst of the green.  Time soon to forget about the air conditioner and think of relighting the pilot of the gas furnace to prepare for the onset of cold weather.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nThen there are other things. It is time for hearty foods on the table-----stews; roasted winter vegetables; soups that warm the belly. The occasional gimlet or a shandy in the afternoon replaced by a cognac at night. Running shorts and tee shirt giving way to tights and long-sleeve jerseys.  Foraging for wild mushrooms instead of sitting on a bank watching the bobber of the fishing line or wading in a stream and casting flies.  The crispness in the air and clear blue skies, more often seen than in the summer months, make hiking in the foothills very enjoyable.  There is the ritual of planting bulbs and sweet pea seeds.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nHindi (the official language of India) is not my mother tongue. It lacks the sweetness and cadence of Bengali and Urdu. But the Hindi for fall is \"patjhar\". It means falling leaves. A lovely word. \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nCorrection 11/2/07:  Although used by many Hindi-speaking Indians, patjhar is an Urdu word.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"When it is autumn do we get spring weather,\u003cbr/\u003e\nOr gather may of harsh northwindish time?\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n----Ezra Pound, \"Silet\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\nWeapons of war. The images of tanks and grenade launchers are so ugly and brutish. Modern technology has created products that make our life better, as well as highly efficient instruments of death. When it comes to killing of innocent civilians is there a difference between suicide bombers and laser guided bombs? Yes, the laser guided bombs are much more destructive. The reports about dead and injured have a numbing effect. Some people cease to care; others are in denial. So much violence in parts of our planet. Just a few megalomaniacs responsible for much of it. The lies they use to justify their actions are sickening.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind;\u003cbr/\u003e\nAnd therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.\u003cbr/\u003e\n----John Donne\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\u003chr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\n\u003cbr/\u003e\n\"There never was a good war, or a bad peace\"\u003cbr/\u003e\n----Benjamin Franklin\u003c/div\u003e","title":"Thoughts about people, places and events"},{"content":"About This Site This is an archive of Musafir\u0026rsquo;s Musings, a blog that was active from 2004 to 2016 at pacetua.blogspot.com.\nIn Memoriam.\nMusafir (an Urdu word) means a traveler.\n\u0026ldquo;The things I have chosen are a drop, no more; The undiminished sea still crowds the shore.\u0026rdquo; \u0026mdash;Ziya Pasha\n","permalink":"/about/","summary":"About Musafir\u0026rsquo;s Musings","title":"About"}]