The Fulcrum
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
A Good Night
I don't do many posts on personal subjects, but tonight was such a nice night I just thought I'd share a little of it with you.
After a long day of work (the only "not great" part of the day), my wife and I came home - we work at the same office - made a nice, quick dinner, then had a great big piece of carrot cake. Now carrot cake happens to be my favorite dessert in the whole world. I usually only get it one day of the year; my birthday. So, as you might guess, today's my birthday (I'm not telling!).
It's cold, windy, snowy and just generally miserable outside. But inside it's warm and cozy; there's an open bottle of wine and a fire. It just doesn't get any better than that.
Now, if you're wondering what the hell I'm doing blogging with all of that outside of my den: my wife's on the phone to her parents. So I thought I'd just send out a sort of reverse birthday greeting to you all. I've had a great time writing this blog. But of course without readers - especially those who leave comments - it would just be typing practice. So thank you all very much. Your comments and your blogs have been a help and an inspiration to me.
So, with all I have here at home and with all of you out there, I feel it's been a very good year. And I'm ready to start another.
After a long day of work (the only "not great" part of the day), my wife and I came home - we work at the same office - made a nice, quick dinner, then had a great big piece of carrot cake. Now carrot cake happens to be my favorite dessert in the whole world. I usually only get it one day of the year; my birthday. So, as you might guess, today's my birthday (I'm not telling!).
It's cold, windy, snowy and just generally miserable outside. But inside it's warm and cozy; there's an open bottle of wine and a fire. It just doesn't get any better than that.
Now, if you're wondering what the hell I'm doing blogging with all of that outside of my den: my wife's on the phone to her parents. So I thought I'd just send out a sort of reverse birthday greeting to you all. I've had a great time writing this blog. But of course without readers - especially those who leave comments - it would just be typing practice. So thank you all very much. Your comments and your blogs have been a help and an inspiration to me.
So, with all I have here at home and with all of you out there, I feel it's been a very good year. And I'm ready to start another.
Hubris Defined
It's been widely commented on but, not surprisingly, underreported in the media, but I just had to say something on it.
Has there ever been a president - not including Reagan, I mean that's not fair, the guy had Alzheimers - who is so out of touch with reality? That just had to be an unscripted moment; did Rove turn away for an instant?
He's not only unelectable, he's impeachable!
"No President has ever done more for human rights than I have."I wanted yesterday to go into the whole "who said this" routine, but it's been done. I wanted to write about the sheer gall of aWol, but that's been way over done. I wanted to bang my head on my desk, but I've been doing that so much lately that I have a permanent bruise on my forehead.
Has there ever been a president - not including Reagan, I mean that's not fair, the guy had Alzheimers - who is so out of touch with reality? That just had to be an unscripted moment; did Rove turn away for an instant?
He's not only unelectable, he's impeachable!
Comments
Those of you who use BlogSpeak already know, but for those who don't and are looking for my comments link... Well, here's the message up on the BlogSpeak web site as of this morning:
Damn.
UPDATE: I've set up HaloScan for my comments. I'm not sure how long BlogSpeak will be down... I hope I don't lose all the comments I'd gathered over the past months. Anyway... comment away!
BlogSpeak is currently down because the bastards that host it decided to suspend my account. I do not know as of yet when this situation will be resolved. If you don't want any JavaScript errors on your pages, take the code off for the time being. Thanks for your patience.I'm off to find a (temporary, I hope) replacement. I hope BlogSpeak comes back up. I really like the service; it works.
Damn.
UPDATE: I've set up HaloScan for my comments. I'm not sure how long BlogSpeak will be down... I hope I don't lose all the comments I'd gathered over the past months. Anyway... comment away!
Monday, January 12, 2004
Army War College Critical of War on Terror
In a further shot at aWol's "War on Terra'," the Army War College authorized the publication of a paper exceptionally critical on the current direction of the War on Terror.
It'll come as no surprise to those in the center or left side of the blogosphere, but:
This has not been a good day for the administration with the major war-fighting colleges of their own military. This is important stuff. Read the rest of this article in the Washington Post on-line here. Read the whole report at the Strategic Studies Institute, here.
UPDATE:A paragraph from the SSI report that is the perfect description of why aWol's Global War on Terror (GWOT) seems oddly detached from any discernable or achievable goal:
It'll come as no surprise to those in the center or left side of the blogosphere, but:
The report, by Jeffrey Record, a visiting professor at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, warns that as a result of those mistakes, the Army is "near the breaking point."Record goes on to say that the Iraq misadventure was a dangerous distraction from the more important focus on al Qaeda.
It recommends, among other things, scaling back the scope of the "global war on terrorism" and instead focusing on the narrower threat posed by the al Qaeda terrorist network.
This has not been a good day for the administration with the major war-fighting colleges of their own military. This is important stuff. Read the rest of this article in the Washington Post on-line here. Read the whole report at the Strategic Studies Institute, here.
UPDATE:A paragraph from the SSI report that is the perfect description of why aWol's Global War on Terror (GWOT) seems oddly detached from any discernable or achievable goal:
“Terrorism” as a word and concept became associated in US
and Israeli discourse with anti-state forms of violence that were
so criminal that any method of enforcement and retaliation
was viewed as acceptable, and not subject to criticism. By so
appropriating the meaning of this infl ammatory term in such a
self-serving manner, terrorism became detached from its primary
historical association dating back to the French Revolution. In
that formative setting, the state’s own political violence against
its citizens, violence calculated to induce widespread fear and
achieve political goals, was labeled as terrorism.
Bold emphasis mine. Charles2
Comments Down
Blogspeak, the great folks who provide my comment system, are having problems today. Their website says that they hope to have the system up and operating by this evening.
If there's anything you want to let me know, or if you just have comments, send me an e-mail - see the link below. Thanks for your patience.
If there's anything you want to let me know, or if you just have comments, send me an e-mail - see the link below. Thanks for your patience.
U.S. Joins USSR, East Germany, China and North Korea
The Supreme Court today allowed the administration to withhold the names and whereabouts of hundreds of people seized in the United States by the government in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.Those other countries in my headline also allowed - or do allow - the secret arrest of citizens or residents without judicial review. Is this what BushCo's War on Terra' has brought us to? Are these the countries with whom we want the world and historians of the future to associate us?
That this vital, constitutionally important case was decided in such an egregious manner should be an affront to all citizens.
I am not - to head off the trolls - saying that the information being sought on detainees should be released without review, but such broad-based denial of rights and the lack of transparency of government actions are monstrous.
"It's the first time in history that the government has arrested people in secret," said Kate Martin, who represented the Center for National Security studies in challenging the government. "We had hoped that the court would look at the unprecedented and serious first amendment issues here . . . We have 200 years of law and tradition saying that arrests are public . . . We do not have secret arrests."Apparently we do have secret arrests now.
Congratulations to al Qaeda; you've moved our government another step closer to an oligarchic theocracy; another step closer to destroying our way of life.
NOTE: all quotes above from this article in the Washington Post on-line.
Diplomatic Might
This was an interesting letter - from an interesting source (note the signature block at the bottom). This is, perhaps a sign that the military, here in the form of a professor from the Naval War College, has had enough of the neocon acid trip of world domination through preemptive warfare.
The original was in today's on-line Wall Street Journal, here (subscription required), but I hope Prof. Stigler doesn't mind me reproducing the entire thing here:
The original was in today's on-line Wall Street Journal, here (subscription required), but I hope Prof. Stigler doesn't mind me reproducing the entire thing here:
America Still Needs Striped-Pants Brigade
It is ironic that David Frum and Richard Perle ("Beware the Soft-Line Ideologues," editorial page, Jan. 7) dismiss diplomacy while using an example that clearly indicates the risks of an assertive foreign policy. They express concern over the future of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Yet the assassination attempts on Mr. Musharraf must be partly caused by frustration over assertive American actions abroad and Islamabad's reluctant support of those actions.
And condemning diplomacy because it has not solved an incredibly complicated problem such as the Israeli/Palestinian dispute is ridiculous. Their shallow perspective is akin to dismissing the utility of military force following our defeat in Vietnam.
My students at the Naval War College are chiefly military officers, many of whom served in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are not "soft-line ideologues." Yet it has constantly surprised me how many of them believe that diplomacy will be a crucial weapon in the struggle against terror. Given that military force alone will never defeat the diverse forces that generate terrorism, we must avoid the narrow and dangerous perspective that Messrs. Frum and Perle offer.
Andrew L. Stigler
Associate Professor
National Security Affairs
United States Naval War College
Newport, R.I.
Anger Management
I know that several other bloggers have already written about Dr. Dean's "anger problem." But after a piece on this mornings ABC news, I just had to add my two cents worth.
ABC showed a couple of video clips with Dr. Dean "getting angry." Now, I'm normally pretty mild mannered - but I do have a temper. I know people who have hair-trigger tempers and I know people who have volcanic tempers. Dr. Dean has none of these things. He appears to get angry on occasion, he yells a bit - although none of the clips I've ever seen of him show him truly losing his temper.
So I find it odd that people say he has an anger problem.
I find Dr. Dean's anger to be refreshing. He gets upset at things that should make him upset - they make me upset. He has real reactions to real problems and situations. He's not mealy mouthed about things, he doesn't try to talk his way around things so that whatever comes out of his mouth seems tepid and somehow out of touch with the reality of things.
In other words, he reacts - he gets angry - like a real person; not like a politician.
Since I last wrote about a politician - Gen. Clark, about 3 months ago - I've done lots of thinking, but have restrained myself from coming out and really endorsing any Democrat. I did however register at the end of last year as a Democrat so I could vote in the New York primaries. Some people might be somewhat turned off by Dr. Dean's so-called "anger problem." I think his reactions are real; I think they are appropriate for where we find our country right now.
I think I'm beginning to see my candidate.
ABC showed a couple of video clips with Dr. Dean "getting angry." Now, I'm normally pretty mild mannered - but I do have a temper. I know people who have hair-trigger tempers and I know people who have volcanic tempers. Dr. Dean has none of these things. He appears to get angry on occasion, he yells a bit - although none of the clips I've ever seen of him show him truly losing his temper.
So I find it odd that people say he has an anger problem.
I find Dr. Dean's anger to be refreshing. He gets upset at things that should make him upset - they make me upset. He has real reactions to real problems and situations. He's not mealy mouthed about things, he doesn't try to talk his way around things so that whatever comes out of his mouth seems tepid and somehow out of touch with the reality of things.
In other words, he reacts - he gets angry - like a real person; not like a politician.
Since I last wrote about a politician - Gen. Clark, about 3 months ago - I've done lots of thinking, but have restrained myself from coming out and really endorsing any Democrat. I did however register at the end of last year as a Democrat so I could vote in the New York primaries. Some people might be somewhat turned off by Dr. Dean's so-called "anger problem." I think his reactions are real; I think they are appropriate for where we find our country right now.
I think I'm beginning to see my candidate.
Sunday, January 11, 2004
When You Think Your Life Sucks...
I don't know how many people saw the report several months ago about the teenage surfer who was attacked by a shark and lost her arm. She seemed like a very strong young woman, but I really did wonder how she could recover from such an injury and return to her sport. For those of you who've surfed, you know it's a sport that requires incredible balance and quick movements.
I'm not really one of those people who like stories where there's some kind of moral about how strong the human spirit is - not usually anyway, but the picture that accompanied her story on CCN.com today really amazed me.
So, here's that AP picture; I hope it amazes you, too.
I'm not really one of those people who like stories where there's some kind of moral about how strong the human spirit is - not usually anyway, but the picture that accompanied her story on CCN.com today really amazed me.
So, here's that AP picture; I hope it amazes you, too.
Friday, January 09, 2004
Late Friday Dog Blogging
For all of you who were waiting for this week's picture of Baylea - on my intermittent Friday Dog Blog - wait no more.
This was taken about 5:30 this evening; the temperature was hovering around 0F with windchills around -12F. That's Kim with Baylea in about 14 inches of very fluffy, lake effect snow. It's her dog; that's why she's shivering in the cold and I'm taking the picture from the warm doorway!!
This was taken about 5:30 this evening; the temperature was hovering around 0F with windchills around -12F. That's Kim with Baylea in about 14 inches of very fluffy, lake effect snow. It's her dog; that's why she's shivering in the cold and I'm taking the picture from the warm doorway!!
My Scrabble Score
Thanks to fellow LC member,Pen-Elayne for posting about this:
It's the "Z" that gets me all those points! Scrabble just happens to be one of my favorite games.
Pholph's Scrabble Generator          My Scrabble© Score is: 28. What is your score? Get it here. |
It's the "Z" that gets me all those points! Scrabble just happens to be one of my favorite games.
America is Sick
Here's Bob Herbert in today's New York Times:
He's discussing the way states are dropping people, especially children from health insurance programs because of budget shortfalls. You can read the rest, if you're up to it, here.
Maybe the nation itself needs a doctor. Shoving low-income people, including children, off the health care rolls at a time when the economy is allegedly booming is a sure sign of some kind of sickness in the society.I couldn't agree more.
He's discussing the way states are dropping people, especially children from health insurance programs because of budget shortfalls. You can read the rest, if you're up to it, here.
Alert Level: Ludicrous
Via Atrios; from The Register.
A mother making an inquiry at a Massachusetts Staple store about MS Flight Simulator for her son is visited in the night by a State Trooper who was alerted by store management.
We might as well just invite the Taliban to Washington.
My head is sore from pounding on my desk.
Somebody make it stop.
A mother making an inquiry at a Massachusetts Staple store about MS Flight Simulator for her son is visited in the night by a State Trooper who was alerted by store management.
So alarmed was the Staples clerk at the prospect of the ten year old learning to fly, that he informed the police, the Greenfield Recorder reports. The authorities moved into action, leaving nothing to chance. A few days later, Olearcek was alarmed to discover a state trooper flashing a torch into to her home through a sliding glass door at 8:30 pm on a rainy night.This, of course, on the heels of the story about officials being alerted to be on the watch for people carrying maps and almanacs.
We might as well just invite the Taliban to Washington.
My head is sore from pounding on my desk.
Somebody make it stop.
"Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it!"
I sure with they'd do something about it here... It's cold. Really cold. My indoor-outdoor thermometer said it was -3F this morning. The high is supposed to be around 5, but I doubt it will get that "warm."
The snow is beautiful, and if I were at home during daylight hours I'd have the digital camera outside and show you all. But there's that whole work thing... We got about 14 inches yesterday, about 4 last night and are expecting 2 - 4 inches today and another 4 inches or more tonight. I'm so glad I bought that tractor with the snow blower!
Anyway, here's what the Weather Channel has to say about our weather:
As Jimmy Buffet says: "The weather is here, wish you were beautiful."
The snow is beautiful, and if I were at home during daylight hours I'd have the digital camera outside and show you all. But there's that whole work thing... We got about 14 inches yesterday, about 4 last night and are expecting 2 - 4 inches today and another 4 inches or more tonight. I'm so glad I bought that tractor with the snow blower!
Anyway, here's what the Weather Channel has to say about our weather:
As Jimmy Buffet says: "The weather is here, wish you were beautiful."
Thursday, January 08, 2004
WMD Search Team Withdrawn
Their entry into Iraq immediately after "major combat operations ended" was trumpeted by BushCo. Their mission: to find the massive stockpiles of "weapons of mass destruction" the administration was convinced were hiding all over Iraq.
Today, in the New York Times, we find out that the team of 400 has been very quietly withdrawn.
This revelation comes after yesterday's report in the Washington Post that claimed Iraq's WMD destroyed in the first Gulf War and that sanctions and the no-fly zone prevented Hussein from rebuilding and testing his programs.
Just how goddamn difficult is it for the media and the public to connect these dots? Why is this not front page news and blaring out of TV sets across America? Where is our free press?
NOTE: Thanks to Hesiod for the heads up on the NYT article.
Today, in the New York Times, we find out that the team of 400 has been very quietly withdrawn.
The Bush administration has quietly withdrawn from Iraq a 400-member military team whose job was to scour the country for military equipment, according to senior government officials."Quietly withdrawn." Why quietly? Because to do so under the full glare of media attention - oh, wait, never mind that part (what liberal media?) - any way, because to admit to doing so would force the public to see that the entire rationale for going to war in the fist place was a bald faced lie.
The step was described by some military officials as a sign that the administration might have lowered its sights and no longer expected to uncover the caches of chemical and biological weapons that the White House cited as a principal reason for going to war last March.
This revelation comes after yesterday's report in the Washington Post that claimed Iraq's WMD destroyed in the first Gulf War and that sanctions and the no-fly zone prevented Hussein from rebuilding and testing his programs.
Just how goddamn difficult is it for the media and the public to connect these dots? Why is this not front page news and blaring out of TV sets across America? Where is our free press?
NOTE: Thanks to Hesiod for the heads up on the NYT article.
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Outsourcing, Offshoring, It's All the Same: Lost Jobs
It's unlikely that the CEO of Hewlett-Packard will ever have to worry about her job being transplanted to India or China or Pakistan. But she's not worried about her own people's high-tech jobs either. Not worried at all. In fact, she could care less.
That's the opening paragraph of my latest entry over at The Liberal Coalition blog, where I unload on a couple of high-tech CEOs who claim that Americans no longer have the right to expect American companies to employ them.
Grit your teeth, put away all sharp objects and go read the rest of it here.
Then peruse the rest of the Coalition site - there are some great folks writing there.
That's the opening paragraph of my latest entry over at The Liberal Coalition blog, where I unload on a couple of high-tech CEOs who claim that Americans no longer have the right to expect American companies to employ them.
Grit your teeth, put away all sharp objects and go read the rest of it here.
Then peruse the rest of the Coalition site - there are some great folks writing there.
Belated Blogabout
I haven't been quite as diligent in my Liberal Coalition Blogabouts lately. So, without further ado:
Pen-Elayne opines that it does no one any good to call someone stupid.
Wow! NTodd over at Dohiyi Mir actually agrees with David Brooks (R. NY (Times, that is)). He writes about the - hopefully - impending conservative implosion.
Finally, Trish Wilson has a post on the hypocrisy of right-wing fundamentalists who harp on the moral decay of the nation. She compares divorce and cohabiting rates for fundies, your ordinary religious folks and even atheists; they should probably not be casting stones given the large glass house they are apparently living in.
So ends another, all too infrequent, Liberal Coalition Blogabout on The Fulcrum! I would make promises to be more diligent in doing the next one, but I hate to lie to my readers and friends.
Enjoy!
Pen-Elayne opines that it does no one any good to call someone stupid.
But I'm not above admitting there's something tastelessly dismissive about tagging a whole voting bloc as stupid just because they like someone you don't. That's why "the pollsters don't ask it" and "the media don't report it" (except of course Starkman and Hal Crowther and...). Because it's not true (Bush voters, besides not even being the popular majority, are no more a product of monolithic group-think than anyone else) and -- well, I'll blare it out so Starkman can perhaps adopt strategies to overcome it -- it makes you sound like an asshole.Lambert, at Corente, has a short, but sweet, post on entitlement in the Bush family. Or as Lambert says: "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Wow! NTodd over at Dohiyi Mir actually agrees with David Brooks (R. NY (Times, that is)). He writes about the - hopefully - impending conservative implosion.
Brooks concludes in his piece: Partisanship has left many people unhinged. Concur 100%Rubber Hose's Upyernoze has some questions about the long-term legal problems with arbitration under local Sharia. He has an interesting take on it being a lawyer.
Finally, Trish Wilson has a post on the hypocrisy of right-wing fundamentalists who harp on the moral decay of the nation. She compares divorce and cohabiting rates for fundies, your ordinary religious folks and even atheists; they should probably not be casting stones given the large glass house they are apparently living in.
So ends another, all too infrequent, Liberal Coalition Blogabout on The Fulcrum! I would make promises to be more diligent in doing the next one, but I hate to lie to my readers and friends.
Enjoy!
Winter is Back.
Last Saturday it was 60 degrees here in Rochester, NY (just outside actually, but I'm rounding up). Below is a partial screenshot of today's weather:
Winter has returned with a vengeance!
Winter has returned with a vengeance!
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
Blogging Help
Anyone out there know an easy way to alphabetize my blogroll? I'm kind of anal about that sort of stuff (and yet lazy about putting out too much effort) and it bugs me that I haven't been able to find a truly easy method.
Any assistance would be appreciated!
UPDATE 01/07/03: Thanks for the suggestions on how to get this done. I've added "Blogroller" to my template and it appears to be working well.
Any assistance would be appreciated!
UPDATE 01/07/03: Thanks for the suggestions on how to get this done. I've added "Blogroller" to my template and it appears to be working well.
Creative Destruction
Most people would call that headline an oxymoron - and in this specific case, they'd likely be correct. In this morning's Wall Street Journal, there's an editorial piece (subscription required) discussing outsourcing of service jobs to India or China.
As you'd expect, the editor is all in favor of outsourcing. He quotes Joseph Schumpeter, calling such outsourcing "creative destruction." The idea being that as such jobs are outsourced, saving companies about 58 cents for each dollar in wages moved off-shore, the money saved is then used for innovation and future job creation; "creating new jobs we often can't imagine."
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Think tax cuts for corporations and the rich that create massive deficits which will be erased by future revenues "we often can't imagine."
The WSJ's answer? Well, you'll recognize most of them - warmed over as they are:
Even if we could depend on aWol to implement such schemes fairly, it would only do the next generation of workers good. Those whose jobs move to India or China today are stuck with shrinking unemployment benefits, loss of medical insurance and a shredded social safety net.
But of course, you can always depend on conservatives to be compassionate, no? When it comes right down to it, here's the money quote from the WSJ article, the one that really says how our compassionate conservative politicians think. When discussing some state laws requiring call centers to re-route calls to an American location if the caller requests, the editor says: "We doubt someone from South Dakota finds it any easier than someone from Delhi to understand a New Jersey accent."
In other words, suck it up.
I wonder if we could outsource the government?
As you'd expect, the editor is all in favor of outsourcing. He quotes Joseph Schumpeter, calling such outsourcing "creative destruction." The idea being that as such jobs are outsourced, saving companies about 58 cents for each dollar in wages moved off-shore, the money saved is then used for innovation and future job creation; "creating new jobs we often can't imagine."
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Think tax cuts for corporations and the rich that create massive deficits which will be erased by future revenues "we often can't imagine."
The WSJ's answer? Well, you'll recognize most of them - warmed over as they are:
"The alternative is to do what it takes for Americans to remain innovative and create the next wave of wealth-creating technology and ideas. Improve K-12 education, especially in the inner city, maintain an open immigration policy so the world's brains can live in the U.S., reform the tax code and fix the legal system."We already know about BushCo's commitment to education: No Child Left Behind is woefully underfunded and is now basically just lip service. And just how open an immigration policy we have - or can have - is wide-open to debate given the ever tightening scrutiny of immigrants. Tax code reform under Bush is reform only from the point of view of the very rich. And fixing the legal system basically means protecting business from all forms of civil action.
Even if we could depend on aWol to implement such schemes fairly, it would only do the next generation of workers good. Those whose jobs move to India or China today are stuck with shrinking unemployment benefits, loss of medical insurance and a shredded social safety net.
But of course, you can always depend on conservatives to be compassionate, no? When it comes right down to it, here's the money quote from the WSJ article, the one that really says how our compassionate conservative politicians think. When discussing some state laws requiring call centers to re-route calls to an American location if the caller requests, the editor says: "We doubt someone from South Dakota finds it any easier than someone from Delhi to understand a New Jersey accent."
In other words, suck it up.
I wonder if we could outsource the government?
Monday, January 05, 2004
Smile for the Camera - While We Fight the Last Battle
The military - and governments in general - almost always prepare to fight the next war like they should have fought the last one. Unfortunately, the world and our enemies do not remain static. They evolve, change. So nearly always, militaries must learn on-the-fly during a war how to fight this evolved enemy. We are seeing this clearly in the aftermath of the latest Gulf War; we went in thinking we were in for a tank-on-tank, division-on-division open territory battle like Gulf War I. Instead, the Iraqi army faded into the population in the cities and, along with insurgents and a few foreigners, are fighting a guerilla type warfare.
We are also seeing this failure to learn and adapt by the Department of Homeland Security. Today began their latest program of photographing and fingerprinting visitors to the US (only from certain countries) in the hope of catching someone on the terrorist watch list coming in through major international airports and cruise ports. In the details there are concerns about privacy, but in general this is probably not a horrible idea if executed correctly and fairly. Most importantly, though, is that this is how the last group of successful terrorists made it into the country to perpetrate 9-11. It is unlikely they will use this method again.
While Secretary Ridge screws around with taking care of the last threat, the most likely avenue for a future threat remains woefully unprotected: our major cargo ports of entry. With incoming cargo ships loaded with almost uncountable containers inspected at a rate in the low single digits (if I remember the last report correctly), this remains our most vulnerable spot. But because it is nearly unseen by most Americans it is nearly ignored in favor of more visible actions.
But we shouldn't be surprised at this; this administration is all about the appearance of action. Appearances can be deceiving, but only if you're not paying attention. And I guarantee you: al Qaeda is paying attention. You remember al Qaeda, don't you? They were the ones really responsible for 9-11. Of course with BushCo. paying so little attention to them, you could be forgiven for not remembering.
That's my job - to remind.
Don't be fooled; we are not safer since the capture of Saddam, hiding incommunicado in his hole. Al Qaeda remains a potent foe dedicated to doing our country harm.
Remember.
We are also seeing this failure to learn and adapt by the Department of Homeland Security. Today began their latest program of photographing and fingerprinting visitors to the US (only from certain countries) in the hope of catching someone on the terrorist watch list coming in through major international airports and cruise ports. In the details there are concerns about privacy, but in general this is probably not a horrible idea if executed correctly and fairly. Most importantly, though, is that this is how the last group of successful terrorists made it into the country to perpetrate 9-11. It is unlikely they will use this method again.
While Secretary Ridge screws around with taking care of the last threat, the most likely avenue for a future threat remains woefully unprotected: our major cargo ports of entry. With incoming cargo ships loaded with almost uncountable containers inspected at a rate in the low single digits (if I remember the last report correctly), this remains our most vulnerable spot. But because it is nearly unseen by most Americans it is nearly ignored in favor of more visible actions.
But we shouldn't be surprised at this; this administration is all about the appearance of action. Appearances can be deceiving, but only if you're not paying attention. And I guarantee you: al Qaeda is paying attention. You remember al Qaeda, don't you? They were the ones really responsible for 9-11. Of course with BushCo. paying so little attention to them, you could be forgiven for not remembering.
That's my job - to remind.
Don't be fooled; we are not safer since the capture of Saddam, hiding incommunicado in his hole. Al Qaeda remains a potent foe dedicated to doing our country harm.
Remember.
Sunday, January 04, 2004
Spirit on Mars!
After recent failures (and apparent failures - Beagle), NASA seemed to be preparing the world for the worst; just in case. But last night, after a series of complex maneuvers and a bouncy landing, Spirit signaled that all was well and that it was ready to begin its search for signs of life.
Since our ancestors first looked to the sky, Mars' red hue has caught our interest. The color of blood, it has long stood as the god of war, the bringer of doom. Until the late 19th century when H.G. Wells put some of the first aliens on Mars. Ever since it's been the home of little green men, flying saucers and other, assorted boojums.
Since the Viking landings of the early 1970's Mars has seemed our best hope of finding life - or signs of past life - in the Solar System outside of Earth. The more photographs we saw of the surface, the more convinced scientists became that there was once liquid water on the surface; the most necessary ingredient for life. Follow-on missions were inconclusive at best on whether there was life there, so now Spirit, a larger, more capable rover is there. It offers our best chance so far to begin putting an answer to that ancient question; "Are we alone?"
Since our ancestors first looked to the sky, Mars' red hue has caught our interest. The color of blood, it has long stood as the god of war, the bringer of doom. Until the late 19th century when H.G. Wells put some of the first aliens on Mars. Ever since it's been the home of little green men, flying saucers and other, assorted boojums.
Since the Viking landings of the early 1970's Mars has seemed our best hope of finding life - or signs of past life - in the Solar System outside of Earth. The more photographs we saw of the surface, the more convinced scientists became that there was once liquid water on the surface; the most necessary ingredient for life. Follow-on missions were inconclusive at best on whether there was life there, so now Spirit, a larger, more capable rover is there. It offers our best chance so far to begin putting an answer to that ancient question; "Are we alone?"
Friday, January 02, 2004
Back by Popular Demand
It's hard to believe that when I put up a picture of my wife's Yellow Lab - in joking response to several blogs' Friday Cat blogging - that I actually got some positive response. Now I have to admit that I've never had a dog before I married Kim - and I still don't think I'd ever get one on my own. But, you know, if it brings comments and visitors, then who am I to deny my public what they want?
Okay, stop snickering over there... "my public," right.
Anyway, here's Baylea on Christmas morning, doing what she does best: making sure she's the center of attention regardless of what else is going on.
Okay, stop snickering over there... "my public," right.
Anyway, here's Baylea on Christmas morning, doing what she does best: making sure she's the center of attention regardless of what else is going on.
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Relativity and Time Dilation
Just kidding... sort of.
I really thought I'd spend some good on-line time during my two weeks vacation - reading the news and blogging about everything and anything. Hasn't happened. My blogging desire was there - no doubt - but so many other things came along to fill up the time. Last minute Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, drinking eggnog, family, reading (ah... the joy!!), a little television, baking, cooking. Everything but blogging.
Somehow, in the swirl of the holidays and family and other crises (maybe I'll blog about that later), getting on-line and getting my thoughts and opinions written just seemed to take a back seat.
I hope those few regular readers will forgive me a little indulgence.
In that same vein, I'm off to a New Years Eve party this evening with my wife. The weather is supposed to be cold and clear. It will be a nice way to end the year and start the new one.
Happy New Years to all of you who drop by here. Health and happiness to you all!
I really thought I'd spend some good on-line time during my two weeks vacation - reading the news and blogging about everything and anything. Hasn't happened. My blogging desire was there - no doubt - but so many other things came along to fill up the time. Last minute Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, drinking eggnog, family, reading (ah... the joy!!), a little television, baking, cooking. Everything but blogging.
Somehow, in the swirl of the holidays and family and other crises (maybe I'll blog about that later), getting on-line and getting my thoughts and opinions written just seemed to take a back seat.
I hope those few regular readers will forgive me a little indulgence.
In that same vein, I'm off to a New Years Eve party this evening with my wife. The weather is supposed to be cold and clear. It will be a nice way to end the year and start the new one.
Happy New Years to all of you who drop by here. Health and happiness to you all!
Sunday, December 28, 2003
A Steak in the Heart
Normally a "stake in the heart" gets you thinking about vampires and young, vulnerable women in low-cut lingerie screaming in old, black and white horror movies. Lately, though, the horror has been at the thought of BSE infected beef making its way into the American food system.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is a brain wasting disease in cows that can, on rare occasions, be passed on to humans in the variant Creutzfeld-Jacobs disease (vCJD). This disease basically eats holes in your brain - causing it to appear, in later autopsies to appear like Swiss cheese - until you lose all sense of self. And then you die. Nice, huh?
But we were told our meat supply was safe.
Earlier this week, when BSE, better known as "Mad Cow Disease," was discovered in a single cow in Washington state, the government at first said that the animal had been restricted in its eventual distribution; that it had all been recalled. And yet, many in the blogosphere had wondered whether the Bush administration - already shown to be rabidly averse to telling the truth about anything - might be understating the case. After all, only one tenth of one percent of beef is inspected... if one case had been found, how many others might be out there awaiting discovery? But no, the president was still eating beef in the White House.
Again, we were told our meat supply was safe.
Now we know that the original story was not complete. Of course, these stories take time to develop. The FDA had to try to trace the beef back to its source. But the cattle and beef industry had long ago decided that laws requiring traceabilty back to birth herds were too cumbersome and restrictive. So there was no easy way to determine where this one cow - then said to be a heifer (no offspring) - had come from. Then they said it was from Canada. Now we know that this cow had had at least two calves and its meat had been distributed far beyond what was originally stated.
And still we are told that our meat supply is safe.
I've always had great confidence in government agencies like the FDA. Sure they were over extended (much like our military), but they'd always done a masterful job of keeping our food supply among the safest in the world. But this maladministration has shown itself to be not beyond trying to spin even scientific evidence to fit its predetermined agenda - witness the disappearance of global warming from its reports and web sites, despite the fact that it has become "truth" in the scientific sense.
So, I have to wonder, what of the safety of our food supply under Shrubby and company? Surely everything they eat is well tested. The same with the new aristocracy of the well-moneyed. Why should they concern themselves overly with the slop left for the peasants? Keep the rest of us - including those overseas - from questioning the one thing that would likely get us all up in arms - food - and we will all remain, literally, fat, dumb and happy.
Until we begin to see cases of vCJD among the general public. And then it will be too late.
Is this just paranoia? It's hard to say from this point. It could be a general unease about such a horrible disease. It could be BushCo's past record of dissembling and outright lying. It could be the two glasses of wine I had with dinner. Regardless... you just have to wonder.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is a brain wasting disease in cows that can, on rare occasions, be passed on to humans in the variant Creutzfeld-Jacobs disease (vCJD). This disease basically eats holes in your brain - causing it to appear, in later autopsies to appear like Swiss cheese - until you lose all sense of self. And then you die. Nice, huh?
But we were told our meat supply was safe.
Earlier this week, when BSE, better known as "Mad Cow Disease," was discovered in a single cow in Washington state, the government at first said that the animal had been restricted in its eventual distribution; that it had all been recalled. And yet, many in the blogosphere had wondered whether the Bush administration - already shown to be rabidly averse to telling the truth about anything - might be understating the case. After all, only one tenth of one percent of beef is inspected... if one case had been found, how many others might be out there awaiting discovery? But no, the president was still eating beef in the White House.
Again, we were told our meat supply was safe.
Now we know that the original story was not complete. Of course, these stories take time to develop. The FDA had to try to trace the beef back to its source. But the cattle and beef industry had long ago decided that laws requiring traceabilty back to birth herds were too cumbersome and restrictive. So there was no easy way to determine where this one cow - then said to be a heifer (no offspring) - had come from. Then they said it was from Canada. Now we know that this cow had had at least two calves and its meat had been distributed far beyond what was originally stated.
And still we are told that our meat supply is safe.
I've always had great confidence in government agencies like the FDA. Sure they were over extended (much like our military), but they'd always done a masterful job of keeping our food supply among the safest in the world. But this maladministration has shown itself to be not beyond trying to spin even scientific evidence to fit its predetermined agenda - witness the disappearance of global warming from its reports and web sites, despite the fact that it has become "truth" in the scientific sense.
So, I have to wonder, what of the safety of our food supply under Shrubby and company? Surely everything they eat is well tested. The same with the new aristocracy of the well-moneyed. Why should they concern themselves overly with the slop left for the peasants? Keep the rest of us - including those overseas - from questioning the one thing that would likely get us all up in arms - food - and we will all remain, literally, fat, dumb and happy.
Until we begin to see cases of vCJD among the general public. And then it will be too late.
Is this just paranoia? It's hard to say from this point. It could be a general unease about such a horrible disease. It could be BushCo's past record of dissembling and outright lying. It could be the two glasses of wine I had with dinner. Regardless... you just have to wonder.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Merry Christmas/Happy NODWISH
Whoever happens to do a little blogabout today, I hope that you are well, safe and happy in your holiday celebrations.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
1,000 Visitors!
Sometime last night I got my 1,000th visitor to "The Fulcrum!"
It took a while to get there - since the end of July when I added a site meter - but there it is. Thanks to everyone who's visited and especially to those who've left their comments; like applause to an actor, it's what has kept me blogging all this (short) time.
I hope I've at least gotten some of you to think about things in a different way or to see a slightly different viewpoint. I know that I've learned lots from all of you.
What a great NODWISH present!
It took a while to get there - since the end of July when I added a site meter - but there it is. Thanks to everyone who's visited and especially to those who've left their comments; like applause to an actor, it's what has kept me blogging all this (short) time.
I hope I've at least gotten some of you to think about things in a different way or to see a slightly different viewpoint. I know that I've learned lots from all of you.
What a great NODWISH present!
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
More Flying
Here's a photo of the helicopter I used to fly. It's not much to look at; the usual military olive drab, no weapons of any sort, it was underpowered and demanded a deft touch to keep out of trouble. But I loved every minute I spent with it strapped to my back!
U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter.
U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter.
Monday, December 22, 2003
Shopping Alert Level Orange
On my way back from Canada yesterday, the border guards had us open the back of our SUV to have a look inside. "Odd," I thought, "they don't usually do that." It wasn't until much later, when we'd lost the Canadian radio station we were listening to, did my wife and I discover that we'd come back to the US during an "Orange" threat level. But there was no more than that, just a quick look in the back window, the usual innocuous questions, and we were waved through. There didn't seem to be more than the usual number of cars pulled over for further inspection. But there it was; Orange Alert.
When I got home, we turned on the news to see if there had been something in particular that had caused the change - but all we saw was the mayor of New York City doing his, apparently standard, civic duty: Christmas shopping. Tom Ridge and Rummy have their vacations interrupted, they talk about al Qaeda pilots potentially flying for foreign airlines, and attacks as big as 9/11 - but their only advice to us is to shop, to go about our business. Apparently they have it all under control.
Of course, they still don't know where Osam bin Laden is. They won't say exactly what kinds of threats they are taking care of for us. But they do know that we should be shopping. We're no longer concerned citizens, no longer voters in a democracy; no, we are now strictly consumers. The engine of our economy. To be protected - to a certain point. To work as hard as we can - as long as we're needed.
But under no circumstances are we to be told any real information.
If you haven't listened to the Bare Naked Ladies latest CD (this really isn't off topic) you should. There's a great song on it called "Shopping." It was written with their typically wry humor specifically about Shrubby's exhortation since 9/11 that "everything will be alright, when we go shopping."
So, I'm back. Back to earthquakes in California. Back to Libya being our friend (didn't we just celebrate 10 years since Lockerbie?). Back to an Orange alert.
Back to shopping.
When I got home, we turned on the news to see if there had been something in particular that had caused the change - but all we saw was the mayor of New York City doing his, apparently standard, civic duty: Christmas shopping. Tom Ridge and Rummy have their vacations interrupted, they talk about al Qaeda pilots potentially flying for foreign airlines, and attacks as big as 9/11 - but their only advice to us is to shop, to go about our business. Apparently they have it all under control.
Of course, they still don't know where Osam bin Laden is. They won't say exactly what kinds of threats they are taking care of for us. But they do know that we should be shopping. We're no longer concerned citizens, no longer voters in a democracy; no, we are now strictly consumers. The engine of our economy. To be protected - to a certain point. To work as hard as we can - as long as we're needed.
But under no circumstances are we to be told any real information.
If you haven't listened to the Bare Naked Ladies latest CD (this really isn't off topic) you should. There's a great song on it called "Shopping." It was written with their typically wry humor specifically about Shrubby's exhortation since 9/11 that "everything will be alright, when we go shopping."
So, I'm back. Back to earthquakes in California. Back to Libya being our friend (didn't we just celebrate 10 years since Lockerbie?). Back to an Orange alert.
Back to shopping.
Friday, December 19, 2003
Minimal Blogging
We're heading up to Canada tomorrow morning - way too early for a weekend - to visit my wife's parents. There'll be no blogging until I get back; probably Sunday evening or Monday. The good thing is that today was my last day of work for the rest of the year. Until January 5, in fact!!
Everyone out there have a great weekend!!
See you when I get back!
P.S. In celebration of getting upgraded and to counter all the Friday Cat Blogging, here's a picture of my wife's Yellow Lab, Baylea, during warmer days here.
Everyone out there have a great weekend!!
See you when I get back!
P.S. In celebration of getting upgraded and to counter all the Friday Cat Blogging, here's a picture of my wife's Yellow Lab, Baylea, during warmer days here.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
The Wrights and Me
It's been 11 years since I last strapped myself into a helicopter; but I can close my eyes and it all comes back to me.
These were, of course, Night Vision Goggles; NVGs we used to also call them. Fabulous little tubes stuffed with high-tech stuck to the front of our flight helmets that turned night into a green-tinted ghost of day. With them on, I could fly, not through the clouds, but through the trees. Rotors spinning only feet or inches away from branches and leaves, rock and earth. My adrenaline would be pumping, sharpening my reflexes and my sight; my head would turn from side to side while my eyes picked out the least dangerous way.
And I was completely and absolutely alive.
Unless you've flown - and despite all the various kinds of pilots out there, there aren't really that many of us - you will never know that feeling. It's a feeling that I think about every day. Many times a day. Nothing can take its place, nothing will make it go away. (I won't go into all the reason here that I haven't flown in so long - although I will say that within the next year or so I will start again.)
This feeling, this love, for it is that, is what connects me to the Wright Brothers. And to every person who has ever left the solid earth in controlled, powered flight since that day, 100 years ago. More than any other group of people (save astronauts, gods to us mere demi-gods), pilots feel a sense of brotherhood. These are bonds formed between even people who have never met; forged in rigorous training, in self-discipline in the pure joy of flight. And that brotherhood, that camaraderie extends, in an unbroken line, from Wilbur and Orville to me.
If you've ever taken the controls of an aircraft, you know what I mean. If you never have you are poorer for that.
The smell of jet fuel and of hydraulic fluid. The smell of the plastic and metal inside the cockpit. I can still feel the smooth leather of my flight gloves, worn so often that they fit more like my skin than a piece of clothing. With my eyes closed I can reach out and know just where certain instruments and radios would have been, switches and knobs and circuit breakers. My hands know where to go to start the engine, to lightly hold the controls.When most people think of flying their impressions are born of trips on an airliner; lumbering up through the clouds into the blazing blue and white of the stratosphere. When I think of flying, I see everything in shades of green. My favorite time to fly was at night; little or no moon was best - with just the stars bouncing their feeble light off the landscape and into those incredible, almost magical, bits of technology we used to call merely "goggles."
If I sit very still, I can hear how the turbine engine used to spin up in a high-pitched whine before roaring to life when I opened the throttle. And I can remember the exact cadence the aircraft used to bounce while the blades spun up to idle.The smell of burned jet fuel brings a smile to my face.
Finally - and most heart wrenching of all, even after so many years - my limbs and my brain still remember the tiny, coordinated movements it took to make the small helicopter I used to fly lift gently from the ground. I remember what it felt like to hang there, suspended below the main rotor, totally in control of a machine trying desperately to go in a hundred different directions; held there in one piece seemingly by main force of will. My will.
With the merest thought (or so it seemed after 1,200 hours of flight time) I could make 3,500 lbs of metal and plastic dance.
These were, of course, Night Vision Goggles; NVGs we used to also call them. Fabulous little tubes stuffed with high-tech stuck to the front of our flight helmets that turned night into a green-tinted ghost of day. With them on, I could fly, not through the clouds, but through the trees. Rotors spinning only feet or inches away from branches and leaves, rock and earth. My adrenaline would be pumping, sharpening my reflexes and my sight; my head would turn from side to side while my eyes picked out the least dangerous way.
And I was completely and absolutely alive.
Unless you've flown - and despite all the various kinds of pilots out there, there aren't really that many of us - you will never know that feeling. It's a feeling that I think about every day. Many times a day. Nothing can take its place, nothing will make it go away. (I won't go into all the reason here that I haven't flown in so long - although I will say that within the next year or so I will start again.)
This feeling, this love, for it is that, is what connects me to the Wright Brothers. And to every person who has ever left the solid earth in controlled, powered flight since that day, 100 years ago. More than any other group of people (save astronauts, gods to us mere demi-gods), pilots feel a sense of brotherhood. These are bonds formed between even people who have never met; forged in rigorous training, in self-discipline in the pure joy of flight. And that brotherhood, that camaraderie extends, in an unbroken line, from Wilbur and Orville to me.
If you've ever taken the controls of an aircraft, you know what I mean. If you never have you are poorer for that.
Bring Your Hardhat
If you visit here regularly - not that there are that many of you - you'll notice some changes happening. I'm making some minor adjustments to my blog; making sure that it stays "clean" and visually appealing.
I haven't decided whether to upgrade my account to allow me to upload pictures and graphics, so for now it's going to stay pretty basic. If anyone sees this blog doing anything odd, please let me know - I'm viewing it with both IE and Netscape (and probably pretty soon with one or more Mac-only browsers as well) and it looks okay; but you never know.
So, watch the dust and all the heavy equipment; and continue to visit and comment.
I haven't decided whether to upgrade my account to allow me to upload pictures and graphics, so for now it's going to stay pretty basic. If anyone sees this blog doing anything odd, please let me know - I'm viewing it with both IE and Netscape (and probably pretty soon with one or more Mac-only browsers as well) and it looks okay; but you never know.
So, watch the dust and all the heavy equipment; and continue to visit and comment.
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
The Sock Puppet Speaks
I got to see a little bit of Diane Sawyer's interview with aWol this morning. Three things struck me about his "performance."
I came away from the segment of interview that I watched more convinced than ever that this man has been an absolute disaster for the US and that there is nothing more important than ensuring that he is voted out - along with his coterie of ass-kissers, boot-lickers, handlers, snake oil salesmen and puppet-masters - next year.
1.That damned smirk; when it wasn't actually on his face it seemed he was having a hard time keeping it in check. Either he can't control himself or he really is an arrogant, uncaring bastard.Of the three, the last is the most serious in terms of implications for the future of our country. But the other two, to me, indicate that we really are, all partisan BS aside, saddled with an incurious, unintelligent, born with a silver spoon mamma's boy. He barely hides his contempt for the average person - not only in his smirking demeanor but in the policies he allows to be promulgated in his name. And he is so unintelligent that he can only parrot those key phrases that are placed in his head by his handlers; any attempt to speak off-the-cuff are consistently disastrous and only serve to make him look even less intelligent.
2. He sounds like there's a little tape recorder inside him, or a pull string on his back; he keeps repeating the same thing over and over - in exactly the same tone of voice, in the same order and seemingly without knowing what was coming out of his mouth. Saddam was bad, the world's better off without him, rape rooms. And it's his always including the "rape rooms" accusation that is the scariest - like it's the one thing he can definitely remember.
3. He admitted he lied. Not quite so baldly, but Diane asked him about the WMD claims and tried to get Shrubbie to distinguish between Hussein actually having had WMDs and there being the threat that he might acquire them. Bush said something that just chilled me:"What's the difference?" Now, either he really doesn't know the difference - a possibility I'm increasing likely to believe - or he does and is unwilling, in the context of the reason for invasion, to admit to there being a difference. I'm not sure which is worse.
I came away from the segment of interview that I watched more convinced than ever that this man has been an absolute disaster for the US and that there is nothing more important than ensuring that he is voted out - along with his coterie of ass-kissers, boot-lickers, handlers, snake oil salesmen and puppet-masters - next year.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Star Spangled Wingnuttery
Would you eat ice cream with names like these?
Now these are all worthy things to give to. But the flavor names; even if the company claims that they are targeted at Adults (which I don't know if they do), ice cream is eaten by kids primarily. What kind of ideas are they promoting to the next generation? Well, the company's web site carries the tag line: "Ice cream with a conservative flavor" (no link-love from me on this one). So that would be: hate people who give you good advice, rape and pillage the environment, government can do no good, guns are sacred.
Well, we are talking serious wingnuts here.
Have another ice cream cone.
My head hurts.
I Hate the French VanillaA small ice cream manufacturer in Washington, DC makes these flavors. The last of which, "Gun Nut" was developed in "concert" with Ted Nugent and the company, Star Spangled Ice Cream Co. promises to donated a dollar for every quart sold to the Gun Owners Foundation Gun Safety Project. Some proceeds from the other flavors are donated to charities that help soldiers.
Nutty Environmentalist
Iraqi Road
Smaller Gevernmint
Gun Nut
Now these are all worthy things to give to. But the flavor names; even if the company claims that they are targeted at Adults (which I don't know if they do), ice cream is eaten by kids primarily. What kind of ideas are they promoting to the next generation? Well, the company's web site carries the tag line: "Ice cream with a conservative flavor" (no link-love from me on this one). So that would be: hate people who give you good advice, rape and pillage the environment, government can do no good, guns are sacred.
Well, we are talking serious wingnuts here.
Have another ice cream cone.
My head hurts.
A Quick Bite of Apple
Just this (from the WSJ):
Apple also made their iPod mp3 player Windows compatible. These are truly drool-worthy gadgets; with the largest capacity player holding 40 Gb or 10,000 songs in a very small package.
Ah... every day brings another reason I'm so glad to be using a Mac. Now if only I could use one at work!
In a sign of strong demand for online music and related gadgets this holiday season, Apple Computer Inc. says it has sold more than 25 million songs through its iTunes Music Store, and some retailers are having a hard time keeping Apple's hot iPod portable music player stocked on store shelves.While others are still trying, Apple has done what other on-line music stores and computer makers have failed to do: make buying music on-line easy and fun while giving the music buyer very good rights-to-use. It also didn't hurt that Apple made a version of its iTunes jukebox-and-music store-in-one for Windows. Not only does this enable Windows users to access the music store, but it also shows off Apples excellent software and graphic design as well.
Apple also made their iPod mp3 player Windows compatible. These are truly drool-worthy gadgets; with the largest capacity player holding 40 Gb or 10,000 songs in a very small package.
Ah... every day brings another reason I'm so glad to be using a Mac. Now if only I could use one at work!
Koufax Awards
I wasn't really familiar with the Koufax Awards over at Wampum so I was quite surprised when I received an e-mail from Dwight Merideth of Wampum. He let me know that I'd been nominated for Best New Blog and that he needed some representative posts.
When I went to Wampum to see who had nominated me, there was a name and an e-mail (but no web site) of the person who nominated me. I didn't recognize either bits of identification; so all I can say is thank you to Rod. I have no illusions about getting the nod for this award as I'm up against some really good blogs, but I have to admit that it was great being nominated.
Additionally, The Liberal Coalition was nominated for Best Group Blog.
So, while I really have no hope of winning this, it was very cool to get the nomination. Sort of makes all this writing seem just a little more worthwhile if someone I don't know thinks this blog is worth the award.
When I went to Wampum to see who had nominated me, there was a name and an e-mail (but no web site) of the person who nominated me. I didn't recognize either bits of identification; so all I can say is thank you to Rod. I have no illusions about getting the nod for this award as I'm up against some really good blogs, but I have to admit that it was great being nominated.
Additionally, The Liberal Coalition was nominated for Best Group Blog.
So, while I really have no hope of winning this, it was very cool to get the nomination. Sort of makes all this writing seem just a little more worthwhile if someone I don't know thinks this blog is worth the award.
Now... Where Was I?
I took a bit of an unplanned break from blogging this past weekend. Other than my Sunday morning post about the capture of Saddam I just didn't get the chance to do any serious writing.
My wife and I had a great time at our company NODWISH party on Friday night, Saturday was spent in a mostly fruitless search of the mall for good NODWISH presents, and then Sunday... Sunday. Sunday we got about 14 - 16 inches of snow and it was one of those days where it was just much more fun to do a lot of nothing than it would have been to do anything in particular.
Anyway, Monday I spent catching up at work from being sort of unmotivated last week.
So.
Back to hopefully more blogging for a while. At least until this weekend when we'll be heading to Canada to visit my wife's parents. I probably won't get to do any blogging there; they have a computer, but it's old and slow and connected via 56k modem. I think I'll skip it.
Time to go have a look around the world and around my blogroll to see what's happening. Time to get motivated and inspired.
Time to blog!
My wife and I had a great time at our company NODWISH party on Friday night, Saturday was spent in a mostly fruitless search of the mall for good NODWISH presents, and then Sunday... Sunday. Sunday we got about 14 - 16 inches of snow and it was one of those days where it was just much more fun to do a lot of nothing than it would have been to do anything in particular.
Anyway, Monday I spent catching up at work from being sort of unmotivated last week.
So.
Back to hopefully more blogging for a while. At least until this weekend when we'll be heading to Canada to visit my wife's parents. I probably won't get to do any blogging there; they have a computer, but it's old and slow and connected via 56k modem. I think I'll skip it.
Time to go have a look around the world and around my blogroll to see what's happening. Time to get motivated and inspired.
Time to blog!
Sunday, December 14, 2003
"We Got Him!"
All the majors are reporting that Saddam Hussein has been captured in a basement on a small farm outside of Tikrit.
This is excellent news. Iraqis who were fearful of participating in the new government because they were afraid of Hussein coming back to power will no longer have that to fear. Those who were fighting the "coalition" because they wanted to reinstall Hussein at some future point no longer have that possibility; those who fought just because they didn't want to be on the wrong side when he returned are also free of that threat.
It remains to see how BushCo treats this momentous event. If they have learned anything from their experiences in the Middle East - doubtful from their actions so far - they will treat Hussein with dignity and ensure that he is not roughed up by soldiers nor paraded before Iraqis in a humiliating way. Then they must - against all desire, I'm sure - put him before The Hague to be tried by an international court with as little American "taint" (to the Arab street) as possible.
A plan of action like that would go a long way to restoring all the good that could have come from aWol's excellent adventure. To do otherwise would be a further disaster.
This is excellent news. Iraqis who were fearful of participating in the new government because they were afraid of Hussein coming back to power will no longer have that to fear. Those who were fighting the "coalition" because they wanted to reinstall Hussein at some future point no longer have that possibility; those who fought just because they didn't want to be on the wrong side when he returned are also free of that threat.
It remains to see how BushCo treats this momentous event. If they have learned anything from their experiences in the Middle East - doubtful from their actions so far - they will treat Hussein with dignity and ensure that he is not roughed up by soldiers nor paraded before Iraqis in a humiliating way. Then they must - against all desire, I'm sure - put him before The Hague to be tried by an international court with as little American "taint" (to the Arab street) as possible.
A plan of action like that would go a long way to restoring all the good that could have come from aWol's excellent adventure. To do otherwise would be a further disaster.
Just a Reminder
If you're a non-Liberal Coalition member and you're reading this, I'd like to ask you to do me a favor.
It's very easy; no shopping through an Amazon link, no donations to anyone. I'd just ask you to check out a fellow member's blog: It's Craptastic! and his entry "What is the Point?" If you like the entry, please write a short post with a link to that entry so that it will be counted as a vote in the New Weblog Showcase at Truth Laid Bear. This post is just one vote out from first place - he could use the help.
Thank you for your support.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
It's very easy; no shopping through an Amazon link, no donations to anyone. I'd just ask you to check out a fellow member's blog: It's Craptastic! and his entry "What is the Point?" If you like the entry, please write a short post with a link to that entry so that it will be counted as a vote in the New Weblog Showcase at Truth Laid Bear. This post is just one vote out from first place - he could use the help.
Thank you for your support.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
