Who do want in charge of the troops?
Posted by Hello
Thursday, September 23, 2004
He really said it!
John Kerry, on his plans to kill al-Qa'ida Jihadis with kindness.
I will fight this war on terror with the lessons I learned in war. I defended this country as a young man, and I will defend it as president of the United States. I believe I can fight a more effective, more thoughtful, more strategic, more proactive, more sensitive war on terror that reaches out to other nations and brings them to our side and lives up to American values in history. I lay out a strategy to strengthen our military, to build and lead strong alliances and reform our intelligence system. I set out a path to win the peace in Iraq and to get the terrorists wherever they may be before they get us." -- Kerry, Aug. 5
Per Boston Globe ..."I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a little-noticed contribution to a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing."
I will fight this war on terror with the lessons I learned in war. I defended this country as a young man, and I will defend it as president of the United States. I believe I can fight a more effective, more thoughtful, more strategic, more proactive, more sensitive war on terror that reaches out to other nations and brings them to our side and lives up to American values in history. I lay out a strategy to strengthen our military, to build and lead strong alliances and reform our intelligence system. I set out a path to win the peace in Iraq and to get the terrorists wherever they may be before they get us." -- Kerry, Aug. 5
Per Boston Globe ..."I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a little-noticed contribution to a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing."
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
It's Rather Pathetic
The CBS mess regarding the forged documents is fascinating to observe don’t you think? CBS is claiming they were misled. What a spin. We’re to believe that this Burkett guy with a known history of “unusual” behavior and some patently phony documents of questionable origin, misled a tough and seasoned news organization?
CBS (read Dan Rather and team) thought that because of who they are, and because they had some document props, the focus would go to the story not the credibility of the documentation they were offering in its support. This was not a news story. According to them they had been working on this for 4 to 5 years; and it came to fruition just a few weeks prior to the presidential election? It was an agenda item.
They failed to figure on some Internet bloggers with contact to the world via the Internet who, while “working in their pajamas”, would be looking over their shoulder. It’s too, too, delicious. The interesting thing will be to watch as the debacle moves through its denouement.
CBS (read Dan Rather and team) thought that because of who they are, and because they had some document props, the focus would go to the story not the credibility of the documentation they were offering in its support. This was not a news story. According to them they had been working on this for 4 to 5 years; and it came to fruition just a few weeks prior to the presidential election? It was an agenda item.
They failed to figure on some Internet bloggers with contact to the world via the Internet who, while “working in their pajamas”, would be looking over their shoulder. It’s too, too, delicious. The interesting thing will be to watch as the debacle moves through its denouement.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Rather's Blather
Jonothan Goldberg sums it up. Here are a couple of paragraphs from his column this date.
"Indeed, Rather's thinking has become axiomatic: Good reporting offends conservatives. I am a good reporter. Therefore, anyone who objects to my work is a conservative. And, of course, conservative objections are, by definition, illegitimate objections. After all, liberal media bias is a myth.
The fact is, good reporting isn't liberal or conservative — though it can be either. What good reporting does is expose those who would lie for a "higher truth." Which, ironically, is why so much of the criticism of Rather is not really "partisan" at all — it's good reporting."
Copyright (c) 2004 Tribune Media Services
"Indeed, Rather's thinking has become axiomatic: Good reporting offends conservatives. I am a good reporter. Therefore, anyone who objects to my work is a conservative. And, of course, conservative objections are, by definition, illegitimate objections. After all, liberal media bias is a myth.
The fact is, good reporting isn't liberal or conservative — though it can be either. What good reporting does is expose those who would lie for a "higher truth." Which, ironically, is why so much of the criticism of Rather is not really "partisan" at all — it's good reporting."
Copyright (c) 2004 Tribune Media Services
Sunday, September 19, 2004
The 4 Horsemen of Paradise or ???
It’s an overcast morning here in Boulder Creek, probably the entire Bay Area. I just returned from the local coffee spot where I got Rella and I a double vanilla latte’. No not one, but one each. Rella is downstairs reading this month’s Weekly Standard (the one zine Dubya professes to read) and I’m here in the music room trying to formulate if not profound thoughts, at least regurgitating the profound thoughts of others.
I’ve quickly arrived at the realization that it’s easier to think about what I want to communicate than to act on that want. Of course I all ready knew that. Which causes me to consider what I was re-reading this AM.
One of my favorite books is “The Metaphysical Club”. I read it for the first time 4 or 5 months past. It is, as is most of my reading, non-fiction. Because I highlight points along the way as I read, none of my books will ever qualify as a collector’s item. Few of the tomes I peruse are treated in a “been there read that” manner. I like to pick them up and review pages - sections again. It is sometimes necessary to read again and again to grasp not only the nuances in an idea, but the fundamentals as well (did I say sometimes?)
This book is about the lives of four persons; four persons whose careers intersected at many points. The author’s position is that these four men, together, had, and have, enormous influence on American life and the way Americans thought - and continue to think – about education, democracy, liberty, justice and tolerance. He says, as a consequence of their ideas and the fact that they were positioned to introduce those ideas into American thought and did so …“they changed the way Americans live - the way they learn, the way they express their views, the way they understand themselves, and they way they treat people who are different from themselves.”
I can’t make his case here. The book has 546 pages including epilog, notes, etc. He does make a strong case. You may, or may not, like some or all the ultimate effects these men had on our society but affect it they did. The book is well written and will give you a understanding of how we got to where we are today as a country, as a people.
Oh! You want to know their names? This may surprise you as they are far less known than many others in history: Oliver Wendell Homes, William James, Charles S. Pierce and John Dewey.
Over one hundred years ago, the German bard Heine warned the French not to underestimate the power of ideas: philosophical concepts nurtured in the stillness of a professor’s study could destroy a civilization.
I’ve quickly arrived at the realization that it’s easier to think about what I want to communicate than to act on that want. Of course I all ready knew that. Which causes me to consider what I was re-reading this AM.
One of my favorite books is “The Metaphysical Club”. I read it for the first time 4 or 5 months past. It is, as is most of my reading, non-fiction. Because I highlight points along the way as I read, none of my books will ever qualify as a collector’s item. Few of the tomes I peruse are treated in a “been there read that” manner. I like to pick them up and review pages - sections again. It is sometimes necessary to read again and again to grasp not only the nuances in an idea, but the fundamentals as well (did I say sometimes?)
This book is about the lives of four persons; four persons whose careers intersected at many points. The author’s position is that these four men, together, had, and have, enormous influence on American life and the way Americans thought - and continue to think – about education, democracy, liberty, justice and tolerance. He says, as a consequence of their ideas and the fact that they were positioned to introduce those ideas into American thought and did so …“they changed the way Americans live - the way they learn, the way they express their views, the way they understand themselves, and they way they treat people who are different from themselves.”
I can’t make his case here. The book has 546 pages including epilog, notes, etc. He does make a strong case. You may, or may not, like some or all the ultimate effects these men had on our society but affect it they did. The book is well written and will give you a understanding of how we got to where we are today as a country, as a people.
Oh! You want to know their names? This may surprise you as they are far less known than many others in history: Oliver Wendell Homes, William James, Charles S. Pierce and John Dewey.
Over one hundred years ago, the German bard Heine warned the French not to underestimate the power of ideas: philosophical concepts nurtured in the stillness of a professor’s study could destroy a civilization.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
The Rape of the Masters
I'm reading a new book. In a word it's ...excellent! It does many things at once. The author, Roger Kimball, has taken seven famous works of art (beautifully reproduced in the book) and shows how they have been manipulated by professors of art in various universities, as well as soi disant art critics or interpreters, to support a political agenda.
This is not a book made laborious with the jargon of art that only those from that world would understand or find of interest. The writing is lucid. The subject is relevant. He shows how the work of art is subordinated to the political idea making the political view more important than the art work itself.
Here are a couple of spartan quotes. "Rothko's picture is just that: a picture. It's not a 'text' to be read or a puzzle that needs to be deciphered or unravelled. It's a painting to be looked at."
" ...in seeking deep significance in abstract art, generally the first thing to be sacrificed is the art.
If you enjoy politics, art, a good laugh and wish to expand your education, all at the same time, read "the Rape of the Masters.
Here we go!
My first posting as you can see below was a test. I was going to erase it. Then I thought no, it's descriptive of what this is. So I'll leave it. I often find myself wanting to make comment, express ideas, offer analysis of a variety of things such as news and political events, religion, the media, newsmakers, errant thoughts, etc. In other words pretty much everything that crosses my field of vision be it the eye of mind or body. You are welcome to comment. In fact you are invited to comment. We'll see how this goes and modify as necessary.
Friday, September 17, 2004
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