Archive for December, 2006
"Some Critics Say"
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006This is what TIME Magazine says about a potential plan to undermine Syria (it’s about time that something was done with this terrorist state):
Some critics in Congress and the Administration say that such a plan, meant to secretly influence a foreign government, should be legally deemed a “covert action,” which by law would then require that the White House inform the intelligence committees on Capitol Hill. Some in Congress would undoubtedly raise objections to this secret use of publicly appropriated funds to promote democracy.
Care to name ONE critic, Time?
However, in order to make the “election monitoring” plan for Syria effective, the proposal makes clear that the U.S. effort will have to be concealed: “Any information regarding funding for domestic [Syrian] politicians for elections monitoring would have to be protected from public dissemination,” the document says. But American experts on “democracy promotion” consulted by TIME say it would be unwise to give financial support to a specific candidate in the election, because of the perceived conflict of interest. More ominously, an official familiar with the document explained that secrecy is necessary in part because Syria’s government might retaliate against anyone inside the country who was seen as supporting the U.S.-backed election effort. The official added that because the Syrian government fields a broad network of internal spies, it would almost certainly find out about the U.S. effort, if it hasn’t already. That could lead to the imprisonment of still more opposition figures.
Well, they know now, don’t they? If they believe TIME’s “official”, “American”, “experts”, “democracy promotion”, and the “some in Congress”, “US Foreign Policy experts” and the ever esteemed “critics.”
After all these assertions we have a quote from a University of Oklahoma academic and
“Edward P. Djerejian, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria who worked on the Iraq Study Group report”.
Other than these two guys, every other opinion can only be credibly attributed to the article’s author Adam Zagorin who is revealing classified information. Don’t these news organizations have editors? And how can an article go to press without one valid, “on the record” quote?
Politics: Not So Exciting
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006I love the Holiday Season if for no other reason than the politicians are back home or cavorting in New Hampshire, mugging for the cameras and spouting empty platitudes. Mostly, they’re not in Washington, not dripping condescending venom, and not legislating anything. Bliss.
The next two years will be more of the same (Please note that I’m a notoriously bad predictor). There are so many presidential aspirants and sycophants that everyone is going to try to at least appear civilized. Screw the President? Not without looking like a pin-headed obstructionist. Scream and rant? Not unless the image of anti-gravitas wants to be put forth. Bail from Iraq and trumpet anti-troops messages? Invoke that political death-wish if one must.
Oh no, the next two years will overflow with displays of herculean restraint. Everyone is fixated on the Big Prize. The Dems are coming out early and burn, burn, burning through the populace’s five-minute attention span. The Republicans are wandering around like the lost bird in Are You My Mother? Will we get a back hoe as the nominee? Stay tuned.
While Bush displays weariness and strange enthusiasm for legislation no one wants, he has shown bursts of the long tall Texan that grates on the world so much. Thankfully, kinda. I hope he puts some of that spine into going the distance in Iraq. He has two years left. I’d be happy if he got out a box of those Sharpies he loves so much and vetoes every piece of legislation that walks across his desk. With the make-up of the Congress it’s bound to be bad stuff.
And screw this stupid legacy talk. I hated the navel gazing with Clinton and I don’t hate it less with Bush. Who gives a flip? It will be a good ten to twenty-five years before anyone has any perspective on this complicated time. And yes, count me as one of those people peeved at Bush’s spending like a shopaholic on a bender.
Hating Bush is de rigeur these days, but even Progressives (and mushy moderates) are going to have to come to terms with the world’s realities eventually. Or do they have some super secret special invisible shield to cover the whole country? I don’t know, Barack Obama just might.
Appeasement Like It’s 1939, Technically 1938
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006“PEACE IN OUR TIME!!!!!” Yay, Neville! Now we have James Baker.
One of the commenters at YouTube says:
Cindy Sheehan is, like, so 2004. [Although you could add the recent Democratic Congressional pilgrimage, uh, trip, to Cuba, Harry Bellafonte, Steven Spielburg, Oliver Stone ... Then there is John Kerry on his 'fact finding' mission to Syria. ]
An Arab Democracy?
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006That’s what a reader asked when sending the link to this article about the civil war between Fatah and Hamas. This Palestinian says, “I can imagine Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert now watching Gaza and laughing,” said Gaza teacher Majed Baseer, 35.
Somehow I doubt that. OK, maybe he’s giggling a wee bit.
The Pursuit of Happyness: Stereotype Busting
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006Will Smith stars in an underdog story with a twist–it’s a story that happens a lot in this country and gets scant notice. What is the story? It’s the story of a black single father who works to change his lot in life. He overcomes homelessness and joblessness. Today, the man is a millionaire owner of an investment firm.
U.S.A. Today’s DeWayne Wickem says this:
The movie, based on Gardner’s book by the same title, is the kind of story that continues to escape the notice of many news organizations. The black poor are more likely to show up in unavoidable disaster stories such as those produced by Hurricane Katrina � about people isolated by poverty and misfortune and waiting for rescue.
But like Gardner, most blacks who are mired in poverty work mightily to save themselves. Few are as successful as Gardner is, but most manage to eke out a living that lifts them above dependence on government handouts.
Another story that isn’t told in the media is this: Many black success stories have their mom AND THEIR DAD to thank. Just having a dad around seems to promote success. Let’s look at some famous blacks:
- Michael Jordan–
Michael Jordan learned to be a man because his father taught him. He may have lost his teacher, but not his teachings. Unlike human life, they are ageless, timeless, eternal. In his son, a part of James Jordan–the best part–still lives. Michael is his father’s heir apparent. He proved that on October 6 when he walked away from basketball to become Air. A Parent.
- Tiger Woods–
“He did a lot of different things, but I tell you what, he always it was interesting thing about dad is every time he played, he always wanted to teach a lesson. That’s just how he was. So every time we played, every weekend, there was always a lesson to be learned, and he always used to just keep harping on me that; learn something from this round. It doesn’t always have to apply to golf. Each and every round, the things you deal with in golf can be life experiences on a smaller scale; it’s a microcosm. That’s something dad was always harping on me about, to try to get an understanding of that.”
- Beyonce Knowles-
They believed in her so much that Beyonce’s father quit his job to manage Destiny’s Child while her mother, Tina, worked long hours at her hair salon to support the family.
Her mother recalls that time, saying, “It was very stressful because we went from having two really great incomes to having one. We had to scale down the house. Sell the cars. It was a really tough time for us.”
Did people think you were nuts?
Tina Knowles says, “Oh yeah, people thought we were nuts a lot more than we did. They really thought we were crazy.”
There are really too many accomplished people to mention. Condoleeza Rice, for one. Children need their father. These celebrities need to trumpet the influence their fathers had on their success (most do this). We need movies. We need the spotlight shown on men being men.
I’m so glad that Will Smith decided to take on this project. Hopefully, it will give people hope and bust some stereotypes along the way.
I’m a Porche 911 Baby! UPDATED, Scroll Down
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006I’m a Porsche 911!
You have a classic style, but you’re up-to-date with the latest technology. You’re ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige – you’re one of the elite,and you know it.
Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.
The Anchoress is a Mustang. She must like going topless in the summer. Gotta be careful about those Catholic girls–they’re often the wild ones.
Me, a Porche 911? I’m not sure what to make of that. Those cars sound like baby buzz saws when they’re idling. It’s a tad disconcerting since I’ve been an all-American girl my whole life. Hey, I’m open to new possibilities. Actually, it makes sense. I married an Italian, after all.
I’m wondering what sports car my hubby is….I know which car he wants. Since it costs as much as a modest house, and since I don’t see a bathroom, shower and tax deduction to go with it, it’s still a dream.
UPDATE: Here’s the Hubby’s results:
He’s a Chevrolet Corvette!
You’re a classic – powerful, athletic, and competitive. You’re all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.
Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.
It’s somewhat disturbing how accurate these personality summaries turn out. What are you & why?
Free Speech Haters Snow & Rockefeller
Monday, December 18th, 2006Apparently, U.S. lawmakers intent on stifling free speech are drawing attention from across the pond:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Lord Monckton, Viscount of Brenchley, has sent an open letter to Senators Rockefeller (D-WV) and Snowe (R-Maine) in response to their recent open letter telling the CEO of ExxonMobil to cease funding climate-skeptic scientists. (http://ff.org/centers/csspp/pdf/20061212_monckton.pdf).
………
Concludes Lord Monckton, “I challenge you to withdraw or resign because your letter is the latest in what appears to be an internationally-coordinated series of maladroit and malevolent attempts to silence the voices of scientists and others who have sound grounds, rooted firmly in the peer- reviewed scientific literature, to question what you would have us believe is the unanimous agreement of scientists worldwide that global warming will lead to what you excitedly but unjustifiably call ‘disastrous’ and ‘calamitous’ consequences.”
I don’t know why, but I find this funny.
Wet Fish Handshake
Monday, December 18th, 2006Seth Godin reminded me today of the horror that is the “wet fish handshake”. Any person who wants to make a good impression with people must master the handshake. Here’s the deal:
- Extend arm with authority
- Hold firmly around the person’s hand (ladies do NOT leave your hand in the middle of the other person’s hand like you’re in Victorian England–and men, if you do this, I must fight the compulsive urge to throw up)
- Don’t linger, don’t flee. Count to two and be done.
- Don’t do the hand-over hand. If you’re that cozy with someone, give them a hug.
- Men, don’t kiss a woman’s hand. Just. Don’t.
- Don’t include any pump action in the shake. Just shake the hand.
Simple. No more wet fishes. And if you have this problem, practice over and over and over and over until it is expunged from your repertoire. It must go. Jazz hands are a close second, but we’ll deal with that another day.
John Hawkin’s Most Obnoxious Quotes of 2006
Monday, December 18th, 2006Not his, specifically, but he highlights the worst of the worst. My favorite least favorites:
32) “It’s time for us to rebuild New Orleans, the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans, and I don’t care what people are saying uptown wherever they are, this city will be chocolate at the end of the day. This city will be a majority African-American city — it’s the way God wants it to be.” — New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin
25) “Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America.” — Rosie O’Donnell
16) “The entire country may disagree with me, but I don’t understand the necessity for patriotism. Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country� I don’t see why people care about patriotism.” — Natalie Maines
9) “Again, (America is) a stupid country with stupid people who don’t pay attention.” — Bill Maher
Survive in the Wild
Monday, December 18th, 2006After the family in Oregon lost their husband and father to hypothermia, the hubby and I discussed survival methods. #1: There was almost universal agreement by experts–DON’T LEAVE THE SHELTER & STAY PUT. This is good information for my family. I married into a family full of men I call “The Happy Wanderers.” I’ve not been able to find them at the airport baggage claim because they won’t just stay put. Heaven help the rescue workers sent to find them in the wilderness.
Besides staying put, here are more strategies for survival.
