Category: interesting

Sunday Times:
Britain’s most senior military commander in Afghanistan has warned that the war against the Taliban cannot be won.
“We want to change the nature of the debate from one where disputes are settled through the barrel of the gun to one where it is done through negotiations.”

“If the Taliban were prepared to sit on the other side of the table and talk about a political settlement, then that’s precisely the sort of progress that concludes insurgencies like this. That shouldn’t make people uncomfortable.”

Citizen K on the VP debate:

Chris Matthews compared Sarah Palin to a spelling bee contestant. I agree, with one addition: Instead of spelling the word she was given, she spelled any word she felt like spelling.

Moderator Gwen Ifill didn’t ask her whether she believes that human beings and dinosaurs inhabited this planet simultaneously only 6,000 years ago.

Why debate?

Cut, Kill, Dig, Drill by Jonathan Raban

Poujadism flourished most vigorously in the last years of the French Fourth Republic and articulated the economic interests and grievances of shop keepers and other proprietor-managers of small businesses facing economic and social change. The movement’s main revendication was of lower taxes; ideologically, the movement was corporatist, denouncing of the political, journalistic establishment; later, the movement grew increasingly nationalist and xenophobic and critical of parliamentary institutions.

The word poujadisme now has in France the general meaning of some political ideology that articulates the fears of some part of the population facing social or economic change, and that blame the problems on the “establishment” and the political system.

Palin the Poujadist

Everyone should learn this as quickly as possible! It’s been said, “This election is going to hinge on Ohio hockey moms who read the London Review of Books.”

Make-Believe Maverick

“A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty.”

In its broad strokes, McCain’s life story is oddly similar to that of the current occupant of the White House. John Sidney McCain III and George Walker Bush both represent the third generation of American dynasties. Both were born into positions of privilege against which they rebelled into mediocrity. Both developed an uncanny social intelligence that allowed them to skate by with a minimum of mental exertion. Both struggled with booze and loutish behavior. At each step, with the aid of their fathers’ powerful friends, both failed upward. And both shed their skins as Episcopalian members of the Washington elite to build political careers as self-styled, ranch-inhabiting Westerners who pray to Jesus in their wives’ evangelical churches.

In one vital respect, however, the comparison is deeply unfair to the current president: George W. Bush was a much better pilot.

Comment at Metafilter

How long does America expect the far-right wing of the GOP and religious fundamentalists to keep things afloat? We’re starting to see blowback from all these failed policies and instead of questioning the policies we are supposed to question the players and the system.

The problem is the GOP is too far to the right.

I’m not buying the problem lies with “both parties.” The problem lies with one party.

What are we supposed to do to reclaim freedom?

We need to understand that we are bombarded with both fake patriotism and fake democracy. Only then can we get to the real American mandate.

The key ways, the phrases and metaphors, in which we are often asked to think about America tend to make us stupid, complacent, and inert. They are also, if you go back to what the great Americans wished us to identify as love of country, just plain wrong. Today, politicians often ask us to think of ourselves as a kind of “chosen people” by birthright: “Our nation is chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world,” as George W. Bush asserted during the 2000 election campaign.

Over the past four decades, patriotism was often defined as uncritical support for U.S. policies–such as the Vietnam War-era bumper sticker MY COUNTRY, RIGHT OR WRONG. Patriotism was also branded as support for U.S. militarism, whatever the context or conflict or cost. Sometimes patriotism was identified with “Christian America” and sometimes even as direct evangelism in the context of statecraft. Finally patriotism was rebranded as the active silencing of dissent. John McCain, for instance, whose campaign messaging in 2008 was grounded in a theme of patriotism, recently called in public for members of MoveOn.org to be kicked out of the country. But all these rebrandings of patriotism would have dismayed the great Americans who had all at various times criticized U.S. military actions, U.S. policies, the establishment of any state religion, and most of all, criticized those who would silence disagreeing voices and dissent.

How did “patriotism” become so dumbed down?

Don’t move. The world needs less of your mind.

A mere 35,000+ have viewed this video. Not enough. Not nearly enough.

Bush in the debates of 2000 saying almost the exact same talking points Sarah Palin uses in the 2008 debate.

PALIN: “We’re known for putting partisan politics aside to just get the job done.”

BUSH: “In order to get something done on behalf of the people, you have to put partisanship aside…”

PALIN: “He’s proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there, and they can purchase their own coverage, and that’s a smart thing to do.”

BUSH: “We need a $2,000 credit, rebate for people, working people that don’t have insurance, they can get in the marketplace and start purchasing insurance.”

PALIN: “But there are real changes going on in our climate, and I don’t want to argue about the causes.”

BUSH: “I — of course there’s a lot — look, global warming needs to be taken very seriously, and I take it seriously. But science, there’s a lot — there’s differing opinions.”

I know it’s not plagiarism – passing off of another person’s work as one’s own. In campaigning, candidates may rely on slogans and planks, but these are public and generally not hiding as one’s owns thoughts.

The Latin word plaga referred to a hunting net or snare which was used for capturing game, termed plagium. By extension, this word was also used for the crime of kidnapping children or freemen and selling them as slaves, the kidnapper being called a plagiarius.

A poet about A.D. 103, used plagiarius to refer to “a literary thief or plagiarist”.

Or looking at selecting Sarah in another way, define:shil.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GMww19uz4Y&hl=en&fs=1]

Three things every voter should
know about John McCain

Easy to navigate critique. Not exhaustive but clear.

Anyone leaning Republican should go here.

How dumb are we?
…the governor of Helmand, Afghanistan’s largest poppy-producing province, says that this year he is determined to beat the illicit crop, which is a major source of money for drug lords and insurgents alike.

To do that, the governor plans to try something that has worked in other parts of Afghanistan… persuade farmers not to plant poppies at all!!

Easy enough??

He says it will take new seeds for farmers, new roads to get their legal crops to the market, reconstruction money, strict enforcement of laws against poppy growing and, perhaps most difficult of all, the elimination of the official corruption that has fueled the drug trade.

So far, Mangal has secured over $8 million from the United States and Britain for seeds and fertilizer for 26,000 farmers.

$8 Million?
An overlooked item in a budget of $10 billion a month?

The Defense Department will pay private U.S. contractors in Iraq up to $300 million over the next three years to produce news stories, entertainment programs and public service advertisements for the Iraqi media in an effort to “engage and inspire” the local population to support U.S. objectives and the Iraqi government.

If, as President Reagan said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere,” we must raise the bar, not lower it. After almost eight years of George W. Bush, we can see very clearly the problems that a less-than-knowledgeable leader can cause. If America is going to be a beacon, the lights must at least be on.

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

“You can fool some of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. That’s usually enough.” – Milton Berle

Greatest crisis since the Great Depression?

Clearly, the economic situation isn’t great but keep these statistics in mind: during the Great Depression GDP fell 30%, unemployment exceeded 20%, wholesale prices declined 33% and industrial production plummeted close to 50%.

The latest complete information available showed real GDP up 2.8% on an annualized basis in the second quarter, the unemployment rate at 6.1%, wholesale prices up 9.6% from 12 months ago, and industrial production down just 1.5% from 12 months ago.

Any attempt to draw comparisons between the current economic environment and the Great Depression is utter nonsense.

What is known of the current situation is that unemployment is rising, consumer spending is sluggish, industrial production is slipping, and housing remains in a slump.

Export growth, however, has been strong, business investment has been rather resilient, and the government… well, the government continues to spend.

[from briefing.com – “top site from Wall Street professionals”]

The biggest explosion is not a bomb. It’s our spectrum.

Do you know the 1996 Telecommunications Act? Were you there in 1934 for the Communications Act? Did one thousand lives thank you for the Radio Act of 1912 when their ship missed a storm?

I bet you don’t know communication is a transportation industry? Then you don’t know society.

Ask John McCain. He’ll keep you confused.

You don’t know the spectrum is yours.

It’s not cable. It’s not rules.

It’s law. We own it.

Not once have today’s seers said what I saw with my own eyes.

I’m almost sixty. I’ve met many many people in my life and, unusually, I took most into politics and belief. I’ve learned what good is and what bad can do. I can judge this clearly. Some of us dilute, too many take, and a few destroy. But please, my friends are friends and my fellow souls are true and good.

Then why is it the best of us can become the worst of us? Why the wealthy keep and why the eager cheat? Why is treachery so common in the poor on the corner where trust is better? Why are pennies important to the comfortable? Why is betrayal uncovered in the dark? Why are talents wasted or skill withheld or guile copied or weakness gilded? These are not God’s questions. These are mine and yours.

I don’t see sincerity in Sarah. I see a novice taken far. This is a good thing but not a leader. This is enriching and could be warm, if enrichment and warmth were offered. One night, the siren. The other, unkempt. There is this high point in all of us, but a leader keeps it, and keeps it not for rank but for us.

So many eye to eye miracles I’ve shared and gripped hands in true alliance. So many good wits traded and pledged to honor, good works, fair exchange, to a fist I won’t tell you, but not pride to war nor did I ever take need to blood. What I see is grand and great and infinite humanity. I do not see argument across a border nor corruption through a door nor sixpacks in the kitchen. I do not see prize and privy. I look for needing me and hope for it and make it ready. I do not make appointments with the arrogant. I do not intrude on fair and loving. A nod can say all I need to know. A night can be forever when we talk.

These days, our politicians take everything and leave too little. I am not deciding whether they meet an enemy or favor a friend or hide a gift. I am not voting for their integrity or honesty or clarity or teamwork. What leader asks if not already all these things? If I want their arrangements, I don’t want their community. If I want their audacity, I don’t want their argument. If I want their bravery, I don’t want their war.

Not once are today’s planks sturdy for all of us and if not for all us why?

Not once are today’s promises for all of us and if not for all of us why?

Not once do today’s small triumphs bring us to our feet and never to our need. We are not Angels on a pin and today’s framed and focused stump are tiny and false and cannot fit our nation.

Jefferson did and Lincoln tried and Franklin tied us back together but Reagan didn’t free us and Bush has burned us and we are beginning our nation again.

Elections are not a battle front and it’s not power we’re selecting. Fill those halls until they are ours again. Respect the players and the arguments so then greater candidates will be discovered. Raise up the issues so then we lift our representatives. Then out the tired and the stupid and the selfish until we have the enduring on top. Gather until all of us are governing. Then sweep away the fraud. Take the resolute and the devout so then throw out the lazy and the lucky.

Be tradition by becoming it.

Stand on hills until they’re mountains and be American again.

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you will have $49.00 today. If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you will have $33.00 today. If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you will have $0.00 today. But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you will have received a $214.00. Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle. It is called the 401-Keg.

Investment Advice by Bill Hicks.

There’s so much on the table that silly arousal or old maxim won’t fix. But politicians are never better than where we take them.

If you flip channels, can you count the number of times media anchors, field reporters or bowtie pundits told you the House of Representatives junked the first vote on the bailout because constituents raised all holy hell?

That’s wrong.
Our calls and letters were 45%-38% in favor of the bailout bill.

Stump politics is new, a Century or more, but novel and not mature. What parade have millions watched and how few have thrown trinkets?
>
I’m so patient for humanity but utterly slapped by jingo. I wonder if war will make us finally stubborn before lies do?
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Ambition is unnoticed effort. It climbs into a family and calls itself purpose. It arrives before an invitation and stays whether wanted. It labors until wicked and sees only love.
>
These are the days of perception. There have been pioneers that endure much more than our good discerning. Today we think our frontier and those speeches are our tomorrow. Our vote one footstep to take us there.
>
It’s darn important to look at character or its dereliction. Darn important to decide who’s near us on the trail.

He may be mad, but there’s method in his madness.
There nearly always is method in madness.
It’s what drives men mad, being methodical.

Sarah Palin is, as John McCain, hiding criticism in every complement and an accusation in every claim.

A good education fixes this flaw, or a good amount of experience, or mere civility. Sarah’s gymnasium in the bush hasn’t done it. Her mentors and McCain are merely stooged privilege, more common and less novel, and the group of them are a small parade.

Sarah Palin will bring more hurt, higher tax, greater burden, less worldliness, more threat, greater dilution, more cruelty, less wealth, increased crisis, more poverty, more isolation, more scorn, fewer resources, greater argument, less research, stumbling progress, further distance, jingoist beliefs, trigger diplomacy, aggrandizing stumping, bravado politics, rigid authority, loose power, false affront, false persona, purported sincerity, small goals, tiny achievements, obsessive selfishness, massive favoritism and carnival skills.

I’m hoping this upset nation will not choose  a publican queen.

Someone strong, patient, smart, up-to-date, on top of the issues, informed, attentive, able, certain, affable, empathetic, clear, specific, supported, allied, courageous, engaged, decisive, thoughtful, prescient, respectful, loyal, determinant, capable, reserved, detailed, dutiful, embracing, experienced, trained, serious, alert, patient, comfortable, quick, accomplished, pioneering, complete, insightful, brave, understanding, and ready.

No bodies have been found amid the rubble.

“The plastic is a real killer of both turtles and birds.”

There’s not enough trailers to pull the plastic away.

Tons of debris swept up by Hurricane Ike last month were carried by Gulf of Mexico currents hundreds of miles from the upper Texas coast to this ordinarily pristine landscape just north of the Mexican border.

Sections of roofs, refrigerators, loveseats, beds, TVs, hot tubs and holiday decorations litter the more than 60 miles of gently arcing sand in the national park. [newsvine]

The NYTimes:

On Wednesday evening, as the senators gathered to vote on the $700 billion financial rescue package, Mr. Obama, Democrat of Illinois, walked over to the Republican side of the chamber to extend a greeting to Senator John McCain of Arizona.

While it took Mr. Obama several seconds to make his way over to Mr. McCain, the actual handshake lasted barely a second, as Mr. McCain responded with a chilly look, a turn of his head and a brief return handshake.

“Today,” says Matthew Yglesias, “as a swirling financial panic pushes national security issues out of the headlines it’s worth returning to bin Laden’s warning.”

Osama bin Laden himself in his November 2004 pre-election message. In that tape, bin Laden described a strategy of “bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy” by provoking us into undertaking costly military adventures. [full transcript]

Mocking a certain panicky quality in American policymaking, bin Laden bragged that “all that we have to do is to send two Mujadedin to the farthest point East to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al-Qaeda in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human economic and political losses without their achieving for it anything of note other than some benefits to their private companies.”

…the $100 billion or so per year we’ve been spending on [Iraq] has cost us dearly.

Mother Jones asks “What do you think might happen if we were to start eliminating our military footprint?“

The view from Cato Institute in 2005 reveals Bush is wrong to “claim that Iraq is the central front in the war on terrorism”.

“The truth is that ridding the world of Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime did not eliminate an Al Qaeda sanctuary or a primary source of support for the terrorist group.

A Thinking Policy:
“The military’s role in the war on terrorism will mainly involve special operations forces in discrete missions against specific targets, not conventional warfare aimed at overthrowing entire regimes. The rest of the war aimed at dismantling and degrading the Al Qaeda terrorist network will require unprecedented international intelligence and law enforcement cooperation, not expensive new planes, helicopters, and warships.

“Therefore, an increasingly large defense budget is not necessary to fight the war on terrorism. Nor is it necessary to protect America from traditional nation-state military threats—the United States is in a unique geostrategic position; it has no military rivals and is relatively secure from conventional military attack because of vast oceans on its flanks and friendly neighbors to the north and south.

“In fact, U.S. security would be better served by adopting a less interventionist policy abroad and pulling back from the Cold War–era extended security perimeter, which necessitates forward-deployed military forces around the world.

“If the United States adopted a balancer-of-last-resort strategy (allowing other countries to manage the security of their own regions), most overseas U.S. military deployments could be eliminated and the defense budget could be substantially reduced.”