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| (Photo from the NY Times) |
9/28/12
Nice Going Bibi
9/25/12
New Choppers On The Way
9/24/12
Time To Sound Retreat
In today’s NY Times op-ed column, America’s Inevitable Retreat From the Middle East, Pankaj Mishra paints a thought provoking picture of the waning power of the United States in the Middle East. As Mishra points out:
“Republicans calling for President Obama to “grow” a “big stick” seem to think they live in the world of Teddy Roosevelt. Liberal internationalists arguing for even deeper American engagement with the Middle East inhabit a similar time warp; and both have an exaggerated idea of America’s financial clout after the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s.
It is the world’s newly ascendant nations and awakened peoples that will increasingly shape events in the post-Western era. America’s retrenchment is inevitable. The only question is whether it will be as protracted and violent as Europe’s mid-20th century retreat from a newly assertive Asia and Africa.”
Thought provoking indeed. What I got out of it:
“Republicans calling for President Obama to “grow” a “big stick” seem to think they live in the world of Teddy Roosevelt. Liberal internationalists arguing for even deeper American engagement with the Middle East inhabit a similar time warp; and both have an exaggerated idea of America’s financial clout after the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s.
It is the world’s newly ascendant nations and awakened peoples that will increasingly shape events in the post-Western era. America’s retrenchment is inevitable. The only question is whether it will be as protracted and violent as Europe’s mid-20th century retreat from a newly assertive Asia and Africa.”
Thought provoking indeed. What I got out of it:
- Whether we like the word or not we are retreating from Iraq and Afghanistan. The mission was not successful. We never should have been there in the first place.
- We are not good at nation building. Nations are built internally, not externally.
- Democracy works for us but not necessarily for others.
- Keep the hell out of Syria!
- Israel is not our ward.
- The sooner Israel faces reality and ceases to be a loose canon, the sooner there will be peace in the Middle East.
- Keep America strong through aggressive social policies which will insure that we can all go about our business with our head held high.
- Isn’t it about time that the United Nations takes on a more proactive role in world affairs?
- If the United Nations is to be strictly a debating club, it may be time toquestion its usefulness..
- Let the world know that “Don’t Tread On Me” still means something to us.
9/22/12
God just might be an Englishman
It is easy to succumb to moods of depression as we are bombarded with stories of massacres, religious intolerance and insurrections. It is easy to be bewildered by the outrageous claims of political campaigns. It is easy to question our identity, as labels such as 47 per centers, 1 per centers, 99 per centers, free loaders, elitists, rightists and leftists are tossed at us. It is easy to go into a rage as religious zealots, terrorists and insurgents snuff out lives in the name of God, a poltical cause or both.
While feeling down about the woes facing us, I recalled the words , "if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs", from Rudyard Kipling,s poem "IF". I last read the poem in elementary school. Reading it again, made me speculate that powerful words like Kipling's could lend credence to God being an Englishman. If I could prove that God was addicted to tea, that would make my case. Now what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Absolutely nothing, I love cliches. Let's leave it that the Englishman is telling me that if I keep my head screwed on right, I should be able to navigate through these troubled times.
IF
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
While feeling down about the woes facing us, I recalled the words , "if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs", from Rudyard Kipling,s poem "IF". I last read the poem in elementary school. Reading it again, made me speculate that powerful words like Kipling's could lend credence to God being an Englishman. If I could prove that God was addicted to tea, that would make my case. Now what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Absolutely nothing, I love cliches. Let's leave it that the Englishman is telling me that if I keep my head screwed on right, I should be able to navigate through these troubled times.
IF
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
9/17/12
He or She Lived Well
Upon the death of a dear friend of his, my son posted the following in Facebook. It's the perfect obituary and one we should all strive for.
"It's a beautiful thing when someone dies at an old age and you find yourself smiling at beautiful and funny memories of him or her. There can be no doubt that person lived well."
"It's a beautiful thing when someone dies at an old age and you find yourself smiling at beautiful and funny memories of him or her. There can be no doubt that person lived well."
9/16/12
Wanted - Rewards Advisor
I predict that within the near future there will be an economic meltdown rivaling that of 2008. It will have nothing to do with sub-prime loans, hedge funds or derivatives. It will have a lot to do with the new economy that is thriving these days. The dollar has been supplanted by points; those points that you earn on your loyalty card or your credit card. The competition among department stores, supermarkets and credit cards is fierce. There are double points, triple points, bonus points, gas discounts and air miles. Deciding which credit card to use in order to maximize your points or where you should buy your groceries can be mind boggling. I daresay it easier to understand derivatives. I wouldn’t be surprised to soon see ads touting the advantages of employing a ‘Rewards Management Advisor’.
I’m old enough to remember Green Stamps. Life was simple then - you bought what you needed, received some stamps, pasted them in a book and redeemed them for a piece of junk. We still have an ice bucket to remind us of the good old days. Credit cards? The only challenge was qualifying for a card with super low interest and an astronomical credit line. Loyalty to a supermarket? No card necessary; just good quality at a reasonable price.
So do you play the game? To each his own. Personally, I'm too old for games. I can however envision the day when the rewards market will come crashing down. People will suddenly find out that there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that the only rewards in life come through hard work and a little luck. In the real world there are no points given for greed. ( I'm writing this on a Sunday morning and felt that the last two lines were appropriate for the day.)
Having concluded my homily, I must admit that it was a bit idealistic. Actually I'm a pragmatist and I'm willing to play the rewards game.I’m considering increasing my readership by awarding points for every hit on my blog. I hope to find a rewards advisor willing to take on this formidable task at a reasonable price - like free. Well maybe I could offer him all those points I’ve accumulated on my cards.
I’m old enough to remember Green Stamps. Life was simple then - you bought what you needed, received some stamps, pasted them in a book and redeemed them for a piece of junk. We still have an ice bucket to remind us of the good old days. Credit cards? The only challenge was qualifying for a card with super low interest and an astronomical credit line. Loyalty to a supermarket? No card necessary; just good quality at a reasonable price.
So do you play the game? To each his own. Personally, I'm too old for games. I can however envision the day when the rewards market will come crashing down. People will suddenly find out that there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that the only rewards in life come through hard work and a little luck. In the real world there are no points given for greed. ( I'm writing this on a Sunday morning and felt that the last two lines were appropriate for the day.)
Having concluded my homily, I must admit that it was a bit idealistic. Actually I'm a pragmatist and I'm willing to play the rewards game.I’m considering increasing my readership by awarding points for every hit on my blog. I hope to find a rewards advisor willing to take on this formidable task at a reasonable price - like free. Well maybe I could offer him all those points I’ve accumulated on my cards.
9/14/12
Messing With Ave
As a wannabe suave blogger, I've decided to misbehave and mess around with ave. The High Primal does not feel I'm depraved and gave her blessing. Under other circumstances, messing around has proven to be a grave error sometimes resulting in an early grave. So here it goes:
Better to be a knave than a slave.
Better to be a brave slave than a depraved knave.
The brave deserve more than a wave.
The brave deserve to have their names engraved.
I crave to explore a cave.
The road to hell is not paved.
It was a close shave but he forgave me.
During a crime wave many people misbehave.
I've saved the best for last.
Whether I gave it my best, I’ll leave to you, but a rave for my post would make me your slave.
Better to be a knave than a slave.
Better to be a brave slave than a depraved knave.
The brave deserve more than a wave.
The brave deserve to have their names engraved.
I crave to explore a cave.
The road to hell is not paved.
It was a close shave but he forgave me.
During a crime wave many people misbehave.
I've saved the best for last.
Whether I gave it my best, I’ll leave to you, but a rave for my post would make me your slave.
9/13/12
Prophets For Profit
It seems to me that much of the viciousness in the name of God is caused by those who would make a profit from a prophet, whether they be Christians, Jews or Muslims. It's too bad that during the era when prophets uttered their sacred word there were not tape recorders or better yet 'You Tube' to record and preserve the true word. Lacking an unbiased source of the the sacred words, we are left with what someone thinks they heard and worse yet with someones interpretation of what someone thinks he heard. Too often the objectives of these 'someones' or teachers is political, monetary or all of the above but rarely spiritual. The masses being what they are - gullible and in need of believing in an after life far more comfortable than this one - can be molded into snarling beasts, all in the name of God. War, Crusades, Jihad, massacres, murders, ethnic cleansing all in the name of God. God damn them!
9/10/12
God Is Not A Politician
Much ado has been made about the platforms of both the Republican and Democratic parties. Platforms are meant to stand on but it looks like the platforms built in Tampa and Charlotte are a bit fragile and the standard bearer of both parties will be best served by finding another route to the White House.
There's no way in hell that any president is going to make Jerusalem the capital of Israel. I doubt that even the Jews expect that to happen. I'm willing to bet that even God cringes at the thought that Jerusalem is the sole property of the Jews. God? The platforms also messed around with God. One would think that a platform can't be built unless the carpenter is a deity.
It is interesting to note that the Democratic Party is going to finish a formidable task that God started. It concerns you and me. It seems that God imbued us with a potential. What that potential is, varies. Evidentally the Almighty did not imbue us with a way of achieving that potential. The Democrats however, will fix that by promoting programs which will make it possible for all of us to achieve our potential whether it be good or bad.
Of course the Republicans claim that the Democrats are Johnny-come- lately in the God name game. They have always claimed that God is a Republican. If so, that explains why there are so many atheists and agnostics. Come to think of it, neither party has a plank in their platforms designed to garner the votes of non-believers.
I’ve noted that both presidential candidates are treading lightly on their parties platforms. Good move.
There's no way in hell that any president is going to make Jerusalem the capital of Israel. I doubt that even the Jews expect that to happen. I'm willing to bet that even God cringes at the thought that Jerusalem is the sole property of the Jews. God? The platforms also messed around with God. One would think that a platform can't be built unless the carpenter is a deity.
It is interesting to note that the Democratic Party is going to finish a formidable task that God started. It concerns you and me. It seems that God imbued us with a potential. What that potential is, varies. Evidentally the Almighty did not imbue us with a way of achieving that potential. The Democrats however, will fix that by promoting programs which will make it possible for all of us to achieve our potential whether it be good or bad.
Of course the Republicans claim that the Democrats are Johnny-come- lately in the God name game. They have always claimed that God is a Republican. If so, that explains why there are so many atheists and agnostics. Come to think of it, neither party has a plank in their platforms designed to garner the votes of non-believers.
I’ve noted that both presidential candidates are treading lightly on their parties platforms. Good move.
9/7/12
It's About Dignity
Finally got around to watching and listening to some political rhetoric at the DNC last night. Glad I did. My favorite line came from Joe Biden not Barak Obama. During his speech, Vice-President Biden reminded us that "A job is a lot more than a paycheck, it's about dignity, it's about respect". This cuts to the core of the problems facing our country today. Unemployment fosters a deterioration of values. Not only because it does not put food on the table but because it eats away at one's self respect. Without self respect there can be no dignity. Without dignity there cannot be a gentle society.
Neither party thus far has committed to concrete programs for putting people back to work and that's too bad. Everyone should get up in the morning feeling like a productive member of society. Would that someone would come forward with an aggressive program such as FDR's Works Project Administration (WPA). The WPA was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects including the construction of public buildings and roads.
I remember my father coming home after a days work with a pick and shovel at the height of the Great Depression. I remember him coming home with soiled clothes and frozen ears. The WPA had provided him with work. In spite of all the cruel remarks and jokes made about someone working for the WPA, the WPA had provided dignity for him as well as work. Dignity working with a pick and shovel? Of course - he was improving his country's infrastructure. More importantly, he was earning the respect of his family.
Neither party thus far has committed to concrete programs for putting people back to work and that's too bad. Everyone should get up in the morning feeling like a productive member of society. Would that someone would come forward with an aggressive program such as FDR's Works Project Administration (WPA). The WPA was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects including the construction of public buildings and roads.
I remember my father coming home after a days work with a pick and shovel at the height of the Great Depression. I remember him coming home with soiled clothes and frozen ears. The WPA had provided him with work. In spite of all the cruel remarks and jokes made about someone working for the WPA, the WPA had provided dignity for him as well as work. Dignity working with a pick and shovel? Of course - he was improving his country's infrastructure. More importantly, he was earning the respect of his family.
9/5/12
Are you better off than four years ago?
The Republicans are pulling that "are you better off than you were 4 years ago" gimmick. I for one would have to say maybe yes, maybe no. So you want a yes or no answer - well, life is not that simple. In some ways I'm better off, in some ways I'm worse off. As far as my health is concerned, I'm definitely better off because of two successful major operations - otherwise I'd be dead and this post would be non-existent. Although alive, I'm four years older and the bones tell me I'm not better off. I do know one thing, if on January 21, 2013, the Republicans had not embarked on a scorched earth campaign to make the man with the funny name a one term president, I would without question be better off today. Romney and Ryan ( sounds like a vaudeville act - guess who's the dummy) please ask me again when President Barak Obama completes his second term.
9/2/12
Thanks Clint!
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| Chair available |
Actually, I can relate to someone over 80 speaking to an empty chair. It's a lot like my blogging. I'm sure the Cleveland Indians also can also relate to Eastwood's gimmick. They play baseball in a stadium full of empty seats and get the same results.
Thanks Clint. Hopefully George Clooney and Morgan Freeman were watching your performance and will keep away from Charlotte. No matter the bad press, I love your movies, especially those where you talk to your horse and that's no horse shit.
9/1/12
A sure bet to clinch last place
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