"News that's not known, or not known enough."
Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion.
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"News that's not known, or not known enough." Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion. |
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Bush makes al Qaeda's all-star team by Madeline Zane Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK White House plans massive weapons upgrade
So we're arming one side of a regional dispute, despite the fact that the country we're arming is rife with people who would love to bomb the crap out of America. Which, when we did the exact same thing in Afghanistan, is how we got Osama Bin Laden in the first place. Anyone else wonder sometimes if Cheney and Bush are secretly the best undercover Al Qaeda terrorists of all time?
Let me see if I've got this straight. The person in charge of enforcing the laws in this country would like to revoke not only our own Constitution, but one of the bedrock principals of law itself going back for centuries, that everyone has the right to challenge their imprisonment. In a functioning American democracy, just proposing this would be enough to get Mukasey fired or impeached. Madeline Zane  6,000 centrifuges & uranium enriched to 3 to 5% = a little more fuel for the power station by Marie K. Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK To put things in perspective — it would take 40,000 to 50,000 centrifuges to produce the nuclear fuel needed for ONE plant for ONE year. The article also is only an announcement that Iran "possesses" the centrifuges. They also have to be installed and start working. Note that the US has 104 nuclear power plants — Iran is still constructing ONE. It MIGHT open in late 2008. Marie K. Dead illusions by Juan P. Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK I don't get capitalism dying", any more than I see Bush killing "democracy in America". What he killed is the illusions, the false perceptions of Reality. The US hasn't had free market capitalism since, what, the New Deal? Ever? We have instead what you would expect from a representative form of government where "representatives" are elected and then do whatever the fuck they want — and that means using "laws" to confer monopolies, subsidies, and protective barriers to the friends and allies of the people currently holding office. We don't have "socialism", either. It's really been the Fascist Business Model wrapped in a flag and testified to on a Bible. Juan P. It's like Constitutional principles or the Bill of Rights or, yeah, democracy in America — if it's government-issue, of course it's going to get pissed on by the gallon before anything trickles down to us. Helen & Harry
Unacceptible behavior by Sherri B. Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Chill pill prescription by Rebecca It sounds like you think you know me. You do not. But I'll let you have your opinions as you're entitled to them. Just because people have children it DOESN'T make them experts on anything. It sounds like you've personally attached yourself to a man through his writings — who knows you may be best friends. You've a right to stick up for him. But my life is my own — I don't start anything unless it's started with me or someone that cannot stand up for themselves while with me. I DO protect children — and "my attack sounds well-rehearsed?" It is — one more time — I protect children that are being harmed in any way — not by waving a machete or kicking someone's behind but sometimes just letting a person know that their behavior is unacceptable. So you pick your battles and like I said — I'll pick mine. Your opinions will never affect my personal business and mine won't affect yours. In truth if you read the Canadian's piece "Anger can be power if you know how to use it" you make me wonder if you have the "well-rehearsed response" of NOT helping in times of trouble like that which he experienced with his child on the train. Are we clear? I've taken my chill pill — Now would you like one? Sherri B. I like reading a good argument, like it lots. I can see both sides so I'm just gonna shut up ... but I love ya and I'm glad to know ya. Helen & Harry
I'm starting to feel a little bit like the outsider or the shit disturber. When I wrote about Herb you guys said:"Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but you sound like a character in an action movie, someone looking for trouble. And what I've always noticed about people looking for trouble is, if they don't find trouble they'll look closer until they do. If you don't choose your battles, Sherri, your battles choose you."Then when the Canadian out and out kicked someone's ass you cheered him on. My point was to say something BEFORE things got physical. Now today I get Rebecca on my ass-for which I sent a response with this to say about me: On the very meagerest of evidence you assume the worst, that someone who's obviously dedicated his career to helping children is letting his own grandson be mistreated? I wonder how many others have you criticized like this — your attack sounds well-rehearsed. If you live by your espoused principles, you must be at battle every day defending an abstraction of "children" from danger and rudeness and perceived rudeness and sideways glances. Any child or children you're so adamantly protecting must be just plain embarrassed to accompany you on any errand, as every time you take a trip to the store or the post office or the park it ends in yet another battle...and not a peep from you. So I guess what's left is that if I stand up for my principles to stop something BEFORE it escalates then I'm a trouble maker. But if I let someone physically harm a child then woo hoo put on my shit kickers and go to town. I have GOT to learn that every blog has its favorites. You won't have to worry about me causing any more drama on yours after my last post. Sherri B. Don't look for lots of consistency from me. I'll often disagree with something I wrote an hour ago or an email as soon as I've sent it. Whether I add a response after an incoming email has as much to do with how busy I am that afternoon as it does with whether I really have something to say. But that said, I don't see any inconsistency in my peeplessness with Rebecca. Helen & Harry I understand that protecting one from physical violence is not same as protecting one from a potential situation of violence but come on. When I was a child (I'm 40 so...) I lived in a cul-de-sac. I played outside all day, walked to the library by myself, whatever. If a stranger drove into the neighbor an adult looked out. If someone wasn't home by a certain time an adult went to check. Today people curse in stores, flip out at movies, act up on planes, trains, and buses. People dismiss it and give a ton of excuses. In the past if a guy was kicking a woman's ass others intervened. Today a woman can die on the street and get walked over and die in a nursing home(or was that a hospital?) and be left for hours unnoticed. What I am saying is this is the ME world. If it doesn't affect me then I don't act and if someone DOES be rude I am so afraid of their possible response I give them carte blanche to carry that to every other person they see. Even the Canadian said his kid was in physical danger and no one on that train helped. Though he's where he is America is absolutely the same. Excuses and running away. The world HAS changed. People rarely stand up for others. Do you honestly think the woman and men in Herbs story went out and were model citizens for the rest of the day? I don't think so. Sherri B. Can't speak for Herb, but it's not my responsibility to make sure everyone's a model citizen. That might be an admirable mission, it's just not my calling. I try to be a good citizen, but to me that's usually about my own behavior and manners, not correcting the behavior and manners of others. Helen & Harry
Unplugged from reality by Jesus Jones Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Cable talking heads accuse broadcast networks of liberal bias, but study finds media tougher on Obama than on McCain
And that's where I stopped reading, because any reporter who's surprised that the media has been harder on Obama than McCain is just too unplugged from reality to waste much time with. Jesus Jones Thieves, bastards, and Republicans by Angry Annie Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK I don't know anything about the banking industry and I'd never even heard of either Andrew McCain or Silver State Bancorp before reading this brief item:
... but I know a little about how thieves, bastards, and Republicans operate, and my guess is that Silver State Bank is on the short list for being seized by the FDIC. Angry Annie A non-violent non-pacifist by Herb Ruhs, MD Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Violence begats violence by Just A Thought W. Just A Thought W. asserts the bromide, "Violence begats violence", which begs the interpretation that Just is either of the non-violence or the pacifist faction, but it serves as well as anything to open an important dialog. I guess you could call me a non-violent non-pacifist. As Wikipedia aptly says, "Sometimes, the term 'non-violence' is often linked with or even used as a synonym for pacifism. However the two concepts are demonstrably different. Proponents of non-violence may reject violence for purely practical reasons (e.g. "the other side has all the guns"), whereas a pacifist may reject the use of violence on moral or spiritual grounds." The Wiki seems to be restricting itself to the political and ideological context. At the personal level, at the level of individual action, a whole different context applies. I have the greatest admiration for those who assert a spiritual commitment to pacifism and non-violence. And, as a practical matter, oaths of non-violence may serve some minor protective function for institutions working for peace. In general I agree with what Ward Churchill has to say in his pamphlet "The Pathology of Pacifism." The energy of resistance is a crucial force in the balance of peace. One hopes that this energy does not turn dark. On the personal level, such as the event recounted by the Canadian, there is little ground for those who would judge. All who are without ever having hurt another cast the first aspersion. At the very least it is enormously difficult to recreate an event entirely and faithfully just with words. It has been ages since I was moved to exert physical force with another person. In each case I plead necessity. Personally, as the Canadian's situation is described, I would have liked to have attempted to engage the homeless person with voice and a non-threatening posture. I also hope I would have been sensitive to the remote possibility that this person concealed a deadly weapon which might injure others on the train, and chose restraint. I have had some fantastic conversations in these sorts of situations. I usually like crazy people (or maybe I just identify with them). On the other hand if the person had continued with physical violence and threat I would have likely attempted to restrain him. The smell might have been a factor in choosing an ejection from the train approach. I don't know any moves that restrain people that do not involve some serious intimacy. Another issue is military training. Military training for personal combat focuses on disabling or killing the assailant. In order for this training to work it has to be made reflexive. I have known people who feared themselves more than others because of this kind of training. Not that people can't overcome this handicap, but my observation is that it is not a trivial struggle. The definition of stress is the effect on the body of the mind restraining the urge to beat the holy living hell out of people who richly deserve it and its corollary, the suppression of the urge to run like hell. Stress kills. Stress is a form of culturally imposed violence. Living with the training to kill in countless ways must be very stressful. Herb Ruhs, MD The Obama bit definitely made me laugh, and maybe that was your only intent, but if Obama WAS a Muslim he wouldn't have gotten the Democratic Party nomination, so chances are we'd be looking at Hillary Clinton for President. Helen & Harry
Slavery and impeachment by JR Mooneyham Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK You think slavery ended in 1865? The modern-day version of this story is playing out now, and it's much less racist: the main requirement to be made into a slave these days is to not be rich. Details can be found in: They own you and all your property too: America's de facto domestic and foreign policies of artificial scarcity and institutionalized poverty Part one and Part two Ragnarok: The war for our destiny Life in the post political age
he above is yet another supporting reference for the page below: The immense risks and appalling costs to humanity of excessive military, intelligence, and security expenditures — and how to reduce both
The more likely it appears the next President and Congress will be Democratic, the more Republicans should want to get impeachment (for both Bush and Cheney) started and over with before the election. In order to limit what any President — even with the cooperation of Congress — can do against the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and separation of powers. I believe old-fashioned Republicans like those of the 60s and 70s would have risen to the occasion years ago already, against this Administration — or at least greatly reduced the damage done to the country by Bush, by weakening or not passing at all much of the legislation he wanted. JR Mooneyham (www.jrmooneyham.com/) Remember the Etruscans by The Canadian Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Violence begats violence by Just A Thought W. I am interested in living this life and not interested in easily giving it up for the promise of an afterlife. I figure the afterlife will come in its own due time whether I want it to or not. Re Tibetan Monks: Where are the Native civilizations of North America today? Where is the Inca civilization? Where are the Jews of Poland? Where are the Beothuk people's of Newfoundland, Canada? And what of the Monks of Tibet? I certainly do not envy their position. Their moral pleadings have fallen on the deaf ears of the world for decades as people prefer to continue to trade with China. Have you ever heard of the Etruscan Civilization? Probably not, as their civilization was destroyed and ultimately consumed by their rival civilization, the Romans. The Canadian No-win situation by Jaclin O. Monday, July 28, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Violence begats violence by Just A Thought W. So right, Just a Thought — Anger IS a very powerful emotion, but — channeled in the right direction it can move mountains — if used correctly — NOT IN ANGER!!! Anger gets nobody anywhere!!! Jaclin O. PS: It is disruptive and as Just a Thought mentions — violence causes more violence — it is a no win situation!!! |
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