Sherrill is the funniest person I know. I wish I had time to read her picks and critiques on all things football.
You go girl, I mean "Handi."
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Falwell fighting for holy holiday / He'll sue, boycott groups he sees as muzzling Christmas
C'mon already! The first guy who would scream that he can't worship on Easter in a Muslim country, even an ally of the US (Saudi Arabia bans any service that isn't Muslim) is pushing this. He is looking for a total Christian state. Further in the article, Abe Foxman pulls the curtain back from Falwell's hype - CHRISTMAS ISN'T UNDER ATTACK people.
This is the same as the religious fanatics in the US saying marriage needs defending. Acts to ban all marriage rights for same sex couples are titled "Defense of Marriage," giving the false impression that marriage is under attack.
The saddest thing about all this is, there are too many people out there gullible enough to believe the hype; to believe that the Christian faith is under attack, that marriage needs defending, as if married persons rights will be diminished if other people want the same rights - note, not extra rights, just the same ones, and NO, domestic partner benefits do not give the same protections.
As Napoleon Dynamite might say "frickin' idiots."
C'mon already! The first guy who would scream that he can't worship on Easter in a Muslim country, even an ally of the US (Saudi Arabia bans any service that isn't Muslim) is pushing this. He is looking for a total Christian state. Further in the article, Abe Foxman pulls the curtain back from Falwell's hype - CHRISTMAS ISN'T UNDER ATTACK people.
This is the same as the religious fanatics in the US saying marriage needs defending. Acts to ban all marriage rights for same sex couples are titled "Defense of Marriage," giving the false impression that marriage is under attack.
The saddest thing about all this is, there are too many people out there gullible enough to believe the hype; to believe that the Christian faith is under attack, that marriage needs defending, as if married persons rights will be diminished if other people want the same rights - note, not extra rights, just the same ones, and NO, domestic partner benefits do not give the same protections.
As Napoleon Dynamite might say "frickin' idiots."
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
NOTE TO MY SISTER
Micki lost her husband last Monday, Sept. 12, 2005
Sept. 20, 2005
Dear Micki,
please bear with me in this note to you.
Simon Wiesenthal died to day. He was 96 years old. His life was spent in the pursuit of justice. He hunted the Nazis who fled Germany after WWII. The ones who hid themselves because they were afraid to face the world for the terrible crimes they committed. Mr. Wiesenthal hunted the perpetrators of the Holocaust. This was his purpose, his mission. He was important and a very significant person.
You are my sister and very dear to me. Tyler was the dearest person to you and also dear to me because of the care and love he showed you. As important to the world as Mr. Wiesenthal was, as significant a person he was - Tyler is no less important to me. Tyler was a significant person.
Most of us live with a faint thought in the back of our mind "why am I here." Many of us want to be remembered for something - or by someone. I figure most people are not going to be remembered by millions. Most of us will be remembered by those we cared for. And that is the only important thing.
Tyler was dear, important and significant and I wish you still had his comfort. I can't feel how you do. Your loss is total and all than more sorrowful for me. I would not want any of my dear ones to feel such total loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies.
Micki lost her husband last Monday, Sept. 12, 2005
Sept. 20, 2005
Dear Micki,
please bear with me in this note to you.
Simon Wiesenthal died to day. He was 96 years old. His life was spent in the pursuit of justice. He hunted the Nazis who fled Germany after WWII. The ones who hid themselves because they were afraid to face the world for the terrible crimes they committed. Mr. Wiesenthal hunted the perpetrators of the Holocaust. This was his purpose, his mission. He was important and a very significant person.
You are my sister and very dear to me. Tyler was the dearest person to you and also dear to me because of the care and love he showed you. As important to the world as Mr. Wiesenthal was, as significant a person he was - Tyler is no less important to me. Tyler was a significant person.
Most of us live with a faint thought in the back of our mind "why am I here." Many of us want to be remembered for something - or by someone. I figure most people are not going to be remembered by millions. Most of us will be remembered by those we cared for. And that is the only important thing.
Tyler was dear, important and significant and I wish you still had his comfort. I can't feel how you do. Your loss is total and all than more sorrowful for me. I would not want any of my dear ones to feel such total loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
NOTE ON OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS:
To all the families of people who are shot by police, and to future armed assailants;
If you haven't figured it out by now, let me say this: What did you expect? Did you not know that if you call the police to your family dispute, usually with your husband/boyfriend or other male member of your household, the police will arrive expecting that there will be a confrontation?
Did you not know that the police are trained to protect YOU from the assailant? That assailant being your husband/boyfriend or other male member of your household?
Did you not know that the police are going to protect themselves as well?
Did you not know that the police use deadly force as a last resort?
In Belmont, CA, a man holding a large block of concrete advanced on officers who had been ordering him to stop, drop the block, and empty his hands. The officers can't always back away from the threat and at some point, they will have to shoot to protect their own lives or the lives of others. When their assailant committed 'suicide by cop' the family claims that the officers should have 'talked him down.' Oh please, the officers were defending themselves from a deadly attack. What did you expect? Let the man bludgeon the officer with the concrete block? Suffer a blow first with a concrete block before defending oneself? You gotta be kidding.
In Los Angeles, the police are fired upon while rescuing a teenager form her own step-father, who is high on drugs and using his toddler as a shield. There was no talking to him, he cut off negotiation. Hell, he was high on drugs and acting irrationally. Did you expect the officers to wait him out? What about the danger to the little girl? The officers in this incident were specially trained to use distraction (flash bang grenades) and non lethal means (tear gas) to incapacitate the target. He started a gun fight and wounded an officer and then fired upon the officers who were trying to rescue him. What did you expect the officers to do? Let the wounded officer lie in harms way? What if that had been the daughter, lying there with a shoulder wound, bleeding, and the officers just talked to the step-dad? Huh? What then? She might have bled to death and then the officers would be criticized for letting that happen because they didn't 'do something.'
In Dublin, California, the officers in were called to a home and saw a fight. They entered the home and saw a man with a knife heading up the stairs and try to force himself into the room where they had seen the fight. A guy with a knife can attack you, if you even have your gun ready, from 15 to 21 feet way and still get in a stab. Listen, GUY WITH A KNIFE, and family, if men and women in uniforms tell you to drop your weapon, drop the weapon! If the officers see you trying to get into a room where they know there is a person, they will prevent you from doing that by shooting you. They believe someone's life is in danger. If they shoot you, drop the knife and give up, because if you don't, and you advance on the officers, they will shoot you again to protect themselves.
You got that families and potential assailants? How easy can it be: Obey the order to drop your weapon. If you don't, you can expect to be shot. Maybe you will be lucky and the officers will have time to deploy a taser, or maybe not, because those things can kill as well - especially if you are on drugs.
Drop your weapon.
And family? If you want the police to come to your rescue, because remember, these armed people were endangering your lives before the police got there, and don't think for a minute none of these 'loved ones' would have spared you, then call them. If you want to die at the hand of a family member, don't call the police.
Lastly, you were a victim. The police were victims here at well. They grieve for your loss and they truly are sorry, but they do not deserve to be assaulted by your loved one, nor by you later in the court of the press.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/08/19/BAdublin19.DTL
To all the families of people who are shot by police, and to future armed assailants;
If you haven't figured it out by now, let me say this: What did you expect? Did you not know that if you call the police to your family dispute, usually with your husband/boyfriend or other male member of your household, the police will arrive expecting that there will be a confrontation?
Did you not know that the police are trained to protect YOU from the assailant? That assailant being your husband/boyfriend or other male member of your household?
Did you not know that the police are going to protect themselves as well?
Did you not know that the police use deadly force as a last resort?
In Belmont, CA, a man holding a large block of concrete advanced on officers who had been ordering him to stop, drop the block, and empty his hands. The officers can't always back away from the threat and at some point, they will have to shoot to protect their own lives or the lives of others. When their assailant committed 'suicide by cop' the family claims that the officers should have 'talked him down.' Oh please, the officers were defending themselves from a deadly attack. What did you expect? Let the man bludgeon the officer with the concrete block? Suffer a blow first with a concrete block before defending oneself? You gotta be kidding.
In Los Angeles, the police are fired upon while rescuing a teenager form her own step-father, who is high on drugs and using his toddler as a shield. There was no talking to him, he cut off negotiation. Hell, he was high on drugs and acting irrationally. Did you expect the officers to wait him out? What about the danger to the little girl? The officers in this incident were specially trained to use distraction (flash bang grenades) and non lethal means (tear gas) to incapacitate the target. He started a gun fight and wounded an officer and then fired upon the officers who were trying to rescue him. What did you expect the officers to do? Let the wounded officer lie in harms way? What if that had been the daughter, lying there with a shoulder wound, bleeding, and the officers just talked to the step-dad? Huh? What then? She might have bled to death and then the officers would be criticized for letting that happen because they didn't 'do something.'
In Dublin, California, the officers in were called to a home and saw a fight. They entered the home and saw a man with a knife heading up the stairs and try to force himself into the room where they had seen the fight. A guy with a knife can attack you, if you even have your gun ready, from 15 to 21 feet way and still get in a stab. Listen, GUY WITH A KNIFE, and family, if men and women in uniforms tell you to drop your weapon, drop the weapon! If the officers see you trying to get into a room where they know there is a person, they will prevent you from doing that by shooting you. They believe someone's life is in danger. If they shoot you, drop the knife and give up, because if you don't, and you advance on the officers, they will shoot you again to protect themselves.
You got that families and potential assailants? How easy can it be: Obey the order to drop your weapon. If you don't, you can expect to be shot. Maybe you will be lucky and the officers will have time to deploy a taser, or maybe not, because those things can kill as well - especially if you are on drugs.
Drop your weapon.
And family? If you want the police to come to your rescue, because remember, these armed people were endangering your lives before the police got there, and don't think for a minute none of these 'loved ones' would have spared you, then call them. If you want to die at the hand of a family member, don't call the police.
Lastly, you were a victim. The police were victims here at well. They grieve for your loss and they truly are sorry, but they do not deserve to be assaulted by your loved one, nor by you later in the court of the press.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/08/19/BAdublin19.DTL
Sunday, June 26, 2005
HERO: US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner. Though I would find little to agree with her, but her dissenting opinion in the case where a local government can take private property - for any reason, is terrific. High court backs property seizures / Ruling OKs city's taking of land for private developers Isn't it usually the GOP wanting to protect private property? I guess that is until government, while trying to revitalize an area and is contracting it out to a corporation. Then the needs of the corporation will win out. Do they think we won't notice?! Thank you, Justice O'Connor, for being a hero in this.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
HEROS AND VILLAINS
Hero: Jack Kilby JACK KILBY: 1923-2005 / Nobel Prize winner's research sparked the digital revolution Invented the integrated circuit. Claims he was the lucky one to stumble on it first. Recognized the efforts of others when he won the Nobel Piece Prize. His accomplishment changed our world and he was humble about it. What a guy.
Hero: New York Representative Jerrold Nadler because he wants to make it possible for same-sex bi-national couples to remain in the United States. Heterosexual couples get to do this simply by marrying. Of course, gay people are not allowed to do that. There are many fraud marriages, be it knowingly, or be it unknown to the American spouse (now there is an ultimate betrayal), and don't think it doesn't happen! Nadler's legislation will fail because the homophobes won't allow it.
Hero(s) and villain(s): United States House of Representatives. Flag burning. Do we need an Amendment to the Constitution to ban burning the flag of the United States? It is pieced of cloth. It is symbolic. It is NOT the same as torching the White House or a museum or a church. The mere fact that it is a symbol of freedom protects the disrespectful who burn it as a statement - free speech is a freedom. Representatives who insist on this ridiculous amendment are just the ones who want to restrict freedoms (really, why aren't they into gun registration/prohibition?). They are villains. The heros are the representatives who continually speak out to defend freedom of speech and take the hits from the villains that they are somehow un-American because they don't support this amendment. The villains will insist that the heros are for flag burning when, in fact, they are against the restriction of the First Amendment.
Don't you just hate it when words get twisted?
Hero: Jack Kilby JACK KILBY: 1923-2005 / Nobel Prize winner's research sparked the digital revolution Invented the integrated circuit. Claims he was the lucky one to stumble on it first. Recognized the efforts of others when he won the Nobel Piece Prize. His accomplishment changed our world and he was humble about it. What a guy.
Hero: New York Representative Jerrold Nadler because he wants to make it possible for same-sex bi-national couples to remain in the United States. Heterosexual couples get to do this simply by marrying. Of course, gay people are not allowed to do that. There are many fraud marriages, be it knowingly, or be it unknown to the American spouse (now there is an ultimate betrayal), and don't think it doesn't happen! Nadler's legislation will fail because the homophobes won't allow it.
Hero(s) and villain(s): United States House of Representatives. Flag burning. Do we need an Amendment to the Constitution to ban burning the flag of the United States? It is pieced of cloth. It is symbolic. It is NOT the same as torching the White House or a museum or a church. The mere fact that it is a symbol of freedom protects the disrespectful who burn it as a statement - free speech is a freedom. Representatives who insist on this ridiculous amendment are just the ones who want to restrict freedoms (really, why aren't they into gun registration/prohibition?). They are villains. The heros are the representatives who continually speak out to defend freedom of speech and take the hits from the villains that they are somehow un-American because they don't support this amendment. The villains will insist that the heros are for flag burning when, in fact, they are against the restriction of the First Amendment.
Don't you just hate it when words get twisted?
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Survey: Most States Allow Speed Cushion
The Associated Press reports that police tend to give a ten-mile-per-hour cushion to motorists. I agree with the article completely. When the speed limit on the majority of urban freeways within California went from 55 mph to 65 mph, a speed motorists were already traveling due to the same practice of allowing the cushion, I knew we were headed for even higher speeds. Motorists are so accustomed to the extra 10 mph that their speeds crept on up to 75 mph. Being in a law enforcement agency that has the mission to patrol the freeways, this is unacceptable and unsafe.
What should an officer do? Of course, enforce the speed limit, not the 10 mph over. That means writing citations at 66 mph!? Well, that's unheard of, and you want to know why? Let me ask you this, ever been in court and have the traffic commissioner, or judge, state for the record that there must be a cushion to allow for mistakes by the officer, calibration, whatever? An officer hears that and he or she will forever be allowing for the variance this includes. He or she will pass on the word, and believe me, every officer in the courtroom who heard the same judicial announcement will pass the word and nothing travels faster than words between police officers.
The culture has to change on all levels. The courts' officers who make these pronouncements have to realize the impact they have because their judgment is the final word. Police will not issue citations that the local court won't support. It damages the officers' credibility within that court, and makes him or her ineffective. Officers have to be firm and fair - key word here is fair - and enforce the law for the safety of the public evenly. And you, the rest of us, the largest common denominator, have to slow down. The expectation of 10 mph over the limit is crazy, and dangerous, I mean, how fast do you need to go!
The Associated Press reports that police tend to give a ten-mile-per-hour cushion to motorists. I agree with the article completely. When the speed limit on the majority of urban freeways within California went from 55 mph to 65 mph, a speed motorists were already traveling due to the same practice of allowing the cushion, I knew we were headed for even higher speeds. Motorists are so accustomed to the extra 10 mph that their speeds crept on up to 75 mph. Being in a law enforcement agency that has the mission to patrol the freeways, this is unacceptable and unsafe.
What should an officer do? Of course, enforce the speed limit, not the 10 mph over. That means writing citations at 66 mph!? Well, that's unheard of, and you want to know why? Let me ask you this, ever been in court and have the traffic commissioner, or judge, state for the record that there must be a cushion to allow for mistakes by the officer, calibration, whatever? An officer hears that and he or she will forever be allowing for the variance this includes. He or she will pass on the word, and believe me, every officer in the courtroom who heard the same judicial announcement will pass the word and nothing travels faster than words between police officers.
The culture has to change on all levels. The courts' officers who make these pronouncements have to realize the impact they have because their judgment is the final word. Police will not issue citations that the local court won't support. It damages the officers' credibility within that court, and makes him or her ineffective. Officers have to be firm and fair - key word here is fair - and enforce the law for the safety of the public evenly. And you, the rest of us, the largest common denominator, have to slow down. The expectation of 10 mph over the limit is crazy, and dangerous, I mean, how fast do you need to go!
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Nixon's Empire Strikes Back
Nixon's Empire Strikes BackIf we just wait long enough, everything comes back around. It was this way with awful earthtones form the 60's and equally nutty clothing like bell bottoms. More sinister than any clothing fashion is the resurrection of men scandals when Nixon "fell." To succeed, they will shut down independent media, free thought, the watch dogs for us all. With the federal government working to cut the budget for public broadcasting, there will be less and less coverage from this "alternative" view. We will receive only the information the people in charge want us to receive. All those Nixonians should have been discredited. They, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and all Nixon's other go-to guys, are back in control. The elected people are not any better. Our senators are working to give up all oversight. The executive branch grows stronger. The freedoms guaranteed to us, what we hold most sacred, what we should hold most sacred, are being whittled away by such this as The Patriot Act. It is too much. We have puppets being appointed to the judiciary and just as frightening, our idiot-king just appointed two men to be ambassadors, to Great Britain and Italy. The qualifications of these men? Business men with no diplomatic backgrounds.. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, they are rich and made large contributions. How nice.
Nixon's Empire Strikes BackIf we just wait long enough, everything comes back around. It was this way with awful earthtones form the 60's and equally nutty clothing like bell bottoms. More sinister than any clothing fashion is the resurrection of men scandals when Nixon "fell." To succeed, they will shut down independent media, free thought, the watch dogs for us all. With the federal government working to cut the budget for public broadcasting, there will be less and less coverage from this "alternative" view. We will receive only the information the people in charge want us to receive. All those Nixonians should have been discredited. They, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and all Nixon's other go-to guys, are back in control. The elected people are not any better. Our senators are working to give up all oversight. The executive branch grows stronger. The freedoms guaranteed to us, what we hold most sacred, what we should hold most sacred, are being whittled away by such this as The Patriot Act. It is too much. We have puppets being appointed to the judiciary and just as frightening, our idiot-king just appointed two men to be ambassadors, to Great Britain and Italy. The qualifications of these men? Business men with no diplomatic backgrounds.. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, they are rich and made large contributions. How nice.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Sat 8/7/2004 12:37 PM
Leaks can be embarassing.
So, some poor senator takes it upon himself to leak information. He was the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee (what the heck do they do, anyway?).
The NSA (National Security Agency, the agency that tells the president what to worry about) had intercepted two messages in the days before the Sept. 11, 2001, disaster. These messages were in Arabic (duh) but were not translated until the day after the attack on our country. The messages said "the match is about to begin", and "tomorrow is zero hour."
Remember, folks, these messages only were specific about when. There is not mention of how, what or where. We didn't have any coded color chart to tell us how much danger we might be in back then.
Well, the poor senator is in hot water. The Senate Ethics Committee is looking into it because these messages that are intercepted are highly sensitive.
I think that in addition to being sensitive, and for all sorts of reasons they are, not the least of which is the fact that a message was intercepted, the senator has embarassed the Bush Administration. And they are pissed off. What was that senator thinking, anyway? Is it cool to have information no one else has, did it make him feel like a big shot, as if he was in charge of anything? Ah, who knows. It is slightly amusing to me because the senator is a Republican.
Yeah, I take a small perverse pleasure in this.
The news, by the way, came from an article from Associated Press reporter JEFFREY McMURRAY. I read it in my home down newspaper. I hope this link works if you are interested in seeing it for yourself.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/08/05/national1709EDT0701.DTL
Leaks can be embarassing.
So, some poor senator takes it upon himself to leak information. He was the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee (what the heck do they do, anyway?).
The NSA (National Security Agency, the agency that tells the president what to worry about) had intercepted two messages in the days before the Sept. 11, 2001, disaster. These messages were in Arabic (duh) but were not translated until the day after the attack on our country. The messages said "the match is about to begin", and "tomorrow is zero hour."
Remember, folks, these messages only were specific about when. There is not mention of how, what or where. We didn't have any coded color chart to tell us how much danger we might be in back then.
Well, the poor senator is in hot water. The Senate Ethics Committee is looking into it because these messages that are intercepted are highly sensitive.
I think that in addition to being sensitive, and for all sorts of reasons they are, not the least of which is the fact that a message was intercepted, the senator has embarassed the Bush Administration. And they are pissed off. What was that senator thinking, anyway? Is it cool to have information no one else has, did it make him feel like a big shot, as if he was in charge of anything? Ah, who knows. It is slightly amusing to me because the senator is a Republican.
Yeah, I take a small perverse pleasure in this.
The news, by the way, came from an article from Associated Press reporter JEFFREY McMURRAY. I read it in my home down newspaper. I hope this link works if you are interested in seeing it for yourself.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/08/05/national1709EDT0701.DTL
Thu 12/9/2004 9:44 AM
Look out, a distorted history is beginning to repeat.
Awesome! Just listened, and made notes, from KQED’s Forum program on the Intelligence Overhaul. Yeah, I don’t believe making bureaucracy bigger will help. We are no safer under the eye of government, of “big brother.” Actually, we are more in danger, individually in danger for our opinions, our dissident thoughts. Woe to the person who disagrees. But that is another issue. The radio program wasn’t about that.
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R412080900 check it out. Especially the last minutes of the program. Where a caller brings up the money issue and the idea that Americans are hated. In a nutshell, it ain’t about us. How convenient if it were. Just like any dysfunctional person (hey, I should know, this is my personal cross to bear), if it were about ‘us’ we could change, we could control it. See – control. Yeah, I’m a freak of the control kind, but that is beside the point. The point is, and yes I have one, Al Queda, this recent attack on our American way of life, isn’t because Americans are asses – we are, admit it. It isn’t because we are arrogant – we are. It is a religious insurgency. Al Queda has a hope for a future way of life, a world order, based in a sect of the Muslim religion. Do I need to remind everyone how oppressive and repressive that will be?
I had always held that we should all live together, live and let live, you believe what you want, I will believe what I want – we all have our truths. Just stay out of and away from my body. Give me liberty to pursue my path. Well, this won’t be the way it is in a world where we live by an interpretation of an ancient religious book by a repressive sect of leaders. What do we do about that?
Look out, a distorted history is beginning to repeat.
Awesome! Just listened, and made notes, from KQED’s Forum program on the Intelligence Overhaul. Yeah, I don’t believe making bureaucracy bigger will help. We are no safer under the eye of government, of “big brother.” Actually, we are more in danger, individually in danger for our opinions, our dissident thoughts. Woe to the person who disagrees. But that is another issue. The radio program wasn’t about that.
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R412080900 check it out. Especially the last minutes of the program. Where a caller brings up the money issue and the idea that Americans are hated. In a nutshell, it ain’t about us. How convenient if it were. Just like any dysfunctional person (hey, I should know, this is my personal cross to bear), if it were about ‘us’ we could change, we could control it. See – control. Yeah, I’m a freak of the control kind, but that is beside the point. The point is, and yes I have one, Al Queda, this recent attack on our American way of life, isn’t because Americans are asses – we are, admit it. It isn’t because we are arrogant – we are. It is a religious insurgency. Al Queda has a hope for a future way of life, a world order, based in a sect of the Muslim religion. Do I need to remind everyone how oppressive and repressive that will be?
I had always held that we should all live together, live and let live, you believe what you want, I will believe what I want – we all have our truths. Just stay out of and away from my body. Give me liberty to pursue my path. Well, this won’t be the way it is in a world where we live by an interpretation of an ancient religious book by a repressive sect of leaders. What do we do about that?
Sat 3/26/2005 8:03 AM
The more Morford and Moyers I read...the more frightened I become
Is this the crazy talk of conspiracy theorists? Or conspiracy terrorists? See the out-there rant of Mark Morford to see what I mean. I figure the thoughts behind the speculation that the GOP of United States is pursuing a scorched earth policy is not, cannot be, true, but don't it make you think? Is it possible?
What if "they" don't even know it? Pawns, perhaps? But wouldn't that make the god they believe in a terrible, manipulative, hateful god? Is that the god I want - or you want? Do we have a choice? Haven't you noticed how godless we have become? How evil, truly, are our leaders? Bill Moyers says it best, Welcome to Doomsday. I'm scared. We all should be. How far will the "fundamentalists," the literalists, take us back? Don't they realize this is the same desire of the other religions who want to return to the "basics?" Women, the slaves of men, any freedom of thought fatally suppressed. I won't go there. But there is here and here is spreading.
The more Morford and Moyers I read...the more frightened I become
Is this the crazy talk of conspiracy theorists? Or conspiracy terrorists? See the out-there rant of Mark Morford to see what I mean. I figure the thoughts behind the speculation that the GOP of United States is pursuing a scorched earth policy is not, cannot be, true, but don't it make you think? Is it possible?
What if "they" don't even know it? Pawns, perhaps? But wouldn't that make the god they believe in a terrible, manipulative, hateful god? Is that the god I want - or you want? Do we have a choice? Haven't you noticed how godless we have become? How evil, truly, are our leaders? Bill Moyers says it best, Welcome to Doomsday. I'm scared. We all should be. How far will the "fundamentalists," the literalists, take us back? Don't they realize this is the same desire of the other religions who want to return to the "basics?" Women, the slaves of men, any freedom of thought fatally suppressed. I won't go there. But there is here and here is spreading.
Friday, October 15, 2004
It goes on and on
Well, the world keeps turning. That phrase belies the fact that most of us relate to it as if it wasn't round. Think of it, what are some of the common phrases? Waiting for what lies "around the corner." or let's see what is "around the bend." We think of the world, our existence, as a continuum. It isn't, no matter what we think. There is no "road" we are on, that begins there and ends somewhere over the horizon. Do you hear me? Know what I mean? Can you see it? How hard is it, though, to put ourselves someplace other than having a beginning and an end?
Don't we speak of our adventures as having a start and and end place? I think that my life is many adventures, many of these playing out at the same time. Short adventures entwined with a longer adventure that is within an even longer adventure. For instance, the short adventures of my day to day work is within my career, and within that has been shorter adventures. The day to day, the adventure of working a certain position for the past 8 years which is within the entire time line of my overall work adventure. How strange to think of work as an adventure. Maybe that tells you something of how I think of my work - that I have enjoyed it, for the most part. I am glad to have been doing it as opposed to tracking and shipping large underground storage tanks (previous job) or purchasing steel from Germany and Japan (previous job). For a long time, I worked to live, for a longer time, I lived to work because I liked it immensely. Now, I just want to get through it, move on to a new position to jump start my passion - and enjoy working to live.
Ultimately, I look forward to ending my working adventure and continue with my life's adventure, of course with smaller adventures interjected. Like travel. Perhaps even a new passion to follow, make some money at it, write about it - or write. Can I become a journalist this late in life? Hm....
It goes on and on
Well, the world keeps turning. That phrase belies the fact that most of us relate to it as if it wasn't round. Think of it, what are some of the common phrases? Waiting for what lies "around the corner." or let's see what is "around the bend." We think of the world, our existence, as a continuum. It isn't, no matter what we think. There is no "road" we are on, that begins there and ends somewhere over the horizon. Do you hear me? Know what I mean? Can you see it? How hard is it, though, to put ourselves someplace other than having a beginning and an end?
Don't we speak of our adventures as having a start and and end place? I think that my life is many adventures, many of these playing out at the same time. Short adventures entwined with a longer adventure that is within an even longer adventure. For instance, the short adventures of my day to day work is within my career, and within that has been shorter adventures. The day to day, the adventure of working a certain position for the past 8 years which is within the entire time line of my overall work adventure. How strange to think of work as an adventure. Maybe that tells you something of how I think of my work - that I have enjoyed it, for the most part. I am glad to have been doing it as opposed to tracking and shipping large underground storage tanks (previous job) or purchasing steel from Germany and Japan (previous job). For a long time, I worked to live, for a longer time, I lived to work because I liked it immensely. Now, I just want to get through it, move on to a new position to jump start my passion - and enjoy working to live.
Ultimately, I look forward to ending my working adventure and continue with my life's adventure, of course with smaller adventures interjected. Like travel. Perhaps even a new passion to follow, make some money at it, write about it - or write. Can I become a journalist this late in life? Hm....
SF Gate: Multimedia (image)
Now this burns me up. My CA governor, Arnold, holding a poster of himself with the title "Real Action Heros." The soldiers in the photo are heros. So are a number of citizens who haven't had jobs portraying "heros" in the fairytown land of Hollywood. I am afraid the governor actually thinks he is a hero, has convinced himself that any of the roles he acted in, were heroic. I do not remember him ever acting as a hero in a "true life story" that Hollywood loves to do. Perhaps we can all hope he acts like a hero, and starts making decisions that are for the everyday actual heros living in California. I'd take acting like a hero from the governor over thinking himself one.
Now this burns me up. My CA governor, Arnold, holding a poster of himself with the title "Real Action Heros." The soldiers in the photo are heros. So are a number of citizens who haven't had jobs portraying "heros" in the fairytown land of Hollywood. I am afraid the governor actually thinks he is a hero, has convinced himself that any of the roles he acted in, were heroic. I do not remember him ever acting as a hero in a "true life story" that Hollywood loves to do. Perhaps we can all hope he acts like a hero, and starts making decisions that are for the everyday actual heros living in California. I'd take acting like a hero from the governor over thinking himself one.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
The 'I' Word
Impeach the SOB's
That is not a bad idea. Between the statements made by President Bush in May, about getting out and telling the same thing over and over again so it becomes "real" - just like the old adage if you tell yourself the same lie over and over, it becomes truth, the executive administration of the US kept telling itself, and the world, that Iraq was a threat RIGHT NOW and that we HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. It became such a true thing that we shipped off troops to another sovereign nation, to take it over, for nothing. It is shameful and President Bush has shamed us all, every one of us, and he did it telling lies when he knew it wasn't the truth.
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
Does this mean that he can make up his own truth? "That can't be right, find something that will make my view, my perception, the truth." Please tell me that cannot be the way it is.
Impeach the SOB's
That is not a bad idea. Between the statements made by President Bush in May, about getting out and telling the same thing over and over again so it becomes "real" - just like the old adage if you tell yourself the same lie over and over, it becomes truth, the executive administration of the US kept telling itself, and the world, that Iraq was a threat RIGHT NOW and that we HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. It became such a true thing that we shipped off troops to another sovereign nation, to take it over, for nothing. It is shameful and President Bush has shamed us all, every one of us, and he did it telling lies when he knew it wasn't the truth.
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
Does this mean that he can make up his own truth? "That can't be right, find something that will make my view, my perception, the truth." Please tell me that cannot be the way it is.
A Battle Over Programming at National Public Radio
Balanced? As in Fox networks "fair and balanced?" Oh Puleeze. Presenting different views is not presenting truth. In-depth analysis and truth / fact finding is the number one reason I pay attention to NPR, and the mail reason I do not listen to trash radio, which includes Howard Stern as much as it does Rush Limbaugh.The censorship continues to build.
This is almost as scary as the beliefs of many members of the religious right that they have the right, nay, the duty to burn up the earth because it will hasten armeggedon and the end of days.
Balanced? As in Fox networks "fair and balanced?" Oh Puleeze. Presenting different views is not presenting truth. In-depth analysis and truth / fact finding is the number one reason I pay attention to NPR, and the mail reason I do not listen to trash radio, which includes Howard Stern as much as it does Rush Limbaugh.The censorship continues to build.
This is almost as scary as the beliefs of many members of the religious right that they have the right, nay, the duty to burn up the earth because it will hasten armeggedon and the end of days.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/07/EDGV5C3MQ61.DTL
follow the above link to read the article by General Karpinski Army commander of military police forces in Iraq during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
My commentary, written April 8, 2005
Does a breakdown in morale result in a breakdown of morals?
April 7, 2005, Opinion piece “What went wrong at Abu Ghraib”
I am disturbed by some of the points the general makes in her article. Despite outlining what to do about Abu Ghraib and what to do in the future to prevent a similar occurrence, where, oh where, was the leadership during all this? Where was her leadership and the leadership of those under her, or around her?
General Karpinski’s article starts off with how morale broke down. Reserve units forced to work shorthanded as there is no personnel replacement system, stop-loss orders, and tour extensions affected troop morale. Does this mean that it is ok to loosen your morals because your morale is low? Even if the top-most leadership, our civilian government, makes decisions that result in poor planning, or no planning, for running the invasion and stabilization of Iraq, there was fundamental breakdown in leadership. After a proud tradition of being the best of the best, it is a sad and disheartening thing to see.
It is too easy to blame it on the civilian contractor interrogators. Do I believe the regular and reserve Army individuals who took photos, and set up those photos, were being directed to humiliate their prisoners? Yes, I think they had some direction from others and apparently similar techniques to “soften up” prisoners have been used in other locations. Do I believe that, at times, the worse of the worse acted on their own? Absolutely. General Karpinski’s assertion that the soldiers didn’t have sufficiently sophisticated knowledge of the Arab culture to degrade the prisoners in the most effective way doesn’t hold up. The acts were mean spirited and any people in any culture would have felt humiliated, the soldiers didn’t need specifics.
Back to that leadership issue. Leadership has many components, one of which is accountability. Leaders are accountable and they must hold those under their authority accountable. If the mission was clear, and by what the general wrote, it seemed clear, there would be clear objectives, goals, and methods to reach them. There is always a code of conduct and it must be reviewed with the soldiers so they understand how to conduct themselves while reaching the objectives and goals of their mission. Was there a breakdown at this point? Didn’t anyone make it clear to the soldiers what conduct was allowed and what was off-limits?
Information comes to leaders from various methods. It is common knowledge, taught in leadership courses, with countless books written on the subject, that “management by walking around” is a valuable way to gain the knowledge you need to effectively lead a command. When you are responsible for the actions of others, you best be sure that you know what is going on. The general’s article claims she wasn’t directing the soldiers’ actions and she didn’t know it was going on. The theater in which she operated was large, having command over detentions all over Iraq. Her span of control was definitely spread out, but she had subordinate officers. If General Karpinski didn’t know about the abuses, then shame on her. Personal attention to accountability and to the troops under her command would make it impossible to be blind-sided by the abuses. The general’s indignation would be more credible if she hadn’t claimed her head was in the sand. Hoping a “see-no evil” approach would give her, and too many others, plausible deniability.
What if the general and her staff had been ordered to keep “hands off?” Then this may have been the biggest sin against leadership. General Schwarzkopf once said if one was placed in charge, then be in charge. Fearing career-ending meddling when one is under orders to stay away, or told that a portion of the detentions were not her concern, is also a fundamental break-down of moral leadership. All officers, no, make that all persons, who see an injustice or inappropriate behavior, have a responsibility to speak out. “Hands-off” doesn’t cut it. Plausible deniability, or the need for it, is not leadership. How can leadership allow for immoral or unethical acts because morale is bad? How can leadership allow for immoral or unethical acts because it isn’t any of your business? It comes down to a lack of leadership, but more to the point, moral courage.
follow the above link to read the article by General Karpinski Army commander of military police forces in Iraq during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
My commentary, written April 8, 2005
Does a breakdown in morale result in a breakdown of morals?
April 7, 2005, Opinion piece “What went wrong at Abu Ghraib”
I am disturbed by some of the points the general makes in her article. Despite outlining what to do about Abu Ghraib and what to do in the future to prevent a similar occurrence, where, oh where, was the leadership during all this? Where was her leadership and the leadership of those under her, or around her?
General Karpinski’s article starts off with how morale broke down. Reserve units forced to work shorthanded as there is no personnel replacement system, stop-loss orders, and tour extensions affected troop morale. Does this mean that it is ok to loosen your morals because your morale is low? Even if the top-most leadership, our civilian government, makes decisions that result in poor planning, or no planning, for running the invasion and stabilization of Iraq, there was fundamental breakdown in leadership. After a proud tradition of being the best of the best, it is a sad and disheartening thing to see.
It is too easy to blame it on the civilian contractor interrogators. Do I believe the regular and reserve Army individuals who took photos, and set up those photos, were being directed to humiliate their prisoners? Yes, I think they had some direction from others and apparently similar techniques to “soften up” prisoners have been used in other locations. Do I believe that, at times, the worse of the worse acted on their own? Absolutely. General Karpinski’s assertion that the soldiers didn’t have sufficiently sophisticated knowledge of the Arab culture to degrade the prisoners in the most effective way doesn’t hold up. The acts were mean spirited and any people in any culture would have felt humiliated, the soldiers didn’t need specifics.
Back to that leadership issue. Leadership has many components, one of which is accountability. Leaders are accountable and they must hold those under their authority accountable. If the mission was clear, and by what the general wrote, it seemed clear, there would be clear objectives, goals, and methods to reach them. There is always a code of conduct and it must be reviewed with the soldiers so they understand how to conduct themselves while reaching the objectives and goals of their mission. Was there a breakdown at this point? Didn’t anyone make it clear to the soldiers what conduct was allowed and what was off-limits?
Information comes to leaders from various methods. It is common knowledge, taught in leadership courses, with countless books written on the subject, that “management by walking around” is a valuable way to gain the knowledge you need to effectively lead a command. When you are responsible for the actions of others, you best be sure that you know what is going on. The general’s article claims she wasn’t directing the soldiers’ actions and she didn’t know it was going on. The theater in which she operated was large, having command over detentions all over Iraq. Her span of control was definitely spread out, but she had subordinate officers. If General Karpinski didn’t know about the abuses, then shame on her. Personal attention to accountability and to the troops under her command would make it impossible to be blind-sided by the abuses. The general’s indignation would be more credible if she hadn’t claimed her head was in the sand. Hoping a “see-no evil” approach would give her, and too many others, plausible deniability.
What if the general and her staff had been ordered to keep “hands off?” Then this may have been the biggest sin against leadership. General Schwarzkopf once said if one was placed in charge, then be in charge. Fearing career-ending meddling when one is under orders to stay away, or told that a portion of the detentions were not her concern, is also a fundamental break-down of moral leadership. All officers, no, make that all persons, who see an injustice or inappropriate behavior, have a responsibility to speak out. “Hands-off” doesn’t cut it. Plausible deniability, or the need for it, is not leadership. How can leadership allow for immoral or unethical acts because morale is bad? How can leadership allow for immoral or unethical acts because it isn’t any of your business? It comes down to a lack of leadership, but more to the point, moral courage.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Blast from a PAST Blog:
Reading a book by Jacob Neddleman - The American Soul. Think on this:
"Laws and statutes, no matter how carefully written, can never take the place of individual ethical choice or action."
How does this relate to me and my job?
I supervise people who occassionally will point to policy and ask 'show me where it says I have to do (whatever).' The above exerpt explains it all. I cannot, nor can our employers, or on a bigger scale, our society/government, make laws to cover everything. We have to do what we know is best, what we know is right.
Reading a book by Jacob Neddleman - The American Soul. Think on this:
"Laws and statutes, no matter how carefully written, can never take the place of individual ethical choice or action."
How does this relate to me and my job?
I supervise people who occassionally will point to policy and ask 'show me where it says I have to do (whatever).' The above exerpt explains it all. I cannot, nor can our employers, or on a bigger scale, our society/government, make laws to cover everything. We have to do what we know is best, what we know is right.
New job started, house sold in SF, waiting for purchase to be final in the "new" house, and all my stuff is in storage. It was hard to see my old home empty... it is final, and sinking in that the house isn't "mine" anymore. It doesn't belong to me. That deepens the feeling of not belonging, a sadness, an aloneness that I feel I fight all the time. On my way to work this morning I thought I wish I could take it all back. I wish I could turn back the time; stay in SF, stay at my old position.
It isn't that I was happy at that old job, at that old house. But I belonged. It isn't exciting to be in a new city trying to find where I fit. But I have to admit I didn't fit in SF, either. Not really. Perhaps I like feeling like I don't fit. Without fitting, I don't have to feel for anything, or anyone. I would say that I hate being lonely, yet I often find I am most comfortable when I am alone. What a sad, sad life I have made for myself. I haven't found joy in anything for a long time. I don't want to commit to anything or anyone because that might mean I will have to feel something, and that makes me uncomfortable. I know that if I don't feel, than I can't let anyone feel for me and that way I don't have to feel for them. Yeah, I got a serious problem because I cannot relax.
It isn't that I was happy at that old job, at that old house. But I belonged. It isn't exciting to be in a new city trying to find where I fit. But I have to admit I didn't fit in SF, either. Not really. Perhaps I like feeling like I don't fit. Without fitting, I don't have to feel for anything, or anyone. I would say that I hate being lonely, yet I often find I am most comfortable when I am alone. What a sad, sad life I have made for myself. I haven't found joy in anything for a long time. I don't want to commit to anything or anyone because that might mean I will have to feel something, and that makes me uncomfortable. I know that if I don't feel, than I can't let anyone feel for me and that way I don't have to feel for them. Yeah, I got a serious problem because I cannot relax.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Dawg house
Yeah, so... I can't believe I started a new job. Well, I am stable with the same "company" but I have relocated. It is kinda like death. So sudden and completed so quickly. Think of it, you get news that someone you know dies. 3 or 4 days later, there is the funeral. A get together immediately at the home of loved ones, hanging around, telling stories, comforting and being comforted. Then life goes on. That is it.
That is how my transfer is... Interview for the job, get the job, wait for the formal transfer, then ... finish at the last location, pack some things, sell the house, drive to the new city, find lodging, try to find a new house to buy, go to work at the new location - with evenings spent reading, talking on the phone to the lover you miss, watch a dvd, go to bed, go to the gym, go to work. I don't know hardly anybody, but what the hell, I was spending a lot of time alone at the last place too... only I don't know this place. So, computer and internet access limited, which means, not from "home" since there is no wireless where I am lodged. Then what? Wait to hear if the bid on the house you saw last weekend will get taken, and try to look for others, just in case. Worry about what to do with your cats after the movers pack up the old place because, in less than 23 days, it isn't yours anymore.
The house you lived in, fixed up, for 9 years is someone elses. In only 34 days. Heck, that is longer than death. This sucks.
So, tonight I will try to scam a TV from the lodging location, call my girlfriend, and try to watch TV via telephone with her. Then off to bed, get up for the gym, Thursday is just like Wednesday and Tuesday... Don't like not having my own house. This sucks.
Yeah, so... I can't believe I started a new job. Well, I am stable with the same "company" but I have relocated. It is kinda like death. So sudden and completed so quickly. Think of it, you get news that someone you know dies. 3 or 4 days later, there is the funeral. A get together immediately at the home of loved ones, hanging around, telling stories, comforting and being comforted. Then life goes on. That is it.
That is how my transfer is... Interview for the job, get the job, wait for the formal transfer, then ... finish at the last location, pack some things, sell the house, drive to the new city, find lodging, try to find a new house to buy, go to work at the new location - with evenings spent reading, talking on the phone to the lover you miss, watch a dvd, go to bed, go to the gym, go to work. I don't know hardly anybody, but what the hell, I was spending a lot of time alone at the last place too... only I don't know this place. So, computer and internet access limited, which means, not from "home" since there is no wireless where I am lodged. Then what? Wait to hear if the bid on the house you saw last weekend will get taken, and try to look for others, just in case. Worry about what to do with your cats after the movers pack up the old place because, in less than 23 days, it isn't yours anymore.
The house you lived in, fixed up, for 9 years is someone elses. In only 34 days. Heck, that is longer than death. This sucks.
So, tonight I will try to scam a TV from the lodging location, call my girlfriend, and try to watch TV via telephone with her. Then off to bed, get up for the gym, Thursday is just like Wednesday and Tuesday... Don't like not having my own house. This sucks.
Dawg house
Yeah, so... I can't believe I started a new job. Well, I am stable with the same "company" but I have relocated. It is kinda like death. So sudden and completed so quickly. Think of it, you get news that someone you know dies. 3 or 4 days later, there is the funeral. A get together immediately at the home of loved ones, hanging around, telling stories, comforting and being comforted. Then life goes on. That is it.
That is how my transfer is... Interview for the job, get the job, wait for the formal transfer, then ... finish at the last location, pack some things, sell the house, drive to the new city, find lodging, try to find a new house to buy, go to work at the new location - with evenings spent reading, talking on the phone to the lover you miss, watch a dvd, go to bed, go to the gym, go to work. I don't know hardly anybody, but what the hell, I was spending a lot of time alone at the last place too... only I don't know this place. So, computer and internet access limited, which means, not from "home" since there is no wireless where I am lodged. Then what? Wait to hear if the bid on the house you saw last weekend will get taken, and try to look for others, just in case. Worry about what to do with your cats after the movers pack up the old place because, in less than 23 days, it isn't yours anymore.
The house you lived in, fixed up, for 9 years is someone elses. In only 34 days. Heck, that is longer than death. This sucks.
So, tonight I will try to scam a TV from the lodging location, call my girlfriend, and try to watch TV via telephone with her. Then off to bed, get up for the gym, Thursday is just like Wednesday and Tuesday... Don't like not having my own house. This sucks.
Yeah, so... I can't believe I started a new job. Well, I am stable with the same "company" but I have relocated. It is kinda like death. So sudden and completed so quickly. Think of it, you get news that someone you know dies. 3 or 4 days later, there is the funeral. A get together immediately at the home of loved ones, hanging around, telling stories, comforting and being comforted. Then life goes on. That is it.
That is how my transfer is... Interview for the job, get the job, wait for the formal transfer, then ... finish at the last location, pack some things, sell the house, drive to the new city, find lodging, try to find a new house to buy, go to work at the new location - with evenings spent reading, talking on the phone to the lover you miss, watch a dvd, go to bed, go to the gym, go to work. I don't know hardly anybody, but what the hell, I was spending a lot of time alone at the last place too... only I don't know this place. So, computer and internet access limited, which means, not from "home" since there is no wireless where I am lodged. Then what? Wait to hear if the bid on the house you saw last weekend will get taken, and try to look for others, just in case. Worry about what to do with your cats after the movers pack up the old place because, in less than 23 days, it isn't yours anymore.
The house you lived in, fixed up, for 9 years is someone elses. In only 34 days. Heck, that is longer than death. This sucks.
So, tonight I will try to scam a TV from the lodging location, call my girlfriend, and try to watch TV via telephone with her. Then off to bed, get up for the gym, Thursday is just like Wednesday and Tuesday... Don't like not having my own house. This sucks.
Dawg house
Ewww,,, how about that latest global tragedy? My god! Is there one? Really, is there? Are we just spinning around, evolved from protozoa from eons and eons uncountable, destined to meet the same fate as our fellow and former occupants of this 3rd rock from the "sun?" Is it possible that nature happens, the planet is living, and we are just dust mites? Well, I am sure we are more than dust mites, since this particular species, the human being species, is responsible for the destruction of more fellow species than any other species - or natural event for that matter, AND how about, we are becoming responsible for altering the planet? If we do not let nature "take its course" will the consequences be worse than just a natural progression? Who knows these things?
Ewww,,, how about that latest global tragedy? My god! Is there one? Really, is there? Are we just spinning around, evolved from protozoa from eons and eons uncountable, destined to meet the same fate as our fellow and former occupants of this 3rd rock from the "sun?" Is it possible that nature happens, the planet is living, and we are just dust mites? Well, I am sure we are more than dust mites, since this particular species, the human being species, is responsible for the destruction of more fellow species than any other species - or natural event for that matter, AND how about, we are becoming responsible for altering the planet? If we do not let nature "take its course" will the consequences be worse than just a natural progression? Who knows these things?
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