this is a bit much

as I was scanning the news today, I saw an important note that we should not chill our watermelons. see the article here.

I don't know about you, but I don't eat watermelon for my health, I use it as a viable substitute for ice cream and/or beer.

the war in the Mideast (and everywhere else)

We are about to enter the fourth week of war in Lebanon, and the news websites, the blogsphere, and the traditional media are chock full of reports and analysis pieces recounting the history of the crisis and what the 'real' turning point is (or was).

This is an opinion in progress, so I will feel free to change this post as I see fit, (and have the time and inclination).

The real war is being fought in the media. All those rockets and artillery shells being exchanged amount to jack-nuthin, (and that is said with all reverent respect to the dead and wounded, as well as the displaced). The real battle is for public opinion, as it will subtly (but very significantly) shape the region for years or possibly decades to come. The death and destruction is simply fodder for the real battlefield. That horrible phenomena is likely to continue until one side completely obliterates the other, or, the affected peoples, (as opposed to the affected governments), simply decide to agree on and establish local protocols and then live with them.

Karl von Clausewitz is often quoted with the phrase that "war is the continuation of politics by other means". In this case, that bit of philosphy can serve to illustrate the need for this war to serve the needs of those political establishments that would benefit not one bit by the outbreak of peace, (or at least, coexistance).

Think I am nuts? OK, so I am medicated, but that does not invalidate my opinions.

The North Koreans are playing the same game, though one can hope that it will fizzle before it turns into a crisis like this one. The "liberal" and "conservative", (I use those terms as nouns, not adjectives), media and the major political parties pull this crap all the time. Facts come and go, but it is important to stay on message.

It has been this way for centuries, though it has come to the fore of public attention in the age of mass media, (which coincides with the politicization of the mideast---remember that Syria, Israel and Jordan were all created in the past 60 years, Lebanon is the senior of the group, it is about 80 years old). There are no significant politcal emnities at work here, no longstanding philosophical feuds save one, the hatred held for Israel and Jews by the Islamic world, and the corresponding disdain towards the Islam peoples by the Jewish population and establishment.

Nothing else matters in this conflict. Civilians and children being killed? Who cares? Israel doesn't, nor does Hezbollah, (albeit for differing reasons)---they are simply expendable in the larger ideological conflict.

The U.S. backs Israel adamantly, and much of the western world at least pays lip service to the notion, and why not? It provides a good place to deposit the Jews of the world, (who, as a class or ethnicity have never been real popular in any culture that they have lived in). A similar charade exists across the fence, where not too many countries in the Islamic world are willing to help the Palestinians except screaming at the top of their collective lungs about how abused they are. They are the outcasts of that culture, wanted by no one, and if screaming about Israel substitutes for having to actually deal with the problem, well then.....

What, you ask, should the U.S. be doing in this conflict?

Nothing, save working to facilitate a diplomatic solution to this crisis. If the two sides remain locked in conflict then we should stay out of the way. The U.N. might have a legitimate role to play, but has not the backbone required to picks it's own nose, let alone police a cease fire.

This battle, and the larger conflict, will be settled locally. The war, in the media, will be settled when it ceases to be effective, (that is, when ratings drop, or web hits decrease, or when the various talking heads cease to be given a forum to sprout off).

Look carefully at what you see. Some of it is dramatic in its portayal of the violence, others vividly illustrate the attitudes of one side or the other. Keep in mind that these are, most likely not, typical scenes, and may even be presented out of true context, for the purpose of convincing all those without a dog in this fight that one side or the other is pure evil.

Let's move on.



update 1:

the state of Israel committed itself to a 48 hour cease fire in the aftermatch of an attack in which it killed fifty or more Lebanese civilians. Following that lead, Hezbollah has continued its rocket barrage into Israel, and the Palestinians in Gaza are now following suit, launching attacks into southern Israel, (this in solidarity with their Lebanese brothers). Let us not forget that this particular episode started when an Israeli soldier was abducted, from Israel, across the border into Gaza. That soldier has not been released as yet. The attacks by Hezbollah started when a political solution to the Gaza crisis appeared on the horizon. There can be no peace with some of these elements, they live to see Israel destroyed, even if that end serves no apparent purpose. Israel, on the other hand, is adamant on defending its right to survive, and uses the rationale to justify any and all actions that it takes. It is a small country, in demographic terms, but it is the big player in the region. It needs to act more like it.

on the media front, the Washington Post has weighed in stating that the U.S. position may actually backfire. see the article here.

the Post goes as far as to imply that this incident and our position regarding the warring parties may actually affect our efforts to stop the nuclear program in Iran and spread democracy throughout the world.

really?

as if either of those two laudable goals was going to happen anyway.

this is an example of using the media to exert pressure on a nation, in order to further an agenda not specifically related to the issue at hand. they might as well have accused the U.S. of killing cute little kitties.

the sitting U.S. government is, by and large, a bunch of dorks. don't let that fact confuse this issue. The fact of this conflict gives many parties, seen and unseen, to push little points of their own agenda's while the world is horrified at the spectacle and looks for a convenient scapegoat.

Like I said, let's move on.

there is no such thing as a "precision" democracy

who in the world really believes and goes along with one party or the other in these United States? if one reads the polls, quite a few. the real question is why?

the choices that we have as voters these days, on the surface, appear dismal. (that may be because they are). I am a voter who supports one party most of the time, but I cannot honestly say that it is because they are right, most of the time. it occurs to me that there may be others whose reasoning is built a lot like my own, I support the party because it is different from the party that I don't usually support. I have no choice, I can go along with the government in power, or vote for a change in direction, and hope that in the process of dismantling one regime and building another, a few bones that I think necessary will be thrown my way.

so what about all the talk in the media of supporting one's base and what have you? what they mean is keeping the average Joe or Josephine afraid of the alternatives. In the day of the internet, cell phone and the personal computer, we have become a binary culture, the lesser of two evils.

history in the making

Sen. Arlen Spector is working on legislation this week that would permit the U.S. Congress to challenge the President on the issue of 'signings', the practice that the sitting President has put into place to interpret laws as he see's fit at the time he signs them into law.

This is the one to watch, it may be the most significant piece of legislation to come up in the past 30 years. Watch the news, watch the websites of your representatives and those of the House and Senate, to see who votes for or against this bill.

more as I read about it.


update 1:

well, it is the end of the week, and nothing more has been said in the popular media. I hope that this issue just doesn't simply disappear, (as some inside the beltway do...)


update 2: (Aug 1, 2006)

well, it has been over a week now, I am thinking that Sen. Specter has been 'educated' in the error of his ways, and that we shall see or hear of this no more.....

update 3: (Aug 11, 2006)

well, still not a word from the good Senators office. I suspect that the party offices have convinced him of the error of his ways.

that seems to be the way it works in the 21st century.

One Giant Boondoggle for Mankind

In a new initiative that has the potential to extend the understanding of our biological underpinnings, and the certainty to spend a lot of taxpayer dollars, scientists in the U.S. and Germany are beginning a two year project to map the genome of the Neanderthals.

see it here.

without further comment, what would you bet that in two years we have discovered that the biological strain exists and thrives yet today? we call them "Texans".

Iran and the U.N.

This just in: China and Russia may be backing away from commitments made vis a vis Iran's nuclear program.

see it here:


In the mean time, nobody in Iran appears to give much of a damn. Why you ask? Because they have the oil, so, at least in this instance, they make the rules. The American initiative to make it mandatory that Iran cease enriching uranium is laughable at best. What are we gonna do? Iran is a xenophobic country that has very little to lose from not doing business with the rest of the world. If the oil supply from Iran is cut back or cut off, the global economy will wither until the rest of the world, including the U.N., smiles and throws a little picnic, to welcome them back to the fold on whatever terms the Islamic Republic cares to dictate.

If we are serious about pressuring the rest of the world to go along with us, it is time to suck it in and do a little less business with the rest of the world.

Just a thought there.

a rock and a hard place

The President today vetoed a bill that would allow research on stem cells harvested from embryo's that were slated to be discarded. Watch the news and headlines for all manner of histrionics and posturing from both sides of the debate.

It is significant that the Senate passed the bill by a solid majority, (though short of the 2/3's need to override the Presidents action). It was a political 'gimme' . It allows some members of the Senate, (who, coincidentally face tough reelection challenges), to vote a 'moderate' stance with no fear of backlash, as the bill was going to be vetoed anyway. It will be quite educational to see what senators that voted for the measure vote not to override the veto. Those parties can be safely classified as whores, and deserve nothing save contempt and defeat at the polls.

It will also be educational to monitor the comments that are sure to come from all engaged parties in this fight. Listen to what is said, and what is not, and how and where it is said. This is an excellent chance to measure the character of those who speak out by how they address the issue, directly, or by pandering to vague emotions and sound bites.

In the title, I mentioned a rock and a hard place. I am in one right now, as I tend to agree that this bill, overall, was not beneficial to our society or humankind in general. I have my own reasons for believing this, but I am aware that my understanding of the issue is, like most lay peoples, superficial. The issue is quite complex, and the rationale behind anyone's opinion is, most likely, of a gut nature, and cannot be adequately expressed in one or two paragraphs.

Over sixty years ago, in Europe, the Nazi government of Germany conducted all manner of medical and physiological experiments and research on human subjects that were going to die anyway. These incidents are widely agreed upon to be ghastly, a stain on the history of humanity, (not just the Nazi's, though there is a special place in hell for them). In the interest of objectivity, looking past the HUGE moral issues, the experiments were not simply casual cruelty and sadism, they were methodically designed, and the results recorded, in the interests extending the base of scientific knowledge, as it was at the time. When the war ended, the data collected was sealed, hopefully forever, on the premise that any good that could come from this data could never, ever justify the misery and horror that went into collecting it. It remains sealed today, and rightfully so.

In Washington, D.C., we are faced with a question of using human embryonic tissue, that is slated for disposal anyway, (that friends is another issue), to benefit the rest of humanity as a whole. Without regard for the scientific element, a decision was made that to cheapen the value of one individual, (regardless of its apparent fate or biologically unevolved status), is to cheapen the value of us all. I cannot disagree with that, but I cannot wholly endorse the Presidents logic either. I am not convinced on the one hand that this particular method of pursuing this study is the only one available, (I am convinced that this particular avenue is what might be characterized as "low hanging fruit", that is, a cheap, quick way of possibly turning some big bucks), nor am I convinced that this avenue is totally immoral or unjustified. This is an issue that deserves a vigorous public airing and debate. The ramifications to each of us, as individuals, and as individual political entities, is enormous. This deserves more than a curt veto and the usual "I am President and that is that..." attitude. The White House, the Congress, the scientific and religious communities are failing in the same way.....presenting an all or nothing alternative rather than convincing the public and winning the hearts, minds and votes of those who are impacted, (and those that may speak in their behalf).

As far as the veto goes, I suppose that even a dumbass hits the mark sometimes, by design or just dumb luck. I confess to the notion that it would be nice if he would put that same principle, (to denigrate the status of one is to denigrate us all) into operation while he is screwing the country and the citizenry on every other front.

W is still a dumbass, and a very poor President.


update 1:

it should be recognized that this bill merely stops the infusion of federal tax dollars into this initiative. will we see the heavy hitters in the pharmaceutical industry step up and fund what may be the profit engines of the future?

the war in Lebanon and the price of gas

This is another one of those things that tends to become snagged in other issues and confused in many ways. Sort things out, do not let the pressures of one issue unduly influence your thoughts and actions on other issues.

Gasoline today is in the $3.00/gallon range. it hurts the consumer, the general economy and our way of life here in the U.S. of A. there are a lot of reasons for this, none of them pleasant to contemplate, but Israel's conflict with Lebanon or the Palestinian Authority is not one of them.

Run, quickly, from anyone, any news source or editorialist who attempts to link the two. Whe you have gotten yourself clear, be suspicious of that person or party, they are either emotional maniacs, or, are working to disguise the machinations that work to screw the rest of us.

The price of gas is what it is, primarily, because the people who supply the raw materials can charge whatever they want to and people have to pay it. Following that fact, there is big money to be made domestically by corporations that deal in, with or support the primary sellers. The oil-producing nations of the world charge big money for their product as it is a way to raise themselves economically to the level of the larger and more established powers. (how that wealth is distributed is another topic altogether). The entities that support them derive a great deal of power through their associations with the oil-producers, just having access to the worlds fuel pipeline gives them advantages and influence in all manner of dealings in many unrelated fields.

This problem will not go away until we, as individuals, ween ourselves from this commodity.
Ride the bus, subway or train from time to time, heat and cool your house a bit less, in short, spend fewer dollars on energy. Support political candidates who are knowledgable about alternative fuels, educate yourself on the issue of nuclear power. you don't have to be a crusader, simply make better-informed choices.

It won't be quick, and it won't be easy, but that is the only way to pressure those who stand to benefit from this situation---make it less beneficial.

A quck note on the political front

Who, me? Political? Whoever would have thunk it.

The U.S. Senate this week, will consider no fewer than three separate bills that govern the discipline known as stem cell research. Let me say up front that I do not know what that term means, and that the government does us all a grave disservice by not carefully defining the term on a case by case basis. Stem cell research is controversial in some quarters as it is compared to abortion, (that is another debate altogether), though that is not always the case.

I am not taking a stand right now, only pointing out that life need not be destroyed to harvest some of these cells, and that much good can come from this effort, without treading on the 'right to life' ground. Stem cells can come from human placenta and umbilical cords, (stuff that is no longer needed by the orginal owner), from some parts of the living human organism, such as spinal fluid, blood, and, are you ready, some fat cells.

(Jenny Craig is missing the boat here...).

I believe that this field should be put out for all to see, and the 'non-controversial' parts voted up or down, with the political bloodletting and moral arguments left for those efforts that actually involve that sensitive issue.

My thought on the whole mess is this:

The Congress is considering pouring quite a few tax dollars into this area of research, for purposes that almost everyone would find laudable. In exchange for this financial and legislative backing, I want a piece of the action. If/when some miracle drug or cure is produced, I do not want it to be a huge profit engine for some company that, save for my revenue potential, would just as soon see me or anyone else dead. If I am investing in this technology, I want the end product to be available to me at or below cost. Period.

That or my tax dollars are paid back, with interest, at rates that would make a 'Vegas loan shark turn green with envy. Free enterprise my @$$.

God, Mushrooms & Algebra

there has been some buzz in the online news world this past week regarding the findings of researchers studying the longer term effects of some hallucinogenic drugs. a posting in one online digest went like this:

Subject: psychedelics: as good as religion
> "...researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland, have for the first time >demonstrated that mystical experiences can be produced safely in the laboratory..." >"...Interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs is growing around the world. In the UK, >the Royal College of Psychiatrists debated their use at a conference in March for the first time >in 30 years..."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/
article1171389.ece

also: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/
521710/?sc=dwhn


and my favorite:


>Well f**cking DUH!!!

>http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/
HealthRepublish_1682610.htm

> .. At least that's what I've heard ;)

The gist of these articles is that the longer term effects of using this particular class of drugs, (in this case, psylocibin---"magic mushrooms"), is characterized by subtle changes in ones perspective on things and events, and is very similar to the effects of a religious experience or bonding. At least one article reported, frankly (and I am sure with a straight face), that science was able to use drugs to "push the God button" in the human brain.

At this time I will respectfully decline to offer wisdom or analysis, save that this is not a new sentiment, (only that it is now backed to some degree by 'research'), and that the belief is more widely held than may be immediately recognizable.

So where does algebra come into this?

Algebra is a systematic method for manipulating mathematical statements. It is, in my view, all about the ' = ' sign. I cite that property known as 'commutative" when I say that if psychedelics can push the God button, then it holds that God can push the psychedelic button as well.

Chew on that with your peyote buttons.

one more chance

comment moderation has been turned back off. let's try to maintain some civility.

was there any real doubt?

OK, columnist Robert Novak has written, for the record, that Karl Rove was a source, (but not the primary source), in the Valerie Plame CIA leak case. (Who didn't think so?). I wonder if his boss, the first buffoon, is still all riled up and wanting to imprison the parties responsible for this outrageous, treasonous ( insert your self-serving adjective here ) incident.

What is left now is to find out who the primary source was. I will bet a buck that it was the big Dick (Cheney), or possibly the 'W' himself.

I do not mind these little political shenanigans, they are merely tit for tat in the policy turf wars that go on, but I do mind the overly pompous, grandiose hand-wringing that seems to accompany these incidents. The CIA operative and her Ambassador husband were expendable, but for cryin-out-loud, sack em and get it over with, and leave the under the table manipulations to the Hollywood types that relish it so....


see it here:

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004186268

and here:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060712.
wcialkeak0712/BNStory/International/home

and here:

http://uspolitics.about.com/b/a/207800.htm



update 1:

see these stories:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1.
WTguNE05U&refer=home

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060713/
plame_cia_/20060713?hub=TopStories

This is about to turn into a massive hullabaloo that in the end, will prove nothing. ms plame is within her rights, and furthermore, is right, to bring suit. The W government juggernaut will simply spin it like a WWF wrestler, the media will analyze the hell out of it, and in the end, nothing will happen.

There are no consequences for those in power, only for us who choose to, or not to, follow.

no, it's not a nightmare, it really is happening

Please see this article:

http://msn-cnet.com.com/FBI+plans+new+Net-tapping+push/2100-1028_3-6091942.html?part=msn-cnet&tag=tg_nav&subj=ns_6091942


The FBI is pushing for legislation that will install tapping, monitoring, and eavesdropping hubs into the domestic internet. The legislation is expected to be introduced by Sen Mike DeWine.

before I go into a paranoic rant, let me say that first, I am not convinced that there is a vast secret conspiracy. truthfully, I don't believe that most of these jerks can think that far ahead and in such large terms.

I do sincerely believe that the actions of these people are paving the way for an opportunist to come along and really hose us, probably in the not-too-distant future.

what if ..... ?

What if the war ended today?

I am talking about a complete disengagement, a whole fleet of ships and planes to go out and get the troops and bring them home. (For the sake of not complicating the question, I will assume that all the weapons and equipment will also leave).

What then?

What would the political and economic landscape look like?

What would the political, economic, and yes, religious ramifications for the rest of the world be?

Is the war in Afghanistan lumped in with the war in Iraq? Since I am asking, should this war be escalated to meet the mounting insurgency being coordinated from Pakistan? And should we consider a few incursions into that country to clean out the riff-raff?

If anyone is reading this, I would really like to hear from you.



update 1:

I would like to say that the evil of this war, (as opposed to war in general), is that we can only break even in Iraq. If/when we "win", we will have what we had before, a stable secular government that is capable of keeping Iran in check and therefore keeping the oil flowing through the Persian Gulf. There is no guarantee, (maybe not even a possibility), that the new government will be an ally or even friendly to the U.S.

It's pretty sad when the best case scenario is break even.

And it is not even that. we are spending about $800,000,000 per week (much of that going to large US firms that just happen to be buddy-buddy with the administration and the party in power). This war is partially about the world economy, (in which we must exist), and a lot about some of us making some really big bucks while we are at it.

On the issue of Afghanistan, the issues are murky, but this seems to be the current headquarters of the outfit that is generating the turmoil in the region. If we are going to be able to end the war at all, this country must first be secured, by whatever means is necessary. This includes the elimination of the ideological threat, the threat posed by agriculture, (two thirds of the worlds heroin comes from this area), and the investment in infrastructure that will give the average citizen a stake in the success of his or her new government.


update 2:

If the U.S. and its erstwhile allies were to pull out of Iraq today, we would leave the country in shambles, soon to be overrun by Iranian and Taliban backed forces, who would then attempt to subvert the two significant stable countries in the region, Saudi Arabia and Israel, and then, to impose their own brand of politics and morality on the energy consuming world.

It appears that we may have cut our own throats and are now furiously trying to stem the flow of blood, while smiling and pretending that it is no big deal.

Even today, we do not know the 'real' reason that we went to war in Iraq. It is easy, (and the conclusions do have some logic behind them), to simply chalk it up to Bush-isms, corporate greed, and general ineptitude. I am certain that those are a factor, but possibly not enough.

We have cut our throat, and do not know why.

In the current climate, there is no confidence in our leadership. Believe it or not, similar things have happened in the past, with different effects. Franklin Roosevelt was accused of manipulating the media, subverting the Constitution and greatly expanding the power of the Executive Branch of the government. He was successful at some efforts, and rebuked at others, but neither he, nor the country suffered any longterm harm, simply because the electorate was behind him, he inspired confidence as a leader and he knew where to stop, and sometimes retreat a bit. The guy we have now has no such sense of leadership, and as such is crippled politically; he has to resort to thumbing his nose at the Congress, the Courts and people to get his way, hoping that he himself is not subverted or overthrown before he has to leave.

polarization and paranoia

A friend of mine sent me a link to a site with photo's of an anti-war/anti-Bush rally that was held in a well known western city. may of the pics were amusing, while serious, but there were an equal number that were disturbing as well.

It is no secret that the war in the Mideast is not popular with the American electorate, but the images that I saw, (and some of the captions), put an "all-or-nothing" twist on the whole thing; you are either completely with us or you are against us. That has always been a part of the political landscape, (it is not a healthy thing, imho), but the thing is, many, many of the signs and placards that were carried were overtly anti-semitic, and blamed 'Zionists', Israel and one even referred to the "Jewish Conspiracy" for the ills of the world. Others blamed the GOP, while others compared W to a well-known German dictator from the 20th century, (an apt comparison I admit, but in this case self defeating). For the record, there were some well presented points, and I enjoyed seeing them, they were factual, to the point, and did not overreach.

I was amused that there was even a Republican Party booth set up, (likely to recruit persons revolted by what they saw...), and that the webmeister was shocked, shocked!, that persons so obviously incorrect would even be there, you know, in a public place.

Where am I going with this?

I don't know.

But I am really concerned that in order to be against the war, it is necessary to be grouped in with anti-Semites, revolutionary wannabes, and all manner of intolerant ideologues who demand that you accept them, conform to their views, or risk being, you know, something.

It seems to me that the mixing of many things, while tempting from a narrow viewpoint, is really self-defeating. It completely drowns out any chance to plant a seed in minds that might consider an issue, and possibly reach an agreeable conclusion.

We are a long ways from being a mature democracy. We may be experiencing something analogous to the idealism of youth, or the senilty of old age.

Again, I just don't know.

pretending that they are normal

I see that the DPRK, (aka North Korea), launched as many as seven missiles yesterday, all falling into the Sea of Japan. One of these has gotten quite a bit of press lately, with whispered references to its range, which includes parts of the lower 48 states.

So what?

I really believe that, at this point in time, the best strategy to deal wth this country is to ignore it. Never mention it, give it absolutely nothing, allow no trade or exchanges whatsoever, no press coverage, and just go on.

It seems to me that this country wants attention, like a child who is not quite, eh, right.

All the hand-wringing and urgent consultation and so on only serve to salve the ego of this entity, and its pitiful excue for a human leader. Just ignore them. They are not a military threat, and, while they do have the capacity to do extreme harm to somebody, deep down I have to believe that they will not, as that would render the entire nation a smoking ruin within hours, if not minutes of any untoward action.

Ignore them.



update 1:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2006/07/
post_2.html

this Arkin fella seems pretty intelligent. he must read my blog....

Just another sign of .... something

Is it just me, or is this a bit of silliness here. A federal judge has granted an injunction against the US Navy on the use of sonar. Read about it here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/04/sonar_mammals/

The article is not clear as to whether the Navy is prohibited from using sonar anywhere or just in conjunction with an upcoming exercise.


I believe that both sides of this argument have some very good points, but for an environmental group to sue in Federal Court, (not to mention winning, at least for the moment), serves only to marginalize them and to render any reasonable discussion on nearly any topic that they put forth as meaningless fluff.

C'mon here, one has to learn to pick one's battles. The Navy apparently went through the prescribed legal processes to get permission to run the exercises in the waters around Hawaii, and the court found reasons to order a temporary injunction. This incident does the court system no justice either, it gives much propoganda fodder to the party on the right and, like the lobbyists who brought the suit, (good as the intentions and reasoning were), it marginalizes the courts sway over all issues.

We are awash in a sea of issues and information. As it is with the 'big lie' that I have mentioned in earlier posts, we cannot see where things fit into the overall picture, hence, all issues are given equal import, and hence, all issues are equally meaningless.

Have a nice 4th. Go blow something up.