Nearly the end of January- a wet and blowy Saturday. I'm at the City house trying to catch up on some of the basics. There's a break in the waterline somewhere so I have no water other than jugs....that's a pain. But it could be much worse. I'll get a plumber out next week and see if I have to refinance just to get back to normal. It's easy to assume that the leak is a result of the massive snow and ice storm (for the Pacific NW anyway) we had three weeks back. But I'll have to wait and see. I puttered around today, but I couldn't find any evidence of leaking myself.
I've been itching to get back in here and write but I've been too busy. On the MLK weekend went with the Old Nicks crew to Lost Wages for the annual soccer tournament. Got into some 'bad juju' but that's another story. And then was at a board meeting in Tacoma last weekend.....well, the picture's clear. I've got too much stuff goin' on.
Back on the 18th though I'd snagged Matthew Miller's article about Paul O'Neill's book- the Price of Loyalty. If even half his observations about being inside the Bush White House are true, I feel frightened. Again, evidence suggests that we are not being led by a President, but by a coterie of ideologues. Who have their own agenda and their own version of the truth. This past week's statements by David Kay that there are no 'weapons of mass destruction' nor viable programs to develop them to be found simply adds to my judgement. Way back before the war started, I wrote that 'two wrongs don't make a right' and 'the ends don't justify the means'.....and I still believe that. The President himself, and others, stated that the IMMINENT threat from Saddam Hussein required immediate action. Well, it wasn't true. There wasn't and imminent threat to us. Getting rid of Saddam wasn't a bad policy- just the arrogant way they went about it. Additionally, I'm getting tired of the line "Aren't the people of Iraq better off now?" It's not really the issue. And I don't know that the question's answered. We need to look back from the distance of five years and see if there has been a stable, elected government- no civil war or oppression of minorities. You know, a measured judgement. Saddam was bad- nobody argues that point.
Okay, I'm done with that rant. How about something deliciously blackly funny? Apparently the company that manufactures most of the new electronic voting machines out there is a big contributor to the President's campaign! Whoa.....gives one pause I'd say.
Lovely pix from Mars this week. Interesting to have such an intimate window on to the surface of another planet- live, almost. While I listened a couple of weeks back as the President stated that he intended to energize the Space Program and head us on the quest to space, I had schizophrenic reactions. I am in favor of space exploration. I think the 'efficiency' of it isn't the only measure we should take. On the other hand, I was inclined to wonder if the President's announcement wasn't somewhat cynical (especially after allocating only a billion new dollars to the quest). After all, his father had made a similar gesture ten years or so back. And nothing came of it. I wondered if the idea of an American base on the moon seemed more desirable once it became clear that the Chinese were putting efforts into getting into space themselves. The idea that there might be a military presence which could blackmail earthlings from the moon almost seems like a joke, but I wouldn't put it past the leadership who've restarted exploring battlefield nuclear weapons.....
Outside, the rain is rattling on the window. I have to go and get a bite of lunch. Ranting leads to hunger. And anxiety and frustration....Should anyone read this, I wish a peaceful day to you as well.
I've been itching to get back in here and write but I've been too busy. On the MLK weekend went with the Old Nicks crew to Lost Wages for the annual soccer tournament. Got into some 'bad juju' but that's another story. And then was at a board meeting in Tacoma last weekend.....well, the picture's clear. I've got too much stuff goin' on.
Back on the 18th though I'd snagged Matthew Miller's article about Paul O'Neill's book- the Price of Loyalty. If even half his observations about being inside the Bush White House are true, I feel frightened. Again, evidence suggests that we are not being led by a President, but by a coterie of ideologues. Who have their own agenda and their own version of the truth. This past week's statements by David Kay that there are no 'weapons of mass destruction' nor viable programs to develop them to be found simply adds to my judgement. Way back before the war started, I wrote that 'two wrongs don't make a right' and 'the ends don't justify the means'.....and I still believe that. The President himself, and others, stated that the IMMINENT threat from Saddam Hussein required immediate action. Well, it wasn't true. There wasn't and imminent threat to us. Getting rid of Saddam wasn't a bad policy- just the arrogant way they went about it. Additionally, I'm getting tired of the line "Aren't the people of Iraq better off now?" It's not really the issue. And I don't know that the question's answered. We need to look back from the distance of five years and see if there has been a stable, elected government- no civil war or oppression of minorities. You know, a measured judgement. Saddam was bad- nobody argues that point.
Okay, I'm done with that rant. How about something deliciously blackly funny? Apparently the company that manufactures most of the new electronic voting machines out there is a big contributor to the President's campaign! Whoa.....gives one pause I'd say.
Lovely pix from Mars this week. Interesting to have such an intimate window on to the surface of another planet- live, almost. While I listened a couple of weeks back as the President stated that he intended to energize the Space Program and head us on the quest to space, I had schizophrenic reactions. I am in favor of space exploration. I think the 'efficiency' of it isn't the only measure we should take. On the other hand, I was inclined to wonder if the President's announcement wasn't somewhat cynical (especially after allocating only a billion new dollars to the quest). After all, his father had made a similar gesture ten years or so back. And nothing came of it. I wondered if the idea of an American base on the moon seemed more desirable once it became clear that the Chinese were putting efforts into getting into space themselves. The idea that there might be a military presence which could blackmail earthlings from the moon almost seems like a joke, but I wouldn't put it past the leadership who've restarted exploring battlefield nuclear weapons.....
Outside, the rain is rattling on the window. I have to go and get a bite of lunch. Ranting leads to hunger. And anxiety and frustration....Should anyone read this, I wish a peaceful day to you as well.
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