Midafternoon on a Saturday and we're cruising about the 100 degree mark for the second day in a row. It is July but 103? That was yesterday. I am not a big fan of hot weather....unless I'm at a coast somewhere. The sound of water and the likelihood of a marine breeze at sunset over a cold glass of something makes it all better. So I'm trying to do some of the computer things I've neglected the past three weeks...bill paying for example. And sorting out my email addresses. I'm still not getting progress on ftp protocol in Safari....and my ISP doesn't function well with it when I'm trying to email. Makes me feel old sometimes- or time starved. I want things like this to be seamless truly. Suffice it to say I'm sitting here in my soccer shorts listening to BT's breezy Flaming June.....and getting ready to brave the heat.
What filled the past three weeks? Good heavens! Thursday night we stood in front of the stage and jammed as Youssou n'Dour rocked the Zoo concert. Alecia and her friend Caitlin joined us and we could almost- almost- see them starting to move to the music......but their fourteen year old sensibilities prevailed. they did admit they liked it.
Then there was our fundraising event- Pioneer Midsummer Night's Dream. It turned out pretty cool. The blue light star pendants were a big hit. There was also the visit by the wife of the Vice President....will not go into that here. And the Demotion Party finishing my year leading the Rotary. And....well....just the rush of daily life. I thought for a while by the end of this week that I was developing an ulcer or something. My body doesn't react well to stress.
Today, though, I'm better. The only big thing looming is doing a French dinner tomorrow night. Hence having to head out in the heat. Get it done....yeah...and there are actually vacation days scheduled in August. Oh bless me, I might make it.
So this morning's Oregonian had a very well put sensible opinion piece suggesting that folks who want a baseball stadium here use the Green Bay model and sell shares to the general public so that those who what it can fund it. I so much appreciated the simplicity of the idea and the elements- beyond avoiding "public" as in government funding- that make it appealing. It is a powerful way to get a community 'own' their team. What astonishes me is that no one-as far as I know- has even suggested this idea up until now.
On a more serious note the transition government has taken over in Iraq and our troops continue die. Not a surprise, but not to be forgotten. Lest we forget some the truths that got us here as we approach November's election,....I offer the following.
"Today Saddam Hussein has the scientists and the infrastructure for a nuclear weapons program....Should his regime acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year." 9-14-02 Naional Radio Address
"It is important to our fellow Americans to understand that, when we're talking about Saddam Hussein, we're talking about a man who said he has had no weapons of mass destruction, yet we believe he has weapons of mass destruction...." 12-0-02. Speech in New Orleans
"The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction....." 1-22-03 St. Louis Speech
"Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised" 3-17-03 Address to the Nation
"(we)...will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass destruction." Two days later 3-19-03.
"Intelligence through the decade showed they had a weapons program. I am absolutely convinced with time we'll find out that they did have a weapons program. ..." Remarks to reporters following Cabinet meeting. 6-9-03.
"We are interviewing Iraqi citizens and analyzing records of the old regime to reaveal the full extent of its weapons program and its long campaign of deception." 9-23-03. Speech to the UN General Assembly.
These are all statements directly from our Commander in Chief. Not including any of the rabid comments made by the Vice President, Sec of Defense, Sec. of State or others like Rice and Wolfowitz. Were they lies? Can't prove it. Were they repeated ardently in spite of contrary evidence? Yes because they served a desired outcome. The idea being circulated now that we were justified in invading Iraq because SH was a bad man rings a little hollow as we watch the Secretary of State and others dance around the murderous slaughter going on in Darfar as we speak! The Sudanese government is doing just the kind of thing that Bush railed against SH for- killing his own people......but don't hold your breath waiting for a moral response.
Does it foster cynicism when people see this? You betcha! People aren't stupid.
Also noted in the paper today the column noting that of 18+ billion dollars Congress allocated for rebuilding Iraq only about half a billion has been spent in a year. The people in charge- as an audit of the aid program begins- turn out all to be political friends of the President and apparently only kept rudimentary records of where the oil revenues funnelled to the programs were going.....something Bush had wagged fingers at the UN about when they were managing the program. Strange how quick he is to criticize others. I think it reflects a personality type. I've had employees with that approach to the world. They rarely last long.
OK.....time to brave the heat and see if I can create some chicken artichoke heart crepes....yummmm.
What filled the past three weeks? Good heavens! Thursday night we stood in front of the stage and jammed as Youssou n'Dour rocked the Zoo concert. Alecia and her friend Caitlin joined us and we could almost- almost- see them starting to move to the music......but their fourteen year old sensibilities prevailed. they did admit they liked it.
Then there was our fundraising event- Pioneer Midsummer Night's Dream. It turned out pretty cool. The blue light star pendants were a big hit. There was also the visit by the wife of the Vice President....will not go into that here. And the Demotion Party finishing my year leading the Rotary. And....well....just the rush of daily life. I thought for a while by the end of this week that I was developing an ulcer or something. My body doesn't react well to stress.
Today, though, I'm better. The only big thing looming is doing a French dinner tomorrow night. Hence having to head out in the heat. Get it done....yeah...and there are actually vacation days scheduled in August. Oh bless me, I might make it.
So this morning's Oregonian had a very well put sensible opinion piece suggesting that folks who want a baseball stadium here use the Green Bay model and sell shares to the general public so that those who what it can fund it. I so much appreciated the simplicity of the idea and the elements- beyond avoiding "public" as in government funding- that make it appealing. It is a powerful way to get a community 'own' their team. What astonishes me is that no one-as far as I know- has even suggested this idea up until now.
On a more serious note the transition government has taken over in Iraq and our troops continue die. Not a surprise, but not to be forgotten. Lest we forget some the truths that got us here as we approach November's election,....I offer the following.
"Today Saddam Hussein has the scientists and the infrastructure for a nuclear weapons program....Should his regime acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year." 9-14-02 Naional Radio Address
"It is important to our fellow Americans to understand that, when we're talking about Saddam Hussein, we're talking about a man who said he has had no weapons of mass destruction, yet we believe he has weapons of mass destruction...." 12-0-02. Speech in New Orleans
"The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction....." 1-22-03 St. Louis Speech
"Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised" 3-17-03 Address to the Nation
"(we)...will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass destruction." Two days later 3-19-03.
"Intelligence through the decade showed they had a weapons program. I am absolutely convinced with time we'll find out that they did have a weapons program. ..." Remarks to reporters following Cabinet meeting. 6-9-03.
"We are interviewing Iraqi citizens and analyzing records of the old regime to reaveal the full extent of its weapons program and its long campaign of deception." 9-23-03. Speech to the UN General Assembly.
These are all statements directly from our Commander in Chief. Not including any of the rabid comments made by the Vice President, Sec of Defense, Sec. of State or others like Rice and Wolfowitz. Were they lies? Can't prove it. Were they repeated ardently in spite of contrary evidence? Yes because they served a desired outcome. The idea being circulated now that we were justified in invading Iraq because SH was a bad man rings a little hollow as we watch the Secretary of State and others dance around the murderous slaughter going on in Darfar as we speak! The Sudanese government is doing just the kind of thing that Bush railed against SH for- killing his own people......but don't hold your breath waiting for a moral response.
Does it foster cynicism when people see this? You betcha! People aren't stupid.
Also noted in the paper today the column noting that of 18+ billion dollars Congress allocated for rebuilding Iraq only about half a billion has been spent in a year. The people in charge- as an audit of the aid program begins- turn out all to be political friends of the President and apparently only kept rudimentary records of where the oil revenues funnelled to the programs were going.....something Bush had wagged fingers at the UN about when they were managing the program. Strange how quick he is to criticize others. I think it reflects a personality type. I've had employees with that approach to the world. They rarely last long.
OK.....time to brave the heat and see if I can create some chicken artichoke heart crepes....yummmm.
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