Wednesday, June 30
Hello!
Greetings from Austin, Texas ... State College, Pennsylvania ... Boise, Idaho ... Oakridge, Oregon ... Scranton (Larch), Pennsylvania, and Los Angeles, California!
Monday, June 28
Saturday, June 26
A damn good protest!
Those of you who watch TV often enough may remember Will Phillips. He's the hero who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance unless all Americans - that includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered / transsexuals are given the right to marry, not just heterosexuals. I'm joining in the protest. Will you?
Monday, June 21
Hello!
Welcome to Detroit (Boston Edison), Michigan ... Edwardsville, Illinois ... Woodland Hills, California ...Valley Center, California ... and Wausau, Wisconsin!
Friday, June 18
Hello!
Welcome to San Francisco, California ... West Hartford, Connecticut ... and
La Valle, Wisconsin!
La Valle, Wisconsin!
Thursday, June 17
Why I'll still vote for Barack (really!)
I've been really critical of Barack Obama as of late, especially in areas concerning the war in Afghanistan. Yet I'll still vote for him. Why, do you ask...
1) The spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not Barack Obama's spill. Sure, he made a few flubs heading in. This is called being a "human being".
2) The health care bill. Not since Harry S Truman attempted such a bill sixty years ago did such a bill finally see passage. It is a centerpiece of his administration, one which deserves our admiration and support.
3) Support of GLBT issues. To those of you who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transsexual, or for those existence is dear to your heart, this is much more than some academic exercise. Your life and dignity is of import, and, fortunately, we picked a good man.
1) The spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not Barack Obama's spill. Sure, he made a few flubs heading in. This is called being a "human being".
2) The health care bill. Not since Harry S Truman attempted such a bill sixty years ago did such a bill finally see passage. It is a centerpiece of his administration, one which deserves our admiration and support.
3) Support of GLBT issues. To those of you who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transsexual, or for those existence is dear to your heart, this is much more than some academic exercise. Your life and dignity is of import, and, fortunately, we picked a good man.
Tuesday, June 15
Why I changed my mind...
In my last posting, I was hard on Barack Obama, but I still gave him the confidence of waiting until June 21, 2011 for his start of a withdrawal. In the past 24 hours, events have occurred which changed my mind. I wish to share them with you.
At a conference, inspectors have declared (supposedly, the first time) that Afghanistan, formerly home of poppies and little else, is a gold mine of mineral wealth. I find this to be highly dubious in several areas. First, when the former USSR took over Afghanistan, the pertinent question is: Why?
If Afghanistan were really dirt-poor, that's one reason not to go. Afghanistan is land-locked. That's another. Afghanistan has large areas whose mountains are very rugged, if not impassable. One more. The houses are poorly constructed. Shall I continue?
Since the Soviet takeover in 1980, Afghanistan has been in a state of anarchy and/or dissension. It doesn't have the calm and serenity of, say, Rwanda.
Since we have installed Hamid Karzai as president, things have scarcely become better. He is "head" (cough, cough) of the Afghan army. This army seems more capable at shaking down civilians for money and food (both of which are sorely lacking) just to survive another day.
This, hence, is what I see: President Karzai's support for the US is evaporating. Taliban forces show no signs of abating, despite occasional news conferences. The final nail in the coffin, though, was this silly "finding" of minerals. Enough is enough. Let us leave, now.
At a conference, inspectors have declared (supposedly, the first time) that Afghanistan, formerly home of poppies and little else, is a gold mine of mineral wealth. I find this to be highly dubious in several areas. First, when the former USSR took over Afghanistan, the pertinent question is: Why?
If Afghanistan were really dirt-poor, that's one reason not to go. Afghanistan is land-locked. That's another. Afghanistan has large areas whose mountains are very rugged, if not impassable. One more. The houses are poorly constructed. Shall I continue?
Since the Soviet takeover in 1980, Afghanistan has been in a state of anarchy and/or dissension. It doesn't have the calm and serenity of, say, Rwanda.
Since we have installed Hamid Karzai as president, things have scarcely become better. He is "head" (cough, cough) of the Afghan army. This army seems more capable at shaking down civilians for money and food (both of which are sorely lacking) just to survive another day.
This, hence, is what I see: President Karzai's support for the US is evaporating. Taliban forces show no signs of abating, despite occasional news conferences. The final nail in the coffin, though, was this silly "finding" of minerals. Enough is enough. Let us leave, now.
Saturday, June 12
An open letter to President Barack Obama
Mr. President:
In November of 2008, I voted for you. At the time, it seemed like a vote of great promise and hope. I was very happy.
However, in the past week in particular, two moves have been made made by you or your administration (which, ultimately, answers to you)which gravely concern me.
1) During this week, in which 28 NATO soldiers were killed, General McChrystal "admitted" that the Kandahar offensive had been "going more slowly than had been planned". Why, how big of him! Mr. President, it is time for General McChrystal to be fired. Period. In his place should be a general who will give a date certain (say, June 21, 2011) for troops to be evacuated and then the date the last troops would leave. Then follow through on those promises.
2) This week you said that in war that "whistleblowers" would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. What happened to the great ideal of the Democratic party of free and open debate? Has it been swept under the rug that quickly? Mr.President, there is a tremendous difference between the specifics of a Tomahawk missile and the killing of five unarmed Iraqis. The latter should never be hidden under the table. Thoughtful people should never be restricted from such vital information. Quite simply, it is their unalienable right. Let us have our freedom.
Thank you.
Emily
http://emilyscoffeespot.blogspot.com
In November of 2008, I voted for you. At the time, it seemed like a vote of great promise and hope. I was very happy.
However, in the past week in particular, two moves have been made made by you or your administration (which, ultimately, answers to you)which gravely concern me.
1) During this week, in which 28 NATO soldiers were killed, General McChrystal "admitted" that the Kandahar offensive had been "going more slowly than had been planned". Why, how big of him! Mr. President, it is time for General McChrystal to be fired. Period. In his place should be a general who will give a date certain (say, June 21, 2011) for troops to be evacuated and then the date the last troops would leave. Then follow through on those promises.
2) This week you said that in war that "whistleblowers" would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. What happened to the great ideal of the Democratic party of free and open debate? Has it been swept under the rug that quickly? Mr.President, there is a tremendous difference between the specifics of a Tomahawk missile and the killing of five unarmed Iraqis. The latter should never be hidden under the table. Thoughtful people should never be restricted from such vital information. Quite simply, it is their unalienable right. Let us have our freedom.
Thank you.
Emily
http://emilyscoffeespot.blogspot.com
Some new things...(Press here for "Claudine")
A few new things have popped up as of late, which I will share with you now. The first has to do with Psyche's Links ,a very comprehensive blog. It has its faults, of course,(as does mine and everyone else)but it's really very good. Anyhow,I was directed to another site, antiwar.com. Interesting...where have I heard of that site before? When I scoured the sites of my computer, I found the answer- I'd put them in the "recommended" section of my blog! How silly of me! You see, I had gotten some peace information that a good friend thought would be of interest to fellow bloggers. So...on it got put. But that's not all. Dr. Juan Cole was one of the principal authors of this particular emag. Dr. Cole and I have not met, but there are some interesting parallels in our lives. We both have a keen interest in history, modern in particular. We both have an interest in politics. And, most intriguing, our initial interest in joining the Baha'i faith, and eventual leaving thereof.
Anyway, please check out antiwar.com. It's located on the right-hand side. I think you'll find it engaging.
A quickie on another issue, namely mangas. What I've read is sometimes good, sometimes godawful, but then there are the true classics. I highly recommend Claudine...!. (Look for mangas rather than film)
Anyway, please check out antiwar.com. It's located on the right-hand side. I think you'll find it engaging.
A quickie on another issue, namely mangas. What I've read is sometimes good, sometimes godawful, but then there are the true classics. I highly recommend Claudine...!. (Look for mangas rather than film)
Thursday, June 10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)