Steve Clemons
Robert Redford
"The world is awash in intelligence about terrorism. Most of it is meaningless speculation, a conversation intercepted between two Arabs about how they'd love to blow up London Bridge. The problem, of course, is how to distinguish between idle chatter and actual attack planning." - George Friedman
"The White House has issued an alert for American tourists traveling in Europe over fears of a terror attack. But the joke's on you, terrorists. We can't afford to go to Europe." – Jimmy Fallon
"The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'" — Robin Williams
I have not been enjoying this past week. I broke my little toe on my right foot, then, because I have been favoring it, my achilles heel on my left foot cramped up, and now I hobble everywhere, drooling and moaning in pain. To make matters worse, I upgraded my web browser, which has turned out to be unstable and keeps crashing whenever I need it the most, like typing in this editor... As my sister, who has Crohn's Disease, said this morning, "they should make more than marijuana available medically, right now I could use some black tar heroin..."
To cheer myself up, I begin with some incredibly good news: the 33 trapped miners in Chile may soon be released from their rock prison. The drills have been making progress, and its felt they will get to where the miners are in the next 3-4 days. It's possible that they could be out this coming weekend. But the authorities will probably take longer to make sure that each miner can be safely brought up to the surface: "The plan is for navy commandos to go down to assess the situation and help the miners use the rescue capsule. It is expected to take an hour to pull each of the trapped men to the surface.
The miners have even begun to send prized possessions and mementos which they don't want to leave behind up to the surface using small capsules, known as "doves," in which they have been receiving supplies through narrow boreholes... Miners' relatives, who have been camping at the site for the past two months, are preparing a party to celebrate their rescue." There have been politicians visiting the site and contacting the miners, along with a psychologist and a fitness instructor. There also has been some counseling on how the miners can deal with the large amount of reporters who will be hounding them afterwards. The miners have been trapped underground for over 60 days, longer than any other group that we know of, so the fact that they are still alive, are getting oxygen and food, and haven't gone crazy, is a testament to their fortitude and community support. A lesson that American and Chinese coal companies should sit up and take notice.
I know what else always cheers me up - the pranks of that little minx, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad! He is so wacky when he addressed the UN, claiming that the US: "... have such nerve to threaten us and say all options are on the table. May the undertaker bury you, your table and your body, which has soiled the world," OK, in Iran, them's fightin' words, to be passed around with an evil chuckle. In the US, we scratch our heads at the awkward phrasing and dead metaphor.
When Ahmadinejad arrived back in Iran from New York, he wanted the people to know how clever and tough he was to the infidels: "Ahmadinejad, in an address to the people of the northeastern province of Golestan, said that during a trip he made last month to the United States, people there "were insisting that the sanctions have affected us." "And I, on your behalf, insisted and told them 'The sanctions have had no effect, and whatever the heck you want to do in the next two years, do it now so we see what you are capable of'..." Oh, OK, so we listed more sanctions on some more individuals who were involved in human right's abuse during the protests last year, and made sure that their foreign bank accounts were frozen. What? We have two more years to come up with even more sanctions? That is very gracious of you...
Unfortunately, most of the young people didn't think that Mahmoud was being clever, rather that he was being stupid and embarrassing to their country. Graffitti began to show up on the city's transit buses, slogans like: "Death to [Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei", "Sanctions benefit the people", and "bloodthirsty Khamenei, sanctions have humiliated you".
The AP reported that the main opposition figure called for a referendum to see if the people still supported Ahmadinejad: "Iran's opposition leader says President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's foreign policies are destructive and his performance as president should be judged in a referendum.
Mir Hossein Mousavi says the president's actions on the world stage, such as a speech at the U.N. last month in which he questioned 9/11, have helped deepen Iran's isolation. The pro-reform politician, who ran against Ahmadinejad in last year's election, says the president's policies don't represent the views of the Iranian people." Of course, Mahmoud will never let himself be judged again by popular vote, the Ayatollah Khameini has holed up in his apartments, a new spymaster was appointed, and it looks like the Stuxnet virus is still playing havoc with Iranian computers. Of course, instead of approaching the virus in a safe and patient manner, their security experts tried to stomp on it and aggressively take it apart, where it regenerated itself into several different variations that have proved more difficult than the original virus, and unless they get some help from Germany or the US, it will be awhile before they get rid of the damned thing. It wasn't put together by any bored thirteen-year-old...
I think its ironic that the best solution to the Iraqi government stalemate has been suggested by followers of Moqtada al-Sadr. they propose to have Nuri al-Maliki become Prime Minister as he wants, but also to have Allawi become President, to put some checks and balances on al-Maliki's nefarious and meglomaniacal plans. Even more ironically, this solution is pretty much what the US wants to see happen, so we now have some strange bed-fellows. Unfortunately, it would mean the Kurds become disenfranchised, as the last President was a Kurd, and it looks like they won't have any major representation. This could be a small punishment for them allowing 750 tanker trucks, filled with gasoline, to cross the border into Iran, per day, breaking the spirit of the sanctions...
Much being written in the newspapers about the effects of the Supreme Court ruling last year, that corporations can contribute without any limits to a political cause. This year there are several "corporations" who have created ads for political campaigns, and the don't have to tell how much money they have or who donated the money, nyah, nyah, nyah... On the conservative side, its conjectured that three billionaires are funding 90% of these corporations and their affiliates, many websites, and the campaigns of the tea party groups and candidates. Except for poor Dan Maes here in Colorado, whom everyone is letting sink into quick obscurity after his claims of being an undercover agent for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation before he was fired as a police officer were debunked.
In fact, if Dan Maes polls under 10% in November's election, it will mean that the Republican Party will have achieved minority status and allowed a smaller portion of public funds for campaigns. The american Constitution Party, which is hosting the mean-spirited and hypocritical Tom Tancredo, would then be recognized as the major party along with the Democrats, responsible for carrying out the caucuses. Its also interesting watching respected Republicans jump on the bandwagon and endorse Tancredo instead of their party's candidate, proving how shallow their Republican leanings actually are. A lot of ill will has been created,that may not be repaired after November...
According to most of the polls taken nationwide, many of the elections are a toss-up as to who will win. This is a far cry from the Republican landslide that the Republicans had predicted. I'm sure that the wacky antics of the tea-infused candidates will have a lot to do with more Democrats winning. A third party could be a good thing to help revitalize American politics, but one rising from a conservative base will never happen because of the many mentally-ill people masquerading as candidates. We do need a more balanced, emotionally stable moderate party, one who will take the good solutions from all sides of an argument, and who will revamp the way that Congress is run...
The miners have even begun to send prized possessions and mementos which they don't want to leave behind up to the surface using small capsules, known as "doves," in which they have been receiving supplies through narrow boreholes... Miners' relatives, who have been camping at the site for the past two months, are preparing a party to celebrate their rescue." There have been politicians visiting the site and contacting the miners, along with a psychologist and a fitness instructor. There also has been some counseling on how the miners can deal with the large amount of reporters who will be hounding them afterwards. The miners have been trapped underground for over 60 days, longer than any other group that we know of, so the fact that they are still alive, are getting oxygen and food, and haven't gone crazy, is a testament to their fortitude and community support. A lesson that American and Chinese coal companies should sit up and take notice.
When Ahmadinejad arrived back in Iran from New York, he wanted the people to know how clever and tough he was to the infidels: "Ahmadinejad, in an address to the people of the northeastern province of Golestan, said that during a trip he made last month to the United States, people there "were insisting that the sanctions have affected us." "And I, on your behalf, insisted and told them 'The sanctions have had no effect, and whatever the heck you want to do in the next two years, do it now so we see what you are capable of'..." Oh, OK, so we listed more sanctions on some more individuals who were involved in human right's abuse during the protests last year, and made sure that their foreign bank accounts were frozen. What? We have two more years to come up with even more sanctions? That is very gracious of you...
The AP reported that the main opposition figure called for a referendum to see if the people still supported Ahmadinejad: "Iran's opposition leader says President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's foreign policies are destructive and his performance as president should be judged in a referendum.
Mir Hossein Mousavi says the president's actions on the world stage, such as a speech at the U.N. last month in which he questioned 9/11, have helped deepen Iran's isolation. The pro-reform politician, who ran against Ahmadinejad in last year's election, says the president's policies don't represent the views of the Iranian people." Of course, Mahmoud will never let himself be judged again by popular vote, the Ayatollah Khameini has holed up in his apartments, a new spymaster was appointed, and it looks like the Stuxnet virus is still playing havoc with Iranian computers. Of course, instead of approaching the virus in a safe and patient manner, their security experts tried to stomp on it and aggressively take it apart, where it regenerated itself into several different variations that have proved more difficult than the original virus, and unless they get some help from Germany or the US, it will be awhile before they get rid of the damned thing. It wasn't put together by any bored thirteen-year-old...
I think its ironic that the best solution to the Iraqi government stalemate has been suggested by followers of Moqtada al-Sadr. they propose to have Nuri al-Maliki become Prime Minister as he wants, but also to have Allawi become President, to put some checks and balances on al-Maliki's nefarious and meglomaniacal plans. Even more ironically, this solution is pretty much what the US wants to see happen, so we now have some strange bed-fellows. Unfortunately, it would mean the Kurds become disenfranchised, as the last President was a Kurd, and it looks like they won't have any major representation. This could be a small punishment for them allowing 750 tanker trucks, filled with gasoline, to cross the border into Iran, per day, breaking the spirit of the sanctions...
Much being written in the newspapers about the effects of the Supreme Court ruling last year, that corporations can contribute without any limits to a political cause. This year there are several "corporations" who have created ads for political campaigns, and the don't have to tell how much money they have or who donated the money, nyah, nyah, nyah... On the conservative side, its conjectured that three billionaires are funding 90% of these corporations and their affiliates, many websites, and the campaigns of the tea party groups and candidates. Except for poor Dan Maes here in Colorado, whom everyone is letting sink into quick obscurity after his claims of being an undercover agent for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation before he was fired as a police officer were debunked.
In fact, if Dan Maes polls under 10% in November's election, it will mean that the Republican Party will have achieved minority status and allowed a smaller portion of public funds for campaigns. The american Constitution Party, which is hosting the mean-spirited and hypocritical Tom Tancredo, would then be recognized as the major party along with the Democrats, responsible for carrying out the caucuses. Its also interesting watching respected Republicans jump on the bandwagon and endorse Tancredo instead of their party's candidate, proving how shallow their Republican leanings actually are. A lot of ill will has been created,that may not be repaired after November...
According to most of the polls taken nationwide, many of the elections are a toss-up as to who will win. This is a far cry from the Republican landslide that the Republicans had predicted. I'm sure that the wacky antics of the tea-infused candidates will have a lot to do with more Democrats winning. A third party could be a good thing to help revitalize American politics, but one rising from a conservative base will never happen because of the many mentally-ill people masquerading as candidates. We do need a more balanced, emotionally stable moderate party, one who will take the good solutions from all sides of an argument, and who will revamp the way that Congress is run...
Enjoyed your Blog. Sorry about your toe. Purple Skunk will make you forget you even have feet. I'm enjoying watching the miners come up one by one and learning a lot from their spiritual life and perseverance. Cheers and tears. http://fallingrock1.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about the Chilean miners. As I get older I am more emotionally moved by life's touching scenes, and I, too, cried tears of joy along with all of the rescue workers as the first two miners came up to the surface. When our astronauts walked on the moon we were curious if their spiritual beliefs were changed or strengthened, and the same is happening with these miners, who lived for so long 2000 feet inside mother earth. I pray that they all are making it out alive.
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