April 21, 2006
"Too soon? This story never stopped."
Apr. 21 - The quote in the title of this post is from Deroy Murdock's concluding sentence in
his review of the movie Flight 93 and the sentiment of that sentence started another train of thought.
I will probably cry during the movie but those tears will be not only of grief but also of gratitude and joy - joy that, on one very dark day, some very ordinary and very determined people united to perform a heroic act that earned them a place beside some other ordinary yet determined people who were later immortalized by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, or leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
The story of those aboard Flight 93 isn't a new one but one that began in the 18th century - in fact, the Minutemen mark the beginning of the American nation. We are formed in the knowledge that those who stood at that Concord bridge as well as on Boston Commons were, as are most of us today, not military types but everyday folk - farmers, shopkeepers, printers and local businessmen - who found within themselves a resolve to stand firm for liberty.
That legacy passed to the crews and passengers aboard Flight 93 and they did not shirk. Their example will long remain a flame of inspiration in our hearts and, should we find ourselves in a like situation, will serve to strengthen our hearts and lend clarity to our minds as we too, in their memory, seize whatever means are at hand to fight those who would try to destroy us.
Too soon? More like long overdue.
(National Review link via Newsbeat1)
Posted by: Debbye at
02:33 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 382 words, total size 2 kb.
The ship of state
Apr. 21 - Great read: Charles Krauthammer explains how the
"I-know-better" generals get on the slippery slope (which is something of an understatement as that slippery slope leads toward a chasm of Grand Canyon proportions.)
This latest controversy would be more at home in Bizarro Land. Those who are seriously in favour of letting the military dictate policy need help -- fast. The others - those who advocate such for their own opportunistic reasons - have revealed so total a lack of understanding about the relationship between the military and civilian government and especially why such safeguards are necessary that they manage to be both pathetic and dangerous.
The eagerness with which much of the anti-war left has grasped at any and all straws to stay afloat has become tiresome, but this latest instance just might amuse Plato.
Posted by: Debbye at
07:07 AM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 146 words, total size 1 kb.
1
http://www.ReligionOfPeace.com
may well be propaganda, as may be..
Muttawa and HealingIraq..
However the MSM is sheilding North America from the truth. With respect, Mrs Sheenan, learn from these and reconsider.
There are too many like Muqtada Al-Sadr and **Madmud Almonjeans** to ignore.TG
RLGOODSON Emailed this to me..
> "—Five Star General of the Army Omar Bradley had this to say about your actions: 'I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit, and to mothball his opinions.' How about retiring your protests until our young men and women are out of harm's way in Iraq. You do them and your nation, a great disservice." —Lt. Gen. (USA, ret), Alexandria, Virginia.
================================
Exactly, TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at April 25, 2006 08:30 PM (2GVBQ)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
April 05, 2006
Kindly define "friend"
Apr. 5 - The
Globe and Mail headline shouts
Brief Throne Speech hails U.S. as 'best friend' - death quotes theirs, as though that statement is a bad thing - which is why it continues to bewilder me that so many in the MSM express opposition to new regulations which require Canadians crossing the border to carry passports. Are we to suppose that the
Globe and Mail thinks Canadians should have the kinds of consideration merited by long-standing ties of friendship between the two countries without the friendship part? (Actually, yes, but don't ask me to explain it.)
It seems below much of the media's radar up here that some decidedly unfriendly words and actions by columnists, activists and even members of the previous government have led many Americans to not count Canada as a friend and, too well aware that Canada was a member in good standing of the Axis of Weasels, regard this country as little better than France and deserving of the same disdain and treatment.
The formation of the Congressional Friends of Canada was widely hailed up here but should have been a huge warning flag. It was reactive, not pro-active: a reparative act in response to a woeful admission that relations between the two countries have deteriorated to the point that such an organization is needed, for why bother if there was no need to counteract the altered perception of Canadians by Americans?
Things have changed since Sept. 11. Before that day we tended to brush aside the slings and arrows thinking that we were "big enough to take it" but once we were attacked we took careful note of who were friends and who were foes and Canada came up sadly short. Blame Chretien, Parrish and Martin or applaud them, just don't overestimate our willingness to overlook or forgive because it's no longer about hurt feelings but about our very survival.
Also, for all the anti-Bush sentiment and professed preference for Democrats up here, please don't fail to note which party is increasingly becoming the party of protectionism and isolationism. Those who don't believe such sentiments will hurt trade are sadly mistaken.
The funny part is that the Globe and Mail is supposed to be business-oriented, yet the attitudes and policies they promulgate would have a devastating effect on the Canadian economy. Go figure.
Posted by: Debbye at
10:04 AM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 396 words, total size 3 kb.
1
The Democrats are economic isolationists, presumably in the interest of the working class. The Republicans are free traders in the interests of the business class. American policy will always serve american interests, period, no allowances for friendship. Canadians, save those obsequeous little twits that you probably admire, understand that. The startling difference between Canadians and americans is that our concerns extend beyond our national interests and if you require any proof simply examine our respective foreign policies.
Posted by: joebaloni at April 17, 2006 06:08 PM (htX6t)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
April 03, 2006
Moussaoui eligible for death penalty
Apr. 3 - It's official:
Moussaoui Eligible for Death Penalty.
This has been a hard case. I don't mean just legally but emotionally as well because there really are wounds that never heal.
I am against the death penalty. I believe that the death penalty is instutionalized pre-meditated murder and, however much I burn for vengeance, I believe that it's wrong.
I've said often enough that someone deserved to die and God knows they probably did but therein lies the problem: I'm not God.
Posted by: Debbye at
06:10 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 94 words, total size 1 kb.
April 01, 2006
That rebellious youth
Apr. 1 - In repressive action reminiscent of the 60's, school authorities have cracked down on the rights of high school students to express their views:
Flag Waving Banned at Colorado School.
Posted by: Debbye at
05:54 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 38 words, total size 1 kb.
March 01, 2006
Yay!
Mar. 1 -
George and Laura Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Afghanistan.
(Do you suppose that, back in D.C., the White House press corp. sulked?)
Posted by: Debbye at
07:15 AM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 27 words, total size 1 kb.
1
While it may seem very *John Wayne* to do the surprise visit, it does inspire everyone.
Good thing in a way. No need for a Harper visit any time soon. In fact I would prefer Harper stay here at the helm and take care of business.
Better to see that better equipment and real support go to Afghanistan before Harper does. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at March 02, 2006 03:27 AM (rmMzv)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
February 28, 2006
A Tale of Two Three Books
Feb. 28 - It's staggering to think that, given so much societal focus on "thinking of the children," that more books like these haven't been written. But leave it to the Marines or, in this case, a
Marine Wife and Mom Who Pens Books to Help Military Kids Cope:
Angela Sportelli-Rehak, wife of Marine Corps Lt. Col. Dennis Rehak, combined her personal experience with background as a professional counselor and professor to write two children's books about the challenges facing military families.
"When Duty Calls" and "Moving Again Mom" are part of a series called, "Uncle Sam's Kids" that follows a fictitious military family through the ups and downs of military life. The books are written for children in kindergarten through fourth grade and focus on the stresses of deployments and the disruption of being uprooted during permanent-change-of-station moves, Rehak explained. The stories are based largely on the Rehak family's personal experiences, as well as those of other military families, said Rehak, who teaches child psychology and education courses at Ocean County College in Toms River, N.J.
With 13 military moves under her belt, Rehak said she was often frustrated that no books on the market addressed the stresses her three children endured when they left their school, friends, sports teams and neighborhood behind during moves. "So I decided to write one myself," she said.
But as military deployments began stepping up after Sept. 11, 2001, Rehak temporarily put that project aside to write a book for the children of deploying troops. "My husband has been on many, many deployments, and I know there are a lot of stressors that come along with that," she said. "I thought a book about it might help a lot of people."
I really hope these books get the distribution necessary so that they can fill what is a definite need, as those of us who read blogs written by family members of military personnel can attest, and it would be wonderful if Sportelli-Rehak continues the series right up through the teen years.
The third book is also written for children and helps them cope with a different kind of stress: Why Mommy is a Democrat (that's my interpetation and I'm sticking with it.)
I'd love to take my shots at it but Tuning Spork beat me to it and, um, sporks the books delightfully -- and his review is totally SFW.
Posted by: Debbye at
07:03 AM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 409 words, total size 3 kb.
February 19, 2006
Standing with the Danes
Feb. 19 - A demonstration yesterday in front of the Danish Embassy in D.C. had an
unusual component:
The demonstrators were met by 20 counter-protesters from the conservative Free Republic group, who stood in front of the embassy on Whitehaven Street NW waving Danish and U.S. flags and holding large letters reading "Human Shields."
I spent a good part of yesterday morning looking for Danish feta and butter cookies yet it never occurred to me that the Danes also export beer (maybe because we Americans tend to think of European beer as ... well, you know.)
The defense of Denmark no longer has anything to do with the cartoons because, as the following post illustrates, defending freedom of the press and refusing to allow governments to censor the news has deeper implications than hurt feelings.
Posted by: Debbye at
12:12 PM
| Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 141 words, total size 1 kb.
1
The LCBO carries Tuborg - I've stocked up on some Tuborg Gold - pretty decent beer and on sale last week as well. You might also look for Tre Stella dairy products. They are made locally but the company is owned by Arla, one of the main boycott targets in the Middle East.
Posted by: John B at February 20, 2006 11:11 AM (3RGzm)
2
Carlsberg is also Danish!
Thanks for the tip on Arla;
this page lists some of their products.
Posted by: Debbye at February 20, 2006 04:40 PM (0Qu9/)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
Speedy response to the Leyte mudslide
Feb. 19 - The capability of the U.S. military to respond quickly to civilian emergencies and the willingness of our government to render aid to those in need is incredible. Be it a tsunami, earthquake or a mudslide, the U.S. is there long before the U.N. has held its first meeting to address the catastrophe (with an energetic nod to our Australian friends, who have much the same attitude to active response.)
The recent Phillipine mudslide is only the most recent example and, as soon as the request went through the necessary protocols, we were on our way to aid and assist (Amphibious Ready Group Responds to Philippines Landslide.)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2006 – Sailors and Marines from the Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group and elements of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade were called upon yesterday to help the victims of a mudslide on southern Leyte Island in the Philippines, U.S. 7th Fleet officials reported.
USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry and elements of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade immediately left port Subic Bay en route to the disaster zone area.
"Our primary mission is to provide as much assistance as possible to the victims of this tragic event," said Capt. Mark E. Donahue, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11, the task group commander of the Forward Deployed ARG. "We are here to prevent the further loss of life and to mitigate any further suffering."
[...]
The Philippine Red Cross has asked the United States for helicopter support to assist with rescue and relief operations in the area.
Just as in Operation Unified Assistance, a multi-nation effort to help victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the ships of the Forward Deployed ARG will use various ship-to-shore assets to get landslide victims the assistance they need in the form of food, water and medical supplies, officials said. During the tsunami operation, USS Essex and USS Fort McHenry delivered about 6 million pounds of relief supplies.
There are those who talk and those who do. Godspeed to the service personnel of the USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry and elements of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in this errand of mercy.
Posted by: Debbye at
03:08 AM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 364 words, total size 2 kb.
November 19, 2005
"Cowards cut and run, and Marines never do."
Nov. 19 - Add another phrase to our growing list of notable quotes! I might also add that the cowards blathered on and on but when it came to a vote, that being in favour of the immediate pullout from Iraq,
it was rejected 403-3 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Just for the record,
Those voting for it were Democrats Cynthia A. McKinney of Georgia, Robert Wexler of Florida and Jose E. Serrano of New York.
How inept are the Democrats? Their catcalls and a near fistfight resulted in such an uproar that the remarks that occasioned the response got more coverage than they might have otherwise:
At one point during the debate, Rep. Jean Schmidt, Ohio Republican and the newest member of the House, said she had received a call from a veteran and member of Ohio's state legislature , who said to send a message to Mr. Murtha: "Cowards cut and run, and Marines never do." [Damned straight I added the emphasis.]
Instantly, two dozen Democrats shot to their feet and demanded her words be "taken down," a precursor to House punishment, because she insulted Mr. Murtha. Rep. Vic Snyder, Arkansas Democrat, said the use of Mr. Murtha's name and "coward" were in "too close a proximity" to let the matter go.
Ms. Schmidt withdrew her words, but not before Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr., Tennessee Democrat, seemed to be headed for a fight with Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican. Mr. Tancredo afterward said he had been arguing with another Democrat over some of the charges Democrats had hurled at Republicans during yesterday morning's budget vote, and said Mr. Ford must have thought the argument was about Mr. Murtha.
"Say it to Murtha," Mr. Ford repeatedly shouted at Mr. Tancredo while he was being restrained by other members. Mr. Tancredo said he replied he wasn't talking about Mr. Murtha and told Mr. Ford to go sit down.
"You guys are pathetic. Pathetic," Rep. Martin T. Meehan, Massachusetts Democrat, shouted.
Hmm, who's pathetic: the one who's bluffing and or the guy who the temerity to raise and call? If you don't even have a pair ...
Great move by the GOP. Putting withdrawal from Iraq to a vote before the Fall recess is similar to last year's move to force the question on re-instating the draft to a vote and, as with the draft, the overwhelming numbers opposing such a measure damaged the Democrats. I find it humourous that Rep. Pelosi complained there was no time for a debate -- what else has she and other Democrats been doing these past years? The biggest mistake any political party can make is to continually underestimate the intelligence of the electorate, and the dislike many believe the Democrats harbour for the U.S.A. is turning on itself and I doubt I'm the only one wondering if the Dems have so pervasive a death wish that they're determined to destroy themselves.
Yes, I am in a major "Take off the farking gloves already" mood today (and this is from someone who doesn't like voting Republican any more than she likes voting Democrat.) I want to extend my personal gratitude to Democrats [sarcasm alert] for doing their utmost to reduce the U.S.A. to a one-party state. I've witnessed first-hand up here how that turns out, and I really don't recommend it. But as long as the Democrats are determined to be irrelevant and limit themselves to posturing I'll be voting GOP. Damn you donkeys! What part of "elephants never forget" don't you understand? Yes, some stayed locked in a 60's mindset, but others grew up and a new generation is grimly aware that their future and lives depend on how Iraq plays out. They are chosing kick-ass over a chorus of Kumbaya, and they will be voting in coming elections.
Grr. The one number that eludes the angst-driven "2000 service personnel killed" folks (led by most of the MSM) are the number of Iraqis who have been killed, and that far outnumbers U.S. deaths. We are not the prime target and we are not enduring the largest number of deaths. The courageous Iraqis who volunteered to join the police, army and security forces (plus those who simply go to mosques and markets) are the primary targets and have the larger number of casualties.
Are there really those who wish to cut and run, leaving those valiant Iraqis at the mercy of the vengeful? I hope I speak for more than myself when I say that there is no way on this earth that I can allow us to betray them - and the people of our military and those of our coalition allies - by cutting and running.
Shiites were a target under Saddam's rule (as were Kurds and other ehnic minorities in Iraq) and they are a target now as Sunni insurgents - aided by al Qaeda - attempt to re-establish rule. The difference now is that Shiites and Kurds have a chance to live and prosper because we took Saddam down and - this is truly wondrous as well as being the best hope for the Mid-east as a whole - they are willing to share power with the Sunnis, something the Sunnis never contemplated when they - the minority in Iraq - enjoyed privileged status under Saddam.
Yet the doom-sayers may be having a victory of sorts. A recent poll may indicate that Americans are becoming more isolationist, and despite CNN's analysis, I think the poll may more reflect a truth contained in Victor Davis Hanson's analysis of the recent rioting in France:
Practically, such pacifism results in a weakening of NATO, with the expectation that the United States will continue to assume an ever-greater share of its costs and manpower. Few over here realize that they have finally lost American good will — and with it the public's desire ever again to bail them out from another Milosevic or an ascendant Russia or nuclear Iran on the horizon.
To put it bluntly, when Old Europe erupts in flames (again) we just might respond by buying marshmallows.
A similar disillusion after WWI led to renewed isolationist sentiments in the U.S. and kept us out of WWII until the bombing of Pearl Harbour (and the breakdown of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, which reversed the position of the U.S. Communist Party and saw them agitating for a pro-war sentiment.) "Don't count us out" has a grim corollary: "Don't assume you can count us in." I don't see Americans rallying to defend Old Europe unless the United Kingdom exerts considerable pressure on us (and they alone have any credibility) but what I can't predict is how much Americans are connecting Canada to Old Europe. Certainly Chretien's membership in the Axis of Weasels is something that Americans will long remember, and hopes that Paul Martin might be able to remove that stigma have faded.
Canadians who assume that the U.S.A. will rush to defend Canada might do well to wonder how long it will take us to rush. The debate in the Senate and the House of Representatives may well be extensive and thorough, and the temptation to refer the issue to the U.N. will certainly be popular among some people.
Americans have had four years to assess who are our friends, enemies, and opportunist allies. People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States. We expect considerably less from our politicans than we do from ourselves, and we can be formidable indeed when angered. We pay our diplomats to be diplomatic so that we simple folk need not be so, but when we decide that "enough is enough" our politicans listen or are replaced. Thus far most Americans are dismissive of much of the Old European and Canadian silliness, but that can turn into fury on a dime and believe me when I say that you won't like us when we're angry.
That brings us to the real question that has been looming larger and larger: why we would expend the blood of America's sons and daughters when some, i.e., Old Europeans and Canadians, won't let their little darlings be placed in harm's way. The answer is pure Darwinism and only Christian compassion can counter it. But then we Americans do have a reputation for being practical, you know?
Posted by: Debbye at
11:43 AM
| Comments (18)
| Add Comment
Post contains 1399 words, total size 9 kb.
1
No way on earth do I want me or any other Americans to end up with a tombstone that says or implies "died for france".
Canada? - Mixed emotions there. Fair number of good people there and so I hear, and maybe more importantly good fishing. I'd hate to be the president with a missile coming into Ottowa:
General: Cheyenne says there's a missile coming into Ottowa.
President: Well, Martin says we have to consult him before we violate his airspace - anybody got a phone book?
Tho more likely:
President: Screw that twit Martin, shoot the thing down.
Most likely tho is the president has already said "screw that twit" and the military would shoot it down without any concern over what Martin thinks.
Which of course would result in Martin raising holy hell over our invading Canadian airspace.
Posted by: Jay at November 19, 2005 02:22 PM (PIbeE)
2
The vote last nite exposed the Dems, great.
Posted by: Dex at November 19, 2005 04:23 PM (kO17P)
3
"People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States. ...when we decide that 'enough is enough' our politicans listen or are replaced."
Recent polls show that most Americans do not trust Bush and think the Iraq invasion was a mistake. So, yes, it looks like they have just about decided that "enough is enough", and are ready to join the majorities in Canada, France, etc. I respect your fierce patriotism, Debbye, but most of your compatriots do not agree with you. Americans don't like having the wool pulled over their eyes, and when they realize they've been fooled, they get fighting mad. (Admittedly, being in the majority doesn't prove that one is right.)
Posted by: mijnheer at November 20, 2005 04:33 PM (QKBqr)
4
Mijnheer, the "Bush Lied!" meme is itself The Big Lie: repeat it often enough, and people believe it. You're exactly right to note that that doesn't mean they're right, because they're not.
Posted by: Dave J at November 21, 2005 12:22 AM (8XpMm)
5
Debby, It sounds like you see the Democratic party as the joke I see it as too. It isn't I am a big fan of the war in Iraq. I am not, but it wasn't for the typical reasons that the anti-war and 60's hippy types would propose. I was against going in there when there was no way in hell anyone was going to make that country work without an authortarian leader. Since I would really object to Bush putting his own dictator in there, I saw this war as a good opportunity to straighten out one jerk in power, and serve as an example to the rest of em. That it was...look at how Quaddafi took note and coughed up his WMD's.
No, I was not against taking out Iraq's Baath party in principle, it just was that there is no way to do what Bush was trying to do. He didn't realize just how hard a task he set for himself.
This war is a mess, but I am at least behind the US trying to do what they said they would do. AS a Canadian, I respect that. I respect the position of Dubya a hell of lot more than that of Chretien or Martin. Chretien didn't want to be involved because he would sell our sovereignity to the UN and HAS. If the UN gave a green light to this war, he would be in it. He had no thoughts of doing anything else because he felt that is what the polls stated. Don't have any balls or real thoughts Jean. Martin would have put is in the war, but wont admit it for love or god now.... Martin is a hypocrite..and a fair weather friend.
The US is the best friend Canada has, even though they don't always show it. It would be about time Canada showed a little class and approached the Americans as a neighbour who has his own mind. Our nations may not agree on the Iraq war but if a PM said " We disagreed on the war, but I wish the US well in trying to bring democracy to Iraq" Say something more than "give us our tariff money back you war grubbing bastards!"
Posted by: Mark at November 21, 2005 04:45 AM (asz3M)
6
The WMD lie argument is such a dead horse, yet the meek and the weak just keep flogging it, because they have nothing of any real truth to use.
It is the very effective ploy of the left to keep repeating a lie until that lie begins to gain followers and gets accepted as true by the meek and the weak.
That same ploy of repetion is used to good effect here in Canada. Look at how effective the daily drip by drip CBC propaganda is working at instilling fear of Harper and the CPC among the meek and weak here in Canada. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 10:03 AM (rmMzv)
7
First, the intelligence was there and there are clips of highly respected American leaders swearing to that fact on news video. Check this:
GOP.com
Secondly, you are suggesting that Saddam should have been permitted to continue gassing Kurd villages and plundering each the following day.
Third, you are suggesting the horrible behaviour of Saddam's military in the Kuwait plundering be excused.
Well, excuse me, but you are simply whipping a dead horse. TG
Do me a favour anyway...
Looking for you opinion on a couple of Wikipedia Pages. If you can spare a moment to have a look and maybe leave your impression, it would be very helpful for further edits.
BendGovt
And:
BendGovernment
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 10:15 AM (rmMzv)
8
Cynthia A. McKinney - why am I not surprised. Think of Carolyn Parrish squared.
Posted by: John B at November 21, 2005 11:02 AM (ju7Wp)
9
TonyGuitar wrote:
"Third, you are suggesting the horrible behaviour of Saddam's military in the Kuwait plundering be excused."
Actually, the "looting of Kuwait" was a falsehood perpetrated by the Americans and the Kuwaiti Royal Household. If you recall, the daughter of the Ambassador lied under oath to the US Congress regarding the behavior of Iraqi Occupation Forces that were alleged to have thrown babies out of incubators at the hospital in Kuwait City. That all was a web of lies as matters turned out.
Something like the claims that Iraq had nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them so that mushroom clouds might appear over American cities.
The first casualty of war is the truth.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 22, 2005 05:08 AM (5dXW9)
10
Joe Green:
While the incubator story was planted, the Iraqis did loot Kuwait. That was evident when they cut and ran for the border and were gunned down by U.S. air power. The truck were full of looted crap.
Posted by: John B at November 22, 2005 10:41 AM (ju7Wp)
11
Debbye - I can only venture to guess that while you may be living in T.O. you aren't spending a lot of time here (or perhaps you're new) otherwise, I'd have hoped that some good old Canadian common sense would have rubbed off on you.
Regardless of your views on Iraq, the Dems, the Prez or anything else you opine about (for you are entitled to your opinion) I can't help but shake my head at your saddly typical American bluster. You lot are no more than hot air and swagger.
Your assertion that "People who fret about the CIA and conspiracy agendas are missing the real power: We, the People, of these United States," is laughable. The American people can't keep their attention on any single topic for more than the span of a CNN news report. Y'all wouldn't know what you really wanted until some one sold it to you in a 30 second spot.
You write, "Thus far most Americans are dismissive of much of the Old European and Canadian silliness, but that can turn into fury on a dime and believe me when I say that you won't like us when we're angry." But I ask you, what do we (the rest of the world) have to be afraid of? You can barely effect 'liberation' in Iraq. You're over-extended and begging the rest of the world for help. Remember not too long ago, Dr. Rice showed up with her hand out. Thankfully, our PM politely turned her down.
So tell me Debbye, with whom do you intend to express said 'anger'? Can we Canadians expect you and some greenbay packers fans at our doorsteps with your Starbucks lattes and 40 extra lbs to kick ass and take names? I would bet that if push came to shove, You, the People, of those United States, would be hard pressed to pull your fat asses off your couches, put down your McGriddles and put your money where your mouth has gone in this blog.
Posted by: Andrea at November 22, 2005 02:43 PM (OPhY1)
12
Fellow Canadians like Andrea almost make me wish I were American.
If you want to talk short attention spans, how about the drop in the Liberal polls after the Gomery report? Lasted all of, what, 72 hours? Anyone in Canada still talking about the Supreme Court decision that ruled Quebec's ban on private health insurance unconstitutional, and what it means for medicare? Which native crisis flitted in and out of the news last week, and how many more does it take before we fix the complete fucked-up fiasco that is Indian Affairs? And do you remember that Martin was, at one time, pro-Iraq war and pro-missile defence?
We have absolutely no reason to throw stones at the Americans on attention spans; they'll make a nice mess of broken glass.
The rest of your drivel's not even worth responding to.
Posted by: Ian in NS at November 22, 2005 09:31 PM (v+aYr)
13
I will remember for a very long time that I actually like McGriddles. The rest of McDonald's food sucks, but they do do breakfast well...
Debbye, 'puter probs again? Maybe a PayPal button will help us all help you to get a decent upgrade. I don't have anything that I can afford to part with right now meself, but I'd be willing to spread the word. We want more Debbye!
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 22, 2005 11:07 PM (FqtX8)
14
I've never posted here before, but I enjoy coming over here and I enjoy the site.
I see my friend Tony Guitar posts here (a fellow vet).
I wanted to explain something to Andrea.
You know, Andrea, regretfully, a measure of what you say is true when looked at from one side.
However, there is something you need to take into consideration before you come to the kind of conclusions you've articulated above.
While Canada has been very circumspect in the use of its military, trying to marginalize participation as much as possible, America has not.
In the United States, we have had very large complements of troops in virtually every Western conflict, beginning with World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. We've had police actions in countries all over the world.
The upshot is that we have people who have served in the military in virtually every generation, from our dying World War II vets to the people returning home from Iraq.
There are literally multi-millions of people who swell the ranks of our VFW, American Legion posts and other organizations whose members consist of former military. There are also millions of us who never bother to join such organizations, but who share the fact of military experience with the ones who have. Generally, family members are in agreement with the political positions advanced by their spouses, fathers and grandfathers who have served.
You need to understand that although it's politically incorrect and politically sensitive to say this, the fact is that many, many millions of Americans have killed combatants on the battlefield. Americans have killed enemy combatants on land, water, and air. We are not talking here about poseurs or people with affectations or useful idiots.
So we have huge numbers of people that have either served in combat or supported those who are in combat.
As a consequence, permeated through all strata and generations of Americans are people who look at American enemies with a very stern eye. The kind of qualities required to face enemies in combat can be scarring, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. However, it also creates a certain capability that is never, ever lost.
In as much as there are no generations of Americans who do not have people with this kind of outlook and capacity, we would hope that our good friends and our extended relatives in Canada would remember that these qualities are part of our burden, but also part of our ability.
Posted by: Greg outside Dallas at November 23, 2005 06:30 PM (jAiAq)
15
Oh, I'm just here for the chuckles.
How can someone justify America's current "we're the only superpower left so we get to police the world however we see fit, nyah nyah" attitude by citing a long history of warmongering? The last time I checked, America didn't have a monopoly on going to war - yet you don't see us (Canada) or "old Europe" joining you in your recent invasions.
(I'm a little shaky on Canada's war history - it's really not something to be proud of - but I'm pretty sure we've fought in all those wars too, excluding Vietnam and America's most recent agressions)
Nietzsche once said "When one goes to hunt monsters, one must be careful not to become a monster." So yes, there is a burden to bear, a duty to uphold - that of showing the rest of us a just and moral path to peace. But sadly, it seems that America lacks the ability to fufill this duty. Is this how the rest of the world should expect their "leader", a "beacon of freedom" to behave? I would hope not, for the is something seriously wrong with humanity if this is "acceptable behaviour".
To date, how many WMDs have been discovered in Iraq? How many Al Queda cells have been found? Are you even sure that Al Queda had anything to do with 9/11? And, if you're not 100% sure, how can you say that killing people in another country is justified? How are you any better than them?
(notice I say "people" not "civilians" or "combatants". There's no difference. The commandment is "THOU SHALL NOT KILL." 4 words. Easy to understand. It's not "THOU SHALL NOT KILL - except in the following cases: enemy combatants, terrorists, etc." Think about this the next time Dubya mentions his spirituality, or says something about God.)
Do you remember when Colin Powell did his interview with 20/20 a few months back? And how he basically admitted that he knew his speech to the U.N. (the one where he was all like "Let's go get Iraq cause they're so evil!") was a bunch of lies?
I would bet you don't remember.
BUT - I would bet you DO remember that Bush is sending 2 (count'em - 2!) thanksgiving turkeys to Disneyland, as opposed to some local farm. I bet you DO remember the plots to last seasons "Lost", "Grey's Anatomy", "24" and "ER". I bet you DO remember who Nicole Kidman took as a date to last years Oscars. And, I bet you remember who won the last Indy 500, who lost in the last 30 superbowls, and where you were when OJ was in his white bronco. Dollars to donuts, I would bet it.
But enough of that rant.. To the question that Debby poses:
why we would expend the blood of America's sons and daughters when some, i.e., Old Europeans and Canadians, won't let their little darlings be placed in harm's way. To be quite blunt, no one is asking you to expend the blood of your son's and daughter's - personally, I feel sorry that they're growing up in an environment where a career in killing is encouraged (Hey! That kinda reminds me of a story I once heard about a group of people who convinced their young that if the died fighting the enemy they would be greeted by 70 virgins in heaven! Now ain't that crazy!) In fact, if you listened to the rest of the world for a second (instead of acting so unilaterally), you might hear us saying, "Hey America. Stop. No, seriously, please, just stop. You're acting a little rabid. Stop. Deep breaths. Do you need a time-out? Cause.. You're starting to act like you might go postal." And it worries us! It's scary as hell when the most powerful (cough*most*cough-cough*nukes*cough) country in the world is so caught up in their own rightousness that they fail to see how wrong they are.
Posted by: Ron near Guelph at November 23, 2005 11:11 PM (JK/pP)
16
"How can someone justify America's current "we're the only superpower left so we get to police the world however we see fit, nyah nyah" attitude by citing a long history of warmongering?"
When the US adopts a proactive foreign policy, we're "aggressive imperialists." When we don't, we're "reactionary isolationists." Take your pick: damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"...you don't see us (Canada) or "old Europe" joining you in your recent invasions."
InvasionS, plural? Let's see, the last invasion prior to Iraq was Afghanistan and, yes, there are Canadian troops there as well as forces from "Old Europe" (German and Dutch at the moment I'm sure of, likely others as well). You were aware of that, right? Before that, Kosovo and before that, Bosnia, both of which Europe did SUCH a damn good job of before we got involved, didn't they?
"I'm a little shaky on Canada's war history - it's really not something to be proud of"
What are you talking about? Absolutely it's something to be proud of. Canada was in charge of an entire beach during the Normandy landings, nearly on a par with the US and Britain. Canada has a noble military history, but for someone like you, who seems to regard all things military as equally base and evil, I suppose that would sound like an oxymoron.
"Are you even sure that Al Queda had anything to do with 9/11?"
Well, now there's a question that simply rules out any consideration of you as someone with whom one might have a reasoned and rational disagreement. Not only did Al-Qaeda claim responsibilty for 9/11, it bore all of their hallmarks: massive, simultaneous coordinated destruction is what they do (see, e.g., the East African embassy bombings). I was in DC that day and saw the smoke from the Pentagon with my own eyes. I probably don't even want to know who you think might have been the "real killers."
"The commandment is "THOU SHALL NOT KILL."
No, actually it's not. The literal translation from Hebrew is "Thou Shalt not MURDER." If you think all killing is morally equivalent, I'm afraid there's simply no other way to describe you than deranged.
"I would bet you DO remember [insert various trivial pop culture references]..."
What a tolerant and open-minded Canadian you are, demontrating your thoughtfulness and sophistication through crude sterotypes of stupid Americans. This is the "ignorance differential" at work yet again: most Americans may be somewhat ignorant of the rest of the world, but they at least KNOW that they're ignorant, whereas much of the rest of world is equally ignorant about the US, but seems to THINK they know everything about it from having eaten at McDonald's or seen the latest crap put out by Hollywood.
As for where I was when OJ was in his white Bronco, I was on a train from London to Edinburgh. I would guess I knew about it as quickly as I did because the Brits are really FAR more obsessed with ridiculous celebrity nonsense than are most Americans outside New York and LA.
"In fact, if you listened to the rest of the world for a second (instead of acting so unilaterally)..."
You really do live in a world where "unilaterally" means the same thing as "without the permission of France," don't you? Please tell me which countries count for the purposes of considering military action to be multilateral and which don't? I'd truly, genuinely, like to know, because so far I get the impression that the only ones that matter are those that disagree with us.
Posted by: Dave J at November 24, 2005 01:04 AM (CYpG7)
17
Dave j, Not only is your history shakey, but so is your *present*
France and other European countries held back in joining with the put-down of Saddam because of selfish commercial reasons.
France was making money hand over fist, using Iraq. They and other countries were willing to look the other way when whole villages were being gassed to death by the use of a warfare gas.
You argue by inference that we all look away and let the Kurd villages be gassed one by one? Don't forget Kuwait and Shiite killings too!
All that comment space you used up and your argument simply can not hold water at all.
Consider this..
Sunni Islamic Kingdom
In my opinion, Florida based NewsMax has some fairly wild sales and promotions qualities, yet there are also some very good news items to be found as well.
See if this short piece gives you any ideas about where
Mad fundamentalist Sunni bombers could [possibly] be coming from. Nothing concrete now. Just filling out the picture a bit. We see so little about Saudi Arabia.
With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
For the story behind the story...
Monday, Nov. 14, 2005 9:53 a.m. EST
Saudi Teacher Jailed for Praising Jews
[Other Headlines]
@Give Thanks to Those Who Bravely Serve
@Alito Ad Flap Centers on Strip Search Ruling
@Sam Johnson Blasts Iraq War Naysayers
A teacher in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 40 months in jail and 750 lashes for discussing the Bible and praising Jews.
Secondary school teacher Mohammed al-Harbi, who will be flogged in public, was taken to court by his colleagues and students, according to the Saudi newspaper Al-Madina.
He was charged with promoting a *dubious ideology, mocking religion, saying the Jews were right, discussing the Gospel and preventing students from leaving class to wash for prayer,* the newspaper disclosed.
Last week a U.S. State Department report criticized Saudi Arabia for its religious intolerance, saying religious freedoms *are denied to all but those who adhere to the state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam.*
The report cited the plight of another teacher brought up on charges:
*During the period covered by this report, a schoolteacher was tried for apostasy, and eventually convicted in March of blasphemy; the person was given a prison sentence of three years and 300 lashes.*
An earlier report by the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom named Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest violator of religious liberties, according to the Washington Times.
In Saudi Arabia the public practice of any religion other than Islam is forbidden, only Muslims can be Saudi citizens and non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca, Islam’s holy city.
==============================
The Sunni Saudis seem to be deathly afraid of Christianity or Democracy as threats to their absolute rule.
Could the Saudis be feeding insurgent bombers to both Iraq and Lebanon, to keep the focus off Saudi Arabia?
Do you think, given their endless wealth, the Saudis may be offering bombers the promise that their family will enjoy lifetime pensions besides the usual 72 virgins?
Possible incentives?… Reasonable speculations?
NewsMax.com
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 12:54 PM (rmMzv)
18
Sorry Dave. Don't be too taken aback.
It's *just here for the chuckles, Ron* who seems not to realize that the war against terrorism or to be more exact, dictatorship, is underway and it is very real. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 24, 2005 01:30 PM (rmMzv)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
November 18, 2005
Rooting out the corrupt
Nov. 18 - Background checks didn't work in this instance:
Issuing Contracts, Ex-Convict Took Bribes in Iraq, U.S. Says:
A North Carolina man who was charged yesterday with accepting kickbacks and bribes as a comptroller and financial officer for the American occupation authority in Iraq was hired despite having served prison time for felony fraud in the 1990's.
The job gave the man, Robert J. Stein, control over $82 million in cash earmarked for Iraqi rebuilding projects.
Along with a web of other conspirators who have not yet been named, Mr. Stein and his wife received "bribes, kickbacks and gratuities amounting to at least $200,000 per month" to steer lucrative construction contracts to companies run by another American, Philip H. Bloom, an affidavit outlining the criminal complaint says. Mr. Stein's wife, who was not named, has not been charged with wrongdoing in the case; Mr. Bloom was charged with a range of crimes on Wednesday.
[...]
The charges against Mr. Stein and Mr. Bloom have emerged from a sweeping probe of rebuilding contracts by a task force led by Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, and including investigators from the criminal investigations division of the Internal Revenue Service, the immigration and customs enforcement section of the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department's inspector general.
Posted by: Debbye at
08:20 PM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 228 words, total size 2 kb.
1
Human nature is sooo predictable. Those whose job it is to check simply skimp on doing their job.
Those who are in the habit of dealing in fraud and kickbacks simply continue to do so.
Those in a position to protest the wrongdoing remain silent for fear of losing their job or other repercussions.
Effective Whistle Blower Protection law may have stopped this kickback racket sooner, saving gobs of money.
Ye gotta look out for the little guy if you expect to get his help and cooperation. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 21, 2005 11:19 AM (rmMzv)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
November 17, 2005
Able Danger
Nov. 17 - Former FBI director Louis Freeh writes about the dismissive attitude toward Able Danger by the Sept. 11 Commission in
An Incomplete Investigation.
We're fully into the Christmas Holiday season at the store (including non-stop playing of the ubiquitous Christmas Holiday carols.) Posting will tend to be light until mid-January.
Posted by: Debbye at
08:42 AM
| Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 56 words, total size 1 kb.
November 14, 2005
I am seeking an honest journalist
Nov. 14 - A few weeks ago Michelle Malkin noted the doctoring of a photo of
Dr. Rice which showed her as a Go'auld (sorry, demon-hunters, everyone knows that demons have yellow eyes.)
Final word on this and attendant issues goes to Doggerel Pundit who cuts to the heart of the matter with a lament that is achingly familiar to those of us who are more interested in truth than propaganda and who have been repeated betrayed by those who call themselves journalists.
Posted by: Debbye at
09:33 AM
| Comments (16)
| Add Comment
Post contains 95 words, total size 1 kb.
1
Powerful CBC propaganda.
What I like about this site is that one can refer Liberals here.
Those Liberals who can allow themselves to think will see the obvious truth here and at least vote CPC this one time.
That way the Liberal party can clear out the rotten wood and refresh itself. There are many honest Liberals. [ie:Allen Cutler]
If they get back in as a mortally wounded lame duck party, the scorn will be so severe, they could bite the dust permanently with no chance on earth of recovery. Canada too, may not recover properly.
Let's hope there are not too many *Rigid liberals* who refuse to allow themselves to think.
The CBC propaganda campaign that so skillfully instilled fear of Harper and the CPC has worked well beyond the dreams of Paul Martin and Liberal bosses.
I meet many people here on Vancouver Island who say they have to stick with the Liberal party because they are afraid of the Harper team.
What a misplaced fear that is. Harper and all have young families for which they want to keep Canada as a vibrant and well run place to live and prosper.
Martin and the Liberal bosses are Financial Empire builders who just want to further amass huge financial reserves at our expense.
That’s exactly what those who fear Harper are afraid of!
The Harper team would normally enjoy a landslide victory in the next election, except that the CBC and MSM fear mongering campaigns against Harper have been so powerful that it leaves a lot of room for doubt.
Hope for the best anyway. 73s
http:www.My.Opera.com/T-G/
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 14, 2005 02:49 PM (rmMzv)
2
I really am tired of American Republicans bearing Canadian Passports from coming into Canada and interfering with our political processes. That is precisely what happened under Lyin Brian Mulroney, who begot Preston Manning, who begot Stockwell Day who begot Stephen Harper.
Their rotten fascist American Politics have no place in Canada, and have done immense damage to the Canadian Conservative Movement, and has crippled the Progressive Conservative Party as the Official Opposition. That great party put together by MacDonald and Cartier has been infiltrated by Emperor George Bush II type "neocons" and they produced the largest public debts in Canadian History. ONLY NOW, are Canadians crawling out from the Mulroney Train Wreck. Unlike the lunatics south of the border, proposed future tax cuts in Canada are being targeted upon on the lower income levels.
Now the pigs in the "neocon" movement, together with Separatists and Socialists, wish to deny Canadians the full set of facts from the Gomery Commission before an election.
What is Harper afraid of? Are we going to find out that Mulroney and Mazankowsky, together with the Gramesian Brothers, the Reichmanns, and Manulife are implicated up to their asses in the massive fiscal wreck in 1993 and that Judge Gomery is going to implicate them as well in his final report?
This election is a no brainer. The problem is not the CBC, its not Her Majesty the Queen, its not the Governor General, and its not the current Prime Minister. The real problem is that we do not have a competent alternative which is what the Official Opposition is paid to provide Canadians.
Stephen Harper is the Grinch that Stole Christmas in our household, and I for one, am going to make him and his party PAY for that.
As for right wing crazies that have come into this country to subvert Canadian Democracy, I would tell these "neocons" like Tom Long, and Rod Love to F**K OFF and disappear into the sunset and take the FOX PROPAGANDA NETWORK WITH YOU.
And while you are at it, please remove the CIA remnants of organized criminals in this country, such as the decendents of Hal Banks, and so forth. The Mounties kicked out Royal American Shows from Tampa Florida a number of years ago for criminal activity, including drug dealing, and the time has come to do the same with the rest of these undesirables from south of the border.
Time for you to learn some manners Debbye.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 15, 2005 05:04 AM (5dXW9)
3
Heavens, Joe, what are you on about? If you're referring to me, I am not a Republican (I'm a registered Independent and intend to remain so) and I don't carry a Canadian passport as I'm not a Canadian citizen.
We've had our disagreements, but your paranoia has reached an all-time high.
Posted by: Debbye at November 15, 2005 10:02 AM (DEVSr)
4
Whew! Did the cat piss in his corn flakes? Maybe he wasn't wearing his tinfoil beanie whe the little black helicopters flew over with their ray guns.
Posted by: DoubtingThomas at November 15, 2005 01:57 PM (YD54c)
5
"I really am tired of American Republicans bearing Canadian Passports from coming into Canada and interfering with our political processes."
If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians.
As for the Go'auld - HEY! I was the first one to say that (at least at all the blogs I read - even tho I think the show has totally gone downhill after about season 7 when it became the Amanda Tapping Show and brought in that SG Atlantis stuff).
Posted by: Jay at November 15, 2005 02:00 PM (PIbeE)
6
The National Post carried a doctored photo of Dr. Rice last April when she met with M Putin. Putin was giving her the evil eye, or would have if she'd been in the room, she was added later and the shadows were all wrong. It looked like I did it, that's how sloppy it was. I didn't have a scanner at the time so I had no way to record the effort.
She may be the new cover girl for Adobe Photo Shop Software, she sure is popular with itÂ’s adherents.
Posted by: Blair Hansen at November 15, 2005 04:35 PM (8A/rH)
7
Memo to Joe Green: Time to renew the old prescription buddy.
Posted by: Blair Hansen at November 15, 2005 04:42 PM (8A/rH)
8
Yeah Joe, back on your meds kid.
* We were dismayed at the regressive proposals that were presented [ To the Review Committee on changes to freedom-of-Information laws].*
Jason Gratl, B.C Civil Liberties guy in a letter to BC labour Minister Mike de Jong.
Damn that Paulie, who just rubbed noses with our leader Gordon Campbell. He's rubbed the great secrets trick into our Premiere.
The B.C. Freedom of Information & Privacy Association are all VERY upset now, among others.
Paulie, you recall slammed a [Life Term] secrets clamp on more than 6000 Govt. mandarines and the Canadian NewsPapers Association did a lot of screaming on that. Who listened?
Terrorism is a godsend for the Libranos, eh?
I doubt if the secrets stuff will get in the way of reclaiming public servants pensions though.
Yes indeed. Many cans of worms to be straightened out. Enough to drive one to distraction.
Distractions like adding a page to the World's Largest Free & editable Encyclopedia. Imagine! And I, who barely understands the concept of accurate spelling.
http://www.Wikipedia.com
The page you are looking for? .. United Democratic Nations
Wow! .. The Gall eh? TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 15, 2005 06:01 PM (rmMzv)
9
Jay wrote:
"If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians."
Last time you morons tried that, in 1812, you had your asses run out of town, and Canadians and Brits marched down to Washington and burned down the White House. Dolly Madison fled into the night wearing nothing but her bloomers.
Its time you "neocon" musclemen learned some manners, and if you need to relearn what it feels like to lose your scalp, perhaps you all need a booster shot.
Read some history before you come here and say a lot of dumb things. No one, least of all Canadians, are intimidated with such threats. This is Canada, not Guatamula. Go peddle your CIA drug business elsewhere.
Posted by: Joe Green at November 16, 2005 02:31 AM (5dXW9)
10
Debbye, I have reached the end of my patience with American media operating in our country. Like you, they constantly distort and devalue Canadian institutions, processes, values and ideals, and I for one am completely fed up with it.
Just look at how many "pretend Canadians" we have in the current "Canadian media", when you look at such loose cannons as Diane Francis for example, who purports to write on "financial matters". Give it a rest.
You don't see Ms. Francis and others of her ilk writing about American breaches in NAFTA as being something between American corporations and "nominal Canadian corporations" that are owned and operated by Americans in this Country. Why present this story as a "Canada vs America" story in NAFTA when in fact, its a conflict between American multinational companies???
Finally, how about having the FOX Propaganda Network disprove the torture stories being run on the CBC coming out of Iraq?
Posted by: Joe Green at November 16, 2005 02:44 AM (5dXW9)
11
Joe, Great, you and many others are fed up. While you may not get everything just right, you are at least motivated.
That's more than you can say for many glazed over Canadians. You will likely get off the couch on voting day.
I will be voting on that day and in the meantime doing what I can to debunk the CBC propaganda that has so many people thinking Harper is a Boogy-Man. De-bunk sites:
http://www.Conservative.ca/EN/Accountability/
http://www.Conservative.ca/?section_id=1045
Internal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
TonyGuitar
said...
1,335 computers hit with SonyBMG Rootkits TROJAN in NewZealand.
Other country hit counts are at: http://Anchorpin.Redpin.com
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 05:27 PM (rmMzv)
12
Looks as though the Identity_id error is fixed as of now. 13:30 PST. Hope it stays solid. Angry was doing a test...
lost comments. Lots of fun. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 05:31 PM (rmMzv)
13
Motivations Liberal
Is it with urges porcine
I embark my political climb?
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at November 16, 2005 10:21 PM (rmMzv)
14
"If we wanted to interfere with your "political processes" we'd send the Marines, not civilians."
"...Canadians and Brits marched down to Washington and burned down the White House."
Nice condescending lecture on historical ignorance there, Joe. Pot, meet kettle. There were no Canadian troops engaged in or anywhere near the burning of Washington, despite this being a persistent Canadian national myth: the forces involved were British Army regulars, Royal Marines, and sailors of the Royal Navy. The only Canadian connection to that campaign is that the fleet stopped in Halifax on its way back to fighting Napoleon, which is why General Ross, who was killed at Baltimore, is buried there.
Nor did the British burn DOWN the White House, as should be rather plainly apparent from its still being there. They charred the paint off, and the fire destroyed most of the original interior, but there was no real structural damage.
As for the Marines, the Commandant's Residence at 8th and I was spared by the British as a mark of respect for the USMC.
"...they constantly distort and devalue Canadian institutions, processes, values and ideals..."
Last I checked, it was you who was defining anyone who disagreed with you as un-Canadian or "pretend Canadians."
Posted by: Dave J at November 17, 2005 02:05 AM (8XpMm)
15
Ooh, Dave, you are tampering with a Canadian myth!
If you really want to draw blood, ask if they can place the War of 1812 in the context of the Napoleonic Wars. Ask them if French-Canadians were members of the "Canadian" forces and remind them that the newly American French inhabitants of New Orleans fought with us to beat the British.
Ask where these "Canadian" troops were during the more important bombardment of Fort McHenry and if history might have been different if the English has managed to it (replying "the trip home certainly would have been easier" doesn't count!)
More seriously, the English population in Canada more than doubled when Loyalists moved north after the War of Independence so this myth has more to do with vengeance than history.
The Great Lakes stayed open, the British stopped seizing our sailors ("impressment") and our merchant ships continued to trade with France.
The British and U.S.A. have had excellent relations since and we don't sing the second stanza of the Star Spangled Banner.
If Canadians wanted to be pissed off about anything it should be how we re-drew the map after the purchases of the Louisiana and Alaska territories. Now
that was scandalous!
Posted by: Debbye at November 17, 2005 09:49 AM (oJ/nl)
16
DaveJ wrote this:
"There were no Canadian troops engaged in or anywhere near the burning of Washington, despite this being a persistent Canadian national myth: the forces involved were British Army regulars, Royal Marines, and sailors of the Royal Navy."
You are flat wrong. The facts are that Canada was attacked in 1812 by the American Army at a time when British regulars were on the Continent at war with Napoleon. Canada was defended by Canadian militiamen, Quebecers that decided to fight the American invaders of their Province, and the First Nations under Tecumseh following the brilliant military leadership of General Issac Brock.
During that defensive war, at one point, Canadian and British regulars and militia underwent a march in the dead of winter from the Maritimes to reinforce the garrison in Quebec. The Americans did succeed in attacking and torching York (now called Toronto) and that so inflamed passions, that when British military reinforcements arrived the following spring, a major assault was organized upon Washington itself, as retribution for the burning of York. Make no mistake, the White House did not merely suffer a little "smoke inhalation", it was destroyed by fire set by the British regulars and Canadian militias that invaded Washington, forcing Dolly Madison into the night. That is no myth, that is the historical fact. The reason its called the White House is because of the whitewash used to cover over the burned out damage.
Nor do I see your revolutionary war in any other context except a tragic one, since Americans lost an evolutionary continuity with the English Speaking world once the revolution ruptured the "rule of law" and the Crown. These unfortunate consequences still resonate down through the centuries where we continue to see bizzare legal consequences that arise out of that "revolution".
Why should Canadians abandon the certainty of "habius corpus" under Canadian law and tradition, for the uncertainty of a Bush Supreme Court that may or may not respect such long legal traditions as we have been endowed with in Canada?
Posted by: Joe Green at November 22, 2005 05:26 AM (5dXW9)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
October 25, 2005
Rosa Parks 1913-2005
Rosa Parks and Dr. King
Oct. 25 - Rosa Parks, whose refusal to give up her seat to a white man sparked the Montgomery bus boycott in 1956, passed away yesterday at the age of 92. What words can possibly express the immense respect and admiration due this woman who, by a simple act of dignity, brought national attention to a deep injustice in our country thus prodding at and eventually awakening the conscience of that nation?
There was an additional layer to the issue: Mrs. Parks was a woman and it was considered a decent courtesy for a man to give up his seat for a woman, yet she was supposed to surrender her seat to him. It was impossible not to recognize that Mrs. Parks had been denied a common courtesy which her gender should have accorded her - if one considered her to be human. And, of course, that was the ultimate question.
I was too young to be fully aware of the boycott but as I grew older and learned more about Jim Crow laws (those laws mandating "separate but equal" facilities) I was incredulous - as perhaps only a child could be - when I learned that there were states that had laws requiring that, e.g., schools, hotels, drinking fountains, swimming pools, beaches and washrooms be segregated: there must be separate facilities for white people and "colored" people. Anyone's sense of fair play was further outraged when it was recognized that the reality was that there was not necessarily a duplication of services; for example, African-Americans were not allowed to drink out of water fountains marked "For Whites Only" but that did not necessarily mean that there was a water fountain nearby marked "For Coloreds Only." (The indignity worsens when we recall that the same lack of facilities held true for washrooms.)
Those times are thankfully in the past. They may be part of our history but they are past history, and although there are still racists in our midst they no longer have the acquiescence of the state. Which, again, brings us back to Rosa Parks.
The biography which CNN offers in the above link is adequate, but a better one is available here. Both articles note her involvement in the NAACP, but did you know that it was founded in 1909? (read the time line at that last link - you may find some surprises.)
There will likely be a great many public tributes over the next few days but I'd like to think that the better ones will be those many of us will be paying in our hearts to this woman who, with Dr. King, challenged us to be better Americans and better Christians and Jews.
Thank you, Mrs. Parks, and God bless you. You made us better.
Posted by: Debbye at
12:59 PM
| Comments (10)
| Add Comment
Post contains 473 words, total size 3 kb.
1
I just had a complete Rosa Parks post eaten up and lost by mu.nu, but Rosa Parks is worth dpoing it all over again. [I'll save before posting this time].
Getting on a bus in Washington DC, cira 1962, I was rivited by the furtive behavior of a nice fortyish black lady. She got up from her mid-bus seat and moved to the back so that my seating choices would be wider.
I sat down behind the bus driver and looked out the window to conceal any emotion showing.
Being from Montreal where everyone respects everyone regardless of race colour or even Martian heritage, this behaviour was a shocking intro to southern social conditioning in the USA.
Just knowing that Rosa Parks contributed to earasing that condition is enough to make her a peerless hero to me.
I do not want to ever see any person of any heritage give up their bus seat to me with that scared look in their eye, ever again. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 25, 2005 04:12 PM (rmMzv)
2
I'm truly amazed (humbled perhaps) at the effect one decent person can have on society. Mrs. Parks, you have left the world a better place. Thank you.
Posted by: John B at October 26, 2005 10:23 AM (ju7Wp)
3
I just finished adding 512 Mb to my Compaq Presario computer and I am delighted with the results. The three, [always on top], performance bars really tell the story too. Top real time bar is CPU demand, middle is memory and the third is virtual memory.
The two memory reserve bars are giving me more than double the head room I used to have and of course everything is quicker. Should have done this as soon as I got the Presario.
For a step by step of how to easily add memory , there is a pretty clear account of what I did at:
http://Anchorpin.Redpin.com So you can see how easy it is if you have not added a memory module yet.
The active graph bar that clearly shows how the computer has improved is called Cool Beans and it’s a perfect freeware program. It’s small, yet it gets all your computer specs and tells you how good your computer is as well. TG
http://my.Opera.com/T-G/
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 27, 2005 03:22 AM (rmMzv)
4
You gotta hand it to Rosa Parks. It took a middle-aged black woman with tired feet to show America what a dungpile it is, and if America was ever even half of what it so obnoxiously claims to be nobody would've ever heard of Mrs. Parks because her noble effort would have been totally unneccessary.
Posted by: Terrence at October 27, 2005 11:37 AM (6/LqO)
5
You gotta hand it to Rosa Parks. It took a middle-aged black woman with tired feet to show America what a dungpile it is, and if America was ever even half of what it so obnoxiously claims to be nobody would've ever heard of Mrs. Parks because her noble effort would have been totally unneccessary and thus would've never happened.
Posted by: Terrence at October 27, 2005 11:37 AM (6/LqO)
6
New Trojan: Public Service Mention:
[Canadians who sign on for Afghanistan soldiers of fortune army.]
Hey, Drug addicts will sign up. There they can walk about in Heroin Heaven, carrying a lethal weapon and wearing Canadian government permission. Poppyfield nirvanna. Oh deliver me please.. eh?
Webroot just proved itself this morning. It caught 11 reporter cookies and one Back-door Trojan.
Not a bad find, when you consider Bill Gates scans for stuff here every am around 2. Google Webroot. It's just a few bucks or they may still have a free version.
I thought someone was poking about in my Compaqy1. Zapped him now!
Posted the Webroot screen [ small thumbnail] on http://My.Opera.com/T-G/
Terrence, don't worry about paying tribute to Rosa twice. She deserves it.
Some times a comment goes the long way around, pausing for a breath in China or random scanning in the Brock Mountain Security complex. Then it shows up a little after your second post..eh?
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 27, 2005 02:46 PM (rmMzv)
7
Nice tribute. Isn't it just like our Liberal government to remain silent about the death of Rosa Parks?
Posted by: Al Gordon at October 28, 2005 11:45 PM (xIUY7)
8
Ha! Nice one, Al! What was Pierre Pettigrew doing instead - getting his hair
styled in Paris by a limp-wristed cheese-eating surrender monkey??
If only more people had Rosa Parks' bravery, the Palestinians would be defeated.
Posted by: Joan O'C at October 29, 2005 12:06 AM (xIUY7)
9
Completely OT, but, Debbye, you might want to check your e-mail... Just saying, is all...
Posted by: Paul Jané at October 31, 2005 04:52 AM (W1E5O)
10
Must be on one of those french vacations.
Posted by: Jay at November 01, 2005 11:09 PM (PIbeE)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
It's not nice to lie to Congress
Oct. 25 - Last May British MP George Galloway scornfully
challenged Sen. Norm Coleman to produce evidence that he had received oil vouchers from Saddam Hussein during the former's testimony before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations which at the time was investigating the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program. Well, the evidence been produced (
Senate panel accuses British lawmaker) and the U.S. Department of Justice will be asked to consider charging Galloway with perjury and obstruction of congressional proceedings.
The British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, proclaims Galloway's wife 'received £100,000 from Iraqis':
The Palestinian-born wife of George Galloway, the Respect MP, is accused today of receiving $149,980 (about £100,000) derived from the United Nations Iraqi oil-for-food programme.
A report by an investigative committee of the United States Senate says the money was sent to the personal account of Amineh Abu Zayyad in August 2000.
[...]
The report includes bank records showing a paper trail from Saddam's ministries to Mrs Galloway. It states that the Iraqis handed several lucrative oil-for-food contracts to the Jordanian businessman Fawaz Zureikat, an old friend of the Galloways. A month later, on Aug 3, 2000, Mr Zureikat allegedly paid $150,000 minus a bank commission of $20 from his Citibank account number 500190207 into Mrs Galloway's account at the Arab Bank in Amman.
The senate team also says that a $15,666 payment had been made on the same date to a Bank of Scotland account belonging to Mr Galloway's spokesman, Ron McKay. Last night Mr McKay said he had no recollection of the alleged payment.
[...]
Senate staff said at a press conference yesterday that they would send their report to Britain and Jordan for possible action against the Galloways and Mr Zureikat.
George Galloway had been scheduled to go on tour in the eastern U.S. with
Jihad Jane and Cindy Sheehan but the trip was abrubtly cancelled last month.
Posted by: Debbye at
08:39 AM
| Comments (8)
| Add Comment
Post contains 321 words, total size 3 kb.
1
Some blog (or a commenter on a blog) surmised shortly after Galloway's testimony that the Senate team (or some members therein) had set trap for Gorgeous George. That is - catch him in his own lie - it may have worked.
Posted by: John B at October 25, 2005 11:23 AM (ju7Wp)
2
That was me! (Heh, one of too many to count.)
Seriously, I think you're right, but what I think I recall is that it was someone, er, important (probably a nationally known columnist) who asserted that Galloway's testimony painted him into a corner.
Time to put pressure on Jordan. The answer to a lot of questions lie in the banking records over there.
Posted by: Debbye at October 25, 2005 01:38 PM (HGxLP)
3
Always knew it had to be that Galloway was a crook in addition to being a nutcase.
Posted by: Jay at October 25, 2005 04:06 PM (PIbeE)
4
As usual, the "neocons" are foaming at the mouth, wanting to attack one of their "enemies".
That "facts" are that Galloway has not been charged with ANYTHING, and that IF he were charged, he would be "innocent until proven guilty" in a Court of Law, and that would not be the Kangaroo Court that Emperor George II is creating, but it would be a REAL COURT at the Old Bailey in London.
As for these accounts from the US Senate, who believes it? The facts are that BOTH Republicans and Democrats were complicit in the lies about Iraq and its "threat" against the civilized world with nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that it did not have. All these Americans rushed off to war, and they did it for the Money. It does not matter if their politics were Republican or Democrat, what was voting here was their wallets.
Just look at Senator Joe Lieberman and ask yourself seriously what kind of a "Democrat" is he really, when you compare him to Franklin Roosevelt, or Harry Truman.
Posted by: Joe Green at October 25, 2005 06:37 PM (5dXW9)
5
Debbye:
Check Wretchard at Belmont Club - he had a good original analysis which he discussed yesterday in light of the new evidence. Partial excerpt below.
"The really striking thing about the Galloway's testimony as transcribed by the Information Clearing House is how the Senators and the Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow were pursuing a non-collision course. Galloway had come to score press and public relations points at which, by all accounts, he was successful at doing. But Senator Coleman and Levin seemed totally uninterested in responding to Galloway's sharp political jibes. It was almost as if the Senators were deaf to his political posturing. Instead, they focused exclusively and repeatedly on two things: Galloway's relationship with Fawaz Zureikat and Tariq Aziz. Zureikat was a board member of Galloway's Mariam foundation who is also implicated in the Oil For Food deals. Tariq Aziz was Saddam's vice president."
Yesterday's comment:
"(Speculation alert) It was Galloway's contempt for the intelligence and capability of his Senatorial pursuers that may have gotten him into this perjury mess in the first place. It wasn't enough to remain silent on his relationship with with Zureikat. Playing to his gallery, Galloway boomed, "I can assure you, Mr. Zureikat never gave me a penny from an oil deal, from a cake deal, from a bread deal, or from any deal." Nice touch about the cake and the bread. Perhaps he couldn't imagine, at the time, why these yokels were asking him simple questions that were beneath his level of rhetorical ability. Even today Galloway may think so little of his adversaries that he was willing to boast on BBC Radio that "I am ready to fly to the US today, if necessary, to face such a charge because it is simply false." He is as smart today as he was then."
http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/
Joe Green:
Must hurt when one of your heroes is shown to be a liar on the payroll of Saddam eh?
Posted by: John B at October 26, 2005 10:30 AM (ju7Wp)
6
"...Galloway has not been charged with ANYTHING..."
Yet.
"...IF he were charged, he would be "innocent until proven guilty" in a Court of Law,"
Just like everyone else who winds up in prison. What is your point, exactly in invoking the legal preumpstion of innocence? Surely it's not that everyone has to presume he's innocent, which is one of my all-time major pet peeves. He's entitled to the presumption of innocence from the court and the jury, not from public opinion.
"...and that would not be the Kangaroo Court that Emperor George II is creating..."
What are you talking about? If Galloway were charged with perjury and/or obstruction of justice, he'd face those charges in a court created not by George W. Bush, but by the First Congress in the Judiciary Act of 1789, signed by George Washington.
"...but it would be a REAL COURT at the Old Bailey in London."
Um, why would the Central Criminal Court in London be the venue for the United States Department of Justice to prosecute a crime (or crimes) under US law, committed in the US? If Galloway were charged with perjury and/or obstruction of justice, he'd face trial in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the court with jurisidiction over the alleged criminal acts. And why is that court any less a "REAL COURT" than the Old Bailey? Because its judges are picked by presidents (of both parties) subject to Senate confirmation, rather than by the unaccountable fiat of the Lord Chancellor?
Galloway engaged in self-righteous bluster because he's used to being a back-bencher in a legislature whose members are unaccustomed to separation of powers, where debate is more pointed and vigorous (and yes, more entertaining) precisely BECAUSE that's all that there is, and they're otherwise under the thumb of the executive. Norm Coleman didn't care about political point-scoring: he and his staff, mostly former prosecutors, set and baited the trap and Galloway waltzed right into it.
Posted by: Dave J at October 27, 2005 01:43 AM (8XpMm)
7
OK, this may seem flippant as regards all this heavy stuff, if you don't look at Ottawa , that is.
Volunteering for an experiment. I am very absent minded. You guys should send me about $15,666 and we'll run a test.
Call me in about six months and see if it skipped my mind. Check to see if I have forgoteen about it.
I promise, if my phone number is still the same and I have not moved, I'll give you an honest answer. I love doing research. TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 27, 2005 02:56 PM (rmMzv)
8
Someone's been away busy. In the mean time have a look at 3 not-so-hot photos of some gems an old guy I met at a kiosk is crafting.
Nice work. I'll have to do some close-in shots. http://bendgovernment.blogspot.com TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 29, 2005 01:01 PM (rmMzv)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
October 21, 2005
What don't get they about "when the mission is completed?"
Oct. 21 - The
Washingto Post had an un-insightful item yesterday:
Rice Declines to Give Senators Timeline for Germany South Korea Iraq Withdrawal.
I could have included Bosnia/Serbia/Kosovo, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa in the strike-outs, but it was already getting a tad long! (Feel free to add your own favourite "quagmire," but Los Angeles is off-limits!)
I hate to disappoint the Post, but most Americans understood going in that it would be a long-term committment. We also understood that sticking this through would meet our long-term objectives far more than cutting and running.
Having said that, it also grieves me that some of our best men and women are being killed and maimed over there. It just seems wrong that the intelligent idiots in their ivory towers babble on while those who many - including me - consider their betters are on the front lines.
Where are all those human shields, anyway? They would protect hospitals and electrical stations under Saddam's rule but not under Iraq home rule? Couldn't they at least protect the defense lawyers for Saddam's trial? (No link yet, but word has it that he has been found dead.) [07:45 - link now available here.
Posted by: Debbye at
06:26 AM
| Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 220 words, total size 2 kb.
1
Funny how Sean Penn seems to have crawled back under the woodwork like the roach he is.
Posted by: Jay at October 22, 2005 01:35 AM (PIbeE)
2
Jay, I can't say I've missed Sean Penn! I'm guessing he hasn't tried to visit Saddam in jail - nor has Dan Rather, for that matter. Bunch of fair weather friends they turned out to be ... how typical of their kind.
Posted by: Debbye at October 24, 2005 09:20 AM (yegQF)
3
No, most Americans did NOT realize this would be a long-term commitment. Don't you even remember the garbage that was sold to you and the rest of the American sheeple in the run-up to this little farce in Iraq? Did Bush try to sell it by saying how tough it would be? Hell no, as none of the Bushites, with Bush included, thought it would be anything other than a walk-over of a defenseless country. Only Americans are so effing simple as to be buy into a war that involves the premise of it being an effortless, bloodless conquest while simultaneously being told Iraq is some kind of "grave, gathering threat" requiring immediate action. No, believe me, if the Bushites had any inkling this would turn out like it has they would've most likely not tried it, and the average American would have likewise withheld his approval of this venture if he knew it would be like this. In case you haven't noticed, you're losing and this debacle in Iraq has been a showcase of American "military" weakness. Two and a half years into this and they still can't control the airport road in Baghdad!! Pathetic!!
Posted by: Jeremiah at October 27, 2005 12:11 PM (6/LqO)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
Michael Yon on radio
Oct. 21 - Thanks to Kevin for this heads-up:
Pundit Review: Michael Yon This Sunday, 9 p.m. ET, on Pundit Review Radio. Mr. Yon in an embedded reporter (his current affiliation is with the
Weekly Standard) and his accounts and photos are markedly different from what we read on CNN or Fox.
If you haven't been following Mr. Yon's dispatches online, you can read them here and you might want to begin with this.
The post linked above at Pundit Review in turn links to WRKO and from there you can click on the "Listen Live" button. (I presume! If I'm wrong please let me know.)
I am supposed to work Sunday night, worse luck. Too bad I can't set something equivalent to a VCR for the broadcast, but I am looking forward to reading the reviews or, better, if anyone knows of a transcript of the interview please let me know.
Posted by: Debbye at
01:09 AM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 160 words, total size 1 kb.
October 18, 2005
I thought only beavers built wooden dams
Oct. 18 - The only real dam I've ever seen is Hoover Dam so I'm hardly an expert but even so I never imagined a
dam would be made of wood unless beavers were members of the construction crew.
Good luck to the folks in Taunton. After this passes, the owners might want to start thinking about upgrading.
Posted by: Debbye at
09:53 AM
| Comments (4)
| Add Comment
Post contains 72 words, total size 1 kb.
1
The dam could burst all over your computer if you allow a trojan bearing *Skype* Email to go ahead. The warning is below.
C'mon, it's time to 'fess up. Libranos and NDP are both lame and badly hamstrung. They are a coalition. Not open and official, but a dependant partnership-ship all the same.
That's why real honest Liberals are voting in their own interest when they vote CPC for this one time coming up.
It will give the Liberanos a chance to move away from organized crime connections, elect a new, *Clean* leader, and regain some measure of respect.
It's not that there are no honest Liberals. It is simply a case of people who are earning the best income they ever had, along with expense accounts and bonuses
are naturally not going to stick their necks out for honesty and lose everything.
Good Whistle-Blower Protection law would change all that. Are you beginning to see how important Bill C-11 is? It takes a while before it becomes really clear. At least it did for me. 73s TG
= Warning ! =
Skype. Lets you talk instantly on the net for free.
That’s Great!…but get your own information on Skype
Do not accept or open Email RE: Skype.
Since October 16th… new Trojan
Details: http://My.Opera.com/T-G/
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at October 18, 2005 03:34 PM (rmMzv)
2
Too bad they didn't have a picture of it, I'd like to see how big it is.
Still, if the thing has lasted 173 years . . .
Posted by: Jay at October 18, 2005 06:38 PM (PIbeE)
3
Not uncommon for older, smaller dams to be wood. Some dams are made of dirt, fer cryin' out loud! Just because the technology doesn't have shiny microchips in it doesn't mean it won't work. In fact most of the old stuff works when "the lights go out". Speaking of technology, it is being revealed to more people every day that the Libranos house is made of cards. Now if we can only find the one crucial card...
Posted by: DoubtingThomas at October 18, 2005 09:05 PM (YD54c)
4
It's hard to judge by what one sees on TV, but it appears to be massive.
True, messing with something that works is risky, but then I wonder how much press coverage this would have had if not for the flooding of New Orleans.
At least Taunton officials took the threat seriously and the inhabitants paid heed.
Posted by: Debbye at October 19, 2005 08:25 PM (Zr5g1)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
October 06, 2005
The media harsher on N.O. than the flood
Oct. 6 -
I accused the press of racism on Oct. 4 because they were too quick to believe that black Americans descended into barbarism after the levees in New Orleans broke and flooded large sections of the city. The damage caused by the wholesale failure to confirm information before rushing to press has been partially addressed in a lengthy article in yesterday's
Washington Post -
News of Pandemonium May Have Slowed Aid and evacuation efforts in New Orleans.
This is quite a comedown. The press was quite self-congratulatory when they believed their fearless reporting of widespread murders, rapes, child molestations and the wholesale looting of the entire gun department at Walmart sped aid to New Orleans and now they can contemplate the reality: that spreading these false rumours delayed rescue efforts and, worse, made other cities fear to welcome those in desperate need of refuge.
The press believed their own press. Who said irony was dead? (Come to think of it, it was the press!)
I'd like to cut writers Robert E. Pierre and Ann Gerhart some slack for at least addressing the failures of the news coverage in New Orleans during those terrible days but although the article starts well it ends with incredible stupidity:
Five weeks after Hurricane Katrina laid waste to New Orleans, some local, state and federal officials have come to believe that exaggerations of mayhem by officials and rumors repeated uncritically in the news media helped slow the response to the disaster and tarnish the image of many of its victims.
Claims of widespread looting, gunfire directed at helicopters and rescuers, homicides, and rapes, including those of "babies" at the Louisiana Superdome, frequently turned out to be overblown, if not completely untrue, officials now say.
[jumping to the concluding paragraph]
Keith M. Woods, faculty dean at the Poynter Institute for journalists, is willing to cut reporters some slack. "Every institutional source for quality information was uprooted," said Woods, a New Orleans native whose father's and sister's homes were flooded. "It was different than 9/11 because everything was underwater, and you are relying totally on word of mouth. In that situation, invariably, we will get some things wrong. One of the questions that would have served us better is 'How do you know that?'" (Bolding added)
Say what? Reporters
didn't know they should ask "How do you know that?" They slandered the residents of an entire city who were coping with a catastrophic flood with decency and dignity and why? because they abandoned basic journalistic standards. No fumbling excuses are allowed on this one.
Another feature of the article that could have been explored more thoroughly is this:
"Rumor control was a beast for us," said Maj. Ed Bush of the Louisiana National Guard, who was stationed at the Superdome. "People would hear something on the radio and come and say that people were getting raped in the bathroom or someone had been murdered. I would say, 'Ma'am, where?' I would tell them if there were bodies, my guys would find it. Everybody heard, nobody saw. Logic was out the window because the situation was illogical."
[...]
The Washington Post, in a Sept. 1 front-page article, noted that evacuees at the Superdome were repeating rumors of rapes and killings but quoted Maj. Bush as saying "none of that" occurred. A Sept. 15 front-page story said the precise number of people who died in the convention center was not known at the time, but officials believed it could be as many as 10. (Bolding added.)
Actually the number of bodies was 4. So why didn't they believe Major Bush or, at minimum, consider the truth of his assertions and pursue that angle? How can they give equal weight to statements uttered by an officer in the National Guard and statements made by persons who are reporting what they heard, not what they saw? Is it possible that his statements were discounted because the press is pre-conditioned to assume members of the military lie?
Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, said that reporters got bogged down trying to tell people how bad the situation was rather than "gathering facts and corroborating that information."
He didn't say it this time but we know what he was thinking!
Another panicked rumour has been found to have a more likely explanation:
Federal agents arrested a man for shooting at a helicopter, on Sept. 5. But several officials, including Blanco, now believe that some of the gunfire people reported in the city was attempts to signal rescuers because residents have told them so.
Most people have been taught that three successive blasts on a whistle - or three shots, or three loud bangs - is a signal for help. In retrospect, it seems fairly likely that those who remembered that lesson applied it.
The article does do a credible job of addressing some of the rumours and dispensing of them and, under the sub-title "Setting the Record Straight," it permits one of those who remained rooted in reality, Major Bush, to do just that.
Maj. Bush of the Louisiana National Guard said he is glad the record is being corrected.
"I certainly saw fights, but I saw worse fights at a Cubs game in Chicago," he said. "The people never turned into these animals. They have been cheated out of being thought of as these tough people who looked out for each other. We had more babies born [in the Superdome] than we had deaths." (Bolding added)
And the issue I raised Tuesday still remains: why was the news media so quick to unquestioningly believe and spread lurid tales - which have since been disproven - that depicted New Orleans residents in the worst possible light? Was it because those residents were predominantly black?
(Via Neale News)
Posted by: Debbye at
08:09 AM
| Comments (4)
| Add Comment
Post contains 968 words, total size 6 kb.
1
"... why was the news media so quick to unquestioningly believe and spread lurid tales..."
I've been hearing for over 40 years about the declining quality of education. If true, maybe it affects actual people.
Posted by: Stephen at October 06, 2005 01:38 PM (c7OtT)
2
Great shot, Stephen! So we are still trying to elevate journalists to "actual people" status! (Too bad they won't cooperate.)
Somehow, though, journalism seems to be drawing from the pool of America's Dumbest to fill their ranks. I just want to know what tests are administered and how badly one has to fail them to qualify as a reporter.
Somewhere, William Randolph Hearts is smiling.
Posted by: Debbye at October 07, 2005 07:08 PM (8k2BS)
3
I read an interview with the King of Jordan (I think it was). He was talking about the need to educate and test religious scholars before they become (mullahs or imams or whatever). From memory: "People attend university and if they fail to qualify for what they're trying for, they become Imams or journalists - and we know how well that works out".
The NYT should build it's own Statue of Liberty with a plaque that reads "Give us your rock-stupid . . ."
Posted by: Jay at October 08, 2005 05:31 PM (PIbeE)
4
The media always plays up things to catch peoples attention. Unfortunately the don't thing of the consequences.
Posted by: Em at October 12, 2005 10:39 PM (z3VVW)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
October 05, 2005
FEMA leads to disaster!
Oct. 5 -
Larry shows how power point presentations lead to so much audience inattention that they uncritically view one that seemingly shows that
FEMA leads to disaster.
I'm not sure how I would redo this, but I think that metaphorically speaking, prevention and preparedness shouldn't lead to disaster.
Ouch.
Posted by: Debbye at
08:02 PM
| No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 56 words, total size 1 kb.
137kb generated in CPU 0.0809, elapsed 0.1235 seconds.
73 queries taking 0.0971 seconds, 246 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.