Category: current events

Indian Food makes me sleepy. We went to the lovely and tasty Banjara for lunch to celebrate someone’s anniversary with the company (it doesn’t take much of an excuse for us to go out to lunch). The food is good there, but a well-informed member of our group touts a rival restaurant, which we will try out eventually: Minerva. I don’t know what it is about Indian food, but both times we’ve gone there, I’ve had the hardest time staying awake when I get back to work. I’m droopy and lethargic and ready for a nice long nap.

We stayed up for the Oscars last night. Since I really didn’t go out of my way to see the nominated films this year (of the Best Picture nominees, I saw The Two Towers, how sad is that?), I wasn’t invested this year. I thought Steve Martin did a fine job keeping things light, although his way-inside-the-industry shtick got a little old. I didn’t have a problem with any of the acceptance speeches, even Michael Moore’s. I thought his “When you’ve got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks against you, watch out” (or something like that) line was really funny even if it was drowned out by booing and the orchestra. Adrian Brody gave the speech of the night, and did a great job walking that line between pro-peace and anti-war.

I’ve been trying to come up with a reason I haven’t been more vocal about the war. I’ve posted before about the fact that I think it was inevitable, and how nothing I said would change it. I still feel that way to some extant. But, I also feel that with enough voices, things can change. I just can’t align myself with either group, the rapid anti-war folks or the rabid pro-ass-kicking troupe. I’m in the middle. People in the middle don’t protest. We sit quietly waiting for everything to end. I am pro-removing-Saddam. I am pro-Troops, how could I not be, having grown up as the son of one? I am anti-how-we-got-here. President Bush botched this whole thing miserably. His policies led us right here to war without the great international consensus we needed. He lied to us about Iraq’s involvement in September 11th, and used forged documents to make his case (whether or not he knew they were forged is still unknown, but still). Other than Britain and a handful of countries smaller than Mississippi, we’re all alone. We will be when this is all over too, unless Saddam decides to reveal those well-hidden naughty weapons.

I’m going to try not to talk about this anymore. I’m tired of the coverage on CNN. I don’t need to know what the 3rd Infantry is doing every five minutes. I don’t need to see live feeds of Baghdad twenty-four hours a day anymore. I know people are dying on both sides. I know horrible things are happening to people I never met. Wallowing in it will only make me feel more sick about it than I already am. It didn’t have to turn out this way. Now that it’s here, and there’s nothing I can do about it, there’s no point belaboring the obvious. Woulda, coulda, shoulda – it doesn’t matter. We’re here, no matter how we got here. I just hope it ends, and the folks over there who want to come home get to, and soon. I hope Saddam realizes this is a lost cause and gives himself up, either to eternity (as Eddie Izzard would say, “In a ditch, covered in petrol, on fire”) or to his nearest US Military Representative. I know it won’t happen, but let’s hope anyway.

I’m going to go bowling tonight and pretend that CNN doesn’t exist.

U.S. urges U.N. inspectors to leave Iraq. I’m resigned to it at this point. Protesting, yelling, getting red in the face or swearing won’t change it. No one’s listening. So, let’s go, get this over with and move on. Nothing I do or say is going to change it. Oh, happy St. Patrick’s Day. Three days still my birthday and the official arrival of Spring. I can’t wait. We’ll probably be bombing stuff by then.

For all the wrong things in the world:

• The scripted press conference: story one, story two
• The Primate House And Their Freedom Fries
• Prisoner’s Death at Afghanistan Base Ruled A Homicide

There is at least some good news:

• Elizabeth Smart Found – Alive
• Delma Banks Granted Stay

Dissent Protects Democracy

Now there’s a protest sign I can get behind. The bomb with “Your Name Here” on it looks great, but doesn’t say what I want to say. The only things I can think of to sum up my feelings that would fit on a protest sign are (and feel free to use these on a poster if you want):

• I Think George W. Bush Is A Big Fat Doody

• Make Dip Not War (maybe that should be “Don’t Let Dips Start Wars”)

• Just Cuz I Don’t Like President Bush Doesn’t Mean I Like Saddam

• I Support Out Troops. I Don’t Support Inept, Corrupt Administrations

• My Enemy’s Enemy Is Not My Friend, Mr. Bush

• Since We Gave Him Those Weapons, Can’t We Just Recall Them?

• What Else Did You Sell Him, Mr. Vice President?

• Poor Colin Powell – It Doesn’t Look Like He Even Believes What’s Coming Out Of His Mouth (ok, maybe this won’t fit)

• Why Is The Draft Dodger So Hip To Start This Thing?

• Those Who Start Wars Have Rarely Fought In One

• Mearde is ‘Freedom’ For BS

We had a little party for work tonight and we ended up talking about President Bush, the war and how ashamed we are of the President. It was enlightening how many people we got around the table who all felt the same way, and all on accident. It wasn’t a meeting of the Anti-Bush Superfriends of anything. Thankfully, we didn’t spend all night on Bush, Cheney and the Funky Bunch. I got some great lines in. My favorite of the night was, “Yeah, ‘concubine’ is my favorite word in the Bible. It sounds like a car… Coming this spring, the Chrysler Concubine! Of course, it’s a rental.” The rental part really got ’em. I’m a comedic genius.

House cafeterias change names for ‘french fries’ and ‘french toast’

And to think, we pay these guys’ salaries. Oh yeah, we voted them into office too. Does this mean they’re going to make the interns wear “Freedom” Maid outfits tonight? And you know what, let’s turn Germany into “Justice” and go get us a slice of Justice Chocolate Cake. Russia could be “Justified”. I think the members of the House had one too many nips of the Justified Vodka, don’t you?

You’d think with the economy in the toilet, our country on the brink of war and facing international disdain and distrust that the yokels in the House would have better things to do than change the names of things. Next thing you know, they’ll make Double Plus Good Cola and outlaw paper. Big Idiot is watching… be careful what you say, unless you use big words. Big words confound Big Idiot.

CNN.com – Support for Bush’s re-election falls below 50 percent

Interesting numbers from this poll. The questions seem fair and not leading. I definitely won’t vote for Bush in 2004, no matter who’s running against him. We have a President of Lowered Expectations in office, and he’s fulfilling all of them. He’s killing any diplomatic goodwill we had in the international community with his begrudging attitude towards the UN. His dismissal of the benefits of inspections, and his lack of support for the process is unbelievable. Yes, he went back to the U.N., but he did so after publicly saying he was going to war with or without them. That’s no way to set it up. That’s a high school debate team mistake. You don’t go into a negotiation saying your position is already solidified. He’s tried to backpedal saying that war is a “last resort”, but no one really believes that after statements made in the past six months by him, Cheney and others in the administration.

He may not be an idiot, but that’s the image he portrays. I honestly don’t care if he’s smart and has it all together in private. His public persona is what the American people and the international community has to go on because most of us will never meet him. He looks and sounds like an idiot, therefore, that’s what I have to think he is. He looks and acts like a politician set on making his pals and contributors money while destroying our civil liberties and the economy in the process. It may not be so, but that’s the impression I get from what he says. The man inspires no confidence in me. The man doesn’t inspire me at all. Our greatest Presidents have not only been intelligent men, artful negotiators and good managers; they have been graceful and powerful orators, able to convey their goals and plans to the American people in a way that inspires trust and confidence. It’s hard to accept, but it’s the truth. We need the President to be as much a motivator as we do the country’s commander-in-chief. Our President has to be able to evoke images of strength, intelligence, benevolence and justice. President Bush tries to project strength, but looks like a bully to me. He tries to project intelligence, but the only time he can get through a speech without making some outrageous error is when I can tell he’s practiced in a million times. He tries to project justice, but again, sounds like a bully. Benevolence usually looks like Fundamentalist fervor.

That said, I support disarming Saddam. I think we will probably need to end up going to war to do so. What I don’t support is the method. The ends do not justify the means. If we disarm Saddam but our country ends up an international pariah, is that worth it? We have a century of goodwill flushed down the toilet by a hamhanded an indelicate President’s Administration and we’re supposed to support him? I don’t support him. I support the idea of disarming Iraq. I would support a war to disarm him if it comes to that. I support our troops fighting this war. I don’t support or agree with the methods my government is using to accomplish Iraq’s disarming.

It’s a hard position to articulate. I still honestly think that it doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter what I do. I’m pretty sure this President could care less what his actions mean to the American public and middle class America. If he does care, it doesn’t show. Like I said, it’s all about the public persona and his actions as President in the public arena. Those actions make me less than comfortable having him as my President. I will do whatever I can with my one little vote in 2004 to make sure he’s not President after January of 2005.

According to this article from CNN, Al Qaeda says they’re “in partnership with Iraq”, at least according to the State Department, in a new statement from the elusive Osama. Didn’t Osama say the same thing about the Palestinians? So, if Al Qaeda is in “partnership” with Iraq AND the PLO, why aren’t we threatening the PLO with bombing and “regime change”?

I understand the need for different policies for different situations and governments. But… come on. I think we should drop the Al Qaeda argument for now, and stop providing this evidence, which may or may not be valid. Go on the weapons and the failure to comply. So far, it looks like the terrorism connection it tenuous and circumstantial. It provides too much room for dissent, which we’re obviously trying to avoid. The case for misleading and obstruction is sturdy, and is only weakened when we use weak arguments.

Not that I’m for going to war yet. I don’t know where I stand. And honestly, I’m in no hurry to make up my mind. No one’s going to ask for my position or opinion before the bombing starts anyway, and I don’t get to vote for a while now.

It feels really good to be back at work. I’m doin’ stuff, writing code, etc. Three more days before I can show you all the big giant thing I’ve been working on for the past several months.

I told you before that I’ve been watching this show on Trio called The Secret Rulers of the World this week. I don’t think it’s an ongoing thing, just a mini-series of different events and coverage of different conspiracy theorists and movements. So far, I’ve seen episodes on the Oklahoma City bombing, Ruby Ridge, David Icke and the Bilderberg Group. I TiVo’ed one last night that I haven’t seen yet about the shadowy satanic elite that I think is the last one in the series. I’ve been struck by several things while watching them. Jon Ronson, the filmmaker responsible, does a great job at treating everyone he interviews with respect even though their viewpoints are extreme and even implausible to most people. While he treats them with respect, he doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions, which I admire to no end. He got people to open up that I don’t think would have even talked to most journalists. He gets some calm and well thought out responses from the conspiracy theorists that I’d never heard before. With all of that, the series is an eye-opener, not only in what people believe, but the lengths they go to try and validate and justify them.

I think I’ve got the conspiracy theorists figured out to some degree; I at least have my own theory on how they’re created and find people to believe them. This is a theory in two parts. First is the idea that there really are no global conspiracies, just small groups of people who feel their cause is the Right Thing™ to do, and at some point lose all perspective in getting their Right Thing™ to happen. They start believing that they need to accomplish their goal by any means neccessary. In the end, it doesn’t matter to them the side effects of getting to their goal: the people they hurt, the damage they do to the environment, the laws or ethics they throw to the wayside. They must do this Right Thing™. The second is that people need a way to explain their marginalization. They need some way to understand how the world works, why they have a crappy job, no one understands them, and they’re not rich like the people on the TV. To get to this understanding, they’re willing to make extreme leaps in logic to create a reality that explains their problems as someone else’s fault.

Conspiracies don’t exist on large scales. The best example from the series that illustrates this point is in the David Icke episode. Who’s David Icke? Well, among other things, he believes the world is run by twelve-foot tall reptiles of extra-terrestrial origin. The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) believes that to David Icke, reptile = Jew, and have labeled him an anti-semite. I don’t know whether reptile = Jew to Mr. Icke, and well, it doesn’t matter to me. The show didn’t come down on either side, and from what I saw, I’m not sure Mr. Icke knows if reptile = Jew to himself. Doesn’t matter for this story. In the show, Icke is in Vancouver to do some appearances in support of his book, go on some radio shows, give lectures, etc. The local ADL chapter gets wind of his appearance and goes into action. The hold meetings, which they allow Mr. Ronson to videotape. They decide to start a campaign to get him off of the radio shows he’s been scheduled on and try to organize a protest in front of the hall his lectures are held in. They succeed in blocking the radio appearances, which to Mr. Icke, looks like the work of this Reptilian conspiracy, even though it’s the work of a relatively small group of people doing what they see as The Right Thing™. Nevermind free speech and freedom of the press (which I hear exist even in Canada), Mr. Icke had to be stopped from spreading his disease to the masses. Conspiracies are easy and comfortable ways to explain the crappy things that happen to us on a daily basis. Do I believe there are conspiracies? Oh yeah, I do. I just think they’re on a much smaller scale. But, I think the people who start them really believe they’re doing (again, just to say it again) The Right Thing™. Their resolve gets twisted at some point by zealotry or greed and doing The Right Thing™ becomes all-consuming.

Conspiracy theorists need to explain their place in society. Ok, everyone needs to explain their place in society. Conspiracy theorists just go a little farther than the rest of us. They’re the folks on the fringes of society who have no other way to explain their place than to blame it on vast organizations of the powerful, and shadow worldwide governments. Again and again in the series, Mr. Ronson interviewed Neo-Nazis, members of the Militia movement, the anti-New World Order folks, etc. In each case, they passionately believe in their causes. But, in each case, they display some tragic flaw. Either they seemed a little less than brilliant, or a little short on logic. Each conspiracy theory has tremendous leaps in logic not backed up by evidence. If there is evidence, what I saw were second hand accounts and conjecture.

The scariest part about all of this is the way the series opened up these fissures in our society where these people exist. The shows about the Oklahoma City bombing and Ruby Ridge showed places like Elohim City, a collection of trailers and half-built houses where separatists live apart from the world. The scariest part wasn’t what they believed, but that there were children there who looked dirty and unfed, being indoctrinated into this world. What happens when they grow up? Do they perpetuate the society they grew up in? If they wanted to, could they really break free and join the mainstream (with all of mainstream society’s problems, I admit)?

I hope Trio replays the series at some point. It was extremely interesting to me. I can only imagine the searches this post will generate. To sum up, I’m trying to be objective about all of these movements and their beliefs. It’s hard. It was really hard to watch the David Icke episode with a straight face. It was hard not to be completely repulsed by the neo-Nazi’s. Ok, I admit, I was repulsed. I tried to get past it and understand their point of view, and get at the reasons behind their belief. It helped paint a clearer picture of who these people are, and crack open my cartoon image of these groups. The other thing I realized is that zealotry is any form is a bad idea. If you believe something so strongly that you’re willing to give up anything to be a part of it, willing to do anything to bring it to pass, it’s time to re-examine that belief. True Believers are truly dangerous. If the the Right Thing™ is the only thing, something is out of whack. Man, I sure hope this made sense… What did I screw up? Or, better yet, ignore everything I just said and go read an interview with Mr. Ronson.

Yeah, I know everyone’s going to talk about it. I think that’s a fine thing. Let’s all talk about it. Get it all out there in the open so they know what we think. We’re not some poll or a line in a graph. We’re real people talking about the stuff that matters to us. I’m a real person – a voter – with opinions and one vote to cast in the next election. I’m a tax payer, consumer, producer, capital creator, service provider, head of household (on my tax form anyway), middle class white male. I’m in a highly sought after demographic. I watch too much television and actually purchase my music. Wait, I had a point here… oh yeah, the State of the Union speech from last night. I watched the whole thing, the Democratic response, and some CNN coverage afterwards. I changed the channel as soon as Judy Woodruff mentioned that Larry King was coming up next.

The first half of the speech sounded good for the most part. Conservation, hydrogen cars and a clean air program sound good. But, I don’t believe he means it. I guess I’m cynical, but I don’t believe him. Without the details of the plan, I have no idea if the “Clean Air” program is really a “Funnel more money to people who gave me money and have them make token changes so we can make it look like we’re doing something” program. Couching the Dividend tax cut as double-taxation is hilarious. Ummm, we’re double-taxed all the time!! There are payroll taxes my employer pays. I then pay income taxes on that same money (or what’s left of it). I get taxed on the same income by the state I live in. Double taxation is The American Way™. If you want to remove one instance of tax double-dipping for the top 2% (or whatever it is, it’s close to 2%), then you should remove all double taxation and then I might go along with it. Right now, it’s just showing middle class folks like me that you really don’t care about us.

The Terrorism/Iraq stuff was better, well, at least it sounded better. The line about terrorists being “otherwise dealt with” was delivered too smug. It sounded like he got off on having them “whacked” and their lives were worthless. They may have been, and may have deserved to die, but none of the executed were given a trial, and that bothers me. It bothers me that the President admitted as much in front of the world. We all know dirty things happen that we’ll never know about. There’s something about a country admitting them that bothers me to no end. The talk about Iraq was solid. The list of things Saddam hasn’t divulged was illuminating, and it went a long way to convincing me that going into Iraq and forcefully removing Saddam is the right thing to do. While the list he gave was a great first step, and it’s what I think I needed to make an informed decision, I still want the supporting evidence. The good news is that we’ll probably get that evidence on the fifth when Colin Powell addresses the Security Council. If good evidence is presented there, then I’m on the bandwagon and support action. If not, well, I’m still on the fence. I support the folks in uniform no matter where our Government sends them. I grew up an Air Force brat and watched my dad ship off to all kinds of crazy places and know what it feels like to wonder if he’d come back (my brother and I never made our toy planes crash when we were little). Supporting the Government who sends them out is a different story, and the two can be mutually exclusive.

On the domestic and economy front, I think the President was in a no-win situation. There was nothing he could say that would overshadow the things he had to say about Iraq, no matter how much people are worried about the economy. That part of the speech fell flat for me as all I really wanted to hear was whether or not we’re going to war. The last half of the speech was much better and more powerful. He sounded resolute, and left no doubt where he stands, which may or may not be a good thing. We’ll have to see on the fifth.

The Democratic response was solid. In the time given, they didn’t really have time to go into details, but it left a good impression on me even if I can’t remember the details. The choice of a governor faced with a deficit partly caused by federally mandated but unfunded mandates was a good one. Using his grandfather as an example of the American Dream™© was masterful, and a great way to subtly show the Democratic opposition to the Republican views on Affirmative Action. Ok, I remember more than I thought…

In completely (and I mean completely) unrelated news, I have cheekbones!! I had NO idea they were under all that face-pudge. They started peeking through yesterday, and today, I can really see them. Jen says I should take a picture to show my progress and I think I’ll do that tonight if I’m not too tired after my eleven hour workday today.

Here I go again. I used to be a Republican. I used to listen to Rush Limbaugh. I read his first two books. I thought Bill Clinton was a bad dude (and I still he is in some ways). This was all in high school and for a couple years afterwards, maybe until 1995 or 96. I am no longer a Republican. I think Rush Limbaugh is is a big fat idiot. I think the GOP is morally bankrupt. I think they long ago sold out and are now no more than puppets for Corporate America. They play on the middle class evangelicals and devout by promising to outlaw abortion, get prayer back in school and bring God to the heathens in Washington. They play to those who feel left out by saying they’ll bring jobs to the little people and they’re “compassionate”. They don’t really mean it, obviously. Sure, they’ll create a day, but all they really care about is making money for themselves and their patrons. They want to keep us fat and complacent while they run off with the bank.

What about the Dems? They’re no better. They may have better positions, but they’re incapable or unwilling of fighting the Republicans at the moment. After decades of being able to articulate their positions and get popular culture on their side, they’ve lost it. The cats (or Elephants) have run off with their eloquence and left them with nothing to say. It’s depressing. At a time when we need a fiery and vociferous opposition party, we get Casper Milquetoast and His Band Of Capitulators. Where’s the fight? Where’s the fire?

And third parties? Dream on. Ralph Nader turned into Andrew Dice Clay after the election and I’m not sure we’ll ever hear from the Green Party again. The Libertarians, who actually showed some promise in ’92, were nowhere to be seen in 2000 (at least not in DC). Jesse Ventura did more to set his little party back than more it forward and… well, that’s all the ones anyone knows about, isn’t it?

Where does that leave us? I feel that if I vote Republican, whoever I vote for isn’t really going to do anything for me, and in my district, we don’t really have any Democrats running for anything important (John Warner ran unopposed for the Senate… huh?!). It makes me almost want to give up and stop voting, but I know I won’t. It’s the only way I’ve got to make even a little difference. Man, this was depressing.