Random Collection O' Stuff
....of varying seriousness.
1. The Smithy Code is solved! I hereby declare that "Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought" should be the new "All Your Base Are Belong To Us."
2. Actual good news. The economy went up on nearly all fronts in the first quarter of 2006.
3. The sky continues to fall. The expected bad report about Iran goes to the United Nations and Mahmoud "Should Be Kicked In The Teeth" Ahmadinejad responds with characteristic sober maturity. Bush still acts like he's interested in harsh, strong diplomacy and I pray that I can believe him.
4. Oh, and our good buddy Russia decides to lend a hand in that whole Iran thing by (a) launching a spy satellite for Israel to observe Iran's doings, (b) opposing sanctions of any kind against Iran, and (c) selling MISSILES to Iran! Thanks, Russia. This ranks right up there with telling Saddam our military secrets. Um, you guys do realize the Cold War is over, right?
5. My national security paper is finally FINISHED! Well, except for the Bluebooking. Coming soon, a teaser trailer of my paper. [Ben waits for applause. Crickets chirp.]
6. Mike asks the important movie-related question of the day: to see or not to see United 93? When I saw the trailer for it, I was beyond angry. It looked to me like they were going to cheapen the heroism of the passengers who fought back against the terrorists on 9/11 in that fourth plane by turning them into patriotic movie cliches. But now the movie reviews are out, including Roger Ebert, whom I all but swear by. (I do occasionally disagree with him on movies. For instance, I have a greater tolerance than him for plot twists. But that's beside the point.) The acclaim is nearly universal. I don't quite know what to make of that. I may be torn to pieces emotionally by it, but if it accurately portrays the events of that day and honors the heroes in a respectful but non-cliche way, I may have to see it.
7. Speaking of 9/11.....as part of the research for my paper, I read the speech Bush gave on 9/20/2001. Funny, it still moves me. As I discussed in my call to impeach Bush a while back, I was not opposed to him at that time...back before the Iraq war. As I read that speech now, I am taken back to that time, when I fully agreed with him and felt that we were beginning a tragic but necessary struggle against evil men. And I still do agree with that. I just don't think he's the man to do it. But that's not my point. My point is that I read that speech.....and tears still come to my eyes. It seems like a lifetime ago when I was rallying around the President with almost everybody else. I dunno. It's just weird.
1. The Smithy Code is solved! I hereby declare that "Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought" should be the new "All Your Base Are Belong To Us."
2. Actual good news. The economy went up on nearly all fronts in the first quarter of 2006.
3. The sky continues to fall. The expected bad report about Iran goes to the United Nations and Mahmoud "Should Be Kicked In The Teeth" Ahmadinejad responds with characteristic sober maturity. Bush still acts like he's interested in harsh, strong diplomacy and I pray that I can believe him.
4. Oh, and our good buddy Russia decides to lend a hand in that whole Iran thing by (a) launching a spy satellite for Israel to observe Iran's doings, (b) opposing sanctions of any kind against Iran, and (c) selling MISSILES to Iran! Thanks, Russia. This ranks right up there with telling Saddam our military secrets. Um, you guys do realize the Cold War is over, right?
5. My national security paper is finally FINISHED! Well, except for the Bluebooking. Coming soon, a teaser trailer of my paper. [Ben waits for applause. Crickets chirp.]
6. Mike asks the important movie-related question of the day: to see or not to see United 93? When I saw the trailer for it, I was beyond angry. It looked to me like they were going to cheapen the heroism of the passengers who fought back against the terrorists on 9/11 in that fourth plane by turning them into patriotic movie cliches. But now the movie reviews are out, including Roger Ebert, whom I all but swear by. (I do occasionally disagree with him on movies. For instance, I have a greater tolerance than him for plot twists. But that's beside the point.) The acclaim is nearly universal. I don't quite know what to make of that. I may be torn to pieces emotionally by it, but if it accurately portrays the events of that day and honors the heroes in a respectful but non-cliche way, I may have to see it.
7. Speaking of 9/11.....as part of the research for my paper, I read the speech Bush gave on 9/20/2001. Funny, it still moves me. As I discussed in my call to impeach Bush a while back, I was not opposed to him at that time...back before the Iraq war. As I read that speech now, I am taken back to that time, when I fully agreed with him and felt that we were beginning a tragic but necessary struggle against evil men. And I still do agree with that. I just don't think he's the man to do it. But that's not my point. My point is that I read that speech.....and tears still come to my eyes. It seems like a lifetime ago when I was rallying around the President with almost everybody else. I dunno. It's just weird.
posted by Ben at
3:49 PM
1 Comments:
"Um, you guys do realize the Cold War is over, right?" Putin doesn't seem to. He also doesn't seem to realize Russia is no longer Communist.
As for point #7, I too get shivers and tear up a little bit reading those words. It's almost strange to remember the days after 9/11. I can still vaguely recall how much my heart swelled with the outpourings of support from around the world. Candlelight vigils were held in Iran (yes, the same Iran who only a few months later was included in the Axis of Evil). Pakistan pledged support. As Bush notes, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was sung at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. (Though I wonder whether or not it was in English...)
We had an opportunity there. I remember feeling it then. But we blew it. I'm not sure where, but we did. And it was before Iraq. And now, if any fragment of that opportunity remains, I fear it's deferred until 2008.
By
Mike, at 4/28/2006 5:31 PM
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