Unlike retired CIA director George Tenet, two people I respect recently received the presidential Medal of Freedom.
Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager of 'Hotel Rwanda' fame
and
Muhammad Ali, a guy who knew the Vietnam War was wrong
Friday, November 11, 2005
Guess Who is Saying This...
...in March, 2003, Bush, in perhaps the greatest strategic blunder in U.S. history, invaded an Arab nation that had not attacked us, did not want war with us, and did not threaten us—to strip it of weapons we now know it did not have.
Result: Shia and Kurds have been liberated from Saddam, but Iran has a new ally in southern Iraq, Osama has a new base camp in the Sunni Triangle, the Arab and Islamic world have been radicalized against the United States, and copy-cat killers of Al Qaida have been targeting our remaining allies in Europe and the Middle East: Spain, Britain, Egypt and Jordan. And, lest we forget, 2055 Americans are dead and Walter Reed is filling up.
Pat Buchanan
Result: Shia and Kurds have been liberated from Saddam, but Iran has a new ally in southern Iraq, Osama has a new base camp in the Sunni Triangle, the Arab and Islamic world have been radicalized against the United States, and copy-cat killers of Al Qaida have been targeting our remaining allies in Europe and the Middle East: Spain, Britain, Egypt and Jordan. And, lest we forget, 2055 Americans are dead and Walter Reed is filling up.
Pat Buchanan
WARNING! - Tinfoil Hats Proved Not to Work!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
White Phosphorus in Fallujah
I've been following this story since Monday. International press reported that white phosphorus was used as an anti-personnel weapon during the fighting in Fallujah last year. It first sounded too much like a conspiracy theory so I thought let's see what develops. Evidently there are pictures and video of people severely burned. White phosphorus is normally used either as a white smoke marker or as a means of lighting an area at night. We'll see if this makes the mainstream media or not.
A Trip to Vermont
Yesterday Maureen and I went to the Burlington International Airport to pick up my mother (who was returning from FL). We decided to take the Crown Point bridge over to Burlington and then take the Cumberland head ferry on our return. I wanted to go through Crown Point because it was a nice bright but cool day. I wanted to stop at the Crown Point ruins of the forts built and used prior to and during the French and Indian War. There are alot more pictures and history if you click the link. Notice I said forts. The ruins of another fort, Ft. St. Frederic are also there. Click on link for picts and history. I don't want to use up all my free flickr space.
This is a picture taken from the 'walls' of the fort. In the foreground is the Officers barracks and further back is the Enlisted barracks. The inside of the fort is about 4 acres. Just below where I'm standing is the well that supplied the fort with water.
This picture is taken at the entrance to the fort. Officers barracks on the left, enlisted further back. There are the ruins of a third building that was the armory. A third barracks was to have been built, to the right, but never was finished.
This is an awesome place to be alone on a nice Spring or Fall day. You can wander around freely with no one to bother you. Sorta reminds me of when I visited Stonehenge back in 1975. You could park your car on the side of the road. Walk to the stones, climb on them, touch them etc. Those days are long gone. I'm sure the same will eventually happen at Crown Point.
This is a picture taken from the 'walls' of the fort. In the foreground is the Officers barracks and further back is the Enlisted barracks. The inside of the fort is about 4 acres. Just below where I'm standing is the well that supplied the fort with water.
This picture is taken at the entrance to the fort. Officers barracks on the left, enlisted further back. There are the ruins of a third building that was the armory. A third barracks was to have been built, to the right, but never was finished.
This is an awesome place to be alone on a nice Spring or Fall day. You can wander around freely with no one to bother you. Sorta reminds me of when I visited Stonehenge back in 1975. You could park your car on the side of the road. Walk to the stones, climb on them, touch them etc. Those days are long gone. I'm sure the same will eventually happen at Crown Point.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
OOPS!
Rep. John Hostettler (Ind.) was one of 11 Republicans to oppose funds for rebuilding Katrina huricane damage. Yesterday, Rep. Hostettler asked President Bush for money to help victims of another natural disaster... the tornado that ripped through many areas in his 8th District in Indiana. The congressman did vote to help tsunami victims halfway around the world and rebuild Iraq but I guess aiding poor Americans drenched by hurricanes is different...unless of course a disaster hits your congressional district and you want to be re-elected.
Hippo Point Lake Naivasha Kenya
Julia just emailed from Kisumu. She is living with 3 other women her age and working at Covenant Home.
"today I took a group of kids to Hippo Point and we went on a boat ride which was a little sketchy, the boat was like a big cannoe and we shoved 25 people in it and I thought for a few mins it might sink but we made it to where we were headed. we didnt see any hippos but evidently they come to the field next to where I am staying at night, so hopefully I will see some."
Why do they always overload boats in developing countries? I doubt there were any life preservers. Who wants to hear about a boat load of orphans drowning or being attacked by hippos?
"today I took a group of kids to Hippo Point and we went on a boat ride which was a little sketchy, the boat was like a big cannoe and we shoved 25 people in it and I thought for a few mins it might sink but we made it to where we were headed. we didnt see any hippos but evidently they come to the field next to where I am staying at night, so hopefully I will see some."
Why do they always overload boats in developing countries? I doubt there were any life preservers. Who wants to hear about a boat load of orphans drowning or being attacked by hippos?
Monday, November 07, 2005
Bible Not True?
Turns out the Vatican does not believe the bible to be true in all instances
Some Christians want a literal interpretation of the story of creation, as told in Genesis, taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution in schools, believing “intelligent design” to be an equally plausible theory of how the world began.
But the first 11 chapters of Genesis, in which two different and at times conflicting stories of creation are told, are among those that this country’s Catholic bishops insist cannot be “historical”. At most, they say, they may contain “historical traces”.
The Bible is true in passages relating to human salvation, they say, but continue: “We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible in other, secular matters.”
Untrue example:
Genesis iii, 16
God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
True example:
Luke i
The Virgin Birth
xodus iii, 14
God reveals himself to Moses as: “I am who I am.”
Some Christians want a literal interpretation of the story of creation, as told in Genesis, taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution in schools, believing “intelligent design” to be an equally plausible theory of how the world began.
But the first 11 chapters of Genesis, in which two different and at times conflicting stories of creation are told, are among those that this country’s Catholic bishops insist cannot be “historical”. At most, they say, they may contain “historical traces”.
The Bible is true in passages relating to human salvation, they say, but continue: “We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible in other, secular matters.”
Untrue example:
Genesis iii, 16
God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
True example:
Luke i
The Virgin Birth
xodus iii, 14
God reveals himself to Moses as: “I am who I am.”
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