You Know, Like, Point in Time

Americans, you know, can't seem to, like, speak. Listening, you know, to people talk, like this point in time, is like, listening to pure, ya know, drivel.

Like, can anyone make sense out of the above? Like, ya know, point in time are just a few of the umm interjections into speech that makes listening to conversations a real pain--like former common mistakes such as "where is it at?" I had a devil of a time getting rid of that at. Fortunately I had a friend whose mother had been an english teacher who kept saying to me "its after the at"! Unfortunately TV journalists seem to keep interviewing those whose speech is far from intelligible as the above examples illustrate so the errant speech keeps getting reinforced. Maybe we need some teachers saying, "no I don't know" and "like what are you referring to", and "there is no point in time". Time is not a tangible object and therefore cannot be specifically located in space.

Winning Or Losing In Afghanistan?

If getting rid of Al Qaeda and the Taliban was the original purpose of the US and some NATO troops entering Afghanistan we sort of fulfilled our intent. However, trying to get rid of them totally is like trying to put your thumb down on a blob of mercury. You push your thumb on it once place it squeezes out and moves someplace else.

Militarily we can accomplish just so much--the main problem is poverty, illiteracy, and a lack of developed natural resources. Religion is always opportunistic, so add that to the mix. So all combined, there is a problem. Can we solve it? We can't even solve our own problem of unemployment and economic doldrums, so why are we thinking we can solve the Afghani's problems?

People have been living in the area for at least 20,000 years, and contrary to the myth that Afghanistan has never been dominated, it has been occupied by many conquerors; the Persians, Greeks, Mongols, to name a few. It is located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia: bordered by Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It has a respectable amount of natural gas and about 3 billion barrels of oil. It is reported to have large amounts of gold, copper, coal, and iron. So far much of it undeveloped.

In order to eliminate the Taliban and Al Qaeda Afghanistan would need be transformed economically into a prosperous nation. With 40% of its population unemployed and 50% of the males literate, and 21% of the females literate, recruitment is relatively easy for Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The military option works for a short period of time but does very little to solve the long term problem of poverty.

Poppy growing is a problem too as it is one of the main agricultural cash crops, which by eliminating deprives farmers of money on the one hand and furnishes drugs to criminal elements in Europe and elsewhere on the other hand. So far other money crops have not been promoted as a substitute.

So far solutions have been short sighted and weak. Installing a democratic government might look progressive but it presents problems. Democracy depends on a literate and well informed public and a history of stability. In other words democracy doesn't develop overnight and without foundation. Hoping to form a democratic government, when the society is based on strong tribal ties and customs, is highly optimistic.

The main question then becomes what are we doing there and what is the goal? Can we build a new nation based on our idealism? If we left would Al Qaeda and the Taliban take over? If they did what would our options be? Afghanistan isn't the only place Al Qaeda can go--Somalia, Pakistan, Africa? We can't be everywhere. It seems that the best recourse to the problem is solving the main reason for attacks on the U.S. and its allies. Again we are looking at Israel, the festering thorn in Islam's side. So far we have been approaching the problem from a reactive perspective instead of a preventive proactive smart. A carrot and a stick anyone? Has anyone tallied up how much money has been spent on Israel's behalf; aside from the money gone to Israel directly? What is in it for the U.S.? I'm not being anti-Israel here but pointing out the simple fact that we are never going to be out of the Middle East and worrying about attacks such as 9/11 if we don't solve the Israel problem--the basis for all this grief. So the real question is, what are we going to do about the Israel/Arab problem? That is the real answer to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Government Can' Run Anything?

Orrin Hatch, and other Conservative Republicans, make claims that the government is incapable of running anything like a Health Care program; citing Medicare, Social Security as examples of that inefficiency. That argument aside for the moment, the question being asked then is where have they been all these years--Orrin Hatch is on numerous committees, such as, Finance committee, energy, natural resources, and infrastructure committee; Tax and IRS oversight committee; Intelligence committee; Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee; Joint committee on taxation. It seems strange then that he would make such an self-incriminating statement when he is such a major cog in the running of that government.

It would seem that if they weren't part of the solution to the problem that they were "the" problem. Orrin Hatch has been in government for 32 years so he can't say that he is not major part of the problem. He is, in fact, standing in the way of government efficiency by staying in office. All this is more or less tongue in cheek, but it does point out the fallaciousness of their statements.

Attacks On Obama

The Conservatives and Republicans are desperate; they have no solutions or answers so they are huffing and puffing in order to blow the Democrat's house down. The use of "The Big Lie", labeling, demonizing, and any other propaganda device, is having its effect on the weak minded, who in turn carry the message and expand on it. It is what they, Republicans and Conservatives, do best, propaganda, for it takes a certain mean spirited mind set to come up with lies and slogans designed to do harm. Conservative "Think Tanks" are operating at full steam picking up on anything that can be distorted and used against the Democrats. The desperation is so great they are praying for Obama's death; by any means is implied.

If the Democrats don't begin a counter campaign against this onslaught the next election will be a painful one. They are already losing many of the Independents and some Democrats.

Shaming the Conservatives/Republicans is a great tool. By pointing out their methods and wagging fingers at them, using humor, education, and insisting on having a fair share of debate time would do much to counter their propaganda. The Republicans/Conservatives are in lock step; their message is consistent and well rehearsed. You hear one Republican/Conservative you hear them all. Video is a great tool for bringing this out; by showing them one after another saying the same thing would weaken their hold on the airways.

I don't care if the Democrats or the Republicans win some petty political battle; I'm an Independent, but I am not happy with the Republicans for a number of reasons--like tapping my telephone, or being able to pick someone off the street and throwing them in a dungeon without a legal hearing, believing torture is OK, etc. Those are Fascist methods and so far Obama hasn't advocated these methods. Is Obama a socialist? So far I haven't heard him talk about nationalizing anything. Controlling, regulating, reforming, yes.

Super Whimp--Finally Buried

As you can tell from the title I am not a devotee of Michael Jackson, who I have been calling "Super Wimp" since the late 1980's or early 1990's. Sometime after the Pepsi incident and about 6 months before he was accused of child molestation.

I started calling him Super Wimp after hearing him speak, at some gathering, with an infantile, plaintiff voice. My opinion of him didn't improve any after watching him dance in some gold shiny crotch emphasizing outfit which he further drew attention to by grabbing his crotch and bumping and grinding his hips.

Obviously many felt he had talent and charisma, which I can't pass judgement on. His legend will grow in time as many forget all of his bad traits--some as yet hasn't been expanded on: such as his desire to look like his dear friend, Elizabeth Taylor. Why no one has compared his looks with hers and seen the similarity, I cannot understand--but there it is, the black cropped hair, the thin petite upturned nose, ....

His dying when he did mercifully stopped his slide toward anonymity. Would his latest show been a flop? Where would he have been if it had? We'll never know now, all we can do now is speculate. His dying before his tour may have been the best thing in keeping his name and fame going. He was 50 after all, just coming out of a long period of self imposed exile, and letting time delute the rumors of being a pedophile. His drug dependency was exacting a heavy price as well, which would have further besmirched his fame.

Oh, well--there is always the "Moon Walk".

Republicans: Circling the Wagons

After having watched many interviews with Republican legislators I can only come to one conclusion concerning their motivations about Health Care. They don't want any part of it, particularly any Health Care plan that included a "Public Option". So far they are dangling a carrot in front of the Democrats all the while steering them to a dead end. Any promise will do--one of their favorites is that Insurance Companies are all set to do away with refusing insurance to those having prior health issues, or refusing insurance to those who get sick while under their insurance plan, raising premiums, refusing some procedures, delaying decisions, and other complaints. Delay, make any promise, confuse the issue, that's their answer to health care.

Our representatives main concerns are protecting Corporations and getting reelected--their "dance" obviously reflects this. Outright lies and clever propaganda is what the public receives as answers to their questions. Legislators and partisan propagandists make unsubstantiated claims which no one can refute--at least in the time limits usually allowed. Unfortunately logic and common sense suffer acutely in the public arena.

It will be interesting to see what unravels out of this mess.