General David Petraeus

A high ranking source has informed me about a 1 hour and 15 minute presentation by General Petraus to senior officers about Iraq. He said our troops need to be more culturally aware, need more interaction with citizens, and need to be diplomat-leaders. He said the war will be won by sergeants, not officers. He said the worst violence is sectarian not terrorist (the exact opposite of what Pres Bush says). He said Al Quada is small but is the primary focus of the Army (lets review that, sectarian violence is the worst, but the Army is focused on a small terrorist unit). Munitions are coming from Iran. The big Iraqi 5 (the main 5 leaders) are having a summit soon - could be reconciliation. The average Iraqis are tiring of the violence - maybe that will lead to reconciliation? He is big supporter of walls - gated community to stop the sectarian violence, however, Iraqis don't like his idea of walls. Problems he identified: need to secure population, maybe with walls, gated communities; Iraqi security is uneven, infiltrated by militias; surge needs more time; troops need language training, even the least amount of arabic helps; time constraints of the forthcoming 2008 election - Nov 2008 is the absolute end of the war; reconciliation is needed between sunni and shiites; finally, the Army needs to report reality. (Now if we can only get Pres Bush to report reality!)One question he didn't answer was about how the American people are detached from military - he didn't answer, but the question is puzzling - my source explained that many career military officers are concerned that American do not realize we are at war - The career army guys know we are, but American public is detached from the all volunteer army. Its not a question of supporting troops, but being unaware of the war. How does the Iraq war affect most Americans? Some of our students have been killed - one young woman (freshman) had her dad killed in a suicide bombing - she dropped out of college, didn't return (I don't blame her - how can a 18yr old woman come to terms with her father burning to death in war, a suicide attack?!) But go to the mall - you see a war? Go shopping - any evidence of us being at war? One of our ROTC officers on campus said he flew back from Afghanistan to Alabama, and he was home the next day - he said it was strange, coming home, everything normal, no evidence of a country at war. His worst memory was some farmers who were blown up in a mine field - he didn't want to talk about it.

Ward Churchill - fired Colorado Professor

This guy is "so full of shit, he is about to float away." (quote from movie The Deerhunter). First of all, he is the prof who was fired from Univ of Colorado for labeling the 911 victims as "little Eichmans," comparing them to Adolph Eichman, the Lt. Col who was responsible for scheduling the transportation of jews and other victims to concentration camps in the Nazi era. He fled to Argentina, was captured by Mossad (Israeli CIA) taken to Israel, tried and executed. Eichman did not oppose his capture - he was convinced he would be set free, since he didn't actually "kill" anyone. He was oblivious to his part in an insanely evil, but rational, killing machine. He said he was following orders. He invoked some kind of crazy philosophy about the fuhrer being rational authority - I can't remember it, but Hannah Arendt in her book Eichman in Jerusalem goes into detail about his strange logic. Anyway, Hannah Arendt's book was subtitled, "the banality of evil," meaning that this jerk was an ordinary man, kinda accountant (that gives accountants a bad name) and he wasn't EVIL but just evil. Like the guy who drove the truck that had exhaust piped into the back killing jewss...he didnt actually kill them, he didnt design the truck, he didnt put them in the truck, he was ordered to drive the truck, thats all. Anyway, Churchill gives a speech after 911 calling the victims of TWC "little Eichmans" since they are in some way responsible for the world economy that supports sweatshops in Vietnam, oil dictators in the middle east, sex slaves in eastern europe and so forth. His argument is stupid - it has nothing to do with Arendt's concept of guilt of bureaucrats. the victims of 911 were not transporting jews to the gas chambers - stock brokers are not responsible for sweat shops in China. Stupid argument. then churchill was told that restaurant workers were among the victims (the restaurant on "top of the world" in TWC) and he said, oh yeah, they shouldn't be included as Eichmans, only the stock brokers. What a lame ass. Here are the facts: Churchill was speaking at some New york liberal arts college, because he was a "native american" professor from Colorado, and these students should be exposed to native american "scholars." Well, Ward Churchill is NOT native american, but only claims he is (good way of getting a job in academia, lie about being black, disabled, spanish latino, or that you are a woman). He was confronted by this, and truthfully said yes, he is not native american, but is spiritually linked to native americans (get out the hip boots, the bullshit is really getting deep). He also has claimed publications that don't exist, you know, "books" with no ISBN number (the old trick, it's the equivalent of a book, or it was "desktopped" published, which means it's not a book). This guy is full of it - a fraud. He pretends to be a native american, gets a special appointment because of it, then hires himself out as a speaker to politically correct NY liberal arts colleges, and not only gets a salary, but speakers fees! This guy shouldn't be fired, he should be prosecuted for fraud - I mean it - this guy should be prosecuted by the State of colorado. And he is claiming 1st amendment and academic freedom - he should be selling canal front property in new orleans!

Nick Drake

Just bought his album Bryter Layter. Turns out its his most "commericial" album. Supposedly Pink Moon sounds more like him. Here is his grave - ashes buried under an oak tree. His history of mental illness is remarkable - he was much sicker than anyone grasped. Sounded like adolescent schizophrenia - matured into psychosis.

What we all expected...

Why don't we get better candidates? Money. The Clinton's have the money wrapped up. Its all about fundraising. If she gets the nomination, the general election will be a let down. She is not like her husband, doesn't have the personality or insight. The Demo's think they have the 2008 election won, that the primary will decide who is next president. They are wrong - all the Repubs have to do is not lose the states they have won the last two elections. My prediction: Fred Thompson will win in 2008.

My favorite picture of Ann Coulter

This is from some guy's blog who touches up pictures of famous people and makes them look like K-Mart shoppers. This is the Ann Coulter I know..

top ten battles for Iraq

Did you know there were nine other attempts to conquer Iraq? Here is the top ten list.

near death experiences

Here is a link to a Newsweek article on near death experiences. Click the "crossing over gallery" to see pictures drawn by people of their NDE. Really fascinating. One woman recalls when she was an infant that she died in her father's arms, and left her body, looking over her father's shoulder at him grieving - he was so sad, she re entered her infant body. Amazing. So look at the gallery.

Seat 29A - man's complaint letter to Continental Airlines

This is TOO funny!!! This guy is trapped on an airplane in seat 29A, across from the toilet, and he writes this amazingly funny letter, full of anger, outrage, and humor...

Bobby - the movie

"Few will have the greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events...Each time a man stands up for an ideal...he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." Robert F. Kennedy

Great movie - its about some of the people present at the RFK assassination. Its not really about RFK, but about American during the summer of 1968.

The really sad part was the end...Bobby's voice, some quotes from his best speeches. A friend from South Africa once told me, after RFK's death, it seems politics went to hell in America. I couldn't agree more. We have NEVER had a political leader like RFK since his death - he was greater than his brother John.

Man smokes outside UPMC

Here is a man smoking prior to back surgery outside UPMC - not only is he in a hospital gown, but he is hooked up to an IV!