Opaque Lucidity

2006

2005 has less than 7 hours left to it on Eastern Standard Time here in the United States. As a nation, I think we can say that it has been both a year of great loss and sadness and a year of great promise.

We began the year with the tsunami in east Asia; even though it happened in December,2004, January saw the relief effort get underway in earnest. Our Navy sent a battlegroup to help and we all saw how useful a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier can be as not just a ship of war, but as a mobile aid platform. We saw hurricanes batter the southern United States and render damage that will be years in repairing. The damage was so extensive in New Orleans that a third of the population may never return. Americans were forced to re-evaluate how we prepare for and respond to crises of this magnitude; sadly, things of this nature can and will happen again.

Iraq dominated our lives again this year, in both good and bad ways. Three elections were held in the new-born democracy, all of them with incredibly high turnouts. They happened at a high cost to this country in lives and treasure. History will ultimately decide if the cost was too great, not the talking heads and the nay-sayers in Congress. That's a hard fact to accept in our have-it-now society.

On a personal note, I began podcasting in 2005 (May, to be exact) and it's something that I hope to continue with even more vigor in 2006. This blog suffered as a result, something that I will try to correct in the new year. As a couple, my wife and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary by buying our first house, a home that was exactly what we were looking for: small, plenty of storage space, and old (pre-1888, as far as I can tell). The list of things I want to do here continues to grow. I'm pretty sure I can stay occupied for the rest of my life.

Here are my resolutions for the new year:

-Keep losing weight. I'm down 35 pounds thus far and I want to lose another 45 or so. That won't bring me to my ideal weigh according to the charts (that weight is 160, something I haven't seen since I was 15 or so), but it will bring me to less than 200 pounds, a good working weight for my body type.

-Do a better job blogging. This blog flirted with being all-politics all the time in the summer and fall of 2004, but it became more personal again this year. I dont' know what the future will bring, but I know this site is, and has always been, a reflection of what I'm thinking about when I sit down to post. I predict we'll hit all the high notes, anyway.

-Podcast more often. To accomplish this, I'm going to do something I've been trying to avoid: recording podcasts during the weekends and then posting them during the week. This way, I might be able to put out something every day, but it will be less fresh. Who knows.

-Finish the "big jobs" around the house. This includes a new floor in the office, painting the kitchen and lots of outdoor work when the weather is warm again.

So that's it. All these things are attainable, which is different from previous from previous years' resolutions. We'll see.

Happy New Year to all of you.

The Second Language

I received a highly flattering e-mail today on a subject which reinforces my belief that podcasting is not only fun and original, but can be a great educational tool as well. The e-mailer asked my permission to use Matt's Today in History as part of her new website which aims to help people learn English as a second language. Since I post a copy of the 'cast's transcript along with the show, it is easy for students to follow along.

I've never liked the sound of my own voice, but it is nice to know that at least one person believes I speak passable English ;-)

Yay Or Nay

In the more than four years since Sept. 11, 2001, the mainstream media has cultivated controversy after controversy concerning American efforts around the world. First, there were photographs of the first detainees taken to Guantanamo Bay. They were blindfolded and bound in the back of an Air Force cargo plane while stern men stood by, ready to do whatever it took to keep things under control. The cries of cruelty were quiet and sparse, for Americans were still very, very angry.

Then there was the story of John Walker Lindh, the American who went to Afghanistan to study his brand of Islam and ended up fighting against American soldiers. While anyone with even a passing knowledge of history knew that Lindh should be tried for treason (a crime that is not easy to prove), the voices of concern pointed out that, even though he was legally an adult, he was just a confused kid.

Then came the Abu Ghraib (sp.) abuse photos. The voices were loud now, led by people like Michael Moore and Howard Dean. To them, this abuse was a demonstration of not just the actions of a few misguided souls who deserved swift military punishment, but of concerted effort from the very top to accomplish something that is still not quite defined. As of today, no proof exists that anyone beyond the local level knew of the abuse at Abu Ghraib, but it is somehow still seen by the talking heads of the MSM as a bruise on the Bush Administration.

Now, we come to the President's authorization for wiretaps on foreign nationals and Americans who are in communication with terrorism-related individuals. I have wanted to write about this for some time now, but I don't believe we have seen the entire story yet. There is ample proof that this President is not the first to allow extra-legal surveillance in the name of national security; furthermore, I believe we are going to learn that the wiretaps were not the haphazardly random happenings the NY Times wants us to believe. Speaking of the NYT, there is now a growing body of legal opinion claiming that the paper actually broke the law by revealing a highly classified program that can have damaging effects on national security, even after the President took the highly unusual step of asking the publication to NOT run with the story. There is no substitute for being an American first, eh?

All of this leads me to one statement, the one that was revealed to me in my epiphany of last Tuesday. While we can argue about the pros and cons of going into Iraq or about how real our right to privacy is (or whether it exists at all), the real argument boils down to one question: are we at war or not?

EITHER YOU BELIEVE WE ARE A NATION AT WAR OR YOU DO NOT. Some of you are saying, "Of course we are--who doubts that?" If your thoughts are running in that direction, then you get it. But it has become clear to me that most of the mainstream media and liberals in general do not believe that we are truly in a worldwide struggle against terror and tyranny-in-waiting.

In thinking about this, I am reminded of a conversation I had with a friend soon after 9/11. His first words on the subject were, "We need to understand why these people hate us so much." I'm not trying to be flippant, but does it matter? If the terrorist's goals were a complete mystery to us and then were suddenly revealed, would we be willing to change our society in order to secure some sort of "peace"? In fact, we DO know what the Islamo-facists desire: a return to 8th century civilization and a reestablishment of the caliphate. Since it is highly unlikely that Western civilization is going to drop the 21st century by the side of the road, it seems likely that some sort of fight is unavoidable. And so the question is asked again: are we at war or not?

Let's take a look at our home front. On the one hand, we have a political party who has put itself in the unenviable position of needing more Americans to come home in body bags and for Iraq to erupt into civil war so they can win elections in 2006 and 2008. It seems that Howard Dean, Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan, Harry Reid and the rest of the Party Without A Plan see the war on terror as just another political opportunity. Had George W. Bush viewed the actions of 9/11 through that narrow lens, he would've made the same moves Clinton did in response to terror: call a press conference, promise justice and then lob a few cruise missiles at the appropriate locations. But the tough decisions of this decade are being made by adults, people who understand the interlocking network of tyranny that exists on our planet. Unfortunately, too many people in our country and Old Europe have forgotten that freedom is not accidental, but is the product of constant vigilance and sacrifice. People die and are killed in the name of our freedom every day; just because NPR didn't mention it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

The people in charge realize, thankfully, that we are a nation at war. Logical, well-meaning people can disagree about what direction that war should take, but I believe we are witnessing an anti-war movement that not only protests active and future action, but denies that a war even exists or, even worse, believes that it is all a lie. If these people are ever a majority (something that has thankfully never happened), we will witness the last generation of our society as we know it.

"Ted Became Holy Roman Emperor This Year"

I was in my mid-20’s before my mom and dad began traveling to dad’s ships’ reunions. He served on two different ships during and after the Korean War, so they went to two reunions a year for a while. When I stopped by their house over the holidays during those years, something new would be hanging on the refrigerator: the yearly family newsletter.

Those of you who are 18 or younger may not know of this phenomenon. The family newsletter is just that: a printed sheet (or e-mail) that tells of all the family news over the past year. I have the impression that they were once more popular than they are now, but I don’t know that for sure. If you’ve never been the grateful recipient of one, this is the general outline:

This year was great for our family (meaning: better than your year, I’m sure!). Joe, jr. finally got that big promotion (Joe, jr. is actually a drag queen who got promoted from chorus to stage manager of the touring show) and Jenny welcomed another little girl into the world (but no one knows how Jenny’s 37-year old boyfriend, who refuses to marry her, is going to raise another child on his salary from Blockbuster). My husband Neill was given an emeritus position at the University (meaning they can’t trust him with a teaching position but they can’t fire him because he’s tenured---socialism at its finest).

I could go on, but you get my point. Some of you may be the kind of people who send out these monstrosities; please don’t infer from this that I think you’re a bad person. For a tight-knit family whose members are strewn far and wide, the year-end letter can be useful, especially if it includes input from everyone and not just a select few. My gripe is those individuals who feel the need to send family news to everyone for whom they have an e-mail or physical address. It smacks of exhibitionism, as if the writer feels the need to tell you how successful her family is. The truth, while callous, is that most people don’t care how your family is doing.

I guess it all comes down to awareness. For example, I realize that most of you could care less what I think about year-end family letters. You may have come here to read about something political and, instead, I’ve foisted this tirade on you. But, at least, I know this and admit it. Many of those with whom we all deal are completely unaware of the fact that not only do we have our own families, but that we love those families just as much as they love their own. Long, long monologues about brilliant grandchildren who we have never seen become tedious quickly. In fact, I have found myself avoiding parts of the building because I know that employee X is going to corner me and tell me about her grandson, who is undoubtedly going to be President one day.

I want to tell her that, believe it or not, someone thought that about me once. And you. And you. And you…

On This Eve

As the sun begins to set on Christmas Eve 2005, I'd like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. Please keep in your thoughts and prayers those whose service to their nation keeps them away from home. Not only are Americans far from home in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Korea, Japan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Germany, Great Britain and dozens of other places as well. There are also sailors and Marines on the sea and below it this night, out there so that we and our children can sleep in peace. Thank you.

The Strangeness Of Mel

As you know, Apple.com hosts many high-definition movie trailers. I was scanning over digg.com earlier today when I saw a comment about an easter egg in the "Apocalypto" trailer. "Apocalypto" is Mel Gibson's latest film about the Mayans or Incas (I'm a little fuzzy on that). Anyway, I went to the trailer, slowed it down at the 1:46 mark and, sure enough, there's Mel in a single frame (the pic isn't very good unless I put it in a Word document):

Download file

Is it me, or does he look like Saddam Hussein here?

If Ever We Needed A Caption Contest

Oh, The Humanity!

Saddam is claiming that his American guards beat him. This may not be right and fair and just, but four words come to mind:

I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.

'Twas The Night Before A Long Walk To Work

From the Banterist---make sure you read it all:

'Twas five days before Christmas and all through the town;
Not a train was up running, they'd all been shut down.

There's strength in a union, or so they believed
but not before Christmas - now everyone's peeved.
It's terrible timing for stranding the masses;
If Reagan were here he'd have fired your asses.

If you really want a laugh, follow the link to his blog above for some photos of transit workers sleeping on the job. Yeah, they need a better pension. Asshats.

No Greater Love

Hugh Hewitt mentioned this e-mail sent to the owner of The Mudville Gazette. I had to stop reading it several times. Read it and you'll know why.

Came across your blog this morning, and thought I'd share my thoughts as the dad of an American Soldier killed in action four months ago. My son was standing cover flank for two buddies checking out a suspicous location in the roadway while on patrol at 2:20 A.M. 16 Aug when an IED exploded. He was the only one killed. Two soldiers suffered serious injuries and are now home on permanent medical leave, but both will live normal lives after they finish med rehab and surgery.

Robert Stokely, Lucky and Proud to be the Dad of
SGT Michael "Mike" James Stokely, KIA Operation Iraqi Freedom 16 Aug 05
2nd Platoon, E Troop 108th CAV 48h Brigaded GA NATL GUARD
15 miles south of Baghdad near Yusufiyah / IED

Reflecting on this letter, I had an epiphany of sorts, something so simple that I feel foolish for not having thought of it before. See you on Wednesday.

Feedback

Michelle Malkin has the pundit response to the President's speech last night. I thought Hennesey's response was especially thoughtful:

"No president should ever have to go on TV to beg Americans not to undermine our troops in battle."

While true, we no longer live in a society in which people understand the price of freedom. After all, how long did it take for the PC police to show up after 9/11 and demand that old Asian women be searched at airports with the same ferocity as middle eastern males between 18 and 40 years of age? About 4 days?

I haven't heard much about the Democrats' response yet, but you can rest assured that the onslaught is coming. The Party Without A Plan can only be successful if Iraq becomes another Somalia with no functioning government. The same people who are continually comparing Iraq to Vietnam are the same people who have forgotten the main lessons of that war---partial commitment is never enough and abandonment always leads to failure. Yes, it would lead to fewer American casualties right now, but in the long term the cost would be much, much higher.

The President did something last night that Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry and the rest of the Pary Without A Plan has never been willing to do (at least since Truman): he stood up and said that all the strategic decisions in this war have ultimately rested with him. I'd like to believe we're still the type of country that appreciates that sort of forthrightness.

Do Not Despair

I just listened to the President's speech: WOW. This is the man I voted for twice.

Food For Thought

Just something to think about before our discussion tomorrow: why did the NY Times sit on the domestic eavesdropping case for a year? Drudge believes it was done to create publicity for a reporter's new book. I think it was held until something very positive came out of Iraq---like a successful election day. After all, the NY Times and rest of the leftist fever swamp need Iraq to be a failure because that's all they can run on in '06. If you have a positive story there, the best thing to do is bury it with a story that's going to blow over in a month.

The Battle Begins

Sorry for the lack of posts the past few days. I have no excuse except to say that, until yesterday, there was really nothing out there or in my life that motivated me enough to write about. Two things have changed that in the last 24 hours: the President's open admission that the NSA has spied on people in the United States and my confrontation with my former landlord. Let's tackle the local news first.

Before we bought our house, Kelli and I rented one half of a duplex for seven years. It was a comfortable place for two people and we were rather fond of it. Our landlords were a father and son team who had rented space to my brother some years ago. Thus, I was a known quantity to them and we didn't even sign a contract (that will be important later). We paid a $500 damage deposit (one hundred dollars before Kelli moved in and four hundred the next month). No one mentioned what "damage" was, but commonsense generally applies in these cases: don't punch holes in the walls or break the toilet.

The trouble started when I called the father to tell him we were moving. He told us that our half of the building was his son's, so we would have to call him. This struck me as odd because, in seven years, this was the first I had heard of this arrangement. But I called the son and made him an offer: instead of waiting until December 1st to inspect the house, if he would be willing to come during the second week in November, we could deduct the damage deposit from the rent I owed for November. Normally, I would not ask for such a thing, but keep in mind that we rented the place for seven years, were never late with the rent and called the landlords all of three times.

Jimmy (the son) left a message on our answering machine the next day. Instead of saying, "Sorry, Matt, I just don't do business that way and I have to treat all my tenants the same way" or something similar, he left a message that went like this: "no, no, no, I need the the rent for November and then I'll inspect the place later...no, no, no." This set me on edge, but it was his right to refuse. However, it was my right to remove all the blinds in the house, which I did. I had intended on leaving them.

December 1st came and went and I did not hear from Jimmy. I finally talked to him today and he offered me $200, saying that "there's nails in the wall". Since I never signed a contract and no one mentioned nails in the walls being verboten, I told him that that is not damage. He told me that he now has tenants sign a contract with all this spelled out. I told him that I don't give a rat's ass what the contract says now, I didn't sign one. Then came the shocker: he claimed to have a contract signed by me in July, 1999. ?????. By July, 1999, we had been living in the house over a year. Why would I sign something then? He is going to give me a copy, but my guess is he created this thing after the fact. If I DID sign a contract, I have completely forgotten about it and we do not have a copy of it. I'm not saying it's impossible; it's just highly unlikely.

The conversation became heated. As I told Kelli later, I think he figured he would just offer my something and jolly old fat Matt would just take it because he's never heard me say a cross word. He has another thing coming. I come from a long line of people prone to fits of righteous anger and I'm going to roll some out on him. I won't "take it to the streets" as they say---I'll beat his ass in a courtroom. It's no longer about the money.

I'll talk about the President on Monday. I'm getting angry all over again.

All Glory Is Fleeting

My manager has a small plaque in his office with a quote by Ronald Reagan engraved on it: "There is no limit to what a man can accomplish if he doesn't care who gets the credit." Truer words have never been spoken.

I have been at my current job for a little over five years and I can honestly say that I have never been happier. The stress that used to wash over me in my old position is gone, replaced by, at worst, a sense of urgency. I am happy to work late or come in early because I know my contribution is appreciated.

I was reminded of my old job this evening when I found out that a former co-worker has been given the Founder's Award by the company, a recognition of workplace excellence. I was stunned, but also highly amused. In that moment, the award became worthless to me as a meaningful symbol. The award did not exist when I was employed by the company, but I worked with all the previous recipients and, in my opinion, they were all deserving of the honor. This year's honoree marks a break in that tradition.

The fact that I feel no anger about this (an emotion that would've gotten the best of me five years ago) tells me that I have come a long way. But there is a lesson here, and it is that political skill often counts more than genuine ability and/or character. It's a hard lesson to learn, but it must be filed in that giant folder marked "LIFE IS NOT FAIR".

For the sake of ease, I'm going to call the recipient Darren. That's not his real name as I do not wish to cause him embarrassment. Darren started with the company about the same time I did; he worked in the parts warehouse and I learned to repair fuel injectors and turbochargers. Our paths rarely crossed, but my few encounters with him did not impress me. Be that as it may, when the time came for the company to do a software conversion and network upgrade in 1999 (partly due to Y2K problems), Darren and I were chosen, along with a third man, to help with the project.

It didn't take long for problems to surface. The one that galled me the most was the fact that I still had to do my day job and fit these extra responsibilities in wherever I could. The other two men could afford to spend all their time on conversion work, which made me wonder how much work they did before. In my attempt to balance both halves of my work life, I would often come in at six in the morning. By 5PM, I was ready to go home. Darren would roll in about 10 and work until 7. Since the owner of the company (not the founder) rarely showed up before 9 and Darren came in through another entrance, his late work hours made it seem as if he was putting in more hours than me. Since there were no time clocks of any kind, there was no evidence even if I had chosen to make an issue of it. It was then I realized something about Darren: under his socially stunted, childish exterior, he was a master manipulator.

I left the company six months are the conversion was complete and Darren became, in essence, the network manager for the company. His manipulations have evidently reached the level of high art because people whose opinions I trust think very highly of him. It is possible that he is a different person today than he was five years ago. If this is the case, however, it would go against almost everything I've ever observed about human nature. It's not impossible; it's just highly unlikely.

I'm writing about this because I feel a certain sadness for the friends I have who are still working there. Some of them have spent their entire adult lives with the company and are very, very deserving of high praise and recognition. But, somehow, brown-nosing the owner (who is not especially bright) and having the ability to dazzle people with technical talk has paid off.

If I still worked there, my head would be reeling. Thank God I don't.

The Worth Of A Vote

By the time you read this, voting in Iraq will be well underway. There are many people in this country who believe that this election is essentially a sham and that as soon as our army comes home Iraq will devolve into a clanish state constantly on the verge of civil war. If I were to use the history of the Middle East as my only judge, I would agree with these sentiments. But great nations start with great actions and we are witnessing one in Iraq right now. They can beat the odds.

Attempts at freedom have always been costly. In addition to the more than two thousand American lives that have been lost in the past 33 months, more than 30,000 Iraqis have died as well. Some were innocent bystanders, some were in the Iraqi Army or police force. The liberal press and their shills in the blogsphere are having a field day with that number, so allow me to introduce some numbers of my own. The following statistics come from a speech given by U.S. War Crimes Ambassador David J. Scheffer at the National Press Club on September 18, 2000. That's right: Scheffer was a Clinton appointee.

1. Saddam started a war with Iran which caused 200,000 Iraqi and 300,000 Iranian deaths. 5,000 additional Iranians were killed by chemical weapons in violation of international law.

2. Saddam ordered the dropping of chemical munitions on the Kurdish city of Halaja in Iraq in March of 1988. More than 5,000 innocent civilians were killed.

3. The Anfal campaigns, also against the Kurds, resulted in 50,000 to 100,000 Kurdish deaths, all of them Iraqi citizens.

4. During the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Iraqi forces killed more than 1,000 Kuwaiti civilians. A number of them were hung from construction cranes and hotel balconies.

5. After the first Gulf War, Saddam ordered the massacre of more than 30,000 Iraqi civilians, mostly Kurds and Shiites.

6. More than 300,000 Iraqi citizens were arrested by the secret police or the military in Iraq between 1979 and 2003 who were never heard from again.

7. Overall, it is believed that Saddam Hussein is responsible for the deaths of more than one million people during his reign of terror.

Of course, these numbers will mean nothing to the people who simply hate the President. They will come back with statements like "but we went to Iraq to find WMDs", despite that fact that the war resolution contained references to many reasons (including genocide). Or we will hear (and this is my favorite), "if we went to Iraq to free the people there, why don't we go into North Korea?" Because, General Patton, foreign policy is not a card game. The rules do not apply to everyone equally. North Korea is within artillery range of Seoul, one of the largest cities on the planet. The South Koreans have no desire for war and the Chinese are willing to keep pressure on the North (at least for now). Had Jordan, Syria or Saudi Arabia applied that same pressure to Saddam during the 1990's, things would've turned out differently.

The loss of any innocent life is tragic. But given his past performance, Saddam Hussein would've killed more than 100,000 people between March 2003 and now had he been left in power. And when that killing was done, the Iraqi people would still be in desperate straits in a country without hope. But now, thanks to the sacrifice of many Americans and brave Iraqis, there is a glimmer of hope for a better life, a better nation and, just maybe, a model for the rest of the Middle East to follow.

Peace is not the absence of war.

Freedom Tower

Digg.com has a story that links to the SkyscraperPage forum containing photoshopped images of what the Freedom Tower in New York will look like when completed. Personally, I love the design, but I'd take those two square monstrosities back in a minute...if only.

Shop Talk

The comment delay has been fixed for those of you who are registered with TypeKey. Thanks for your patience.

On Loss

One quick note before I begin rambling: please allow at least 12 hours for your comments to be posted here from now on. I now have to approve every comment posted, registered user or not. Most of the time, I am only able to check comments twice a day, so please don't repost your comments or think that I blew you off because I didn't like what you said. In the nearly four years I have had a blog (this one and the Dattblog before it), I have deleted about four comments. One was deleted at the request of the author and the rest were direct attacks on people close to me that had nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

I was going to put these thoughts in the comments section of my post about John Kerry, but I think I have enough to say to warrant a full post. Tony posted a very thoughtful comment and I hope he's not offended if I repeat part of it here:

You say we didn't lose Vietnam -- but I can't see how anyone can say that we won. We failed to accomplish our objectives (protecting South Vietnam from North Vietnam, as far as I remember), leaving behind an already collapsing South Vietnam Army. To me, that seems a loss.

My point here is not to call out Tony on his post, but to make a distinction that is lost on most liberals (Tony is not one) and has been lost for at least forty years. While we did not lose the Vietnam War on the battlefield, when public support began to grow soft this nation put in motion a series of steps that resulted in one thing: the abandonment of South Vietnam. They fought on for nearly two and a half years, but the North Vietnamese Army was being supported, directly by some accounts, by the Soviet Union, China and a host of other communist countries. They could not help but be victorious.

When the Vietnam War ended in April, 1975, hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese were either murdered, imprisoned or sent to "re-education" camps. John Kerry's 1971 claim that perhaps only 5,000 top officals of the goverment in Saigon would need to be evacuated was a hippie fantasy. The communists essentially cleaned out South Vietnam's educated class, both political and otherwise.

How, you may wonder, could America have allowed this to happen? It's the same thing you see from the Democrats right now with regard to Iraq: loss of will. The Vietnam War could have been decided decivsively as early as 1966 if the following things had occured:

1. Mine Haiphong Harbor. This did not happen because Soviet ships used the harbor. When it did finally happen, it no longer mattered.

2. Bomb Hanoi incessantly. This did not happen because of Soviet advisors in the area and the bad press it generated. Hanoi was once again opened to bombing in 1972, but it was too little, too late.

3. Invade parts of Cambodia serving as a staging ground for Viet Cong and NVA regulars. By the time the Nixon administration actually did invade Cambodia, public opinion was so far beyond saving that this action was seen as nothing more than imperialism in action.

Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell told President Bush in 2002 with regard to Iraq: "If you break it, you buy it." We broke it and we are now paying for it. The last time this happened, the screaming liberal harpies were allowed to shape public opinion until a pullout was unavoidable for political reasons. If they succeed this time, the results will be the same: thousands of deaths and, for us, a generation of national shame. Do they still want to compare Iraq to Vietnam?

Offensive

If someone said that Muslims might be offending Christians by publicly acknowledging Ramadan, would it be ignored? Or would the MSM say that Christians are just being overly sensitive? I agree with the Pope: celebrate simply, regardless of who your neighbors are.

Last year, under Pope John Paul, the Vatican launched a high-profile campaign to urge Roman Catholic Italy not to compromise the spirit of Christmas through excess or dilute its message out of fear of offending a growing Muslim population.

The Lost Post Found

This is my "lost" post from December 7th. My friend Ed Engelking (one half of Ucanweb) retrieved it for me. Bless you sir ;-)

I believe this post is still relevant.

From Red State.org:

John Kerry's at it again. Appearing on "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer, Kerry implied that U.S. soldiers are responsible for terrorism in Iraq:

This comment seems to contradict the statement on JohnKerry.com that, "All of us believe our troops are doing an extraordinary job. They believe in the mission and we believe in them."

You have certainly heard about Howard Dean’s comments concerning the impossibility of winning in Iraq (and how we somehow lost the Vietnam War---stick to medicine, doc) and while they make me angry, I’ve come to expect nothing less from the head of the DNC. After all, this is what the Democrats have become: know-nothing cynics whose every decision is based on emotion and what’s popular today. They have become, to borrow from Hugh Hewitt, the Defeat-a-crats. I prefer Losertarian myself.

John Kerry’s statement, on the other hand, took me back to last year’s Presidential campaign in which we heard Kerry’s 1971 testimony before Congress over and over again. He made reference to Ghengis Khan-like actions on the part of American soldiers (he pronounced it jen-jis, but you know the rest---“chopping off arms, chopping off legs…”) as if his assertions were gospel. In fact, his comments were lifted from stories told by “veterans” who participated in the Winter Soldier project in 1970. These men told horrible tales of what they had witnessed in Vietnam; the nation learned much later that over half of the participants never went overseas and some were never in the military. But Kerry’s testimony stood as a symbol of how evil our actions in Vietnam had become.

Kerry is the worst kind of politician in that he is an opportunist. He knows that public support for the war is waning so his comments reflect that opposition. Were public support still strong, you can bet that he would, at least, be silent on the issue. But 2008 is on the horizon, so Kerry must keep his face on the screen.

There are honest, intelligent, thoughtful people who oppose the war in Iraq. John Kerry is not one of them, but he is not alone. Our nation is full of reckless individuals who claim to support the troops on one hand and then call the terrorists in Iraq “freedom fighters” and “minutemen” (Michael Moore, call your office). Kerry’s claim of Americans terrorizing Iraqis is not only untrue, but is damaging to this nation’s credibility in the region. In the same way Kerry gave aid and comfort to the North Vietnamese, he is now doing so for terrorists.

None dare call him anti-American. That needs to change.

Veiled Threats

Four members of the Los Angeles City Council are warning that there could be violence if Tookie Williams' execution moves forward. As it stands now, William's last day on Earth will be Tuesday.

I have made it clear that I no longer support the death penalty. But making vague assertions of violence in a situation like this almost sounds like some sort of blackmail: grant him clemency or we'll riot. If the Governator doesn't grant clemency and the riots do occur, it will be made to look as if he somehow caused the riots, not the punks on the street who are looking for any excuse to kill and steal.

The damnable thing about this is that Gov. Arnold has almost no choice but to let the execution go forward. If he does not, then those who threatened violence will believe that their tactics were effective. Then every black man on death row in California will have a shot at avoiding Old Sparky by stirring up the black community.

Yet another reason why the death penalty is such a bad idea.

Long Overdue

From Drudge this evening:

The DRUDGE REPORT has learned from a top GOP operative that the Republican National Committee will provide state parties with a web video prior to release tomorrow afternoon that shows a white flag waving over images of Democrat leaders making anti-war remarks.

Developing...

It's about time! I have always maintained that the Dems could be beaten back to permanent minority status with their own words. Good, caring Democrats who love their country have remained silent while their party was taken from them by the Army of Dean, an angry, ne'er do well rabble made up of people who, truth be told, probably don't bother to vote. They may love Micheal Moore, but they don't help anyone win elections.

The last time an anti-war movement took over the Democrat Party, they were relegated to minority status for nearly a generation. But they asked for it. We live in serious times and we can not trust our economic and security future to the likes of Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pilosi and Howard Dean. The fever swamp is good at throwing stones at those who are taking risks in the ring, but it cannot govern.

Lost

I somehow lost a post today; it was even up for about two hours. I'll give it another try in the morning.

Hostile Defendant

Saddam Hussein says that he will not attend his own trial on Wednesday. I don't know if that means he will come back on Thursday or not. He also said that being deprived of smoke breaks is "terrorism." Hey, he should know.

I think we need to give the guy a break. If he says this court is unjust, then we need to listen to him. If he wants a fair trial unencumbered by American influence, he should get one.

Let's turn him over to the parents of the children who were imprisoned by his ruthless regime. Maybe we'll hand him over to the Kurds. I think there'd be fairness though, don't you? Then, when they're done with him, we'll feed him to Uday's lions, just like in the good ol' days.

Seriously, I am afraid that he may somehow survive this trial. If only he had put up a fight in that hole...a bullet would've been judge, jury and executioner. And we'd all be better off.

Curry-gate

If you're a techie type, you probably know the story by now: Adam Curry was caught editing the "podcasting" entry on Wikipedia. His changes appear to have given him more credit for the invention of podcasting, even though the medium really has no date of invention; it is merely a new delivery system for internet audio. The real credit, in my opinion, should go to the person who came up with RSS 2.0, which is how podcasts are delivered. But I digress.

For those of you who are non-geeks, let me bring you up to speed. Adam Curry is a former DJ who became well-known for his stint as a VJ on MTV between 1987 and 1994. He got in early on the tech boom by starting and selling a few small outfits. He has been dubbed (by who, I'm not sure) the Podfather because of his promotion of podcasting. There is some debate as to who came up with what idea and even who first coined the term "podcasting". It may seem trivial, but as I know from research I have done on numerous topics, it's important to get the history right.

I've been listening to Curry's Daily Source Code podcast for almost a year now. I loved the show in the beginning because Curry's enthusiasm for the medium is amazing. In fact, his show and an article I read about him in Wired magazine are the main reasons I began podcasting----I had something to say and I understood the mechanics of the technology. I still listen to every episode, but I find myself skipping over a lot of stuff. I guess I'm just listening for important announcements.

As David Lawrence has said, Curry and the people like him have popular podcasts because they are "professional" radio people who know how to broadcast. I'm more than a little offended by that remark because a) it smacks of elitism and b) Lawrence is, in general, an asshat. I had the opportunity to be on the radio for a time and I certainly was not impressed with the intelligence or creativity of most of the "professionals" employed by the station (50,000 watt AM talk). It is my opinion that anyone can be at least an average broadcaster given enough time. People who talk about the "art" of broadcasting are, to my way of thinking, just worried about losing their jobs.

The Curry Affair proves what I have witnessed firsthand: most people in media are so scared of being moved off the front page or losing their time slot or audience that they will steal from the grandmother if it helps their image or numbers. It's understandable for many reasons, but you have to understand that you must have a substantial ego to go into broadcasting in the first place (I include myself in that---if I were popular enough, I would be an egomaniac until Kelli and/or Peter reigned me in ;-). It's natural to assume that professionals will act the same way when it comes to podcasting. THAT is what happens when old media guys step in.

I like podcasting because anyone with a microphone can do it. That means a certain percentage of shows are poor in quality and/or content, but that's the way it goes. Some 'casts are intended for friends, family or a small group of people with a similar passion. For these shows, subscriber numbers mean very little. Numbers matter to me because I see them as a measure of how well done my show is. Also, I would like to eventually land enough sponsors to pay for my bandwidth. I will never be among those rare individuals who get to stay home and podcast full-time, but it would certainly be nice.

Although there is a marketplace for people to make money in podcasting, I hope that there will always be an audience for those who do it for the love of the medium. If not, I fear we will see the same giant egos fighting it out for our time and attention.

Mary Celeste

The story of the Mary Celeste is pretty much my favorite sea story. If you don't know what I'm talking about, please check out my podcast page. I'm pretty proud of this one.

Nathan & Noah

On Monday, November the 28th, Matt & I welcomed into the world our two newest nephews, Nathan Lee & Noah Michael. Their arrival was about 9 weeks early, but as of today they are doing very well. Nathan, the oldest, was born by emercency caesarean surgery at 1:44pm weighing 3 lbs 5 ounces & measuring 15.25 inches long. Noah was delievered at 1:45pm and was a tiny 2lbs 8 ounces and measured 14.75 inches.

My brother Jonathan and his lovely wife Erica are doing well and are at home. Unfortunatly, the twins will have to remain at the hospital for a few more weeks. So please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

Me No Posto

Sorry about the lack of posts recently; normally I would offer the usual litany of excuses and be done with it, but there's more to say.

First, my podcast is cutting into the time I used to spend blogging. I love podcasting and I don't plan on giving it up unless circumstances demand it. I don't quite have 1,000 subscribers yet, but the number is getting close; that's 20x more people than read this blog. If this makes me sound like an attention hound, you're right. I loved being on the radio (I was part of a local computer show on a 50,000 watt station in Louisville)and this is my way of returning to that, albeit with a much smaller audience and a different topic of discussion.

Second, I am becoming increasingly disgusted with much of what goes on in the world of politics, and not just on the left side of the aisle. Have you ever wondered how Ronald Reagan managed to keep his approval ratings high? It wasn't just his position on issues of the day, for half the public will disagree with almost anything a President says. President Reagan was popular, in my opinion, because he stated his positions clearly and led from the front. Like him or loathe him, you knew where he stood.

I know that President Bush has strong beliefs and that he honestly believes he is doing the right thing in many areas. If I'm right, THEN COME OUT SWINGING AND CALL YOUR SHOTS. Look who the Democrats send forth to do battle: Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid and John Kerry. Ted Kennedy looks like he's one shouting match away from keeling over, Harry Reid could be knocked down by a strong wind and John Kerry can only give his opinion on something after someone tells him what his opinion actually is (today). To turn a phrase from R. Lee Ermey: why are the Republicans not stomping these guys into the ground?

There are several possibilities as to why the White House doesn't swing for the fences. First, maybe G.W. thinks he is above party bickering. He may be right, but the Dems have made whining into a national pastime. You have no choice but to play their game now, at least if you want to get your views out.

Second, maybe the crew in the White House is just tired. I can certainly understand why they would be, but if you can't stand the heat, then get the hell out. I'm not kidding.

Finally, maybe the President doesn't feel as if he has the support of his colleagues in the House and Senate. He may not now, but that's because, I believe, many of his fellow Republicans are beginning to wonder if their leader is really one of them. Go to your base and lead from there. I believe with all my heart that most Americans are conservative. I don't mean that they want to overturn Roe v. Wade or bring prayer back to public schools. I mean they think their taxes are too high, the military should be strong, the government at all levels wastes too much money and popular culture is a little wacky. People need to be reminded that the Republican party is the party that agrees with them on these issues.

Then, of course, there is the war. Those of you who snicker and say that there is no plan in Iraq have no grasp of history. Military campaigns are and must be fluid and open to change. Did we adequately plan for an insurgency? No, but we can't change what was. The President needs to talk directly to the American people through interviews, press conferences and "fireside chat" engagements. He's not a good speaker, but he doesn't have to be. People respect honesty and they want details. If our troops are going to leave Iraq once a certain set of goals are acheived, TELL US WHAT THEY ARE. Be specific and remember: our people over there are the sons and daughters of America. Their parents deserve some of your time.

My final reason for not posting more is, of course, the house. The list of things I have to do is infinite, as any homeowner can tell you. None of these things are urgent, but all are things that will make this house our home.

So please forgive me if my posts are shorter or less coherent for a while. The day will come when I am once again fired up about the world at large. Thank you.

31.2

The number above is how much weight I've lost in the past 3 months, in pounds. I don't tell you that to brag, since I want to lose another 50 (which is making some of you think, "How fat IS this guy?"). It doesn't seem like a lot of weight to me since I've lost it in 1 to 4 pound increments. But then, I think about a sack of potatoes weighing that much and it seems like quite bit. To someone who weighs 110 pounds, 31 pounds is a deathly amount of weight.

On to 12 more weeks.

December's Shameless Begging Moment

Today in December 1st, so please, please, please, visit www.podcastalley.com and cast a vote for my podcast, Matt's Today in History. If you go to the site and do a search for Matt's, you'll find it. Thanks.