Rice Whine

The US State Department 'news' release template:

Secretary Condoleeza Rice demanded that “[Hamas/Fatah/Iran/Pakistan/Russia/Sudan] must [withdraw/retreat/reverse] their [occupation/invasion/meddling/terrorism/whatever they already did] immediately. This [move/act/whatever it was] will not stand.”

Maybe she should stamp her foot when she makes her demands. [No, it would be sexist only if I said 'stamp her little foot'.] Apparently she does not realize how ridiculous is her insisting, repeatedly, on things that just don't ever happen. Why add humiliation to futility? Sure, a rare rhetorical flourish that sounds like a demand might actually come to pass (e.g., "tear down this wall"), but prepare to wait a decade. For quicker results, try anticipation and diplomacy.

In the Georgia-Russia crisis, this administration boasts not one but two 'experts', Rice and SecDef Gates. Gates replaces demands and finger wagging with 'regret' and a slight shake of his head, which is about as effective. They constitute a real spectrum of approaches if you think diplomacy is only a good cop-bad cop routine. They are excellent representatives of the "errorist" tendencies of the failed Bush regime.

China 'Opening': Olympic Precision on a Huge Scale

The opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing were amazing and beautiful on a stunning scale with breathtaking precision. If you missed it on TV, as did I, you can watch at the NBC website [too bad they make you download Microsoft's 'innovative' (bad) copy of Adobe Flash].

The ceremony reveled in China's technical prowess and philosophical history. Movable type, a Chinese invention, was celebrated using Chinese writing characters – literally movable – on an enormous LED stage. The edge around the top of the stadium contributed to show with coordinated images. The precision of so many people and movement on a huge scale – thousands of people performing beautifully was simply astonishing. The only weak moment was the silly bird reincarnated (at 33 minutes). Chi (life) and Harmony were the key messages and images. The earth at 40 min that turns into a dynamic Faberge egg is astonishing. Bob Costas says what I was thinking about the 2008 drummers acting in perfect precision: a little intimidating that such a large country can put on such a show. It is astonishing how artistry can be realized with no obvious technical constraints.

My State

Our arteries are congested and hypertense,
Our wind is feeble with gas nearly visible.
We sit, squat, spread, and sprawl, our growth undisciplined.
We admit, but won't curb, our oily appetites.

Heard the funny one about Obama?

Nabobs are nattering about the dearth of jokes featuring Obama, linking the scarcity to him being African-American and most of the comedians, writers, and audience being Caucasian. As if the only possibly funny topic about him were his race! This is like saying jokes about McCain are rare because his time as a POW in Hanoi is off-limits. Instead, there's McCain's involvement in the Savings and Loan scandal, and his anger, and his (advanced) age, which young comics also feel free to joke about.

Even if limited to looks, what about the fact that Obama looks like an earnest, precocious high schooler? That may be defanged by his own jokes about same. What about Obama's politics? The New Yorker sparked a controversy by parodying the whisper campaign suggesting that Obama is a secret Muslim. Their cover shows Obama fist-bumping wife Michelle, revealed as a Black Panther, with the American flag burning in the fireplace and a picture of bin Laden over the mantle. Not very inventive and certainly not subtle, but funny and hopefully effective once the shock wears off.

No, I think the lack of jokes are due to the fact that he is admirable and cool. We want to be his friend, we want him to be our president (and savior, if truth be told), and we are not yet comfortable enough with him to risk friendship with jokes.

This Bud's for Them!

Since the Bush gang took over, the value of the US dollar has lost about half it's value, dropping from 1.2 Euros in 2001 to about 0.6 today. The New York Board of Trade's dollar index is the weakest since the gauge began in 1973.

This collapse in the purchasing power of the dollar has many consequences. It has put the entire US on sale for the rest of the world. Assets, stock, and even whole companies are being bought at bargain basement prices. Today, the Belgian brewer InBev bought Budweiser, an American icon and mainstay of St. Lewis. While foreign companies can maintain steady prices for the American consumer, American companies don't have that luxury against foreign investors.

The weak dollar is also a major reason that oil has reached record prices. After all, it takes about twice as many dollars these days for a Saudi prince to buy his Mercedes.

Plan Z for Zimbabwe

Thirty years ago, Robert Mugabe was the rebel hero fighting a civil war against the white minority power in Rhodesia. In 1980, he became Prime Minister of the renamed Zimbabwe in a relatively peaceful final transition to majority rule. Today, President Mugabe is a tyrant, using any means necessary to maintain his rule. His thugs and henchmen forced the withdrawal of Tsvangirai, who likely would've won the run-off Presidential election. What's the world to do?

Zimbabwe is a desperately poor country: 20 million people, average yearly income under $200, beset by HIV/AIDS and inequities in land distribution. No natural resources or strategic advantage will stimulate the 'humanitarian' interests of wealthy, well-armed countries. Like Darfur, where horrors have outlived the righteous chorus of “never again”, the 'plan' for Zimbabwe is to stand back and let it bleed. Call it 'plan zzz'.

Netflix fix

“You've got to live your life” passes for wisdom. Do you? Face it, your life is constrained and largely predictable. Modern technology, in the form of a cornucopia of movies, offers the viable alternative of living vicariously. Why not live many others' lives?

Imagination is a wonderful thing, so use it! By merely changing DVDs, you can be a lover in Restoration England, then a leader on a trek to the stars, and so on through the genres, characters, places, and times. Embrace 'la vie du disque': vivid colors, animated co-stars, vigorous passion, vivacious drama, and lively dialog.

Real life has no remote control. No pause, no mute, no fast forward for the boring bits, and no rewind for the really great parts.