Saturday, May 14, 2005
Friday, May 13, 2005
"Britain's intelligence boss believed that Bush had decided to go to war in mid-2002"
"and that he believed U.S. policymakers were trying to use the limited intelligence they had to make the Iraqi leader appear to be a bigger threat than was supported by known facts."
Seven months before the invasion of Iraq, the head of British foreign intelligence reported to Prime Minister Tony Blair that President Bush wanted to topple Saddam Hussein by military action and warned that in Washington intelligence was "being fixed around the policy," according to notes of a July 23, 2002, meeting with Blair at No. 10 Downing Street.
And yet the American people were told that the war was because of terrorism, WMDs, the "nucular scenerio" if we do nothing, spreading freedom and democracy, and what is it now? Cheap sand?
"Some people" are asking: "Is this not irresponsible? Is this not lying while innocents are dying?"
And now we hear from CNN that "Eighty-nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress last week sent President George W. Bush a letter asking for explanation of a secret British memo that said "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support the Iraq war in mid-2002."
"The White House has not yet responded ..."
Responsible? Or Irresponsible?
Should Mister Bush respond to the inquiries? Or should he be irresponsible?
What was it they say about tangled webs and "when first we practice to deceive?"
My suggestion? Untie the knots, one at a time, and in the correct sequence.
Seven months before the invasion of Iraq, the head of British foreign intelligence reported to Prime Minister Tony Blair that President Bush wanted to topple Saddam Hussein by military action and warned that in Washington intelligence was "being fixed around the policy," according to notes of a July 23, 2002, meeting with Blair at No. 10 Downing Street.
And yet the American people were told that the war was because of terrorism, WMDs, the "nucular scenerio" if we do nothing, spreading freedom and democracy, and what is it now? Cheap sand?
"Some people" are asking: "Is this not irresponsible? Is this not lying while innocents are dying?"
And now we hear from CNN that "Eighty-nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress last week sent President George W. Bush a letter asking for explanation of a secret British memo that said "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support the Iraq war in mid-2002."
"The White House has not yet responded ..."
Responsible? Or Irresponsible?
Should Mister Bush respond to the inquiries? Or should he be irresponsible?
What was it they say about tangled webs and "when first we practice to deceive?"
My suggestion? Untie the knots, one at a time, and in the correct sequence.
A few simple questions.
1. Where have all the flowers gone?
2. Where have all the young girls gone?
3. Where have all the young men gone?
4. Where have all the soldiers gone?
5. Where have all the graveyards gone?
6. When will they ever learn?
2. Where have all the young girls gone?
3. Where have all the young men gone?
4. Where have all the soldiers gone?
5. Where have all the graveyards gone?
6. When will they ever learn?
The Heart of the Prajnaparamita
Translated by Thich Nhat Hanh
Strange the things we remember. I remember the first time I walked into Widener Library (a library meant to widen your understanding) back in the doldrum year of 1981. The first thing I wanted to find was the Prajnaparamita Sutras. Paul Courtwright, at Greensboro at the time, put the seed in my mind. What wild journeys the mind took thereafter...
Ah libraries! Ah sutras!
The Bodhisattva Avalokita, while moving in the deep course of the Perfect Wisdom, shed light on the five aggregates and found them equally empty. After this penetration, he overcame all pain.Hail? What's wrong with sleet? Or a gentle snow?
"Listen, Sariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. The same thing is true with feeling, perception, mental functioning, and consciousness.
"Here, Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are neither produced nor destroyed, neither defiled nor immaculate, neither increasing nor decreasing. Therefore, in emptiness there is neither form, nor feeling, nor perception, nor mental functioning, nor consciousness; no eye, or ear, or nose, or tongue, or body, or mind; no form, no sound, no smell elements (from sight to mind-consciousness), no interdependent origins (from ignorance to death and decay), no extinction of death and decay, no suffering, no origination of suffering, no extinction, no path, no wisdom, no attainment.
"Because there is no attainment, the Bodhisattva, basing on the Perfection of Wisdom, finds no obstacles for his mind. Having no obstacles, he overcomes fear, liberating himself forever from illusion and assault and realizing perfect Nirvana. All Buddhas in the past, present, and future, thanks to this Perfect Wisdom, arrive to full, right, and universal Enlightenment.
"Therefore one should know that the Perfect Wisdom is a great mantra, is the highest mantra, is the unequaled mantra, the destroyer of all suffering, the incorruptible truth. A mantra of Prajnaparamita should therefore be proclaimed. It is this:'Gone, gone, gone to the other shore, gone together to the other shore. O Awakening! All hail!'"
Strange the things we remember. I remember the first time I walked into Widener Library (a library meant to widen your understanding) back in the doldrum year of 1981. The first thing I wanted to find was the Prajnaparamita Sutras. Paul Courtwright, at Greensboro at the time, put the seed in my mind. What wild journeys the mind took thereafter...
Ah libraries! Ah sutras!
The National Debate: Thoughts on A Respectful Disagreement
More on the WhineFest
Robert Cox should be commended, and heeded, for posting this:
Good job, Robert. You were not the problem. Alas, you are the solution.
Robert Cox should be commended, and heeded, for posting this:
For the record, Dave did exactly what I had hoped when I invited him to lead the session. I expected that Dave would provoke the most exciting, memorable session of the entire weekend and he delivered - in spades.
...
He was SUPPOSED to get folks riled up. That was the entire point of the session.
It may shock critics but I thought the session was brilliant - a home run. Those who are complaining should be THANKING Dave for bringing the topic to a boil and then stepping back and letting folks sort things out. That IS how this kind of event is supposed to work and no one knows that better than Dave because he is the person who developed the format. Unfortunately, many folks in the room chose to make Dave Winer the issue rather than discussing what had happened, why and how things might have gone differently. In other words to look at how disagreement takes place in the blogosphere, why it becomes heated so fast and what can be done to change that. I think folks are forgetting that Dave, very nicely, made this point in his opening remarks before he began stirring things up by picking fights.
Good job, Robert. You were not the problem. Alas, you are the solution.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Seniors let blog be heard
Charlotte Observer | 05/09/2005 | Seniors let blog be heard
"What is smart about AARP," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, "is they've taken the plunge into the blogosphere without really knowing what they will get out of it." That plunge could lead to new audiences -- and greater influence -- for an organization traditionally linked to older people.
"What is smart about AARP," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, "is they've taken the plunge into the blogosphere without really knowing what they will get out of it." That plunge could lead to new audiences -- and greater influence -- for an organization traditionally linked to older people.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Monday, May 09, 2005
The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools
Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com
While Tennessee didn't even have one school in the top 300, North Carolina has nine in the top 100. Sorry Tennessee, but our colleges and universities rate higher too. Maybe you ARE a bunch of rednecks! :)
NC High Schools:
9 | Raleigh Charter | Raleigh | N.C.
25 | Harding University* | Charlotte | N.C.
37 | Myers Park* | Charlotte | N.C.
38 | East Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | N.C.
52 | Enloe* | Raleigh | N.C.
56 | North Mecklenburg* | Charlotte/Huntersville | N.C.
67 | Grimsley* | Greensboro | N.C.
74 | Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | N.C.
88 | Butler | Charlotte/Matthews | N.C.
While Tennessee didn't even have one school in the top 300, North Carolina has nine in the top 100. Sorry Tennessee, but our colleges and universities rate higher too. Maybe you ARE a bunch of rednecks! :)
NC High Schools:
9 | Raleigh Charter | Raleigh | N.C.
25 | Harding University* | Charlotte | N.C.
37 | Myers Park* | Charlotte | N.C.
38 | East Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | N.C.
52 | Enloe* | Raleigh | N.C.
56 | North Mecklenburg* | Charlotte/Huntersville | N.C.
67 | Grimsley* | Greensboro | N.C.
74 | Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | N.C.
88 | Butler | Charlotte/Matthews | N.C.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
The Tar Heel Tavern - Derby Edition
a la Circadiana...
"Welcome to The Tar Heel Tavern, weekly blog carnival showcasing the best of North Carolina blogging.
This is the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, so, in that vein, let me introduce today's racing contestants."
"Welcome to The Tar Heel Tavern, weekly blog carnival showcasing the best of North Carolina blogging.
This is the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, so, in that vein, let me introduce today's racing contestants."
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