The times they are a changing

Jim Vicevich had a meltdown the other day on WTIC. He said he was tired of politicians playing politics with terrorism - Why do you think they are called politicians Jim? Fish gotta swim and birds got to fly. Of course what he took electronic umbrage about was the US port deal with a company based in the United Arab Emirates. First, had most Americans even heard of the UAE before this week? If you want some information here are two places to start:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ae.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates

Now, without getting into the details of this issue, I want to review the inconsistency on both sides. For 4 years, we have been told that 9/11 has changed everything. Everything needs to be re-evaluated in the light of 9/11. But when Rush Limbaugh and the New York Times are agreeing on something, Pat Robertson may be right - we are in the end times.

If everything changed on 9/11 then nothing prior to that can be used for or against what we do now. Everything has to be reviewed in that context. If on the other hand, 9/11 is just a point in time, and while an important event, should not send us cowering to the dungeon of protectionism, then we need a much longer view of history and long term plans.

I would take it to mean a deal like this would be reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security and bumped up to the President for review. This looks like this has not been done. However, this does not mean that this deal should not go through. Unfortunately, nobody has defined how we balance globalization and the struggle against terrorism. (I hesitate to use the term war - it cheapens the true wars and gives us a false definition of how to fight it.)

Openness and honesty, with a lot of education, is what is needed now, but we are only getting soundbites and accusations - we are seeing emotion overwhelm wisdom and intelligence.

What track are you taking Jim? Or are you an aspiring politician?

30 min

Window of Sorryness

You only get one chance to say "I'm sorry". That usually happens within the "sorry second", a time period not 19 hours long. Of course you have to say "I'm sorry" with a straight face. Saying it with whatever you are drinking dripping from the corners of your mouth while you are convulsing with laughter, just don't cut it. On the other hand, even though you may be sincere, if too much time has elapsed, the sincerity is eclipsed by guilt pressure. This however is still better than the "caught me sorry" (sometimes known as a "Monica Moment"), which happens usually after you have said "I didn't do it" (have..... etc.) So if you really want to avoid all those nasty press people and move on (pun not intended) with your life - when you do something wrong, say "I'm sorry" right away and mean it.

10 min

Half Filled?

I saw a sign today for a bankruptcy lawyer - boy is that the definition of an optimist. Of course I usually see the glass a half full - of course if the glass was spiked with poison, someone is in trouble!

3 min

Only a Cartoon

I was thinking about the rioting over the publishing and republishing of what is to some people an offensive political cartoon. Leaving religion and politics out of this for now, I hear people on the right (and some on the left) defending their first amendment right to be offended.

It brought me back to when I published a small newsletter for my racing buddies - The Over-Rev News. It was a hand typed rag where everything and anything went - and I encouraged it. Tame for it's time, it was National Lampoon met Mad. I was desperate for articles and I welcome any submissions and said I would print everything I got - good or bad. One day I got an article that had me rolling on the floor. It was funny, satirical, ironic and true - and I could not print it. For as good as it was, it was a personal attack and would have literally destroyed a person. Up to that point I thought nothing that was true couldn't be printed. I was wrong. There are some things that should not be printed.

Rather than hide behind some esoteric "First Amendment guarantees my right to be offensive", maybe we should just say "I'm sorry, it wouldn't happen again".

10 min

Too much time on my hands

It has been over a week since I updated my blog - not that I have not had something to write, I just could not find the time. This got me to wondering - If I am spending so much time volunteering to help the Boy Scouts, my church, the community radio station, not to mention time with my family, what are these other people NOT doing? Maybe it is time for people who write blogs to list how much time they take working on their blogs - I bet if instead of writing a blog, they would get off their duff and do something, then maybe they could change some of the things they are whining about. Hmmmm...

5 min.

p.s. The blog spell checker does not recognize "blog"