Global
The ad in the airline magazine shows a young boy on a swing, the backdrop
for an interactive pager being held by a man's hands. "Maybe you don't have
to send an e-mail right now," says BellSouth's ad for their interactive
paging service. "But isn't it cool that you can?" The ad, with its headline
of work@lifespeed, celebrates a world where our jobs engulf our every waking
moment.
It's not just our workplaces. Our lives in general seem faster, more complicated, more at the mercy of distant powers and principalities. We have less time for our families, and less room to ask where we want to go as a society and as a planet. The very pace of environmental crises, global economic shifts and the threats of war and terrorism make it harder to address them. If we're to act effectively as engaged citizens, we're going to have to slow down our lives, our culture, and a world that seems to be careening out of control.
It's not just our workplaces. Our lives in general seem faster, more complicated, more at the mercy of distant powers and principalities. We have less time for our families, and less room to ask where we want to go as a society and as a planet. The very pace of environmental crises, global economic shifts and the threats of war and terrorism make it harder to address them. If we're to act effectively as engaged citizens, we're going to have to slow down our lives, our culture, and a world that seems to be careening out of control.
As we head into our own experiment with regime change, gay issues will be pushed yet again towards the forefront of American political debate. But this will not be a rehashing of the '92 cycle, with a potential president making lofty promises to the gay community only to break them when a conservative wind blows his way. Instead, candidates will rush to assure the American voter that they will oppose any attempt to legalize homosexual unions or support a codified definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Unfortunately, with the conservative Republican party entrenched against them and the more moderate Democratic party having abandoned them, gays and lesbians can be assured that this promise will remain inviolate.
LONDON -- The postwar travails of the Bush and Blair regimes
have been moving at roughly the same tempo. Last Saturday, the Financial
Times announced on its front page, "Blow for Blair as 50 percent want him to
go." At that same moment, U.S. headlines were assigning the same collapse in
popular esteem for Bush.
On the business of faked intelligence, the chickens have been slowly but inexorably coming home to roost, albeit with much irksome pomposity about some supposed new corruption of such intelligence estimates from former high standards. Never forget, U.S. intelligence created or endorsed some of the most brazen lies of the twentieth century, starting with Kennedy's "missile gap" thrown in Eisenhower's face.
Now, from the U.S. Congress, indeed from a former CIA officer, have come indignant charges that U.S. intelligence estimates were willfully perverted.
On the business of faked intelligence, the chickens have been slowly but inexorably coming home to roost, albeit with much irksome pomposity about some supposed new corruption of such intelligence estimates from former high standards. Never forget, U.S. intelligence created or endorsed some of the most brazen lies of the twentieth century, starting with Kennedy's "missile gap" thrown in Eisenhower's face.
Now, from the U.S. Congress, indeed from a former CIA officer, have come indignant charges that U.S. intelligence estimates were willfully perverted.
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- For Democrats only: I think our field is
shaping up quite nicely. Several of our candidates are starting to look
promising indeed. Of course, only a political junkie would have sat through
the entire two-hour debate, and the fact that there are 10 of them works
against any one standing out. If the field isn't winnowed down soon, they
might want to consider dividing themselves into two groups for a debate so
we get more than these unsatisfactory soundbites.
I think they ought to keep Al Sharpton in just for the entertainment value. Carol Moseley Braun is obviously the weakest link. But you know, guys, she wouldn't stand out so painfully as the only one who ever brings up women's issues if some of the rest of you did so occasionally, too. I really like Bob Graham, but for some reason he doesn't come across well. He voted against the Iraq war resolution, against the tax cuts and against confirming John Ashcroft -- a much higher profile in courage than several others in office. But even with all his electoral experience, he doesn't sound sharp.
I think they ought to keep Al Sharpton in just for the entertainment value. Carol Moseley Braun is obviously the weakest link. But you know, guys, she wouldn't stand out so painfully as the only one who ever brings up women's issues if some of the rest of you did so occasionally, too. I really like Bob Graham, but for some reason he doesn't come across well. He voted against the Iraq war resolution, against the tax cuts and against confirming John Ashcroft -- a much higher profile in courage than several others in office. But even with all his electoral experience, he doesn't sound sharp.
Over 50 GLBT and allied community members attended a Candidate’s Night on Thursday evening at the King Avenue United Methodist Church hosted by Stonewall CAN (Community Action Network), Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio and the Log Cabin Republicans. Sixteen candidates and campaign representatives attended the forum and presented on various issues, including, discrimination against GLBT persons, domestic partner benefits and ensuring a safe environment for GLBT youth in Columbus public schools.
A mighty and a passionate heart has ceased to beat.
Edward Said died in a hospital in New York City Wednesday night at 6.30 p.m., felled at last by complications arising from the leukemia he fought so gamely ever since the early 1990s.
We march through life buoyed by those comrades-in-arms we know to be marching with us, under the same banners, flying the same colors, sustained by the same hopes and convictions. They can be a thousand miles away; we may not have spoken to them in months; but their companionship is burned into our souls, and we are sustained by the knowledge that they are with us in the world.
Edward Said died in a hospital in New York City Wednesday night at 6.30 p.m., felled at last by complications arising from the leukemia he fought so gamely ever since the early 1990s.
We march through life buoyed by those comrades-in-arms we know to be marching with us, under the same banners, flying the same colors, sustained by the same hopes and convictions. They can be a thousand miles away; we may not have spoken to them in months; but their companionship is burned into our souls, and we are sustained by the knowledge that they are with us in the world.
I think he hit the nail on the head. One small factual error, the Texas Senators fled to New Mexico not Arizona. As a former Arizonan I would have been happy to host them though...
www.freepress.org/columns.php?strFunc=display&strID=761&strYear=2003&strAuthor=7
www.freepress.org/columns.php?strFunc=display&strID=761&strYear=2003&strAuthor=7
Dear Harvey Wasserman,
Tyranny has always been the main stay of man's cultures and governments. I find it disappointing that you think the Democrats could do much better. The party has sold out to the multinationals just like the Republicans. Ever hear of virtual parliament? Money controls. I suppose the issues are more complex than we realize. I take the easy direct route. Mythology is the key to tyrants. Early on, man's man made god was the rich guy with a sacred connection. We have only layered upon that myth with more fantastic crap. Don't get me wrong though. I am not an atheist. Just know I don't worship the little manmade God. And don't forget the beginning of secret government with that marvelous creation the National Security Council.
Sincerely, David Gommel
Here’s the real-life plot: A famous documentary filmmaker puts
out a letter to a retired four-star general urging him to run for
president. The essay quickly zooms through cyberspace and causes a big
stir.
For Michael Moore, the reaction is gratifying. Three days later, he thanks readers “for the astounding response to the Wesley Clark letter” and “for your kind comments to me.” But some of the reactions are more apoplectic than kind.
Quite a few progressive activists are stunned, even infuriated, perhaps most of all by four words in Moore’s open letter to Gen. Clark: “And you oppose war.”
The next sentence tries to back up the assertion: “You have said that war should always be the ‘last resort’ and that it is military men such as yourself who are the most for peace because it is YOU and your soldiers who have to do the dying.”
For Michael Moore, the reaction is gratifying. Three days later, he thanks readers “for the astounding response to the Wesley Clark letter” and “for your kind comments to me.” But some of the reactions are more apoplectic than kind.
Quite a few progressive activists are stunned, even infuriated, perhaps most of all by four words in Moore’s open letter to Gen. Clark: “And you oppose war.”
The next sentence tries to back up the assertion: “You have said that war should always be the ‘last resort’ and that it is military men such as yourself who are the most for peace because it is YOU and your soldiers who have to do the dying.”
Dear friends:
It is with great sadness that I mourn the death of the eminent scholar Professor Edward Said (see Associated Press story below). Edward's work includes the seminal work on Orientalism which remains a classic text of comparative study of the Western works on the East. Similarly his works exposing the mythologies of the Zionist enterprise have been nothing short of monumental. He was truly a cultured man of many talents and expert knowledge in areas ranging from history, to culture, to music, to literature. His quest for truth and his published work have had significant impact on the minds and hearts of millions of people. Their impact will only increase over time as all of us, his students, colleagues and friends honor him by redoubling our efforts.
It is with great sadness that I mourn the death of the eminent scholar Professor Edward Said (see Associated Press story below). Edward's work includes the seminal work on Orientalism which remains a classic text of comparative study of the Western works on the East. Similarly his works exposing the mythologies of the Zionist enterprise have been nothing short of monumental. He was truly a cultured man of many talents and expert knowledge in areas ranging from history, to culture, to music, to literature. His quest for truth and his published work have had significant impact on the minds and hearts of millions of people. Their impact will only increase over time as all of us, his students, colleagues and friends honor him by redoubling our efforts.