Profession: musician, writer, painter. Live in deep southern New Mexico, in a county ranked as the 65th poorest in America. I wake up almost every day thinking about The New Deal, that was great.
In the July 17 issue of The New York Review, Michael Massing files a great report entitled "Embedded in Iraq" describing what he saw of today's Iraq as he moved with a convoy from the 2nd Batallion of the 4th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division. He describes what the military has accomplished since the addition of new troops there and the adoption of the new counter-insurgency strategy. As one officer he spoke with put it:
"If we weren't here, there are a lot of people who'd be dead the next day. But we're spinning our wheels."
I am a supporter of "not funding"-- that is, using the power of the purse vested with Congress to control the next phase of the Iraq debacle. When September arrives I will have less than no impact on the debate but I am preparing myself (as a citizen) for that magical month by using this time to do a Recess Reset, mentally recalibrating for the variety of arguments I can expect to hear from my betters.
In the June 28th issue of The New York Review of Books, the novelist Andrew O'Hagan delivers a fairly scathing review of Don DeLillo's new novel The Falling Man. Although I am a big fan of DeLillo, especially Mao II (1991), this review had me nodding my head as it slashed along, and not because I am a keen consumer of feuds from the world of contemporary literature. O'Hagan's piece resonated so well that I wanted to write this review of a review and maybe draw your attention to it, if you hadn't seen it.
US President Ronald Reagan said the letters "A-I-D-S" in that order in public for the first time on September 17, 1985. He stood tall, like John Wayne would do,-- it was the spirit America liked to embrace: wise, taciturn, resolute-- the man of quiet dignity and warmth.
"I was the only President who knew how he looked from every angle," Ronald Reagan liked to say-- and thankfully for the American people his most flattering angle was the fifth dimension...
Fireworks were going off in the neighborhood all night long. I did something different for New Year's Eve. I watched the Twilight Zone marathon. Hadn't seen TZ for a while. I was surprised at how many episodes I'd forgotten. I saw an episode called "The Hunt"-- it was very moving.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association refused an offer from Northwest Airlines Friday and voted to remain on strike. 4,100 mechanics, cleaners and other members of the AMFA began their strike on August 19th of this year.
Like I do every year I've been saving and marking old quotes or scraps I stumbled across that made me shake my head or laugh in recognition. I always hope to find some inspiration by them but maybe this is the year I finally admit it's pointless.
Gov. Bill Richardson (D) declared a state of emergency along the New Mexico/Mexico border.
Richardson said the executive order was issued "because the (Republican controlled) federal government has failed to act while smugglers and drug runners terrorize the area." New Mexico is the first state on the border to declare a state of emergency.
America is a vast and bewildering land, much like the world but even bigger. That "there are too many answers and not enough questions" is an intelligent design as good as rejecting Christianity for its opposite-- but when people get the power to get down to brass tacks might not too much be asked of them?
The suicide rate between 1929 and 1932 did indeed rise: from 13.9 per 100,000 to an all-time high of 17.4. The survivors could be seen everywhere, resolutely dressing for business each morning...mimicking the attitudes of success as they purposely marched off to stand in line...but dared not let truth steal in for fear it could not be endured.
A woman I know (who describes politics-- meaning government-- as "boring") has to write a paper for her civics class on the most recent State of the Union message. She knows I follow such things. She asked if I wouldn't mind digging up for her a list of the proposals set out in that bold and historic address. Being good natured, I tried to find a drab set of bullet points for her, to pass it along without comment. I could not find a clean, concise list but I found this...
Seen some good local diaries lately so here are my two cents-- adjusted by inflation. Last Saturday my county Democratic Party met officially for the second time this year. At the first meeting in February everyone was feisty and ready to work and make changes. Let us see where we stand now...
The first meeting of my local Democratic Party was Friday. I've been waiting for it desperately. I've been living on dkos and water since a week before the inaugural. I'm posting in tribute to all the comfort and inspiration this site has given to me. Share some anecdotal good cheer in return.
