Fat Albert: Man, Seth, George Bush's like school on Sunday.
Seth: How's that?
Fat Albert: Ain't got no class.
President Bush did not attend the Capitol service [for Gerald Ford], choosing to remain at his Texas ranch until Monday, when he will return to Washington to pay his respects.
Saddam Hussein was executed this morning. The man certainly did not warrant anyone's sympathy, but one need not be sympathetic to be appalled by the Washington Post's uninterested dismissal of complaints about the kangaroo court that sent him to the gallows.
The reality is that by the trial's end, there was no significant factual dispute between prosecution and defense: Saddam Hussein acknowledged on national television that he had signed the death warrants after only the most cursory look at the evidence against his victims. That, he testified proudly, "is the right of the head of state." Exactly what would a perfect trial be capable of discovering?
Having the day off work, the Mrs. and I spent the day at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. We went, primarily, to see the faculty exhibition, but took in as much as we could while we were there.
The faculty exhibition was good - there were some pieces that I particularly liked. One, a photograph of a young woman from Southeast Asia in village dress standing on a lush green hill, a vivid rainbow arcing behind her, left me fairly mesmerized. There were others that were quite good, as well - a time-lapsed video portrait of a birds nest; a skillfully executed self portrait with the artist holding a mask in her right hand and a brush in her left. A few were good, but somehow a bit too self-conscious - a self portrait that implies the artist in motion, but was displayed sitting on a pair of shoes. Of course, there was the occasional tampon in a teacup, but, to my relief, they were very much in the minority.
The main draw for us was a work by an artist/friend whom we've met at a few parties. His Note 2 Self was an installation that he did at a bus stop a while back. Realizing that he spent much of his time sitting at the bus stop thinking about what he needed to do later, he thought covered the bus stop shelter in yellow adhesive notes and invited the public to fill them in. I thought his explanation was particularly interesting: the "post it note" imbues what we mostly consider a fleeting thought - mental detritus to be sloughed off and forgotten - with a record of its having existed, a declaration of its importance, even if only short lived.
I think there was a video display at some point, but by the time we made it to the exhibit, the monitor was covered in notes. So was the wall, the floor, and almost the work next to it. Some of the notes were crass, which made me chuckle and remember a good friend chastising me with a Salinger quote. Others debated the finer theories of the work ("go make some real art"; "this one I get!", "this is awesome"). I left a note to myself in Bengali. Sarah's was more clever, though - "go to the Corcoran faculty exhibit".
At the end of the faculty exhibit, I felt impressed with the quality of the work I'd seen, and more than a little bit envious. I also felt something else. I have too often sat smilingly through four-part cacophonies, encouragingly read trite short stories, or stared nonplussed at an expensive waste of time and paint. And, I'm well aware that I've subjected others to all of these things, myself. So I was secretly both relieved and impressed by John's work. I'm, as Sarah will readily tell anyone who will listen, a stick-in-the-mud. I'm the guy who will gladly skip the Tate Modern to hang out in the National Gallery. I unapologetically like boring old art. John's piece was conceptual and (dare I say it?) contemporary. But it resonated with me and it made me look at the world, even if just a small, fleeting piece of it, differently. And for that, I'm grateful.
It's a festive week, what with Christmas, New Year's, Eid al-Adha, and, um, Saturnalia all packed in to a few short days. I, of course, am in the office being incredibly productive. But that's just the kind of guy I am. As you are probably home with loved ones drinking wassail and eating what's left of that figgy pudding your neighbors brought over, I will try to keep things short.
Don't let anyone tell you the pink sheet isn't where it's at. Their pre-Christmas editorial, "Goodwill to all men", managed to ruffle the feathers of at least one righteous daughter of Christendom.
Coming up this weekend, Eid al-Adha is the one of two Eids (that I know of) - the other being Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of being able to eat. Eid al-Adha is a celebration of preparing things to eat.
Actually, as I understand it, Eid al-Adha is a commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God. The Hebrew text refers to Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac. Here's where you learn something new: While the Qu'ran does not explicitly specify which son is to be sacrificed, Islamic tradition places Ismmael on the altar. And, as the lines following those describing the sacrifice refer to the birth of Isaac, it would be hard to read the Sura another way. Muslims commemorate Abraham's faith with, well, a sacrifice, followed, like all great celebrations, by a giant feast.
In addition to appearing in the standard Judaic/Christian/Islamic texts, the famous sacrifice serves as the basis for Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, the title of which is also a fairly apt description of the current state of goats across the Muslim world.
All of this is interesting, I suppose, but, truth be told, it's really just an excuse for me to post the best Eid al-Adha card I've ever seen.
An interesting development in the SURGE! plan:
The Selective Service System is making plans to test its draft machinery in case Congress and President Bush need it, even though the White House says it doesn't want to bring back the draft.
The agency is planning a comprehensive test — not run since 1998 — of its military draft systems, a Selective Service official said. The test itself would not likely occur until 2009.
This is a great Bangla video - the music and images make me want to grab my passport and hop on a plane.
Nothing like getting off the subway and having this flash across the BlackBerry:
Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:
PRESIDENT BUSH ON IRAQ: 'WE'RE NOT SUCCEEDING NEARLY AS FAST AS I WANTED'
Why is everything so hard for me? Why can't I play the piano like I breathe?
Answering my question about how the SURGE! plan will affect McCain's '08 aspirations, David Brooks told Chris Matthews that it's a win-win situation for McCain, even though it's probably a major loss of life for GIs.
MATTHEWS: But if it turns out that more troops don’t do the job, is he disproven.
Mr. BROOKS: Right. Well, not at this late date. I mean, then they’ll just say — and I think he’ll say with a lot of justice, it’s too late. And he said that even this week. One more surge, and then we have to look at a new reality.
via Think Progress
ABC News is reporting that President Bush is considering a new course in Iraq - namely, more of the same.
Dec. 16, 2006 — President Bush is likely to support a "surge" of additional U.S. troops to Iraq, officials familiar with planning believe.
The surge could include more than 30,000 additional troops and last as long as two years, sources tell ABC News. That could bring the total number of troops in Iraq to at least 164,000 — the highest total yet.
The American Enterprise Institute, a conservative "think tank" that seems to be taken quite seriously for reasons completely beyond my comprehension, released yesterday their counter to the Iraq Study Group report on how to go forward in Iraq.
We must change our focus from training Iraqi soldiers to securing the Iraqi population and containing the rising violence. Securing the population has never been the primary mission of the U.S. military effort in Iraq, and now it must become the first priority.
- We must send more American combat forces into Iraq and especially into Baghdad to support this operation. A surge of seven Army brigades and Marine regiments to support clear-and-hold operations starting in the Spring of 2007 is necessary, possible, and will be sufficient.
- These forces, partnered with Iraqi units, will clear critical Sunni and mixed Sunni-Shi’a neighborhoods, primarily on the west side of the city.
- After the neighborhoods have been cleared, U.S. soldiers and marines, again partnered with Iraqis, will remain behind to maintain security.
- As security is established, reconstruction aid will help to reestablish normal life and, working through Iraqi officials, will strengthen Iraqi local government
I just returned from the Carnegie Institution where I was attending the presentation ceremony for the Joe A. Callaway Award For Civic Courage. The Callaway award is presented annually by the Shafeek Nader Trust to individuals who, at personal risk, take a stand to protect the public advance justice.
The award this year was presented to Maria Gunnoe, Ed Wiley, and the Capitol Power Plant tunnel team.
I went to the ceremony to support the tunnel workers who I met through work last spring. When I first met with those guys and listened to their story, I have to admit, it looked like they were up against some tough odds. So, I can't tell you how encouraged I was when I saw the coverage by Lisa Myers's news team back in October, and the subsequent attention that story brought.
I'm glad I was able to grab a a couple of the guys to congratulate them before the ceremony, but I'm also really glad that I was able to hear Maria's and Ed's stories. These are people who are fighting not for money or fame or glory, but to protect their families, their neighbors, and their property.
Too often, I admit, I get fairly discouraged. Most of the people that I meet and work with on a day-to-day basis are comfortable and well-educated. We're all well-meaning, to be sure, and we could all be much more comfortable if other lines of work. But let's face it - we're professionals. People like Maria, Ed, and the tunnel crew aren't paid for their efforts - they fight solely out of a sense of justice and righteous anger.
It was an inspiring event. Hearing these people tell their stories reminded me not only why it's important to take a stand, but that there are people out there who may not be as glamorous as DC lawyers in designer suits, but simply have the guts to do what's right.
Justice Antonin Scalia spoke out recently against worker exploitation and the sweatshop-like conditions of some American workers. Scalia expressed concern that some Americans are being paid too little to support their families, despite all their hard work and long hours.
Federal judges earned salaries of $165,200 in 2006. Said Scalia: "If you become a federal judge in the Southern District of New York, you can’t raise a family on what the salary is."
I have been amused by the reaction, predictable though it may have been, to the Iraq Study Group Report. The New York Post, true to form, featured the laughable headline "Surrender Monkeys". The report has been touted as "the return to realism", and, while that is to a large extent true, it lacks some of that school's more famous policies such as supporting dictators such as, oh, Saddam Hussein.
The report is, to be sure, a repudiation of the Bush administration's foreign policy. But what is more interesting to me is found in the details. For example, the list of individuals consulted by the Iraq Study Group makes for interesting reading. New York Times blockhead Thomas Friedman was consulted. Professor Juan Cole, not.
I do wonder about that interview with Tom Friedman, though. I can only imagine his sagacious advice, "When you find yourself stuck in the mud, you've got to lick your wounds, smooth your feathers, and put your nose to the grindstone. You don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater; you've got to keep on trucking. The world may be flat, but it's wrinkly."
And, speaking of unceasing fountains of foolishness, Rick Santorum weighs in on the issue, right on cue. Rick, in case you were unaware, was one of two Senators to vote against the confirmation of incoming Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (the other, Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning).
In the course of his explanation for his final dissent, Santorum reveals some amazing insights into the world. For example, were you aware that, "Iran has been at war with us since 1979"?
Santorum also takes on language in the popular discourse:
Words define the enemy we confront. They help the American people comprehend what motivates the enemy. Without clear, accurate words, we cannot fight effectively: our own people become confused and divided, and the fascists are encouraged to believe that we fear them.
Today, Bill the Cat mourns.
I'm typically skeptical of Dick Morris, and if I haven't lampooned some of his commentary here before, it's only because it seemed too easy.
So imagine my surprise when I found myself nodding along to this column in yesterday's The Hill.
Those who know both Hillary and Bill well and are willing to speak frankly in public realize the fundamental differences between the two and grasp how his abilities are the counterpoints to her defects.
...
He distrusts ideology, and his innate perfectionism finds all belief systems flawed. She swallows the ideological line of the guru du jour hook, line and sinker. During the healthcare years, it was Ira Magaziner who pushed her buttons. When she decided to back the Iraq War, it was the generals who paraded before her committee. She is vulnerable to a cultish adoration of the guys with all the answers.
