No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.
Yoda
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Anybody got a light?
The Associated Press
PARIS - Paris' Olympic torch relay descended into chaos Monday, with protesters scaling the Eiffel Tower, grabbing for the flame and forcing security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators yelling "Free Tibet!" ...
Five times, the Chinese officials in dark glasses and tracksuits who guard the torch extinguished it and retreated to the safety of a bus - the last time emerging only after the vehicle drove within 15 feet of the final stop, a track and field stadium. A torchbearer then ran the final steps inside.
COMMENT: At first, I had to ask, can you imagine being the Chinese official who has to re-light the Olympic torch? This torch was originally lit by ceremonial fires in the birthplace of the modern Olympics. It was meant to keep burning throughout the Olympic games. But from now on, it won't be from a fire that began in Athens, but from some anonymous guy with a Bic lighter. But no, as I read on:
France's former sports minister, Jean-Francois Lamour, stressed that though the torch was extinguished along the route, the Olympic flame itself still burned in a lantern, where it is kept overnight and on airplane flights. A Chinese official said that flame was used to re-light the torch each time it was brought aboard the bus.
COMMENT: So, I can relax a little, except that this world tour of the Olympic torch seems to be a terribly bad idea for the Chinese. Probably about as bad as holding the Olympics in China. As I understand it, the thinking was that by holding the games in Beijing, the committee hoped this would help open up China to the rest of the world and allow more freedom. Instead, the Chinese are clamping down even harder and using the Olympics and its torch for their own propaganda. Bad idea. ... But really, it can't get any worse for the Chinese. Or can it? READ ON ...
Outside, a few French activists supporting Tibet had a fist fight with pro-Chinese demonstrators. The French activists spat on them and shouted, "Fascists!"
In San Francisco, where the torch is to arrive Wednesday, three protesters wearing harnesses and helmets climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet."
COMMENT: Given the current political climate, just about anywhere in America would have been problematic for the Chinese. But to put San Francisco on the world tour for the Olympic torch? What were they thinking? They're just asking for trouble.
Then again, their colossal public relations mistake could serve the greater good. If protests continue to gather strength, this might actually put some real pressure on the Chinese government to address its human-rights abuses. And that, finally, is what all the protesting is about.
PARIS - Paris' Olympic torch relay descended into chaos Monday, with protesters scaling the Eiffel Tower, grabbing for the flame and forcing security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators yelling "Free Tibet!" ...
Five times, the Chinese officials in dark glasses and tracksuits who guard the torch extinguished it and retreated to the safety of a bus - the last time emerging only after the vehicle drove within 15 feet of the final stop, a track and field stadium. A torchbearer then ran the final steps inside.
COMMENT: At first, I had to ask, can you imagine being the Chinese official who has to re-light the Olympic torch? This torch was originally lit by ceremonial fires in the birthplace of the modern Olympics. It was meant to keep burning throughout the Olympic games. But from now on, it won't be from a fire that began in Athens, but from some anonymous guy with a Bic lighter. But no, as I read on:
France's former sports minister, Jean-Francois Lamour, stressed that though the torch was extinguished along the route, the Olympic flame itself still burned in a lantern, where it is kept overnight and on airplane flights. A Chinese official said that flame was used to re-light the torch each time it was brought aboard the bus.
COMMENT: So, I can relax a little, except that this world tour of the Olympic torch seems to be a terribly bad idea for the Chinese. Probably about as bad as holding the Olympics in China. As I understand it, the thinking was that by holding the games in Beijing, the committee hoped this would help open up China to the rest of the world and allow more freedom. Instead, the Chinese are clamping down even harder and using the Olympics and its torch for their own propaganda. Bad idea. ... But really, it can't get any worse for the Chinese. Or can it? READ ON ...
Outside, a few French activists supporting Tibet had a fist fight with pro-Chinese demonstrators. The French activists spat on them and shouted, "Fascists!"
In San Francisco, where the torch is to arrive Wednesday, three protesters wearing harnesses and helmets climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet."
COMMENT: Given the current political climate, just about anywhere in America would have been problematic for the Chinese. But to put San Francisco on the world tour for the Olympic torch? What were they thinking? They're just asking for trouble.
Then again, their colossal public relations mistake could serve the greater good. If protests continue to gather strength, this might actually put some real pressure on the Chinese government to address its human-rights abuses. And that, finally, is what all the protesting is about.
Ithaca bumper stickers
Spotted on a car at Ithaca College today:
"Oh well, I wasn't using my civil liberties anyway"
"Proud to be everything the right wing hates"
There was also a "Dan Grabuska for state treasurer" on the bumper, and another sticker that had someone's face that I couldn't make out and the words "American Terrorist" but I don't what they were talking about.
Still, looks like someone keeps busy.
"Oh well, I wasn't using my civil liberties anyway"
"Proud to be everything the right wing hates"
There was also a "Dan Grabuska for state treasurer" on the bumper, and another sticker that had someone's face that I couldn't make out and the words "American Terrorist" but I don't what they were talking about.
Still, looks like someone keeps busy.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
"From my cold, dead hands."
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Charlton Heston, the Oscar winner who portrayed Moses and other heroic figures on film in the '50s and '60s and later championed conservative values as head of the National Rifle Association, has died. He was 84.
(beat)
I guess now it's OK to take his gun away.
(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)
(beat)
I guess now it's OK to take his gun away.
(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)
Saturday, April 5, 2008
From "This is True"
WAKE-UP CALL: In what will probably become the iconic TV ad of the 2008 presidential campaign, a little girl is shown sleeping as the "phone rings at 3:00 a.m. in the White House." The spot, for Hillary Clinton, is meant to convey that she is "ready on day one" to handle crises -- and imply opponent Barack Obama isn't. The little girl featured in the ad is now 17; the footage had been sold to a stock house, and was used by the Clinton campaign without bothering to learn who it was. It was Casey Knowles of Bonney Lake, Wash. She turns 18 well before the election, and she has already been working for a presidential campaign: Barack Obama's. (Tacoma News Tribune) ...When called to comment on this crisis, Hillary refused to answer the phone.
Where was Obama?
During the anniversary events of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on Friday in Memphis, the notable absense was of Barack Obama. He was in Indiana instead.
It just seemed odd that someone who really owes so much to King's legacy would skip Memphis on this of all days.
Then again, Obama might have considered the politicking by Clinton and McCain to have turned such a solemn event into a circus. Maybe Obama was afraid that if he showed up too it would have been a three-ring circus.
It still feels like a missed opportunity. I saw Obama's speech in King's church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and it was wonderful and groundbreaking. Obama is certainly getting more coverage now and such a speech would have had an even larger audience.
It was interesting to watch McCain visit the very spot where King was slain. I think I blogged about it before, but it must be a very emotional moment to stand there and realize you are seeing part of what King saw in the last moments of his life.
It just seemed odd that someone who really owes so much to King's legacy would skip Memphis on this of all days.
Then again, Obama might have considered the politicking by Clinton and McCain to have turned such a solemn event into a circus. Maybe Obama was afraid that if he showed up too it would have been a three-ring circus.
It still feels like a missed opportunity. I saw Obama's speech in King's church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and it was wonderful and groundbreaking. Obama is certainly getting more coverage now and such a speech would have had an even larger audience.
It was interesting to watch McCain visit the very spot where King was slain. I think I blogged about it before, but it must be a very emotional moment to stand there and realize you are seeing part of what King saw in the last moments of his life.
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