THE STAGING STAGE We are, at the moment, still in the get-ready period during which the platform is being made ready for the of an event called, by some, “the prime happening of our century”; by others, the official trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and it will, doubtless, be called by other names as it drags to a vague conclusion months - even years from now.
The accused individual it catching on fast. This week, after being present and talkative for the opening sessions,borrowed a “conduct” page from Michael Jackson's California routines when he announced he would not be there in the court room the next day. He complained of not having even a change of underwear, or of the way in which he has not been improperly provided for in food, fabric and facilities. In the course of his accounts of such inattention to his basic needs he managed to let the presiding judge know of his displeasure by inviting His Honor to ”go to Hell.”
He got away with it, too. The next morning the fenced area where Saddam usually perched and pouted was empty. The judge, it seems, had decided to declare it to be “work day” for staff . He had sent Saddam a note excusing him from, being present, Em person, that day of the court proceedings. The staff, which should have been stunned st around all day, I assume, twiddling their thumbs and wondering what Saddam would next to stall, for time and stretch this story time out as long as possible. Here in America we should be constantly on the alert to detect an sign of Yankee doodling in all of this affair because our one-time Attorney-General and aspirant for the presidential office Ramsey Clark, is present and not always fully accounted for among Saddam's herd of lawyers. He says he is there to see that Saddam gets a fair trial.
The ridiculous is going to be in constant collision with the sublime in the future episodes of this well-planned attempt at total exoneration.
A.L.M. December 9, 2005 [c386wds]
SELF-BLAME "You have no one to blame but yourself!"
How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans?
There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears. Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?"
"Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect"
"But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..."
"Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!"
It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to
forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards.
We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly.
We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all.
A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds]
SELF-BLAME
"You have no one to blame but yourself!"
How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans?
There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears.
Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?"
"Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect"
"But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..."
"Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!"
It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to
forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards.
We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly.
We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all.
A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds]
SELF-BLAME
"You have no one to blame but yourself!"
How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans?
There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears.
Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?"
"Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect"
"But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..."
"Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!"
It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to
forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards.
We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly.
We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all.
A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds]
SELF-BLAME
"You have no one to blame but yourself!"
How often have you had that accusation thrown in your face when something went awry in your plans?
There is a story going the rounds recently, and,I would assume since its lesson is a wide one, a young girl who was celebrating some special moment of her life enjoying ice cream and cake. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she began to sob and to cry real tears.
Someone nearby, concerned with the sudden change of mood and the girl's shift from happiness to extreme misery. "Why are you crying?"
"Because this is so good." she managed, choking back sobs,"This ice cream and cake Both are delicious they are...perfect"
"But, that's no reason for you to cry, honey! You can have some more, after that is done..."
"Yes,I know, but I was just thinking of how bad it will be when it is all gone! We won't have any at all! How will we get along? All gone! Every bit - gone! None left!"
It all sounds childish, doesn't it but it is more real than we might want to admit in many areas. Political doomsayers are are less than a-dime-per-dozen. They tend to
forget the "good" we enjoy; to question the validity of much that we have by new, questionable standards.
We are going through a political phase of its pathetic action daily and heaping enmity and hate upon the very blessings we enjoy. While we have secure stature among Mankind's many variations, we should not dwell on potential events which have not yet taken place and which, in many cases, will never happen. To dwell on the negative, worst-case previews of self-appointed critics and judges could be costly.
We need to attest, by actions, which show our time-tested loyalty to basic principles of true freedom for all.
A.L.M. December 5, 2005 [c391wds]
ljlfma
NEWS NOTIONS Do you find that you have difficulty, at times, in “keeping up” with the news of the day on TV?
I do. From time-to-time, not often mind you, just occasionally, I have sought ways of combating such a feeling of being inadequate. Some viewers speak of themselves as being “followers of the news” as if they are dragged along and able, at times, to pick up scraps - bits and pieces - “snippets” of news here and there which can be melded into a story in some manner. There are also those who brag about their way which enables them to “keep abreast of happenings around the world” - a comprehensive absorption of all the many streams of information from around the globe. We envision a sort of relay race in constant progess to determine who can memorize the most from five minutes of spoken headlines every hour on the hour. The news remains always in a fluid or transitional state.
Try to determine what type of news listener you think you would rather be, before you judge all TV news presentations to be less than good.
So much depends on what type of news listener you think you want to be.
Last Friday morning when the business day along the East Coast areas, one TV network informed us that some nut had sent a message saying he was going to blow up a Court House at a specified time in the State of Connecticut. The note did not say which ones or where, and, for that reason, five Court Houses in major urban areas were closed and being evacuated. Federal Court locations were being swept for explosives. Before too long a camera was placed on a window ledge in an office building and we could see down through an tangle of communication wires and lush, green trees into a busy, downtown intersection in which normal traffic moved steadily. I assumed the large building on one corner was on the the five threatened Court House structure. It irked me that the TV news crew used that same deadly shot over and over and again during the hours which followed right down to a wet-blanket finish at the set time when not even a sparkler had been set off.
In general, TV news is well done. It is no easy task to keep it fresh, factual and flowing. Usually what you get is what you can absorb .You get what you are, in a very real sense.
A.L.M. December 3, 2005 [c366wds]
